(7781,22,'2012-12-06 16:11:06','2012-12-06 21:11:06','I\'ve been struggling for a few months to find the answers to all of life\'s questions... err.. I mean how to integrate an RSA SecurID soft-token with the VMware View iPad Client.\r\n\r\nWhy?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>PCI Compliance requires multi-factor authentication for remote access to your cardholder data environment.  It\'s also a good security practice if you use remote access.</li>\r\n	<li>RSA SecurID is the most widely used form of multi-factor authentication, but there are certainly other options (Note: View only supports integration with RSA or RADIUS at this time).</li>\r\n	<li>Users do not have to carry around a physical RSA keyfob.</li>\r\n	<li>Users do not have to pull up the RSA app on their mobile device and remember the 8-digit token then fly over to the vmware view app and type in that code all within the 60- (or 30-) second window.  That\'s a little much for some folks to handle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<div>The intended audience of this technical post is your \"all-in-one\" administrator (like me) or a team of administrators across your compliance/security, VDI, or vSphere IT groups.</div>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nPrerequisites:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>RSA Server 7.1 SP4 (This is what I tested against)</li>\r\n	<li>View 5.1 with RSA enabled</li>\r\n	<li>VMware View iPad App</li>\r\n	<li>Access to your RSA server\'s admin page or be able to get the specific type of token from your RSA administrator in your organization.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>One point of clarification:</strong>\r\n<blockquote><strong> What is the difference between PIN, tokencode and PASSCODE?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe terminology can be very confusing. With two-factor authentication there are two components that a user needs in order to authenticate. The two factors are “something the user has – RSA Token which displays a tokencode” and “something the user knows - PIN”.  The PASSCODE is a combination of the user’s PIN followed by the tokencode. For example, if your PIN is abc1234 and the current tokencode is 987654, your PASSCODE is abc1234987654.</blockquote>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>There are several broad steps in the beginning and I will be focusing this post on the last few steps -- but -- I have included all of the steps to make sure you\'re doing everything that needs to be done with info on how to do it.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Setup VMware View 5.1, a security server, and a connection server.  </strong>You should be able to access your view environment from outside your corporate network.\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Setup RSA Server 7.1 SP4.</strong>  Or have your RSA admin upgrade you to this version. Make sure this is integrated into your Active Directory environment to sync up beautifully with View. *Tip: Make sure your RSA server\'s computer name is all lowercase and never ever change the name.  Strange things happen if you do. *\r\n<blockquote><strong>Here are some other things you have to do but I will not be providing detailed instructions in this post:</strong>\r\n\r\nSetup your internal view connection server (paired with security server) as an \"authentication agent\" in RSA.\r\n\r\nDownload the SDCONF.REC file from your RSA server.\r\n\r\nConfigure your View Connection Server to force RSA authentication before Active Directory authentication.  Once you\'re ready to force users to use RSA (After training, and token setup, of course), you need to follow the instructions from the VMware View documentation, found <a href=\"http://pubs.vmware.com/view-51/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.view.administration.doc%2FGUID-70879B1F-1DB3-45EA-8D12-C93906F11959.html\">here</a>.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>3. Install the iPhone software token device type. </strong>  Go <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/security/rsa-securid/rsa-securid-software-authenticators/iphone-and-ipad.htm\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> and download the documentation and device definition file.  You or your RSA admin will need to install the iPhone device type into the RSA console.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Assign a software token to a user.</strong>  Instructions are on page 39 of the admin guide, \"Provisioning File-Based Tokens\".\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Edit the user\'s token issue the token.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Go to Authentication &gt; SecurID Tokens &gt; Manage Existing.</strong></li>\r\n	<li><strong>Find the new user\'s token, press the down arrow beside it and press edit.</strong></li>\r\n	<li>Start and follow the steps beginning on page 40 of the admin guide, \"Provisioning File-Based Tokens\".</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSome settings of note (the instructions refer you back to Steps 1-4 of thee previous section, so check these settings):\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Pages 35-36 - If you want to restrict delivery of the token to ONE Device, then follow those instructions to retrieve the info from the user\'s RSA app, replace the GUID serial number field, then issue the token.  BE WARNED:  This will BIND your token to that device.  If a user changes devices, then you will need to issue a new token.  This is also a 1-to-1 bind.  This means one software token license equals one device token.  In my use case, I am NOT binding tokens to devices and the user can use the same token in their View iPad app, on their iPad RSA app, and on their iPhone/Droid RSA app.</li>\r\n	<li>Press \"Save and Distribute Token.\"</li>\r\n	<li>Choose Distribution Method: \"Issue Token File SDTID\".</li>\r\n	<li>Page 37 - follow the suggestions in the graphic for \"software token settings.\"</li>\r\n	<li>Turn back to page 40, picking up at step 3.  Give your token a password (required to install the token on their device - a 4 digit pin is ok, for example 5672).</li>\r\n	<li>Press Next to issue the token file and download the zip file. Extract it and get ready to use.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>5. Setup the Token Converter tool. </strong>Download the software token converter tool from RSA\'s website <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/security/rsa-securid/rsa-securid-software-authenticators/converter.htm\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.  Setup a converter folder on your computer and put the \"TokenConverter.exe\" and \"sdti2tsf.dll\" files in this folder (like C:\\Temp).  Drop all of the downloaded and extracted SDTID files (from step 4) into the folder as well.  You can identify them by the file name  ... should be \"<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">username_0000135562626.sdtid</span>\" (where the numbers are the token ID.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. Convert the SDTID files into the iPhone software token format</strong>.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>With your token converter files and the .SDTID files in one directory, open up a command prompt and navigate to that directory.</li>\r\n	<li>The command to execute is below.  The NAMEtokenfile.txt is the output file (Name it whatever you like).  The output file consists of the \"url\" that you will send to each user via email, so you probably want to make the file name user specific as to not get confused.  The underlined portion is that specific SDTID file you want to convert.  5672 is the example password on the token that you or your admin put on the token file.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>TokenConverter.exe <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">username_0000135562626.sdtid</span> -p 5672 -mobile -o NAMEtokenfile.txt</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/token-convert.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7772\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/token-convert-300x35.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"35\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\">(Click to enlarge the graphic)</p>\r\n<strong>7. Send the token code to your user(s).  </strong>Open up your NAMEtokenfile.txt file(s) and copy the \"url\" out of the file and e-mail that to your user(s).  The URL is going to look something like this (I\'ve changed the numbers so you can\'t steal my token):  com.rsa.securid://ctf?ctfData=202222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222722\r\n\r\n<strong>8. Users should setup their RSA Accounts on your network.</strong>  You can make the RSA Server public through your DMZ but that\'s really not necessary for this purpose.  But you can.  In the same e-mail, direct your users to the link below.  They should click that link.  Login with their WINDOWS active directory username and password.  Then they will setup their PIN code and security questions.\r\n\r\nhttps://rsaauthmgr.yourlocal.domain:7004/console-selfservice/SelfService.do\r\n\r\n<strong>9. Install the token into the RSA app on your iPhone/iPad.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Users should have the iPhone/iPad apps installed on their devices already (from the iTunes App store).</li>\r\n	<li>Then they should open up their e-mail and click on the link you just sent them.</li>\r\n	<li>This will open up the app and ask for the password (5672 in my example).</li>\r\n	<li>It might also ask for the PIN code that they setup in the step above.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>10. Install the token into your VMware View Client iPad app on your iPhone/iPad only after your connection server is RSA enabled. </strong>\r\n\r\n*Note: Remember that if in step 5, you chose to bind the token to a specific device, that you must use one token per app.  You cannot use the token for both #9 and #10.*\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Users should already have the VMware View iPad app installed, available for free from the iTunes App store.</li>\r\n	<li>Copy the URL from the email (The whole text) to the iPad/iPhone clipboard.</li>\r\n	<li>Open the View Client app.</li>\r\n	<li>Go into your view connection server - click \"external token\"</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Token Description:</strong> call it whatever you want (plain text)</li>\r\n	<li><strong>URL:</strong> paste the complete URL from the e-mail (output of the NAMEtokenfile.txt)</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Password:</strong> if you put a password on the token (which you should have), then type that in (my example was 5672).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour login screen on your iPad now looks like this (click to enlarge):\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSALoginScreen.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7778\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSALoginScreen-225x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd if you press \"token code available..\" you get the next screen where you can actually authenticate using an external token (if someone else needs to login with their credentials on your iPad/iPhone) (click to enlarge):\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSATokenScreen.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7779\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSATokenScreen-225x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>So once you have everything setup, you/your user clicks the View connection server in the app.  They enter their windows username and their RSA PIN (since the token is stored), then press done.  (it authenticates to RSA).  Then you/your user logs in with the windows username and password.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>And BAM - your user\'s lives are easier while at the same time securing your critical data and being PCI Compliant!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShoot me a note if you have any questions on twitter or send me an email to phillip(at)phillipreynolds(dot)com.\r\n\r\n----------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nPhillip Reynolds is a guest blogger for eGroup and you can find more of his posts <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/phillip-reynolds\">here</a>.  You can also keep up with him on Twitter @<a href=\"http://twitter.com/philvirtual\">philvirtual</a>.','Integrating RSA SecurID with VMware View iPad Client - eGroup','','inherit','open','open','','7766-revision-12','','','2012-12-06 16:11:06','2012-12-06 21:11:06','',7766,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7766-revision-12',0,'revision','',0),(7782,40,'2012-12-13 11:31:38','2012-12-13 16:31:38','At eGroup, we\'ve been fans of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/zimbra-collaboration-server-7-released\" target=\"_blank\">Zimbra </a>for quite some time. For enterprises and SMBs alike, it\'s the Exchange alternative they\'ve been seeking. After all, integrating Exchange, SharePoint capabilities, Salesforce Plugins, Google Apps, and more in one package is a fairly strong value proposition for our customers, especially <a href=\"http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2012/12/05/6772320.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Williams &amp; Fudge</a>.\r\n\r\nHear from <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/jflisher\">John Flisher</a> as to why eGroup partnered with Zimbra and the value the Zimbra partnership delivers for eGroup\'s customers.\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/wUPhxAQCH3E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','publish','open','open','','why-egroup-partners-with-zimbra','','','2012-12-13 11:31:38','2012-12-13 16:31:38','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7782',0,'post','',0),(7784,40,'2012-12-13 11:06:49','2012-12-13 16:06:49','Zimbra is truly the Exchange alternative that we all have been looking for.  I am excited to see some actual competition to Exchange, but with Zimbra, you really get Exchange, Sharepoint capabilities, SalesForce Plugins, Google Apps, and more all in one package.\r\n\r\nThere you have it, the top 8 reasons why Zimbra 8 will change your life for the better. Now it’s your turn to play around with Zimbra 8 and let us know what you think. http://blog.zimbra.com/blog/archives/2012/09/8-on-8.html\r\n\r\nhttp://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?s=zimbra\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nhttp://bit.ly/Uno62f','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7782-revision-2','','','2012-12-13 11:06:49','2012-12-13 16:06:49','',7782,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7782-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7787,40,'2012-12-13 11:30:20','2012-12-13 16:30:20','At eGroup, we\'ve been fans of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/zimbra-collaboration-server-7-released\" target=\"_blank\">Zimbra </a>for quite some time. For enterprises and SMBs alike, it\'s the Exchange alternative they\'ve been seeking. After all, integrating Exchange, SharePoint capabilities, Salesforce Plugins, Google Apps, and more in one package is a fairly strong value proposition for our customers, especially <a href=\"http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2012/12/05/6772320.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Williams &amp; Fudge</a>.\n\nHear from <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/jflisher\">John Flisher</a> as to why eGroup partnered with Zimbra and the value the Zimbra partnership delivers for eGroup\'s customers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/wUPhxAQCH3E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7782-revision-5','','','2012-12-13 11:30:20','2012-12-13 16:30:20','',7782,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7782-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7785,40,'2012-12-13 11:26:48','2012-12-13 16:26:48','At eGroup, we\'ve been fans of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/zimbra-collaboration-server-7-released\" target=\"_blank\">Zimbra </a>for quite some time. For enterprises and SMBs alike, it\'s the Exchange alternative they\'ve been seeking. After all, integrating Exchange, SharePoint capabilities, Salesforce Plugins, Google Apps, and more in one package is a fairly strong value proposition for our customers, especially <a href=\"http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2012/12/05/6772320.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Williams &amp; Fudge</a>.\n\nHear from eGroup\'s Senior Technical Consultant, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/jflisher\" target=\"_blank\">John Flisher</a>, on more specifics as to why we partnered with Zimba and the value the partnership is bringing to our customers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/wUPhxAQCH3E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7782-revision-3','','','2012-12-13 11:26:48','2012-12-13 16:26:48','',7782,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7782-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7786,40,'2012-12-13 11:28:22','2012-12-13 16:28:22','At eGroup, we\'ve been fans of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/zimbra-collaboration-server-7-released\" target=\"_blank\">Zimbra </a>for quite some time. For enterprises and SMBs alike, it\'s the Exchange alternative they\'ve been seeking. After all, integrating Exchange, SharePoint capabilities, Salesforce Plugins, Google Apps, and more in one package is a fairly strong value proposition for our customers, especially <a href=\"http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2012/12/05/6772320.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Williams &amp; Fudge</a>.\n\nHear from eGroup\'s Senior Technical Consultant, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/jflisher\" target=\"_blank\">John Flisher</a>, specifically why we partnered with Zimba and the value the partnership is bringing to eGroup\'s customers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/wUPhxAQCH3E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7782-revision-4','','','2012-12-13 11:28:22','2012-12-13 16:28:22','',7782,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7782-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7788,40,'2012-12-13 11:30:56','2012-12-13 16:30:56','At eGroup, we\'ve been fans of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/zimbra-collaboration-server-7-released\" target=\"_blank\">Zimbra </a>for quite some time. For enterprises and SMBs alike, it\'s the Exchange alternative they\'ve been seeking. After all, integrating Exchange, SharePoint capabilities, Salesforce Plugins, Google Apps, and more in one package is a fairly strong value proposition for our customers, especially <a href=\"http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2012/12/05/6772320.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Williams &amp; Fudge</a>.\r\n\r\nHear from <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/jflisher\">John Flisher</a> as to why eGroup partnered with Zimbra and the value the Zimbra partnership delivers for eGroup\'s customers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/wUPhxAQCH3E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7782-revision-6','','','2012-12-13 11:30:56','2012-12-13 16:30:56','',7782,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7782-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7789,40,'2012-12-13 11:31:10','2012-12-13 16:31:10','At eGroup, we\'ve been fans of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/zimbra-collaboration-server-7-released\" target=\"_blank\">Zimbra </a>for quite some time. For enterprises and SMBs alike, it\'s the Exchange alternative they\'ve been seeking. After all, integrating Exchange, SharePoint capabilities, Salesforce Plugins, Google Apps, and more in one package is a fairly strong value proposition for our customers, especially <a href=\"http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2012/12/05/6772320.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Williams &amp; Fudge</a>.\r\n\r\nHear from <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/jflisher\">John Flisher</a> as to why eGroup partnered with Zimbra and the value the Zimbra partnership delivers for eGroup\'s customers.\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/wUPhxAQCH3E\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>','Why eGroup Partners with Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7782-revision-7','','','2012-12-13 11:31:10','2012-12-13 16:31:10','',7782,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7782-revision-7',0,'revision','',0),(7825,23,'2012-12-31 20:51:12','2013-01-01 01:51:12','In IT, we always talk about how important backups are, but how often do we really review and test our backup plans appropriately?  In 2013, we should resolve to do a better job in protecting the data that we depend on daily.  Here are some important questions to keep in mind when reviewing your policies...\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What needs to be backed up?</li>\r\n	<li>How often does it need to be backed up?</li>\r\n	<li>How much space is available to store backups?</li>\r\n	<li>What is your retention policy?</li>\r\n	<li>How many backups do you keep on hand for emergency situations?</li>\r\n	<li>Do backups need to be stored offsite? If so, should they be stored in a different geographical location (East Coast vs West Coast)?</li>\r\n	<li>How quickly can you recover and restore those backups?</li>\r\n	<li>Have you tested your backup plan?</li>\r\n	<li>Have you tested the restore process of those backups?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThese are the basic questions you should be asking when coming up with a Disaster Recovery plan.  The answers will guide you to creating the disaster recovery plan that you need for your business.  It will also give you the peace of mind that your data is protected and will never be \'lost\'.\r\n\r\nIf you need assistance in creating, reviewing, implementing, or testing your Disaster Recovery plan then send us an email at <a href=\"mailto:sales@egroup-us.com\">sales@egroup-us.com</a> and we will be happy to help!','New Year\'s Disaster Recovery Resolution','','publish','open','open','','new-year-disaster-recovery-resolution','','','2012-12-31 20:51:12','2013-01-01 01:51:12','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7825',0,'post','',0),(7791,40,'2012-12-17 17:08:47','2012-12-17 22:08:47','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BI.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7802\" alt=\"Business Intelligence &amp; Big Data\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BI-300x228.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIn eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s BI &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\r\n\r\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\r\n<ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\r\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\r\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\r\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</ul>\r\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','publish','open','open','','egroup-roundtable-series-microsofts-business-intelligence-big-data-play','','','2012-12-17 17:08:47','2012-12-17 22:08:47','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7791',0,'post','',0),(7794,40,'2012-12-17 16:57:21','2012-12-17 21:57:21','','Microsoft\'s Bi & Big Data Solutions Explained','','inherit','open','open','','2012-12-12-09-35-egroup-roundtable_-cutting-through-the-hype_-big-data-explained','','','2012-12-17 16:57:21','2012-12-17 21:57:21','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4',0,'attachment','video/mp4',0),(7793,40,'2012-12-17 16:54:59','2012-12-17 21:54:59','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\n\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\n<ul>\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\nsimplified methods of building complex analysis solutionsExcel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BIeGroup\'s BI Process</ul>\nFor more on eGroup’s Application Services team , be sure to visit our <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services/sharepoint-planning-services\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint Planning Services</a> page.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-2','','','2012-12-17 16:54:59','2012-12-17 21:54:59','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7795,40,'2012-12-17 16:59:16','2012-12-17 21:59:16','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\n\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\n<ul>\n<ul>\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and how</li>\n</ul>\n</ul>\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-3','','','2012-12-17 16:59:16','2012-12-17 21:59:16','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7796,40,'2012-12-17 17:00:50','2012-12-17 22:00:50','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s Bi &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\n\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\n<ul>\n<ul>\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\n</ul>\n</ul>\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-4','','','2012-12-17 17:00:50','2012-12-17 22:00:50','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7797,40,'2012-12-17 17:02:05','2012-12-17 22:02:05','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s BI &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\n\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\n<ul>\n<ul>\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\n</ul>\n</ul>\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-5','','','2012-12-17 17:02:05','2012-12-17 22:02:05','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7798,40,'2012-12-17 17:02:57','2012-12-17 22:02:57','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s BI &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\r\n\r\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\r\n<ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\r\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\r\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\r\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</ul>\r\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-6','','','2012-12-17 17:02:57','2012-12-17 22:02:57','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7792,40,'2012-12-17 16:41:35','2012-12-17 21:41:35','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Brad Shannon walk us through the latest buzz from the SharePoint Conference show floor. Despite the fact it was 6:30 am PT when the Roundtable kicked off, both Jason and Brad were clear, concise, informative and dialed into their SharePoint A-games.\n\nIf you’re looking for discussion on any of the below topics, you need to listen to this 50-minute Roundtable.\n<ul>\n	<li>Business Management, Workflow and Collaboration</li>\n	<li>Business Intelligence and Analytics</li>\n	<li>Application Development</li>\n	<li>Content Management</li>\n	<li>Enterprise Search</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>This is a big one, we have customers registered that are considering us for assistance in implementing their BI Solutions.</b>  We have learned in the past a few things that I want to remind everyone of.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1)      Think about the goal of what we want to communicate to avoid rambling about nothing (See Goals of this Roundtable Below)\n\n2)      Speak Up so that your voice is clear on the call\n\n3)      Slow Down and keep it out of the weeds from a techy standpoint.  Discuss the technology and why it is important but save the detailed tech talk\n\n4)      Relate your information to “stories from the road”, it helps create a better conversation in the Q&amp;A format.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Format</span></b>:  Ian will be the expert resource and we will continue the Q&amp;A format we have in the past.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What we want to communicate:  </span></b>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>Goal: </b>Business Intelligence and Big Data is achievable in 2013 and Microsoft has the answer to do it.  Business Intelligence and Big Data can help you…\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>Gain better insights into your company’s operations</li>\n	<li>Outmaneuver the competition by exposing trends in data both private and public</li>\n	<li>Gain greater efficiency through a smarter workforce by enabling self-service intelligence</li>\n	<li>Let’s not confuse the issue by talking about too many solutions, we want it to sound easy.  Stick with Microsoft for this one.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>How:  </b>During this webinar, we are going to discuss how business small and large can achieve these goals.  To do that, we are going to talk a bit about the products and features that make up the solution.  Then towards the end, we are going to discuss how we tie it all together in a simple roadmap that will allow you to understand your data and processes, capture the information, gain insight and enable all your users to consume this information in a convenient and familiar way.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSQL 2012 – What are the key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data?\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>Simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions.</li>\n	<li>Interact with datasets of increasing size</li>\n	<li>New features and interactions with PowerPivot and PowerView</li>\n	<li>New spatial analysis tools\n<ul>\n	<li>Support for curves or arcs vs. just straight lines and polygons</li>\n	<li>Automatically backward compatible to spatial tools that don’t support curves</li>\n	<li>Full Globe support vs. Hemisphere support</li>\n	<li>Tabular Model and BISM (Business Intelligence Semantic Model) – read here for reference… <a href=\"http://cwebbbi.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/so-what-is-the-bi-semantic-model/\">http://cwebbbi.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/so-what-is-the-bi-semantic-model/</a>’\n<ul>\n	<li>Tabular Mode enables Cubeless BI through the Analysis Services of Tables, Relationships and in-memory storage and the ColumnStore Index</li>\n	<li>xVelocity in-memory technology allows users to work with ever larger datasets</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>Beyond BI</b> – HDInsight Server\n<ul>\n	<li>Microsoft’s Windows Native implementation of Hadoop</li>\n	<li>Any Data, Any Size, Anywhere\n<ul>\n	<li>Gain insight into structured, unstructured and streaming data</li>\n	<li>Not just your data, the World’s data.\n<ul>\n	<li>Your data doesn’t have to be “Big” to utilize Big Data.</li>\n	<li>Scalable solutions that easily extend into the cloud or operate there entirely for Data As A Service</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>Office 2013</b>\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>Familiar Interface – “We don’t need to spend a lot of time covering Office and that is the proof right there.”\n<ul>\n	<li>Microsoft realizes that Excel 2013 and to a lesser degree PowerPoint, Word and Access are the end-users business intelligence tool of choice.</li>\n	<li>PowerPivot in Excel 2013 has been taken to the next level</li>\n	<li>PowerView for the SSAS Tabular Model</li>\n	<li>Excel will be the only Microsoft BI frontend tool in 5 years and it won’t just be considered a spreadsheet tool</li>\n	<li>PowerView embedded into PowerPoint reports allow for “drilling down” and “data in motion” during presentations.   Timelines allow animation and deeper inspection</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>SharePoint 2010 and 2013</b>:\n\n&nbsp;\n\n“We need to stress that SharePoint is just the end user interaction tool.  It allows people to share and collaborate on the pre-defined dashboards by extending them through additional relationships, drill-down, and build their own”\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>Allow users to access and share dashboards, KPIs and reports they build simply by saving Excel Documents to a document library</li>\n	<li>Excel Services Integration provides rich visualization and interaction on the web to dig deeper with data and dashboards with additional information if desired</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\nTying it all together:  I am going to ask. So Ian, we have just talked about 4 great technologies, how do you bring it all together to start taking advantage of these tools.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIan is going to respond with our Business Intelligence and Big Data Process and emphasize you don’t have to do it all.  You can gain big insights rapidly.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>Our BI Process</b> – Want Big Data?  Just plug in HDInsight server or better yet, Data As A Service in the eCloud.\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>Document your existing Source Data Locations and Capture processes</li>\n</ul>\no   Adapt Business Processes to make data accessible if necessary or use technology to make it more accessible\n<ul>\n	<li>Process you Data with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)\n<ul>\n	<li>Construct an Enterprise Data Warehouse</li>\n	<li>Make relationships within your data or external data</li>\n	<li>Model that Data through SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)\n<ul>\n	<li>Construct your Cube with custom measures/calculations</li>\n	<li>Go Cubeless, Allow users to build their own relationships.  Info in the hands of the people that know it best</li>\n	<li>Report on that data through KPIs, Dashboards and Reports</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\no   Excel 2010/2013/Services + SharePoint for Self-Service BI\n\no   Dashboard Designer for fixed KPIs/Dashboards in SharePoint 2010\n\no   Ditch PerformancePoint\n\n&nbsp;','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data ','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision','','','2012-12-17 16:41:35','2012-12-17 21:41:35','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7802,40,'2012-12-17 17:07:31','2012-12-17 22:07:31','','Business Intelligence & Big Data','','inherit','open','open','','bi','','','2012-12-17 17:07:31','2012-12-17 22:07:31','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BI.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7803,40,'2012-12-17 17:06:54','2012-12-17 22:06:54','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/MSFT-Big-Data-Slide.pptx\">MSFT Big Data Slide</a>\n\nIn eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s BI &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\n\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\n<ul>\n<ul>\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\n</ul>\n</ul>\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-8','','','2012-12-17 17:06:54','2012-12-17 22:06:54','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-8',0,'revision','',0),(7801,40,'2012-12-17 17:04:24','2012-12-17 22:04:24','In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s BI &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\n\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\n<ul>\n<ul>\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\n</ul>\n</ul>\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-7','','','2012-12-17 17:04:24','2012-12-17 22:04:24','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-7',0,'revision','',0),(7804,40,'2012-12-17 17:08:22','2012-12-17 22:08:22','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BI.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7802\" alt=\"Business Intelligence &amp; Big Data\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BI-300x228.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIn eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Ian Jones discuss Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence and Big Data solutions and how customers are leveraging the tools to gain better insight into operations. One of the key takeaways and reasons you need to listen to the Roundtable is that \"big data is achievable in 2013.\" Let Jason and Ian tell you how.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-12-12-09.35-eGroup-Roundtable_-Cutting-Through-the-Hype_-Big-Data-explained.mp4\">Microsoft\'s BI &amp; Big Data Solutions Explained</a>\r\n\r\nSome highlights of the discussion include:\r\n<ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>key components of SQL 2012 and how is it enabling greater insights for corporations into their data</li>\r\n	<li>simplified methods of building complex analysis solutions</li>\r\n	<li>Excel 2010/2013/Services plus SharePoint for Self-Service BI</li>\r\n	<li>eGroup\'s BI process and customer examples</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</ul>\r\nVisit <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\" target=\"_blank\">eGroup’s Application Services</a> page for more information.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Microsoft\'s Business Intelligence & Big Data Play','','inherit','open','open','','7791-revision-9','','','2012-12-17 17:08:22','2012-12-17 22:08:22','',7791,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7791-revision-9',0,'revision','',0),(7821,40,'2012-12-21 13:10:58','2012-12-21 18:10:58','','podcaste_capture','','inherit','open','open','','podcaste_capture','','','2012-12-21 13:10:58','2012-12-21 18:10:58','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/podcaste_capture.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(7820,40,'2012-12-21 12:22:44','2012-12-21 17:22:44','<a href=\"itpc://feeds.feedburner.com/egroup\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7725\" title=\"SharePoint Slide\" alt=\"SharePoint\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SP-Slide-300x227.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"227\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Brad Shannon walk us through the latest buzz from the SharePoint Conference show floor. Despite the fact it was 6:30 am PT when the Roundtable kicked off, both Jason and Brad were clear, concise, informative and dialed into their SharePoint A-games.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you\'re looking for discussion on any of the below topics, you need to listen to this 50-minute Roundtable.</span>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Business Management, Workflow and Collaboration</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Business Intelligence and Analytics</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Application Development</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Content Management</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Enterprise Search</span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-11-14-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-Live-from-SharePoint-Conference-2012.mp4\">Live from SharePoint Conference 2012</a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">eGroup Roundtable_ Live from SharePoint Conference 2012!</span><a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eGroup-Roundtable_SCFB_VDI.wmv\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">For more on eGroup\'s Application Services team and SharePoint expertise, be sure to visit our <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services/sharepoint-planning-services\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">SharePoint Planning Services</span></a> page.</span>','eGroup Roundtable Series: Live from SharePoint Conference 2012','','inherit','open','open','','7723-revision-7','','','2012-12-21 12:22:44','2012-12-21 17:22:44','',7723,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7723-revision-7',0,'revision','',0),(7813,40,'2012-12-21 12:05:04','2012-12-21 17:05:04','<a href=\"itpc://feeds.feedburner.com/egroup\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-7656\" title=\"SC Farm Bureau Slide\" alt=\"virtual desktop\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SC-Farm-Bureau-Slide-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIn eGroup\'s latest Roundtable Series, we sit down with Dave Riberdy, Infrastructure Architect, SC Farm Bureau Insurance Companies.\n\nSC Farm Bureau VDI Keys to Success\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'re considering desktop virtualization options for your enterprise and want to know how to do it successfully, we strongly recommend you listen to this eGroup Roundtable. Dave outlines the reasons why his team finally took the plunge with VMware View, how they secured funding, created a business case, addressed user change management issues, overcame technology challenges and, ultimately succeeded with the project.\n\nIn fact, it\'s gone so well that the next phase will be to roll out to the field agents on their iPads. Dave explains.\n\nSo, go ahead and carve out 60 minutes for this Roundtable. You\'ll be glad you did!\n\nSC Farm Bureau VDI Keys to Success','eGroup Roundtable Series: Virtual Desktop Strategies & Keys to Success','','inherit','open','open','','7647-autosave','','','2012-12-21 12:05:04','2012-12-21 17:05:04','',7647,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7647-autosave',0,'revision','',0),(7819,40,'2012-12-21 11:46:05','2012-12-21 16:46:05','<a href=\"itpc://feeds.feedburner.com/egroup\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7725\" title=\"SharePoint Slide\" alt=\"SharePoint\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SP-Slide-300x227.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"227\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">In eGroup’s latest Roundtable Series, Jason Webster and Brad Shannon walk us through the latest buzz from the SharePoint Conference show floor. Despite the fact it was 6:30 am PT when the Roundtable kicked off, both Jason and Brad were clear, concise, informative and dialed into their SharePoint A-games.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you\'re looking for discussion on any of the below topics, you need to listen to this 50-minute Roundtable.</span>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Business Management, Workflow and Collaboration</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Business Intelligence and Analytics</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Application Development</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Content Management</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Enterprise Search</span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012-11-14-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-Live-from-SharePoint-Conference-2012.mp4\">Live from SharePoint Conference 2012</a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">eGroup Roundtable_ Live from SharePoint Conference 2012!</span><a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eGroup-Roundtable_SCFB_VDI.wmv\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">For more on eGroup\'s Application Services team and SharePoint expertise, be sure to visit our <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services/sharepoint-planning-services\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">SharePoint Planning Services</span></a> page.</span>','eGroup Roundtable Series: Live from SharePoint Conference 2012','','inherit','open','open','','7723-revision-6','','','2012-12-21 11:46:05','2012-12-21 16:46:05','',7723,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7723-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7863,40,'2013-02-11 09:45:25','2013-02-11 14:45:25','','Chris Ermis','','inherit','open','open','','chris-ermis','','','2013-02-11 09:45:25','2013-02-11 14:45:25','',7862,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7814,40,'2012-11-01 10:01:11','2012-11-01 14:01:11','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eGroup-Roundtable_SCFB_VDI.wmv\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-7656\" title=\"SC Farm Bureau Slide\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SC-Farm-Bureau-Slide-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"virtual desktop\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn eGroup\'s latest Roundtable Series, we sit down with Dave Riberdy, Infrastructure Architect, SC Farm Bureau Insurance Companies.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eGroup-Roundtable_SCFB_VDI.wmv\">eGroup Roundtable Series: SC Farm Bureau VDI Project</a>\r\n\r\nIf you\'re considering desktop virtualization options for your enterprise and want to know how to do it successfully, we strongly recommend you listen to this eGroup Roundtable. Dave outlines the reasons why his team finally took the plunge with VMware View, how they secured funding, created a business case, addressed user change management issues, overcame technology challenges and, ultimately succeeded with the project.\r\n\r\nIn fact, it\'s gone so well that the next phase will be to roll out to the field agents on their iPads. Dave explains.\r\n\r\nSo, go ahead and carve out 60 minutes for this Roundtable. You\'ll be glad you did!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eGroup-Roundtable_SCFB_VDI.wmv\">eGroup Roundtable Series: SC Farm Bureau VDI Project</a>\r\n\r\n(we will update the post once the Roundtable is up on iTunes)','eGroup Roundtable Series: Virtual Desktop Strategies & Keys to Success','','inherit','open','open','','7647-revision-10','','','2012-11-01 10:01:11','2012-11-01 14:01:11','',7647,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7647-revision-10',0,'revision','',0),(7845,2,'2013-01-29 14:46:29','2013-01-29 19:46:29','','eGROUP Customer Support Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-customer-support-engineer','','','2013-01-29 14:46:29','2013-01-29 19:46:29','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Customer-Support-Engineer.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7826,23,'2012-12-31 20:50:15','2013-01-01 01:50:15','In IT, we always talk about how important backups are, but how often do we really review and test our backup plans appropriately?  In 2013, we should resolve to do a better job in protecting the data that we depend on daily.  Here are some important questions to keep in mind when reviewing your policies...\n<ul>\n	<li>What needs to be backed up?</li>\n	<li>How often does it need to be backed up?</li>\n	<li>How much space is available to store backups?</li>\n	<li>What is your retention policy?</li>\n	<li>How many backups do you keep on hand for emergency situations?</li>\n	<li>Do backups need to be stored offsite? If so, should they be stored in a different geographical location (East Coast vs West Coast)?</li>\n	<li>How quickly can you recover and restore those backups?</li>\n	<li>Have you tested your backup plan?</li>\n	<li>Have you tested the restore process of those backups?</li>\n</ul>\nThese are the basic questions you should be asking when coming up with a Disaster Recovery plan.  The answers will guide you to creating the disaster recovery plan that you need for your business.  It will also give you the peace of mind that your data is protected and will never be \'lost\'.\n\nIf you need assistance in creating, reviewing, implementing, or testing your Disaster Recovery plan then send us an email at <a href=\"mailto:sales@egroup-us.com\">sales@egroup-us.com</a> and we will be happy to help!','New Year\'s Disaster Recovery Resolution','','inherit','open','open','','7825-revision','','','2012-12-31 20:50:15','2013-01-01 01:50:15','',7825,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7825-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7827,23,'2012-12-31 20:50:34','2013-01-01 01:50:34','In IT, we always talk about how important backups are, but how often do we really review and test our backup plans appropriately?  In 2013, we should resolve to do a better job in protecting the data that we depend on daily.  Here are some important questions to keep in mind when reviewing your policies...\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What needs to be backed up?</li>\r\n	<li>How often does it need to be backed up?</li>\r\n	<li>How much space is available to store backups?</li>\r\n	<li>What is your retention policy?</li>\r\n	<li>How many backups do you keep on hand for emergency situations?</li>\r\n	<li>Do backups need to be stored offsite? If so, should they be stored in a different geographical location (East Coast vs West Coast)?</li>\r\n	<li>How quickly can you recover and restore those backups?</li>\r\n	<li>Have you tested your backup plan?</li>\r\n	<li>Have you tested the restore process of those backups?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThese are the basic questions you should be asking when coming up with a Disaster Recovery plan.  The answers will guide you to creating the disaster recovery plan that you need for your business.  It will also give you the peace of mind that your data is protected and will never be \'lost\'.\r\n\r\nIf you need assistance in creating, reviewing, implementing, or testing your Disaster Recovery plan then send us an email at <a href=\"mailto:sales@egroup-us.com\">sales@egroup-us.com</a> and we will be happy to help!','New Year\'s Disaster Recovery Resolution','','inherit','open','open','','7825-revision-2','','','2012-12-31 20:50:34','2013-01-01 01:50:34','',7825,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7825-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7862,40,'2013-02-11 10:01:24','2013-02-11 15:01:24','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7863\" alt=\"Chris Ermis\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis-225x300.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?  </strong></span>\r\n\r\nMy initial attraction to eGroup came from two things. The first was the description of the job position, it was as if the poster was talking to me directly. It was exactly the type of opportunity I was looking for. After spending more than a decade administering infrastructures, I realized how much I enjoyed designing and building them. I felt like I had met a match with eGroup. Of course you also can\'t deny the draw of such a magical place as Charleston. Once I had a chance to meet everyone, I knew it was the place for me. It is a rare thing in this day and age to find a company that is so dedicated to customer satisfaction. The recruitment process made me realize that not only do they take great care in selecting the absolute best candidate, but that I am one of them. I am looking forward to a long and lustrous career at eGroup.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nAccording to my wife, it is because I am a know it all. That is, I go to great lengths to make sure I know what I am talking about. I like to do a lot of research and be as informed as possible. From a technical perspective I am a bit of a Dr. Frankenstein. I can get really creative when it comes to designing solutions and have been known to take decommissioned and outdated equipment and craft it into a viable production environment. Sometimes you don\'t have a lot to work with and the end result might not be very pretty, but it most certainly does the job.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">If you weren\'t in Tech what would you be doing?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nIf left unmanaged, I will talk your ear off. I am definitely an extrovert, with a capital E. When you mix that with a love of foreign cultures you get an ideal linguist. Nothing activates the brain better than trying to learn a new language. In my studies I have learned a bit of Latin, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. When I got an opportunity to study abroad in France and Germany I made sure to learn enough of the language to survive during my two weeks there. Of course, if that didn\'t pan out I could always go back to being a clown/magician.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What\'s your Headline?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nFormer magician reveals centuries old secret of making objects disappear... \"We just store them in \'the cloud\'...\"\r\n\r\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Chris!','First Day...Four Questions: Chris Ermis, Technical Consultant','','publish','open','open','','first-day-four-questions-chris-ermis-technical-consultant','','','2013-02-11 10:01:24','2013-02-11 15:01:24','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7862',0,'post','',0),(7830,40,'2013-01-09 13:29:03','2013-01-09 18:29:03','','Events','','publish','open','open','','events-3','','','2013-01-09 13:29:03','2013-01-09 18:29:03','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/events-3',0,'page','',0),(7831,40,'2013-01-09 13:55:41','2013-01-09 18:55:41','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7832 alignleft\" alt=\"Network equipment\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258-284x300.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nInteresting article on OPEN Forum on how to <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-ways-to-avoid-a-network-breach/\" target=\"_blank\">avoid a network breach</a>.\r\n\r\nThe writer, <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/keywords/carla-turchetti-1/\" target=\"_blank\">Carla Turchetti</a>, outlined five ways to protect a business and the bottom line from network breach challenges in the year ahead. Through her sources, she boiled it down to: user safety, password strength, proper systems and control, monitoring and general vigilance.\r\n\r\nI spoke with eGroup\'s in house security expert, Adam Turner, who offered some additional advice of the technical variety for businesses hoping to prevent a security breach:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As for the how-to, one item I always stress is that information security, be it implementation, review, etc., is not a milestone. It is an ongoing process. Also, information security is everyone’s responsibility, from the front desk personnel to the head of the IT department.  Security awareness training is often overlooked, but it can be a big help to a company’s data integrity. The weakest link in the chain is often the analogy, and end-users are usually that weak link.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Down to the 1’s and 0’s. I’d like to briefly cover SQL Injection (SQLi), browser and browser add-on vulnerabilities, AutoRun, and insider threats.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>One of the most popular exploits these days is SQL Injection (SQLi). This is typically a targeted attack, i.e. the attacker has identified an information system in particular and wants access. SQLi takes advantage of poorly written application code, specifically the part of the application code that is inserting or retrieving information from a database. Encrypting your database cells is the best method of protection, but input validation and sanitization is the simpler route. For instance, a Date field in a website form should not allow characters that do not belong in a date, only numbers and the / character.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Another popular exploitation vector is the web browser and web browser add-ons. These exploitations usually occur by getting a user to visit a malicious website that takes advantage of a browser or browser add-on software vulnerability. Examples of exploitable browser and browser add-ons are the Internet Explorer browser, Apple’s Safari browser, Java, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Reader. These products or a combination of them are typically used by every user in the world with Internet access. This makes them very attractive to attackers. The best way to prevent these products from exploitation is to limit the external websites corporate users can visit, however this often is not acceptable to the user base. In that case, creating a white list of websites that are allowed to use client-side add-ons is the best alternative. In Internet Explorer, this is implemented by assigning business related external websites to the Trusted zone via the Site to Zone Assignment list, and locking down the Internet Zone. I would also suggest using the Google Chrome browser where possible, as it is the most secure web browser available.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>AutoRun is a feature in Windows that performs automatic execution to provide convenience to the user. When you insert a software installation CD into your computer and the software’s install routine automatically launches, the AutoRun feature is what makes it happen. Using this feature, malware can spread from environment to environment silently via thumb drives and other portable media.  The malware in turn can delete data or introduce a point of access for the attacker. AutoRun should be disabled by Group Policy at the Computer and User levels.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Last but certainly not least is insider threats. This usually involves disgruntled employees and terminated employees. I recently spoke to a company that was certain their voice mail server was being attacked by someone in China, until I found out their voice mail server administrator had recently been terminated. Though they had deleted his user account, it was apparent that he still had access into their system most likely through a shared user account. Employee exit policies should always involve disabling or deletion of their user accounts as well as password resets on any shared user accounts they may have had access to. However the practice of shared user accounts in generally very bad as it presents risk issues as well as audit/event investigation issues.</em></p>','Securing Your Business from a Network Breach','','publish','open','open','','securing-your-business-from-a-network-breach','','','2013-01-09 13:56:37','2013-01-09 18:56:37','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7831',0,'post','',0),(7832,40,'2013-01-09 13:52:01','2013-01-09 18:52:01','Network equipment for providing the internet.','Network equipment','','inherit','open','open','','network-equipment','','','2013-01-09 13:52:01','2013-01-09 18:52:01','',7831,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7833,40,'2013-01-09 13:52:36','2013-01-09 18:52:36','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7832\" alt=\"Network equipment\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258-284x300.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nInteresting article on OPEN Forum on how to <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-ways-to-avoid-a-network-breach/\" target=\"_blank\">avoid a network breach</a>.\n\nThe writer, <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/keywords/carla-turchetti-1/\" target=\"_blank\">Carla Turchetti</a>, outlined five ways to protect a business and the bottom line frm cyber-security challenges in the year ahead. Through her sources, she boiled it down to: user safety, password strength, proper systems and control, monitoring and general vigilance.\n\nI spoke with eGroup\'s in house security expert, Adam Turner, who offered some additional advice of the technical variety for businesses hoping to prevent a security breach:\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As for the how-to, one item I always stress is that information security, be it implementation, review, etc., is not a milestone. It is an ongoing process. Also, information security is everyone’s responsibility, from the front desk personnel to the head of the IT department.  Security awareness training is often overlooked, but it can be a big help to a company’s data integrity. The weakest link in the chain is often the analogy, and end-users are usually that weak link.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Down to the 1’s and 0’s. I’d like to briefly cover SQL Injection (SQLi), browser and browser add-on vulnerabilities, AutoRun, and insider threats.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>One of the most popular exploits these days is SQL Injection (SQLi). This is typically a targeted attack, i.e. the attacker has identified an information system in particular and wants access. SQLi takes advantage of poorly written application code, specifically the part of the application code that is inserting or retrieving information from a database. Encrypting your database cells is the best method of protection, but input validation and sanitization is the simpler route. For instance, a Date field in a website form should not allow characters that do not belong in a date, only numbers and the / character.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Another popular exploitation vector is the web browser and web browser add-ons. These exploitations usually occur by getting a user to visit a malicious website that takes advantage of a browser or browser add-on software vulnerability. Examples of exploitable browser and browser add-ons are the Internet Explorer browser, Apple’s Safari browser, Java, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Reader. These products or a combination of them are typically used by every user in the world with Internet access. This makes them very attractive to attackers. The best way to prevent these products from exploitation is to limit the external websites corporate users can visit, however this often is not acceptable to the user base. In that case, creating a white list of websites that are allowed to use client-side add-ons is the best alternative. In Internet Explorer, this is implemented by assigning business related external websites to the Trusted zone via the Site to Zone Assignment list, and locking down the Internet Zone. I would also suggest using the Google Chrome browser where possible, as it is the most secure web browser available.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>AutoRun is a feature in Windows that performs automatic execution to provide convenience to the user. When you insert a software installation CD into your computer and the software’s install routine automatically launches, the AutoRun feature is what makes it happen. Using this feature, malware can spread from environment to environment silently via thumb drives and other portable media.  The malware in turn can delete data or introduce a point of access for the attacker. AutoRun should be disabled by Group Policy at the Computer and User levels.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Last but certainly not least is insider threats. This usually involves disgruntled employees and terminated employees. I recently spoke to a company that was certain their voice mail server was being attacked by someone in China, until I found out their voice mail server administrator had recently been terminated. Though they had deleted his user account, it was apparent that he still had access into their system most likely through a shared user account. Employee exit policies should always involve disabling or deletion of their user accounts as well as password resets on any shared user accounts they may have had access to. However the practice of shared user accounts in generally very bad as it presents risk issues as well as audit/event investigation issues.</em></p>','Securing Your Business from a Network Breach','','inherit','open','open','','7831-revision','','','2013-01-09 13:52:36','2013-01-09 18:52:36','',7831,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7831-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7834,40,'2013-01-09 13:54:27','2013-01-09 18:54:27','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7832\" alt=\"Network equipment\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258-284x300.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nInteresting article on OPEN Forum on how to <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-ways-to-avoid-a-network-breach/\" target=\"_blank\">avoid a network breach</a>.\r\n\r\nThe writer, <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/keywords/carla-turchetti-1/\" target=\"_blank\">Carla Turchetti</a>, outlined five ways to protect a business and the bottom line frm cyber-security challenges in the year ahead. Through her sources, she boiled it down to: user safety, password strength, proper systems and control, monitoring and general vigilance.\r\n\r\nI spoke with eGroup\'s in house security expert, Adam Turner, who offered some additional advice of the technical variety for businesses hoping to prevent a security breach:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As for the how-to, one item I always stress is that information security, be it implementation, review, etc., is not a milestone. It is an ongoing process. Also, information security is everyone’s responsibility, from the front desk personnel to the head of the IT department.  Security awareness training is often overlooked, but it can be a big help to a company’s data integrity. The weakest link in the chain is often the analogy, and end-users are usually that weak link.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Down to the 1’s and 0’s. I’d like to briefly cover SQL Injection (SQLi), browser and browser add-on vulnerabilities, AutoRun, and insider threats.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>One of the most popular exploits these days is SQL Injection (SQLi). This is typically a targeted attack, i.e. the attacker has identified an information system in particular and wants access. SQLi takes advantage of poorly written application code, specifically the part of the application code that is inserting or retrieving information from a database. Encrypting your database cells is the best method of protection, but input validation and sanitization is the simpler route. For instance, a Date field in a website form should not allow characters that do not belong in a date, only numbers and the / character.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Another popular exploitation vector is the web browser and web browser add-ons. These exploitations usually occur by getting a user to visit a malicious website that takes advantage of a browser or browser add-on software vulnerability. Examples of exploitable browser and browser add-ons are the Internet Explorer browser, Apple’s Safari browser, Java, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Reader. These products or a combination of them are typically used by every user in the world with Internet access. This makes them very attractive to attackers. The best way to prevent these products from exploitation is to limit the external websites corporate users can visit, however this often is not acceptable to the user base. In that case, creating a white list of websites that are allowed to use client-side add-ons is the best alternative. In Internet Explorer, this is implemented by assigning business related external websites to the Trusted zone via the Site to Zone Assignment list, and locking down the Internet Zone. I would also suggest using the Google Chrome browser where possible, as it is the most secure web browser available.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>AutoRun is a feature in Windows that performs automatic execution to provide convenience to the user. When you insert a software installation CD into your computer and the software’s install routine automatically launches, the AutoRun feature is what makes it happen. Using this feature, malware can spread from environment to environment silently via thumb drives and other portable media.  The malware in turn can delete data or introduce a point of access for the attacker. AutoRun should be disabled by Group Policy at the Computer and User levels.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Last but certainly not least is insider threats. This usually involves disgruntled employees and terminated employees. I recently spoke to a company that was certain their voice mail server was being attacked by someone in China, until I found out their voice mail server administrator had recently been terminated. Though they had deleted his user account, it was apparent that he still had access into their system most likely through a shared user account. Employee exit policies should always involve disabling or deletion of their user accounts as well as password resets on any shared user accounts they may have had access to. However the practice of shared user accounts in generally very bad as it presents risk issues as well as audit/event investigation issues.</em></p>','Securing Your Business from a Network Breach','','inherit','open','open','','7831-revision-2','','','2013-01-09 13:54:27','2013-01-09 18:54:27','',7831,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7831-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7835,40,'2013-01-09 13:55:08','2013-01-09 18:55:08','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7832 alignleft\" alt=\"Network equipment\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258-284x300.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nInteresting article on OPEN Forum on how to <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-ways-to-avoid-a-network-breach/\" target=\"_blank\">avoid a network breach</a>.\r\n\r\nThe writer, <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/keywords/carla-turchetti-1/\" target=\"_blank\">Carla Turchetti</a>, outlined five ways to protect a business and the bottom line frm cyber-security challenges in the year ahead. Through her sources, she boiled it down to: user safety, password strength, proper systems and control, monitoring and general vigilance.\r\n\r\nI spoke with eGroup\'s in house security expert, Adam Turner, who offered some additional advice of the technical variety for businesses hoping to prevent a security breach:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As for the how-to, one item I always stress is that information security, be it implementation, review, etc., is not a milestone. It is an ongoing process. Also, information security is everyone’s responsibility, from the front desk personnel to the head of the IT department.  Security awareness training is often overlooked, but it can be a big help to a company’s data integrity. The weakest link in the chain is often the analogy, and end-users are usually that weak link.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Down to the 1’s and 0’s. I’d like to briefly cover SQL Injection (SQLi), browser and browser add-on vulnerabilities, AutoRun, and insider threats.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>One of the most popular exploits these days is SQL Injection (SQLi). This is typically a targeted attack, i.e. the attacker has identified an information system in particular and wants access. SQLi takes advantage of poorly written application code, specifically the part of the application code that is inserting or retrieving information from a database. Encrypting your database cells is the best method of protection, but input validation and sanitization is the simpler route. For instance, a Date field in a website form should not allow characters that do not belong in a date, only numbers and the / character.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Another popular exploitation vector is the web browser and web browser add-ons. These exploitations usually occur by getting a user to visit a malicious website that takes advantage of a browser or browser add-on software vulnerability. Examples of exploitable browser and browser add-ons are the Internet Explorer browser, Apple’s Safari browser, Java, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Reader. These products or a combination of them are typically used by every user in the world with Internet access. This makes them very attractive to attackers. The best way to prevent these products from exploitation is to limit the external websites corporate users can visit, however this often is not acceptable to the user base. In that case, creating a white list of websites that are allowed to use client-side add-ons is the best alternative. In Internet Explorer, this is implemented by assigning business related external websites to the Trusted zone via the Site to Zone Assignment list, and locking down the Internet Zone. I would also suggest using the Google Chrome browser where possible, as it is the most secure web browser available.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>AutoRun is a feature in Windows that performs automatic execution to provide convenience to the user. When you insert a software installation CD into your computer and the software’s install routine automatically launches, the AutoRun feature is what makes it happen. Using this feature, malware can spread from environment to environment silently via thumb drives and other portable media.  The malware in turn can delete data or introduce a point of access for the attacker. AutoRun should be disabled by Group Policy at the Computer and User levels.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Last but certainly not least is insider threats. This usually involves disgruntled employees and terminated employees. I recently spoke to a company that was certain their voice mail server was being attacked by someone in China, until I found out their voice mail server administrator had recently been terminated. Though they had deleted his user account, it was apparent that he still had access into their system most likely through a shared user account. Employee exit policies should always involve disabling or deletion of their user accounts as well as password resets on any shared user accounts they may have had access to. However the practice of shared user accounts in generally very bad as it presents risk issues as well as audit/event investigation issues.</em></p>','Securing Your Business from a Network Breach','','inherit','open','open','','7831-revision-3','','','2013-01-09 13:55:08','2013-01-09 18:55:08','',7831,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7831-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7836,40,'2013-01-09 13:55:41','2013-01-09 18:55:41','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7832 alignleft\" alt=\"Network equipment\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258-284x300.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nInteresting article on OPEN Forum on how to <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-ways-to-avoid-a-network-breach/\" target=\"_blank\">avoid a network breach</a>.\r\n\r\nThe writer, <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/keywords/carla-turchetti-1/\" target=\"_blank\">Carla Turchetti</a>, outlined five ways to protect a business and the bottom line frm cyber-security challenges in the year ahead. Through her sources, she boiled it down to: user safety, password strength, proper systems and control, monitoring and general vigilance.\r\n\r\nI spoke with eGroup\'s in house security expert, Adam Turner, who offered some additional advice of the technical variety for businesses hoping to prevent a security breach:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As for the how-to, one item I always stress is that information security, be it implementation, review, etc., is not a milestone. It is an ongoing process. Also, information security is everyone’s responsibility, from the front desk personnel to the head of the IT department.  Security awareness training is often overlooked, but it can be a big help to a company’s data integrity. The weakest link in the chain is often the analogy, and end-users are usually that weak link.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Down to the 1’s and 0’s. I’d like to briefly cover SQL Injection (SQLi), browser and browser add-on vulnerabilities, AutoRun, and insider threats.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>One of the most popular exploits these days is SQL Injection (SQLi). This is typically a targeted attack, i.e. the attacker has identified an information system in particular and wants access. SQLi takes advantage of poorly written application code, specifically the part of the application code that is inserting or retrieving information from a database. Encrypting your database cells is the best method of protection, but input validation and sanitization is the simpler route. For instance, a Date field in a website form should not allow characters that do not belong in a date, only numbers and the / character.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Another popular exploitation vector is the web browser and web browser add-ons. These exploitations usually occur by getting a user to visit a malicious website that takes advantage of a browser or browser add-on software vulnerability. Examples of exploitable browser and browser add-ons are the Internet Explorer browser, Apple’s Safari browser, Java, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Reader. These products or a combination of them are typically used by every user in the world with Internet access. This makes them very attractive to attackers. The best way to prevent these products from exploitation is to limit the external websites corporate users can visit, however this often is not acceptable to the user base. In that case, creating a white list of websites that are allowed to use client-side add-ons is the best alternative. In Internet Explorer, this is implemented by assigning business related external websites to the Trusted zone via the Site to Zone Assignment list, and locking down the Internet Zone. I would also suggest using the Google Chrome browser where possible, as it is the most secure web browser available.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>AutoRun is a feature in Windows that performs automatic execution to provide convenience to the user. When you insert a software installation CD into your computer and the software’s install routine automatically launches, the AutoRun feature is what makes it happen. Using this feature, malware can spread from environment to environment silently via thumb drives and other portable media.  The malware in turn can delete data or introduce a point of access for the attacker. AutoRun should be disabled by Group Policy at the Computer and User levels.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Last but certainly not least is insider threats. This usually involves disgruntled employees and terminated employees. I recently spoke to a company that was certain their voice mail server was being attacked by someone in China, until I found out their voice mail server administrator had recently been terminated. Though they had deleted his user account, it was apparent that he still had access into their system most likely through a shared user account. Employee exit policies should always involve disabling or deletion of their user accounts as well as password resets on any shared user accounts they may have had access to. However the practice of shared user accounts in generally very bad as it presents risk issues as well as audit/event investigation issues.</em></p>','Securing Your Business from a Network Breach','','inherit','open','open','','7831-revision-4','','','2013-01-09 13:55:41','2013-01-09 18:55:41','',7831,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7831-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7837,40,'2013-01-09 13:57:41','2013-01-09 18:57:41','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7832 alignleft\" alt=\"Network equipment\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/freeimage-9047258-284x300.jpg\" width=\"284\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nInteresting article on OPEN Forum on how to <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-ways-to-avoid-a-network-breach/\" target=\"_blank\">avoid a network breach</a>.\n\nThe writer, <a href=\"http://www.openforum.com/keywords/carla-turchetti-1/\" target=\"_blank\">Carla Turchetti</a>, outlined five ways to protect a business and the bottom line from network breach challenges in the year ahead. Through her sources, she boiled it down to: user safety, password strength, proper systems and control, monitoring and general vigilance.\n\nI spoke with eGroup\'s in house security expert, Adam Turner, who offered some additional advice of the technical variety for businesses hoping to prevent a security breach:\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>As for the how-to, one item I always stress is that information security, be it implementation, review, etc., is not a milestone. It is an ongoing process. Also, information security is everyone’s responsibility, from the front desk personnel to the head of the IT department.  Security awareness training is often overlooked, but it can be a big help to a company’s data integrity. The weakest link in the chain is often the analogy, and end-users are usually that weak link.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Down to the 1’s and 0’s. I’d like to briefly cover SQL Injection (SQLi), browser and browser add-on vulnerabilities, AutoRun, and insider threats.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>One of the most popular exploits these days is SQL Injection (SQLi). This is typically a targeted attack, i.e. the attacker has identified an information system in particular and wants access. SQLi takes advantage of poorly written application code, specifically the part of the application code that is inserting or retrieving information from a database. Encrypting your database cells is the best method of protection, but input validation and sanitization is the simpler route. For instance, a Date field in a website form should not allow characters that do not belong in a date, only numbers and the / character.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Another popular exploitation vector is the web browser and web browser add-ons. These exploitations usually occur by getting a user to visit a malicious website that takes advantage of a browser or browser add-on software vulnerability. Examples of exploitable browser and browser add-ons are the Internet Explorer browser, Apple’s Safari browser, Java, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Reader. These products or a combination of them are typically used by every user in the world with Internet access. This makes them very attractive to attackers. The best way to prevent these products from exploitation is to limit the external websites corporate users can visit, however this often is not acceptable to the user base. In that case, creating a white list of websites that are allowed to use client-side add-ons is the best alternative. In Internet Explorer, this is implemented by assigning business related external websites to the Trusted zone via the Site to Zone Assignment list, and locking down the Internet Zone. I would also suggest using the Google Chrome browser where possible, as it is the most secure web browser available.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>AutoRun is a feature in Windows that performs automatic execution to provide convenience to the user. When you insert a software installation CD into your computer and the software’s install routine automatically launches, the AutoRun feature is what makes it happen. Using this feature, malware can spread from environment to environment silently via thumb drives and other portable media.  The malware in turn can delete data or introduce a point of access for the attacker. AutoRun should be disabled by Group Policy at the Computer and User levels.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Last but certainly not least is insider threats. This usually involves disgruntled employees and terminated employees. I recently spoke to a company that was certain their voice mail server was being attacked by someone in China, until I found out their voice mail server administrator had recently been terminated. Though they had deleted his user account, it was apparent that he still had access into their system most likely through a shared user account. Employee exit policies should always involve disabling or deletion of their user accounts as well as password resets on any shared user accounts they may have had access to. However the practice of shared user accounts in generally very bad as it presents risk issues as well as audit/event investigation issues.</em></p>','Securing Your Business from a Network Breach','','inherit','open','open','','7831-autosave','','','2013-01-09 13:57:41','2013-01-09 18:57:41','',7831,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7831-autosave',0,'revision','',0),(7840,40,'2013-01-18 10:50:39','2013-01-18 15:50:39','<p align=\"center\"><b>South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Delivers a Better Desktop Experience to its Users</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><i>eGroup collaborates to replace SC Farm Bureau’s clunky and costly desktop PC environment with VMware View</i></p>\r\n<b>MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – January 16, 2013</b> – <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/\">eGroup</a>, the Southeast’s leading provider of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/cloud-services\">cloud</a>, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\">application</a> and <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/end-user-computing\">end-user computing</a> services, today announced the South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Companies (SCFB Insurance) have successfully deployed their virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) program across the enterprise, saving time and money.\r\n\r\nGiven the initial success of the project and positive feedback from the first 100 users, SCFB Insurance plans to roll out its VDI program to the remainder of the company’s user base in 2013.\r\n\r\nFacing the prospect of having to refresh several hundred desktops at an estimated cost of $300,000, SCFB Insurance’s information technology (IT) department decided it was finally time to adopt a VDI strategy.\r\n\r\nWith the consultation of eGroup’s End-User Computing team, SCFB Insurance identified administrative personnel and QuickBooks™ users as a good target group to replace their clunky desktops with Dell Wyse P20s. The benefits were instantaneous, according to Dave Riberdy, Infrastructure Architect, SCFB Insurance.\r\n\r\n“Our administrative personnel were severely burdened by 30 minute log in times to QuickBooks and chronic latency issues given the amount of staff using the application. Moving QuickBooks to the cloud and having staff access through View on their Wyse P20s improved log in times to mere minutes and significantly improved application performance,” commented Riberdy.\r\n\r\nThe IT department also experienced immediate productivity benefits. For example, using View they no longer had to audit each and every machine for software versioning, nor did they have to push Adobe Reader updates out individually to each machine. Riberdy now has a golden version of the desktop that can be delivered with a press of a button.\r\n\r\n“We were fortunate we had a few idle servers and some extra SAN space to get the pilot off the ground. Once we did, management witnessed just how powerful VDI can be and the impressive time and cost results that are realized almost immediately,” said Riberdy. “We were thrilled to have eGroup support us. Given View’s complexity, we needed experts to get it up and running quickly and successfully. There really was no margin for error in the eyes of management.”\r\n\r\nSCFB Insurance even captured non-tangible metrics over the course of the project, such as a 90 percent reduction in help desk calls related to specific desktop PC hardware issues, or having to waste time removing harmful, non-business related software from individuals’ machines.\r\n\r\n“One of the key validations that our VDI strategy is working is that employees who have yet to be converted keep asking when we’ll get to them,” commented Riberdy. “What IT team doesn’t like happy, productive and content users?”\r\n\r\nThe next phase of SCFB Insurance’s VDI strategy involves its field agents. In the near future, agents will be able to use View on their iPads to access claims applications while consulting with a client.\r\n\r\nMike Carter, Principal, eGroup, said: “Working with SCFB Insurance on their VDI transformation has been a wonderful experience. Living and breathing technology all day long, we understand the impact that comes from the deployment of innovative end user computing strategies that guarantee a defined outcome. Many times, customer leadership does not recognize the immediate value of enabling technologies like this until it’s ‘in production’, which is why we’re thrilled to ensure the project’s success from pre-planning, to rollout, to end-user education, and ultimately in the hands of the users and being effectively utilized.”\r\n\r\nTo hear Dave Riberdy detail the project in depth, you can listen to this recent <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/egroup-roundtable-seriesvirtual-desktop-strategies-keys-to-success\">eGroup Roundtable Webinar</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','SCFB Insurance Successfully Deploys Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Program','','publish','open','open','','scfb-insurance-successfully-deploys-virtual-desktop-infrastructure-program','','','2013-01-18 10:50:39','2013-01-18 15:50:39','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7840',0,'post','',0),(7841,40,'2013-01-18 10:48:39','2013-01-18 15:48:39','<p align=\"center\"><b>South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Delivers a Better Desktop Experience to its Users</b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><i>eGroup collaborates to replace SC Farm Bureau’s clunky and costly desktop PC environment with VMware View</i></p>\n<b>MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – January 16, 2013</b> – <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/\">eGroup</a>, the Southeast’s leading provider of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/cloud-services\">cloud</a>, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\">application</a> and <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/end-user-computing\">end-user computing</a> services, today announced the South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Companies (SCFB Insurance) have successfully deployed their virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) program across the enterprise, saving time and money.\n\nGiven the initial success of the project and positive feedback from the first 100 users, SCFB Insurance plans to roll out its VDI program to the remainder of the company’s user base in 2013.\n\nFacing the prospect of having to refresh several hundred desktops at an estimated cost of $300,000, SCFB Insurance’s information technology (IT) department decided it was finally time to adopt a VDI strategy.\n\nWith the consultation of eGroup’s End-User Computing team, SCFB Insurance identified administrative personnel and QuickBooks™ users as a good target group to replace their clunky desktops with Dell Wyse P20s. The benefits were instantaneous, according to Dave Riberdy, Infrastructure Architect, SCFB Insurance.\n\n“Our administrative personnel were severely burdened by 30 minute log in times to QuickBooks and chronic latency issues given the amount of staff using the application. Moving QuickBooks to the cloud and having staff access through View on their Wyse P20s improved log in times to mere minutes and significantly improved application performance,” commented Riberdy.\n\nThe IT department also experienced immediate productivity benefits. For example, using View they no longer had to audit each and every machine for software versioning, nor did they have to push Adobe Reader updates out individually to each machine. Riberdy now has a golden version of the desktop that can be delivered with a press of a button.\n\n“We were fortunate we had a few idle servers and some extra SAN space to get the pilot off the ground. Once we did, management witnessed just how powerful VDI can be and the impressive time and cost results that are realized almost immediately,” said Riberdy. “We were thrilled to have eGroup support us. Given View’s complexity, we needed experts to get it up and running quickly and successfully. There really was no margin for error in the eyes of management.”\n\nSCFB Insurance even captured non-tangible metrics over the course of the project, such as a 90 percent reduction in help desk calls related to specific desktop PC hardware issues, or having to waste time removing harmful, non-business related software from individuals’ machines.\n\n“One of the key validations that our VDI strategy is working is that employees who have yet to be converted keep asking when we’ll get to them,” commented Riberdy. “What IT team doesn’t like happy, productive and content users?”\n\nThe next phase of SCFB Insurance’s VDI strategy involves its field agents. In the near future, agents will be able to use View on their iPads to access claims applications while consulting with a client.\n\nMike Carter, Principal, eGroup, said: “Working with SCFB Insurance on their VDI transformation has been a wonderful experience. Living and breathing technology all day long, we understand the impact that comes from the deployment of innovative end user computing strategies that guarantee a defined outcome. Many times, customer leadership does not recognize the immediate value of enabling technologies like this until it’s ‘in production’, which is why we’re thrilled to ensure the project’s success from pre-planning, to rollout, to end-user education, and ultimately in the hands of the users and being effectively utilized.”\n\nTo hear Dave Riberdy detail the project in depth, you can listen to this recent <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/egroup-roundtable-seriesvirtual-desktop-strategies-keys-to-success\">eGroup Roundtable Webinar</a>.\n\n&nbsp;','SCFB Insurance Successfully Deploys Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Program','','inherit','open','open','','7840-revision','','','2013-01-18 10:48:39','2013-01-18 15:48:39','',7840,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7840-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7842,40,'2013-01-18 10:50:09','2013-01-18 15:50:09','<p align=\"center\"><b>South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Delivers a Better Desktop Experience to its Users</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><i>eGroup collaborates to replace SC Farm Bureau’s clunky and costly desktop PC environment with VMware View</i></p>\r\n<b>MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – January 16, 2013</b> – <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/\">eGroup</a>, the Southeast’s leading provider of <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/cloud-services\">cloud</a>, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/application-services\">application</a> and <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/what-we-do/services/end-user-computing\">end-user computing</a> services, today announced the South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Companies (SCFB Insurance) have successfully deployed their virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) program across the enterprise, saving time and money.\r\n\r\nGiven the initial success of the project and positive feedback from the first 100 users, SCFB Insurance plans to roll out its VDI program to the remainder of the company’s user base in 2013.\r\n\r\nFacing the prospect of having to refresh several hundred desktops at an estimated cost of $300,000, SCFB Insurance’s information technology (IT) department decided it was finally time to adopt a VDI strategy.\r\n\r\nWith the consultation of eGroup’s End-User Computing team, SCFB Insurance identified administrative personnel and QuickBooks™ users as a good target group to replace their clunky desktops with Dell Wyse P20s. The benefits were instantaneous, according to Dave Riberdy, Infrastructure Architect, SCFB Insurance.\r\n\r\n“Our administrative personnel were severely burdened by 30 minute log in times to QuickBooks and chronic latency issues given the amount of staff using the application. Moving QuickBooks to the cloud and having staff access through View on their Wyse P20s improved log in times to mere minutes and significantly improved application performance,” commented Riberdy.\r\n\r\nThe IT department also experienced immediate productivity benefits. For example, using View they no longer had to audit each and every machine for software versioning, nor did they have to push Adobe Reader updates out individually to each machine. Riberdy now has a golden version of the desktop that can be delivered with a press of a button.\r\n\r\n“We were fortunate we had a few idle servers and some extra SAN space to get the pilot off the ground. Once we did, management witnessed just how powerful VDI can be and the impressive time and cost results that are realized almost immediately,” said Riberdy. “We were thrilled to have eGroup support us. Given View’s complexity, we needed experts to get it up and running quickly and successfully. There really was no margin for error in the eyes of management.”\r\n\r\nSCFB Insurance even captured non-tangible metrics over the course of the project, such as a 90 percent reduction in help desk calls related to specific desktop PC hardware issues, or having to waste time removing harmful, non-business related software from individuals’ machines.\r\n\r\n“One of the key validations that our VDI strategy is working is that employees who have yet to be converted keep asking when we’ll get to them,” commented Riberdy. “What IT team doesn’t like happy, productive and content users?”\r\n\r\nThe next phase of SCFB Insurance’s VDI strategy involves its field agents. In the near future, agents will be able to use View on their iPads to access claims applications while consulting with a client.\r\n\r\nMike Carter, Principal, eGroup, said: “Working with SCFB Insurance on their VDI transformation has been a wonderful experience. Living and breathing technology all day long, we understand the impact that comes from the deployment of innovative end user computing strategies that guarantee a defined outcome. Many times, customer leadership does not recognize the immediate value of enabling technologies like this until it’s ‘in production’, which is why we’re thrilled to ensure the project’s success from pre-planning, to rollout, to end-user education, and ultimately in the hands of the users and being effectively utilized.”\r\n\r\nTo hear Dave Riberdy detail the project in depth, you can listen to this recent <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/egroup-roundtable-seriesvirtual-desktop-strategies-keys-to-success\">eGroup Roundtable Webinar</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','SCFB Insurance Successfully Deploys Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Program','','inherit','open','open','','7840-revision-2','','','2013-01-18 10:50:09','2013-01-18 15:50:09','',7840,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7840-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7846,2,'2012-12-05 15:31:53','2012-12-05 20:31:53','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  This position primarily focuses on design, deployment, and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will respond to and investigate end user inquiries, concerns, and issues via phone, Internet, e‐mail, and in person in a timely and courteous manner, and will recommend or perform actions to correct problems based on intimate knowledge of the technology or specific systems.  You should be proficient in communication both verbal and written, and be extremely passionate about technology. You should be a self‐motivated and driven individual capable of learning quickly and adapting to the latest industry trends and best practices. As a representative of eGroup, you must demonstrate a positive attitude and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure complete customer satisfaction. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Systems-Engineer2.pdf\">More</a>\r\n<strong></strong></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span><strong></strong></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span><strong></strong></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2012-12-05 15:31:53','2012-12-05 20:31:53','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-65',0,'revision','',0),(7851,2,'2013-01-29 15:20:02','2013-01-29 20:20:02','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Customer Support Engineer</strong></span>: The Customer Support Engineer role provides an ideal opportunity for those getting into the fast paced, solution driven Information Technology industry. Our talented team and proven processes have transformed countless individuals from Customer Support Engineers, to total technology rock stars.  Our most successful Customer Support Engineer’s are great communicators, have a natural ability to sense and adapt to changing customer situations, and are very driven individuals. They have a passion for technology and love to jump right in to learn the latest and greatest technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-customer-support-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7845\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on deployment and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-systems-engineer-4\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7848\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2013-01-29 15:20:02','2013-01-29 20:20:02','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-68',0,'revision','',0),(7847,2,'2013-01-29 14:46:55','2013-01-29 19:46:55','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><strong>eGroup Customer Support Engineer</strong>: The Customer Support Engineer role provides an ideal opportunity for those getting into the fast paced, solution driven Information Technology industry. Our talented team and proven processes have transformed countless individuals from Customer Support Engineers, to total technology rock stars.  Our most successful Customer Support Engineer’s are great communicators, have a natural ability to sense and adapt to changing customer situations, and are very driven individuals. They have a passion for technology and love to jump right in to learn the latest and greatest technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-customer-support-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7845\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  This position primarily focuses on design, deployment, and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will respond to and investigate end user inquiries, concerns, and issues via phone, Internet, e‐mail, and in person in a timely and courteous manner, and will recommend or perform actions to correct problems based on intimate knowledge of the technology or specific systems.  You should be proficient in communication both verbal and written, and be extremely passionate about technology. You should be a self‐motivated and driven individual capable of learning quickly and adapting to the latest industry trends and best practices. As a representative of eGroup, you must demonstrate a positive attitude and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure complete customer satisfaction. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Systems-Engineer2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2013-01-29 14:46:55','2013-01-29 19:46:55','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-66',0,'revision','',0),(7850,2,'2013-01-29 15:21:46','2013-01-29 20:21:46','','More','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-senior-systems-engineer','','','2013-01-29 15:21:46','2013-01-29 20:21:46','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Senior-Systems-Engineer.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7849,2,'2013-01-29 14:47:49','2013-01-29 19:47:49','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Customer Support Engineer</strong></span>: The Customer Support Engineer role provides an ideal opportunity for those getting into the fast paced, solution driven Information Technology industry. Our talented team and proven processes have transformed countless individuals from Customer Support Engineers, to total technology rock stars.  Our most successful Customer Support Engineer’s are great communicators, have a natural ability to sense and adapt to changing customer situations, and are very driven individuals. They have a passion for technology and love to jump right in to learn the latest and greatest technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-customer-support-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7845\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  This position primarily focuses on design, deployment, and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will respond to and investigate end user inquiries, concerns, and issues via phone, Internet, e‐mail, and in person in a timely and courteous manner, and will recommend or perform actions to correct problems based on intimate knowledge of the technology or specific systems.  You should be proficient in communication both verbal and written, and be extremely passionate about technology. You should be a self‐motivated and driven individual capable of learning quickly and adapting to the latest industry trends and best practices. As a representative of eGroup, you must demonstrate a positive attitude and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure complete customer satisfaction. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Systems-Engineer2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2013-01-29 14:47:49','2013-01-29 19:47:49','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-67',0,'revision','',0),(7848,2,'2013-01-29 15:18:33','2013-01-29 20:18:33','','More','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-systems-engineer-4','','','2013-01-29 15:18:33','2013-01-29 20:18:33','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Systems-Engineer3.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7853,40,'2013-02-01 12:49:39','2013-02-01 17:49:39','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7856 alignnone\" alt=\"technology\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\r\n\r\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. We listed them out below, but you have to listen to hear the details and justification behind the predictions!\r\n\r\n<strong>Click the image above to download the recording</strong>. As always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\r\n\r\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\r\n\r\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\r\n\r\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\r\n\r\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\r\n\r\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\r\n\r\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\r\n\r\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\r\n\r\n3. ??\r\n\r\n2. ??\r\n\r\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','publish','open','open','','egroup-roundtable-series-10-it-predictions-for-2013','','','2013-02-11 15:39:23','2013-02-11 20:39:23','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7853',0,'post','',0),(7854,40,'2013-02-01 12:24:06','2013-02-01 17:24:06','','2013-01-16 09.32 eGroup Roundtable_ 10 eGroup IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','2013-01-16-09-32-egroup-roundtable_-10-egroup-it-predictions-for-2013','','','2013-02-01 12:24:06','2013-02-01 17:24:06','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4',0,'attachment','video/mp4',0),(7855,40,'2013-02-01 12:41:38','2013-02-01 17:41:38','As we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\n\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. Here they are, listen to the recording to hear all the details.\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\">2013-01-16 09.32 eGroup Roundtable_ 10 eGroup IT Predictions for 2013</a>\n\nAs always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\n\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\n\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\n\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\n\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\n\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\n\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\n\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\n\n3. ??\n\n2. ??\n\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7853-revision','','','2013-02-01 12:41:38','2013-02-01 17:41:38','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7853-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7856,40,'2013-02-01 12:42:16','2013-02-01 17:42:16','','Prediction image','','inherit','open','open','','prediction-image','','','2013-02-01 12:42:16','2013-02-01 17:42:16','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7858,40,'2013-02-01 12:46:00','2013-02-01 17:46:00','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7856 alignnone\" alt=\"technology\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\n\nAs we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\n\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. We listed them out below, but you have to listen to hear the details and justification behind the predictions!\n\nClick the image to download the recording. As always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\n\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\n\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\n\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\n\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\n\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\n\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\n\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\n\n3. ??\n\n2. ??\n\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7853-revision-3','','','2013-02-01 12:46:00','2013-02-01 17:46:00','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7853-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7857,40,'2013-02-01 12:43:39','2013-02-01 17:43:39','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7856 alignleft\" alt=\"technology\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\n\nAs we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\n\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. Here they are, listen to the recording to hear all the details.\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\">2013-01-16 09.32 eGroup Roundtable_ 10 eGroup IT Predictions for 2013</a>\n\nAs always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\n\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\n\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\n\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\n\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\n\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\n\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\n\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\n\n3. ??\n\n2. ??\n\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7853-revision-2','','','2013-02-01 12:43:39','2013-02-01 17:43:39','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7853-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7859,40,'2013-02-01 12:48:27','2013-02-01 17:48:27','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7856 alignnone\" alt=\"technology\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\r\n\r\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. We listed them out below, but you have to listen to hear the details and justification behind the predictions!\r\n\r\nClick the image to download the recording. As always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\r\n\r\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\r\n\r\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\r\n\r\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\r\n\r\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\r\n\r\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\r\n\r\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\r\n\r\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\r\n\r\n3. ??\r\n\r\n2. ??\r\n\r\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7853-revision-4','','','2013-02-01 12:48:27','2013-02-01 17:48:27','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7853-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7860,40,'2013-02-01 12:49:22','2013-02-01 17:49:22','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7856 alignnone\" alt=\"technology\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\r\n\r\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. We listed them out below, but you have to listen to hear the details and justification behind the predictions!\r\n\r\n<strong>Click the image above to download the recording</strong>. As always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\r\n\r\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\r\n\r\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\r\n\r\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\r\n\r\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\r\n\r\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\r\n\r\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\r\n\r\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\r\n\r\n3. ??\r\n\r\n2. ??\r\n\r\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7853-revision-5','','','2013-02-01 12:49:22','2013-02-01 17:49:22','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7853-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7864,40,'2013-02-11 09:57:53','2013-02-11 14:57:53','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7863\" alt=\"Chris Ermis\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis-225x300.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?  </strong></span>\n\nMy initial attraction to eGroup came from two things. The first was the description of the job position, it was as if the poster was talking to me directly. It was exactly the type of opportunity I was looking for. After spending more than a decade administering infrastructures, I realized how much I enjoyed designing and building them. I felt like I had met a match with eGroup. Of course you also can\'t deny the draw of such a magical place as Charleston. Once I had a chance to meet everyone, I knew it was the place for me. It is a rare thing in this day and age to find a company that is so dedicated to customer satisfaction. The recruitment process made me realize that not only do they take great care in selecting the absolute best candidate, but that I am one of them. I am looking forward to a long and lustrous career at eGroup.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\n\nAccording to my wife, it is because I am a know it all. That is, I go to great lengths to make sure I know what I am talking about. I like to do a lot of research and be as informed as possible. From a technical perspective I am a bit of a Dr. Frankenstein. I can get really creative when it comes to designing solutions and have been known to take decommissioned and outdated equipment and craft it into a viable production environment. Sometimes you don\'t have a lot to work with and the end result might not be very pretty, but it most certainly does the job.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">If you weren\'t in Tech what would you be doing?</span></strong>\n\nIf left unmanaged, I will talk your ear off. I am definitely an extrovert, with a capital E. When you mix that with a love of foreign cultures you get an ideal linguist. Nothing activates the brain better than trying to learn a new language. In my studies I have learned a bit of Latin, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. When I got an opportunity to study abroad in France and Germany I made sure to learn enough of the language to survive during my two weeks there. Of course, if that didn\'t pan out I could always go back to being a clown/magician.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What\'s your Headline?</span></strong>\n\nFormer magician reveals centuries old secret of making objects disappear... \"We just store them in \'the cloud\'...\"\n\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Chris!','First Day...Four Questions: Chris Ermis, Technical Consultant','','inherit','open','open','','7862-revision','','','2013-02-11 09:57:53','2013-02-11 14:57:53','',7862,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7862-revision',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (7865,40,'2013-02-11 09:59:07','2013-02-11 14:59:07','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7863\" alt=\"Chris Ermis\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis-225x300.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?  </strong></span>\n\nMy initial attraction to eGroup came from two things. The first was the description of the job position, it was as if the poster was talking to me directly. It was exactly the type of opportunity I was looking for. After spending more than a decade administering infrastructures, I realized how much I enjoyed designing and building them. I felt like I had met a match with eGroup. Of course you also can\'t deny the draw of such a magical place as Charleston. Once I had a chance to meet everyone, I knew it was the place for me. It is a rare thing in this day and age to find a company that is so dedicated to customer satisfaction. The recruitment process made me realize that not only do they take great care in selecting the absolute best candidate, but that I am one of them. I am looking forward to a long and lustrous career at eGroup.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\n\nAccording to my wife, it is because I am a know it all. That is, I go to great lengths to make sure I know what I am talking about. I like to do a lot of research and be as informed as possible. From a technical perspective I am a bit of a Dr. Frankenstein. I can get really creative when it comes to designing solutions and have been known to take decommissioned and outdated equipment and craft it into a viable production environment. Sometimes you don\'t have a lot to work with and the end result might not be very pretty, but it most certainly does the job.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">If you weren\'t in Tech what would you be doing?</span></strong>\n\nIf left unmanaged, I will talk your ear off. I am definitely an extrovert, with a capital E. When you mix that with a love of foreign cultures you get an ideal linguist. Nothing activates the brain better than trying to learn a new language. In my studies I have learned a bit of Latin, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. When I got an opportunity to study abroad in France and Germany I made sure to learn enough of the language to survive during my two weeks there. Of course, if that didn\'t pan out I could always go back to being a clown/magician.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What\'s your Headline?</span></strong>\n\nFormer magician reveals centuries old secret of making objects disappear... \"We just store them in \'the cloud\'...\"\n\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Chris!','First Day...Four Questions: Chris Ermis, Technical Consultant','','inherit','open','open','','7862-revision-2','','','2013-02-11 09:59:07','2013-02-11 14:59:07','',7862,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7862-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7866,40,'2013-02-11 10:01:02','2013-02-11 15:01:02','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7863\" alt=\"Chris Ermis\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chris-Ermis-225x300.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?  </strong></span>\r\n\r\nMy initial attraction to eGroup came from two things. The first was the description of the job position, it was as if the poster was talking to me directly. It was exactly the type of opportunity I was looking for. After spending more than a decade administering infrastructures, I realized how much I enjoyed designing and building them. I felt like I had met a match with eGroup. Of course you also can\'t deny the draw of such a magical place as Charleston. Once I had a chance to meet everyone, I knew it was the place for me. It is a rare thing in this day and age to find a company that is so dedicated to customer satisfaction. The recruitment process made me realize that not only do they take great care in selecting the absolute best candidate, but that I am one of them. I am looking forward to a long and lustrous career at eGroup.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nAccording to my wife, it is because I am a know it all. That is, I go to great lengths to make sure I know what I am talking about. I like to do a lot of research and be as informed as possible. From a technical perspective I am a bit of a Dr. Frankenstein. I can get really creative when it comes to designing solutions and have been known to take decommissioned and outdated equipment and craft it into a viable production environment. Sometimes you don\'t have a lot to work with and the end result might not be very pretty, but it most certainly does the job.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">If you weren\'t in Tech what would you be doing?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nIf left unmanaged, I will talk your ear off. I am definitely an extrovert, with a capital E. When you mix that with a love of foreign cultures you get an ideal linguist. Nothing activates the brain better than trying to learn a new language. In my studies I have learned a bit of Latin, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. When I got an opportunity to study abroad in France and Germany I made sure to learn enough of the language to survive during my two weeks there. Of course, if that didn\'t pan out I could always go back to being a clown/magician.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What\'s your Headline?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nFormer magician reveals centuries old secret of making objects disappear... \"We just store them in \'the cloud\'...\"\r\n\r\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Chris!','First Day...Four Questions: Chris Ermis, Technical Consultant','','inherit','open','open','','7862-revision-3','','','2013-02-11 10:01:02','2013-02-11 15:01:02','',7862,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7862-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7871,40,'2013-02-11 15:33:18','2013-02-11 20:33:18','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\r\n\r\neGroup\'s SharePoint expert, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/brad-shannon\" target=\"_blank\">Brad Shannon</a>, was recently quoted in SearchContentManagement\'s article covering SharePoint upgrades, \"<a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation</a>.\" His advice on how to better prepare for an upgrade is pasted below.\r\n\r\nGive the entire piece a <a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">read </a>and then start documenting your infrastructure!\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>A company\'s technology infrastructure also needs to be prepared for upgrading to a new version of SharePoint, and as part of that process, it\'s important to document the existing features and services in a SharePoint environment as well as the new ones that will be deployed in the upgrade, said Brad Shannon, an application services engineer at eGroup, a technology consultancy in Mount Pleasant, S.C.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\"If you don\'t know what you have in your environment, you\'re going to find out the hard way,\" Shannon said, explaining that the more detailed the documentation of the current environment is, the better an organization can prepare for the SharePoint upgrade.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Companies should also start with a clean SharePoint farm, Shannon advised. \"That means you don\'t have anything on the farm you don\'t need,\" he said. Sometimes SharePoint systems will include items used for testing purposes that were never fully deployed or removed. Leaving them in place can create more work for SharePoint administrators, Shannon said.</em></p>','eGroup Quoted: SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation','','publish','open','open','','egroup-quoted-sharepoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation','','','2013-02-11 15:33:18','2013-02-11 20:33:18','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7871',0,'post','',0),(7872,40,'2013-02-11 15:17:06','2013-02-11 20:17:06','','SCM','','inherit','open','open','','scm','','','2013-02-11 15:17:06','2013-02-11 20:17:06','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7873,40,'2013-02-11 15:17:43','2013-02-11 20:17:43','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\n\nxxxx','','','inherit','open','open','','7871-revision','','','2013-02-11 15:17:43','2013-02-11 20:17:43','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7871-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7874,40,'2013-02-11 15:26:11','2013-02-11 20:26:11','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\n\neGroup\'s SharePoint expert, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/brad-shannon\" target=\"_blank\">Brad Shannon</a>, was recently quoted in SearchContentManagement\'s article covering SharePoint upgrades, \"<a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation</a>.\"\n\nGive it a read and then start documenting your infrastructure!\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Document your infrastructure</em></h3>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>A company\'s technology infrastructure also needs to be prepared for upgrading to a new version of SharePoint, and as part of that process, it\'s important to document the existing features and services in a SharePoint environment as well as the new ones that will be deployed in the upgrade, said Brad Shannon, an application services engineer at eGroup, a technology consultancy in Mount Pleasant, S.C.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\"If you don\'t know what you have in your environment, you\'re going to find out the hard way,\" Shannon said, explaining that the more detailed the documentation of the current environment is, the better an organization can prepare for the SharePoint upgrade.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Companies should also start with a clean SharePoint farm, Shannon advised. \"That means you don\'t have anything on the farm you don\'t need,\" he said. Sometimes SharePoint systems will include items used for testing purposes that were never fully deployed or removed. Leaving them in place can create more work for SharePoint administrators, Shannon said.</em></p>','eGroup Quoted: SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation','','inherit','open','open','','7871-revision-2','','','2013-02-11 15:26:11','2013-02-11 20:26:11','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7871-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7875,40,'2013-02-11 15:28:02','2013-02-11 20:28:02','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\r\n\r\neGroup\'s SharePoint expert, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/brad-shannon\" target=\"_blank\">Brad Shannon</a>, was recently quoted in SearchContentManagement\'s article covering SharePoint upgrades, \"<a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation</a>.\"\r\n\r\nGive it a read and then start documenting your infrastructure!\r\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Document your infrastructure</em></h3>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>A company\'s technology infrastructure also needs to be prepared for upgrading to a new version of SharePoint, and as part of that process, it\'s important to document the existing features and services in a SharePoint environment as well as the new ones that will be deployed in the upgrade, said Brad Shannon, an application services engineer at eGroup, a technology consultancy in Mount Pleasant, S.C.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\"If you don\'t know what you have in your environment, you\'re going to find out the hard way,\" Shannon said, explaining that the more detailed the documentation of the current environment is, the better an organization can prepare for the SharePoint upgrade.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Companies should also start with a clean SharePoint farm, Shannon advised. \"That means you don\'t have anything on the farm you don\'t need,\" he said. Sometimes SharePoint systems will include items used for testing purposes that were never fully deployed or removed. Leaving them in place can create more work for SharePoint administrators, Shannon said.</em></p>','eGroup Quoted: SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation','','inherit','open','open','','7871-revision-3','','','2013-02-11 15:28:02','2013-02-11 20:28:02','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7871-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7876,40,'2013-02-11 15:28:13','2013-02-11 20:28:13','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\r\n\r\neGroup\'s SharePoint expert, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/brad-shannon\" target=\"_blank\">Brad Shannon</a>, was recently quoted in SearchContentManagement\'s article covering SharePoint upgrades, \"<a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation</a>.\"\r\n\r\nGive it a read and then start documenting your infrastructure!\r\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Document your infrastructure</em></h3>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>A company\'s technology infrastructure also needs to be prepared for upgrading to a new version of SharePoint, and as part of that process, it\'s important to document the existing features and services in a SharePoint environment as well as the new ones that will be deployed in the upgrade, said Brad Shannon, an application services engineer at eGroup, a technology consultancy in Mount Pleasant, S.C.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\"If you don\'t know what you have in your environment, you\'re going to find out the hard way,\" Shannon said, explaining that the more detailed the documentation of the current environment is, the better an organization can prepare for the SharePoint upgrade.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Companies should also start with a clean SharePoint farm, Shannon advised. \"That means you don\'t have anything on the farm you don\'t need,\" he said. Sometimes SharePoint systems will include items used for testing purposes that were never fully deployed or removed. Leaving them in place can create more work for SharePoint administrators, Shannon said.</em></p>','eGroup Quoted: SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation','','inherit','open','open','','7871-revision-4','','','2013-02-11 15:28:13','2013-02-11 20:28:13','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7871-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7877,40,'2013-02-11 15:32:11','2013-02-11 20:32:11','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\n\neGroup\'s SharePoint expert, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/brad-shannon\" target=\"_blank\">Brad Shannon</a>, was recently quoted in SearchContentManagement\'s article covering SharePoint upgrades, \"<a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation</a>.\" His advice on how to better prepare for a SharePoint upgrade is pasted below.\n\nGive the entire piece a <a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">read </a>and then start documenting your infrastructure!\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>A company\'s technology infrastructure also needs to be prepared for upgrading to a new version of SharePoint, and as part of that process, it\'s important to document the existing features and services in a SharePoint environment as well as the new ones that will be deployed in the upgrade, said Brad Shannon, an application services engineer at eGroup, a technology consultancy in Mount Pleasant, S.C.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\"If you don\'t know what you have in your environment, you\'re going to find out the hard way,\" Shannon said, explaining that the more detailed the documentation of the current environment is, the better an organization can prepare for the SharePoint upgrade.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Companies should also start with a clean SharePoint farm, Shannon advised. \"That means you don\'t have anything on the farm you don\'t need,\" he said. Sometimes SharePoint systems will include items used for testing purposes that were never fully deployed or removed. Leaving them in place can create more work for SharePoint administrators, Shannon said.</em></p>','eGroup Quoted: SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation','','inherit','open','open','','7871-revision-5','','','2013-02-11 15:32:11','2013-02-11 20:32:11','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7871-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7878,40,'2013-02-11 15:32:57','2013-02-11 20:32:57','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7872\" alt=\"SCM\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SCM-300x33.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"33\" /></a>\r\n\r\neGroup\'s SharePoint expert, <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/brad-shannon\" target=\"_blank\">Brad Shannon</a>, was recently quoted in SearchContentManagement\'s article covering SharePoint upgrades, \"<a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation</a>.\" His advice on how to better prepare for an upgrade is pasted below.\r\n\r\nGive the entire piece a <a href=\"http://searchcontentmanagement.techtarget.com/feature/SharePoint-upgrade-requires-sharp-focus-on-planning-user-preparation\" target=\"_blank\">read </a>and then start documenting your infrastructure!\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>A company\'s technology infrastructure also needs to be prepared for upgrading to a new version of SharePoint, and as part of that process, it\'s important to document the existing features and services in a SharePoint environment as well as the new ones that will be deployed in the upgrade, said Brad Shannon, an application services engineer at eGroup, a technology consultancy in Mount Pleasant, S.C.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\"If you don\'t know what you have in your environment, you\'re going to find out the hard way,\" Shannon said, explaining that the more detailed the documentation of the current environment is, the better an organization can prepare for the SharePoint upgrade.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Companies should also start with a clean SharePoint farm, Shannon advised. \"That means you don\'t have anything on the farm you don\'t need,\" he said. Sometimes SharePoint systems will include items used for testing purposes that were never fully deployed or removed. Leaving them in place can create more work for SharePoint administrators, Shannon said.</em></p>','eGroup Quoted: SharePoint upgrade requires sharp focus on planning, user preparation','','inherit','open','open','','7871-revision-6','','','2013-02-11 15:32:57','2013-02-11 20:32:57','',7871,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7871-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7879,40,'2013-02-01 12:49:39','2013-02-01 17:49:39','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-01-16-09.32-eGroup-Roundtable_-10-eGroup-IT-Predictions-for-2013.mp4\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7856 alignnone\" alt=\"technology\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Prediction-image-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs we dust off the first month of the year and look ahead, we wanted to share our top 10 IT Predictions for 2013.\r\n\r\nThe eGroup prognosticators outline 10 predictions and observations for 2013 around cloud computing, enterprise applications and end-user computing. We listed them out below, but you have to listen to hear the details and justification behind the predictions!\r\n\r\n<strong>Click the image above to download the recording</strong>. As always, you can click to the right to subscribe to our Podcasts through iTunes.\r\n\r\n10. Commoditization of hardware increases\r\n\r\n9. Hear <em>less</em> about Big Data and <em>more</em> about (just) Data\r\n\r\n8. Hadoop will be easier to deploy, manage &amp; leverage\r\n\r\n7. Proliferation of mobile devices will continue\r\n\r\n6. Document storage becomes more critical\r\n\r\n5. Privacy &amp; Security take center stage\r\n\r\n4. Will be the Year of the Solid State\r\n\r\n3. ??\r\n\r\n2. ??\r\n\r\n1. ??','eGroup Roundtable Series: 10 IT Predictions for 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7853-revision-6','','','2013-02-01 12:49:39','2013-02-01 17:49:39','',7853,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7853-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7898,40,'2013-02-19 16:56:36','2013-02-19 21:56:36','Solutions for end-user application access–anytime, anywhere, on any device. This will increase productivity, flexibility and agility without compromising security and operational efficiency.\n<ul>\n	<li>\"Any application, Any device, Anywhere\" Solutions</li>\n	<li>iPad, iPhone, MacBook, Thin Client, Zero Client, Tablet, PC, etc.</li>\n	<li>Information Liberation and Mobility Services</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>End-User Freedom. IT Control.</strong>\n\nEnd-user computing is creating a modern user-centric approach to personal computing that delivers secure access to applications and data from any device, anywhere and when a user needs it. Enabling freedom of choice of devices for end users, while making it easier for IT to provision and securely manage users and sensitive data.\n\nA lot has been made about the profound changes Cloud computing has been making to IT and the way services are delivered. Less has been said about how many of these same changes and trends are very much influencing the world of end-user computing. What are these forces of change? One of them is the new world of heterogeneous devices, their disparate operating systems and application platforms. It’s clearly no longer a Windows-only world. To drive this reality home, one only has to go into a business meeting or get on an airplane and count the number of iPads. The days when IT was able to rigidly enforce client-side device standardization are gone forever.\n\nIs your infrastructure ready to support the wave of portable devices out there in the market today? Can you deploy your applications to any device anywhere? If you can\'t answer these questions, eGroup can help you answer them, and find out if your infrastructure can support new application delivery services to any End-User Device—whether it’s an iPad, Droid, Mac, or Windows device.\n\nMake sure to read and download eGroup\'s eBook - \"<strong>7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night.</strong>\"\n\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]\n\n&nbsp;','End-User Computing','Solutions for end-user application access–anytime, anywhere, on any device. This will increase productivity, flexibility and agility without compromising security and operational efficiency.','inherit','open','open','','34-autosave','','','2013-02-19 16:56:36','2013-02-19 21:56:36','',34,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/34-autosave',0,'revision','',0),(7882,40,'2013-02-12 09:58:34','2013-02-12 14:58:34','This eGroup eBook features seven steps IT and business leaders can implement to help make even the most complex BYOD programs run smoothly.','Seven Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy','This eGroup eBook features seven steps IT and business leaders can implement to help make even the most complex BYOD programs run smoothly.','inherit','open','open','','seven-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy_feb-2013','','','2013-02-12 09:58:34','2013-02-12 14:58:34','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7883,40,'2013-02-12 10:37:14','2013-02-12 15:37:14','When you think about the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, does it send shivers up and down your spine?\r\n\r\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control. But, if you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone according to our research.\r\n\r\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed (i.e. security, cost, management, etc.). No wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\r\n\r\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\r\n\r\nWith all this Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, filling the market, we\'re pleased to offer advice and practical solutions in the latest eGroup eBook, \"<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)</strong></span>.</a>\" In it, you will learn how to devise and implement an effective BYOD strategy. Enjoy - and don\'t let those gang of monsters win!\r\n\r\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','publish','open','open','','ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night','','','2013-06-04 10:23:43','2013-06-04 14:23:43','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7883',0,'post','',0),(8198,40,'2013-06-04 10:10:27','2013-06-04 14:10:27','When you think about the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, does it send shivers up and down your spine?\r\n\r\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control. But, if you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone according to our research.\r\n\r\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed (i.e. security, cost, management, etc.). No wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\r\n\r\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\r\n\r\nWith all this Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, filling the market, we\'re pleased to offer advice and practical solutions in the latest eGroup eBook, \"<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)</strong></span>.\" In it, you will learn how to devise and implement an effective BYOD strategy. Enjoy - and don\'t let those gang of monsters win!','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision-9','','','2013-06-04 10:10:27','2013-06-04 14:10:27','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/2013/06/7883-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(7886,40,'2013-02-12 10:32:02','2013-02-12 15:32:02','When you think about the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, does it send shivers up and down your spine?\n\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control. But, if you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone according to our research.\n\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed (i.e. security, cost, management, etc.). No wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\n\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\n\nWith all this Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, filling the market, we\'re pleased to offer advice and practical solutions in the latest eGroup eBook, \"7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night).\" In it, you will learn how to devise and implement an effective BYOD strategy. Enjoy - and don\'t let thos\n\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision-3','','','2013-02-12 10:32:02','2013-02-12 15:32:02','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7883-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7884,40,'2013-02-12 10:21:39','2013-02-12 15:21:39','When you think about Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), does it send shivers up and down your spine?\n\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control.\n\nIf you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone.\n\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed:\n<ul>\n	<li>The torment of lost devices bearing mission-critical data;</li>\n	<li>The specter of 8,000 new types of mobile malware found in the first three months of 2012;</li>\n	<li>The ghost of hidden costs;</li>\n	<li>The stress of out-of-control device-support demands;</li>\n	<li>The threat of legal and compliance issues.</li>\n</ul>\nNo wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\n\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\n\nPlease download, read and share the latest eGroup eBook, \"7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night),\" brought to you by the End-User Computing team. In it, you will learn about seven steps to help develop a BYOD approach that will let you sleep at night.<i></i>\n\n&nbsp;','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision','','','2013-02-12 10:21:39','2013-02-12 15:21:39','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7883-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7885,40,'2013-02-12 10:22:02','2013-02-12 15:22:02','When you think about Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), does it send shivers up and down your spine?\r\n\r\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control.\r\n\r\nIf you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone.\r\n\r\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>The torment of lost devices bearing mission-critical data;</li>\r\n	<li>The specter of 8,000 new types of mobile malware found in the first three months of 2012;</li>\r\n	<li>The ghost of hidden costs;</li>\r\n	<li>The stress of out-of-control device-support demands;</li>\r\n	<li>The threat of legal and compliance issues.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNo wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\r\n\r\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\r\n\r\nPlease download, read and share the latest eGroup eBook, \"7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night),\" brought to you by the End-User Computing team. In it, you will learn about seven steps to help develop a BYOD approach that will let you sleep at night.<i></i>\r\n\r\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision-2','','','2013-02-12 10:22:02','2013-02-12 15:22:02','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7883-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7887,40,'2013-02-12 10:33:40','2013-02-12 15:33:40','When you think about the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, does it send shivers up and down your spine?\n\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control. But, if you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone according to our research.\n\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed (i.e. security, cost, management, etc.). No wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\n\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\n\nWith all this Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, filling the market, we\'re pleased to offer advice and practical solutions in the latest eGroup eBook, \"<strong>7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)</strong>.\" In it, you will learn how to devise and implement an effective BYOD strategy. Enjoy - and don\'t let those gang of monsters win!\n\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision-4','','','2013-02-12 10:33:40','2013-02-12 15:33:40','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7883-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7888,40,'2013-02-12 10:34:54','2013-02-12 15:34:54','When you think about the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, does it send shivers up and down your spine?\n\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control. But, if you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone according to our research.\n\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed (i.e. security, cost, management, etc.). No wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\n\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\n\nWith all this Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, filling the market, we\'re pleased to offer advice and practical solutions in the latest eGroup eBook, \"<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)</strong></span>.\" In it, you will learn how to devise and implement an effective BYOD strategy. Enjoy - and don\'t let those gang of monsters win!\n\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision-5','','','2013-02-12 10:34:54','2013-02-12 15:34:54','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7883-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7889,40,'2013-02-12 10:37:00','2013-02-12 15:37:00','When you think about the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, does it send shivers up and down your spine?\r\n\r\nIf you answered \"no\" - great! Sounds like you have everything under control. But, if you answered, \"yes\" - you\'re not alone according to our research.\r\n\r\nThese days, business and IT leadership wake up in a world where one-third of young employees use three different devices. For many, it\'s a nightmare because there’s a gang of monsters hiding under the bed (i.e. security, cost, management, etc.). No wonder 73% of UK IT directors surveyed said they are concerned BYOD will cause IT costs to \"spiral out of control.\" Their fears are supported by Aberdeen Group’s finding that a company with 1,000 mobile devices spends an extra $170,000 per year, on average, when it uses a BYOD approach.\r\n\r\nYet, most IT leaders aren’t disputing the business case for BYOD.\r\n\r\nWith all this Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, filling the market, we\'re pleased to offer advice and practical solutions in the latest eGroup eBook, \"<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)</strong></span>.\" In it, you will learn how to devise and implement an effective BYOD strategy. Enjoy - and don\'t let those gang of monsters win!\r\n\r\n[gview file=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Seven-Steps-to-a-Sensible-BYOD-Strategy_Feb-2013.pdf\"]','eBook: 7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy (So You Can Sleep at Night)','','inherit','open','open','','7883-revision-6','','','2013-02-12 10:37:00','2013-02-12 15:37:00','',7883,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7883-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7940,12,'2013-03-22 15:16:28','2013-03-22 19:16:28','To start, let me say that Hyper-V 2012 is a strong product-- a very strong product. Its entrance to the market was loud and impressive, but the noise around it has since quieted down. After spending quite a bit of time using it, and coming from the background of years on the VMware vSphere platform, I\'ve been able to make a comparison between the two and wanted to share my thoughts on how it stacks up.\r\n\r\n<strong>Installation </strong>\r\n\r\nFor those who aren\'t aware, Hyper-V 2012 can be installed as a Server Role on top of Server 2012, and the installation process (once the OS is already loaded) is just about as easy as it gets. You check the box for the Hyper-V role in the add new role wizard, and in a few minutes, it\'s installed and live on your server. There is also a standalone, Core-only (command line only) version called Hyper-V 2012 Server, that you can install onto the server hardware directly. The difference here is that the Role added on Server 2012 includes licensing for Server OS virtual machines that will run on top of the host, whereas the Hyper-V 2012 Server installation does not. In addition, Hyper-V Server is command line only, as it runs the “core” installation of Windows Server.\r\n\r\nI won\'t spend much time on the licensing details other than to say unless you are running a small number of virtual machines, going the Datacenter edition is probably going to be the best bang for the buck, as it covers an unlimited amount of Windows Server OS VMs that run on the licensed host. To state it another way, once you pay for the Datacenter Edition license, install it on a server, and enable the Hyper-V role, all other server VMs that you subsequently run on that physical server, require no additional Server OS license.\r\n\r\nIt\'s important to note that at this point, you have the equivalent of a standalone hypervisor server-- a “standlone ESXi host” is a good point of comparison. You do not have the benefits of high availability, live migrations for either the virtual workload or its underlying storage, and no dynamic workload balancing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Hardware Considerations</strong>\r\n\r\nThroughout our time installing, upgrading, and managing Hyper-V hosts, we\'ve found that Microsoft is very picky about the underlying hardware used, and reference their hardware compatibility list in several documents and interfaces (especially in the Failover Clustering interface, which we\'ll get to later). While an HCL exists from the other hypervisor vendors, it\'s almost a background consideration in a lot of cases, as compared to Microsoft\'s position of putting the HCL “front and center.\"\r\n\r\nGiven this fact, we\'d strongly suggest to anyone deploying Hyper-V 2012, and especially those who are upgrading from previous versions, that you very carefully validate that your hardware is certified for Server 2012 before going into production.\r\n\r\n<strong>Networking</strong>\r\n\r\nOne of the major improvements in <em>Server 2012</em>, which has an upward and positive impact to Hyper-V, is the addition of NIC Teaming through the Server 2012 OS itself, as opposed to only being available through the use of vendor specific teaming utilities.\r\n\r\nThe result here is a very similar capability to what I\'ve been accustomed to having from VMware for some time now. NIC Teaming provides the ability to load balance NICs from different vendors, NICs that are on the motherboard with NICs that are add-ons through a PCIe slot, as well as load balancing of traffic through the NICs (in an “active/active” manner) without any configuration on the upstream switches.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, you can load balance your NICs in an active/standby configuration, or the commonplace active/active with \"switch awareness\" (a port channel in the Cisco world-- which can be “static”-- channel-group mode on in Cisco terms, or using LACP, channel-group mode active in Cisco terms).\r\n\r\nAssuming a standard 6 or 8 NIC server design, the only real “difference” in the networking configuration for a Hyper-V server as opposed to an ESXi host is that there is generally a NIC (or two) dedicated for “outside of Hyper-V” server OS communication. This can be done with a team, and is something that should be discussed as part of your design and hardware purchase (to ensure you have the correct amount of NIC ports).\r\n\r\n<strong>Hyper-V Virtual Switches</strong>\r\n\r\nThis topic took me a little while to understand how it actually applied, especially since I was trying to relate it to what I was used to working with from VMware.\r\n\r\nImagine that you have 2 NICs in an active/active, switch independent team, that you\'d like to use for the “normal” virtual machine network/LAN traffic. First, you must create this team using the NIC Teaming interface through the Server Manager in Server 2012 (this is done OUTSIDE of Hyper-V, as it\'s an OS feature, and not a Hyper-V specific feature).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7942\" alt=\"nicteam\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam-300x176.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOnce configured, note the non-editable name that Windows assigns to the logical team interface, as this is what you will be creating your virtual switch to use as its communication link. This is a minor annoyance. Being able to change the name to something more usable, or having Hyper-V use the team name as opposed to the OS assigned name, would be a simple and a more user-friendly implementation. Maybe in a patch or future update.\r\n\r\nStaying off of the Hyper-V configuration and speaking specifically to the Server 2012 OS use of the network team interface, you have the ability to specify a VLAN, and can also create additional LOGICAL sub-interfaces off of the NIC team for specific VLANs. If you set no VLAN, the interface will listen for traffic on all VLANs that the upstream, physical switch is passing down to it.\r\n\r\nIf you specify one on the team interface itself, that\'s the only VLAN it will be listening for traffic on.\r\n\r\nIf you create a sub-interface and assign it a VLAN ID, that interface will only listen for that specific VLAN\'s traffic, but the logical TEAM interface will continue to listen on all others.\r\n\r\nThe recommendation for Hyper-V is to NOT create sub-interfaces on the network team interface, and to NOT assign any VLANs to the team interface, but leave the VLAN tagging to the vNICs for the virtual machines (this is a bit different than ESXi\'s vSwitching, which we\'ll outline further below).\r\n\r\nNow, back to Hyper-V. From Hyper-V Manager , you\'ll find the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager in the top right corner, and once you open it, you\'ll have the ability to add a new network. There are three network types, but the most common and the one you\'ll want to create to allow virtual machines to talk to your physical LAN is the “External Network” type.\r\n\r\nIf you create a network called \"Server Network,\" you\'ll notice that you can ONLY assign it a VLAN if you share it with the management OS. What this means is that if you want to tag it with a VLAN at this level, you won\'t be keeping it as a dedicated network for Hyper-V, but rather will be sharing it with the Server 2012 OS you installed Hyper-V onto as well. I suggest you NOT check this option, and that you do not assign it a VLAN.\r\n\r\nAs part of the creation of the new network, you\'ll have the ability to select the network interface you want to use for it as well via a drop down menu. Once you select an interface for a new virtual switch, it cannot be used again for another one. This is important to take note of for your configuration.\r\n\r\nSo at this point, consider the diagram below, taken as a screenshot from ESXi. You have created a virtual switch, and assigned it physical interfaces on which to connect-- the center piece, and the pieces to the right.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://professionalvmware.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/20081213-0858.png\" width=\"443\" height=\"404\" />\r\n\r\nWhat you have NOT done, which is what confused us for a while, is create the “VM Port Groups” on the left hand side (See \"ExNet\" in the diagram).\r\n\r\nIn a typical VMware deployment, you would create a VM Port Group for each VLAN you wanted to have available to your virtual machines, and in that port group, you would set a VLAN ID. The upstream communication would be on trunking (or tagging) interfaces, and thus providing you with access to the VLANs you need-- and this part is the same in Hyper-V. What\'s different, however, is that Hyper-V 2012 does not have the concept of a VM Port Group. Instead, you assign a VLAN ID and “virtual port” on the vNIC of the virtual machines themselves.\r\n\r\nSo let\'s say that Server Network has access to VLANs 10-20, and you want to be on the “DMZ” VLAN, which we\'ll say is VLAN 15 in our example. On the VM you are putting in the DMZ, you would go to Edit Settings, find its NIC, and check the box to “Enable VLAN Tagging”, and specific VLAN 15. Then you\'d press OK, and the VM would be able to communicate out on the network.\r\n\r\nI know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post in the comments or drop us an email-- we\'re happy to help clarify!','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part I','','publish','open','open','','a-look-at-hyper-v-2012-part-i','','','2013-03-22 15:16:28','2013-03-22 19:16:28','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7940',0,'post','',0),(8063,40,'2013-04-22 12:49:49','2013-04-22 16:49:49','The following is Part II of my three-part series on Hyper-V. You\'ll recall in <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/a-look-at-hyper-v-2012-part-i\" target=\"_blank\">Part I</a>, I evaluated the install process, hardware considerations, networking and virtual switches. Here. I\'ll take a deeper dive into failover clustering, clustered shared volumes and storage.\n\n<strong>Failover Clustering</strong>\nIn order to get all of the benefits of High Availability and similar features that require the use of shared storage between your Hyper-V hosts in a “cluster,” you must install the Failover Clustering role on your Hyper-V hosts. This is, as the name indicates, what allows you the ability to “cluster” the hosts together.\n\nInstalling this role is just as easy as installing the Hyper-V role - simply check the box under the Features in the add new roles/features wizard, and it will run through the install. It\'s worth noting that the server on which you are installing the role <strong>must</strong> be a member of the domain at the time of installation, or it won\'t go through with the install.\n\nOnce the feature is installed and the server is rebooted, you must run through the Pre-Cluster Validation report, which will check out the hardware, drivers, etc. and alert you to anything that would prevent your cluster from working and/or being supported by Microsoft. See <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/a-look-at-hyper-v-2012-part-i\" target=\"_blank\">Part I</a> for the importance of having HCL-listed hardware.\n\nFrom here, you create a new cluster, give it a name, an IP address, etc. and add your single node into it. Rinse and repeat to add additional hosts.\n\nAny network interfaces that have an IP address assigned to them (as is usually the case for interfaces or NIC teams that are used for management, cluster heartbeats, or iSCSI storage access) will show up as Networks in the Failover Clustering management interface. You can rename them to be more readable, and as long as the subnets stay the same across hosts, all hosts can share those networks without having to do anything special to keep the names consistent.\n\nJumping ahead to the future state of a common Hyper-V 2012 deployment <strong>without</strong> System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM, which we\'ll mention in more detail later), the Failover Clustering management utility is where you will be able to migrate your virtual machines across nodes in your cluster.\n\n<strong>Clustered Shared Volumes</strong>\nTo briefly define a “Clustered Shared Volume” to someone familiar with ESXi, consider it the equivalent of a VMFS datastore. It\'s essentially a unit of storage that is able to be accessed by multiple hosts at the same time, just like the VMware File System (VMFS) allows. It\'s similar to a clustered file system given the nature of its functionality, but it still runs Microsoft\'s well known NTFS as the underlying file system.\n\nIn order to add a CSV to a cluster, you present the storage as appropriate for your configuration and vendor\'s best practices, and it becomes available to the “Add Disk” wizard, as available and cluster-capable storage. Once it has been added, you can then right click it and select “Add to Clustered Shared Volume.\"\n\n<strong>Storage</strong>\nOne of the bigger advantages VMware/ESXi still has over Hyper-V is its built-in, native multipathing capability. For those unfamiliar, NMP allows the use, failover, failback, and in some cases, load balancing/load distribution of all the paths to your shared storage array.\n\nThe only equivalent utility natively available in Hyper-V 2012 is the MPIO driver, which combines its use with the built-in iSCSI initiator. Microsoft has its own \"generic device specific module,\" and you should check with your storage manufacturer to verify that using the Microsoft DSM is supported for access to the storage (EMC VNX IS supported).\n\nFor those who are familiar with and have used the VMware NMP beyond “install and let it run,” you know how incredibly valuable and efficient it is in nearly all deployment use cases (aside from NFS, which is a different beast entirely).\n\nIt\'s worth noting that storage vendors such as EMC provide their own multipathing plugins or software that you can use to provide highly enhanced, optimized path management, load balancing, and failover. In EMC\'s case, this software is their PowerPath V/E, or Virtual Edition, and it makes a great add-on to any Hyper-V 2012 + EMC Storage deployment.\n\nStay tuned tomorrow for Part III which will take a look at performance and management features with a final wrap w','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part II','','inherit','open','open','','7944-revision-5','','','2013-04-22 12:49:49','2013-04-22 16:49:49','',7944,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7944-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7951,40,'2013-03-08 15:44:49','2013-03-08 20:44:49','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Will-Hull.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7953\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Will-Hull-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors.\" We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nThere are a few reasons why I joined eGroup. First, being a smaller company where I could have a large revenue generating impact. Second, because of the competitive nature and culture of everyone working here. It’s great to work for a company that demands a high level of engagement from their employees. I was drawn to eGroup because I can expand our reach to the Charlotte market and help our customers to be the most successful in their industry.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nMy competitive nature stems from my serial entrepreneurial attitude. I started my first business in high school and have since been eager to compete for anything. I most recently sold my business that captured over 20% market share in under 3 months and had an ROI of over 1200% after 18 months. Needless to say, I love making things happen and seeing projects in motion.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nI would be a professional ski bum with a mountain biking problem.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What’s your Headline?</span></strong>\r\n\r\n\"For smooth sailing you need a strong Hull.\"\r\n\r\n[eGroup editor comment: Congratulations Will, you locked up the headline competition for the next two years. Well done.]','First Day...Four Questions: Will Hull, Account Executive','','publish','open','open','','first-day-four-questions-will-hull-sccount-executive','','','2013-03-27 10:29:23','2013-03-27 14:29:23','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7951',0,'post','',0),(7895,45,'2013-02-19 09:12:36','2013-02-19 14:12:36','You covered your bases and protected your client devices - complex passwords, two factor authentication, application white lists, client firewalls and anti-malware. You also have taken measures to ensure that if a device is lost the data will not be compromised - encrypted hard drives, remote wipe capability, and encrypted VPN tunnels for information transfer. Now you are feeling pretty good about your client security posture.  Of course, if you are not doing these things, then later I’ll have to write about why they are still important.\r\n\r\nNow, let’s explore a very real scenario where all this security preparation will not and does not matter. While this scenario focuses on U.S. Policy examples, this applies to any governmental action in any part of the world.\r\n\r\nLet me set the scene. You travel outside the United States, visiting a client or international branch of your organization. Everything goes well, however upon entering back into the United States, you are pulled into a room by Department of Home Land Security (DHS) personal, who kindly ask you to “power on” your device and enter your password to decrypt the contents.\r\n\r\nOops – Complex passwords; two-factor authentication; encrypted contents, doesn’t matter you have just handed over the keys to the kingdom. Most people in this situation may be a bit nervous, but not overly worried, because they do not believe there is anything to hide. However, as recently reported by David Kravets of Wired Magazine (<a href=\"http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/electronics-border-seizures/\">http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/electronics-border-seizures/</a> ), the DHS office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties published a two-page executive summary of its findings in regards to DHS suspicion-less search-and-seizure policy pertaining to electronic devices.\r\n\r\nThe executive summary of this report included this statement, “We also conclude that imposing a requirement that officers have reasonable suspicion in order to conduct a border search of an electronic device would be operationally harmful without concomitant civil rights/civil liberties benefits,”\r\n\r\n<b>What does this mean?</b>\r\n\r\nWell, it means regardless of what you have done or not done authorities can take your equipment. If they do so after you have given them access to the machine, then they now have access to all data without a warrant, and you no longer have any control over it.\r\n\r\nThe article illustrates a real world example of this in action. Mr. Abidor, a PHD student was held while DHS agents went through his computer - and what the article doesn’t point out is that Mr. Abidor had to file a lawsuit to get the computer back. DHS held it for over two weeks, though there were no charges filed against Mr. Abidor, nor any suspicion of wrong doing alleged.\r\n\r\n<b>What is on your company laptops?</b>\r\n\r\nHow much financial information, patented company information, personal identifiable information (PII), personal health information (PHI), credit card account information, among other sensitive data, are you, your colleagues, or your employees carrying around? You may think even in an extreme scenario like this, the data wouldn’t be compromised in a way that would hurt your or your company, after all the Government has protocols and processes that should protect what they have seized.\r\n\r\n<b>Are you ready to bet your company on it?</b>\r\n\r\nToday, I know of no known instances where a border seized asset led to leaking of corporate data or privacy breaches. That doesn’t mean it has not happened, or that it will not happen. How do you protect against this scenario, or even a similar one, say, in another country, where you have even less recourse against it? I outline a few options below:\r\n\r\n<b>How about the Public Cloud?</b>\r\n\r\nBe careful on the what/where/how of your provider. International and national providers are inundated with requests for access to data hosted in their “cloud” by both foreign governments, U.S. federal government, and countless other local government entities. Of particular concern is that some companies, most visibly those major communications providers, have deals in place where they make millions of dollars by sharing your information with the government. How much do they really have vested in your privacy?\r\n\r\nEven with the spotlights put on these programs in recent years, it appears the future will be even more “cloudy” in this regard. As an example, the recent ruling of the sixth court of appeal in United States v. Skinner (<a href=\"http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/12a0262p-06.pdf\">http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/12a0262p-06.pdf</a>) ruled that police do not need a warrant to access GPS data of individuals. This data is of course held by your telephone provider, or navigation service provider. What type of doors will this open to other types of data you are storing in large national public clouds?\r\n\r\nIt is still possible to gain the efficiencies of a public cloud, while avoiding the conflicts of interest of the big players. Look for an established local or regional partner that is offering services comparable to the big players in availability and security, but is without those entangling agreements that were not made in the best interest of your data.\r\n\r\n<b>What about a Private Cloud?</b>\r\n\r\nClearly, there is more control here. You have the most control when you own not only the servers, but the location they are housed in. At least in this scenario any entity will need a legal warrant to retrieve data from servers in your private infrastructure. Many companies are jumping on the private cloud band wagon. Companies with big data center experience, like EMC for example, are taking that knowledge to deliver reference architectures like <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/platform/virtualizing-information-infrastructure/vspex.htm\">VSPEX</a> that blueprint a flexible and tested solution utilizing a host of technologies that can deliver on the private cloud promise. Microsoft, VMware, and even traditional network players like Cisco are offering private cloud solutions.\r\n\r\n<b>How do you access your data in the cloud?</b>\r\n\r\nReally there are two choices here, although the technology to deliver them will vary.\r\n\r\nEncrypted VPN tunnels are the traditional method for gaining access back into a corporate network.  These will work in this scenario as well, but you have a lot of issues with where data will be saved, how working copies are managed, and what is kept on a personal device. You have a wide range of choices in how this is delivered - Microsoft Direct Access, Citrix NetScaler Access Gateway, and a variety of Cisco solutions – just to name a few. The options in this space are nearly limitless, and chances are you already have one in place, even if it’s not in use.\r\n\r\nThe other option is to keep everything in the cloud, including the working environment, so there is literally nothing on the device. How is that done? Virtual Desktops.\r\n\r\nUtilizing private cloud to deliver virtual desktops provides the best combination of usability and security.  The environment is controlled completely by the organization, and no data is kept on the client device.  Popular choices in this space are <a href=\"http://www.vmware.com/products/view/overview.html\">VMware View</a> and <a href=\"http://www.citrix.com/products/xendesktop/overview.html\">Citrix XenDesktop</a>. In addition to fully virtualized desktops, another popular option is to utilize virtual applications.\r\n\r\nVirtual applications can be delivered like a desktop, and still benefit from saving data in the cloud. This can sometimes be easier for IT departments to deploy if they will not be able to standardize on specific desktops, and can actually be combined with virtual desktops for the most dynamic scenarios. Again, the options in this space are VMware with their <a href=\"http://www.vmware.com/products/desktop_virtualization/horizon-application-manager/overview.html\">Horizon Application Manager</a>, along with Citrix and its flagship product <a href=\"http://www.citrix.com/products/xenapp/overview.html\">XenApp</a>.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the leaders, there are a multitude of startups in this space, as well as established companies that are trying to break into the market - and as such the quality and price run from free to astronomical, and everything in between.\r\n\r\nComing back to my initial story, during a border seizure event or similar incident, you can unlock a device and allow the ability to browse and search with without having to worry about exposing the data.  If a device is lost, it can be replaced and you can get back to work immediately because your working environment is separate from the piece of hardware you are carrying around. It’s simply a usability device that acts as a stepping stone to the non-resident application execution and data storage environments.\r\n\r\nThere are many risks to your personal data, your company’s data, and a client’s data that we probably have not even thought of or experienced yet. The good news is that there are many technologies available to assist with mitigating these threats.\r\n\r\nOver the last five years, virtual technologies have matured economically so that businesses of all sizes can take advantage of them. Indeed, even individuals can find solutions tailored to their budgets.\r\n\r\nVirtualization can be a great platform for savings, but an even better one for protecting your data when deployed correctly.','Extreme Scenarios Require Extreme Data Protection','','publish','open','open','','extreme-scenarios-require-extreme-data-protection','','','2013-02-19 09:12:36','2013-02-19 14:12:36','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7895',0,'post','',0),(7896,40,'2013-02-19 09:08:38','2013-02-19 14:08:38','You covered your bases and protected your client devices - complex passwords, two factor authentication, application white lists, client firewalls and anti-malware. You also have taken measures to ensure that if a device is lost the data will not be compromised - encrypted hard drives, remote wipe capability, and encrypted VPN tunnels for information transfer. Now you are feeling pretty good about your client security posture.  Of course, if you are not doing these things, then later I’ll have to write about why they are still important.\n\nNow, let’s explore a very real scenario where all this security preparation will not and does not matter. While this scenario focuses on U.S. Policy examples, this applies to any governmental action in any part of the world.\n\nLet me set the scene. You travel outside the United States, visiting a client or international branch of your organization. Everything goes well, however upon entering back into the United States, you are pulled into a room by Department of Home Land Security (DHS) personal, who kindly ask you to “power on” your device and enter your password to decrypt the contents.\n\nOops – Complex passwords; two-factor authentication; encrypted contents, doesn’t matter you have just handed over the keys to the kingdom. Most people in this situation may be a bit nervous, but not overly worried, because they do not believe there is anything to hide. However, as recently reported by David Kravets of Wired Magazine (<a href=\"http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/electronics-border-seizures/\">http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/electronics-border-seizures/</a> ), the DHS office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties published a two-page executive summary of its findings in regards to DHS suspicion-less search-and-seizure policy pertaining to electronic devices.\n\nThe executive summary of this report included this statement, “We also conclude that imposing a requirement that officers have reasonable suspicion in order to conduct a border search of an electronic device would be operationally harmful without concomitant civil rights/civil liberties benefits,”\n\n<b>What does this mean?</b>\n\nWell, it means regardless of what you have done or not done authorities can take your equipment. If they do so after you have given them access to the machine, then they now have access to all data without a warrant, and you no longer have any control over it.\n\nThe article illustrates a real world example of this in action. Mr. Abidor, a PHD student was held while DHS agents went through his computer - and what the article doesn’t point out is that Mr. Abidor had to file a lawsuit to get the computer back. DHS held it for over two weeks, though there were no charges filed against Mr. Abidor, nor any suspicion of wrong doing alleged.\n\n<b>What is on your company laptops?</b>\n\nHow much financial information, patented company information, personal identifiable information (PII), personal health information (PHI), credit card account information, among other sensitive data, are you, your colleagues, or your employees carrying around? You may think even in an extreme scenario like this, the data wouldn’t be compromised in a way that would hurt your or your company, after all the Government has protocols and processes that should protect what they have seized.\n\n<b>Are you ready to bet your company on it?</b>\n\nToday, I know of no known instances where a border seized asset led to leaking of corporate data or privacy breaches. That doesn’t mean it has not happened, or that it will not happen. How do you protect against this scenario, or even a similar one, say, in another country, where you have even less recourse against it? I outline a few options below:\n\n<b>How about the Public Cloud?</b>\n\nBe careful on the what/where/how of your provider. International and national providers are inundated with requests for access to data hosted in their “cloud” by both foreign governments, U.S. federal government, and countless other local government entities. Of particular concern is that some companies, most visibly those major communications providers, have deals in place where they make millions of dollars by sharing your information with the government. How much do they really have vested in your privacy?\n\nEven with the spotlights put on these programs in recent years, it appears the future will be even more “cloudy” in this regard. As an example, the recent ruling of the sixth court of appeal in United States v. Skinner (<a href=\"http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/12a0262p-06.pdf\">http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/12a0262p-06.pdf</a>) ruled that police do not need a warrant to access GPS data of individuals. This data is of course held by your telephone provider, or navigation service provider. What type of doors will this open to other types of data you are storing in large national public clouds?\n\nIt is still possible to gain the efficiencies of a public cloud, while avoiding the conflicts of interest of the big players. Look for an established local or regional partner that is offering services comparable to the big players in availability and security, but is without those entangling agreements that were not made in the best interest of your data.\n\n<b>What about a Private Cloud?</b>\n\nClearly, there is more control here. You have the most control when you own not only the servers, but the location they are housed in. At least in this scenario any entity will need a legal warrant to retrieve data from servers in your private infrastructure. Many companies are jumping on the private cloud band wagon. Companies with big data center experience, like EMC for example, are taking that knowledge to deliver reference architectures like <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/platform/virtualizing-information-infrastructure/vspex.htm\">VSPEX</a> that blueprint a flexible and tested solution utilizing a host of technologies that can deliver on the private cloud promise. Microsoft, VMware, and even traditional network players like Cisco are offering private cloud solutions.\n\n<b>How do you access your data in the cloud?</b>\n\nReally there are two choices here, although the technology to deliver them will vary.\n\nEncrypted VPN tunnels are the traditional method for gaining access back into a corporate network.  These will work in this scenario as well, but you have a lot of issues with where data will be saved, how working copies are managed, and what is kept on a personal device. You have a wide range of choices in how this is delivered - Microsoft Direct Access, Citrix NetScaler Access Gateway, and a variety of Cisco solutions – just to name a few. The options in this space are nearly limitless, and chances are you already have one in place, even if it’s not in use.\n\nThe other option is to keep everything in the cloud, including the working environment, so there is literally nothing on the device. How is that done? Virtual Desktops.\n\nUtilizing private cloud to deliver virtual desktops provides the best combination of usability and security.  The environment is controlled completely by the organization, and no data is kept on the client device.  Popular choices in this space are <a href=\"http://www.vmware.com/products/view/overview.html\">VMware View</a> and <a href=\"http://www.citrix.com/products/xendesktop/overview.html\">Citrix XenDesktop</a>. In addition to fully virtualized desktops, another popular option is to utilize virtual applications.\n\nVirtual applications can be delivered like a desktop, and still benefit from saving data in the cloud. This can sometimes be easier for IT departments to deploy if they will not be able to standardize on specific desktops, and can actually be combined with virtual desktops for the most dynamic scenarios. Again, the options in this space are VMware with their <a href=\"http://www.vmware.com/products/desktop_virtualization/horizon-application-manager/overview.html\">Horizon Application Manager</a>, along with Citrix and its flagship product <a href=\"http://www.citrix.com/products/xenapp/overview.html\">XenApp</a>.\n\nIn addition to the leaders, there are a multitude of startups in this space, as well as established companies that are trying to break into the market - and as such the quality and price run from free to astronomical, and everything in between.\n\nComing back to my initial story, during a border seizure event or similar incident, you can unlock a device and allow the ability to browse and search with without having to worry about exposing the data.  If a device is lost, it can be replaced and you can get back to work immediately because your working environment is separate from the piece of hardware you are carrying around. It’s simply a usability device that acts as a stepping stone to the non-resident application execution and data storage environments.\n\nThere are many risks to your personal data, your company’s data, and a client’s data that we probably have not even thought of or experienced yet. The good news is that there are many technologies available to assist with mitigating these threats.\n\nOver the last five years, virtual technologies have matured economically so that businesses of all sizes can take advantage of them. Indeed, even individuals can find solutions tailored to their budgets.\n\nVirtualization can be a great platform for savings, but an even better one for protecting your data when deployed correctly.','Extreme Scenarios Require Extreme Data Protection','','inherit','open','open','','7895-revision','','','2013-02-19 09:08:38','2013-02-19 14:08:38','',7895,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7895-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7897,40,'2013-02-19 09:10:51','2013-02-19 14:10:51','You covered your bases and protected your client devices - complex passwords, two factor authentication, application white lists, client firewalls and anti-malware. You also have taken measures to ensure that if a device is lost the data will not be compromised - encrypted hard drives, remote wipe capability, and encrypted VPN tunnels for information transfer. Now you are feeling pretty good about your client security posture.  Of course, if you are not doing these things, then later I’ll have to write about why they are still important.\n\nNow, let’s explore a very real scenario where all this security preparation will not and does not matter. While this scenario focuses on U.S. Policy examples, this applies to any governmental action in any part of the world.\n\nLet me set the scene. You travel outside the United States, visiting a client or international branch of your organization. Everything goes well, however upon entering back into the United States, you are pulled into a room by Department of Home Land Security (DHS) personal, who kindly ask you to “power on” your device and enter your password to decrypt the contents.\n\nOops – Complex passwords; two-factor authentication; encrypted contents, doesn’t matter you have just handed over the keys to the kingdom. Most people in this situation may be a bit nervous, but not overly worried, because they do not believe there is anything to hide. However, as recently reported by David Kravets of Wired Magazine (<a href=\"http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/electronics-border-seizures/\">http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/electronics-border-seizures/</a> ), the DHS office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties published a two-page executive summary of its findings in regards to DHS suspicion-less search-and-seizure policy pertaining to electronic devices.\n\nThe executive summary of this report included this statement, “We also conclude that imposing a requirement that officers have reasonable suspicion in order to conduct a border search of an electronic device would be operationally harmful without concomitant civil rights/civil liberties benefits,”\n\n<b>What does this mean?</b>\n\nWell, it means regardless of what you have done or not done authorities can take your equipment. If they do so after you have given them access to the machine, then they now have access to all data without a warrant, and you no longer have any control over it.\n\nThe article illustrates a real world example of this in action. Mr. Abidor, a PHD student was held while DHS agents went through his computer - and what the article doesn’t point out is that Mr. Abidor had to file a lawsuit to get the computer back. DHS held it for over two weeks, though there were no charges filed against Mr. Abidor, nor any suspicion of wrong doing alleged.\n\n<b>What is on your company laptops?</b>\n\nHow much financial information, patented company information, personal identifiable information (PII), personal health information (PHI), credit card account information, among other sensitive data, are you, your colleagues, or your employees carrying around? You may think even in an extreme scenario like this, the data wouldn’t be compromised in a way that would hurt your or your company, after all the Government has protocols and processes that should protect what they have seized.\n\n<b>Are you ready to bet your company on it?</b>\n\nToday, I know of no known instances where a border seized asset led to leaking of corporate data or privacy breaches. That doesn’t mean it has not happened, or that it will not happen. How do you protect against this scenario, or even a similar one, say, in another country, where you have even less recourse against it? I outline a few options below:\n\n<b>How about the Public Cloud?</b>\n\nBe careful on the what/where/how of your provider. International and national providers are inundated with requests for access to data hosted in their “cloud” by both foreign governments, U.S. federal government, and countless other local government entities. Of particular concern is that some companies, most visibly those major communications providers, have deals in place where they make millions of dollars by sharing your information with the government. How much do they really have vested in your privacy?\n\nEven with the spotlights put on these programs in recent years, it appears the future will be even more “cloudy” in this regard. As an example, the recent ruling of the sixth court of appeal in United States v. Skinner (<a href=\"http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/12a0262p-06.pdf\">http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/12a0262p-06.pdf</a>) ruled that police do not need a warrant to access GPS data of individuals. This data is of course held by your telephone provider, or navigation service provider. What type of doors will this open to other types of data you are storing in large national public clouds?\n\nIt is still possible to gain the efficiencies of a public cloud, while avoiding the conflicts of interest of the big players. Look for an established local or regional partner that is offering services comparable to the big players in availability and security, but is without those entangling agreements that were not made in the best interest of your data.\n\n<b>What about a Private Cloud?</b>\n\nClearly, there is more control here. You have the most control when you own not only the servers, but the location they are housed in. At least in this scenario any entity will need a legal warrant to retrieve data from servers in your private infrastructure. Many companies are jumping on the private cloud band wagon. Companies with big data center experience, like EMC for example, are taking that knowledge to deliver reference architectures like <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/platform/virtualizing-information-infrastructure/vspex.htm\">VSPEX</a> that blueprint a flexible and tested solution utilizing a host of technologies that can deliver on the private cloud promise. Microsoft, VMware, and even traditional network players like Cisco are offering private cloud solutions.\n\n<b>How do you access your data in the cloud?</b>\n\nReally there are two choices here, although the technology to deliver them will vary.\n\nEncrypted VPN tunnels are the traditional method for gaining access back into a corporate network.  These will work in this scenario as well, but you have a lot of issues with where data will be saved, how working copies are managed, and what is kept on a personal device. You have a wide range of choices in how this is delivered - Microsoft Direct Access, Citrix NetScaler Access Gateway, and a variety of Cisco solutions – just to name a few. The options in this space are nearly limitless, and chances are you already have one in place, even if it’s not in use.\n\nThe other option is to keep everything in the cloud, including the working environment, so there is literally nothing on the device. How is that done? Virtual Desktops.\n\nUtilizing private cloud to deliver virtual desktops provides the best combination of usability and security.  The environment is controlled completely by the organization, and no data is kept on the client device.  Popular choices in this space are <a href=\"http://www.vmware.com/products/view/overview.html\">VMware View</a> and <a href=\"http://www.citrix.com/products/xendesktop/overview.html\">Citrix XenDesktop</a>. In addition to fully virtualized desktops, another popular option is to utilize virtual applications.\n\nVirtual applications can be delivered like a desktop, and still benefit from saving data in the cloud. This can sometimes be easier for IT departments to deploy if they will not be able to standardize on specific desktops, and can actually be combined with virtual desktops for the most dynamic scenarios. Again, the options in this space are VMware with their <a href=\"http://www.vmware.com/products/desktop_virtualization/horizon-application-manager/overview.html\">Horizon Application Manager</a>, along with Citrix and its flagship product <a href=\"http://www.citrix.com/products/xenapp/overview.html\">XenApp</a>.\n\nIn addition to the leaders, there are a multitude of startups in this space, as well as established companies that are trying to break into the market - and as such the quality and price run from free to astronomical, and everything in between.\n\nComing back to my initial story, during a border seizure event or similar incident, you can unlock a device and allow the ability to browse and search with without having to worry about exposing the data.  If a device is lost, it can be replaced and you can get back to work immediately because your working environment is separate from the piece of hardware you are carrying around. It’s simply a usability device that acts as a stepping stone to the non-resident application execution and data storage environments.\n\nThere are many risks to your personal data, your company’s data, and a client’s data that we probably have not even thought of or experienced yet. The good news is that there are many technologies available to assist with mitigating these threats.\n\nOver the last five years, virtual technologies have matured economically so that businesses of all sizes can take advantage of them. Indeed, even individuals can find solutions tailored to their budgets.\n\nVirtualization can be a great platform for savings, but an even better one for protecting your data when deployed correctly.','Extreme Scenarios Require Extreme Data Protection','','inherit','open','open','','7895-revision-2','','','2013-02-19 09:10:51','2013-02-19 14:10:51','',7895,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7895-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7899,40,'2011-06-23 14:54:13','2011-06-23 14:54:13','Solutions for end-user application access–anytime, anywhere, on any device.  This will increase productivity, flexibility and agility without compromising security and operational efficiency.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>\"Any application, Any device, Anywhere\" Solutions</li>\r\n	<li>iPad, iPhone, MacBook, Thin Client, Zero Client, Tablet, PC, etc.</li>\r\n	<li>Information Liberation and Mobility Services</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong>End-User Freedom.  IT Control.</strong>\r\n\r\n\r\nEnd-user computing is creating a modern user-centric approach to personal computing that delivers secure access to applications and data from any device, anywhere and when a user needs it.  Enabling freedom of choice of devices for end users, while making it easier for IT to provision and securely manage users and sensitive data.\r\n\r\n\r\nA lot has been made about the profound changes Cloud computing has been making to IT and the way services are delivered. Less has been said about how many of these same changes and trends are very much influencing the world of end-user computing. What are these forces of change? One of them is the new world of heterogeneous devices, their disparate operating systems and application platforms. It’s clearly no longer a Windows-only world. To drive this reality home, one only has to go into a business meeting or get on an airplane and count the number of iPads. The days when IT was able to rigidly enforce client-side device standardization are gone forever.\r\n\r\nIs your infrastructure ready to support the wave of portable devices out there in the market today?  Can you deploy your applications to any device anywhere?  If you can\'t answer these questions, eGroup can help you answer them, and find out if your infrastructure can support new application delivery services to any End-User Device—whether it’s an iPad, Droid, Mac, or Windows device.\r\n\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','End-User Computing','Solutions for end-user application access–anytime, anywhere, on any device. This will increase productivity, flexibility and agility without compromising security and operational efficiency.','inherit','open','open','','34-revision-9','','','2011-06-23 14:54:13','2011-06-23 14:54:13','',34,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/34-revision-9',0,'revision','',0),(7900,40,'2013-02-21 11:35:20','2013-02-21 16:35:20','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7901\" alt=\"Virtual C-I-O\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013-240x300.jpg\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn the heels of launching our eGroup eBook, “<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\">7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night</a>,” we recently sat down with John F. Andrews, Chief Operating Officer and Fractional CIO of <a title=\"Virtual C-I-O\" href=\"http://www.virtual-c-i-o.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Virtual C-I-O</a>, to chat about his company’s views and opinions on BYOD.  And, most importantly, how c-level executives should manage the situation.\r\n\r\nIt sounds like both eGroup and Virtual C-I-O agree on quite a bit when it comes to BYOD.  Read on for more:\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> What effective approaches can management take in addressing “bring your own device” to the workplace?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> BYOD is a growing, undeniable reality.  The CIO or company fractional CIO would be best served to embrace this trend as well as establish a program to manage its implementation, just as programs are put in place to implement other new technologies.  To roll out such a program effectively, a cross-functional team of IT, finance, legal and all other affected operating entities must collaborate to address the following at minimum:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Which employees are eligible and which are not?</li>\r\n	<li>Who pays for service plans and hardware?</li>\r\n	<li>Who pays for devices that are stolen or lost?</li>\r\n	<li>Which applications are permitted and which are not?</li>\r\n	<li>Are employees required to use mobile device management security software that encrypts company data, monitors the device usage and passwords?</li>\r\n	<li>Are employees required to agree that the company can remotely wipe out any data—possibly including personal data—if the device is lost or stolen?</li>\r\n	<li>Are employees responsible to back-up their own personal data?</li>\r\n	<li>What disciplinary actions will be taken in response to misuse?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWith these items fully vetted and addressed, a formal policy can then be developed which best fits the corporate culture, legal, financial and operating perspectives.  The CIO or fractional CIO must understand that there is no \"cookie cutter\" approach that works for all organizations.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> How should management educate their employee users on the security risks and potential threats BYOD raises without hampering the substantial productivity benefits of BYOD?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> BYOD isn’t a technology issue, it\'s a policy issue.  A policy issue that involves other organizations besides IT, such as finance, legal, HR and operations.  Therefore, a comprehensive view is appropriate.  This cross-functional group mentioned earlier, led by the CIO or fractional CIO should be responsible for developing a policy that considers all aspects of BYOD with security being a critical item.  It should be formalized, institutionalized and communicated to all impacted employees just as all other business-critical policies.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> Does company management have a role in making mobile apps available to employees and their devices?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> After adequate review and approval, the BYOD program should indicate which company applications can be used by each employee based on their role in the organization.  The policy should also indicate which applications or application types aren’t to be used as well.\r\n\r\nBeyond that, we see many CIOs and fractional CIOs setting up their own “app store” that BYOD participants can access to download applications and other software that they are approved for, and that provide tangible support for their jobs.\r\n\r\nAs you write in “<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\">7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night</a>,” VMware’s Horizon Application Manager is a great example of a tool which helps CIOs deliver policy-driven application access.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> What is the best method for encouraging productive feedback from the employee end-user community to company leaders?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> To gain the most candid and honest feedback, CIOs and their teams should conduct regular user surveys. Centralized suggestion mailboxes are also popular, where employee users can provide suggestions at any time on how to improve service. Both methods can be handled on an anonymous basis, again encouraging the most honest and candid feedback, without the worry of reprisals.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> Should a CEO be concerned that the company’s application usability and human factors are best-in-class?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> Absolutely. Software is integrated into almost all -- if not all -- core processes in corporations today and can be a major differentiator – either positive or negative – on the company’s stature, reputation and desirability as a supplier or employer.  The company CIO or fractional CIO can actively support the CEO’s leadership in this regard by developing a comprehensive strategic road map design for IT / business technology that includes the internal as well as external leverage that BYOD provides.  In addition to tactical responsibilities, the CIO’s role involves strengthening the CEO’s company vision, as well as the long-term value proposition.','On Bring Your Own Device: Q&A with John F. Andrews of Virtual C-I-O','','publish','open','open','','on-bring-your-own-device-qa-with-john-f-andrews-of-virtual-c-i-o','','','2013-02-21 11:35:20','2013-02-21 16:35:20','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7900',0,'post','',0),(7901,40,'2013-02-21 11:28:17','2013-02-21 16:28:17','John F. Edwards','John F. Andrews photo 1-8-2013','','inherit','open','open','','john-f-andrews-photo-1-8-2013','','','2013-02-21 11:28:17','2013-02-21 16:28:17','',7900,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7902,40,'2013-02-21 11:31:42','2013-02-21 16:31:42','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7901\" alt=\"Virtual C-I-O\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013-240x300.jpg\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nOn the heels of launching our eGroup eBook, “<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\">7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night</a>,” we recently sat down with John F. Andrews, Chief Operating Officer and Fractional CIO of <a title=\"Virtual C-I-O\" href=\"http://www.virtual-c-i-o.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Virtual C-I-O</a>, to chat about his company’s views and opinions on BYOD.  And, most importantly, how c-level executives should manage the situation.\n\nIt sounds like both eGroup and Virtual C-I-O agree on quite a bit when it comes to BYOD.  Read on for more:\n\n<b>eGroup:</b> What effective approaches can management take in addressing “bring your own device” to the workplace?\n\n<b>JFA:</b> BYOD is a growing, undeniable reality.  The CIO or company fractional CIO would be best served to embrace this trend as well as establish a program to manage its implementation, just as programs are put in place to implement other new technologies.  To roll out such a program effectively, a cross-functional team of IT, finance, legal and all other affected operating entities must collaborate to address the following at minimum:\n<ul>\n	<li>Which employees are eligible and which are not?</li>\n	<li>Who pays for service plans and hardware?</li>\n	<li>Who pays for devices that are stolen or lost?</li>\n	<li>Which applications are permitted and which are not?</li>\n	<li>Are employees required to use mobile device management security software that encrypts company data, monitors the device usage and passwords?</li>\n	<li>Are employees required to agree that the company can remotely wipe out any data—possibly including personal data—if the device is lost or stolen?</li>\n	<li>Are employees responsible to back-up their own personal data?</li>\n	<li>What disciplinary actions will be taken in response to misuse?</li>\n</ul>\nWith these items fully vetted and addressed, a formal policy can then be developed which best fits the corporate culture, legal, financial and operating perspectives.  The CIO or fractional CIO must understand that there is no \"cookie cutter\" approach that works for all organizations.\n\n<b>eGroup:</b> How should management educate their employee users on the security risks and potential threats BYOD raises without hampering the substantial productivity benefits of BYOD?\n\n<b>JFA:</b> BYOD isn’t a technology issue, it\'s a policy issue.  A policy issue that involves other organizations besides IT, such as finance, legal, HR and operations.  Therefore, a comprehensive view is appropriate.  This cross-functional group mentioned earlier, led by the CIO or fractional CIO should be responsible for developing a policy that considers all aspects of BYOD with security being a critical item.  It should be formalized, institutionalized and communicated to all impacted employees just as all other business-critical policies.\n\n<b>eGroup:</b> Does company management have a role in making mobile apps available to employees and their devices?\n\n<b>JFA:</b> After adequate review and approval, the BYOD program should indicate which company applications can be used by each employee based on their role in the organization.  The policy should also indicate which applications or application types aren’t to be used as well.\n\nBeyond that, we see many CIOs and fractional CIOs setting up their own “app store” that BYOD participants can access to download applications and other software that they are approved for, and that provide tangible support for their jobs.\n\nAs you write in “<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\">7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night</a>,” VMware’s Horizon Application Manager is a great example of a tool which helps CIOs deliver policy-driven application access.\n\n<b>eGroup:</b> What is the best method for encouraging productive feedback from the employee end-user community to company leaders?\n\n<b>JFA:</b> To gain the most candid and honest feedback, CIOs and their teams should conduct regular user surveys. Centralized suggestion mailboxes are also popular, where employee users can provide suggestions at any time on how to improve service. Both methods can be handled on an anonymous basis, again encouraging the most honest and candid feedback, without the worry of reprisals.\n\n<b>eGroup:</b> Should a CEO be concerned that the company’s application usability and human factors are best-in-class?\n\n<b>JFA:</b> Absolutely. Software is integrated into almost all -- if not all -- core processes in corporations today and can be a major differentiator – either positive or negative – on the company’s stature, reputation and desirability as a supplier or employer.  The company CIO or fractional CIO can actively support the CEO’s leadership in this regard by developing a comprehensive strategic road map design for IT / business technology that includes the internal as well as external leverage that BYOD provides.  In addition to tactical responsibilities, the CIO’s role involves strengthening the CEO’s company vision, as well as the long-term value proposition.','On Bring Your Own Device: Q&A with John F. Andrews of Virtual C-I-O','','inherit','open','open','','7900-revision','','','2013-02-21 11:31:42','2013-02-21 16:31:42','',7900,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7900-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7903,40,'2013-02-21 11:34:09','2013-02-21 16:34:09','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7901\" alt=\"Virtual C-I-O\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/John-F.-Andrews-photo-1-8-2013-240x300.jpg\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOn the heels of launching our eGroup eBook, “<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\">7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night</a>,” we recently sat down with John F. Andrews, Chief Operating Officer and Fractional CIO of <a title=\"Virtual C-I-O\" href=\"http://www.virtual-c-i-o.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Virtual C-I-O</a>, to chat about his company’s views and opinions on BYOD.  And, most importantly, how c-level executives should manage the situation.\r\n\r\nIt sounds like both eGroup and Virtual C-I-O agree on quite a bit when it comes to BYOD.  Read on for more:\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> What effective approaches can management take in addressing “bring your own device” to the workplace?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> BYOD is a growing, undeniable reality.  The CIO or company fractional CIO would be best served to embrace this trend as well as establish a program to manage its implementation, just as programs are put in place to implement other new technologies.  To roll out such a program effectively, a cross-functional team of IT, finance, legal and all other affected operating entities must collaborate to address the following at minimum:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Which employees are eligible and which are not?</li>\r\n	<li>Who pays for service plans and hardware?</li>\r\n	<li>Who pays for devices that are stolen or lost?</li>\r\n	<li>Which applications are permitted and which are not?</li>\r\n	<li>Are employees required to use mobile device management security software that encrypts company data, monitors the device usage and passwords?</li>\r\n	<li>Are employees required to agree that the company can remotely wipe out any data—possibly including personal data—if the device is lost or stolen?</li>\r\n	<li>Are employees responsible to back-up their own personal data?</li>\r\n	<li>What disciplinary actions will be taken in response to misuse?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWith these items fully vetted and addressed, a formal policy can then be developed which best fits the corporate culture, legal, financial and operating perspectives.  The CIO or fractional CIO must understand that there is no \"cookie cutter\" approach that works for all organizations.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> How should management educate their employee users on the security risks and potential threats BYOD raises without hampering the substantial productivity benefits of BYOD?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> BYOD isn’t a technology issue, it\'s a policy issue.  A policy issue that involves other organizations besides IT, such as finance, legal, HR and operations.  Therefore, a comprehensive view is appropriate.  This cross-functional group mentioned earlier, led by the CIO or fractional CIO should be responsible for developing a policy that considers all aspects of BYOD with security being a critical item.  It should be formalized, institutionalized and communicated to all impacted employees just as all other business-critical policies.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> Does company management have a role in making mobile apps available to employees and their devices?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> After adequate review and approval, the BYOD program should indicate which company applications can be used by each employee based on their role in the organization.  The policy should also indicate which applications or application types aren’t to be used as well.\r\n\r\nBeyond that, we see many CIOs and fractional CIOs setting up their own “app store” that BYOD participants can access to download applications and other software that they are approved for, and that provide tangible support for their jobs.\r\n\r\nAs you write in “<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\">7 Steps to a Sensible BYOD Strategy: So You Can Sleep at Night</a>,” VMware’s Horizon Application Manager is a great example of a tool which helps CIOs deliver policy-driven application access.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> What is the best method for encouraging productive feedback from the employee end-user community to company leaders?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> To gain the most candid and honest feedback, CIOs and their teams should conduct regular user surveys. Centralized suggestion mailboxes are also popular, where employee users can provide suggestions at any time on how to improve service. Both methods can be handled on an anonymous basis, again encouraging the most honest and candid feedback, without the worry of reprisals.\r\n\r\n<b>eGroup:</b> Should a CEO be concerned that the company’s application usability and human factors are best-in-class?\r\n\r\n<b>JFA:</b> Absolutely. Software is integrated into almost all -- if not all -- core processes in corporations today and can be a major differentiator – either positive or negative – on the company’s stature, reputation and desirability as a supplier or employer.  The company CIO or fractional CIO can actively support the CEO’s leadership in this regard by developing a comprehensive strategic road map design for IT / business technology that includes the internal as well as external leverage that BYOD provides.  In addition to tactical responsibilities, the CIO’s role involves strengthening the CEO’s company vision, as well as the long-term value proposition.','On Bring Your Own Device: Q&A with John F. Andrews of Virtual C-I-O','','inherit','open','open','','7900-revision-2','','','2013-02-21 11:34:09','2013-02-21 16:34:09','',7900,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7900-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7905,40,'2013-02-25 08:52:51','2013-02-25 13:52:51','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7906\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\" width=\"107\" height=\"166\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Why eGroup?</span></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong></strong>The job description and company profile were two things that initially attracted me to eGroup. The interview process eGroup has in place allows you to meet with several members of the team and lets you get a feel for the company environment and the importance of each role within the company. I felt very comfortable during the interview process so I knew eGroup was the right fit for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nGrowing up with two younger sisters made me the competitive person I am today. Whether we were competing in different activities in school or around the house I was always passionate and had a drive to be the best. Those qualities are still with me today and are what makes me so competitive.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nIf I wasn’t in Tech, I would love to pursue photography. I would love to be able to travel the world taking pictures as a career-that would be fun!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Newest team member excited to join the eGroup team!”\r\n\r\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Maggi!','First Day…Four Questions: Maggi LeJeune, Inside Sales','','publish','open','open','','first-dayfour-questions-maggi-lejeune-inside-sales','','','2013-03-27 10:32:27','2013-03-27 14:32:27','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7905',0,'post','',0),(7906,40,'2013-02-25 08:51:10','2013-02-25 13:51:10','','Maggi','','inherit','open','open','','maggi','','','2013-02-25 08:51:10','2013-02-25 13:51:10','',7905,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7907,40,'2013-02-25 08:51:22','2013-02-25 13:51:22','[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Why eGroup?</span></strong>\n\n<strong></strong>The job description and company profile were two things that initially attracted me to eGroup. The interview process eGroup has in place allows you to meet with several members of the team and lets you get a feel for the company environment and the importance of each role within the company. I felt very comfortable during the interview process so I knew eGroup was the right fit for me.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\n\nGrowing up with two younger sisters made me the competitive person I am today. Whether we were competing in different activities in school or around the house I was always passionate and had a drive to be the best. Those qualities are still with me today and are what makes me so competitive.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\n\nIf I wasn’t in Tech, I would love to pursue photography. I would love to be able to travel the world taking pictures as a career-that would be fun!\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\n\n“Newest team member excited to join the eGroup team!”\n\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Maggi<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7906\" alt=\"Maggi\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\" width=\"107\" height=\"166\" /></a>!','First Day…Four Questions: Maggi LeJeune, Inside Sales','','inherit','open','open','','7905-revision','','','2013-02-25 08:51:22','2013-02-25 13:51:22','',7905,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7905-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7908,40,'2013-02-25 08:51:49','2013-02-25 13:51:49','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7906\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\" width=\"107\" height=\"166\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Why eGroup?</span></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong></strong>The job description and company profile were two things that initially attracted me to eGroup. The interview process eGroup has in place allows you to meet with several members of the team and lets you get a feel for the company environment and the importance of each role within the company. I felt very comfortable during the interview process so I knew eGroup was the right fit for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nGrowing up with two younger sisters made me the competitive person I am today. Whether we were competing in different activities in school or around the house I was always passionate and had a drive to be the best. Those qualities are still with me today and are what makes me so competitive.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nIf I wasn’t in Tech, I would love to pursue photography. I would love to be able to travel the world taking pictures as a career-that would be fun!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Newest team member excited to join the eGroup team!”\r\n\r\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Maggi!','First Day…Four Questions: Maggi LeJeune, Inside Sales','','inherit','open','open','','7905-revision-2','','','2013-02-25 08:51:49','2013-02-25 13:51:49','',7905,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7905-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7909,40,'2013-02-25 08:52:31','2013-02-25 13:52:31','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7906\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Maggi.jpg\" width=\"107\" height=\"166\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Why eGroup?</span></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong></strong>The job description and company profile were two things that initially attracted me to eGroup. The interview process eGroup has in place allows you to meet with several members of the team and lets you get a feel for the company environment and the importance of each role within the company. I felt very comfortable during the interview process so I knew eGroup was the right fit for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes you a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nGrowing up with two younger sisters made me the competitive person I am today. Whether we were competing in different activities in school or around the house I was always passionate and had a drive to be the best. Those qualities are still with me today and are what makes me so competitive.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nIf I wasn’t in Tech, I would love to pursue photography. I would love to be able to travel the world taking pictures as a career-that would be fun!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Newest team member excited to join the eGroup team!”\r\n\r\nWelcome to the eGroup team, Maggi!','First Day…Four Questions: Maggi LeJeune, Inside Sales','','inherit','open','open','','7905-revision-3','','','2013-02-25 08:52:31','2013-02-25 13:52:31','',7905,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7905-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7911,40,'2013-02-25 16:23:43','2013-02-25 21:23:43','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7916\" alt=\"Lync 2013\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Roundtable-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIf you are considering and/or evaluating <a href=\"http://lync.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/unified-communications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Lync 2013</a>, be sure to listen to the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\">eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013</a>.\r\n\r\nOur guest was <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalesayers\" target=\"_blank\">Dale Sayers</a>, Microsoft Partner Technology Advisor, covers the \"who, what, where, when, and why\" of Lync. He also shares his knowledge of how Lync fits into Microsoft\'s overall Office and Cloud Strategy and explains Lync\'s integration with Office and SharePoint.\r\n\r\nLastly, Dale talks about the various programs for enterprises who may want to kick Lync\'s tires with zero up-front investment. Listen in to hear details.\r\n\r\nAs always, be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed to hear all the latest eGroup Roundtables.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013','','publish','open','open','','egroup-roundtable-series-lync-2013','','','2013-02-25 16:23:43','2013-02-25 21:23:43','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7911',0,'post','',0),(7914,40,'2013-02-25 16:14:04','2013-02-25 21:14:04','','Lync 2013 Cover','','inherit','open','open','','lync-2013-cover','','','2013-02-25 16:14:04','2013-02-25 21:14:04','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lync-2013-Cover.pptx',0,'attachment','application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation',0),(7913,40,'2013-02-25 16:10:51','2013-02-25 21:10:51','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\">2013-02-13 09.30 eGroup Roundtable_ Lync, Office 365 and Microsoft_s Unified Communication Strategy</a>\n\nIf you are considering and/or evaluating <a href=\"http://lync.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/unified-communications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Lync 2013</a>, be sure to listen to the eGroup Roundtable.\n\nOur guest was <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalesayers\" target=\"_blank\">Dale Sayers</a>, Microsoft Partner Technology Advisor, covers the \"who, what, where, when, and why\" of Lync. He also shares his knwledge of how Lync fits into Microsoft\'s overall Microsoft Office and Cloud Strategy and Lync\'s integration with Office and SharePoint.\n\nDale even talks about the various programs for enteprrises who may want to kick Lync\'s tires with zero uo-front investment. Listen in to hear\n<ol>\n	<li>\n<ol>\n	<li>\n<ol>\n	<li>What kind of programs exist for customers to kick the tires with Lync.</li>\n	<li>If you wanted to leave one thing with the group about Lync with the group, what would it be?\n<ol>\n	<li>Opportunity to drive the message home.</li>\n</ol>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</li>\n</ol>\n</li>\n</ol>','eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7911-revision','','','2013-02-25 16:10:51','2013-02-25 21:10:51','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7911-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7915,40,'2013-02-25 16:16:18','2013-02-25 21:16:18','','Lync 2013 Cover','','inherit','open','open','','lync-2013-cover-2','','','2013-02-25 16:16:18','2013-02-25 21:16:18','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Lync-2013-Cover.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7916,40,'2013-02-25 16:19:00','2013-02-25 21:19:00','','Roundtable','','inherit','open','open','','roundtable','','','2013-02-25 16:19:00','2013-02-25 21:19:00','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Roundtable.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7912,40,'2013-02-25 16:00:39','2013-02-25 21:00:39','','2013-02-13 09.30 eGroup Roundtable_ Lync, Office 365 and Microsoft_s Unified Communication Strategy','','inherit','open','open','','2013-02-13-09-30-egroup-roundtable_-lync-office-365-and-microsoft_s-unified-communication-strategy','','','2013-02-25 16:00:39','2013-02-25 21:00:39','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4',0,'attachment','video/mp4',0),(7917,40,'2013-02-25 16:20:56','2013-02-25 21:20:56','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7916\" alt=\"Roundtable\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Roundtable-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\n\nIf you are considering and/or evaluating <a href=\"http://lync.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/unified-communications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Lync 2013</a>, be sure to listen to the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\">eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013</a>.\n\nOur guest was <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalesayers\" target=\"_blank\">Dale Sayers</a>, Microsoft Partner Technology Advisor, covers the \"who, what, where, when, and why\" of Lync. He also shares his knwledge of how Lync fits into Microsoft\'s overall Microsoft Office and Cloud Strategy and Lync\'s integration with Office and SharePoint.\n\nDale even talks about the various programs for enterprises who may want to kick Lync\'s tires with zero up-front investment. Listen in to hear details.\n\nAs always, be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed to hear all the latest eGroup Roundtables.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7911-revision-2','','','2013-02-25 16:20:56','2013-02-25 21:20:56','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7911-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7918,40,'2013-02-25 16:22:27','2013-02-25 21:22:27','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7916\" alt=\"Lync 2013\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Roundtable-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\n\nIf you are considering and/or evaluating <a href=\"http://lync.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/unified-communications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Lync 2013</a>, be sure to listen to the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\">eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013</a>.\n\nOur guest was <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalesayers\" target=\"_blank\">Dale Sayers</a>, Microsoft Partner Technology Advisor, covers the \"who, what, where, when, and why\" of Lync. He also shares his knowledge of how Lync fits into Microsoft\'s overall Microsoft Office and Cloud Strategy and Lync\'s integration with Office and SharePoint.\n\nDale even talks about the various programs for enterprises who may want to kick Lync\'s tires with zero up-front investment. Listen in to hear details.\n\nAs always, be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed to hear all the latest eGroup Roundtables.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7911-revision-3','','','2013-02-25 16:22:27','2013-02-25 21:22:27','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7911-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7919,40,'2013-02-25 16:23:10','2013-02-25 21:23:10','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7916\" alt=\"Lync 2013\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Roundtable-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIf you are considering and/or evaluating <a href=\"http://lync.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/unified-communications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Lync 2013</a>, be sure to listen to the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\">eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013</a>.\r\n\r\nOur guest was <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalesayers\" target=\"_blank\">Dale Sayers</a>, Microsoft Partner Technology Advisor, covers the \"who, what, where, when, and why\" of Lync. He also shares his knowledge of how Lync fits into Microsoft\'s overall Office and Cloud Strategy and explains Lync\'s integration with Office and SharePoint.\r\n\r\nLastly, Dale talks about the various programs for enterprises who may want to kick Lync\'s tires with zero up-front investment. Listen in to hear details.\r\n\r\nAs always, be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed to hear all the latest eGroup Roundtables.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7911-revision-4','','','2013-02-25 16:23:10','2013-02-25 21:23:10','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7911-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7920,40,'2013-02-25 16:23:19','2013-02-25 21:23:19','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7916\" alt=\"Lync 2013\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Roundtable-300x223.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIf you are considering and/or evaluating <a href=\"http://lync.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/unified-communications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Lync 2013</a>, be sure to listen to the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-02-13-09.30-eGroup-Roundtable_-Lync-Office-365-and-Microsoft_s-Unified-Communication-Strategy.mp4\">eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013</a>.\r\n\r\nOur guest was <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalesayers\" target=\"_blank\">Dale Sayers</a>, Microsoft Partner Technology Advisor, covers the \"who, what, where, when, and why\" of Lync. He also shares his knowledge of how Lync fits into Microsoft\'s overall Office and Cloud Strategy and explains Lync\'s integration with Office and SharePoint.\r\n\r\nLastly, Dale talks about the various programs for enterprises who may want to kick Lync\'s tires with zero up-front investment. Listen in to hear details.\r\n\r\nAs always, be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed to hear all the latest eGroup Roundtables.','eGroup Roundtable Series: Lync 2013','','inherit','open','open','','7911-revision-5','','','2013-02-25 16:23:19','2013-02-25 21:23:19','',7911,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7911-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7922,40,'2013-02-26 09:47:36','2013-02-26 14:47:36','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wbeers.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7923\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wbeers-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nOver the last couple of years, I’ve attended events in the area sponsored or hosted by eGroup, and I knew from the very first encounter that this team was stellar. When I decided it was time to take my career to the next level, I reached out to eGroup first. It was an easy choice to make! I was looking for an opportunity to work with advanced and powerful technology solutions, and eGroup does exactly that on a daily basis. The growth potential here is very exciting and I feel empowered to succeed and achieve with the tools and framework they provide.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nPeople have been using the word “competitive” to describe me since I was a little kid. I always had to finish first, no matter what the challenge. Years later, I’m still pushing myself to learn more, deliver faster, and have the right answer before anyone else. If there’s any degree of competition, I’m straining to be at the front of the pack. eGroup is definitely a pack leader, and I am all about making our customers as competitive as possible.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nI studied biology in high school and college, and if I hadn’t decided to pursue a full-time career in IT, I would have loved to work in a branch of oceanography. I spent a lot of time around the ocean growing up and I don’t think I could ever stand to live more than an hour away from the coastline. I’ve also taught taekwondo on and off for the last ten years, but it’s a lot harder to make a full-time career teaching punches and kicks unless you’re a Hollywood stunt choreographer!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Local Developer Sprints Across Office in Carrot Costume, Disciplined for Running as Root”','First Day…Four Questions: Will Beers, Engineer','','publish','open','open','','first-dayfour-questions-will-beers-engineer','','','2013-03-27 10:31:30','2013-03-27 14:31:30','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7922',0,'post','',0),(7923,40,'2013-02-26 09:42:47','2013-02-26 14:42:47','','wbeers','','inherit','open','open','','wbeers','','','2013-02-26 09:42:47','2013-02-26 14:42:47','',7922,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wbeers.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7924,40,'2013-02-26 09:45:36','2013-02-26 14:45:36','&nbsp;\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\n\nOver the last couple of years, I’ve attended events in the area sponsored or hosted by eGroup, and I knew from the very first encounter that this team was stellar. When I decided it was time to take my career to the next level, I reached out to eGroup first. It was an easy choice to make! I was looking for an opportunity to work with advanced and powerful technology solutions, and eGroup does exactly that on a daily basis. The growth potential here is very exciting and I feel empowered to succeed and achieve with the tools and framework they provide.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span>\n\nPeople have been using the word “competitive” to describe me since I was a little kid. I always had to finish first, no matter what the challenge. Years later, I’m still pushing myself to learn more, deliver faster, and have the right answer before anyone else. If there’s any degree of competition, I’m straining to be at the front of the pack. eGroup is definitely a pack leader, and I am all about making our customers as competitive as possible.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\n\nI studied biology in high school and college, and if I hadn’t decided to pursue a full-time career in IT, I would have loved to work in a branch of oceanography. I spent a lot of time around the ocean growing up and I don’t think I could ever stand to live more than an hour away from the coastline. I’ve also taught taekwondo on and off for the last ten years, but it’s a lot harder to make a full-time career teaching punches and kicks unless you’re a Hollywood stunt choreographer!“Local Developer Sprints Across Office in Carrot Costume, Disciplined for Running as Root”','First Day…Four Questions: Will Beers, Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','7922-revision','','','2013-02-26 09:45:36','2013-02-26 14:45:36','',7922,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7922-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7925,40,'2013-02-26 09:46:30','2013-02-26 14:46:30','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nOver the last couple of years, I’ve attended events in the area sponsored or hosted by eGroup, and I knew from the very first encounter that this team was stellar. When I decided it was time to take my career to the next level, I reached out to eGroup first. It was an easy choice to make! I was looking for an opportunity to work with advanced and powerful technology solutions, and eGroup does exactly that on a daily basis. The growth potential here is very exciting and I feel empowered to succeed and achieve with the tools and framework they provide.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nPeople have been using the word “competitive” to describe me since I was a little kid. I always had to finish first, no matter what the challenge. Years later, I’m still pushing myself to learn more, deliver faster, and have the right answer before anyone else. If there’s any degree of competition, I’m straining to be at the front of the pack. eGroup is definitely a pack leader, and I am all about making our customers as competitive as possible.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nI studied biology in high school and college, and if I hadn’t decided to pursue a full-time career in IT, I would have loved to work in a branch of oceanography. I spent a lot of time around the ocean growing up and I don’t think I could ever stand to live more than an hour away from the coastline. I’ve also taught taekwondo on and off for the last ten years, but it’s a lot harder to make a full-time career teaching punches and kicks unless you’re a Hollywood stunt choreographer!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Local Developer Sprints Across Office in Carrot Costume, Disciplined for Running as Root”','First Day…Four Questions: Will Beers, Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','7922-revision-2','','','2013-02-26 09:46:30','2013-02-26 14:46:30','',7922,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7922-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7926,40,'2013-02-26 09:46:40','2013-02-26 14:46:40','<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]</p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span></p>\r\n<p>Over the last couple of years, I’ve attended events in the area sponsored or hosted by eGroup, and I knew from the very first encounter that this team was stellar. When I decided it was time to take my career to the next level, I reached out to eGroup first. It was an easy choice to make! I was looking for an opportunity to work with advanced and powerful technology solutions, and eGroup does exactly that on a daily basis. The growth potential here is very exciting and I feel empowered to succeed and achieve with the tools and framework they provide.</p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span></p>\r\n<p>People have been using the word “competitive” to describe me since I was a little kid. I always had to finish first, no matter what the challenge. Years later, I’m still pushing myself to learn more, deliver faster, and have the right answer before anyone else. If there’s any degree of competition, I’m straining to be at the front of the pack. eGroup is definitely a pack leader, and I am all about making our customers as competitive as possible.</p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span></p>\r\n<p>I studied biology in high school and college, and if I hadn’t decided to pursue a full-time career in IT, I would have loved to work in a branch of oceanography. I spent a lot of time around the ocean growing up and I don’t think I could ever stand to live more than an hour away from the coastline. I’ve also taught taekwondo on and off for the last ten years, but it’s a lot harder to make a full-time career teaching punches and kicks unless you’re a Hollywood stunt choreographer!</p>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span></p>\r\n<p>“Local Developer Sprints Across Office in Carrot Costume, Disciplined for Running as Root”</p>\r\n','First Day…Four Questions: Will Beers, Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','7922-revision-3','','','2013-02-26 09:46:40','2013-02-26 14:46:40','',7922,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7922-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7927,40,'2013-02-26 09:47:09','2013-02-26 14:47:09','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wbeers.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7923\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wbeers-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nOver the last couple of years, I’ve attended events in the area sponsored or hosted by eGroup, and I knew from the very first encounter that this team was stellar. When I decided it was time to take my career to the next level, I reached out to eGroup first. It was an easy choice to make! I was looking for an opportunity to work with advanced and powerful technology solutions, and eGroup does exactly that on a daily basis. The growth potential here is very exciting and I feel empowered to succeed and achieve with the tools and framework they provide.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nPeople have been using the word “competitive” to describe me since I was a little kid. I always had to finish first, no matter what the challenge. Years later, I’m still pushing myself to learn more, deliver faster, and have the right answer before anyone else. If there’s any degree of competition, I’m straining to be at the front of the pack. eGroup is definitely a pack leader, and I am all about making our customers as competitive as possible.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nI studied biology in high school and college, and if I hadn’t decided to pursue a full-time career in IT, I would have loved to work in a branch of oceanography. I spent a lot of time around the ocean growing up and I don’t think I could ever stand to live more than an hour away from the coastline. I’ve also taught taekwondo on and off for the last ten years, but it’s a lot harder to make a full-time career teaching punches and kicks unless you’re a Hollywood stunt choreographer!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your Headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Local Developer Sprints Across Office in Carrot Costume, Disciplined for Running as Root”','First Day…Four Questions: Will Beers, Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','7922-revision-4','','','2013-02-26 09:47:09','2013-02-26 14:47:09','',7922,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7922-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7929,40,'2012-12-05 16:35:15','2012-12-05 21:35:15','This is regarding the issue with Citrix Receiver, when launching the Citrix application through a URL, we were getting an error “Citrix online plug-in Configuration Manager: No value could be found for (Allowhotkey) that satisfies all lockdown requirements. The lockdown requirements in force may be conflicting.” After reinstalling and installing Citrix Receiver many times there was still no fix for the issue. It wasn’t until I dug deeper into the registry of my desktop. Follow these steps and you will be back to work in no time!\r\n\r\nThe following Steps will resolve this issue.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Deleting the following entries under the registry location\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\Citrix\\ICA Client\\Engine\\Lockdown Profiles\\All Regions\\Lockdown\\Virtual Channels\\Control</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Search for (AllowHotKey)\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Delete “AllowHotKey”</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Log back into Citrix\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Another error should pop up mentioning “URLRedirection”</li>\r\n	<li>Search within the registry for “URLRedirection”</li>\r\n	<li>Delete “URLRedirection”</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Log into Citrix again\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Another similar error should populate mentioning “ClientHostedApps”</li>\r\n	<li>Search within the registry for “ClientHostedApps”</li>\r\n	<li>Delete “ClientHostedApps”</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Log into Citrix once more, and you should be good to go.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nWe know Citrix so if you have any other issues or questions, let us know in the comments below!','Citrix Receiver/Online Plugin (AllowHotKey)','','inherit','open','open','','6875-revision-7','','','2012-12-05 16:35:15','2012-12-05 21:35:15','',6875,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/6875-revision-7',0,'revision','',0),(7931,40,'2013-02-27 08:55:00','2013-02-27 13:55:00','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7933\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nThe people of eGroup. I was introduced to eGroup over a year ago by Brad Shannon. It seemed like every time we got together he would brag about how great his fellow associates were. I had to see this for myself! One thing that became apparent in the interview process was the common vision everyone had. Everyone was on the same page and everyone seemed like they would be awesome to work with. I have since found eGroup to be a positive, genuinely supportive environment and I love it!\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes me a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nMy commitment to establishing/cultivating profitable long term relationships. Ask any of my prior clients and the response will be unanimous. Tom Matlock takes his business seriously and will get the job done! My clients tend to be extremely loyal. The opportunity I now have to introduce eGroup to the Upstate is huge and makes me a serious competitor.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nNetworking. I thrive on meeting new people and growing/maintaining relationships.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Yes, that’s right, Matlock, like the TV show... No, I’m not related.”','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Account Executive','','publish','open','open','','first-dayfour-questions-tom-matlock-account-executive','','','2013-03-27 10:30:34','2013-03-27 14:30:34','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7931',0,'post','',0),(7932,40,'2013-02-27 08:47:29','2013-02-27 13:47:29','','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','7931-revision','','','2013-02-27 08:47:29','2013-02-27 13:47:29','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7931-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7933,40,'2013-02-27 08:49:13','2013-02-27 13:49:13','','Tom and Jenni (3)','','inherit','open','open','','tom-and-jenni-3','','','2013-02-27 08:49:13','2013-02-27 13:49:13','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7935,40,'2013-02-27 08:53:56','2013-02-27 13:53:56','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7933\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" /></a>\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\n\nThe people of eGroup. I was introduced to eGroup over a year ago by Brad Shannon. It seemed like every time we got together he would brag about how great his fellow associates were. I had to see this for myself! One thing that became apparent in the interview process was the common vision everyone had. Everyone was on the same page and everyone seemed like they would be awesome to work with. I have since found eGroup to be a positive, genuinely supportive environment and I love it!\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes me a serious competitor?</span></strong>\n\nMy commitment to establishing/cultivating profitable long term relationships. Ask any of my prior clients and the response will be unanimous. Tom Matlock takes his business seriously and will get the job done! My clients tend to be extremely loyal. The opportunity I now have to introduce eGroup to the Upstate is huge and makes me a serious competitor.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\n\nNetworking. I thrive on meeting new people and growing/maintaining relationships.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your headline?</strong></span>\n\n“Yes, that’s right, Matlock, like the TV show... No, I’m not related.”','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Inside Sales','','inherit','open','open','','7931-revision-3','','','2013-02-27 08:53:56','2013-02-27 13:53:56','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7931-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7934,40,'2013-02-27 08:51:52','2013-02-27 13:51:52','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7933\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" /></a>\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\n\nThe people of eGroup. I was introduced to eGroup over a year ago by Brad Shannon. It seemed like every time we got together he would brag about how great his fellow associates were. I had to see this for myself! One thing that became apparent in the interview process was the common vision everyone had. Everyone was on the same page and everyone seemed like they would be awesome to work with. I have since found eGroup to be a positive, genuinely supportive environment and I love it!\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes me a serious competitor?</span></strong>\n\nMy commitment to establishing/cultivating profitable long term relationships. Ask any of my prior clients and the response will be unanimous. Tom Matlock takes his business seriously and will get the job done! My clients tend to be extremely loyal. The opportunity I now have to introduce eGroup to the Upstate is huge and makes me a serious competitor.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\nNetworking. I thrive on meeting new people and growing/maintaining relationships.\nWhat’s my headline?\n“Yes, that’s right, Matlock, like the TV show... No, I’m not related.”\n\nI have attached a picture of my wife and I. There is little else I enjoy more than spending time with her at our favorite vacation spot in Ft. Myers Florida.\n\nLet me know if you see any changes that need to be made. Thank you for your patience.','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Engineer','','inherit','open','open','','7931-revision-2','','','2013-02-27 08:51:52','2013-02-27 13:51:52','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7931-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7936,40,'2013-02-27 08:54:09','2013-02-27 13:54:09','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7933\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nThe people of eGroup. I was introduced to eGroup over a year ago by Brad Shannon. It seemed like every time we got together he would brag about how great his fellow associates were. I had to see this for myself! One thing that became apparent in the interview process was the common vision everyone had. Everyone was on the same page and everyone seemed like they would be awesome to work with. I have since found eGroup to be a positive, genuinely supportive environment and I love it!\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes me a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nMy commitment to establishing/cultivating profitable long term relationships. Ask any of my prior clients and the response will be unanimous. Tom Matlock takes his business seriously and will get the job done! My clients tend to be extremely loyal. The opportunity I now have to introduce eGroup to the Upstate is huge and makes me a serious competitor.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nNetworking. I thrive on meeting new people and growing/maintaining relationships.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Yes, that’s right, Matlock, like the TV show... No, I’m not related.”','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Account Executive','','inherit','open','open','','7931-revision-4','','','2013-02-27 08:54:09','2013-02-27 13:54:09','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7931-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7937,40,'2013-02-27 08:54:36','2013-02-27 13:54:36','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7933\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nThe people of eGroup. I was introduced to eGroup over a year ago by Brad Shannon. It seemed like every time we got together he would brag about how great his fellow associates were. I had to see this for myself! One thing that became apparent in the interview process was the common vision everyone had. Everyone was on the same page and everyone seemed like they would be awesome to work with. I have since found eGroup to be a positive, genuinely supportive environment and I love it!\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes me a serious competitor?</span></strong>\r\n\r\nMy commitment to establishing/cultivating profitable long term relationships. Ask any of my prior clients and the response will be unanimous. Tom Matlock takes his business seriously and will get the job done! My clients tend to be extremely loyal. The opportunity I now have to introduce eGroup to the Upstate is huge and makes me a serious competitor.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\r\n\r\nNetworking. I thrive on meeting new people and growing/maintaining relationships.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your headline?</strong></span>\r\n\r\n“Yes, that’s right, Matlock, like the TV show... No, I’m not related.”','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Account Executive','','inherit','open','open','','7931-revision-5','','','2013-02-27 08:54:36','2013-02-27 13:54:36','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7931-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7938,40,'2013-02-27 09:00:15','2013-02-27 14:00:15','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7933\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tom-and-Jenni-3-300x237.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"237\" /></a>\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors. We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\n\nThe people of eGroup. I was introduced to eGroup over a year ago by Brad Shannon. It seemed like every time we got together he would brag about how great his fellow associates were. I had to see this for myself! One thing that became apparent in the interview process was the common vision everyone had. Everyone was on the same page and everyone seemed like they would be awesome to work with. I have since found eGroup to be a positive, genuinely supportive environment and I love it!\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What makes me a serious competitor?</span></strong>\n\nMy commitment to establishing/cultivating profitable long term relationships. Ask any of my prior clients and the response will be unanimous. Tom Matlock takes his business seriously and will get the job done! My clients tend to be extremely loyal. The opportunity I now have to introduce eGroup to the Upstate is huge and makes me a serious competitor.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</strong></span>\n\nNetworking. I thrive on meeting new people and growing/maintaining relationships.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What’s your headline?</strong></span>\n\n“Yes, that’s right, Matlock, like the TV show... No, I’m not related.”','First Day…Four Questions: Tom Matlock, Account Executive','','inherit','open','open','','7931-autosave','','','2013-02-27 09:00:15','2013-02-27 14:00:15','',7931,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7931-autosave',0,'revision','',0),(7941,12,'2013-03-05 13:35:41','2013-03-05 18:35:41','To start, let me say that Hyper-V 2012 is a strong product-- a very strong product. It\'s entrance to the market was loud and impressive, but the noise around it has since quieted down. After spending quite a bit of time using it, and coming from the background of years on the VMware vSphere platform, I\'m able to make an accurate comparison between the two and share my thoughts on how it stacks up.\n\n<strong>Installation </strong>\n\nFor those who aren\'t aware, Hyper-V 2012 can be installed as a Server Role on top of Server 2012, and the installation process is just about as easy as it gets. You check the box for the Hyper-V role in the add new role wizard, and in a few minutes, it\'s installed and live on your server. There is also a standalone, Core-only (command line only) version called Hyper-V 2012 Server, that you can install onto the server hardware directly. The difference here is that the Role added on Server 2012 includes licensing for Server OS virtual machines that will run on top of the host, whereas the Hyper-V 2012 Server installation does not. In addition, Hyper-V Server is command line only, as it runs the “core” installation of Windows Server.\n\nI won\'t spend much time on the licensing details other than to say unless you are running a small number of virtual machines, going the Datacenter edition is probably going to be the best bang for the buck, as it covers an unlimited amount of Windows Server OS VMs that run on the licensed host. To state it another way, once you pay for the Datacenter Edition license, install it on a server, and enable the Hyper-V role, all other server VMs that you subsequently run on that physical server, require no additional Server OS license.\n\nIt\'s important to note that at this point, you have the equivalent of a standalone hypervisor server-- a “standlone ESXi host” is a good point of comparison. You do not have the benefits of high availability, live migrations for either the virtual workload or its underlying storage, and no dynamic workload balancing.\n\n<strong>Hardware Considerations</strong>\n\nThroughout our time installing, upgrading, and managing Hyper-V hosts, we\'ve found that Microsoft is very picky about the underlying hardware used, and reference their hardware compatibility list in several places (especially in the Failover Clustering Management interface, which we\'ll get to in a minute). While an HCL exists from the other hypervisor vendors, it\'s almost a background consideration in a lot of cases, as compared to Microsoft\'s position of putting the HCL “front and center”.\n\nGiven this fact, we\'d strongly suggest to anyone deploying Hyper-V 2012, and especially those who are upgrading from previous versions, that you very carefully validate your hardware is certified for Server 2012 before going into production.\n\n<strong>Networking</strong>\nOne of the major improvements in Server 2012, which has a upward and positive impact to Hyper-V, is the addition of NIC Teaming through the Server 2012 OS itself, as opposed to only being available through the use of  vendor specific teaming utilities.\n\nThe result here is a very similar capability to what I\'ve been accustomed to having from VMware. The NIC Teaming provides the ability to load balance NICs from different vendors, NICs that are on the motherboard with NICs that are add-ons through a PCIe slot, as well as load balancing the NICs (in an “active/active” manner) without any configuration on the upstream switches.\n\nAdditionally, you can load balance your NICs in an active/standby configuration, or the commonplace active/active with switch awareness (a port channel in the Cisco world-- which can be “static”-- channel-group mode on in Cisco terms, or using LACP, channel-group mode active in Cisco terms).\n\nAssuming a standard 6 or 8 NIC server design, the only real “difference” in the networking configuration for a Hyper-V server as opposed to an ESXi host is that there is generally a NIC dedicated for “outside of Hyper-V” server communication. This can be done with a team, and is something that should be discussed as part of your design.\n\nHyper-V Virtual Switches\nThis topic took me a little while to understand how it actually applied, especially since I was trying to relate it to what I was used to working with from VMware.\n\n&lt;DIAGRAM HERE&gt;\n\nLet\'s say you have 2 NICs that are in an active/active, switch indepent team, that you\'d like to use for the “normal” virtual machine network/LAN traffic. First, you must create this team using the Load Balancing and Failover wizard in Server 2012 (this is done OUTSIDE of Hyper-V, as it\'s an OS feature, and not a Hyper-V specific feature).\n\nOnce configured, note the non-editable name that Windows assigns to the logical team interface, as this is what you will be creating your virtual switch to use as its communication link.\n\nStaying off of the Hyper-V configuration and speaking specifically to the Server 2012 OS use of the network team interface, you have the ability to specify a VLAN, and can also create additional sub-interfaces off of the team for specific VLANs. If you set no VLAN, the interface will listen for traffic on all VLANs that the upstream, physical switch is passing down to it.\n\nIf you specify one on the team interface itself, that\'s the only VLAN it will be listening for traffic on.\n\nIf you create a sub-interface and assign it a VLAN ID, that interface will only listen for that specific VLAN\'s traffic, but the logical TEAM interface will continue to listen on all others.\n\nThe recommendation for Hyper-V is to NOT create sub-interfaces on the network team interface, and to NOT assign any VLANs to the team interface, but leave the VLAN tagging to the vNICs for the virtual machines (this is a bit different than ESXi\'s vSwitching, which we\'ll outline further below).\n\nNow, back to Hyper-V. From the Hyper-V manager utility, you\'ll find the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager in the top right corner, and once you open it, you\'ll have the ability to add a new network. There are three network types, but the most common and the one you\'ll want to create to allow virtual machines to talk to your physical LAN is the “External Network” type.\n\nIf you create a network called “Server Network”, you\'ll notice that you can ONLY assign it a VLAN if you share it with the management OS. What this means is that if you want to tag it with a VLAN at this level, you won\'t be keeping it as a dedicated network for Hyper-V, but rather will be sharing it with the Server 2012 OS you installed Hyper-V onto as well. We suggest you DO NOT check this option, and that you do not assign it a VLAN.\n\nAs part of the creation of the new network, you\'ll have the ability to select the network interface you want to use for it as well via a drop down menu. Once you select an interface for a new virtual switch, it cannot be used again for another one. This is important to take note of for your configuration. (NEED TO VERIYF).\n\nSo at this point, consider the diagram below, taken as a screenshot from ESXi. You have created a virtual switch, and assigned it physical interfaces on which to connect-- the center piece, and the pieces to the right.\n\nWhat you have NO done, which is what confused us for a while, is create the “VM Port Groups” on the left hand side. In a typical VMware deployment, you would create a VM Port Group for each VLAN you wanted to have available to your virtual machines, and in that port group, you would set a VLAN ID. The upstream communication would be on trunking (or tagging) interfaces, and thus providing you with access to the VLANs you need-- and this part is the same in Hyper-V. What\'s different, however, is that Hyper-V 2012 does not have the concept of a VM Port Group. Instead, you assign a VLAN ID and “virtual port” on the vNIC of the virtual machines themselves.\n\nSo let\'s say that Server Network has access to VLANs 10-20, and you want to be on the “DMZ” VLAN, which we\'ll say is VLAN 15 in our example. On the VM you are putting in the DMZ, you would go to Edit Settings, find its NIC, and check the box to “Enable VLAN Tagging”, and specific VLAN 15. Then you\'d press OK, and the VM would be able to communicate out on the network.\n\nI know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post in the comments or drop us an email-- we\'re happy to help clarify!\n\nFailover Clustering\nIn order to get all of the benefits of High Availability and similar features that require the use of shared storage between your Hyper-V hosts in a “cluster”, you must installed the Failover Clustering role on your Hyper-V hosts. This is, as the name indicates, what allows you the ability to “cluster” the hosts together.\n\nInstalling this role is just as easy as installing the Hyper-V role-- simply check the box under the Features in the add new roles/features wizard, and it\'ll run through the install. It\'s worth noting that the server you are installing this role on MUST be a member of the domain at the time of installation, or it won\'t go through with the install.\n\nOnce the feature is installed and the server is rebooted, you must run through the Pre-Clsuter Validation report, which will check out the hardware, drivers, etc. and alert you to anything that would prevent your cluster from working and/or being supported by Microsoft.\n\nFrom here, you create a new cluster, give it a name, an IP address, etc. and add your single node into it. Rinse and repeat to add additional hosts.\n\nAny network interfaces that have an IP address assigned to them (as is usually the case for interfaces or NIC teams that are used for management, cluster heartbeats, or iSCSI storage access) will show up as Networks in the Failover Clustering management interface. You can rename them to be more readable, and as long as the subnets stay the same across hosts, all hosts can share those networks without having to do anything special to keep the names consistent.\n\nJumping ahead to the future state of a common Hyper-V 2012 deployment WITHOUT System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM, which we\'ll mention in more detail later), the Failover Clustering management utility is where you will be able to migrate your virtual machines across nodes in your cluster.\n\nClustered Shared Volumes\nTo briefly define a “Clustered Shared Volume” to someone familiar with ESXi, consider it the equivalent of a VMFS datastore. It\'s essentially a unit of storage that is able to be accessed by multiple hosts at the same time, just like the VMware File System (VMFS) allows. It\'s similar to a clustered file system given the nature of its functionality, but it still runs Microsoft\'s well known NTFS as the underlying file system.\n\nIn order to add a CSV to a cluster, you present the storage as appropriate for your configuration and vendor\'s best practices, and it becomes available to the “Add Disk” wizard, as available and cluster-capable storage. Once it has been added, you can then right click it and select “Add to Clustered Shared Volume”.\n\nNEED MORE INFO ON THE CLUSTER/STORAGE CONFIUGRATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE PROCESS TO ADD TO AN EXISTING CLUSTER AS WELL AS WHAT ALLOWS IT TO MOUNT UNDER C: OR OTHER PATHS\n\nStorage\nOne of the advantages VMware/ESXi still has over Hyper-V is its built-in, native multipathing capability. For those unfamiliar, NMP allows the use, failover, failback, and in some cases, load balancing/load distribution of all the paths to your shared storage array.\n\nThe only equivalent utility natively available in Hyper-V 2012 is the MPIO driver, which combines its use with the built-in iSCSI initiator.\n\nFor those who are familiar with and have used the NMP beyond “install and let it run”, you know how incredibly valuable and efficient it is in nearly all deployment use cases (aside from NFS, which is a different beast entirely).\n\nIt\'s worth noting that leading storage vendors like EMC provide their own multipathing plugins or software that you can use to provide highly enhanced, optimized path management, load balancing, and failover, In EMC\'s case, this software is their PowerPath V/E, or Virtual Edition, and it makes a great add-on to any Hyper-V 2012 + EMC Storage deployment.\n\nPerformance\nWithout having any kind of head-to-head comparison or test to benchmark the two, the performance on our Hyper-V host seemed to be very good, and on par with what we\'re accustomed to seeing with ESXi. One area that we saw discussed a lot on the forums, and mentioned a few times by customers, was the increased overhead of having the hypervisor install in a “not-really-baremetal” model, as is the case in Hyper-V 2012. If you installed 2012 in the full GUI mode, it\'ll use more memory than in the Core deployment, and if you\'re trying to squeeze out every bit of memory from your hardware possible, we\'d suggest going the Core route.\n\nThat aside, Microsoft has referenced several times that the performance of certain software deployments, namely RDS and Citirx XenApp, is greater on Hyper-V 2012 than the other hypervisors. We are not able to verify the results, but would understand if it was true, as it\'d be a safe assumption Microosft would best know how to enhance performance of a Microsoft product (RDS, which XA also uses).\nFeature Parity (Need lots of research here)\nIf you were to believe the marketing folks, Hyper-V and vSphere 5.1 would have feature parity-- that is to say, every feature available in vSphere 5.1 is also available in Hyper-V 2012. In our experience, this is not the case, though it is pretty darn close.\n\nOne of the “features” that our customers find very valuable and use frequently, is the ability to “hot-grow” a virtual disk (VHD/VHDX in Hyper-Vs case, a VMDK in Vmware/ESXi\'s), and then extend it in the guest operating system. This is something that you still cannot do in Hyper-V 2012. In order to grow a virtual disk, you must shut the VM down (incurring downtime), set the size desired, and then boot it back up. In ESXi, you simply edit the VM while it\'s running, and the storage is immediately available to the guest.\n\nThis was one that had us scratching our heads, as one would think if VMware could do this, Microsoft certainly could, at least for their own operating systems.\n\nWhile it\'s not something that would stop us from deploying or recommending Hyper-V to customers that fit its use case, it\'s definitely something that we hope to see in the very near term, as it\'s as close to a “must-have” feature as a non-must-have feature can get.\n\nManagement\nFor those looking at Hyper-V 2012 but not the System Center 2012 suite, you will find that you must use multiple management interfaces to be able to manage your virtual workloads. This includes using Hyper-V manager to directly manage the VMs, access their consoles, edit their settings, etc. as well as using the Failover Clustering interface to manage the Clustered Shared Volumes, migrate virtual machines from node to node, and perform certain maintenance tasks.\n\nIn this model, Hyper-V is less expensive, nearly equal in feature set, but a little bit of a pain to manage. Now if you purchase System Center 2012 (which in the 2012 version no longer comes as one off products, but rather the entire suite), you gain access to the Virtual Machine Manager, which is much closer in comparison to VMware\'s vCenter server.\n\nSome customers choose to spring for System Center, as the other products in the suite have tremendous value above and beyond the benefits of simplified virtual workload management via VMM, and this provides a huge bang of the buck. Others have deployed Hyper-V 2012 as a way to reduce their overall costs, and decide to stick with the multiple management interfaces. Either way works, though we\'d strongly suggest evaluating System Center before eliminating it from consideration (and again, not just for VMM).\n\nConclusion\nHyper-V 2012 makes strong competition in the current hypervisor market. Its price point allows it to win while competing on price, and its growing feature set and capabilities allow it to put up a heck of a fight in its usefulness and utility for customers-- proving its value to all areas of an organization, from the CFO/CTO, to the system admins responsible for keeping the systems online.\n\nThe Datacenter Edition of Server 2012 includes the ability to host as many Windows Server VMs as the hardware can handle for no additional cost, meaning you only buy one license for your host (assuming 2 physical processors), and no longer need to pay for a server license each time you spin up a new VM.\n\nCombine that with the ability to Live Migrate, Storage Live Migrate, Live Migrate without shared storage (known as “Shared Nothing Live Migration”), Replication/DR capabilities via the Hyper-V Replicas, and automation through the use of PowerShell and System Center, and you\'ve got something that should be here to stay and compete for a long time.\n\nCustomers will benefit from Microsoft stepping it up and proving to be stiff competition for VMware as is almost always the case in the open marketplace. Not only does this have the potential to drive down prices, it should help keep the pace of feature innovation high, as any stagnation from one vendor could lead to lost opportunities in our fast-pace and ever changing technology industry.\n\n&nbsp;','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part I','','inherit','open','open','','7940-revision','','','2013-03-05 13:35:41','2013-03-05 18:35:41','',7940,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7940-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7942,12,'2013-03-05 13:40:41','2013-03-05 18:40:41','','nicteam','','inherit','open','open','','nicteam','','','2013-03-05 13:40:41','2013-03-05 18:40:41','',7940,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(7943,12,'2013-03-05 13:41:41','2013-03-05 18:41:41','To start, let me say that Hyper-V 2012 is a strong product-- a very strong product. It\'s entrance to the market was loud and impressive, but the noise around it has since quieted down. After spending quite a bit of time using it, and coming from the background of years on the VMware vSphere platform, I\'m able to make an accurate comparison between the two and share my thoughts on how it stacks up.\n\n<strong>Installation </strong>\n\nFor those who aren\'t aware, Hyper-V 2012 can be installed as a Server Role on top of Server 2012, and the installation process is just about as easy as it gets. You check the box for the Hyper-V role in the add new role wizard, and in a few minutes, it\'s installed and live on your server. There is also a standalone, Core-only (command line only) version called Hyper-V 2012 Server, that you can install onto the server hardware directly. The difference here is that the Role added on Server 2012 includes licensing for Server OS virtual machines that will run on top of the host, whereas the Hyper-V 2012 Server installation does not. In addition, Hyper-V Server is command line only, as it runs the “core” installation of Windows Server.\n\nI won\'t spend much time on the licensing details other than to say unless you are running a small number of virtual machines, going the Datacenter edition is probably going to be the best bang for the buck, as it covers an unlimited amount of Windows Server OS VMs that run on the licensed host. To state it another way, once you pay for the Datacenter Edition license, install it on a server, and enable the Hyper-V role, all other server VMs that you subsequently run on that physical server, require no additional Server OS license.\n\nIt\'s important to note that at this point, you have the equivalent of a standalone hypervisor server-- a “standlone ESXi host” is a good point of comparison. You do not have the benefits of high availability, live migrations for either the virtual workload or its underlying storage, and no dynamic workload balancing.\n\n<strong>Hardware Considerations</strong>\n\nThroughout our time installing, upgrading, and managing Hyper-V hosts, we\'ve found that Microsoft is very picky about the underlying hardware used, and reference their hardware compatibility list in several places (especially in the Failover Clustering Management interface, which we\'ll get to in a minute). While an HCL exists from the other hypervisor vendors, it\'s almost a background consideration in a lot of cases, as compared to Microsoft\'s position of putting the HCL “front and center”.\n\nGiven this fact, we\'d strongly suggest to anyone deploying Hyper-V 2012, and especially those who are upgrading from previous versions, that you very carefully validate your hardware is certified for Server 2012 before going into production.\n\n<strong>Networking</strong>\nOne of the major improvements in Server 2012, which has a upward and positive impact to Hyper-V, is the addition of NIC Teaming through the Server 2012 OS itself, as opposed to only being available through the use of  vendor specific teaming utilities.\n\nThe result here is a very similar capability to what I\'ve been accustomed to having from VMware. The NIC Teaming provides the ability to load balance NICs from different vendors, NICs that are on the motherboard with NICs that are add-ons through a PCIe slot, as well as load balancing the NICs (in an “active/active” manner) without any configuration on the upstream switches.\n\nAdditionally, you can load balance your NICs in an active/standby configuration, or the commonplace active/active with \"switch awareness\" (a port channel in the Cisco world-- which can be “static”-- channel-group mode on in Cisco terms, or using LACP, channel-group mode active in Cisco terms).\n\nAssuming a standard 6 or 8 NIC server design, the only real “difference” in the networking configuration for a Hyper-V server as opposed to an ESXi host is that there is generally a NIC dedicated for “outside of Hyper-V” server communication. This can be done with a team, and is something that should be discussed as part of your design and hardware purchase (to ensure you have the correct amount of NIC ports).\n\n<strong>Hyper-V Virtual Switches</strong>\nThis topic took me a little while to understand how it actually applied, especially since I was trying to relate it to what I was used to working with from VMware.\n\n&lt;DIAGRAM HERE&gt;\n\nImagine that you have 2 NICs in an active/active, switch independent team, that you\'d like to use for the “normal” virtual machine network/LAN traffic. First, you must create this team using the NIC Teaming interface through the Server Manager in Server 2012 (this is done OUTSIDE of Hyper-V, as it\'s an OS feature, and not a Hyper-V specific feature).\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7942\" alt=\"nicteam\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam-300x176.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" /></a>\n\nOnce configured, note the non-editable name that Windows assigns to the logical team interface, as this is what you will be creating your virtual switch to use as its communication link. This is a minor annoyance. Being able to change the name to something more usable, or having Hyper-V use the team name as opposed to t\n\nStaying off of the Hyper-V configuration and speaking specifically to the Server 2012 OS use of the network team interface, you have the ability to specify a VLAN, and can also create additional sub-interfaces off of the team for specific VLANs. If you set no VLAN, the interface will listen for traffic on all VLANs that the upstream, physical switch is passing down to it.\n\nIf you specify one on the team interface itself, that\'s the only VLAN it will be listening for traffic on.\n\nIf you create a sub-interface and assign it a VLAN ID, that interface will only listen for that specific VLAN\'s traffic, but the logical TEAM interface will continue to listen on all others.\n\nThe recommendation for Hyper-V is to NOT create sub-interfaces on the network team interface, and to NOT assign any VLANs to the team interface, but leave the VLAN tagging to the vNICs for the virtual machines (this is a bit different than ESXi\'s vSwitching, which we\'ll outline further below).\n\nNow, back to Hyper-V. From the Hyper-V manager utility, you\'ll find the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager in the top right corner, and once you open it, you\'ll have the ability to add a new network. There are three network types, but the most common and the one you\'ll want to create to allow virtual machines to talk to your physical LAN is the “External Network” type.\n\nIf you create a network called “Server Network”, you\'ll notice that you can ONLY assign it a VLAN if you share it with the management OS. What this means is that if you want to tag it with a VLAN at this level, you won\'t be keeping it as a dedicated network for Hyper-V, but rather will be sharing it with the Server 2012 OS you installed Hyper-V onto as well. We suggest you DO NOT check this option, and that you do not assign it a VLAN.\n\nAs part of the creation of the new network, you\'ll have the ability to select the network interface you want to use for it as well via a drop down menu. Once you select an interface for a new virtual switch, it cannot be used again for another one. This is important to take note of for your configuration. (NEED TO VERIYF).\n\nSo at this point, consider the diagram below, taken as a screenshot from ESXi. You have created a virtual switch, and assigned it physical interfaces on which to connect-- the center piece, and the pieces to the right.\n\nWhat you have NO done, which is what confused us for a while, is create the “VM Port Groups” on the left hand side. In a typical VMware deployment, you would create a VM Port Group for each VLAN you wanted to have available to your virtual machines, and in that port group, you would set a VLAN ID. The upstream communication would be on trunking (or tagging) interfaces, and thus providing you with access to the VLANs you need-- and this part is the same in Hyper-V. What\'s different, however, is that Hyper-V 2012 does not have the concept of a VM Port Group. Instead, you assign a VLAN ID and “virtual port” on the vNIC of the virtual machines themselves.\n\nSo let\'s say that Server Network has access to VLANs 10-20, and you want to be on the “DMZ” VLAN, which we\'ll say is VLAN 15 in our example. On the VM you are putting in the DMZ, you would go to Edit Settings, find its NIC, and check the box to “Enable VLAN Tagging”, and specific VLAN 15. Then you\'d press OK, and the VM would be able to communicate out on the network.\n\nI know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post in the comments or drop us an email-- we\'re happy to help clarify!\n\nFailover Clustering\nIn order to get all of the benefits of High Availability and similar features that require the use of shared storage between your Hyper-V hosts in a “cluster”, you must installed the Failover Clustering role on your Hyper-V hosts. This is, as the name indicates, what allows you the ability to “cluster” the hosts together.\n\nInstalling this role is just as easy as installing the Hyper-V role-- simply check the box under the Features in the add new roles/features wizard, and it\'ll run through the install. It\'s worth noting that the server you are installing this role on MUST be a member of the domain at the time of installation, or it won\'t go through with the install.\n\nOnce the feature is installed and the server is rebooted, you must run through the Pre-Clsuter Validation report, which will check out the hardware, drivers, etc. and alert you to anything that would prevent your cluster from working and/or being supported by Microsoft.\n\nFrom here, you create a new cluster, give it a name, an IP address, etc. and add your single node into it. Rinse and repeat to add additional hosts.\n\nAny network interfaces that have an IP address assigned to them (as is usually the case for interfaces or NIC teams that are used for management, cluster heartbeats, or iSCSI storage access) will show up as Networks in the Failover Clustering management interface. You can rename them to be more readable, and as long as the subnets stay the same across hosts, all hosts can share those networks without having to do anything special to keep the names consistent.\n\nJumping ahead to the future state of a common Hyper-V 2012 deployment WITHOUT System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM, which we\'ll mention in more detail later), the Failover Clustering management utility is where you will be able to migrate your virtual machines across nodes in your cluster.\n\nClustered Shared Volumes\nTo briefly define a “Clustered Shared Volume” to someone familiar with ESXi, consider it the equivalent of a VMFS datastore. It\'s essentially a unit of storage that is able to be accessed by multiple hosts at the same time, just like the VMware File System (VMFS) allows. It\'s similar to a clustered file system given the nature of its functionality, but it still runs Microsoft\'s well known NTFS as the underlying file system.\n\nIn order to add a CSV to a cluster, you present the storage as appropriate for your configuration and vendor\'s best practices, and it becomes available to the “Add Disk” wizard, as available and cluster-capable storage. Once it has been added, you can then right click it and select “Add to Clustered Shared Volume”.\n\nNEED MORE INFO ON THE CLUSTER/STORAGE CONFIUGRATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE PROCESS TO ADD TO AN EXISTING CLUSTER AS WELL AS WHAT ALLOWS IT TO MOUNT UNDER C: OR OTHER PATHS\n\nStorage\nOne of the advantages VMware/ESXi still has over Hyper-V is its built-in, native multipathing capability. For those unfamiliar, NMP allows the use, failover, failback, and in some cases, load balancing/load distribution of all the paths to your shared storage array.\n\nThe only equivalent utility natively available in Hyper-V 2012 is the MPIO driver, which combines its use with the built-in iSCSI initiator.\n\nFor those who are familiar with and have used the NMP beyond “install and let it run”, you know how incredibly valuable and efficient it is in nearly all deployment use cases (aside from NFS, which is a different beast entirely).\n\nIt\'s worth noting that leading storage vendors like EMC provide their own multipathing plugins or software that you can use to provide highly enhanced, optimized path management, load balancing, and failover, In EMC\'s case, this software is their PowerPath V/E, or Virtual Edition, and it makes a great add-on to any Hyper-V 2012 + EMC Storage deployment.\n\nPerformance\nWithout having any kind of head-to-head comparison or test to benchmark the two, the performance on our Hyper-V host seemed to be very good, and on par with what we\'re accustomed to seeing with ESXi. One area that we saw discussed a lot on the forums, and mentioned a few times by customers, was the increased overhead of having the hypervisor install in a “not-really-baremetal” model, as is the case in Hyper-V 2012. If you installed 2012 in the full GUI mode, it\'ll use more memory than in the Core deployment, and if you\'re trying to squeeze out every bit of memory from your hardware possible, we\'d suggest going the Core route.\n\nThat aside, Microsoft has referenced several times that the performance of certain software deployments, namely RDS and Citirx XenApp, is greater on Hyper-V 2012 than the other hypervisors. We are not able to verify the results, but would understand if it was true, as it\'d be a safe assumption Microosft would best know how to enhance performance of a Microsoft product (RDS, which XA also uses).\nFeature Parity (Need lots of research here)\nIf you were to believe the marketing folks, Hyper-V and vSphere 5.1 would have feature parity-- that is to say, every feature available in vSphere 5.1 is also available in Hyper-V 2012. In our experience, this is not the case, though it is pretty darn close.\n\nOne of the “features” that our customers find very valuable and use frequently, is the ability to “hot-grow” a virtual disk (VHD/VHDX in Hyper-Vs case, a VMDK in Vmware/ESXi\'s), and then extend it in the guest operating system. This is something that you still cannot do in Hyper-V 2012. In order to grow a virtual disk, you must shut the VM down (incurring downtime), set the size desired, and then boot it back up. In ESXi, you simply edit the VM while it\'s running, and the storage is immediately available to the guest.\n\nThis was one that had us scratching our heads, as one would think if VMware could do this, Microsoft certainly could, at least for their own operating systems.\n\nWhile it\'s not something that would stop us from deploying or recommending Hyper-V to customers that fit its use case, it\'s definitely something that we hope to see in the very near term, as it\'s as close to a “must-have” feature as a non-must-have feature can get.\n\nManagement\nFor those looking at Hyper-V 2012 but not the System Center 2012 suite, you will find that you must use multiple management interfaces to be able to manage your virtual workloads. This includes using Hyper-V manager to directly manage the VMs, access their consoles, edit their settings, etc. as well as using the Failover Clustering interface to manage the Clustered Shared Volumes, migrate virtual machines from node to node, and perform certain maintenance tasks.\n\nIn this model, Hyper-V is less expensive, nearly equal in feature set, but a little bit of a pain to manage. Now if you purchase System Center 2012 (which in the 2012 version no longer comes as one off products, but rather the entire suite), you gain access to the Virtual Machine Manager, which is much closer in comparison to VMware\'s vCenter server.\n\nSome customers choose to spring for System Center, as the other products in the suite have tremendous value above and beyond the benefits of simplified virtual workload management via VMM, and this provides a huge bang of the buck. Others have deployed Hyper-V 2012 as a way to reduce their overall costs, and decide to stick with the multiple management interfaces. Either way works, though we\'d strongly suggest evaluating System Center before eliminating it from consideration (and again, not just for VMM).\n\nConclusion\nHyper-V 2012 makes strong competition in the current hypervisor market. Its price point allows it to win while competing on price, and its growing feature set and capabilities allow it to put up a heck of a fight in its usefulness and utility for customers-- proving its value to all areas of an organization, from the CFO/CTO, to the system admins responsible for keeping the systems online.\n\nThe Datacenter Edition of Server 2012 includes the ability to host as many Windows Server VMs as the hardware can handle for no additional cost, meaning you only buy one license for your host (assuming 2 physical processors), and no longer need to pay for a server license each time you spin up a new VM.\n\nCombine that with the ability to Live Migrate, Storage Live Migrate, Live Migrate without shared storage (known as “Shared Nothing Live Migration”), Replication/DR capabilities via the Hyper-V Replicas, and automation through the use of PowerShell and System Center, and you\'ve got something that should be here to stay and compete for a long time.\n\nCustomers will benefit from Microsoft stepping it up and proving to be stiff competition for VMware as is almost always the case in the open marketplace. Not only does this have the potential to drive down prices, it should help keep the pace of feature innovation high, as any stagnation from one vendor could lead to lost opportunities in our fast-pace and ever changing technology industry.\n\n&nbsp;','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part I','','inherit','open','open','','7940-revision-2','','','2013-03-05 13:41:41','2013-03-05 18:41:41','',7940,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7940-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7945,12,'2013-03-05 13:54:01','2013-03-05 18:54:01','<strong>Failover Clustering</strong>\nIn order to get all of the benefits of High Availability and similar features that require the use of shared storage between your Hyper-V hosts in a “cluster”, you must installed the Failover Clustering role on your Hyper-V hosts. This is, as the name indicates, what allows you the ability to “cluster” the hosts together.\n\nInstalling this role is just as easy as installing the Hyper-V role-- simply check the box under the Features in the add new roles/features wizard, and it\'ll run through the install. It\'s worth noting that the server you are installing this role on MUST be a member of the domain at the time of installation, or it won\'t go through with the install.\n\nOnce the feature is installed and the server is rebooted, you must run through the Pre-Clsuter Validation report, which will check out the hardware, drivers, etc. and alert you to anything that would prevent your cluster from working and/or being supported by Microsoft.\n\nFrom here, you create a new cluster, give it a name, an IP address, etc. and add your single node into it. Rinse and repeat to add additional hosts.\n\nAny network interfaces that have an IP address assigned to them (as is usually the case for interfaces or NIC teams that are used for management, cluster heartbeats, or iSCSI storage access) will show up as Networks in the Failover Clustering management interface. You can rename them to be more readable, and as long as the subnets stay the same across hosts, all hosts can share those networks without having to do anything special to keep the names consistent.\n\nJumping ahead to the future state of a common Hyper-V 2012 deployment WITHOUT System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM, which we\'ll mention in more detail later), the Failover Clustering management utility is where you will be able to migrate your virtual machines across nodes in your cluster.\n\nClustered Shared Volumes\nTo briefly define a “Clustered Shared Volume” to someone familiar with ESXi, consider it the equivalent of a VMFS datastore. It\'s essentially a unit of storage that is able to be accessed by multiple hosts at the same time, just like the VMware File System (VMFS) allows. It\'s similar to a clustered file system given the nature of its functionality, but it still runs Microsoft\'s well known NTFS as the underlying file system.\n\nIn order to add a CSV to a cluster, you present the storage as appropriate for your configuration and vendor\'s best practices, and it becomes available to the “Add Disk” wizard, as available and cluster-capable storage. Once it has been added, you can then right click it and select “Add to Clustered Shared Volume”.\n\nNEED MORE INFO ON THE CLUSTER/STORAGE CONFIUGRATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE PROCESS TO ADD TO AN EXISTING CLUSTER AS WELL AS WHAT ALLOWS IT TO MOUNT UNDER C: OR OTHER PATHS\n\nStorage\nOne of the advantages VMware/ESXi still has over Hyper-V is its built-in, native multipathing capability. For those unfamiliar, NMP allows the use, failover, failback, and in some cases, load balancing/load distribution of all the paths to your shared storage array.\n\nThe only equivalent utility natively available in Hyper-V 2012 is the MPIO driver, which combines its use with the built-in iSCSI initiator.\n\nFor those who are familiar with and have used the NMP beyond “install and let it run”, you know how incredibly valuable and efficient it is in nearly all deployment use cases (aside from NFS, which is a different beast entirely).\n\nIt\'s worth noting that leading storage vendors like EMC provide their own multipathing plugins or software that you can use to provide highly enhanced, optimized path management, load balancing, and failover, In EMC\'s case, this software is their PowerPath V/E, or Virtual Edition, and it makes a great add-on to any Hyper-V 2012 + EMC Storage deployment.\n\nPerformance\nWithout having any kind of head-to-head comparison or test to benchmark the two, the performance on our Hyper-V host seemed to be very good, and on par with what we\'re accustomed to seeing with ESXi. One area that we saw discussed a lot on the forums, and mentioned a few times by customers, was the increased overhead of having the hypervisor install in a “not-really-baremetal” model, as is the case in Hyper-V 2012. If you installed 2012 in the full GUI mode, it\'ll use more memory than in the Core deployment, and if you\'re trying to squeeze out every bit of memory from your hardware possible, we\'d suggest going the Core route.\n\nThat aside, Microsoft has referenced several times that the performance of certain software deployments, namely RDS and Citirx XenApp, is greater on Hyper-V 2012 than the other hypervisors. We are not able to verify the results, but would understand if it was true, as it\'d be a safe assumption Microosft would best know how to enhance performance of a Microsoft product (RDS, which XA also uses).\nFeature Parity (Need lots of research here)\nIf you were to believe the marketing folks, Hyper-V and vSphere 5.1 would have feature parity-- that is to say, every feature available in vSphere 5.1 is also available in Hyper-V 2012. In our experience, this is not the case, though it is pretty darn close.\n\nOne of the “features” that our customers find very valuable and use frequently, is the ability to “hot-grow” a virtual disk (VHD/VHDX in Hyper-Vs case, a VMDK in Vmware/ESXi\'s), and then extend it in the guest operating system. This is something that you still cannot do in Hyper-V 2012. In order to grow a virtual disk, you must shut the VM down (incurring downtime), set the size desired, and then boot it back up. In ESXi, you simply edit the VM while it\'s running, and the storage is immediately available to the guest.\n\nThis was one that had us scratching our heads, as one would think if VMware could do this, Microsoft certainly could, at least for their own operating systems.\n\nWhile it\'s not something that would stop us from deploying or recommending Hyper-V to customers that fit its use case, it\'s definitely something that we hope to see in the very near term, as it\'s as close to a “must-have” feature as a non-must-have feature can get.\n\nManagement\nFor those looking at Hyper-V 2012 but not the System Center 2012 suite, you will find that you must use multiple management interfaces to be able to manage your virtual workloads. This includes using Hyper-V manager to directly manage the VMs, access their consoles, edit their settings, etc. as well as using the Failover Clustering interface to manage the Clustered Shared Volumes, migrate virtual machines from node to node, and perform certain maintenance tasks.\n\nIn this model, Hyper-V is less expensive, nearly equal in feature set, but a little bit of a pain to manage. Now if you purchase System Center 2012 (which in the 2012 version no longer comes as one off products, but rather the entire suite), you gain access to the Virtual Machine Manager, which is much closer in comparison to VMware\'s vCenter server.\n\nSome customers choose to spring for System Center, as the other products in the suite have tremendous value above and beyond the benefits of simplified virtual workload management via VMM, and this provides a huge bang of the buck. Others have deployed Hyper-V 2012 as a way to reduce their overall costs, and decide to stick with the multiple management interfaces. Either way works, though we\'d strongly suggest evaluating System Center before eliminating it from consideration (and again, not just for VMM).\n\nConclusion\nHyper-V 2012 makes strong competition in the current hypervisor market. Its price point allows it to win while competing on price, and its growing feature set and capabilities allow it to put up a heck of a fight in its usefulness and utility for customers-- proving its value to all areas of an organization, from the CFO/CTO, to the system admins responsible for keeping the systems online.\n\nThe Datacenter Edition of Server 2012 includes the ability to host as many Windows Server VMs as the hardware can handle for no additional cost, meaning you only buy one license for your host (assuming 2 physical processors), and no longer need to pay for a server license each time you spin up a new VM.\n\nCombine that with the ability to Live Migrate, Storage Live Migrate, Live Migrate without shared storage (known as “Shared Nothing Live Migration”), Replication/DR capabilities via the Hyper-V Replicas, and automation through the use of PowerShell and System Center, and you\'ve got something that should be here to stay and compete for a long time.\n\nCustomers will benefit from Microsoft stepping it up and proving to be stiff competition for VMware as is almost always the case in the open marketplace. Not only does this have the potential to drive down prices, it should help keep the pace of feature innovation high, as any stagnation from one vendor could lead to lost opportunities in our fast-pace and ever changing technology industry.\n\n&nbsp;','Hyper-V 2012 - ','','inherit','open','open','','7944-revision','','','2013-03-05 13:54:01','2013-03-05 18:54:01','',7944,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7944-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7944,12,'2013-04-22 14:16:03','2013-04-22 18:16:03','The following is Part II of my three-part series on Hyper-V vs VMware vSphere. You\'ll recall in <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/a-look-at-hyper-v-2012-part-i\" target=\"_blank\">Part I</a>, I evaluated Hyper-V\'s install process, hardware considerations, networking and virtual switches.\r\n\r\nHere, I take a deeper dive into failover clustering, clustered shared volumes and storage. Enjoy!\r\n\r\n<strong>Failover Clustering</strong>\r\nIn order to get all of the benefits of High Availability and similar features that require the use of shared storage between your Hyper-V hosts in a “cluster,” you must install the Failover Clustering role on your Hyper-V hosts. This is, as the name indicates, what allows you the ability to “cluster” the hosts together.\r\n\r\nInstalling this role is just as easy as installing the Hyper-V role - simply check the box under the Features in the add new roles/features wizard, and it will run through the install. It\'s worth noting that the server on which you are installing the role <strong>must</strong> be a member of the domain at the time of installation, or it won\'t go through with the install.\r\n\r\nOnce the feature is installed and the server is rebooted, you must run through the Pre-Cluster Validation report, which will check out the hardware, drivers, etc. and alert you to anything that would prevent your cluster from working and/or being supported by Microsoft. See <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/a-look-at-hyper-v-2012-part-i\" target=\"_blank\">Part I</a> for the importance of having HCL-listed hardware.\r\n\r\nFrom here, you create a new cluster, give it a name, an IP address, etc. and add your single node into it. Rinse and repeat to add additional hosts.\r\n\r\nAny network interfaces that have an IP address assigned to them (as is usually the case for interfaces or NIC teams that are used for management, cluster heartbeats, or iSCSI storage access) will show up as Networks in the Failover Clustering management interface. You can rename them to be more readable, and as long as the subnets stay the same across hosts, all hosts can share those networks without having to do anything special to keep the names consistent.\r\n\r\nJumping ahead to the future state of a common Hyper-V 2012 deployment <strong>without</strong> System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM, which we\'ll mention in more detail later), the Failover Clustering management utility is where you will be able to migrate your virtual machines across nodes in your cluster.\r\n\r\n<strong>Clustered Shared Volumes</strong>\r\nTo briefly define a “Clustered Shared Volume” to someone familiar with ESXi, consider it the equivalent of a VMFS datastore. It\'s essentially a unit of storage that is able to be accessed by multiple hosts at the same time, just like the VMware File System (VMFS) allows. It\'s similar to a clustered file system given the nature of its functionality, but it still runs Microsoft\'s well known NTFS as the underlying file system.\r\n\r\nIn order to add a CSV to a cluster, you present the storage as appropriate for your configuration and vendor\'s best practices, and it becomes available to the “Add Disk” wizard, as available and cluster-capable storage. Once it has been added, you can then right click it and select “Add to Clustered Shared Volume.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Storage</strong>\r\nOne of the bigger advantages VMware/ESXi still has over Hyper-V is its built-in, native multipathing capability. For those unfamiliar, NMP allows the use, failover, failback, and in some cases, load balancing/load distribution of all the paths to your shared storage array.\r\n\r\nThe only equivalent utility natively available in Hyper-V 2012 is the MPIO driver, which combines its use with the built-in iSCSI initiator. Microsoft has its own \"generic device specific module,\" and you should check with your storage manufacturer to verify that using the Microsoft DSM is supported for access to the storage (EMC VNX IS supported).\r\n\r\nFor those who are familiar with and have used the VMware NMP beyond “install and let it run,” you know how incredibly valuable and efficient it is in nearly all deployment use cases (aside from NFS, which is a different beast entirely).\r\n\r\nIt\'s worth noting that storage vendors such as EMC provide their own multipathing plugins or software that you can use to provide highly enhanced, optimized path management, load balancing, and failover. In EMC\'s case, this software is their PowerPath V/E, or Virtual Edition, and it makes a great add-on to any Hyper-V 2012 + EMC Storage deployment.\r\n\r\nStay tuned this week for Part III which will take a look at performance and management features with my final conclusion wrap up.','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part II','','publish','open','open','','a-look-at-hyper-v-2012-part-ii','','','2013-04-22 14:16:03','2013-04-22 18:16:03','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7944',0,'post','',0),(7946,12,'2013-03-05 14:08:24','2013-03-05 19:08:24','<strong>Failover Clustering</strong>\nIn order to get all of the benefits of High Availability and similar features that require the use of shared storage between your Hyper-V hosts in a “cluster”, you must installed the Failover Clustering role on your Hyper-V hosts. This is, as the name indicates, what allows you the ability to “cluster” the hosts together.\n\nInstalling this role is just as easy as installing the Hyper-V role-- simply check the box under the Features in the add new roles/features wizard, and it\'ll run through the install. It\'s worth noting that the server you are installing this role on MUST be a member of the domain at the time of installation, or it won\'t go through with the install.\n\nOnce the feature is installed and the server is rebooted, you must run through the Pre-Clsuter Validation report, which will check out the hardware, drivers, etc. and alert you to anything that would prevent your cluster from working and/or being supported by Microsoft.\n\nFrom here, you create a new cluster, give it a name, an IP address, etc. and add your single node into it. Rinse and repeat to add additional hosts.\n\nAny network interfaces that have an IP address assigned to them (as is usually the case for interfaces or NIC teams that are used for management, cluster heartbeats, or iSCSI storage access) will show up as Networks in the Failover Clustering management interface. You can rename them to be more readable, and as long as the subnets stay the same across hosts, all hosts can share those networks without having to do anything special to keep the names consistent.\n\nJumping ahead to the future state of a common Hyper-V 2012 deployment WITHOUT System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM, which we\'ll mention in more detail later), the Failover Clustering management utility is where you will be able to migrate your virtual machines across nodes in your cluster.\n\nClustered Shared Volumes\nTo briefly define a “Clustered Shared Volume” to someone familiar with ESXi, consider it the equivalent of a VMFS datastore. It\'s essentially a unit of storage that is able to be accessed by multiple hosts at the same time, just like the VMware File System (VMFS) allows. It\'s similar to a clustered file system given the nature of its functionality, but it still runs Microsoft\'s well known NTFS as the underlying file system.\n\nIn order to add a CSV to a cluster, you present the storage as appropriate for your configuration and vendor\'s best practices, and it becomes available to the “Add Disk” wizard, as available and cluster-capable storage. Once it has been added, you can then right click it and select “Add to Clustered Shared Volume”.\n\nNEED MORE INFO ON THE CLUSTER/STORAGE CONFIUGRATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE PROCESS TO ADD TO AN EXISTING CLUSTER AS WELL AS WHAT ALLOWS IT TO MOUNT UNDER C: OR OTHER PATHS\n\nStorage\nOne of the advantages VMware/ESXi still has over Hyper-V is its built-in, native multipathing capability. For those unfamiliar, NMP allows the use, failover, failback, and in some cases, load balancing/load distribution of all the paths to your shared storage array.\n\nThe only equivalent utility natively available in Hyper-V 2012 is the MPIO driver, which combines its use with the built-in iSCSI initiator.\n\nFor those who are familiar with and have used the NMP beyond “install and let it run”, you know how incredibly valuable and efficient it is in nearly all deployment use cases (aside from NFS, which is a different beast entirely).\n\nIt\'s worth noting that leading storage vendors like EMC provide their own multipathing plugins or software that you can use to provide highly enhanced, optimized path management, load balancing, and failover, In EMC\'s case, this software is their PowerPath V/E, or Virtual Edition, and it makes a great add-on to any Hyper-V 2012 + EMC Storage deployment.\n\nPerformance\nWithout having any kind of head-to-head comparison or test to benchmark the two, the performance on our Hyper-V host seemed to be very good, and on par with what we\'re accustomed to seeing with ESXi. One area that we saw discussed a lot on the forums, and mentioned a few times by customers, was the increased overhead of having the hypervisor install in a “not-really-baremetal” model, as is the case in Hyper-V 2012. If you installed 2012 in the full GUI mode, it\'ll use more memory than in the Core deployment, and if you\'re trying to squeeze out every bit of memory from your hardware possible, we\'d suggest going the Core route.\n\nThat aside, Microsoft has referenced several times that the performance of certain software deployments, namely RDS and Citirx XenApp, is greater on Hyper-V 2012 than the other hypervisors. We are not able to verify the results, but would understand if it was true, as it\'d be a safe assumption Microosft would best know how to enhance performance of a Microsoft product (RDS, which XA also uses).\nFeature Parity (Need lots of research here)\nIf you were to believe the marketing folks, Hyper-V and vSphere 5.1 would have feature parity-- that is to say, every feature available in vSphere 5.1 is also available in Hyper-V 2012. In our experience, this is not the case, though it is pretty darn close.\n\nOne of the “features” that our customers find very valuable and use frequently, is the ability to “hot-grow” a virtual disk (VHD/VHDX in Hyper-Vs case, a VMDK in Vmware/ESXi\'s), and then extend it in the guest operating system. This is something that you still cannot do in Hyper-V 2012. In order to grow a virtual disk, you must shut the VM down (incurring downtime), set the size desired, and then boot it back up. In ESXi, you simply edit the VM while it\'s running, and the storage is immediately available to the guest.\n\nThis was one that had us scratching our heads, as one would think if VMware could do this, Microsoft certainly could, at least for their own operating systems.\n\nWhile it\'s not something that would stop us from deploying or recommending Hyper-V to customers that fit its use case, it\'s definitely something that we hope to see in the very near term, as it\'s as close to a “must-have” feature as a non-must-have feature can get.\n\nManagement\nFor those looking at Hyper-V 2012 but not the System Center 2012 suite, you will find that you must use multiple management interfaces to be able to manage your virtual workloads. This includes using Hyper-V manager to directly manage the VMs, access their consoles, edit their settings, etc. as well as using the Failover Clustering interface to manage the Clustered Shared Volumes, migrate virtual machines from node to node, and perform certain maintenance tasks.\n\nIn this model, Hyper-V is less expensive, nearly equal in feature set, but a little bit of a pain to manage. Now if you purchase System Center 2012 (which in the 2012 version no longer comes as one off products, but rather the entire suite), you gain access to the Virtual Machine Manager, which is much closer in comparison to VMware\'s vCenter server.\n\nSome customers choose to spring for System Center, as the other products in the suite have tremendous value above and beyond the benefits of simplified virtual workload management via VMM, and this provides a huge bang of the buck. Others have deployed Hyper-V 2012 as a way to reduce their overall costs, and decide to stick with the multiple management interfaces. Either way works, though we\'d strongly suggest evaluating System Center before eliminating it from consideration (and again, not just for VMM).\n\n<strong>Conclusion</strong>\nHyper-V 2012 makes strong competition in the current hypervisor market. Its price point allows it to successfully compete on price, and its growing feature set and capabilities allow it to put up a heck of a fight in its usefulness and utility for customers-- proving its value beyond just coming in at a low price point.\n\nThe Datacenter Edition of Server 2012 includes the ability to host as many Windows Server VMs as the hardware can handle for no additional cost, meaning you only buy one license for your host (assuming 2 physical processors), and no longer need to pay for a Server OS license each time you spin up a new VM.\n\nCombine that with the ability to Live Migrate (vMotion for the VMware administrators), Storage Live Migrate (svMotion for VMware Administrators), Live Migrate without shared storage (known as “Shared Nothing Live Migration”), Replication/DR capabilities via Hyper-V Replica technology, and automation through the use of PowerShell and System Center, and you\'ve got something that should be here to stay and compete for a long time.\n\nCustomers will benefit from Microsoft stepping up and proving to be stiff competition for VMware, as is almost always the case when you have two highly competitive companies going head to head in the open marketplace. Not only does this have the potential to drive down prices, it should help keep the pace of feature innovation high, as any stagnation from one vendor could lead to lost opportunities in our fast-pace and ever changing technology industry.\n\nWhile we\'re impressed with Hyper-V in Server 2012, I wouldn\'t put it ahead of vSphere/ESXi in a head to head comparison.','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part II','','inherit','open','open','','7944-revision-2','','','2013-03-05 14:08:24','2013-03-05 19:08:24','',7944,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7944-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7971,40,'2013-03-13 11:53:38','2013-03-13 15:53:38','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\r\n\r\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\r\n\r\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\r\n\r\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\r\n\r\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. Some complain that it\'s too slow, or too \"Windowsy\", and maybe it\'s because I\'m that accustomed to Windows that I don\'t notice, but I\'ve never had issues with its performance (and that includes running it on a 5 year old Shuttle PC I have at home). The interface itself, while a little more \"bold\", has a kind of polished elegance about it.\r\n\r\nMoving to Mint and away from Unity, I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7957\" alt=\"Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu-300x168.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></span>\r\n\r\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. This was a no brainer for me, since I use the Citrix Receiver every day on the Mac-- as do millions of others. But if you don\'t, the Wine software is the way to go. <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\r\n</span>\r\n\r\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\r\n\r\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick. <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT- SR: Don\'t have one to post at the moment]</span>\r\n\r\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\r\n\r\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have for technologists ranging from the home user, to the veteran sysadmin. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. And with the \"bleh\" response to Windows 8, and Canonical\'s push of Ubuntu into more and more client devices (including smartphones), growth will come on the end user front as well. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\r\n\r\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-9','','','2013-03-13 11:53:38','2013-03-13 15:53:38','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-9',0,'revision','',0),(7948,2,'2012-05-22 16:12:32','2012-05-22 16:12:32','<h3>2012</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>EMC Velocity Services Quality Award</strong> for Service Excellence</li>\r\n	<li>Named to the <strong>CRN Tech Elite 250</strong> list, recognizing the top solution providers who have boosted their partnerships by earning some of the most difficult certifications from some of the biggest names in IT</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2011</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Only South Carolina-based company named to the <strong>CRN Fast Growth 100</strong> list</li>\r\n	<li>Named to the inaugural <strong>CRN Tech Elite 250</strong> list, recognizing the top solution providers who have boosted their partnerships by earning some of the most difficult certifications from some of the biggest names in IT</li>\r\n	<li>Named one of <strong>SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies</strong> by the Capital Corporation</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2010</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>EMC ASN Network Quality Award</strong> for Service Excellence</li>\r\n	<li>Named one of <strong>SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies</strong> by the Capital Corporation</li>\r\n	<li>Honored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal as one of the area’s <strong>20 fastest growing companies</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2009</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Named one of <strong>SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies</strong> by the Capital Corporation</li>\r\n	<li>Honored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal as one of the area’s <strong>20 fastest growing companies</strong></li>\r\n</ul>','Recent Awards','','inherit','open','open','','4314-revision-v1','','','2012-05-22 16:12:32','2012-05-22 16:12:32','',4314,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4314-revision-9',0,'revision','',0),(7949,2,'2013-03-05 16:37:26','2013-03-05 21:37:26','<h3>2013</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Named to the <strong>CRN Tech Elite 250</strong> list, recognizing the top solution providers who have boosted their partnerships by earning some of the most difficult certifications from some of the biggest names in IT</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2012</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>EMC Velocity Services Quality Award</strong> for Service Excellence</li>\r\n	<li>Named to the <strong>CRN Tech Elite 250</strong> list, recognizing the top solution providers who have boosted their partnerships by earning some of the most difficult certifications from some of the biggest names in IT</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2011</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Only South Carolina-based company named to the <strong>CRN Fast Growth 100</strong> list</li>\r\n	<li>Named to the inaugural <strong>CRN Tech Elite 250</strong> list, recognizing the top solution providers who have boosted their partnerships by earning some of the most difficult certifications from some of the biggest names in IT</li>\r\n	<li>Named one of <strong>SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies</strong> by the Capital Corporation</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2010</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>EMC ASN Network Quality Award</strong> for Service Excellence</li>\r\n	<li>Named one of <strong>SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies</strong> by the Capital Corporation</li>\r\n	<li>Honored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal as one of the area’s <strong>20 fastest growing companies</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>2009</h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Named one of <strong>SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies</strong> by the Capital Corporation</li>\r\n	<li>Honored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal as one of the area’s <strong>20 fastest growing companies</strong></li>\r\n</ul>','Recent Awards','','inherit','open','open','','4314-revision-v1','','','2013-03-05 16:37:26','2013-03-05 21:37:26','',4314,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4314-revision-10',0,'revision','',0),(7952,40,'2013-03-08 15:30:26','2013-03-08 20:30:26','','First Day...Four Questions: Will Hull, Sccount Executive','','inherit','open','open','','7951-revision','','','2013-03-08 15:30:26','2013-03-08 20:30:26','',7951,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7951-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7953,40,'2013-03-08 15:32:45','2013-03-08 20:32:45','','Will Hull','','inherit','open','open','','will-hull','','','2013-03-08 15:32:45','2013-03-08 20:32:45','',7951,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Will-Hull.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7954,40,'2013-03-08 15:44:21','2013-03-08 20:44:21','<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Will-Hull.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7953\" alt=\"eGroup\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Will-Hull-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n[\"First Day...Four Questions\" will be an ongoing blog series throughout 2013 as we on-board dozens of new team members. We want you to understand what makes our new colleagues tick. And what drives them to be \"serious competitors.\" We hope you enjoy.]\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Why eGroup?</strong></span>\n\nThere are a few reasons why I joined eGroup. First, being a smaller company where I could have a large revenue generating impact. Second, because of the competitive nature and culture of everyone working here. It’s great to work for a company that demands a high level of engagement from their employees. I was drawn to eGroup because I can expand our reach to the Charlotte market and help our customers to be the most successful in their industry.\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>What makes you a serious competitor?</strong></span>\n\nMy competitive nature stems from my serial entrepreneurial attitude. I started my first business in high school and have since been eager to compete for anything. I most recently sold my business that captured over 20% market share in under 3 months and had an ROI of over 1200% after 18 months. Needless to say, I love making things happen and seeing projects in motion.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">If you weren’t in Tech what would you be doing?</span></strong>\n\nI would be a professional ski bum with a mountain biking problem.\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">What’s your Headline?</span></strong>\n\n\"For smooth sailing you need a strong Hull.\"\n\n[eGroup editor comment: Congratulations Will, you locked up the headline competition for the next two years. Well done.]','First Day...Four Questions: Will Hull, Account Executive','','inherit','open','open','','7951-revision-2','','','2013-03-08 15:44:21','2013-03-08 20:44:21','',7951,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7951-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7955,12,'2013-03-14 10:59:33','2013-03-14 14:59:33','At the request of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\r\n\r\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\r\n\r\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\r\n\r\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\r\n\r\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. Some complain that it\'s too slow, or too \"Windowsy,\" and maybe it\'s because I\'m that accustomed to Windows that I don\'t notice, but I\'ve never had issues with its performance (and that includes running it on a 5 year old Shuttle PC I have at home). The interface itself, while a little more \"bold,\" has a kind of polished elegance about it.\r\n\r\nMoving to Mint and away from Unity, I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7957 alignnone\" alt=\"Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu-300x168.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></span>\r\n\r\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. This was a no brainer for me, since I use the Citrix Receiver every day on the Mac-- as do millions of others. But if you don\'t, the Wine software is the way to go. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\r\n</span>\r\n\r\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\r\n\r\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications were available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\r\n\r\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\r\n\r\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have for technologists ranging from the home user, to the veteran sysadmin. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. And with the \"bleh\" response to Windows 8, and Canonical\'s push of Ubuntu into more and more client devices (including smartphones), growth will come on the end user front as well. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\r\n\r\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','publish','open','open','','linux-mint-30-day-challenge','','','2013-03-14 10:59:33','2013-03-14 14:59:33','',0,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?p=7955',0,'post','',2),(7956,12,'2013-03-11 16:51:10','2013-03-11 20:51:10','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to take a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The goal was to have it be non-disruptive or have impact on my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue any in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be. To start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. But I will say the Cinnamon experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable-- from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners I now find myself addicted to, it was a pleasurable computing experience.\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I leveraged the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. I\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the BYOD dream), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told asked me \"why are you trying that?\", and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of \"cloud computing\". Would','Linux Mint - 30 Day Challenge','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision','','','2013-03-11 16:51:10','2013-03-11 20:51:10','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision',0,'revision','',0),(7957,12,'2013-03-11 17:06:13','2013-03-11 21:06:13','','Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu','','inherit','open','open','','linux-mint-cinnamon-start-menu','','','2013-03-11 17:06:13','2013-03-11 21:06:13','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(7958,12,'2013-03-11 16:52:36','2013-03-11 20:52:36','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to take a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The goal was to have it be non-disruptive or have impact on my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue any in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be. To start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. But I will say the Cinnamon experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable-- from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners I now find myself addicted to, it was a pleasurable computing experience.\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I leveraged the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. I\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the BYOD dream), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told asked me \"why are you trying that?\", and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of \"cloud computing\". Would you agree?\n\nDo you think you could go 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try!','Linux Mint - 30 Day Challenge','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-2','','','2013-03-11 16:52:36','2013-03-11 20:52:36','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-2',0,'revision','',0),(7959,12,'2013-03-11 17:07:30','2013-03-11 21:07:30','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to take a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The goal was to have it be non-disruptive or have impact on my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue any in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be. To start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. But I will say the Cinnamon experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable-- from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners I now find myself addicted to, it was a pleasurable computing experience.\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I leveraged the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. I\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the BYOD dream), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told asked me \"why are you trying that?\", and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of \"cloud computing\". Would you agree?\n\nDo you think you could go 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try!','Linux Mint - 30 Day Challenge','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-3','','','2013-03-11 17:07:30','2013-03-11 21:07:30','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7960,12,'2013-03-11 17:08:45','2013-03-11 21:08:45','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to take a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The goal was to have it be non-disruptive or have impact on my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue any in the field work, as is usually the case.\r\n\r\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be. To start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\r\n\r\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. But I will say the Cinnamon experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable-- from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners I now find myself addicted to, it was a pleasurable computing experience.\r\n\r\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I leveraged the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. I\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the BYOD dream), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating.\r\n\r\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\r\n\r\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\r\n\r\nMost of those I told asked me \"why are you trying that?\", and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of \"cloud computing\". Would you agree?\r\n\r\nDo you think you could go 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try!','Linux Mint - 30 Day Challenge','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-4','','','2013-03-11 17:08:45','2013-03-11 21:08:45','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7961,12,'2013-03-11 17:11:20','2013-03-11 21:11:20','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to take a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The goal was to have it be non-disruptive or have impact on my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be. To start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nhttp://www.linuxmint.com/ is the website, and I\'ll ask that you not judge the distribution by the appearance of the website.\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. But I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable-- from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners I now find myself addicted to, it is a pleasurable computing experience.\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I leveraged the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. (And while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook). I\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the BYOD dream), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told asked me \"why are you trying that?\", and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of \"cloud computing\". Would you agree?\n\nDo you think you could go 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try!','Linux Mint - 30 Day Challenge','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-5','','','2013-03-11 17:11:20','2013-03-11 21:11:20','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),(7962,2,'2013-03-12 08:30:16','2013-03-12 12:30:16','','here','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-company-overview_2013','','','2013-03-12 08:30:16','2013-03-12 12:30:16','',7,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/eGroup-Company-Overview_2013.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7964,2,'2013-03-12 09:07:08','2013-03-12 13:07:08','','eGroup Cloud Services Offering_2013','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-cloud-services-offering_2013','','','2013-03-12 09:07:08','2013-03-12 13:07:08','',11,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/eGroup-Cloud-Services-Offering_2013.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7965,2,'2013-03-12 09:07:16','2013-03-12 13:07:16','','eGroup Application Services Offering_2013','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-application-services-offering_2013','','','2013-03-12 09:07:16','2013-03-12 13:07:16','',11,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/eGroup-Application-Services-Offering_2013.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7966,2,'2013-03-12 09:07:21','2013-03-12 13:07:21','','eGroup End-User Computing Service Offering_2013','','inherit','open','open','','egroup-end-user-computing-service-offering_2013','','','2013-03-12 09:07:21','2013-03-12 13:07:21','',11,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/eGroup-End-User-Computing-Service-Offering_2013.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7968,40,'2013-03-13 10:58:04','2013-03-13 14:58:04','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\n\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it.<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> [EXPLAIN WHY PEOPLE HAVE ISSUES WITH IT]</span> But I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT, NEED TO VISUALLY SHOW THE SMOOTHNESS]</span>\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[THIS SEEMS CUMBERSOME AND WILL EVERYONE HAVE CITRIX TO DO THIS, WOULDN\'T THIS BE A NEGATIVE AND A POTENTIAL IMPACT TO YOUR DAILY WORK PROCESS?]</span>\n\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT]</span>\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> [SKILL SET FOR WHOM? NEED TO CLAIRIFY]</span>. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\n\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint - 30 Day Challenge','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-6','','','2013-03-13 10:58:04','2013-03-13 14:58:04','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7969,40,'2013-03-13 10:58:31','2013-03-13 14:58:31','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\r\n\r\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\r\n\r\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\r\n\r\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\r\n\r\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it.<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> [EXPLAIN WHY PEOPLE HAVE ISSUES WITH IT]</span> But I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT, NEED TO VISUALLY SHOW THE SMOOTHNESS]</span>\r\n\r\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[THIS SEEMS CUMBERSOME AND WILL EVERYONE HAVE CITRIX TO DO THIS, WOULDN\'T THIS BE A NEGATIVE AND A POTENTIAL IMPACT TO YOUR DAILY WORK PROCESS?]</span>\r\n\r\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\r\n\r\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT]</span>\r\n\r\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\r\n\r\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> [SKILL SET FOR WHOM? NEED TO CLAIRIFY]</span>. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\r\n\r\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-7','','','2013-03-13 10:58:31','2013-03-13 14:58:31','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-7',0,'revision','',0),(7970,12,'2013-03-13 11:52:56','2013-03-13 15:52:56','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\n\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. Some complain that it\'s too slow, or too \"Windowsy\", and maybe it\'s because I\'m that accustomed to Windows that I don\'t notice, but I\'ve never had issues with its performance (and that includes running it on a 5 year old Shuttle PC I have at home). The interface itself, while a little more \"bold\", has a kind of polished elegance about it.\n\nMoving to Mint and away from Unity, I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7957\" alt=\"Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu-300x168.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></span>\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. This was a no brainer for me, since I use the Citrix Receiver every day on the Mac-- as do millions of others. But if you don\'t, the Wine software is the way to go. <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\n</span>\n\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick. <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT- SR: Don\'t have one to post at the moment]</span>\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have for technologists ranging from the home user, to the veteran sysadmin<span style=\"color: #ff0000\"> [SKILL SET FOR WHOM? NEED TO CLARIFY]</span>. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\n\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-8','','','2013-03-13 11:52:56','2013-03-13 15:52:56','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-8',0,'revision','',0),(7973,40,'2013-03-14 10:58:52','2013-03-14 14:58:52','At the request of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\r\n\r\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\r\n\r\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\r\n\r\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\r\n\r\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. Some complain that it\'s too slow, or too \"Windowsy,\" and maybe it\'s because I\'m that accustomed to Windows that I don\'t notice, but I\'ve never had issues with its performance (and that includes running it on a 5 year old Shuttle PC I have at home). The interface itself, while a little more \"bold,\" has a kind of polished elegance about it.\r\n\r\nMoving to Mint and away from Unity, I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7957 alignnone\" alt=\"Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu-300x168.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></span>\r\n\r\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. This was a no brainer for me, since I use the Citrix Receiver every day on the Mac-- as do millions of others. But if you don\'t, the Wine software is the way to go. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\r\n</span>\r\n\r\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\r\n\r\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications were available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\r\n\r\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\r\n\r\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have for technologists ranging from the home user, to the veteran sysadmin. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. And with the \"bleh\" response to Windows 8, and Canonical\'s push of Ubuntu into more and more client devices (including smartphones), growth will come on the end user front as well. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\r\n\r\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-11','','','2013-03-14 10:58:52','2013-03-14 14:58:52','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-11',0,'revision','',0),(7972,40,'2013-03-14 10:52:31','2013-03-14 14:52:31','To the knowledge of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\r\n\r\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\r\n\r\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\r\n\r\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\r\n\r\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. Some complain that it\'s too slow, or too \"Windowsy\", and maybe it\'s because I\'m that accustomed to Windows that I don\'t notice, but I\'ve never had issues with its performance (and that includes running it on a 5 year old Shuttle PC I have at home). The interface itself, while a little more \"bold\", has a kind of polished elegance about it.\r\n\r\nMoving to Mint and away from Unity, I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7957\" alt=\"Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu-300x168.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></span>\r\n\r\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. This was a no brainer for me, since I use the Citrix Receiver every day on the Mac-- as do millions of others. But if you don\'t, the Wine software is the way to go. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\r\n</span>\r\n\r\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\r\n\r\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications was available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">[INCLUDE A SCREEN SHOT- SR: Don\'t have one to post at the moment]</span>\r\n\r\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\r\n\r\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have for technologists ranging from the home user, to the veteran sysadmin. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. And with the \"bleh\" response to Windows 8, and Canonical\'s push of Ubuntu into more and more client devices (including smartphones), growth will come on the end user front as well. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\r\n\r\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','inherit','open','open','','7955-revision-10','','','2013-03-14 10:52:31','2013-03-14 14:52:31','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-revision-10',0,'revision','',0),(7974,40,'2013-03-14 11:03:50','2013-03-14 15:03:50','At the request of some of my teammates here at eGroup, I decided to accept a challenge of running nothing but Linux Mint 14 on my MacBook Air for the entire month of February. The ultimate goal was to test its usability during my daily work regime while not being disruptive. In other words, in order to pass the test, Linux Mint 14 needed to \"just work\" without impacting my ability to do my job, deliver service for our customers, and continue in the field work, as is usually the case.\n\nAfter (now almost 40 days), I\'m proud to say that I have succeeded, and it wasn\'t nearly as hard as I was originally expecting it to be.\n\nTo start with, Linux Mint is based off of Ubuntu, which I\'ve used on and off for a few years now. It\'s kind of the new \"hot and trendy\" Linux distro for its ease of use, wide device support, and the options it provides for its desktop environment.\n\nThe Website is <a href=\"http://www.linuxmint.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Linux Mint</a> (just don\'t judge the distribution by the appearance of the website).\n\nWhile some strongly dislike the Unity interface on Ubuntu, I have no issues with it. Some complain that it\'s too slow, or too \"Windowsy,\" and maybe it\'s because I\'m that accustomed to Windows that I don\'t notice, but I\'ve never had issues with its performance (and that includes running it on a 5 year old Shuttle PC I have at home). The interface itself, while a little more \"bold,\" has a kind of polished elegance about it.\n\nMoving to Mint and away from Unity, I will say the Cinnamon desktop environment experience on Linux Mint 14 was much more enjoyable - from the smoothness of the \"Start menu\" to the hot corners which I now find myself addicted to. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7957 alignnone\" alt=\"Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Linux-Mint-Cinnamon-Start-Menu-300x168.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a></span>\n\nTo avoid impact on my ability to do my job, I used the Citrix Receiver to hit our internal Citrix XenApp deployment for all Office application needs, including and especially Outlook, as well as some of our other Windows-native applications. And, while it comes with LibreOffice, the free, compatible, and open source Office-like product, I still needed Outlook. This was a no brainer for me, since I use the Citrix Receiver every day on the Mac-- as do millions of others. But if you don\'t, the Wine software is the way to go. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\n</span>\n\nI\'ve used my own device for work for almost 2 years now (I really live the <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/ebook-7-steps-to-a-sensible-byod-strategy-so-you-can-sleep-at-night\" target=\"_blank\">BYOD dream</a>), and having applications and desktops delivered to my preference of device is very liberating. Without that ability, I couldn\'t have run this challenge.\n\nOn the client side, offline and accessible locally, I found that almost every one of the \"really nice to have\" applications were available for debian-based Linux distributions (of which Ubuntu and Mint are), including Skype and Spotify. For anything else, the use of the free \"Wine\" Windows app emulation layer did the trick.\n\nWhile onsite with customers, simply connecting to their servers via RDP provided me access to any systems that did not have tools available for Linux clients.\n\nMost of those I told about this little challenge asked me why I would even bother. Well, and the answer is simple: I believe it will become a valuable skill set to have for technologists ranging from the home user, to the veteran sysadmin. I believe, and have shared this belief with my teammates, that Linux, in all of its distributions, will continue to grow in popularity, riding on the back of cloud computing. And with the \"bleh\" response to Windows 8, and Canonical\'s push of Ubuntu into more and more client devices (including smartphones), growth will come on the end user front as well. Do you agree? Am I nuts (yes)?\n\nDo you think you could survive 30 days using Linux exclusively on your personal or work computer? Give it try and let us know!','Linux Mint 30 Day Challenge: I survived...think you can too?','','inherit','open','open','','7955-autosave','','','2013-03-14 11:03:50','2013-03-14 15:03:50','',7955,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7955-autosave',0,'revision','',0),(7976,2,'2013-03-20 11:43:43','2013-03-20 15:43:43','More','More','','inherit','open','open','','tech-opps-pm-job-description','','','2013-03-20 11:43:43','2013-03-20 15:43:43','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Tech-Opps-PM-Job-Description.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(7977,2,'2013-01-29 15:21:59','2013-01-29 20:21:59','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Customer Support Engineer</strong></span>: The Customer Support Engineer role provides an ideal opportunity for those getting into the fast paced, solution driven Information Technology industry. Our talented team and proven processes have transformed countless individuals from Customer Support Engineers, to total technology rock stars.  Our most successful Customer Support Engineer’s are great communicators, have a natural ability to sense and adapt to changing customer situations, and are very driven individuals. They have a passion for technology and love to jump right in to learn the latest and greatest technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-customer-support-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7845\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Systems Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on design, deployment, and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-senior-systems-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7850\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on deployment and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-systems-engineer-4\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7848\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2013-01-29 15:21:59','2013-01-29 20:21:59','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-69',0,'revision','',0),(7978,2,'2013-03-20 11:44:55','2013-03-20 15:44:55','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Customer Support Engineer</strong></span>: The Customer Support Engineer role provides an ideal opportunity for those getting into the fast paced, solution driven Information Technology industry. Our talented team and proven processes have transformed countless individuals from Customer Support Engineers, to total technology rock stars.  Our most successful Customer Support Engineer’s are great communicators, have a natural ability to sense and adapt to changing customer situations, and are very driven individuals. They have a passion for technology and love to jump right in to learn the latest and greatest technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-customer-support-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7845\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Systems Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on design, deployment, and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-senior-systems-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7850\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on deployment and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-systems-engineer-4\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7848\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a>\r\n</span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Tech Ops Project Manager:</strong></span> An excellent opportunity for the motivated and organized Technical Operations team member, you\'ll be a part of eGroup’s award-winning, highly-capable, and continually growing professional services delivery team. Your position primarily focuses on: technically managing projects, providing leadership during professional services delivery engagements, people-resource scheduling, process development and implementation, and consistent levels of interactive customer-facing communication. You should be highly proficient in both verbal and written communication, as well as highly organized with a ‘sixth sense’ of how to handle competing priorities. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Tech-Opps-PM-Job-Description.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2013-03-20 11:44:55','2013-03-20 15:44:55','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-70',0,'revision','',0),(7979,2,'2013-03-20 11:52:07','2013-03-20 15:52:07','Headquartered in South Carolina with offices throughout the entire southeast, eGroup is always looking for upbeat, driven and self-motivated \"go getters\" to join our rapidly growing team! Available positions include:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Sales Account Executive</strong></span>: As an eGroup Sales Executive, you will utilize your sales experience to extend eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to executive management in a defined geography or strategic area, with an emphasis on selling products and services as “solutions” designed to directly address the business initiatives and requirements of these customers. Professional territory management and account development skills are a must. You must be motivated to generate new business, provide excellent customer service, and be self-reliant. You must be able to prospect, qualify, engage, and manage all the elements of a complex solution sale. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Sales-Account-Executive2.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Inside Sales Executive</strong></span>: This is an excellent opportunity for the sales professional with a positive, “can do” attitude. The right individual will be responsible for engaging customers, vendors, distributors, and manufacturers to assist eGroup in building maintaining, and delivering its sales pipeline. This will include lead qualification, proposal development, and writing with customer follow-up. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a growing organization while mastering your skills. As an eGroup Inside Sales Executive, you will utilize your skills and drive to assist our Outside Sales team in extending eGroup’s products, services, and solutions to customers and prospects. You must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, work well in a team environment, and be self-reliant. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Inside-Sales-Executive1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Technical Consultant</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical sales professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources.  These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs. This position primarily focuses on consultation, design and deployment of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. You will work directly with our outside and inside sales teams to meet with current and prospective customers, understand their needs, and propose technology solutions to help them overcome their challenges based on intimate knowledge of eGroup services, products and technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eGROUP-Technical-Consultant.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of application and development focused professionals; the role of the Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment  and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You will be customer facing, must be able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Customer Support Engineer</strong></span>: The Customer Support Engineer role provides an ideal opportunity for those getting into the fast paced, solution driven Information Technology industry. Our talented team and proven processes have transformed countless individuals from Customer Support Engineers, to total technology rock stars.  Our most successful Customer Support Engineer’s are great communicators, have a natural ability to sense and adapt to changing customer situations, and are very driven individuals. They have a passion for technology and love to jump right in to learn the latest and greatest technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-customer-support-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7845\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Systems Engineer</strong></span>: An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on design, deployment, and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-senior-systems-engineer\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7850\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Applications Services Engineer</strong></span>: The role of the Junior Application Services Engineer is to assist in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs.  You may work as part of a team or individually on tasks and projects of varying size and scope, clearly  documenting and delivering solutions that directly address customer requirements on time and within the defined scope of work.  You should have a firm understanding of theoretical computer science and applications development using object oriented techniques.   <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorApplicationServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Senior Applications Services Engineer</strong>:</span> The role of the Senior Application Services Engineer is to lead in the design, deployment and support of custom-developed and commercial application solutions that address business needs. You will be customer facing, able to discuss with customers their unique business challenges and to communicate complex technical objectives in a detailed manner that can be received by audiences of all technical levels. You will work with the Application Services team to identify and develop new opportunities within the existing customer base. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/SeniorApplicationServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More.</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Systems Engineer</strong></span>:  An excellent opportunity for the motivated technical professional, you\'ll be backed by eGroup\'s continual investment in market proven technologies and support resources. These \"best of breed\" technology offerings will position you for success in delivering sophisticated solutions to a growing set of customers with increasingly complex needs.  This position primarily focuses on deployment and support of VMware, EMC, Cisco, Microsoft and Citrix technologies. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/about/careers/egroup-systems-engineer-4\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7848\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span>  <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Data Services Engineer is to lead in the design and implementation of eGroup’s ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DataServicesEngineer.pdf\">More</a> </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior Data Services Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior Data Services Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of ETL, Business Intelligence, and Big Data projects. </span> <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorDataServicesEngineer1.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the End User Applications Engineer is to design and implement end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a> </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Junior End-User Applications Engineer</strong>:</span> <span style=\"font-size: small;\">An excellent opportunity for the accomplished and motivated professional to be a part of a growing team of Applications and Data focused professionals; the role of the Junior End User Applications Engineer is to assist in the support and implementation of end user computing solutions focused on Applications Delivery. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JuniorEndUserAppsEngineer.pdf\">More</a> </span></li>\r\n	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>eGroup Tech Ops Project Manager:</strong></span> An excellent opportunity for the motivated and organized Technical Operations team member, you\'ll be a part of eGroup’s award-winning, highly-capable, and continually growing professional services delivery team. Your position primarily focuses on: technically managing projects, providing leadership during professional services delivery engagements, people-resource scheduling, process development and implementation, and consistent levels of interactive customer-facing communication. You should be highly proficient in both verbal and written communication, as well as highly organized with a ‘sixth sense’ of how to handle competing priorities. <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Tech-Opps-PM-Job-Description.pdf\">More</a></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To apply or for more information: <a href=\"mailto:hr@eGroup-us.com\">hr@eGroup-us.com</a></strong>','Careers','','inherit','open','open','','4668-revision-v1','','','2013-03-20 11:52:07','2013-03-20 15:52:07','',4668,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/4668-revision-71',0,'revision','',0),(8023,40,'2013-03-28 16:45:03','2013-03-28 20:45:03','<strong>Buried in spreadsheets, siloed information and point applications which tend to be hard to find and difficult to use?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you said, “yes,” it’s time to speak with eGroup’s Application Services Team.\r\n\r\nGone are the days of the “intuitive” enterprise – making way for the much more proactive, resilient, connected and successful “data driven” enterprise.\r\n\r\nHowever, the major challenge facing business leadership is getting timely access to data, while having the ability to analyze and collaborate real-time with customers, partners and employees. According to Gartner:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Business executives and IT managers are increasingly referring to information as one of their organization’s most critical and strategic corporate assets. Certainly there is a sharp rise in enterprises leveraging information as a performance fuel, competitive weaponry and a relationship adhesive.” [Gartner Inc., Predicts 2012: Information Infrastructure and Big Data (29 Nov 2011)]</p>\r\nBut if access to that information is hindered, the business suffers.\r\n\r\nAt eGroup, we believe every company is an information company and should be well-prepared from both a process and technology standpoint to make decisions based on data – not gut-feel. We work with you to locate your critical data sources, how to derive meaning and insight from those sources and where to apply it within your business for competitive advantage.\r\n\r\n<strong>What are you waiting for – contact eGroup today</strong>\r\n\r\neGroup offers Application Planning and Solution Engagements targeted to address your pain point with the level of detail you are comfortable. We target the engagement based on your needs: to review a specific software product, a special solution and/or a business pain point. Contact your eGroup sales representative today at 1.877.eGROUP.1 or <a href=\"mailto:Sales@eGroup-us.com\">Sales@eGroup-us.com</a>.\r\n\r\neGroup is a qualified Microsoft Planning Services partner who can work with you on identifying if you have <a href=\"http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/planning-services-overview.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Software Assurance Planning Services</a> days. If you do, your Application Planning and Solution Engagement may come at no additional cost!','Application Planning and Solution Engagements','','publish','open','open','','application-planning-and-solution-engagements','','','2013-03-28 16:45:03','2013-03-28 20:45:03','',32,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/?page_id=8023',0,'page','',0),(7982,22,'2013-03-21 09:29:41','2013-03-21 13:29:41','I\'ve been struggling for a few months to find the answers to all of life\'s questions... err.. I mean how to integrate an RSA SecurID soft-token with the VMware View iPad Client.\n\nWhy?\n<ul>\n	<li>PCI Compliance requires multi-factor authentication for remote access to your cardholder data environment.  It\'s also a good security practice if you use remote access.</li>\n	<li>RSA SecurID is the most widely used form of multi-factor authentication, but there are certainly other options (Note: View only supports integration with RSA or RADIUS at this time).</li>\n	<li>Users do not have to carry around a physical RSA keyfob.</li>\n	<li>Users do not have to pull up the RSA app on their mobile device and remember the 8-digit token then fly over to the vmware view app and type in that code all within the 60- (or 30-) second window.  That\'s a little much for some folks to handle.</li>\n</ul>\n<div>The intended audience of this technical post is your \"all-in-one\" administrator (like me) or a team of administrators across your compliance/security, VDI, or vSphere IT groups.</div>\n<!--more-->\n\nPrerequisites:\n<ul>\n	<li>RSA Server 7.1 SP4 (This is what I tested against)</li>\n	<li>View 5.1 with RSA enabled</li>\n	<li>VMware View iPad App</li>\n	<li>Access to your RSA server\'s admin page or be able to get the specific type of token from your RSA administrator in your organization.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>One point of clarification:</strong>\n<blockquote><strong> What is the difference between PIN, tokencode and PASSCODE?</strong>\n\nThe terminology can be very confusing. With two-factor authentication there are two components that a user needs in order to authenticate. The two factors are “something the user has – RSA Token which displays a tokencode” and “something the user knows - PIN”.  The PASSCODE is a combination of the user’s PIN followed by the tokencode. For example, if your PIN is abc1234 and the current tokencode is 987654, your PASSCODE is abc1234987654.</blockquote>\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>There are several broad steps in the beginning and I will be focusing this post on the last few steps -- but -- I have included all of the steps to make sure you\'re doing everything that needs to be done with info on how to do it.</strong></span>\n\n<strong>1. Setup VMware View 5.1, a security server, and a connection server.  </strong>You should be able to access your view environment from outside your corporate network.\n<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong>2. Setup RSA Server 7.1 SP4.</strong>  Or have your RSA admin upgrade you to this version. Make sure this is integrated into your Active Directory environment to sync up beautifully with View. *Tip: Make sure your RSA server\'s computer name is all lowercase and never ever change the name.  Strange things happen if you do. *\n<blockquote><strong>Here are some other things you have to do but I will not be providing detailed instructions in this post:</strong>\n\nSetup your internal view connection server (paired with security server) as an \"authentication agent\" in RSA.\n\nDownload the SDCONF.REC file from your RSA server.\n\nConfigure your View Connection Server to force RSA authentication before Active Directory authentication.  Once you\'re ready to force users to use RSA (After training, and token setup, of course), you need to follow the instructions from the VMware View documentation, found <a href=\"http://pubs.vmware.com/view-51/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.view.administration.doc%2FGUID-70879B1F-1DB3-45EA-8D12-C93906F11959.html\">here</a>.</blockquote>\n<strong>3. Install the iPhone software token device type. </strong>  Go <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/security/rsa-securid/rsa-securid-software-authenticators/iphone-and-ipad.htm\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> and download the documentation and device definition file.  You or your RSA admin will need to install the iPhone device type into the RSA console.\n\n<strong>4. Assign a software token to a user.</strong>  Instructions are on page 39 of the admin guide, \"Provisioning File-Based Tokens\".\n\n<strong>5. Edit the user\'s token issue the token.</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Go to Authentication &gt; SecurID Tokens &gt; Manage Existing.</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>Find the new user\'s token, press the down arrow beside it and press edit.</strong></li>\n	<li>Start and follow the steps beginning on page 40 of the admin guide, \"Provisioning File-Based Tokens\".</li>\n</ul>\nSome settings of note (the instructions refer you back to Steps 1-4 of thee previous section, so check these settings):\n<ul>\n	<li>Pages 35-36 - If you want to restrict delivery of the token to ONE Device, then follow those instructions to retrieve the info from the user\'s RSA app, replace the GUID serial number field, then issue the token.  BE WARNED:  This will BIND your token to that device.  If a user changes devices, then you will need to issue a new token.  This is also a 1-to-1 bind.  This means one software token license equals one device token.  In my use case, I am NOT binding tokens to devices and the user can use the same token in their View iPad app, on their iPad RSA app, and on their iPhone/Droid RSA app.</li>\n	<li>Press \"Save and Distribute Token.\"</li>\n	<li>Choose Distribution Method: \"Issue Token File SDTID\".</li>\n	<li>Page 37 - follow the suggestions in the graphic for \"software token settings.\"</li>\n	<li>Turn back to page 40, picking up at step 3.  Give your token a password (required to install the token on their device - a 4 digit pin is ok, for example 5672).</li>\n	<li>Press Next to issue the token file and download the zip file. Extract it and get ready to use.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>5. Setup the Token Converter tool. </strong>Download the software token converter tool from RSA\'s website <a href=\"http://www.emc.com/security/rsa-securid/rsa-securid-software-authenticators/converter.htm\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.  Setup a converter folder on your computer and put the \"TokenConverter.exe\" and \"sdti2tsf.dll\" files in this folder (like C:\\Temp).  Drop all of the downloaded and extracted SDTID files (from step 4) into the folder as well.  You can identify them by the file name  ... should be \"<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">username_0000135562626.sdtid</span>\" (where the numbers are the token ID.\n\n<strong>6. Convert the SDTID files into the iPhone software token format</strong>.\n<ul>\n	<li>With your token converter files and the .SDTID files in one directory, open up a command prompt and navigate to that directory.</li>\n	<li>The command to execute is below.  The NAMEtokenfile.txt is the output file (Name it whatever you like).  The output file consists of the \"url\" that you will send to each user via email, so you probably want to make the file name user specific as to not get confused.  The underlined portion is that specific SDTID file you want to convert.  5672 is the example password on the token that you or your admin put on the token file.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>TokenConverter.exe <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">username_0000135562626.sdtid</span> -p 5672 -mobile -o NAMEtokenfile.txt</strong></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/token-convert.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7772\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/token-convert-300x35.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"35\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\">(Click to enlarge the graphic)</p>\n<strong>7. Send the token code to your user(s).  </strong>Open up your NAMEtokenfile.txt file(s) and copy the \"url\" out of the file and e-mail that to your user(s).  The URL is going to look something like this (I\'ve changed the numbers so you can\'t steal my token):  com.rsa.securid://ctf?ctfData=202222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222722\n\n<strong>8. Users should setup their RSA Accounts on your network.</strong>  You can make the RSA Server public through your DMZ but that\'s really not necessary for this purpose.  But you can.  In the same e-mail, direct your users to the link below.  They should click that link.  Login with their WINDOWS active directory username and password.  Then they will setup their PIN code and security questions.\n\nhttps://rsaauthmgr.yourlocal.domain:7004/console-selfservice/SelfService.do\n\n<strong>9. Install the token into the RSA app on your iPhone/iPad.</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Users should have the iPhone/iPad apps installed on their devices already (from the iTunes App store).</li>\n	<li>Then they should open up their e-mail and click on the link you just sent them.</li>\n	<li>This will open up the app and ask for the password (5672 in my example).</li>\n	<li>It might also ask for the PIN code that they setup in the step above.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>10. Install the token into your VMware View Client iPad app on your iPhone/iPad only after your connection server is RSA enabled. </strong>\n\n*Note: Remember that if in step 5, you chose to bind the token to a specific device, that you must use one token per app.  You cannot use the token for both #9 and #10.*\n<ul>\n	<li>Users should already have the VMware View iPad app installed, available for free from the iTunes App store.</li>\n	<li>Copy the URL from the email (The whole text) to the iPad/iPhone clipboard.</li>\n	<li>Open the View Client app.</li>\n	<li>Go into your view connection server - click \"external token\"</li>\n	<li><strong>Token Description:</strong> call it whatever you want (plain text)</li>\n	<li><strong>URL:</strong> paste the complete URL from the e-mail (output of the NAMEtokenfile.txt)</li>\n	<li><strong>Password:</strong> if you put a password on the token (which you should have), then type that in (my example was 5672).</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\nYour login screen on your iPad now looks like this (click to enlarge):\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSALoginScreen.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7778\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSALoginScreen-225x300.png\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAnd if you press \"token code available..\" you get the next screen where you can actually authenticate using an external token (if someone else needs to login with their credentials on your iPad/iPhone) (click to enlarge):\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSATokenScreen.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7779\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/RSATokenScreen-225x300.png\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>So once you have everything setup, you/your user clicks the View connection server in the app.  They enter their windows username and their RSA PIN (since the token is stored), then press done.  (it authenticates to RSA).  Then you/your user logs in with the windows username and password.</strong>\n\n<strong>And BAM - your user\'s lives are easier while at the same time securing your critical data and being PCI Compliant!</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShoot me a note if you have any questions on twitter or send me an email to phillip(at)phillipreynolds(dot)com.\n\n----------------------------------------------\n\nPhillip Reynolds is a guest blogger for eGroup and you can find more of his posts <a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/author/phillip-reynolds\">here</a>.  You can also keep up with him on Twitter @<a href=\"http://twitter.com/philvirtual\">philvirtual</a>.','Integrating RSA SecurID with VMware View iPad Client - eGroup','','inherit','open','open','','7766-autosave','','','2013-03-21 09:29:41','2013-03-21 13:29:41','',7766,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7766-autosave',0,'revision','',0),(7983,22,'2012-10-15 09:58:40','2012-10-15 13:58:40','This post is short and sweet.\r\n\r\nAre you or your users only using the Zimbra web client? Do they complain about having no \"mailto\" abilities since they don\'t have a mail client installed on their machines?\r\n\r\nSimple fix:  Add it to the registry!**\r\n\r\n<strong>HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\mailto\\shell\\open\\command</strong> --- then the \"data\" for (DEFAULT) REG_EXPAND_SZ  is:  <strong>explorer \"https://zimbra.yourdomain.com/zimbra/?view=compose&amp;to=%1\"</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/mailtoregistry.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7585\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/mailtoregistry-300x110.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"110\" /></a>\r\n\r\n(picture of what my registry looks like)\r\n\r\nAnd there you go!\r\n\r\n<em>Phillip Reynolds is a guest blogger.  You can also follow him on twitter: <a href=\"http://twitter.com/philvirtual\" target=\"_blank\">@philvirtual</a></em>\r\n<div> (**Modify your registry at your own risk and take a backup first!)</div>','Make Zimbra Web Client Default for E-mails','','inherit','open','open','','7584-revision-7','','','2012-10-15 09:58:40','2012-10-15 13:58:40','',7584,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7584-revision-7',0,'revision','',0),(7985,22,'2012-08-03 09:38:17','2012-08-03 13:38:17','For years we\'ve lacked a collaborative e-mail platform at my company and now we are full swing into Zimbra with only 20% of our staff left to be migrated over to the new platform.  During this time, we\'ve used the Sharepoint calendars to allow staff to book rooms and have vacation calendars for each department.\r\n\r\nIt\'s now time to move these calendars to Zimbra so that appointments can automatically book resources (rooms) and users can also collaborate directly in their e-mail platform instead of having to use another platform.  The problem?  How to get these calendar \"lists\" out of Sharepoint!\r\n\r\nSince Sharepoint calendars can be shared in Outlook, that was my first step.  Secondly, I needed Outlook 2010 (I\'m not sure if this is possible in 2007 or earlier).\r\n\r\nInstructions after the hop...\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Connect the sharepoint calendar to your outlook.  In the Sharepoint Calendar, click the Ribbon button for Calendar, and click \"Connect To Outlook.\"</li>\r\n	<li>In Outlook, allow that calendar to populate.  I went ahead and repeated all of these steps first for all of my calendars.</li>\r\n	<li>Next, in Outlook, go to the Calendars view and find the \"email calendar\" option on the Outlook ribbon under the Share section.  Click that.</li>\r\n	<li>A dialog box opens and lets you select which Calendar to email.</li>\r\n	<li>Then click your date range to export, like Whole Calendar.</li>\r\n	<li>There are some limits, so if you hit them, it will tell you how to resolve the limit.</li>\r\n	<li>In Detail, choose Full Details.</li>\r\n	<li>Then click OK.</li>\r\n	<li>A new email opens with the calendar attachment.</li>\r\n	<li>No need to send that email -- just right click on the .ics attachment and choose Save As.</li>\r\n	<li>Now repeat steps 3-10 for every calendar you already shared with Outlook -- just choose the different calendar in step 4.</li>\r\n	<li>Once you have all the .ICS files saved, open Zimbra administration console and go to Resources.</li>\r\n	<li>Right click on your first resource (or create your resource), like training room 1, and choose View Mail.</li>\r\n	<li>This opens the Zimbra web front for this resource\'s account.  Go to Preferences - Import/Export.</li>\r\n	<li>Click Choose File - browse to the place where you saved the .ICS attachment for that resource.</li>\r\n	<li>Click Import.  Then you\'re done with that resource - click Log Out in the top right corner.</li>\r\n	<li>Now log back into your personal Zimbra account and try to schedule an appointment. Type in that resource in the \"location\" box.</li>\r\n	<li>Boom! You\'re finished!</li>\r\n</ul>','Migrating Sharepoint Calendars to Zimbra','','inherit','open','open','','7147-revision-6','','','2012-08-03 09:38:17','2012-08-03 13:38:17','',7147,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7147-revision-6',0,'revision','',0),(7984,22,'2013-03-21 10:53:28','2013-03-21 14:53:28','This post is short and sweet.  Are you or your users only using the Zimbra web client? Do they complain about having no \"mailto\" abilities since they don\'t have a mail client installed on their machines?\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nSimple fix:  Add it to the registry!**\r\n\r\n<strong>HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\mailto\\shell\\open\\command</strong> --- then the \"data\" for (DEFAULT) REG_EXPAND_SZ  is:  <strong>explorer \"https://zimbra.yourdomain.com/zimbra/?view=compose&amp;to=%1\"</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/mailtoregistry.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7585\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/mailtoregistry-300x110.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"110\" /></a>\r\n\r\n(picture of what my registry looks like)\r\n\r\nAnd there you go!\r\n\r\n<em>Phillip Reynolds is a guest blogger.  You can also follow him on twitter: <a href=\"http://twitter.com/philvirtual\" target=\"_blank\">@philvirtual</a></em>\r\n<div> (**Modify your registry at your own risk and take a backup first!)</div>','Make Zimbra Web Client Default for E-mails','','inherit','open','open','','7584-revision-8','','','2013-03-21 10:53:28','2013-03-21 14:53:28','',7584,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7584-revision-8',0,'revision','',0),(7988,12,'2013-03-22 14:22:53','2013-03-22 18:22:53','To start, let me say that Hyper-V 2012 is a strong product-- a very strong product. It\'s entrance to the market was loud and impressive, but the noise around it has since quieted down. After spending quite a bit of time using it, and coming from the background of years on the VMware vSphere platform, I\'ve been able to make a comparison between the two and wanted to share my thoughts on how it stacks up.\n\n<strong>Installation </strong>\n\nFor those who aren\'t aware, Hyper-V 2012 can be installed as a Server Role on top of Server 2012, and the installation process (once the OS is already loaded) is just about as easy as it gets. You check the box for the Hyper-V role in the add new role wizard, and in a few minutes, it\'s installed and live on your server. There is also a standalone, Core-only (command line only) version called Hyper-V 2012 Server, that you can install onto the server hardware directly. The difference here is that the Role added on Server 2012 includes licensing for Server OS virtual machines that will run on top of the host, whereas the Hyper-V 2012 Server installation does not. In addition, Hyper-V Server is command line only, as it runs the “core” installation of Windows Server.\n\nI won\'t spend much time on the licensing details other than to say unless you are running a small number of virtual machines, going the Datacenter edition is probably going to be the best bang for the buck, as it covers an unlimited amount of Windows Server OS VMs that run on the licensed host. To state it another way, once you pay for the Datacenter Edition license, install it on a server, and enable the Hyper-V role, all other server VMs that you subsequently run on that physical server, require no additional Server OS license.\n\nIt\'s important to note that at this point, you have the equivalent of a standalone hypervisor server-- a “standlone ESXi host” is a good point of comparison. You do not have the benefits of high availability, live migrations for either the virtual workload or its underlying storage, and no dynamic workload balancing.\n\n<strong>Hardware Considerations</strong>\n\nThroughout our time installing, upgrading, and managing Hyper-V hosts, we\'ve found that Microsoft is very picky about the underlying hardware used, and reference their hardware compatibility list in several documents and interfaces (especially in the Failover Clustering interface, which we\'ll get to later). While an HCL exists from the other hypervisor vendors, it\'s almost a background consideration in a lot of cases, as compared to Microsoft\'s position of putting the HCL “front and center”.\n\nGiven this fact, we\'d strongly suggest to anyone deploying Hyper-V 2012, and especially those who are upgrading from previous versions, that you very carefully validate your hardware is certified for Server 2012 before going into production.\n\n<strong>Networking</strong>\nOne of the major improvements in <em>Server 2012</em>, which has a upward and positive impact to Hyper-V, is the addition of NIC Teaming through the Server 2012 OS itself, as opposed to only being available through the use of  vendor specific teaming utilities.\n\nThe result here is a very similar capability to what I\'ve been accustomed to having from VMware for some time now. NIC Teaming provides the ability to load balance NICs from different vendors, NICs that are on the motherboard with NICs that are add-ons through a PCIe slot, as well as load balancing of traffic through the NICs (in an “active/active” manner) without any configuration on the upstream switches.\n\nAdditionally, you can load balance your NICs in an active/standby configuration, or the commonplace active/active with \"switch awareness\" (a port channel in the Cisco world-- which can be “static”-- channel-group mode on in Cisco terms, or using LACP, channel-group mode active in Cisco terms).\n\nAssuming a standard 6 or 8 NIC server design, the only real “difference” in the networking configuration for a Hyper-V server as opposed to an ESXi host is that there is generally a NIC (or two) dedicated for “outside of Hyper-V” server OS communication. This can be done with a team, and is something that should be discussed as part of your design and hardware purchase (to ensure you have the correct amount of NIC ports).\n\n<strong>Hyper-V Virtual Switches</strong>\nThis topic took me a little while to understand how it actually applied, especially since I was trying to relate it to what I was used to working with from VMware.\n\nImagine that you have 2 NICs in an active/active, switch independent team, that you\'d like to use for the “normal” virtual machine network/LAN traffic. First, you must create this team using the NIC Teaming interface through the Server Manager in Server 2012 (this is done OUTSIDE of Hyper-V, as it\'s an OS feature, and not a Hyper-V specific feature).\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7942\" alt=\"nicteam\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam-300x176.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" /></a>\n\nOnce configured, note the non-editable name that Windows assigns to the logical team interface, as this is what you will be creating your virtual switch to use as its communication link. This is a minor annoyance. Being able to change the name to something more usable, or having Hyper-V use the team name as opposed to the OS assigned name, would be a simple and more user-friendly implementation. Maybe in a patch or future update.\n\nStaying off of the Hyper-V configuration and speaking specifically to the Server 2012 OS use of the network team interface, you have the ability to specify a VLAN, and can also create additional LOGICAL sub-interfaces off of the NIC team for specific VLANs. If you set no VLAN, the interface will listen for traffic on all VLANs that the upstream, physical switch is passing down to it.\n\nIf you specify one on the team interface itself, that\'s the only VLAN it will be listening for traffic on.\n\nIf you create a sub-interface and assign it a VLAN ID, that interface will only listen for that specific VLAN\'s traffic, but the logical TEAM interface will continue to listen on all others.\n\nThe recommendation for Hyper-V is to NOT create sub-interfaces on the network team interface, and to NOT assign any VLANs to the team interface, but leave the VLAN tagging to the vNICs for the virtual machines (this is a bit different than ESXi\'s vSwitching, which we\'ll outline further below).\n\nNow, back to Hyper-V. From Hyper-V Manager , you\'ll find the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager in the top right corner, and once you open it, you\'ll have the ability to add a new network. There are three network types, but the most common and the one you\'ll want to create to allow virtual machines to talk to your physical LAN is the “External Network” type.\n\nIf you create a network called “Server Network”, you\'ll notice that you can ONLY assign it a VLAN if you share it with the management OS. What this means is that if you want to tag it with a VLAN at this level, you won\'t be keeping it as a dedicated network for Hyper-V, but rather will be sharing it with the Server 2012 OS you installed Hyper-V onto as well. We suggest you DO NOT check this option, and that you do not assign it a VLAN.\n\nAs part of the creation of the new network, you\'ll have the ability to select the network interface you want to use for it as well via a drop down menu. Once you select an interface for a new virtual switch, it cannot be used again for another one. This is important to take note of for your configuration. (NEED TO VERIYF).\n\nSo at this point, consider the diagram below, taken as a screenshot from ESXi. You have created a virtual switch, and assigned it physical interfaces on which to connect-- the center piece, and the pieces to the right.\n\nWhat you have NO done, which is what confused us for a while, is create the “VM Port Groups” on the left hand side. In a typical VMware deployment, you would create a VM Port Group for each VLAN you wanted to have available to your virtual machines, and in that port group, you would set a VLAN ID. The upstream communication would be on trunking (or tagging) interfaces, and thus providing you with access to the VLANs you need-- and this part is the same in Hyper-V. What\'s different, however, is that Hyper-V 2012 does not have the concept of a VM Port Group. Instead, you assign a VLAN ID and “virtual port” on the vNIC of the virtual machines themselves.\n\nSo let\'s say that Server Network has access to VLANs 10-20, and you want to be on the “DMZ” VLAN, which we\'ll say is VLAN 15 in our example. On the VM you are putting in the DMZ, you would go to Edit Settings, find its NIC, and check the box to “Enable VLAN Tagging”, and specific VLAN 15. Then you\'d press OK, and the VM would be able to communicate out on the network.\n\nI know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post in the comments or drop us an email-- we\'re happy to help clarify!\n\n&nbsp;','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part I','','inherit','open','open','','7940-revision-3','','','2013-03-22 14:22:53','2013-03-22 18:22:53','',7940,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7940-revision-3',0,'revision','',0),(7989,12,'2013-03-22 14:29:17','2013-03-22 18:29:17','To start, let me say that Hyper-V 2012 is a strong product-- a very strong product. It\'s entrance to the market was loud and impressive, but the noise around it has since quieted down. After spending quite a bit of time using it, and coming from the background of years on the VMware vSphere platform, I\'ve been able to make a comparison between the two and wanted to share my thoughts on how it stacks up.\n\n<strong>Installation </strong>\n\nFor those who aren\'t aware, Hyper-V 2012 can be installed as a Server Role on top of Server 2012, and the installation process (once the OS is already loaded) is just about as easy as it gets. You check the box for the Hyper-V role in the add new role wizard, and in a few minutes, it\'s installed and live on your server. There is also a standalone, Core-only (command line only) version called Hyper-V 2012 Server, that you can install onto the server hardware directly. The difference here is that the Role added on Server 2012 includes licensing for Server OS virtual machines that will run on top of the host, whereas the Hyper-V 2012 Server installation does not. In addition, Hyper-V Server is command line only, as it runs the “core” installation of Windows Server.\n\nI won\'t spend much time on the licensing details other than to say unless you are running a small number of virtual machines, going the Datacenter edition is probably going to be the best bang for the buck, as it covers an unlimited amount of Windows Server OS VMs that run on the licensed host. To state it another way, once you pay for the Datacenter Edition license, install it on a server, and enable the Hyper-V role, all other server VMs that you subsequently run on that physical server, require no additional Server OS license.\n\nIt\'s important to note that at this point, you have the equivalent of a standalone hypervisor server-- a “standlone ESXi host” is a good point of comparison. You do not have the benefits of high availability, live migrations for either the virtual workload or its underlying storage, and no dynamic workload balancing.\n\n<strong>Hardware Considerations</strong>\n\nThroughout our time installing, upgrading, and managing Hyper-V hosts, we\'ve found that Microsoft is very picky about the underlying hardware used, and reference their hardware compatibility list in several documents and interfaces (especially in the Failover Clustering interface, which we\'ll get to later). While an HCL exists from the other hypervisor vendors, it\'s almost a background consideration in a lot of cases, as compared to Microsoft\'s position of putting the HCL “front and center”.\n\nGiven this fact, we\'d strongly suggest to anyone deploying Hyper-V 2012, and especially those who are upgrading from previous versions, that you very carefully validate your hardware is certified for Server 2012 before going into production.\n\n<strong>Networking</strong>\nOne of the major improvements in <em>Server 2012</em>, which has a upward and positive impact to Hyper-V, is the addition of NIC Teaming through the Server 2012 OS itself, as opposed to only being available through the use of  vendor specific teaming utilities.\n\nThe result here is a very similar capability to what I\'ve been accustomed to having from VMware for some time now. NIC Teaming provides the ability to load balance NICs from different vendors, NICs that are on the motherboard with NICs that are add-ons through a PCIe slot, as well as load balancing of traffic through the NICs (in an “active/active” manner) without any configuration on the upstream switches.\n\nAdditionally, you can load balance your NICs in an active/standby configuration, or the commonplace active/active with \"switch awareness\" (a port channel in the Cisco world-- which can be “static”-- channel-group mode on in Cisco terms, or using LACP, channel-group mode active in Cisco terms).\n\nAssuming a standard 6 or 8 NIC server design, the only real “difference” in the networking configuration for a Hyper-V server as opposed to an ESXi host is that there is generally a NIC (or two) dedicated for “outside of Hyper-V” server OS communication. This can be done with a team, and is something that should be discussed as part of your design and hardware purchase (to ensure you have the correct amount of NIC ports).\n\n<strong>Hyper-V Virtual Switches</strong>\nThis topic took me a little while to understand how it actually applied, especially since I was trying to relate it to what I was used to working with from VMware.\n\nImagine that you have 2 NICs in an active/active, switch independent team, that you\'d like to use for the “normal” virtual machine network/LAN traffic. First, you must create this team using the NIC Teaming interface through the Server Manager in Server 2012 (this is done OUTSIDE of Hyper-V, as it\'s an OS feature, and not a Hyper-V specific feature).\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7942\" alt=\"nicteam\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam-300x176.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" /></a>\n\nOnce configured, note the non-editable name that Windows assigns to the logical team interface, as this is what you will be creating your virtual switch to use as its communication link. This is a minor annoyance. Being able to change the name to something more usable, or having Hyper-V use the team name as opposed to the OS assigned name, would be a simple and more user-friendly implementation. Maybe in a patch or future update.\n\nStaying off of the Hyper-V configuration and speaking specifically to the Server 2012 OS use of the network team interface, you have the ability to specify a VLAN, and can also create additional LOGICAL sub-interfaces off of the NIC team for specific VLANs. If you set no VLAN, the interface will listen for traffic on all VLANs that the upstream, physical switch is passing down to it.\n\nIf you specify one on the team interface itself, that\'s the only VLAN it will be listening for traffic on.\n\nIf you create a sub-interface and assign it a VLAN ID, that interface will only listen for that specific VLAN\'s traffic, but the logical TEAM interface will continue to listen on all others.\n\nThe recommendation for Hyper-V is to NOT create sub-interfaces on the network team interface, and to NOT assign any VLANs to the team interface, but leave the VLAN tagging to the vNICs for the virtual machines (this is a bit different than ESXi\'s vSwitching, which we\'ll outline further below).\n\nNow, back to Hyper-V. From Hyper-V Manager , you\'ll find the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager in the top right corner, and once you open it, you\'ll have the ability to add a new network. There are three network types, but the most common and the one you\'ll want to create to allow virtual machines to talk to your physical LAN is the “External Network” type.\n\nIf you create a network called “Server Network”, you\'ll notice that you can ONLY assign it a VLAN if you share it with the management OS. What this means is that if you want to tag it with a VLAN at this level, you won\'t be keeping it as a dedicated network for Hyper-V, but rather will be sharing it with the Server 2012 OS you installed Hyper-V onto as well. I suggest you NOT check this option, and that you do not assign it a VLAN.\n\nAs part of the creation of the new network, you\'ll have the ability to select the network interface you want to use for it as well via a drop down menu. Once you select an interface for a new virtual switch, it cannot be used again for another one. This is important to take note of for your configuration.\n\nSo at this point, consider the diagram below, taken as a screenshot from ESXi. You have created a virtual switch, and assigned it physical interfaces on which to connect-- the center piece, and the pieces to the right.\n\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://professionalvmware.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/20081213-0858.png\" width=\"443\" height=\"404\" />\n\nWhat you have NOT done, which is what confused us for a while, is create the “VM Port Groups” on the left hand side (See \"ExNet\" in the diagram). In a typical VMware deployment, you would create a VM Port Group for each VLAN you wanted to have available to your virtual machines, and in that port group, you would set a VLAN ID. The upstream communication would be on trunking (or tagging) interfaces, and thus providing you with access to the VLANs you need-- and this part is the same in Hyper-V. What\'s different, however, is that Hyper-V 2012 does not have the concept of a VM Port Group. Instead, you assign a VLAN ID and “virtual port” on the vNIC of the virtual machines themselves.\n\nSo let\'s say that Server Network has access to VLANs 10-20, and you want to be on the “DMZ” VLAN, which we\'ll say is VLAN 15 in our example. On the VM you are putting in the DMZ, you would go to Edit Settings, find its NIC, and check the box to “Enable VLAN Tagging”, and specific VLAN 15. Then you\'d press OK, and the VM would be able to communicate out on the network.\n\nI know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post in the comments or drop us an email-- we\'re happy to help clarify!\n\n&nbsp;','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part I','','inherit','open','open','','7940-revision-4','','','2013-03-22 14:29:17','2013-03-22 18:29:17','',7940,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7940-revision-4',0,'revision','',0),(7991,40,'2013-03-22 15:12:44','2013-03-22 19:12:44','To start, let me say that Hyper-V 2012 is a strong product-- a very strong product. Its entrance to the market was loud and impressive, but the noise around it has since quieted down. After spending quite a bit of time using it, and coming from the background of years on the VMware vSphere platform, I\'ve been able to make a comparison between the two and wanted to share my thoughts on how it stacks up.\n\n<strong>Installation </strong>\n\nFor those who aren\'t aware, Hyper-V 2012 can be installed as a Server Role on top of Server 2012, and the installation process (once the OS is already loaded) is just about as easy as it gets. You check the box for the Hyper-V role in the add new role wizard, and in a few minutes, it\'s installed and live on your server. There is also a standalone, Core-only (command line only) version called Hyper-V 2012 Server, that you can install onto the server hardware directly. The difference here is that the Role added on Server 2012 includes licensing for Server OS virtual machines that will run on top of the host, whereas the Hyper-V 2012 Server installation does not. In addition, Hyper-V Server is command line only, as it runs the “core” installation of Windows Server.\n\nI won\'t spend much time on the licensing details other than to say unless you are running a small number of virtual machines, going the Datacenter edition is probably going to be the best bang for the buck, as it covers an unlimited amount of Windows Server OS VMs that run on the licensed host. To state it another way, once you pay for the Datacenter Edition license, install it on a server, and enable the Hyper-V role, all other server VMs that you subsequently run on that physical server, require no additional Server OS license.\n\nIt\'s important to note that at this point, you have the equivalent of a standalone hypervisor server-- a “standlone ESXi host” is a good point of comparison. You do not have the benefits of high availability, live migrations for either the virtual workload or its underlying storage, and no dynamic workload balancing.\n\n<strong>Hardware Considerations</strong>\n\nThroughout our time installing, upgrading, and managing Hyper-V hosts, we\'ve found that Microsoft is very picky about the underlying hardware used, and reference their hardware compatibility list in several documents and interfaces (especially in the Failover Clustering interface, which we\'ll get to later). While an HCL exists from the other hypervisor vendors, it\'s almost a background consideration in a lot of cases, as compared to Microsoft\'s position of putting the HCL “front and center.\"\n\nGiven this fact, we\'d strongly suggest to anyone deploying Hyper-V 2012, and especially those who are upgrading from previous versions, that you very carefully validate that your hardware is certified for Server 2012 before going into production.\n\n<strong>Networking</strong>\n\nOne of the major improvements in <em>Server 2012</em>, which has an upward and positive impact to Hyper-V, is the addition of NIC Teaming through the Server 2012 OS itself, as opposed to only being available through the use of vendor specific teaming utilities.\n\nThe result here is a very similar capability to what I\'ve been accustomed to having from VMware for some time now. NIC Teaming provides the ability to load balance NICs from different vendors, NICs that are on the motherboard with NICs that are add-ons through a PCIe slot, as well as load balancing of traffic through the NICs (in an “active/active” manner) without any configuration on the upstream switches.\n\nAdditionally, you can load balance your NICs in an active/standby configuration, or the commonplace active/active with \"switch awareness\" (a port channel in the Cisco world-- which can be “static”-- channel-group mode on in Cisco terms, or using LACP, channel-group mode active in Cisco terms).\n\nAssuming a standard 6 or 8 NIC server design, the only real “difference” in the networking configuration for a Hyper-V server as opposed to an ESXi host is that there is generally a NIC (or two) dedicated for “outside of Hyper-V” server OS communication. This can be done with a team, and is something that should be discussed as part of your design and hardware purchase (to ensure you have the correct amount of NIC ports).\n\n<strong>Hyper-V Virtual Switches</strong>\n\nThis topic took me a little while to understand how it actually applied, especially since I was trying to relate it to what I was used to working with from VMware.\n\nImagine that you have 2 NICs in an active/active, switch independent team, that you\'d like to use for the “normal” virtual machine network/LAN traffic. First, you must create this team using the NIC Teaming interface through the Server Manager in Server 2012 (this is done OUTSIDE of Hyper-V, as it\'s an OS feature, and not a Hyper-V specific feature).\n\n<a href=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7942\" alt=\"nicteam\" src=\"http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/nicteam-300x176.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" /></a>\n\nOnce configured, note the non-editable name that Windows assigns to the logical team interface, as this is what you will be creating your virtual switch to use as its communication link. This is a minor annoyance. Being able to change the name to something more usable, or having Hyper-V use the team name as opposed to the OS assigned name, would be a simple and a more user-friendly implementation. Maybe in a patch or future update.\n\nStaying off of the Hyper-V configuration and speaking specifically to the Server 2012 OS use of the network team interface, you have the ability to specify a VLAN, and can also create additional LOGICAL sub-interfaces off of the NIC team for specific VLANs. If you set no VLAN, the interface will listen for traffic on all VLANs that the upstream, physical switch is passing down to it.\n\nIf you specify one on the team interface itself, that\'s the only VLAN it will be listening for traffic on.\n\nIf you create a sub-interface and assign it a VLAN ID, that interface will only listen for that specific VLAN\'s traffic, but the logical TEAM interface will continue to listen on all others.\n\nThe recommendation for Hyper-V is to NOT create sub-interfaces on the network team interface, and to NOT assign any VLANs to the team interface, but leave the VLAN tagging to the vNICs for the virtual machines (this is a bit different than ESXi\'s vSwitching, which we\'ll outline further below).\n\nNow, back to Hyper-V. From Hyper-V Manager , you\'ll find the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager in the top right corner, and once you open it, you\'ll have the ability to add a new network. There are three network types, but the most common and the one you\'ll want to create to allow virtual machines to talk to your physical LAN is the “External Network” type.\n\nIf you create a network called \"Server Network,\" you\'ll notice that you can ONLY assign it a VLAN if you share it with the management OS. What this means is that if you want to tag it with a VLAN at this level, you won\'t be keeping it as a dedicated network for Hyper-V, but rather will be sharing it with the Server 2012 OS you installed Hyper-V onto as well. I suggest you NOT check this option, and that you do not assign it a VLAN.\n\nAs part of the creation of the new network, you\'ll have the ability to select the network interface you want to use for it as well via a drop down menu. Once you select an interface for a new virtual switch, it cannot be used again for another one. This is important to take note of for your configuration.\n\nSo at this point, consider the diagram below, taken as a screenshot from ESXi. You have created a virtual switch, and assigned it physical interfaces on which to connect-- the center piece, and the pieces to the right.\n\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://professionalvmware.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/20081213-0858.png\" width=\"443\" height=\"404\" />\n\nWhat you have NOT done, which is what confused us for a while, is create the “VM Port Groups” on the left hand side (See \"ExNet\" in the diagram).\n\nIn a typical VMware deployment, you would create a VM Port Group for each VLAN you wanted to have available to your virtual machines, and in that port group, you would set a VLAN ID. The upstream communication would be on trunking (or tagging) interfaces, and thus providing you with access to the VLANs you need-- and this part is the same in Hyper-V. What\'s different, however, is that Hyper-V 2012 does not have the concept of a VM Port Group. Instead, you assign a VLAN ID and “virtual port” on the vNIC of the virtual machines themselves.\n\nSo let\'s say that Server Network has access to VLANs 10-20, and you want to be on the “DMZ” VLAN, which we\'ll say is VLAN 15 in our example. On the VM you are putting in the DMZ, you would go to Edit Settings, find its NIC, and check the box to “Enable VLAN Tagging”, and specific VLAN 15. Then you\'d press OK, and the VM would be able to communicate out on the network.\n\nI know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post in the comments or drop us an email-- we\'re happy to help clarify!\n\n&nbsp;','A Look at Hyper-V 2012 - Part I','','inherit','open','open','','7940-revision-5','','','2013-03-22 15:12:44','2013-03-22 19:12:44','',7940,'http://egroup.jasonmangone.com/7940-revision-5',0,'revision','',0),