Is Your Technology Aligned With Your Business Strategy ?
Align Your Technology with Your Strategy
Technology Alignment and Planning are discussed by the 2 BigTelecomGuys, Jeff Brodie and Rob Metras in this episode .
They discuss how you can integrate your computer networks, and communications technology and review the way you plan for your expenditures and business processes.
Employee productivity is discussed in regards to network security, with firewalls and wasted time on the web unrelated to the business costing time and bandwidth. Key to the alignment of the technology is a planning process that matches the right tech at the right place at the right cost with top management support and leadership.
We remind our listeners if they want any topic addressed on the podcast to leave their comments below and we will answer them.
Episode22-Technology Planning
Are You A Pirate ?
Software Planning ,Assurance, Licensing and Software Piracy are the topic of this Episode.
In this Episode Jeff Brodie and Rob Metras go over what software planning and licensing is ,why is it in place and the perils of Software Piracy both legal and operationally. They outline what the concept of software assurance means and how it can protect you from change and talk about the possibility of bulk licensing from such well-known and universally used software such as Microsoft.
We remind our listeners if they want any topic addressed on the podcast to leave their comments below and we will answer them.
Episode 21-Are You A Pirate ?
Connecting Multiple Locations
Jeff Brodie and Rob Metras discuss how to connect multiple locations using data and voice networks. They examine the methods and technology that links offices in the same city or region with those next door or around the globe. Without purchasing new equipment it is possible for an employee or owner to be on his laptop in an airport lounge in another city catching up on email, and even calling a client directly from his Outlook software.
Jeff has over 16 years of experience installing VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) integrated voice and data applications. Using Microsoft, Altigen and other software and hardware offerings from hardwired desktop phones to the latest mobile smartphones it is possible to have an office anywhere.
We remind our listeners if they want any topic addressed on the podcast to leave their comments below and we will answer them.
Episode 20-Connecting Multiple Locations
Technology Planning for Charities and Non-Profits
Technology planning is an important part of running business or non-profit or charity. In this Episode Jeff and Rob discuss the importance of a long term view of the organizations use of technology in the context of best practices, which do not necessarily cost much more.
A technology plan makes sure the whole organization has covered their network security, privacy obligations, as well as their Business continuity. Backups done on a regular basis, with appropriate security measures in place alleviate the problems of disk failure, or loss of key documents and files due to corruption or viruses.
Charities in Canada and the US have reporting obligations on their financial status to their donors and regulators just as much as business has an obligation to shareholders, securities regulators and stock exchanges. Listen as Jeff gives ideas to protect and prevent through the use of good technology planning.
Episode 19- Technology Planning for Charities and Non-Profits
Episode 19- Technology Planning for Charities and Non-Profits
Charities and Non-Profits Can Maximize Technology
Meeting the technology needs of Charity & Non-profits is of particular interest to the 2 Big Telecom Guys. As both of us have been on boards of charities we see the bigger picture both of the organization and their funders. In this episode we talk about the skillsets that can be assisted by outside help in the planning and implementation of their operations from a technology standpoint.
We discuss the gifts of old equipment and the need for a plan as a way of maximizing their resources and the need to know how to be able to participate in vendor programs that will gift new software and hardware to charities.
Episode 18- Charities and Non-Profits Can Maximize Technology
Getting To Know Like and Trust
Rob Metras
Episode 17 is a solo episode with Rob Metras describing the process he got to know,like and trust Jeff Brodie, his partner in the 2Big Telecom Guys Podcasts. As a listener we wanted to give you a little background on your two hosts and the process Rob as business customer went through in order to find a reliable and trustworthy integrated telephone and computer supplier after dealing with the salesforce of a major telephone company.
Jeff Brodie
I hope that the 2 Big Telecom Guys Podcast will continue to be useful to you the listener as we are cutting down the length of our episodes at your suggestions. Thank you for your comments and keep them coming.
We appreciate your support and hope you will also get to know ,like and trust us as you get the picture on how the 2 Big Telecom Guys got together to do this podcast for you.
Bandwidth Explained
- Image via Wikipedia
In Episode 16 Rob and Jeff discuss bandwidth and what it means for you. Various definitions are supplied and then we have a discussion about the various ways you can connect to the Web. Jeff describes the evolution from dialup at 300baud to ISDN ,to ADSL, up to cable and wireless internet and T1 services. While the description of carriers is concentrated on the Greater Toronto area you should find the technical explanations applicable across the globe.
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Mobility- Anywhere and Everywhere
Episode15 is all about Mobility and what products are out there in the marketplace to let you run your business or practice from wherever you are, given cell access and wi-fi locations. That can include right in an office with your smartphone as your desktop set. The phone can have all the bells and whistles that a clunky desktop phone has but even more on the smartphone device, and that device can leave with you and go where you go seamlessly.
We talk about IP-PBX systems, Androids,Iphones,Ipads,Blackberry's and other smartphones. We learn the functionality of a virtual system such as AltiGen's Max Mobile Server CS. We will discus the applicability of Wi-FI and WAP in the mix and discuss Wi-LAN.
Given the decreasing costs of smartphones the handset price gives great value in that it can be a two way device eliminating the need for desktop handsets. Most of the smartphones allow you to use Line of Business Apps on them and with location tools built in can map routes, monitor deliveries,highlight traffic problems to enable your business to avoid wasted time and deliver higher levels of service.
The AltiGen max-Mobile App is available for the Android,Iphone and Blackberry smartphones now and c improves productivity through mobility. Listen in while Rob and Jeff talk aout the use and integration tools that allows a small business such as a real estate broker or small call center have the same functionality as a Fortune 500 company.
Virtualization- What's In It For You
Virtualization is the topic for Episode 14. Rob and Jeff discuss the best integration strategies and tactics to make your business or office run faster, simpler, and with less hassle. Learn how you can have a Virtual-CIO (Chief Information Officer) at hand but not on your premises. We discuss Software as a Service (SaaS), Hardware as a Service (HaaS) and the concept of data protection on-site and off-site, using both physical devices and the Cloud.
Virtualization can make your business have similar tools,capacity and scalability that a Fortune 500 company has without the ongoing expense of direct labour. See how you can make hardware do more with less and gain all the improvements of new software with Software as a Service.
Jeff's firm Codefusion Communications Inc. is a Toronto based Microsoft Gold Certified Partner as well as a Microsoft Small Business Specialist. Codefusion is also an AltiGen Platinum Technology Partner with AltiGen, the leader in IP-based telephony. Listen in as they discuss this new computing idea to do more with less. Jeff also blogs about technology on the Codefusion website.
Cloud Computing- Whats Up There ?
- Image via Wikipedia
Episode 13 covers the relatively new area ,to small and medium size businesses, of Cloud Computing. We provide some definitions,uses for it and considerations for implementation. SaaS (Software as a Service is one of the uses for the Cloud as well as for scalable storage. This podcast itself is stored in the Cloud on Amazon's S3 Servers to enhance availabilty ,scalability and take the load off our regular server.
Jeff's firm Codefusion Communication Inc. is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner as well as a Microsoft Small Business Specialist and Rob is a long time Windows user who also has a Mac. Listen in as they discuss this new storage and remote computing method.
