WELCOME LETTER

Hello Partners in Technology

The recent hurricanes were big news in our hometown of Austin, Texas. Although we were fortunate that “Ike” skirted by us well to the east, many of our customers were not so lucky. We started a collection box to do our small part to help those affected, many of whom are part of Simpler-Webb’s extended family and friends. With many of our clients also along the Gulf Coast, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity solutions are always on my mind. Even if your business is not in danger from hurricanes, there are plenty of catastrophic situations to consider, from the single server failure, to a data center fire, or even regional pandemics. Most people would recognize Ben Franklin’s oft quoted truism: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” It rings especially true for IT organizations today. If you’re not sure how to get started or if you’d like a review of your current IT disaster recovery plan, contact us today. We welcome the opportunity to help you be better positioned for the next disaster. In the meantime, take a look at the articles below on how virtualization has helped companies protect their data and provide a more resilient server environment.

As always, thank you for your continued business, and remember we are here to assist you in any way we can.

Jeff Simpler,
CEO and Co-Founder

SWINC NEWS & EVENTS ::

Webinar: Top Ten Technologies for 2009
Wondering what to budget for in 2009? Check out part One and Two of this webinar series designed to help.
www.simplerwebb.com/webinar
username: webinar
password: SWweb1nar

We’ve been on the road talking to IT Heroes across the country. Check out where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
-We visited two core processor conferences this year, Symitar in San Diego and Harland Financial Services in Orlando, where we enjoyed seeing many of our favorite IT Heroes.

	SYMITAR USER’S CONFERENCE
	Our featured IT HERO: JEFF CROSS-TEXAR

-We’re Gold Sponsors of the upcoming InnoTech Austin Conference, October 16, Austin, Texas. Come by and see us in Booth 312. Want a FREE PASS? Email info@swinc.com for a discount code. www.innotechaustin.com
-We’ll be sponsoring a happy hour with CUTEK at Symitar Northwest, November 7-9 in Eugene OR. If you’re going to be there as well, let us know!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ::

With the time constraints of modern life, it can be difficult to keep up on current technology news. This month, we’re bringing you a special section where we discuss some of the recent headlines.

“Disaster Recovery Planning: You Can’t Live Without It”, computerworld.com
According to this online article, under-investing in disaster recovery planning is very common for small to midsize businesses. One in 500 data centers will experience a disaster so severe that 72% of these businesses will either be unable to recover or forced to close within a few years. With that information, this article gives you a look at what is important when establishing your own disaster recovery plan, as well as establishing a downtime threshold for your business.

“How Microsoft Hyper-V Helped My IT Shop Revamp Disaster Recovery”, CIO online
In this article, Munder Capital Management takes on a virtualization project replacing 42 physical servers. After expressing their need to improve their disaster recovery operations, they considered both VMware and Microsoft’s HyperV.
While VMware has additional features, cost was ultimately the deciding factor. Impressed with HyperV’s performance, they feel they made the right decision.

On the Horizon? Virtualization is already here!
Thought about server and desktop virtualization but not sure which solution best fits your needs? Let us help! Contact us today to learn the benefits of virtualization, from cost savings to disaster recovery planning. We’ll even do a comparison of VMware and Microsoft’s HyperV to help you determine the best solution for your organization.

Email info@swinc.com for more information on Simpler-Webb virtualization and storage solutions & a Case Study called, Los Angeles Firemen’s Credit Union Increases Efficiency Due to Virtualization.

SERVICE OFFERING ::

Let Simpler-Webb help you secure your data
Do you have a plan for keeping your data safe? What happens in the event of a switch failure, an outage, or a natural disaster? Simpler-Webb can help you develop a customized solution to keep your data secure and protected utilizing partners like EMC and EVault.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT & NEWS ::

Simpler-Webb receives 12th MVP award!
Andrew (Andy) Webb, co-founder of Simpler-Webb, Inc., received a 2008 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for extraordinary efforts in Windows Server Systems-Exchange Server. The 2007 designation marks his twelfth consecutive MVP award since 1997.

Simpler-Webb welcomes Matt Bastek, Service Engineer!

After moving to Texas from Mansfield, Massachusetts, Matt Bastek has been a part of the Simpler-Webb team since June 23rd 2008. Being busy all day, Matt states that his job is all about multitasking and “learning something new every day.”

Once an aspiring art major, he surprisingly describes his office décor as, “undecorated.” He also enjoys videogames, movies, road-trips, and mountain-biking, and is a follower of The Office (which by the way, if you aren’t already, you should be too!).

Matt is also enjoying trying new restaurants in Austin, since there are so many. One of his favorites? “Estancia Churrascaria,” a Brazilian Steakhouse. So, if you’re looking for a place to take one of the newest Simpler-Webbers to lunch, it’s not a bad place to start.

Simpler Webb Grows!
Help us welcome Simpler-Webb’s latest additions:

Chris Brown, Senior Software Developer – June 23, 2008
Adam Bonnell, Associate Consultant – July 7, 2008
Kyle Smith, Senior System Administrator – July 17
Jeff Munoz, Senior Network Consultant – August 18
Scott Miller, Network Consultant – August 25
Tom Trantham, Server Engineer – September 8
James Milner, Service Desk Technician – September 9
Courtney Perez, Sales Assistant – September 30
Robert Villegas, Service Desk Technician – October 13

USEFUL LINKS ::

Simpler-Webb: http://www.simplerwebb.com
Webinar Series: www.simplerwebb.com/webinar
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      Password: SWweb1nar

Disaster Recovery Planning: You Can’t Live Without It
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?
command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9115163

How Microsoft Hyper-V Helped My IT Shop Revamp Disaster Recovery
http://www.cio.com/article/445923/
How_Microsoft_Hyper_V_Helped_
My_IT_Shop_Revamp_Disaster_Recovery