Vital Networks, Inc.

Saving money never goes out of style but it is particularly fashionable right now. In the IT world that usually means cutting staff and postponing upgrades. Here are some fresh ideas for actually improving your IT infrastructure while saving money:

1.		GMail - Over the last few months GMail has gone from a great personal email service to a Microsoft Exchange killer. Why pay thousands of dollars for MS Exchange when GMail has all the same features for free or almost free? It works seamlessly with Outlook, allows full sharing of calendars and contacts, ties into Blackberry Enterprise Server, and has an amazing web interface that makes OWA look downright antiquated. While you're at it deploy the free Google Talk application and watch what happens when your employees actually communicate!
2.		Hyper-V - One of the most exciting features of Windows Server 2008 is Hyper-V which allows you to run multiple "virtual" servers on one physical machine.  Have a bunch of older servers? Replace them with one fast server using Hyper-V!
3.		DimDim - If you are already using Webex or GoToMeeting and you don't have complicated needs, you should consider DimDim. It's free or nearly free, and it delivers an intuitive interface for virtual meetings.  Even the conference bridge is free!
4.		WAN Optimization - If you have several branch offices each with their own server you need to invest in WAN Optimization.  Replace your branch office servers with a Riverbed appliance and you'll enjoy faster access to files and reduced traffic on your site-to-site VPN.  You might even be able to replace your T-1's with cheaper cable or DSL service too!  Best of all, these appliances require almost zero management.
5.		VOIP - Voice-over-IP revolutionized the way phone systems communicated inside the office building but most people are still using traditional phone lines to make their outbound calls.  That's expensive.  Finally VoIP call quality is good enough to abandon the old phone company once and for all.  Depending on your call volumes you could cut your phone bill by over 50%.

Contact Us today to learn how outsourcing your IT to Vital Networks can improve your IT infrastructure and save you money!