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Mobile Device Standardization Winner

12 December 2006
By admin in activesync, mobile user, non-profit technology, nptech

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Standardizing on mobile devices required a little research. My non-profit sticks with Verizon Wireless (site) because we prefer paying more to be dictated to – it’s like a bonus. Admittedly Verizon’s network is one of the best. However, this limited me to a handful of devices.

The Samsung SCH-i730 (info) and the Verizon branded Audiovox XV6700 (info) were immediately ruled for simply being too much machine for my average users. My staff does need mobility but don’t necessarily require high-end, high-tech immediacy. The Treo 700p (info) (my favorite) was also out because it didn’t work with Exchange 2003′s ActiveSync. That narrowed the choices down to the Palm Treo 700w (info), the Motorola Q (info), and the Blackberry 8703e (info).

The Motorola Q (shop) would have been my choice if not for some major shortcomings. Motorola has priced the Q perfectly, while offering what many IT staff will think is the perfect device for most non-technical mobile users. It provides a limited interface that allows for ActiveSync synchronization (albeit intermittent, not real-time), a small form, and good sound quality. Unfortunately the Q’s negatives were weighty. Its battery life is very poor, the OS is prone to crashes, and the device’s keyboard is horrible. My fingers are not big and still I had trouble working those keys. Motorola has a great idea with the Q. It is exactly what many companies want for their users, but it is unwise to roll out a first-generation device of such questionable quality.

The Blackberry 8703e has a great screen and a wonderful keyboard. This device would have been my choice if not for the costly implementation. Key to this decision was my requirement of centralized manageability. The Blackberry Server is a great product that provides considerable remote control. Perfect for what I want to do, however, Blackberry does not offer ANY non-profit discounts on its server products. Additionally, should there have been a non-profit discount, such a purchase would still have been tough to justify when Exchange 2003 with ActiveSync was already in production.

The Palm Treo 700w (shop) was my winner. I’m a big fan of the Treo 650 and 700p (Palm OS) models. Though now dated, the Palm OS is a simple, elegant operating system that considers the mobility aspect of mobile computing in its design. Until recently, the Windows Mobile operating system was laborious and clunky and created knots in my shoulders. But Palms rendition of the Windows Mobile OS makes me feel at home. My users will find it simple to use and the hardware is divine.

The Treo 700w costs much more than I would like to spend and is probably not within reach of non-profits seeking larger rollouts. Yet, for the five to seven units that will eventually be in operation in my organization, the Treo is well worth the savings in frustration. However, when the second-generation Q comes out, you better believe I will be taking a close look at it.

First Thoughts on Standardizing on Mobility

28 November 2006
By admin in activesync, branch offices, mobile user, nptech, remote sites

3 Comments

My organization is opening a new branch office with two people. It’s a small endeavor in a donated space. I’m building the computers now in the New York office to ship over while I come up with a smartphone/PDA solution for the director. For now the land line phone and internet will be shared with the donor organization until we move, so a dedicated phone number for our organization will take the form of a mobile device. Plus, the need for the director to be on the go means email needs to be readily available. Multiple problems arise out of my requirement for streamlined efficiency.

I feel now is the time for me to standardize on a smartphone/PDA solution. Since I prefer central management as much as possible, I don’t want to purchase cellphones that require a desktop client. We already have such setups in the New York office for both Blackberry and Treo. Both work fine but I don’t see this as a solution when dealing with remote site users. Since we have Exchange 2003, we have ActiveSync. Using a Windows Mobile device, like a Treo 700w, email and contacts can readily flow to the device. With no desktop client to install, there would be less hassles when something does go wrong with the workstation or PDA. A Blackberry server option winds up being an additional expense that, while far more useful for centrally managing mobile devices, is difficult to justify when we already own something that satisfies the general requirement. Still, Blackberry is not out of the equation yet.

There is a problem on the network side. Because it is easy, I was intending these users to be set up on POP3, which means while I can set up their Outlook to leave the mail on the server for a duration of time thereby syncing with the handheld device, their contacts will forever be on their desktop. Alternatively a VPN for Exchange would create constant synchronization and give me a chance to use ActiveSync. Currently a VPN is what we use for two west coast users, though the rest use POP3. VPN is currently handled between server and desktop instead of between firewalls. I fear over time this setup could eat up bandwidth and resources. I might not want to think that long-term though, since a growing organization is a changing one, and just setup a protocol that really works through the immediate future.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

22 November 2006
By admin in Uncategorized

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I wish you all a great Thanksgiving weekend – even to those not in the United States. I’ll write more next week. Have things to say about grant applications processes and mobilized workers. Enjoy the weekend!

Meanderings

16 November 2006
By admin in Uncategorized

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At the crack of 8:15-ish I am out the door and on the subway. I change trains instinctively while reading a paper and ignoring the many thousands of my fellow New Yorkers I pass daily. I manage to get to the office usually unscathed by 9. Downtown is always a mess but mornings are worse for pedestrians as everyone is meandering the maze of security zones, barricades, police road blocks, construction, and grabs of eminent domain – not to mention the groups of talkers, smokers, hockers, and loiterers. Especially mobbed is the area around the Stock Exchange (pic) and Federal Hall (site) where George (the good one) presided.

In the midst of this mess is my non-profit. Not nearly as bustling or exciting but just as cramped as any rush hour subway car (pic). There is a “beautiful” view of the building across the street. The datacenter that looks back sports a wall of blinking lights. Yeah, so what? We may only have five servers and no air conditioner but we help people every day!

The thought doesn’t really alleviate the blinking-light envy (pic) I feel in my gut.

No, load balancing will never be an issue at my little non-profit, but it is amazing what so few people with nearly adequate tools can do for the betterment of the world. It’s rewarding working as a non-profit technologist, despite the politics and difficult budgets. Small improvements in technology and an understanding of staff needs can make a big difference in output. Personally, it’s great ROI to be there for those that are there for others.

My day usually ends 15 minutes too late and then I’m off to class. The streets aren’t nearly as bad as in the morning but the trains run like broken escalators. I gripe about my day-to-day happenings, yet in the end I can’t imagine being happy anywhere but at a non-profit. Hopefully that continues.

Revisiting Computer Equipment Rentals

13 November 2006
By admin in computer rental, non-profit technology, nptech

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In a previous post I spoke naively about computer equipment rental (post) for events held offsite, often in hotels. It’s a great idea to look for the bargain, but after speaking today with the event planners I realized that the roadblocks set up by money hungry hotels actually makes it more cost effective to rent directly from them. Hmm, convenient, ey?

Things I didn’t understand included the fact that many venues charge a fee for bringing outside equipment. According to my event planners it seems that one can get away with bringing in one’s own laptops but other equipment, especially projectors, is best rented from the hotel. Michael Stein pointed out that support is a lot quicker to obtain if you’re working with the hotel’s equipment (post).

Still, there are some ways save a few bucks but it all depends on the frequency and needs of your events. My company is probably going to buy a half dozen laptops and a shipping case. We’re estimating a savings of several thousand over the life of the laptops, which I estimate to be 3 years (usually the life of the warranty). Additional presentation remotes and lavalieres will also be purchased for a little more savings. I figure the presentation remotes and lavalieres will pay for themselves within a handful of events and the we’ll keep a spare laptop on hand if any one breaks. These items should require minimal onsite support and some venues are willing to look at your machine to figure out why your equipment won’t function with theirs.

Computer equipment rentals is certainly not as clear-cut as I had initially thought. There is some merit to renting directly from the venues, even if it is by their own design. But I still wouldn’t buy a bag of peanuts from a hotel!

Documentation Matters

10 November 2006
By admin in documentation, network binder, non-profit technology, nptech

1 Comment

IT management requires one laborious task at its heart for the sake of organization and consistency: documentation. Creating documentation is tedious but not altogether horrible. It is the maintenance of those documents to reflect current conditions that requires monk-like discipline. Too often, once the document is drafted it lies buried on a server, growing outdated month after month until it is useless and only the template is worthy of salvage. Then the “next guy” has to start from scratch.

The dereliction of this duty comes easier the fewer people there are in a department. One-person IT department personnel are notorious for keeping everything in their head. When sharing isn’t a requirement, the importance of documentation falls to the side. For non-profits with small IT departments, this appears to be a routine problem. For those dependent on consultants, often non-technical administrators don’t request documents, or if they do, the material isn’t stored well enough for future reference. Often I have asked for a specific piece of historical information and been handed an unwieldy folder with “everything about the network.”

Document every month like it is your last month at the job. This is especially so for inventory and “Network Binders.” Documentation should be limited to as few pieces of material as possible. The tome that is my Network Binder is really an anthology, but it is physically one document and digitally one folder on the server. When edits are made, diligently swap out the loose-leaf pages of the physical volume with the updated ones. And do keep as few copies of the physical and digital versions as possible – for consistency and security.

Non-technical administrators should always ask for documentation after any major work or regular maintenance has been conducted. Material on work performed should be kept separate from invoices and manuals. Additionally, keep the work documentation in chronological order. Being able to quickly review the work history of a network will reduce the learning curve for any future network admin.

Managing such a disciplined approached to documentation isn’t easy, especially if you’re a one-person operation. Certainly I’m guilty of ignoring my own guidelines. I consider this an ideal to strive for until reality interferes. Everyone needs dreams.

What To Do? Where To Go?

9 November 2006
By admin in Uncategorized

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A week in Montreal helped clear the mind of its webs. Sometimes a break from all levels of routine is very much needed. The trip allowed me to evaluate my situation and goals from a less stress-reactive position.

Firstly, the job needs to go. Despite having made the decision out of shear frustration, it is the right choice. I just wish I could quit now and take a month off. The wife won’t allow it at a time like this. Understandable.

Second, I’ve turned this site into something too personal. I wanted to keep the blog very much about the technology and managerial trends exemplified by work experiences. I wanted to document what I learned and how I went about performing my job. Along the way I could reevaluate what I said, learn from criticism and others experiences, and grow. For this to happen I would have liked to work on project after project. Unfortunately the work environment has left me lacking in this regard, and therefore I feel the blog has not lived up to what I had hoped it would be.

So where do I go from here? I’m not sure. I don’t know where I was going with this post. I had hoped I’d find some resolution, some direction, by the end of this paragraph.

Nope. Nothing.

Spooky Spooky! IE7 is Coming! Spooky Spooky!

31 October 2006
By admin in Uncategorized

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Tomorrow is Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) day (info). Microsoft is planning to roll it out through automatic updates. Ooohh, Microsoft! Why must you induce IBS (info)?

I did rant some time ago about how I thought auto updates were such a great thing (post) for small companies like mine with no update protocol in place. I still think it is except in times like these. So I finally focused on WSUS and planned everything to be ready by today. Nope, not happening.

1) The settings in group policy that allow changes to workstation update schedules and update site redirection just would not take effect. The parts I setup previously work fine, like the remote printer installation and drive mapping login script, but the workstations don’t receive the changes to the auto update settings. I always have some quirky issue with group policies.

2) WSUS won’t recognize any of the computers on the domain.

I haven’t had enough time to research these issues but attempting to beat tomorrows deadline left me little choice but to go to each computer and manually change all the update settings to notify. As a simple fix, a friend suggested I could have blocked Microsoft’s update sites altogether through the firewall, but there’s some issue with the Sonicwall (site) and licenses. I always thought blocking websites was a basic part of firewalls. Unless I’ve missed something, it can’t be done without the license. I miss the Fortinet (site) firewalls I used to use at the adoption agency.

IE7 seems quite harmless overall. I’ve noticed no problems and it seems to have a few nice influences from other browsers. The PC I’m testing on continues to behave normally, however, I’m certain the new interface will trouble many users initially. I’ll release IE7 to staff eventually. It’s just not that critical for all this fuss.

Wow!

31 October 2006
By admin in Uncategorized

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The well-wishes have been very uplifting. But I was not expecting the job listings, offers to pass around my resume, and contacts. I’m stunned and grateful and planning on making the best use of all your help. Thank you, everyone!

It struck me that while my blog is a tremendous resource for making contacts in the non-profit tech community, my need to remain anonymous limits me from using the site to its fullest potential. Despite my disappointment in my current employer, I cannot reveal the company in any way because I have discussed too many details. It would simply be inappropriate. And frankly, the disappointment is with one person, certainly not the entire organization, which I feel continues to do wonderful work for its cause and I don’t want to hinder that in any way.

While the resumes have already begun going out, I will continue working to improve this company’s infrastructure as much as I can; as much as time allows.

Thanks again, everyone.

Wasting My Time

30 October 2006
By admin in Uncategorized

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Boss being how he is, no one actually wants to talk to him if it can be helped. As a result I’ve worked independently for a while, with little or no information exchange between him and me. Boss has decided he does not like this vacuum and so today was the first of ongoing weekly meetings reviewing what I accomplished last week and outlining what I intend to do this week.

Immediately we got into an argument over Kintera. He had repeatedly told me that staff’s dislike of Kintera was due to their inability to use the tool. Ignoring the obvious questions about training, I gave him my opinion as an IT professional who actually has gone to Kintera training (post).

His usual threatening and belittling prattle ensued regarding any research on my part for alternatives to Kintera. Some time ago he had ordered me not to pursue such research but today I purposely informed him that I have done so on my own time. My aim at this point was to escalate this argument. Stress and frustration shouldn’t only flow one way.

Now I was wasting his time and was told I should not be doing this on my time either. All this amused me for several reasons.

1) He never uses Kintera so how he disregards anyone’s opinion is beyond me.

2) He made one of his minions delete several thousand records at 100 records at a time (yes, that’s right!). Kintera doesn’t allow more than that through their web-interface. However if Kintera ever gets back to you, they can do it with one push of the delete key. Somehow my seeking alternatives to a bad situation was a waste of time but deleting several thousand records, 100 at a time because the company refuses to get back to you, is efficiency.

3) He now presumes he has control over my personal life. I love it!

I’ve never behaved this way at work. Then again, I’ve never been treated this way at a job. I’ve worked for multi-millionaires with their own startups; Yale, Harvard, and Wharton graduates; IT engineers leagues over my abilities; even government bureaucrats, and no one has ever threatened, insulted, belittled, or disrespected me like boss has. This nobody has done it all.

The oddest thing: as a result of maintaining limited communication, people around him tend to fail often. When one fails he rewards with compassion. It’s almost as if success is threatening to him, preferring rather that those around him fail so his status as top dog maintains. Odd behavior for a CFO – for any manager, in fact.

I’m done with this. He’s right, I am wasting my time, but not because of what I do but in dealing with him. My resumes are going out tonight. I hope I can stick with non-profit but with twins on the way, I don’t have the flexibility I once did.

Wish me luck.