There’s never been a better time to buy hardware

In 1965 Gordon Moore one of the co-founders of micro-processor manufacturer Intel forecast that computing power would double every 18 to 24 months for the foreseeable future. Whilst recent research has shown this to be not quite true, the increase has still been pretty dramatic in the forty odd years since.

Normally, increases in power like this are accompanied by corresponding price hikes but advances in manufacturing and greater competition have stopped this from happening. Although the processor (the power of which Moore was referring to) is only one part of a typical computer, the other components – memory, disks, screen etc – have also followed the same price/power trajectory.

Reduced costs and increased lifespan for hardware

There are still exceptions to this rule for the more designer items like the iPad and other tablets. Here higher cost is caused by the sleekness and styling of the device, but the computing power is significantly less than a similar priced PC or laptop.

But generally, what this means to the average business is good news in that high-specification workstations and servers now represent excellent value for money. For example, it is now possible to buy a high-specification server and 10 new desktop PCs for £5,000, a price which would have been unthinkable a few years ago.

When you also consider that the reliability of the devices has also increased, leading to a longer life of at least 3 years, this works down to a cost per user of something like £3 to £4 a week for the entire network. In the current economic climate a very important and compelling factor.

Check the warranty

When buying any new PC or server it is important to look closely at the warranty offered by the manufacturer. This is especially so on older equipment, as if something does eventually go wrong the cost to replace parts can be very expensive. If it is not covered by a warranty it may actually be cheaper to throw the whole unit away and buy a new one.

JDM use only the best quality hardware in all our installations, coupled with our guarantee of providing the best price on everything we install, there has never been a better time to replace your ageing hardware and improve your productivity and profitability.

Cloud Computing – What it means for your business

‘Cloud’ is a word you hear everywhere, but what does ‘Cloud Computing’ actually mean and what does it mean for you?

Simply put, cloud computing allows for services to be delivered in real time over the internet, either free or on a subscription basis. An example would be LOVEFiLM where you pay a monthly subscription fee to download and watch movies straight away.

For businesses, cloud services could  translate into cost savings. All the expenses associated with having your own equipment, software licensing and disaster recovery solutions are replaced with a single monthly fee and the cost of desktop pc, laptop or even a tablet for access. This means that your capital expenditure is greatly reduced, and you have predictable monthly expenses.

Furthermore, cloud services mean that you can grow, add or remove services or change locations almost instantly, allowing your business a greater sense of agility.

 In Cloud-based computing, there’s no software to download, and you can even store your documents online. Everything happens in the Cloud, via your web browser.

If you are starting out and would like to know more about how cloud services can benefit you, we would be happy to guide you through what is available. For example, we can set up a base package for you that includes a user desktop experience (this means that when you login to the portal via the internet, it would simply appear as if you had logged onto your own work pc and were accessing your desktop) with access to email and shared network drives, starting from forty pounds per user per month.

Speak to us today to find out more.

The market is flooded with businesses offering to give you the best deals for supporting your business; but if you are a new business starting out do you know who really has your business’s best interests at heart?

In essence, your IT support partner should feel like an extension of your own team, providing you with seamless support and access to advanced technical expertise.

Here are three top tips for finding a partner that will provide you with the service you really need:

1. Industry Accredited Partnerships: Any reputable IT service provider will have strong partnerships in place with leading technology providers such as Microsoft and HP. There is simply no way for them to provide you with the latest technology through reputable channels without these.
2. Testimonials: Existing customers are your best source of information. They can provide you with unbiased viewpoints regarding the partner’s core skills and services levels, helping you to gain insight into what sort of service you could expect. A company should be able to produce a list of these on demand.
3. Clear cost structures: Many companies balk at laying out their support cost structures, and have many hidden ‘add-on’ costs that ramp up your bills extensively. If your prospective company is not willing to provide both their support cost structure and terms and conditions upon request then you should be very cautious.

Although it may seem daunting, these tips are pretty much industry norms so it is just a matter of having detailed conversations with your prospective partners, and evaluating the information they give you. You can also request a ‘opt out’ clause after the first few months in case they are not delivering the level of service you expected.

If you have some questions about business support, or just want some general advice, feel free to give us a call.

Servers – your business must haves

In today’s economic climate, it’s more important than ever to have the right technology at the heart of your business. Your business applications such as email, your system security, even your ability to enable employees to work from home and access the information that they need can all impact your productivity and profitability.

A server is the driving force behind all of these, and therefore forms the technological foundation of your business. Having your own Windows Small Business 2008 Server helps you maximise your business potential and grow at your own pace. If something fails or needs to be recovered, you have direct control over the most important elements of your business and can make changes whenever you need to.

As a server solution for smaller businesses, we recommend the Small Business Server 2008 range from Microsoft. We feel that the range offers you the right combination of capability and adaptability, backed by Microsoft’s reputation in the field.

By leveraging the abilities of the 2008 range, you can create a secure platform for supporting your business applications such as Internet, email, mobile device support and data back up and recovery options, giving you reliable access to your information and applications when you need them most.  We can help you to configure the server to provide performance to the areas where you need it most, helping to improve the speed and responsiveness of your business.

Speak to us today about how we can put together a bespoke server solution for your business.

This blog will have a dual purpose. The first being to keep customers and potential customers informed as to what we are currently up to and the second is to provide practical and helpful information to our customers from an IT standpoint.

Get Cracking

Some of this information may include items about  free software that you can use or tips and tricks on how to use software such as  MS Office.  Other helpful information may include warnings about viruses or Malware.  You are more than welcome to post questions which we will endeavour to answer for you. 

JDM Computing are committed to providing you with quality and Professional IT support and cost effective prices for your business.  Throughout the blog you we see links to fantastic value offers which you may want to take advantage of.

JDM has recently won the IT contract to support The Finley group based in Stockport.  The IT infrastructure is critical to Finley as the engineers’ need to have mobile email on the move. JDM computing has been able to resolve all their remote communications issues as well providing additional services via Iphones.  JDM Computing have also implemented a robust backup procedure to ensure the data is now both secure and backed up correctly.