2009 Canadian Federal Budget & IT
January 30, 2009 – 1:33 pm | No Comment

One word…CCA.

OK technically it’s three words; Capital Cost Allowance, but that is beside the point. CCA’s have always been there, giving businesses the ability to write off a certain percentage of their assets due to depreciation.

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2009 Canadian Federal Budget & IT
January 30, 2009 – 1:33 pm | No Comment

canadabudget

One word…CCA.

OK technically it’s three words; Capital Cost Allowance, but that is beside the point. CCA’s have always been there, giving businesses the ability to write off a certain percentage of their assets due to depreciation. Now this makes sense as how like all things material, over time their value decreases, however up until now probably one of the most depreciable and biggest budget sinkholes of all businesses, the computer equipment, was only entitled to a measly 45% CCA rate. I say measly because the $1 500 computer you buy today will probably be worth less than $750 by the end of the year (if you could find someone to buy your used, coffee stained laptop that is).

So what does the 2009 Canadian Federal Budget have to do with any of this? Well starting January 27th, 2009 (the day the budget was released) until February 11th 2011, businesses are entitled to a 100% CCA rate! That’s right…100%! This means that all of the computer equipement that you buy within the next two years will be complete tax right-offs.

This also means however that you only have two years to bring your out-dated office up to speed before the tax-man tightens his grip….Time to get cracking…

Wireless hotspots and why they will bring you business
January 19, 2009 – 9:26 am | One Comment
Wireless hotspots and why they will bring you business

Right now is probably one the highest points in wireless Internet technology. What I mean by this is virtually everybody has a Wi-Fi enabled device, and this means that virtually everybody is itching to use their new toy to its full potential. With your mobile cell phones, smart phones, laptops, PDA’s and even MP3 players there is a good chance that no matter who you talk to on the street, they will probably have some kind of wireless enabled device.

Expanding your business’ horizons with SBS 2008
January 14, 2009 – 12:11 pm | No Comment
Expanding your business’ horizons with SBS 2008

With the recent release of Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 (known as SBS 2008) there is no better time than the present to think about upgrading your old, slow, who-knows-when-it’s-going-break-down, company server.

Built on the already solid core of Windows Server 2008 with Service Pack 1, SBS 2008 could not have been released without a more rock-solid foundation. To make the package even more tantalizing, Microsoft has also including the new Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition messaging and collaboration server which alone is the worth the upgrade to SBS 2008.

What is a VPN and why should you want one?
January 12, 2009 – 5:28 pm | No Comment
What is a VPN and why should you want one?

A VPN is a virtual private network. What does that mean? Well basically it means you can create a private network (or tunnel) between two different points, virtually, that is without the need to run physical wires. Now you are probably still wondering what that means, well…

32bit or 64bit Operating System…Why the choice?
January 5, 2009 – 10:28 am | 3 Comments
32bit or 64bit Operating System…Why the choice?

With all the hype around 64bit hardware and how it is going to change the world and make you 100% more efficient in everything you do, I get asked this question a lot: Why would I even consider a 32bit operating system? And rightly so, if you have hardware capable of supporting a 64bit operating system, why would you want to be running an archaic 32bit platform?

Introduction to Virtualization with VMware Server
March 26, 2008 – 3:03 pm | One Comment
Introduction to Virtualization with VMware Server

Virtualization in the computer world is probably one of the most up and coming technologies currently available. In my opinion it is the future (and in the opinion of *many* others), not just because it allows for easier manageability of servers and more recently, workstations; but because it helps contribute to our ever valiant efforts at saving the environment.

Maximizing Collaboration with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
March 17, 2008 – 12:49 pm | One Comment
Maximizing Collaboration with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

I am always amazed when I talk to clients who have on-site IT services and they have no idea what Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) is about, as a matter of fact I have yet to come across a client who even knows what WSS is!

Microsoft began including SharePoint with the R2 release of Windows Server 2003, then still in its infancy at version 2.0, this is the same version that is also currently included with all editions of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003.

Increasing Productivity with BlackBerry Professional Software Express
March 12, 2008 – 10:10 pm | One Comment
Increasing Productivity with BlackBerry Professional Software Express

I don’t know about you, but for me being connected is one of the most important aspects of working in any business, no matter how big, or how small. Unfortunately this constant state of connectivity comes with a hefty price tag. Not only is there the actual mobile device (which *MUST* be upgraded constantly), but then there is the monthly data service, and finally the software that connects everything together.