Disaster Recovery Journal

Abletek Explains the Right Way to Invest in Communications Technology Today
CROSBY, TX — Making the right investment decision is critical, especially in challenging economic times. It can mean life or death for any small to mid-sized business (SMB). This includes the manner of investing in new technology, because technology brings with it two embedded risks - obsolescence and unforeseen cost.  Technology is a depreciating asset and business 101 teaches us to never pay cash for a depreciating asset. Plus, there is an ongoing and unknown cost to technology after it is implemented within a company. Abletek understands these risks and has a unique solution known as the Current Technology Assurance Plan (C-TAP) to overcome them.
C-TAP is designed to increase an organization's profitability and give it a competitive advantage. This technology investment vehicle fixes the cost of technology by bundling together hardware, software, unlimited training and all of Abletek's professional services. It's a method of acquiring technology that gives businesses a brand new element of flexibility that is much needed in today's world.
        The biggest benefit of the C-TAP program is that businesses no longer face the frustration of paying cash for a depreciating asset. After purchase, it is only a matter of time before new technology becomes obsolete and this program has taken that into account.  Business owners have more control over their technology budget than ever before, because C-TAP allows businesses to add in new hardware, software, equipment, or installation without increasing monthly expense. In the traditional model, businesses do not have this flexibility. For example, if a business was stuck utilizing antiquated PCs and obsolete phone systems, the business owner would simply have to purchase all new equipment via a large capital expenditure. Under C-TAP, companies can add new computers, phones or other technology solutions, while keeping their monthly cost the same. Furthermore, Abletek waives any labor or installation fees that would normally be incurred.
"The growth of the C-TAP program is self-perpetuating," stated Bill Parker, President of Abletek. "It's a much simpler way of acquiring technology, and our customers love that. Businesses are continually evolving and infrastructure needs to shift with these changes in order to remain competitive. When our customers are able to get the technology they need without being 'nickeled and dimed' and we are able to earn our customers' business month after month, both parties win. We firmly believe that the best way to win our customers over is to enhance their productivity and increase their bottom-line profitability. By partnering with our customers, we see them succeed and that turns into a positive result for everyone."
ABOUT ABLETEK
Abletek is not your typical IT & communications company. We are a TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION PROVIDER and we care deeply about helping you maximize your productivity through effective Managed Services (MSP), IT, communications and related business technology solutions, and while a lot of companies may talk about increasing your productivity, Abletek actually delivers.
ABLETEK will remove the burden of managing your network and communications infrastructures by providing everything needed to  maintain your servers, workstations, laptops, Pocket PCs/PDA/Treo, Switches, Routers, Email, Printers, VoIP, SIP, Digital & Analog Communications systems and more.  Leverage our team of dedicated professionals and proven  technology  management  resources  to:  CONTROL & REDUCE YOUR COSTS.
For more information on Abletek, call (713) 455.1888 or visit www.abletek.com.

NEW YORK -- RFID Journal, Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI) and Enso Detego today introduced FiND-iT, a solution enabling users to associate passive UHF RFID tags with items, as well as create inventory lists and find those objects using an Android smartphone or tablet.

"This application is designed to meet the needs of small businesses with a small number of items they want to track," said Mark Roberti, RFID Journal's founder and editor. "Larger companies can also purchase it as a starter kit. If they find that the application meets their needs, they can purchase additional readers and upgrade to Enso Detego's Surveyor EXPRESS enterprise application."

The FiND-iT kit includes one MTI RFID ME USB dongle reader, one MINI ME reader for Android hosts, a USB 18-inch extension cable, a USB OTG adapter cable, and 50 pre-encoded and serialized EPC Gen 2 RFID label tags. Users can download the Android software via Google Play, and the PC application at www.enso-detego.com/en/rfid-products/starter-tools/find-it.html.

The application allows a user to apply a label to a non-metallic object, such as an etching in an art gallery or files in a doctor's office. When the tag is presented to a PC running FiND-iT and equipped with a USB dongle reader, the user can then enter information about that object. The inventory list, created by associating tags with objects, can be synched with the software on the phone or tablet. The MINI ME reader can then be attached to any device capable of supporting Android hosts, and the phone or tablet can perform a shelf inventory count or locate an item.

"Our goal was to create an integrated solution that takes advantage of our phone and PC readers," said Darryn Prince, MTI's RFID business unit head. "This allows small businesses to manage inventory more efficiently, and larger companies to put an RFID reader in just about every worker's hands."

FiND-iT is based on Enso Detego's Surveyor software. "The important thing is that the phone and PC applications can be synched," said Alexander Gauby, Enso Detego's general manager. "This allows you to manage inventory on a PC, use the phone to read tags and export your data."

The FiND-iT solution will be demonstrated at the LIVE! 2013 conference and exhibition, being held from Apr. 30 to May 2, in Orlando, Fla. The demo will take place in booth 430, and the solution can be purchased at www.rfidjournal.com/store/RFID-findit.

About RFID Journal

RFID Journal is the leading source of news and information regarding RFID and its many business applications. Business executives and implementers depend on RFID Journal for up-to-the-minute RFID news, in-depth case studies, best practices, strategic insights and information about vendor solutions. This has made RFID Journal the most relied-upon and respected RFID information resource, serving the largest audience of RFID decision makers worldwide. For more information, visit www.rfidjournal.com.

About MTI

Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI) is a technology company specializing in wireless communication product development, manufacturing and global sales for more than 30 years. Based on its core competence in microwave and RF technologies, MTI has established a leading position in the fields of microwave radios, satellite ODUs and receivers, mobile base-station components, broadband wireless-access products and RFID readers. For more information, please visit www.mtigroup.com.

About Enso Detego.

Enso Detego GmbH is a leading provider of auto-ID and RFID products and solutions to the fashion and food and beverage Industries. The company offers solutions enabling customers to improve efficiency and security within supply chain, logistics and asset-tracking operations. Its detego software modules support standardized business processes in production, distribution, transportation and retail. For more information, visit www.enso-detego.com/en.html. FiND-iT is a result of cooperation between Enso Detego and Joanneum Research within the COMET K-project SeCoS. SeCoS is funded by BMVIT, BMWFJ, Styrian Business Promotion Agency and the Government of Styria. The COMET—Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies program is conducted by Austrian Research Promotion Agency.

LYNDHURST, N.J. -- Scarinci Hollenbeck is pleased to announce the formation of a new legal practice group as part of its ongoing strategic plan to integrate new legal specialties that address clients' changing legal needs – Cyber Security & Data Protection. The Cyber Security & Data Protection group, headed by Scarinci Hollenbeck partner and industry pioneer Fernando M. Pinguelo, expands the firm's Crisis Management offerings to effectively address client emergencies. "The experience and professionalism Fernando Pinguelo brings to this firm with this newly formed group continues our commitment to offer services that were previously only available to clients of boutique and larger national law firms," said Donald Scarinci, Managing Partner of the firm.

Cyber Crime is a dangerous aspect of the Internet Age and one that individuals, businesses, and government agencies must effectively counteract. Becoming the victim of a data security breach can leave companies open to costly ramifications and reputational damage. As technology advances, people and criminal enterprises find innovative ways to illegally access and use private and proprietary information. The cost of these attacks to the global economy is estimated to exceed $1.5 trillion.

Scarinci Hollenbeck recognizes the inherent risks that come with technological innovation and the Internet Age as a whole. Pinguelo and his interdisciplinary team of professionals assembled in creating the Cyber Security & Data Protection group will represent individuals, mid-sized businesses, large corporations, and government agencies in developing crisis management strategies by implementing data breach response programs and assist clients in understanding and complying with the web of international, national, state, and local laws and standards that regulate the collection, use, sharing, and protection of personal data.

The group works closely with business executives, in-house counsel, as well as HR and IT managers to develop strategies for managing business and legal issues relating to electronic data. The group focuses client attention on preventing claims and pursues strategies that enhance a client's ability to manage data-essential precautions because of the financial and public relations fallout that often result from high-profile data breaches.

"Our Cyber Security & Data Protection Group is prepared to assist clients with the coordination of criminal and civil responses following a data breach. Businesses have a responsibility to shareholders, employees, and customers to safeguard proprietary, confidential, and trade-secret information," explained Pinguelo. He continued, "Our local access to federal and state authorities and a global alliance of legal and technical professionals enable our team to address the most urgent of client needs."

More information about Fernando M. Pinguelo and the Cyber Security & Data Protection Group can be found at: http://www.scarincihollenbeck.com/attorneys/partners/fernando-m-pinguelo/

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced a cooperative effort with Premiere Networks and private sector broadcasters that will provide an alternative method for radio stations to receive emergency information during a national emergency.

FEMA has added Premiere Networks -- a nationally-syndicated audio network that reaches more than 190 million weekly listeners -- as a Primary Entry Point station, which delivers information and instructions to the public in an emergency when there is no commercial power.  As part of the cooperative effort, Premiere, would use its satellite program receivers in thousands of affiliate radio stations across the country as another tool for delivering national Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages.  The radio affiliates would in turn broadcast the emergency messages to the public within its network.

“This cooperative effort between FEMA and Premiere Networks is one of the latest initiatives to engage the private sector’s cooperation in raising community preparedness across the nation,” said Damon Penn, Assistant Administrator of FEMA’s National Continuity Program. “We count on the broadcasting industry to alert and warn the public through the standard broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) including AM, FM, and satellite radio, as well as broadcast, cable and satellite TV, if a national emergency occurs,” said Penn.

FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System or IPAWS permits national emergency alert messages to be delivered simultaneously through multiple communications devices.  While a presidential EAS message has never been activated, IPAWS provides the President with a way to address the American people within 10 minutes of a national emergency.  Other alerting authorities include State, local, territorial, and Tribal public safety officials designated to communicate alerts. 

For more information on FEMA programs, go to www.fema.gov/ipaws

The very word can strike fear into the heart of every in-house lawyer.  The costs can be astronomical and the price of mistakes can be fatal to a case.  What can you do to minimize risk?  As with many things in life, the keys are preparation and follow-through.  Particularly for companies that are regularly involved in litigation, in-house counsel and compliance personnel can reduce uncertainty by understanding their information systems and staying on top of technological changes.  When litigation is imminent or a government investigation strikes, companies with well-oiled processes will be in a better position to minimize costs and  reduce the risk of devastating sanctions resulting from spoliation or incomplete compliance.  While the details of the e-discovery process will be different for every company, attention to these five critical points will reduce the risks of a calamity with respect to electronically stored information (ESI).

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http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/top-five-compliance-risks-regarding-e-discovery/

Everyone has an opinion on the ‘cloud’ and its effect on business – some believe it is dark and scary and fraught with unnecessary risk, while others would argue it’s silver lined and the path to greater business performance and cost savings. The truth is that the cloud undeniably has the potential to open up a whole new dimension of opportunities to businesses – but only if data security is properly addressed.

First let’s dispel any misperceptions you might have about the cloud. It’s nothing mystical, nothing whimsical, - nothing to be afraid of. The reason many fear the cloud is its reputation as a dangerous, or ‘risky’, place. And that is true. Anything beyond the physical perimeter of the organisation is also, theoretically, beyond the physical protection of the organisation. And let’s face it, there are dangers and risks out there, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay behind a locked door. Instead, by arming yourself with the right security you can stay clear of danger and fully tap into the cloud’s potential.

Data shows that publicized hacks, cyberattacks and data breaches continue to increase, and the majority of attacks are from outsiders. According to Verizon's 2013 Data Breach Investigations Report, released in April, 92% of breaches in 2012 were attributed to outsiders, and 19% involved state-affiliated actors.

Regardless of the motives and the types of hackers or attackers, it behooves chief information security officers (CISOs) and security staff to take actions to better defend their data from these miscreants. Data theft has consequences for organizations: bad press, impact on reputation, devalued share prices and the costs of investigating the breach. Companies may also have to take legal action and make notifications to affected individuals if a breach involves personal data theft.

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http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/feature/Data-breach-protection-requires-new-barriers

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Collaboration Community website, www.fema.ideascale.com, is currently being used to assess stakeholders' opinions of possible changes to National Incident Management System (NIMS) doctrine.

FEMA's National Integration Center (NIC) is taking feedback and engagement in this way. The site lets visitors express approval or dislike of individual ideas; some are in the negative zone but a few have positive margins of 30 or even 50 "votes." One idea currently in positive territory is this: "FEMA should assist with the implementation Risk Management framework by assisting communities to develop a community specific Risk Register to assess future risks to the community and mitigation activities that can lower the risk score. This would NOT be a FEMA product (so not meant to be tracked as a deliverable with metrics assigned, etc.,) but a communications technique that can start with listening to the community of what they see as future risks and where FEMA can help identify mitigation resources that can help (grants, CRS, future conditions modeling, etc.,). The community would own this risk register in that FEMA is only interested in helping them apply this to become more resilient. However, it would be a good way for FEMA to measure action as a result of the Risk MAP program. The key concept here is to apply the Risk Management approach as a communications process rather than a part of production task."

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http://ohsonline.com/articles/2013/05/02/fema-getting-feedback-on-nims-update-ideas.aspx

At 11KBW’s information law seminar in May, one of the discussion topics was ‘the future of data protection’. Here are some further thoughts on some interesting trends and developments.

Progress at the EU level

A major issue on this front is of course progress on the draft EU Data Protection Regulation – on which see this blog post from the ICO’s David Smith for an overview of the issues currently attracting the most debate. While that negotiation process runs its course, the Article 29 Working Party continues to provide influential guidance for users and regulators on some of the thorniest data protection issues. Its most recent opinion addresses purpose limitation, i.e. the circumstances under which data obtained for one purpose can be put to another. A summary of its views is available here.

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http://www.panopticonblog.com/2013/04/29/data-protection-trends-possibilities-and-foi-disclosures/