What to do During an Outage

From time to time, we experience Internet or phone outages that can affect one or more offices.  Most of the firm's offices have dual connections, one for Internet and a private circuit for phones.  If the Internet connection fails our router is supposed to automatically reroute traffic over the voice circuit.  This will be much slower than normal, but better than nothing.  Similarly, if the private circuit fails, voice traffic should be rerouted over the Internet.  This can lead to call quality issues, but better than no phones at all.

Yesterday, Philadelphia experienced a serious outage that took out both our Internet connection and the private circuit controlling our voice connections.  We are still trying to get to the bottom of exactly what happened to take out both connections.  This incident, however, prompted me to discuss what you can do to keep working in the event of an outage.

Phones

If the phones go down in your office, we have the ability to forward calls to your cell phone or any other working phone.  We have a setting for each phone called "call forwarding, not reachable."  This setting will only forward calls when your phone is not working.  It will not forward when your phone is busy or because you did not pick up.  If you have an alternate number you would like configured for this option, please contact the help desk.

Another option is iCore Communicator.  I discussed this feature in an earlier blog post.  Essentially, this is an app that can run on your laptop, tablet, or cell phone that allows you to make and receive calls as if you were using your office phone.  You can have this turned on even while your phone is working and have calls ring in both places.  Or, you can install it, and only turn it on when needed.

If an office's phones go down, we can also forward calls to another office.  For example, when Philadelphia went down yesterday, we forwarded calls for the main number to the receptionist in Mt. Laurel.  If there is ever an occasion due to outage or any other reason you think we need to forward a number, just contact the help desk.  We can make whatever forwarding changes are needed.

Email

Because our email system has been cloud based for several years now, you do not need to use VPN or connect to any particular office to access your email.  You can connect from anywhere, on virtually any device, as long as you have Internet access.

If you are going to be without Internet, there may be some options to consider ahead of time.  There is a Chrome App called Gmail Offline, which will store all of your emails on your local hard drive.  I also discussed this feature in an earlier blog post.  In the event of an Internet outage, you will have access to all of your mail. You can also draft new messages, though they cannot be sent until Internet access is restored. The offline feature can be used both in an emergency, or if you are simply taking your device somewhere without Internet, e.g an airplane.

If you use MS Outlook or another mail program, you can also store your Gmail messages locally on those programs for offline use.  I discussed use of Outlook with Gmail in another earlier blog post.

Matter Directory and Other Files

All matter directories are local to each office.  So an internet outage should not impact local access to files. Of course, if you are accessing from outside the office via VPN, or trying to connect to another office's MDIR, you may have problems in the event of an outage.  Again, the only option there would be to save copies of your most important files to your local hard drive ahead of time.

At present, most users are using the old Cisco VPN which requires a connection to Philadelphia.  We are beginning to use the new Fortinet VPN which, for most offices, allows a direct connection, meaning you can still connect to your local MDIR in a satellite office even if Philadelphia goes down.  More about that in a future blog post.

Time Entry

We have two options for time entry.  Unfortunately, both require active internet connections.  Webview requires a direct connection to the Webview server in Philadelphia.  If access to that server is cut off, such as yesterday when Philadelphia Internet was down, only people locally in Philadelphia would be able to access the server.

Using the other option, iTimekeep also requires an Internet connection, both between the user and iTimekeep, as well as between iTimekeep and Webview.  If either of these connections are broken, iTimekeep will not work. There is no offline options for time entry.  The older iTimekeep version 1 used to allow you to enter time but not finalize it when Webview was down.  However, version 2 is much more closely connected to Webview in order to provide real time feedback.  As a result, you cannot enter time when that connection is severed.

Research Home Page

Many people in satellite offices had problems accessing the Research Home Page yesterday when Philadelphia was down.  We have created a new page, which I discussed in an earlier blog post, that is available on the Internet, independent of Philadelphia.  Regardless of outages, I recommend using this new hope page at http://research.margolisedelstein.com anyway as the old page will be retired at some point in the near future.

Conclusion

We do our best to keep everything up and a running at all times.  But there will be occasions when services fail.  Preparing for them ahead of time can make you life much easier on such occasions.

Protecting Information on Your Smart Phone

Every year, we seem to become more dependent on our smart phones for work.  More importantly, more confidential client data, in the form of emails, documents, access to cloud storage, and other means of access are left on our phones.  As a result, securing that data is increasingly important.  I have addressed this issue in my blog once before but thought it worth addressing the issue once again.

The first thing you can do, if you have not already, is to secure your phone with a password.  This is the easiest and most obvious form of protection.  All modern iPhones and most Androids, including the Samsung Galaxy line, also have fingerprint scans for opening your phone.  I recommend setting up both.  With the fingerprint, you can access your phone almost as easily as a screen swipe.  The password provides a backup entry if the fingerprint does not work for some reason.

Beyond the hassle of accessing your phone, I can think of two reasons people avoid it.  One is that if a phone is lost, an honest person who finds it cannot return it.  In my earlier post, I explained how you could set up identifying information on your start screen, which a user can see without opening the phone. Another concern is forgetting one's password and getting locked out.  The IT Department already stores many of your work passwords.  We are also happy to store this password as well.  But to be clear, if you set or change a phone's password and do not tell us what it is, and then forget the password yourself, we have no way of accessing the phone.  You cannot even reset it.  You might as well throw it away and buy a new one at that point.

Beyond a password, make sure your device is encrypted.  Without encryption a professional may be able to access your phone's data drive even without a password.  By default, iPhones are encrypted as soon as you add a password.  Android users must go through another step in settings to encrypt data.

Typically, our phones are not stolen.  More commonly, we lose them.  One of the best things to do is ensure there is a way to locate your phone if you lose it.  By default, Android devices are set up so that you can use a locator online, as long as you have a valid Gmail account configured on the device.  Your work email will suffice for this purpose..  Here is a good article on locating and wiping your lost device.  The firm uses device management.  If your phone has been set up properly, we will have the ability to wipe email off your phone, or wipe the device entirely.

If you use an iPhone, you must set up an iCloud account prior to losing the phone.  Without this, we cannot locate the device for you.  We can, however, wipe the phone's contents even with out an iCloud account. With the account, you have the ability to search for your device and locate it on a map.  It greatly increases your chances of recovering your lost device.  If you do not already have an iCloud account set up for your iPhone, I strongly recommend that you do so.  I also recommend providing the iCloud password to the IT Department for safe keeping.  Otherwise, if you forget it, having the account will be useless to you.

An iCloud account also does more than simply locate your phone.  It serves as a backup device so that your pictures, files, and settings can be stored in the cloud.  If a phone is list, stolen, or damaged, your iCloud can be used to restore those files and settings on a new device.  It also comes in handy when upgrading your phone.  An iCloud account is free for up to 5 GB.  If you decide you need more space, you are on your own to pay for it.  Typically, iCloud accounts get filled by pictures.  You can download the pictures and store them elsewhere to save space (I recommend using Google Photos, which works with both iPhones and Androids, and offers free unlimited cloud storage of your photos).

Using Microsoft Outlook with Gmail

When the firm switched to Gmail several years ago, many lamented the loss of an actual mail client on your computer.  Gmail offers the ability to access mail via a web interface through most Internet Browsers (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.).  No software is needed.  That remains the recommended way to access your mail.

People using Apple or Android phones or tablets can access mail through those browsers, although the preferred method is to use the Gmail App, or the app that comes with the device.

There are some benefits to using an actual mail program on your Windows computer.  It reduces problems clicking on "mailto" links or opening certain types of files, such as EML, MSG, or PST.  These are all various formats used to store emails from other systems.  Having a program like Outlook on your computer also means your mail is available offline.  It also give you the option to organize, filter, and sort your mail in different ways.

Personally, I am not a big fan of mail clients.  It creates an extra point of failure.  Many find the clients more frustrating, cluttered, and confusing than the simple web interface.  If you frequently check mail away from your computer, you will end up being frustrated by a feature that exists in Outlook but not on the web, or one that is available on the web but not Outlook.  Sometimes, mail programs might also not sync properly, which could mean you thought you sent an email, only to find it sitting in your outbox days later having never been sent.  That can never happen with a web interface.

That said, many still prefer to use a program like Outlook.  Perhaps you use Outlook at home, or have used it with a previous employer.  While I am not recommending or encouraging its use, we will accommodate its use for those who wish to use it.

If you already have MS Office on your computer, you probably have Outlook already installed.  On some very old computers, we may not have installed Outlook because it interfered with the GroupWise client.  But since we got rid of GroupWise we have been installing all of MS Office, which includes Outlook.

To sync your Gmail account with Outlook, Google has created a simple sync file, which is a free download from here:

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync

If you download and run this program, you will be asked to enter your email address and password. You will also be asked to authorize Gmail to grant permission to Oulook to access your mail and other online data.  Once complete, the first time you open Outlook, it will sync with your online data.  If you have many gigabytes of data in Gmail, this process may take hours to complete.  You can work while it is syncing. Subsequent use will result in a much shorter update sync.

Google Apps sync will only work with business accounts.  If you want to use this with your personal free Gmail account, you are out of luck.  There are ways to manually sync an email client to Gmail, but the easy sync program is a feature for business users only.

Blocking Windows 10, Again

I know I have written on this topic before, but Microsoft has once again gotten more aggressive in forcing people to upgrade.  If you are using Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, Microsoft is trying to force you to permit an upgrade to Windows 10.

Last week, Microsoft began a new trick.  For some time, you may have been receiving pop up messages asking if you want to upgrade now or later (no option for never).  If you pick later, Microsoft scheduled a time and just upgraded without further input.  Many people had been using the X to close the Window without selecting either option.  Last week, Microsoft changed the menu so that closing with the X would result in the same thing as selecting "later."  I.e. Microsoft would upgrade you to 10 at some future time without asking anything further.

Blocking Upgrade Attempts

Some of our work computers are on a domain.  In those cases, you should not be getting pop ups about an upgrade.  Others are not on a domain.  If you are getting messages about upgrading to Windows 10 on your computer, you can run GWX Control Panel.  This program will allow you to disable all requests to upgrade to 10.

You can call the help desk for assistance if you need it.  The process only takes a few minutes.

You may also use this program on any home computer that you do not want to upgrade.  It will simply block any of Microsoft's "reminders" to upgrade your computer and will not allow the computer to upgrade on its own.  If you decide you want to upgrade at some later time, you can use the program to re-enable the prompts.

Rolling Back an Upgrade

If your computer has upgraded to 10 against your will, you have the ability to take it back.  Simply say "no" to the license agreement the first time your computer starts.  This will force Windows to go back to the earlier version.  Once rolled back, run the GWX Control Panel to prevent future upgrade attempts.

If you have upgraded to 10 against your will and have already signed in, you can still roll back for up to 30 days.  Click on the Start menu, select "settings" then "update and security" then "recovery".  Click the button to roll back to your earlier version and then wait for it to complete.  This may take quite a while.

After 30 days, Windows deletes the old backup files and you cannot go back.  At that point, you would need to use your old installation CDs that came with the computer to restore your computer to factory default settings.  This wipes out all programs or documents that have been added since you first purchased the computer.

Future Plans for Windows 10

The firm has no intention of moving to Windows 10 anytime soon.  Windows 10 does not really offer any new features we need.  Any upgrade carries the risk of some incompatibility with existing hardware or software.  Further, Windows 10 seems to have a great many privacy issues that we are still evaluating.

We may end up purchasing new computers with Windows 10 pre-installed in 2017, as Windows 7 may become unavailable at that time.

If you want to upgrade a home computer to Windows 10, it does seem to work with most of the firm's systems.  Microsoft says its free upgrade is ending in July.  After that time, you will have to pay to upgrade to Windows 10.  Keep in mind that the IT department cannot help you with any home computer problems that may arise as a result of an upgrade.

Secure Your Email With Two Step Verification

Occasionally hackers are able to take control of an email account at the firm.  Typically, the hacker will send emails to everyone in the user's address book, trying to get them to click on a link that will infect the user's computer or steal that user's password.  A hack also gives the hacker the ability to read and delete all of your existing emails.

Basic security requires that you should never share your passwords with anyone outside the IT Department.  Your password should ideally be at least eight characters, contain both letters and numbers (and other types of characters if you wish), and should not be the same thing you use on all your other accounts.  You should never enter your Gmail password on any site that asks for it outside of Google.  If a site looks suspicious and asks for such information, you can always check with the help desk for a second opinion.

Caution alone, however, may not be enough.  To better secure your Google data, you may want to try using Two Factor Authentication (2FA).  Google make 2FA available to all of our users.  We have not made it mandatory because it can result in some rather significant inconveniences.  If, however, you wish to add this extra level of protection, you may do so.

The 2FA protocol essentially blocks hackers from accessing your Gmail account or other Google features by requiring a second step beyond entering your password.  You can associate a telephone number with your Google Account.  After you enter your Google name and password, Google will call or text your phone with a second random six digit number.  You must then enter that number in order to access your Google account.  

Once you have done this on a computer, you can tell Google to trust that computer for 30 days, meaning you will not have to go through that second step every time, just once per month.  You will also need to set up a special App Password on any device you use, such as a phone, tablet, or third party software package that accesses your Google account.  The App Password is a long randomly generated password from Google, a unique one for each device you use, in order to access your Google account from that application.

This additional security makes it virtually impossible for a hacker attempting to log into your account from another location.  It does, however, make life more complicated for you, since it regularly requires you to take extra steps to verify that you really are you.

I have been using myself as a test case for 2FA on my own account.  I find it mildly annoying to go through the extra steps on occasion.  Every time I log in from a new computer, I need to have my phone handy for authentication.  That said, it has not been a major problem or impediment for me, and seems to work as advertised.

The important thing to remember if you turn on 2FA is that you will need your phone with you at all times in order to receive a text message with the random pin number.  If you are one of those people who does not view their cell phone as an appendage which never parts from them, then 2FA may become a real impediment to getting to your email.  If you are on the road and lose or forget your phone, you will not be able to check messages through some other place, such as a hotel computer.  Also, if you plan to use other programs to access your mail, such as Outlook, or the mail program that came with your iPhone or Android (something other than the Gmail App) you will need to go through a separate setup process for each of these applications.

If you find  yourself unable to get into your account after turning on 2FA, please note that the help desk will not be able to help you gain access to your messages, nor check  your messages for you. The IT Administrator will need to go through a more cumbersome process of turning of 2FA which is not an easy or immediate thing.

With all that said, if anyone is interested in turning on 2FA on your Google account, you may do so via this site:

https://www.google.com/landing/2step/

Using Gmail Categories

Many months ago, Gmail rolled out "categories" to the Gmail inbox.  I have not written about it sooner, because I did not particularly like it myself.  But some users have found it useful, so I thought I should discuss it further.

Categories tries to to organize your inbox better into up to five separate categories.  Instead of a single inbox, you will see up to five tabs at the top: Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums.  You do not have to select all five, but you don't have the ability to change the names or do much else to control them.

Once enabled, Google will decide on its own what incoming emails belong in which categories.  The idea is that less important email, e.g. stuff from vendors, newsletters, notifications from Facebook or Linkedin, will not clutter your inbox (which is the "primary" tab).  Instead, such items will go into one of the other tabs.  These are emails that you don't consider spam, but don't also consider a top priority.

I am not a fan of categories, primarily because I don't have much of any control over what Google considers important.  As a result, I just have to spend more time going through all five tabs rather than looking at everything in one place.  You do have the ability to create filters, i.e. rules that will force an incoming email into a particular tab.  They work pretty much the same as using filters to force mails into a particular label (i.e. folder) rather than going into your inbox.

Another limitation of the Categories is that if you use another program, say Outlook on your computer, or the built-in mail program on your iPhone or Android, then Categories will not work in those places.  All the stuff is dumped into your inbox.  Therefore, your Gmail inbox and the Gmail inbox on your phone may have different contents.

If, however, you get a great deal of automatic mail that is not quite spam but also is not as important as other things, you may find Categories useful.  You can set it up in Gmail simply by going into "settings" then "inbox".  Select the categories you want to use, and then save.  Gmail will take it from there, auto-sorting all the messages in your inbox.  If you decide you don't like it, just turn it off and everything returns to one inbox.

Office 365

The firm is planning to start a pilot group of users for Office 365.  The Pilot will likely last for about a month.  We are only looking at the component that uses MS Office, not the component that works with MS email.

For the pilot, we are looking for people who

1. are already experts in use of MS Office (at least MS Word and Excel, possibly Powerpoint)
2.  have a need to use MS Office for work when outside the office. 
3. tend to use their phones or tablets for a great deal of their work
4. are willing to experiment with the MS Office cloud platform, and
5. are willing to take the time to provide me with feedback about your experience.

Space is limited in the pilot trial, so I cannot guarantee everyone who wishes can participate.  If you don't make the pilot, you certainly can get access once we go live, assuming the pilot is successful.

If you are interested in participating in the firm's pilot project, please send me an email.  If you want to help your chances, you can feel free to explain why your input would be particularly valuable based on how you plan to use the system.

If you want to learn more about Office 365 for Business, check out Microsoft's web site.

Thanks,

Mike Troy