MRK Hostwindow, an Allentown based Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) and managed application provider, has donated 10 server systems to Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley (CACLV).  The systems will be used in general support of CACLV’s technology needs. 

“Sometimes a platform shift occurs that causes MRK Hostwindow to retire equipment before the end of its natural useful life.  Much of the time we can’t sell or donate the equipment because of data sensitivity concerns.  These particular servers were not used to maintain client or company data, so they can be safely re-designed  for CACLV.”  Says Richard Shadick, MRK’s President.  

Alan Jennings, Executive Director of CACLV, believes the donation “will help centralize and provide additional security for the organization’s networks.  Anything that improves our operation improves our ability to serve our community.  We thank MRK for its generosity in helping us make a difference in our community“.

Many MRK Hostwindow Managed Desktop users are also Mac users. The Mac platform offers the best of both worlds when used as a Managed Desktop connection client. On the one hand, Mac users have access to all the great applications they love, on the other hand, as Managed Desktop users, they seamlessly work with their corporate environment and applications that are hosted on an MRK Hostwindow Virtual Network. As an added benefit company administrators don’t have the worries regarding workstation viruses, trojans, or other malware, that are threats to PC based desktops.

One annoying fly in the ointment for Mac users has been a strange time zone problem with the Microsoft RDC connection client for Mac. Microsoft’s version of the RDP client for Mac is easier to install and use, and just looks better than open source solutions, but when connected, the time zone defaults to GMT no matter how the local time is set.

MRK’s technology department created a handy little application for Mac users dubbed “iTimeZone.” “iTimeZone” runs during login and adjusts the server session time to the time zone value established by the Mac user. After the initial configuration is set, the Mac / Managed Desktop user can simply forget about it, “iTimeZone” handles the chores.

Matt Helbing technology administrator and webmaster at the Association of Executive Search Consultants commented: “More and more of our users are switching to Macs as their everyday workstation. That makes my local admin job easier. iTimeZone is a nice alternative to configuring multiple workstations with custom
rdesktop installations.”

“iTimeZone” is only available for MRK Hostwindow Managed Desktop users.

In an article published by “Signal Connections” the official AFCEA E-Newsletter, Rita Boland explores the importance of Tele-Workers to continuity of operations. Among other ideas explored in the article is the notion that “… the use of telework to continue operations in many emergency scenarios is important, it could be the key to maintaining operations during specific emergencies such as a pandemic flu. During this type of crisis, “social distancing” may be mandatory to limit the spread of the disease. Therefore, remote working capabilities are necessary…”

The article provides interesting insight into why a remote infrastructure may make sense for many organizations. Of course the article is not in any way an endorsement of MRK Hostwindow’s Desktop as a Service offerings. However, the article’s focus supports the rationale that the Virtual Network approach championed by MRK Hostwindow solves everyday application delivery and data management needs, and prepares an organization for emergency operations.

Read the whole article here - it could be the most important ten minutes you spend today.

Is your company looking for ways to go “Green”? You can start by choosing the MRK Hostwindow Managed Desktop for applications and data management.

Through more efficient use of computing resources and empowering home workers and tele-commuters, you can reduce your company’s CO₂ contribution. Other environmental benefits include reducing toxic metals in the solid waste stream (less frequent workstation upgrades) and reducing the need for paperwork flow among collaborative teams.

Don’t forget about the other green, how about saving money at the same time? By virtualizing your company’s workforce, you not only reduce carbon emissions, you save on office space requirements, rent, utilities, and transportation costs.

How much savings are we really talking about?

Consider the impact of transitioning just ten employees to full time home workers. The savings for the organization fall straight to the bottom line, and for the employee, the savings are the equivalent of a $1,500 /year raise.

MRK Hostwindow announces our new Managed Desktop Operations Console or “MDOC”, Administrator’s application.

MRK Hostwindow now offers an administrative tool set for use by the company’s Desktop as a Service customers. Senior Management, Internal IT, or other customer authorized personnel will now be able to manage everyday user tasks directly. “The customers have been asking for the ability to manage basic account features, like group membership and passwords” said Michael Kincaid, MRK Operations Department Supervisor. “We teamed up with the Technology group at MRK to develop an exclusive MRK Hostwindow application to meet the customers’ needs”.

MRK Hostwindow has prepared this exclusive offering to ease routine tasks. Managed Desktop customers are still able to contact MRK technical support for their service requests; however, designated in-house users, for any customer, can assist colleagues and coworkers thereby reducing a step for many customer support processes.

MDOC securely permits account management tasks and distribution group management. A third module, currently in development, will provide user “shadowing” capability as well.

I read a statistic the other day that really surprised me. According to “cso online” only 13% of businesses provide a means for three fourths of their workforce to work from home¹. Now I know that the notion of a remote, distributed, knowledge worker, workforce has not really caught on yet, but I did not expect the numbers to be quite that small.

One of the major benefits offered by the MRK Hostwindow Managed Desktop is the one-two punch of improved day-to-day workforce flexibility, and compatibility with business continuity practices. By adopting the “Desktop As A Service” model for providing business applications to end users, MRK Hostwindow customers instantly add important elements to their organizations business continuity plan. The big BC issues- backup, remote access, and alternate operations locations, are all solved with the fully integrated MRK Managed Desktop.

When it comes to BC planning the first issue that comes to mind is natural or man made disaster. These are fast acting highly traumatic scenarios such as terrorist attacks, hurricanes, or earthquakes. They may have long lasting impacts on a community, but organizations expect to get back to their normal patterns of operations relatively quickly.

But what about a “slow burn” incident like a flu pandemic? How will organizations respond if health agencies recommend that the best way to avoid illness is to avoid public spaces? What is the impact on the psychology of workers that fear gathering in an office, or must remain home to care for sick family members? Considering a transition to Desktop as a Service is a sound business strategy that saves IT dollars and addresses some questions that may otherwise be ignored.

1. http://www.csoonline.com/csoresearch/report85.html [↩]

My Laptop died this morning, and that reminds me why I love the MRK Managed Desktop.

I am going to take a lot of grief for this at the office, you see, I am a Mac fan, actually almost an Apple addict; iPod’s, iPhone, MacBook, MacBooks for the kids, the whole nine yards. I am often overheard preaching about the superior design and quality of Apple products to all the staff at MRK. I also love UNIX, OS-X and any other *Nix operating system, it’s the “geek” in me. Nevertheless, I’m also a realist and the business applications that MRK uses, like those of most of our customers, are all Microsoft Windows applications.

Well today, my beloved MacBook crashed at about 7:30am while I was happily getting into the day’s email. I know the sound of a dead hard drive, the “tick, tick, click click- clunk, that gives away the heads pounding on motionless platters. I must confess to experiencing that gut wrenching panic in store for anyone whose digital life goes “poof.”

My distress was short lived, knowing that there was nothing on that dead Seagate that was critical to my professional or personal, digital existence. Every day, my MacBook serves two roles. It is at once my personal computer, and my gateway to all the Microsoft Windows applications used to manage MRK’s business. I spend the workday and most evenings logged in to my MRK Managed Desktop. All my business activity is safe and sound in the Managed Desktop and, practicing what I preach, I back up my most important personal information up from my laptop, to my Managed Desktop.

So, a ten-minute call to AppleCare and my new hard drive is on its way. I’ll install it in two days, setup that elegant operating system, install my favorite RDP client, and connect to my Managed Desktop to restore important files and data that I use locally on the MacBook.

For the record, I blame Seagate, not Apple, for the dead drive. I still love Apple products and OS-X, but I am also smugly satisfied that the first class Desktop as a Service environment MRK Hostwindow provides saved my neck with all my data, and makes it possible for me not to miss a beat when it comes to my business responsibilities. Technology sure is sweet!

Chip

MRK’s external auditors have released the 2007, SAS70 type II report. In the report, which covers the period through June 30, 2007, MRK achieved favorable ratings for all system controls required by the standards of the AICPA.

Coinciding with the SAS70 Type II report, MRK contracted an external security assessment and network penetration testing firm to test the company’s network security controls. Over the course of more than two weeks of penetration testing, the security auditing firm failed in all attempts to exploit known or unknown system vulnerabilities.MRK Hostwindow engages in an ongoing process of review and refinement, of policies and procedures, in order to continue providing superior Desktop As A Service solutions for remote application subscribers.

Recently ABC News¹ and the Financial Times² online editions have carried stories about the growing trend of techno-workers and “virtual companies” (company’s with no home office). The focus of these articles has been the emergence of remote access to corporate computing resources, and the boon to both productivity and lifestyle brought about by adopting new ways to use technology.

MRK Hostwindow’s Managed Desktop Hosting service has been offering superior remote access services and virtual offices for nearly a decade. We want to thank the thousands of users that have used our service over the years, for their faith in the bleeding edge of information technology management!

MRK has long believed that its “Desktop as a Service” (DAAS) model is the best way to provide professionally managed and secure information resources to the SMB marketplace. It looks like the business press is finally catching on!

1. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3521725&page=1 [↩]
2. http://cachef.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d4e599e-5989-11dc-aef5-0000779fd2ac.html [↩]

Musikfest is Here! From August 3rd until August 12th, the streets of Bethelehem, PA will be filled with music from around the world. This year, MRK Hostwindow is sponsoring the Performing Arts Series for this wonderful event.

The Performing Arts Series is being held at the Zoellner Arts Center on Lehigh University’s campus. It is a series of 6 concerts and includes the following artists: The Yellowjackets, Joan Osborne, Dark Star Orchestra, The Manhattan Transfer, The Yardbirds and Petula Clark.

We still have tickets available for The Yardbirds and Petula Clark for our customers and friends. Please contact MRK Hostwindow for information.