Wednesday, April 28, 2010

How Virtualization Is Killing Physical Media

The Flop of the Floppy Disk
How Virtualization Is Killing Physical Media


Sony just announced this week that they will discontinue the production of floppy disks as of March, 2011. Higher capacity storage mediums such as CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, and the ultra portable flash-drives that can hold gigabytes of information have led to the medium’s downfall.

I have to wonder though; will these other forms of media (for entertainment and data) become obsolete in the future?

Thanks to advances in technology, specifically virtualization, the need for tangible media has been drastically reduced.

Ten years ago, albums were purchased on compact disc, movies just started coming out on DVD (many of us still bought VHS in the early 2000s), and terms such as “Cloud Computing” and “On-Demand” didn’t even register in our vernacular.

Now, consumers can purchase their music digitally, movies can stream to televisions of the internet, and even applications can be run with a simple internet connection.

With the expansion of Cloud Computing Solutions, and more and more companies hopping on the cloud band wagon, is it any wonder that physical media is losing its prominence? The digital revolution has hit the entertainment industry and we are starting to see a trend within IT.

The biggest news of the past couple of weeks was Google’s announcement to launch a new and improved work-suite to rival Microsoft Office. Their upgraded Google Docs (vs. Microsoft Word), Google Spreadsheets, (vs. Microsoft Excel), and Google Presentations (vs. Microsoft PowerPoint) are all accessible on-demand via a web connection.

The trend of offering applications through the web versus running from a local machine is gaining speed at an alarming rate to keep up with advances in virtualization technology. With SaaS (Software As A Service) applications, users don’t have to download and install programs on their laptops/desktops, and don’t have to worry about downloading patches or updates.

For applications that aren’t offered in SaaS form, most software companies offer downloadable executable files when you purchase the program via their website. You don’t have to purchase CD-ROMs that will become obsolete when the newest release version hits the market.

Within the next few years, IT departments may rely solely on on-demand options rending most forms of physical media unnecessary and irrelevant.

Monday, April 12, 2010

NSK Inc Performs Compliance Assessment for Ziner & Murphy, PC

Boston-based IT consulting firm runs assessment of new Massachusetts law on data privacy compliance for CPA firm

Boston, MA, April 12, 2010 – NSK Inc, a leader in IT consulting for small to medium businesses, was contacted by Ziner & Murphy regarding their data storage needs. Ziner & Murphy, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firm in Stoneham, MA approached NSK about the new state regulations regarding data privacy. NSK Inc. was hired to perform a Massachusetts Personal Information Compliance Assessment (MPICA).

Changes in Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L.) Chapter 93H, with new regulations 201 CMR 17.00, now require companies that own, license, store, and/or maintain personal information about a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to establish minimum standards in guarding the data in both paper and digital records. MPICA is designed to scan a company’s server and system components, locate where personal information is stored, and check to see if the current systems settings are in compliance with the new regulations.

According to David Murphy, the firm learned of the new regulations through the Massachusetts Society of CPAs, and subsequently contacted NSK Inc. “We had worked with NSK in the past, and knew that they are a very knowledgeable and professional firm.” NSK Inc, already prepared for the new regulations, dispatched a technician to perform the assessment for the CPA firm.

An NSK Inc technician installs the MPICA software on a company’s server as well as any desktops or laptops used by office personnel. The software locates where personal information is stored and analyzes whether or not the data is protected according to government standards. MPICA checks password strength and change frequency, current antivirus protection, firewall settings, e-mail and ftp settings, and if the client’s computer systems are updating new releases on a regular basis. NSK Inc can then offer solutions to fix any vulnerabilities found in the system.

Murphy says that being a CPA firm “Our relationship with our clients is based on trust.” Having the MPICA performed, and the system upgraded “We have enhanced this trust with our clients.”

For more information about MPICA, please visit http://www.nskinc.com/it/201CMR17_mpica.html.


About NSK Inc
NSK Inc is a leader in information technology consulting, with a focus on IT management for SMB companies Headquartered in Boston, MA with an additional office in Palo Alto, CA, the company offers a wide array of IT services for business driven information challenges. They provide service and support for small and medium-sized businesses and groups working within large organizations. NSK Inc also creates custom software products for investment banks, equity management organizations, and other specialized industry areas. For more information, please visit http://www.nskinc.com.

Press Contact
For more information, please contact:

Cathie Briggette
NSK Inc.
(p) +1 617 303-0480
(e) cathie@nskinc.com
(w) http://www.nskinc.com