NSK Inc Receives Woman-Owned Business Certification

Massachusetts State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance recognizes Nancy Keddy as a woman business owner, opens doors for opportunities

Boston, MA, March 26, 2010 – NSK Inc, a leading IT Consulting Firm has just received the Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) certification from the State office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA). As a result, NSK Inc will be listed in both the SOMWBA Directory and in the Massachusetts Central Register. As a member, NSK Inc is now eligible to better compete for government contracts as well as garner better connections through the services available as a WBE certified business.

Nancy Keddy, a veteran of the Information Technology industry, is now recognized by the Massachusetts Government for her achievements as a female CEO. Keddy, founded NSK Inc in 1996 and the company has grown into a leading IT consulting firm for small to medium businesses in the Greater Boston Area. “Since I am a woman-owned IT Service company, I am a minority in this industry,” states Keddy. “Having the WBE certification opens up a window of opportunities that otherwise may not have been available to NSK Inc.”

NSK Inc’s broad range of services include:

• Backup Disaster Recovery
• Networking
• Project Management
• Hosting
• Managed Care
• Custom Application and Web Development

The SOMWBA provides resources and referral services for certified firms with opportunities at the federal, state, and municipal level as well as in the private sector. The agency also provides contracting, financial resources, and business membership and networking opportunities. NSK Inc can now take advantage of these benefits to build the company’s network outside of the Greater Boston Area as the agency works throughout the state of Massachusetts.

About SOMWBA
The State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance is an agency within the Massachusetts Department of Economic Development which promotes the development of certified minority business enterprises (MBE), women owned (WBE) business enterprises, and minority non-profit (M/NPO) and women (W/NPO) non-profit organizations. It does this by facilitating their participation in Massachusetts business and economic development opportunities. Specifically, SOMWBA offers services in certification, enforcement, business assistance and advocacy. For more information, please visit: http://www.somwba.state.ma.us.

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

NSK Inc IT Associate Receives CCENT Certification

For Immediate Release

NSK Inc IT Associate Receives CCENT Certification

Associate at Boston-based IT Consulting firm is now certified in small network implementation and management

Boston, MA, March 17, 2010 – One of NSK Inc’s IT Associates, Michael McGowan, recently announced that he has received the CCENT™ certification from Cisco®. CCENT, short for Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician, validates skills in installing and managing small enterprise network systems, and is a stepping stone towards the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA®) certification. McGowan’s new credentials demonstrate his knowledge and experience in data networks, IP addressing, wired and wireless networks, and network security in the small enterprise sector.

McGowan states “It took me about four months to prepare for the exam.” His efforts have paid off immensely. “Having a CCENT certification will help me provide better support with internet/networking, troubleshooting, and configurations for NSK and its clients.” Although time consuming, McGowan says, “The experience was totally worth it, as it is the largest industry-wide certification.” He will spend the next four months working towards his CCNA certification.

McGowan isn’t the only NSK member who is Cisco certified. Ben R. Howard, a Senior IT Associate, holds his CCNA certification. Howard says that “Having the CCNA Security certification ensures that NSK meets the standards set forth by Cisco to have an understanding not only of how to configure a range of Cisco products, but to recognize security issues and how to effectively configure and deploy the devices to address the issues.” NSK Inc is consistently expanding their knowledge base, and with two employees now Cisco certified the company can manage a multitude of network systems for their growing client base.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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 www.nskinc.com.

Press Contact

For more information, please contact:

Cathie Briggette

NSK Inc.

(p) +1 617 303-0480

(e) cathie@nskinc.com

NSK Inc Associate Getting CISSP Certified!

Ben. R Howard, a Senior IT Associate at NSK Inc recently took the CISSP Certification Exam and passed, placing him among roughly 64,000 other IT professionals in the world who have the certification.

The CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) is a highly prestigious certification that requires a massive amount of training and credentials in order to be considered to even take the exam.

CISSP candidates must have at least five years of experience in information security as well as experience with two of ten domains of security before they even apply. They then have to train and prepare for a sixty page exam that lasts for six-hours.

Those who pass receive the certification. A CISSP Certified Associate knows how to formally manage an all encompassing security program. The CISSP credential is a testament to the years of experience, knowledge, and competency of information systems, these personnel have achieved.

Howard hopes to broaden NSK’s ability to provide security services to its clients with his new certification. Having a CISSP Certified IT Associate, will only help NSK Inc move forward as a premier consulting firm in Boston.

NSK Inc Recognized For Sustainability Efforts

For Immediate Release

NSK INC RECOGNIZED FOR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

Boston based IT consulting firm gets rave reviews from Earthworm Inc. for their recycling and conservation efforts for 2009


Boston, MA, February 24, 2010 - NSK Inc, a leader in IT consulting for small to medium businesses, has been recognized by Earthworm Inc. for their recycling efforts over the course of the 2009 calendar year. Based in Somerville, MA, Earthworm Inc. specializes in recycling office waste materials and implementing corporate recycling programs. NSK Inc and Earthworm began a partnership in 2009 to increase the sustainability of NSK Inc’s Boston office.

Over the course of a year, NSK Inc completely revamped their recycling program and made numerous positive contributions to the environment. NSK Inc reduced their carbon footprint (the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization) by 1.79 metric tons. Almost two tons of carbon was saved from being released into the atmosphere through NSK’s green initiative, helping to reduce their carbon footprint and reducing environmental impact.

In addition to lowering carbon emissions, NSK Inc also saved 180 pounds of bottles and cans, roughly 2400 pounds of paper (the equivalent of 20 trees), and recycled 390 pounds of electronics equipment. According to Tim Lasonde, the President of NSK Inc, “Being green fits within NSK’s mission of helping companies use technology to grow their businesses so that they are more efficient and productive. If we can show success and savings within our own organization, we can also help others achieve similar goals.”

NSK Inc’s efforts towards an eco-friendly business don’t stop with the Earthworm partnership. Nancy Keddy, Founder and CEO of NSK Inc, believes that the efforts are an ongoing event. “We must always be improving our processes and considering their impact on the environment.” In addition to the Earthworm program, NSK is currently transitioning their billing system to be paperless. Keddy says, “We are forward thinkers, so recycling is a must.”

About Earthworm Inc.
Earthworm seeks to conserve natural resources by promoting the recycling of office waste materials. We promote recycling by operating both small and large scale commercial recycling programs, and by serving as an educational resource to the public. This combination of hands-on experience and environmentalism enables Earthworm to be a pioneer in offering sustainable, workplace recycling programs. For more information, please visit www.earthwormrecycling.org.

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 www.nskinc.com.

Press Contact

For more information about NSK Inc, please contact:

Cathie Briggette
NSK Inc.
(p) +1 617 303-0480
(e) cathie@nskinc.com

201 CMR 17 Compliance Timeline

Compliance for 201 CMR 17.00 is going to take a little time... We have written out a guideline for your timeline!

August

-Designate an Information Security Officer - You will need to designate at least 1 person at your place of business who will maintain the comprehensive information security program. Finding that person now will help get the rest of the items in line for when they need to be done.

September

Start Assessing Your Information:

-Identify the paper, electronic and other type records, including storage media, laptops and portable devices that contain personal information.**
-Check all anti-virus and security patches on all computer systems and servers -- make sure they are up to date.**

a. Check that you have reasonably up-to-date versions of
system security agent software (including malware
protection)**

-Identify what "personal information" moves around your business and out of your office including:**

a. healthcare/insurance information
b. benefits/401K information
c. Accounting/Tax information
d. Employment and Credit Applications
e. Checks and credit card information

-Identify persons who need to see the "personal information" and those who do not.
-Identify where encryption for personal information is needed.**
-Identify what third-party service providers your business may use that have access to personal information.
-Identify reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to paper and electronic records containing personal information.**
-Identify any systems that are connected to the internet and make sure the firewall protection for files containing personal information are up-to-date.**

October

-Purchase any hardware or software upgrades that are needed**
-Get control of user IDS and other identifiers**
-Come up with a reasonably secure method of assigning/selecting passwords for users**
-Start developing your WISP (Written Information Security Program)
-Make sure that your WISP is applicable to all records containing personal information about a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Make sure that you include:

-Administrative, technical and physical safeguards for Personal information protection
-Any identified and reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to paper and electronic records
-Regular and ongoing employee training, and procedures for monitoring employee compliance
-Disciplinary measures for violators
-Policies and procedures for when and how records containing personal information should be kept, accessed or transported off your business premises
-Processes for blocking terminated employees physical and electronic access to personal information, including deactivating their passwords and user names
-Steps taken to verify third party service providers access
-The length of time that you are storing records containing personal information.
-Specifically the manner in which physical access to personal information records is to be restricted
-Whether you are storing your records and data in locked facilities, storage areas or containers and the security measures taken to keep these areas secure
-Actions and documenting that is taken in connection with any breach of security

November

-Install all hardware and software upgrades**
-Test policies that have been written
-Start Training Employees on new policies
-Finalize WISP

December

-Finish Training Employees
-Send out WISP Policy to all employees and get signatures from all that they understand and will comply

January 1, 2010 and beyond

-Continue monitoring your systems and procedures**
-Continue providing training to new and existing employees
-Update policies as required
-Assure all computers and servers remain up-to-date with patches and anti-virus software**

** NSK Inc can help you with any of these tasks, just let us know.

Written by Cathie Briggette

Linux, Apache Platforms

Linux/Apache as a platform has been doing web-based networking, backed by large-scale community development, for a long time. The most mature SPAM filters , email handlers, RSS tools, web data-miners, and web automation tools are Linux/Apache based. For those tasks, that’s what we may recommend. These services or components can be integrated easily with Microsoft Exchange and other Microsoft servers and systems.

Are we talking about “Open Systems” or “Open Software”?

No. We’re really trying to discuss the important business move toward open architectures. Enterprise or service architecture is not related to “open systems” or “open software”. For open systems, think “UNIX-like systems which have been standardized”. For open software, think free Linux software, free licensing, and community development.

Is Linux more “open” for business software architectures?

No. What matters are your software applications, not your systems. Linux is important, however, because most of the web runs on Apache web servers running on Linux, and the internet (worldwide) and intranet (corporate) ARE vital to open architectures.

Written by Keith Mitchell, Senior Developer at NSKinc

Open Architecture and Services

Service oriented architecture is a design of business systems where applications which store, manipulate, or use data, provide a mechanism or service to other applications in the system, for getting at that same data.

An open architecture is a business system where applications “expose” what they do, and the data they use, to other applications or network services.

Web Services started a lot of things (moderately well). A web service is a web page that another computer can go to, to get information. It’s that simple. By the time web services were popular in certain functions (weather info, product vending by middleware and B2B, and stock quotes), they had been very standardized and defined. That standard was clumsy to implement and was sometimes too slow for the speed of business. Much work went into creating lightweight wrappers for the data which was given out by web services, so that they would be fast. SOAP is a very lightweight data container for web services data.

What’s good about SOAP and web services? Data wrapped in a SOAP wrapper can move like a text file across networks, through firewalls, from a Windows machine into a Linux machine into a Mac, and then into a library mainframe. Data can be easily taken from one database and added into another, or made into a report. This was revolutionary several years ago. Web services tell other computers what they do (what “service” they provide) and what data to expect. However, the expected explosion of computer-consumed data didn’t happen with web services, except in some e-commerce and distributed corporate environments.

Why not? New and better ways are always being created for software
systems to become more open. This is a very important benefit to corporate software customers because new functionality can be added inexpensively, Have you noticed how quickly RSS newsfeeds became widespread? Compared to SOAP web services, RSS is very fast and easy to work with. Similarly, AJAX, without any SOAP wrappers at all, has been used to replace web services. RSS and AJAX are not just “Web 2.0”. They could be referred to as “Web Services 2.0”, as well.

Written by Keith Mitchell, Senior Developer at NSKinc

Enterprise and Architecture: Scalable Software

"Scalable software doesn’t blink when you add 10 users, doesn’t slow when you add 200,000 records, and won’t crash when you request from NSK 20 more features than it is currently doing."

Sometimes, “enterprise” software is simply software that has enough features for a large business. Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise is feature-filled. An average developer, faced with the challenge of writing a complex application, may believe “enterprise” means complex. But to a good developer, “enterprise” simply means “scalable”. Software which scales, expands as it is required to do so.

Enterprise means that when you program good user security on a database in accounting, and then put a similar database in another department, the two will be able to talk to one another, while still using that good security (instead of, in spite of that security).

Enterprise means that “3/14/2008” means “March 14” in New York, yet won’t crash a server in London because there’s no third day of the 14th month. Truly Enterprise software requires very high quality architecture—it needs a careful design, which is documented, and which has been well considered. Software which is architected, or designed, to be scalable, has three very important features.

Scalable software can talk to other software easily. Scalable software can be expanded easily. And scalable software is faster than it needs to be, or as fast as is presently possible with technology. Almost all the big buzzwords in business technology have to do with scalability.

Written by Keith Mitchell, Senior Developer at NSKinc

Corporate Technology Buzzwords

Let’s examine some of today’s corporate technology buzzwords, to discover any
common principles for corporate software development. We’ll provide guidelines for investing in custom development of business tools.

To do this, we’ll take apart Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise Portals, Open Source and Open Architecture, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), and Web Services. We’ll clarify Web 2.0, XML, SOAP, AJAX, and SQL. We’ll see if Microsoft’s got anything new which may make our decisions easier. We’ll unravel .NET and the “Windows vs. Web” dilemma. We’ll briefly explain Apache, Perl, PHP, Python, and Ruby on Rails, and then we’ll talk about what has happened to Java, J2EE, and Oracle, and what is happening to tools such as Delphi and 4D.

Lastly, we’ll describe NSK's internal goals for long term software investment, and we’ll explain why our total cost of maintenance on a software application is low, only when our client’s total cost of ownership is low. We’ll show you how business buzzwords happen.

Written by Keith Mitchell, Senior Developer at NSKinc

Outsourced IT vs. In-House IT

At some point during the growth of your business, you may start to wonder if a different system would work in your favor. Right now is a time during which you may especially feel the need to budget more carefully. There are different areas in which you can cut costs in your business, and you might be considering your IT department as an appropriate department in which to do so. Many firms are downsizing their IT staff and looking to outsource to save money. Before you decide on one definite solution, let’s outline the differences.

Outsourced IT: When you outsource, you hire IT experts from an outside firm that typically tend to several different businesses. Depending on the IT firm, your relationship with your outsourced IT people can be very personal or impersonal. It is important to many businesses that they keep a close relationship with their outsourced IT specialists. This may mean that a single person or even two people are assigned to service your company so that there is a consistent knowledge of your IT history and problems. This is something you should probably consider as most important when evaluating your options. This way, during each new visit you don’t have to recap every IT problem you have had and what the status was during your last IT visit with a different person. Also, you get the convenience of having one person who has a broad spectrum of knowledge about all areas of IT.

In-House IT: Many businesses have several IT professionals in-house. For example, one person may be used for IT management, the other for systems engineering, and another for general support. The problem many businesses run into with this is each person might not be fully utilized for the amount they are paid in salary. You may actually use only a portion of each person’s skills, and only when something goes wrong. Also, some businesses that have a single IT person in-house may not get that broad spectrum of knowledge because it is hard to come by someone who is trained in all areas. On the other hand, you may be content with having IT people at the desk next to you as opposed to picking up the phone or logging into an online helpdesk.

Outsourced IT/In-House Combination: Some businesses prefer having both an IT professional staffed in-house and an outside IT team. This gives some businesses the comfort of having someone constantly on-site while having outside experts who are highly-skilled in many areas a phone call away.

Written by Melissa Cocks

Data Loss Prevention and Data Backup

It is not a good day at work for you when you realize you have lost an important document that you worked on for hours, or when you realize your hard drive has been completely wiped out. The importance of data backup may seem a bit repetitive at this point, but it does take more effort to replace the data once it is gone than it takes to back it up.

First off, you should have a backup schedule. You should also think about how you’re going to implement it. Will you hire someone to do continuous backup for you? Maybe you’ll just use backup tapes. Backup tapes may seem like a perfectly fine idea to you, but you need to keep in mind that if a disaster strikes on site, no electronic device will save your data unless it is in a remote location.

Continuous backup is a process by which your data is constantly backed up by frequent ‘snapshots.’ Remote backup is a process by which your data is maintained off site without having to manually transport your data. Manual transportation has proven time and again to be an unsafe measure. You may want to consider continuous remote data backup for your company to ensure the best security of your information.

Other measures to take include keeping your computers in cool, dry, areas that are free of dust. Use a generator – if there’s ever a power outage, you want your computer to stay on so that data doesn’t disappear because you didn’t get the chance to save it. In addition, antivirus software is essential for keeping your computer’s system healthy and decreasing your risk of losing data.

Written by Melissa Cocks

The Importance of Having a Business Continuity Plan

What would happen if your data was lost or you lost internet for the day? If a hurricane hit and your information was gone, would you be able to continue performing your everyday business tasks? If not, how long would it take to recover your business? These questions are overwhelming, but important to ask yourself when it comes to threats to your business.

Whether you are the CEO or the CIO of your company, it is important to acknowledge the value of having an established business continuity plan. It is difficult to believe that something drastic enough to disrupt your everyday business activities could take place, but it is often when we assume things could never happen to us that they do.

Many U.S. companies encounter computer system failures annually. A lot of these failures last for over a day, which can significantly affect profit and customer relationship management (CRM). Also, it has been found that many businesses do not have a plan in place in case a disaster was to occur. That being said, there could be an even greater impact if disaster struck because many businesses depend on each other to operate efficiently and profitably. The potential domino effect that businesses would experience in the worst case scenario would be devastating.

On a lighter note, let’s just say that your email server was down for a day for whatever the reason may be. You might say, “But we could use the phone.” That is true, but consider how heavily businesses depend on databases, and rightfully so. Using them is easier and faster than going through a Rolodex of contacts, and they organize every piece of information regarding a single contact. You are going to want to make sure you have a plan in place and also seek help from IT professionals or an IT team in order to lessen the impact of disruption.

Assessing how vulnerable you are to being impacted by disaster or data loss is an important step in planning for business continuity. Here are a couple of questions that may make you think about how important a continuity plan is to your specific business:

-What activities are most important to your business?
-Can you survive without them or do you have an alternative?
-How much of your business’ productivity depends on computers/databases/internet?

Chances are that you feel concerned if you have not already established a plan, which isn’t surprising since most of America’s businesses rely on computers. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you are prepared in the case of disruption:

-Identify important roles in your company (who plays a crucial role in everyday business? If a certain person in your company was to no longer be there, would you have a backup?) Include solutions in your plan.

-Identify places for equipment rental and back-up supplies

-Implement off-site data backup or seek IT support/IT consulting

-Map out an alternate location (where would you move offices to temporarily if needed?)

-Have this plan set in stone

Additionally, you need to be sure every employee is informed of the plan, so it would be a good idea to conduct information sessions or send out newsletters regarding the business continuity plan.

Written by Melissa Cocks

The Need for IT Support

by Art Gib

When you use anything electronic, whether it's one computer or a cell phone at home, or whether you are a businessman with a whole network of computers, chances are at one point or another you will need technical support. It doesn't matter if you live in Boston or LA, the need for technical (IT) support will probably come up.

Basically, IT support is available to people and companies who need help solving a technical problem with their electronic device. The companies who offer IT support don't usually offer training, rather they work with the customer or client until the problem has been solved. The IT guy is well trained to handle your electronic malfunctions, which is a good thing because most of us have very limited knowledge of the inner working of electronics. We rely on them, but we don't fully understand them; the IT guy does.

Now, for the stay at home mom in Boston or California, or wherever, it might be necessary to call technical support a couple of times a year, but the businessman may need the help much more frequently. Most companies that offer technological products have a support system that comes with it. For example, if you go through Qwest for the internet, you can call Qwest support to get the answers to your problems. But for a businessman, calling Qwest isn't the solution. You need an IT support team because having the right amount of help in your IT department can save you time and money. It also frees up the time for your IT employees to work on ways to help your business.

A good IT support company in Boston will help you reduce the management costs of your IT department, will be able to help you use technology more efficiently, help you with data storage and recovery, and, of course, support the IT managers of your company. IT support doesn't only mean solving a problem on your computer. It also means freeing up the time of your regular employees by doing necessary infrastructure changes without them. For example, software needs to be updated frequently, and the updates can take time. A good IT support company will do the updates and installations of the software for you.

Don't sell yourself short by not having a good IT support center. Your employees can work more efficiently, making better use of their time, if they have a decent support network behind them. Your business will feel the benefits of a good network.

NSK Inc. offers IT support in Boston and San Francisco.

Art Gib is a freelance writer.

IT: The Secret Weapon of Competitive Business

By Art Gib

Apr 9, 2009

Information Technology or IT as it has been aptly nicknamed is the culmination of every aspect of business that incorporates computers. Essentially IT cover the spectrum of business needs from data storage and backup to building and maintaining computer networks to providing hosting and web services to developing customized software solutions and providing help desk support for business. In today's competitive marketplace IT solutions are the lifeblood of industry that keep small, medium and large businesses in business.

IT support is among the fastest growing industries, with the advent of newer and faster technologies that are designed to exchange more data quickly and store extraordinary amounts of information the need for IT service providers has steadily increased over the past decade. There are now in the United States over 1.6 million people working in the IT industry. Projections for employment growth are between 18 and 26 percent for all IT related employment by 2014.

With customized solutions available and the growing need for qualified technicians the IT industry has expanded to service not just large corporations that house hundreds of employees and network the entire office together through a system of servers, firewalls, and exchange interfaces, but the small and mid sized business is also experiencing the need for IT solutions that handle any computer related quandary such as web hosting or spam filtering or even the scaled down networking of three or four computers into a single server so that interoffice information can easily be shared with each employee.

The question posed to the small and medium sized business is one of cost effectiveness in finding an IT service provider that can meet the growing needs of small business and offset the expense of hiring a staff IT specialist. Some business owners are under the impression that IT can be handled by an existing employee that services the companies limited IT needs in addition to their other duties.

This thought process may be detrimental to the small business owner as technological advances require continued training and experience with emerging technology that the layperson does not understand. It is one thing to connect a computer to the Internet, but quite another to effectively network and entire offices exchange server and data storage.

Selecting the right IT solutions provider shouldn't be a difficult or costly prospect. With a little research business owners can find an IT provider that has the knowledge and experience to effectively and efficiently enhance business performance, keeping both small and medium sized businesses competitive with larger corporations.

NSK Inc is an information technology consulting company offering IT support in Boston and IT support in San Francisco.

About the Author
Art Gib is a freelance writer.