Executive Review & Analysis:  The first step in any technology plan is an analysis of where you currently are, and where you want to go.  Advanced Computer Solutions will inventory your hardware systems, interview your employees, and meet with management to determine direction and focus.  From this information we will determine problem areas, current workflow (hardware, software, and wetware), and how the current state of technology can solve your problems and propel you into your desired future.  Advanced Computer Solutions will provide whatever documentation is required on our findings, and would be happy to provide an implementation plan.

Once your company's needs are identified, Advanced Computer Solutions will coordinate the purchasing of all required technology - from telephone lines, high speed internet connections, copiers, servers, workstations, to the mouse pad and static mat.

Advanced Computer Solutions is highly conscious of the cost of technology and the budget restraints of its clients.  Towards this end, Advanced Computer Solutions will make recommendations of purchases with an emphasis on the importance of each item in the scheme of the technology plan.

Advanced Computer Solutions stresses the concept of Total Cost of Ownership ("TCO") in all of its purchases.  TCO can be defined as the cost of a purchase over its useful lifetime, including up-front costs, repairs, installation/configuration, ease of administration, and future troubleshooting.  The total cost of a particular item is not limited to its purchase price.  Wherever possible, Advanced Computer Solutions will outline the estimated TCO of purchases for comparison and prioritization.

Workflow Analysis:  Our considerable experience in how different kinds of businesses run, allows us to analyze and advise you on workflow issues.  Workflow is the process by which work is performed in the office and includes the hardware and software that is being used as well as the non-technical flow of information (such as procedures, skills, and paper trails).

Advanced Computer Solutions will meet with the managers to determine a top down perspective of the workflow and then meet and interview the staff and inventory the hardware and software systems in place.  Our recommendations may include changes to procedures, training for the staff, or changes/additions to hardware and software systems.

The end result will be a workflow that benefits from the advantages inherent in hardware and software systems, as well as a smooth procedure that maximizes the time and efforts of your employees.

On Call CIO (Chief Information Officer):  One of the most frustrating aspects of working with technology is the individual expertise of everyone involved.  It is common for the hardware vendor to not understand or want to deal with the software being installed on the system.  It is common for the phone or copy vendor to not know how to integrate with your network.  The usual result is that you run around in circles with each person pointing their finger in a new direction for answers.

As your on call CIO, we take responsibility for getting the job done and answering the questions that need to be answered.  You will no longer need to wonder if something works with something else, or if two programs can talk to each other – all you will need to do is ask us to get the job done.  We will talk to all the parties involved, translate the arcane language into something useful, and advise management as to a proper course of action.  Once that action is authorized, we take responsibility on ensuring it comes off clean.

Being your On Call CIO is one of the most rewarding services we provide.

Network Security:  We focus on all aspects on Information Privacy, Data Protection and Security. This includes the development of Security Policies, adoption of practices such as Common Criteria and ISO17799, as well as the design of a secure computing infrastructure, and the testing and validation of this infrastructure.

Security Policy Development - We will help your company develop a security policy that is tailored to how you do business. All aspects can be covered, including physical, logical (computer based), and personnel security to give you as little, or as much security as you need.

Secure Computing Architecture - Our specialists can help you design and build the infrastructure to implement the requirements of your security policy. Whether it is a single firewall, or a fully secure and redundant corporate network, we will work with you to ensure that it is done right.

Penetration Testing - This is where we look at things from "The Other side". We will examine your network, your people, and your premises to evaluate the organization for hidden holes that would let an outsider in, or give a malicious insider the chance to plunder your company from within.

Security Evaluation - Also called a "mock audit" - we can help you with preparation for a security audit. Whether your goals are to validate your compliance with an internal or external standard or policy, or to examine your enterprise for areas which need improved security, our Evaluation service is there to help you reach your objectives.

Disaster Recovery - Vulnerability assessment:  Advanced Computer Solutions will review your facilities, computers and current contingency plans.  We will concentrate on the possibilities of Power Outage, Flood and Storm, Electrical Storm and Theft/Burglary.  We will review the current systems in place and recommend changes or additions based on the probabilities of those acts occurring in the future.

Disaster Plan Implementation:  Advanced Computer Solutions will meet with you to discuss our findings during the vulnerability assessment and based on our findings and your risk comfort level, we will implement various changes to your infrastructure that could include: Uninterrupted Power Supplies, Surge Suppression, Offsite Backup, physical security, on-site data redundancy.

Training:  Training is usually the most important part of an implementation plan - and the most ignored.  We all know that no technology can run by itself.  It needs human operators that can take advantage of its advances and efficiencies - or not.  Most implementation plans fail between the chair and the keyboard.

Advanced Computer Solutions will analyze the skills of your company's employees, identify problem areas, and either perform the training required, or outsource the training for you.   We will also stress - from the analysis on - the importance of letting your employees own the technology they will use on a daily basis.  This sense of "ownership" will come when the employee feels comfortable with the technology, its uses and capabilities, and their ability to manipulate it for their own needs.

Maintenance:  Just like your car needs to have its oil changed and periodic changing of belts and fluids, your office machines need to be maintained to prevent minor issues from turning into major ones.

Advanced Computer Solutions will setup a scheduled maintenance routine that should eliminate most periodic machine and operating system issues.  Maintenance will include a scan and defragmentation of each hard drive, antiviral and adware scans, updates of Office Suites and your Windows Operating System, and a backups of each System State.

Installation:  Advanced Computer Solutions's employees are highly skilled in the installation of a wide variety of computer systems and components.  Where our skill set does not match the installation requirements, we will contract the work out to skilled local professionals.  Examples of this might include: network cabling, phone cabling, and copier installation.

Advanced Computer Solutions seeks to be knowledgeable about all aspects of your technology needs.   Through this knowledge, installation of individual components can be coordinated into a unified whole - each part working with each other and the workflow it participates in.  Where current components fail to work with each other and your workflow, Advanced Computer Solutions will seek to re-install that component in a way that is harmonious with the entire system.

Configuration:  Once your company's technology infrastructure is in place, Advanced Computer Solutions will seek to configure the individual components in a way that maximizes their usefulness to you and your company.   Current technology will be configured to work with new technology, and both current and new technology will be configured towards the achievement of your Plan.

The configuration stage of technology implementation is usually the most administratively intense for our clients.  During this stage the individual aspects of each piece of technology needs to be coordinated with its partners.

Troubleshooting:   Hardware fails, and mistakes happen.  Advanced Computer Solutions will find the source of the current problem, provide whatever fix is available and take steps to ensure that the problem will not be repeated.

In most cases, troubleshooting is required when a company does not coordinate the analysis, purchasing, installation, configuration and training stages of their Technology Plan.  Each phase that does not work with the others creates opportunities for the Total Cost of Ownership of the Plan to skyrocket during the Troubleshooting phase.

The most effective form of troubleshooting is pro-active problem solving.  Advanced Computer Solutions stresses the integration of all aspects of the Implementation Plan.