Directrix Computer Solutions: FAQs

FAQs

Below are a few Frequently Asked Questions about Virtual Machines.

Please read through these answers, but know that we welcome inquires about this new way of handling your company’s IT services. So, please feel free to contact us either by pressing on the blue button to the left, or by clicking here.

It is very possible that you have heard the words Virtual Machines, or Cloud Computing, being mentioned by people you know. But, what is Cloud Computing? What are Virtual Machines? And how will it affect the way that you currently use your computer?

At Directrix Computer Solutions, we strive to answer these questions for each of our customers, and to help them make the best choice for them and for their company. The next few posts are some of the main benefits to going virtual; but first, let us briefly clear up any “fog” that may surround these concepts in your mind.

To clear up this fog, we must first understand that Virtual Machines and Cloud Computing are one in the same. Very similar to stating PCs and desktop computing are one in the same.

The word computing is a verb that means to use a computer to process data. A more simple explanation is computing is the act of doing work on a computer.

So desktop computing would be doing work on a desktop computer or a “PC and/or Mac”, and cloud computing would be doing work on a cloud computer.

What is a cloud computer?

As stated previously, a cloud computer is a virtual machine. And a virtual machine is your desktop (Operating System, Applications, Data, etc) all on a server accessible via the Internet.

Now, at this point I may have already lost you. And my apologies on that. With all new forms of ideas, it usually takes about three different ways of explaining before our minds can wrap itself around the concept.

A Picture says a thousand words

Here you can see that the traditional way of computing was to have a computer that you did all of your work on. Now, the future is here and with Cloud Computing, you can access your Virtual Machine with any number of devices ranging from laptops, desktops all the way to even your cell phone.

A LOGIC problem to explain this concept.

Desktop Computer = Mac and/or PC
Desktop Computing = Doing work on a Desktop Computer

Virtual Machine = Cloud Computer
Cloud Computing = Doing work on a Virtual Machine

Or a reminiscent of the SATs in High School:

As Desktop Computer is to Mac and/or PC, so is Virtual Machine is to Cloud Computer. And as Desktop Computing is to Doing work on a Desktop Computer, so is Cloud Computing is to doing work on a Virtual Machine.

Simplified version: To explain this concept.

Before, you would have your laptop or desktop contain all of your programs like QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, and the like. And if your computer crashed, all of your data would be lost. Now, Virtual Machines put all of your data and programs on a server which you access via the Internet. This allows you to be able to access all of your information and programs on any computer, no matter where you are. And all of your data is constantly backed up so that you never experience any downtime. If your traditional computer crashed, you would need to buy a new computer, reinstall all of your programs and download all of your documents that you made a backup copy of 2 years ago, (or maybe last week if you were lucky). Now, if your operating system crashes on a Virtual Machine you call us and a few seconds later, your Virtual Machine is back up and running, all of your programs already installed, and all of your documents the way they were before your system crashed. Your downtime went from a few days or a week to a few minutes.

If you would like to know more, keep reading our posts, or contact us. We would love to hear from you.

Christopher Warrington
Vice President of Communications and Marketing
Directrix Computer Solutions
cwarrington@directrixsolutions.com

Everyone, Small to large businesses. The larger the business the more Time savings and money savings that is seen. Who can’t benefit from less IT headaches and more time to focus on their company? So lets say who this is not good for. Virtualization is not good for people that wish to do video, photo or Audio editing on the server. This is not to say that they can’t use it. Maybe do their editing on their local machine and backup to an external hard drive, but run the rest of their company. all their invoicing, customer data, Office docs, etc, on the VM.

A few of the industries we have worked with who saw a great saving are CPAs, landscapers, lawyers, doctors and architects. Click on the link below to see how we have helped professionals in those fields.

CPAs

Landscaping

Law

Doctor’s Offices

Architecture

It use to be that your local hardware needed to run your Operating System, all your applications, and store all of your documents. And, if your computer was getting sluggish, you would need to upgrade your computer hardware with more RAM, HD space, or processor speed. And if that still wasn’t enough then you would need to upgrade the entire computer. Plus, you would need to do this every few years.

Virtualization is separating your Software from your Hardware. So now what you see in front of you is just a terminal, or a window that you look through to see server. All that your local machine does is display a picture. so, you can use the computer that has taken up shop in your garage at home and get more speed and performance than that $2000 computer you have been trying to work into your budget. Our server provides you with higher performance than the top of the line consumer products currently on the market. And, now that your operating System and Documents are separated so if something does happen, your “Big Work Project” will still be there when your system is recovered.

Yes, through the use of virtualization and cloud computing, you will save money because your system will be more accessible with lower downtime and less time wasted upgrading your systems. You will experience a decrease in loss of customers due to ineffeciency or IT troubles, and less IT costs to fix problems that do arise. You will experience the benefits of a server without having to pay for them, thus buy time in your work day. And if you have servers, you will have fewer servers to maintain if any at all. We watch your bottom line by allowing you to pay for what you use and allowing you to share the space, which makes you more profitable.

With all the benefits of Virtualization, the possibility that switch to “The Cloud” will solve a problem that you currently face, is pretty high. Here is a list of basic problems that will be solved by going Virtual.

Not being able to access my computer anywhere but my office.
Computer Crashes, Viruses, Hard Drive Failures, etc. etc. etc.
Loss of Backups or a pain in daily data backups.
Keeping your Computer always up-to-date with the latest OS software and Protection
Sleepless nights due to IT related worries.
Virus, Trojan, and Hacker Protection
Road Warrior blues
Safer from Data Theft due to Machine Theft.
Trying to get the Macs and PCs of the office working together.
Telecommuting headaches.

Now, you may have some questions about security. If all of your information and documents are on a server accessible via the Internet, can’t anyone hack into your files and get at your information? Maybe you are even thinking that all of your financial, and customer’s financial data, is more secure at home, than on the server. That is where our security measures excel. Unless someone knows your computer’s ID number (also known as the port number), your user name and your password, they can not gain access to your information. And when you access the information yourself, all of the data being sent to your computer is encrypted so that the information it contains is safe. Our security measures provide you with peace of mind and compliance with HIPPA standards.

It means that because our security measures meet and exceed HIPPA standards, you comply with the governments regulations on security when it comes to medical records and social security/financial records being kept online.

Yes, through the use of virtualization and cloud computing, you will experience lower downtimes, less time upgrading your systems, gain more productive hours in your work day, less frustration using outdated systems, quick phone calls to upgrade your systems or to answer questions, and no more time wasted running updates.

Extremely easy. When you log into your Virtual Machine (which you do just like starting any other program on your computer) your screen looks just like you are use to. Whether Windows XP or Windows 7, your Virtual Machine looks like and acts just like your traditional computer, only it responds much faster.

The five main benefits of Virtual Machines and Cloud Computing are: 1) High Accessibility 2) High Security 3) High Expandability 4) High Productivity and 5) High Profitability. To read more about these click here.

In general, with Virtual Machines, you can now access your data anywhere there is an Internet connection and on any device if it can access the Internet. Your data is secured and is HIPPA compliant. You can quickly and easily upgrade your machine with more memory, hard drive space and operating systems. And since you can continue to use the computer that you have (even if it is 10 years old), you save a lot of money on new equipment and IT costs; getting more power in a computer for a lot less money.

Typically any device or computer that has access to the internet will probably be able to access your Virtual Machine. Below is a list of devices that we have used, or know will be able to access your Virtual Machine. This list is by no means exhaustive as more and more developers are writing programs that have the ability to login using a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

Any PC or thin client running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Linux
Any Mac computer running OS X
The iPad
The iPhone both 3GS and 4
Any Android based phone
Any Blackberry based phone.