AssureTech LLC is pleased to announce the launch of the Washington Informer's new interactive website, at http://www.washingtoninformer.com. The dramatically redesigned site, created by AssureTech, embodies the paper's forward–thinking vision and commitment to the growing needs of its patrons. Based on extensive research with its subscribers and commercial partners, it offers:

• rich content provided by staff from across its extensive archive
• direct access to reference articles from almost every page
• streamlined searching and more intuitive navigation
• interactive exhibitions using multimedia and technology like Youtube

The site’s homepage welcomes visitors with bold new colors, a clean uncluttered design, and moving images with featured content centered on the paper’s mission to inspire dialogue, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities.

New Types of Content
The website will feature new types of digital content, inspired by the Washington Informer's collections and other resources. The first of these projects, a unique and interactive event calendar and many other features.

New Underlying Technology
A major aspect of the new site is the use of Joomla!, an open source software platform. Joomla! eliminates the dependency on commercial software vendors that provide rigid frameworks with little room for customization. Switching to an open source platform allows the AssureTech digital team to implement extensions for the Washington Informer's specific needs as well as share and benefit from innovations across the Joomla! community.

AssureTech LLC has been selected as the Network Lead for the O'Melveney and Myers IDF (Independent Distribution Frame) project. This prestigious Law Firm' Office spans 16 non-contiguous floors where AssureTech will be the lead in integrating that infrastructure's technology for production on another floor.

Allen Chapel AME Church has launched its new interactive website, at http://www.acamec.org. The dramatically redesigned site, created by AssureTech, embodies this historically rich church's forward–thinking vision and commitment to the growing needs of its patrons. Based on extensive research with its congregants and community partners, it offers:

• rich content provided by church staff from a wide array of resources
• direct access to reference articles from almost every page
• streamlined searching and more intuitive navigation
• interactive exhibitions using multimedia and technology

The site’s homepage welcomes visitors with bold new colors, a clean uncluttered design, and moving images with featured content centered on Allen's mission to inspire dialogue, advance the Gospel and strengthen our communities.

New Types of Content
The website will feature new types of digital content, inspired by Allen Chapel's collections and other resources. The first of these projects, a unique and interactive event calendar and many other features.

New Underlying Technology
A major aspect of the new site is the use of Joomla!, an open source software platform. Joomla! eliminates the dependency on commercial software vendors that provide rigid frameworks with little room for customization. Switching to an open source platform allows the AssureTech digital team to implement extensions for the Washington Informer's specific needs as well as share and benefit from innovations across the Joomla! community.

What are the key technology lessons that small and mid-sized businesses can learn from large enterprises?

Be proactive. Be prepared. Take security concerns seriously. Always watch for ways to cut costs.

That just might sum up the advice that enterprise-grade IT shops would give smaller businesses about how to avoid costly IT mistakes.

But what are some specific technology lessons that smaller fry can learn from the big fish? We asked the experts, and here’s a partial list:

Get an IT tuneup. Don’t wait until things go wrong with your systems to look under the hood. Have someone come in and do a vulnerability assessment to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and where your security risks are. “Proactive maintenance and support is something that the enterprises do and small businesses don’t,” notes Tim Brennan, founder and managing partner of Rockville, Md.-based SysArc, an IT support firm that counts many small businesses among its clients. A good assessment can cost as little as $1,000, and can save a business much more, notes Brennan.

Be prepared, even for a disaster. “Small businesses tend not to do much with disaster recovery,” notes Brennan. Storing your backup on-site, or never testing your backup system, is not going to protect you if there’s a fire, earthquake, or theft. There are many options, from low-cost online backup products like Mozy or Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3). “It’s all about the investment you want to put into it,” says Brennan. “But at very least, back up off-site.”

Multiprotocol label switching is an Internet protocol-based service that can tag and prioritize voice, video, and Internet traffic for your business. Let’s say you’re a mid-sized business with a number of locations. Do you juggle multiple networks and multiple phone numbers?  Are you afraid you’ll lose quality of service if you make a change? Maybe multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) is for you.

Taking time to prioritize your network security needs and understanding best practices to ward off threats is essential. For most IT managers, the approach involves both technology and employees.

The technology

There are several smart steps IT managers can take, say experts. These will minimize your network risks...