Colin's IT Technology Blog

Currently logged into a computer in Zimbabwe doing remote support... They have a total clown doing their IT support who doesn't know what he is doing... Pretty easy to do what you need to do remotely and doesn't really make a difference if they are in London or indeed Zimbabwe... Global IT support is here! :-)

So, welcome to Office 2010... just downloaded and installed the 64bit beta... Outlook looks cool so far... will keep you posted on how well it works etc...

Well, that went well. Efficient and friendly engineer. I just hope it is reliable.. The speed is insane!! Speed test indicates 15MB download and 1.54MB upload... Who's your Daddy?? I will have to download something big to test the actual throughput but as long as everything is quick and snappy then I am happy...

Well, lets hope they actually turn up and I am really curious to find out just how quick it will be... Does anyone else use this service from Virgin?

Wow, I have found an awesome bit of software. It seems very similar to idisk but it works great. Essentially you download and install the software from www.dropbox.com - create an account - and setup your dropbox folder. You dump any files you want to share on your other computers into this folder and they get synced up to the Internet. You get 2GB for free or pay $9.99 a month for 50GB. Step two is to download the software on your next computer and put in your account details and you instantly have access to all the files and folders on your other computer via the dropbox folder. Now here is the winner!! Yes, there is an app for that! A quick download and put in account details and i have access to all my files from my iphone. So I go to a meeting and need to access a contract or config document and it is right there. Wow, this is serious... It is solutions that enable us to work better that i really love and this is one of them. True mobility... Thanks to MacWorld for givin

Desperatly trying to decide the best package to use moving forwards... Centrastage - good package and price but need additional funtionality Kaseya - very expensive but apparently the cream of the crop and now a new contender - http://www.manageengine.com - Still looking into but possibly expensive too... Good list of current customers...

Just ordered my 50MB broadband from Virgin... Lets hope it is awesome... Does anyone else run this service?

I will soon be setting up the web cam so that my pet tarrantula, Rose can be back online for all the world to see. I will post here again when i have completed the little task... It is a night vision camera so you can see her 24 x 7... Unless of course she is in her little house fast asleep... www.bitingspider.co.uk

OK, this is the future, check out this shopping website. To buy stuff, you simply drag it to the bar at the bottom of the page... This really rocks!! http://www.panic.com/goods

Well that is interesting.. even though I have correctly configured twitter to run on my blog, it comes up with some other arb stuff including some people swearing so I have decided to take it off... Erm... Google, something is broken...!!!

I am getting pretty excited and impatient for the new tablet to be released. I guess it will only be in 2010 now but I am sure it will be worth the wait... May have to wait for version 2 to come out as the first one launched usually has a few teething issues... Will you be getting one?

Currently at an FSB meeting in Solihul.. Good turn out... Pretty interesting... Ian ODonnell spoke to us about online marketing and website etc. All about using social media to boost your business profile... - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Launched my new website last night.. Feel free to give me any feedback please? Http://Www.colins-it.co.uk Thanks... - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wow, I'm impressed... Started off being unimpressed when I needed to format my MacBook pro in order to upgrade to snow leopard. So, backed everything up which took a while.. Then worked out how to format and install my bright and shiny new OS!! Going through initial config it asked if I wanted to restore from a time machine backup.. I thought, hell, why not, let's give it a go... And hey presto... All my settings, email, desktop wallpaper, files and apps are all back and working!! Wow.. That saved me some time and well chuffed.. Thanks Apple!! Can crack on with work and tasks now... - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Strtes developing my new website today... Should look really awesome. Will be flash based... I wonder if it will work on my phone? - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Currently at a b2b networking event in Birmingham Www.nb2bc.co.uk - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Seriously considering a solid state disk for my MacBook pro... - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Version 5 just came out! Think I'll need to cough up 50 bucks for it as I am only on version 2! And it seems to do the job so... - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Continuing to develop and update my website with content. In serious need if some graphic work which I will get round to soon!! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Just installed parallels on my MacBook pro. Sacked on windows xp. All works easy and straight forward. Pretty quick so far although slowly installing office 2007 at the moment. Still pretty impressive. May needto invest $50 for the upgrade to version 4 to boost performance even more.. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Anyone have any views on Snow Leopard? Think I am keen to buy very soon... * Built on a rock-solid, time-tested UNIX foundation, provides unparalleled stability * Improvements include a more responsive Finder, new look and features for Exposé and Stacks, quicker Time Machine backup, faster common tasks and installation, smaller install footprint to name a few * 64-bit computing, multicore-optimisation, OpenCL, QuickTime X and more * Mac OS X protects itself--and you--from viruses, malicious applications and other threats * Includes built-in support for the latest version of Microsoft Exchange Server, so you can use Mail, iCal and Address Book at home and at work

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

editing my last image... it has been a long two day slog.... then i have to add all the images to the website via dream-weaver... Just in time for the domain to be successfully transferred for havanaartcafe and then I will have to crack on with that one...

Gosh, time flies when you're having fun. Been doing lots of image editing which is quite hard work as you have to concentrate intensely for long periods. Have lots of web work on right now. Need to try get it out the way before other work kicks off.

well.. I have finished putting all the pictures together for stage one. Need to wait for the domain to transfer over before i do anything else so that i can ftp all the images over to the server. I am not sitting there putting them online one at a time thanks...

Done a bit more work on my own website. The frontpage looks a lot better i think... Watching snooker... Also modified some joomla settings so that it does not display the modified date etc.. Not sure if it is a good thing to have or not. Only if it changes often which is probably won't... .

Still designing the website for havanaartcafe.com except that it is the boring process of editing loads of images (of amazing paintings) to put on the site. Have finally made progress with transferring the domain over to my provider so hopefully will actually be able to design the site itself soon...

This is pretty funny... http://www.theiet.org/about/today/beware-monkeys.cfm .

Worked on my logo a bit more... I wonder if I am a perfectionist? Not that it is perfect but I am trying...

If you need help concentrating then do a Google search on pomodoro - it times you to work for 25 minutes and then gives you a break and so on. It is customisable as well. It is a actual technique but there are some little programs you can use to help you as well. .

Is this looking any better now?

Just discovered this online... Looks interesting... http://www.netxms.org/ No time to look into it further right now but maybe in the future...

Wow... playing around with google feedburner... It is very powerful and pretty awesome... www.feedburner.com

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Actually going quite well now that i have discovered and fixed the problem i was having. Check out my new log and let me know what you think... www.colins-it.co.uk It also includes a free support ticket facility. Pretty impressive considering it is free. Check this out www.colins-it.co.uk/support

More web designing in joomla this time.. Going well but quite complex.. Trying to change my logo :-/ More work to do... Have to get back to the Havana one first.. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Currently designing a website for havanaartcafe.com Only really done one page so far, being trying to unsuccessfully tranfer their domain over.. A frustrating exercise.. Www.colindurrant.co.uk/havanaartcafe/Alfredo.html - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Technical Skills - Microsoft Certified Professional - Microsoft Office, all versions - Microsoft Project - Exchange 2000 / 2003 / 2007 - Routers and modems - MS SQL Server 2000 / 2005 - Blackberry Enterprise Server installation and support - LAN / WAN / VPN - Dell OpenManage - PCI Compliance - ITIL - Windows scripting - Microsoft Server (2003 to 2008) and Exchange (2003 to 2007) Migrations - Citrix and Citrix Xen Server - MOM 2005 / 2007 - Trend micro, Sophos, Kaspersky Anti-virus - Disaster Recovery Solutions - Symantec Backup Exec, ARCServe, Acronis, StorageCraft Backup solutions - Linux - Webhosting platforms incl. Interworx, Apache, IIS - Microsoft windows server 2000, 2003, 2008, SBS 2003, SBS 2003 - Active Directory 2000, 2003, 2008 - Autotask, ConnectWise, RT - Level Platforms, Kaseya, N-able, Centrastage monitoring software - Thinprint enhanced printing software - Virtualized environments Other Skills - Sales including hardware, software and services - Strong Staff Management s

- Successfully project managed the migration to new hardware and software versions of over 10 windows servers, small business servers and exchange servers for different clients. Including exchange 2003 to exchange 2007. - Managed the servers and network infrastructure of over 40 clients ensuring all equipment is healthy and monitored and reducing downtime by an average of 30%. - Managed up to five support engineers including assigning work, training etc. - Responsible for identifying and implementing business management software that resulted in 23% increased profit, greatly improved efficiency and reduced billing slippage. Autotask and Connect Wise software. - Introduced ITIL and other help desk standards and policies to improve efficiency and IT support effectiveness delivered to our customers. - Project managed a number of virtualization implementation projects resulting in huge cost savings including £2k a year in electricity alone.

As I have always had a large workload, it is critical that I manage this effectively using both project management skills and the relevant software. These help to ensure that I am methodical and pay great attention to detail. Working with clients in business critical situations, it is important to take control, manage expectations and ensure systems are back up and running in the quickest possible time. This means taking ownership of technical issues until they are completely resolved regardless of the time of day or night. It is vital that communication is ongoing between all parties involved, including external engineers (e.g. Microsoft) and the owners of the business. Having worked at Director level in SME organisations for the past 10 years, I have also dealt with hundreds of SME clients and been involved in these companies at management level so as to understand their business and design IT infrastructure systems and solutions and to meet their specific requirements. I have pro

Currently the Technical Director of an IT Support/Outsourcing Company, I have over 10 years experience in this type of position as well as extensive 3 rd line technical skills (over 12 years). I am looking for a position that will utilize my strong management and technical skills as well as take advantage of my proven experience in business management to significantly increase the profit of your company.