Supporting Technology with Technology.

Supporting Technology with Technology


Microsoft LiveMeeting has a new version and some great new features to go with it.

Sign-up for a demo:

LiveMeeting Demo

Read White Paper:

Conferencing and Collaboration White Paper

Read More

Computer Support - Adventure (Rated PG): Computer Remote Support Software

Computer Support - Adventure (Rated PG): Computer Remote Support Software

Read More

Microsoft Live Meeting - Easy Assist Tech Support

Microsoft LiveMeeting





Prior Post:
Computer Support - Adventure (Rated PG): Computer Remote Support Software


LiveMeeting Demo:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/livemeeting/HA102035491033.aspx

LiveMeeting Trial Download (registration form) :
https://trials.messaging.microsoft.com/site/

LiveMeeting is more than a conferencing and collaboration application. Hidden inside is online software application is computer remote support software for computer remote support.

I have used Microsoft's professional service, ie. technical support, on more than one occasion. I use heir per incident feature and have had decent experiences most of the time. The tool that Microsoft's tech support almost alwys has used to get remote access of the server I was working on has been their own product. That product is Easy Assist. Although there was a time that their support person used Live Meeting.

Although I have been, as many of have, around Microsoft and their products for so many years, it was the first time I saw their Live Meeting product at all. I believed at the time it  was for conferencing and collaboration online only. That day however I saw that it's a viable remote support tool as well.

Microsoft's easy assist computer support tool is one which I am much more familiar with. It works very fast and unfortunately because I deal with so many computer problems, I know where to go and what to do before the Microsoft technical support rep even has a chance to tell me. That product is less in features than Live Meeting but then again. It was not intended to be a collaboration and conferencing tool, providing technical support remotely is it's primary goal and purpose. The features I saw in Live Meeting, a product that is under the Microsoft product category of Office Online, was unbelievable. The current release is still Live Meeting 2007 which very much signals how advanced the product was at the time. I suspect there have been some cosmetic changes and back-end server bug fixes, and updates, etc., but the functionality in my opinion for even remote support over the web needed no updating.


Desktop remote support can be accomplished with Microsoft's LiveMeeting. The attendees are in a session with the presenter can optionally allow access to their applications (1 or more) for viewing or for remote control. This is useful feature and built-in tool of LiveMeeting as for demoing feature of a program of for online training and guidance. Tech support can use this feature too as they can access the desktops of the remote computers to show users how to perform specific task within an application, correct configuration errors or even install/upgrade new software.

The benefits are far reaching and the benefits out-way any of the negatives which there was only one that I saw. Microsoft LiveMeeting needs to install using the windows installer which in itself is not that bad. Where is can be come complicated, especially in regards to presentations. is that if a remote computer has a problem with the windows installer service on their computer desktop then Livemeeting will not start. This problem is present for many online apps. One of the ways to circumvent it or to overcome the possibility of this occurring is to have another method for the software, in this case computer remote support software that is imperative that it downloads and connects, is to download and install. Many applications use activex to add features to the browser or to give online access to more features for the desktop to utilize for the duration for the duration of the time the connection persists.

Remote Support Software

For fast access to clients' remote desktops, computers and servers there no better choice than remote support software. Remote support software helps technical supprot departments, support greoups and conpanies get to the problems faster by useing the web rather than traditional means for access computers for support.

Remote support on the web

Remote support on the web for remote computer access and desktop remote control support.

Read More

Hewlett Packard StorageWorks U320e (AH627A) Storage Controller and a Dell 2950 PowerEdge Server.

Hewlett Packard StorageWorks U320e (AH627A) Storage Controller and a Dell 2950 PowerEdge Server.


The Hewlett Packard StorageWorks U320e (AH627A) Storage Controller is not compatible with the Dell 2950 PowerEdge Server.

In a previous port I review software how software tools that give techs the ability to remotely access and remote control computers both on the LAN and the Internet, benefit both the organization the tech works for and the customer, client or user who is receiving the desktop support.
http://remotesupportsoftware.blogspot.com/2006/12/remote-support-softwarethere-are-many.html


This was an onsite customer support call:

In this post I want to tell the world (tech world) about a little problem with a Hewlett Packard StorageWorks U320e (AH627A) Storage Controller intended to be used with a tape autoloader In a Dell 2950. I hope everyone bookmarks this page and lets the world know about the compatibility problems of this card with the Dell 2950 Server.

The card simply does not work in the PowerEdge. It will work in a PowerEdge 2900 but not in the 2950 model (who knows why). HP finally confirmed the problem and they will be shipping me a new storage controller that will work with the 2950. The symptoms are the fans just operate at high speeds and do not reduce their speed and their is no video. There's no much you can do at this point. I updated the BIOS and every other thing that had an update for it from Dell's website for this service tag. It just would not work.

Now HP OEMs these cards and places their name on them. The manufacturer was unable to confirm that the Hewlett Packard StorageWorks U320e (AH627A) Storage Controller card would not work and Dell's support simply said the card is compatible and there's nothing wrong with the server. After speaking with HP support for several hours, it was determined that the Hewlett Packard StorageWorks U320e (AH627A) Storage Controller is not compatible with the Dell 2950 PowerEdge.

Link to this post:

http://remotesupportsoftware.blogspot.com/2008/01/hewlett-packard-storageworks-u320e.html

Read More

Symantec Norton Security group has been in my experience the worst in providing even just basic informational support. I had a question that was fairly easy for a customer and it's been a week and I've not received a response from them. Not even an automated response was sent back as a notification that the email was received - nothing. One week now and they've not replied. That is pathetic.

A previous post http://remotesupportsoftware.blogspot.com/2005/12/november-19th-2005-at-454-am-this-new.html highlighed reports how their software at the time had difficulty removing the W32/Sdbot-ADD worm.

Symantec products, in my opinion, aren't that good either, too pricey, often add to a problem, and in most cases I find them slow. For example, the Norton Antivirus software is a computer CPU and memory hog! While working on a system to resolve another issue, I'll turn off that program just to allow the computer to work faster so I could complete the original problem.

In the case of Norton security, it IS THE PROBLEM. What a piece of junk that program is. It's worse than Microsoft Vista's UAC (User Access Control). I had to work out a bunch of issues for a customer that was unable to send email because Norton security was blocking Outlook, yes Outlook, from sending email . Norton Security is a horrible joke to play on people.

Tags: symantec security,software, symantec,security

Read More

I wanted to add this little piece of knowledge to the online community and hope it's found useful for someone. While working with some Sonicwall firewalls, I needed to create a VPN tunnel between two units. It was a basic and simple VPN that was mostly comprised of default settings.
The VPN tunnel wasn't coming up for me and in the log there was the message:

Received notify: INVALID_ID_INFO

This was an interesting message and it really had nothing to do with the identification of the tunnel or addresses or, SA name or description, or even with the remote firewall's names or descriptions. It was caused by having both of the Sonicwalls in Aggressive mode for Phase 1 of the tunnel establishment. Switching both to Main mode solved the problem. The setting can be found in the VPN policy Proposals Tab.

Once this change was done, the VPN came right up and the two sites were communicating with each other. This is a setting that can catch some one off-guard and the message that inserted into the log can be deceiving. It can make one think the the name of something is incorrect. Sonicwall's support can have you running in circles too.

As a reminder:

Remote Support On The Web

For PC remote support software try a fast growing and affordable remote support solution. Support somputers over the web almost instantly and do it without creeating a crunch in your budget. Deliver remote tech support software to your users from the office and then from home or another office. If your Internet access provider changes, that's ok, this system is dynamic and can adapt to the changes so your not stuck and unable to continue supporting your users remotely. Some support systems provide you with a static program then if your ISP changes or you want to support your clients, customers or company end-users from another location you have to buy another program. This isn't the way it should be. This system is created in such a manner that you can change ISPs or locations and the programs provided to you for remote support on the web still work. Instantlay they are aware of the changes and the very next time your users connect for remote support from you the software already are using the new settings.

Read More

Remote Support Software

There are many products on the market today that give computer technicians a tool for providing Internet based remote support software. The tools are generally of two flavors. One is the well known brand names of remote support that have a very technologically advanced and robust system for desktop remote support and communication like webex or gotoassist. These are the extremes on one end of the scale. They are well known brands and do a very nice job of giving techs the tool to remotely assist users on the web.

On the other end of the sclae is the least most technologicaly advanced systems that are merely a program sold to you that have network configuration information compiled into them so that when they are downloaded and executed, they are programmed to connect to your "burned in" address. These are cheap and found from a variety of software vendors. There are even site s that let you build you own program that will do exactly as described.

This type of program for remote control access of computers over the web to provide web-based remote support works well. Their inherent problem is that when your location from which you are providing remote support from changes, the program is obsolete. Not only can they not adjust if the location your providing internet based remote support software from changes, but they will also fail if you change Internet providers. So let's say for example, you switch from cable to dsl or a dedicated circuit like a T1 or fractional T1, the PC remote support software program that has you network information burned into it for your to provide remote tech support to your users or customer s to has just been rendered useless because it's programmed to connect to your old network address.

A better aproach is to use a system that maybe is in the middle of these two extremes sicne at these two extremes come a price difference as well.

Read More