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Articles in this edition:

Spotlight: "Collaborate & Communicate from Anywhere"

Industry Insight: "Online Backup Made Easy"

Company News: "Apptix Lands Seasoned Customer Service VP"

Company News: "Apptix Featured @ Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference"

Partnership Announcement: "Join the Apptix Partner Program"

Case Study: "DeWitt Law"

Spotlight: "Expanding your IT Toolbox"

IT Tips & Tricks: "BlackBerry & Microsoft Hints"

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Spotlight

Collaborate & Communicate from Anywhere

Remotely Access your Outlook Information, Even from your House Phone

Most users want to be able to “get to their stuff” from anywhere, using any device—whether they’re working in an office, visiting customers on the road… even when they’re limited to a house phone. In an effort to help our customers access their information—regardless of their location or device—Apptix offers numerous ways to connect to your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks.

In a hosted environment, users connect through a remote desktop protocol called RPC over HTTP. This opens a secure connection from your computer to the Exchange server, removing the need to use a full Virtual Private Network (VPN). It provides the same level of security as if you had a direct connection to the company network, but without any need for special software.

The most common way to connect to your Exchange account is through a desktop client. This is a piece of software that resides on your personal computer, and is configured with a profile that connects to the Exchange server. Apptix provides free downloads of Outlook 2007 (Windows) or Entourage 2008 (Mac). Older versions of this software will work, but have limited use of all the features and functionality available with Exchange 2007.

The other RPC over HTTP connection is through Outlook Web Access (OWA). OWA is a Web-based connection that mimics the features found in Outlook. No software is needed—only a connection to the Internet. If you are behind a corporate firewall, ports should be open to allow the RPC over HTTP connection. Internet Explorer (IE 7 and higher) provides the most features and functionality in OWA, including full use of calendaring, contacts, and tasks. Other browsers are supported, but provide an “OWA Lite” experience.

In addition, Apptix offers connections through various mobility devices that push email from the Exchange server. This is an "always-on" capability in which new email is instantly and actively transferred (pushed) as it arrives by the mail server, in this case Exchange.

The three supported services provided by Apptix are:

• BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES): For use with BlackBerry devices
• ActiveSync: For use with any Windows mobile device or other products, such as the iPhone, Google Android, or Palm Prē
• Good Mobile Messaging: For a variety of devices and operators supporting Motorola’s Good Technology

You can learn more about Apptix’s mobile email solutions at www.apptix.com/mobile-email.

Outlook Voice Access (OVA) is a speech-enabled unified messaging feature of Exchange that provides voice management of users, messages, contacts, and calendar items. Through the use of touchtone prompts or voice commands, users can listen to emails—and verbally reply, update meetings or events, and search for contact information. To learn more—and to view a demo of Apptix’s Outlook Voice Access service—please visit www.apptix.com/outlook-voice-access.

Whether you primarily access your email in an office or are a road warrior needing constant access, Apptix has your connections covered.

Buy Apptix Voice Access now, and save 50%!

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Online Backup Made Easy!

Most organizations understand the necessity of backing up critical data. The threat of disaster is out there—hard drive failures, computer theft, virus attacks, and so on—but seldom do small companies (or their users) have a cost-effective plan in place. Employees often assume that by simply connecting to their network, the data on their machines is both safe and backed up. And most IT managers would agree that while backup is critical, maintaining an in-house solution is too time-consuming and expensive.

Here are some grim statistics:

• 1 in 7 hard drives (14%) will fail this year (PC World)
• A Price Waterhouse Coopers survey calculated that a single incident of data loss costs businesses an average of $10,000
• Hard drive recovery can cost up to $7,500, and success is not guaranteed
• More than 40% of small businesses rank “automated data backup and recovery” as their primary IT need (Access Markets International consultancy)
• 90% of small businesses (fewer than 100 employees) surveyed said they spend less than one day per month maintaining their backup plans (eWeek)

A good backup solution needs to cover three important areas:

1. Ease of use: The process of backing up and recovering data should include user-friendly clients and “anywhere” Web access. It should be simple to select the data you want to protect and recover.
2. Automation: Anyone who has spent time transferring files from one drive to the next will agree that automating the process is the only way to ensure consistent backups. If a solution depends on the user to initiate the process, the likelihood of the backup happening diminishes dramatically.
3. Security: Protecting the data during backup is critical. You need to ensure that your data is unreadable during the transfer.

Apptix Online Backup by Mozy

Apptix recently expanded our product lineup to provide an inexpensive, secure, and highly effective backup solution. We partnered with EMC’s Decho Corporation—namely their award-winning Mozy backup service—to provide our customers with the absolute best-in-class backup solution available on the market. 

This solution provides many unique features, such as:

• Simple set-up & installation: Choose scheduled or automatic backups, as well as bandwidth throttling, so your daily work is never interrupted.
• Backs up open files currently in use: Supports open/locked file backup so there is never a need to quit applications and close files.
• Restoring: 360 possible restore points at any given time (12 per day over 30 days). Also includes multiple restore options—including right-click version control, as well as Web-based, client-based, administrator-requested, or virtual drive restores.
• Storage pooling: Purchase storage in bulk, and allocate across your users.

• Centralized administration: Features an administrative control from a Web-based Admin Console, enabling global changes across your entire install base—including backup schedules, backup policies, and quotas.
• Machine-based encryption prior to transfer: Choose from 256-bit AES (only you have access to this key) or 448-bit Blowfish to secure your data.
• Encryption: 128-bit SSL encryption safely secures your data during transport.
• 24/7 email & live phone support: Our U.S.-based expert technicians are always available to give you the answers you need.

Learn more about the Apptix Online Backup solution.

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COMPANY NEWS

Apptix Lands Seasoned Customer Service VP

Harold McGann, Jr. Joins Industry-leading Support Team

Apptix recently named Harold McGann, Jr. as Vice President of Customer Service. In this role, Harold directs the day-to-day operations of all Apptix customer service teams. Harold boasts a 17-year background in customer service with extensive experience in the areas of training, call center operations, and operational excellence. In addition to his distinguished customer service career, Harold served eight years in the United States Marine Corps.

Extensive Customer Service Enhancements

Apptix has focused significant resources and efforts over the last 15 months to develop an industry-leading customer support system and team. The company restructured and centralized all customer support and operations functions, and invested in monitoring tools that track and record call statistics such as wait time, call time, and resolution of customer issues. The company also established a baseline of skills that customer service applicants must possess to qualify for a position, and developed a standardized training process to ensure that calls are consistently handled by knowledgeable, trained professionals. Today, Apptix features a fully U.S.-based, 24/7, live customer support team.

As a result of the company’s efforts, Apptix was recently named a finalist for the 2009 American Business Awards (Stevie Award) in the Customer Service Department of the Year category. Read more about Apptix’s finalist designation.

In addition, the highly-resilient Apptix OnDemand platform is built upon 64-bit, state-of-the-art servers in top-tier SAS 70 certified datacenters. Hosted Exchange data is protected through Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR) redundancy that eliminates single points of failure. This system is anchored by an advanced EMC networked storage solution. In December 2008, Apptix deployed a new provisioning, billing, and management platform that enables the rapid deployment of new products and services, and enhances the customer experience with an industry-leading control panel.

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Apptix Featured @ Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

Our Apptix team just returned from Microsoft’s annual Worldwide Partner Conference laden with new information to guide the timing and appropriateness for deploying new Microsoft platforms and services, best practices lessons, and reseller prospects to expand Apptix’s services. With approximately 10,000 attendees from over 100 countries in attendance, this annual event enables Microsoft to educate its partners about the latest programs, strategies, and technologies.

A Microsoft Gold Partner and a participant in Microsoft’s Technical Adoption Program (TAP), Apptix was an invited exhibitor within Microsoft’s own Software+Service Pavilion, highlighting our own work in hosted Unified Communications (U.C.). With our solution on track to launch later in 2009, Apptix was named a finalist by Microsoft for the conference’s Unified Communications award. Read more about Apptix’s finalist recognition.

Chris Damvakaris, Apptix’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, was asked by Microsoft to speak during a break-out session. During his speech, he outlined the benefits of partnering with Microsoft to offer customers strategic business productivity tools.

Apptix’s newly redesigned booth received significant traffic, as interest in our partner program and Unified Communications efforts has risen dramatically as of late.

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PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT

Generate New Revenue

Become an Apptix Reseller Today!

Looking to expand the product and services you can offer to your clients and customers? Or are you thinking about starting your own IT consulting firm? If so, Apptix—a partner you already rely on and trust—can help you offer a suite of enterprise-class communications, collaboration, and hosting services that will enhance the business productivity of your clients, colleagues, and friends.

Apptix’s hosted environment significantly reduces the time and effort necessary for you to deploy and manage your client’s IT infrastructure. We offer out-of-the-box hosted services, enabling you to provide a complete package of highly reliable, secure business services. We also provide an industry-leading administrative Web console to easily add and manage customer accounts. In addition, Apptix provides Tier 1+, live, 24/7 technical support based in the U.S.

To learn how Apptix can provide your customers with a competitive edge while maximizing your profits, please visit www.apptix.com/partner.

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CASE STUDY

DeWitt Law, PLLC

DeWitt Law, PLLC—a small law firm based in Research Triangle, North Carolina—focuses on civil, business, real estate, and construction law and litigation. Managing partner and owner Greg DeWitt leads his seven-person company with the pride and professionalism of any reputable attorney. But in his heart, he considers himself more of an entrepreneur than a lawyer.

With an eye towards growth, Greg DeWitt clearly understood that the legal business model had limitations. Other industries—such as property management and real estate—had fiscal opportunities that appealed to Greg, and he wanted to build upon his established business triumphs to explore other professional opportunities. To do so successfully, IT was going to play a key role—and one area he wanted to explore was Voice over IP (VoIP).

DeWitt Law operated a branch office in another North Carolina town, yet employees at the two sites could not forward or transfer calls. This lack of connectivity caused a real issue with customer service satisfaction, and it made the company seem much smaller than it desired. Greg sought to change this perception by adding the ability to easily transfer customer calls between branches, minimizing voice capability headaches for both clients and employees.

DeWitt Law was already using Apptix’s hosted Microsoft Exchange for business email, as well as Desktop Fax, when it decided to add Apptix Voice into the mix. The combination of hosted VoIP and hosted Exchange gives DeWitt a cost-effective, reliable, robust email system and a flexible, location-to-location phone system that is always available—whenever customers call, regardless of employee location.

Apptix hosted solutions provide Greg’s businesses with many tangible results. First, they experience a major cost savings from using Apptix hosted products. The addition of the VoIP auto attendant prevents Greg from needing to hire a receptionist to answer calls, an annual savings of at least $25,000.

But Greg DeWitt’s greatest result is the peace of mind Apptix affords. Greg’s operating philosophy is to move as much technology as possible off his plate. “I want to run a business, not be responsible for tech support,” said Greg. For Greg DeWitt, Apptix hosted communications services have improved his ability to be the full-time entrepreneur of his dreams—and a successful and thriving one at that.

Read more

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SPOTLIGHT

Expanding your IT Toolbox

In the current economic climate, businesses are asking their IT departments to do more with less. Recognizing this trend, Apptix has rolled out a series of flexible, easy-to-use hosted products that will improve your company’s communications and IT capabilities. Our new offerings include:

• An Online Presence solution that includes domain registration with DNS hosting and Website hosting
• Virtual Private Servers (VPS)
• Online Backup by Mozy
• Desktop Fax

Apptix’s expanded suite of hosted services optimizes our customers’ IT capabilities, reduces their costs, and provides a competitive advantage in a tough economy.

Online Presence: Domain Registration, DNS Hosting,
& Website Hosting

By offering domain name registration with DNS hosting, Apptix makes it fast and affordable to get a customer’s business online. You can buy new domain names or transfer existing ones to Apptix, consolidating with one vendor at one low price. In addition, Apptix provides affordable Website hosting on Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS.) Our Web hosting service features an easy to use SiteBuilder tool and flexible, customizable templates to help create professional Websites—with little or no experience. Plus, a new Control Panel enables you to manage multiple Websites for you and your clients.

Hosted Virtual Private Servers

A hosted Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a method of partitioning one hosted server into multiple "virtual" servers—and each can run independent applications. By eliminating costly in-house server purchases, and by providing only the server power a business needs at a given moment, hosted virtualization provides SMBs with the capability to simplify, enhance, and more easily manage an IT infrastructure. VPS optimizes computing power, and enables applications to run at a fraction of the cost of an on-site, dedicated machine. For more information, please visit www.apptix.com/vps/.

Apptix Online Backup by Mozy

According to a Price Waterhouse Coopers report, one in seven hard drives fails each year—and the cost of recovering your data could exceed $7500. Online Backup offers a best-of-breed online backup and data recovery service via a partnership with Mozy. Online Backup runs automatically in the background while a computer is in operation—and backs up files that are open and in use—storing important system data to an online storage center hosted by EMC. The solution is compatible with both laptop and desktop computers, and seamlessly integrates with existing IT infrastructure. It also features an intuitive user interface, making it the perfect backup solution for both IT professionals and non tech-savvy businesses. A server product will be coming soon. For more information, please visit www.apptix.com/onlinebackup.

Desktop Fax

Even with the mass adoption of email, many industries—such as financial, insurance, real estate, and legal—still rely heavily on hard-copy communications. Unfortunately, this can introduce many business challenges, including confidentiality, identity theft, document loss, and expanded storage needs. Apptix Desktop Fax can save you thousands of dollars by enabling you to electronically send, receive, store, forward, and print faxes—directly from your computer—helping companies improve communication, simplify business processes, and increase productivity. Desktop Fax works on Internet-connected desktops, laptops, and PDAs, and eliminates the time, effort, and expense associated with fax servers.

For more information on these and other Apptix products, visit us at www.apptix.com.


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IT Tips & Tricks

Topics:

1. Redirecting your BlackBerry Folders
2. Sharing Calendars in Microsoft Office 2007
3. Scheduling a Web Conference Using the “Schedule a Meeting” Option in Microsoft Live Meeting

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Redirecting your BlackBerry Folders

By default, the BlackBerry receives Inbox and Sent Items messages from your Exchange mailbox. However, many BlackBerry users want their BlackBerry device to act exactly like Outlook so that their BlackBerry email messages are organized into subfolders similar to their Outlook configuration. Utilize the folder redirection option to determine which non-Inbox sub-folder email messages you want redirected to your BlackBerry device.


1. On your BlackBerry, navigate to Messages.
Your main Inbox displays.
2. Click the BlackBerry button (typically located to the left of the trackball), and then choose Options.
3. Choose Email Settings.
4. Click the BlackBerry button again.
5. Select Folder Redirection.
6. Scroll down to Mailbox, and click to expand.
Some folders should show at that point. Scroll down to Inbox, and click Expand again if the Inbox has subfolders.
7. Click the checkbox for each folder you want represented on the BlackBerry.
From that point forward, emails moved with rules—or dragged and dropped in Outlook—will show on the BlackBerry in its folder. The same applies for any email filed in a folder on the BlackBerry.
NOTE: To avoid confusion, on the BlackBerry, go to Messages/Options/General Settings, and make sure that Hide Filed Messages is set to Yes (choosing to hide sent messages might help, as well).



Sharing Calendars in Microsoft Office 2007

These instructions demonstrate how to make your calendar visible to others, and how to view others’ calendars in Outlook 2007. Seeing another person’s calendar is helpful for planning events, checking availability, and confirming information.


1. In the Outlook 2007 navigation pane, click Calendar, and then click Share My Calendar.
2. In the To field of the Sharing Invitation email, type the name (or names) of people with whom you would like to share your calendar, or click To and choose names from your address book.
3. Click Send.
4. In the Share this Calendar message, click Yes.
NOTE: If you do not wish to share everything on your calendar, create a duplicate calendar and move your private items to the duplicate calendar.

Also, to request to view the calendar of the recipient of your email message, select Request Permission to view recipient's Calendar checkbox on the sharing invitation email message.



Scheduling a Web Conference Using the “Schedule a Meeting” Option in Microsoft Live Meeting

A meeting organizer must always pre-schedule meetings in order for participants outside of their network to be able to enter their Live Meeting session. A meeting is pre-scheduled by clicking the Schedule a Live Meeting button on the toolbar.

NOTE: To schedule a meeting that enables participants outside of your corporate network to enter your Live Meeting session, use the default network settings.

Setting Permissions to Invite Anyone


    When setting up a meeting using the Schedule a Live Meeting option, a meeting organizer must     ensure that the Invite Anyone feature is selected.

    The permissions option appears in the invite that is generated when a meeting organizer selects     Schedule a Live Meeting from the toolbar.

Using the "Meet Now" Option


    A meeting organizer should only use Meet Now when meeting with participants within their     corporate network.

    NOTE: Participants working from home—or from another remote location—are generally       considered "out of network" participants.

    The Meet Now button, or its equivalent, is available through the Outlook Live Meeting toolbar,     through Microsoft Communicator, and through the Live Meeting application when launched     directly from the Start menu.

  NOTE: If you start a meeting using the Meet Now option, you will not be able to invite external   participants from within the meeting using the Invite command, as shown in the screenshot   below.

*Requires a current Apptix hosted Exchange subscription. Promotional pricing valid through 8/31/2009.