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2009 is now started, and we hit the road running ! We are now an official sponsor of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
We also team up with Nextstep, the leading Business Directory in Shanghai to help you create more opportunities, and have a good head start for those just arriving to China. Join us at Nextstep events!
As for Netk5, we are working hard to select and package IT tools that will deploy easily and make your life easier for administration, monitoring, communication and follow-up. More details soon !

The Netk5 Team.

 Cost cutting : 10 Free software to help at office
(Level :   )

Free and open-source software are getting more and more acceptance in the corporate environment due to their high quality, and, obviously, their low cost.
While it might be early to deploy full-blown Linux desktops in your company, here is a list of handy free or open-source tools running on Windows that can effectively replace more costly alternatives:

Use Free or open-source software where possible:

1. Use 7zip or PeaZip instead of WinZip or WinRAR
2. Use PDFCreator to generate PDF files
3. Use Picasa to manage your pictures and photos
4. Use Paint .NET to work on your photos and pictures
5. Use GanttProject to manage your projects
6. Use XMind to organize your thoughts and ideas
7. Use KeePass to keep your passwords safe
8. Use Eraser to securely remove sensitive files (be careful, no recovery possible !)
9. Use SyncToy to synchronize your files and make backups
10. Use InfraRecorder to write and copy CDs and DVDs

 Do-It-Yourself: save time & money by checking...
(Level :   )

At office, or at home, you try to print your latest report. Nothing happens. "Don't Panic"! Before calling your "IT-consultant-geek-PhD" friend (or our Hotline), you may follow this simple step-by-step procedure:

Printer Won't Print?

• Ensure that all printers' power cables are properly plugged into the socket, and that the power strip is on
• Still doesn't work? Check if there is any messages on your printer, and respond accordingly
• And the paper tray, is it in place? Is there any paper in it?
• Check if the paper side is correctly set (e.g. Letter instead of A4)
• If the printer is shared, check that the print server (or computer) is up and running

You did follow this procedure and it still doesn't work... You can now call your "IT-consultant-geek-PhD" friend, or, for our clients, you can simply call our Hotline!

 Tech Focus: what is a firewall?
(Level :   )

A firewall acts as door guardian for your network. It allows or denies access to or from your resources, according to the rules set by the administrator.
It can be hardware, in a box, or software, on your computer, depending on what it needs to protect.
A correctly configured firewall can keep out unauthorized users, but also prevent users to access external resources, such as Instant Messengers (MSN, QQ...) or banned websites (games, social networks, downloads...)

How can a firewall help improving efficiency?

• Save bandwidth by reducing unnecessary downloads
• Cut productivity losses by disabling chat and games sites
• Securely access your office files from home or hotel
• Securely connect two or more remote offices (with VPN enabled firewalls)
• Prevent data leakage by blocking potentially dangerous websites
• Reduce viruses infections from the Internet

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