Firstly, you need to open the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Snapin. If you don’t know where that is, chances are you shouldn’t be working on SQL Server. It’s under Administrative Tools.

Next, we’re going to want to create a new rule Inbound Rule. Go to Inbound Rules and press New Rule on the top right.

Select Program from the List, and press next.

Next up, enter the following path into your “this program path” section.

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe

This may be slightly different depending on your SQLExpress version or Instance name, just check the Microsoft SQL Server directory for your instance name.

Finally press allow connection, and on the next window apply the profiles you want to have access to the SQL server. If you don’t know the answer, just apply it to all profiles. Finally, name it something memorable, like ‘MSSQL Server”.

This will allow users access to any port that sqlservr.exe wants access too. However, it may not necessarily allow SQL Browser to function. If you would also like SQL Browser to be exposed to the internet, you can either allow just that port, or you can find it at this path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlbrowser.exe

The short answer to this question is, leave Godaddy (link to official forums, over a year old). I’m not saying this out of spite or any distaste for Godaddy, but it is an ongoing issue that has only affected them. Furthermore, they are the only ones that can resolve it.

What’s the problem?

To explain what’s going on here, first we need to explain how mail providers combat spam. Typical spam filters use a point system to determine how reputable an email is. These points affect whether or not a mail is viewed as reputable enough to be delivered or not. Mail that meets this threshold for trust is typically delivered, and mail that does not is typically either marked as spam or treated with additional scrutiny.

Examples of Things that Build Trust

• Properly configured SPF Record
• DKIM Signed Email
• Reputable SMTP Sender
• Reverse DNS name matching name of sending Server

Examples of suspicious traits

• No SPF Record, or sending from unlisted server
• Coming from a SMTP Server with a history of bad behaviour
• E-mail never received from recipients domain

Now, typically the goal of e-mail administrators is to build as much trust as possible in the eyes of the receiving mail server. Typically e-mail admins will go to great lengths to maintain deliverability.

The GoDaddy Problem

This all started a few years ago, when Godaddy actively decided that they could not fully control the amount of fraudulent spam e-mail coming from their servers. As a result, Godaddy was blacklisted as a mail provider on the major mail blacklists. Although they are no longer being fully blacklisted, all mail from Godaddy is immediately treated with suspicion. That means that unless your mail is otherwise perfectly trustworthy, just being from Godaddy is enough to have your mail marked as spam.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re e-mail will be marked as spam every time, but it does mean that a certain number of messages will depending on how the receiving providers spam filter is configured.

What’s the Solution?

Leave Godaddy for mail. Godaddy is definitely not bad for a lot of services. We use them for SSL Certificates, Domain Registration and DNS. That said, we actively move as many clients away from Godaddy email hosting as quickly as possible. These issues can strike at any time, and can cripple a business.

My recommendation is definitely either Google Apps or Hosted Exchange. We’re a Fort Myers IT Consulting Company certified to provide both of these services if you need a consultant.

We’ve been observing this problem at one of our Fort Myer’s Business IT clients. They have a multitenant office complex that has a shared internet connection. We started receiving calls from tenants stating that their internet connections were running unusually slow. After a short period we identified that the problem was unique to E1200 Series Routers. After playing around in the connection settings for a while, we managed to identify that the E1200s have a form of QoS that is severely limiting download speeds. This is apparently designed to help prioritise Skype and other media traffic over bulk downloads.

T0 repair this problem you need to:

Login to the router at 192.168.1.1

Go to Applications and Gaming

Go to QoS

Disable WMM

After some research it does appear to be innocuous . Although I imagine that certain automated scripts might also login via XMPP as part of their testing of passwords, it appears as it is not unusual for a previously configured chat application to trigger this type of message.

This article from Facebook.com, explains it better: https://www.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=10151104320371724

Does your Fort Myers Business need to comply with PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)? Online Scanning Tools, do not provide any real protection from data fraud risks. When working to maintaining PCI-DSS compliance, the only true way to safeguard your customers is with a properly trained and certified Information Security Consultant.

Performing an annual risk assessment is a requirement if you wish to continue processing credit card transactions. Although some companies will encourage you to guess through these audits, there is substantial risk and liability if you do not properly perform them. Don’t take a very expensive chance, hire the professionals.

Greenwire Technology Solutions is Fort Myers only fully trained and certified IT Risk Assessor. Take your clients’ privacy seriously, and hire the Privacy Professionals at Greenwire.

239-673-9055

Looking for a Computer Store in Cape Coral? Don’t be fooled into taking your computer into one of the big box retailers. The big box names in Fort Myers, DO NOT HIRE CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS! Before you end up having to have your computer fixed again, do your research!

Greenwire is located right across the bridge in Cape Coral, although it may or may not be as close. Our technicians are all fully certified. Greenwire has consistently ranked very highly and reviewed well, if you don’t believe, us, google us!

Greenwire performs Flat-Rate Computer Repair, for $85, and you can always expect an honest answer.

Give us a call at 239-673-9055 or stop on in, at 2722 Skyline Blvd

Greenwire Technology Solutions Fort Myers Business Computer Services

239-673-9055

Do you have a Small Business in Fort Myers? When it comes to computer services you have a few options, but Greenwire consistently shines out. Greenwire is different, we employee only local certified technicians. We have no voicemail, or phone trees, every call is answered by a live certified technician. If you’re looking for computer help in Fort Myers, give us a call:

239-673-9055

1. End of Windows XP Support April 2014

2. Two Factor Authentication

3. Password Management

4. Annual Security Audits

5. Java Vulnerabilities

Foreword:

Small Businesses experience difference risks than bigger companies. Fortunately, the intimacy of many small businesses means that they naturally avoid some of the more difficult to management risks of large companies. But they still have very real problems to deal with, and the results of a breach can sometimes be so substantial as to put a small business out of business. These five trends are mostly big business solutions that have now become affordable for small businesses, that we have observed while providing IT Support services to our clients in Fort Myers, Naples and Chicago, Enjoy!

1. Good-bye Windows XP!

When Windows XP was first released in 2001, no one expected that in 2013 it would still be this prevalent. The Microsoft Operating System has showed incredibly staying power, both because of its reliability, and because of the huge flop that Microsoft Experienced with Windows Vista. Enterprises and end users both aggressively avoided Windows Vista, which caused many organisations to dig it for the long haul. As a result many organisations are not properly prepared for the change from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8. In April 2014 Microsoft is going to complete end support for Windows XP, which means that anyone still using it will not be able to update the operating system, meaning it will quickly become a haven for viruses and other malware. Any businesses that still have computers running Windows XP need to start making plans right now to phase these systems out in anticipation of next year. This may mean updating major business software or changing vendors. Alternatively, as a last resort small businesses can work with their IT Consultants to take machines that have to continue running Windows XP, and isolate them from threats in order to allow them to continue operating without risk of infection. All in all the death of Windows XP represents a huge step forward.

2. Two Factor Authentication

Two Factor Authentication has been around for a very long time, and has been popular in certain niches, specifically with certain banks for almost a decade. However, this year is the first year where many large and medium size businesses are actively pushing for their use on more than just the most sensitive systems. Two Factor Authentication can present itself in a few ways. In short, all a second “factor” of authentication means, is that you are logging in with more than just a username and a password. The most common second form of authentication is a card, a fob, or some sort of device or software that generates numbers which can be entered into the secure system. A simple way to explain “two factor authentication”, would be an ATM card. The card itself represents “something you have”, whereas the PIN Code represents “something you know”, the combination forms two separate and complementary forms of authentication. A password on the other hand only contains two things that you know, the username and the password. This makes two factor authentication much more effective at securing sensitive information than a username and password alone. Although implementing a full two factor system for your small business might be prohibitively expensive, a lot of business IT products already include easy to add support for two factor. Many Banks already offer fobs, or cards at a low cost that allow you to lock down your banking information. Many Password Management tools, and cloud based storage providers, including Google Apps and Exchange support Two Factor Authentication. Small Businesses differ from larging businesses in that they don’t need Two Factor at every level of their businesses, but by adding them at strategic points they can very effectively limit the chance that cybercriminals will be able to do any substantial damage.

3. Password Management Tools

Five years ago, if you asked a small business owner how he their company controls access to their critical business software, the likely answer was “well we all use the same password for everything so everyone knows how to get in”. A few difficult firings, and a few hacked email accounts lately, and small business owners are starting to get on board the train. Password Management Tools like LastPass allow small businesses to store all of their passwords in a central vault that automatically fills in the username and password to websites for users. Furthermore, small business owners can elect to hide the passwords from their employees so that they cannot access sensitive websites from home. These tools, are very expensive (LastPass for example is 2$/month) and help mitigate the largest source of risk, the risk that comes from disgruntled employee turnover.

4. Annual Security Audits

If three years ago, one of our local Business IT Support customers here in Fort Myers, Florida would have called us and asked us specifically to perform a security audit of their office, I would have immediately assumed that an incident had already happened. Now we’re getting routine requests from clients concerned about how they can lower their risk. An annual risk assessment and audit is not very expensive at all for small businesses, and also covers a lot of regulatory compliance obligations. For example, if your business accepts credit cards, you already must complete an annual risk assessment to comply with PCI-DSS. Many Credit Card Processors try to automate this process with “automatic scan tools”. Unfortunately these scan tools do almost nothing to actually ascertain the businesses’ real risk profile. An IT Security Professional can quickly identify the real risks to the small business, so they do not potentially waste hundreds or thousands of dollars on ineffectual training, specialized equipment, or useless services. It’s becoming increasingly common for our clients in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Chicago to call us just to come by their place of business and educate them on what’s real and what’s hype in terms of what their real risks are. Usually within two hours, we can send them on the right track and substantial educate their team as to what they need to watch out for.

5. Java Vulnerabilities

First of all, what is Java? Most casual computer users think of a cup of coffee, or the constant pop-up they get from Sun Java on their computer asking them to update to the latest version. Java, which was originally produced by Sun Microsystems and now is an Oracle product is something like a middle man for your computer. Java is an easy way for computer programmers to write one programme and then have it work on a number of different Operating Systems (Windows, Mac, Linux). Although very popular at one time, Java’s popularity is waning. This trend has been accelerated in the face of a litany of large security issues identified with it over the last two years. In 2013 expect Java’s decline to further increase, and to see companies looking to either remove Java from their systems, or highly regulate it. Small Businesses should look into products that automatically update their Java to the latest version, or work with an IT professional to make sure that Java is effectively locked down on their systems, or removed entirely.