Author Archives: Archie Tucker

What Is Your IP?

My Two Cents, By Archie Tucker

Everything on your network has an IP address (Internet Protocol address), a unique identifier for each device, and is often needed during support issues. An IP address can be either dynamic or static. A static IP address doesn’t change. We normally setup your SonicWall, servers and printers using static IP addresses. Dynamic IP addresses are issued using a leasing system, which is normally maintained by your SonicWall. A dynamic IP address can change. To get your PC’s LAN IP address, you can use the ipconfig command from the DOS command prompt (instructions to access the DOS prompt). A LAN (Local Area Network) is a type of network, like the network in your office, the internet is a good example of a WAN (Wide Area Network). To get your WAN IP, you can enter www.whatismyip.com from your web browser. Normally, you would have a static WAN IP at your office (additional charge for static IP address) and a dynamic IP at your home.

 

Why Off-Site Backup?

 

Two_Cents

My Two Cents, by Archie Tucker

 

 

Everyone knows how important a good backup is but what about off-site backups? Off-site backups or off-site data protection, is the strategy of storing critical data off the main site as part of a disaster recovery plan. Sending backups off-site ensures systems and servers can be reloaded with the latest data in the event of a disaster, accidental error, or system crash.

Now that we have defined what an off-site backup is, let talk about why. Imagine you came to your office tomorrow to find that all your files have disappeared for some reason (Natural disaster, theft, sabotage, hardware failure, user error, software viruses, etc.). How would this affect your business?

Some statistics gathered from various sources on this topic:

  • 30% of all businesses that have a major fire go out of business within a year. 70% fail within five years. (Home Office Computing Magazine)
  • 60% of companies that lose their data will shut down within 6 months of the disaster.
  • 93% of companies that lost their data center for 10 days or more due to a disaster filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster. 50% of businesses that found themselves without data management for this same time period filed for bankruptcy immediately. (National Archives & Records Administration in Washington)
  • Companies that aren’t able to resume operations within ten days (of a disaster hit) are not likely to survive. (Strategic Research Institute)

Mindware offers this off site backup service to our customers who have BackupEdge. You should be on BackupEdge version 3.0. Older versions of BackupEdge may require an upgrade. The service is only $30 per month for the first company and includes 5 days of backups. For what it costs for a average cup of coffee per day, you can have off-site backup, so what are you waiting for? Our operators are waiting for your call. 

Inventory Physical Count

 

TechLine

The Tech Line, by Joanne Simmons

 Question:

When I do an inventory physical count, it would be nice to be able to select which item types I want to include on the count sheets.

Answer:

The ‘Create Inventory Count Sheets’ program allows you to select whether or not you want to include inventory items not currently tracked in inventory or you can select to include all inventory items except for kit items. There is also a new option whether to include discontinued inventory items on the count sheets.

Red Hat Linux Server Shutdown

Character Screen:

To access the character screen from the server console, push the following keys at the same time: CTRL+ALT+F2

Server Shutdown:

  1. Login as root
  2. From the # prompt enter the who command to display who is on the system
  3. Make sure everyone is logged off the system except the root user
  4. Enter one of the shutdown commands below:
    shutdown -h now (shutdown and power down now)
    shutdown -r now (shutdown now, then reboot)

 

 

Installing A New SonicWall

After you receive your pre-configured SonicWall from Mindware, follow the steps below:

  1. Turn your internet modem and the old SonicWall off
  2. Connect SonicWall WAN (or X1) port to modem WAN port
  3. Connect SonicWall LAN (or X0) port to your network switch
  4. Power the internet modem and SonicWall on
  5. After they have completed coming back up, you should be able to get back on the internet
  6. Contact Mindware to access the SonicWall to complete the setup

Notes:

  • If this is your first SonicWall installation, your internet modem will need to be setup for bridge mode
  • Need to let us know when you plan on doing the install to make sure we are available
  • It should take less than 30 minutes

O/E End Of Month Closing Procedure

Below is a check list for a normal TOP End of Month closing procedure for Order Entry:

  1. Select Order Entry on the TOP Main Menu -> Select Order Entry Report Menu
  2. Press F5 to set the module date to the last day of the current month
  3. Print the Deleted Orders/Invoice Report and clear the entries (optional)

 

I/C End Of Month Closing Procedure

Below is a check list for a normal TOP End of Month closing procedures for Inventory Control:

  1. Select Inventory Control on the TOP Main Menu -> Select Inventory Control System Menu -> Select Period-End Processing Menu
  2. Press F5 to set the module date to the last day of the current month
  3. Print Inventory Movement Report (optional)
  4. Print Transaction Audit Report (optional)
  5. Run Period-End Update
  6. Press F5 to set the menu date to the first day of the next month

 

A/R End Of Month Closing Procedure

Below is a check list for a normal TOP End of Month closing procedures for Accounts Receivable:

  1. Select Accounts Receivable on the TOP Main Menu -> Select Accounts Receivable System Menu -> Select Period-End Processing Menu
  2. Press F5 to set the module date to the last day of the current month
  3. Select Begin Period End Process
  4. Print Discount Level Sales Report (optional)
  5. Print Sales Tax Report
  6. Print Aged Open Invoice Report
  7. Select Finance Charge menu selections, if applicable
  8. Print Statements
  9. Update Finance Charges, if applicable
  10. Run the Period-End Update
  11. Press F5 to set the menu date to the first day of the next month

Notes:

If this is the 12th month of the year, you will need to answer Y to close the year.

 

G/L End Of Day Closing Procedures

Below is a check list for a normal TOP End of Day closing procedures for General Ledger:

  1. Select General Ledger on the TOP Main Menu -> Select General Ledger System Menu
  2. Press F5 to set the module date to today’s date
  3. Print the End of Day Processing report and Update
  4. Press F5 to set the invoice date to the next day’s processing

I/C End Of Day Closing Procedure

Below is a check list for a normal TOP End of Day closing procedure for Inventory Control:

  1. Select Inventory Control on the TOP Main Menu -> Select Inventory Control System Menu
  2. Press F5 to set the module date to today’s date
  3. Print the Transaction Data Entry Register and Update
  4. Press F5 to set the invoice date to the next day’s processing date