DIY In-House Instant Messaging Server

[nerd scale: 3 out of 5 pocket protectors]

 

Recently a client had a need to allow their employees that ability to Instant Message each other

in order to increase productivity.   The client wanted to make sure the Instant Messaging system only allowed messaging within their organization and not outside contacts.   Also, they wanted it to be inexpensive.

 

After doing some research, and finding products such as a Microsoft Lync server that did not fit into their budget, I stumbled upon a cool little gem called OpenFire.

 

OpenFire is an open source Instant Messaging server that is free to use.  That is a big plus.  The server software and IM client can run on a Windows, Mac or Linux environment.  The software comes packaged with an embedded database, but can also be connected to external databases that run on MySQL, Microsoft SQL and others.  As well, it comes with an open source IM client called Spark, but can be used with other IM client if needed.

 

We chose to test this software on a virtualized Windows XP computer running on an VMware ESXi 5.0 server.   The install process could not have been easier or quicker.   The software comes with a very easy to use web interface for configuring users.   If desired, the software can be connected to an LDAP database and pull your users straight from Active Directory if you a running a Microsoft Domain. 

 

Out of the box, OpenFire has all the normal features of you would expect from an IM system, including file transfers.  But it also offers that ability use add-in modules to increase the functionality if desired.

 

With a simple firewall configuration and proper DNS changes, you can easily allow outside access to this IM system.   This can allow mobile employees to be able to use their IM clients from within the network and away from the network. 

 

This system is not designed to be use with hundereds of users, but for a small / medium sized business with a few dozen of users, OpenFire should perform really well.    I am interested to see if performance suffers as the database grows.  I will post updates as more information comes in. 

 

If your company needs to increase productivity by offering a way for employees to quickly communicate with each other in real-time, OpenFire just might be the solution for you.   If you need assistance getting this system in place, contact us a Binkley IT Consulting.   We can help.

 

 

For those interested, here is a short video of our first test of OpenFire:

 

 

 

An alternative configuration for Google Voice

[Nerd Scale: 2.5 out of 5 pocket protectors]

 

 

A few weeks back, I posted a blog regarding creating custom voicemail greetings with Google Voice.  I received a lot of feedback from clients interested in using Google Voice.  Many of these clients had established phone numbers and did not want to port these numbers to Google Voice ( in the porting business, those in the know say once your port your number to Google Voice, you can never port it back)

 

For many, all they want is the ability to have their voicemails sent to their email.   This can be easily accomplished on most cell phones and internal PBX systems using Google Voice without having to port your phone number.   

 

Typically, the configuration for Google Voice is set to configure your Google Voice account to manage your phone number.    When a call is placed, it is sent to Google Voice, which then rings the phone(s) you have set the call to forward to.   If you do not answer the call, Google Voice initiates the voicemail and once the voicemail is recorded, Google Voice will send you an email notifying you that you have a new voicemail. 

 

Most phones and phone systems have a way of allowing you to perform an action if a phone call is not answered.   By default, this action is usually to send the call to voicemail.   However, you usually have the option to forward your calls to another number when it is not answered.   Instead of letting your cell-phone's service voicemail take over, or your internal PBX voicemail take over, you can set your phones to forward your missed calls to your Google Voice number.

 

If we configure our Google Voice account to automatically send all calls to voicemail, we have just created a situation that phone calls originating to our existing office or cell phones will forward to Google Voice when unanswered.  Google Voice will immediately send the call to voicemail and you will receive an email informing you of your new voicemail along with a URL to listen to the recording.   Now there is little need to purchase a new phone system that will allow you the voicemail to email functionality, and you have no need to change or port your phone number.   Just use what is already in place. 

In order to send Google Voice calls directly to voicemail, you must turn on the Do Not Disturb feature by navigating to SETTINGS | CALLS | DO NOT DISTURB

 

 

 

Each phone will have a different method to configure call forwarding.   For Android devices, you can navigate to someplace similar to  SETTINGS | CALL SETTINGS | VOICE CALL | CALL FORWARDING

 



 

 

If you need help figuring out how to configure your forwarding features on your phone, contact us here at Binkley IT Consulting.   We can help!

 

 



Time to remember

On September 10th 2001, I was just finishing up a trip visiting my then girlfriend ( now my wife ) in Los Angeles who was finishing up school at USC.   The entire plane ride back to Denver I sat in my chair fuming after watching Eddie McCaffrey break his leg during the Monday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.   Eddie Mac was one of the key players on my Fantasy Football team that year; a year where my chances had been really high to win the league.  That night, I went to bed grumpy.

The next morning, I woke up to phone call from my girlfriend who simply said "Turn on the news."  I turned on the television just in time to watch the second plane crash into the World Trade towers.  In that moment, thoughts of football and injuries where long gone and replaced by a confusion that I had never experienced before and hope to never experience again in my lifetime.  It was clear that something important and horrible had just happened, but none of us were able to make sense at what it was.

Like many others that day, I did my best getting myself together and headed into work.  Not a lot of work was accomplished that day.   I remember standing in the lobby of Spivack Vision Center, one of my clients at the time, surrounded by a sea of employees and patients; all staring at the television.   We stood there in silence and watched the first tower fall.  Nobody spoke.  Nobody knew what to say.  

As the days went by, we began to understand what had happened.  We had become witnesses to unimaginable cruelty and heartbreaking heroism.  In that day, we experienced the worst and best of human nature.  And for awhile, we were brought together as a community and as a nation, and showed each other our capacity to care and help and heal.

12 years later, we are charged with the responsibility to never forget.   Like generations before us who lived through the attack of Pearl Harbor, or the Kennedy assassinations or global wars, we are part of those in history that can answer the question "Do you remember where you were when?"   We have been given the burden and honor of ensuring that we remember that day, not as a slogan, but as a testament to those who display the highest qualities of human nature standing up against those who display the lowest.

It is a time to remember our potential for good when we unite.

And it is a time to remember that there are still people out there who continue to sacrifice.   To my wonderful clients Bunny and Frenchie Fransua whose son is getting ready to deploy on his 3rd tour to Afghanistan, we thank your son for his sacrifices and devotion and pray for his safety.

To all my friends, family members and clients who have served or continue serving to protect our way of life: we will not forget you!

Are your cloud stored files protected?

[Nerd Scale: 2 out of 5 pocket protectors]

 

 

From time to time, I find it necessary to store files in the cloud that contain sensitive data, such as network passwords or account numbers.    It's not secure enough to just have a cloud based account that is password protected.  I need to encrypt the files in order to ensure the data is unreadable by those that should not be able to read these files.
 
On my laptop, my sensitive data is encrypted.  However, when I sync these files to most cloud sync services, the files are stored in plain text with the encryption removed.  This is a huge security risk.

I am now using a great software called Cloudfogger which allows me to encrypt my files and have them synced in the cloud without losing the encryption.   The software is free of charge and is quite easy to install and use.

Here is how you use Cloudfogger:

(1) Go to https://www.cloudfogger.com, create an account and install the software on your computer.

(2) Choose a file or folder you want to encrypt, right click on it and choose Cloudfogger | Fog file

(3) The file gets renamed with a .cfog extension and will now sync to the cloud without losing the encryption.

From then on, when you access your encrypted files, you will need Cloudfogger and your encryption key installed on the device you are trying to open it with.  Otherwise, the file will not be readable.   This allows us to make sure that our encrypted files are safe from others.   Cloudfogger has apps that work on iOS, Windows and Android mobile devices.

If you need more information about how to get encrypted files stored in the cloud, contact us a Binkley IT Consulting.  We can help.