London IT Services: On Line Computing

Cloud Integration

2011-04-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

cloud com·put·ing

Noun: The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or personal computer.

Moving systems to the Cloud can be confusing even for IT professionals. There are a wealth of different solutions and ways of working. A Cloud Integrator is there to make the solution a business decision rather than a technical one.

A Cloud Integrator pulls the best of the Cloud together and presents it all as a package to the customer tailored to their specific needs. The solution is then presented as a per user per month fee with a Return On Investment calculator utilised to show the finanical benefits.

With the launch of London Cloud http://www.londoncloud.co On Line has become Londons first Cloud Integrator.

TFL trials WiFi on the underground

2010-11-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

The pilot will take place on the Northern and Bakerloo platforms at Charing Cross and will take advantage of the existing wireless network currently used by TfL staff.

From November 1, commuters should be able to log on to the internet from their laptops or mobile phones in the ticket hall areas of the station.

A statement from TfL on Friday declared: 'Any passengers with a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a smartphone, laptop, netbook or tablet computer will be able to go online or check their emails while they are passing through the Tube station.'

Kulveer Ranger, the mayor of London's transport adviser, said: 'An ever growing commuter populous has been clamouring to be able to check their emails and browse the net whilst on the go.

'This trial at Charing Cross will allow them to do just that whilst on the Tube platform. This is an important step towards seeing how this could be achieved and is part of the Mayor's ambition to examine ways in which we can use technology to adapt the city's transport system to meet the needs of those using it.'

Richard Parry, strategy and commercial director for London Underground, added: 'Around 68,000 passenger journeys are made a day at Charing Cross Tube station.

'We hope that our customers will find it useful to have access to the internet while they are using the Tube station during this six-month trial.

'Live service updates will allow passengers to check the status of the Tube and other transport services while they are on the move at the station.'

Commuters though will still have to make do without mobile phone reception, with plans to implement networks underground suffering from severe delays due to the massive costs involved and the difficulties of transforming the Victorian tunnel network.

We're recruiting!

2010-10-20T03:31:00.000-07:00

Recruitment

Level Three Systems Support Engineer – Competitive Salary
Due to increased demand in the areas of networking and voice, an opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated 3rd Line networking engineer to join our friendly dynamic team.

The System Engineer is a strategic technical position within the organisation. This position is responsible for maintaining the design and integrity of customer’s data and voice systems, along with coordinating complex projects. Role to include providing technical support, advice, and solutions through research and development to On Line’s client base. Act as client liaison, in order to build long lasting client relationships. Internally, provide assistance operationally and technically to other technical colleagues and all other staff members.

Please note you need to be Microsoft MCSE certified and Cisco CCNP with Citrix experience (preferably certified too) as a minimum to proceed with your application.

Visit our website for more..

Level Three Helpdesk Engineer – Competitive Salary
We are looking to constantly improve our call response times and are now looking for a senior level 3 helpdesk engineer. Responsible for handling third level service requests and supporting level 1 and 2 colleagues, across over 140 different environments the role will include providing technical support and advice to On Line’s client base. If you thrive on a busy environment and enjoy remotely supporting numerous systems, and colleagues then this role is for you.

Please note you need to be Microsoft MCSE certified and Cisco CCNP with Citrix experience (preferably certified too) as a minimum to proceed with your application.

Visit our website for more..

Account Manager– Competitive Salary
As our client base increases so does the need to ensure all our clients receive the highest level of service from a non-technical perspective. We need an additional account manager to help continue with this. If you have experience of dealing with managing small to medium sized London based clients for an IT support company then we would like to hear from you.

Please note that we will require an experienced person (5+ years) in a similar role who can demonstrate previous success.

Visit our website for more..

As we do receive a large number of responses we will only have time to contact the successful applicants. So if you have not heard from us within two working days we will not be taking your application further. Sorry I wish we had more time to advise personally.

A note to agencies..
We have long standing arrangements with choice recruitment agencies. Unsolicited emails from recruitment companies will not be reviewed or processed.

Imagine an office without support calls and contract renewals!

2010-08-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

We promise you that from today, you'll never have to deal with a support call or contract renewal with your vendors ever again. You can say goodbye to being on hold for hours with your ISP on one line and your IT provider on another, and forget about bartering for the best price next time you renew or obtain your phone contract.

We've just launched Vendor Management, an exciting and affordable service where we'll take care of problem resolutions and contract renewals / agreements. With our buying power, you'll get the best deals, and the fastest resolutions. Learn how we can exhilarate your business! Or drop us a line on 020 7454 1253

Islington Chamber of Commerce Summer Party

2010-07-09T01:13:00.000-07:00

Islington Chamber of Commerce hosted a brilliant Summer Party last night. The annual event took place in King's Way, an impressive glass building housing galleries, a restaurant and meeting spaces by the Regent's Canal. It attracted a large crowd of local businesses and entrepreneurs, gathering to network, catch up and meet new people.

Two guests which made the evening were the recently elected Mayor of Islington, Councillor Mouna Hamitouche, and Marco the Magician.

David Pattinson from Pattinson Investments, Iwona Knapinskla of Jurys Inn, and Richard Pitman from Kafe Vend

Looking onto the Canal from King's Place

Getting the photo right

Members of the Islington Chamber of Commerce.

Taking a snap of the photographer

Marco the Magician..

The crowd gathers to watch the card trick..

Marco the magician's card launched from his pack and stuck to the ceiling!

10 key things to ask your future IT provider

2010-07-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

Sourcing one of the 800 IT service and support providers in London can be an overwhelming task. Whether you're in Procurement, Human resources, IT, or running the company, most people don't have the time or know-how to get started.

With all this in mind, we’ve gone to business owners and our engineers to give you the list of 10 key things you should ask your current or future IT provider before signing or renewing.

1. Is the service provider proactive? A proactive service means they’ll stop problems before they occur, reducing downtime. The average London company loses £1.00 per minute per member of staff when their networks are down. A good IT company will monitor and resolve problems on the horizon (like an out of date, overworked server).

2. Which factors should I take into account when choosing the right IT supplier? Ask yourself the following questions. Are you looking for a company that fixes problems just before or shortly after they happen? How many dedicated helpdesk staff do they have? Do they offer out of hours support? Where are they based in relation to your location? What level of in-house IT expertise does your company have? How long could your business run if your computers went down? How soon can your provider fix a problem?

3. What accredications should they have?Find out if they are registered with the MSP Alliance (Managed Service Provider Alliance), and if they are accredited with Microsoft, Cisco and similar companies. Ask to see testimonials from their clients about their services – an IT firm with a ton of accreditations doesn’t necessarily mean good support or customer service!

To read the full (free) article, go to: http://www.onlinecomputing.co.uk/special/articles/

UK cloud deployments to soar 78%

2010-07-02T00:57:00.000-07:00

Usage of cloud computing in the UK is set to almost double over the next two years, a survey shows, but penetration will remain low overall UK deployments of cloud computing will increase by almost four-fifths (78%) between now and 2012, research by the National Outsourcing Association claims.

The group’s research shows that businesses in the country will turn to the cloud – used in the NOA study to denote public, private and ‘hybrid’ cloud systems – primarily as a cost-saving strategy.

But as penetration – which the group defines as “percentage of IT infrastructure moved to the cloud” – in the UK currently sits at just 3%, the predicted 78% increase in deployments will still represent a small fraction of overall IT systems.

“Cloud computing looks set to continue its march into UK businesses over the next few years,” said Martyn Hart, chairman of the NOA. “However, it appears that there is still a long way to go before cloud becomes truly ubiquitous, as penetration is still fairly low. Being so new, users will need to ensure that they fully understand their options.”

Respondents to the NOA survey expressed concerns commonly associated with public cloud computing – 92% are worried about being ‘locked in’ to a single provider’s system while 75% have data security concerns.

To read more..
http://www.information-age.com/channels/it-services/perspectives-and-trends/1262228/uk-cloud-deployments-to-soar-78.thtml

About us

2010-06-22T04:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome!

We just wanted to thank you for reading our first post. There is much more to come from here on in (expect some solid tech advice, business tips, products and plenty of Q&As from experts). In the mean time, feel free to visit our site (htttp://www.onlinecomputing.co.uk) email us (info@onlinecomputing.co.uk) or give us a call on 020 7454 1254.

About us:

On Line Computing is an IT Services and IT Support company serving small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) and Charities in London.

Our services include: • Managed services - Proactive Technology Management, Single-Multi Office Network Administration, Reactive Support Services and Consultancy• Remote backup and data recovery • Remote support and help desk • VoIP Telephone systems