Security: how to ensure your software vendor is securing your information “in the cloud”. What to look for

By on October 9, 2011

I recently read an article on cloud computing security and implementation. Always considering moving legal “enterprise software” to the cloud, it reminded me how important it is to insure the utmost security for clients. The subject of security in a cloud environment is expansive, but here are a few things to look for in a cloud provider:

  1. Access Control
    It makes a user feel secure when asked for passwords, etc., but how secure is your provider’s routine maintenance and other back-end and front-end performance controls? This leads me to the next point…
  2. Internal Management Control
    In other words, who in the “cloud” organization is authorized to view your information?  Most cloud vendors have secure procedures in place.  One of the benefits of cloud computing is it circumvents storage of information on the in-house server; less risk of information leaking.  Very few cloud companies have had problems with internal “leakage,” and those that have are probably, newer. When dealing with a cloud vendor, just make sure the internal process is secure and proven.
  3. Internal Security
    A quality cloud software provider will have a secure authentication and authorization process in place, but not to the point of being annoying (of course). IP addresses should be checked and security breaches should be easily flagged. 
  4. Encryption
    This is kind of a no-brainer. Again, most cloud vendors honor this obvious requirement, yet some vendors either do not or cannot have encrypted information within the cloud. Internal encryption is the best case scenario and it’s something you ask for from the cloud software vendor. Additionally, the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS)-140 security standard specifies the requirements for cryptology modules.
  5. Internal/External Audits
    Even with all of the security red tape, intrusions still occur. How does your vendor detect a breach? The vendor should be capable of monitoring and measuring any breach of information and how will they communicate that to you? These are very important things to keep in mind when signing a service agreement.
  6. Disaster Recovery
    This is a must; every cloud vendor needs to have a back-up plan. They should be able to communicate this plan to you. This plan should be as solid as the back-up plan they have for the software itself. Also, any impending disasters should be communicated to you, in addition to how the disaster will be handled. All data should be protected at every level – no ifs ands or buts.

Cloud computing is a brave new frontier and there are many things to learn. What do you look for in a SaaS vendor?

 

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Categories: Best Practices, Going Green, Management, Productivity, Technology, Uncategorized

“Microsoft Office Suite 2010 – What’s the Buzz?”

By on March 8, 2011

I’ll admit it, I’m a PC and I’m okay with that. The geeky persona and business suit are all fine with me. I understand PCs, I’m quick and informed on PCs and I’m a Microsoft person. Obviously, I am a fan of the Microsoft Office suite. My company builds products based on utilizing the efficiencies of the Microsoft suite, and I use it on a daily basis (just like the rest of the world). So, what is the buzz on the 2010 Microsoft Office suite? And what are the major differences between it and Microsoft Office 2007? If you have already upgraded or if you’re thinking about it, here’s my take on it.

 Positive:

  • The 2010 version has the ribbon interface, just like the 2007 version. If you liked the ribbon in the former version, you’ll like the latter. 
  • More built-in collaboration web apps. 
  • Slicker templates. 
  • Video editing tools in PowerPoint. 
  • More intuitive and data integral spreadsheet features in Excel.  
  • The suite offers users the ability to work from anywhere with scaled down versions of applications.  
  • Outlook comes equipped with Spam filters. 
  • More memory. 
  • Word cut and paste – paste function doesn’t drag over any formatting from another application.
  • Integration with smartphones, and social media applications.

 Not so Positive:

  • Conversion tools are needed to open the .xml file extension.
  • The ribbon – depending if you like it or not.
  • No useful Outlook templates, still.
  • Re-worked interface – learning curve.

 Microsoft Office 2010 is a must-do for businesses and non-commercial users who are looking for high-end apps, but it will definitely take some time to learn it. If your firm is looking for a simple, “does the job” enterprise application then maybe 2010 isn’t worth it. It really all comes down to how your firm uses the Microsoft suite.





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Categories: Best Practices, Legal Marketing, Productivity, Technology, The Legal Market

“iPad and the Apple – The Pros and Cons of Mac-king it”

By on February 8, 2011

The post holiday doldrums have set in, the credit card bills have arrived, and techno-geeks everywhere are enjoying their new toys. Apple wins again; this time with the iPad, the iPod Touch and the iPhone 4. I will admit, I am a PC and proud of it. But, the uproar Apple products cause sparks my interest. Although I think PCs are superior to Macs, especially in a law firm environment, I would like to be educated on this opinion.  So here’s my take on the main differences between Macs vs. PCs and how viable is this product in the law firm environment.

  1. The first thing that comes to mind is that Mac just looks slicker.
    There’s a reason the Mac commercial features a cool beatnik type guy and PC is a buttoned up nerd. Macs are cool. They have a bright screen, with the backlit Apple symbol and especially appealing keyboard buttons. Apples are well designed computers and PC companies have spent a lot of time trying to catch up, but never do. Advantage Mac.
  2. Macs allow the user to run two operating systems. PCs do not.
    The Mac user is able to run both OS X and Windows. PC’s do not enable users to run OS X (as far as I know). OS X is the operating system in a Mac. It is user friendly and efficient, Windows 7 tries to close the gap, but never will.  A user can choose to use Windows as the operating system on a Mac. Advantage Mac.
  3. PCs are compatible with more software than Macs.
    When it comes to legal software or any other kind of software for that matter, as of now, PCs are the way to go. Many software companies are not Mac-centric. Most software is designed to run on a Microsoft operating system and although Macs have plenty of applications that work with them, outside software vendors can’t “break through”. This could be especially difficult in the legal arena where time and billing software, and document management are key enterprise products running in the firm. Advantage PC.
  4. Price tag – PCs are generally cheaper and more customizable.
    PCs can be built from the ground up (I’ve done it before). The same amount of RAM, hard drive capacity and processor can be purchased for a lot less in a PC than in a Mac. PCs are also much easier to customize. Individual components can be added very easily and RAM, etc. can be added on for little cost. Advantage PC.
  5.  Macs retain their value.
    Whereas used PCs are a dime a dozen, Macs are well made and tend to retain their value better than PCs. They tend to be easier to sell; both the parts and the unit themselves. Advantage Mac.
  6. Macs are user friendly.
    As aforementioned, I am a hard core PC user. I’ve heard, though, that Macs are very easy to use. They are intuitive and well made. I always think of Macs as better suited for creative types, but it seems they have become more mainstream and tweaked design and other interfaces for the computer “layperson”. Advantage Mac.
  7. It is easier to upgrade with a PC.
    Honestly, more businesses use PCs. They are cheaper and easier to upgrade and there are more choices. Mac users are limited to the Apple product line and often upgrades are expensive and cumbersome. Advantage PC.

I guess when it’s all said and done, Macs vs. PCs is a matter of choice. It does seem that most firms, and businesses in general, are using PCs and, to me, for good reason. They are cheaper, more customizable and run more software applications. If you have a different opinion, I’d love to hear it. As more and more applications move to the cloud, the desktop may not be as important as in the past.

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Categories: Legal Marketing, Productivity, Technology, The Legal Market

Mid-size Firm Managing Partner’s – Poor View of Technology

By on July 7, 2010

I was a little shocked to see the Hildebrandt story on how a dozen managing partners felt about their technology investments. Their perspective was they just wanted to make sure the network was reliable and maintained at a reasonable cost.  We don’t know all the details of the discussions that took place with the partners but one thing is certain, “they are missing the boat.” One of two possibilities come to mind, either the partners just couldn’t articulate the benefits of the technology the firm actually uses beyond stable networks, or their firms really don’t use technology for much more than email, document storage and a few legal software applications.

Technology can be a game changer for a mid-size firm, here are some examples:

  • Business Development – without a good contact management system (other than just Outlook) it’s just not possible to manage relationships and track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
  • Business Process Improvement (BPI) – business processes used by firms may not have changed very much in the last 10-20 years. Most of these processes are manual, paper based systems, for example, new client/matter intake, requesting a check, requesting a vacation day etc. These are just ripe for cost reductions and improvements in service.
  • Attorney Dashboards – at a glance, how am I doing compared to the requirements? Am I missing time for a certain day, do I have excessive client un-billed costs aging over 60 days, is my billing realization dropping below 95 percent? Attorneys need on-demand access to hard-hitting performance related information, gone are the days of sending out reporting packages (aka, paper).
  • Green Billing – stop sending your corporate clients paper bills, they don’t want paper. Green billing allows your firm to send clients a digitized bill, ready to be immediately imported into their in-house system for processing and approval. Happier clients and faster payment cycles is a win-win for both parties.  

Of course, the list could go on and on, the overall message is that when the managing partner can say that technology is being used by the firm as a strategic advantage in the marketplace his firm will be in a much better position to compete and quite possibly more profitable.

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Categories: Best Practices, Productivity, Technology, The Legal Market
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