The industry average is 67.42 while we managed to score a 100. Thanks to those customers who responded to Microsoft’s queries – we appreciate your support.

• Original Order: Sometimes the items we would specify wouldn’t be the items ordered. Perhaps there was a cheaper alternative recommended by the vendor. Or perhaps an item was out of stock and an alternative was recommended. Often we wouldn’t learn of the replacement until well into a project when we began installing the solution. Sometimes we would figure out the issue and put the project on hold until we could come up with a solution, but other times we might only realize that a feature/function was missing after the project was concluded. The result: The project would be delayed and/or fail to meet the underlying business objective.
• RMA: Sometimes the wrong item is shipped or perhaps we specified the wrong item. Most of the time this is no big deal, but since we aren’t the vendor’s customer we must have our customer contact the vendor and explain the situation and resolve it. Sometimes this turns into a game of ‘telephone’ and the message gets garbled. The result: The project would be delayed and the item might not be authorized for return.
• Indefinite Delay: Without anyone driving the procurement projects often never happened. The result: The underlying business objectives are never met.

Today, in our Architel 2.0 model, we handle all procurement directly and have brought on two additional team members to manage our new process. Utilizing an ITIL process we now a) identify the hardware and software to procure, b) get customer sign off on pricing or lease terms, c) complete purchase orders and issue to suppliers, d) receive goods from suppliers, e) review and accept items procured, f) bill customer for goods, g) approve supplier payments, h) schedule installation and i) certify installation. There are certain benefits to our new process beyond simply avoiding the issues noted above. These include:

• Volume Pricing: We push through almost $10 million in software and equipment to various vendors each year. By purchasing at wholesale volume-based prices we are able to resell software and hardware at roughly the same retail price our clients could obtain on their own.
• Reduced Customer Labor: By handling all aspects of the procurement process directly we remove that responsibility and risk from our clients. We handling all original ordering and returns AND installation.
• Certified Installation: We have signed contracts with Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, HP, Level(3) and other manufacturers that allow us to purchase directly to receive the best manufacturer support and training available. For example all of our engineers are required to achieve Microsoft certification and today our company has the highest level of certification that Microsoft offers. This means our engineers are better able to determine which products meet your needs and that they have the skills necessary to make them work.

CCNA stands for the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification from Cisco. CCNA certification is a second-level Cisco Career certification. CCNA certification validates the ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-size routed and switched networks, including implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN.

To achieve CCNA certification, one must earn a passing score on Cisco exam #640-802, or combined passing scores on both the ICND1 #640-822 and ICND2 #640-816 exams. Passing the ICND1 grants one the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT).

The CCNP is considered proof of having the ability to work with medium-sized networks with technology such as QoS, broadband, VPNs, and security-minded features. In addition to CCNA exams, professionals must pass either four separate exams, or a composite exam along with two separate exams.

NEW – (Friday July 30th, 2010) – Version 4.0.0

• Complete overhaul of underlying barcode scanning and camera frame grabbing logic.
• Vastly improved performance and API enhancements
• Full compatibility with iOS 4.0 and Apple’s App Store policies and guidelines. (No more “UIGetScreenImage()”)
• Full compatibility with iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G devices

Download the Scanner Kit SDK for iPhone today!

Starting in October we are changing the venue and the format. Moving from the High Tech Bar to our new offices in Campbell Centre the event will now feature a short program and guest speaker each month. We are also opening up sponsorship opportunities. We are simply attempting to cover our hard event costs (primarily beverages).

Our October event is already filled 48 entrepreneurs on the event wait list. Learn more here: http://www.meetup.com/Dallas-Startup-Happy-Hour/

Specifically, we would like to invite you to join Architel® as one of our featured sponsors. There will only be four year-long featured sponsorship opportunities. Featured sponsorship includes:

• M2 Banner (as seen to right) with logo and art acceptable to you (co-branding to include small Architel logo at bottom) displayed in the venue for 12 months.
• Each featured sponsor will be allowed a short 5-minute presentation during the program portion of the each event three times during the 12-month sponsorship.
• Monthly recognition at start of program.
• Ability to distribute ‘schwag’ at each event.

Cost: $3,000 (beverage costs for each event average $1,000 x 3 events). Banner is $512 from Displays to go. Email jdonica@architel.com to let us know if you are interested.

We aren’t the same company we were ten years ago. Today Architel owns and operates it’s own state-of-the-art network operations center and data center. Our facilities are staffed by highly trained ITIL professionals and meets SAS-70, PCI DSS and ISO 9001 requirements. We are one of the largest MSPs in North Texas and operate in six cities around the United States supporting more than 10,000 end-users. Finally, our local philanthropic efforts include support for the Chiapas Project, TREC FightNight and the Entrepreneurs Foundation of North Texas.

Realizing that we aren’t the same small company that we were a decade ago we have decided to expand our product and service offerings. Over the coming months we will formally announce partnerships with Microsoft, Cisco and Level(3) that will enable us to expand our managed services offerings to include a) outsourced NOC services, b) managed voice and data services, c) managed video surveillance services and d) software and hardware sales. By the end of 2010 we will have sold more than $6,000,000 in Microsoft products and related hardware, $3,000,000 in Cisco equipment and more than $2,500,000 in voice and data. By expanding our offering to include these associated products and services we will more than double the size of our company in fiscal year 2011.

For many companies, managed video surveillance is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Just as your email, web and file servers are managed – your video surveillance needs the regular monitoring and management our managed services team can provide. Most businesses can leverage our 8 or 16 camera system to provide complete indoor/outdoor surveillance coverage. Our managed security service is offered at two levels. The Silver offering includes an eight camera digital video server and associated cameras ($900 setup fee). The Gold offering includes a sixteen camera digital video server and associates cameras ($1800 setup fee). In both cases we work with you and your cabling vendor to install the necessary cables and wires to the appropriate locations. Both the 8 and 16 camera systems are managed and monitored 24×7x365 by our Network Operations Center located in Dallas, TX. Our standard managed security service is $250 per month per system.

With our managed surveillance system you can monitor up-to 16 cameras at once from your home or office computer. You can even monitor your cameras from your iPhone, Android or Windows Mobile smartphones. The mobile application is included in your standard monthly service fee and they allow you to take full control of your system from your smartphone. Our digital video server will allow you to review footage from one or more cameras based on time of day, day of week or other scheduled activity.

See the iPhone App in Action:

For an additional monthly rate our ‘Digital Security Guards’ can provide real-time, live monitoring of your security camera. All monitoring is done by licensed and highly trained security guards. Our security guards are trained to react to events as they occur. They can contact local authorities and possible stop crime before it even happens. Digital Security Guard also emails event reports to you in real time. Why wait for the alarm to go off (if it goes off) and have the authorities show up after the crime occurred? Imagine having your own on-site security guard, there at your front door, only better and for a fraction of the cost. Instead of having an on-site security guard that can only be in one place at a time, our security guards can see everything at once. They can monitor the inside, outside, front and back of your facility, all at the same time. We can provide additional services like two way audio, employee supervision, monitor open and closing of your business and even remote access control. Please contact us for specific pricing.

It is that time of year again – time for the Tour de France! Lance and his team from Radio Shack are riding for America AND Texas. The Architel team wishes Lance and the rest of the team the best of luck! Live Strong!