11 products for solving IT-problems of the company / Smart-Soft company blog

“What is modern office software for you? What IT tasks are set for you? ”- it was with such questions that we turned to representatives of small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) in order to understand their awareness, degree of preparedness and ways to solve IT problems. As a result of the survey, a rather low awareness of possible offers in the software market was found.

Why it happens? - It’s not difficult to guess. Firstly, in conditions of high competition, production activity and sales are a priority, there is simply no time left to think through the search and selection of software for the office. Secondly, the price of popular products for the SMB segment bites.

It was for such companies that we prepared a selection of 11 reliable, inexpensive and simple, but at the same time necessary solutions for organizing effective office work, and also tested the compatibility of some of them with each other, as well as with the corporate IT security solution - Traffic Inspector . So, there is a sufficient package of solutions for small and medium-sized businesses that will ensure comfortable work and security for your business and organize the solution of almost any office tasks:

• Mail Server: BatPost
• Server Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
• OS Backup and Restore: Acronis Backup for Windows Server
• Organization and control of Internet access: Traffic Inspector
• Anti-virus for protecting clients (PC and mobile): Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business
• Driver Update: Auslogics Driver Updater
• Disk Defragmenter: O&O Defrag Freeware
• PC Remote Administration: Team Viewer
• Task Accounting: Megaplan, Jira
• User Control: LanAgent Standard

We will tell you more about them.

Batpost

A mailer running on Windows for external and internal communications.

Features of BatPost :

• distributed storage system
• easy installation and maintenance
• unlimited number of supported domains and users,
• mass mailings
• folder access rights, closed mail communities by user groups,
• flexible sets of rules for receiving connections, sender and recipient addresses, black and white lists,
• monitoring of real-time activity and in the database for subsequent analysis,
• security: most basic authorization schemes, including CRAM-MD5, anti-virus module.

A 30-day trial version is available .

The BatPost mail server is licensed by the number of accounts:

• unlimited number of accounts - 32000 rubles.,
• 50 accounts - 4500 rubles, the price of an additional account - 60 rubles.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard

Server OS for organizing and managing a local network with the ability to host part of the IT infrastructure in the cloud.

Features of Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard :

• virtualization: increase scalability, reliability and efficiency of investments in server hardware,
• Organization of effective storage facilities
• uninterrupted network and centralized management,
• secure remote access without using a VPN,
• Dynamic access control and advanced Active Directory
• turnkey solutions for creating and deploying web applications locally and in the cloud,
• information security through a multi-factor access policy.

Demo version is valid for 180 days.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard is licensed under the "processor + CAL (client user / device) license" scheme, and is delivered through volume licensing programs and in a boxed version. To clarify the details of licensing, you can contact the managers of Smart-Soft.

Price of a Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard license (excluding CAL): 48,199 rubles.

Acronis Backup for Windows Server

Backup and fast recovery of Windows Server.

Features of Acronis Backup for Windows Server :

• instant recovery of backups to any platforms and equipment due to Universal Restore technology,
• one-stage saving of disk reviews, the minimum copy time is provided by skipping unused and unchanged data blocks,
• backups can be stored locally, on a network or Acronis cloud,
• Encryption of backups using the 256-bit AES algorithm.

A 15-day trial is available here .

Acronis Backup for Windows Server is licensed server-by-server.

License price without account limit: 29785 rubles.

Traffic inspector

A comprehensive solution for organizing and controlling Internet access.

Features of the Traffic Inspector :

• organization of Internet access, NAT, proxy server, VPN, AD,
• certified network protection, firewall and antiviruses,
• Internet traffic control, monitoring and access statistics,
• site blocking, content and URL filtering, rules by types, groups and categories,
• saving traffic, time and money, blocking banners and caching,
• Internet access speed control, dynamic shaper, load balancing, priorities,
• configuration and management of routing, Advanced Routing, traffic redirection, publication of services, backup channels,
• traffic accounting, certified billing system, counting, limits, automation,
• mail gateway, anti-spam and anti-virus for mail,
• remote administration, console and access through a web server.

The full free 30-day version can be downloaded here .

Traffic Inspector is licensed by the number of accounts from 5 (4900 rubles) to unlimited (117900 rubles).



For SMB, hardware and software solutions may be convenient, that is, a ready-made Internet gateway based on the server OS Windows Server 2012 R2 and Traffic Inspector:

• up to 50 users - AquaInspector (from $ 1460),
• up to 100 users - AquaInspector Pro (from $ 2470).

Additionally, installation is possible:

• support for 2 interfaces,
• work via Wi-Fi,
• antivirus protection
• ad blocking or spam filtering.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business

Centralized protection of workstations, laptops, mobile devices and file servers.

Features of Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business :

• workstation protection: multi-level protection against unknown threats, suspicious behavior, exploits, hacker and network attacks,
• file server protection: security of multi-platform environments, stable and reliable protection, ease of management,
• Mobile device security: reliable protection, separate storage of corporate and personal data, support for common MDM platforms, locking, cleaning and searching for lost devices,
• control of programs, devices and web browsers,
• management of all functions from one console.

To obtain a trial version, you must fill out the form on the Kaspersky Lab website.

The version of Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business STANDARD is sufficient for small and medium-sized businesses. Licensed by the number of accounts (10 - 17460 rubles, 200 - 231180 rubles), per year.

Auslogics Driver Updater

Certified Microsoft Gold Application Developer program for installing and updating drivers in one click with the ability to roll back to the previous version.

Features of Auslogics Driver Updater :

• compatibility: official drivers for a specific device model are installed,
• backup before updating drivers,
• compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10.

A trial version is available on the developer's site .

Licensed for 1 year, 3 PCs - $ 39.95.

O&O Defrag Freeware

Powerful defragmenter for Windows, accelerating the system by dividing disk space into parts and executing each of them at the right speed.

O&O Defrag Freeware automatically divides the disk into 3 parts (can be changed manually):

• Windows system files and installed programs,
• user data (profile files, office documents),
• rarely used data and very large files.

You can test the product within 30 days.

A paid version is also available - O&O Defrag 18 from € 29.90. The differences are listed on the developer's site .

Team viewer

Remote access (support) to a PC or server, conference (demonstration), collaboration.

Features of Team Viewer :

• access to turned on and off PCs in any part of the world,
• quick exchange of files by drag and drop, through the clipboard or the list “Computers and contacts”,
• remote printing and VPN,
• mobile device support is possible,
• conferences: video, telephone, VoIP, chat, etc. with the possibility of recording,
• Support for Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile.

Link to download the demo .

Premium License Price: € 1,178. When buying, you are given the right to use an unlimited time, builds within one version are free, updating to a new version - at a special price.

For non-commercial use, the product is free.

Megaplan

Corporate CRM-system for automation of work with projects, tasks, customer accounting and sales.

Features Megaplan :

• running in the cloud or on your server,
• easy timing control: detect the problem in time, understand the reason, call for help, move the deadline,
• full history of communications with customers and partners, transaction stages and business plans (calls, meetings, correspondence),
• assessment of the quality of work, time tracking, fast transfer of cases,
• remote work from anywhere.

There are 14 days to test the product, a link to register in a demo on the main page of the site.

Megaplan depending on the supported functions, number of users and rental period is available in 4 options:

• Business manager (from 3200 rubles / month),
• CRM: customers and sales (from 2450 rubles / month),
• Collaboration (from 1450 rubles / month),
• Project manager (from 1750 rubles / month).

Additional options like:

• integration with 1C,
• SMS package for 1000 messages,
• Octell integration,
• telephony VoxImplant,
• coordination of documents in Megaplan, etc.

- available at extra charge.

Jira

One of the most popular systems for monitoring production errors and project management. Jira

features :

• unified information environment, collective work on tasks,
• customizable management accounting and desktops,
• business process management
• notifications, tracking the progress of tasks,
• can be customized for various business tasks.

Link to download free trial versions .

The product can be placed on your own server or in the cloud, in the second case, monthly billing and there is a limit of 2000 users.

Jira is available in three packages, the price depends on the number of users and hosting:

• For projects (tracking problems) - from $ 10,
• For development (tracking problems and project management using a flexible methodology) - from $ 20,
• For technical support (tracking problems and service requests) - from $ 20.

LanAgent Standard

A solution for monitoring user actions for information security for small and medium-sized businesses.

Features of LanAgent Standard :

• interception of keystrokes of keyboard keys, messages of instant messengers and e-mail correspondence,
• software launch control, launch blocking, registration of visited sites, printed documents, copies of files copied to USB-drives, blocking of media operation,
• PC activity and idle time, time for each program separately,
• user analytics, screenshots from users' PCs, etc.

Download the 15-day evaluation version .

The price depends on the number of monitored computers: from 1250 rubles / PC (the more it is tracked, the lower the price for 1 PC).

Testing the collaboration of Windows 2012 R2, Traffic Inspector and Kaspersky Endpoint Security

And finally, a compatibility test case conducted by Smart-Soft tech support.

For the purposes of the test, Windows 2012 R2, Traffic Inspector 3.0.1, Kaspersky Endpoint Security products were installed and traffic was run during the day using the HTTP-Test utility. No problems were found during the experiment.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security was tested on virtual machines using desktop (Windows 7, 8.1) and server (Windows 2012 R2) operating systems. Traffic Inspector 3.0.1 was installed on the server operating system, configured in gateway mode, configured clients, created traffic control rules. Client machines were configured to work through proxies.

Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business was selected as anti-virus protection. Before starting the installation, we downloaded administration server distributions from the Kaspersky website: Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows for client computers and the Kaspersky Security Center management tool. Kaspersky Endpoint Security is installed with optimal default settings, therefore systems and data are protected immediately after its installation.

Subsequent configuration and management of protection was carried out using a single console of Kaspersky Security Center, which simplifies the monitoring and protection of all workstations. It is especially necessary to note the presence of the protection functionality of corporate mobile devices (smartphones, tablets). Using a single control center allows you to rationally use resources and contributes to greater software resilience to various types of threats.

Anti-virus scan technologies work at different levels of the operating system, effectively removing malware. The Kaspersky Security Network cloud network protects users from new threats in real time. At the same time, flexible control tools ensure that only authorized devices are connected to the PC on the network.

Installing Kaspersky Endpoint Security did not affect the operation of TIs and client machines. The program activity monitoring system did not block the TI module.

Load testing from client machines was carried out using the HTTP-Test, HttpTrafficGen utilities.

We also measured the speed of the Internet connection before installing Kaspersky Endpoint Security and after. The measurement was carried out using the site for testing speed speedtest.net . They also used FTP servers located on the Internet with obviously large distribution channels, for example:

devbuilds.kaspersky-labs.com/devbuilds/AVPTool
ftp.drweb.com/pub/drweb/livecd
www.nvidia.ru/content
ftp.altlinux. com / pub / distributions

To test the traffic between the client and the TI server, the iperf utility was used, which works under all systems - free with open source and does not require installation under Windows. The program is quite accurate: the results coincide with each other with several measurements. We ran it on a server with a TI and a client machine on both sides of the tested channel (on the one hand, in server mode, on the other, in client mode). The speed (band of the channel) is tested in this case only in one direction - from the client to the server, that is, the client transmits data, and the server receives. To test the channel band in the opposite direction, the server and client swap at the ends of the channel. iperf can generate traffic "to nowhere", for example, to a nonexistent address. With its help, the channel or network interface was uploaded to the required size.

Conclusion

Typical potential IT threats include not only external (viruses, spam, hacker attacks, spyware, etc.), but also internal (theft of confidential information, misuse of resources), moreover, the second group according to statistics is the most dangerous and the share it is growing: according to the report of the InfoWatch Analytical Center, the number of information leaks from Russian companies in 2014 was 73% higher than the results of 2013. And if large corporations can cope with financial and reputational losses, for small and medium-sized businesses the damage is much more noticeable and may result in bankruptcy. This is a good reason to prevent information security threats.

Managers and technical specialists of small and medium-sized businesses no longer need to spend precious time searching for integrated solutions for organizing tasks and IT security.

This selection of 11 friendly, reliable and price-effective products effectively covers the needs for organizing an office IT structure.


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