Saturday, October 21, 2006, 1:00-3:15 pm
Keeping Your Business Safe and Secure:
What Small Businesses Need To Know About Computer Security
Speakers: Chad Laibly, President, and Matt Zeppa, Lead Technician, CNS-Metzia, LLC

Audience: Owners, managers, and computer users at small businesses and home offices who want to keep their IT secure.

When you purchase desktops, laptops, and other IT hardware, you consider availability and price. Do you factor in what's needed to keep that new equipment protected from hackers and identity thieves? Do you have a disaster recovery plan? Many owners of small businesses are so busy running their businesses that they do not know what they need to keep their equipment, and their businesses, healthy in a broadband environment.

At this presentation you'll learn about—

(1) Hardware Standards for Security. Whoever is responsible for purchasing your laptops and desktops/workstations should know the hardware guidelines for security. Make sure the equipment that will be installed in your office is capable of handling the security software and patches required to keep your business secure and healthy on the Internet, for the expected lifetime of the equipment, in addition to the software needed to keep your business humming,

(2) Security Against Identity Theft. Electronic thefts are not typically perpetrated by a single person hacking into a system from a nearby computer. Instead, they are usually caused by an unscrupulous individual who writes a computer program that searches the Internet with an aggressive intelligence and speed. The purpose of this malware—its only purpose—is to exploit the software vulnerabilities (the ones we constantly hear about on CNN) to steal identity information—yours, that of your employees, and that of your customers and clients. Learn the latest about protecting yourself and your business from these pirates and their software.

(3) Disaster Planning and Data Backup/Recovery. One of the most important duties of owning a business of any size—a duty that is too-often overlooked—is the need to back up data. Full backups? Partial backups? How often? What media are best for you? And, about your backups—how and how often should you test them? Servers crash and burn. You're not prepared unless you regularly test your backups. Disaster recovery options for the single IT user and larger businesses will be discussed.

Speakers: Chad Laibly, as President of CNS-Metzia, LLC, is involved in IT security, sales, and marketing. CNS-Metzia was created when Chad sold part of his company, Computer Network Solutions, to his largest client, Cohen and Burnett, PC.

Prior to starting Computer Network Solutions, Chad was Vice President of Millennium Technology Solutions, Inc. Previously he was in systems management at The Chronicle of Higher Education and in IT support with the National Wildlife Federation.

Matt Zeppa, Lead Technician at CNS-Metzia, with a wide range of hardware networking skills gained through years of experience, has been a U.S. Marine, a consultant for major corporations, and a networks consultant for small businesses.

CNS-Metzia, LLC, a Washington, DC, metropolitan area IT service provider, is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Clients are typically firms with 2 to 100 employees.

Location: One-half block south of the Cineplex Odeon Uptown movie theatre on Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.

Parking: Very small lot, off Macomb St., to left of library. 

Metrorail--Cleveland Park Station on the Red Line (on Connecticut Avenue, just 1.5 blocks north of meeting site) 

Free and open to all 

Several times a year a smaller group (usually about 8 to 12) goes to Nanny O'Brien's (directly across the street from the library at 3319 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 202-686-9189, open 2 pm Saturday to 2 am Sunday) or another local establishment for continued conversation, networking, and refreshment following the meeting. (Participants pay for their own beverages and food.) 

Join us! 

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