[Zsd-news] ZSD Newsletter: March 2004

[Ian Forbes]

Hello All

The year is flying, we are past equinox and winter will soon be upon us.=20
So it is time to catch up with our customers.


TWAVAS (The War Against Viruses and Spam)

It seems I cannot write a newsletter without touching on the e-mail=20
nasties, spam and viruses.

This time I have some more positive news. We have now installed an=20
additional antivirus system on our mail server. This one uses a =20
conventional pattern scanning system.=20

The beauty of the new system is that it scans e-mails right at the time=20
that they are received. If malware is detected the message is rejected=20
before they are accepted from the sender. This means that our server=20
does not have to send out any error messages. The fewer error messages=20
we send the fewer our customers receive. The net result of this is that=20
the amount of virus related e-mail that our customers are receiving has=20
fallen drastically.

You may be lulled into thinking that virus messages are a thing of the=20
past. They are not, new viruses are coming out faster than ever. This=20
is why we have kept our old antivirus system, which acts in tandem with=20
the new one. The old system does not rely on pattern files, hence it=20
provides protection during the "window period" between when a virus is=20
released and the time when pattern files are distributed and installed. =20
Our new system automatically downloads new pattern files hourly - but=20
there are still viruses which get through it and are caught by the old=20
system.

Does this mean that you can turn off the anti-virus software on your=20
computers? Well that is a tricky question, viruses can still originate=20
from  sources like stiffy disks, CD ROM's, websites and network=20
connections. This question is like asking the price of a "Rolls Royce"=20
=2D if you have to ask, you can't afford one. Likewise, if you have to=20
ask if it is safe to turn off anti-virus programs on your Windows=20
desktop PC, then the answer is NO!

=46or the moment we are winning this battle but we are far from winning=20
the War Against Viruses. As for the War Against Spam, we have been busy=20
on that front too, but I have no particular success to report at this=20
stage.


SAVE TIME, DON'T GO TO WORK

Am I dreaming? No not really. For years there has been talk of "virtual=20
offices" and "cyber commuters", but we are finally reaching a stage=20
where this is becoming practical and affordable.

ZSD have developed a system for running a "Virtual Private=20
Network" (VPN) between two ADSL lines using our Zslic server. So if you=20
have an ADSL line at your office, and another at home, you can take=20
your notebook home and plug into your home network and enjoy all the=20
facilities such as e-mail, file servers, fax servers, network printers=20
etc, that you have in your office. It is all just a bit slower - about=20
256 kbs - which is still 4 times faster than an entry level diginet=20
line. All the traffic is securely encrypted. The costs start from under=20
R3000 per month including Telkom charges. This includes high speed=20
internet access at both sites. The system could be useful for branch=20
offices too. Contact ZSD for more information.


=46ALLING INTEREST RATES, GOOD NEWS AND BAD

As you know interest rates in South Africa have fallen drastically over=20
the last 6 months. This is good news for most individuals and=20
businesses. However it has side effects. ZSD offers discounts for users=20
who pay annually in advance. With the lower interest rates we have had=20
to review these discounts. Users who pay 12 months in advance will now=20
be charged 11 times the monthly rate (it used to be 10 times) and there=20
will no longer be a discount for paying 6 months in advance. The new=20
terms will come into effect immediately for new accounts and on 1 May=20
2004 for existing accounts renewable after that date.

=46or the record, we will still accept quarterly payments, but monthly=20
payments must be by debit order. Business accounts can be paid monthly=20
on invoice by arrangement with ZSD.


Enough for this month, the autumn sun is shining on the mountains, the=20
wind is blowing gently from the North West and my phone is ringing!


Ian

=2D-=20
Ian Forbes ZSD
http://www.zsd.co.za
Office: +27 21 683-1388 =A0Fax: +27 21 674-1106
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 46827, Glosderry, 7702, South Africa