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MiCTA Alert - July 2005

IN THIS ISSUE:

* MiCTA Exhibits at ACUTA's 2005 Annual Conference

* Reminder to Members - Your Member Number is Required to Participate in MiCTA Programs

* July Specials from Gateway, Sprint and Tech Depot

* Welcome to New Members

* MiCTA Welcomes Ben Spreeman

* The D.C. Update

* MiCTA Board Recommends Increase in Membership Dues

* Tech Talk - Advances Opening up the World of Storage

* MiCTA Member Survey from Timothy von Hoff, Board Member and MiCTA Program Chair

* This Just In - Update on TIS RFP

* Just for Fun!

MiCTA Exhibits at ACUTA's 2005 Annual Conference

MiCTA Will Exhibit At The ACUTA 2005 Annual Conference . The conference is being held at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, FL. More information is available on the MiCTA Homepage or by calling (888) 870-8677. Stop by booth #513 and say hello to Dan Odykirk and Gary Green.

Reminder to Members- Member Number Required to Participate in MiCTA Contracts

Under most circumstances, you will have to provide your MiCTA member number to the applicable vendor to enjoy the pricing and terms of the MiCTA contract. If you don’t know your member number, just call the office at (888) 870-8677.

July Specials, Just for MiCTA Members

Account Executive: Mike Shields
Phone: 800-211-4952 ext. 56464
Fax: 775-898-5047
E-Mail: mike.shields@gateway.com

GW Quote #: 0412360

Gateway M460E

System Quote

Part Number: 1008351
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition
Application Software:No application software selected
AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus 90 day introductory offer
Processor: Intel® Celeron® M Processor 350 (1.3GHz, 400MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache)
Memory: 256MB 400MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive: 40GB 4200rpm Ultra ATA hard drive
Floppy Drive: Integrated 4-in-1 card reader
Additional Media Drive:Modular 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive
Optical Drive:Modular 24x/10x/24x CD-RW / 8x DVD combo
Expansion Slots: One type II PC card slot
External Ports: (4) USB 2.0, VGA, TV Out, S-Video, IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
Recycling Fee: My order is not shipping to California - no recycling fee required
Screen: 15.0" XGA TFT Active Matrix
Video: Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
Keyboard and Mouse: Full-Sized Keyboard and EZ Pad® Pointing Device
Multimedia Package: Integrated sound and stereo speakers, headphone/speaker jack, and mic jacks
Speakers: External speakers not selected
Battery:Primary 12-Cell lithium ion battery with AC pack and 1 yr. limited battery warranty
Modem: Integrated V.90 56K Modem
Network Adapter: Integrated Broadcom® 10/100/1000 Ethernet Adapter
Internet Service Provider: Six months America Online® Internet access
Integrated Wireless Networking Adapter: Integrated 802.11b/g wireless networking card
Extended Service Plan Including Limited Warranty:Notebook Value Plus Service Plan -- 3 year part/labor/NBD on-site/3 year technical support
Carrying Case:Not Selected

Configured List Price: US $1,267.99

System Quantity: 1

Delivered Discounted Price: US $1051.00

Comments:

M460E Step up Program
Step Up Option 1	Price
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 730 (1.6GHz, 533MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache) Bottom of Form	$ 170.00
512MB 400MHz DDR2 SDRAM (1-512MB modules)	$ 65.00
Modular 8x Multi-Format DVD Writer (DVD±R/±RW/CD-RW)	$ 50.00
Total	$ 285.00	Save $ 45.00
Special Price	$ 240.00	Save $ 45.00


Step Up Option 2
APC Surge Arrest Notebook Protector 2-Prong (6602782)	$ 34.99
Port Replicator w/ 120 Watt AC Adapter for M460 Bottom of Form	$ 139.00
Total	$ 173.99	Save $ 24.00
Special Price	$ 149.99	Save $ 24.00

When placing your order, please attach this quote to your purchase order.
A copy of this quote will be held for a period of 90 days after 03/31/2005

Quote subject to terms of current Agreement signed by you and Gateway, or absent Agreement, to Gateway’s Standard Terms of Sale and applicable product and services warranties which are available by visiting gateway.com or calling 1-800-846-2000 for a free copy. Service agreements are issued and performed by third parties. May not be available in all locations. Accidental Damage Protection not available in all states. Phone charges may apply for tech support. If purchased, on-site service technician will be sent if necessary, following phone-based troubleshooting. Availability varies. Other conditions apply. YOU WILL BE CHARGED SHIPPING AND HANDLING OR RESTOCKING FEES TO RETURN PRODUCTS. All offers valid in US only and are subject to change without notice or obligation. Quoted product only available through Gateway.com or by calling 1-800-846-2000. Prices exclude shipping, handling, and taxes unless otherwise stated. FINANCE/LEASE CUSTOMERS: Financing and leasing provided by independent lenders to qualified US residents only. REBATE OFFERS: For more information about rebate offers, log onto http://www.gateway.com/rebate or call 1-800-846-4208. © 2005 Gateway, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks used here in are trademarks or registered trademarks of Gateway, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. See important Microsoft activation requirements at http://www.gateway.com/ms-req

Data Evolution Offers Free Sprint PCS Connection Card™
For a limited time, MiCTA member organizations are eligible for up to $249.99 in savings on the EVDO-capable Sprint PCS Connection Cards.

The offer is available June 1-October 4. Eligible subscriptions include new and existing corporate-liable customers who sign a new, two-year Sprint PCS Advantage Agreement along with an $80 MRC Unlimited Data Plan.

The above offer applies to the Sprint PCS Connection Card by Sierra Wireless (AirCard ® 580) or the Sprint PCS Connection Card by Novatel Wireless ® (Merlin™ S620). (Suggested retail price for each is $249.99. However, sales tax and contract renewal requirements apply.) Click here for a brief presentation, and information about how to participate in this exciting program.

Are You Searching for an
Affordable HP Server?

Tech Depot blows away the competition with a great deal on the HP ProLiant ML110 G2!

If your business requires a high-performance - but very affordable - server that can handle your toughest network requirements, then look no further than the HP ProLiant ML110 G2 tower. The ML110 G2 is equipped with a 3.2GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor, 256MB of PC3200 ECC SDRAM (expandable to 4GB), 256MB RAM, CD, and a comprehensive 1-year warranty.

Contact Carlos Montanez, at 203.615.7416, to take advantage of this amazingly priced server.

MiCTA would like to welcome our newest members

Community Living Services, Inc
Joliet Junior College
Neumann College
Otter Creek Church of Christ
Southern Oregon Education Service District
The Robert B. Miller College

Ben Spreeman Joins MiCTA Service Corporation Staff as a Marketing Intern

The MiCTA Service Corporation team is pleased to announce that Ben Spreeman has joined the staff.

Ben, a senior at Central Michigan University, is majoring in entrepreneurship with a minor in marketing. Ben will assist with the monthly electronic Alert, the semi-annual newsletter and work on other informational and marketing related projects. Give Ben a call if you have an article or newsworthy item to share with the membership.

Ben Spreeman
bspreeman@mictaservice.com
(888)-870-8677

The D.C. Update

Whitney Johnson
Northern Michigan University
(Retired)

The following articles are all part of the D C Update as shown in the ACUTA eNews. The ACUTA eNews is available in its entirety as a PDF document by clicking this link.

How to Reduce 911 Error

Many years ago, before the current 911 code was used, I got a call from the carrier complaining about of a couple calls that had been dialed as 911, which was not the right thing to dial. Their records showed the call had originated on a phone in the Computer Center. I quickly realized what had happened. The person was trying to make a long distance call through our PBX and dialed the 9 to get out of our PBX and into the local carrier system, then a second 9 was followed by dialing a 1 for long-distance, and then they happened to hit a second 1 in error. Since then, of course, 911 has become a vital number to call in an emergency where the call goes to the local PSAP. The Telecom Manager’s Voice Report (VR 5/16/05) reported from Dartmouth that the vast majority of 911 calls from their campus were the result of misdials much like what is described above. The article suggests changing the outside line access code from 9 to 8. After Dartmouth changed the access code to 8, errant 911 calls dropped by 90%.

If you have a PBX, it would be a wise idea to make the code change and inform the system users what you are doing and why it is being done.

VoIP Service Quality

A report from an equipment maker in Ontario claims that a recent surge in VoIP service providers—ranging from major carriers and ISPs to tiny “mom and pop” players —could put so much strain on network capacity that quality of service may suffer. This suggestion was confirmed by a telecom consultant in Virginia. The consultant indicated that the way people use data networks is a lot like the way they use the highways. He said, “You build more roads and you get more drivers. It’s the same with the Internet. If VoIP becomes really cheap, it will change people’s behavior and then you’ll have problems.”

VoIP Use is Growing

In response to a request from Vonage Holdings Corp., Bell South is preparing to offer VoIP providers service that connects to the appropriate public safety answering points (PSAPs) using selective routers throughout the Bell South local service territory. The cost of this system has not yet been determined. When the new system has been tried and verified, Bell South expects to make the system available to any interested VoIP provider. (Telecommunications Reports)

AT&T has announced a new Dynamic Network Applications suite as a portfolio of VoIP services for enterprises that will ultimately support voice, conferencing and messaging.

The first service to be available will be known as “AT&T Voice DNA, an IP Centrex solution that lets users move in-progress calls from one phone to another without disruption, personalized call handling, find-me functionality, on-demand audio conferencing, and integration with Microsoft Outlook.”

Qwest has announced a new Enterprise Service-Quality package which will be called “Qwest Promise of Value,” an incentive program designed to retain the customers that are near the end of their contracts.

According to a study by Infonetics Research in California, enterprise use of VoIP has gone up about 46% this past year. The report also forecasts that 29% of large, 16% of medium, and 4% of small enterprises in the U. S. will adopt VoIP by the end of this year.

Greater Risk for Rural Cell Phone Users

A research study from Sweden published in the June issue of Occupational and Environmental medicine indicated that use of cell phones in rural areas could pose a greater risk of brain tumors than use in urban areas. Base stations in rural areas are farther apart, and as a result they have to use higher power levels to cover the area. The risk of malignant brain tumors was 8 times greater among rural cell phone users than noted among those not using cell phones or using cell phones in urban areas. However, the number of cases was rather small. The study involved 1,400 adults who live in Sweden who were diagnosed with a malignant or benign brain tumor between January 1997 and June 2000.

The article included no statistics comparing power levels used in rural U. S. to those in Sweden .

AMBER Alerts

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the wireless industry are working together to send AMBER Alerts to mobile phones as well as other wireless devices nationwide. “There are 182 million Americans walking around with wireless technology,” said Ernie Allen, NCMEC’s president and chief executive officer. “Every one of these people is somebody who could potentially know where a child is.” The alert program was started in 1997 and since then has been credited with finding 204 missing children. Steve Largent, CTIA President and CEO, commented at a news conference on May 17, that “Now the power to fight and prevent heinous crimes against children rests in the palm of our hands.”

All five of the nationwide wireless carriers and several regional carriers have agreed to be part of this effort. Other carriers are expected to join the group. Wireless subscribers of participating carriers can register to receive alerts at www.wirelessamberalerts.org or on the website of their carrier. “Subscribers can designate up to five geographic areas for which they want to get alerts.” A number of telecom companies have donated a total of about $9 million in resources to put this program together.

If you are a cell phone user, please participate in this program. You could be the one to rescue a missing child!

High Tech Working Group

This group has been formed by the Senate Democrats and is just beginning to hold meetings. Co-chaired by two senators, the group is working on a few priorities that will include accelerating the rapid, widespread deployment of affordable broadband networks. The group says the government should do this in part by developing a national broadband road map. They also indicated that there must be “efficient and fair” spectrum allocations, and that the analog TV spectrum should be returned promptly as part of the digital TV transition.

Spyware Bills

The House has passed two bills aimed at restricting the use of spyware to obstruct computer operations and obtain unauthorized access to information stored in them. One of the bills is called Internet Spyware Prevention Act (I-SPY, H.R. 744) passed with a House vote of 395 to 1. This bill “would establish prison terms for those who intentionally use software to access protected computers or to obtain personal information to defraud or injure a person or damage a protected computer.” The other bill is called Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act (SPY ACT, H.R. 29), and it passed the House by a vote of 393 to 4. The bill takes on phishing, keystroke logging, and the display of pop-up ads that can’t be closed. It would set fines up to $3 million for deceptive use of spyware and up to $1 million for unauthorized collection of personally identifiable information through computer software. Enforcement of these bills would be delegated to the Federal Trade Commission.

These bills seem to be more related to computers than telephones, but the access to the computers will most likely be over the telephone lines on the campus. It may be something that we all need to watch.

MiCTA Board Recommends Increase in Membership Dues

This week, all voting MiCTA members will receive an email from MiCTA President John Sundstrom detailing a proposed membership dues increase. The proposed increase has been recommended by the Board for MiCTA’s best interest, but ultimately the decision lies in the hands of our members. The issue will be voted on by the voting members via an online ballot, and the results will be shared via the MiCTA listserv and the MiCTA website. Click to read the letter in its entirety.

Tech Talk - Advances Opening up the World of Storage

By: Kevin Tanzillo

As the volume of data that organizations are obligated to keep – and also that they may choose to keep – continues to pile up, it is good to know that advances in management and interoperability are making the task of storage a little less daunting.

Speaking of storage, make some more room in your acronym file, because the advances we’re talking about are both FLAs (four-letter acronyms), so they take up a little more room than the typical TLA (the three-letter version).

SMI-S is the Storage Management Initiative Specification, which was updated recently by the Storage Networking Industry Association. Its cousin, FAIS, is the Fabric Application Interface Standard.

Let’s talk about SMI-S first. Its purpose is to make it easier for hardware and software from different storage vendors to work together. It replaces the various protocols and transport technologies from multiple manufacturers with common models and protocols. The results are a common management interface and reduced complexity in management of storage area networks.

With SMI-S compliance, when a new product or component is added to a storage network, it will identify itself and its capabilities, and be immediately integrated into the network, so it can share its resources.

The advantage that SMI-S offers to users is the integration of multi-vendor resources that can be shared and thus used more efficiently. For vendors, broad adoption of SMI-S can mean shorter time to market for their new and enhanced products. With the integration of interfaces already settled, vendors can spend less time on that aspect of product development and move their development along more quickly.

Among its benefits, SMI-S (version 1.1) enables performance monitoring, enhances security, normalizes the reporting of problems across a storage area network, and establishes rules-based automated operations across devices from different manufacturers. Products that incorporate the latest version of the SMI-S specification are expected to be on the market later this year.

Now, as for FAIS, it is primarily focused on interoperability between vendor platforms. To understand what it does, it helps to look at how fabric-based, or network-based, storage operates. To get the desired performance, fabric-based storage applications consist of hardware-accelerated and non-hardware-accelerated functions. The hardware-accelerated function is the data path, while the nonhardware-accelerated is the control path.

In the storage process, the hardware-accelerated functions are offloaded to intelligent storage area network platforms, such as switches or storage appliances. However, the applications and platforms have traditionally used proprietary application programming interfaces (APIs), which made it difficult to operate between or among vendor platforms.

FAIS is the standard API that has been developed to assure that the control path and data path functions can communicate with each other across different vendors’ equipment. Several companies are already shipping FAIS-compliant equipment, and more will follow. As has happened in so many areas of voice and data communications in the past two decades, the assurance of interoperability promises to open the door to wider product choices and fewer headaches for network administrators and planners.

Kevin Tanzillo writes for DUX Public Relations. He has been kind enough to share his work with MiCTA and ACUTA. If there are specific topics you would like to see covered in the next Tech Talk, please let him know via e-mail at kevin@duxpr.com.

We Need Your Help

MiCTA will be holding the Spring 2006 Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan at the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites, May 8-10. The Program Committee is in the process of planning events, presentations, and speakers for the conference, as well as, tours and other activities that will make your time in Kalamazoo informative and enjoyable.

In the interest of doing everything we can to meet the professional interests of our members, we are asking for your input, as we develop the conference theme and program. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by clicking on the following link: 2006 Spring Conference Program Survey. The Program Committee will apply your survey responses, and Spring 2005 evaluation comments, as guidelines for the 2006 conference. Please help us develop the best MiCTA conference ever by completing the survey no later than July 29, 2005. We appreciate your participation in MiCTA and your input throughout the conference planning process.

Best Regards,

Timothy K. von Hoff
Chair, MiCTA Program Committee

This Just In- An Update on the TIS RFP

For the past eight years, MiCTA and ATAlliance members nationwide have realized significant program cost savings by utilizing the MiCTA Telecommunications Services and Internet Access Agreements. In December 2004, MiCTA / ATAlliance issued a Telecommunications and Internet Services Request for Proposal (TIP-RFP). Recently, the MiCTA / ATAlliance Boards have approved several awards based on the recommendations of the TIS-RFP Evaluation Committee. The evaluation committee is still evaluating sections of the TIS-RFP for additional awards. The award classifications are Endorsed (best value) and Approved (very good value). Awards thus far are:

Traditional Long Distance Services

Qwest ------------------------------ Endorsed

McLeodUSA ------------------------ Endorsed

MCI -------------------------------- Approved

Sprint ------------------------------ Approved

Cellular Services

Sprint PCS ------------------------- Endorsed

Paging Services (non-cellular)

MCI --------------------------------- Endorsed

GPS Services (non-cellular)

MCI --------------------------------- Endorsed

H.320 Video Network