ekoserve
The low cost network server with the features you want

Features

  

Runs on Linux instead of Windows™ server software. Linux has become the most widespread of the powerful Unix family of operating systems. The majority of the World's web sites run some version of UNIX because it delivers more power for the hardware it's installed on. Unix has been running mainframe computers since long before Windows was invented and has proven very reliable and much less prone to virus attacks.

No need to be an expert. Ekos has removed the need for ekoserve owners to have any technical expertise with servers, Unix and so on. You choose a member of staff as the administrator and their password lets them access a series of very simple web pages for adjusting any of the settings. Most days there won't be any administration duties at all because the server has everything automated that can be and since every installation is essentially the same, there isn't much to adjust anyway.

Staff only use Windows. Apart from switching the server on and off there's no need at all to touch it. ekoserve runs perfectly well without a monitor (but we do supply one anyway) because every function including administration is accessible from the PCs around the office.

Personal file and data storage. Every PC connected to ekoserve gains an additional disk drive (we called it X:) for storing data. It's really an area of the server dedicated to holding data for the particular user logged on. No matter which PC you use in the office, you log on with your own user name and password and have access to your own data. Other staff can't access (or even see) your personal files because they don't log on with your password.

Shared folders. ekoserve gives each PC on the network another network disk drive (called Y:) containing shared folders. Anything saved in the shared folders is accessible to the rest of the staff. This is the ideal place to store standard letters, brochures, product photos and so forth. The administrator can add more shared folders or adjust the settings. For example you might want a folder shared only within the Finance department and not with the rest of the company. You might want a folder dedicated to holding data relating to a particular project or customer.

Scheduled backup. ekoserve is delivered with a removable backup drive. It's installed in one of the office PCs (probably the administrator's) and protected by a password. Every day (the administrator sets the time) ekoserve automatically backs up all the data - personal files, shared files, databases, emails, and even the server settings. The removable drive can be taken away overnight for safekeeping. If the worst should happen and burglars steal your server, the whole can be reinstalled on a new machine in a few hours. If any staff mess up their work, the administrator can extract individual files from the backup.

Shared databases. ekoserve comes installed with a very powerful multi-user database server. It uses the industry standard and web compliant SQL language - but there's no need for users to know that. Staff can create and use the databases via the supplied intranet web pages. Alternatively they can connect to the databases using Microsoft Access which they may be more familiar with.

Web compliant database. Because ekoserve's database is SQL compliant you can export data and upload it to your company web site. It could be the basis of an online shopping facility or give customers access to product details etc. Even if you don't need it now, this future-proofs your company for the day when you are heavily into e-commerce.

Starter databases built in. ekoserve comes with some databases already started so that you can begin using the system straight away. But every company is different so there's an easy web page system for adding databases and tailoring them to your needs. The starter databases are Assets, Contacts, Products and Staff.

Roaming profiles. This is a technical term. It means that no matter which PC you use in the office you get access to your own personal files on the server. But it means more than that. You also get your own emails, Favorites in Internet Explorer, and other personal Windows settings. If you change your password on one PC (Windows / Control Panel) it changes your password for all the PCs in the office. It hardly matters which PC you sit at do do your work.

Ready-built company intranet. An intranet is like a private Internet for use only within your company. It has web pages and you can send emails to each other around the office. Staff can create personal or departmental web pages on the intranet. This is perfect for disseminating information around the company. Use it for posting Health & Safety rules, holiday schedules, phone number lists, organisation charts, product details, etc. etc.

Internal email. Every member of staff gets an internal email address (as well as one for Internet). You can send each other email messages and forward ones from Internet instead of covering the office with yellow sticky notes. Email messages are date stamped so you'll have proof of the messages and instructions you pass to your staff.

Internet access for the whole company. ekoserve connects your office network to Internet. Any PC around the office can surf the web. In this modern age it's almost essential they can. Staff need to access suppliers' web sites and other online information (maps, travel timetables etc.).

Internet email collected and distributed. ekoserve automatically collects email for the whole company and distributes it to the right staff member. If someone writes to joan@yourcompany.co.uk it will arrive in Joan's email. ekoserve's email is 100% compatible with Outlook™ already installed on your PCs because it runs exactly the same system used for Internet. Sending and replying to email works through Outlook too.

Email Aliases. An alias is a name someone is also known by. The administrator can create a list of alias names and set who receives the mail for them. For example you might create sales@yourcompany.co.uk and set it so that Helen receives those messages in her email. If anyone's on holiday the Alias list can be used to re-route their email to someone else.

Permanent Internet connection. ekoserve is supplied ready to utilise the new (and very good) ADSL service from BT. At the time of writing BT is charging £40 plus VAT a month. ADSL is hugely faster than modem access and there's no charge for how much you use it. Your company's Internet usage will be at this fixed monthly cost. Check how much you've been spending to dial Internet in the past - probably more. ADSL is called an always-on service. ekoserve keeps your office connected to Internet all the time. If you can't get ADSL where you are, ekoserve works equally well with 'Cable Modem' which is the always-on service from TV cable companies. Check if you can have ADSL by entering your phone number on the BT web site at www.btopenworld.com

Modem or ISDN alternative. It isn't a perfect world and once in a while your permanent Internet connection (ADSL or Cable) might break down. But you can't let that stop your business. ekoserve is delivered with a modem so that it can use the ordinary phone lines for Internet if it needs to. If the permanent connection stops working, ekoserve starts using the modem to dial out when Internet is required. It hangs up again when it isn't required because normal dialling like this costs by the minute. If you can't have ADSL or Cable for a permanent connection, ekoserve can use one of the fixed rate dial-up accounts now available for around £15 a month. Ordinary dial-up is much slower than ADSL or Cable and won't be very good if lots of staff need to use Internet at the same time.

Firewall. A firewall keeps out those hackers on Internet. ekoserve has a built-in firewall that keeps out every bit of traffic except those things the administrator sets as allowed. One setting is to allow email messages to come in. With every other facility on the server (even when the firewall is set to allow access from Internet) all the messaging is encrypted and access requires passwords.

Ban certain web sites. If you're concerned about staff visiting unsavoury web sites or wasting time downloading music or games you can block their activity. The administrator can add any number of web addresses to a list and ekoserve will prevent staff from reaching those sites.

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 Remote access. This is a very valuable feature. Because ekoserve is based on current Internet technologies, all of its facilities can be accessed remotely from any other Internet connected PC. You or your staff can work from home and still connect to your email at the office. Likewise you can use the databases or access files you forgot to take home. It doesn't have to be at home: you can get a copy of the company brochure or look up things in the database when you're on customer premises. All it needs is an Internet connected PC. If you really want to be daring you can do your work from a holiday resort in the sun! Remote access is ideal for a roving sales force. Remote access can also be used if you run offices at different locations - staff at the satellite office can still have company email, file and database access. We recommend another ekoserve machine at the satellite office to remove the need for individual PCs to dial Internet.

Easy administration. Everything the administrator needs to do has been kept extremely simple so that it's pretty obvious what needs doing. Just in case, though, the admin intranet pages have online help and a paper manual is supplied as well. As an example of easy administration: to add a user their name is typed in a box and a button is clicked. ekoserve creates the user's account, sets up their personal data and intranet web areas and even builds the matching email account. Removing the user is just a click to delete them from the list and ekoserve removes all trace except for emailing the administrator all the user's personal files to delete or deal with as required.

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 Unlimited Users. ekoserve is an outright purchase for your company and it's entirely up to you how many office PCs are connected or how many users you want to allow. This isn't the case with the Microsoft server alternative where the initial purchase allows 5 users and extra fees must be paid to add more. The standard ekoserve is a 1 GHz Intel machine and the number of users it supports without feeling too slow will depend on the intensity of their work pattern. A typical company can reasonably expect the standard ekoserve to cope with a few dozen users. If your ekoserve is too slow due to the number of users it's only a matter of having more powerful hardware to run it on. If your ekoserve is upgraded all the data and settings can be transferred from the daily backup.

Remote support. If you need to call Ekos for support we can do most things on your ekoserve server over an encrypted link through Internet. But we can't do that unless you divulge the password you've chosen. You can change it again afterwards to maintain full security.

And more features. There are yet more, but perhaps less interesting, features built in to ekoserve as standard. Ekos will be happy to discuss them with you if you are thinking about having ekoserve in your company. Furthermore, if you want to go beyond ekoserve's design, the install CD contains all the program source code and a competent Unix programmer can extend or alter the way your system works.