Ingram Micro's Solution Centers are staffed by certified engineers on call to answer your questions. All technologies mentioned are deployed at Solution Centers in Buffalo, N.Y. and Santa Ana, Calif.

Q: How can my price-conscious customers take advantage of server virtualization without buying separate virtualization software?

A: One way is through Microsoft's new Hyper-V hypervisor-based virtualization software, which is included with Windows Server 2008. We've been running Hyper-V in the Solution Centers since December 2007 and have found that it delivers greatly improved virtualization performance, reliability and security over previous solutions from Microsoft. One caveat: Hyper-V does require newer hardware x64-based processors with Intel VT or AMD-V hardware-assisted virtualization and hardware Data Execution Protection (DEP) -- so it makes sense as part of server-upgrade or server-consolidation solutions.

Thomas Mann, Microsoft Engineer and Instructor

Q: How have security solutions for server, desktop and notebook PCs evolved to address the changing malware landscape?

A: This answer comes from my colleague Eric Penoyer, a technology solutions engineer at Ingram Micro: Today's more sophisticated threats require layered, integrated solutions that avoid the complexity and resource-intensiveness of multiple point products. As an example, Symantec has replaced the popular Symantec AntiVirus with Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) 11.0, MR 2. Featuring a smaller memory footprint and a single management console, SEP 11.0 combines antivirus and antispyware protection with desktop firewall, intrusion prevention and device control all at roughly the same price as the product it replaces. SEP 11.0 also includes the potential to upgrade customers to Symantec Network Access Control for a robust approach to endpoint security.

Andrew Schmidt, Solution Center Engineer

Q: I'm interested in offering digital signage solutions to retail and education customers. How difficult is the systems integration?

A: It's not difficult, but the key is to understand the entire solution. Digital signage starts on the floor with a plasma or LCD monitor, a mount, an electrical outlet and networking. Also needed are a VGA-to-CAT5 converter at the media player and the reverse at the monitor. Alternatively, an appliance-like media player can be attached to each monitor, eliminating the need for video cabling back to the data center where a centralized player would be. Each solution requires custom content, usually created via Adobe Photoshop, Flash or video files. The content runs on signage-management software that provides playlists, scheduling and other functions that complete the solution.

Francis Murello, Senior Technical Manager, Solution Centers

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