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Whoever! Whenever! Wherever! ...Securely

Your private cloud invigorates work-flow and communication.

Tailor made networking

Your IT network built around your business network needs.

Consultancy, Support and Training

A Flexible, scalable service that economically grows with your business needs.

Cost effective solutions

Spend less on hardware and licensing, do more with open source software.

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What we do

Consult

We discuss your needs with you, allowing optimised solutions for your situation and budget.

Propose

Solutions, budget and time-frame options are agreed before you commit to implementation.

Implement

We build a team of people and partners best suited to your needs, fully managed by us.

Our systems focus on ease of use and self-management

We want you to be able to easily manage regular task like setting up new users on the network, adding email accounts and sharing files and folders. Of course we can do this for you, but the easy management interfaces we use could save you time and money!

Training and Support

We are available to train your staff and IT managers. On site, remote support and a dedicated support manager are available. For businesses who prefer to manage things themselves, our online documentation system is also freely available.

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Networks

The IT Race

Business Information Technology is experiencing an exponential growth in efficiency and usefulness. For small to medium businesses, this pace of change can be difficult to keep up with and leverage.

You may be locked into proprietary solutions which are incompatible with technologies your business could benefit from. The challenge for small to medium businesses is to streamline processes without fragmenting IT infrastructure. A fragmented IT management and licensing landscape could be more expensive than the efficiencies a good system can provide .

The Open Umbrella

Free and Open Source software is built around Open Standards. This makes vendor lock-in impossible.

OpenPoint uses this to provide the latest, most secure technologies as a holistic service under one umbrella. As technology advances, your system is free to evolve around your specific needs, not the dictate of a proprietary vendor.

Information Ownership

Your information is always owned by you and located somewhere that you own and control. Moving your information to upgraded systems in the future will always be feasible as you are not locked into a proprietary contract or format.

Openpoint understands how the latest trends can work for you and replace or move your existing infrastructure towards more efficient and economical solutions.

Our guiding objectives

  • One place for all you information and services, securely accessible from anywhere.
  • Systems that grow to support as many users as required without licensing expenses.
  • Flexible systems that have storage, backup, disaster recovery and support strategies for a wide range of budgets and needs.

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Office Server

A server to manage your email, users and information.

Multi-platform

It is going to work with Windows, Mac and Linux clients.

Easy administration

It is super easy to add new users along with their email and access rights from a single interface. You can even manage this from a web browser, from anywhere in the world!

Licensing and upgrading

There are no license restrictions, so you can add as many users as desired without ever having to purchase more licensing.

Community security and enhancement updates are free and continual. Enterprise security updates are available at a reasonable annual fee.

Support

Remote support allows us to work on your server from our location, so call-out expenses are reduced.

Hardware requirements

Your server can run on your own hardware in your office or on rented cloud computers, such as Amazon EC2.

We can implement your server on your existing hardware or build you a quality server optimised to your requirements.

Products we love

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Mail servers

Email, Calenders, Tasks and More

Email solutions that come with unrestricted licensing mean that you can add as many users as you need without having to purchase extra licenses.

The solutions we use include calenders, calender sharing, tasks and task assignment - all within your own system. This means you are never restricted by vendor limitations on file sizes, mailbox sizes and formats which you may need for your business.

Any client

Because our solutions run on open standards, your email, calenders, sharing and syncing will work on any device or client:

  • Outlook
  • Thunderbird
  • Evolution
  • IPhone
  • Android
  • Windows Phone

Web Access

You can get a full featured web interface, so your email and scheduling can be accessible from any web connected computer.

Try It

Zarafa is an enterprise ready mail and communication sharing suite suited to SMB's and ready to grow with your organisation.

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Communications

Your communications server does not have to be an expensive piece of kit

We can re-purpose one of your existing servers or workstations or build you a quality server from scratch.

Private Branch Exchange (PBX)

Working with your landlines or a Voice Over Internet service you will be able to manage and direct all your telephone extensions.

  • Seamlessly redirect between office and mobile.
  • Easily assign extensions to users
  • Automatically find the lowest call cost route
  • Works with most digital telephone handsets
  • Can work over your computer network wiring
  • No vendor lock-in, No per-user licensing

Conferencing

A service, owned by you, integrated with your desktop allowing:

  • Voice
  • Video
  • Instant messaging
  • Desktop sharing
  • Quick file transfer
  • Multi-user conferencing

There are no fees and no restrictions. Everyone on your network, anywhere in the world, can meet, help, chat and collaborate freely

Training

Run web based training seminars from your own server. Anybody with a web browser can be invited and participate:

  • Voice and video
  • Interactive blackboard
  • Document sharing
  • Moderator controlled
  • No limits, no usage fees

Products we use

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Virtual Private Network

Work from home or on the road

A VPN connects your PC, laptop or mobile device directly to your office network over the internet

This means that you can work from anywhere, just as if you were in the office, with all your information and files in one place.

Security

You connect to your office server with an end to end encrypted connection. This takes the danger of 'eavesdropping' out of public connections such as hotel rooms, airport and café connections where you have no control over the security of your connection.

What we use

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The Cloud

What is the cloud?

Until recently, businesses would have expensive, private IT networks linking their offices to large, centralised 'mainframe' computers.

Thanks to greater mainstream availability of broadband internet it is possible to use the public internet to provide the same functionality as a private network. "The Cloud" is a collection of technologies which make an 'always on', 'accessible from anywhere' information network available and affordable for small to medium business.

What does this mean for you?

Your business can afford-ably leverage new technology to expand on IT as a business tool. Here are a few practical examples:

  • Your office network is not confined to a physical location. You can have people working from any location in the world with broadband access.
  • Video, voice, conferencing and collaboration is feasible on your own network. This allows you to evaluate how you employ and outsource jobs as well as creating new ways to interact with your clients.
  • You can centralise your information ensuring everyone on your network has access to the same, up to date, content no matter where they are or when they need it.

What we do

Openpoint helps your business find and implement the most appropriate solutions to meet your needs and budget.
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Cloud Portal

Software as a service

Your business productivity software can run, centrally, from your server. This means that you have nothing to install or configure on each individual workstation.

All you need to do is access the software in a web browser, just the same as a website. This enables you to easily work from anywhere and be hugely collaborative at minimal cost and trouble.

Because we use Free and Open Source products, you are unrestricted as to the number of people using your services and you never have to pay per-user licenses.

Test Drive

Zarafa is an enterprise ready mail and communication sharing suite suited to SMB's and ready to grow with your organisation.

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Alfresco is an enterprise ready content management system. This allows you easily share, collaborate and interact socially around business content.

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OpenErp is a customisable and flexible Enterprise Resource Planning application. It covers a wide range of enterprise management including accounting, stock management and point of sale.

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More examples of Software as a service products

There are an ever-growing selection of Free and Open Source cloud products available for a huge range of applications. Here are just a few which you could be using:

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Cloud Deployment

Different Strokes

There are a few ways in which cloud networks can be deployed, each with their individual merits:

  • Companies such as Amazon and Rackspace rent out storage space and computing power from their data centres. You can install and manage your cloud from here.
  • Companies rent out individual business application solutions along with storage from their data centres.
  • You use your own, in office, server to provide your own cloud business applications, storage and services.

Because business needs and budgets are individual, Openpoint will find the cloud deployment solutions best suited to your needs and budget.

Affordable solutions that grow with you

Free and Open Source has no proprietary licenses to navigate around, so OpenPoint can economically deploy any particular cloud solution with no vendor lock-in or EULA (license) obligations. Your information will always stay your own and not be locked into a particular system.

The products we use are backed by optional enterprise support from the vendor. This gives you the comfort of knowing that however large and complex your needs may grow to - the product you are using can be scaled to meet your demands.

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PC Workstations

Your Workstations are the main point of content creation for your business

You could spend a significant portion of your budget on licensing software such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop and Windows upgrades.

You can get the same job done at much lower cost using Free and Open Source Software.

Windows, Mac and Linux

We work with all your machines to find the most economical and functional mix of solutions.

Software savings

  • We analyse your usage and replace productivity software such as Office with compatible Free and Open Source alternatives.
  • We replace as many Windows installations as practical with Linux.

Some great desktop products

Hardware savings

As software advances and workstations get older you may experience them slowing down or newer software not functioning well on them.

  • We upgrade the hardware of as many workstations as practical using parts from machines you already own.
  • We supply custom built workstations which are tailored to the specifications you need and remain upgradable for a longer lifespan than mainstream packaged options.
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Workstations

Upgrading

We build non-branded workstations from scratch using industry standard components.

This offers better initial value, performance tailored to your needs as well as a longer upgrade lifespan for each station. Instead of replacing a whole machine, only the industry standard components are replaced as required. E-waste and your long term expenses are reduced. We will install your choice of operating system.

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Workstations

Recycling

You may already have a fleet of ageing PC workstations. We can de-construct these and re-assemble them into a smaller fleet of better performing Linux machines.

This is also possible with Windows, but generally licenses will have to be re-purchased due to Microsoft license restrictions.

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Workstations

Migration

Linux is a freely licensed and performs all general tasks that Windows does. Migrating to Linux saves you Microsoft licensing, upgrading and anti-virus costs.

We can provide staff training and support whether you are switching from Windows to Linux or implementing Free and Open Source software on your Windows and Mac stations.

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Web Services

Getting your website up and running can be a daunting task

Getting it wrong can do your image more harm than good.

We manage the whole process

At Openpoint we manage the whole process for you, from domain name registration and hosting to visual design and copy-writing. We keep you involved at each critical step to ensure the result is to your satisfaction.

Easy to add and edit stuff

We build sites which not only look good and are on-message, but are also user friendly to manage, add and edit content.

We build on top of popular Content Management Systems such as Drupal and fine tune them to give you intuitive interfaces for editing and content creation.

Interactive

Keeping your content dynamic and interactive keeps people coming back to your site.

We build in forums, customer service interfaces, comments and multi-user blog systems.

Commerce

We build in E-Commerce solutions into your website.

Something special

If you want something which stands out from the crowd, we can custom design and code websites from scratch to do anything from the sublime to the fantastical!

Stuff we use

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Comprehensive

A one stop, cloud capable Information Technology service for your Small to Medium Business.

Organic

Free and Open Source offers sustainable, affordable solutions that grow with your needs.

Irish

An Irish network of IT specialists provide tailored consulting, service and support.

Open for business, open to everyone

The technology we use has been shared by others. We share our knowledge and documentation and invite anybody to participate and collaborate. This not only gives others the opportunity to use the knowledge, but improves our knowledge-base to provide a quality service.

A community business, and business for the community

OpenPoint operates as a co-operative venture. We have a core of people who perform strategic planning, marketing and project management. We then have a trusted network of individuals and business partners who provide specialist skills, services and support across Ireland.

This structure provides a single point of service to our business customers, while keeping us flexible and open to a rapidly innovating IT landscape.

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Why software matters

The Information Age

We are at the dawn of an always on, accessible, globally connected world. Beyond the stone age, the enlightenment, the industrial age we are now in the information age.

Democracy

Democracy and the freedom that it gives us to make informed, ethical business decisions is reliant on the principal of majority consensus. Majority consensus is only meaningful if the majority is informed and engaged regarding the current issues.

The printing press and mass media were small steps towards an unbiased, informed voting majority. These mediums only work in one direction and are controlled by a small number of people, thus leaving them susceptible to corruption.

The internet as a new media

1992 onwards has seen the mainstream birth of the public internet. The internet is a dynamic, interactive, unrestricted, free information exchange system.

The internet presents to us a platform for a quantum leap towards a global, unbiased, informed, educated majority. This is only possible if it remains uncensored and incorruptible.

Trust

Communication on the internet is controlled by software, including that which is running on your computer and phone. It is important that we trust what this software is, or is not, doing.

Trust can be established when anybody with technical know-how is allowed to see and verify the inner workings of the software.

Free and Open Source

Free and Open Source licensing guarantees the availability of the computer source code for public scrutiny and use.

Proprietary

Proprietary software code is purposefully hidden from public scrutiny in order to protect the legal rights and interests of the publishers.

Social change

Increasingly our ageing democratic governmental structures are less empowered to protect our common interests and are held to ransom by external systems and economies.

It is conceivable and increasingly likely that non-transparent software has the potential to be used for censorship and manipulation of information.

Two potential futures:

Our information systems are essential for the understanding of business trends and the exchange of finance, democratic ideas and knowledge.

Relinquishing or protecting the freedom of this system can result in two very different scenarios:

  • Freedom of information is a right and sharing is a building block
  • Information is a currency and control is a weapon

We are the people. Choose freedom, choose openness and always trust your source.

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Cost

We do not take a 'One Size Fits All' approach. Each contract is a project, priced on individual merit and the scale of services required.

We first get to understand your organisations needs and then provide systems with a lower total cost of ownership compared to proprietary solutions.

Consultation

We meet with you to listen to your requirements and get a feel for the systems you could benefit from. We then give you a broad estimate of your initial and ongoing cost options.

Further consultations will generate a fixed price contract and service agreements. These will be on an agreed, capped hourly rate.

Software Savings

The Free and Open Source software we use carry no licensing or product update expenses.

Most of the solutions we use offer product specific premium support and security services at reasonable rates. These are optional but advisable in certain circumstances and we will guide you through these options.

Hardware Savings

We can implement solutions on your existing computer hardware. The software we use is inclined to run well on older, lower specification equipment so you will not be forced to upgrade your hardware to accommodate software upgrade cycles.

When you order new hardware through us we design this to be scalable and upgradeable, ensuring you get the maximum possible lifespan out of your investment.

We will use only quality components tailored to your needs and budget.

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Free and Open Source Licensing

Openpoint uses software licensed under the GNU GPL, derivative or similar free licenses.

This is NOT Freeware.

Ownership

You are purchasing a service built around Free Software, not End User Licenses. Free Software licenses protect your freedom to use, modify and improve your service in any fashion, for any purpose and by whoever you elect to.

Your information is controlled by your software. Because free software uses open standards, your information always remains owned and accessible by yourself. The risk of vendor lock-in and proprietary fees for access to your information is eliminated.

Tell me About the money

The core of a free license stipulates that the software source code can be downloaded and used freely. You are free to download unlimited copies of the software and legally use it for any purpose at no monetary expense.

This does not mean that Free and Open Source is not about business, commerce and money changing hands. It is just an alternative, more innovative approach to software development.

Sharing is caring

Because the software can be freely used, studied and modified, millions of independent computer experts use it globally. They not only use it, they improve it and share their improvements - for free. They do this because they use it, and everybody sharing their improvements leads to a better product, not only for themselves, but everyone - regardless.

That sounds like a fairytale

Yes it does, but it is very real. Every day you are unknowingly using or benefiting from Free and Open Source software.

  • The majority of the server computers powering the internet run on Free and Open Source.
  • Your Android Phone runs on Free and Open Source Software.
  • Even your Apple Mac uses Free and Open Source Software at it's core.
  • Google powers it's services with Free and Open Source Software
  • Facebook powers it's services with Free and Open Source Software
  • New York and London stock exchanges are powered by Free and Open Source Software
  • NASA supports Free and Open Source.

These, and other, companies invest large quantities of money and time into the development of Free and Open Source software. They do this, partly, because they are service focussed and it is more economical and secure to develop the required software under a Free and Open Source model.

Increasingly companies are also valuing the human benefits of sharing, collaboration and transparency in an increasingly connected world.

Free

You are a free person, free to use free software to economically and securely power your business needs. (And it's going to save you money!)

Talk to us to get you started.

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