OT: Consulting Services Directory

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Hi All:

This is Off Topic: How to find a SBS consultant in a local area, or =
recommend a resource to find one.

Lately in this Newsgroup a lot of people have been trying to set up SBS =
in business and finding themselves way in over their heads.

Its not that these business owners cannot set up SBS or learn how to do =
it, it is just a learning curve and time factor problem.=20

These business should be referred to Consultants. My point is: do these =
same business owners do their own electrical repairs, plumbing, OR =
company car repairs? (BTW, is even possible in CY 2004 to write a small =
business plan for bankers and business loans that doesn't include lots =
of thought into information technology?)

In a previous post "Jack" had so-o-o many problems that IMO he should be =
referred to a consultant. But after about 30 minutes searching google =
and yahoo I could not find a web site that provides SBS consultant =
listing by geographical area. To just tell "Jack" to go find a =
consultant is not helping him. He needed to be pointed somewhere which =
would provide him with a warm body on site to fix his many problems.

Now my question: For you SBS consultants out there, how do you advertise =
to attract new customers? How does a new business owner who wants to =
have a professional set up a SBS server find a consultant? Do you just =
thumb tack a business card on a bulletin board at CompUSA?
Is there a web site for posting your business and location?

By the way my local Telephone directory has several pages of computer =
consultants. From personal experience I know that most of them fall into =
the categories of High-End database consultants, UNIX consultants, or =
basically temp employment agencies. =20

So, is there a Chamber of Commerce site, business to business version of =
www.justtechjobs.com, www.monster.com, or whatever we can refer people =
to?

Sorry about the OT

Phil S. =20
(It is not rude or impolite
to inform me I am sending email
with a virus attached.)
------=_NextPart_000_0087_01C4206B.9A71DF40
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi All:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This is Off Topic:  How to find a =
SBS=20
consultant in a local area, or recommend a resource to find =
one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Lately in this Newsgroup a lot of =
people have been=20
trying to set up SBS in business and finding themselves way in over =
their=20
heads.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Its not that these business =
owners cannot set=20
up SBS or learn how to do it, it is just a learning curve and time =
factor=20
problem. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>These business should be referred to=20
Consultants.  My point is: do these same business owners do =
their own=20
electrical repairs, plumbing, OR company car repairs?  (BTW, is =
even=20
possible in CY 2004 to write a small business plan for bankers and =
business=20
loans that doesn't include lots of thought into information=20
technology?)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In a previous post "Jack" had so-o-o =
many problems=20
that IMO he should be referred to a consultant.  But after about 30 =
minutes=20
searching google and yahoo I could not find a web site that =
provides SBS=20
consultant listing by geographical area.  To just tell "Jack" to go =
find a=20
consultant is not helping him.  He needed to be pointed somewhere =
which=20
would provide him with a warm body on site to fix his many=20
problems.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Now my question: For you SBS =
consultants out=20
there, how do you advertise to attract new customers?  How does a =
new=20
business owner who wants to have a professional set up a SBS server find =
a=20
consultant?  Do you just thumb tack a business card on a =
bulletin=20
board at CompUSA?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Is there a web site for posting your =
business and=20
location?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>By the way my local Telephone directory =

has several pages of computer consultants. From personal experience =
I know=20
that most of them fall into the categories of High-End database =
consultants,=20
UNIX consultants, or basically temp employment=20
agencies.  </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>So, is there a Chamber of Commerce=20
site, business to business version of <A=20
href=3D"http://www.justtechjobs.com">www.justtechjobs.com</A>, <A=20
href=3D"http://www.monster.com">www.monster.com</A>, or whatever we =
can=20
refer people to?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sorry about the OT</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Phil S.  </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(It is not rude or =
impolite</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>to inform me I am sending =
</FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>email</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>with a virus =
attached.)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0087_01C4206B.9A71DF40--

Merv
Mon Apr 12 08:45:32 CDT 2004

One resource to find an SBS consultant could be...

Certified MS Partners can be located at:
http://directory.microsoft.com/resourcedirectory/Services.aspx

Although I think many of the larger certified partners may not have many SBS
installs.

--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================

"Phil S." <nospam-m-phil-NoSpam@123.net> wrote in message
news:#vY1h0IIEHA.2164@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
Hi All:

This is Off Topic: How to find a SBS consultant in a local area, or
recommend a resource to find one.

Lately in this Newsgroup a lot of people have been trying to set up SBS in
business and finding themselves way in over their heads.

Its not that these business owners cannot set up SBS or learn how to do it,
it is just a learning curve and time factor problem.

These business should be referred to Consultants. My point is: do these
same business owners do their own electrical repairs, plumbing, OR company
car repairs? (BTW, is even possible in CY 2004 to write a small business
plan for bankers and business loans that doesn't include lots of thought
into information technology?)

In a previous post "Jack" had so-o-o many problems that IMO he should be
referred to a consultant. But after about 30 minutes searching google and
yahoo I could not find a web site that provides SBS consultant listing by
geographical area. To just tell "Jack" to go find a consultant is not
helping him. He needed to be pointed somewhere which would provide him with
a warm body on site to fix his many problems.

Now my question: For you SBS consultants out there, how do you advertise to
attract new customers? How does a new business owner who wants to have a
professional set up a SBS server find a consultant? Do you just thumb tack
a business card on a bulletin board at CompUSA?
Is there a web site for posting your business and location?

By the way my local Telephone directory has several pages of computer
consultants. From personal experience I know that most of them fall into the
categories of High-End database consultants, UNIX consultants, or basically
temp employment agencies.

So, is there a Chamber of Commerce site, business to business version of
www.justtechjobs.com, www.monster.com, or whatever we can refer people to?

Sorry about the OT

Phil S.
(It is not rude or impolite
to inform me I am sending email
with a virus attached.)

Jim
Sat Apr 17 18:45:10 CDT 2004

We get work word of mouth. Advertising oft times brings in people who
want the "best" price. We try to offer a solution that works at a fair
price. Working with excessively frugal people is not pleasant. Of
course the company I work for is not famous for aggressive growth.
That would require hiring more good techs which is an adventure for IT
companies.

While not neccessarily as easy as the yellow pages or the Blue Book,
the SBS newsgroups using answer calls for consultants pretty well.

"Phil S." <nospam-m-phil-NoSpam@123.net> wrote:

>Hi All:
>
>This is Off Topic: How to find a SBS consultant in a local area, or recommend a resource to find one.
>
>Lately in this Newsgroup a lot of people have been trying to set up SBS in business and finding themselves way in over their heads.
>
>Its not that these business owners cannot set up SBS or learn how to do it, it is just a learning curve and time factor problem.
>
>These business should be referred to Consultants. My point is: do these same business owners do their own electrical repairs, plumbing, OR company car repairs? (BTW, is even possible in CY 2004 to write a small business plan for bankers and business loans that doesn't include lots of thought into information technology?)
>
>In a previous post "Jack" had so-o-o many problems that IMO he should be referred to a consultant. But after about 30 minutes searching google and yahoo I could not find a web site that provides SBS consultant listing by geographical area. To just tell "Jack" to go find a consultant is not helping him. He needed to be pointed somewhere which would provide him with a warm body on site to fix his many problems.
>
>Now my question: For you SBS consultants out there, how do you advertise to attract new customers? How does a new business owner who wants to have a professional set up a SBS server find a consultant? Do you just thumb tack a business card on a bulletin board at CompUSA?
>Is there a web site for posting your business and location?
>
>By the way my local Telephone directory has several pages of computer consultants. From personal experience I know that most of them fall into the categories of High-End database consultants, UNIX consultants, or basically temp employment agencies.
>
>So, is there a Chamber of Commerce site, business to business version of www.justtechjobs.com, www.monster.com, or whatever we can refer people to?
>
>Sorry about the OT
>
>Phil S.
>(It is not rude or impolite
>to inform me I am sending email
>with a virus attached.)

Jim B. SBS MVP
remove the mvp to send email

Phil
Sun Apr 18 00:17:17 CDT 2004

Jim:

Thanks for responding. Word of mouth does seem to be the most
common. I guess things are best left as they are. Yahoo could set
up a page for SBS consultants to pay for a listing by city, but who would
vouch for the quality of their services? As I understand, the SBS
certification exam is still in Beta.

The remainder of this post is just ranting, you can ignore it.

You are correct, the SBS series NG people do provide a lot of help. This is
not true of all the microsoft.public..... newsgroups. In several of the
other NGs I follow, the vast majority of the responses are a link to
multi-page document that is full of Techno-Speak. This should be expected
when the intended reader is at least an MCP, and usually have more than one
Microsoft certifications.

I am sure by following this, and the other NGs of the SBS series, you have
noticed occasionally an expert with the full version Windows Server will
join in with a sneer about how much they look down at SBS. They claim to
always recommend to their customers some 4, 5 or even 7 server setup. Most
"frugal" small customers do not have the resources for an enterprise capable
server setup, which is why SBS was created. And, yes many can manage and
administer their SBS server on their own. And if a problem comes up, they
could post the question and get a reply that they can use from the SBS NGs.

An example: In the SBS NGs a post about using SATA or PATA hard drives
for Windows OS RAID configuration is politely answered, and suggestions are
made for them to look into using a BIOS raid card. With SBS, yes, OS raid
is used in many installations very successfully. Go ahead, post such a
question in the SQL NG, or even the Windows Server NGs, I believe you
will be flamed for suggesting OS raid.

However, when the problems are multiple, and there is a Techno-Speak
language barrier, and it looks like there could be an incorrect SBS
installation, wouldn't it be nice to suggest once and while to seek out
professional help? And then point them to a link where they are offered
two or three choices?

and yes I do realize what I am asking is the equivalent to the Chicago Cubs
in the World Series.

Phil S.

"Jim Behning" <jimbehningmvp@atl.mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:42g380lpcco6iorgdiicu578in9dffbcka@4ax.com...
> We get work word of mouth. Advertising oft times brings in people who
> want the "best" price. We try to offer a solution that works at a fair
> price. Working with excessively frugal people is not pleasant. Of
> course the company I work for is not famous for aggressive growth.
> That would require hiring more good techs which is an adventure for IT
> companies.
>
> While not neccessarily as easy as the yellow pages or the Blue Book,
> the SBS newsgroups using answer calls for consultants pretty well.
>
> "Phil S." <nospam-m-phil-NoSpam@123.net> wrote:
>
> >Hi All:
> >
> >This is Off Topic: How to find a SBS consultant in a local area, or
recommend a resource to find one.
> >
> >Lately in this Newsgroup a lot of people have been trying to set up SBS
in business and finding themselves way in over their heads.
> >
> >Its not that these business owners cannot set up SBS or learn how to do
it, it is just a learning curve and time factor problem.
> >
> >These business should be referred to Consultants. My point is: do these
same business owners do their own electrical repairs, plumbing, OR company
car repairs? (BTW, is even possible in CY 2004 to write a small business
plan for bankers and business loans that doesn't include lots of thought
into information technology?)
> >
> >In a previous post "Jack" had so-o-o many problems that IMO he should be
referred to a consultant. But after about 30 minutes searching google and
yahoo I could not find a web site that provides SBS consultant listing by
geographical area. To just tell "Jack" to go find a consultant is not
helping him. He needed to be pointed somewhere which would provide him with
a warm body on site to fix his many problems.
> >
> >Now my question: For you SBS consultants out there, how do you advertise
to attract new customers? How does a new business owner who wants to have a
professional set up a SBS server find a consultant? Do you just thumb tack
a business card on a bulletin board at CompUSA?
> >Is there a web site for posting your business and location?
> >
> >By the way my local Telephone directory has several pages of computer
consultants. From personal experience I know that most of them fall into the
categories of High-End database consultants, UNIX consultants, or basically
temp employment agencies.
> >
> >So, is there a Chamber of Commerce site, business to business version of
www.justtechjobs.com, www.monster.com, or whatever we can refer people to?
> >
> >Sorry about the OT
> >
> >Phil S.
> >(It is not rude or impolite
> >to inform me I am sending email
> >with a virus attached.)
>
> Jim B. SBS MVP
> remove the mvp to send email

Jim
Sun Apr 18 07:34:08 CDT 2004

One thing that baffles Microsoft folks is why the SBS people are nice.
There are some real weenies in some of the other Microsoft newsgroups.
The SBS newsgroups have the highest answered posts of any newsgroups.
Of course the numbers are getting messed up with the porn spam but I
suppose we are still up there. I amaze myself in that sometimes I
technospeak. A friend played the bass guitar in a copy band for years.
He had a student a few years ago and observed that he finally
understood what he was doing when he had to explain it. I find that if
I have to start explaining things, I learn what I am saying and can
lose the technospeak. Teaching can force people to seek common
language. Good teachers learn the audience.

Another thought is that in the SBS environement it is real people
working with a real budget trying to get a job done without creating a
job. I know within the SBS MVP group which about doubled in the past
year, everyone I met is regular real people. I think I have not met 4
of the gazillions of us face to face. Every person I met from the SBS
product team listens and cares. I had a fun discussion with two of the
engineers regarding hard drives, ram and processors. Another group
questioned our hate of a 70 gig C: partition versus our general
preference for C:, D: and other drives. They listen and do not dismiss
us mere mortals as mere mortals but as team members.

You are correct that it would be cool to have a list of local
resources. My limited experience is that there are a lot of
consultants out there that do some wierd stuff. I believe that some of
the SBS MVPs I know would wonder what the heck I am doing sometimes.
Nothing major but just that some folks know cool shortcuts to make
life better for all. I have done cleanup after a few consultants. I
have seen stupid hard drive configs, server harware choices, dns
errors, ip configuration errors, domain name errors and other stuff.
Taking a Microsoft test does not prove that you know what you are
doing. I took a licensing quiz last week at the Microsoft MVP meeting.
I did not walk away with a box of goodies so I guess I lost. But I did
find a error in the multiple choice answers for one question which
made all the answers incorrect. I suspect that Microsoft is looking
for some sort of consultant customer satisfaction rating. But then
again they may not because that opens them up to some sort of can of
worms. When I shop PriceGrabber I consider the customer satisfaction
rating of the vendors.

One problem is you have to know when you don't know. I suggest to
people they call for help. When things get too crazy, I call Microsoft
and pay if I have to. Yes sometimes a problem has been solved in 10
minutes but other times I have spent days with a professional trying
to clear something up. The Microsoft Product Support Services staff
are really good because they do help all day long. Sometimes they are
even humorous.

Your dreams are about as likely as the Braves actually making it to
the World series and doing well. I have lived in Atlanta 20 years and
I know from the last 12 years or so not to hold my breath. ;-( Well
actually I would bet on Microsoft finding some sort of answer to your
wish before the Braves switch from consistently missing the big games
to getting the opportunity to win.

"Phil S." <nospam-m-phil-NoSpam@123.net> wrote:

>Jim:
>
>Thanks for responding. Word of mouth does seem to be the most
>common. I guess things are best left as they are. Yahoo could set
>up a page for SBS consultants to pay for a listing by city, but who would
>vouch for the quality of their services? As I understand, the SBS
>certification exam is still in Beta.
>
>The remainder of this post is just ranting, you can ignore it.
>
>You are correct, the SBS series NG people do provide a lot of help. This is
>not true of all the microsoft.public..... newsgroups. In several of the
>other NGs I follow, the vast majority of the responses are a link to
>multi-page document that is full of Techno-Speak. This should be expected
>when the intended reader is at least an MCP, and usually have more than one
>Microsoft certifications.
>
>I am sure by following this, and the other NGs of the SBS series, you have
>noticed occasionally an expert with the full version Windows Server will
>join in with a sneer about how much they look down at SBS. They claim to
>always recommend to their customers some 4, 5 or even 7 server setup. Most
>"frugal" small customers do not have the resources for an enterprise capable
>server setup, which is why SBS was created. And, yes many can manage and
>administer their SBS server on their own. And if a problem comes up, they
>could post the question and get a reply that they can use from the SBS NGs.
>
>An example: In the SBS NGs a post about using SATA or PATA hard drives
>for Windows OS RAID configuration is politely answered, and suggestions are
>made for them to look into using a BIOS raid card. With SBS, yes, OS raid
>is used in many installations very successfully. Go ahead, post such a
>question in the SQL NG, or even the Windows Server NGs, I believe you
>will be flamed for suggesting OS raid.
>
>However, when the problems are multiple, and there is a Techno-Speak
>language barrier, and it looks like there could be an incorrect SBS
>installation, wouldn't it be nice to suggest once and while to seek out
>professional help? And then point them to a link where they are offered
>two or three choices?
>
>and yes I do realize what I am asking is the equivalent to the Chicago Cubs
>in the World Series.
>
>Phil S.
>
>"Jim Behning" <jimbehningmvp@atl.mindspring.com> wrote in message
>news:42g380lpcco6iorgdiicu578in9dffbcka@4ax.com...
>> We get work word of mouth. Advertising oft times brings in people who
>> want the "best" price. We try to offer a solution that works at a fair
>> price. Working with excessively frugal people is not pleasant. Of
>> course the company I work for is not famous for aggressive growth.
>> That would require hiring more good techs which is an adventure for IT
>> companies.
>>
>> While not neccessarily as easy as the yellow pages or the Blue Book,
>> the SBS newsgroups using answer calls for consultants pretty well.
>>
>> "Phil S." <nospam-m-phil-NoSpam@123.net> wrote:
>>
>> >Hi All:
>> >
>> >This is Off Topic: How to find a SBS consultant in a local area, or
>recommend a resource to find one.
>> >
>> >Lately in this Newsgroup a lot of people have been trying to set up SBS
>in business and finding themselves way in over their heads.
>> >
>> >Its not that these business owners cannot set up SBS or learn how to do
>it, it is just a learning curve and time factor problem.
>> >
>> >These business should be referred to Consultants. My point is: do these
>same business owners do their own electrical repairs, plumbing, OR company
>car repairs? (BTW, is even possible in CY 2004 to write a small business
>plan for bankers and business loans that doesn't include lots of thought
>into information technology?)
>> >
>> >In a previous post "Jack" had so-o-o many problems that IMO he should be
>referred to a consultant. But after about 30 minutes searching google and
>yahoo I could not find a web site that provides SBS consultant listing by
>geographical area. To just tell "Jack" to go find a consultant is not
>helping him. He needed to be pointed somewhere which would provide him with
>a warm body on site to fix his many problems.
>> >
>> >Now my question: For you SBS consultants out there, how do you advertise
>to attract new customers? How does a new business owner who wants to have a
>professional set up a SBS server find a consultant? Do you just thumb tack
>a business card on a bulletin board at CompUSA?
>> >Is there a web site for posting your business and location?
>> >
>> >By the way my local Telephone directory has several pages of computer
>consultants. From personal experience I know that most of them fall into the
>categories of High-End database consultants, UNIX consultants, or basically
>temp employment agencies.
>> >
>> >So, is there a Chamber of Commerce site, business to business version of
>www.justtechjobs.com, www.monster.com, or whatever we can refer people to?
>> >
>> >Sorry about the OT
>> >
>> >Phil S.
>> >(It is not rude or impolite
>> >to inform me I am sending email
>> >with a virus attached.)
>>
>> Jim B. SBS MVP
>> remove the mvp to send email

Jim B. SBS MVP
remove the mvp to send email

OT: Consulting Services Directory

Re: Consulting Services Directory by Merv

Re: OT: Consulting Services Directory by Jim

Re: OT: Consulting Services Directory by Phil

Re: OT: Consulting Services Directory by Jim