Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a virtual desktop and network service that eliminates the need for you to buy and maintain server hardware (see article below), active noise canceling headphones, an Outlook add-on that analyzes your email messages for
grammar and style and makes suggestions, and a legal research service. Don't miss the next issue.
TAKE A PERMANENT VACATION FROM MANAGING TECHNOLOGY
Some people who claim to take a vacation cook their own meals. This isn't a vacation. It's called camping (even when it occurs in a city). Most vacationers are not among the world's most talented cooks. Indeed, many people plan their restaurant itinerary as carefully as their other vacation activities. Nowadays, technology shares similarities with vacations. Some law firms still want to manage everything onsite, but most would prefer to let experts handle the "cooking" via the cloud — if only they could find the right "restaurant."
Abacus Private Cloud … in One Sentence
Launched this week, Abacus Data Systems' Abacus Private Cloud (APC) is a secure virtual desktop and network service on which you can run any software you want.
The Killer Feature
Law firms love the idea of outsourcing their IT infrastructure, but have concerns about security and functionality. Abacus Data Systems CEO Alessandra Lezama spent most of her career managing datacenters. She tells us that most online applications use the so-called public cloud. Your firm's confidential client data might reside on the same server as a videogame in a country with an unstable government.
APC resides in datacenters owned and operated by Abacus Data Systems in the United States. Furthermore, although the company offers a practice management system called AbacusLaw, APC is software agnostic. This means you can use whatever products you want while still reaping the benefits of the cloud.
Here's the deal. APC works on any Internet-connected device — Mac, PC, iPad, and smartphone. After logging in, a virtual desktop takes over your screen. From here you run the software you've asked Abacus Data Systems to install — QuickBooks, Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, etc. You can also use any web browser to run cloud applications such as Clio and WestlawNext. APC offers deep integration for AbacusLaw and Office 365.
"Piecemeal technology is no longer sufficient to remain competitive in today's legal landscape," says Lezama. "APC can take any local IT infrastructure and desktop software environment and weave it into a fully integrated, virtual workplace accessible remotely from any device anywhere, anytime."
Other Notable Features
In addition to a virtual desktop, APC provides you with a virtual network comprised of SSD drives. You won't need a file server anymore. You share documents with colleagues using the Corporate Drive (a User Drive exists for your personal documents). You can scan to and print from these virtual drives, which save every version of your documents.
APC requires no capital investment. Abacus Data Systems takes care of the entire deployment, including 24/7 monitoring and technical support, antivirus protection, backups, maintenance, security updates, software upgrades, etc.
The datacenters that house APC have five tiers of physical, network, and data security. This has earned APC the SOC2/SSAE16 certification. Abacus Data Systems guarantees 99.999% uptime — the highest possible. Your data, which you can retrieve anytime, has its own dedicated IP address.
What Else Should You Know?
You can tailor APC to meet your firm's specific requirements. You can scale your use of computing resources up or down quickly to adjust to the needs of your law firm. Pricing starts at $165 per month with no long-term contract required. Learn more about Abacus Private Cloud.
How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
