This is the second in a two part series on cloud computing.

In October we had Chris Avis, an IT Evangelist from Microsoft as a guest, and in November we are having Dave Karlson, the Operations Manager of Hardware Operations at the Google data center in the Dalles. Dave will provide a general overview, demonstrations and answer questions. Dave will also talk about Apps for Domains and how people can have domainxyz.com hosted by Google to leverage the Gmail interface.

What are the options out there, and what are your concerns?

The security issues alone are enough to raise questions, and you'll have a chance to hear the answers "straight from the horses mouth".

BIO:
Dave Karlson has lived in the Columbia River Gorge since 1993. Prior to joining Google in 2006, Dave served the school districts of Wasco and Hood River counties as the Information Technology Director for what is now known as Columbia Gorge ESD for over 8 years.

Dave has been an advocate for local community projects throughout the 17 years he has lived in the area. Examples of this include his involvement in making the local Q-Life and HREC fiber networks a reality, as well as his continued support of the Students Recycling Used Technology (StRUT) program.

Dave is an avid skier, an occasional windsurfer, and an amateur woodworker. He has a Bachelor's in Computer Science & Mathematics from St. Lawrence University and a Master's in Information Management from the University of Oregon. Dave lives in White Salmon, Washington with his wife and their two sons in a house they have been self-remodeling since 1999.November Meeting:

What:

Google Docs and Google Apps - Practical Application

Who:

Dave Karlson - Operations Manager at Google's Dalles Oregon datacenter

Where:

Red Lion Hotel - Convention Center
1021 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232

How Much?

Free for all to attend with RSVP...

Update - Here are the slides from Chris's presentation in October... We are happy to announce the first in a two part series - In October we have Chris Avis from Microsoft, and in November we have Dave Karlson from Google, both coming to share information about the cloud.

At the years have gone by, user options for backing up their critical data have spun off in a million different directions, but one of the most intriguing has been storing content 'out there' - a.k.a. 'in the cloud'.

What are the options out there, and what are your concerns?

The security issues alone are enough to raise questions, and at the OCCA meetings in October and November, you will have a chance to hear from these two experts at Google and Microsoft.
 

October Meeting: Microsoft Cloud Computing

We'll be having a presentation on the new developments, advantages and challenges of Cloud Computing.

Who?

Microsoft IT Evangelist, Chris Avis.

Chris Avis started his career at Microsoft in 1994 as a contract customer service representative during the Windows 95 launch. At the time, he did not know who Bill Gates was or what Microsoft did prior to applying with the company. Why? He was a hard core Apple user and had been since the late 70's.

Chris left the company as a contractor in 1996 and returned 1 year later as a full time employee supporting networking technologies for Windows NT 4.0 Server and client connectivity.

Shortly afterwards, he started supporting the Small Business Server product. In 2002, Chris took on the role of IT Evangelist and speaking to IT Professionals about the great products and technologies Microsoft had to offer.

Since then Chris has embraced live events and social media ( blog and Twitter) as a way to get the word out to IT Professional in the US and around the world.

When not geeking out on technology, Chris enjoys camping, hiking and traveling. He is also an avid Guitar Hero and World of Warcraft player.

When?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010
6:00 to 8:30 PM

Where?

Red Lion Hotel Portland - Convention Center
1021 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232

RSVP

Please RSVP here
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How to get a Mac to access Windows Active Directory File and Printer Shares

Our presenter will be Andrew Hundt, President of Pro Activist Computer Support.

The presentation will include a demonstration of connecting a Mac laptop to Windows 2008 server's Active Directory, opening a shared drive for read-write access, and connecting to a shared printer.

Applications used will include Finder, System Preferences, Keychain Access, & Directory Utility.

BIO: Andrew Hundt, President of Pro Activist Computer Support, has 15 years of experience supporting small networks for Portland area businesses under a wide variety of operating systems.

For the past 10 years he has been supporting a growing number of Mac OSX platforms, learning to integrate them into his client base of predominantly Windows networks.

The meeting is free and open to the public so bring a guest.Tuesday, September 28, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. No  Host Dinner / Networking
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Meeting / Presentation
 

On Tuesday, August 31st, our meeting will feature the new features and improvements in productivity and mail handling available in Microsoft Office 2010. Our speakers will be Neal Otto of Jump Start Computer Training, and Karen Westerman of KSW Consulting. New features include: - making the Ribbon the default interface for all Office applications, - adding new features to individual applications such as video editing in PowerPoint- improved mail handling in Outlook- new Office-wide productivity enhancers (including photo editing tools)- and a much-improved paste operation.About Our speakers: Neal Otto is the founder of Jumpstart Computer Training. He is a lifelong educator and learner with 22+ years of instruction experience, with a focus on technology since 1996.Karen Westerman of KSW Consulting provides customized spreadsheets, documents and systems in Microsoft Excel, Word, Quickbooks and Crystal Reports. The meeting is free and open to the public so bring a guest. When: Tuesday, August 31st 20106:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. No-Host Dinner / Networking 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Meeting / Presentation We recommend you take advantage of Aquariva's valet parking.

In a 90 minute presentation you can't possibly learn everything you need to know about promoting your business and website in the search engines, but OCCA member Scott Hendison, of Search Commander, Inc. is going to give it a shot.

Topics covered will be:

• Google's ever-changing behavior
• Basic search engine optimization
• Proper website structure
• Three ESSENTIAL Google services –
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Webmaster Tools
  • Google Places - (formerly Local / Maps / Business Center)

A lot has changed in the search engines over the past few years, but a lot has remained constant too. If you're trying to gain a foothold for your niche, then this is one OCCA presentation that you don't want to miss.

As consultant or business owner, what can you do on our own that will be effective, but won't suck up your valuable time?

How can you avoid getting taken advantage of by "SEO" companies - and what do they really DO, anyway?

Are you missing a goldmine of opportunity, or is your market already saturated with experts?

Bio:
Scott Hendison is the CEO of Search Commander, Inc. and is the founder and creator of SEO Automatic.

Scott is a former Portland computer store retailer from 1997 - 2002, who built a local on-site computer service business through Pay Per Click and organic search engine optimization.

In 2003, Scott started focusing almost exclusively on internet marketing, and today he is found on the front page of most search engines for phrases like "search engine expert", and , "internet consultant".

Scott is an OCCA.org board member, and a founding board member of SMpdx.org, a non-profit organization that presents the annual SearchFest internet marketing conference in Portland Oregon.

Our monthly OCCA meeting will feature an informative presentation and round-table discussion by experts on “Backing Up Your Computer”.

Sample topics include:

• Which backup tool is right for me?
• Should I do image backups, full system backups, or incremental backups?
• On-site, off-site, or on-line?
• What, how and how often?

Charles McLeod
One of the presenters will be Charles McLeod of PC Paramedix. In 1999, Charles set out to help clients achieve their most challenging goals by anticipating, exceeding and netweaving technology with the human, digital and virtual network.

His clients have ranged from industry giants such as T-Mobile, Bank of America, and Nordstrom to the entrepreneur and local small business.

Not only does he serve the business community through BNI, the world's leading word of mouth marketing organization, he also contributes to a regular column for both Chips and Bits and IT Today, and has been featured in the Portland Oregonian, on KOIN News 6, KATU News 2, and KXL AM

The meeting is free and open to the public so bring a guest. You can RSVP for the meeting at www.occa.org.

When: June 29, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. No-Host Dinner / Networking
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Meeting / Presentation
Where: Aquariva Italian Kitchen
0470 SW Hamilton Ct.
Portland, OR 97239
http://www.aquarivaportland.com
We recommend you take advantage of Aquariva's valet parking.

Whether you're concerned about your own equipment, or working on behalf of your customers, IT Security is a big job.

On May 25th, the OCCA meeting Jay Allen will give a survey of current threats, and the free or Open Source tools you can use to thwart them.

Jay D. Allen is IT Security Specialist at Schnitzer Steel, and the founder of F2 Incorporated. F2 has been providing advanced phone services to Portland business since 2005.

The meeting is FREE and open to the public. You can RSVP for the meeting at www.occa.org. When:
May 25, 2010 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. No  Host Dinner / Networking 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Meeting / Presentation Where:
Aquariva Italian Kitchen0470 SW Hamilton Ct.Portland, OR 97239

Aquariva
We recommend you take advantage of Aquariva's free valet parking.

Our April meeting topic is still tentatively scheduled, but we\'re hoping for a \"Battle of the HandHelds\"

As clients upgrade to the smartest smart phones in the world, they are asking their consultants for advice.

iPhone and Droid are likely candidates, but what about others that may have more to offer, like Windows devices, Palm and Blackberry?

Obviously not every Smart phone offers every feature, nor is every Smart phone the right choice for every user. What are the upside and downsides to each, and how can a consultant give the best advice?

Rather than hear just one providers view, we are hoping to get representatives from both Verizon and from At&T to come show us the latest and greatest 2010 technology, and to answer the tough questions.

We\'re looking for more than just features and bells and whistles, we\'re looking for real-world applications.

How do the different phones react with different software and mail configurations? What phones work with Microsoft Exchange? What else do we need to know about clients mail environment?

The last thing you want to do, for example is to steer someone into a Blackberry that is using exchange server, if they won\'t be able to get their mail.

As we draw closer and get confirmation from the participants we\'ll update this page...

Creating a Media Center for Office or Home Entertainment Use

Integrating the hardware and software needed to create a media center for your home or office isn't as difficult as it might seem.

The March 30th meeting of the Oregon Computer Consultants Association, George Shubin of dx Software Systems will talk about the process of building a media center PC and how to coordinate the audio and display components in order to accomplish your goals.

George recently finished building a PC that coordinates his home theatre components and is willing to share how it went together and how well it works.

Whether you want to create a media center for online conferencing and training purposes, or simply want to create a whiz bang media center for your home use, don't miss the next OCCA meeting. Visit occa.org to reserve your space.

George Shubin is the owner of dx Software Systems, a custom programming service. George cut his teeth on punch cards and IBM 401 accounting machines.

His favorite excuse in school was that the T-Rex ate his homework. With over 40 years of experience in computers, he has a love/hate relationship with all things technical.
When: March 30, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Dinner / Networking
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Meeting / Presentation

Improving your bottom line through better time and task management.

Learn how to achieve your highest positive impact and reach your business and personal goals during a practical and entertaining presentation by Tom Howe at the February 23rd meeting of the Oregon Computer Consultants Association.

Tom Howe of Legal Technology Group, is a highly sought after speaker, attorney, author and owner of two technology companies. He speaks at legal conferences throughout North America and technological conferences around the world.

His presentation will:

• Show you how to focus and get organized so you can move your business forward.
• Share specific tips and strategies for improving your efficiency in meetings, over the phone and via email.
• Provide proven effective methods for avoiding procrastination and burn out.

Plan now to attend this valuable presentation and learn new skills, tips and strategies that will help you reach your financial and personal goals in 2010.

When: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Dinner / Networking
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Meeting / Presentation

Where:Red Lion Inn
1021 Northeast Grand Avenue
Portland

Please note:
Next month, and for the remainider of 2010, we will be back at Aquariva, but for February the venue was not available.