A. Unpredictable IT costs place a real burden on your business. The ActiveCare Solution gives you predictable, monthly IT expenses by eliminating the costs of upgrades, monitoring, patching and operations of your infrastructure. We give you the flexibility to choose from three scalable plans Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus. You pick the plan that is right for you. This allows you to redirect IT resources, reduce unanticipated support costs and plan your expenses accurately.

A. The greatest advantage ComTech has over hosting is that if our network or your Internet Service Provider’s network goes down, your systems are still operational. Because the servers reside at each company’s premises, the only thing lost during an outage is monitoring and remote backups. ComTech will be immediately notified of such an outage and will help restore the network. The ActiveCare solution also includes many of the benefits of hosting, such as security and server monitoring, remote storage of data and fixed monthly fees but for significantly lower cost.

A. More than a third of all businesses using the ActiveCare solution also employ a part-time or full-time IT staff. By eliminating the necessity to work on low-level, repetitive, non-strategic tasks, the ActiveCare solution frees your staff to focus on long-term strategic technology objectives, such as:

 

	Intranet portal services for employees
	Extranet portal services for customers
	Line of business applications
	Employee technical training
	Database development and management
	Application performance reporting
	Management of digital dashboards
	Web site development and management
	Aligning IT goals with long-term vision of the management team
	Professional training and certifications

 

The ActiveCare Solution provides a solid foundation for these initiatives and allows your company to maximize its IT investment.

A. Backups are continual and managed remotely. All data is stored locally and remotely sent to the ComTech datacenter in AZ and MD. The initial monthly fee includes 25 GB of remote storage, and additional storage is availablefor an added fee. ComTech can retrieve customer files from up to 30 days prior to the last backup and this windowcan be extended for an additional fee.

A. ComTech does not provide the hardware; however, we will work with you to choose hardware from any tier one vendor. We can assist in setting up lease programs to make your upfront costs minimal. ComTech’s only requirement is your equipment be under an approved maintenance agreement or have a qualified parts program.

A. ComTech provides software from Microsoft, AVG, Backup Exec, and more. ComTech provides a very robust software and support platform for small businesses to grow on. The specific software will depend upon the requirements of the customer. ComTech can offer very affordable software rental programs from Microsoft as well as the ability to setup lease programs for your software purchases.

Q. Do we need a disaster and recovery plan?

A. The ComTech solution solves most IT-related disaster and recovery problems. In the event of a disaster, such as theft or fire, ComTech can build a new server with your most recent data and have it on your premises within 24 hours. Customers will still need to plan for desktops and other business specific processes.

Q. If we accidentally delete a file, how will ComTech restore it?

A. Simply call the Help Desk and a support representative will restore it over the phone.

Q. How safe is our data?

A. The ComTech data center is a new state-of-the-art facility that includes:

	24x7 card key access, biometric palm scans
	24-hour on-site staffed NOC (Network Operations Center) and security staff
	Intercoms, security cameras, pin code with picture IDs
	Closed-circuit television and video monitoring & permanent recording to DVD
	Multiple AC unites to keep environment at a constant temperature and humidity
	Multiple power delivery units
	Multiple UPS
	Backup generator
	Battery backups with chargers
	Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) and Automatic Throw-Over (ATO) to switch between Public Service grid and generator
	Multiple Power Delivery Units (PDU)
	VESDA smoke detection
	FM200 Fire Suppression—Two-stage pre-action dry pipe sprinkler system

 

Q. How often are the server and software updated?

A. Under the Platinum and Platinum Plus plans the server software are updated every time an update is release according to the published service level.

Q. How are patches and service packs applied?

A. Service packs and software updates are applied after ComTech fully tests each one in the lab. All updates are performed after business hours or according to the customer’s schedule.

Q. Do we need an Internet connection?

A. Yes – the ActiveCare solution requires a broadband (DSL or Cable) or better connection with static IP. If you don’t have a broadband connection, ComTech can install one for an additional fee.

Q. What are the contract terms?

A. All contracts are setup to be 3 year contracts. We have the option to cancel with a 30-day cancellation notice. Specific terms will be in the SLA.

Q. What if we decide to cancel the service?

A. ComTech will simply terminate the service, remove the services from the server or transfer the services to the customer. Certain prepaid items may be required to be paid to ComTech. Our intention is to make it very simple for you to enter or leave a ActiveCare engagement. We want you to use us to supplement your staff on your timeline, not ours.