IMPulse Volume 4, Issue 3 - Summer 2013 - IMP Group

Summer 2013 I M P u l s e Volume 4, Issue 3Computers donated from IMP Solutionsoffer a Window on the World for Seniorsin Nova ScotiaDavid MacKinnon remembers thefirst time he saw the impact computerscan have on seniors. David is VicePresident of Sales and Marketing forIMP Solutions in Halifax. Duringthe 1990s, he helped put computersinto a number of private schoolsin Toronto. One of the schools hada program that brought togetherstudents and seniors.“Email was just becoming popularat that time,” he says. When some ofthe seniors asked if they could connectwith relatives living in Israel, hehelped them to write an email andsaw their amazement and excitementwhen they got a reply the nextday. It’s that look on their face heremembers and it’s one he wants tosee again with Northwood’s clients.“Our generation accepts computersand modern technology as anecessity. Our children, however, aretotally immersed in the technologyand readily accept the rapid pace ofchange it brings without question.For seniors, it is still the stuff of sciencefiction and Flash Gordon.”Computers can open a window tothe world for seniors. Not bound byspace or physical limitations, they10Brenda Wyatt and Dave MacKinnoncan connect with family and friendsinstantaneously through email,Skype and video conferencing. Theycan surf the Net, do their bankingand download an endless databaseof information.David remembers connecting withhis mother in Cape Breton as hiskids played in the background. Atone point, his mother saw the kidsrunning along the edge of the pooland reminded them that runningwas dangerous. “Technology allowsher to be a grandmother eventhough she’s separated by distance.”That’s the magic of technology.“We may need to show seniors howand help them get past the fear,” saysDavid. “But the rewards are immense.”Thanks to IMP Solutions,Northwood’s residents and clientswill get that chance and have thebenefit of the latest technology. IMPis donating 15 laptops to Reboom tohelp people connect with the worldaround them.- Article contributed byJohn Verlinden, Northwood(Senior Living, Halifax, NS)IMP Solutionsmoves to theCloudIMP Solutions will launch a ManagedIT Services (MITS) and CloudServices business this summer.The firm’s MITS practice willprovide full operational support ofcustomer networks and devices,with the goal of keeping them running,secure and optimized.There will be a Network OperationsCenter (NOC) and ServiceDesk staffed 24X7X365, based inHalifax. The NOC team will be responsiblefor remotely monitoringand managing customer systems todefined service levels. The servicewill include technical resources(Site Managers) familiar withcustomers’ infrastructure, whowill perform any on-site servicesrequired. Support processes willbe based on recognized industrybest practices, supported by worldclassmonitoring and service desksoftware.One of the hottest trends in theIT industry today is cloud computing- a type of Internet-basedcomputing, where different services-- such as processing, storageand applications -- are deliveredthrough the Internet. IMP Solutionswill offer a wide rangeof cloud services to customers,ranging from email to data backupservices.They are very excited aboutlaunching this innovative new IMPbusiness.