Shiloh Service Named One of Ingram Micro’s Fastest-Growing SMB channel partners in the U.S.

Global Technology Distributor Recognizes Shiloh Service’s Achievements and Success in Fourth Annual Ingram Micro SMB 500 List

North Huntingdon, PA, August 17, 2015.  Shiloh Service, Inc. today announced it was named to the Ingram Micro 2015 SMB 500. The annual list recognizes the top 500 fastest-growing Ingram Micro U.S. channel partners serving the small and midsize business (SMB) market. Ranked at number 384, Shiloh Service expanded its business with Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM) by 24% percent in the past three years.

“At Shiloh Service, we appreciate working with Ingram Micro, the world’s largest wholesale technology products distributor,” said Gerry Halula, sales manager of Shiloh Service. “In addition to delivering advanced computing and technology solutions, Ingram Micro offers a broad array of value-added services, ranging from new cloud technologies to supply chain and distribution solutions. As an Ingram Micro channel partner, Shiloh is ready to meet the unique IT challenges of any client, big or small.”

As part of the SMB 500, Shiloh Service earns industry-wide recognition for its growth, continued success and commitment to service excellence.

“The Ingram Micro SMB 500 is comprised of IT service providers and solutions experts who specialize in the business IT needs of SMBs and know how to use technology and IT services to build advantage and solve for the best business outcome,” said Darren Gottesmann, director, SMB sales, Ingram Micro. “We’re honored to recognize Shiloh Service’s success and applaud its continued growth with Ingram Micro.”

The Ingram Micro SMB 500 draws performance data on more than 20,000 U.S.-based channel partners supported by Ingram Micro’s dedicated team of SMB IT sales professionals. This year’s list ranks channel partners by the company’s compound annual growth rate between 2012 and 2014. To qualify for consideration, SMB-focused channel partners must have been doing business with Ingram Micro for three full years, as well as meet minimum sales thresholds in the first and last years of the analysis period. The 2112 Group once again collaborated with the Ingram Micro Business Intelligence Center to conduct the research and analysis and determine the rankings.

 “This year’s winners are growing faster than the industry average and finding greater success within the SMB,” said Lawrence M. Walsh, CEO and chief analyst of The 2112 Group. “The SMB 500 shows how consistent execution and collaboration with strategic alliance partners such as Ingram Micro can and will result in accelerated growth, performance and business agility.”

A copy of the 2015 Ingram Micro SMB 500 list can be found here.

More information about Shiloh Service is available at www.ShilohService.com

About Ingram Micro

Ingram Micro helps businesses Realize the Promise of Technology™. It delivers a full spectrum of global technology and supply chain services to businesses around the world. Deep expertise in technology solutions, mobility, cloud, and supply chain solutions enables its business partners to operate efficiently and successfully in the markets they serve. Unrivaled agility, deep market insights and the trust and dependability that come from decades of proven relationships, set Ingram Micro apart and ahead. More at www.ingrammicro.com.

About Shiloh Service, Inc.

Shiloh Service, Inc. has been serving the technical needs of Pittsburgh area businesses since 1971. Shiloh Service provides IT sales, service, and support for companies without their own IT Department, or where additional resources are needed for special projects. From computers and computer maintenance to networking and system design, Shiloh Service offers affordable solutions selected to meet the unique goals and needs of every business.

Goodbye Internet Explorer | Hello Microsoft Edge

Everyone knows Internet Explorer, it has been Microsoft’s flagship web browser since 1995. In recent years however, the popularity of I.E. has been in decline.

Depending on whose numbers you believe, Internet Explorer now commands a little over half or less than half of the market share in 2015.

Today many users find that alternative browsers, led by Google Chrome and Fire Fox, are much more suitable for their web browsing needs.

For instance, Google Chrome has been described as “mastering simplicity.” With Chrome there is no complicated interface to navigate, or those nagging messages that urge you download the next great tool bar for all your shopping needs. Instead, Chrome is a simple and effective web browser, one that becomes more popular every year.

Indeed, Chrome and FireFox now set the industry standards for web browsers.

But Microsoft has set the stage to strike back with its new web browser for Windows 10, originally code-named Spartan and now officially known as “Microsoft Edge.”

Microsoft Edge aims to fix what most users find wrong with Internet Explorer and revitalize Microsoft’s browser reputation by adding a wide array of new capabilities and content.

So… What is better about Microsoft Edge?

When using Microsoft Edge, pages load quickly and scroll smoothly. The display is sharp, with far fewer rendering glitches, and security has been significantly enhanced.

The new M.E. browser strives to better connect users with search results by constantly running a “relevance algorithm” in an attempt to make the search suggestions better geared to you and your lifestyle.

Similar to the concept of the bookmark bar, Edge has incorporated the “hub.” To access the hub users will see a little folder with a star, while in it you will be able to view your favorites, reading list, browsing history, and manage or view your current downloads.

Another new addition with Microsoft Edge is the ability to “write on the web.” This grants users the ability to write, doodle, take notes, and highlight directly on web pages. With this ability users will really be able to customize web pages, essentially tailoring their favorite websites to fit their own preferences. (Of course, these markups are only available to you on your local device.)

Microsoft has also integrated their intelligent assistant Cortana (kin to Apple’s Siri) into the web browser, where they promise she will be helpful but not in the way.

To learn if Microsoft Edge is right for your business, give us a call at 1-888-374-4564, or complete our easy-to-use contact form today!

Recap: The End of Windows 2003 Server

Just last month, another stalwart Microsoft veteran was put out to pasture. On 7-14-15, support ended for Windows Server 2003.

Limit Your Liability | Upgrade Now

When Server software goes unsupported, it’s not just obsolete; it’s a danger to the security of your network and your business. No more security upgrades, no more fixes, no help when something goes wrong.

Of course, with challenge comes opportunity!

Migrating to Windows Server 2012 R2 brings with it a long list of improvements, including better security, reduced maintenance, integrated virtualization, the ability to leverage modern cloud computing options, and extensive scalability (a system that is able to grow as your business grows).

Windows Server 2012 R2 offers a safe, fast, and secure networking environment. It’s a new world of IT, and the experienced staff at Shiloh Service is ready to help your business migrate to this advanced server environment.

With a long history of managing customized Windows Servers, Shiloh is ready to evaluate your business needs and recommend an affordable Windows Server solution.

Give us a call today at 1-888-374-4564, or complete our easy-to-use contact form!

Hard Drives vs. Solid State Drives (vs. Hybrid Drives!)

Everyone knows the hard drive. In one form or another, it has been in use for over 50 years and a standard part of PC’s since the late 1980s.

Just about anyone who uses a computer on a day-to-day basis understands the functionality and purpose a hard drive serves . It’s the electronic filing cabinet for all your documents, spreadsheets, financial records, emails, photos, and more.

So with hard drives becoming bigger, more reliable, and less expensive why would anyone want a Solid State Drive (SSD), or the even newer Hybrid Drive, when a typical hard drive seems to suffice?

At a time when Hard Drives boast the extremely low cost of less than $.09 per gigabyte, the new SSDs offer something your typical hard drive can’t: blazing speed!

Where a Hard Drive has moving parts, including a spinning disk and a read/write head, an SSD is more like a thumb drive: a collection of microchips. While the cost per gigabyte of SSD storage is generally double, they boot up in only 10 - 13 seconds and open files up to 30% faster. Once you’ve experienced running a computer with an SSD, you’ll never want to go back.

The Problem with SSDs

Is there a downside to using Solid State Drives? Yes. They’re expensive and they have a theoretical limit to the number of times data can be written to them (although the computer may wear out first, this could affect some very heavy users, like graphic designers and engineers using CAD programs). SSD’s can also be vulnerable to power loss and damage from magnetic fields.

The Advantage of Hybrid Drives

As you may have already guessed, Hybrid Drives (also known as SSHDs) were developed to combine the best of both worlds. They contain both SSD and HD components. Booting a computer from the Solid State Drive element does not stress the read/write life of the device and provides one of the key benefits of an SSD: vastly increased start-up speed.

Synergistically combining an SSD and a traditional hard drive allows for cheaper, more durable data storage.

A management algorithm allocates things that need speed (system files, application data, programs, etc.) to the solid state portion of the drive while files that need space more than speed (photos, work files, emails, and the like) are allocated to the storage space of the traditional HD. For many, this incorporates the best of both while offering a cost-effective solution.

Want to know if SSDs or Hybrid Drives are right for your business? Call the experts at Shiloh Service today at 1-888-374-4564, or complete our easy-to-use contact form! We can help your business make the most of IT.

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