Thruport HotOffice

1. General Features and Functions
1.1 What is an intranet?
1.2 What is the HotOffice service?
1.3 What is the difference between the Standard and Professional Editions?
1.4 If I already have email, why do I need HotOffice?
1.5 How does HotOffice work?
1.6 Do I need to learn anything new?

2. Pricing, Subscriptions and Included Services
2.1 What does my HotOffice service include?
2.2 How much does HotOffice cost?
2.3 Do I need to purchase any special hardware or software?
2.4 Does the HotOffice service include Internet access?
2.5 How do I get upgrades and new features?
2.6 How can I subscribe to HotOffice?

3. Security, Firewall and Platform Issues
3.1 Can I control access to various areas of my HotOffice?
3.2 What security measures does HotOffice include?
3.3 Can I use HotOffice on an existing network with a firewall?
3.4 Can I use HotOffice on a Macintosh or Unix?
3.5 What type of browser do I need to use HotOffice?
3.6 What type of server technology does HotOffice use?

1. General Features and Functions

1.1 What is an intranet?
An Intranet is a communications and productivity tool that utilizes standard Internet protocols and technologies (TCP/IP, HTTP, and HTML, search engines, etc.) within an organization or company. It allows companies to connect employees and enable them to easily access company resources using standard Internet browsers, cutting costs and enhancing productivity. Think of it as a private corner of the World Wide Web. (Read White Paper for more).

1.2 What is the HotOffice service?
The HotOffice Web-Based Intranet Service gives you an instant online office to connect colleagues, clients and vendors from anywhere. You can share and retrieve documents, send and receive email, update your group calendar, synchronize your contacts, and host bulletin board discussions, hold online conferences, and more! This award-winning, easy-to-use interface gives your team all the tools you need in one central location.

1.3 What is the difference between the Standard and Professional Editions?
HotOffice offers you a choice of service depending on your organization's needs. Both editions give you the same intranet communication and organizational tools, yet the Professional Edition includes up to 100MB of storage per account, SSL encryption and IMAP4 and POP3 access. In addition, the Professional Edition allows you to maintain your own domain name and seamlessly integrate your HotOffice Intranet within your organization's website.

1.4 If I already have email, why do I need HotOffice?
HotOffice is more than just email. It's a whole package of communication and collaboration applications designed to help small businesses be more productive, save money and work more efficiently. In addition to email, you get online conferencing and file sharing that allows your HotOffice members to access files anytime they need them. It also keeps your documents secure with encryption, which may not be the case with regular email. Best of all, you can consolidate all your email accounts into one simple interface accessible from any PC with Internet access, anywhere in the world, without reconfiguring computer settings or using proprietary software.

1.5 How does HotOffice work?
HotOffice creates an affordable web-based intranet for your organization using the easy accessibility of the Internet. You can sign up and begin using HotOffice in minutes. You decide who will have access to your HotOffice and to what information. Add employees, colleagues, customers and suppliers to your HotOffice quickly and easily. In fact, you can easily start sharing information and collaborating with your team in real time immediately after signing up!

1.6 Do I need to learn anything new?
No. HotOffice has a very simple user interface familiar to anyone who has worked with the web or Windows-based software applications. And, since everything is accessible right from your browser, you don't need to install anything on your computer to use HotOffice. Help screens are always available to ensure you are productive immediately.

2. Pricing, Subscriptions and Included Services

2.1 What does my HotOffice service include?
You get dozens of ways to collaborate and communicate more efficiently and a wide range of productivity tools and services to help save you money and make your business grow. These include email (accessible from any PC with any Internet connection and Java-compatible browser), web calendar, synchronization software, private chat, bulletin boards, document management with file sharing and storage, and more.

2.2 How much does HotOffice cost?
Please refer to our Pricing/Specials page for current promotions and pricing.

2.3 Do I need to purchase any special hardware or software?
No. If you have access to the Internet, a browser, and a PC with Windows 95 or higher operating system, that's all you need. HotOffice will work with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher and Netscape Navigator/Communicator 4.5 or higher.

2.4 Does the HotOffice service include Internet access?
No. You can sign up and use HotOffice with any Internet Service Provider you choose. If you don't have access, HotOffice can refer you to an Internet Service Provider.

2.5 How do I get new features and upgrades?
Because HotOffice is a service, great new features are always being added automatically, with no equipment to upgrade on your end. This ensures you always receive the latest technology, software and features - and the highest quality service at no extra cost.

2.6 How can I subscribe to HotOffice?
Visit www.hotoffice.com or contact Thruport Sales by emailing sales@thruport.com or calling (888) 358-3400.

3. Pricing, Subscriptions and Included Services

3.1 Can I control access to the various areas of HotOffice?
Yes. You can designate one or more persons in your organization as the HotOffice Manager(s). The HotOffice Manager can set up departments and projects as needed and can determine which users may access which projects, features or information. Users can be added or deleted at any time by the Manager.

3.2 What security measures does HotOffice include?
HotOffice provides security at several levels:

Personalized Access: Every HotOffice user must sign on with the correct Company ID, User ID and Password. We strongly recommend changing your password on a regular basis.

Access Rights: Since your HotOffice Manager controls access to information, documents and files posted by other users, your HotOffice users see only what they are authorized to see.

Secure Transmission: Documents and other files transmitted to HotOffice using the HotOffice Publishing Wizard are sent over RC4 or SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encrypted communication channel*. The encrypted communication channel is used as a tool to protect the data stream from becoming visible to anyone using a cracking tool.
* Professional Edition only

Storage: Files stored in your HotOffice using the HotOffice Publishing Wizard are secured on our servers with strong domestic-grade encryption technology. Our servers are securely located in a state-of-the-art facility that is owned and managed by Thruport Technologies. Our servers are protected by dual redundant firewalls. These servers are protected and monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by highly skilled technicians, security guards, and closed-circuit surveillance equipment. The servers are backed up each evening and tapes are kept offsite in a secure facility designed specifically to house sensitive media.

3.3 Can I use HotOffice on an existing network with a firewall?
Yes, but a proxy server or firewall that has not been reconfigured can limit some HotOffice functionality, such as web-based installation, document publishing, and email attachments. Since a proxy server or firewall is designed to block outside access to a network, including access to your HotOffice, your company's system administrator must grant HotOffice access through its firewall by opening the passageway.

3.4 Can I use HotOffice on a Macintosh or with Unix?
Thruport HotOffice will support Macintosh on Netscape 4.77+ or IE 5.1+. While HotOffice may work fine on UNIX operating systems, we do not support UNIX at this time. UNIX support is being evaluated at this time and support for UNIX will be announced in the near future.

3.5 What type of browser do I need to use HotOffice?
You need a Java-enabled browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 4.0 or greater, or Netscape Navigator/Communicator 4.5 or greater (excluding beta versions).

3.6 What type of server technology does HotOffice use?
We use the latest Internet technologies to create your HotOffice. These include dynamically generated web pages, Java server applications, encryption components and high-performance databases implemented on a fault-tolerant, highly scaleable distributed system. Our servers have very high-speed direct and redundant connections to the Internet. The server equipment is located in secure data centers with uninterrupted power supply, and a generator-backed power system.