Document:

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.3

                             SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE

                                  July 26, 2001

$28,219.48                                               Westboro, Massachusetts

            For value received, Scott G. Silk (the "Borrower") promises to pay
to the order of ePresence, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), at
the offices of the Company or such other place as the Company hereafter shall
designate Twenty Eight Thousand Two Hundred Nineteen Dollars and Forty Eight
Cents ($28,219.48). This Promissory Note replaces the prior Promissory Note
issued by the Borrower to the Company on October 8, 2000 in the principal amount
of $27,110.40. This Promissory Note is being issued pursuant to Amendment No. 1
to the Employment Letter between the Borrower and the Company, dated July 26,
2001. Simple interest shall accrue on the unpaid balance from time to time
outstanding, which interest rate shall be adjusted each month to the then
applicable Federal rate, beginning on the date hereof. Except as otherwise
provided herein, the principal amount of and all accrued interest on this Note
shall be repaid in full 90 days after the Borrowers employment with the Company
is terminated; provided (a) subject to the Borrower's continued employment by
the Company on an annual anniversary date of this note, 20% of the principal
amount of this Note plus interest accrued during each annual period shall be
forgiven by the Company, and (b) if a Change in Control Date (as defined in
Paragraph 2(d) of that certain Restricted Stock Agreement between the Borrower
and the Company dated October 8, 1999 (except without the reference to
"occur[ing] on or prior to October 8, 2001")) occurs while the Borrower is, or
deemed to be under such Change in Control provision, employed by the company,
the amount of this Note plus all accrued interest outstanding shall be forgiven
by the Company. The Borrower shall repay this Note prior to the aforementioned
dates as provided below.

            The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that this Note must be repaid
in full prior to the due date, upon the sale by the Borrower of any of the
Shares.

            The Borrower also acknowledges and agrees that the payment of this
Note is secured by a security interest in 15,000 shares of common stock of the
Company, pursuant to a pledge agreement between the Company and the Borrower
dated October 8, 2000 (the "Pledge Agreement"). This Note is with recourse to
the Borrower for the entire principal sum borrowed, plus interest, and is
subject to, and secured by, and entitled to the benefits of the Pledge
Agreement.

            At the option of the Company, this Note shall become immediately due
and payable without notice or demand upon the occurrence at any time of any of
the following events ("Events of Default"):

            (1) If Borrower is not paying his debts as they become due, becomes
                insolvent, files or has filed against him a petition under any
                chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. ss. 101
                et seq. (or any similar petition under any insolvency law of any
                jurisdiction), proposes any liquidation, composition or
                financial reorganization with his creditors,

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                makes an assignment or trust mortgage for the benefit of
                creditors, or if a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar
                agent is appointed or takes possession with respect to any
                property or business of the Borrower; or

            (2) The occurrence of any Default (as defined therein) under the
                Pledge Agreement.

            Upon the occurrence of any of the Events of Default, the Company
shall have then, or at any time thereafter, all of the rights and remedies
afforded by the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts or afforded by other applicable law or under this
Note or the Pledge Agreement.

            In no event shall any interest charged, collected or reserved under
this Note exceed the maximum rate then permitted by applicable law and if any
such payment is paid by the holder such payment shall be treated as a payment of
principal.

            All payments by the Borrower under this Note shall be made without
set-off or counterclaim and shall be free and clear and without deduction or
withholding for any taxes or fees of any nature whatever, unless the obligation
to make such deduction or withholding is imposed by law. The Borrower shall pay
and save the holder harmless from all liabilities with respect to or resulting
from any delay or omission to make any such deduction or withholding required by
law.

            Whenever any amount is paid under this Note, all or part of the
amount paid may be applied to principal, interest, premium or interest in such
order and manner as shall be determined by the holder in its discretion.

            No reference in this Note to any other document shall impair the
obligation of the Borrower, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay all
amounts under this Note strictly in accordance with the terms of this Note.

            No delay or omission on the part of the Company in exercising any
right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of such right or of any other right of
such Company, nor shall any delay, omission or waiver on any one occasion be
deemed a bar to or waiver of the same or any other right on any future occasion.

            The Borrower waives presentment, demand, notice, protest and all
other demands and notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance,
performance, default or enforcement hereof and also waives any delay on the part
of the Company. No discharge or release of any other party primarily or
secondarily liable hereon shall discharge or otherwise affect the liability of
the Borrower to the Company.

            None of the terms or provisions of this Note may be excluded,
modified, or amended except by a written instrument duly executed on behalf of
the Borrower expressly referring hereto and setting forth the provision so
excluded, modified or amended.

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            The Borrower will pay on demand all costs of collection, including
reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the Company in enforcing the obligations
under or in connection with this Note or the Pledge Agreement.

            This Note shall be binding upon the Borrower and each endorser and
guarantor hereof and upon their heirs, successors and representatives, and shall
inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors, endorsees and assigns.

            This Note may be prepaid in whole or in part at any time or from
time to time with the consent of the holder, with the giving of such consent to
be in the sole discretion of the holder, provided that the Company shall retain
the security interest in the Shares under the Pledge Agreement until the
principal amount and accrued interest under this Note are paid in full. Any
prepayment shall be without premium or penalty.

            The Borrower irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the courts
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States District Court for
the District of Massachusetts for the purpose of any suit, action or other
proceeding brought by the Company arising out of or relating to this Agreement,
and the Borrower waives and agrees not to assert by way of motion, as a defense
or otherwise in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that the Borrower
is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts or the United States District Court for the District of
Massachusetts or that the Borrower's property is exempt or immune from execution
or attachment, either prior to judgment or in aid of execution, that the suit,
action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of
the suit, action or proceeding is improper, or that this Note or the subject
matter hereof may not be enforced in or by such court.

            This Note shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in
accordance with, the substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws. This Note shall be deemed
to be under seal.

THE BORROWER HEREBY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION
OR PROCEEDING IN CONNECTION WITH ALL MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND DOCUMENTS
EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH.

WITNESS:                                    BORROWER:

Signed in my Presence:
/s/ Kevin F. Newman                          /s/ Scott G. Silk
----------------------------------          ------------------------------
[Name]                                      Scott G. Silk

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.4

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1
                        TO EXECUTIVE RETENTION AGREEMENT

      This Amendment No. 1 to Executive Retention Agreement made as of October
16, 1998 (the "Agreement") between ePresence, Inc. (formerly Banyan Systems
Incorporated), a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), and Richard M.
Spaulding (the "Executive"), is effective as of the 26th day of July, 2001.
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the
respective meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

1. The parties hereto agree that the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

            A new Section 3.3 shall hereby be inserted:

            "3.3 Loans. (a) As of the date of this Amendment, the principal
            amount of any outstanding loans to the Executive from the Company
            made for the purpose of satisfying the Executive's federal, state
            and local income tax obligations with respect to the issuance or
            vesting of restricted shares plus accrued interest, shall be
            consolidated into one loan (the "Consolidated Loan"). The
            Consolidated Loan, and any future loans to the Executive by the
            Company for the foregoing stated purpose ("Future Loan"), shall bear
            simple interest at the applicable Federal rate and shall be due and
            payable 90 days after the termination of the Executive's employment
            with the Company subject to the forgiveness and Change in Control
            provisions set forth below in subsections 3.3(b) and 3.3(c),
            respectively.

            (b) Subject to the Executive being employed by the Company on an
            annual applicable anniversary date, beginning with (i) July 26, 2002
            with respect to the Consolidated Loan; and (ii) the date 12 months
            from the making of any Future Loan, if any, 20% of the Consolidated
            Loan and 20% of any Future Loan, as the case may be, plus accrued
            interest on each such loan as of such date shall be forgiven.

            (c) If the Change in Control Date occurs during the Term, the
            aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Consolidated Loan and
            any Future Loan plus accrued interest on each such loan as of the
            Change in Control Date shall be forgiven.

            (d) That with respect to any amounts forgiven on an anniversary date
            pursuant to subsection 3.3(b) above or as a result of a change in
            control pursuant to subsection 3.3(c) above, as the case may be, a
            gross-up amount to satisfy applicable federal, state and local
            income taxes on such debt forgiveness income to the Executive shall
            be included."

2. To the extent any provision of this Amendment is inconsistent with any
provision of the Agreement, such provision of the Agreement is hereby modified
and superseded by the terms hereof. Any term of the Agreement not so modified or
superseded shall remain in full force and effect.

3. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed
to be an original but both of which shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
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      EXECUTED as of the date first set forth above.

                                 COMPANY:

                                 ePRESENCE, INC.

                                 By: /s/ William P. Ferry
                                    ----------------------------------
                                    Name:  William P. Ferry
                                    Title: Chief Executive

                                 EXECUTIVE:

                                 /s/ Richard M. Spaulding
                                 -------------------------------------
                                 Richard M. Spaulding

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