aMila oNlinE

Using Windows 7 management tools to your advantage

2011-09-01T11:38:00.000+05:30

Using Windows 7 management tools to your advantage

The more enterprises get to know Windows 7, the more useful features they'll find. Among the neatest things in that operating system are the management tools for the Ultimate and Enterprise versions (often in combination with Windows Server 2008 R2). Here are my three favorites:

AppLocker
Arguably the most-needed from a security perspective, AppLocker lets you define and manage via Group Policy Objects (GPOs) exactly which executables run on your user's desktops. It's not unlike third-party whitelisting tools, such as Faronics' Anti-Executable and the Windows Software Restriction Policies, we've had available to us in the past. But now you've got a more feature-rich whitelisting/management application built right into the OS.

DirectAccess
DirectAccess is a virtual private network alternative that allows remote users to connect directly to the corporate network without the hassles of loading a VPN client from their workstations. It's a single-user interface that connects users to the Internet and an intranet at the same time. In my opinion, the coolest thing about DirectAccess is how it pushes Windows updates out any time the computer is connected to the Internet.

Windows XP Mode
Windows XP Mode is a full-blown version of Windows XP SP3 that runs inside a Microsoft Virtual PC session in Windows 7. As long as you have a reasonable amount of memory to support it, all you have to do is download and install Windows XP Mode and Virtual PC, and you've got yourself a working virtual machine in no time.

A great aspect of Windows XP Mode is that it enables users to run virtualized applications. This means that programs are available for use in both a Windows XP Mode virtual session and a Windows 7 session. This is a great way to quickly set up an environment for testing application compatibility, performing security scans and more.

There are numerous other management tools like Federated Search for network searching, BranchCache for speeding up downloads at branch offices, Reliability Monitor for monitoring and troubleshooting OS and application problems, and BitLocker and BitLocker To Go for disk and removable media encryption.

I've always been an advocate of using what you've got as long as it meets your requirements for performance, visibility and control. The new management tools built into the high-end editions of Windows 7 may do just that. You may not be a big fan of the look and feel of Active Directory, GPOs and similar Windows-related administrative functions, but these built-in tools are better than no tools at all.

Enterprise password protection checklist

2011-09-01T11:35:00.001+05:30

Enterprise password protection checklist

Despite the good intentions of IT departments, end-user education and advanced forms of authentication, password protection -- or a lack thereof -- remains a vexing problem for enterprises.

Users still create easy-to-guess passwords, write passwords down, store them in plain text, or email passwords to their friends and co-workers -- even though passwords are often the first, and sometimes only, line of defense against intruders.

Many enterprises still use password-based authentication because it's simpler and cheaper than more secure systems. In addition, organizations often maintain legacy systems that support only password-based authentication. Even enterprises that have implemented more advanced forms of authentication often combine those password management methods.

It's good practice to regularly review your corporate password management policy to maintain a secure environment and protect sensitive data.

Password cracking
When developing a password policy, it helps to understand the methods used to gain unauthorized access to protected resources. Intruders use the following methods to crack passwords:

Brute-force attack: An attempt to access a secure resource by trying all possible combinations of characters that can make up a password.
Dictionary attack: An attempt to access a secure resource by systematically entering common words (which often come from a dictionary file) to determine a user's password.
Sniffing: The process of intercepting wired or wireless network transmissions and capturing password hashes.
Cracking solutions: Software that attempts to decrypt passwords.
Social engineering: The process of using social skills to obtain passwords and other personal information. Intruders will often implement telephone, e-mail or Internet schemes to get users to reveal their sensitive data. Phishing is a type of social engineering.
Spyware: A type of software that users unintentionally install on their computers. Spyware surreptitiously gathers sensitive data or records keystrokes and sends that information to the intruder.
Shoulder surfing: The process of gathering password information or other sensitive data by watching users enter passwords or reading passwords they’ve written down.

These methods are often used in combination. For instance, intruders might use sniffing to intercept a password hash and then use cracking software to decrypt the hash. Or intruders might use social engineering to gather personal information about users, and then run a dictionary program that creates a list of words based on that data.

Strong and safe passwords
An effective password policy should prevent passwords from being guessed, cracked or compromised in any way. Part of that policy should ensure that all users create strong passwords and follow specific guidelines when using and maintaining those passwords.

There's plenty of material that explains what constitutes strong passwords and proper password maintenance. The following guidelines summarize much of that information and provide a quick checklist to reference when developing password standards:

Keep passwords confidential. Don't write passwords down. Don't show or tell them to anyone. Don't store passwords or transmit them electronically, unless you're sure they're encrypted and safe.
Don't include personal information. Don't use first or last names, addresses, birthdays, anniversaries, Social Security numbers, usernames, nicknames, pet names or any other type of personal information.
Don't create passwords that can be easily guessed. Avoid using common words, including abbreviations, foreign words, common misspellings or words spelled backwards. If you're creating a passphrase, don't include common phrases, famous quotations, or words from poems or songs.
Used mixed characters. Passwords should include lower and uppercase letters, numbers and symbols such as @, %, !, &, and ^.
Create long passwords. The longer the password, the better. Most sources recommend passwords be at least eight characters long, often longer. (Microsoft now recommends that a strong password be at least 14 characters.) When passphrases are supported, use them. They should run at least 20 to 30 characters long.
Change passwords regularly. Recommendations vary on how often to change passwords, but 90 days is a common standard. The policy in some organizations is to change privileged (administrative) accounts more frequently than end-user accounts.
Don't reuse passwords. After you've used a password, forget it. And make the new password significantly different from the old one.
Use different passwords for different accounts. Don't use the same password for more than one account.

Not surprisingly, the stronger the passwords, the more difficult they are to remember, and the more difficult they are to remember, the more likely users will write them down, forget them or be calling the support desk.

The trick is to get users to create strong passwords they can remember. One way to achieve this is to base the password on the first letters in each word of a sentence or phrase. For example, the sentence The #3 train arrives this p.m. @ platform 2A! translates to the password T#3tatp.m.@p2A!. Notice that the password includes upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Password management
An effective security strategy should include a documented password policy, and requirements for strong passwords should be part of that policy. However, the policy should also address other issues critical to enterprise password management:

Educating users: All users should be educated in password-related issues -- including details about how passwords can be cracked, what constitutes a strong password, ways to craft those passwords and how to safeguard passwords.
Enforcing standards: Password policies should be enforced systemically, that is, through security policies and other network and operating system mechanisms that prevent users from creating weak passwords or mismanaging their passwords. For instance, passwords should be set to expire at preset intervals, password histories should be retained to prevent passwords from being reused, and new users should be required to change their passwords upon first login.
Detecting intruders: Set controls to manage the number of times a bad password can be inputted before an account is locked out.
Auditing passwords: Passwords should be periodically audited to ensure compliance. Such auditing should be done without providing visibility to the passwords themselves.
Storing and transmitting passwords: Passwords should always be encrypted whenever being stored or transmitted.
Managing privileged passwords: Privileged passwords -- those used to access administrative accounts, let computers access one another or run service programs -- should be stored centrally on a system that supports a secure access and change process.
Implementing password management: Password management solutions can help mitigate the problems associated with compromised passwords. Such a system might be a centralized technology (such as single sign-on or password synchronization) or one that lets users store usernames, passwords and other sensitive information locally. If your organization implements one of these methods, your password policies should incorporate the technology's operation and use.
Clearly, the factors that contribute to an effective password policy go beyond simply making sure that users create strong passwords. The goal must be to grant all authorized users access to protected data, while preventing unauthorized users from gaining such access.

To that end, you should create a policy that takes into account all issues related to managing passwords. The points above provide a starting point, but your policy must be specific to your enterprise. In other words, your password policy should reflect every step necessary to reduce the risks of compromise to any of your organization's systems.

Jetico BCWipe 5.02.2

2011-07-07T12:38:00.002+05:30

Use military-grade procedures to surgically remove all traces of any file.

BCWipeTM data wiping software enables you to permanently delete selected files so that they can never be recovered or undeleted. BCWipe embeds itself within Windows and can be activated from the Explorer FILE Menu OR from the context (right-click) menu OR from BCWipe Task Manager OR from a command-line prompt. BCWipe complies with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD 5220.22-M) standard, U.S. Department of Energy (DoE M 205.1-2) standard and a set of other standard wiping schemes. You can also create and use your own customized wiping scheme to wipe sensitive information from storage devices installed on your computer.

BCWipe Features:
Delete with wiping
Wipe free disk space
Wipe Swap File
Wipe File Slacks
Wipe Empty Directory Entries
Swap File Encryption
Hexadecimal File Viewer
BCWipe Task Manager
Transparent Wiping

Avast! Internet Security 6.0.1203

2011-07-07T12:34:00.001+05:30

Maximum protection, now powered by new avast! SafeZone technology

Protects your sensitive online shopping and banking transactions
Ensures your safety on social networks (Facebook, etc.) or IM chats
Blocks hacker attacks, to protect your identity
avast! Internet Security provides complete antivirus, anti-spyware, antispam, and firewall protection, complemented now by new avast! SafeZone technology. It creates an isolated virtual desktop, invisible to any possible attacker, where you can do your online shopping and banking securely.

Shop and bank online with total privacy
avast! SafeZone opens a new (clean) desktop so that other programs don’t see what’s happening – and it leaves no history once it’s closed.

Worry-free social networking and web surfing
Our award-winning and certified antivirus engine and shields stop even previously unknown threats – for peace of mind when you chat or spend time on Facebook, Twitter, or other websites.

Prevent identity theft
Our silent firewall stops hackers and other unauthorized entry attempts to your PC, to keep your data where it belongs – safe and sound.

Keep your email inbox safe and clean
Internet Security’s antispam feature blocks both spam and sophisticated “phishing” attempts, to keep you from clicking “harmless” links that really can cause damage.

Spadix Disk Size Manager 2.1

2011-07-07T12:30:00.002+05:30

Disk Size Manager is a powerful hard disk space manager for Windows.

Using Disk Size Manager you can keep track of your hard disks space to ensure its most efficient use. With its 2D/3D pie and bar charts as well as detailed descriptions in words, Disk Size Manager provides you with the complete information about folders and drives you indicate. The information includes folder/drive space (total available, compressed, used by different types of files, etc.) in units of volume (KB, MB, GB) or percents, number of files, cluster sizes of the drives, etc.

Disk Size Manager also offers you a search tool to look for files and folders satisfying conditions specified by you. The range of the conditions you may use is very wide contained text, creation/modification dates, size, attributes, etc.

more info @

ARASH feat Helena "Pure Love" (Official video)

2011-07-07T09:16:00.000+05:30

VisualSVN for Visual Studio 2.0.6

2011-06-27T12:57:00.001+05:30

VisualSVN makes your life easier with a reliable plug-in that integrates Subversion seamlessly with Visual Studio.

VisualSVN is a Visual Studio plug-in that integrates Subversion and TortoiseSVN seamlessly with Visual Studio. VisualSVN virtually eliminates the management of your project source code files within Subversion. Program, design, debug and deploy with VisualSVN as your silent partner that safeguards your source code.

With VisualSVN deployed throughout your development organization, all of your developers will be using Subversion confidently and effectively to manage and safeguard your organization's work product.

Why You Should Use VisualSVN

* Ease of use: VisualSVN makes Subversion substantially easier to use within Visual Studio than using TortoiseSVN alone with Subversion.
* Deep integration of Visual Studio projects and solutions with Subversion file management. You don't have to think about Subversion when you work with files and projects in Visual Studio.
* More stable, simpler and easier to use, and more reliable than available open source alternatives (according to independent reviewers and bloggers).
* One-stop source control lets you perform all user level Subversion functions — manage project files, checkout, commit, and other operations — within Visual Studio.
* Compatible with the latest Subversion and TortoiseSVN releases. Continually updated.
* Inexpensive to purchase, and easy to set up.

Quick and Easy Adoption

* One-click import of a new solution: the Add Solution to Subversion wizard gets you started quickly and reliably. With one simple step, your solution is placed under Subversion source control.
* One-click checkout: the Get Solution from Subversion dialog makes checkout quick and painless. Developers instantly get to work on shared projects.
* Fully TortoiseSVN integrated: all source control functions use the standard TortoiseSVN dialogs. Your knowledge of TortoiseSVN is immediately useful.
* Fully compatible: VisualSVN contains the most current available Subversion distributions plus the original command line binaries (including svn.exe).
* Watch the quick Getting Started demo and learn how easy Subversion can be.

Transparent Source Control That “Covers” You At All Times

* Automatically adds every created item to Subversion.
* No ignore/exclude patterns to manage: Visual Studio temporary files such as the contents of obj and bin folders are ignored by default when using VisualSVN.
* Transparently move/rename your files and folders (and the complete history of these changes will be preserved by Subversion).
* Common file operations are transparently reflected to Subversion: Drag & Drop, Copy & Paste and “Save As” all cause the right thing to happen within version control.
* “Traffic-light” style Subversion visual status is displayed for every versioned item in the Solution Explorer.
* Status display is displayed in the status bar at all times with a traffic light style visual indicator, so that you instantly know if files have changed. Avoid “dirty commits” and keep your work grouped logically as you commit your changes.

Unique Features That Enhance Your Productivity

* Quick Diff marks changes visually within Visual Studio using color coding. You can see the changes in your source file from the repository version at a glance. There is fast navigation available to move to the next changed section. You never have to open a separate “diff” window to see what you have changed. And you don't have to hunt for changes.
* Quick Revert uses the Quick Diff color coding to allow you to easily restore changes that have been made from the repository version. Just select the changes that are displayed by Quick Diff and perform “Revert Selection”. Quick Revert is fully integrated with the Visual Studio Undo/Redo stack.
* Track and manage all changes made to your source file by using the unique visual assists that are provided by VisualSVN. You are free to use external applications and you will always see exactly what has changed. Never make a “dirty commit” again.
* Seamless integration with built-in and third-party refactoring tools such as ReSharper. Source code changes and file operations such as renaming are handled for you and are reflected transparently to Subversion by VisualSVN. Even changes in more complex objects such as forms and ASPX pages are handled transparently by VisualSVN and are accurately reflected to Subversion.
* Handy VisualSVN toolbar provides clean, direct access to the most important commands and features of Subversion. We even provide a combo box containing the URL of the current Subversion branch, and you can use it to quickly change between branches.

Acronis Backup And Recovery Server 11.0.1 With Universal Restore

2011-06-27T12:45:00.003+05:30

Fast Restore of Operating System, Applications, Files and Data:

* Fast and simple complete disk image backup and recovery
* Allows for easy bare metal recovery to the same, different hardware, or virtual machine
* Backup and recovery individual folders or network shares
* Recover individual files and folders from image backup
* Convert backups to virtual machines format

Broad storage support:

* Local folders, SMB or FTP network shares
* USB flash drives and HDDs
* Acronis® Secure Zone® - a special protected portion on a hard disk
* Acronis Online Storage
* CD, DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-Ray disks
* ZIP®, Rev® and other removable media

Broad Platform Support:

* Physical or VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix, Red Hat or Parallels virtual machines
* BIOS and UEFI systems
* MBR and GPT disks, basic and dynamic

Increase reliability and secure archives:

* Save backups in multiple destinations
* Save backup to Acronis Backup & Recovery Online cloud-based storage
* Secure backups with 256-bit AES encryption

Universal Restore
What happens when a system’s hardware fails or needs to be retired? How do you move the valuable applications and data to a new system or hardware after disaster strikes? How do you quickly restore a system after the hardware has changed?

Acronis solves this common issue with Acronis® Backup & Recovery™ 11 Universal Restore™, a fully integrated module that restores servers or workstations to different hardware or to a virtual machine, providing highly flexible disaster recovery and migration options.

The Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 Universal Restore module prepares you for even the most unforeseen events without requiring administrators to purchase and maintain identical spare machines.

The process begins when Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 is used to create a transportable image that disassociates the data from the old machine’s underlying hardware. Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 Universal Restore loads in the new hardware’s own drivers so that the image from the previous hardware platform will allow the machine to be flawlessly restored to a different hardware platform, complete with operating system, applications, data and all previous settings. Recovery can be implemented to an existing system, to a new system with different hardware, or to a virtual machine, in minutes, by following these steps:

* Boot your replacement system with Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 bootable media you have created and select ‘Recovery’ in the menu.
* Select the image to restore.
* Acronis Backup & Recovery 11 Universal Restore then initiates the restore process, detects the hardware and installs the appropriate drivers for Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL).
* The result is a perfectly functioning system on a new hardware platform.

Top Features:

* Recover — Recover a failed system to different hardware or to virtual machines in minutes after unforeseen events.
* Migrate — Complete physical-virtual, virtual-physical, physical-physical, or virtual-virtual migrations for system recovery, testing, and other purposes.
* Fix – load new hardware drivers and replace HAL to make system bootable after replacing hardware such as motherboard or storage controller or moving HDD to another machine.
* Clone and deploy — Clone and deploy operating systems with complete hardware independence

Hithuwewath Nathi Dawasaka(Hamuwuna) - Shalitha And Mahesh

2011-06-24T09:13:00.000+05:30

Angara Wasi - Nithin Gunaratna - Ori - DVD [www.HelaNada.com]

2011-05-31T12:41:00.000+05:30

Call center disaster recovery plan checklists

2011-04-06T08:53:00.001+05:30

What you will learn in this tip: Today’s call centers and contact centers use voice over IP (VoIP) technology, and the supporting computer systems and databases typically use the same network infrastructure. This presents unique challenges should a disaster occur. Learn about call center disaster recovery (DR) planning best practices in this tip, and read our call center checklists so you'll know what to include in your call center disaster recovery plan.

In order to determine what to include in your call center disaster recovery plan, we first have to examine a typical call center system.

The following diagram (Figure 1) depicts two primary systems, the voice system and the information system, and how they connect. Incoming calls are processed by the call center system; the call center system gathers relevant data from the caller and synchs up with the organization’s databases via the call center information system. This latter element can be part of the voice communications system, but for the purposes of this discussion we show it as a separate entity.

Figure 1: A typical call center system

Relevant information the agent needs for the call is displayed on their system. The agent can interact directly with the company’s information systems and databases while still on the call.

Call center system elements are typically linked by a local area network, such as 10/100 MB Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet, depending on the number of agents, number of calls and the amount of data to be moved.

What should be in your call center disaster recovery plan?

As you can see from Figure 1, nearly any part of a call center operation is a potential risk to the call center. The list below covers some of the potential risks that can impact call center operations. Use this list in your efforts to assess risks. As you develop your call center disaster recovery plan, you can base it on the risks you identify.

1. Loss of incoming calls through a network outage or other service disruption
2. Loss of network-based information, such as caller ID, that is needed to process the calls
3. Loss of physical connection from the network side to the switch side due to a cable cut, lightning strike or trunk interface failure
4. Loss of the call center switch due to a power outage, circuit board failure, software failure or human error
5. Loss of the database and other supporting information systems due to a power outage, server failure or storage element failure
6. Loss of the local area network (LAN) connecting all components due to a power outage, network interface card failure, cable problem or cable connector problems
7. Loss of the agent workstation due to power outage, system failure or software failure
8. Loss of the agent due to illness, union-based work stoppage, or the need for additional training

Call center disaster preparedness checklist

Like any specialized technology, call center systems have their own attributes, especially older call center systems that operate independently of data networks and the Internet. With newer systems, such as VoIP, some of the issues addressed below may be superseded, but it’s a good idea to factor them into your planning.

The following checklist can be used to determine you call center's preparedness.

1. Location of the equipment in a separate room as opposed to sharing space in a room with other systems; location of equipment in agent work areas
2. Need for separate heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) facilities
3. Need for separate power supplies, including commercial power outlets, battery backup systems, proper grounding and lightning protection
4. Need for access to specialized local access lines for connecting to local and long distance service providers; may also need separate Internet access lines
5. Specialized peripheral subsystems, such as call detail recording, source for music on hold, voice mail and computer-telephony interface (CTI) technology
6. Specialized phone devices for agents as well as individual users
7. Connectors for agent phones (e.g., RJ-11 or RJ-12, as opposed to RJ-45 typically used in VoIP systems)
8. Unique call center operating systems and frequently-changing databases that must be backed up periodically, both on site and at the vendor’s tech center
9. Unique call center system circuit boards that may need to be replaced quickly following a disaster; supplies of tested boards should be on site and readily available from vendors

Checklist for a call center disaster recovery plan

Before you begin developing a call center disaster recovery plan, be sure you have/address the following 10 items so you will initially be able to respond and recover from a disaster.

1. Ensure that call system maintenance plan covers disaster situations
2. Ensure that service-level agreement (SLA) provides remedies for disruptive situations
3. Have battery backup system(s)
4. Have spare circuit boards and/or telephone instruments
5. Have backup (and up-to-date) copies of all system-level software, including call center system and all other ancillary system elements
6. Contact list for all vendor and network service providers is up-to-date
7. Contact list for all agents
8. Contact list for any other stakeholders in the call center
9. Ability to reconfigure call center so that agents may work at alternate locations
10. Alternate space for emergency relocation of call center

Creating a call center disaster recovery plan -- one that responds to and eventually recovers the systems and/or network services -- is largely a straightforward process. The keys to success are to understand the risks to the call center systems and CTI technology, network infrastructure (both internal and external) and staffing; partner with vendors and network service providers as much as possible; define step-by-step procedures for response and recovery; validate these actions through periodic exercising; and keep the plan and its various components up to date.

IT disaster recovery plans should focus on power and hardware failures

2011-03-24T11:50:00.001+05:30

The disaster in Japan has midmarket CIOs focusing on their own IT disaster recovery/business continuity (DR/BC) plans -- and it's a good thing, since earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters are responsible for only a tiny fraction of network outages, according to a recent poll by technology solutions provider CDW LLC.

Everyday power outages -- perhaps caused by a thunderstorm or high winds -- were responsible for nearly a third (32%) of the disruptions noted by respondents to the survey, a mix of midmarket and large companies. Hardware failures accounted for almost another third (29%), and a loss of telecom services caused 21% of business technology interruptions.

To guard against such business interruptions, Sisters of Mercy Health System in Chesterfield, Mo., recently flipped the switch on a new hot site that's chock full of redundancies, according to Jeff Bell, chief operating officer. "There are two generators instead of one; two utility feeds from a power generation plant; all the chillers back up to UPSes. If you look at the mechanical cross section, it's a mirror image," Bell said. This enables the IT department to take down only half of the building if there's a problem, and fix it.

And even though the new data center in Washington, Mo., is designed to take withstand a category F2 tornado, Sisters of Mercy is keeping its original data center in Sunset Hills open as a backup to the hot site. "There's always a disaster," Bell said. "The new data center is very unlikely to take a direct hit [from a tornado], but if it did, it might not survive. That's why we keep Sunset Hills up and running."

A grim truth about IT disaster recovery plans

Unlike Mercy, just over a third of the businesses responding to CDW's survey (34%) said they are updating their DR/BC plans, by improving network connectivity (30%); extending DR/BC coverage to accommodate an outage of 72 hours or more; increasing remote access for employees (18%); and improving data center power and backup capabilities (17%). However, one out of every five businesses (20%) is not planning any immediate changes to its DR/BC plans.

Since the Business Continuity Institute has deemed this Business Continuity Awareness Week, it's worth asking whether IT departments are wearing rose-colored glasses.

Judging by the results of CDW's survey, the answer would be yes. The Vernon Hills, Ill.-based firm asked 7,000 IT managers whether their businesses had suffered an outage in the prior year, and about 1,800 said they had. CDW closed the survey when 200 respondents, from enterprise and midmarket firms, had responded fully to its query.

The sobering statistic is that 82% of these 200 respondents said they'd had faith in their IT disaster recovery plans before the disruption, but 30% said at times, they were unable to operate at all due to a network disruption, and their location shut down completely.

A staggering 97% said their business had suffered detrimental effects as a result. Indeed, CDW estimates that such outages cost U.S. businesses $1.7 billion in lost profits last year. More than half of businesses (57%) reported productivity loss as the top negative effect, and more than a third (34%) said customer communications were interrupted. Internal communications also suffered at 22% of the companies, and 14% suffered data loss. Regardless of the cause, more than half of the companies said employees had problems connecting to the network, both inside and outside the building.

Solutions for IT disaster recovery

In a report on disaster recovery last year, Boston-based research firm Aberdeen Group Inc. estimated the average cost per hour of business interruption to be $98,000. In a nutshell, the report said, successful disaster recovery and business continuity involves keeping a backup of critical data off-site, and restoring it as quickly as possible.

Remember the old saw: Don't keep all your eggs in one basket. Aberdeen analysts recommend a mix of backup solutions, at various costs. Tape stores data sequentially and is ideal for data that isn't accessed frequently.

Another solution is to store backups of critical data and backups off-site. Off-site storage services often specialize in secure practices and data restoration, enabling CIOs to set parameters for service levels such as the length of time it takes to retrieve data from a backup.

In addition, a number of best-in-class companies are backing up real-time data to remote locations or servers, or using this type of remote storage for archival purposes. These companies are also implementing all three backup scenarios two to three times faster than laggard companies.

Testing key to IT disaster recovery plans

There are several steps to ensuring that an IT disaster recovery plan will work, according to CDW. First, it's important to conduct a business impact assessment by working with leaders of each functional area to understand the cost and repercussions of losing each category of data.

CIOs should then document configuration diagrams of hardware, software and network components to be used in recovery, and include personnel requirements, travel needs and associated costs. Employees who are critical to continuity operations should be trained to work remotely, even if they don't do so regularly.

Also, consider adding uninterruptible power supplies for critical servers, network connections and select computers, and back up frequently. Look at telecom options such as redundant connections to cover spot outages, and alternatives such as wireless or satellite phones.

Finally, the key to recovery is to test the DR/BC plan at least once every 12 months to make sure people and systems are ready for the unexpected.

Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Beta

2011-03-24T10:48:00.001+05:30

System Center 2012 cloud and datacenter management solutions empower you with a common management toolset for your private and public cloud applications and services. System Center helps you confidently deliver IT as a Service for your business. Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2012 Beta is a key component of the forthcoming System Center 2012 releases.

Virtual Machine Manager 2012 enables you to:

*

Deliver flexible and cost-effective Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). You can pool and dynamically allocate virtualized datacenter resources (compute, network, and storage) enabling self-service infrastructure experience for your business, with flexible role-based delegation and access control.
*

Apply cloud principles to provisioning and servicing your datacenter applications with techniques like service modeling, service configuration, and image-based management. You can also state-separate your applications and services from the underlying infrastructure using server application virtualization. This results in a “service-centric” approach to management where you manage the application or service lifecycle and not just datacenter infrastructure or virtual machines.
*

Optimize your existing investments by managing multi-hypervisor environments such as Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer, and VMware vSphere 4.1 in a single pane of glass.
*

Dynamic optimization of your datacenter resources based on workload demands, while ensuring reliable service delivery with features like high availability.
*

Best-of-breed virtualization-management for Microsoft workloads like Exchange and SharePoint.

Free Windows Server 2008 R2 Study Guide for IT Specialists

2011-03-22T08:26:00.002+05:30

Get on track for working in the cloud with this free Windows Server 2008 R2 study guide, powered by Microsoft TechNet, from ExamForce.

Windows Server 2008 R2 is the server release for Windows 7 and expands the Windows Server 2008 platform, adding tools for virtualization and services critical to delivering technology for organizations as they continue migration to the cloud.
This free study guide covers material in the three Windows Server 2008 R2 Exams:

* 70-640 Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuring
* 70-642 Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuring
* 70-646 Windows Server 2008 Administrator R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 is the core server platform for companies transitioning to Windows 7 and the cloud. It is designed to capitalize on the move to virtual platforms, providing new web tools, management utilities and scalability enhancements that save organizations of all sizes time and money.

ExamForce brings it all together for you with our latest study guide for Windows Server 2008 R2. This guide provides well organized, concise information in 106 pages, so you spend less time studying and more time learning.

Download link http://www.examforce.com/?page_id=1087&sid=1443

Instantly List All Files and Folders with Everything Search Engine

2011-03-14T15:39:00.001+05:30

“Everything“, a free tool to search for files or folders on a Windows computer. The most impressive feature that Everything Search Engine has is the ability to list ALL files and folders on the program’s window instantly without any lag. Try exporting the list displayed on Everything from File > Export and then open the text file with Notepad. You will notice that Notepad takes even longer to open compared to Everything Search Engine. The export feature is useful for users that wants to keep track of new files being created or copied to the computer, but do note that ONLY file and folder names are in the exported text file without any other information such as file size, date modified, etc.

For more information and download refer the link.

Event Tracing for Windows: A fresh look at an old tool

2011-01-27T10:36:00.004+05:30

While most Windows developers know of Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) as a logging and tracing mechanism, many administrators have never heard of it. Simply put, ETW includes event logging and tracing capabilities provided by the operating system. Implemented in the kernel, it traces events in user mode applications, the operating system kernel and kernel-mode device drivers.

Event Tracing for Windows is used by a number of core OS components and some third-party applications to provide event logging and tracing. Although it required access to a checked build of Windows to gather ETW information when first released with Windows 2000, more recent versions provide built-in tools with normal (free) Windows builds.

Getting started with Event Tracing for Windows
When diagnosing and troubleshooting Windows Server issues, it seems there is never too much data. The admin is always looking for additional details on what is going on with various components to pinpoint the problem. As such, there are a number of tools like Process Monitor, Process Explorer, Performance Monitor (Perfmon) and Performance Analysis for Logs (PAL) that dig considerably deeper than the event log, but there are times when we need to dig even further down than that.

ETW allows additional instrumentation for gathering data that would not otherwise be available and has a number of advantages. For example:

*

it uses per-processor kernel buffers from a non-paged pool that are not impacted by application crashes or hangs
*

it uses very low CPU overhead
*

it’s available for x86, x64 and IA64 architectures
*

it can enable and disable tracing without rebooting or restarting applications

Event Tracing for Windows may seem like a great tool, but using it is another issue since there is no GUI or user guide. It also requires a few preliminary steps just to produce output that can be used for analysis.

In order to provide useful output you need a consumer. The consumer built in to Windows Server is Tracerpt.exe. As you can imagine, there are a number of flags for Tracerpt to provide specific output formats, so it’s important to become familiar with the Tracerpt and Logman utilities that are native in Windows Server 2003 and up, as well as Windows 7 and Vista.

It’s also important to understand the architecture for ETW. As you can see in Figure 1, the controllers are used to start and stop a tracing session. The tool used to do this in Windows Server 2003 and 2008 is Logman.exe.

Windows Server 2003 also contains a handful of event providers that return specific events, including the following Active Directory-related providers:

* Active Directory: Core
* Active Directory: Kerberos
* Active Directory: SAM
* Active Directory: NetLogon

For instance, specifying Active Directory: Kerberos as a provider will only return Kerberos-specific events.

Event providers differ between Windows versions, however. For example, Windows Server 2003 has 22 providers, while Windows 2008 has 387. This gives more power to the trace and offers more granularities. Yet when it comes to LDAP traffic, the Active Directory: Core provider appears to give the same detail for either Windows version.

You can also combine event providers into a single trace. Since Kerberos authentication was involved in the example above, I used the Active Directory: Kerberos and the Active Directory: Core providers and applied the Logman option-pf, as shown in the following example:

Logman Create Trace CoreKerb –pf c:\etw\input.txt –o c:\etw\coreKerb

For more info refer the link

SPF Validation – Sender Profile Framework Testing and Checking Tool

2010-12-07T14:40:00.004+05:30

The SPF validation testing makes use of service powered by

Enter Your Email Address or Domain or SPF String

For the SPF tester to work and correctly validate the SPF record, the existing SPF record must be made known. For example, value accepted for this SPF tester is example.com or user@example.com or v=spf1 -all, where the checker will try to retrieve the information from DNS.

Enter the Originating IP Address of Email

The IP address of SMTP mail server which normally send the outbound email for domain. If left blank, the SPF testing utility from DNSStuff will use the IP address from which you browse this page. Correct IP address must be entered for SPF validation test to return the correct result. Value accepted is in the format of IPv4, i.e 188.8.8.8.

Possible SPF Testing and Validation Results

* Pass – This IP is authorized to send E-mail from this domain.
* Fail – This IP is not authorized to send E-mail from this domain.
* SoftFail – This IP probably is not authorized to send E-mail from this domain, but the domain owners are not certain.
* Neutral – The domain does not know if the IP is allowed to send E-mail or not.
* TempError – A temporary error occurred. The E-mail should be retried later.
* PermError – A permanent error was encountered. The E-mail should be rejected.
* None – No SPF record was found. It cannot be determined if the IP is allowed to send E-mail from this domain.

WikiLeaks

2010-12-07T14:28:00.003+05:30

WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organization dedicated to bringing important news and information to the public. We provide an innovative, secure and anonymous way for independent sources around the world to leak information to our journalists. We publish material of ethical, political and historical significance while keeping the identity of our sources anonymous, thus providing a universal way for the revealing of suppressed and censored injustices.

Secret US Embassy Cables

Wikileaks began on Sunday November 28th publishing 251,287 leaked United States embassy cables, the largest set of confidential documents ever to be released into the public domain. The documents will give people around the world an unprecedented insight into US Government foreign activities.

The cables, which date from 1966 up until the end of February this year, contain confidential communications between 274 embassies in countries throughout the world and the State Department in Washington DC. 15,652 of the cables are classified Secret.

The embassy cables will be released in stages over the next few months. The subject matter of these cables is of such importance, and the geographical spread so broad, that to do otherwise would not do this material justice.

The cables show the extent of US spying on its allies and the UN; turning a blind eye to corruption and human rights abuse in "client states"; backroom deals with supposedly neutral countries; lobbying for US corporations; and the measures US diplomats take to advance those who have access to them.

This document release reveals the contradictions between the US’s public persona and what it says behind closed doors – and shows that if citizens in a democracy want their governments to reflect their wishes, they should ask to see what’s going on behind the scenes.

Every American schoolchild is taught that George Washington – the country’s first President – could not tell a lie. If the administrations of his successors lived up to the same principle, today’s document flood would be a mere embarrassment. Instead, the US Government has been warning governments -- even the most corrupt -- around the world about the coming leaks and is bracing itself for the exposures.

The full set consists of 251,287 documents, comprising 261,276,536 words (seven times the size of "The Iraq War Logs", the world's previously largest classified information release).

The cables cover from 28th December 1966 to 28th February 2010 and originate from 274 embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions.

For more refer the link.

Alcohol 120% v5 Blu-ray Burner Free Download with Registration Unlock Code

2010-12-07T09:54:00.005+05:30

Alcohol 120% is a CD and DVD burning, copying, backup, recording, duplication, emulation and creation software for Windows. In addition to creating backups of DVDs (except those with CSS protection) and CDs, Alcohol 120% also can support up to 31 emulated virtual drives to mount the disc images. Alcohol 120% combines all functions of Alcohol 52%, a CD & DVD emulation software, and adds DVD and CD burning capabilites.

Alcohol 120% features a Pre-Mastering function which lets users burn files directly from hard drive, and supports Blu-ray format and HD DVD. Alcohol 120% supports a wide range of CD/DVD image files including .mds, .iso, .bwt, .b5t, .b6t, .ccd, .isz, .cue, .cdi, .pdi and .nrg formats.

With a discounted price tag of USD $55, Alcohol 120% normally costs Euro € 78.00 for a lifetime license. Thanks to Chip.de Advent Calendar promotion, everybody can now download the full version copy of Alcohol 120% version 5.5.7.6719 with lifetime license. Alcohol 5.5 is the older German retail version that does not support Windows 7.

To grab and download your free Alcohol 120%, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Chip.de promotion page at the following URL:

http://www.chip.de/downloads/Alcohol-120-Vollversion_45252017.html

2. Click on “Zum Download” button.

3. You’ll be redirected to another page (may have intermittent in between). Click on “Download-Server CHIP Online” link to start the download for setup installer of Alcohol 120% v5 Blu-ray.

Tip: Download should automatically start. If not, just click on “Zum Download” again.

4. Unpack the downloaded Alcohol_5_Blu-Ray-CHIP.zip, and run Alcohol_5_Blu-Ray-CHIP.exe to start the installation.

5. On the installer screen, click on Internet to launch the registration page for the free license serial key code, which is the following URL:

http://www.al2c.de/alcohol/register/ALC-20282000/999999999/0/502

6. Fill up the form with email address, title, first name, last name and country, and tick the check box to accept receiving marketing materials. Click the “Weiter” button to submit.

7. Check the Inbox for an e-mail from Franzis Registrierungsteam with the subject title of “Registrierung: Alcohol 120% 5.0 Blu-ray – CHIP”, which asking for confirmation of your registration. Click on the confirmation link contained inside the email.

8. Another e-mail with the same title and from the same sender will be received, and the email contains two codes – user ID (customer number) and personal registration unlock code.

Enter the user ID and the registration key into the two fields in the setup installer, and then click “OK”.

9. After completing the registration, hit “Weiter” button to start the installation of Alcohol 120% Blu-ray.

10. On “Franzis Starter” screen, click on “installieren” (or on the image) to start the installation proper.

Install Alcohol 120%

The rest of the installation is in English, so just follow on screen instruction. At the end of the installation, re-enter the user ID and registration code when prompted to complete the installation, and the fully functional, full version and fully unlocked Alcohol 120% v5.5.

The Alcohol 120% Blu-ray version 5.5 supports Windows XP and Windows Vista only. It does not support 32-bit (x86) nor 64-bit (x64) Windows 7.

Step By Step Guide for Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller and DNS Server Setup

2010-10-31T20:32:00.007+05:30

Click on Start > Run
The system will start checking if Active Directory Domain Services ( AD DS) binaries are installed, then will start installing them. The binaries could be installed if you had run the dcpromo command previously and then canceled the operation after the binaries were installed.

The Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard will start, either enable the checkbox beside Use Advanced mode installation and Click Next , or keep it unselected and click on Next
The Operating System Compatibility page will be displayed, take a moment to read it and click Next
Choose Create a new domain in a new forest, Click Next

Enter the Fully Qualified Domain Name of the forest root domain inside the textbox, click Next
If you selected Use advanced mode installation on the Welcome page, the Domain NetBIOS Name page appears. On this page, type the NetBIOS name of the domain if necessary or accept the default name and then click Next.

Select the Forest Functional Level, choose the level you desire and click on Next.

Make sure to read the description of each functional level to understand the difference between each one.

In the previous step, If you have selected any Forest Functional Level other than windows Server 2008 and clicked on Next , you would then get a page to select the domain Functional Level. Select it and then click on Next
In the Additional Domain Controller Options page, you can select to install the domain Name Service to your server. Note that the First domain controller in a forest must be a Global Catalog that’s why the checkbox beside Global Catalog is selected and it cannot be cleared. The checkbox is also selected by default when you install an additional domain controller in an existing domain, however you can clear this checkbox if you do not want the additional domain controller to be a global catalog server. The first domain controller in a new forest or in a new domain can not be a Read Only Domain Controller (RODC), you can later add a RODC but you must have at least one Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller.

I want to set my DC as a DNS Server as well, so I will keep the checkbox beside DNS server selected and click on NextIf you don’t have static ip assigned to your server you will see similar to the following screen now you need to assign static ip and start the above process.

If you don’t have static ip assigned to your server you will see similar to the following screen now you need to assign static ip and start the above process.

Now you will have the location where the domain controller database, log files and SYSVOL are stored on the server.

The database stores information about the users, computers and other objects on the network. the log files record activities that are related to AD DS, such information about an object being updated. SYSVOL stores Group Policy objects and scripts. By default, SYSVOL is part of the operating system files in the Windows directory either type or browse to the volume and folder where you want to store each, or accept the defaults and click on Next
In the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password (DSRM) page, write a password and confirm it. This password is used when the domain controller is started in Directory Services Restore Mode, which might be because Active Directory Domain services is not running, or for tasks that must be performed offline.Make sure that you memorize this password when you need it.

Summary page will be displayed showing you all the setting that you have set . It gives you the option to export the setting you have setup into an answer file for use with other unattended operations, if you wish to have such file, click on the Export settings button and save the file.

DNS Installation will start
Followed by installing Group Policy Management Console, the system will check first if it is installed or not.

Configuring the local computer to host active directory Domain Services and other operations will take place setting up this server as a Domain Controller active Directory Domain Services installation will be completed, click Finish.

Click on Restart Now to restart your server for the changes to take effect.

Once the server is booted and you logon to it, click on Start > Administrative Toolsyou will notice that following have been installed :
Active Directory Domains and Trusts
Active Directory Sites and Services
Active Directory Users and Computers
ADSI Edit
DNS
Group Policy Management

That’s it now your new win server 2008 domain controller with dns server setup was completed.

For complete screen shot please refer the link.

How To Install and Configure DNS Server in Windows Server 2003

2010-10-31T20:29:00.001+05:30

Before You Start
Before you start to configure your DNS, you must gather some basic information. Internic must approve some of this information for use on the Internet, but if you are configuring this server for internal use only, you can decide what names and IP addresses to use.

You must have the following information:
Your domain name (approved by Internic).
The IP address and host name of each server that you want to provide name resolution for.
Note: The servers may be your mail servers, public access servers, FTP servers, WWW servers, and others.

Before you configure your computer as a DNS, verify that the following conditions are true:
Your operating system is configured correctly. In the Windows Server 2003 family, the DNS service depends on the correct configuration of the operating system and its services, such as TCP/IP. If you have a new installation of a Windows Server 2003 operating system, then you can use the default service settings. You do not have to take additional action.
You have allocated all the available disk space.
All the existing disk volumes use the NTFS file system. FAT32 volumes are not secure, and they do not support file and folder compression, disk quotas, file encryption, or individual file permissions

Install DNS
Open Windows Components Wizard. To do so, use the following steps:
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.
Click Add/Remove Windows Components.
In Components, select the Networking Services check box, and then click Details.
InSubcomponents of Networking Services, select the Domain Name System (DNS) check box, click OK, and then click Next.
If you are prompted, in Copy files from, type the full path of the distribution files, and then click OK.

Configure DNS
Start the Configure Your Server Wizard. To do so, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Configure Your Server Wizard.
On the Server Role page, click DNS server, and then click Next.
On the Summary of Selections page, view and confirm the options that you have selected. The following items should appear on this page:
Install DNS
Run the Configure a DNS Wizard to configure DNS
If the Summary of Selections page lists these two items, click Next. If the Summary of Selections page does not list these two items, click Back to return to the Server Role page, click DNS, and then click Next.
When the Configure Your Server Wizard installs the DNS service, it first determines whether the IP address for this server is static or is configured automatically. If your server is currently configured to obtain its IP address automatically, the Configuring Components page of the Windows Components Wizard prompts you to configure this server with a static IP address. To do so:
In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.
In the Internet Protocols (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box, click Use the following IP address, and then type the static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for this server.
In Preferred DNS, type the IP address of this server.
In Alternate DNS, type the IP address of another internal DNS server, or leave this box blank.
When you finish setting up the static addresses for your DNS, click OK, and then click Close.
After you click Close, the Configure a DNS Server Wizard starts. In the wizard, follow these steps:
On the Select Configuration Action page, select the Create a forward lookup zone check box, and then click Next.
To specify that this DNS hosts a DNS zone that contains DNS resource records for your network resources, on the Primary Server Location page, click This server maintains the zone, and then click Next.
On the Zone Name page, in Zone name, specify the name of the DNS zone for your network, and then click Next. The name of the zone is the same as the name of the DNS domain for your small organization or branch office.
On the Dynamic Update page, click Allow both nonsecure and secure dynamic updates, and then click Next. This makes sure that the DNS resource records for the resources in your network update automatically.
On the Forwarders page, click Yes, it should forward queries to DNS servers with the following IP addresses, and then click Next. When you select this configuration, you forward all DNS queries for DNS names outside your network to a DNS at either your ISP or central office. Type one or more IP addresses that either your ISP or central office DNS servers use.
On the Completing the Configure a DNS Wizard page of the Configure a DNS Wizard, you can click Back to change any of the settings. To apply your selections, click Finish.
After you finish the Configure a DNS Wizard, the Configure Your Server Wizard displays the This Server is Now a DNS Server page. To review all the changes that you made to your server in the Configure Your Server Wizard or to make sure that a new role was installed successfully, click Configure Your Server log. The Configure Your Server Wizard log is located at %systemroot%\Debug\Configure Your Server.log. To close the Configure Your Server Wizard, click Finish.

Setting up a DHCP server in Windows 2003

2010-10-31T17:39:00.002+05:30

The DHCP server assigns a client an IP address taken from a predefined scope for a given amount of time. If an IP address is required for longer than the lease has been set for, the client must request an extension before the lease expires. If the client has not requested an extension on the lease time, the IP address will be considered free and can be assigned to another client. If the user wishes to change IP address then they can do so by typing "ipconfig /release", followed by "ipconfig /renew" in the command prompt. This will remove the current IP address and request a new one. Reservations can be defined on the DHCP server to allow certain clients to have their own IP address (this will be discussed a little later on). Addresses can be reserved for a MAC address or a host name so these clients will have a fixed IP address that is configured automatically. Most Internet Service Providers use DHCP to assign new IP addresses to client computers when a customer connects to the internet - this simplifies things at user level.

For step by step guide with diagrams check the link.

WINS

2010-10-31T17:29:00.000+05:30

The purpose of WINS is to allow a NetBIOS name to be converted to an IP address. Therefore computers using WINS must be using NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP). WINS was originally put in place to compensate for a shortcoming of NetBEUI which is the fact that it is not routable. Therefore on large Networks IP is used to transport NetBIOS and rather than using broadcasts, information is sent to the WINS server.

WINS converts Windows computer names to IP addresses but does not do name lookups based on IP addresses. The use of Windows Explorer or NET commands invokes the NetBIOS interface. NetBIOS names, if repeated on another domain that is on the network, may cause a problem since there is no way to distinguish NetBIOS names between two domains. Each computer, when booted, sends a name registration broadcast. If there is no response, the computer will use the name it registered. A NetBIOS broadcast releases the computer name when the computer is shutdown gracefully.

WINS reduces this broadcast traffic when using NBT. The registration and release is sent to the WINS server rather than being broadcast. The clients have the IP address of the WINS server and they are configured to use WINS before using NetBIOS broadcasts. A backup WINS server may be available on the network for fault tolerance.

For more info please refer the link

ISA Firewall Quick Tip : Creating Detailed Reports Using ISA Server 2006 and Excel

2010-03-24T09:40:00.002+05:30

Ever wanted to create your own Reports ??? Are you wondering how to create a detailed report for a specific amount of time ,user, URL, Protocol ,etc...

Open ISA Management Console

Under the Monitoring node, click on Logging

Example will create a report with the following filters ( you can customize your reports as needed)
a. Logging Last 7 Days
b. Action Allowed Connection
c. Protocol HTTP
d. Client Username Not Equal to Anonymous ( Here you can choose a specific user for example )
e. Specify on which Firewall Policy we want to run the logging for.

# Click on Edit Filter, to start editing and adding our filters.

# Click on Log Time, then under the Condition drop down list, choose Last 7 Days, and click on Update

Click on Action, then under the Condition drop down list, choose Equals, and under the Value drop down list choose Allow Connection and click on Update

Under the Filter By choose Protocol, under the Condition choose Equals, and under the Value choose HTTP then click on Add To List

Under the Filter By choose Client Username, under the Condition choose Not Equals, and under the Value write Anonymous then click on Add To List ( we want to monitor all authenticated users by username )

Under the Filter By choose Rule, under the Condition choose Equals, and under the Value choose the Firewall Policy you want to run the report for, in this article we have a rule called Allow Internet For All then click on Add To List

# Click on the Start Query

# The Results will be fetched and displayed . Note that a pop up windows will state that a maximum of 10,000 records can be displayed only. Click OK

If you clicked on Help, you will know the reason why a maximum of 10,000 resulted can be displayed.

Now, to copy the results to Excel, on the Right Side Pane, under Tasks, click on Copy All Result to Clipboard.

Avast Professional v4.8.1368 Incl Keymaker - CORE

2010-01-28T10:44:00.001+05:30

PortableApps.com Suite Standard 1.1

2010-01-25T14:20:00.002+05:30

PortableApps.com Suite is a complete collection of portable apps including a web browser, email client, office suite, calendar/scheduler, instant messaging client, antivirus, audio player, sudoku game, password manager, PDF reader, minesweeper clone, backup utility and integrated menu, all preconfigured to work portably. Just drop it on your portable device and you're ready to go.

the packages include:
Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition (web browser)
Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition (email)
Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition (calendar/tasks)
ClamWin Portable (antivirus)
Pidgin Portable (instant messaging)
Sumatra PDF Portable (PDF reader
KeePass Password Safe Portable (password manager)
Sudoku Portable (game)
Mines-Perfect Portable (game)
CoolPlayer+ Portable (audio player)
OpenOffice.org Portable* (office suite)
Writer (word processor)
Calc (spreadsheet)
Impress (presentations)
Base (database utility)
Draw (drawing)
Download from here.

Microsoft drops free migration tool for Exchange 2010

2010-01-19T09:48:00.001+05:30

IT shops moving off of IBM Domino servers or generic POP/IMAP sources and onto Exchange Server 2010 won't be able to do it with free tools from Microsoft. The company isn't offering the Transporter Suite for the new Exchange, leaving little choice but to buy expensive third party software...
Read more

SoftMaker Office 2008 Free Full Version Download With Genuine License Key

2010-01-15T08:30:00.002+05:30

SoftMaker Office 2008 is reliable office productivity software that is designed for beginners and professional users. SoftMaker Office Suite consists of a word processor TextMaker 2008 with DTP features, a spreadsheet PlanMaker 2008, and presentation graphics program that can reads and writes all PowerPoint files called SoftMaker Presentations 2008. In addition, SoftMaker Office 2008 also comes with user-friendly interface and compatibility with Microsoft Office formats. The new SoftMaker Office 2008 has added a ton of features such as writes OpenDocument files, direct PDF export, OLE server, programming language BasicMaker (Microsoft VBA clone), VBA compatible macro programming, full screen mode, envelope generator, and booklet printing.

To get the free license for SoftMaker Office 2008 with free serial number follow these steps:

1. Visit the following promotional page URL:

2. Fill in your name, country, email address, and choose the version, then click “Submit” button.

Note: Users can choose either Windows nor Linux version.
3. The SoftMaker Office 2008 serial key and download information will also be sent to the email address that is used to register.

4. Use the received serial number to install SoftMaker Office 2008

5. Enjoy the free full version SoftMaker Office 2008

Softmaker Office 2008 works in Windows 9x, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

Removing the complexity from information protection

2009-08-14T10:11:00.003+05:30

How encryption can add value to your business
The use of encryption is no longer optional for many organizations. Certain new regulations demand its use while others provide a safe harbor so that organizations do not have to notify individuals in the event of a security breach—provided data was encrypted. Even those organizations that are not subject to such regulation should consider the use of encryption as best practice for protecting data on portable devices.
 Security breaches are everyday news
Data is increasingly being lost through theft and carelessness. As mobile devices proliferate and become ever smaller, more powerful and functional, it is all too easy for such devices to go missing. This puts large amounts of potentially sensitive information at risk. Encryption, and specifically full-disk encryption, is coming into wider use as a security best practice
Software-based full-disk encryption and newer self-encrypting hard drives provide the highest level of protection by ensuring that no data can be retrieved by third parties from devices that have been lost. Encryption adds value to an organization by enabling the secure sharing of information
Data security technologies should not restrict access to useful information. Rather, the use of encryption allows authenticated users to more easily and securely share information and enables organizations to expand their mobile working practices in a secure manner. Organizations can use encryption to considerably reduce risk across their organization
By ensuring that encryption is always on, is transparent to the user and cannot be bypassed, the chance for human error is reduced considerably. For the best benefits, organizations should look for a product that integrates with all existing technologies in use, including security technologies such as threat management systems, all operating systems and all devices. Encryption can aid organizations in achieving their regulatory compliance objectives
Through the use of full-disk encryption, organizations can ensure that no information, such as file names remain in the clear, so saving the expense and possible embarrassment of having to notify individuals in case of the loss of personally identifiable information. The use of self-encrypting hard drives and trusted hardware devices that can be safely erased adds a further layer of protection and can reduce the cost of securely re purposing old devices for new uses. Productivity gains will be seen through ease of deployment, management and use
Provided the right solution is implemented, through centralized management capabilities, encryption software, cryptographic keys and security policies can be easily deployed and managed, freeing up IT resources for other tasks. Users will also benefit through robust self-service capabilities for provisioning encryption keys and resetting forgotten passwords.
Conclusions
The complexities and cost of using encryption systems have been reduced considerably through the provision of centralized management, making the use of encryption viable for organizations of all sizes. Whether centrally managed on-premise or through a hosted service provider, full-disk encryption systems can shield organizations from data loss and help them achieve their security objectives.

FOR MORE READ FULL ARTICLE

Getting Lucky on LinkedIn

2009-08-07T10:05:00.001+05:30

As unemployment rates rise over 9% and job search results are down, everyone and their mother’s managers are on LinkedIn trying to social network their way to a new career opportunity.

Except the rest of us think the site is like Facebook’s online schmooze fest and that jobs are going to clutter our home page as do mundane status updates, revealing photos, and odd quiz results. “Not so,” says Lindsey Pollak, LinkedIn Campus Spokesperson and author of Getting from College to Career. Pollak says, “The biggest mistake people make is that they join LinkedIn, and expect it to work for them like magic. It’s a tool and you have to work it to make it work for you.”

It’s true that LinkedIn is the staple for job search success today, but are you taking advantage of all its unique applications? Here are some ways to step up your networking game on LinkedIn, break through the resumes, and make some real connections that can potentially lead to your next gig.
Fill Out Your Profile 100%.

No one is making you fill out some long eHarmony profile, but you should fill out every field in your LinkedIn bio so it appears as though you are taking your job search seriously. People will be more likely to network and share opportunities with you if you have a full, rock star profile. People search for profiles by keywords, so make sure you list all the search terms that fit your desired job descriptions. Look at profiles of people who you have your ideal jobs and see what keywords they have posted on their profile.
Join Groups

There’s one little catch: You can’t send direct messages to people on LinkedIn who are not in your network, but you can contact them if you are in the same group. Again, search for people who have your ideal jobs and see what groups they have joined. College alumni groups are filled with excellent connections and exclusive job opportunities. Join those groups and contact people directly who are working at companies that interest you.
Get Personal

t’s easy to send out the generic invitation customized by LinkedIn, but good luck getting a response. The standard alert “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” sounds as enticing as getting invited to an HR information session about life insurance. When you send out invitations to connect, make sure you write a personal note. Remind your connections how you met or recap your last conversation.
Read Those Updates

Make sure to read your LinkedIn weekly updates, which are opted in when you sign up. Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn founder, says one of his favorite uses of the site is to do “small goods” for people. Networking isn’t about the once in a while chat; instead, it’s about touching base throughout the year. Read your updates to find out what people are up to in your network. Make sure to respond to those updates with a personal note. Something like, “Congrats on your new job!” or “Congrats on leaving your new job!” The way to keep your networking manageable is to do little things to maintain your relationship, rather than reaching out once a year.
Get Searching

You will get better results researching people on LinkedIn over Google any work day. For example, if you want to work at Ralph Lauren, type the company name into LinkedIn’s search fields to find contacts who work there. Connect with employees through your connections or by joining their groups.
Get Set Up with a Job

Friends and contacts can’t help you if they don’t know that you are looking for a job. Put together a letter and explain what you are looking for in a new position and send it out to people in your network who might be able to hook you up. Share your work experience and list your best qualities and send it to former employers, co-workers, and good friends who are great connectors. Make sure you check off individual contacts so that your e-mail blast doesn’t hit the inbox of your current employer.

LinkedIn can be your ticket to a new opportunity if you do more than just sign up and log in. Sure, it’s not as festive as most social networking sites. No one will be sending you cakes, or trivia questions, but use its tools daily and leave the real partying for your new job celebration.

Microsoft Plans Motion Sensing Natal Technology for Windows System

2009-07-28T00:21:00.001+05:30

Nintendo Wii has been getting good traction and becomes the top selling gaming console in high end gaming market. With the popularity of its motion-based games targeted for whole family activities, now seems that other competitors are trying to learn from its success story. Similarly to Microsoft, the giant software company has just introduced a new Motion Sensing Natal Technology that can be incorporated in Windows PC to have the same control capability not only in gaming segments, but also could be extended to other usage model as well.

The main difference between the Natal and Wii technology is that Natal is claimed to be able to utilize any exact device, such as your golf, or tennis racquet for more real interactive gaming experience while Wii will have to stick back to its own replica remote control stick. Besides being used as gaming devices, the usage can also be extended to digital media home in controlling home theater system either to stream movie or run PC programs with only simple hand gestures. Not to be limited by personal use, the Natal technology could be deployed for enterprise environment too

It could be too early to judge if this is going to be another victory for Microsoft but final pricing will be the major determining factor. Anyway, we should expect this to reach consumer market at least one year from now.

Jade Property Suite 6 Real Estate Software Free Full Commercial Version Download

2009-07-27T23:49:00.003+05:30

Jade Property Suite 6 is probably one of the best real estate software available in the market which allows real estate property agents to easily keep track and manage their property listings with ability to automatically print real estate brochures or flyers, save to PDF format for easy sending by email, and create HTML files of complete property listings and publish it to Internet on hosted websites for online marketing of real estate, an essential step to bring in more clients – buyer and seller.

Jade Property Suite 6 saves all agency listings and contacts in a database that is easy to update, search, match, print, export and web publish. With a database, it has added advantage of can be used with a standalone local database or with a shared database in a multi-agent office.

Key Features of Jade Property Suite 6

* Web Publish real estate listings with a directory of categorized listings, a property search engine and property details pages with ability to select which properties to publish on web.
* Print real estate marketing materials or output to PDF with ready-made, editable full-color templates for generating flyers, brochures, catalogs, window cards, reports, letters and envelopes, or business cards and labels.
* Generate emails and send them with own favorite Windows email application.
* Export data to Excel or a text file and PDF.
* Match potential buyers to properties.
* Track the activity and progress of real estate sales.
* Ability to customize the templates, menus and filters.
* Support multiple agents share the same database.

http://www.jadetools.com/jps/download/jade.exe

Google helps you keep your Gmail account protected

2009-07-27T15:46:00.001+05:30

How Google helps me?
You just need to pay a litle atention to details. Just scroll down to bottom of any page from your Gmail account and click the Details link next to the Last account activity line. What you get on this link? Like Google says :

It's information we'd use to troubleshoot unauthorized account activity, and now it's available to you.

On this page you can find about conccurent sessions opened of your Gmail account. You have even an option to sign out from all other sessions opened of your account. This is not stoping here. Google give us access to some more information. The recent activity table present to you the last five activities with Access Type column showing how your account was accessed, like browser, POP3 or mobile access, an IP address column showing the IP address that have accessed your account and a Date/Time column showing you the time when your account was accessed.
If you think that you need a litle more information on this subject just click the Learn more link from the Details page.

Does 6figurejobs.com really work?

2009-07-27T15:18:00.002+05:30

ManiGear eX-L 18 (Claimed As World’s Most Powerful Gaming Notebook)

2009-07-27T09:25:00.002+05:30

The expert in building high performance custom computers for gaming, ManiGear Computer has announced its latest eX-L 18 notebook which claims to be the world’s most powerful gaming notebook.

The notebook has been enhanced with dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 graphics with NVIDIA SLI technology for bringing the games and multimedia to life with brilliant 3D graphics and movies in 1080p HD resolution. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs are the fastest GeForce notebook GPUs ever.

“MainGear has equipped the eX-L 18 with the world’s fastest notebook graphics solution,” said by Rene Hass, General Manager of the notebook business unit at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, MainGear’s customers will experience breathtaking in gaming physics from titles such as Terminator Salvation or Darkest of Days and are ready for GPU computing applications such as Badaboom, vReveal and Arcsoft SimHD.”

Powered by Intel Core 2 mobile processor, the eX-L 18 notebook is also comes with up to three 2.5-inch SATA or SSD drives that configurable in RAID formations, supports eSATA, HDMI, USB 2.0 and FireWire. Besides, it also equipped with 3-megapixel video camera to provide high definition video conferencing.

With the increasing demand for mobile high performance computing solutions, we wanted to offer our customers with the most powerful gaming desktop replacement possible” said by Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “With the co-processing power of the Intel Core 2 CPU and dual NVIDIA GPUs, you’re able to get the same cutting edge technology available to desktop users in a balanced computing configuration that is ideal for today’s GPU computing environment.”

Bill Gates Message for the Year of English & IT in Sri Lanka

2009-07-21T09:48:00.001+05:30

Kingston's new DataTraveler® 300

2009-07-21T09:30:00.001+05:30

The famous thumb drive maker, Kingston Technology, has just created another new buzz in the industry by unveiling its new Data Traveler 300 which offers the world’s largest memory data storage capacity. The new Kingston Data Traveler 300 is able to deliver 256GB memory storage for high-end users who need huge mobile storage facility for particular reasons.

256 GB of data, allows you to store:

* 10 Blu-ray discs (~25 GB each)
* 54 DVD discs (~4.7 GB each)
* 365 CD discs (~700 MB each)

Fast transfer speeds of up to 20 MB/sec read and 10 MB/sec. write, reduce the transfer times and allow users to access their data directly from the drive, without stuttering movies or slow application response.

DataTraveler 300 is perfect for those looking for significant storage capacity and data protection in a lightweight, durable design. With a retractable USB connector and reinforced lanyard/ key-ring hole – it is built to withstand daily use. Enhanced for Windows Vista ReadyBoost, the DataTraveler 300 is ideal for home or business use.

DataTraveler 300 is backed by legendary Kingston reliability plus a five-year warranty and 24/7 tech support.

Features/Specifications:

* Capacity1 — 256 GB
* Speed 2 — Data transfer rates of up to 20MB/sec. read and 10MB/sec. write
* Safeguarded — includes Password Traveler security software for Windows
* Convenient — does not require Administrator rights to access the Privacy Zone
* Dimensions — 2.78" x 0.88" x 0.65" (70.68 mm x 22.37 mm x 16.45 mm)
* Operating Temperature — 32° to 140° F (0° to 60° C)
* Storage Temperature — -4° to 185° F (-20° to 85° C)
* Simple — just plug into a any 1.1 or 2.0 USB port
* Practical — durable, capless design
* Guaranteed — five-year warranty
* Enhanced — for Windows ReadyBoost™ on Vista-based systems 3
* Compatibility Table

How to Remove or Delete a Registry Key, Subkey and Values with .reg Registration Entries File

2009-07-21T09:28:00.000+05:30

Registry registration entries file, which ends in .reg file extension is an useful script that can automate import and merging of registry keys and value data inside the file to system registry, especially in unattended mode. Most Windows operating system has built-in handler that automatically handle and process a file with .reg extension by using RegEdit.exe, a GUI tool which also support command-line interface to search or edit the Windows registry.

Guide to Remove and Delete Registry Entries, Keys, Subkeys or Values via .reg Registration Entries File

To remove and delete a registry key (entire registry tree branch and its sub-keys) with a .reg file, just add a hyphen (- or also known as minus) in front of the registry path (registry tree branch name) in the .reg file.

For example, a typical .reg file has the following syntax:

RegistryEditorVersion

[RegistryPath]
“DataItemName”=”DataType:DataValue”

Actual .reg file content example:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\My Digital Life]
“MDL”=dword:00000001

To delete the whole registry key (i.e. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\My Digital Life) and its whole subkeys and value data, just add a hyphen in front. For example:

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\My Digital Life]

To delete a specific or individual registry value with a .reg file, put a hyphen or minus (-) after the equal sign (=) following the DataItemName in the .reg file, replacing DataType:DataValue. For example, to delete the MDL registry value from above example, put a hyphen after the “MDL”= in the .reg file:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\My Digital Life]
“MDL”=-

All editing of .reg file can be done with any text editor such as Notepad.

free Hyper-V training

2009-07-10T16:59:00.000+05:30

MAria posted this.

I would like to share this with all interested ppl in hyper-v.

Microsoft is offering some free Hyper-V training. You will need to enter a specific access code 9350-Y2W6-3676 and sign in with your Live ID. The course “Collection 6319 - Configuring Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008” includes the following modules:

1. An overview of the Hyper-V technology
2. Creating a virtual environment
3. Deploying systems in a virtual environment
4. Configuring high availability in a virtual environment
5. Administering a virtual environment with SCVMM

To sign up go to https://www.microsoftelearning.com/eLearning/enterCode.aspx

Grow your business with confidence: Microsoft Dynamics GP

2009-07-09T15:37:00.002+05:30

Microsoft Dynamics GP enables you to run your business the way you want to

Microsoft Dynamics GP is a richly featured business management solution that allows you to use familiar, powerful software to operate and grow your business.

Microsoft Dynamics GP removes needless obstacles to the productivity and effectiveness of the people and processes in your business. Connecting all your business processes in one streamlined, flexible management infrastructure, Microsoft Dynamics GP allows your people to do their jobs in the way they like, at outstanding levels of productivity. The solution also provides you with ways to build stronger, more productive relationships with your key stakeholders—customers and trading partners. The extensive reporting and collaborative capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics GP give you the information you need to make informed business decisions. Microsoft Dynamics partners can also help you implement and fine-tune the solution to ensure that you reap the best possible results from it.
Empower people with familiar software

Microsoft Dynamics GP presents the feel and functionality of familiar software your people use every day—Microsoft Office Outlook, Microsoft Office Word, and Microsoft Office Excel. If your employees are comfortable with the Microsoft Office system programs, they will find their way with Microsoft Dynamics GP rapidly—they can perform their jobs with greater productivity and satisfaction, and achieve the business results you need with optimal efficiency.
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Microsoft Dynamics GP not only presents the same user interface as Microsoft Office applications, but also lets you work with information from the business management solution directly within these Microsoft Office system programs.
•

Microsoft Dynamics GP is designed to work the way people work, with personalized views to get the data they want when they need it.
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Time needed for training and familiarization is minimized—people can start working efficiently with Microsoft Dynamics GP quickly.

Generate optimal value from all of your systems

Working with and like the software systems you already own, Microsoft Dynamics GP can quickly become a core element of a seamless business management infrastructure. The latest version of Microsoft Dynamics GP works with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 to facilitate collaboration and communication among your employees and with trading partners and customers. There are many aspects of what makes Microsoft Dynamics GP a great fit with your other technologies—and many ways to benefit from them.
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Microsoft Dynamics GP gives you an excellent return on your technology investment by integrating with Microsoft Office system applications, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Retail Management Systems (RMS), Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SQL Express Edition, Microsoft FRx, Windows Server, and Small Business Server.
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Customization tools assist your information technology (IT) staff or Authorized Microsoft Dynamics GP partner in adapting the business management solution to your specific requirements.

Drive business productivity

In your business, Microsoft Dynamics GP can help you realize the productivity goals you have for people and processes. Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 takes automation to a new level, freeing people to focus on the most critical tasks. The solution also offers many avenues to boost the business value of information and key relationships with partners and customers.
•

Microsoft Dynamics GP lets you automate and standardize many recurring tasks, so they can take place more consistently and reliably, and with a minimal drain on your resources.
•

Employees, trading partners, vendors, and customers can collaborate amongst themselves or engage with your business, transcending departmental, organizational, and geographic boundaries to exchange insight and access business functions at any time, from any location.
•

The vast Microsoft Dynamics partner community offers the expertise and resources to extend Microsoft Dynamics GP with solutions that address challenges in your industry and market.

Enable confident decision-making

Decisions—strategic, tactical, and granular—drive and define both the direction of your business and the activities that take place within it every day. Microsoft Dynamics GP gives decision-makers at every level and in all areas of your business the means to gain practical, relevant insight and determine the best course of action. With Microsoft Dynamics GP, you can devise a rapid and successful response to changing business conditions and emerging market trends.
•

Current, complete information from all areas of your business is available for comprehensive reporting and analysis, so you can make sound decisions based on all pertinent factors.
•

Microsoft Dynamics GP includes a large number of pre-formatted reports, supports reporting with Office Excel and SQL Server analytical capabilities, and lets you efficiently publish and broadcast reports to your audiences anywhere in the most practical and compelling format.
•

You can use familiar, efficient Microsoft Dynamics GP reporting tools to monitor and drive business performance and ensure consistent compliance with regulation or corporate quality standards.

Windows 7 Pre-Order Offer - It's pretty simple.

2009-07-09T13:36:00.002+05:30

Windows 7 is coming on October 22, 2009. Here's an easy way to get it fast and save a bunch: Pre-order a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49** or a Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for $99.** That's about half off the estimated retail prices. This offer is available through participating retailers. Pick one below and pre-order today. They'll tell you how to get your copy when Windows 7 is available.

Then sit back and smile. You scored.

MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-652): Configuring Windows Server Virtualization

2009-07-09T13:31:00.002+05:30

Server virtualization is one of the hottest technologies today, despite a very tough economy. According to a recent IDC study, spending on virtualization is expected to approach $15 billion worldwide this year. The study estimates that over three-quarters of all companies with more than 500 employees are deploying virtual servers.

A strong growth in virtualization means more and better IT jobs for those skilled in the technology. And getting certified is a great way to validate those skills to your current and prospective employers.

for MCTS Study Guide (Exam 70-652): Configuring Windows Server Virtualization

Nadee Ganga

2009-07-08T17:39:00.000+05:30

Jobs Matchmaker Presentation

2009-07-04T11:32:00.001+05:30

Google Voice invites on their way

2009-07-01T13:31:00.002+05:30

A couple of months ago we announced Google Voice, a service that gives you one phone number to link all your phones and makes voicemail as easy as email. We are happy to share that Google Voice is beginning to open up beyond former GrandCentral users. If you requested an invitation on the Google Voice site or previously on GrandCentral, keep your eye out for an invite email.

Once you receive your invitation, just click on the link and follow the instructions to setup your new Voice account. To help you find a Google number that is personalized to you, we've added a number picker that lets you search by area code and text. See if you can find a number that contains your name, a specific word or a number combination.

What is Cloud Computing ?

2009-07-01T13:01:00.001+05:30

Explaining Cloud Computing

2009-07-01T13:00:00.001+05:30

Even IT People Don't Know What Cloud Computing Is: Report

2009-07-01T12:59:00.000+05:30

Version One reportedly announced that its latest market research survey regarding cloud computing is ready, and its main finding is that more than 40 percent of senior IT professionals have confessed that they do not have a clue about the real meaning and definition of cloud computing.

One of the main reasons is that there are so many differing opinions and definitions floating around like whimsical clouds that even CIOs are having a tough time catching one definition and pinning it down.

“It is clear from the survey results that there are a number of contrasting views as to what cloud computing really is, which is hardly surprising in light of the many different cloud computing definitions in the public arena,” said Julian Buck, general manager of Version One. “For instance, Wikipedia defines it as ‘Internet-based computing’ whileGartner ( News - Alert) refers to it ‘as a service’ using Internet technologies. IT expert, John Willis, writing in his cloud blog says that ‘virtualisation is the secret sauce of a cloud’ and provides different levels of cloud computing. With so many definitions circulating, clarity is urgently needed.”

On a lighter note, the situation reminds me of a familiar musical lilt from the epic film, “The Sound of Music.” Does anyone out there remember, “How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you solve a problem like....? When I’m with .... I’m confused, out of focus and bemused, and I’ll never know exactly where I am....”? (It’s a good thing there is no such thing as “moon computing,” or else the lyrics would start with, “How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?”

Meanwhile, Version One, a company dealing in document management software, claims that they carried out the research with 60 senior IT professionals, including IT directors and managers, across a range of U.K. public and private sector organizations, and comes very close on the heels of their earlier survey, which showed that more than 66 percent of U.K. senior finance professionals, including finance directors and managers, are confused about cloud computing definitions and uses.

“If organizations are going to embrace cloud computing in the future it’s essential that a single, simplified explanation is adopted by everyone,” said Buck. “Failure to cut through the confusion could result in organizations rejecting this technology and missing out on the benefits it provides.”

The company says the research revealed that 17 percent, of the nearly 60 percent that claim to know what cloud computing is, understand cloud computing to be internet based computing, while 11 percent believe it is a combination of internet based computing, software as a service (SAAS), software on demand, an outsourced or managed service and a hosted software service, and the balance respondents understand cloud computing to be a mixture of the all of the above ingredients.

More interesting facts emerged from the clouded scenario: 5 percent of respondents say they use it a lot; 19 percent use it sparingly; 47 percent say their company does not use it; 29 percent are unaware whether their organization uses it or not; 2 percent are certain that their company is going to invest in cloud computing within the next twelve months; 30 percent are undecided about possible investments; 47 percent just do not know if there will any investment at all; and, 23 percent declared that their companies will be absolutely not invest in cloud computing.

“Although this is only a small survey of IT professionals, the results are nonetheless very alarming, especially as IT professionals are the very people that need to understand cloud computing so that they can explain its benefits to management,” Buck said.

Cloud technology leverages of the computing prowess of tens of thousands of servers and millions of computers all across the globe to deliver solutions and data that need not reside in the end users own desktop computer or mobile computing device. It can handle rapidly increasing simultaneous data inputs and queries without any perceptible alteration in performance, gives the impression that the most of the applications reside in the end users’ systems when these actually reside elsewhere and function over the Internet, and is available as a service. Some agencies offer free unlimited usage and others charge as per consumption. Either way, the cost of buying, learning and maintaining software and data storage is completely neutralized.

Version One says that there are significant benefits to be derived from cloud computing, such as the reduction in overheads and paper, ease of use, cost savings and the ability to provide collaborative tools for teaching and learning.

Another example is that of information technology start-up companies facing easier initiation and break-in periods than before since new cloud related solutions and newer, leaner and more agile planned programming computer languages are significantly and constantly reducing costs.

Another contributing factor is that the rapidly deteriorating economic condition is driving investors away and this is forcing people and companies to search for, innovate and come up triumphantly with a clutch of low cost or freely available solutions to establish and bolster start-ups and survive any which way they can. Venture capital investment has taken a 70-plus percent free-falling death spiral in January 2009 itself and reports claim that the situation is not likely to improve till the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2009.

Remote data storage, Web-based programs and the growing popularity of broadband technologies all contribute to drastic cost reduction by neutralizing the need to buy, hire or contract servers, storage silos, network administrators, and annual maintenance contracts.

A few illustrative futuristic examples demonstrate this concept clearly. One, a salesman delivers a major sales pitch in a client’s meeting room by accessing media rich content from a remote location via the internet and displaying it on the client’s choice of visual display such as laptop screens, stand alone monitors, projector screens, or connected high definition TV’s.

Two, teachers in third world countries could possibly access UNICEF hosted class-room lectures without having to carry heavy text-books and notes, or storing info on the schools’ server and network. In fact why have computing infrastructure of any sort? Stand alone trolley mounted computer systems with low cost projectors that can access Internet connections in each class room should suffice.

A few contemporary examples of cloud computing are: Users of Facebook share mega bytes of personal information such as photos, poems, stories and personal details via remote and connected Facebook (News - Alert) servers spread worldwide; People store data in XLS, DOC, PPT and PDF compatible formats on Google Documents and not on their own systems. In all four cases the end user requires only internet connectivity and comparatively low grade compatible systems that can access, edit if required, and display the information.

Components of Network Access Protection (NAP)

2009-06-26T16:22:00.001+05:30

Components of a NAP-Enabled Infrastructure.

The components of a NAP-enabled network infrastructure consist of the following:
2

NAP clients - Computers that support the NAP platform and include computers running Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows XP SP3.

NAP enforcement points - Computers or network access devices that use NAP or can be used with NAP to require the evaluation of a NAP client’s health state and provide restricted network access or communication. NAP enforcement points use a Network Policy Server (NPS) that is acting as a NAP health policy server to evaluate the health state of NAP clients, whether network access or communication is allowed, and the set of remediation actions that a noncompliant NAP client must perform. Examples of NAP enforcement points are the following:

* Health Registration Authority (HRA) -A computer running Windows Server 2008 and Internet Information Services (IIS) that obtains health certificates from a certification authority (CA) for compliant NAP clients
* Network access devices -Ethernet switches or wireless access points (APs) that support IEEE 802.1X authentication
* VPN server -A computer running Windows Server 2008 and Routing and Remote Access that allows remote access VPN connections to an intranet
* DHCP server -A computer running Windows Server 2008 and the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server service that provides automatic Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address configuration to intranet clients

NAP health policy servers -Computers running Windows Server 2008 and the NPS service that store health requirement policies and provide health state validation for NAP. NPS is the replacement for the Internet Authentication Service (IAS), the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server and proxy provided with Windows Server 2003. NPS can also act as an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server for network access. When acting as a AAA server or NAP health policy server, NPS is typically run on a separate server for centralized configuration of network access and health requirement policies, as Figure 1 shows. The NPS service is also run on Windows Server 2008–based NAP enforcement points, such as an HRA or DHCP server. However, in these configurations, the NPS service is acting as a RADIUS proxy to exchange RADIUS messages with a NAP health policy server.

Health requirement servers -Computers that provide current system health state for NAP health policy servers. For example, a health requirement server for an antivirus program tracks the latest version of the antivirus signature file.

Active Directory Domain Services -The Windows directory service that stores account credentials and properties and Group Policy settings. Although not required for health state validation, Active Directory is 3 required for Internet Protocol Security (IPsec)–protected communications, 802.1X-authenticated connections, and remote access VPN connections.

Restricted network -A separate logical or physical network that contains:

* Remediation servers -Network infrastructure servers and health update servers that NAP clients can access to remediate their noncompliant state. Examples of network infrastructure servers include Domain Name System (DNS) servers and Active Directory domain controllers. Examples of health update servers include antivirus signature distribution servers and software update servers.
* NAP clients with limited access -Computers that are placed on the restricted network when they do not comply with health requirement policies.
* Non-NAP-capable computers -Optionally, computers that do not support NAP can be placed on the restricted network (not shown in Figure 1).

System Health Agents and System Health Validators

Components of the NAP infrastructure known as system health agents (SHAs) on NAP clients and system health validators (SHVs) on NAP health policy servers provide health state tracking and validation for attributes of system health. Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3 include a Windows Security Health Validator SHV that monitors the settings of the Windows Security Center. Windows Server 2008 includes the corresponding Windows Security Health Validator SHV. NAP is designed to be flexible and extensible. It can interoperate with any vendor who provides SHAs and SHVs that use the NAP API.

An SHA creates a statement of health (SoH) that contains the current status information about the attribute of health being monitored by the SHA. For example, an SHA for an antivirus program might contain the state of the program (installed and running) and the version of the current antivirus signature file. Whenever an SHA updates its status, it creates a new SoH. To indicate its overall health state, a NAP client uses a System Statement of Health (SSoH), which includes version information for the NAP client and the set of SoHs for the installed SHAs.

When the NAP client validates its system health, it passes its SSoH to the NAP health policy server for evaluation through a NAP enforcement point. The NAP health policy server uses the SSoH, its installed SHVs, and its health requirement policies to determine whether the NAP client is compliant with system health requirements, and if it is not, the remediation actions that must be taken to achieve compliance. Each SHV produces a statement of health response (SoHR), which can contain remediation instructions. For example, the SoHR for an antivirus program might contain the current version number of the antivirus signature file and the name or IP address of the antivirus signature file server on the intranet.

Based on the SoHRs from the SHVs and the configured health requirement policies, the NAP health policy server creates a System Statement of Health Response (SSoHR), 4 which indicates whether the NAP client is compliant or noncompliant and includes the set of SoHRs from the SHVs. The NAP health policy server passes the SSoHR back to the NAP client through a NAP enforcement point. The NAP client passes the SoHRs to its SHAs. The noncompliant SHAs automatically remediate their health state and create updated SoHs, and the health validation process begins again.
Enforcement Clients and Servers

A NAP Enforcement Client (EC) is a component on a NAP client that requests some level of access to a network, passes the computer’s health status to a NAP enforcement point that is providing the network access, and indicates health evaluation information to other components of the NAP client architecture. The NAP ECs for the NAP platform supplied in Windows Vista, Windows XP SP3, and Windows Server 2008 are the following:

* An IPsec EC for IPsec-protected communications
* An EAPHost EC for 802.1X-authenticated connections
* A VPN EC for remote access VPN connections
* A DHCP EC for DHCP-based IPv4 address configuration
* A TS Gateway EC for connections to a TS Gateway server

A NAP Enforcement Server (ES) is a component on a NAP enforcement point running Windows Server 2008 that allows some level of network access or communication, can pass a NAP client’s health status to NPS for evaluation, and, based on the response from NPS, can provide the enforcement of limited network access. The NAP ESs included with Windows Server 2008 are the following:

* An IPsec ES for IPsec-protected communications
* A DHCP ES for DHCP-based IPv4 address configuration
* A TS Gateway ES for TS Gateway server connections

For 802.1X-authenticated and remote access VPN connections, there is no separate ES component running on the 802.1X switch or wireless AP or VPN server.

Together, ECs and ESs require health state validation and enforce limited network access for noncompliant computers for specific types of network access or communication.
NPS

NPS is a RADIUS server and proxy in Windows Server 2008. As a RADIUS server, NPS provides AAA services for various types of network access. For authentication and authorization, NPS uses Active Directory to verify user or computer credentials and obtain user or computer account properties when a computer attempts an 802.1Xauthenticated connection or a VPN connection.

NPS also acts as a NAP health policy server. Administrators set system health requirements in the form of health requirement policies on the NAP health policy server.
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NAP health policy servers evaluate health state information provided by NAP clients to determine health compliance, and for noncompliance, the set of remediation actions that must be taken by the NAP client to become compliant.

The role of NPS as an AAA server is independent from its role as a NAP health policy server. These roles can be used separately or combined as needed. For example:

* NPS can be an AAA server on an intranet that has not yet deployed NAP.
* NPS can be a combination of AAA server and health policy server for 802.1Xauthenticated connections on an intranet that has deployed NAP for 802.1Xauthenticated connections.
* NPS can be a health policy server for DHCP configuration on an intranet that has deployed NAP for DHCP configuration.

Exchange Server 2010 Beta available

2009-06-26T16:16:00.002+05:30

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 brings a new and rich set of technologies, features, and services to the Exchange Server product line. This topic lists many of the new features and functionality that are included in Exchange 2010. The list isn't comprehensive; however, it provides important information to use when you're planning, deploying, and administering your Exchange 2010 organization:

* New Rights-Protected E-Mail Functionality with Active Directory RMS
* New Transport and Routing Functionality
* New Permissions Functionality
* New High Availability Functionality
* New Messaging Policy and Compliance Features
* New Outlook Web Access Features
* New Unified Messaging Features
* Web Management Interface
* New Exchange Core Store Functionality
* New Administration Functionality in the Exchange Management Console
* New Administration Functionality in the Exchange Management Shell

The first Beta version of Exchange Server 2010 is now available for download. Go ahead, download now!!

Happy Father’s Day to all of you techie dads out there

2009-06-26T16:12:00.000+05:30

Free Windows 7 IT Pro beta class offered

2009-06-26T15:51:00.001+05:30

Microsoft Learning has recently completed the beta version of a Windows 7 Instructor-led training course for IT Professionals entitled “Installing and Configuring Windows® 7 Client”

In an attempt to attain feedback on the course prior to the RTM release of Windows 7 we are offering the three-day course to IT Pros who would like to attend and give feedback on the course.

· When: July 7th to 9th (9:00AM to 5:00PM)

· Where: Microsoft Campus, Redmond WA

This beta class is being offered for free only once and class size is limited. If you are interested in attending the course send an email to trblog@microsoft.com. In the email explain your interest in the course as an IT Professional. Students will be chosen based on how well they match the audience profile listed in the syllabus link above. You will receive an email response within 48 hours if you have been selected to attend the course.

Microsoft’s Virtual Lab Exams: Going Inside the Black Box

2009-06-26T15:35:00.000+05:30

Microsoft recently announced the release of virtual labs in 83-640. Virtual labs allow you to perform tasks using the software technology rather than performing them in a simulated environment or answering multiple choices questions about how you would solve the specified problem. With virtual labs, you solve the problem by doing something. I found this totally cool video that shows off the virtual lab technology and item type and thought it would be great to share it with you.

Implementing Roaming User Profiles in Windows Vista

2009-06-26T13:37:00.000+05:30

To implement roaming user profiles for users of Windows Vista computers in an Active Directory environment, follow these steps:

1. 1. Prepare the file server where you want to store roaming user profiles for users by creating a shared folder on the server. (This server is sometimes 2called the profile server; a typical sharename for this shared folder is Profiles.)
2. 2. Assign the permissions shown in Tables 1 and 2 to the underlying folder being shared and to the share itself. Also confirm that the permissions in Table 3 are automatically applied to each roaming user profile folder.

Table 1 NTFS Permissions for Roaming Profile Parent Folder

User account

Minimum permissions required

Creator/Owner

Full Control -Subfolders and Files Only

Administrator

None

Security group of

List Folder/Read Data, Create Folders/Append

users needing to

Data -This Folder Only

put data on share

Everyone

No Permissions

Local System

Full Control -This Folder, Subfolders, and Files

Table 2 Share-Level (SMB) Permissions for Roaming Profile Share

User account

Default permissions

Minimum permissions required

Everyone

Full Control

No Permissions

Security group of users needing to

N/A

Full Control

put data on share

Table 3 NTFS Permissions for Each User’s Roaming Profile Folder

User account

Default permissions

Minimum permissions required

%Username%

Full Control, Owner Of Folder

Full Control, Owner Of Folder

Local System

Full Control

Full Control

Administrators

No Permissions1

No Permissions

Everyone

No Permissions

No Permissions

1This is true unless you set the “Add the Administrator security group to the roaming user profile share” policy, in which case the Administrators group has Full Control (requires Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 or later).

3. 3. Create a default network profile for users and copy it to the NETLOGON share on a domain controller. Let it replicate to other domain controllers in the domain.
This step is optional and is typically necessary only if you want to preconfigure a roaming user profile for your users so that they will all have the same desktop experience when they first log on. If you do not create a default network profile, Windows Vista will use the local %SystemRoot%\Users\Default profile instead.
4. 4. Open Active Directory Users and Computers and configure the profile path on the Profile tab for each user who will roam.

3

Additional, optional steps include configuring roaming profiles as mandatory profiles or as super mandatory profiles if desired.
Creating a Default Network Profile

When a user logs on to a Windows Vista computer for the first time, Windows Vista tries to find a profile named Default User.v2 in the NETLOGON share on the domain controller authenticating the user. If Windows Vista finds such a profile, this profile is copied to the user’s computer to form the user’s local profile on the computer. If Windows Vista does not find such a profile, the Default profile under %SystemDrive%\Users on the user’s computer is copied instead as the user’s local profile.

To create a default network profile, follow these steps:

1. 1. Log on to any computer running Windows Vista, using any domain user account.
2. 2. Configure the desktop settings, Start menu, and other aspects of your computer’s environment as you want users who log on to Windows for the first time to experience them.
3. 3. Log off and then log on using an account that belongs to the Domain Admins group.
4. 4. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then select Properties.
5. 5. Click Advanced System Settings. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced Settings tab and then click Settings under User Profiles. The User Profiles dialog box opens.
6. 6. Select the user profile you previously configured in step 2 and click Copy To.The Copy To dialog box opens.
7. 7. Type \\domain_controller\NETLOGON\Default User.v2 in the Copy To dialog box.
8. 8. Click Change, type Everyone and then click OK twice to copy the local user profile you previously configured to the NETLOGON share as the default network profile Default User v.2.
9. 9. Type \\domain_controller\NETLOGON in the Quick Search box and press ENTER to open the NETLOGON share on your domain controller in a Windows Explorer window. Verify that the profile has been copied.

Note You may already have a Default User profile in NETLOGON that you created previously as a default network profile for users of computers running earlier versions of Windows. This network profile is not compatible with Windows Vista. See the section “Considerations for Mixed Environments” later in this chapter for more information.
Configuring a User Account to Use a Roaming Profile

Once you have created a Profiles share and configured it with suitable permissions on a file server, you can configure new user accounts to use roaming user profiles. To do this, 4 follow these steps (a Windows Server 2003 domain is used in this example):

1. 1. Log on to a domain controller as a member of the Domain Admins group (or any administrator workstation running an earlier version of Windows on which adminpak.msi has been installed).
2. 2. Open Active Directory Users and Computers and select the organizational unit containing the new user accounts you want to enable roaming for.
3. 3. Select each user account in the OU that you want configure. Right-click each account and select Properties.
4. 4. Click the Profile tab, select the check box labeled Profile Path, type \\profile_server\Profiles\%username% in the Profile Path text box, and then click OK.

The selected new user accounts are now ready for using roaming profiles. To complete this procedure, have each user log on to a Windows Vista computer using his or her user credentials. When the user logs on to Windows Vista for the first time, the Default User.v2 profile is copied from NETLOGON to the user’s local profile and then copied as user_name.v2 to the Profiles share on the profile server. For example, a user named Jacky Chen (jchen@contoso.com) who logs on to a Windows Vista computer for the first time will receive the roaming user profile \\profile_server\Profiles\jchen.v2. The .v2 suffix identifies this profile as compatible only with Windows Vista or later.
Implementing Mandatory Profiles

The procedure for implementing mandatory user profiles is similar to the procedure for implementing roaming user profiles described earlier in the article, with the following differences:

* Instead ofassigning the Authenticated Users built-in group Full Control of the Profiles folder on the profile server, assign this group Read permission and the Administrators group Full Control instead.
* Follow the steps in the section “Creating a Default Network Profile,” but instead of copying the domain user profile you configured to \\domain_controller\NETLOGON\Default User.v2, copy the profile to \\profile_server\Profiles\Mandatory.v2.
* Browse to locate the super-hidden \\profile_server\Profiles\Mandatory.v2\ntuser.dat file and change its name to ntuser.man. (Super-hidden files have the hidden and system attributes set.)
* Follow the steps in the section “Configuring a User Account to Use a Roaming Profile,” but instead of typing \\profile_server\Profiles\%username% in the Profile Path text box, type \\profile_server\Profiles\Mandatory.

Any user who now logs on with this mandatory user profile will be able to configure the desktop environment while logged on to the network, but when the user logs off any changes made to the environment will not be saved.
5

Caution Do not add .v2 to the profile path of the user object in Active Directory Users and Computers. Doing so may prevent Windows Vista from locating the roaming or mandatory profile. You should only apply the .v2 suffix to the name of the user folder on the central file server.

Caution It is acceptable to use the existing server and file share where you store your current roaming user profiles. If you do so, however, each user will have two roaming profile folders: one for Windows Vista and one for Windows XP. The added folder also means additional storage requirements for the server. Ensure that the drive hosting the share has adequate free space, and adjust any disk-quota policies accordingly.
Implementing Super Mandatory Profiles

The procedure for implementing super mandatory profiles is similar to the procedure for implementing mandatory user profiles described earlier, with the following differences:

* Instead of copying the domain user profile you configured to \\domain_controller\NETLOGON\Default User.v2, copy the profile to \\profile_server\Profiles\Mandatory.man.v2.
* Instead of typing \\profile_server\Profiles\%username% in the Profile Path text box, type \\profile_server\Profiles\Mandatory.man.

Once you have implemented these profiles, users will be able to configure their desktop environments while logged on to the network, but when they log off any changes they made to their environments will not be saved. In addition, if the profile server is unavailable when the user tries to log on to the network (or if the super mandatory profile does not load for any other reason), Windows Vista will not allow the user to log on to the computer.
Using Roaming User Profiles Together with Folder Redirection

If you configure both Folder Redirection and roaming user profiles, do not store redirected folders within the user’s roaming profiles, but instead store them on the network share where Folder Redirection is targeted. This reduces the size of a user’s roaming profile, speeds up its download time, and improves the user’s logon experience.

In general, best practice is to configure Folder Redirection first, make sure it applies successfully, and then deploy roaming user profiles. Also, users should log off all computers and follow these steps on one computer first (with all their main data).
Considerations for Mixed Environments

The following considerations apply when implementing roaming user profiles in mixed environments that consist of both Windows Vista and Windows XP or Windows 2000 client computers:

* Default network profiles created for computer running an earlier version of Windows are not compatible with default network profiles created for Windows Vista computers because the profile namespace of Windows Vista 6 is incompatible with the profile namespace of Windows XP. Because of this incompatibility, users who log on to a computer running an earlier version of Windows cannot roam their profiles to Windows Vista computers and vice versa. If users must use both Windows Vista computers and earlier versions of Windows, they will need separate roaming profiles for each computer and must manage the profiles separately. If Folder Redirection is implemented, however, part of the user profiles (the redirected folders) can be shared between the two desktop environments.
* If users need to roam across both Windows Vista computers and computers running earlier versions of Windows, you will need twice the usual space to store their roaming profiles. For example, if user Jacky Chen roams across both Windows Vista and computer running an earlier version of Windows, he will have two roaming profiles on the profile server:
o \\profile_server\Profiles\jchen, which is his roaming profile on earlier versions of Windows
o \\profile_server\Profiles\jchen.v2, which is his roaming profile on Windows Vista computers

These two user profiles are incompatible and will not share any data unless you have also implemented Folder Redirection for the user. Specifically, if you implement all available Folder Redirection policies for this user (including those that apply to earlier versions of Windows), only the HKCU settings will be unavailable between platforms.

In Windows Vista, disk quotas configured on roaming profiles no longer prevent users from logging off as disk quotas did on earlier versions of Windows. However, disk quotas will prevent roaming profiles from being uploaded to the profile server when the user logs off. No user data is lost, however, since the data still remains in the user’s local user profile on the computer.

Free E-Book on Terminal Services

2009-06-26T13:21:00.002+05:30

For 25 years, Microsoft Press books have focused on helping you take your skills and knowledge to the next level. Celebrate our 25th Anniversary with a "Free e-book of the Month" offer! Simply sign up for the Microsoft Press Book Connection Newsletter for notification of offers, register, and download the selection of the month.

Windows 7 Pre-Order 50% Half-Price Discount Promotional Deal

2009-06-26T13:17:00.004+05:30

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref%5F=ms%5Fsbrspot%5F2&docId=1000392481

Microsoft is launching a time-limited promotional deal that will see the price of certain editions Windows 7 been slashed by 50%, if customer pre-oder the Windows 7.

Match Fixing

2009-06-26T13:09:00.001+05:30

Movavi Video Converter

2009-06-26T12:44:00.003+05:30

Movavi Video Converter is a fast and easy way to convert video & DVD into the format you need. Enjoy video on your iPod, iPhone, PSP.

Why Movavi
* Movavi Video Converter and other products are used by four million people and companies in 92 countries

* 82% of our customers recommend Movavi Video Converter, VideoSuite and other Movavi Products

* Business customers include Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Harvard University, and more

* Reviewed by PC World, CNet, MacWorld, Yahoo!Tech, VideoMaker, and many more .

IBM Claims Privacy Breakthrough for Cloud, Data

2009-06-26T12:35:00.000+05:30

IBM researcher Craig Gentry has proposed a method for manipulating data while leaving it encrypted. That could be big news for cloud computing, for antispam solutions, and for health care providers, according to an IBM (NYSE: IBM) statement -- if it works.

The news comes as regulators are monitoring the handling of personal data. The FTC recently announced the Red Flags rule to force companies to fight fraud more actively. Just yesterday, the now-famous ID thief Frank Abagnale, whose life story inspired the movie "Catch Me If You Can" and who now works for the FBI, said that companies must do better to protect their customers.

It's possible that they can with the breakthrough proposed in a paper by Gentry, a Stanford University Ph.D. candidate. The research was reported last week and published for Association of Computing Machinery members under the title "Fully homomorphic encryption using ideal lattices."

Homomorphic encryption enables encrypted data to be manipulated so that, when decrypted, the result is as if the operation had been performed on the unencrypted data -- an approach that makes it especially suitable for some types of security. Lattice encoding would normally limit the number of operations that could be conducted on the encrypted text, according to PGP Corporation cryptographer Hal Finney, who discussed the approach on a list serv.

But Gentry's approach manages to overcome those shortcomings.

"The resulting scheme is apparently not practical ... but it is still amazing that it is even possible," Finney wrote.

One problem may have to do with the fact that although the data is not decrypted, the software does manipulate a decryption mechanism while working with encrypted data. The ACM abstract notes that Gentry's technique uses "an encryption scheme that can evaluate (slightly augmented versions of) its own decryption circuit; we call a scheme that can evaluate its (augmented) decryption circuit bootstrappable."

Nevertheless, IBM has high hopes for the technology.

"We believe this breakthrough will enable businesses to make more informed decisions, based on more studied analysis, without compromising privacy," Charles Lickel, IBM vice president of software research, said in a statement. "We also think that the lattice approach holds potential for helping to solve additional cryptography challenges in the future."

Additionally, an IBM representative told InternetNews.com that "there are flavors of homomorphic encryption already out there, but they do not offer efficient, affordable ways of analyzing encrypted information from all angles. The fully homomorphic solution we've arrived at offers the possibility of performing nearly unlimited mathematical operations to analyze encrypted information."

PGP's Finney was certainly impressed with Gentry's technique. "I have to go back to Godel's and Turing's work to think of a comparable example," he wrote.

"This is ... one of the most remarkable crypto papers ever. Not only does it solve one of the oldest open problems in cryptography, the construction of a fully homomorphic encryption system, it does so by means of a self-embedding technique reminiscent of Godel's theorem."

Microsoft Hohm Beta Helps in Energy Conservation

2009-06-26T11:44:00.001+05:30

Energy conservation has always been a critical global issue that nobody can neglect. Excessive development and wastage has resulted in incredibly high world energy consumption. Many parties have put in effort to try to reduce consumption by increasing efficiency. Being one of the world’s technological giants, Microsoft has joined in the effort by introducing its new service, Microsoft Hohm, an online application which allows users to analyze and understand their home energy usage and hence conserve the energy efficiently.

Microsoft Hohm is built on Azure Cloud Operating System and leverages Bing search as well as the Microsoft Advertising platform. Users can access to this online application via a modern browser easily. Based on the information and feedback from registered users, Microsoft Hohm will feed users with information of personalized energy savings and efficiency recommendations based on users’ dwelling conditions, e.g. house features, usage patterns and appliances. If users do not respond to Hohm with this basic information, the online application will then provide general recommendations to assist users in energy saving.

Microsoft Hohm is a free service with no additional costs to users. As a start, the service will be provided to residents in US only.

Energy conservation does not mean saving money only, but also helping to increase environmental value, national security, personal security, and human comfort. A collective effort will ensure the well-being and preservation of mother nature.

Enterprise-strength Linux for mission-critical computing. (Reliability has never been so affordable.)

2009-06-25T15:26:00.002+05:30

SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 was built for reliability with affordable, enterprise-class clustering for your mission-critical workloads. With the ability to build a resilient and agile infrastructure, you can easily migrate from UNIX. And advanced Green IT capabilities keep your operation lean and efficient. Performance. Reliability. Affordability. What could be more mission-critical than that?

Powers your physical and virtual environments – desktop to data center.
Only SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 powers your complete environment with outstanding performance and manageability. So you can run your physical and virtual machines – from desktop to data center – on a common code base with common tools. Deploy traditional systems, or run software appliances for simplicity and speed. From x86 to mainframe and from netbook to desktop, SUSE Linux Enterprise delivers proven capabilities for your entire infrastructure.

The Linux that makes your IT work as one.
SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 provides maximum interoperability with Windows for lower costs and simplified management. Run Windows virtualized on Linux and vice versa, with full support from Novell and Microsoft. Easily add desktop Linux to your Windows environment for cost savings and security benefits. Leverage open standards to manage SUSE Linux Enterprise from your existing solutions. Even run ASP.NET applications on Linux for better performance and reduced cost.

Upgrade your MCP credentials for only 25 USD

2009-06-25T14:19:00.001+05:30

If the answers to above are “Yes”, this is the BEST OFFER to meet your certification needs.

From now to June 30th, 2009 you are eligible for a Microsoft Certification exam
at a special price of US$25 *.

Save between 45 - 80%** when you utilize this offer to update your skills in new Microsoft technologies e.g. Windows Server 2008, SQL 2008, Visual Studio 2008, Vista and Sharepoint 2007.

This special offer is valid for valued Microsoft Certified Professional who has not attained any new Microsoft Certification credentials after July 1, 2007. Offer is valid for any Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) and Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) examinations scheduled and taken by June 30, 2009.

The Ultimate Windows Support Framework

2009-06-25T13:55:00.001+05:30

Your organization strives to optimize its IT and business processes to achieve maximum performance. IT Standardization minimizes costs, reduces learning curves, reduces errors and increases efficiencies. Now think about the process of supporting Windows users and computers. Does your organization have standard support tools and methodologies? Are your support analysts achieving their maximum performance? Maven was designed specifically to enhance the productivity of Windows support analysts in all areas of support. Your company will save thousands of dollars in support costs.

Maven is a Windows support framework that allows organizations to standardize and audit all of their support tools, thereby greatly reducing support costs. Your enterprise data is typically found in multiple sources. Maven enables your organization to build and deploy a complete Windows support dashboard, with all of the queries, support tools, scripts and enterprise information required to rapidly service your IT infrastructure. Unlike many of today's Windows Management tools, Maven is fast and intuitive, designed specifically for analysts that administer and support Windows. Your service desk can do what they do best; service your organization.

Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 (Morro MSE Free Anti-Virus) Leaked Download

2009-06-25T13:24:00.002+05:30

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is the official name for new free anti-virus security offering from Microsoft, which previously codenamed as Morro. Microsoft Security Essentials replaces Windows Live OneCare and Windows Defender.

MSE features a a streamlined solution with smaller footprint that focuses on core but comprehensive anti-malware protection including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. As it’s free, don’t expect the security solution to equip with additional non-security features or advanced functions that comes with commercial consumer security suites from other third-party vendors, such as firewall.

Microsoft Security Essentials have been tested internally by Microsoft employees since June 1, 2009. The leaked setup installers appear to be genuine. Beside, virus and malware signature definition update for Microsoft Security Essentials have been working properly too, ensuring up-to-date protection. The freeware Microsoft Security Essentials is available as a stand-alone free download and will support Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems.

Download Microsoft Security Essentials

32-bit (x86) Windows Vista and Windows 7: mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-vista.exe
64-bit (x64) Windows Vista and Windows 7: mssefullinstall-amd64fre-en-us-vista.exe
Windows XP: mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-xp.exe

Swine Flue - Influenza A (H1N1) : Precautionary Measures.

2009-06-20T15:32:00.001+05:30

Huawei E583X Wireless Modem

2009-06-20T15:07:00.002+05:30

The emergence of those tiny, portable and flash drive shaped HSDPA modems do give frequent travelers and businessmen a lot of convenience to access internet when they are oin the move. The reputable networking and telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Huawei, introduced the small portable modem by showcasing its E583X wireless modem at CommunicAsia 2009.

The new Huawei’s E583X is connected to a computer wirelessly. This tiny modem will detect and acquire 3G wireless signal and thence transmit to the computer as WiFi signal. With this technology, users do not have to worry if they forget to bring the cable or if there is limited desktop space to place their modem. The E583X is powered with a 1,500mAh battery which can provide five hours of signal beaming wirelessly. Users can charge the modem by pluging via USB. Of course users can still connect the tiny gadget to the computer like other regular HSDPA modems.

Get Free NOD32 License with Valid Username and Password for 90-Days

2009-06-20T14:50:00.000+05:30

NOD32 is a popular antivirus software that ranks one of the best and most accurate detection and lowest failure rate. Beside, NOD32 also famous for its virus scanning speed and low system resource usage, with support for DOS，Windows, Novell Netware, Linux, BSD and other platform. NOD32 is a shareware which allows users to download, install, and use NOD32 for evaluation and trial for 30 days. After the trial period expires, users will need to purchase a legitimate and genuine license or serial number for NOD32 in order to continue using it. Now, you can extend the trial and demonstration period for another 90 days or 3 months for free, by a trick to get a valid NOD32 license serial number that allows you to get a user ID and password to enter in NOD32 to make it genuine and able to download NOD32 setup, access any upgrade or update available, without any crack or hack.

1. Go to China NOD32 Users’ Club web page that offers and giveaways free 90-days genuine copyright license and serial number.
2. As it’s web page in Chinese language, you most probably won’t understand what it means. Anyway, fill in the first 3 fields (those with *) respectively as Name, Email and repeat your Email again. Make sure your email is valid and correct as the license PIN or serial number that allows you to get NOD32 username and password will be sent to this email.
3. After finished key in the details, press on the button on the left to submit. Button on the left is for you to press or click in case you don’t receive the email with license information or serial number in 30 minutes.
4. Check your email inbox (or spam folder, just in case) for the email from NOD32. The email should arrive almost immediately, and will contains a PIN or serial number underlined with red text. The rest of the email instructs you how to obtain the user ID and password by using the PIN or serial number. Ignore it if you don’t understand the language.
5. Go to Hong Kong NOD32 Anti-Virus System registration page to register as a user of NOD32.
6. Fill in the first 4 fields (marked with *) which is product serial number, client’s name, your email address, and confirm again your email address. English description is available, so this step should be simple and easy.
7. Click on the left button (Submit).
8. You will then receive another email which contains an user ID or user name with a password, valid for 90 days or 3 months, and will allows you to download latest and upgrade version of NOD32 and update latest virus signatures. The email will be sent pretty soon after a few minutes.
9. As you can see at the bottom of the page, if you registered, but fail to receive email within one hour or lost username password, please check your username and password at http://www.nod32.com.hk/support/password.php.
10. Then download the Eset NOD32 Anti Virus system for free from here with the username and password provided.

Together with 1 month free trial evaluation default offers, you can effectively try the NOD32 for 4 months or 120 days before deciding whether to purchase the software or not. The best thing about this trick is that it’s possible to indefinitely extend the license and hence the valid username and password for NOD32, without any crack or hack, by applying again for another free 90-days of legal usage after the current user name and password expired, by using the same email address. So you can actually use NOD32 free for life without any keygen, crack, leaked user name or password. However, if you want to apply for multiple PIN or serial number for multiple NOD32 user name and password, you will need to use different email address for each of them, as the free giveaway of NOD32 license is limited to one per e-mail address, and if you reapply for a new license ID with the same email that you used before, then the existing license will be deactivated.

ARM Cortex-A9 Potentially Power Up Next Generation High End Smartphones

2009-06-20T14:12:00.001+05:30

While Intel continues to push its X86 architecture processors for mobile computing, ARM is also keep on upgrading its ARM architecture by integrating multi-core while further shrinking its die size with smaller process technology. According to reliable source, ARM is already planning to migrate to 45nm process technology so that it can integrate multi cores technology, in an attempt to boost up overall performance without affecting the physical foot print and more importantly its power consumption which is crucial for battery life time.

The next generation ARM core product will be mainly targeted for high end smart phone mobile devices where multitasking and graphics performance are important. With the introduction of ARM cortex A9 as the successor of current cortex A8 which has been designed widely including the recently announced Apple’s 3Gs as well as Palm Pre, consumers can expect even better performance boost with its out of order execution while allowing multi-threading technology for scalable performance to handle tasks processing simultaneously.

No exact time line of when this will be available, ARM forecasts that it should reach the market by mid of next year. TI (Texas Instrument) is one of the potential candidates that will leverage on ARM cortex A9 for its OMAP4 which supports full HD 1080p decoding capabilities as well as an impressive 20 Megapixel still image capturing for multimedia centric applications.

Acer Plans Entry Level Windows Smartphones at $50

2009-06-20T14:11:00.002+05:30

If you are an Acer fan and is hoping to get a cheap smartphone from this Taiwanese manufacturer, here is a piece of good news for you! Just recently, the company has unveiled a few series of Windows smartphone targeted for consumers that are tight on budget. These few models, named as C1, L1 and F1 will be available to consumer market by this autumn at a minimum price of $50.

Obviously, Acer is trying its way entering smart phone market by offering an aggressive pricing strategy. Besides functioning as a normal 2,8-inch touchscreen smart phone devices running on Wndows Mobile OS, these devices are also enhanced with GPS functionality utilizing Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset clocking at different core speed. In terms of product features, both C1 and L1 are similar, with 528MHz processor, 2 Megapixels camera except the latter model will be designed with additional slide-out numeric hard keypad that makes it a bit more expensive than C1 series. On top of these, a F1 model, which is targeted for high end market will be featured with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset running at 1GHz as well as supporting HD media playback with impressive 12 megapixels camera module.

No exact hardware details as well as concrete pricing information yet, these Windows based smartphones are expected to be commercialized by this autumn.

PRTG Network Monitor

2009-06-20T14:05:00.001+05:30

Optimize Your Network and Avoid System Downtimes

Businesses increasingly rely on their networks to move data, provide communication, and enable basic operations. Performance loss or system outages can seriously impact the bottom line of your business. Continuous network and server monitoring enables you to find problems and resolve them before they become a serious threat to your business:

* Avoid bandwidth and server performance bottlenecks
* Deliver better quality of service to your users by being proactive
* Reduce costs by buying bandwidth and hardware based on actual load
* Increase profits by avoiding losses caused by undetected system failures
* Find peace of mind: As long as you do not hear from PRTG via email, SMS, pager, etc. you know everything is running fine and you have more time to take care of other important business.

Baby BlackBerry For Toddlers

2009-06-20T13:59:00.001+05:30

To expose kids to gadgets and assist them in learning, toy maker, LeapFrog has introduced an interesting mini BlackBerry, Text & Learn, which caters particularity to toddlers three and up.
The size of the LeapFrog Text & Learn is slightly bigger than a normal smartphone or BlackBerry even though it is nicknamed “Baby BlackBerry”. Toddlers can make use of this gadget to polish up their language, play games and also learn some basic computer skills. Toddlers can imitate their parents to send text messages and browse the “web”. They can enjoy messaging with a virtual pal Scault (a quasi-imaginary friend) while exploring web browsing (pretend mode). The tiny gadget also offers kids with a handful of gaming activities such as shape identification, letter matching, QWERTY keyboard navigation, etc.

Leapfrog has yet to reveal the pricing and the availability of this interesting Text & Learn. To give your kids that slight technological advantage and edge in life, a Baby BlackBerry might just be the gadget to invest in this year.

Miley Cyrus - 7 Things - Official Music Video (HQ)

2009-04-08T00:13:00.001+05:30

Elissa - Agmal Ehsas

2009-04-07T21:40:00.001+05:30

HOW TO Configure NAT for a Small Office and a Web Server

2009-04-01T15:25:00.002+05:30

This document explains how to use Network Address Translation (NAT) to connect a single machine with a single public (outside) IP address, while simultaneously NAT'ing other multiple machines to a different Internet IP address. This type of configuration is common for many small offices running an internal web server. The features used in this HOW TO are STATIC NAT and MASQUERADE NAT.

Network Address Translation (NAT) is most often used to allow a large number of machines to connect to the Internet using a single IP address. Often a service provider will assign a small group of IP addresses (4 - 16 addresses) to a site which needs to connect multiple computers (30 or more computers) to the Internet.

Note: Throughout this document, the addresses 10.192.192.0 - 255 will be used to represent the "public IP address block". The IP address 192.168.0.0 - 255 will be used to represent the "private IP address block". For more information on public and private IP addressing see RFC 1918 (ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc1918.txt) or the Vyatta Knowledge Base Entry "Public and Private IP Addresses Explained".
Please be sure to replace the addresses used for this document with the addresses assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

PROCEDURE

Configure the primary IP addresses on the outside interface
Configure the secondary IP address on the outside interface
Configure the primary IP address on the inside interface
Configure a default gateway
Configure outbound STATIC NAT rule
Configure an inbound STATIC NAT rule
Configure an outside MASQUERADE rule
Test the configuration

1. Configure the primary IP address on the outside interface

Configuration of the primary IP address of the router on the outside interface sets up the router to connect to the Internet. This is also the address which will be used in for the MASQUERADE section of the NAT. Many hosts on the inside of the network will use this IP address when connecting to the Internet.

set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.192.192.2 prefix-length 24

2. Configure the secondary IP address on the outside interface

The secondary IP address on the outside interface is the Internet-facing IP address of the web server.

set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.192.192.84 prefix-length 24

3. Configure the primary IP address on the inside interface

The primary IP address on the inside interface will be the IP address on the local office LAN. This address will be used as the default gateway for all PC's on the local network.

set interfaces ethernet eth1 address 192.168.0.1 prefix-length 24

4. Configure the a default gateway

The default gateway is an address which is assigned by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to a customer. The default gateway address is the IP address of the router at the ISP which will receive all traffic destined for the Internet.

set system gateway-address 10.192.192.1

5. Configure the outbound STATIC NAT rule

The outbound STATIC NAT rule configures the Vyatta router to send all traffic it receives from the web server's address on the office LAN using the outside address of the web server on the Internet.

set service nat rule 13
set service nat rule 13 type source
set service nat rule 13 outbound-interface eth0
set service nat rule 13 protocols all
set service nat rule 13 source address 192.168.0.17
set service nat rule 13 destination network 0.0.0.0/0
set service nat rule 13 outside-address address 10.192.192.84

6. Configure an inbound STATIC NAT rule

The inbound STATIC NAT rule configures the Vyatta router to send all traffic it receives from the Internet on the outside address of the web server to its inside address.

set service nat rule 14
set service nat rule 14 type destination
set service nat rule 14 inbound-interface eth0
set service nat rule 14 protocols all
set service nat rule 14 source network 0.0.0.0/0
set service nat rule 14 destination address 10.192.192.84
set service nat rule 14 inside-address address 192.168.0.17

7. Configure an outside MASQUERADE rule

The outside MASQUERADE rule configures the Vyatta router to send any traffic from the office LAN to the Internet using the outside IP address of the Vyatta router. MASQUERADE is used only for outbound traffic. Traffic which is part of an outbound session which originated from the office LAN will be associated with the originating host.

set service nat rule 20
set service nat rule 20 type masquerade
set service nat rule 20 outbound-interface eth0
set service nat rule 20 protocols all
set service nat rule 20 source network 192.168.0.0/24
set service nat rule 20 destination network 0.0.0.0/0

8. Test the configuration

Using a web browser go to a site such as http://www.whatismyip.com/ from the STATIC NAT'ed machine, in this case the web server. The IP address which should appear is 10.192.192.84.

Using a web browser go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ from a MASQUERADEd machine, in this case any machine on the office LAN which is not the web server. The IP address which should appear is 10.192.192.1.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Vyatta CLI see the Vyatta website at: http://www.vyatta.com/documentation

For more information on RFC 1918: ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc1918.txt

Vyatta Knowledge Base "Public and Private IP Addresses Explained"

REFERENCES

RFC 1918: ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc1918.txt

LAST REVISED

25-NOV-2007 - spk

Applies to Product

Vyatta Software - Not Hardware Specific
Vyatta 514
Non-Vyatta Hardware
Vyatta 2501

Applies to Software

v2.3.1
v2.3
v2.2

Protocol Analyser

2009-03-27T12:12:00.002+05:30

A Protocol Analyser is an invaluable piece of software that takes the strain out of managing a network. Using an easy to use interface you can 'see' where your packets are going... and where they're not. Using features such as top-talker, a Protocol Analyser will tell you who or what is using up valuable network resources, when, where and why.

Protocol Analysers capture conversations between two or more systems or devices. A Protocol Analyser not only captures the traffic, it also decodes (interprets) the traffic. Decoding allows you to view the conversation in English, as opposed to binary language. A sophisticated Protocol Analyser will also provide statistics and trend information on the captured traffic. Protocol Analysers provide information about the traffic flow on your LAN/WAN, from which you can view device-specific information. Unlike SNMP-based management consoles, Protocol Analysers are device independent.

Why use a NetFlow Analyser instead of a Protocol Analyser ?

Who, What, When and Where: Scrutinizer provides historical trends of the company's critical network interfaces as well as the details on:

Who: The end system causing the traffic
What: The application/protocol that is being used
When: The time frame it has been occurring for
Where: The network connection that is affected
Result: If something is consuming excessive bandwidth the end system can be identified quickly, without utilising a packet analyser.

Today, NetFlow Analysis is the ideal solution

Scrutinizer uses your existing NetFlow capable routers and switches to report on top applications and top hosts on specific interfaces. It provides details on how much bandwidth is being consumed by each of these variables from protocols per user to users per protocol. Because Scrutinizer uses NetFlow technology on your existing routers, you never have to deploy or maintain probes. Scrutinizer goes beyond simple utilization graphs and tools like MRTG.

How Protocol Analysers are Useful

A Protocol Analyser is a tool that shows you exactly what is happening on your LAN. Once a problem is isolated and recorded, there can be no denying which vendor, or which system is the cause.

For example, if your TCP/IP sessions are "hanging", a Protocol Analyser can show which system sent the last packet, and which system failed to respond. If you are experiencing slow screen updates, a Protocol Analyser can display delta time stamps and show which system is waiting for packets, and which system is slow to respond.

In an NT environment, a Protocol Analyser can show runaway traffic (broadcast or multicast storms) and its origin, system errors and retries, and whether a station is sending, trying to send, or only seeming to communicate. You will get information that is otherwise unavailable, which results in more efficient troubleshooting and better LAN health.

Another Philips Xenium handset unveiled - X700

2009-03-27T09:43:00.001+05:30

Just when we talked about the Xenium X530, we spotted another Philips device. It’s the clamshell-shaped X700, which comes with an ultra powerful battery — up to 720 hours in stand-by (1 month!) and 450 minutes in talk-time mode — and again, lacks 3G connectivity.

Rest of the specs include quad-band GSM radio, 2.4-inch QVGA internal and 2-inch QVGA external screens, 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0, media player, FM radio with RDS. Size wise, the X700 measures 103×54x15 mm.

Finally, you may want to know something about availability. The Philips Xenium X700 is slated to hit China and select European markets (Russia, Romania and Turkey), where interested buyers will be able to grab it for 170 EUR, which is about $220…

A light-weight system monitor

2009-03-24T12:06:00.002+05:30

Conky is a free, light-weight system monitor for X, that displays any information on your desktop. Conky is licensed under the GPL and runs on Linux and BSD.

There is always plenty to be done, such as adding new features, testing, writing docs et cetera. If you're interested in contributing, please feel free to do so by using the handy tools on the sourceforge project page, including the mailing lists. You can get the latest code by cloning the anonymous git repo like so:

$ git clone git://git.omp.am/conky.git

GreenHopper

2009-03-20T13:48:00.003+05:30

Innovative and intuitive management tool for Atlassian's JIRA allowing bug tracking, issue tracking and project management. The main goals of this plugin are to provide JIRA users with the following:

* An interactive and simple interface to manage their projects
* Tools to increase the visibility and traceability of ongoing versions

Planning board (Documentation)

* Global view of all unreleased versions
* Global view of all components
* Card and List look & feel
* Multi-level planning (hierarchical)
* Issue ordering using drag-and-drop
* Issue planning using drag-and-drop
* Multi-selection in the planning board
* Coherent handling of sub-tasks
* Issue filtering and sorting
* Quick access to the issue navigator
* And much more...
Task board (Documentation)

* Intuitive tracking of versions
* Outlined Task board
* Personal board
* Configurable swimlanes
* Update of the issue status using drag-and-drop
* Quick logging of your work
* Quick access to the issue navigator
* Issue filtering and sorting
Search board

* Global view of search results
* Direct access to the issue board
Chart board (Documentation)

* Dynamic and requiring no settings
* Display of the burndown curve
* Display of the team effort curve
* Display of the estimation accuracy curve
* Burndown chart based on a custom field
* Burnup chart based on a custom field
* Value chart based on a custom field
* Issue filtering
* Configurable start date and end date
Card view

* Configurable New!
* Pro-active security
* Concise view of the issue
* Editable issue field values
* Addable comments and work logs
* Watchable value
Plugin Support (Documentation) New!

* Add your own card menu item
* Support of the Balasmiq plugin
* Support of the Link Hiearchy Report plugin
* Support of the Whiteboard plugin

Award-Winning Agile Lifecycle Management Solutions

2009-03-20T13:45:00.002+05:30

Rally is the leader in Agile application lifecycle management (ALM) dedicated to making leaner development organizations that respond faster to changing customer needs. According to a study by QSM Associates, teams that rely on Rally’s Agile lifecycle management products and services are 50% faster to market and 25% more productive than industry averages.

From pilot projects to distributed, multi-team programs, Rally’s family of Agile lifecycle management solutions gives teams the visibility and collaboration needed to formalize and scale Agile development practices that deliver high-value software in rapid iterations.

Rally unites Agile project management with requirements management, test management and defect management, so everyone has a real-time picture of your project’s features and quality, priorities, roadblocks and risks. Rally’s deep support for all roles and activities in the software development lifecycle lets you replace expensive and poorly integrated point tools with a highly secure, hosted web service that starts fast and scales easily across platforms and geographies for low-risk, low-cost deployment.
Scale from small projects to distributed, multi-team programs

Rally offers two editions to match the right functionality with your company's size and stage of Agile development.

* Rally Community Edition makes it easy for smaller teams or pilot teams to manage releases and iterations without undue overhead and complexity. Rally Community is free for up to 10 users and includes Agile project management, requirements management, test management and defect management for a single release team.
* Move to Rally Enterprise Edition to smoothly coordinate the additional roles, tools and dependencies in multi-team programs or cross-cutting initiatives. Rally Enterprise is a complete solution for the software development lifecycle that supports multi-team Agile development with integrations to existing systems and is available in both on-demand and on-premise deployment options.

To unblock a publisher

2009-03-05T11:29:00.001+05:30

What do u mean by this. When you trying to new thing on fresh windows XP, and if u received an error related "To unblock a publisher" then you should do to following instructions.

To unblock a publisher

Why is this publisher blocked?

Someone who uses or manages this computer specifically chose to block this publisher. To open or run this file, you will need to unblock the publisher. You should only try to open this file if you trust the publisher and you are sure the file is safe.

Open Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
On the Content tab, click Publishers.
On the Untrusted Publishers tab, click the publisher you want to unblock, and click Remove.

Blocking a publisher is not the same as blocking or restricting a Web site. Blocking a publisher does not restrict you from going to a Web site that distributes files from that publisher, but you will not be able to open those files unless you unblock the publisher first. Any publisher you block will be blocked on all Web sites, not just the Web site you were on when you blocked it.

THE DAY ANALOG TV DIES

2009-02-23T17:55:00.000+05:30

testpatterns The United States’ National Television System Committee (NTSC) analog television standard dates back to 1941. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) upgraded it to incorporate color in 1953, and for the past half century, this standard has ruled the U.S. airways, enabling viewers to tune in to free over-the-air television, whether their TVs were built this year or inherited from a grandparent. But on 17 February 2009, NTSC broadcasts will end forever, replaced by the ATSC digital standard.

It took an act of Congress to make this switch from analog to digital—or rather several. The U.S. Congress established the Advanced Television Systems Committee, for which ATSC is named, in 1982. The FCC adopted the standard in 1996, and Congress assigned each television broadcaster a second piece of radio spectrum on which to simulcast digital programming along with analog, intending that extra real estate as a loan, to be returned when the vast majority of TV viewers in the country had begun relying on digital signals. Congress tried to call the loan in 2006, but it had set certain thresholds for digital penetration that had not been met. So Congress reset the date to 2009, picking mid-February as the perfect window between two major TV events—the Super Bowl and the NCAA “March Madness” basketball tournament.

IEEE Spectrum has been following the development of ATSC, the technology behind it, and its rollout for two decades. Now we’re tracking this final transition to an all-digital broadcast world, a transition that may not go as smoothly as Congress, the FCC, the broadcasters, the consumer electronics manufacturers, or the average viewer might hope. Follow the links below to review the technology and its history, and track what’s happening with the transition today (we’ll be updating these links regularly) as Spectrum counts down to the day analog TV dies. —Tekla S. Perry

Thunderbird Mail and Newsreader

2009-02-19T16:47:00.001+05:30

Default Trash folder
The name that MS Exchange gives to the "Trash" folder is "Deleted Items". By default, Thunderbird creates a new folder called "Trash". In order for Thunderbird to use the correct folder for deleted mail do the following:

Subscribe to the "Deleted Items" folder on the Exchange Server
Close Thunderbird
Edit the prefs.js file, adding the line:
user_pref("mail.server.server1.trash_folder_name", "Deleted Items");
(where server1 is the serverID for the Exchange account)
Restart Thunderbird
The "Deleted Items" folder should now have the little trash bin icon.
Delete the "Trash" folder (after moving its contents).

Default Sent folder
The name that MS Exchange gives to the "Sent" folder is "Sent Items". By default, Thunderbird creates a new folder called "Sent". In order for Thunderbird to use the correct folder for sent mail do the following:

Subscribe to the "Sent Items" folder on the Exchange Server
In the Copies & Folders page in the Exchange account properties, set the "Place a copy in" folder to be "Sent Items"
or edit the pref.js file as follows:
user_pref("mail.identity.id1.fcc_folder", "imap://username@hostname/Sent Items");
user_pref("mail.identity.id1.fcc_folder_picker_mode", "1");
(where id1 is the identity for the Exchange server account)
Restart Thunderbird
The "Sent Items" folder should now have the little sent items icon.
Delete the "Sent" folder, after moving its contents back to the folder they should have been in!

Exchange (5.5) Global Address List
To access a Exchange GAL in Thunderbird (pre-Active Directory!):

Create a new Address Book, set the name and hostname fields appropriately.
Base DN:cn=Recipients,ou=,o=
Port Number: 389
Bind DN: o=,cn=

Exchange (5.5) Global Address List Idle Timeout
There seems to be a problem with accessing the Exchange GAL. It will work for a bit (when TB is first started) and then fail.

Set the LDAP idle timeout on the Exchange Server to 0.

Exchange (2K - -Active Directory) Global Address List
To access a Exchange GAL in Thunderbird (Active Directory), where the Active Directory Domain Name is company.com, the "short" version of the Domain Name is company, and the User Name is username:

Create a new Address Book, set the name field appropriately.
Hostname: IP Address or hostname of Active Directory Global Catalog Domain Controller
(might be the same as the exchange server, but not necessarily)
Base DN: DC=company,DC=com
Port Number: 3268
Note, that this is not the standard LDPA port (389) as Active Directory has now nabbed that for its services.
Bind DN: company\username

Copying from Exchange User Mailboxes to Public Folders
If you try to drag a mailbox item from your mailbox to a Public Folder then you will receive the message: "There is no replica for that mailbox on this server." This is a quirk of Exchange's IMAP4 support. Two work arounds are as follows:

Move the Exchange Mailbox item to a Local Folder, then move the item back to the Exchange Public Folder
If the Public Folder has been e-mail enabled, forward the Mailbox item to the Public Folder Email address.

Thunderbird Tips Misc
Text files as Attachments
By default, Thunderbird sends a text file attachment in-line rather than as an attachment. It sets Content-Disposition:inline. To alter this behaviour (Content-Disposition:attachment) do the following:

Close Thunderbird.
Add this line to the prefs.js file:
user_pref("mail.content_disposition_type",1);
Restart Thunderbird.
Filtering by header
It is possible to filter by any header content, although not this is not immediately obvious.

In the message filter definition dialog box, Open the "Subject" dropdown to see the list of defined headers. These are the headers that are matched against.
Select "Customize..."
Type in the name of the header you wish to filter on
Click "Add", "OK".
Re-open the dropdown and see your new header in the list.
Add your filter criterion.

Thunderbird Newsreader Tips
Making Newsreader behave like Outlook Express
If you click on the Column headers in the news reader, the articles become unthreaded. To switch off this behaviour:

Add the following to the prefs.js file:
user_pref("mailnews.thread_pane_column_unthreads", false);

OZEKI MESSAGE SERVER 6 - SMS GATEWAY

2009-02-17T10:57:00.002+05:30

Ozeki Message Server 6 - SMS gateway is a powerful, flexible SMS Gateway application, that enables you and your applications to send/receive SMS messages to mobile devices with your computer. It has an easy to use user interface, and an excellent internal architecture. The application can use a GSM mobile phone attached to the PC with a phone-to-PC data cable or IP SMS technology to transmit and receive the messages. Ozeki Message Server works on Microsoft Windows XP,2000,2003 operating systems.

Office users
Office users can use Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Excel to send hundreds of messages to their clients. The messages and the phone numbers are stored in Excel files and an Excel Macro initiates the sending process. (The excel macro is included in the software package.)

Software developers
Software developers can integrate SMS messaging functionality into their applications very easily. For example if an SMS message needs to be sent, it can be inserted into a database table used for outgoing messages. The Ozeki Message Server monitors this table and delivers the message. The Message Server puts all received SMS in another database table used for incoming messages. Of course many other APIs are available in the software to support software development.

Import your email to Google Apps

2009-02-17T10:05:00.000+05:30

The Google Email Uploader is an open source desktop utility for Microsoft Windows. It uploads email and contacts from desktop email programs (like Microsoft Outlook® ) into your Google Apps mailbox. It preserves information such as sent dates and sender/recipient data, as well as the folder structure used by email programs.

How Night Vision Works

2009-02-16T12:25:00.000+05:30

During the history of warfare, operations at night have always been degraded significantly, if not totally avoided. Typically, soldiers fighting at night have had to resort to artificial illumination, e.g., at first fire and later with light sources such as searchlights. The use of light sources on the battlefield had the detrimental result of giving away tactical positions and information about maneuvers. The advent of new technologies initially in the 1950’s and continuing into the present time has changed this situation. The engineers and scientists at the Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) have discovered ways to capture available electro-magnetic radiation outside that portion of the spectrum visible to the human eye and have developed equipment to enable the American soldier to fight as well at night as during the day in order to “Own the Night”.

Image Intensification: Image intensifiers capture ambient light and amplify it thousands of times by electronic means to display the battlefield to a soldier via a phosphor display such as night vision goggles. This ambient light comes from the stars, moon or sky glow from distant manmade sources, such as cities. A soldier can conduct his combat missions without any active illumination sources using only image intensifiers. The main advantages of image intensifiers as night vision devices are their small size, light weight, low power requirements and low cost. These attributes have enabled image intensifier goggles for head-worn, individual soldier applications and resulted in hundreds of thousands of night vision goggles to be procured by the US Army. Research and development continues today on image intensifiers in the areas of longer wavelength spectral response, higher sensitivity, larger fields of view, increased resolution, advanced displays and image fusion.

Night Vision technology consists of two major types: image intensification (light amplification) and thermal imaging (infrared). Most consumer night vision products are light amplifying devices.

Light amplification technology takes the small amount of light, such as moonlight or starlight, that is in the surrounding area, and converts the light energy (scientists call it photons), into electrical energy (electrons). These electrons pass through a thin disk that’s about the size of a quarter and contains over 10 million channels. As the electrons travel through and strike the walls of the channels, thousands more electrons are released. These multiplied electrons then bounce off of a phosphor screen which converts the electrons back into photons and let you see an impressive nighttime view even when it’s really dark. All image intensified night vision products on the market today have one thing in common: they produce a green output image. In the night vision world there are generations that reflect the level of technology used. The higher the generation, the more sophisticated the night vision technology.

Generation 0 - The earliest (1950’s) night vision products were based on image conversion, rather than intensification. They required a source of invisible infrared (IR) light mounted on or near the device to illuminate the target area.

Generation 1 - The “starlight scopes” of the 1960’s (Vietnam Era) have three image intensifier tubes connected in a series. These systems are larger and heavier than Gen 2 and Gen 3. The Gen 1 image is clear at the center but may be distorted around the edges. (Low-cost Gen 1 imports are often mislabeled as a higher generation.

Generation 2 - The microchannel plate (MCP) electron multiplier prompted Gen 2 development in the 1970s. The “gain” provided by the MCP eliminated the need for back-to-back tubes - thereby improving size and image quality. The MCP enabled development of hand held and helmet mounted goggles.

Generation 3 - Two major advancements characterized development of Gen 3 in the late 1970s and early 1980s: the gallium arsenide (GaAs) photocathode and the ion-barrier film on the MCP. The GaAs photocathode enabled detection of objects at greater distances under much darker conditions. The ion-barrier film increased the operational life of the tube from 2000 hours (Gen 2) to 10,000 (Gen 3), as demonstrated by actual testing and not extrapolation.

Thermal Imaging:

Most objects in natural scenes, as well as human beings and manmade objects emit electro-magnetic radiation in the form of heat. Thermal imagers or infrared viewers (also known as FLIRs) gather the infrared radiation and form an electronic image for the soldier. Since they do not rely on reflected ambient light, thermal imagers are totally light-level independent. They also have significant penetration capabilities through obscurants such as fogs, hazes, and conventional battlefield smokes. There are two varieties of thermal imaging systems: cooled and uncooled. Cooled thermal imaging requires cryogenic cooling. Lower performing uncooled thermal imaging systems require no detector cooling but have sufficient performance to provide the low to medium performance required by individual soldier sights, infantry vehicles, navigation, robotics and missile seekers. Present research and development in cooled thermal imaging are pursuing multi-spectral imaging, improved sensitivity and resolution, and embedded signal processing to aid the soldier in target acquisition missions. Current uncooled research is directed at smaller size packages and power consumption with lower cost and increased sensitivity, resolution and field of view. Small, palm-sized uncooled thermal imagers are now available.

Five Ideas for a More Romantic Honeymoon

2009-02-16T12:21:00.000+05:30

Candles, rose petals, satin, succulent foods, perfume—you’re probably already familiar with all of these time-honored ingredients for creating a romantic mood on your honeymoon. But candles, rose petals, and other sensual ingredients only go so far. The real key to creating a romantic honeymoon is to spend time celebrating your relationship and your new life together as a married couple. After all, romance is more about the heart than the body.

That doesn’t mean you should put the candles away, but start setting the mood early by reveling in your relationship. Here are five ideas to get you started.

1. Explore uncharted territory
Intimacy is a key ingredient for creating a romantic mood. In its most basic sense, intimacy is about revealing our interior selves to another person—the part of ourselves that we normally hide from others. When we do this, we honor the other person as someone we cherish and trust. Since it’s often difficult to start sharing in this way, a game or book of questions can help. The classic game of relationship questions is the Ungame, while the classic questions book is (appropriately enough) The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock. Each of these products contains hundreds of questions on topics ranging from ethics (“What would you do if . . . ?�?) to feelings and ideas. These are just two of many similar products that you can use in almost any setting—even in the car or airplane on the way to your honeymoon destination.

2. Combine Your Photo Albums
Buy your first photo album together, if you don’t get one at your wedding. Bring out your photo albums and choose the best photos of each other from your dating days to put in your new album—it’s a great way to relive old memories.

3. Write a Dream Letter
Write letters to each other about your dreams for your marriage. What do you hope your marriage will look like in ten, twenty, or thirty years? Exchange the letters on the first day of your marriage, and then save them to read on your wedding anniversary.

4. Leave Memory Notes Everywhere
Nothing creates a romantic mood better than remembering your best moments together as a couple. Purchase some small notepaper or post-it notes and spend some time digging up your favorite memories of your spouse. How did you meet? How did your first kiss come about? What is the goofiest thing he or she ever did? When was your spouse there for you when you needed him or her the most? Then spend some time thinking of the memories you’d most like to share with your spouse over the course of your marriage. Write these all down on the note paper, and hide them all over the place at your honeymoon destination (on the pillow, in the luggage, in the rental car, etc.).

5. Share the Love
The funny thing about love is you get more by giving it away. That’s as true for newlyweds as for anyone else, so find ways to share your love with others. Start by committing random acts of kindness—both toward each other and complete strangers. Visit the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation web page for inspiration (http://www.actsofkindness.org/). One of our favorite stories there is about a young woman who was caught in the rain when a complete stranger gave her his own umbrella. When she asked how she would return it to him, he just smiled and walked away. Creating great memories like that adds a magical twist to your honeymoon.

What is Zapr ???????????????

2009-02-03T12:18:00.004+05:30

A really simple way to let anyone share anything to anybody
- Broadcast your own content
- Create your own sharing spaces
- Share files and folders in real-time

How does Zapr work?
Zapr lets you create URL links to any files or folders on your PC. You can then send these links to others (via email or IM or YOURNAME.zapr.com) and they can get the files or see the folders directly from your PC via any browser. They do not need to register or install software.

New HTC Touch Cruise With Revolutionary HTC Footprints Delivering Advanced Location-Based Experience

2009-01-28T14:50:00.001+05:30

The leading company in mobile phone innovation and design, HTC Corporation (High Tech Computer Corporation) has announced an updated version of its popular HTC Touch Cruise smartphone - (same name) new HTC Touch Cruise, which boasts a new, more compact and sophisticated design, featuring a bundle of new capabilities, and revolutionary HTC Footprints geo-tagging application that allows users to permanently chronicle their special precious moments by capturing a digital postcard on their smartphone.

According to HTC, “Once captured, Footprints provides the ability to take notes and an audio clip of that favourite restaurant or special place while identifying its specific geographical location. In addition to identifying each postcard with its specific GPS co-ordinates, Footprints also auto-names each postcard with its general location or area.”

Key Specifications Of New HTC Touch Cruise:
528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7225 chipset
512 MB flash ROM, 256 MB RAM
2.8-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with QVGA resolution
3.2 megapixel camera with geotagging and fixed focus
HTC TouchFLO, 4-Way navigation wheel with Enter and HTC Footprints buttons
GPS/A-GPS
Included car cradle transforms your smartphone into a simple to use turn-by-turn navigator
Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for stereo wireless headsets
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
WCDMA/HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps connectivity
Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS
microSD memory expansion slot
HTC ExtUSB interface
Talk time (GSM): up to 400 minutes ; Standby time (GSM): up to 2 weeks

“Just as we have seen GPS technology transform how people navigate to new places, we are now seeing location-based applications like HTC Footprints changing how we interact and carry our memories,” said Peter Chou, President and CEO, HTC Corporation.

The new HTC Touch Cruise personal navigation handset which measures 102 x 53.5 x 14.5mm and weights just 103 grams is expected to be available in spring 2009.

Watch product tour of the new updated HTC Touch Cruise below!

Send Free Email Newsletters Via YMLP

2009-01-28T14:22:00.001+05:30

Email newsletter is one of the efficient methods in web marketing. By sending out email newsletters to your subscribers, visitors, customers, etc, you will conserve contacts and get in touch with these people. On top of that, you can always refresh the recipients’ mind and remind them about your services, your website, your blog, your products, etc. You can also do promotion, product launching, etc via email newsletter. To send out email newsletter to the recipients in your contact list is not a really complicated or difficult task. However, if you use a regular email account to send these email newsletters, it will probably not achieve the results desired. Sending out an email to hundreds or thousands of people might cause your email be treated as spam mail. To overcome this problem, one way is to subscribe to service from email newsletter providers and they will do the job for you. Of course there will be costs or fees incurred.

Well, if you have just started a company and additional cost is a main concern for you, there are some free email newsletter providers you probably can try out if you believe in email newsletter as a web marketing tool. One of the free service providers you can check out is Your Mailing List Provider or YMLP in short. This free email newsletter provider offers users quite a competitive package to send out email newsletter for free. For this free package, users need to sign up with YMLP but without downloading or installing any application. Registered users can enjoy the following benefits included in the package for free:
Offers up to 1,000 subscribers
Able to send one newsletter per calendar day
Able to send up to 1,000 emails per month
Can send plain text or graphical (HTML) newsletters
Support mail merge function
Can schedule newsletter for a later date and time
Can send attachments
Offers embed images option
Create contact lists and import contact list
Features built-in HTML WYSIWYG editor
Track readers

Move, Transfer, Migrate and Switch from @msn.com or @hotmail.com to @live.com for Fresh Start

2009-01-28T13:44:00.002+05:30

Microsoft has officially launched Windows Live ID which has the email address ending in @live.com in Windows Live Hotmail. For those who wants something ‘fresh’, Microsoft recommends that you get a fresh start by getting a brand new Windows Live ID, although users can still keep and use the old account with hotmail.com or msn.com email address or a Microsoft Passport, which already a Windows Live ID to use all Widows Live services. If you decide to migrate and switch from @msn.com or @hotmail.com to @live.com as your primary email address, Microsoft has prepared various tools and tips to make the moving process easier.............

Go to TrueSwitch at http://www.trueswitch.com/winlive

Master the Gmail keyboard shortcuts

2009-01-27T14:19:00.002+05:30

Intel® Virtualization Technology

2009-01-16T13:28:00.002+05:30

This significant statement by Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group, kicked off his keynote speech at the March, 2005 IDF (Intel Developer Forum) .

Intel has vowed to bring it's higher end platform features such as greater management capabilities through it's "embedded IT architecture" and virtualization (formerly known as Vanderpool for desktop and Silvervale for server, into it's full line of processors, from their top of the line XEON and Itanium processors, down to their budget desktop chips. On November 14th, Intel continued to work towards that goal with the introduction of virtualization technology into their desktop PC processor line.

Virtualization Technology... What is it?

Virtualization Technology, in it's simplest form allows a computer to be partitioned so that it can run several types of software, applications, or even entire operating systems simultaneously in their own virtual space or "container". While Virtualization has been popular at the software level in the server market for several years now, (VMware first introduced their x86 virtualization product in February of 1999), the reality of bringing it to the hardware level and the desktop of everyday home users is an entirely new proposition. Microsoft has already incorporated the ability to use this technology into it's Enterprise edition of it's next Windows O/S, Vista, which will hopefully be saving us all many headaches down the road.

By using this model, each set of applications are protected from the next. In the event of a crash or other conflict the remaining processes continue running, oblivious to the catastrophe that could have been if the applications been running intertwined in the same space.

Virtualization will allow users to accomplish tasks such as browsing the web in a completely safe environment. By using a totally isolated browser window in which to net-surf, the act of closing the window would eliminate any trace of spyware, ad-ware, or malicious scripting which was picked up during the session. Virtual sessions could also allow IT departments to run PC backup, recovery, and update security software in the background while a user continues to perform his daily tasks uninterrupted.

Intel actually has different plans for users of VT based on the platform that you will be using. For server users, Intel Virtualization Technology makes system software called virtual machine monitor more robust and resilient. For desktop and laptop users, Intel Virtualization Technology enables a new deployment model, called appliances, to be run in isolated virtual machines.

Intel Virtualization Technology is part of a larger collection of premier Intel designed and manufactured silicon technologies that deliver improved computing benefits to home and business users, and IT Managers. These technologies called T's (or *T) are already being implemented into your daily computing experience. The idea behind these technologies is that the computing experience can be enhanced significantly by introducing technology to help organize and protect your computing environment. Intel's efforts to focus their development in this direction, instead of simply trying to chase Moore's Law, are much wiser and will work out much better in the long run than simply trying to increase the speed of their processor platform.

Other T's Technologies include:

* Hyper-Threading Technology
* Vanderpool Technologies (Intel's codename for VT)
* Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology
* Intel® Active Management Technology
* LaGrande Technology (Intel codename)

Intel Virtualization Technology Enabled Processors

Even though the Pentium 4 processor 662 @ 3.6GHz. and the Pentium 4 processor 672 @ 3.8GHz.have been introduced, and are readily available, it will require more time for them to filter down through the distribution channel. System builders can expect to be shipping systems containing the new technology early in 2006. Intel is looking at a timeframe of around 2007 or 2008 before the technology is considered "mainstream". This time frame gives Microsoft, and any other developer, plenty of time to tweak their software to take full advantage of the technology and benefits of virtualization technology if they so desire

One of the speculations as to why Intel chose to release this new technology for the desktop in it's single core processors first was that some of their larger corporate and government clients are standardized on the single core processors and they wanted to give them the opportunity to work with Virtualization Technology without having to change their system configurations. Dual-core Pentium D processors based on the Presler core should be rolling out in Q1, 2005 and will probably be the main processors that early-adopters will be using while bringing VT to the desktop.

Intel has also already introduced VT into their XEON "Paxville" chips and plans to update Itanium server chips and their Pentium M notebooks within the 2006 calendar year. About the only Intel chips that don't look to be getting the VT benefit (at least at this time), are the XScale chip family members. Originally slated to coincide with the launch of Microsoft's "Vista" O/S, the entire process of bringing VT to the desktop has been accelerated from within Intel due to a wealth of positive feedback in it's initial testing phases

Components of Virtualization Technology

In order to use the Intel Virtualization Technology enabled processors, you will require a few key components.

A VT Enabled Processor
Choose one of the many upcoming and already released models from Intel
A VT Enabled Chipset
Desktop chipsets such as the 945 and 955
A BIOS which supports VT
Recent BIOS updates have a VT Enable/Disable option
VT Enabled Software
VMware, Xen, Microsoft Vista, Virtual Server, Virtual PC

A computer system with an enabled Intel® processor, a VT enabled motherboard BIOS, a virtual machine monitor (VMM) and for some uses, certain platform software enabled for it. Functionality, performance, or other benefits will vary depending on hardware and software configurations. Intel Virtualization Technology-enabled BIOS and VMM applications are currently in development.

Benefits of Virtualization Technology

In addition to the basic security enhancements provided by using Virtualization Technology, there are benefits, both in the desktop and server platforms, that will assure the success of this feature.

Desktop Advantages:

* Legacy Software Support (consolidation)
* Training / QA (consolidation)
* Activity Partitioning (isolation)
* Manageability (isolation, migration, embedding)

Server Advantages:

* Server Consolidation (consolidation)
* Failover Infrastructure (migration)
* Flexible Datacenter (migration)
* Manageability (isolation, migration, embedding)

Who's Invested in Virtualization Technology?

Microsoft, VMware, and XenSource are three companies closely watching the development of the mainstream VT market. Along with many others, these companies have long been working to bring secure computing to the mass market through their powerful Virtual Machine software. Prior to the introduction of the new VT chips from Intel and the upcoming "Pacifica" chips from AMD, the software had to perform the majority of the instruction set virtualization that is now handled at a hardware level.

Microsoft saw the benefits of virtualization technology and recognized that it would become a very important factor in the future of computing. This caused them to acquire Connectix Corporation who had originally written Virtual PC and Virtual Server for both the x86 platform and the Macintosh platform. Along with continuing new revisions of this software, the incorporation of the technology into their Vista Operating System shows the confidence that Microsoft has in it's future.

Final Thought on Virtualization Technology

To say that Virtualization Technology is going to be a big change in the way our computers work in our daily lives is probably a pretty big understatement. This technology has the ability to reduce or eliminate downtime due to malicious code, protect our valuable data, allow better usage of available computing resources, and reduce the amount of computers needed in any given location to do any number of specific tasks. Servers can be consolidated down from several machines running several operating systems, down to 1 machine running them all. Home PC's can be reduced down so you don't need a desktop machine, and a gaming machine, and a "Media Center" machine, since all tasks can be handled simultaneously within their own isolated environments.

Download Windows Live Messenger 2009

2009-01-01T16:36:00.000+05:30

Easily Download the Right .NET Framework with Minimal Download

2009-01-01T16:09:00.002+05:30

SmallestDotNet.com is a single page site that does one thing. It tells you the smallest, easiest download you'd need to get the .NET Framework on your system. The size of the .NET download is usually WAY smaller than you think it'll be. There's no database, no cookies, and nothing about your computer has been stored or kept. We just look at the information your browser already reports about your computer and make a suggestion as to the best .NET Framework download for you.

FREE Parallels Workstation for Windows and Linux Activation Key

2009-01-01T15:15:00.002+05:30

Parallels Workstation is an easy-to-use, easy-on-the-pocket solution that lets you run Windows, Linux and more side-by-side on a single PC without rebooting.
Truly revolutionary, Parallels Workstation empowers users of any skill level — including computer professionals, sales executives and home users — to easily run multiple operating systems on a single computer. Completely networked. Stable. Secure.

Do more with your PC!

Parallels Workstation now installs on new Linux kernel (2.6.23).
Support up to 5 network adapters in VM simultaneously.
Parallels Workstation now supports Ubuntu 7.10 and Fedora 8 as primary OS and guest OSes.
Users upgrading to Windows Vista can run legacy software not fully compatible with the new OS in previous versions of Windows on the same PC.
Computer professionals can run multiple applications, optimized for different operating systems, all at the same time and reduce dependency on specific hardware and OS configurations.
Software engineers can test and support software, OSes and configurations in different use scenarios and set up a menagerie of testing environments on their preferred platforms.

Here the way you can activate it.

Go to http://www.parallels.com/getkey/lunarp/
Enter your name, email, company, phone number and Submit.
You can download the latest Parallels Workstation EXE format for Windows, and DEB, TGZ and RPM for Linux.
Check your email and copy the key.
Install Parallels Workstation and during installation, you’ll be asked to provide valid information to receive a free trial activation key. Click Skip registration button.
Enter the Parallels Workstation activation key. Username should be already there but if not, just enter anything.

graphic viewer for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista.

2009-01-01T12:33:00.004+05:30

IrfanView is a very fast, small, compact and innovative FREEWARE (for non-commercial use) graphic viewer for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista.

It is trying to be simple for beginners and powerful for professionals.

IrfanView is trying to create new and/or interesting features in its own way, unlike some other graphic viewers, whose whole "creativity" is based on feature cloning, stealing of ideas and whole dialogs from ACDSee and/or IrfanView! (for example: XnView has been stealing/cloning features and whole dialogs from IrfanView, for 8+ years).

IrfanView was the first Windows graphic viewer WORLDWIDE with Multiple (animated) GIF support.
One of the first graphic viewers WORLDWIDE with Multipage TIF support.
The first graphic viewer WORLDWIDE with Multiple ICO support.

Some IrfanView features:
Many supported file formats.
Multi language support
Thumbnail/preview option
Paint option - to draw lines, circles, arrows, straighten image etc.
Toolbar skins option
Slideshow (save slideshow as EXE/SCR or burn it to CD)
Show EXIF/IPTC/Comment text in Slideshow/Fullscreen etc.
Support for Adobe Photoshop Filters
Fast directory view (moving through directory)
Batch conversion (with image processing)
Multipage TIF editing
File search
Email option
Multimedia player
Print option
Support for embedded color profiles in JPG/TIF
Change color depth
Scan (batch scan) support
Cut/crop
IPTC editing
Effects (Sharpen, Blur, Adobe 8BF, Filter Factory, Filters Unlimited, etc.)
Capturing
Extract icons from EXE/DLL/ICLs
Lossless JPG rotation
Unicode support
Many hotkeys
Many command line options
Many PlugIns
Only one EXE-File, no DLLs, no Shareware messages like "I Agree" or "Evaluation expired"
No registry changes without user action/permission!
and much much more

Wish you a Happy New Year !!!!!

2009-01-01T12:21:00.001+05:30

A Benchmark Strategy to Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

2008-12-30T14:52:00.001+05:30

In the frenzy to attain or maintain the highest ranking, it's easy to get caught up in keyword bidding wars. Don't give in to this temptation. There's a better way and it begins with finding a breakeven cost-per-click benchmark.

Cost-per-click the sensible way

Let's say that you sell golf clubs online. A set of golf clubs retails for $500. Your cost to manufacture or purchase the clubs is $300 per set. If you reserve an additional $100 per set for other operating expenses, you are left with $100 per unit to spend on marketing efforts such as cost-per-click campaigns.

Now assume that of every 100 visitors to your website, one visitor buys a set of clubs (a 1% visitor-to-customer conversion rate). You have $100 to spend to attract those 100 visitors, which translates into a $1 break-even per-click benchmark. If you exceed $1 per click, you will lose money. If you pay less than $1 per click, you will make money.

It's essential to understand this benchmark when buying cost-per-click advertising. When you know the conversion rates for each of your keywords, you'll be able to bid the appropriate amount - more for the keywords with higher conversion rates, and less for the keywords with lower conversion rates.

Now, let's look at this in action. The Google Analytics Revenue per Click (RPC) metric can give you insight into how much you should spend per click on a given keyword or cost-per-click campaign. You should not assume that Revenue per Click by itself provides the correct number for your business. Revenue per Click assumes that you can spend 100% of your revenue on cost-per-click advertising. Since you will want to factor in your production and business operating costs, you should consider what percentage of your revenue you can actually spend on cost-per-click advertising, and adjust your bid accordingly.

For example, let's say that you have an RPC of $11.66 per click for "beginner golf tips". If you can spend 10% of your retail price on cost-per-click advertising, your actual bid should be 10% of $11.66 or $1.16 per click. Spending more than $1.16 per click for this keyword would cause you to lose money. Spending less than $1.16 per click for this keyword would result in profit.

I don't understand how my competitors can afford to outbid me

Maybe they can't afford it - and haven't yet discovered that they can't afford it. They may simply be caught up in the bidding war machinery. But, it's also possible that lower operating costs or higher profit margins allow them to spend a larger chunk on cost-per-click. Or, they may be getting higher conversion rates for certain keywords than you do. Study their search ad copy and research their website - you might pick up some tips on improving the conversion side of the equation on your site.

In the meantime, know that you are bidding the amount that fits your business requirements and your conversion rate.

But I don't sell online

Even if you don't sell online, you may be able to attach some monetary value to each of your website goals. Consider how much each lead you gain from your website is worth and use that to determine how much you should be spending for cost-per-click.

If you are a B-to-B site, you may convert your leads into sales offline. If you know that your sales staff closes 5% of your website leads for an average transaction profit of $1,000, you can calculate your break-even benchmark as follows:

Break-even benchmark = website conversion rate x 5% x $1,000

For a keyword that yields a visitor-to-lead conversion rate of 2%, and assuming that you can allocate $1,000 per transaction for cost-per-click, your break-even benchmark will be:

2% x 5% x 1,000 = $1 per click

Managing, not just measuring

Getting the most out of cost-per-click means that you must continually monitor your results with Google Analytics so that you don't over-bid. Think of web analytics as an online marketing management tool - experimenting, testing, and always improving your cost-per-click strategy to maximize your website ROI.

Google Analytics Interface Tutorial

2008-12-30T11:37:00.001+05:30

SEO Tips - improve Google ranking of your website

2008-12-30T10:29:00.004+05:30

Search Engine Optimization activities can be divided into two sets of ongoing processes: on-site optimization (ways of building and improving your website) and off-site optimization (outside factors, such as links from other websites). These techniques may be further divided into “good” SEO, that is accepted by the search engines, also known as “White Hat SEO Practices”, and the bad, techniques, such as spam, link farming, etc., that can get your website penalized or even banned from search engines like Google or Yahoo.

Here are some of my tips for working your site’s SEO:

On-Site Optimization

Choosing the right domain name
One of the first choices that you have to make when starting your website is the choice of your domain name. This is important because Google and other search engines look at your domain name when determining the relevancy of the search engine results page (SERP). It is therefore beneficial to have the keywords that you are targeting present in your domain name.

Title
Title of your web page (specified with the use of the title tag) should be descriptive and relevant to the content of your website. It is beneficial to include some of the targeted keywords and/or keyphrases in the title of your site. Also, be sure to have unique titles for every each one of your sub-pages, as it is more descriptive and increases the amount of keywords that you can use.

Keyword density
When writing content for your website, try to include all your keywords within the body of your pages. That way, when a search engine bot (crawler) indexes your website, it sees the keyphrases included in your copy, and thus can determine the relevancy of your website for a given search querry.

Header tags
Divide the content of your site into certain parts and begin each with a relevant (keyword-rich) description bound by the header tags (h1, h2, h3, etc.).

Links
Make sure that your site does not have any broken links, for it is frowned upon by the search engines. The anchor text (name that your link is displayed as) should be relevant, and keyword rich. If certain keywords are more important to you, you may increased their value in the eyes of search engines by using one of the bold and strong tags or putting them as a header.

File names
Make sure that the file names of your web pages contain the targeted keywords. For example instead of calling your gallery page gallery.html, call it fast-cars-photogallery.html (for a gallery of sports cars). Remember not to go overboard with sticking too many keywords into one file name, because it may appear too spamy to search engines.

Image alternative text.
Remember to include the alternative text for all your images . Alt text is important for a variety of reasons: it helps visually disabled people to read your website, helps when somebody is using text only web browser, it is standards compliant, and of course it is yet another place to put some more keywords.

Meta Data: description, keywords
In your html code, be sure to put adequate, not too long, not too short description of your website and the list of your keywords.

Url rewriting
Remember that you can manipulate your urls and make them more search engine friendly with such tools as .htaccess on an Apache server or the IIS on a Microsoft platform.

W3C compliant syntax
Make sure that the html you are coding is compliant with the standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium. You can check your site at validator.w3.org. Some people believe that having valid html helps with your SERP, some think otherwise. In my opinion it is a good prudent and proactive step to take; it won’t hurt, but it may help. I myself, try to always use valid strict xhtml (specified in the doctype statement in the top part of your code).

Off-Site Optimization

Link building - you can submit your link for free to many websites such as:
Yahoo & Google Locals
At these sites you can submit your business listing, and not only get a valuable link from an important, high PR site, but also increase your brand awareness and potentially land some business deals.

Directories (DMOZ, Yahoo Directories (paid listing), etc.)
There is an abundance of online directories floating on the internet. Some of them are free such as DMOZ (very hard to get listed, but extremely beneficial to your SEO and eMarketing efforts), some offer paid inclusion (Yahoo directories, I think annual fee of $290), and some offer you a listing in exchange for a link back to their site. Be careful with linking to those directories because some might be treated as link-farms and will get you penalized by the search engines. If linking to a directory, find out if it is a legitimate website first. Also, try linking only to those sites that are related to yours in some way.

Video sharing (Youtube.com, Google Videos, etc.)
If you have some skills at shooting interesting videos or making video tutorials (such as a SEO tutorial or a witty Photoshop technique tutorial) you can post them on a variety of video-sharing networks, and put a link to your website in the description of your input.

Social Networking (MySpace.com, Facebook.com, etc.)
Social networking sites are a great way to show of your business along with your website to the world. A profile on MySpace or Facebook can gain you new clients, help to stay in touch with existing ones, develop business relations with other companies, and be a source of links and traffic to your website.

Blogs (blogger.com, wordpress.com, etc.)
Blogs, similarly to social networking sites, are a good way of sharing information about your business/website with the world. By writing relevant content, you can gain links and exposure

Message boards, forums
Digg.com
Wikipedia.org
Google Pages
Link Exchange
Email Marketing/Newsletter
A company online newsletter can keep your visitors updated and in touch with your website. Marketing emails can also attract possible clients for your business. If you decide to engage in an email marketing campaign, keep one thing in mind: “Don’t SPAM!”