Defrag Your HDD! (It's Not As Painful As It Sounds)

by Scott Drinkard

One of the easiest ways to boost overall performance from your PC is to do regular hard disk maintenance. It's not glamorous or even exciting, as a matter of fact, it's downright boring. However it is relatively painless and easy to do. In this article, I want to discuss defragmenting your hard drive. I'll give you a moment to finish yawning before continuing.....OK feel better now? Let's get to it. Most PC users, even a lot of beginners, know about the defrag utility built into Windows. Some people even use it occasionally. However, judging by my experiences in the field, even those who use it fairly regularly could use a few pointers on how to get the most out of it.
First of all, what is disk fragmentation? We could get really technical and discuss file systems, cluster sizes and the like but I doubt you want to read it anymore than I want to write about it (BORING!...). You don't really need to understand all of the technical details to understand that fragmentation can and does have a big impact on overall computer performance. I should explain however, that of all the major components of your computer, the hard drive is far and away the slowest. Knowing this, it should make sense that anything we can do to help this "weak link" with performance will improve the the overall computing experience.
Without going into a lot of detail, I'll start with a brief explanation of how a hard drive works and what causes data fragmentation. Ready? Here goes: The hard drive has a series of platters that contain all of the stored data on your PC (including the operating system, programs and all of your personal data). These platters rotate at a high rate of speed and as they rotate, a mechanical read/write head moves along the surface of the platters and... well, reads and writes data. Your data is stored on this disk in clusters. A single file usually consists of many of these clusters. Over time as you use the computer these clusters get scattered all over the drive and as a result, the files contained in the clusters become fragmented.
The reason that this negatively affects performance is that when the read head looks for a particular file, it can find that information much faster and more efficiently if the clusters containing that file are in contiguous order as opposed to being scattered all over the drive. Think of it this way: If you have a stack of money in various bill denominations, how much faster and more efficiently could you count it if the bills are grouped according to denomination and placed in descending (contiguous) order! The process of defragmentation finds these scattered clusters of data and puts them back in order so that the read head can find them faster.

Now that you are familiar with that concept, let's get going with the defrag. For those of you who aren't familiar, the windows defrag utility is located under 'Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools'. When you start the application, the user interface is pretty straightforward. You just select the drive that you want to defragment and click the button that says "Defragment". If you don't do any more than this, you'll go a long way toward improving the responsiveness of your computer. However, there are a couple major limitations in the defrag utility that can easily be overcome if you know what to do. Here are a couple of tricks you can use to really get the most out of the defrag process.
Temporarily remove the pagefile. Windows uses a section of the hard disk as virtual memory to help speed up performance of the PC. This virtual memory space is known as the paging file or swap file. Windows uses this reserved space to move frequently accessed data into and out of as you work (or play) on your computer. Because this space is reserved as system file space, the defrag utility cannot defragment this section of the disk. This reserved space can be quite large and will become very fragmented over time and since this is the first area of the disk that is accessed by the system when requesting data, it goes without saying that it's counterproductive for this file to be highly fragmented. So to get this file back in order you have to delete it. (?!) Don't worry, you are not going to delete anything important and it's only temporary. Here's how to do it:
First, save all work and close all open windows. Once you have done this, go to 'Start > Control Panel(Classic View) > System'. Select the 'Advanced' tab and click on the 'Settings' button under 'Performance'. Again, select the 'Advanced' tab and under 'Virtual memory' click the 'Change' button. Click the radio button that says "No paging file" and click the 'Set' button. Now close each dialog box by clicking 'OK' on each one. You'll get a message stating that the changes require the computer to be restarted. Click 'OK' and restart the PC. When the computer reboots it may seem a little sluggish, but that's OK because when you're finished with the defrag, you will restore the swap file and it will be one big contiguous file. That's a VERY good thing!
Now, before you run the defrag utility, there is one more thing you can do to help optimize the defragmenting process. If your PC has hibernation enabled (it is by default), it uses a file called hiberfil.sys to store the current state of your PC before it "goes to sleep". This file is then restored when the computer "wakes up" so that it is in the exact same state it was in before hibernating. The whole hibernation thing is a long story and the subject of another article, so for now just understand that hiberfil.sys is a very large file that becomes fragmented over time and because it is designated as reserved system space, can't be defragmented. So again, the solution is to remove the file. Windows doesn't need hiberfil.sys to run properly. It is only necessary if you want your computer to have the ability to hibernate when left unattended, so restoring hiberfil.sys is completely optional after you defragment the hard drive. To delete hiberfil.sys, right click any open area on the desktop and choose 'properties'. Select the 'Screen Saver' tab and click the button toward the bottom labeled "Power". When the 'Power Options' dialog box opens, select the 'Hibernate' tab. Remove the check from the box that says "Enable hibernation". The hiberfil.sys file will automatically be deleted.
Now that you have removed these two rather large and uncooperative files run the defrag utility as described above. This time the ENTIRE hard drive will be defragmented! See now, that wasn't so bad. After windows finishes defragging the disk, don't forget to re-enable the paging file. Navigate to the virtual memory dialog as described above and this time click the radio button that says "System managed size". Click 'Set' and close all the dialog boxes. Optionally, you can re-enable hibernation also, but it's not necessary unless you use the hibernate feature.
Well there you have it! A completely defragmented and optimized hard drive and it didn't cost you a dime. After following this procedure, you'll definitely notice that your PC has a little more "spring in it's step". I certainly hope this article has been useful to you. If it has, be sure to visit my website at http://www.odessacomputerguy.com and while you're there sign up for my newsletter. It's free and full of useful tips and tricks you can use to get the most out of your PC.

Scott Drinkard (The Computer Guy) is a self -employed computer service tech living and working in Odessa, Texas. The owner of Odessa based "The Computer Guy" has been helping the good people of West Texas with their computer problems for about 10 years. Please visit http://www.odessacomputerguy.com for more information.

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Holographic Storage Kills BluRay?

by John T Pratt

Holographic storage ships next month. The technology was in the works for decades before becoming a reality. Every now and then I read about something and go "wow - that's the future!". I remember when I was a kid in the 80's and my day telling me about computer storage and memory doubling nearly every six months. He also told me "someday you'll be able to carry your 30 albums or your entire record collection on a small postage stamp sized chip in your pocket." It seemed like something out of the movies back then, and yet my 4GB SD Flash card for my digital camera can hold about 1,000 songs which I guess is about 75-80 CD's (and it's about the size of a postage stamp).
We've all seen a holograph in a sci-fi movie. A holograph is a projected image that, if you moved around it, would actually have perspective form different angles. A holograph is a true "3D image". So, how do you turn a holograph into storage? Technically a holograph IS storage, because it stores information about the image to be projected. A hologram uses 2 laser beams. A reference and illumination beam create an interference pattern on photo sensitive media. Shine a laser on that reference pattern and get an image in 3D - simple as that. Robin Harris brings up to good points in that article, the first being that a small fraction of the reference data can reconstruct the entire 3D images (you just can't move as far around it). This means that unlike a CD or DVD, if the photo sensitive media is scratched it doesn't (completely) destroy the data. Imagine data that can "reconstruct itself" from the remaining bits. His other point was that the amount of storage is just about limitless. By changing the reference point and illumination of the beams different holographs can be produced - so hundreds (or more) could be stored in the exact same space on the media.

Oh - did I mention the fact that photographic media has a lifespan of over 100 years, so holographic storage has the longest lifespan of any media to date. The company that created this holographic storage technology is "InPhase" and the first units will be shipped for $18,000 next month. One disk costs $180 and stores 300GB.
Why do we care? For the same reason that both CD and DVD players were thousands when they first came out. This is the future of technology. Movie studios with long term storage needs will gladly pay $18,000 for this device, but as the prices drop I think that this kind of technology will be something that consumers need. You can buy a half-terabyte drive at your local Wal-Mart now for $100. I think it's great to be able to back up all of our digital pictures and music on an external drive for our home network. But as time goes on I will need multiple ones, and eventually some will fail - and eventually I'll lose some really cherished memories. I think that's why a lot of people I know print out so many digital pictures on photo paper - they know that if somehow the digital copy is lost, the printed version should last a lifetime. If InPhase eventually created a consumer version holographic storage drive, wouldn't you buy one? I mean come on, you could store you family digital photos knowing that the media would be good up to 100 years. I know of no other storage technology other than printed photos themselves that could give you that kind of piece of mind.
Think about the industry uses this could bring. Movie theaters could ship out their blockbusters to the theaters on these disks knowing the quality wouldn't diminish no matter how many times they were rented out. Web hosts could practically offer "uncorruptable backups". You may not know this, but your local cable company usually has movies "downloaded" on their local server for the video "on demand" services you can watch. With holographic storage they could store tens of thousands of movies for you to watch, and not just hundreds. Unbelievable amounts of data could be stored in black boxes of planes, trains, and automobiles. You could possibly take your entire entertainment system from your living room to your car on one disk. Entire textbooks could begin to be stored on disk cartridges to be read in standard readers and books in schools and universities would not only be cheaper, but the quality of the content would never diminish (just the hardware readers to view them).

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Debunking Wireless Urban Legends, Part I - Wireless Networks are Intrinsically Insecure

by Lawrence Allhands

Securing a wireless network is serious business for any IT professional, but how secure do you need to be to truly protect your network from being attacked and ultimately compromised, and which techniques will best afford the desired results? WEP, WPA PSK, WPA Enterprise, WPA2 PSK, WPA2 Enterprise; with all of the wireless security standards and options available and conflicting advice of supposed wireless experts, it's no wonder confusion reigns supreme resulting in the perpetuation of urban legends. To develop a comprehensive wireless security plan, it is essential to know the facts, so we will first discuss the various wireless security options available.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. - Sun Tzu
Wireless security options
· WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) - A deprecated wireless security protocol initially introduced in 1999 to secure 802.11 wireless networks. In 2001, many serious cryptological weaknesses were identified resulting in WEP being compromised within a matter of minutes.
· WPA (WiFI Protected Access) - A wireless security system developed in response to the weaknesses of WEP. WPA was designed to replace WEP while the full security standard (802.11i) was being developed in the form of WPA2. WPA implements the majority of the 802.11i standard and was specifically designed to work with first generation (pre-WPA standard) wireless network interface cards.
· WPA2 (802.11i - WiFI Protected Access) - A wireless security system utilizing the full mandatory elements of the IEEE 802.11i standard. WPA2 employs a new AES-based algorithm, CCMP, which is considered fully secure. WPA2 will not work with some older network cards.
· PSK (Pre Shared Key) - A "shared secret" which is shared between two parties using some secured channel prior to use. PSKs may be from 8 to 63 printable ASCII characters or 64 hexadecimal digits and may be used in the following forms;
o Password - dog679leg
o Passphrase - Spiderman beat Batman in 1994
o Hexadecimal string - 4E102AB2511CEE541
· Enterprise (802.1x RADIUS authentication) - Enterprise is meant for use with an 802.1x authentication (RADIUS) server, which distributes different keys to each user after authenticating credentials. This is the most secure wireless networking technology in existence today.

Urban Legend: WEP can be cracked in a matter of minutes
Status: True
Details: Early in 2001, Ian Goldberg, a cryptologist at Montreal-based security and privacy software developer Zero-Knowledge Systems Inc., along with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, uncovered flaws in the IEEE 802.11 standard allowing them to read WEP-protected traffic, inject traffic onto WEP-protected networks, and modify WEP-protected data. Essentially WEP is assumed to be cracked now.
Solution: Never use WEP! If for some reason you have to, add additional layers of security such as virtual private networks (VPN) or the IPSec security protocol, before allowing data to cross from a wireless network to a secure corporate system.
Urban Legend: WPA PSK & WPA2 PSK have also been cracked in a matter of minutes
Status: False
Details: In late 2004, many headlines stated that WPA had been cracked. In reality, the standard had never been cracked, but the WPA PSK implementation with a weak "shared secret" had been cracked. Here is how it works; a hacker uses a tool to scan the wireless airwaves for access points and wireless clients. When he finds a wireless client, he kicks him off the target access point by injecting DeAuth packets between them. Then the hacker watches as the client re-associates, completing the handshake with the access point. In doing so, he recovers the encrypted "shared secret" (The PSK). Now the hacker has captured the encrypted key file on his computer, but he must use a brute force dictionary attack to actually get a working PSK and gain access to network resources.
A dictionary attack varies from a brute force attack slightly. Where a brute force will simply try every combination of characters in a password, a dictionary attack will use a list of common words and pass phrases first to try and guess a password. The hacker will most likely try a dictionary attack first hoping for a quick break. If the password is randomly generated, he will be forced to use the brute force method.
The time it takes a brute force attack to guess a password is a function of the computing power (Number of attempts per second), and the length of the random password. For instance, if a hacker can test 100 words per second, and you used a single character random password consisting of a-z, A-Z, and 1-0 (72 characters) it would take approximately .72 seconds to crack it.
72^1 character combinations / 100 character combinations per second = .72 seconds
If we move form a single character to an eight character random password we get the following
72^8 character combinations / 100 character combinations per second = 7222041363087.36 seconds or approximately 319,849 years.
Once the hacker has successfully guessed your password, he will have the plain text PSK and will be able to freely access your network resources.
Solution: If you use WPA or PWA2 PSK, make sure you use a long random key. Most experts recommend a 20 character key for minimum security, but you may use a key up to 63 characters long for very high security. There are many random WPA key generators on line, use one to ensure a truly random key. Finally, rotate your keys annually, this will ensure your WPA PSK network is very secure.
Urban Legend: Using "wireless LAN best practices" such as SSID suppression, MAC address filtering. Static IP address schemes and RF signal suppression makes my network even more secure.
Status: False
Details: Many so called wireless experts would have you believe that using widely published "wireless LAN best practices" in conjunction with 802.11 wireless security measures will make your network even more secure by making it harder to detect or creating multi-layered security. These practices include;
· SSID suppression
· MAC address filtering
· Static IP address schemes
· RF signal suppression or shaping
The fact is that an experienced hacker using freely available hacking tools will automatically defeat these measures in a matter of seconds. In reality, there is no layered security and these measures only create a false sense of security and cost valuable IT resources.
In addition to this, SSID suppression can make your wireless network less secure because it forces your wireless clients to actively probe for the SSID, broadcasting continuously wherever you go. This can make you vulnerable to an evil twin attack or data seepage, which gives valuable information that can be used by a hacker in social engineering.
Solution: Don't waste time or resources on these "wireless LAN best practices", they will not help secure your network, and may even make your network less secure in the end.
In conclusion, a wireless network can be effectively secured using either WPA or WPA2 Enterprise or WPA or WPA2 PSK with a randomly generated key of 20%2B characters. Anyone who tells you anything else is just perpetuating a wireless urban legend.

Lawrence W. Allhands
Director of Customer Service
Apprion, Inc.
http://www.apprion.com

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Mini System - Small In Size But Big In Performance

by Roberto Sedycias

If you are a music buff or simply enjoy music, chances are you are already in possession of some sort of a music system. Gone are the days when we had to laboriously wind up the gramophone or put the needle on the exact spot on the record-player and when we were traveling we had to be content with a good old portable radio. But, with new advances in technology, first came improved versions of the stereo, then the cassette player and now we are simply spoilt for choice because the market is inundated with newer and better audio and stereo products. The mind boggles at the wide array of choices and it can certainly confuse anyone looking to buy the latest equipment.
With shrinking spaces but advancing technology, it is now possible to buy a mini system of stereo and audio device which is also high on quality. If you are living in a small apartment or a dorm room, you might just want a mini system like an iPod or a MP3 player. These can come with speaker docks which you can put up in your rooms or office. The basics of a mini stereo system consist of a stereo receiver and speakers.
Portable CD players, iPods, MP3players have all but replaced the portable radio. Now, no matter where you go, you can always put your mini system in your pocket and be assured of enjoying your favorite music. What a relief especially on mind-numbing long-distance flights! Your morning walks can also be pepped up with music coming into your ears.

Some mini systems let you enjoy CDs and are also capable of charging your iPod. They have remote control and reflux speakers for better sound. It is possible to use the mini-stereo system for other purposes also. You can use it for an alarm clock or you can play a single CD or play music directly from the iPod. The mini system of stereo and audio device players come in a wide range from portable CD players to simple AM/FM radios. They also come with a wide selection of speakers.
The technology is so advanced that it does not matter whether you have the iPod nano, iPod shuffle or IPod video. You can convert any of these into a full-fledged music system with portable iPod speakers. The iPod stereo docking system provides optimum functionality. And, even if you do not have an iPod, you can still listen to music with a MP3 micro system. It is a fallacy to think that these will not work in a small stereo. In fact, an iPod or Mp3 player makes an important core component in a mini stereo/audio system and even a small DVD or CD player is able to run a big home theatre. So, you can easily combine your home and mobile stereo system.
Many MP3 players offer a whole lot more than simply play the digital audio. They are capable of letting you watch videos, listen to radio and are thus more versatile than people think them to be. Different players have different memory storage and depending upon that, you can store as many hours of music as you like literally in your pocket. The advantage of these mini systems is that their audio outs perform like any other audio part. Just imagine being able to carry your music with you wherever you go without the bulk.
Mini system of stereo and audio device player has come as a boon because you no longer have to allocate large areas in already shrunk spaces for your music system and a simple set of speakers will work wonders with the acoustics.

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Virtual Private Network For Banking!

by Kirthy S

Virtual Private Network services can impact your over all computing and network performance. It's a communication network tunneled through another network, and dedicated for a specific network. One common application is secure communications through the public internet, but a VPN need not have explicit security features, such as an authentication or content encryption. They overlay other network(s) to provide a certain functionality that is meaningful to a user community.
Virtual Private Networks offer secure network connection which is layered on top of a public network, such as the internet. This Virtual Private Network Connection makes use of the internet's infrastructure to move secure data to and from the campus network.. The distinguishing characteristic of VPNs are not security or performance, but that they overlay other network(s) to provide a certain functionality that is meaningful to a user community.
IVPN provides cost-effective solution networking leveraging the Internet. Supplied with Direct Internet Access (DIA) or available as a managed service over 3rd party Internet / IP services. Get the latest in managed IPSec and SSL VPN technology from a range of system manufacturers. How does Virtual Private Network help?

With the help of Virtual Private Networking in banking, you can improve your security, reduce over all operational costs as against the traditional WAN. Also have extended geographical connectivity, improve productivity, Simplify network topology and provide global networking oppurtunities. Also find broadband networking compatibility and provide faster ROI than traditional WAN.
Two kinds of Virtual Private Networking in banking:
" Site to site VPN
" Remote Access VPN
You can opt for two types of VPN, Remote access vpn and site to site vpn. In case of a remote access vpn, their staff is regularly working in locations outside the office. Use pcs at home, to connect onto office network over dial up phone/isd lines or over broad band too. While a site to site vpn offers secure connection between locations across the open internet. By doing this, companies can save a great deal of money. As they make use of domestic broadband rather than leased lines which is expensive.
Your benefits from Virtual Private Network in Banking in a nutshell:
" Improves productivity
" Extends geographical connectivity
" Improves security
" Reduce operational costs versus traditional WAN
" Provides faster ROI than traditional WAN
" Reduce transit time and transportation costs for remote users
" Provides global networking opportunities
" Simplify network topology
" Provides broadband networking compatibility

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Simple Wireless Security Configuration

by Branden Dilorenzo

More and more people everyday are switching over to wireless technology. They are using it at home and at work to be able to connect to the internet without having the hassle of being connected with a hard line Ethernet cable. There are many advantages to doing this. With the power of laptops getting better everyday and more and more requirements for being mobile, it is a perfect solution. The problem is, many people just set up their router at home and connect without any security enabled.
Without the proper protection on your network you can open yourself up to many hazards. The worst outcome being a hacker getting into your personal computer and stealing your information and possibly your identity. It is essential to have proper protection if you are using wireless.
Ok, so you just purchased a Linksys 54G wireless router and are ready to install it. You have no idea how to configure it and found that it works by just connecting it. You scan for available wireless networks and see "linksys" SSID and it is open. You connect and have internet. Great, you're done and everything works. Wrong, if you can connect without a password, so can anyone else in the area.
First things first, we need to change the SSID and set a strong password for wireless. If you have over 20+ characters there is no way anyone can break in to it by brute force. It would take them in upwards of a few billion years at 60 passwords a second 24/7/365.
To connect to your router to manage it we need to find out the default address. You can either look in the documentation it came with or find out for yourself. To do this go to the command line by going to your start menu and opening the Run command. In the provided line type cmd; this will open a command line. In the command line type ipconfig. This will show you four lines for each adapter. We are interested in the line that says Default Gateway. If you have a Linksys router it should be 192.168.1.1. Now we take that address whatever it may be and type it into your internet browser URL line. When you hit Go a username and password box will show up. The default will be in your documentation but it is mostly Username: admin Password: admin. When you get in you will be brought to a home screen. For now all we want to change is the time zone setting towards the bottom and then hit the save settings button. The router will save and bring you back to the home page.

Next, to change the wireless settings. At the top of the home page there are a few menu buttons. Look for the one called Wireless and click on it. There should be four or five tabs in the wireless group. Basic Settings is the first. Here is where you set your SSID. Choose something you will recognize but not give away any information such as "CHome". You can change the channel it is broadcasting on here is there are a bunch of other access points using the same channel but you should be ok with channel 6. Finally, have the broadcast SSID radio button selected then hit save.
After the page comes back go to the Security page under Wireless, and you will see a few more selection areas. Under the security mode drop down select WPA Personal (PSK). PSK stands for Pre-Shared Key which will be your password to connect to the wireless. Please, please do not choose WEP, it is outdated and can be broken into within 30 by anyone with half a brain. Finally, choose your pre-shared key. For the best security make it at least 15 characters. It will not be hidden so if you forget it you can always log into your router and see what it is. Have a mixture of numbers, letters, capitalized letters, and special characters for the strongest password. After you save the settings on this page you are done setting up your secure wireless access point.
One last thing you need to do before you leave the router is change the default admin password. This can be found under the administration tab at the top of the page on the Management page. The password is the first box called Router Password. Change this to something you can remember but somewhat difficult. If you lose this password you will not be able to get into your router without resetting it and having to start all over.
That is it. It may look complicated but if you follow this step by step you should be able to configure your wireless in less than 15 minutes and never have to worry about someone breaking into your network.

If you have any questions please visit my website http://www.computerevival.com and go to the support page for contact information.
Branden DiLorenzo a professional computer systems technician.
For more computer related tips go to visit ComputeRevival for a load of free information related to common PC problems, products to help your system and a very helpful support center who will try to answer any and all computer related issues you are having. If you can't find your answer, just ask our team and we will find an answer ASAP.
http://www.ccissolutions.com

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Multimedia Add-Ons - Useful or a Waste of Time?

by Ross MacIvar

The field over Multi-Media software is almost flooded with useful and useless, add-ons. We have a few favorites that have a substantial added value.
First of all there is iLike, an add-on for Apple's iTunes. iLike keeps you in contact with other like minded music lovers through a build in Web 2.0 social networking component. That's fun and you keep each other up to date with available new releases.
Exciting is the
Another nice add-on called Last.fm. What it does is keep track of your musical preferences by through the music you play most. If at any point your imagination on what to play next runs out, or if you simply have no more interesting songs in your library it will select an appropriate radio station for you. Completely tailored to your musical taste.
All the different video formats on the net are rather confusing. To avoid a constant search for the right codec Ffd takes that job out of your hands, and take care of everything. This application supports most media players and makes sure that the right codec is at the right place at the right time.

If you are not a US citizen, or connecting to one of your favorite video site from abroad you will have a problem. License policies usually restrict the use of those sites to US based computers; practically meaning US based IP addresses. If you surf to anchorfree.com you can download the program HOT Spot shield. What it does is redirect your connection through a VPN to a US based network. And that is what you need.
When you choose a song from your iTunes Library you can get a list of "related songs" together with samples of those suggestions. This is really a nice feature, their suggestions are in my opinion to the point, witch by itself is rather unique.

Ross is author at http://www.selected-audio-reviews.com and writes about his multimedia interests and Spyware

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Screensavers - What They Can Do for You

by Colin Wolfenden

Most people might think of screensavers as just a bunch of animated scenes or beautiful pictures sitting on their PC desktop. A screen saver is far more however. You may be surprised to learn that behind the scenes a screensaver is helping you in more ways than one, such as:
Stress Buster
With many of the relaxing screensaver themes available today, simply watching can reduce your stress levels significantly. In particular, many of the nature screen savers which include sounds can be an escape from today's hectic pace and noise.
Monitor Protection
Screensavers help protect your computer screen from image burn. When the same image is displayed on the screen for a long period it can burn permanently into the screen. This was the original reason for screensaver development. Although screen burn is not as much of a problem these days, some of the new LCD screens can still be affected by it. Having a nice screen saver will give you added protection just to make sure.
You may realize by now that downloading a screensaver for your desktop is a good idea; which it is. However, there are a few things to consider. Because a screensaver is typically an executable file, there are risks you should be aware of, namely spyware, viruses and trojans. All these little nasties can be packaged into the screen saver file and infect your computer when you install it.

Choosing a Safe Screensaver
The best way to protect your PC from spyware and viruses is to follow these simple steps:
1) Image Quality
Does the preview screensaver have high quality images or animations? While this is not always true, in general high quality animations or images are more likely to be produced by a genuine business.
2) Website Address
You may find screensaver download banners and links on a wide variety of websites. However, take note of the website where you are taken to for the download. For instance you may click on a banner on a web page which takes you to the main screensaver download site. If the download site looks unprofessional or has a dodgy web address then it could be risky to download any of their files.
3) Guarantees
Most of the better quality screensaver download sites will prominently display some sort of virus and spyware guarantee. While you can't solely rely on this it is a good general guide when choosing a screensaver download site.
By using the three points above together you stand the best chance of protecting your system from viruses and spyware when downloading screensavers. The reason that screensavers where originally developed is not as much of a problem today as it was. However, as with many things, they have evolved to have other purposes. Grab yourself a nice screensaver today and de-stress, enjoy the show, and be happy.

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IT Support Has Come A Long Way

by Ajeet Khurana

In the past you would have to call a support hot line and perhaps wait on hold for ages to talk to an operator who may or may not be able to help you. In fact, you may not even be able to understand the person that you get on the other end of the phone as many of these services are outsourced to different countries!
Now, you can get all of the hel p that you need for your PC without picking up the phone. Many people are doing away with the old help desk and going the route of remote assistance to repair their PC or see if a problem exists.
Remote assistance or PC repair has become much more common in the last few years. The way this works is that someone at a remote location can log onto the computer using the username and password so that they can see what is going on.
The person at the remote location can then take a look at all of the settings from their location and determine what the problem is. Many times the individual is able to simple change some settings and the problem is fixed.
Many people go this route instead of the typical tech support route because it allows them to get the help that they need for their computer without bringing it into a shop or having it sent off to the manufacturer. The cost associated with this is usually a lot less than if you brought the computer in to be fixed, too.

In addition, many companies offer this service in a way that if the issue cannot be fixed via remote repair than you don't have to pay! If nothing else, this is a great diagnostic tool that will give people an idea of what's wrong and how much it will cost to repair it.
With the introduction of Windows XP this service got even more sophisticated and even more so with the introduction of Windows Vista. With Vista there is not even someone who has to get onto the computer to see what the problem is, instead there is an application that can be used to see if any problems exist and what can be done about it.
This has been a priceless addition to the help desk world and most people find that this is the only way that they want to receive technological aid with their computer if at all possible.
The technical support of today is definitely not the same as it was 10 years ago and certainly much different than it was 15 or 20 years ago. The process is still not simple all the time because the products that we are buying are becoming increasingly complicated, but so much can be done from the comfort of your home instead of hauling your equipment into a provider.
Most of the time the solution is simple and the service is free, meaning you can benefit from the technology-based items that you have to the fullest extent, and that's the way it should be!

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Protect Your PC

by Dan Ronco

While it's a great tool, using the Internet carries a certain amount of risk. We read about virus and worms destroying information, we're annoyed by those pesky ads that keep popping up on our display, and we see TV shows about identity theft. It's easy to become worried. Heck, I'm guilty of scaring people, too; my first novel, PeaceMaker, is about an intelligent virus that shuts down the Internet.
While the risks are real, there are a number of steps to mitigate the problems. And you don't have to be a techie, either. This article contains common-sense suggestions that the average home computer user can employ.
Identity theft, a growing problem, usually results in the loss of social security numbers, bank or investment account information, or passwords. A typical scam is an email that states that there is a problem with your account and asks you to log into a fake website that looks just like the official one. You are asked to update your information, and the scammer captures all the data as you enter it. The common sense solution is to never click on an email into a sensitive account. Always go directly (or through your favorites list) to the real website.
As we all know, the Internet is riddled with viruses and worms. A virus is a program that attaches itself to another program, usually riding email from one computer to another. The virus is activated when the email is opened, and it may consume your computer resources, destroy important information, attach a copy of itself to every email you send, or carry on any number of unpleasant activities. A worm might be as dangerous as a virus, and it can spread all by itself.
The best defense is a comprehensive anti-virus software product provided by firms such as Norton or McAfee. These AV products check every email message entering or leaving your computer and search for every known virus or worm. When it finds software that matches the signature of a known virus or worm, it isolates the virus or worm and warns the user. The usual course of action is to erase the offending software.

Although you should keep your virus definitions up to date(automatic updates should be utilized), a brand new virus could sneak past the AV product and infect your computer. Although the AV product received the virus definition too late to prevent the infection, it might catch it later. The AV product checks every file as it's accessed, so there is a good chance it will detect the virus that infected your system. A weekly scan of your entire file system is a good idea, just to be extra careful.
Spyware is another pesky problem. Ever wonder where those annoying popup ads come from? It's adware, a form of spyware, which is tracking software installed on your computer with little or no notification, consent or control. Spyware monitors your activities and may display ads based upon the websites you've visited. Furthermore, it may keep track of all your activities and then report the results to some other party across the net.
Spyware is designed to be difficult to remove. Often, these programs are impossible to delete through the Windows Add/Remove function. Many AV products now incorporate anti-spyware functionality. In addition, it's not a bad idea to install a dedicated anti-spyware program to back up the AV software. Anti-spyware products may prevent spyware from installing, and they warn the user of installed spyware. As before, a weekly scan of your files is a good practice.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer is by far the most frequently used browser. As a result, most virus and spyware writers focus the bulk of their efforts on IE. As a result, third party browsers, such as Firefox, are not vulnerable to all the viruses that infect IE. If you are having a bad time with infections, consider moving to another browser.
Finally, set up a firewall on your computer. A firewall regulates the inbound and outbound connections between your PC and the Internet. It prevents unknown outside computers from connecting to your PC. Hackers and automated software are constantly searching for unprotected computers, but a firewall should prevent them from breaking in. Windows includes a firewall, as do many of the comprehensive AV products. Firewalls are not foolproof, but they add another line of defense. This article is not a comprehensive description of ways to protect your PC, but it's a good starting point. A good AV package, including anti-spyware and a firewall, properly used is a great tool. Combined with common sense, you will dramatically reduce the risk to your PC.

Dan Ronco is a writer of technology thrillers and near future science fiction. PeaceMaker, his first novel, was published in 2004 and his second, Unholy Domain, will be released March, 2008. Dan mixes visionary ideas with a touch of romance and humor. Learn more about Dan at http://www.danronco.com

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For Women Only - Your Computer Usage Could Cost You Your Job

by Chris Robertson

Few would argue that, despite the advancements of feminism over the past three decades, women still face a double standard when it comes to their behavior. While men's borderline-inappropriate behavior is often laughed off as "boys will be boys," women face higher conduct standards - especially in the workplace. That's why it's crucial that, as women, our behavior on the job is beyond reproach.
Small Towns and Big States
For evidence of the double standard, we need look no farther than Arlington, Oregon, where Mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist was recalled in a 142-139 vote after the town's denizens discovered that the mayor's MySpace page featured photos of her in lingerie. Although Kontur-Gronquist is alleging election fraud and challenging the returns, and even though the mayoral position was unpaid, no one is arguing that her MySpace page did her in.
Contrast her situation with that of David Paterson, New York's new governor. After Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned amid allegations of engaging the services of a prostitute, Paterson was sworn in and admitted that he had engaged in extramarital affairs and that he had experimented with both cocaine and marijuana while he was in his twenties. It seems odd that the mayor of a small town in Oregon is being held to a higher standard than the governor of New York.

With Computers, Private Can Go Public
The moral (so to speak) of the story is that, as women, our behavior must be impeccable - both on and off the job. Yes, we can have private lives, but we unwittingly make those private lives public when we boot up a computer, use email, or go online.
To protect yourself in the workplace, the first rule of thumb is never to conduct personal business using your employer's equipment. You have no right to privacy, and your employer can have total access to your record of computer usage, your Internet history, and your email. Resist the temptation to shop online, check the news, or surf the Internet while you're at work. Don't forward that joke or motivational email to your colleagues. And don't email your friends or family members.
The second thing to keep in mind is that the niche of the Internet you've carved out for yourself using your home computer is also visible to your employer. Increasingly, potential employers use tools to screen job candidates' presence on the Internet. That hysterical YouTube video of you dancing with a lampshade on your head at your best friend's bridal shower may prevent you from landing the job of your dreams. Before making a bold rant on your blog or uploading a questionable picture to a social networking site, think about the impact it might have on your career.
Final Thoughts
There's no arguing that computers enrich our lives and provide us with options our mothers never dreamed of. As women, though, computers can also be our downfall at work. It may be acceptable for men to check out the Sports Illustrated website while they're at work (even the swimsuit edition!), but women are held to a higher standard... Just ask Carmen Kontur-Gronquist.

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Importance of Technical Help Desk

by Omar Mahmood

Presence of Computers
Computers are everywhere. Be it a home, school, hospital, banks, offices, post offices, grocery shops, medicine shops or theatres, we can see the presence of computers evenly. The use of computers has become mandatory to make the works easier and effective. People face several technical problems related to computers, its uses and application in their work and at homes. Along with the wide use of computers, occurrence of problems has also increased.
Presence of Computers at Home
Computers and Internet is a part of every home in current modern world. It has taken place as an important and integral electronic Item. The necessities of computers are well known for every member of the family, kids want them for playing different games, and youngsters need a computer and internet for surfing or download music and gadgets of their interest, mature members of home need computer to check official mails or for simply being in touch with relatives, friends and other people. Even housewives use computers for learning new recipes, home decoration tips, and various other skills.
Presence of Computers at Offices
Computers are essential need of every office to perform the work in effective, timely and organized manner. At some places we cannot imagine an office without a computer like Banks, Railway Station, Airports, and Departmental Stores. The work volume and need for storage of data for future use is very important in these cases. The only option is to rely on computers to solve all the required purposes. In brief, we can say Computers are a part of almost every business installations.

Problems Scenario
Computers are electronic machines and like all other machines, they are prone to creating problems. The cause f problem can be anything, may be excess utilization of resource, mishandling, power problems, virus attacks or any physical issues. To solve these problems, larger installations like software companies, BPO organizations, banks, and government offices usually have an IT troubleshooting cell, taking care of all the problems.
But, it's not possible for small businesses or home users to hire a fulltime IT troubleshooter for these problems. To solve their day-by-day problems, small businesses and home users contact nearest IT troubleshooting services providers. These troubleshooters do an excellent job of helping out home users, and small offices to help them work in easier and effective way without being worried of future problems in their computers and internet connection.

For more information, visit: http://www.btgeeks.com

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Various Ways Of Computer Recycling

by Saman Rashid

Computers are often just thrown in a dump
With technology advancing by leaps and bounds, older technology is becoming obsolete extremely fast. Most of the time, outdated equipment, including computers and their various peripherals, are just discarded or thrown away in a dump. It's important that computer recycling become a part of our initiative, just like recycling done at home.
Many hazardous elements such as mercury are released when there are leaks in computer parts. This causes a hazard to the environment and isn't beneficial for humans either. Most of the computer equipment purchased becomes obsolete after 5 years.
Even after various upgrades, companies and individuals need to buy new computer parts. Many times, it's best to buy new computer equipment rather than to continue using the old equipment.
Old computers can be recycled in many ways, rather than simply be thrown or dumped in land fills. Many corporations and small home offices have old computers that are lying in their store rooms for want of a better disposal method.
With a little bit of tweaking, older computers can still be made to work. These obsolete computers may just have hard disks with less storage space or slower processing speeds. The latter can often be corrected by adding additional RAM memory.
Government programs for recycling
There are many government programs now operational in US for recycling of computers and computer parts. The government has enacted specific laws that deal with disposing of electronic waste include computers. It's important that people check the relevant laws for disposal and recycling of unwanted computers.

There are many agencies that are listed under county offices as 'waste management programs' or 'computer recycling'. These groups are charged with the safe disposal and recycling of computer equipment. These agencies will collect the computers for recycling for a small fee or at no cost depending upon the parts contained in the computers.
Recycling programs run by manufacturers
Manufacturers of laptops, printers, scanners, copiers etc. also have recycling programs. A few who do include: Sony, HP Compaq, Dell, Apple, and Toshiba.
These companies take in old and obsolete computers in exchange for credit or discounts given on new purchases. Be sure to check all the regulations and the details before you choose to use their recycling programs.
Donating the old stuff
There are many charities and organizations that will happily accept old computers. You can also find nearby charities that may be in need of old computers. Charities that promote children and youth education may need the computers that are old but still functional as training tools. If you think that the computers can be of help and that the charity shall benefit, why not donate them rather than throwing them away.
Conclusion
Many charities may also have their own rules regarding the types of computer that they can accept. Of course no one is apt to accept computers that are 10 or more years old. Also, don't donate inoperative computers or peripherals to the charity. It serves no purpose, as they will be unusable.
Computer recycling is one of the best ways in which to provide a safer environment for our future generations and also to meet the needs of charities. Let us all be conscious about the waste that we generate.

Saman Rashid is an experienced writer.She has been writing articles and web copies since 3 years. To contact her, kindly visit http://www.mscopywriters.com

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What's The Difference Between A Data Center And Colocation For Meeting Network Infrastructure Needs?

by Michael Lemm

To make the best decision on how to meet your company's network infrastructure needs you must understand what is the difference between a data center and a collocation arrangement. What can each do for you .... and what they can't.
In some respects they are all the same. Collocation simply means to co-locate your network equipment at another location. CLEC's (FD, XO, Megapath) collocate equipment all the time in a CO or POP from the ILEC (Bellsouth, Verizon, Quest). They are just collocating different gear but the end result is the same.
For that matter at one time MediaOne in Atlanta (long before they were gobbled up by AT&T then Comcast) allowed anyone to collocate equipment at certain hub sites. I don't know the details of how, what, where and why but I know it was done. Theoretically the same could be done at Bellsouth or similar if you know the right person, or are willing to pay the right amount, which may have been the case with MediaOne.
For Data Center vs collo, they are mostly one and the same. Let's put it this way, a collo facility is a data center but the reverse may or may not be true. The only difference between the two would come in play on the rules of the data center. Some data centers (take NAC, the site where DSLR is hosted) may not allow equipment to be collocated (I don't know if they do or not, it's just an example) but they will let you buy all the pre-existing dedicated servers you want and basically achieve the same thing. But assuming NAC does allow you to collo equipment does not mean they aren't a data center.
Basically a data center is any hardened (we hope) facility that houses various types of equipment for the purpose of allowing remote users access to it for any number of reasons or methods. A CO or POP could even be called data centers, in fact they are likely much more hardened than a typical data center. But just like a CO or POP can serve specialized needs a collo can as well. Basically what I mean by that is that a CO usually wouldn't host your server but will host your DSLAM if you were a CLEC, a collo on the same token will host your server but may not have any pre-existing dedicated servers to sell you.
As for how you obtain the bandwidth you need ..... that really depends on where you put your servers and that also means you may or may not be billed on 95th percentile as well. If you buy rack space from a carrier hotel such as 55/56 Marietta here in Atlanta you would be on 95th percentile because you are being plugged into the network infrastructure of the building. The advantage to that is there are dozens of companies that have end points in that building so say you wanted something from Georgia Tech's servers, just a couple of hops in the colo facility and you are on the gatech.edu network and you never even touched the public internet to get there.
But at the same time if you rent colo space from an ISP then you have the power and cooling advantages but you aren't plugged directly into their network. Instead what they did was sell you the T1 or DS3 or whatever and all you paid for was the port cost no loop costs because there really wasn't any loop (at least not in the sense of what is out on the poles).

Also there is a difference in how each company sells their space. Some places let you purchase rack space 1U at a time. Some lets you hosts tower based servers while some do not. Some force you to buy a portion (or all) of a rack (say 1/4 or 1/2 of a rack) but it will be dedicated to whatever you can stuff in there and it will usually be locked. XO on the other hand only sold cages. What you get is basically a small "room" where you bring in your own racks and populate then how ever you want. This is the best option usually for those that have existing racks and infrastructure and just want to have them in a data center.
Remember....collocation is not about staffing - it's about location of your equipment. Instead of running data circuits and enhanced power supplies to your location, you'll put your servers in a data center where they have lots of high speed circuits and robust environmental controls, and big power backup generators. They do have staff at those data centers, that sometimes will do things for you if contracted at extra cost.
The other side of Collo is bandwidth. If say you were a "bigger" company ..... the build out cost of running a DS3 or more to your location might be cost prohibitive. This is more directly the point if you need peering redundancies.
The biggest difference is if you "rent" bandwidth instead of your own pipe. Most bill on the 95%. Its not like an all you can eat DSL line or cable. You pay by the MB .... plus the rack space you use and power. The plus side, the world could end but more than likely your servers will be fine. COLO's are built like Fort Knox. If the world ended however no one is going to care that your servers are up.
If you need assistance in finding a collocation solution .... or any bandwidth solution for your network infrastructure needs .... you can get that help at no cost to you from DS3-Bandwidth.com.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

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Why Fiber Optic Cable Should be the Media of Choice in all Commercial Building Network Installations

by Bob Ballard

As the demand for bandwidth increases it appears that common sense decreases at a proportional rate with regards to the installation of fiber optic cabling. There are those that continue to insist on installing Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Copper in lieu of fiber cabling in most installations. I had a contactor once tell me that he is aware that fiber is a better media and is less costly in the long run. However, he insists that if he installed fiber on a regular basis it would not be long before he would be out of business. He felt that it would take less time to install a fiber network which would mean less billable man hours and most importantly, he knew he would not have to go back to the job site for many years to upgrade, troubleshoot, or otherwise service the customer's network. As a matter of fact, once the fiber network was properly installed, terminated and tested, he would probably never hear from that customer again. Apparently he relied on repeat business from each of his customers as that had been the norm for the past 25 years and was just the normal set of circumstances that came with installing UTP.
This supports the fact that for the last 25 years, in order to upgrade a building's network one would have to re-cable the entire building to support the required bandwidth demand. Notwithstanding the fact that fiber has been around for years, UTP cooper became the media of choice even after it became apparent in the late 1990's that fiber in many cases was less expensive to install and maintain. So therefore the copper manufactures have continued to twist it tighter, make the conductor larger and put shielding around it to try and squeeze the final drop of capability out of it. One can compare that to tightly twisting a wet wash cloth in an attempt to squeeze out all of the dirty water. Of course one cannot squeeze out all of the water thus the rag must be hung out to dry - which is what should be done with UTP copper. Even though UTP copper continues to falter on a regular basis when the demand for bandwidth increases, there are still those that insist on following the path of insanity which is, of course, continuing to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Concerning 10Gig Ethernet, UTP Copper continues to be installed even with the common maladies associated with UTP cabling such as the infamous Alien (UFO/Subterranean Crosstalk). Fiber cabling is immune to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency interference (RFI) so it therefore has none of the problems commonly associated with copper cabling.

The issue of fiber being too fragile is nonsense. Optical fiber is not your typical kind of glass. It is made of ultra-pure silica which is an extremely strong material that has the ability to handle exposure to temperature and pressure extremes. The tensile strength (resistance to pulling) of optical fiber exceeds 600,000 pounds per square inch which actually makes it stronger than copper or steel strands of the same diameter and easily surpassing the strength requirements of today's communications applications. At the time it is manufactured and cabled, it is usually joined with aramid (Kevlar) or fiberglass yarns and placed into various jacketing materials depending on its intended use.
The myth that fiber's performance capabilities are unnecessary is another ridiculous statement. Fiber has proven time and time again that it can transmit information error-free over much greater distances than copper and support higher data rates at the same time. If a local area network is experiencing bottlenecks, high error rates, or slow throughput, an optical fiber solution will, in fact, support a broader range of bandwidth capabilities, further supporting the fact that ALL computer networks should be copper and not fiber. Optical fiber itself is capable of supporting runs beyond the 100-meter limit for any grade of copper cabling available today. Standard 62.5-micron (µm) fiber can run effectively up to 300 meters at 100 Mbps, and LOF, 10Gig, 50- µm fiber can run up to 500 meters. With proper training and awareness, contractors will find that fiber networks are easier to install and test and offer outstanding opportunities for business growth.
Contractors and students alike continue to say, "fiber is difficult to install". This is far from the actual truth. In fact, fiber cabling is much easier and less time consuming to install when compared to the installation of UTP copper. As a matter of fact, even the fiber network test equipment is easier to use and much less expensive. Besides ease of installation, SFF connectors make fiber faster to install, as the connection time per connector is much quicker.
Another leading myth is that upgrading from copper to fiber is expensive and not worth the effort. This is so far from the truth that it borders on being absolutely silly. Fiber has already surpassed the cost parity with copper, even when considering installed first costs. Now, in many cases, fiber is actually a less expensive alternative for cabling than copper.
Before you follow the path to insanity, get some good education and some exceptional hand-on training from a reputable fiber optic training company. Forget about attending those schools where the curriculum is written by college professors with little or no actual hands on experience. Pursue your knowledge of fiber optics networking with aggression and conviction. And by all means be sure you make a knowledgeable decision on the use of fiber optics in your network. Be sure to visit the BDI DataLynk web site and read the US Courts Fiber to the Desk Article. This article discusses the largest OM-3, 10Gig FTTD installed in the United States.
Remember, installing copper is installing the past.

Bob Ballard, RCDD, CFOI, CFOT, and owner of BDI DataLynk, is a Registered Communication Distribution Designer appointed by BICSI, and is also recognized by the Fiber Optics Association as a Certified Fiber Optics Instructor. Bob has been actively involved in the telecommunications industry for over 20 years. His expertise in the area of fiber connectivity has made him a sought after consultant whenever problems arise. He speaks at Universities, Architectural Firms, Integrator Gatherings, and Conventions. He has performed fiber optics training for contractors all over the US and Mexico. He also has taught numerous fiber optic training sessions in the United States and Mexico on subjects ranging from Long-Haul Fiber Connectivity to Network Grounding. He is also responsible for one of the largest fiber to the desk installations in the US - the US Courts FTTD Project in Texas. For more information about installting and testing fiber optics networks, visit us at http://www.bdidatalynk.com

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IBM Takes Its Chances with EnterpriseDB

by Lora Bentley

Question: Not long ago, you announced that IBM joined existing investors for EnterpriseDB's third round of venture funding. Why did IBM get involved this time?
Astor: IBM does not typically invest in companies. They do invest in open source projects from time to time, but I think they saw an opportunity with us. They've got their Linux bet made. They've got their Apache bet made. They've got their Geronimo bet and their Eclipse bet, all the way up the stack, but they haven't really made a statement about the database yet.
With Sun's recent acquisition of MySQL and the fact that IBM is a big fan of truly enterprise-class open source technology - particularly when it's mature and there's relatively little differentiation among vendors, I think it just made a whole lot of sense for IBM to place a bet and take a small stake in EnterpriseDB to get involved and impact the Postgres community. EnterpriseDB has emerged over the last couple of years as the leading Postgres company. I say that because we have more core team members and committers and thought leaders, and we are developing more features for the community than any other company. Looking for a way to invest in Postgres, I think it just made sense for IBM to come and chat with us.
Question: If I may ask, did EnterpriseDB approach IBM, or did IBM approach EnterpriseDB?
Astor: I think it's fair to say that IBM contacted us to engage in partnership conversations, which we engaged in happily, and when we let them know that we were raising a Series C, they had some interest in participating in that. That is pretty rare, by the way. They don't generally invest in companies.
But we were very interested, frankly, in having their brand behind us. I think it helps tremendously for a young company to be endorsed, if you will, by IBM, and they get to participate in a very rapidly growing commercial open source company at a bargain price.

Question: What does having IBM's brand behind it do for EnterpriseDB? What doors does it open?
Astor: Recently, MySQL, which is also a very small company but somewhat bigger than EnterpriseDB, was acquired by a Fortune 500 company. That, I think, changes the way the market looks at MySQL. Similarly, I think having IBM invest in EnterpriseDB changes the way the market looks at us. I think it's fair to say that the open source database space is really now a two-horse race. The press that we've gotten and the interest that we've gotten since we made the announcement is indicative of a different place in the market.

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Purchasing A New Computer - Things To Consider

by Jasen R Miller

In today's fast paced high tech world it is hard to fathom what life would be like without a computer. They can be found everywhere from restaurants to your own home. Yet it seems as soon as these machines are un-boxed they are already obsolete. Or perhaps you have had your computer for several years and it is so slow that it would make a more efficient paper weight. In this article we will cover the basics about buying a new computer, what to look for in a new system, and how one can save money when purchasing a new computer.
Making the decision to buy a new computer is not one to take lightly. If you buy something that does not suit your specific needs, you have essentially bought a worthless item.
Basic Computer Purchasing Steps
· Determine Primary Use
· Determine Price Range
So one of the first steps that you have to do when determining what kind of computer that you are going to purchase is what do you primarily use your computer for. A user that generally just uses their computer for internet browsing and basic document/spreadsheet creation, etc... does not need as high end of a system as someone who enjoys playing video games. After you have determined what your primary use is, it leads us to our second point.
Secondly the next major determining factor of what kind of computer you should purchase is your price range. Computers have come down dramatically in price over the past several years. A basic computer built by a major manufacturer such as Dell can cost you as little as $299. Or if you money is no object you can find yourself spending $2500 or more on a desktop system.

After spending many years providing Network Consulting to many clients I can say from experience that buying the cheapest brand name model may sound like a great deal. But they are usually cheap for a reason. They are often made with the bare essentials. From personal experience with cheap "bargain" computers they often suffer from a range of problems from hardware failure, overheating, and many other problems. Newer operating systems like Vista demand a lot of CPU and memory, and when run on low end bargain computers can cause many errors such as crashing, random reboots, hung applications, general slowness.
When purchasing a new PC on a tight budget you should reasonably expect to pay at least 600 for a decent running system. If you are truly interested in video games or work with a lot of media and graphics some of the main hardware components that you will want to make sure are top of the line are the Processor, Memory, and Video Card.
So these are just a few things to consider when you are considering purchasing a new PC.

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Managed Services

by Keith Charles

Over the last decade or so, I have heard stories from friends and ex-students alike about network failures. One student, a very gifted computer mind once suggested that networks are alive. He insisted that a router or server and even a firewall knows when to keep you at work. They crash. Networks are known for destroying planned vacations, family dinners, you name it. IT departments are bogged down with multiple failures at the same time.
Businesses, both small and large lose huge sums of money addressing down time. Because of the need for minimum downtime, which is directly tied to business success, stakeholders are very much concerned with a fault free network. Though impossible, the plea for technology that is not visible is enormous. I have experienced on networks where there is a need to correct a problem and the router guy cannot contact the firewall guy. Believe me, it's annoying, especially if it's Friday evening and you got tickets to the game.

Today, with the advent of Managed Services, this hair pulling experience is outdated. With Managed Services, you have one IT department, which controls everything proactively. No more trying to reach the firewall administrator to open a particular port. Every service or application is centrally managed 24x7. Patch management, virus updates, backups, all managed using top edge technology.The continuous addition of resource intensive applications on todays' networks, VOIP,teleconferencing,Wi-Fi has made monitoring a full time, always on service. Managed Services take away the constant headaches of failures by moving away from a break and fix model to a proactive model.
The size of your company may not allow you to have your own dedicated IT department. Managed Services now allows you to have one.You are now afforded a single point of contact for carriage and all network CPE issues & single supplier instead of multiple vendors .Managed service providers sell managed services and offer several different price structures allowing the peace of mind enjoyed by large enterprise networks.

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Why It's Vital To Look For Solutions Before You Need Them

by Jane B Smith

It's a somewhat alarming fact that not many businesses are pro-active when it comes to looking for solutions to possible problems that may occur with their IT infrastructure.
Given the fact that the majority of businesses nowadays are hugely reliant on their computer systems, it's rather unsettling that if something were to go wrong, hundreds of thousands of companies would not be able to cope in anything like an adequate fashion.
In short, a major computer glitch or problem of any kind would result in many companies losing thousands - if not hundreds of thousands - of dollars of revenue, depending on how long it was before the problem could be fixed.
That's why it's vital to accept the fact that no computer system is one hundred per cent foolproof. If it can go wrong, the chances are that it will at some point, which is why it's advisable to look for solutions ahead of time. Doing so will not only give you a point of reference to follow if something does happen, it will also save a huge amount of time.
This in turn will make it much easier to marshal your resources; everyone in the team will already have been briefed on what to do while the problem is being fixed, which leaves more time to concentrate on solving the problem itself.

It's also worthwhile to get feedback from employees at various levels of the organisation on a regular basis, to ensure that any ongoing problems can be discovered and a solution found before they have a chance to affect other areas of the business.
But regardless of whether you are faced with a problem already or you are taking the chance to try and stop them before they appear, the main thing to remember is to communicate with your employees. Anyone who uses a computer as part of their everyday job description may have useful information on how the system is performing for them. It's often the case that a minor problem can be prevented from turning into a major one simply through the act of communicating that problem to someone in the IT department who can do something about it while it's still at an early stage.
Being pro-active and leading the way when it comes to IT issues can lead to better progress and sales, and fewer problems in the long run. That's why it's so important to stay ahead of the game.

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How To Achieve The Lowest Cost Possible When Installing A Fiber Optic Network?

by Colin Yao

The purpose of this article is to show you the available options for termination a fiber optic cable installation project. I will compare the pros and cons of different termination approaches.
Fiber optic cable termination can be divided into two major groups: factory termination and field termination.
Field technicians face important trade-offs in deciding which approach to choose. For tighter loss budget, the best approach is factory terminated cables since it is much easier to achieve loss loss and high quality connector terminations in a controlled factory environment. On the other hand, field terminations provide far more flexibility in meeting system requirements.
Pros of factory termination
1. The factory has to guarantee the quality. Fiber optic manufacturers have highly trained technicians and high quality equipment for the job. Factory technicians usually are expert on fiber connector polishing and they produce thousands of fiber optic patch cords and fiber pigtails on a daily basis.
2. Factory termination provides the lowest cost. Since factories produce mass quantity of fiber patch cords, they have reduced the cost to the lowest possible point. This is the most economic choice.
Cons of factory termination
Factory termination doesn't provide as much flexibility as field termination. You have to write down the list of fiber lengths and quantities and you have to make sure that you have enough spare length of cable for each termination.
Pros of field termination
1. Field termination provides the best flexibility in meeting system requirements. You can just pull the fiber cables and terminate them later.
2. You can do on-the-spot repairs wherever there is a defective fiber link. This is the biggest advantage of doing the termination yourself.

Cons of field termination
1. High cost. You need some polishing tools and supplies. Field termination quality are OK for multimode applications, but for single mode applications, you'd better leave that to factory termination.
2. The field termination technician must be highly skilled. He would have to practice a lot offline before doing the real work. A bad termination can cost you both time and money.
OK. You must already have a pretty clear idea on the choices for fiber cable installation now. Let's examine in more details on the available options for each category.
Factory termination choices:
1. Factory pre-terminated cables
For this type of job, you provide a list of cable types, lengths and quantities to the factory. The factory will deliver each pre-terminated cable on a reel. You just need to pull these cables through duct carefully with a cable netting to protect the connectors.
2. Factory pre-terminated pigtails and splicing (fusion splicing or mechanical splicing)
This is a intermediate approach. You order cable segments with factory-mounted connectors on one end only. You need to order some fiber pigtails (fiber cables with only one connector mounted) and then splice the pigtail to the unterminated end of the cable. This is a quick and easy approach. However, it requires that you already have the fusion splicers (which could cost you tens of thousands of dollars). Or you would have to choose the less reliable mechanical splicing.
Field Termination Choices:
1. Field installation of epoxy and polish connectors
Lots of experience technicians still prefer this way since it provides the best flexibility and the lowest possible cost. Epoxy and polish connectors are the same as used by factories. You pull the fiber first, and then terminate the fiber on the site. This involves fiber optic epoxy, high temperature curing oven, scribe tools, polishing films and fiber optic inspection microscopes. This approach needs you already have a termination kit that includes these items.
2. Field installation of quick termination connectors
Quick termination connectors are a god bless for emergency repairs. This type of connector functions like a fiber optic pigtail. It is pre-polished in the factory. It has a fiber stub in the connector body. You just need to cleave your fiber, insert it into the connector body, and lock it per the connector manufacturer's instruction. However, it doesn't provide as much long term reliability as the epoxy and polish connectors. Also, quick termination connectors are much more expensive then standard epoxy and polish connectors.

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Techno-Economics

by James A Roberts

Has modern technology caused us to lose jobs, and put our economy into a tail-spin? I was under the impression that the discovery of computerized systems was going to improve our lifestyle and let mankind enjoy the good things in life. Instead, we are sending jobs overseas! Has anyone attempted to call the help lines listed as 1-800? Have you been surprised to learn the person you are talking to is in...China or India? I was.
Here's the thing, follow along for just a few minutes and if it makes sense, read on.
Let's say that originally it took six [6] men on an assembly line to build a car from scratch. (I know that's not right, bear with me.)
Ding, ding, ding. The computerized robot comes into being and now we have one man operating the computer that directs the robot and five men are not needed anymore.
WELL...THAT SHOULD CUT DOWN ON LABOR COSTS! AND send five men to the unemployment line.
However, after conversion to automation - our U.S Auto Makers raise the prices because they had to spend all that money on RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT of the robot. In the mean time factories are built overseas to manufacture autos FOR LESS in mass quantities to be sold in AMERICA for less money and appear to be a better product for the price compared to AMERICAN MADE.

NOW WE ARE GETTING TO IT.
I have always been under the impression that if one robot can take the place of five men, then wouldn't five robots being operated by those same five men that were sent to the Unemployment Line create five times the product for the Markets AND be able to sell for LESS MONEY. Simple mathematics - five times the production, labor costs - same number of employees, cost of R & D and increase in amount of raw material, BUT five times the production.
I really don't know where all of this is leading us to, but after all these years on this planet I guess I'll just hang around until it all makes sense.

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Enterprise Network Management - True Defense In Depth

by Rob Pfrogner

Managed security services from traditional carriers, Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), and other solutions have helped address some of the cost and resources issues inherent within a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach. But many enterprises are beginning to realize they need more. In a typical environment, individual security devices report independently to a central site without a mechanism to correlate information from all sites or to identify and address network-wide events in real time.
The complexity of today's global networks requires a managed security solution that addresses multiple dimensions within the network to provide defense against risks ranging from spam, email-borne viruses, and spyware to loss of confidential information and intellectual property. Such defense in depth solutions must be multidimensional to apply security across multiple layers of a network-within the customers' premises, in and across the backbone, and extending to each remote and corporate partners' office. Security, in other words, is provided to all parts of the network, wherever connectivity is extended.
Many still consider security as protection against Internet threats; a multidimensional approach, however, recognizes there are many different untrusted networks and that enterprises do not necessarily know what all employees are doing or where they are taking their resources. The multidimensional approach looks at all connectivity and protects any method of access through any channel, even down to the individual user.
Layers of Protection for Defense in Depth
Effective multidimensional solutions include several layers of protection to enable the appropriate defense in depth for various network resources. Small remote offices may be adequately protected through an access control list on a router, while larger offices might want to provide another layer of protection with a separate firewall and intrusion prevention sensors. This not only prevents attacks from untrusted networks but can keep infected internal systems from perpetrating attacks. The next layer of protection can be applied to resources; critical web, mail, file, database, and other servers should be directly monitored against compromised by the rare attack that can make it through all the other layers of protection.
Finding the Right Provider
Using several layers of protection in multiple dimensions of a network is necessary because threats can come from anywhere. Yet service providers focus on protection of the perimeter and Wide Area Network (WAN) while MSSPs focus on the perimeter and Local Area Network (LAN). Neither looks effectively at all the dimensions required to enable business connectivity. The most complete solutions provide security across the entire business network, inclusive of each individual remote user, all remote offices, every partner connection, and all primary links. Missing a single piece can lead to exposure of the entire network.

Virtual Network Operators (VNOs), can offer a full suite of managed security services and deliver them across the networks of the hundreds of carriers and providers with which they have relationships. Due to economies of scale, these VNOs are able to employ the best-in-class technology and expertise that might be difficult for a single enterprise to afford. And the enterprise receives a tailor-made network and security solution; VNOs work closely with their customers on network design and deployment, since the proper placement of security devices within the network is critical to success.
Determining the Level of Risk
Enterprises cannot apply the appropriate level of security to their networks if they are unaware of their risk-and the level varies depending on the enterprise. Customers can determine risk by performing a risk analysis, either directly or through an external assessment. An analysis will assign value to resources based on multiple criteria, such as the number of applications on a resource, the frequency of use, and the potential impact of downtime. Systems that serve multiple applications to thousands of users will likely have a significant impact if unavailable and therefore represent considerable risk if unprotected.
Risk analysis includes an assessment of the current network design, including the number of resources available to different customers. It also recommends where security devices such as firewalls and IPSes should be placed or added for protection. The analysis can also take federal, state, and industry regulations into consideration. For example, an analysis can note where applications subject to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance are located and inform the enterprise if it needs to add risk prevention aligned with SOX requirements. Good assessments arm an enterprise with the hard data it needs to meet regulatory requirements.
Eliminating Tunnel Vision
Key to a true multidimensional, in-depth managed security solution is the ability to tightly integrate managed security services with a Security Information Management (SIM) infrastructure. SIM tools enable correlational analysis across multiple hardware platforms in all layers of the network and across all security devices, enabling a complete and holistic view of the security posture of every managed device. This eliminates the tunnel vision associated with looking at the output of just one device and enables a much deeper and broader view of all security events across the entire business network. The reports generated by the SIM can also be tailored to present ongoing compliance data for regulatory audits such as SOX and Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act.
The End Result: Comprehensive Security
VNOs with a SIM infrastructure can provide the most comprehensive view of the network, correlate events among a wide array of network devices, and identify and address security events on a global scale in a matter of minutes. Enterprises of any size can receive immediate data on security vulnerabilities across the entire network, down to the individual user. And these enterprises know their extended network is receiving the broadest, deepest protection possible.

Author: Rob Pfrogner is Security Services Product Manager for Virtela Communications, Inc. http://www.virtela.com

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Slow Computer? Seven Ways to Return a Slow Computer To Like New Performance

by Steve Kern

Do you have a computer that is running much slower than it was the day you bought it? Here are 7 things you can do to improve the computer speed to its '"like new" condition.
Anti-Virus Updates
Viruses can slow done the performance of your computer. Make sure that your virus definition files are updated automatically and that your system is scanned on a periodic basis. Anti-virus programs themselves can slow down a computer. Try another vendor if you suspect this to be a problem.
Anti-Spyware Updates
Spyware programs can have a serious affect on your computer speed. These are programs that install themselves onto your computer, run in the background, and can use a large amount of processing power. Install an anti-spyware program and configure it to perform automatic updates.
Startup Programs
When you login to your computer all of the programs in your startup folder will run. Examine these programs and make sure that you really want them to run. Remove entries that are not used regularly. This folder can be found by going to Start -> All Programs -> Startup.
Registry Run Programs
Some programs bypass the startup folder and add an entry into the Windows registry during startup. These can be examined and changed by using a registry editor or the Microsoft configuration utility "msconfig.exe". To use this utility go to Start -> Run and type "msconfig". You can use this utility to temporarily remove programs from the run key and test the computer speed.

Services
Windows services are executable programs that perform specific functions without user intervention. Services start running during computer startup. Services can controlled by the computer management console or by using the "msconfig" utility mentioned above. You can determine which services you want to run at startup and see how they affect computer speed.
Animations
With the introduction of Windows XP, computers use animations to enhance the user experience. These animations can cause your computer to run slower. Animations can be turned off by going to the System console, Advanced tab and un-checking most of the options.
Registry Corruption
The Windows registry is a directory which stores settings and options for the Windows operating system, all hardware devices, all user accounts, and all applications installed on the computer. After months or years of use, the registry can contain many entries that are no longer valid. The invalid entries can cause a multitude of problems including making the computer run more slowly. A good registry cleaning tool safely makes corrections to the registry which can increase the speed at which your computer operates.

You can download a free registry scanning tool that will scan your computer for registry corruption.
Follow this link to get a free registry scan. http://RegistrySolutions.info

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LTE, WiMax, Merging Standards - and Rudyard Kipling

by Carl Weinschenk

The next year or so will be very interesting. On one hand, the battle for the future of 4G between LTE and WiMax will be fully joined. However, both are IP-based and use Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and, experts say, are relatively close on the telecommunications family tree. Indeed, the biggest difference may concern the other IP: intellectual property. Despite the maneuvering today, it is possible that in a few years the two will blend together.
This doesn't mean that tough decisions aren't being made in the near future, however. LTE has had a good run of it lately, and that streak seems set to continue. The Daily Yomiuri Online reports that LTE may be on the verge of a big win in Japan. There, the largest and third-largest carriers - NTT DoCoMo and SoftBank Mobile, respectively - are planning to replace Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) with LTE. The carrier they sandwich, KDDI, may be on the verge of deploying the same network. Experts say that such a move would lead to more expansive features and deeper price competition, since subscribers would be more easily able to move between service providers.
In the long run, it seems that the worlds of LTE and WiMax may coalesce. Vendors - whose survival involves a keen instinct on which way the wind blows - see the possibility. Not missing a beat, Motorola used this week's CTIA Wireless 2008 show in Las Vegas to make WiMax and LTE announcements. Among other things, the company is developing equipment that can be used for both platforms. Nortel, in the press release outlining its activities at CTIA, gave about equal billing to LTE and WiMax.
The theme of parallel evolutions comes up in a recent entertaining feature in The Hindi (quotes from Rudyard Kipling poems are rare in the technical press). The writer maps the evolution of LTE in some detail. He concludes that Ericsson, Alcatel and "dozens of handset makers and back haul providers" are researching both LTE and WiMax since the direction of the market is impossible to determine.

Telecommunications Online ends this feature on a similar note. The bulk of the story handicaps the race between the two platforms. WiMax clearly is ahead, but LTE is making some impressive recent gains. It is not certain that the first platform available will necessarily prevail. The last section of the story details efforts to create a converged 4G standard. The writer says that "there appears to be no insurmountable barrier to making a unified standard happen." A Motorola executive estimates that the standards use 75 percent to 80 percent of the same technology.
Of course, corporate planners need to follow these events closely. They should rest easy, however, in the knowledge that no reputable company will introduce LTE or WiMax gear that doesn't have a migration path to a converged standard.

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How Conducting A Simple Registry Scan Can Speed Up Your Computer Instantly

by Ian Armstrong

Everybody gets computer problems sometimes, no matter how hard you try to take care of your machine. There are many different types of computer problems, ranging from something simple like taking a long time to start up to programs crashing for no apparent reason to something worse like the machine refusing to start up at all or crashing every time you switch it on.
If you think about it, this can't be avoided completely.
A computer is a machine and it experiences quite a bit of wear and tear, like machines do. The extent of the wear and tear obviously depends how often you use it and what it is used for. If you use it every day for browsing as many websites as you can and downloading all different things, your machine might go wrong more often than, say, the machine of someone who logs on to check their emails once a week and works mostly offline.
A computer interacts with its user and also with the rest of the world, being extremely dynamic. When you are browsing the world wide web, you are interacting with computers across the globe. This makes your computer vulnerable to many influences, some of which are good and others which are potentially harmful.
Malicious spyware, adware, online gaming, chatting, installing things, excessive data and general clutter can transform even the newest, most high-tech computer into a slow, confused machine which crawls its way from start up to shut down.
Many computer problems originate because of errors in the registry. The registry is a key computer component and stores vital information which the operating system constantly refers to during operation. Nearly every change, whether it is a download, upload, installation or un-installation or alteration is recorded in the computer's registry.
Over time, as programs are installed and uninstalled, and files are opened, closed and saved, the registry becomes full of out of date, useless information. This means Windows spends longer trawling through all the junk to find the information it needs. This slows the machine down a noticeable amount and is the cause of many computer problems. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to scan the computer regularly using a reputable registry repair software.

This is why you should perform a complete windows registry scan on your computer:
It keeps track of the registry on your computer and tells you when a lot of changes have been made to the registry keys. You can set the software to perform a registry scan and make the repairs needed. Some registry repair software lets you schedule when you would like your registry maintenance done, according to your computer usage. Others run automatically when you start up your machine.
A lot of registry repair software first backs up your computer and sets a restore point before it begins its registry scan or changing anything. This means, if anything does go wrong after the repairs, you can restore the machine back to its last operational point.
The software scans customizable locations on the computer and removes temporary files (.tmp) and Checkdisk or Scandisk fragment files (.chk). It also removes shortcuts which don't link to anything. It repairs or deletes invalid registry entries and gets rid of orphaned references. This helps to clear out the junk and free up valuable disk space, resulting in your computer running better and quicker. After deleting all the junk, the system is more stable too.
The software uses an optimization function to improves the system performance. This function applies patches and tweaks directly on to the registry.
The software usually incorporates a compacting software for the Windows registry, which looks through, rebuilds and then compresses the registry by getting rid of gaps, free space and corrupt keys which exist there. This makes your computer run faster.
The best registry repair software offers faster and more secure algorithms to target vital areas of the registry, which means your scan will be more efficient and quicker.
If you scan your windows registry regularly, this will make the operating system run faster and increase its overall performance and efficiency. A cleaner registry means your computer is far less likely to crash or freeze.

Ian Armstrong recommends using RegCure to scan your PC for errors. It's free to conduct the scan - and it takes seconds.

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