In today’s competitive economy, it’s important to have an edge over the competition in the job market. One way to get ahead is to get a well regarded CompTIA certification. But which CompTIA certification is right for you?

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) offers a number of IT certifications that can help you qualify for a well paying job. CompTIA certifications cover a wide variety of disciplines including computer basics, IT security, computer networking, Linux programming, and more. But before you begin your CompTIA study, you should decide which certification best fits your expertise and career goals.

If you are just starting out in the IT industry, then the CompTIA A+ certification is probably right for you. CompTIA A+ certification is designed to demonstrate competency as a computer technician. It covers topics such as installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security and troubleshooting. The exam is also vendor neutral and internationally accepted, so many employers see it as credible evidence of your ability to work with computers. The A+ certification is a stepping stone to more advanced CompTIA certifications, so if you are just starting out in the information technology industry, it’s a must have.

For people more interested in an important and up and coming field, CompTIA Security+ certification is the way to go. This certification proves your ability to manage system security, network infrastructure, and organizational security. Computer security threats are increasing in number and severity, so this certification is in high demand among employers in the business, healthcare, and government sectors. Pursuing a CompTIA Security+ certification is bound to ensure job security for years to come.

Another important CompTIA certification is CompTIA Network+. This certification exhibits competence in managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, installing, and configuring computer network infrastructures. This is especially important for companies with large computer networks connecting hundreds of employees. There is consistent demand for IT networking professionals, so getting your CompTIA Network+ certification is a good next step after you complete your A+ certification.

If you have a passion for open-source technology and some Linux experience under your belt, you should consider pursuing your CompTIA Linux+ certification. This exam covers the management of Linux systems, user administration, file permissions, software configuration, and the management of Linux-based clients. With many companies moving to open-source software as a method to cut costs, qualified Linux professionals are sure to be in high demand. Prove your ability with the right CompTIA certification, and you show potential employers a clear indicator that you are right for the job.

There are many more CompTIA certifications that deal with more specialized fields. You can find more information at CompTIA’s website, http://www.comptia.org. Once you decide on a certification, you can prepare for the test by taking CompTIA training classes at a qualified IT training school. Regardless of which CompTIA certification you decide on, you will be obtaining a valuable credential that will help you get a job in the information technology field. Many employers rely on third-party certifications such as the CompTIA exams as a clear indicator of future employee success. Prove your worth with the right certification, and you will have a definite edge in the job market.

About The Author:

Shawn Livengood works for TechSkills, a career training school with over 25 campuses nationwide. TechSkills offers career training programs for IT certifications, healthcare services, accounting, and project management.

Author: Shawn Livengood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Solar panel DIY

There are a lot of things that may cause your computer to slow down: fragmentation, computer viruses, or corrupted or malformed registries. If you regularly defragment your computer and have updated antivirus software running 24/7, then the root of such slowdowns may be adware.

Adware is a type of malware, under which category spyware, worms, and trojans fall. Though not as dangerous as the other types of malware, it can be quite risky because your privacy is at stake. Adware has the capability to monitor your behavior on the Internet, not to mention the slowing down of your computer.

What is Adware?

Adware is a type of functional software that has advertisement functions bundled with it. This is common with “free” software. In order to provide software for free, the developer of the software may wotk with an online advertisement company to display ads on the program. The money that the developer makes from the ads on the program help recover the expenses from developing the program and will sponsor future development.

Adware can also come from online advertisements by exploiting the operating system or the Internet browser doing “drive-by downloads,” which is basically installing software without your permission or knowledge.

The problem is, many developers abuse ad-supported software by monitoring internet users’ activities to deliver targeted products or services to the user. For example: you love shoes, and most of the websites you visit are those of shoe brands. Adware may intercept this data and relay advertisements of shoes to you. If you want a secure computer, you must get rid of adware.

Getting Rid of Adware

To completely do away with adware, you must get rid of the programs first. Uninstall the software and make sure it does not leave parts of the program behind. The most common adware programs are free games, peer-to-peer clients like KaZaa, BearShare, iMesh and LimeWire. Basically, any software you have that is “free” and that displays advertisement banners is adware. Uninstalling these programs is the first step to ridding your computer of adware.

You do not have to worry if you use those programs a lot. There are tons of software programs out there that are 100 percent free – no strings attached. Open source programs are surely trustworthy. A good alternative to peer-to-peer software like KaZaa and Limewire, for example, is Ares Galaxy, an open source P2P program.

Once you are sure that you have removed every program that has adware from your computer, you can move on to the next step.

Sweeping for Adware: Anti-Adware Software

Even when you have removed every program that has adware from your computer, there will surely be remnants left behind, buried deep inside your hard drive. It is almost impossible to find and manually delete this adware from your computer unless you are a computer expert. To make sure that nothing is left behind, you must use anti-adware programs to sweep your hard drive clean of this malware.

You do not have to spend money to buy anti-adware programs since there are quite a number of good and free programs that can help you completely remove adware from your machine. Most anti-adware programs are anti-spyware, too. Some notable software you can try are Ad-Aware, Spybot Search and Destroy, and Hijackthis.

After you download your anti-adware software, install it and scan for adware. Before you scan for adware, make sure you update the definition files first so that the software can detect the newer malware on your computer. Be patient, for it may take some time to completely scan for adware; the scanning speed depends on the size of your hard drive and the amount of malware that is present on your hard drive. After the scanning is completed, you may be overwhelmed with the number of threats that the program has found. Before you delete or make any changes, you’ll usually be asked to make a backup of the settings so that if ever something goes wrong, you can revert to the previous state.

Adware-proofing your Computer

After deleting every single trace of adware from your computer, you still can’t celebrate, not just yet. Anytime, adware can come back without you knowing what put misery back onto your computer. To make sure none of these uninvited guests will be making it through your computer, you will have to install defenses against them.

You must have the “three-way tandem” – Antivirus, anti-spyware/adware, and a firewall to ensure protection not just from adware, but also from spyware, adware, viruses, and other forms of malware.

Likewise, never open spam messages in your email or click on online ads that look dubious. Spam may contain spyware, adware, or even viruses. Pop-ups that say your computer is infected with spyware or your computer is “not secure” are often adware, too. Avoid downloading software that claims to “fix” problems in your computer through these advertisments.

If you don’t have the budget for commercial software, you can go for the free stuff. For antivirus, you can use AVG Antivirus Free Edition, Avast Antivirus Free Edition, or ClamWin Antivirus to prevent viruses invading your PC.

You already know what anti-spyware/adware does, so just make sure it is updated regularly. Often times, you don’t have to manually check for updates since the majority of these programs automatically connect to the Internet and download program updates if available. Just make sure they have access to the Internet.

Lastly: the firewall. This computer software prevents threats from the outside, like hackers and malicious programs, from connecting to your computer. It also prevents unauthorized programs (think spyware, adware, viruses) from accessing the Internet, too. There are quite a number of good and free firewall software out there. Comodo, Zonealarm, and Ashampoo are some of the popular and good free firewalls around. Install any of these to ensure your protection.

Getting Rid Of Adware [http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com/computer-problems/how-to-rid-of-computer-of-adware]

Author: Jeon Addict
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Gadget reviews

Business organizations – big and small alike – are usually burdened with paperwork in one way or another. There’s a lot of forms to fill out and records to maintain and to keep up-to-date, including keeping track of very crucial business meetings and customer needs and sometimes, the information and data that are needed for maintaining, sustaining, and propagating business relationships with customers are being lost or misplaced due to sheer neglect. Keeping these valuable information intact, secured, and up-to-date, as well as hiring highly-organized and competent clerks and secretaries to keep track of these crucial business elements, entail additional expenditures, not to mention headache, to the business organizations who maintains their records the traditional way.

A lot of software have been developed to address this problem. But these software are very costly and most of the time difficult to understand, not to mention hard to maintain. They also have tendencies to break down, which could mean very serious damage to the company.

A very reliable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application is needed by every business enterprise in today’s fast-paced world to be able to one-up their competitors. For one, it will allow the company the leeway to get rid of boring and seemingly never-ending paperwork which is most of the time the root not only to losing revenue (due to the enormous amount of effort in accomplishing the most menial of tasks) but to developing migraines as well!

The SugarCRM is one of the leading commercial CRM software that suits companies of all sizes. There are basically 3 types of SugarCRM, namely: the SugarCRM Enterprise Edition, the SugarCRM Professional, and the SugarCRM Open Source. The first two requires a fee, but the last one I have mentioned is an open source software. That is, it operates on a set of principles and practices of writing free software wherein the source code is openly available. In other words, it is free and could easily be downloaded through the internet. All that is needed is a web server to mount it on. It operates on a LAMP (Linux-Apache-MySQL-PHP) Platform, which is entirely open source, or on a WAMP (Windows-Apache-MySQL-PHP) Platform. You do not have to worry much on the technicalities of these terms since all of them are easily downloadable. With just a few clicks of your mouse and just a few tweaks on your server to accommodate the system, you will be able to successfully metamorphose from a traditional, paper-churning company into an efficient and well-oiled conglomerate (and be able to contribute as well to saving the lives of trees!).

As a business tool, the SugarCRM is very powerful since it has more than 40 business process tools which can easily be customized to suit every company’s needs. It could also be integrated with other softwares, like the VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) software, the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software, etc. It will also keep everyone in your company up-to-date since it is internet-based and all client interactions – may it be a client complaint, more sales, conversation excerpts, appointment and meeting dates, points of improvement for the company, and basically all you can think about that has to do with running a business – are recorded real-time. What’s great about it as well is it requires little or no training at all since its interface is user-friendly. It saves everybody time and makes everybody a lot more efficient in terms of handling customer and company concerns since it simultaneously disseminates information which can be crucial to the company’s success.

From the generation of leads up to the formulation of sales quotes and, eventually, to the creation of invoices based from the records maintained in the system, the SugarCRM is truly a necessity if you are looking forward to the ease of working in a paperless environment.

http://www.james-pitt.com

James Pitt helps people use technology and build relationships to make sales. He helps build and implement marketing and sales strategies which are 80% cheaper and 100% more effective.

Author: James Pitt
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
eCommerce solution, service provider

As an open source platform, Linux is seen by many as their ticket to reduced IT infrastructure costs. Others see it as a more secure and reliable alternative to Microsoft. But Linux is not the right choice for everyone, or for all applications. So when does Linux make sense for your enterprise?

Where Linux Excels:

Linux is best at web services and applications servers. Every major web server except Microsoft’s Internet Information Server (IIS) supports Linux. Most commercial web servers support administration through excellent management interfaces, and even the popular open source Apache web server has tools which make web server administration manageable. For IIS shops, the similarity of PHP to Microsoft’s Active Server Pages may make the transition to Linux less daunting than one might suspect.

Linux is equally well supported by all the major application servers. BEA, Borland, IBM, Oracle, and Sybase support Linux installations, albeit with varying levels of support. Excellent open source application servers for Linux are also available, such as the popular Java Server Pages/servlet engine Apache Tomcat and the J2EE server JBoss, but deployment and configuration with other tools can be a challenge for the novice. Some vendors offer inexpensive packages which bundle enhanced open source tools with some level of support, making Linux an excellent option for reducing the cost of ownership while still offering nearly turnkey deployment.

Where Linux Fails:

Linux falls short in areas in which the market demands support for Windows-related technologies and products.

Directory services are one such example. LDAP is a well-established directory service implemented on Linux, and there are excellent products available, such as Novell’s eDirectory. But anything from Microsoft, as well as many other applications, requires Active Directory Services. Databases on Linux are a mixed success. There are several excellent databases implemented on Linux, each with their own ODBC support, but generic ODBC support is lacking. This poses a problem for those who want to run databases from multiple vendors. Finally, support for e-mail on Linux is poor. Although there are many e-mail servers that run on Linux, configuring and managing them is notoriously difficult.

Conclusion:

Linux has been embraced by all of the major software vendors, with varying costs and degrees of support. Although some tradeoffs with cross-platform flexibility might be required, there are Linux products available at reduced prices for most market niches and uses.

About Jonathan Coupal

Jonathan Coupal is the Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of ITX Corp, a business consulting and technology solutions firm based in Rochester, New York. Mr. Coupal manages both the day-to-day and strategic operations of the Technology Integration Practice Group. Among Mr. Coupals greatest strengths are evaluating customers unique problems, developing innovative, cost effective solutions and providing a best practice implementation methodology. Mr. Coupals extensive knowledge and experience enables him to fully analyze client systems to recommend the most effective technologies and solutions that will both optimize their business processes and fulfill immediate and future goals. Mr. Coupal and his team build a high level of trust with clients, establishing ITX as their IT partner of choice. Mr. Coupal holds certifications with Microsoft and CompTia, including MCSE, MCSA, Security+, Linux+ and i-Net+, and served as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the development of the CompTia Linux+.

About ITX

ITX is a business consulting and technology solutions firm committed to consistently providing superior products and services in nine practice areas including Business Performance, IT Solution Strategies and Implementation, Internet Marketing, Technical Services, IT Staffing, Internet Services, and Technology Research.

It is through the total commitment to process and quality that ITX combines the highest level of resources and expertise to ensure our clients operate effectively and efficiently. ITXs ability to leverage the proper mix of skills results in providing high quality technology services and solutions both quickly and at a competitive cost. ITX clients return again and again for scalable products and services that perform reliably and assure a significant return on investment. To learn more about what ITX can do for you visit our website at http://www.itx.net or contact us at (800) 600-7785.

Author: Jonathan Coupal
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Get my ex back

During 2009, e-readers were operating at maximum efficiency with over 2.2 million devices being shipped to stores. In 2010, the demand for e-readers is expected to increase by more than 50%. Their operating systems create the necessary base for these popular devices. Many first-class eBook Readers run full operating systems and can function like a computer.

Google Android

It is not surprising that Google Android tops the list of operating systems for e-readers. The Barnes and Noble ‘Nook’ was the first e-reader to use Google Android. Since that launch, Google Android has been used in various e-readers and that trend is expected to continue into the future.

Google Android gives users access to 1,000,000 free, public-domain books digitized by Google. All devices using the Android system can tap into Android apps and vice versa. In addition, Google understands that the real power of the open source Android lies with the Operating System Defaults. Google eBooks will serve as the default on every Android device.

The innovative eDGe e-reader, created by Entourage Systems, runs Google Android operating system. The eDGge is a netbook/e-reader combination which offers users the convenience of a Google toolbar on the right screen. Running on Wi-Fi and 3G networks, users can surf the internet, watch videos, or engage in video chat with this device.

Spring Design’s ‘Alex’ will also support Android apps. Yet any applications which require internet access will work only with Wi-Fi. With this dual-display e-reader, the 6.5″ e-ink screen for reading sits above a 3.5″ color LCD. Users can display images and video, view notes, and even browse the web.

Expected to be released in 2010, the proposed Netronix, a collaboration between Texas Instruments and a Taiwanese networking specialist, is also an Android-based e-reader. Android e-readers allow portability of books (between Android e-readers) as well as access to Android apps.

Linux

The new Skiff reader is a Linux-based system. The Skiff reader is said to be the largest (11.5″) and thinnest (0.25″) with the highest-resolution (UXGA – 1200 x 1600). The Skiff reader is expected to be on sale later in the year. Interested buyers will be able to find it online and at over 1000 Sprint stores in the US.

Sony Reader runs the MontaVista Linux Professional Edition operating system. Sony ebook Library is not supported on Linux. Yet when this device is connected, it grants access to its flash memory and memory card slots (as if they were USB Mass Storage Devices).

Amazon’s Kindle DX runs Linux-2.6.22.19. Operating system updates are received wirelessly and install automatically during a period in sleep mode in which the wireless is in operation. As it was noted in the article “Amazon Offer Kindle for Sale in Europe – Will they Succeed”, the device is being offered globally on the 3G network with no charges for the wireless connectivity that is used to download eBooks. With its Wacom touchscreen, Illiad runs Linux 2.4 kernel.

Due to its open Linux operating system, Illiad can run third-party applications created for it. The Hanlin eReader v3, one of the first Open Source e-readers, is built on the Linux operating system. China’s Hanvon uses Linux 2.6 and Cool-er, Pocketbook, and Bookeen also run Linux.

Windows

Although Windows is slipping in popularity, it will remain a major player in operating system market for many years into the future. Sony PRS-505/SC Digital eBook Reader, with its company software Sony ebook Library, is similar to iTunes and requires Windows. The software will not work on the 64-bit version of Windows XP but does support Windows Vista and Windows 7. Recent announcements point to the use of Windows 7 in new color ‘slate’ e-readers such as Archos or HP. The Taiwanese company, MSI, has also created an e-reader/computer combo which runs Windows 7.

E-readers with operational systems, such as the leading Google Android, encourage openness. These innovative devices are ‘cracked’ to allow users to run Android apps as well as download music and access social networks. Yet Fortify Software, the application vulnerability specialist, has issued a warning to corporations about possible security issues with modified e-readers. When a devise is ‘cracked’ or repurposed in this manner, there isn’t any way to check the security of the operating system ‘cracks’ or newly installed programs.

For usage outside the corporate world, however, e-readers have few drawbacks. E-reader companies are always trying to improve on features, performance, and design. E-readers have made a tremendous impact on the reading experience – what we read, where we read, and how we read books and newspapers. More and more people are choosing e-readers and their state-of-the art operating systems are helping to drive that demand.

Marco Gustafsson is author of articles on eBook Readers, e-inc technology and electronic books. Visit Digital Book Readers to find more information and discover new dimension of reading.

Author: Marco Gustafsson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Duty on LCD/Plasma TV

Computer viruses can be destructive once it enters your computer system. You can easily notice its effect such as slow processing-applications; presence of anonymous files, abnormal computer behavior, and the worse part will be the corruption of your files and the operating system instantly.

These are just some of the effects of computer viruses. There are viruses, which can actually steal personal information on your computer without you noticing it. If there is no anti-virus installed on your workstation, it is very hard to prevent the replication of these programs (yes, viruses are also programs created by crazy people) and its effect on your computer.

However, you can prevent file corruption and theft carried by viruses by means of assessing the protection of your computer, especially if it is connected to the Internet. Analyze and do the necessary adjustments to your computer to avoid future problems.

1. Version of operating system you are using. Are you using Windows-based operating system or Open Source Applications? If you are using Windows, then it is more prone to viruses compared to other operating systems because most viruses target Windows computers because lots of people are using it.

If this is the case, install an anti-virus program and update its system regularly to capture and prevent newer programs from entering the computer. Always update your operating system for security patches provided by the manufacturer to make it stronger and secure in fighting viruses.

2. People using your computer. If you are not the only one using the computer, there are lots of possibilities that viruses may compromise your system. If possible, try to limit the number of people using your computer or never let others use it to lessen the possibility of virus intrusion.

3. Websites you visit. Be careful in visiting virus prone websites such as porn websites, or other similar sites, which may be tempting but you do not know it will be the source of viruses you do not expect. Always think first before you do any act in visiting various websites.

4. Email attachments. There are lots of emails we receive each day that we do not want. As a precaution, never try to open unknown emails, download its attachments, or visit their links even if it is tempting. It might be some kind of a virus.

These factors can be a great help in preventing computer viruses from disrupting the normal operation of your computer. Always update your anti-virus program, security patches, and software updates on your operating system to serve as armor in blocking unwanted programs from corrupting your files.

Visit Rams newest website at foam mattress pads which discusses products such as foam crib mattress, information, and purchasing guides.

Author: Ramir Sarmiento
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Duty tariff

In order to run a business online or be a successful internet marketer, there are a few tools you’re going to need. The cost for brand name software tools are often too expensive, especially when every dollar counts. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the big software names. These alternatives will fill your needs, and they are absolutely free.

FTP Utilities

Everyone needs an FTP program right? FireFTP is a free, secure, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla Firefox which provides easy and intuitive access to FTP servers. It’s an add-on for your Firefox browser. It starts as a new tab within your Firefox browser and you FTP right from your browser.

addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/684

AutoMailer

Marketers need to manage their email lists. Rather than pay a monthly fee to a service like aweber.com, here is a free (GNU license) PHP script you can install. poMMo is versatile Mass Mailing software. Add a mailing list to your website, or organize stand alone mailings. Unique features such as the ability to mail subsets of your subscribers set it apart from alternatives.

sourceforge.net/projects/pommo/

Antivirus Software

You really can’t afford to work online without some virus protection. ClamWin is a Free Antivirus program for Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003 and Vista. ClamWin Free Antivirus comes with an easy installer and open source code. You may download and use it absolutely free of charge.

clamwin.com

ZIP Utility

You absolutely needed a ZIP utility to work online. 7-Zip is open source ZIP utility software. Most of the source code is under the GNU LGPL license. You can use 7-Zip on any computer, including a computer in a commercial organization. You don’t need to register or pay for 7-Zip.

7-zip.org

Spreadsheet and Word Processing

You’ll always use Spreadsheets and Word Processors. OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It’s a replacement application for Microsoft Office, and can even use Microsoft Office files.

openoffice.org

Adobe PDF generator

The Adobe PDF format is everywhere online. PDFCreator easily creates PDFs from any Windows program. Use it like a printer in Word, StarCalc or any other Windows application.

sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator

Video Capture Utility

Do you need to create a video? These days more and more tutorials are in video format. Jing is free program that lets you record video of what you do, or what you see. The concept of Jing is the always-ready program that instantly captures and shares images and video…from your computer to anywhere.

jingproject.com

Graphics Editor

Would you like an alternative to the very expensive PhotoShop? Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools.

getpaint.net

Photo Editor

GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.

gimp.org

Encryption

Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux.

truecrypt.org

Are you over paying for your AdWords campaigns? Have you experienced any of the following problems using Google AdWords?

High cost to maintain your AdWords campaign
Poor quality score affecting your bids
Low Click Through Rate for your ads
Minimum bid for your keywords is too high
Landing pages that don’t convert

There is a solution to all of these problems. Get your FREE copy of the AdWords Strategy Guide

Author: Daniel K. Smith
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Canada duty tariff

If cannot get enough of Firefox 2 with its cool features and superb browsing performance, then Firefox 3 will promise you more on their latest full upgrade version of this open source web browser.

Mozilla Firefox has redefined browsing experience with its tab format that has never been introduced in any web browsers. This would give users some leverage in browsing wherein one window in the task bar appearing while multiples of sites can be loaded in just one setting. And that is not all. Users can browse links of another web page through the tabs without attempting to open another application. This can save browsing time as Firefox would not load another application anymore just to open the new page. Instead, a new tab will appear for the new link making browsing in web faster and easier.

Firefox has also added other features like the incremental find, and live book marking making for an easy web browsing through contents and at the same time having adding convenience to the browsers. Also, Firefox can support a lot of web format standards including the Web 2.0 latest applications like the CSS, ECMASScript and lot more. With its flexibility and easy to use, it is no wonder that Firefox has a fair share in terms of web browsers. It has been the second most widely used web browsers next to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. And the good thing about Firefox is that it is for free. It can run in any operating systems without any signs of conflicts.

Firefox promised more on adherents with the soon to release Mozilla Firefox 3. Now on its Beta 5 release, Mozilla Firefox 3 has improved the web browsing experience with the promise of being taunted as the de facto Standard of web browsers making its position unassailable.

Firefox 3′s Gecko Web platform version 1.9 has been developed for more than 2 years with its major architectural restructuring and at the same time enhancing its performance and stability. With its new reengineering, browsers will surely be satisfied on the speed and at the same time with added customized features, one’s browsing experience will surely be at home with one’s sense of style.

A highlight of Firefox 3′s enhancement is its graphic user interface or the GUI. This would give browsers a total web browsing experience that cannot be offered by other open source browsers around.

Security enhancement is one of the highlight in this version. The current version has one-click site information. Browsers can readily get the website information protecting them from harmful and anonymous websites. Also, a site favicon button will indicate the name of the company ensuring browsers that they are not being redirected by hacked websites.

In terms of virus protection, that would be easily remedied by its malware protection features. A warning will prompt browsers when visiting a site known for its Trojan horses, spywares and other forms of malwares making one’s browser experience very safe.

With its user experience enhancement and browsing security, Firefox 3 will once again redefine the standards of web browsers.

For more information on Mozilla Firefox Download visit our site: All You Need to Know About Mozilla Firefox

Author: Mike Freije
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Mobile device news

Do you ever feel like it takes you far too long to program something? Are you tired of so many sleepless nights just because you fell behind schedule thanks to your current software development systems? What if you could rapidly speed up your production time with just a couple of quick downloads from the Internet? Well, thanks to premade software development kits, now you can program many times faster than you used to be able to, all because of the work of other programmers from around the world.

Chances are that you currently think you are able to program as fast as you will ever be able to go. Most of us can only type so quickly, and when you are searching your brain constantly hoping that you will be able to come up with new ways to solve programming problems, your coding time slows even more. A few years ago, you likely switched to a new type of programming environment that allowed you to code more quickly thanks to its intuitive design and easy to use interface builder. Now though, it may be time for you to take the next step with software development kits.

We have all heard of the open source software movement. More and more programmers are allowing the masses to overlook their source code in an attempt to help their programs gain market share and increase the strength and security of the program itself. However, you may think that this is all well and good for hobbyists who like to tweak the settings of their favorite programs, but what good is open source for you? Well, you can use precompiled open source databases as software development kits provided that their licenses allow it. With just a quick visit to a coding website that specializes in open source solutions, you can have access to millions of lines of code which you can use to help you program faster and solve your own problems more easily.

Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website http://www.software-development.wares-are.us/. Please visit for information on all things concerned with Software Development Kits

Author: Mayoor Patel
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

The Linux operating system is growing in popularity by the day. This is because the system is very stable and very well suited for enterprise level tasks. A number of products are now being ported to the Linux platform. You can easily find ERP products for the Linux operating system as a number of popular products of this variety are now available. Moreover most of these solutions are free software and you can modify them to suite your requirements.

Most of the ERP products that have been designed for the Linux operating system are based on the same free and open source software philosophy on which the system is itself based. All of us know that the requirements of every company are not same and that with the change of time, the requirements of every company also tend to change. As you have access to the source code of the products for Linux, you can easily tweak it to act in the way you want.

The most common of all the ERP products available for the Linux platform is ERP5. This is also one of the most comprehensive solutions that is available in the market at this point of time. Informatique Professional magazine has awarded the award for best ERP solution to ERP5. It is powered by another very popular open source product called My SQL. The solution is available for download in the binary and source code forms. You also get the option to go for paid software as a service subscription.

Another very popular name in the list of ERP software solutions that are available in the market at this point of time is Compiere. The solution is available under the terms of GNU General Public License. The solution takes pride in being one of the most secure Linux based ERP products. The solution draws its security from the fact that it is based on the Active Data Directory concept. On the flip side, Compiere is based on Oracle Database for which you have to shell out money.

A number community members are making attempts to make Compiere run with a free database system . The target is to make the solution compatible with different database solutions so that it becomes a choice for the consumer to run it on any database system he wants. Beta testing of this interoperability is currently in progress.

Another name in the list of Linux ERP products is Adempiere. This solution is a fork of the Compiere ERP products for Linux operating system. The solution is powered by JBoss and its based on the almost ubiquitous Java 2 Enterprise Edition. You can use Oracle or Postgre SQL as the back end of this solution.

Apart from this a number of ERP products for the Linux operating system are still in the Pre Alpha, Alpha and the Beta test phases.

You can find out more about ERP Products as well as much more information on everything to do with ERP software at

Author: Terry Edwards
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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P2V, (Physical-To-Virtual), is the acronym that describes the tools and plugins that are available to move images from a physical host to a virtual host.

Lets understand the nomenclature first:

• ‘Physical’ refers the hardware (computer/server box) environment. This is the ‘traditional’ and most common method of delivering server services / resources to the network.
• ‘Virtual’ refers to the environment which is created by virtual software, and is able to support / host multiple instances of an operating system/s.

So, if you like, the Physical is, probably, what you have, and the virtual is, probably, where you want to be. How you get there is where the P2V tools and plugins come in.

P2V works by copying the physical state of an installed operating system as an image. If you have used Ghost, or Acronis, you will know what I mean. This image is a compressed file, much like an ISO. It can be stored, or used, whenever it is required. It contains all of the system files, drivers, and so forth, that it needs to make it viable when it is decompressed and installed to another computer or into a virtual machine (environment). Images can also be the entire state of a complete operating system and installed applications.

Imaging an operating system is not new. We have been doing that for years. Most workstation rollouts were done using Ghost images (probably still are). Microsoft refined the technique of operating system deployment when it introduced RIS, Remote Installation Server/Service. Unfortunately, RIS was a bit limited by NIC drivers in many environments and didn’t always work well. RIS takes advantage of DHCP (BootP) and DNS to locate and deliver an operating system to a target machine. P2V does just that. But it goes one step further, it deploys from a standard image taken from a physical computer and places that image into a virtual machine. P2V can also move virtual servers from one Host to another Host, irrespective of the type of hardware that supports either Host.

Virtual Machines represent an environment similar to the old NTVDM (NT Virtual DOS Machine). The NTVDM attempted to create an isolated environment within the architecture of Windows NT, above the Executive Layer. It enabled 16bit (DOS) applications to run within a 32bit environment, it still does in fact. The theory was that if the DOS application crashed, as they were likely to do, it wouldn’t take any other applications or the operating system down with it. The application would crash within the NTVDM and the NTVDM would contain that event within the Win32 subsystem, and not allow it to access the hardware (Microkernel). This didn’t always work as it should, and usually resulted in the infamous BSOD. Fortunately things are becoming a little more stable on the Windows front, and we see less BSODs than we use to.

In a virtualised environment the key to efficiency and success is to be able to easily manage the whole infrastructure without too many reboots and downtime. In a traditional / physical infrastructure, downtime is inevitable when management is implemented effectively. When, in a physical infrastructure, it is required that new servers are installed, old ones decommissioned, and existing servers upgraded or moved around, redeployed etc, downtime will happen, whatever you try to do to avoid it. In that scenario it’s a case of limiting the damage and trying to do the work when the network is ‘quiet’. Virtualisation can enable all of these activities without the excessive downtime. P2V tools are used to create and manage the virtualised enterprise.

P2V enables the moving of pre-made server operating system images, (with applications), from a hardware based environment to a virtual environment. This activity can take place when the network is being used. However, as you are going to squirt a large image around the LAN or across the WAN, it’s a good idea to choose a more quiet period, rather than in the middle of the working day, or when the backup systems fire up.

Using a virtual machine to host the image that you made from a physical-based operating system has certain advantages beyond the reduced downtime. Virtual machines do not access the hardware directly. Like the old NTVDM, there is an ‘air-gap’ between the VM and the hardware. This is occupied by either a HyperVisor, or another operating system that has been installed as a Virtual Host. VMWare is installed as a virtual host. It is Linux with a modified kernel. Microsoft Virtual Server is installed into an existing Windows operating system. Other virtual tools are installed directly on the metal, such as Xen and XenEnterprise. Virtuozzo uses a different approach to virtualisation. It partitions the operating system. That makes it unique amongst virtualisation tools.

By not accessing the hardware in the same way that a traditional operating system does, the VM can act as a Host for a variety of different operating system images. It will accept the Guest operating system demands and serve them up as requested. The operating system doesn’t know it’s virtualised. CPU and RAM is delivered to the virtual operating system Guest, as though that Guest was installed to the metal in the traditional fashion. This means no hardware conflicts, no memory conflicts, and no downtime, as there are no system files to generate or replace, and therefore a reboot is not necessary. It is only necessary to reboot the VM, not the Host.

P2V tools can be used for more than moving operating system (images) from the physical to the virtual environment. They can be used for disaster recovery purposes. Images can be stored in an o/s image-bank for future deployment. P2V can be used as a backup tool and as a standard method of o/s deployment throughout the enterprise.

**Beware using P2V as a backup tool for everyday backups. The images can become enormous, which will grind your network to a standstill if not planned properly. Tape isn’t super-fast for restoring gigbytes of data, but compared to P2V as a restore tool, it’s positively frictionless.**

The virtual hardware presented by a virtual machine is always different from the physical hardware on the original server. P2V migration tools are one easy way to solve the problems inherent in making the switch. The market leaders in this segment of the virtualisation industry are PlateSpin and VMware, but other notable competitors exist, such as Leostream. Here is a list, and some information, about a few of the P2V tools and plugins that I am aware of. If you know about others, why not write it up and let us all know.

VMWare P2V Assistant:

This is probably the most popular of the P2V tools. With this tool you can drag and drop your images wherever you need them.

The VMWare P2V Assistant copies all files that are resident on a physical source disk attached to a source computer and stores them to a virtual disk file, also known as a target disk. If an operating system is present in the source disk, that is also copied onto the target disk. This target disk is the new clone. The cloning process requires a P2V Assistant Boot CD that is used to boot the source computer and retrieve identification information about the source computer. In addition, the P2V Assistant must be running on a computer (physical or virtual) that is not the source computer. The resulting clone is contained in a set of files, in .vmdk format. This type of clone can be used in VMware GSX Server and VMware Workstation virtual machines.

VMWare say that this procedure is complex and a migration of an image from a source to a target is not an unattended job. VMWare also state that the procedure should only be carried out by competent Administrators or technicians who have gone through an official VMWare P2V Assistant training course. Hmm, not sure about that. Having done a few migrations myself, I can report that it is not a particularly complex task. If you can set up and run a successful RIS deployment, then you can do this job with ease. Could be that VMWare is trying to sell expensive training courses? I’ll leave you to decide.

VMWare P2V supports Windows NT, 2000 and 2003. VMWare P2V requires a third ‘helper’ machine. This can be a physical or virtual machine. You will also need a boot CD. You can use P2V to create the clone, or Ghost, Acronis, PowerQuest Image Center, or any other imaging tool you are familiar with, and that can create the image in the required format for VMWare P2V.

In my opinion, VMWare has made this process a bit more complicated than it needs to be. Other tools do the same job, support a wider range of operating systems, cost a lot less, and do it without a ‘helper’ machine. But, if you are comfortable in a Windows environment or have to work in one, then this tool is perfectly fine and is cost effective at the enterprise level in terms of time and money.

Leostream P2V Direct 3.0:

This P2V tool is used with VMWare and Microsoft virtualisation tools. It is a management interface, but has some interesting and useful utility functions that could be endearing to the enterprise Administrator for a virtualised infrastructure.

The downside is that it only works with Windows operating systems. As Windows is the dominant datacentre operating system, at this time, that isn’t really a limitation. However, this state of affairs is changing, and Leostream will, no doubt, change with it.

The Leostream system consists of a Wizard and a Host Agent, which can be on different networks as long as there is a routable connection for the following ports (8080, 9400, 9401, and 9402). Wide area network connections are supported.

The Leostream P2V Direct Wizard is installed on the origin physical server, and is compatible with all 32 bit versions, service packs and all security patches of Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003. For NT4 it supports service pack 6a and all security patches.

The Leostream Host Agent is installed on the destination host server running the virtualization software.

Leostream’s P2V Direct Wizard is installed, run, and un-installed on the origin machine without needing a reboot. It sees the machine in its operating state so it can map all of the running services and drivers and determine the changes needed for a successful conversion. It then instructs the virtualisation layer to create an appropriate VM, attaches a small operating system and boots the VM. The disks are then copied across by using the existing drivers. Once the disk transfer is complete then the VM is rebooted into Windows and the Leostream Wizard automatically un-installed. What could be simpler?

Two versions are available; The Windows version is compatible with VMware Workstation 5.x running on Windows XP (any service pack), VMware GSX 3.x, VMware Virtual Server, and Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 running on 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows Server 2003 (any service pack). The ESX version is compatible with VMware ESX Server v2.5.x and v3.0.

Leostream claim that it can do a one-time migration without a reboot. I haven’t tested that yet. If you have, let me know how it went. Leostream also say that this is an easy process and requires no training (!). Well, that’s a blessing.

PlateSpin PowerConvert:

The claim here is that PlateSpin decouples the data, operating systems, and applications from the servers on which they are hosted. This enables anywhere-to-anywhere automated conversions between physical servers, virtual machines, and image archives. PlateSpin’s PowerConvert can be used for server consolidations, disaster recovery, hardware migrations, test-lab automation, and more. You can stream servers in any direction between physical machines, blade infrastructures, virtual machines, and image archives over the network.

Using drag-and-drop, a physical server or virtual machine server running Windows or Linux can be converted into a fully functional virtual machine hosted on VMware Infrastructure 3, VMware ESX Server, VMware Server, Microsoft Virtual Server, or a PlateSpin Flexible Image. No physical contact with the source or target machines is required, allowing the flexibility to perform the consolidation from anywhere. Likewise, migrate to next generation blade, SMP or rack hardware without time consuming server rebuilds.

Restoring with backup products is often time consuming and includes manually building new servers, installing applications, and restoring data from tape or inflexible images. PlateSpin PowerConvert for Recovery is designed to replicate a server completely by streaming it over the network periodically to any available physical or virtual machine that could be used as a standby.

Live Transfer functionality enables such migrations to be performed without taking the source server offline. In case of primary server outage, the standby system can be activated to take over the workload quickly and resume normal processing. This is a pretty useful facility, but I still think that you should be very careful when you try this sort of activity. PlateSpin has a wide range of platforms supported by it’s various utilities. I think it is the widest range of all the P2V tools. Virtual Machines Operating Systems Image Archives Backup Solutions o VMware® Infrastructure 3 o VMware® ESX Server 2.1 and higher o VMware® Server o Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 & 2005 R2 o Windows NT Server (SP4, SP6a) o Windows 2000 Server o Windows 2000 Advanced Server o Windows 2003 Server o Windows 2003 Server R2 o Windows XP Professional (SP2) o Redhat Linux (7.3, 8.0) o Redhat Enterprise Linux (AS, 3.0, ES 3.0) o SUSE Linux Enterprise (9) o Acronis® True ImageTM o Symantec® LiveStateTM o PlateSpin Flexible Image Packages o Symantec® GhostTM o Raw Volume Data o Veritas® Backup ExecTM o CA BrighStor ARCserv r11 o Double-Take® by Double-Take Software

For servers without an operating system installed, you will need to use a boot CD to take control of the server. In almost all other cases, PlateSpin is used remotely and you need not go to the servers at all.

Ultimate P2V:

This is a free plugin that is used as part of a boot CD. The most popular boot CD is Bart PE. The simplest way to use Ultimate P2V is to install it on the Bart PE CD, along with Ghost, or Acronis (or your favourite imaging software), and any other utilities you think might be useful. Maybe include a password changing utility, or a file manager, or whatever you think will be helpful in your planned task.

This is an ‘off-ramp’ product. That means you never install anything to the servers. You just boot to the CD and then use the utilities to create the image. Once you have created the image, you can use Ultimate P2V to transfer it to a virtual server.

Oddly enough, this method of P2V does require that you are a competent technical person. That tends to be the case, as soon as you move from the commercial tools to the free tools. You have to work harder if it’s free.

I haven’t used this tool. I have used Bart PE, and it is one of the most useful RAMDisk tools out there in the wild. Mostly used by crackers to access servers and change the Admin’ password. I have a Bart PE disk with me at all times!

EZP2V:

As above. This tool is used with a RAMDisk, ‘off-ramp’ utility like Bart PE. This one can only be used with Windows servers. You will need an imaging tool, like Ghost, and you will also need to include a VMWare plugin.

Ultimate P2V is a free plugin that enables you to clone a physical machine to a virtual machine and perform the necessary system reconfiguration required to make it bootable.

Warning: you will need to track down and install a load of drivers to make this utility compatible with the standard operating systems.

Bart PE is used as the platform for Windows cloning. If you want to clone other operating systems you will need to use the Linux Live CD as the platform.

VMWare Converter 3.0:

VMware Converter is a scalable enterprise-class migration tool that converts physical machines to VMware virtual machines. Using a snapshot-based cloning mechanism, VMware Converter enables remote conversions without disrupting the source server during the conversion process. I wondered how long it would be before VMWare came out with a P2V freebee. I only became aware of it because it was mentioned in a comment about VMware Converter on the VMWare web site. Of course, I couldn’t wait to try it.

VMware Converter is a P2V solution. It enables you to convert physical machines running Windows to VMware virtual machines. The Starter Edition is for free, the Enterprise Edition will be licensed as part of support and subscription services with VirtualCenter Management. The Enterprise Edition allows multiple concurrent conversions, whereas the Starter Edition can only convert one machine at a time. Another difference is that the Enterprise Edition supports cold cloning, i.e. the migration of powered off machines. Since the OS of the source system isn’t running in a cold migration, the cloning process is less error prone. To cold clone a physical machine you have to boot from a Windows PE CD which will launch VMware Converter.

VMware Converter 3 has an easy-to-use wizard which guides you through the configuration of the conversion task. At the first step you have to decide what kind of conversion you are planning. There are five options:

• physical computer
• remote physical computer
• VMware virtual machine
• Microsoft virtual machine
• Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery (or Ghost 9 image)

The fact that it’s free has to be a reason to use it. But, it is limited to Windows, although, that isn’t necessarily a bind as most people use Windows servers in most datacentres.

Virtuozzo:

You will know, if you read my previous article on the subject of virtualisation, that Virtuozzo offer a virtualisation tool that partitions the operating system. This methodolgy lends itself well to P2V. You can move virtual servers between physical servers without end-user disruption or the need for costly storage capacity with Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0. No SAN required. The “zero downtime migration” capability is one of several major new features in the latest version of Virtuozzo for Linux – which also adds new template management, streamlined resource management and expanded operating system support to greatly enhance performance and automation.

SWsoft, (the developers of Virtuozzo), also introduced Virtuozzo for Windows, which adds a “physical-to-virtual” tool that enables easy migration from a dedicated physical server to a virtual server, performance increases and updated platform support.

Personally, I like Virtuozzo. It’s a different approach to the other tools and has that big plus of only requiring a single host operating system license (this may change in the future as Microsoft licensing catches up).

XenEnterprise:

XenEnterprise is the most efficient virtualisation tool available. It is true ParaVirtualisation and is 35% more efficient than VMWare and 40%+ more efficient than Microsoft Virtual Server.

XenEnterprise uses the Open-Source Xen kernel to provide it’s virtual process. Added to this is the ability to support Linux and Windows servers on the same hardware, providing the Intel hardware has the V extention, and the AMD hardware has the VT extention.

Included within the product is a P2V toolset that is totally integrated. From the single browser interface you can create a server image from a server operating system on another piece of hardware, and install it into a virtual machine on the XenEnterprise Host server. XenEnterprise tools include VM Export, Import and Cloning. No extra tools or utilities are required. Everything you need is right there in the XenEnterprise virtualising application.

Virtualisation isn’t the answer to all datacentre ills. It brings with it some nasty bits. It can over-utilise your systems, wear out your hardware quicker than traditional servers, replace server sprawl with virtual sprawl, and if you reboot a host, you down every guest operating system on that host.

Robb Kimmer is a Senior Customer Solutions Architect and Infrastructure Consultant with Fujitsu. He is also the owner of http://www.1techguy.com

Author: Robb Kimmer
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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PHP is a widely used and open source scripting language which designed for web development to build dynamic web pages. PHP Applications are normally hosted or found on Linux Servers. Its functionality same as Windows platform by Active Server Pages Technology.

PHP Frameworks are great way to increase programming efficiency. There are so many php frame works are available in the market. You can use it as per your project requirements. Let choose PHP Frameworks to your php programmers as per their requirement. Let’s start with more elaboration on Top 5 Php frame works.

Zend Framework – This frame work is an open source and object-oriented web application framework that you can implement with PHP 5. Zend Framework offers individual components for many other common requirements in web application development. It also seeks to promote web development best practices in the PHP.

Smarty Framework – Smarty is also known as Template Engine. It focuses on quick and easy development and deployment of web application. It has Pure PHP Template Option and most power full feature Template Inheritance. It also works with Tons of Template Syntax Enhancements and PHP Streams Support (per template/variable/include).

CakePHP – CakePHP is rapid development & open source web application framework for PHP to produce an extensible architecture for developing, maintaining and deploying applications. It usages most common design patterns like MVC and ORM. It also reduces development costs and coding efforts. CakePHP is easy to use and simple framework. It is the most secured frame work security, authenticated, and session handler.

Symfony – Symfony is a full-stack framework. This frame work provides architecture, components and tools for developers to build complex web applications faster. It is packed with supplementary tools helps you to test, debug and document your project. It is compliant with most of the web “best practices” and with web “design patterns”. It has also included most common web features.

Pardo – Pardo is a component-based and event-driven framework for rapid Web programming. Component of Pardo is a combination of a specification file (in XML), an HTML template and a PHP class. It has some other features like ease of use, robustness and team integration.

This is glimpse of all famous PHP Frame Works and its features. You can customize it on your way as per project requirement. Main uses of frameworks are rapid application development, get rid of to much coding and many more. Hope this article will help you to choose Best PHP Frame Work as per your project requirement.

Simron Bird is working with leading PHP Development Company based at India. She is passionate to share useful tips on SEO company outsourcing, web analytics and iPhone application development.

Author: Simron S Bird
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are pursuing a career in the information technology field, chances are you will need to obtain some kind of IT certification in order to qualify for a job. There are many IT certification options out there, so sometimes it can be difficult to choose which one is best for you. The Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) offers a wide variety of certification exams which are well regarded in the information technology sector as a reliable indicator of employee qualification. There are lots of compelling reasons to get a CompTIA certification. Here are just a few:

1. CompTIA A+ certification is the gold standard of IT certifications.

If you’re just starting out in IT, chances are you will need to obtain your A+ certification at some point. This certification covers the absolute basics of computer technology. By obtaining this credential, you prove to prospective employers that you have the necessary knowledge to install software and hardware, perform preventative maintenance, do basic computer networking, and have a clear understanding of computer security essentials. The CompTIA A+ certification is also a prerequisite for a whole host of other certifications offered by CompTIA and other credentialing organizations. If you don’t get your CompTIA A+, you won’t be able to move on to more advanced certifications and job openings with greater levels of responsibility.

2. IT security is a growing field, and is poised to expand even more in the coming years.

With each passing year, cybersecurity threats are increasing in both frequency and severity. Businesses and government organizations need qualified individuals to address these threats, and protect computer systems from malicious attacks and fraud. You can show your qualification for these plentiful jobs by obtaining your CompTIA Security+ certification. This certification shows that you have the skills to keep computer systems secure, create safe network infrastructures, and know the principles of organizational security. With this credential under your belt, you can market yourself as a security expert and set yourself up for a variety of good job opportunities in both the public and private sector.

3. Many companies are switching to open source software to cut costs. A CompTIA Linux+ certification can help you get ahead.

In today’s economic climate, many companies are finding ways to cut expenses to improve their bottom line. It’s becoming harder to justify spending thousands of dollars on software when there are perfectly good open source alternatives out there. As a result, Linux applications are seeing a resurgence in popularity. By obtaining a CompTIA Linux+ certification, you can show that you have what it takes to manage Linux installation and maintenance effectively and set yourself for opportunities in this field.

4. CompTIA is the leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications worldwide, and has a strong reputation for preparing quality employees.

CompTIA certifications are universally accepted not only by major companies in the Unites States, but around the world as well. Unlike other certification organizations that come and go, CompTIA has been around for nearly thirty years. They have built a strong reputation in the information technology field, and by obtaining a certification from them, you can rely on this good reputation to reflect positively upon you. Due to its strong industry presence in IT, a CompTIA certification will serve you well no matter where your career takes you.

Before you take your CompTIA certification exam, you should seek out a qualified IT training school to help you prepare. With a little help, you should be able to pass your certification test with flying colors, and be well on your way to a successful career in information technology.

About The Author: Shawn Livengood works for TechSkills, a career training school with over 25 campuses nationwide. TechSkills offers career training programs for IT certifications, healthcare services, accounting, and project management.

Author: Shawn Livengood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Though it could have been condensed somewhat – several of the items seem to overlap – eWEEK has posted a nice slide show on the problems of laptop security. In this case, “nice” relates to the clarity of the presentation, not the feeling the message is likely to elicit. That message is that there are a quite a few ways that a laptop can become a problem.

The ways laptops are endangered: Hard drives aren’t encrypted, USB drives are not disabled, people simultaneously use devices for personal and business tasks, users don’t pay attention to security, physical security measures aren’t used, people do dumb things, devices aren’t labeled and thus can’t be returned by the rare honest person who finds them, tracing programs aren’t used enough, and systems aren’t patched.

Lack of encryption is number one on eWEEK’s list. That’s no accident. Encryption is one of the key strategies for protecting the data on machines, since it makes that data largely inaccessible to people who steal or find devices.

There is good news on this front. Network World reports that federal agencies have bought 800,000 encryption licenses during the past year though the federal Data at Rest (DAR) encryption program, which is run by the General Services Administration and the Department of Defense. The piece says the total number of laptops the feds think they must worry about is thought to be about 2 million, split roughly equally between federally owned devices and private companies with access to government data. The story offers two very interesting links to The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse – which, among other things, keeps a running listing of breaches – and to a listing of the top 10 suppliers of encryption to the federal program.

On paper (or a computer screen), the idea of full-disk encryption – as the name implies, encrypting everything on a machine from soup to nuts – sounds great. That is, to everyone except some folks in the IT department. A recent TechRepublic post says full-disk encryption makes testing the device beyond hardware hard. Full-disk encryption, the writer says, also can lead to very difficult password management situations.

The writer suggests that most people don’t really need full-disk encryption. There is a lot of data on a machine that is fine left in the clear. The better alternative is using encrypted disk images to store sensitive data and leaving everything else. Specifically, the writer recommends TrueCrypt, an open source utility that can switch fluidly among Windows, Mac OS and Linux.

Laptop encryption is not a one-size-fits-all undertaking. There are different approaches, and Processor looks at variables and tradeoffs of each. Perhaps the most important choice is whether to use full-disk or file-based encryption. The former offers a higher level of security but, as noted by TechRepublic, is more cumbersome. File-based approaches are easier to use, but rely on the user to implement. Even if he or she does, sensitive data can be misplaced on unencrypted drives. Another decision is whether to use free or commercial encryption. The free versions could be open source or a utility that comes in the operating system. A sidebar suggests starting with free approaches until they are proven inadequate and creating an implementation plan.

This piece posted at AlertBoot tells the story of the disappearance of a laptop from a health care office in East Hempfield Township, Penn. The machine held a file database and, apparently, was being used to scan paperwork into the system. The person doing the work apparently left the room momentarily and the machine was swiped.

The point of the story is that full-disk encryption is vulnerable if the machine is operating when it is taken and the thief goes to work before turning it off. This problem is eliminated if the machine also has file-level encryption – assuming, of course, that a file with sensitive data is open when the machine is taken. Clearly, this shows the limits of encryption – and suggests that more than one approach is needed to truly secure a machine.

Read Carl’s article, “Wireless Security Improving, but Much Work Remains” – http://www.itbusinessedge.com/blogs/top/?p=320&nr=inbound

Author: Carl Weinschenk
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Time synchronization is a crucial aspect of computer networking. Ensuring all machines on a network are synchronised to the global timescale, UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), otherwise time sensitive transactions with other networks would be impossible.

Time synchronization is made easy thanks to the Network Time Protocol (NTP) which was devised in the early days of the Internet for that very purpose. It works be utilising a single time source (usually UTC) which is then distributed amongst all devices on the NTP network.

The UTC time source is often taken from the Internet on networks where security is not a great issue but as this involves leaving an open port in a network firewall for many networks the vulnerability this can leave isn’t worth the risk.

Dedicated network time servers (often referred to as NTP servers) are used by many networks as a secure and even more accurate method of receiving UTC. These devices receive the UTC time direct from an atomic clock source.

Furthermore, these dedicated time servers operate external to the firewall and network and use sources such as GPS or radio frequencies to pick up the time codes.

For ease of synchronisation there are various time synchronisation software packages that run hand-in-hand with NTP and allow, through browser interfaces, easy configuration of the time synchronization throughout the network.

Whilst these time synchronisation software packages aren’t essential in using most NTP servers, the standard software installed in operating systems is often lacking or quite complicated.

Most specialist producers of dedicated network time servers will produce a times service client to allow configuration and these are probably best suited for the device from that suppler. However, there are many freeware and open source time synchronisation software packages that are mostly compatible with many NTP servers.

Richard N Williams is a technical author and specialist in atomic clocks, telecommunications, NTP and network time synchronisation helping to develop dedicated NTP clocks. Please visit us for more information about a Galleon ntp time server or other ntp server solutions.

Author: Richard N Williams
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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