Windows Home Server - Real-life scenario

I’ve been running Windows Home Server for just under a year now and thought I’d take a little time to explain my setup in detail and explain why I use this product when I could also simply build a Linux server to do many of the things handled by WHS.My setupLate last year, I bought an HP MediaSmart EX470 Windows Home Server for a project I was working on. Prior to buying the MediaSmart system, I had built a custom system with an evaluation copy of Windows Home Server provided by Microsoft, and gave it up in favor of the HP server. The HP MediaSmart systems ship with a paltry 512MB of RAM, but, with a little know-how, it’s not all that hard to upgrade to 2GB of RAM, which is almost a must. Frankly, HP will probably have to address the RAM issue at some point and give customers the option of easily expanding the RAM without voiding the warranty. The EX470 ships with a single 500GB hard drive. In order to enjoy the full benefit of Windows Home Server, you really need multiple hard drives. Since installing my server, I’ve added three more 500GB drives for a total of 2TB capacity. While that sounds like a ton of space, due to the way that WHS uses disk space, it’s actually less than it sounds like. This is not meant to be a negative point… just fact.The MediaSmart server includes a gigabit Ethernet port and I’ve connected it, as well as my two primary workstations, to a gigabit Ethernet switch. I also use a wireless-N network at home to connect my wife’s Windows desktop computer and my MacBook to the network. I run VMware Fusion on my MacBook so I can run Windows programs.How I use WHS I save almost everything to my Windows Home Server. I write a lot, so all of my work is stored there, as is my iTunes library, backups of my DVDs and a lot more. All of the computers in my house are automatically backed up to my server, too. I have personally used WHS’ client restoration capability to restore a client computer and it’s an absolutely fantastic and surprisingly easy to use procedure.Although WHS Power Pack 1 now includes the ability to backup the Windows Home Server to an external hard drive, a feature that was missing from the OEM release, I’ve opted to use Windows Home Server Gold Plan ($199/year, but right now, $99/year special) to automatically back up mu Windows Home Server to KeepVault’s servers. I’ve been using KeepVault for almost a year now and am very pleased. The only disadvantage to this method is that KeepVault won’t back up files that are larger than 5GB in size, but KeepVault provides unlimited storage space. The only files I have that are larger than 5GB in size are generally ISO files and virtual machine images and, if I so desired, I could take steps to protect even these files. However, for performance reasons, I don’t run my virtual machines from my server anyway, although I would give it a shot if WHS included a good way to handle iSCSI.With the Power Pack 1 release, WHS is finally ready for prime time. Prior to this release, WHS suffered from a serious data corruption bug which, unfortunately, I feel victim to. The resulting damage was more of an annoyance as I had to work around it, but as I said, PP1 fixes this issue and adds some additional capability.Windows Home Server includes very good remote access capability, too. When I’m on the road for business, I don’t have to try to remember exactly which files I need to take with me. If I forget something, I can just browse to my server and get the file. Configuring this capability is a breeze, too, as long as you have a router that supports uPnP, which I do. Otherwise, it would take manual router configuration, making WHS less than desirable for the average home user.Could I have replicated this functionality with Linux, other open source products and some scripts? Sure. Would it have worked. Well, probably not as seamlessly. Even something like WHS is a tool for me and I’ve gotten to a point where I just need stuff to work so that I can focus on getting a job done. My WHS system protects my files at two levels-locally in the event of a client failure, and remotely in the event of a server failure-and gives me an easy way to get to my information if necessary.Although the market need is still somewhat questionable, WHS is aimed at users that lack the technical expertise to build computers from scratch or that want to focus on the end result of the product-a working, stable server. For those that enjoy the thrill of building something from scratch, WHS is probably not for you. For me, however, it’s a perfect complement to my clients and perfectly fits my work style.

Windows Home Server - Real-life scenario

I’ve been running Windows Home Server for just under a year now and thought I’d take a little time to explain my setup in detail and explain why I use this product when I could also simply build a Linux server to do many of the things handled by WHS.My setupLate last year, I bought an HP MediaSmart EX470 Windows Home Server for a project I was working on. Prior to buying the MediaSmart system, I had built a custom system with an evaluation copy of Windows Home Server provided by Microsoft, and gave it up in favor of the HP server. The HP MediaSmart systems ship with a paltry 512MB of RAM, but, with a little know-how, it’s not all that hard to upgrade to 2GB of RAM, which is almost a must. Frankly, HP will probably have to address the RAM issue at some point and give customers the option of easily expanding the RAM without voiding the warranty. The EX470 ships with a single 500GB hard drive. In order to enjoy the full benefit of Windows Home Server, you really need multiple hard drives. Since installing my server, I’ve added three more 500GB drives for a total of 2TB capacity. While that sounds like a ton of space, due to the way that WHS uses disk space, it’s actually less than it sounds like. This is not meant to be a negative point… just fact.The MediaSmart server includes a gigabit Ethernet port and I’ve connected it, as well as my two primary workstations, to a gigabit Ethernet switch. I also use a wireless-N network at home to connect my wife’s Windows desktop computer and my MacBook to the network. I run VMware Fusion on my MacBook so I can run Windows programs.How I use WHS I save almost everything to my Windows Home Server. I write a lot, so all of my work is stored there, as is my iTunes library, backups of my DVDs and a lot more. All of the computers in my house are automatically backed up to my server, too. I have personally used WHS’ client restoration capability to restore a client computer and it’s an absolutely fantastic and surprisingly easy to use procedure.Although WHS Power Pack 1 now includes the ability to backup the Windows Home Server to an external hard drive, a feature that was missing from the OEM release, I’ve opted to use Windows Home Server Gold Plan ($199/year, but right now, $99/year special) to automatically back up mu Windows Home Server to KeepVault’s servers. I’ve been using KeepVault for almost a year now and am very pleased. The only disadvantage to this method is that KeepVault won’t back up files that are larger than 5GB in size, but KeepVault provides unlimited storage space. The only files I have that are larger than 5GB in size are generally ISO files and virtual machine images and, if I so desired, I could take steps to protect even these files. However, for performance reasons, I don’t run my virtual machines from my server anyway, although I would give it a shot if WHS included a good way to handle iSCSI.With the Power Pack 1 release, WHS is finally ready for prime time. Prior to this release, WHS suffered from a serious data corruption bug which, unfortunately, I feel victim to. The resulting damage was more of an annoyance as I had to work around it, but as I said, PP1 fixes this issue and adds some additional capability.Windows Home Server includes very good remote access capability, too. When I’m on the road for business, I don’t have to try to remember exactly which files I need to take with me. If I forget something, I can just browse to my server and get the file. Configuring this capability is a breeze, too, as long as you have a router that supports uPnP, which I do. Otherwise, it would take manual router configuration, making WHS less than desirable for the average home user.Could I have replicated this functionality with Linux, other open source products and some scripts? Sure. Would it have worked. Well, probably not as seamlessly. Even something like WHS is a tool for me and I’ve gotten to a point where I just need stuff to work so that I can focus on getting a job done. My WHS system protects my files at two levels-locally in the event of a client failure, and remotely in the event of a server failure-and gives me an easy way to get to my information if necessary.Although the market need is still somewhat questionable, WHS is aimed at users that lack the technical expertise to build computers from scratch or that want to focus on the end result of the product-a working, stable server. For those that enjoy the thrill of building something from scratch, WHS is probably not for you. For me, however, it’s a perfect complement to my clients and perfectly fits my work style.

Five ways to show business value of M-F authentication

There’s more to selecting an enterprise second-factor authentication method than meets the retina scanner. As with any IT project, each dollar spent must produce business value. With M-F authentication, this translates to value beyond simply verifying an employee’s identity.Too often, security professionals are mesmerized by regulatory or best practice multi-factor (M-F) authentication mantras. They don’t see that selling M-F solutions to management requires more than a strategically placed HIPAA, SOX, or CoBIT two-by-four. Besides, using regulatory requirements to squeeze additional security dollars out of the IT budget is an argument with diminishing returns.There are five basic characteristics of an M-F solution that affect its potential for showing business value: an acceptable probability of success in verifying identity, easy enrollment, enhanced productivity, enables single sign on (SSO), and user acceptance.1. Achieves business-defined probability of success in verifying identity – This is the obvious function of an M-F solution. It should supplement the primary authentication method, usually password-based, by meeting a business-defined threshold for positive verification.Expecting an M-F method to produce 100 percent accuracy is the first mistake of many security managers. Even the effectiveness of finger-print recognition is determined by its error rate. Unless you’re guarding the crown jewels or defense department secrets, the cost of solutions that achieve zero errors is usually higher than necessary to achieve reasonable and appropriate protection. The level of success necessary depends on the strength of your passwords, business tolerance for risk, and the existence and effectiveness of other access controls. 2. Easy enrollment – Enrollment should take less than two minutes and be easily integrated into the new-hire process. Presenting a solution to management that requires employees to juggle three balls while whistling Dixie is not going to help your cause. For example, I just looked at a solution last week that required users to answer over 60 questions to get set up. The solution, currently an academic exercise only, achieved a probability of success that was high enough, but enrollment challenges make it almost impossible to gain management acceptance. 3. Enhances productivity – The user experience should be improved, eliminating existing authentication challenges that go beyond regulatory compliance. In fact, selling a solution to management might require demonstrating how it can solve other issues. For example, many health care organizations deploy shared computers to nurses stations. Several nurses use these devices, logging in many times, during each shift. Their ability to provide care might be enhanced by an M-F solution that quickly verifies their identity and performs fast user switching, eliminating lost time dealing with system authentication issues. Proximity detection can make this happen before the nurse even gets to the keyboard.Another enhancement is SSO-like functionality. Although users have to authenticate to each application, the use of M-F technology can often eliminate the need to enter a user ID and password every time. 4. Enables SSO – The M-F solution should be compatible with future SSO implementations. Selecting an M-F technology without considering SSO is a big mistake. The cost of M-F solutions can be high, and ripping it out if it isn’t compatible with the SSO technology you choose is a career-limiting exercise. According to Forrester, the best approach is selecting an SSO solution first, even if implementation is two to three years in the future. Implementation of an M-F solution should be within the context of your SSO vision. Share that vision with management, positioning your biometrics or smart-card solution as an incremental step toward an improved user experience. 5. Acceptable to users – The solution must be easy to use and actually improve the way users see the security that protects information assets. Nothing kills an M-F rollout faster than user revolt. User resistance is often based on one or more of the following, - Fear that the company stores unique personal information - Fear that the company is collecting personal health information (retinal scans look at patterns that are also used to determine certain health conditions) for insurance purposes - Fear that the red light in retinal scanning sensors is physically harmful - Fear of contracting diseases through contact with publicly used sensors - High error rate, without an easy alternative to logging in The first four bullets under the fifth business value characteristic can be assuaged with pre-rollout discussions with users or user representatives, helping them understand the actual facts about the M-F technology selected. The last item is a technology challenge.As I wrote early in this post, M-F technology isn’t perfect. There will be errors. One error that frustrates users is a rejection of authorized login attempts. Frustration levels can be controlled by ensuring your solution includes an easy way to deal with these issues as they arise. Remember, this is supposed to improve user experience

10 things you should know about launching an IT consultancy

Oh yeah. You’re going to work for yourself, be your own boss. Come and go when you want. No more kowtowing to The Man, right?Running your own computer consulting business is rewarding, but it’s also full of numerous and competing challenges. Before you make the jump into entrepreneurship, take a moment to benefit from a few hundred hours of research I’ve invested and the real-world lessons I’ve learned in launching my own computer consulting franchise.There are plenty of launch-your-own-business books out there. I know. I read several of them. Most are great resources. Many provide critical lessons in best managing liquid assets, understanding opportunity costs, and leveraging existing business relationships. But when it comes down to the dirty details, here are 10 things you really, really need to know (in street language) before quitting your day job.#1: You need to incorporateYou don’t want to lose your house if a client’s data is lost. If you try hanging out a shingle as an independent lone ranger, your personal assets could be at risk. (Note that I’m not dispensing legal nor accounting advice. Consult your attorney for legal matters and a qualified accountant regarding tax issues.)Ultimately, life is easier when your business operates as a business and not as a side project you maintain when you feel like it. Clients appreciate the assurance of working with a dedicated business. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve obtained whose last IT guy “did it on the side” and has now taken a corporate job and doesn’t have time to help the client whose business has come to a standstill because of computer problems. Clients want to know you’re serious about providing service and that they’re not entering a new relationship in which they’re just going to get burned again in a few months time.#2: You need to register for a federal tax ID numberNext, you need to register for a federal tax ID number. Hardly anyone (vendors, banks, and even some clients) will talk to you if you don’t.Wait a second. Didn’t you just complete a mountain of paperwork to form your business (either as a corporation or LLC)? Yes, you did. But attorneys and online services charge incredible rates to obtain a federal tax ID for you.Here’s a secret: It’s easy. Just go to the IRS Web site, complete and submit form SS-4 online, and voila. You’ll be the proud new owner of a federal tax ID.#3: You need to register for a state sales tax exemptionYou need a state sales tax exemption, too (most likely). If you’re in a state that collects sales tax, you’re responsible for ensuring sales tax gets paid on any item you sell a client. In such states, whether you buy a PC for a customer or purchase antivirus licenses, taxes need to be paid.Check your state’s Web site. Look for information on the state’s department of revenue. You’ll probably have to complete a form, possibly even have it notarized, and return it to the state’s revenue cabinet. Within a few weeks, you’ll receive an account number. You’ll use that account number when you purchase products from vendors. You can opt NOT to pay sales tax when you purchase the item, instead choosing to pay the sales tax when you sell the item to the client.Why do it this way? Because many (most) consultants charge clients far more for a purchase than the consultant paid. Some call it markup; accountants prefer to view it as profit. But you certainly don’t want to have to try to determine what taxes still need to be paid if some tax was paid earlier. Thus, charge tax at the point of sale to the customer, not when you purchase the item.#4: You need to register with local authoritiesLocal government wants its money, too. Depending on where your business is located and services customers, you’ll likely need to register for a business license. As with the state sales tax exemption, contact your local government’s revenue cabinet or revenue commission for more information on registering your business. Expect to pay a fee for the privilege.#5: QuickBooks is your friendOnce your paperwork’s complete, it’s time for more paperwork. In fact, you’d better learn to love paperwork, as a business owner. There’s lots of it, whether it’s preparing quarterly tax filings, generating monthly invoicing, writing collection letters, or simply returning monthly sales reports to state and local revenue cabinets.QuickBooks can simplify the process. From helping keep your service rates consistent (you’ll likely want one level for benchwork, another for residential or home office service, and yet a third for commercial accounts) to professionally invoicing customers, QuickBooks can manage much of your finances.I recommend purchasing the latest Pro version, along with the corresponding Missing Manual book for the version you’ve bought. Plan on spending a couple of weekends, BEFORE you’ve launched your business, doing nothing but studying the financial software. Better yet, obtain assistance from an accountant or certified QuickBooks professional to set up your initial Chart of Accounts. A little extra time taken on the front end to ensure the software’s configured properly for your business will save you tons of time on the backend. I promise.#6: Backend systems will make or break youSpeaking of backend, backend systems are a pain in the you-know-what. And by backend, I mean all your back office chores, from marketing services to billing to vendor management and fulfillment. Add call management to the list, too.Just as when you’re stuck in traffic driving between service calls, you don’t make any money when you’re up to your elbows in paper or processing tasks. It’s frustrating. Clients want you to order a new server box, two desktops, and a new laptop. They don’t want to pay a markup, either. But they’re happy to pay you for your time to install the new equipment.Sound good? It’s not.Consider the facts. You have to form a relationship with the vendor. It will need your bank account information, maybe proof of insurance (expect to carry one million dollars of general liability), your state sales tax exemption ID, your federal employer ID, a list of references, and a host of other information that takes a day to collect. Granted, you have to do that only once (with each vendor, and you’ll need about 10), but then you still have to wade through their catalogs, select the models you need, and configure them with the appropriate tape arrays, software packages, etc. That takes an hour alone. And again, you’re typically not getting paid for this research. Even if you mark hardware sales up 15 percent, don’t plan on any Hawaiian vacation as a result.Add in similar trials and tribulations with your marketing efforts, billing systems, vendor maintenance, channel resellers, management issues, etc., and you can see why many consultants keep a full-time office manager on staff. It’s no great revelation of my business strategy to say that’s why I went with a franchise group. I have a world of backend support ready and waiting when I need it. I can’t imagine negotiating favorable or competitive pricing with computer manufacturers, antivirus vendors, or Microsoft if I operated on my own.Before you open your doors, make sure that you know how you’ll tackle these wide-ranging back office chores. You’ll be challenged with completing them on an almost daily basis.#7: Vendor relationships will determine your successThis is one of those business facets I didn’t fully appreciate until I was operating on my own. Everyone wants you to sell their stuff, right? How hard can it be for the two of you to hook up?Well, it’s hard, as it turns out, to obtain products configured exactly as your client needs quickly and at a competitive price if you don’t have strong vendor relationships. That means you’ll need to spend time at trade shows and on the telephone developing business relationships with everyone from software manufacturers and hardware distributors to local computer store owners who keep life-saving SATA disks and patch 5 cables in stock when you can’t wait five days for them to show up via UPS.Different vendors have their own processes, so be prepared to learn myriad ways of signing up and jumping through hoops. Some have online registrations; others prefer faxes and notarized affidavits. Either way, they all take time to launch, so plan on beginning vendor discussions, and establishing your channel relationships, months in advance of opening your consultancy.#8: You must know what you do (and explain it in 10 seconds or less)All the start-your-own-business books emphasize writing your 50-page business plan. Yes, I did that. And do you know how many times I’ve referred to it since I opened my business? Right; not once.The written business plan is essential. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important because it gets you thinking about all those topics (target markets, capitalization, sales and marketing, cash flow requirements, etc.) you must master to be successful.But here’s what you really need to include in your business plan: a succinct and articulate explanation of what your business does, how the services you provide help other businesses succeed, and how you’re different. Oh, and you need to be able to explain all that in 10 seconds or less.Really. I’m not kidding.Business Network International (plan on joining the chapter in your area) is on to something when it allots members just 30 seconds or so to explain what they do and the nature of their competitive advantage. Many times I’ve been approached in elevators, at stoplights (with the windows down), and just entering my car in a parking lot by prospective customers. Sometimes they have a quick question, other times they need IT help right now. Here’s the best part; they don’t always know it.The ability to quickly communicate the value of the services you provide is paramount to success. Ensure that you can rattle off a sincere description of what you do and how you do it in 10 seconds and without having to think about it. It must be a natural reaction you develop to specific stimuli. You’ll cash more checks if you do.#9: It’s all about the brandingWhy have I been approached by customers at stoplights, in parking lots, and in elevators? I believe in branding. And unlike many pop business books that broach the subject of branding but don’t leave you with any specifics, here’s what I mean by that.People know what I do. Give me 10 seconds and I can fill in any knowledge gaps quickly. My “brand” does much of the ice breaking for me. I travel virtually nowhere without it. My company’s logo and telephone number are on shirts. Long sleeve, short sleeve, polos, and dress shirts; they all feature my logo. Both my cars are emblazoned with logos, telephone numbers, and simple marketing messages (which I keep consistent with my Yellow Pages and other advertising).I have baseball hats for casual trips to Home Depot. My attaché features my company logo. My wife wears shirts displaying the company logo when grocery shopping. After I visit clients, even their PC bears a shiny silver sticker with my logo and telephone number.Does it work? You better believe it. Hang out a shingle and a few people will call. Plaster a consistent but tasteful logo and simple message on your cars, clothing, ads, Web site, etc., and the calls begin stacking up.Do you have to live, eat, and breathe the brand? No. But it helps. And let’s face it. After polishing off a burrito and a beer, I don’t mind someone asking if they can give me their laptop to repair when I approach my car in a parking lot. Just in case they have questions, I keep brochures, business cards and notepads (again, all featuring my logo and telephone number) in my glove box. You’d be surprised how quickly I go through them. I am.#10: A niche is essentialThe business plan books touch on this, but they rarely focus on technology consultants directly. You need to know your market niche. I’m talking about your target market here.Will you service only small businesses? If so, you better familiarize yourself with the software they use. Or are you targeting physicians? In that case, you better know all things HIPAA, Intergy, and Medisoft (among others).Know up front that you’re not going to be able to master everything. I choose to manage most Windows server, desktop, and network issues. When I encounter issues with specific medical software, dental systems, or client relationship software platforms, I call in an expert trained on those platforms. We work alongside to iron out the issue together.Over time, that strategy provides me with greater penetration into more markets than if I concentrated solely on mastering medical systems, for example. Plus, clients respect you when you tell them you’re outside your area of expertise. It builds trust, believe it or not.Whatever you choose to focus on, ensure that you know your niche. Do all you can to research your target market thoroughly and understand the challenges such clients battle daily. Otherwise, you’ll go crazy trying to develop expertise with Medisoft databases at the same time Intel’s rolling out new dual-core chips and Microsoft’s releasing a drastically new version of Office.

Five good security reads

NovelsThe first part of the list is of novels I have read in the last year that have a strong IT security focus, are well written, and can teach the security interested IT professional something about security. If you haven’t read them yet, they should definitely be on your reading list.They’re listed in the order I read them, which is conveniently also alphabetical order.CryptonomiconThis Neal Stephenson novel is a trifle unique in that it is actually two tales, each with its own plot, in one. The narrative switches between these tales regularly, one set during World War II, the other in the modern world. Specific modern technologies are often fictionalized (e.g. Finux, a thinly veiled reference to Linux, and Ordo, an encryption system that doesn’t exist in the real world but very well could), while more general technologies (e.g. cryptographic technologies in general) are entirely real.The story introduces the reader to concepts that, for most of us, may be new. It ends up being kind of accidentally educational in that respect, presenting ideas about cryptographic currencies, principles of cryptographic technology, and some of the history of modern computing and modern cryptography in forms easily digestible for the technically inclined reader. It even presents a rather unique demonstration of basic cryptographic principles in action in the form of the Solitaire cipher, a cryptographic system invented by Bruce Schneier specifically for Cryptonomicon that can be employed without a computer, via a normal deck of playing cards. It’s not a trivial, toy cryptographic system, however: it is meant to be a form of strong cryptography and, in fact, when Cryptonomicon was published with the Solitaire cipher algorithm printed within its pages in the form of a Perl script, saving that script in a file on a computer in the US and emailing it to someone in another country would have violated US munitions export laws because it qualifies as “strong encryption”.Halting StateProbably the least directly educational of the three, this novel by Charles Stross is most interesting for its speculations on virtual currencies, virtual realities in meatspace, cyber-terrorism, and the social implications of all of the above. The primary characters are involved in the investigation of what starts out looking like the “robbery” of a virtual bank in a near-future MMORPG, but quickly spins out of control as they discover that all is not as it at first seems.It is written primarily in the second person, reminiscent of old text based adventure games, which I found a little difficult to get into at first — especially with the switching between perspective characters in different chapters. It’s an engrossing tale, with a well constructed plot, however.Little BrotherCory Doctorow set out to write this novel for “young adults” (i.e. teenagers), with an intentionally educational thread throughout. The main character, a high school student with a perhaps more than healthy interest in learning what others don’t want him to know (and using that knowledge), is a hacker in the original sense who, written in the first person perspective, spends a fair bit of time explaining matters of IT security to the reader.Little Brother is probably the best-written work of fiction that doubles as an educational text I have ever read, in part because it presents basic concepts within the context of the story and encourages the reader to pursue further knowledge on his or her own. If you read the entire novel and don’t find yourself inspired to read more on the subjects and concepts presented, you may just not be cut out to be a technologist at all. It’s the kind of book I wish I had in my hands when I was thirteen — but even now, about two decades older, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring read.The plot surrounds the events following a terrorist attack on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, in a future so near it was quite a while before I was sure it wasn’t written to basically take place in the present. Politically, it looks like it may take place around 2011 some time, though it is flexible enough that it might believably take place any time in the next decade. The technologies are essentially the technologies we know today, with a few specific additions that could well arise in the next few years.Like usual, Doctorow’s challenges to the dominant paradigm go beyond the content of his fiction: this novel is not only available at bookstores and libraries, but also as a free download under the terms of a Creative Commons license. If you like reading full-length novels in digital file formats, you can get it there as a plain text, PDF, or HTML formatted file. I personally prefer having a physical book in my hands, so that’s the form of the novel I read.For a more personal take on Little Brother, check out my brief review in my personal Weblog.Related readingThe second part of the list is works that aren’t novels — in one case, a book-length essay on the development of operating systems, and in the other a collection of short stories.In the Beginning was the Command LinePeople who enjoy Cryptonomicon may also want to read Stephenson’s In the Beginning was the Command Line, a lengthy essay examining the history of operating systems. It was written in the late 1990s, and is a little dated now, but the lessons it conveys are no less valuable. While it doesn’t directly address security, it does provide some insights into the design philosophies and necessities of operating systems, the collective mindset of their users, and other matters that provide a basis for understanding the security characteristics of systems incorporating various OSes and real-life end users. It has been published as a short book, but is also available for download as a Mac Stuffit or Zip compressed plain text file, free of charge. Among the rest of the works in this list, this is the only one I read for the first time before 17 July 2007. I have read it several times, however, the most recent being a few months ago. It’s not only worth reading once — it’s worth revisiting.Overclocked: Stores of the Future PresentDoctorow’s Overclocked: Stories of the Future Present is a collection of short stories by the author of Little Brother. Many of them, individually, seem tailor-made to challenge the comfortable preconceptions of the modern technologist, illustrating in science fiction prose the possible consequences of contemporary technology policy. Like Little Brother, and most if not all the rest of Doctorow’s fiction, it is available as a free download as well as in dead-tree hardcopy editions.RecommendationsIf you’re a technology enthusiast, and there’s anything in the above list of works that you haven’t read, you should rectify that oversight soon. They’re all well written, informative, and often inspiring. Three of them are even available for free online, so the excuses for failing to read them lie somewhere between slim and none.

A primer on array-based and network-based replication

Replication helps protect your data and files by producing a duplicate copy at a second site, server, or storage array. I covered host-based replication in a previous blog.In this blog, I’ll cover two other types of replication — array-based replication and network (or fabric) based replication.Array-based replicationArray-based replication requires a central data storage unit (SAN or NAS) and a partner unit. With array-based replication, the SAN or NAS processes the data and the commands to process and validate the data being replicated.Advantages of array-based replicationThe work is offloaded from the servers to the storage device. You only need one location to control many replications of multiple servers. Hosts (Servers) are not required at the second site or to be attached to the second SAN/NAS. A central SQL server can be set up to replicate with the servers that actually present applications to users, such as order tracking applications. The right software can queue databases to ensure that transactions and the database are in a recoverable state. Disadvantages of array-based replicationCost per device can be high, especially when you’re not replicating all of the data on the SAN. Only SAN or NAS based data can be replicated or controlled. A second SAN or NAS is required, increasing the cost for the solution. There could be compatibility problems of replication technology/software between SAN/NAS hardware and vendors. Examples of array-based replication softwareHP StorageWorks XP EMC SANCOPY - Supports EMC and some other vendor arrays EMC MirrorView - EMC only replication NetApp SnapMirror Network-based replicationThe last type of replication is network (or fabric) based replication. This type of replication works separately from the hosts (servers) and the storage devices. A device on the network intercepts packets being sent to and from hosts and arrays and copies them. These copies are replicated to a second device that then replays the packets at a second location. The devices are, in essence, splitters. The data goes in and then it’s split out to different sources.Advantages of network-based replicationIt’s a separate component from the SAN/NAS or the hosts. Processing is independent to the host and SAN/NAS. It allows replication between multi-vendor products. Disadvantages of network-based replicationThe cost of implementing devices to support this kind of replication is high. Newer technology for the data center, standards, and process are still being worked out. There are a limited number of “players” in this area of replication

Computer Use 101: Rule number one

What’s the first rule of using a computer? I’d wager that nine out of ten support staff would agree on this one. We might all think it’s a no-brainer, but for as long as I’ve been in this business (20+ years), rule number one was to save often. I’m amazed at how many people don’t. Here are some of the things I see.I recently upgraded a bunch of computers in the office, and to accommodate busy work demands, I would swap the boxes after hours. More times than not, I would find that people went home for the day leaving any number of files open. Of course, when I closed them, I was asked if I wanted to save the changes. That can only mean that it wasn’t saved before that person went home. Some of them didn’t even have a proper file name, since I was asked if I wanted to save Document1, or Workbook1, or some other default name. Personally speaking, I never even walk away from my computer without saving, much less go home for the night without doing it. In fact, I seldom leave anything open when I leave for the day.Someone approached me recently with a gripe about how Microsoft will sometimes automatically reboot his computer after an upgrade. I have these computers scheduled to check for upgrades late at night so people aren’t interrupted with it during the day. Of course, his gripe wasn’t really about the automatic reboot, but rather how he lost some work because of the files he left open — without saving. One question will put an abrupt end to that gripe: Didn’t you save your work before you went home?Another person called me over not too long ago because, for some unknown reason, our primary application software, AutoCAD, threw a rare hissy fit and displayed an unrecoverable error message. Nothing was responding, and the only way to proceed was to end the task. Of course, this meant the file couldn’t be saved. When was your last save, I asked? The three-hours-ago answer she gave was a tough one to hear. However, all might not have been lost, I thought, since AutoCAD has a nice auto-save feature. But for some reason, the file created by that auto-save was incomplete. I’m not sure why, but it probably has something to do with how AutoCAD references different files and such. But for whatever reason, it just wasn’t there.Okay, maybe this is all a minor rant, but after repeating rule number one — save often — over and over (probably into the thousands of times over the years), it’s still something a good number of people obviously don’t do. I have to wonder why, but the answer remains elusive.Okay, one more minor rant: Someone asked me today why his e-mail was not getting out of his outbox. Just a hunch, I said, but perhaps it’s the 47 MB file attachment you’re trying to send!P.S. I’ll be on vacation for the next week, so I’ll look forward to replying to any comments after I get back.