Top 10 Essential IT Skills:
Honestly IT profession has changed more in the last few years than ever before. Some of these changes have been advances in technology, while others have been spurred by government regulations.
Whatever the reason, IT is almost unrecognizable from what it was even five years ago. So how is an IT professional supposed to keep up with all these changes? It isn’t easy, but there are certain skills you should be focusing on to ensure you don’t get left behind. Here’s a look at the top 10 essential IT skills for today.
I hopes this will not make you bore , but gain some knowledge FOR SURE!
1. Windows PowerShell
A thorough understanding of Windows PowerShell is essential because it’s starting to show up in more and more Microsoft products. For example, in both Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010, the GUI-based management tool is built on top of Windows PowerShell. This means that any administrative action you can do from the GUI, you can also do from the command line or through a Windows PowerShell script.The simple fact that you can use Windows PowerShell to administer various Microsoft server products isn’t enough to qualify Windows PowerShell as an essential skill set. The real reason learning Windows PowerShell is essential is because the GUI-based management in many of the newer Microsoft server products is only sufficient for performing basic administrative functions. Anything beyond the basics, you’ll need to do from the command line. As such, it’s increasingly difficult to be an effective administrator unless you understand and know how to effectively use Windows PowerShell. Guys start learning Windows Powershell , by this way we will explore ourself to learn and love Lnux, Unix or any OS whose base is built on lots of command shells.
2. Server Virtualization
There’s practically no denying that almost every organization uses server virtualization to a certain degree. Therefore, understanding how server virtualization works is an essential skill for any network administrator.
There are quite a few different server virtualization products on the market. You don’t need to learn the ins and outs of every single one, but it’s important to achieve competency with at least two different server virtualization platforms. Learning at least two platforms will help you understand how server virtualization really works and get a good feel for the standard features and functions of the various virtualization products.
Server virtualization is a science in and of itself. There are IT professionals whose entire careers are based on server virtualization. While it’s unrealistic to expect a general network administrator to have a comprehensive understanding of server virtualization, it’s a good idea to understand resource allocation, how to virtualize a physical server, and how to manage and maintain your virtual servers.
3. Failover Clustering
Failover clustering has been around for years in one form or another. Even so, it has only recently evolved into an essential technology. While it obviously adds fault tolerance to network servers, there are a couple of additional factors that suggest failover clustering has become essential.
First, most major organizations impose Service Level Agreements (SLAs) on their IT departments. The only way IT can realistically expect to adhere to those SLAs is by putting redundant solutions in place and this is what i totally agree and believe.
Another reason failover clustering has become essential is the rampant use of server virtualization. In the old days, if a server were to fail, the outage probably wouldn’t amount to much more than a nuisance. These days, because most organizations use server virtualization technology, the failure of a single server could cause the failure of many virtual servers. As such, server failures are far more critical than ever before, so it’s important to take steps to prevent them.The decline in server hardware prices is one last reason failover clustering has become an essential skill. For a long time, clustering solutions were cost-prohibitive. Today, server hardware is relatively inexpensive, so there’s no reason not to cluster your servers.
4. SAN Management
Another critical IT skill is storage area network (SAN) management. It was debatable whether to include SAN storage on a list of essential IT skills. After all, SANs are expensive and learning about SAN storage may not be essential for administrators in smaller organizations who will most likely never have to even touch a SAN.While this is a valid point, it has started to become far less common for servers to use direct-attached storage. Instead, multiple servers often connect to a single storage pool. This is especially true for organizations that rely heavily on server virtualization.All of the virtualization hosts in my organization store the virtual hard drive files associated with virtual servers residing on those machines on a centralized storage array. Even though I don’t use a SAN, many of the storage management techniques I do use are similar to the techniques used in larger environments that make use of SANs.Another reason to include SAN storage on the list is because cloud-based storage was a major topic at Tech•Ed this year. Almost all of the cloud storage providers are operating SANs. If you subscribe to cloud-based storage, you may end up having to know some basic storage management techniques.
5. Compliance
Many IT professionals hate dealing with compliance issues. For many years, some could avoid having to deal with regulatory compliance by simply avoiding companies within certain industries. Today, that strategy no longer works.One reason the strategy doesn’t work anymore is because jobs have become so scarce. IT professionals who previously avoided working in heavily regulated industries may suddenly find themselves having to work in such an environment. If this happens, then it’s essential you have at least some background in IT compliance.{Compliance is either a state of being in accordance with established guidelines, specifications, or legislation or the process of becoming so}.Another reason why it’s become more difficult to avoid dealing with compliance issues is the predominance of more laws. Just a few days ago, for example, a huge financial reform bill was passed. It remains to be seen how all of the new regulatory requirements will impact IT professionals. Even if you don’t work in the financial services industry, however, there’s no denying that IT professionals are having to deal with more and more regulatory issues from one year to the next.
6. Recovery Techniques
Probably the strangest-sounding skill on this list is recovery techniques. However, there’s actually a good reason why recovery techniques are an essential IT skill. Disaster recovery used to be a lot simpler than it is now. A few years back for instance, disaster recovery might have involved inserting a tape, selecting the files that needed to be recovered, and clicking Go.
Today, things aren’t quite so simple. Almost every Microsoft server product has its own unique disaster recovery requirements. For example, you wouldn’t use the same techniques to back up and restore Exchange Server as you would use to back up and restore SharePoint. Server products such as Exchange, SharePoint and SQL Server all have very complex rules governing the way information must be backed up and restored in order to be successful. Furthermore, these criteria can change dramatically if the server that’s being backed up or restored is a part of a failover cluster or a distributed deployment.
Realistically, most IT professionals probably aren’t going to be intimately familiar with all of the intricate requirements associated with backing up and recovering various server products. Even so, it’s important to understand that such products have unique requirements. It’s equally important for IT pros to familiarize themselves with those requirements.
7. Traffic Management
For a long time, traffic management meant setting up firewalls to forward certain types of traffic to specific servers, while blocking other types of traffic. Those types of configurations are still important, but traffic management is going to take on a different meaning and become much more critical in the not-too-distant future.Eventually, most applications will likely run in the cloud. That means not many applications will be installed locally. As that scenario develops, organizations will find Internet bandwidth has become a scarce commodity. They’ll have little choice but to begin various bandwidth-throttling techniques. Realistically though, you can throttle different applications in different ways. After all, some applications are more critical or of a higher priority than others. The need for prioritizing cloud-based applications will require IT pros to learn all about traffic shaping.
8. IPv6
Another essential skill IT professionals will need to learn is IPv6. Microsoft tried to push IPv6 when Windows 2000 was released more than 10 years ago, but there’s a good reason why it didn’t turn into a mainstream technology a decade ago.
Back then, the dot-com boom was in full swing and people were attaching to the Internet in record numbers. This resulted in a critical shortage of IP addresses. Many believed this shortage could only be solved by transitioning to IPv6, but the problem was ultimately solved by Network Address Translation (NAT)-based firewalls.
NAT firewalls are still widely used today, but it seems NAT was a Band-Aid solution for a problem that will rear its ugly head once again in the near future. NAT works great as long as the computers behind the firewall don’t need access to the outside world. More often, however, people expect universal connectivity regardless of a computer’s location.
IPv6 solves the IP address shortage, and gives every computer a publicly accessible IP address. Furthermore, IPv6 includes security mechanisms that don’t exist in IPv4 without the aid of supplementary protocols such as IPSec. Its a wide topic to discuss, soon will blog seperate post on it.
9. Conferencing
Given the state of the economy, more organizations have begun foregoing travel in favor of online meetings. These online meetings take many different forms. It may be nothing more than a voice over IP (VoIP) conference call, or it may involve a video conference, or even a full-blown collaborative session. In any case, administrators are often surprised to learn that if they want to implement conferencing servers in-house, they have to learn about things that only telephony professionals previously cared about. Latest IT topic i.e.{Exchange Server and Office Communications Server} are into a full-blown collaborative conferencing solution.
10. Mobile Computing
The last essential skill is mobile computing. Even though mobile computing has been around in one form or another for at least 15 years, it has only been recently that people are really starting to take it seriously. Many mobile devices have come and gone. Ultimately, most have never really caught on with the masses. There are always factors holding back widespread adoption.Some of the devices were too expensive. Others were overly complicated. Some devices simply did not have the computing power or the applications required for them to be truly useful. Expensive data rate plans also have contributed to the demise of many a device.
But today, almost everyone has a smartphone of some sort. Modern smartphones are inexpensive, well-connected and capable of running a wide variety of applications. As such, mobile-device connectivity to corporate networks has become a major issue. It’s important for IT professionals to understand the security implications associated with mobile-device use, as well as the safeguards required when allowing employees to use mobile devices.{Recently most popular Smartphone Blackberry -RIM is under serious talks with security agenices of different countries on encrypted data security.}
Source:Internet
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Windows Server tools
1: System Center:Capacity PlannerIt might seem strange to start out by talking about a tool that Microsoft has discontinued. But I’ve found System Center Capacity Planner to be so helpful, I wanted to mention it anyway. In case you are not familiar with this tool, it’s designed to help make sure your proposed server deployment will be able to handle the anticipated workload.According to Microsoft, the System Center Capacity Planner is being replaced by the System Center Configuration Manager Designer (which I have not yet had a chance to use). The end of life announcement for System Center Capacity Planner indicates that it is no longer available, but at the time of this writing, you can still download it from TechNet, as well as from other third-party sites.
2: PowerShell:Microsoft’s Server products have evolved to the point that you can perform almost any administrative action from the command line by using PowerShell. Most of the newer Microsoft Server products include management tools that are actually built on top of PowerShell. This means that any management tasks that can be performed through the GUI can also be performed from the command line or performed through a PowerShell Script. You can download PowerShell 2.0 from Microsoft.
3: Best Practices Analyzer:The Best Practices Analyzer isn’t really a single tool, but rather a series of tools designed to analyze your server deployments and ensure that they adhere to Microsoft’s recommended best practices. Microsoft provides versions of the Best Practices analyzer for Exchange, SQL, Small Business Server, and other Microsoft server products.
4: Security Configuration Wizard:The Security Configuration Wizard is designed to help you to reduce the attack surface of your servers. It analyzes the way in which your servers are configured and then recommends how you can change various aspects of the configuration to make them more secure. The Security Configuration Wizard is included with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, but you can also download a Windows Server 2003 version.
5: ADSI Edit :Another of my favorite tools is ADSI Edit. ADSI Edit allows you to manually edit the Active Directory database. Whenever someone asks me about ADSI Edit, I usually compare it to the registry editor. The registry editor allows you to manually change various configuration parameters within a system, but if you use it incorrectly, you can destroy Windows. ADSI Edit is similar: It gives you free rein over Active Directory, but if you make a mistake, you can destroy it.I have found ADSI Edit most useful for working with Exchange Server deployments. It is sometimes impossible to remove Exchange public folders through conventional means. When this happens, you can use ADSI Edit to get rid of the folders that the Exchange Server management tools leave behind.
6: DCDIAG:Although domain controllers are usually fairly reliable, problems do occasionally occur — particularly with regard to Active Directory replication. The DCDIAG utility, which is included with Windows Server, lets you run a full series of diagnostic tests against malfunctioning domain controllers.
7: Microsoft File Server Migration Wizard:As time goes on, server hardware continues to improve. Some organizations are finding that they can decrease management costs by consolidating their aging file servers. The Microsoft File Server Migration Wizard, which is included in the File Server Migration Toolkit, helps organizations merge the contents of aging file servers into DFS root.
8: LDIF Directory Exchange:The LDIF Directory Exchange utility isn’t exactly a tool I use every day. But it has gotten me out of a couple of jams, so I wanted to include it on my list of favorite tools. LDIF Directory Exchange is a command-line tool for importing and exporting Active Directory objects. As with ADSI Edit, you have to be careful when using this tool because you can really mess up your Active Directory if you use it incorrectly. Even so, it’s worth its weight in gold because it allows you to do some amazing things. For example, you can export all the user accounts from a domain and then use the resulting text file to create those same user accounts in a different domain.The LDIF Directory Exchange utility is built into Windows Server. You can access it by entering LDIFDE in a command prompt window. Windows will display the command’s full syntax along with the various command-line switches you can use.
9: Server Core Configurator:So far, all the tools I’ve talked about are provided by Microsoft. However, there is one third-party tool I want to mention. Server Core Configurator is an open source tool written by Guy Teverovsky.Any time you perform a server core installation of Windows Server 2008, you must perform certain post installation tasks before the server is ready to use. Microsoft offers some PowerShell scripts, but performing the initial configuration process from a command line can be tedious. The Server Core Configurator simplifies the provisioning process by providing a simple GUI you can use for the initial configuration.
10: Microsoft Application Compatibility Manager:The Microsoft Application Compatibility Manager (Figure J) is part of the Application Compatibility Toolkit. It’s designed to ease the transition from one version of Windows to the next by compiling an inventory of the applications running on your desktops and determining whether each one is compatible with the new version of Windows.
Source:- Internet
2: PowerShell:Microsoft’s Server products have evolved to the point that you can perform almost any administrative action from the command line by using PowerShell. Most of the newer Microsoft Server products include management tools that are actually built on top of PowerShell. This means that any management tasks that can be performed through the GUI can also be performed from the command line or performed through a PowerShell Script. You can download PowerShell 2.0 from Microsoft.
3: Best Practices Analyzer:The Best Practices Analyzer isn’t really a single tool, but rather a series of tools designed to analyze your server deployments and ensure that they adhere to Microsoft’s recommended best practices. Microsoft provides versions of the Best Practices analyzer for Exchange, SQL, Small Business Server, and other Microsoft server products.
4: Security Configuration Wizard:The Security Configuration Wizard is designed to help you to reduce the attack surface of your servers. It analyzes the way in which your servers are configured and then recommends how you can change various aspects of the configuration to make them more secure. The Security Configuration Wizard is included with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, but you can also download a Windows Server 2003 version.
5: ADSI Edit :Another of my favorite tools is ADSI Edit. ADSI Edit allows you to manually edit the Active Directory database. Whenever someone asks me about ADSI Edit, I usually compare it to the registry editor. The registry editor allows you to manually change various configuration parameters within a system, but if you use it incorrectly, you can destroy Windows. ADSI Edit is similar: It gives you free rein over Active Directory, but if you make a mistake, you can destroy it.I have found ADSI Edit most useful for working with Exchange Server deployments. It is sometimes impossible to remove Exchange public folders through conventional means. When this happens, you can use ADSI Edit to get rid of the folders that the Exchange Server management tools leave behind.
6: DCDIAG:Although domain controllers are usually fairly reliable, problems do occasionally occur — particularly with regard to Active Directory replication. The DCDIAG utility, which is included with Windows Server, lets you run a full series of diagnostic tests against malfunctioning domain controllers.
7: Microsoft File Server Migration Wizard:As time goes on, server hardware continues to improve. Some organizations are finding that they can decrease management costs by consolidating their aging file servers. The Microsoft File Server Migration Wizard, which is included in the File Server Migration Toolkit, helps organizations merge the contents of aging file servers into DFS root.
8: LDIF Directory Exchange:The LDIF Directory Exchange utility isn’t exactly a tool I use every day. But it has gotten me out of a couple of jams, so I wanted to include it on my list of favorite tools. LDIF Directory Exchange is a command-line tool for importing and exporting Active Directory objects. As with ADSI Edit, you have to be careful when using this tool because you can really mess up your Active Directory if you use it incorrectly. Even so, it’s worth its weight in gold because it allows you to do some amazing things. For example, you can export all the user accounts from a domain and then use the resulting text file to create those same user accounts in a different domain.The LDIF Directory Exchange utility is built into Windows Server. You can access it by entering LDIFDE in a command prompt window. Windows will display the command’s full syntax along with the various command-line switches you can use.
9: Server Core Configurator:So far, all the tools I’ve talked about are provided by Microsoft. However, there is one third-party tool I want to mention. Server Core Configurator is an open source tool written by Guy Teverovsky.Any time you perform a server core installation of Windows Server 2008, you must perform certain post installation tasks before the server is ready to use. Microsoft offers some PowerShell scripts, but performing the initial configuration process from a command line can be tedious. The Server Core Configurator simplifies the provisioning process by providing a simple GUI you can use for the initial configuration.
10: Microsoft Application Compatibility Manager:The Microsoft Application Compatibility Manager (Figure J) is part of the Application Compatibility Toolkit. It’s designed to ease the transition from one version of Windows to the next by compiling an inventory of the applications running on your desktops and determining whether each one is compatible with the new version of Windows.
Source:- Internet
Friday, May 14, 2010
Blu-ray Disc
What is Blu-ray?Blu-ray is the advanced storage technology, which helps to store a huge amount of data in a disc than all the present storage disc technologies. In the present DVD’s we can store just upto 25GB and with this Blu-ray technology, the storing capacity raises to 50GB to 500GB capacity. The advancement is that the Blu-ray uses the optical disc technology to store the data in which the datas can be stored for a long period of time than the present DVD’s and CD’s. With the same dimensions of the present CD’s and DVD’s, the Blu-ray discs(BD) are slowly getting through the market value.
How came the name Blu-ray?
The standard CD’s uses the wavelength of infrared rays to read or write any data (780nm). The DVD’s uses the wavelength shorter than the infra red rays, around 650nm to read or write any data. But, as the Blu-ray discs use the wavelength more shorter and sharper than this, nearly 405nm wavelength, which is the wavelength of the blue violet-laser light, the discs are called as Blu-ray discs. The Blu-ray discs emerged from the word Blue-ray. Shorter the wavelength, higher will be the reading/writing speed and larger will be the disc storage capacity. So, the Blu-ray discs allow nearly five times a larger storage capacity to that of a normal DVD. At present, Blu-ray discs have a maximum, dual-layer storage capacity of 50GB.
With more than five to six times greater storage, the discs can be stored with the longer movies with the wonderful clarity and good resolution. The storage problems of the long time videos comes to an end. Another one advantage of these disks are that they comes with a hard coating layer, which are almost vulnerable to scratches.
Blu-ray developer-Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA)
The Blu-ray was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) which is currently signed in link with than 200 of the leading consumer electronics, personal computer, and media manufacturers that include, Pioneer Sharp, Apple, Dell, HP, Thomson Multimedia, Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Sony and Samsung.
Comparison between DVD and Blu-ray Disc
In early 1980’s the floppy discs were the great storage mediums, which were slowly replaced by the CD’s in late 1990’s. The CD’s too started to loose its values with the replacement by DVD’s in 2000. The Blu-ray discs with its improved storage capacity will surely replace all the existing DVD’s says a technological report.
a)Mini Blu-ray Disc
The Mini Blu-ray Disc (also, Mini-BD and Mini Blu-ray) is a compact 8 cm (~3in)-diameter which is a variant of the Blu-ray Disc.It can store approximately 7.5 GB of data. It is similar to the MiniDVD and MiniCD. Recordable (BD-R) and rewritable (BD-RE) versions of Mini Blu-ray Disc are also available.
b)Recordable Blu-ray Disc
BD-R discs can be written to once, whereas BD-RE can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. It is also similar to read/write CD’s and DVD’s.
There are variety of Blu-ray players which are designed by many companies like SONY, SAMSUNG,SHARP and so. These players also have the in-built option to play all the CD and DVD disks too.The technological advancements are being under innovation to make these players more developed. Let us wait for them...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Famous Technology Products Got Their Names
iPod:Open the pod bay door, Hal
During Apple's MP3 player development, Steve Jobs spoke of Apple's strategy: the Mac as a hub to other gadgets. Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter Apple hired to help name the gadget before its debut in 2001, fixed on that idea, according to Wired. He brainstormed hubs of all kinds, eventually coming to the concept of a spaceship. You could leave it, but you'd have to return to refuel. The stark plastic front of the prototype inspired the final connection: pod, a la 2001. Add an "i" and the connection to the iMac was complete.
BlackBerry: Sweet Addictiveness
Canada's Research in Motion called on Lexicon Branding to help name its new wireless e-mail device in 2001. The consultancy pushed RIM founders away from the word "e-mail," which research shows can raise blood pressure. Instead, they looked for a name that would evoke joy and somehow give feelings of peace. After someone made the connection that the small buttons on the device resembled a bunch of seeds, Lexicon's team explored names like strawberry, melon and various vegetables before settling on blackberry - a word both pleasing and which evoked the black color of the device.
Firefox: Second Time's a Charm
Choosing a name that evokes a product's essence and is available can be quite complicated, as the Mozilla folks found out. The early version of Mozilla's browser was called Firebird, but due to another open-source project with the same name, the Mozilla elders renamed their browser Firefox, which is another name for red panda. Why? "It's easy to remember. It sounds good. It's unique. We like it," they said. Best of all? Nobody else was using it.
Twitter: Connecting the Digital Flock 140 Characters at a Time
When cofounder Biz Stone saw the application that Jack Dorsey created in 2006 he was reminded of the way birds communicate: "Short bursts of information...Everyone is chirping, having a good time." In response, Stone came up with "twttr," and the group eventually added some vowels. It's hard to think of a more evocative name in the tech world than twitter, but what began as what Stone described as "trivial" bursts of communication developed into a powerful means of networking, breaking news, and forum for the 44th U.S. president's campaign
Windows 7: Counting on the Power of 7
While Microsoft's next OS is kind of a "Ho-hum" name, one has only to look at what happened with the most recent Windows release to understand why Microsoft might have gone back to a tried-and-true naming philosophy: Vista? Ouch. Windows 95 and XP? Those have done much better. Microsoft's Mike Nash announced the name this way: "Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore 'Windows 7' just makes sense." We're betting that Microsoft execs are hoping that number 7 will deliver on its promise of luck—they could sure use a win after Vista.
ThinkPad: Simplicity Wins Out
The venerable line of PC notebooks rolled onto the scene in 1992. While the concept was spot on, there was turmoil at IBM as to what to call it. IBM's pen-computing group wanted to keep it simple; they liked ThinkPad. But IBM's corporate naming committee didn't - it didn't have a number, and every IBM product had to have a number, and how would ThinkPad translate into other languages? Due to the chutzpah of the IBMer who unveiled it, ThinkPad won out, and it was a huge hit for IBM, which eventually sold it to Lenovo in 2005.
Android: Secretive, But Still Not Exciting
You'd think the story behind the naming of the Open Handset Alliance's new open-source platform for mobile devices, which includes the brand-new G1 loaded with Google's goodies, would be cool. But, uh, not so much. Back in 2005, Google quietly acquired a mysterious startup named Android Inc., which had been operating under "a cloak of secrecy" on "making software for mobile phones," reported Businessweek. The result of all Google's secrecy and Internet hype was the debut of T-Mobile's G1 on Oct. 22, 2008.
Wikipedia: Just What It Sounds Like
According to Wikipedia, the name Wikipedia is a portmanteau of wiki (a technology for creating collaborative websites) and encyclopedia (you remember, those large books that, as kids, we ruthlessly plagiarized for school book reports). FYI: a portmanteau is a fancy way of saying that we're going to take two words, jam them together and (hopefully) create a new concept that people will love. So far, so good. In an illustration of the axiom "the more things change the more they stay the same": Today, kids and adults now ruthlessly plagiarize Wikipedia instead of encyclopedias.
Mac OS X and "The Big Cats": Catlike Sleekness and Style
Apple's popular Mac operating system X actually denotes the Roman numeral 10, since it is the OS's tenth release, following Mac OS 9. To the ire of Apple fanboys, many people do refer to it as letter 'X.' More interesting have been the "big cat" code names assigned to each succeeding X release that have stuck with Apple's marketing: Cheetah (10.0), Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger and current kitty Leopard. Snow Leopard has been assigned for the 10.6 release, with rumors that Lynx and Cougar are in the works.
Red Hat Linux: A Name Rich with Meaning
Cofounder Bob Young has given multidimensional origins of the red fedora name:
1. It was named after red, which in Western history is "the symbol of liberation and challenge of authority." 2. Cofounder Marc Ewing wore his grandfather's red Cornell lacrosse hat in college and became known for this tech expertise - those with problems went to see the guy in the red hat. 3. Ewing named his software projects Red Hat 1, Red Hat 2 and so on. "So, when he started his Linux project, he just named it Red Hat Linux," Young said. All righty then!
Source : Internet
During Apple's MP3 player development, Steve Jobs spoke of Apple's strategy: the Mac as a hub to other gadgets. Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter Apple hired to help name the gadget before its debut in 2001, fixed on that idea, according to Wired. He brainstormed hubs of all kinds, eventually coming to the concept of a spaceship. You could leave it, but you'd have to return to refuel. The stark plastic front of the prototype inspired the final connection: pod, a la 2001. Add an "i" and the connection to the iMac was complete.
BlackBerry: Sweet Addictiveness
Canada's Research in Motion called on Lexicon Branding to help name its new wireless e-mail device in 2001. The consultancy pushed RIM founders away from the word "e-mail," which research shows can raise blood pressure. Instead, they looked for a name that would evoke joy and somehow give feelings of peace. After someone made the connection that the small buttons on the device resembled a bunch of seeds, Lexicon's team explored names like strawberry, melon and various vegetables before settling on blackberry - a word both pleasing and which evoked the black color of the device.
Firefox: Second Time's a Charm
Choosing a name that evokes a product's essence and is available can be quite complicated, as the Mozilla folks found out. The early version of Mozilla's browser was called Firebird, but due to another open-source project with the same name, the Mozilla elders renamed their browser Firefox, which is another name for red panda. Why? "It's easy to remember. It sounds good. It's unique. We like it," they said. Best of all? Nobody else was using it.
Twitter: Connecting the Digital Flock 140 Characters at a Time
When cofounder Biz Stone saw the application that Jack Dorsey created in 2006 he was reminded of the way birds communicate: "Short bursts of information...Everyone is chirping, having a good time." In response, Stone came up with "twttr," and the group eventually added some vowels. It's hard to think of a more evocative name in the tech world than twitter, but what began as what Stone described as "trivial" bursts of communication developed into a powerful means of networking, breaking news, and forum for the 44th U.S. president's campaign
Windows 7: Counting on the Power of 7
While Microsoft's next OS is kind of a "Ho-hum" name, one has only to look at what happened with the most recent Windows release to understand why Microsoft might have gone back to a tried-and-true naming philosophy: Vista? Ouch. Windows 95 and XP? Those have done much better. Microsoft's Mike Nash announced the name this way: "Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore 'Windows 7' just makes sense." We're betting that Microsoft execs are hoping that number 7 will deliver on its promise of luck—they could sure use a win after Vista.
ThinkPad: Simplicity Wins Out
The venerable line of PC notebooks rolled onto the scene in 1992. While the concept was spot on, there was turmoil at IBM as to what to call it. IBM's pen-computing group wanted to keep it simple; they liked ThinkPad. But IBM's corporate naming committee didn't - it didn't have a number, and every IBM product had to have a number, and how would ThinkPad translate into other languages? Due to the chutzpah of the IBMer who unveiled it, ThinkPad won out, and it was a huge hit for IBM, which eventually sold it to Lenovo in 2005.
Android: Secretive, But Still Not Exciting
You'd think the story behind the naming of the Open Handset Alliance's new open-source platform for mobile devices, which includes the brand-new G1 loaded with Google's goodies, would be cool. But, uh, not so much. Back in 2005, Google quietly acquired a mysterious startup named Android Inc., which had been operating under "a cloak of secrecy" on "making software for mobile phones," reported Businessweek. The result of all Google's secrecy and Internet hype was the debut of T-Mobile's G1 on Oct. 22, 2008.
Wikipedia: Just What It Sounds Like
According to Wikipedia, the name Wikipedia is a portmanteau of wiki (a technology for creating collaborative websites) and encyclopedia (you remember, those large books that, as kids, we ruthlessly plagiarized for school book reports). FYI: a portmanteau is a fancy way of saying that we're going to take two words, jam them together and (hopefully) create a new concept that people will love. So far, so good. In an illustration of the axiom "the more things change the more they stay the same": Today, kids and adults now ruthlessly plagiarize Wikipedia instead of encyclopedias.
Mac OS X and "The Big Cats": Catlike Sleekness and Style
Apple's popular Mac operating system X actually denotes the Roman numeral 10, since it is the OS's tenth release, following Mac OS 9. To the ire of Apple fanboys, many people do refer to it as letter 'X.' More interesting have been the "big cat" code names assigned to each succeeding X release that have stuck with Apple's marketing: Cheetah (10.0), Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger and current kitty Leopard. Snow Leopard has been assigned for the 10.6 release, with rumors that Lynx and Cougar are in the works.
Red Hat Linux: A Name Rich with Meaning
Cofounder Bob Young has given multidimensional origins of the red fedora name:
1. It was named after red, which in Western history is "the symbol of liberation and challenge of authority." 2. Cofounder Marc Ewing wore his grandfather's red Cornell lacrosse hat in college and became known for this tech expertise - those with problems went to see the guy in the red hat. 3. Ewing named his software projects Red Hat 1, Red Hat 2 and so on. "So, when he started his Linux project, he just named it Red Hat Linux," Young said. All righty then!
Source : Internet
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
USB 3.0: What You Need To Know
USB 3.0: What You Need To Know
 |
USB 3.0 is the next major revision of the ubiquitous interface. Dubbed SuperSpeed USB, this new version promises a tenfold leap forward in transfer speeds as well as improved capabilities, all while maintaining compatibility with USB 2.0 devices. In the following few paragraphs we've rounded out all the relevant information that you as a consumer should know about the next-generation USB standard.
Some quick facts about USB 3.0
It's bi-directional. Unlike previous versions where data can only be piped in one direction at a time, USB 3.0 can read and write data simultaneously. This is achieved by adding two new lanes dedicated to transmit SuperSpeed data and another pair for receiving it, bringing the total number of connections from four on USB 2.0 (power, ground and two for sending/receiving non-SuperSpeed data) to nine counting the 3.0 ground contact.
Furthermore, the signaling method, while still host-directed, abandons device polling in favor of a new interrupt-driven protocol. This ensures that the USB host controller doesn't continually access a connected device in anticipation of a data transfer. Instead, USB 3.0 devices will send the host a signal to begin a data transfer.
It's more power efficient. The signaling method mentioned directly above also means that non-active or idle devices won't have their power drained by the host controller as it looks for active data traffic. Minimum device operating voltage is dropped from 4.4 V to 4 V. On the other hand, the USB-IF has upped the maximum bus power output from about 500 mA to 900 mA, which will enable power-hungrier devices to be bus-powered and USB hubs to support more peripherals. There's also the bonus that battery-powered devices should charge faster.
It's backwards compatible. Your existing USB 2.0 gear will work on version 3.0 ports and vice versa. You'll be able to maximize your bandwidth when using a USB 3.0 cable with USB 3.0 devices and ports, otherwise plugging a 3.0 device into a 2.0 port or a 2.0 device into 3.0 a port will get you standard USB 2.0 data rates.
Source:- Internet
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Password Security
Password Security
With most websites requiring you to create an account, do you find yourself in a bit of a pickle when it comes to inventing passwords? Many people use the same password for all their online accounts and often forget the password they came up with months ago. Hands up who doesn’t feel like banging your head against the wall trying to remember the password you created months ago..?
Let’s face it - everyone has problems with creating and remembering secure passwords. That’s why decided to help.
Tips on how to create and remember your passwords:
•Use the first letters of a sentence that you will remember,e.g. "I have 3 cats: Fluffy, Furry and Shaggy" gives: Ih3c:FF&S, or “Bouncing tigers have every right to ice-cream” becomes: Bther2I-C.
•Take the name of the website and then add your personal twist, like your height or your friend’s home address (e.g. “AmazonOceanRd6’ 2”). Avoid using your own contact details like your phone number or house number.
•Remove the vowels from a word or phrase e.g. "I like eating pancakes” becomes: Ilktngpncks”.
•Use a phrase from your favourite book and then add the page, paragraph or chapter number.
The Do’s and Don'ts of creating passwords
Do:
•Mix letters, numbers and symbols, and use case sensitivity (upper and lower case letters)
•The longer the better. Use passwords that are longer than 6 characters.
•Change your passwords at least every 60 days, cycling the numeric values up or down makes the new password easy to remember.
•Try copying and pasting at least some of the characters in your password that way keyloggers won’t be able to track your keystrokes.
Don't:
•Don’t use words or phrases or numbers that have personal significance. It is very easy for someone to guess or identify your personal details like date of birth.
•Avoid writing your password down, use a reputable password manager to manage all your passwords.
•Don’t use the same password for several logins, especially if they involve sensitive financial or other personal information.
•Don’t tell anybody your password.
•When registering on websites that ask for your email address, never use the same password as your email account.
Source:-Internet
Friday, February 12, 2010
Professional Onsite Tools To Carry Out.......
When you’re out on a troubleshooting call, the last thing you want is to be unprepared. Not only does it make you look bad, it’s unprofessional and reflects poorly on your company. Because you can’t always know what you are getting into, it’s best to travel with more than enough. Luckily,
Here’s a list of items you shoud have on every run out.
1: ccleaner
Ccleaner is a freeware utility for system optimization, privacy, and cleaning. This tool will remove unused files from a hard drive and clean up online history. But more important, it includes an outstanding registry cleaner. Just be sure you use this tool with caution so you don’t delete files that are actually important.
2: AVG
AntivirusAVG Antivirus is one of the first lines of defense I suggest to clients. And although AVG Free is fine for household use, make sure you are suggesting the Pro version for your commercial clients. The Pro version adds many features, including the ability to scan for rootkits.
3: Puppy Linux (or Knoppix)
You never know when you are going to require a tool that can run checks on hardware that a running operating system can’t do. With either Puppy or Knoppix, you can reboot your machine into a live system and do maintenance that Windows simply can’t do while running.
4: Extra flash drives
How many times have you done backups or needed to save log files and had nothing to save to? I always carry numerous flash drives of various sizes. I even carry empty flash drives in case a client needs one. Those items can always be billed.
5: Combofix
Combofix can really save your hide. This tool will scan for known malware and/or spyware and safely remove it. When Combofix completes its scan/removal, it will generate a report you can save and reference later (when billing or when a similar behavior strikes.)
6: Paper and pen
Paper and pen will always win. You never know when you need to jot down notes. And although most consultants are never too far away from their trusty laptops, you can’t leave your laptop with the client so they can read your recommendations. Being able to quickly jot down an error message or thought is so much easier with your trusty pad and writing utensil.
7: Malware Bytes Anti-Malware
Malware Bytes Anti-Malware is one of the best tools for removing malware from a PC. Unlike a lot of its competition, Malware Bytes Anti-Malware can safely remove even advanced malware.
8: MiFi-like device
There are times when you need your good old friend Google. But what happens when your client’s network is down or when you can’t join their wireless network? You need to be able to have a connection with you at all times. Most mobile providers offer portable wireless access points (like the Verizon MiFi). These tools can get you wireless access where ever you have a cellular signal.
9: Ethernet cable
How many times have you had to scramble for another Ethernet cable? Whether it’s to hook up a printer or that other machine that’s just “sitting around doing nothing,” most clients won’t be prepared with spare cables. Having a spare can also provide your own laptop with connectivity when you can’t get on your client’s wireless network.
10: Snacks
You’ve been tirelessly working on an issue and lunch time comes and goes. You’re trying to track down that virus and your stomach is growling. If you’re like me, you start getting a bit grouchy once that hunger really sets in. Do yourself a favor and carry around a snack to avoid this problem. You and your clients will be happy you did
Enjoy...source internet.
Here’s a list of items you shoud have on every run out.
1: ccleaner
Ccleaner is a freeware utility for system optimization, privacy, and cleaning. This tool will remove unused files from a hard drive and clean up online history. But more important, it includes an outstanding registry cleaner. Just be sure you use this tool with caution so you don’t delete files that are actually important.
2: AVG
AntivirusAVG Antivirus is one of the first lines of defense I suggest to clients. And although AVG Free is fine for household use, make sure you are suggesting the Pro version for your commercial clients. The Pro version adds many features, including the ability to scan for rootkits.
3: Puppy Linux (or Knoppix)
You never know when you are going to require a tool that can run checks on hardware that a running operating system can’t do. With either Puppy or Knoppix, you can reboot your machine into a live system and do maintenance that Windows simply can’t do while running.
4: Extra flash drives
How many times have you done backups or needed to save log files and had nothing to save to? I always carry numerous flash drives of various sizes. I even carry empty flash drives in case a client needs one. Those items can always be billed.
5: Combofix
Combofix can really save your hide. This tool will scan for known malware and/or spyware and safely remove it. When Combofix completes its scan/removal, it will generate a report you can save and reference later (when billing or when a similar behavior strikes.)
6: Paper and pen
Paper and pen will always win. You never know when you need to jot down notes. And although most consultants are never too far away from their trusty laptops, you can’t leave your laptop with the client so they can read your recommendations. Being able to quickly jot down an error message or thought is so much easier with your trusty pad and writing utensil.
7: Malware Bytes Anti-Malware
Malware Bytes Anti-Malware is one of the best tools for removing malware from a PC. Unlike a lot of its competition, Malware Bytes Anti-Malware can safely remove even advanced malware.
8: MiFi-like device
There are times when you need your good old friend Google. But what happens when your client’s network is down or when you can’t join their wireless network? You need to be able to have a connection with you at all times. Most mobile providers offer portable wireless access points (like the Verizon MiFi). These tools can get you wireless access where ever you have a cellular signal.
9: Ethernet cable
How many times have you had to scramble for another Ethernet cable? Whether it’s to hook up a printer or that other machine that’s just “sitting around doing nothing,” most clients won’t be prepared with spare cables. Having a spare can also provide your own laptop with connectivity when you can’t get on your client’s wireless network.
10: Snacks
You’ve been tirelessly working on an issue and lunch time comes and goes. You’re trying to track down that virus and your stomach is growling. If you’re like me, you start getting a bit grouchy once that hunger really sets in. Do yourself a favor and carry around a snack to avoid this problem. You and your clients will be happy you did
Enjoy...source internet.
10 Open Source Windows Apps Worth Checking Out
I understand that most people associate open source with Linux. But there are quite a few solid applications for the Windows operating system, developed and maintained by the open source community. Oh sure, there’s OpenOffice and Firefox; but it doesn’t end there. I’m going to introduce you to 10 open source applications for Windows. You may never have heard of some of them or knew the port existed, but they’re definitely worth a look.
1: VLC
VLC is one of the most flexible multimedia players available. It supports a vast number of audio and video formats, including H.264, Ogg, DivX, MKV, TS, MPEG-2, mp3, MPEG-4, and aac, and it supports streaming and TV capture cards. VLC isn’t limited to viewing multimedia files, either. It can convert and transcode formats, too.
2: Gnumeric
Gnumeric is the spreadsheet portion of the GNOME Office suite (as well as a stand-alone tool). Gnumeric has been around for quite some time and is an outstanding entry in the spreadsheet world. Gnumeric currently has 520 spreadsheet functions (154 of which are unique) and is faster than any spreadsheet application you have ever tried. Gnumeric can read many spreadsheet formats, but if you’re looking for a clone of Excel, look elsewhere.
3: Abiword
Abiword is also a part of the GNOME office suite (as well as a stand-alone tool), and it can serve all your word processing needs. With Abiword, you can create and collaborate. It’s lightweight, fast, reliable, and (like all tools on this list) free! Abiword can read and write both Microsoft Office and OpenOffice document formats.
4: Audacity
Audacity is an incredible piece of software for recording and editing sounds. You can use it to record live audio, convert analog recordings to digital, cut/copy/splice, change speed and pitch, and import/export numerous formats. Audacity can also remove noise and add effects. If you’re looking for an open source recording studio, don’t overlook Audacity.
5: Inkscape
Inkscape is a powerful vector graphics editor similar to Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Xara X. It closely adheres to W3C standard SVG file format, so you can be sure that any SVG file created with (or edited by) Inkscape will work with any other standards-compliant tool. One nice aspect of Inkscape is the availability of numerous tutorials, which you will find on the Inkscape site and on other sites.
6: X-Chat 2
X-Chat 2 is one of the best IRC clients available. Although many users are foregoing IRC in favor of standard IM tools, IRC is still a valuable resource for consultants and IT admins. I still frequent Ubuntu Classroom chats to learn as much as I can from the developers of Ubuntu. There are plenty of excellent chat rooms out there; why not use the best chat app available?
7: FreeMind
FreeMind is “mind mapping” software that’s ideal for keeping more dimensional notes on projects, classes, thoughts, etc. The best thing about mind-mapping tools is they are not as limiting as standard “task” tools or to-do lists. Note: FreeMind is written in Java, so you will need Java installed.
8: TurboCASH
TurboCASH is a personal finance manager and entry-level accounting package for Windows. It has been around for a number of years, so it has a solid foundation as well as a large following. TurboCASH is used by more than 100,000 companies in more than 80 countries.
9: Amaya Web Browser
Amaya Web Browser is that alternative browser you’re looking for to stand as either a testing ground for WC3 compliance or if you just want to be different. But Amaya is not just a browser. It’s also a Web editor. Believe it or not, the Amaya browser has been around since 1996 and is directly hosted by the W3C.
10: ClamWin
ClamWin is an antivirus tool for Windows based on the venerable ClamAV for the Linux operating system. ClamWin offers all the standard features you’re used to in an antivirus tool, as well as Outlook and Explorer integration. The only difference between ClamWin and the competition (besides the price) is that it does not use a real-time scanner. Other than scheduled scans, you have to manually scan a file for a virus. Because of this, ClamWin is not for the lazy.
Source : - Internet..................
1: VLC
VLC is one of the most flexible multimedia players available. It supports a vast number of audio and video formats, including H.264, Ogg, DivX, MKV, TS, MPEG-2, mp3, MPEG-4, and aac, and it supports streaming and TV capture cards. VLC isn’t limited to viewing multimedia files, either. It can convert and transcode formats, too.
2: Gnumeric
Gnumeric is the spreadsheet portion of the GNOME Office suite (as well as a stand-alone tool). Gnumeric has been around for quite some time and is an outstanding entry in the spreadsheet world. Gnumeric currently has 520 spreadsheet functions (154 of which are unique) and is faster than any spreadsheet application you have ever tried. Gnumeric can read many spreadsheet formats, but if you’re looking for a clone of Excel, look elsewhere.
3: Abiword
Abiword is also a part of the GNOME office suite (as well as a stand-alone tool), and it can serve all your word processing needs. With Abiword, you can create and collaborate. It’s lightweight, fast, reliable, and (like all tools on this list) free! Abiword can read and write both Microsoft Office and OpenOffice document formats.
4: Audacity
Audacity is an incredible piece of software for recording and editing sounds. You can use it to record live audio, convert analog recordings to digital, cut/copy/splice, change speed and pitch, and import/export numerous formats. Audacity can also remove noise and add effects. If you’re looking for an open source recording studio, don’t overlook Audacity.
5: Inkscape
Inkscape is a powerful vector graphics editor similar to Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Xara X. It closely adheres to W3C standard SVG file format, so you can be sure that any SVG file created with (or edited by) Inkscape will work with any other standards-compliant tool. One nice aspect of Inkscape is the availability of numerous tutorials, which you will find on the Inkscape site and on other sites.
6: X-Chat 2
X-Chat 2 is one of the best IRC clients available. Although many users are foregoing IRC in favor of standard IM tools, IRC is still a valuable resource for consultants and IT admins. I still frequent Ubuntu Classroom chats to learn as much as I can from the developers of Ubuntu. There are plenty of excellent chat rooms out there; why not use the best chat app available?
7: FreeMind
FreeMind is “mind mapping” software that’s ideal for keeping more dimensional notes on projects, classes, thoughts, etc. The best thing about mind-mapping tools is they are not as limiting as standard “task” tools or to-do lists. Note: FreeMind is written in Java, so you will need Java installed.
8: TurboCASH
TurboCASH is a personal finance manager and entry-level accounting package for Windows. It has been around for a number of years, so it has a solid foundation as well as a large following. TurboCASH is used by more than 100,000 companies in more than 80 countries.
9: Amaya Web Browser
Amaya Web Browser is that alternative browser you’re looking for to stand as either a testing ground for WC3 compliance or if you just want to be different. But Amaya is not just a browser. It’s also a Web editor. Believe it or not, the Amaya browser has been around since 1996 and is directly hosted by the W3C.
10: ClamWin
ClamWin is an antivirus tool for Windows based on the venerable ClamAV for the Linux operating system. ClamWin offers all the standard features you’re used to in an antivirus tool, as well as Outlook and Explorer integration. The only difference between ClamWin and the competition (besides the price) is that it does not use a real-time scanner. Other than scheduled scans, you have to manually scan a file for a virus. Because of this, ClamWin is not for the lazy.
Source : - Internet..................
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
10 issues to consider during virtualization planning
Virtualizing your servers offers significant advantages, but effective planning is crucial to your success. Make sure you have satisfactory answers to these key questions before you get underway.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Server virtualization is becoming increasingly popular, and it seems that everyone is in a mad dash to virtualize their datacenter. While there’s no disputing the benefits of server virtualization, there are some questions you should address before you begin to virtualize your servers.
Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Does my virtualization plan include a single point of failure?I recently did a consulting job for an organization that had virtualized all of their servers. The problem was that they’d placed all of their virtualized domain controllers onto a single host server. If that host had died, it would have taken all the domain controllers with it. It’s important to plan your virtual server deployment so that the failure of a single host server will not have catastrophic consequences.
2: Are all my applications supported in a virtual environment?Believe it or not, some fairly common applications are not supported on virtual servers. For example, some versions of Exchange Server are supported only on physical servers. Others are supported only on specific virtualization platforms. Before you begin virtualizing your servers, make sure that your applications will be supported in a virtual environment.
3: Do I have any servers that are not good virtualization candidates?Some servers simply do not make good virtualization candidates. This is especially true of servers that run resource-intensive applications or that require special hardware. For example, some enterprise applications enforce copy protection through the use of a dongle. Dongles are almost never supported in a virtual environment.
4: How will domain controller placement work?Earlier, I mentioned that you shouldn’t place all of your domain controllers on a single host, but there is more to domain controller planning than that. You have to consider whether you want to virtualize all your domain controllers. If you do virtualize all of them, you will have to decide whether the host servers will be domain members. Making the host servers domain members when all of the domain controllers have been virtualized leads to a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” paradox (although it can be done).
5: What is the most suitable virtualization platform?Numerous server virtualization products are on the market, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to take some time and figure out which product will work best for your own situation.
6: What is the contingency plan if a host server dies?While a server failure is never good, its effects are compounded in a virtual environment. A host server failure can take down several virtual servers and cripple your network. Because host server failures can be so disruptive, you need to have a plan that will help minimize the impact of an outage.
7: How many guest machines can each host accommodate?Probably the single biggest mistake administrators make when virtualizing a datacenter is overloading the host servers. It is critical that you do some capacity planning ahead of time to determine how many guest machines each host server can realistically accommodate. Since every guest machine is different, you need to at least have an idea of where you would like to place each guest machine when you begin the capacity planning process.
8: What software licenses will be required?Software licensing often works differently in a virtual environment. For example, if you are using Hyper-V, you may not be required to license the Windows operating systems that are running on your guest machines. Things aren’t always so cut and dried, though, because the actual license requirements vary depending on the versions of Windows being used. Make sure that you understand the license requirements for the operating systems and applications that will be run on your guest machines.
9: How will the old server hardware be used?The virtualization process often results in a number of leftover servers. You might be able to repurpose some of them as virtualization hosts, but you might end up having to retire them. In any case, you should have a plan for your old server hardware.
10: What is the plan for existing server clusters?Although cluster nodes can sometimes be virtualized, you may find that the nodes perform better on physical hardware. If you do decide to virtualize your cluster nodes, just make sure that you don’t put all of them on the same host server. Otherwise, you will defeat the purpose of having a cluster because the host will act as a single point of failure.
Virtualizing your servers offers significant advantages, but effective planning is crucial to your success. Make sure you have satisfactory answers to these key questions before you get underway.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Server virtualization is becoming increasingly popular, and it seems that everyone is in a mad dash to virtualize their datacenter. While there’s no disputing the benefits of server virtualization, there are some questions you should address before you begin to virtualize your servers.
Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Does my virtualization plan include a single point of failure?I recently did a consulting job for an organization that had virtualized all of their servers. The problem was that they’d placed all of their virtualized domain controllers onto a single host server. If that host had died, it would have taken all the domain controllers with it. It’s important to plan your virtual server deployment so that the failure of a single host server will not have catastrophic consequences.
2: Are all my applications supported in a virtual environment?Believe it or not, some fairly common applications are not supported on virtual servers. For example, some versions of Exchange Server are supported only on physical servers. Others are supported only on specific virtualization platforms. Before you begin virtualizing your servers, make sure that your applications will be supported in a virtual environment.
3: Do I have any servers that are not good virtualization candidates?Some servers simply do not make good virtualization candidates. This is especially true of servers that run resource-intensive applications or that require special hardware. For example, some enterprise applications enforce copy protection through the use of a dongle. Dongles are almost never supported in a virtual environment.
4: How will domain controller placement work?Earlier, I mentioned that you shouldn’t place all of your domain controllers on a single host, but there is more to domain controller planning than that. You have to consider whether you want to virtualize all your domain controllers. If you do virtualize all of them, you will have to decide whether the host servers will be domain members. Making the host servers domain members when all of the domain controllers have been virtualized leads to a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” paradox (although it can be done).
5: What is the most suitable virtualization platform?Numerous server virtualization products are on the market, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to take some time and figure out which product will work best for your own situation.
6: What is the contingency plan if a host server dies?While a server failure is never good, its effects are compounded in a virtual environment. A host server failure can take down several virtual servers and cripple your network. Because host server failures can be so disruptive, you need to have a plan that will help minimize the impact of an outage.
7: How many guest machines can each host accommodate?Probably the single biggest mistake administrators make when virtualizing a datacenter is overloading the host servers. It is critical that you do some capacity planning ahead of time to determine how many guest machines each host server can realistically accommodate. Since every guest machine is different, you need to at least have an idea of where you would like to place each guest machine when you begin the capacity planning process.
8: What software licenses will be required?Software licensing often works differently in a virtual environment. For example, if you are using Hyper-V, you may not be required to license the Windows operating systems that are running on your guest machines. Things aren’t always so cut and dried, though, because the actual license requirements vary depending on the versions of Windows being used. Make sure that you understand the license requirements for the operating systems and applications that will be run on your guest machines.
9: How will the old server hardware be used?The virtualization process often results in a number of leftover servers. You might be able to repurpose some of them as virtualization hosts, but you might end up having to retire them. In any case, you should have a plan for your old server hardware.
10: What is the plan for existing server clusters?Although cluster nodes can sometimes be virtualized, you may find that the nodes perform better on physical hardware. If you do decide to virtualize your cluster nodes, just make sure that you don’t put all of them on the same host server. Otherwise, you will defeat the purpose of having a cluster because the host will act as a single point of failure.
Source:- Internet {TechRepublic}
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)