The Big Picture, from WhatIs.com

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

App security tools target Ajax vulnerabilities

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App security tools target Ajax vulnerabilities
Security vendor Cenzic adds Ajax testing capability to its automated vulnerability assessment offerings, while Denim Group releases an open-source vulnerability scanner for Ajax Web applications.

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Data delight: A ‘set and forget’ solution for classifying data?
Following a time-honored principle in computer science, a storage startup has put intelligence into the physical device and introduced what one analyst says could be a game-changing event in how you manage data.

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Ubuntu open source OS available on Sun Sparc servers
Ubuntu will release a new version of its open source OS in June that, for the first time, will be available for servers and compatible with Sun's UltraSparc T1-based servers.

Data center consolidation drives server availability at Columbia
Columbia University's biophysics department recently consolidated five data centers to one with the help of Collective Technology.

HP boosts IBM middleware on HP-UX operating system
In an effort to grab more Unix users, Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has announced that it will make its HP-UX operating system more compatible with the leading middleware products from IBM.

Mandriva Linux to include OS virtualization OpenVZ
Mandriva, publisher of the Linux operating system (OS) with the same name, today announced that OpenVZ virtualization software will be included in its latest corporate server package, Corporate Server 4.0.

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Virtualization, Cisco chop one network into many
Philips Research Laboratories already had a pretty impressive network, but when the Netherlands-based firm had to partition it and give a host of other companies access, that’s when things got interesting.

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NextAction dumps Microsoft for Oracle and open source
NextAction Corp. says it’s now “protecting revenue” thanks to a decision to get off Microsoft in favor of Oracle on Suse Linux.

Spotlight on Oracle and open source
This special report focuses on the intersection of Oracle and the open source world, including new articles and analysis as well as content from our archives.

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Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition vulnerable to flaw
The vendor is investigating reports of a “high-severity” flaw in its AntiVirus Corporate Edition product. Attackers could exploit it to launch malicious code.

Security Blog Log: Uncle Sam slammed over data theft
This week, infosec pros said the feds aren't doing enough after the Veterans Affairs data breach that left 26.5 million veterans exposed to identity fraud.

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Data classification is end users' job
Without a proper data classification scheme, ILM is putting the cart before the horse, and some shops are pushing the job of classifying files down to users.

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News Nuggets: IP PBXs, VoIP test, free Internet calling for enterprise users and video apps
Hosted VoIP provider Signate upgrades enterprise IP PBX solution; VoIP testing vendor starts partner program; Gizmo SIPphone keeps global users in touch; and LiteScape brings apps to video phones.

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Windows Server pack punches up processing power
Microsoft's Scalable Processing Pack, released at WinHEC last week, offloads some server processing onto an adapter. It's one way to get more power out of Windows Server 2003.

R2: New features improve critical functions
This is the first in a two-part series by contributor Laura Hunter on the inner workings of Windows Server 2003 R2.

Friday, May 26, 2006

SAP CRM sweetens Wrigley's trade promotion

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SAP CRM sweetens Wrigley's trade promotion
An image overhaul, coupled with trade promotion management tools from SAP, has boosted the Wrigley Company to the top of the confectionery market.

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Caringo breaks out CAS Mark II
Is it a new tango, a salutation at a worldwide wrestling contest, a weird Australian animal or yet another fixed-content storage company?

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Raceway’s secure wireless network is living life in the fast lane
Laguna Seca raceway unwired the outdoors when it extended its wireless network outside, where it would handle the network needs of thousands of racers, TV crews, and fans in a secure, reliable environment.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

VoIP adoption changing how contact centers do business

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VoIP adoption changing how contact centers do business
VoIP vendor Interactive Intelligence polled 105 companies and found that VoIP is making a huge impact on call/contact centers.

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Tutorials: Sony’s new marketing secret
Sony is building customer community and brand loyalty, and boosting sales, with the help of online tutorials.

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Gartner, IDC: Sun revenue rebounds after two year skid
Market share reports released yesterday by research firms Gartner and IDC show Sun turning its numbers around while much of the server market remains flat.

Carnegie Mellon University opens new Data Center Observatory
Carnegie Mellon University opened a showcase data center at its main Pittsburgh campus. Dubbed the Data Center Observatory, the facility serves as an operational data center and research lab studying energy consumption.

IBM updates Tivoli CMDB
IBM today unveiled a change management database suite for Tivoli. The software is designed to automate processes across software, hardware, storage and network environments that span separate departments within a company.

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TiVo turns to SAP, BearingPoint after outsourcing disaster
When its manufacturing and shipping operations outsourcer gave TiVo a 48-hour termination notice, the company found itself scrambling to revamp its processes.

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Okopipi leaps in where Blue Security left off
The new user group is building an open source P2P application that sends spammers automated "unsubscribe" messages. Some call it feasible, but others believe counterattack strategies are doomed to fail.

Security Bytes: Dirty cyber deeds in Tinseltown?
The Motion Picture Association of America is accused of hiring a black-hat hacker. Meanwhile: Cisco and HP fix flaws and blood donors’ information is compromised.

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IBM adds global replication to SVC
The latest version of IBM's SAN Volume Controller storage virtualization software supports global replication -- lowering the cost of disaster recovery.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Wireless security, easy-to-use VPNs, and global application acceleration make headlines

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Wireless security, easy-to-use VPNs, and global application acceleration top the news
Network Chemistry launches index to highlight threats in the wireless space, while F5 upgrades FirePass with-user friendly enhancements. Meanwhile, Verizon Business is backing global application acceleration with aggressive SLAs.

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Rural hospital meets state regulations through VPN
Being out in the middle of nowhere doesn’t get you off the hook when it comes to complying with state regulations. Learn how one rural Illinois hospital is trying to give patients 24/7 pharmacy access through a VPN.

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Lincoln takes CRM on the road with SAP mobile
With a rollout of SAP for Mobile Sales and a tablet PC deployment, Lincoln Electric transformed its sales system and processes.

RightNow acquires Salesnet for SFA
Salesnet's sales force automation will combine with RightNow's service applications to provide one on-demand CRM product, executives said.

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Syska Hennessy proposes new data center performance metric
Syska Hennessy, a New York-based engineering, technology and consulting firm, has proposed a new data center performance metric that it says is more detailed than the Uptime Institute Inc.'s tier system.

Server power management tools highlighted in x86 roll outs from HP, IBM
Hewlett-Packard Co. and IBM will both ship new x86 servers starting next month that feature new dual-core Intel Xeon chips, storage upgrades and power management tools.

Dell to offer AMD chips in multiprocessor servers
Dell Inc. says it will give data center managers the choice of having Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s (AMD) Opteron chips in its multiprocessor servers by the end of this year, a signal that the PC giant plans to push its server line harder into data centers.

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VoIP testing software works with Tivoli
VoIP testing and reporting software from Clarus now works with IBM Tivoli, giving an overall, end-to-end view of the network and VoIP system.

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OS middleware, Linux desktop high on HP's agenda
According to HP's Linux leader, middleware and the desktop adoption are the next frontiers for Linux. Find out why HP wants to have a stake in the emerging Linux desktop market.

SugarCRM CEO Roberts: On Microsoft and open source CRM
SugarCRM has taken on proprietary vendors with much success. Now CEO John Roberts believes the old guard systems are set to be surpassed permanently by open source.

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SAP to extend enterprise search to Google with Argo
SAP is readying the beta release of Argo, an extension of its enterprise search capabilities in NetWeaver to various search channels, including desktop widgets, browsers and mobile devices.

Podcast: TomorrowNow CEO responds to critics of SAP ties
In a broad ranging interview, Andrew Nelson, CEO of SAP subsidiary TomorrowNow, discusses his firm's strategy as it extends support to include Siebel customer sand recent criticism from members of the Quest International User's Group.

Sapphire attendees see potential in Duet, composite applications
Attendees of this year’s Sapphire user conference are generally pleased with the direction SAP executives are steering the company. Many customers see Duet and composite applications in their future.

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Personal data on 26.5 million veterans stolen
The stolen information included names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth for the military veterans and some spouses.

Security Bytes: Skype dodges attackers
Meanwhile: A worm hijacks IE and spreads via Yahoo IM, Ohio University reorganizes IT department after data theft; and Symantec accuses Microsoft of misusing technology.

Novell patches eDirectory buffer overflow issue
Novell has addressed a flaw in the iMonitor component of its eDirectory LDAP directory service that could be exploited to cause a denial of service.

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Clustered storage wins mainstream fans
Isilon wins California's county of San Bernardino as a customer, a change of pace from its early adopters. Analysts say it's the first sign of clustered NAS entering the mainstream.

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Microsoft defines Virtual Server strategy
Microsoft's roadmap adds some dates for its hypervisor and Virtual Machine Manager.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Zero-day threat targets Microsoft Word

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Zero-day threat targets Microsoft Word

Symantec says a targeted exploit uses Microsoft Word to open a backdoor in users' systems. It recommends blocking .doc files at the network perimeter. Microsoft is working on a fix.

ISC(2): 'Nothing has changed' on CISSP requirements
In response to concerns over CISSP coursework being taught in colleges, (ISC)2 board member Howard Schmidt says the certification is as stringent as ever.

Security Blog Log: Blue Security's demise evokes mixed emotions

There's no shortage of opinions on Blue Security's decision to fold after its antispam crusade put its customers at risk.

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Nortel, Symantec team up on secure application switch

Nortel Networks is releasing a new application switch with intrusion prevention from Symantec inside.

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NetApp's midrange storage quality up for debate
Two companies in the healthcare business debate the merits of NetApp's midrange systems.

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WinHEC spotlight shines on OSes, virtualization

At Microsoft's Windows hardware show this week, look for news about the company's server virtualization plans and updates on Vista and Longhorn, its next-generation desktop and server.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Microsoft swallows Whale to boost data security offerings

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Microsoft swallows Whale to boost data security offerings

Microsoft expanded its security technology arsenal with the acquisition of privately held Whale Communications, a maker of SSL VPN and application firewall software.

Microsoft shares Vista hardware requirements

Microsoft has come clean about the hardware requirements necessary to get optimal performance out of Windows Vista, its next-generation operating system.

Managing Active Directory users: Getting from Point A to Point B
This is the second in a two-part series on the use of multi-platform management tools to unify heterogeneous environments under Microsoft Active Directory.

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App security vendors bridge gaps in SDLC roles

SPI Dynamics puts QA and security testers on the same page with new integration; Fortify Software joins the FindBugs project to give developers a single view of quality and security issues.

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SAP marries CRM on-premise to CRM on-demand

The new hybrid option will allow customers to start quickly with the hosted option and gradually move to on-premise with the same user interface.

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Email archiving: Should storage pros keep everything?

From conniving lawyers to dodgy tape practices, here are some of the juicy tidbits we heard on the show floor and during sessions at Storage Decisions.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

What is an IT security professional, anyway?

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Opinion: What is an IT security professional, anyway?
The problem with information security certifications isn't that they're being offered to those without experience, writes Pete Herzog. The real issue is that security pros are often measured by their test-taking skills, not their ability to apply what they know.

Security Bytes: AV giants team up against eBay pirates
In other news, a new poll shows Cisco and Microsoft reaping the benefits of security spending and Sun addresses a Java flaw.

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Business intelligence hits the beach

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism deployed a business intelligence system to increase tourism and gain a better understanding of vacationers.

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Voice, video, Web conferencing brings global business together
Voice, video and Web conferencing from Interwise has become as important as email to one global company, whose employees -- in 60 countries -- all need to stay in contact.

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Network analysis tool gives managers a ‘heads up’
NetScout recently rolled out a new network analysis tool that understands network behavior and presents managers with information when that behavior changes. UPS has been testing it out.

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SAP gives customers sneak peak at new interface
SAP customers running mySAP Business Suite applications will soon have a simplified GUI to work with.

New SAP NetWeaver venture fund to spur development
SAP's new $125 million venture fund looks to foster composite application development on the NetWeaver platform.

SAP executives urge customers to upgrade
There's no better time to upgrade to the latest version of SAP to take full advantage of NetWeaver, according to SAP executives at the Sapphire user conference this week.

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Tiered storage shifts focus away from disk
At Storage Decisions, users and analysts discussed creative ways to tier storage according to levels of data protection and storage services, rather than disk costs.

Xiotech and Prism settle grievances in arbitration

Xiotech and one of its key resellers, Prism, have parted ways in a vicious legal dispute that highlights the fierce competition in the industry.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

SMBs: It’s a buyer’s market for wireless service

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Infor to combine with SSA Global
The combination of the two companies will create the world’s third-largest business application vendor.

SAP extends CRM support to Siebel apps
With the help of its subsidiary TomorrowNow, SAP is looking to tempt more customers away from Oracle by extending its Safe Passage program to include third-party support to Siebel users.

Measuring agent retention translates to the bottom line
With agent turnover still a significant concern, contact centers need to make agent retention a measurable goal.

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CA updates Wily Web app management tools
Just four months after Wily Technology Inc. was acquired by CA, the system management software supplier has refreshed the Wily Web application management software.

SPEC forms server efficiency committee
A nonprofit organization that measures server performance benchmarks has formed a committee to develop server energy efficiency standards.

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BlackBerry extends mobile applications without e-mail
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. has a new server that pushes out MDS applications independently of e-mail.

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Kickstart Fedora workstations and servers
Reduce the time and effort spent on server reconstruction with a Fedora kickstart. This bootable media will help you rebuild your system when your servers are damaged, destroyed or down for the count.

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Antispam crusade backfires; Blue Security shuts down
The move comes on the heels of a massive counterattack spammers launched against the company, knocking millions of Web sites offline in the process.

Survey: Women more likely to download spyware
Women may download spyware more often, but men are more likely to surf risky Web sites on company time, according to new survey results.

Podcast: Security Wire Weekly
This week Senior News Writer Bill Brenner leads a roundtable discussion with author Sean Walberg, ISECOM's Pete Herzog and CISSP Frank Kenisky about the (ISC)2's controversial program to bring CISSP coursework to colleges and universities, plus all the week's top infosec news.

Explore all options when looking to VoIP
With the VoIP vendor marketing popping at the seams, medium-sized firms should consider every option when thinking of adopting the technology.

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VMware users long for live data migration
Users at Storage Decisions say they hope the forthcoming version of VMware will allow them to upgrade their storage without rebooting servers.

Intel to sell FalconStor-based appliances
Making further moves into storage, Intel plans to sell appliances based on software from FalconStor.

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Email archiving: What's right for your enterprise?
There is a growing need to archive email data, and today there are several ways to do it. Stop to consider what would work best for your enterprise.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

TechTarget readers hungry for VoIP

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TechTarget readers hungry for VoIP
A recent reader poll reveals heavy spending ahead on VoIP equipment, as well as voice over wireless and other IP-based applications.

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Q&A: John Zachman: Zachman Framework 101
John Zachman discusses the Zachman Framework, which has helped developers organize enterprise architecture for over 20 years.

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Rising NetWeaver adoption, new incentives for Siebel customers at Sapphire
A rise in NetWeaver deployments as well as new incentives for customers to switch from Oracle to SAP will be highlighted at the Sapphire user conference this week in Orlando, Fla.

SAP database endorsement at Sapphire bolsters feud with Oracle
SAP is looking to trim the number of SAP deployments on Oracle databases by endorsing IBM's DB2 database management system.

SAP to embed HP printing capabilities in NetWeaver
SAP will add printing management capabilities from Hewlett-Packard in its NetWeaver platform to bolster document management.

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Security Bytes: Fix available for RealVNC flaw
In other news, changes may be coming for the Payment Card Industry (PCI) data security standard and Diebold will address security risks in its voting machines.

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With Microsoft's Atlas toolkit, no wait for Ajax controls
With two releases in the last month, the Atlas Control Toolkit is giving developers Ajax controls for ASP.NET apps long before Atlas is due for general release. Soon developers will be able to submit their own controls as well.

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Windows drives storage virtualization trend
New research finds that Windows files increase data and need for optimized storage management.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Monster fix for Apple's OS X and Quicktime

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Monster fix for Mac OS X, QuickTime
Apple Computer has patched more than 25 flaws in its operating system and updated its media player to address 12 vulnerabilities.

Security Blog Log: Data storage bills go to extremes
Lawmakers miss the middle ground when it comes to how long electronic data should be stored. Meanwhile, a hacker defaces electronic subway signs to suggest prime minister is a monster.

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CDW improves backup server speeds by 1,000%
Tech retailer CDW consolidated 18 backup servers to an EMC Clariion disk library, radically improving its backup operation.

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Wired, wireless access control unified with HP ProCurve module
HP ProCurve today announced a module to its 5300 switch that unifies the wired and wireless networks and makes them centrally manageable.

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PostgreSQL vs. SQL Server: PostgreSQL is right for the Microsoft stack
Is open source database PostgreSQL ready to replace Microsoft's SQL Server in the enterprise? Web application developer and author W. Jason Gilmore tackles the question in this column.

MySQL CEO Mickos: Beware of proprietary vendors’ giveaways
Beware proprietary vendors bearing free software. MySQL AB CEO Marten Mickos warns users to watch out for vendor lock-in strategies and overpriced service organizations.

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MIT demos 1 PB IP SAN
MIT will announce a mammoth IP SAN that also includes IP multicasting, which is already proving a boon to the consumer and SMB market.

Friday, May 12, 2006

Spammers hijack authentication mechanisms to send malware

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Spammers hijack authentication mechanisms to send malware
Content filtering provider AppRiver reports an attack gaining momentum by using trusted systems to push malware before anyone notices.

Should Microsoft change its patching process?
Most IT pros still like Microsoft's monthly fix schedule, but in the face of increasing zero-day attacks, they’d like more out-of-cycle fixes as well.

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Tech services firm could benefit from CEO resignation
The resignation of the CEO of technology consultant Keane Inc. could actually give the company a boost, says a Wall St. analyst.

Sun eco-evangelist addresses data center energy drain
Sun’s appointment of David Douglas to the newly created position of VP of eco-responsibility signals the company’s intent to find solutions to skyrocketing energy costs in the data center.

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CA offers mainframe tape encryption
CA now offers mainframe tape encryption with its BrightStor Tape Encryption appliance.

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IBM’s new storage device offers SMBs high-bandwidth option
IBM’s System Storage DS4700 Express offers SMBs with high-bandwidth needs an affordable solution, but companies should work with resellers to get the most out of their purchase.

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Thin provisioning: Blessing or curse?
Users experience mixed results using a new feature called thin provisioning, a quick way to add storage capacity to an application.

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Managing AD users getting easier -- once you figure out who they are
Part one of this two-part series delves into some of the issues IT managers face and identifies some ways to get around them.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

VoIP will soon be ‘mainstream’

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VoIP will soon be ‘mainstream’
A recent study by Infonetics Research found that VoIP use in the enterprise will more than double by 2010, and VoIP could soon be considered mainstream technology.
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ISCSI integration available on System i, plus new Lotus discount
IBM announced today that its System i servers would have better connections with Windows and blade servers, and also offered a discount on an i520 server that has Lotus products tied into it.

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Steps you can take now to begin building in software security
Securing applications doesn't require completely changing your software development life cycle. Gary McGraw, author of Software Security: Building Security In, talks about software security best practices -- or "touchpoints" -- that can be easily added to your SDLC.

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Four steps to successful IT/business alignment
Business alignment remains a top priority for IT executives. James Champy offers CIOs advice for turning IT into an integral part of their business operations, and no longer just a service center.

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Mainframe labor pool bolstered by IBM contest
Mainframes have proven in some environments to be irreplaceable, but the labor force for the venerable platform is waning. IBM is trying to help shops offset the fade.

Systems management consortium tackles interoperability
Six small systems management vendors banded together this week to encourage open source system management. The group plans to announce a dozen more members in the next few weeks.

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New Oracle BI tool adds color to compliance efforts
Oracle offers up details about its new Daily Business Intelligence for Compliance software.

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When companies merge, who wins?
It's still a thriving market, analysts say, and some consolidation in the storage industry was expected. But warning signs of a less competitive market are also emerging.

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Security experts say install Exchange patch despite problems
Fast-moving worm exploit is likely to follow Tuesday’s Exchange patch from Microsoft.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Exchange & Windows focus of latest Microsoft fixes

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Exchange, Windows focus of latest Microsoft fixes
The software giant releases its May security bulletins and two of the three are rated critical. Issues with Exchange and Flash Player are addressed, but none fixes the latest IE flaws.

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ODF approval significant but no tipping point for CIOs
The ISO adoption of OpenDocument Format is likely to fuel interest overseas of open standards, but for CIOs based in the U.S. there’s still little incentive to switch.

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Self-service search provides the answers for Humana
A natural language query tool has policy holders helping themselves while also linking to the healthcare provider’s IVR.

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Microsoft tackles its own CDI project
It takes more than just CEO Steve Ballmer’s say-so to get a customer data integration project done right at Microsoft. It takes a lengthy commitment and organizational CDI support.

DAMA attendees share trends in the trenches
Semantics, universal data models, and compliance are transforming data management, according to data professionals at a recent Data Management Association (DAMA) event.

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The mobility challenge: Supporting multiple devices in the enterprise
As more and more mobile devices enter the enterprise, the IT department's task of managing and securing them grows more complex. SearchMobileComputing.com talked to panelists and attendees at last week's Interop Wireless and Mobility conference to find out their pain points and some possible remedies.

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Podcast: SAP ABAP, IBM WebSphere, RFID skills pay rising
Employers are paying a premium for SAP ABAP, IBM WebSphere skills, Java experts and radio frequency identification technology talent, according to research from Foote Partners LLC.

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Firm takes hassle out of online tax collection
Online sales tax calculation can be an arduous task for a medium-size company, but a Washington-based firm can do the work for you for a fee.

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Symantec molds Veritas products into same old stuff
Security giant Symantec has repackaged and rebranded a bunch of Veritas products, but that's the extent of the "vision" at this year's conference.

EMC adds Kashya to InVista
EMC acquired startup Kashya to add DR capabilities to its InVista virtualization switch. Kashya will also bump CDP partner Mendocino out of the RecoverPoint picture.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

IT managers eye security and new operating systems among top spending priorities

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IT managers eye security and new operating systems among top spending priorities
A new global survey by IDC says IT managers at big companies expect to invest in security, new operating systems and Windows products in the next 12 months.

Become a good Vegas gambler in contract negotiations
Contract negotiations can be more of a black art than an exact science. Before you sit down at the bargaining table, read how to tip the scales to your advantage.

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Dispenser supplier sticks with System i
Following a catastrophic power failure and months of wrangling with high availability software, AptarGroup twice has had the opportunity to jump ship from the System i, but stayed.

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SAS puts BI on demand with marketing modules
BI is joining the march toward on-demand applications, and SAS is jumping in with two of its marketing tools.

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IBM enhances mainframe software for SOA enablement
IBM has released enhancements to its mainframe software to make it easier for programmers to implement SOA environments in their data centers.

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Asterisk VoIP gets redundant
Ranch Networks yesterday rolled out appliances that add redundancy to Asterisk servers, ensuring that VoIP service is up and running 24/7.

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NAC, IDS cure medical school’s security woes
UMass Medical School has courses on illnesses, but what happens if the network gets sick? The school has taken steps to ensure that won’t happen.

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Oracle refuses to learn its lesson, experts say
Oracle critics say the database giant sits on known flaws for too long, leaving its applications open to attack. Is it time for infosec pros to extract Oracle products from their infrastructures?

Security Bytes: Symantec vows to fend off Microsoft
Meanwhile: A virus infects Microsoft Excel files posing as a fantasy soccer spreadsheet and Sophos patches a security hole in its antivirus products.

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SAN, NAS converge with new NetApp releases
Customers and industry experts say price and the ability to manage SAN and NAS in one platform could give NetApp's new SAN boxes an edge.

Symantec taps Dell to fix e-mail archiving support
Admitting that its support for Enterprise Vault has been a problem, Symantec plans to lean on Dell to sell and support the software worldwide.

Monday, May 08, 2006

Critical security patches coming for Windows and Exchange

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Security Bytes: Blog beatdown blamed on antispam vendor
Meanwhile: Ohio University announces a data breach; an antispyware activist sues Yahoo; Linux gets buggier and Vista security comes under the microscope.

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HP to launch energy efficient server fans
Hewlett-Packard (HP) this summer plans to introduce new fans for blade servers that use a ducted design borrowed from remote-controlled model airplanes.

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EMC unveils do-it-yourself Clariion
EMC's eighth-generation Clariion offers complete 4 Gbps support, but more importantly, provides self-installation and self-service features addressing a common user complaint.

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Podcast: Mike Gunderloy on the pros and cons of Atlas
In our latest podcast, we chat with contributing columnist Mike Gunderloy about the good and the bad in Atlas, Microsoft's tool for blending Ajax and ASP.NET.

Friday, May 05, 2006

Double-Take soups up Microsoft clusters

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Double-Take soups up Microsoft clusters
A Microsoft Cluster Server user says Double-Take's GeoCluster software has helped him apply Windows server clustering to storage as well.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Voice over Wi-Fi nets big buzz at Interop

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Voice over Wi-Fi nets big buzz at Interop
AirMagnet, WildPackets, Opsware and SpectraLink raise visibility for voice over Wi-Fi with new management tools and technology demonstrations.

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Lawson merges with Euro counterpart Intentia
System i-focused ERP firms Lawson and Intentia merged this week.

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White House report on Avian flu reinforces CIO concerns
A new government report on the Avian flu suggests catastrophic human losses and reinforces what CIOs have been saying for months – this is beyond IT's control.

IT certification losing luster

A pair of recent surveys provides evidence that employers are putting more of a premium on knowledge and experience than certification.

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Vendors near agreement for server efficiency standards
Industry leaders plan to release a draft next month spelling out standards for server energy efficiency that could win support from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Power and cooling experts offer engineering insight
Power and cooling gurus of the IT industry gathered last week in Orlando at the Uptime Institute's symposium on high-density computing. These excerpts are from interviews with specialists from Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP), IBM and American Power Conversion Corp. (APC).

Hardware vendors react to Opteron heat problem
Advanced Micro Devices Inc., (AMD) the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chip maker, has reported a heat problem with a small percentage of Opteron processors running under three specific conditions.

SearchDataManagement.com

Business intelligence just the ticket for StubHub
When StubHub wanted to grow its “fan to fan marketplace” for tickets to sports and entertainment events, it implemented a new BI system. Users still didn’t want to let go of Excel.

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Security is the name of the game at Interop
Messaging security was a hot Interop topic, rivaled only by every other aspect of security. Vendors rolled out wares to protect messaging systems and other points on the network.

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Oracle updates RFID server, but is it innovative enough?

Oracle has announced several RFID-related enhancements to its Sensor Edge Server, but one industry experts thinks that both Oracle and rival SAP need to do more to innovate on RFID technologies.

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SAP leads Oracle in order management, Forrester says

The latest report from Forrester Research gives SAP a lead over Oracle's E-Business Suite and Siebel software in order hub management.

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New report could spell trouble for Quantum

New analyst research shows that users are buying more high-end tape libraries, and DLT is in decline -- a bad sign for Quantum and ADIC.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Mobile device trends: Security, consolidation and more

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Mobile device trends: Security, consolidation and more
In a recent report, J. Gold Associates outlined the direction in which mobile devices will be heading in 2007 and 2008. Security is high on the list, while other trends such as consolidation and multi-modal user interfaces start generating some real steam.

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App security defense in depth: Strategies to lock down your Web apps
Most organizations have deployed a layered approach to tackling security at the infrastructure level, but now experts say it's time to apply that approach to Web applications.

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Shadow processes, the ghost in the BPM machine
When employees fail to follow business process, it can kill efficiency and hurt the bottom line. Don’t assume your BPM solution is a cure-all. Find out what’s really going on.

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Gartner names data quality's top performers in Quadrant
The leaders in the data quality tools market are beefing up their international offerings and focusing on real-time monitoring, according to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant.

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SAP aims Duet at largest customers, beta tester sees benefits
New CRM capabilities will be added to Duet, but cost continues to be unclear and customers must upgrade to the latest version of SAP to use the software.

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Wacky Web misuses highlight internal risks
One vendor says selling corporate assets on eBay, spying on coworkers and running illegal gambling rings are just a few examples of the crazy stunts employees will try when given unchecked use of the Web at work.

Military students get lesson in cyberwarfare
Students from the nation's most recognized military academies recently took part in a contest that not only tested their network defense skills, but also gave them a taste of real-world information security.

Podcast: Security Wire Weekly
This week Senior News Writer Bill Brenner interviews Siemens security chief Dave Bixler about his organization's intrusion defense strategy, plus all the top news and why combatants in the browser battle are turning to guerilla warfare.

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Quantum buys ADIC for $770M

Analysts weigh in on Quantum's bid to dominate data protection with the acquisition of ADIC.

Want a better DR plan? Don't pitch it as DR
Users from Boston-area companies exchanged ideas on how to make DR plans more palatable to management by pushing their business value.

Reseller guide to vendor channel programs
With hundreds of vendor programs out there, here's a quick guide to picking a decent partner and some tips on how to sweeten deals.

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Few IT shops need worry about late Vista
Gartner says Vista could slip even further. It’s worth watching only if your Software Assurance agreement is running out or if you’re on Windows 2000.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Microsoft & SAP to release Mendocino as Duet, unveiling Duet.com

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Microsoft, SAP to release Mendocino as Duet, unveil Duet.com
Microsoft and SAP are unveiling the jointly developed Mendocino project as Duet and went live with Duet.com to explain the details.

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IBM cuts prices for System i Enterprise, HA servers
Price tags on IBM's System i enterprise edition and High Availability (HA) servers are aimed at the traditional iSeries sweet spot -- the midrange.

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Energy consortium takes aim at bottom line
The Green Grid, AMD's new consortium on energy-efficient computing, is intended to help CIOs get power consumption and cooling under control in the data center.

Taking the tears out of tiered storage
In an environment where the increase in data shipped for storage far outpaces the decreases in storage costs, tiered storage looks like a no-brainer. Making it happen is turning out to be a brainteaser even for the smartest IT shops.

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Sun offering Solaris update, free trial on servers
Sun will ship out an upgrade to its Solaris 10 OS next month and is offering a free trial on a line of servers to increase its presence in the x86 market.

ITIL expert gives advice on data center relocation
Moving a data center demands vigorous scrutiny beforehand to ensure a smooth swap. But Fred Latala, a data center relocation expert at Forsythe Solutions Group, said ITIL can help.

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VoIP applications starting to take hold
For VoIP to really take hold, enterprises have to look at which applications can be tied into the voice system. Research firm IDC suggests that some are starting to take notice.

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Citrix and Crescendo hit the application acceleration gas pedal at Interop
At Interop this week, Citrix and Crescendo announced new products in their application acceleration lines.

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Zero-day flaws target 'safe' programs
The SANS Institute says many critical flaws are appearing in programs long considered to be safe alternatives to Windows. Apple's reputation, in particular, "is in tatters."

Security Bytes: Phishing scheme targets American Express customers
Meanwhile: Personal data on 66,000 newspaper subscribers is leaked online, and a Trojan horse hijacks data and demands ransom.

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IBM slashes price to win EMC customer
The battle between IBM and EMC is heating up, and as the case of one drugstore chain shows, the winner may actually be the customer.

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Atlas: Think before you lift
In classical mythology, Atlas bore the weight of the heavens and the earth on his back. If you don't want to share his fate, be careful about deploying Microsoft Atlas technology. Though it's state-of-the-art, it's also pre-release and not right for every project.

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IT admins want more product integration from Microsoft
IT administrators aren't asking for products to be merged, but they would like to see better integration between the platforms.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Security Blog Log: Burning about Firefox recruitment

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Security Blog Log: Burning about Firefox recruitment
A security blogger frowns on an independent group's efforts to force IE users onto the Firefox bandwagon. Plus, an international fight over identification cards.

New IE flaws bring tally to three
Two more security holes surfaced in Internet Explorer Thursday, on top of one announced Tuesday. Attackers could exploit the latest flaws to install malicious ActiveX controls and read sensitive data.

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Wireless trespasser stopped dead in his tracks
A security expert working at a California government office spotted an unauthorized person trying to bridge onto the wired network through a wireless NIC card. He put a stop to it.

Cisco boosts speed, security of 7200 router
Cisco has added three modular upgrades to the 7200 Series router, providing services aggregation at headquarters for the Integrated Services Router in branch offices.

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Splunk and CA unite for IT troubleshooting
Splunk and Computer Associates have combined their respective IT troubleshooting software. To analysts, it’s a match that makes sense and reflects a need for simplicity in increasingly complex data centers.

At university, GroupWise on Linux beats out Exchange
When Golden Gate University's e-mail/collaboration software needed an update, Exchange was on the eval list. In this story, GGU's IT team explains why Exchange wasn't chosen and the university is pursuing an aggressive new Linux and open source strategy.

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HDS wins enterprise NAS
After sweeping Storage magazine's Quality Awards for SAN products, Hitachi Data Systems also places first for enterprise NAS, while NetApp continues to rule the midrange.

Sun props up storage line in quarterly update
Among the highlights: updates to its mainframe VTL, a new NAS gateway and a change in the story about the long-delayed Honeycomb CAS system.

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Virtual Server SP1 beta readied
If you’re testing Microsoft’s Virtual Server 2005 R2, support for Intel and AMD hardware is on the way in the form of a service pack beta.