How to Secure Your Small Business with a PIX Firewall

One of the more popular firewall products for the small business market is the Cisco PIX 501. Out of the box it requires just a few configuration entries and you are up and running.

In this guide, we will walk through the steps for configuring your brand new pix at the network edge.

This guide is written for the user who has no knowledge of the PIX firewall. As such, it is not a treatise on network security, but a quick, by-the numbers guide to configuring a PIX firewall with as little jargon as possible.

We are assuming that you have an internet connection with at least one static IP address. While the PIX can easily handle a dynamic IP address (that is the default configuration), you won't be able to easily configure remote access, VPNs, Mail, or web servers without a static IP address.

Your PIX should have come with an AC adapter, a yellow CAT 5 cable, an orange CAT5 cable and a flat, (typically) baby blue cable with a 9-pin serial connector on one end and an RJ-45 plug on the other.

The yellow CAT5 cable is a standard Ethernet cable and is used to connect your pc or server to the 4-port Ethernet switch built into the PIX. The Orange CAT5 cable is a cross-over cable and may be required to connect the outside interface of the PIX to your ISP's router (if your PC's or workstations are plugged into a Cisco switch inside the network, you will also require a cross-over cable for connecting to one of the switch ports on the PIX).

What we are going to use for our configuration is the baby blue rollover cable. Insert the serial jack into one of the serial ports on the back of the PC or laptop you will be using to configure the PIX. Then, insert the RJ-45 plug into the port on the back of the PIX labeled "console."

Windows has a built in application that is used for (among other things) configuring serial devices. Using the start menu, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > Hyper Terminal.

Choose the Hyper Terminal application. You may get a dialog box asking if you'd like to make Hyper Terminal your default telnet application. Unless you have a preference, go ahead and choose yes.

Then you will be asked for the area code from which you are dialing, although it isn't applicable here, the program still wants to know, so fill it in and click 'next' or 'ok.'

You can call the connection anything you'd like; in this example we'll use PIX. Click 'ok' to move on.

Next, we'll be asked to enter the details for the phone number we'd like to dial. Since we aren't dialing a phone number, use the drop-down selector at the bottom of the box to choose COM1 or COM2 (whichever is applicable). If you have no idea which one is which, you may need to try it both ways.

Now, you will be expected to tell the application some specifics about the port settings so that it can effectively communicate with the PIX.

Luckily, it isn't too complex, just remember 9600, 8, none, and 1. Enter these settings into the drop down selectors of the box on your screen.

Now we are ready to set up the PIX. Insert the power cable and you will be greeted with the startup monologue (it's not a dialog in this case; it's just informing you of what is occurring).

Then, you will be greeted with a screen that asks if you'd like to program the PIX using interactive prompts. For the purpose of this exercise, type no and click 'enter'.

You will now get a prompt that looks like this: 

pixfirewall> 

Type the word 'enable' (no quotes), when prompted for the password, just click 'enter' as the default is no password.

The prompt has changed to a hash mark: 

Pixfirewall# 

Type the phrase 'configure terminal' (no quotes); you are telling the PIX that you want to enter the global configuration mode and you will be doing your configuration via the terminal window.

Your prompt will now look like this: 

pixfirewall(config)#

The first thing we want to do is give your pix a host name. The PIX command syntax is: 

Variable name

Thus, to set the hostname we will enter: 

pixfirewall(config)# hostname mypix

Now, the domain name; it's alright if you don't have a domain set up on your network, you can call it whatever you like. However, give some thought to whether a domain might be a possibility at some point and plan your naming scheme appropriately. 

pixfirewall(config)# domain-name mydomain.com

As you can see from the configuration above, the ethernet0 interface is the outside interface, with a security setting of 0, while ethernet1 is the inside interface with a security setting of 100. Additionally, you can see that the interfaces are shutdown. All we need do to bring them up is enter the speed at which they should operate. As they are Ethernet interfaces, any software version after 6.3(3) will take 100full, prior to that, use 10full.

pixfirewall(config)# interface ethernet0 100full 

pixfirewall(config)# lnterface ethernet1 100full

Now to assign an address to the inside and outside interfaces; the ip address command sets the ip address of an interface. The syntax is as follows: 

Ip address

An example might be as follows: 

Ip address outside 

pixfirewall(config)# ip address outside 12.25.241.2 255.255.255.252 (this IP address, netmask combination should not be used, it is shown here for example only. Use the IP address/mask given to you by your ISP).

Then the inside IP address 

ip address inside 

pixfirewall(config)# Ip address inside 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0

A brief word about IP addressing is in order here.

One way that is used to conserve public IP addresses is through the use of non-routable IP addressing blocks specified in RFC 1597. You may sometimes hear them referred to as "private" IP addresses, which is fine, but not quite technically accurate. There are three different blocks to choose from: 

10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 with a netmask of 255.0.0.0 

172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 with a netmask of 255.255.0.0 

192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 with a netmask of 255.255.255.0

as long as your internal network's IP addresses are all within one of those blocks of address space, you will not need to introduce the complexity of routing within your LAN. An example scheme for those who are not familiar is shown below: 

PIX - 192.168.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 

File/DHCP server - 192.168.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.0 

Workstations - 192.168.0.10 - 192.168.0.254 netmask (each) 255.255.255.0 

* I intentionally skipped over the 192.168.0.3-9 addresses to plan for future expansion and the possible need for additional servers, you don't have to do this. 

* Configure your DHCP server to hand out addresses in the specified block using your ISP-provided DNS servers for name resolution. Make sure to change this should you ever decide to install a name server within your own network. 

* If you don't want to set up a DHCP server, just configure each PC with the IP address, default gateway, netmask & DNS servers

It is very important now to add a default route to the PIX configuration. Another term for default route is the "default gateway." You need to tell the PIX that if it receives traffic destined for a network that isn't directly connected, it should send it to the connected ISP router. Your ISP should have given you the IP address of your default gateway when you received your setup information.

Here is the syntax: 

Route 

The English translation is "if packets destined for interface on the network specified by network address are bounded by mask then route it via a next hop at the optional command is used to give an indication of distance.

For example 

pixfirewall(config)# Route outside 0 0 1 

(if packets are destined outside the network to any ip address with any netmask, send them through the ISPs default gateway, which is one hop away, meaning it is the device to which the PIX is connected on the outside interface).

To password protect your PIX in order to prevent unauthorized access, use something that is secure and hard to guess. Try to stay away from the names of spouses, children, pets, birthdays or other easily guessed variable. Whenever possible, use a combination of letters and numbers. The syntax is as follows (but please don't use cisco as your actual password) 

pixfirewall(config)# Passwd cisco (note the abbreviated spelling of the word password) this will set a password for basic access (rembember the pixfirewall> prompt?) 

pixfirewall(config)# Enable password cisco this will set the password for administrative access

Now that your PIX has been given a basic configuration, you should be able to access the internet, while preventing unauthorized access to your resources.

Ron Jones is the Founder and President of The Fulcrum Technology Group, Inc. www.fulcrumtechnologygroup.com [http://www.fulcrumtechnologygroup.com] Located just North of Atlanta, this consulting firm specializes in business technology solutions that will enable you to maintain a competitive advantage by increasing productivity, improving reliability and reducing expenses.

Technology Transforming Future Generations

Nature Valley launched an ad campaign in early July that showed a huge difference between the generations alive today.

They asked 3 generations the same question: "When you were little, what did you do for fun?"

From the grandparents and parents you heard answers like berry-picking, growing watermelons, playing baseball, and building forts.

The children's responses to the same question included video games, texting, sending email, and watching videos. Nature Valley didn't stop there, though. They spread the gap even wider when asking the kids how long each day they spent on their electronics. They responded with at least 3 to 5 hours everyday and one little girl aged around 6 said she would "die" without her tablet, their tagline following: "Nature has always been a part of childhood."

What changed from one generation to the next?

There are currently 6 living generations today:

The Greatest Generation (1901-1926)

Silents (1927-1945)

Baby Boomers (1946-1964)

Generation X (1965-1980)

Generation Y/Millennial (1981-2000)

Generation Z/Boomlets (after 2001)

Technology was introduced during Generation X and Generations Y and Z grew up not remembering a time without certain technologies. The technological revolution that brought along the first mac computers to cell phones to smartphones happened all within the short span of 42 years. Yet, already it seems that technology is changing the habits and lifestyle of future generations. It is a scary thought to think that for so many years prior to this revolution, generations grew up in nature and sent this tradition down, yet in less than a lifespan of the average human being, this healthy and natural way of being has virtually gone out the window (quite literally).

The Greatest Generation, Silents, Baby Boomers, and Generation X are the only generations alive today who remember a world without computers and cell phones. They are the ones who spent a majority of their childhood outdoors and did not have all the conveniences of life as we have them today (some of The Greatest Generation grew up without electricity, refrigerators, or air conditioning). In the 1950s the obesity rate in America was at 9%, but about 50 years later, after the technological revolution, this rate tripled to 33% and in 2006, not a single state reported obesity rates below 10%. An estimated 1 in 3 children are overweight in America today. Is this just a coincidence that as soon as generations starting becoming addicted to technology, obesity rates skyrocketed? While there are more factors to obesity than exercise (diet is also a huge factor), it seems as though children who spend up to 5 hours a day playing video games or texting on their cell phones are not prioritizing time outside of the house. Today, the typical child spends an average of 30 minutes outside per day.

Being outdoors has been proven to be beneficial for children's body, mind, and spirit. Along with exercise building strong bodies, being outside in the sunlight provides essential vitamin D, which helps protect against future health issues with heart disease, bone problems, diabetes, and more. It can also be said that being outside can improve distance vision and help prevent nearsightedness (which is also a common issue today). Some studies have found that being in an environmental setting can extensively improve symptoms of ADHD, while an outdoor-style education can increase test scores and critical thinking skills. Another study shows that children's stress levels decrease immediately when they see nature and playtime outside reduces the anxiety that come from the fast-paced, 24/7 world that technology provides.

Not only does technology steal most of the time children spend outside in nature, but there are a number of studies today that show other negative implications of continuously using electronic devices.

Addiction to some forms of technology are real medical conditions. One boy, around 6 years old, answered that sometimes he forgets that he has a family--parents, a sister, a dog--because he is so immersed in the virtual life of his video game. Nomophobia--the fear of being separated from your cell phone--is also a real term that many people feel everyday. Addiction to technology, just as addiction to anything, is considered a psychological disorder that is treatable. Addiction to video games, for example, is being treated as an "impulsive control disorder" along the same lines as compulsive gambling. Along with the side effects of any addiction such as depression or anxiety, addiction to technology also hinders social development.

Even more alarming studies today have claimed that certain technologies, such as cell phones, can physically cause harm to the body over time. Cell phones, while switched on, emit invisible electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by the body. There has been much debate over a vast array of health effects of mobile radiation over the years including cancer, infertility, autism, learning disabilities, depression, hormonal imbalance, and more.

Currently in US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set a regulation for the specific absorption rate (SAR) of mobile radiation allowed to sell a cell phone in the marketplace. Today, phone companies are testing their SAR's with a dummy designed after a 220 lb (100 kg), 6'2" (1.88m) adult man. Clearly, this model doesn't work well for children who may be a quarter of that size or less-in fact, Om Gandhi, a professor at the University of Utah, children absorb 10 times the amount of radiation that adults absorb. Even if the health effects associated with cell phone radiation haven't been proven yet, it can't be good to have your child constantly absorbing high amounts of electromagnetic radiation that is speculated to have these effects.

None of this is to say that you should unplug yourself or your children from technology entirely--some of it acts as a necessity in our society today. Without a computer and cell phone, almost all businesses would not be able to function. The important thing to take away from this information is to be cautious and healthy about the way you approach technology. Limiting time spent on electronic devices, making time to spend with your family outdoors, and remembering that we are just human beings, not robots controlled by technology, are important in leading a healthy lifestyle for you today future generations to come.

For more articles and info on the issues of infertility and mobile radiation, check out the WaveWall blog. Protect your manhood today with a WaveWall anti-radiation phone case.

Apple Watch - First Impression

Apple Watch has been around for a few months. Well, in some countries at least. It arrived here, in Thailand in mid-July and I made sure I got it on the first day it became available. So, after calling all the people I know have anything to do with Apple, I got it reserved. Into a car right after work, 2 hours in traffic, another 30 minutes to find a parking spot and another 20 to find the shop and... I was finally able to put my hand of the watch. Or rather, to put Apple Watch on my hand.

The first thing you want to do it to link it to your iPhone and start playing with it but... you need to be patient. It takes a few good minutes to boot. It seems like forever as you want to play with your new Apple Watch right away. After all, this is very different from any other Apple product.

So, 5 minutes passed and I was at last able to play with my new toy. First thing I wanted to do was to check the watch faces. I expected 20 or 30 faces and was given a choice of just 10! Just 10 faces is not enough and, to be honest, they are not that exciting. Modular face is what I went for as you are able to add 5 complications to it. So I added things I use more often, namely weather, calendar, date, activities and battery status.

Next, let's have a look at the apps. There are some apps preloaded and more and more apps have the Apple Watch version now. You can upload apps to your watch via iPhone. The process is smooth and very fast. The menu of the apps might be a bit confusing in the beginning. All those little circles moving around might be something overwhelming at first but you will get used to it. And soon you will realize that it is probably the best possible layout. A long list of apps would not, most likely, work well. Also, you can change the layout of the apps on your iPhone. You should place the apps you will be using most often closer to the center for easier access.

On your hand, Apple Watch feels good, it is light, touchscreen works very well. Overall, the user experience is great. If only we had more faces and apps that run natively on the watch it would have been perfect. Yes, now the apps run on the iPhone and are mirrored on your Apple Watch. Because of this, they are sometimes slow to load. However, it should all change with WatchOS 2.0 where the faces will open for the developers and apps will run natively on the Apple Watch.

I am sure that once you spend some time with your Apple Watch you will find it easy to use and, what is even more important, you will find it very useful. But how you can use your Apple Watch is something that I will cover in my next article.

Buying the Perfect Computer - The FIRST Time

So you've finally decided it's time for a change. No matter 

what advice you follow that old work horse of a desktop 

computer you have has outlived its usefulness with slow 

loading applications and a continuous rise in operation 

noise.

Searching for that Perfect Computer can be about as much fun 

as purchasing a new car and about as frustrating also when 

sorting through the various brands while trying to decide 

which "bells and whistles" best fit your needs. Besides all 

that trying to return something that is so large can be both 

inconvenient and very difficult to do. So making the right 

decision the FIRST time is the wise path of choice.

For starters you'll need to decide what you want to do with 

your computer. Are you into the video game scene or are you 

someone who likes to just surf the internet and occasionally 

do some book keeping with simple word processing software?

If you're into video games you're going to want a machine 

that can handle the high level of graphics and superior 

sound quality. On the other hand if you're not into all 

that high adrenalin stuff you can probably get by with a 

less expensive system. Although, if you want to stay on the 

safe side I would recommend going with something more 

"high-end" so you don't have to spend another large chunk of 

change to upgrade the system you just bought.

There are two basic routes you can take when purchasing a 

new computer.

1) Purchase a "Brand Name" Computer 

2) Purchase a "Clone" Computer

A "BRAND-NAME" computer is one that is manufactured by a 

company that is recognizable by name.

Some Advantages/Disadvantages of "Brand-Name" computers 

include:

Advantages:

Customer Support- If you are experiencing problems with your 

computer you will have the option to contact a 

representative of the company that you purchased the PC from 

to get help in solving your problem.

Customer support is probably the best reason to buy a 

brand-name computer.

Warranty- Having a warranty is always nice since it acts as 

a type of security blanket for you.

In case a part on your computer should fail you should be 

able to get the item fixed at no charge just as long as the 

warranty has not expired.

Read and understand a company's warranty policy BEFORE you 

purchase a computer from them.

This way you'll have a good understanding of the procedures 

to follow in case a problem should arise.

Pre-installed Software- Many companies will include software 

packages that are all set up and ready to go for you on your 

computer.

Although, a disadvantage of buying a brand-name computer 

with software pre-installed is that you usually end up with 

more than fits your needs and usually just results with the 

wasting of space on your storage device.

Additional Support- Most brand-name computer companies are 

also able to provide you with web sites that may provide you 

with current software updates, user manuals, or basic 

troubleshooting help.

Disadvantages

The use of Proprietary parts- the term Proprietary refers to 

products that are unique to an individual company and that 

company only.

So if a part was to malfunction on your computer after 

warranty and you needed to replace it you could not just go 

to your local computer store and purchase any old part even 

if it was intended for the same function as the item that 

failed.

You would be forced to buy the exact same item that came out 

of the computer or else the computer would more than likely 

cease to function correctly.

Having to buy proprietary parts usually involves the need to 

place an order which means you'll have to wait for the part 

to arrive or you'll have to send your computer into the 

company or an authorized dealer of that company for 

repairs.

People with a home based business would probably not be too 

happy with that situation at all.

Integrated/On-board parts- In the computer world when you 

hear the word integrated or on-board it means that a 

particular part such as the modem or sound port where you 

plug in your speakers, is built-in or part of the computer 

main board (Also known as the Motherboard).

This means that if any of these items should fail, you can't 

just remove them from the computer and replace them with a 

new part. They are usually soldered directly to the main 

board and are stuck there.

Although, some computers do provide a way to disable a 

malfunctioning device which will allow you to install your 

own store bought device to take the place of the broken 

part.

From a computer technicians point of view this is not always 

easy to do.

It just depends on what brand of computer you currently 

have. Meaning some are easier to work on than others.

A "CLONE" computer is a clone or a copy of its brand-name 

counterpart with the exception that instead of company 

specific or proprietary parts, the items used to make a 

clone computer are from several different companies instead 

of only one.

Let's say that if you were to go to a local company that 

builds "clone" computers, and you tell them what you need, 

chances are they don't use parts that are specific to only 

that type of computer like the brand-name computer companies 

do.

This is a good thing because it means that they will 

probably use components that are interchangeable with many 

different brands and are easy to come by if needed.

Some Advantages/Disadvantages of "Clone" computers include:

Advantages:

Cost- compared to brand-name computers the clone will 

generally be easier on your pocket book when purchasing one 

with similar features as its brand-name counterpart.

This is most likely due to the money that is saved by not 

offering the high-end customer service. Although, that may 

not be the only reason for the lower prices.

Easily Accessible Replacement Parts- Since the clone 

computer was built with parts that are not any one company 

specific, you can buy parts for the clone computer that can 

be used even if the brand is different from the one that was 

in the computer when you originally bought it.

NOTE: Before you buy any parts, it is necessary to make sure 

that the replacement parts are compatible with your 

particular computers system requirements.

Either consult the manual that should have came with your 

computer or get help from a knowledgeable friend or repair 

person.

Disadvantages:

Warranties- Unless you purchase a service plan you will 

typically not have as an attractive warranty as you would 

with a brand-name computer company.

Whatever you do just make sure you understand how long the 

warranty is for and as to what kind of repairs the warranty 

covers before you make the purchase.

Customer Support- With brand-name computer companies you are 

usually provided with a 24-hour toll free number that you 

can call if you have questions or concerns with your 

computer.

Clone computers are more than likely not going to have a 

24-hour help service, but rather you will be forced to only 

be able to call during regular business hours.

Also, it is more than likely that there will not be any one 

website that you can go to in order to find out information 

concerning troubleshooting questions you may have.

For service it may be necessary to take the computer back to 

the store that you bought it at or you may have to do some 

research on the individual parts that went into the computer 

and visit the manufacturer's website for troubleshooting 

tips.

Finally, if all else fails you can certainly take what you 

have learned from this article and being that you know what 

you need now, but don't know where to go and get that 

"Perfect Computer", the best resource at your disposal are 

the very men and woman that work at your local electronics 

shop.

It is their duty to help you get hold of that "Perfect 

Computer" that best fits your needs. All you need to do is 

tell them what you plan on using that computer for and they 

should be more than happy to help you from there.

10 Reasons Why Hosted Desktop Services Are A Good Idea

There's quite a buzz about Hosted Desktop Services (HDS) these days and for many businesses it makes a lot of sense. Maybe it doesn't initially look so great for some IT support companies and departments but if embraced in the right way it can be a benefit for them as well.

HDS, sometimes referred to as cloud services or software as a service, is not really such a new idea. Before people started using PC's as the mainstay device most computer systems had servers and intelligent workstations which we now call thin clients. Unix users will be very familiar with this concept.

Intelligent workstations like the thin clients of today had some memory and processor capacity but they mostly accessed software off of a server. Now that good broadband supplies are available the same type of system can be accessed over the internet. It has always been a good system!

In a nut shell a Hosted Desktop Service is "your PC" managed remotely and that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from any device without all the headaches of maintaining it or the loss of performance that you often get with Windows based PC's.

Here are 10 reasons why it's a good idea for many businesses!

1 - A Uniform Experience Everywhere On Everything

Putting software on a central server means everyone can access the same software from anywhere. No more worries about which versions, which licenses, upgrading versions etc. Many HDS services will give access to software using apps that will work on nearly any device such as Citrix which works on Windows, Android, Apple OS, Linux, Unix, phones, tablets and other popular platforms that I may have missed out. It will work on different versions of different operating systems too!

2 - Backups & Security All Looked After For You

Backup and security are a necessary pain. It can be a worry when considering HDS; after all, how good is the supplier's backup and security system? The answer is that it has to be good! Some companies will undoubtedly be storing sensitive and valuable data so HDS suppliers need to make sure everything is backed up in real time or close to it, often across different server locations in different countries.

Security has to be really good because if anyone hacked into the HDS systems it would be trouble for customer and supplier alike. That goes for up-time too which needs to be 99.99% of the time!

Because the software and data is stored on the HDS servers if a device is stolen or lost it's no problem especially with HDS sessions timing out.

Similarly antivirus and anti-malware services are all taken care of.

Backup, security and availability will be better than that which most companies have on their own systems.

3 - Speed

If you have used Windows based machines you will be familiar with the way that they can slow down over time. Maybe because there is too much software on a PC, because of a virus, perhaps the hard disc has faults, not enough memory or maybe the computer is just generally underpowered. This is not a problem with HDS where the servers are high quality, fast and maintained for you. The servers are doing all the work for you, all your device has to do is run the software that allows you to access the servers which doesn't tax a device or use much internet bandwidth.

It's like having a new PC every day. People can work faster, be more productive and won't have the frustration associated with slow computers.

Just as an example I tested loading up Microsoft Word and a few other Microsoft products and the load up times were between half a second and 2 seconds.

4 - Proactive Support

Another headache with maintaining software and hardware is keeping everything up to date, often across many devices. Most of that won't apply with HDS as support staff are keeping everything up to date for their customers and monitoring systems for faults.

HDS users will still have queries and sometimes things may go wrong so it's important that support is available during working hours and maybe even 24/7support. This is a level of support available with HDS as many companies are using it and some at all hours.

5 - Improved Cash Flow

HDS is a scalable subscription service where different people can use different software at different times. This gives flexibility that can be controlled. The cost can be fixed to be the same each month or it can be capped to how much a customer is willing to spend each month allowing flexibility without loss of control. There are few unexpected expenses to accommodate. HDS is an easy service to build into a company's monthly and yearly budget.

6 - Mobility

Because it works anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection and on almost any device it can be used in London, Sydney, and Delhi or perhaps even in space (one day). No special connections are needed. If a company moves office it doesn't matter, if someone has to work at home it doesn't matter. Use a PC, tablet, laptop or even a phone!

People can use their own hardware or simple thin clients* with any suitable screen.

*A thin client is a small box used to connect everything together such as a screen, a keyboard and a mouse. It can be simply configured to access an HDS service. Thin clients often have a built in card reader, sockets for USB devices, headphones etc. They rarely have any discs in them and don't need heavy duty processing power. Typically they are around 8 inches square and 2 inches deep. They use much less power than a PC too so cost less to run.

7 - Less Hardware And Software Worries

A company running its own system might have a list of IT concerns that go something like this:

Hardware to maintain and replace

Software to maintain, upgrade, fix, replace

Provisioning of new hardware and software

Security

Backups

Software version control

Licensing

Operating system support; possibly across different versions or even different OS types.

System availability

IT support, in house or contracted out

And more...

At the time of writing Windows XP has recently been phased out of Microsoft's support regime but lots of companies still have it and have the headache of what to do next as they can't stay with XP forever. This is not an issue with hosted desktop services as it's all kept up to date on an ongoing basis.

Most of the hardware and software that had to be looked after before is no longer a concern with HDS.

With HDS there is often a core set of software that everyone gets such as Microsoft office, Chrome, Adobe Reader etc. Other optional paid for or free standard software can be chosen from. Other off the shelf or bespoke software can be requested and put onto the system for selection or as part of a customer's standard HDS setup.

The purchase and use of software by people or groups of people can be controlled by an approval system so that a company has control over what they are paying for.

The data for software used can be retained even if not used or paid for all of the time.

With HDS people can't just download software as they like. Miscellaneous software can come with viruses or malware or compromise the working environment. This is another built in method of controlling the integrity of company IT systems.

8 - More Time For Your Business

Depending on how much IT infrastructure a company has and how it uses it, a significant amount of time might be spent planning and implementing IT strategies. In turn a company may have to spend time communicating with their IT support department or provider. Some of this time will be concerned with day to day IT matters such as security, backup, housekeeping etc. If much of this is offloaded onto HDS either the IT support function can be reduced or diverted to other important company IT projects.

9 - Integrate With Your Own Special Systems

A company might have some software and data that they want moved to the HDS servers and for most software this can be done. It's sometimes referred to as on-boarding. There may be one-time costs for this but once it's done that company won't have to worry about looking after it again.

A company might have some systems that just aren't suitable for HDS for example; a film company might have editing suites with specialized hardware and software that maybe 25% of the company use. Systems like these can be kept as they are and HDS still used in conjunction with those systems where required. Where needed data can be shared, synchronised and local data can be accessed directly from HDS!

10 - A Low Carbon Footprint

Last and not least you and your company will be doing your bit for the environment. The servers used with HDS are usually high quality enterprise servers that use less energy than others and a reduced carbon footprint all round.

If you and your company are using thin clients you will be using less energy at the office end which reduces your own carbon footprint.

Each user takes 100k to 200k of internet bandwidth per session which could be less than what is used normally. Less internet capacity may be needed and may be reduced or utilised elsewhere.

Object Virtualization: Digitizing the World

We are changing our world. With the advent of new sensing and communication technologies, we are finding ways of making everyday objects more intelligent and connected. As we connect more and more things to one another, however, we are finding a need to democratize the process. We have to make different things the same, or at least equal. We are still trying to answer the Mad Hatter's famous riddle: How is a raven like a writing desk?

Though Alice's time in Wonderland may have come and gone, ours is just beginning. While we may not be connecting ravens to writing desks (though nothing would surprise me at this point), we do have a need to connect seemingly unrelated objects in new ways.

One solution to this dilemma is the process of object virtualization. By creating virtual models, or representations, of the things you want to monitor and manage, you are putting 'things' on equal footing, creating new opportunities for analysis and task automation.

To understand object virtualization, consider the contact list in your phone. A contact can be thought of as a virtual model of an actual person. It is something like a digital identity. Imagine you have a contact named Mary Smith. Mary has a name, a phone number (or two), an email address, maybe a photo. Mary can have a Facebook profile, a Twitter alias - you can even assign Mary a special ringtone. All of these things combine to create a virtual model of Mary stored in your phone.

Now, to make your model of Mary a bit more intelligent and useful, you could add her date of birth, her hair color, her favorite book, her pet cat's name, or any number of different properties of Mary. If we slapped a bunch of sensors on Mary, we may know things like her current location, current body temperature, her heart rate, her blood pressure. If this information is communicated to your model in real time, you have an active, living representation of Mary that tells you more about her than she may know herself.

Imagine applying this same process to your house, your car, your toaster, or your favorite pair of socks. Now, maybe you can't think of a good reason for your socks to talk to your toaster, but they may have a thing or two to share with your washing machine. And maybe your house and your toaster can have a nice conversation about lowering your electric bill. Of course, your things aren't just talking to your other things. They can talk to other things anywhere. Do you think it might be helpful for your air conditioning system to know something about today's weather forecast? Or for your car to know about that new road construction on your way to work?

Your virtualized house doesn't care that it's a house. It may as well be an elephant or a water balloon. The same is true of your car, your refrigerator, or your lawn sprinklers. Virtual models can share information with other virtual models without regard for where the data is coming from or how it got there. Virtualization can make every "thing" accessible to every other "thing", and ultimately to you.

B-Scada's VoT (Virtualization of Things) Platform allows you to create virtual models using data from multiple and disparate sources, providing a simple platform for creating powerful and intelligent IoT (Internet of Things) applications. 

AIM and a Half - Give your AIM a Little More

Buttons, ads, big long menus, pictures are everywhere and they’re slowing down your AOL Instant Messenger. What is there to do? Add-ons for AIM just add things to your AIM. Aliasing, tabbed IM windows, etc. But what do you do about all of those things that are slowing down your AIM? There may be a solution. 

AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) is an instant messenger program that lets you talk to people all around the world - for free. Making a free utility like this comes with some cost. AIM throws ads onto the top of your buddy list, useless buttons everywhere even though there’s already 3 ways you can get to the same place, just as easily. As each version of AIM comes out, the more your AIM is loaded with extra things like this. 

Now, there’s a new program titled AIM ½. It gets rid of ads, those buttons on the bottom of the buddy list, shortens all of the menus to only what you need. It gets rid of all of those buttons in IM windows (warning, games, etc), it gives you more practical sign-on, sign-off, and away symbols on your buddy list. It gives you the ability to resize your buddy list to ANY size. And it does little things like easier to use away message windows, profile windows, and more.

And of course, the newest feature: skinning. 

Skinning allows you to change the look of your AIM by letting you choose the theme of your sign-on screen, buddy list background, sign-on, sign-off, away symbols, and the popup notifications. Currently, there are five skinning themes available: XP, Beach, Everyone Loves Raymond, and Music. You can change your theme with the click of a button in your buddy list menu or on the AIM ½ site. 

 To prove the effectiveness of AIM ½, I put it to a test. I downloaded the original aimres.dll for 5.5.3595. I timed how long it took for AIM to load up after I double clicked the AIM button. It took 10 seconds until it was fully ready for use on my COX High Speed connection. Then I downloaded AIM ½. It took (no joke) 2 ½ seconds. A little difference? That little difference also effects how long it will take for IM windows to load after you double click them, and everything you do on AIM and the internet while your instant messenger is open.