Vlans
August 31, 2007
In order to implement VLANs in a network environment, you’ll need a Layer 2 switch that supports them. Almost all switches sold today that are described as “managed” switches provide the ability to make ports members of different VLANs. However, switches that don’t provide any configuration function (such as many basic, lower-end switches) don’t provide the ability to configure VLANs. Almost any Cisco Catalyst switch that you’ll come across today provides the ability to make ports part of different VLANs.
Before getting into the details of how a VLAN functions, it’s worth exploring some of the advantages that a VLAN provides. First and foremost, VLANs provide the ability to define broadcast domains without the constraint of physical location. For example, instead of making all of the users on the third floor part of the same broadcast domain, you might use VLANs to make all of the users in the HR department part of the same broadcast domain. The benefits of doing this are many. Firstly, these users might be spread throughout different floors on a building, so a VLAN would allow you to make all of these users part of the same broadcast domain. To that end, this can also be viewed as a security feature - since all HR users are part of the same broadcast domain, you could later use policies such as access lists to control which areas of the network these users have access to, or which users have access to the HR broadcast domain. Furthermore, if the HR department’s server were placed on the same VLAN, HR users would be able to access their server without the need for traffic to cross routers and potentially impact other parts of the network.
Is Your Computer Sick?
August 30, 2007
Viruses and spyware usually show up on your computer one of two ways.
Either they invade your system with a frontal assault like the Huns attacking the Romans, or they sneak in a back door like a cat burglar.
Either way, once a virus or piece of spyware gets on your system, getting it off can rate harder than curing a severe case of trench foot!
Viruses, malicious programs designed to disrupt normal computing, and spyware, programs intended to literally “spy” on your activities, can enter your computer a number of ways.
Most commonly they enter your system through an email attachment, by sharing files with an infected computer by disk, as a “ride along” with a 3rd party program you install, or through a “back door” port in your computer.
Regardless of how they get on your system, once in place, they cause no end of headaches and frustration.
The following represent typical signs you may suffer from infection by a virus or piece of spyware.
Your computer starts acting oddly by doing things it never did previously.
Your modem starts trying to dial out to the Internet without you initiating a surfing session.
Theres Gold in Your Websites Server Log
August 29, 2007
Many Webmasters have never bothered to view their website’s server log. Ignoring your server log is like flying with a blind pilot. You may still be cruising along, but you have no idea where you are or where you’re headed. If your website is on a free host, you probably don’t have access to the server log. However, if you pay for your web host, or if you own the server, you almost always have some access to the server log.
In this article, you’ll learn what kind of information a typical server log provides, how to analyze that information, and how to use that information to steer your website in a direction for growth and success.
The actual data in the server log is just that, data. Data is of little use without an application to compile, categorize, analyze, and turn it into useful information. The power of server log analysis software varies depending upon the web host, and it’s not related to how much you pay for hosting service. I have seen some very low budget web hosts with powerful server log analysis software, and some expensive web hosts that provide only a limited utility.
Spyware: What It Is and How to Combat It
August 28, 2007
Spyware is software or hardware installed on a computer without the user’s knowledge which gathers information about that user for later retrieval by whomever controls the spyware.
Spyware can be broken down into two different categories, surveillance spyware and advertising spyware.
Surveillance software includes key loggers, screen capture devices, and trojans. These would be used by corporations, private detectives, law enforcement, intelligence agencies, suspicious spouses, etc.
Advertising spyware is software that is installed alongside other software or via activex controls on the internet, often without the user’s knowledge, or without full disclosure that it will be used for gathering personal information and/or showing the user ads. Advertising spyware logs information about the user, possibly including passwords, email addresses, web browsing history, online buying habits, the computer’s hardware and software configuration, the name, age, sex, etc of the user.
As with spam, advertising spyware uses the CPU, RAM, and resources of the user’s computer, making the user pay for the costs associated with operating it. It then makes use of the user’s bandwidth to connect to the internet and upload whatever personal information it has gathered, and to download advertisements which it will present to the user, either by way of pop up windows, or with the ad banners of ad-supported software. All of this can be considered theft in the cases of advertising spyware that installs without disclosure.
Device Driver Basics
August 28, 2007
Most people understand that the “hardware” part of their computer is the real physical parts, like the keyboard, mouse, modem, hard drive and so on. They understand that the “software” is computer bits stored on the hard drive, CD-ROM, or other storage media. But most people are a little hazy about exactly what a “driver” is.
In this article, I’m going to reveal in plain English what a driver is, why we need drivers, and exactly where the drivers are hiding. To give you a basic understanding, I’m going to go back, way back, to the early days of computers.
The Early Days
The year is 1981 and the world is in the midst of a severe resession. IBM’s main frame business has slowed and the company is losing money. Up until now they had been laughing at the array of microcomputers on the market: Atari, Commodore, sinclair. Toys really, mostly used to play computer games.
The problem was, these “toys” were selling like hot cakes. IBM had to get into that market and get into it fast. They didn’t have time to design and build a computer complete enough to compete in the market, so they built an “open system”. They used commonly available electronic components and they published every design detail (including the code), and they even provided plug in slots so that others could build components for their computer.
Introducing GRML
August 27, 2007
Creating a new markup language.
Introduction.
General Reuse Markup Langauge, or GRML, is a markup language for web browsers. It has the data definition features of character-delimited files and XML, with the hyperlinking and form support of HTML.
The purpose of this article is to show why GRML exists and how it complements HTML, XML, RSS, and character-delimited formats.
Background.
GRML is not the result of a specific plan. It was developed as a solution to another problem, namely reusing data from a web service. It began with the development of a web front-end to request content from a few web services. A data format was needed to handle responses. Having data in some arbitrary format was too limiting. Something formal was needed.
HTML and XML were considered, but they did not quite fit the front-end being developed. There needed to be another choice, one with…
support for multiple views (the front-end used a List control that has 4);
a way to define multiple sets of data for multidimensional views;
content that translates to/from other formats; and
a distinction between the display of the form and view.
Microsoft CRM Customization - Processing In/Out-Going Email Messages
August 26, 2007
We would like to give you several situations, when you may need custom development and programming to improve Microsoft CRM functionality. This overview is for programmer, software developer, IT specialist, database administrator.
Microsoft CRM, the CRM application from Microsoft Business Solutions utilizes almost all the recent Microsoft technologies: .Net (it is actually written in C#.Net with HTML and Javascript at the web client side plus has Microsoft CRM SDK with C# and partially VB.Net samples), Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange 2003/2000 and others. Now to give you brief review from the workflow and messages - you can send email directly from Account, Contact or Lead and it will be processed by Microsoft CRM-Exchange connector. This email will have GUID in the message header. When addressee answers the email - it will be processed by the connector - it will recognize the GUID and will find the original activity and will attach this email as closed activity to the original object: contact, account or lead. This is very nice feature, but in the real world you may have these situations:
Microsoft Great Plains Customization and Development ? Overview for Programmer
August 25, 2007
When Great Plains Software was designing and developing Great Plains Dynamics/Dynamics CS+/eEnterprise - it placed several fundamental principles into the system
1. Computer platform independence. If you consider the situation in the computer software industry those days (earlier 1990-th) - nobody knew which office computer platform will be the winner: IBM PC clones with Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh with Mac OS or something like Sun SPARC. This is why graphical multiplatform idea was popular among software developers. Also there was a myth about C/C++ languages, working similar on all computers.
2. Database platform independence - there was the need for future surviving. Competition on the database market was also very tough: Oracle, Ingress, Sybase, DB2, Ctree/Faircom, Btrieve (Pervasive SQL 2000 later on)
In order to realize these two principles Great Plains Software created its own development environment and programming language - Great Plains Dexterity (DYNAMICS.DIC, REPORTS.DIC, FORMS.DIC are Dexterity dictionaries).
At this point customization standards were clarified:
1. If you need seamless integration with Great Plains Dynamics, working in the realm of Dynamics security and database independent data access/modification - you do it in Great Plains Dexterity.
Microsoft Great Plains Integrations - Tips for Developer
August 24, 2007
In this short FAQ style article we would like to introduce you - software developer, programmer, database administrator into Microsoft Great Plains Integration tools and options
Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions product for US mid-market. Historically Great Plains Software designed Great Plains Dynamics and Dynamics C/S+ as multiplatform application and the integration was possible via Great Plains Dexterity or Dexterity-based end user tools, such as Import Utility and later on via Integration Manager. When Microsoft Windows platform won the OS market (the last battle was in 1997 with PowerMac) Great Plains recommended OLE Server approach: Continuum for VB and Delphi and new Microsoft light programming technology - VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), which was integrated into Dexterity application - Great Plains Modifier (requires customization site enabler license). Since then Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise integration techniques use Microsoft technologies.
Microsoft Great Plains - Microsoft RMS Integration ? overview
August 23, 2007
Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft Retail Management System (Microsoft RMS) are originally developed by different software vendors, who had no idea that in the remote future (now) these two applications will be owned by Microsoft and will need to be tightly integrated. Current integration between the two is not an easy thing. At this time MBS has RMS integration on the General Ledger and Purchase Order level into Great Plains out of the box. This integration has some advancements in comparison to old product: QuickSell, but it is still GL and PO only. We do understand the need for midsize and large retail companies, structured as clubs and selling on account to their members to have more adequate integration when you can synchronize your Sales information and have robust Great Plains reporting.
There is the product on the market, which is integration on the Receivables Management and Purchase Order Processing level from RMS to Great Plains, written by Daniel Sionov and Andrew Karasev and maintained by the alliance between LightEdge Solutions (www.lightedge.com) and Alba Spectrum Technologies (www.albaspectrum.com). In Alba Spectrum Technologies we actually do coding and product tuning for specific client needs. This product allows you to map multiple RMS stores to one or multiple Great Plains companies. We usually have to tune it for specific needs of the customer, but in general words - it is based on SQL insert into statement and so can handle hundred thousands transactions per day - maximum of what RMS can handle. Integration is usually setup on RMS Headquarters database. However we can set it for Store Operations database.
