IDG Contributor Network: Trellyz app, IoT maximize impact of humanitarian relief services

Helping people in a crisis is always hard. It’s even harder when those people in need are on the move.How can they learn about resources available nearby to help them? How can volunteers be assigned to where they can help the most? How can supplies be ordered to meet the demand for meals, blankets and medicine?The Refugee Aid app from Trellyz and the StockVUE inventory management system from LoadStar Sensors can help.   Movement on the Ground The challenge: Finding and helping the homeless and refugees Finding and communicating accurate information about groups in need is difficult. This applies to both the homeless and refugees. Their need is immediate, and they’re on the move. It’s hard to provide them with help that may be available from multiple non-profits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

OpenStack could be a $5 billion industry by 2020

As the OpenStack Foundation kicks off its 2016 international conference in Barcelona this week, 451 Research has new predictions for how fast the open source cloud computing project is growing.The research firm predicts that OpenStack revenues will grow by a compound annual growth rate of 35% in the coming years, ballooning to a $5 billion industry by 2020.+MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: The enterprise wish list for hybrid cloud | OpenStack Director on why open source should be the foundation of your data center +To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Best Deals of the Week, October 17th – October 21st – Deal Alert

Best Deals of the Week, October 17th - October 21st - Deal AlertCheck out this roundup of the best deals on gadgets, gear and other cool stuff we have found this week, the week of October 17th. All items are highly rated, and dramatically discounted.75% off DKnight MagicBox II Bluetooth 4.0 Portable Wireless speaker, 10W Output Power with Enhanced BassThe DKnightMagicBox II Bluetooth speaker offers great quality sound with the latest Bluetooth 4.0 technology. It features two highly powerful 40mm total 10W acoustic drivers for excellent sound. With the ultra-compact size and the soft touch rubber design, it can be easily fitted into a backpack, suitcase, or a travel bag. The built-in 2000 mAh rechargeable battery enables an 10-12 hours of playtime on a single charge. This speaker is strong enough to fill up a kitchen, living room, or classroom. It is ideal for personal usage, indoor party or outdoor BBQ or picnic with friends and family. This portable speaker averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 8,700 people (read reviews). With a typical list price of $129.99, this 75% off deal is just $32.99. Check out buying Continue reading

20% off APC Back-UPS 600VA 7-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with USB Charging Port – Deal Alert

The new APC Back-UPS BE600M1 provides instant battery power to your critical electronics when the power goes out, keeping you connected and available both personally and professionally. Designed specifically to enhance the features that matter most to you, including more runtime, more battery backup outlets, and a USB port for charging convenience, the BE600M1 is also smaller and lighter than the previous model. APC's BE600M1 offers guaranteed surge and lightning protection for attached devices.  When the power goes out, the APC BE600M1 will power critical devices including home networking equipment; allowing you to maintain your internet connection. This allows you to work productively, avoid the loss of valuable data, and safely shut down equipment. It currently averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 4,400 people on Amazon (read reviews), where its list price of $74.99 has been reduced 20% to $59.95.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

20% off APC Back-UPS 600VA 7-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with USB Charging Port – Deal Alert

The new APC Back-UPS BE600M1 provides instant battery power to your critical electronics when the power goes out, keeping you connected and available both personally and professionally. Designed specifically to enhance the features that matter most to you, including more runtime, more battery backup outlets, and a USB port for charging convenience, the BE600M1 is also smaller and lighter than the previous model. APC's BE600M1 offers guaranteed surge and lightning protection for attached devices.  When the power goes out, the APC BE600M1 will power critical devices including home networking equipment; allowing you to maintain your internet connection. This allows you to work productively, avoid the loss of valuable data, and safely shut down equipment. It currently averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 4,400 people on Amazon (read reviews), where its list price of $74.99 has been reduced 20% to $59.95.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

20% off APC Back-UPS 600VA 7-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with USB Charging Port – Deal Alert

The new APC Back-UPS BE600M1 provides instant battery power to your critical electronics when the power goes out, keeping you connected and available both personally and professionally. Designed specifically to enhance the features that matter most to you, including more runtime, more battery backup outlets, and a USB port for charging convenience, the BE600M1 is also smaller and lighter than the previous model. APC's BE600M1 offers guaranteed surge and lightning protection for attached devices.  When the power goes out, the APC BE600M1 will power critical devices including home networking equipment; allowing you to maintain your internet connection. This allows you to work productively, avoid the loss of valuable data, and safely shut down equipment. It currently averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 4,400 people on Amazon (read reviews), where its list price of $74.99 has been reduced 20% to $59.95.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

L3 vPC Support on Nexus 5k

So… I’m a little embarrased to admit this but I only very recently found out that there are significant differences in how Virtual Port Channels (vPC) behave on the Nexus 5k vs the Nexus 7k when it comes to forming routing adjacencies over the vPC.

I’ve read the vPC Best Practice whitepaper and have often referred
others to it and also referred back to it myself from time to time. What I failed to realize is that I should’ve been taking the title of this paper more literally: it is 100% specific to the Nexus 7k. The behaviors the paper describes, particularly around the data plane loop prevention protections for packets crossing the vPC peer-link, are specific to the n7k and are not necessarily repeated on the n5k.

To that end, there are some topologies for Layer 3 peering over a vPC which are not supported on the n7k but are supported on the n5k. For example, peering a third-party Layer 3 device to the SVIs on the two n5ks in the vPC is supported.

The third-party device has an IP address on its port-channel interface and forms an Layer 3 adjacency/neighborship with Continue reading

Schneider Electric PLC simulator flaw exposes workstations to hacking

The software used to program and deploy code to various Schneider Electric industrial controllers has a weakness that could allow hackers to remotely take over engineering workstations.The software, known as Unity Pro, runs on PCs used by engineers and includes a simulator for testing code before deploying it to programmable logic controllers (PLCs). These are the specialized hardware devices that monitor and control mechanical processes -- spinning motors, opening and closing valves, etc. -- inside factories, power stations, gas refineries, public utilities and other industrial installations.Researchers from industrial cybersecurity firm Indegy found that unauthenticated attackers could execute malicious code on Windows computers where the Unity Pro PLC simulator is installed. That code would run with debug privileges leading to a complete system compromise.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Schneider Electric PLC simulator flaw exposes workstations to hacking

The software used to program and deploy code to various Schneider Electric industrial controllers has a weakness that could allow hackers to remotely take over engineering workstations.The software, known as Unity Pro, runs on PCs used by engineers and includes a simulator for testing code before deploying it to programmable logic controllers (PLCs). These are the specialized hardware devices that monitor and control mechanical processes -- spinning motors, opening and closing valves, etc. -- inside factories, power stations, gas refineries, public utilities and other industrial installations.Researchers from industrial cybersecurity firm Indegy found that unauthenticated attackers could execute malicious code on Windows computers where the Unity Pro PLC simulator is installed. That code would run with debug privileges leading to a complete system compromise.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

For cordless VR and more, WiGig may be worth the wait

The stars are finally aligned for WiGig, an ultra-fast, short-range wireless network that took a long time to become a reality.On Monday, the Wi-Fi Alliance launched a certification process for WiGig products, which will go as fast as 8Gbps (bits per second) and could include virtual-reality headsets and high-speed office Wi-Fi zones.The technology was announced in 2009 and is based on a standard, IEEE 802.11ad, that’s now available in some shipping products. But the official WiGig logo will assure buyers that networks and devices from different vendors can work together out of the box. That’s a crucial issue for almost anyone investing in network gear.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

For cordless VR and more, WiGig may be worth the wait

The stars are finally aligned for WiGig, an ultra-fast, short-range wireless network that took a long time to become a reality.On Monday, the Wi-Fi Alliance launched a certification process for WiGig products, which will go as fast as 8Gbps (bits per second) and could include virtual-reality headsets and high-speed office Wi-Fi zones.The technology was announced in 2009 and is based on a standard, IEEE 802.11ad, that’s now available in some shipping products. But the official WiGig logo will assure buyers that networks and devices from different vendors can work together out of the box. That’s a crucial issue for almost anyone investing in network gear.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Network Troubleshooting: TCP SYN Analysis

REVIEW: BIO-key’s plug-in fingerprint readers for Windows 10 computers

A biometric fingerprint reader makes it convenient to sign into your computer, by just pressing or swiping your finger on the reader which scans your fingerprint. It bypasses the need for entering a password while increasing the level of security for the computer -- anyone can enter your password if they get it somehow, but not your finger, after all. It can also be a convenient and secure system to set up on a computer at work that should be accessed by only a specific person or persons.In late September, BIO-key launched three fingerprint reader devices for the business and everyday computer user. Each sells for $40: the EcoID, the SideSwipe, and the SideTouch. You plug these readers into an USB port on your computer. They’re meant to be used with Windows 10 and this OS’ biometric sign-in feature, Windows Hello. (The EcoID and SideSwipe also run on Windows 7.)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

REVIEW: BIO-key’s plug-in fingerprint readers for Windows 10 computers

A biometric fingerprint reader makes it convenient to sign into your computer, by just pressing or swiping your finger on the reader which scans your fingerprint. It bypasses the need for entering a password while increasing the level of security for the computer -- anyone can enter your password if they get it somehow, but not your finger, after all. It can also be a convenient and secure system to set up on a computer at work that should be accessed by only a specific person or persons.In late September, BIO-key launched three fingerprint reader devices for the business and everyday computer user. Each sells for $40: the EcoID, the SideSwipe, and the SideTouch. You plug these readers into an USB port on your computer. They’re meant to be used with Windows 10 and this OS’ biometric sign-in feature, Windows Hello. (The EcoID and SideSwipe also run on Windows 7.)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The best tips and tricks to get the most out of your Pixel phone

The ultimate Google phoneImage by Derek WalterEven if you’re a longtime devotee of Android, there’s nothing out there quite like the Pixel. It’s the most advanced and thoughtful synthesis of Android with smartphone hardware, and enhances how Google’s services can be the driving force for the way you use a smartphone.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How much does ‘Free Wi-Fi’ cost your business?

Everywhere you go, you see signs for "Free Wi-Fi." And oftentimes, that free Wi-Fi is useless. The problem is that the free Wi-Fi in the airport or Starbucks often isn't very good, especially if you have a lot of data to download. It's usually so slow you can't get anything done. So you either turn to a 4G connection, if you are so fortunate, or pay for a premium Wi-Fi service. Usually this comes in the form of a $10 per night fee in your hotel.The cost of that, plus other intangibles, costs businesses in Europe and North America at least $2.91 billion every year according to a report from iPass, a provider of global mobile connectivity, and Rethink Technology Research, a wireless technology research firm.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Cybersecurity staffing issues may be putting you at risk

A study from Spiceworks found that even though 80 percent of organizations experienced a "security incident" in 2015, only 29 percent of companies have a cybersecurity expert working in their IT department and only 7 percent have a cybersecurity expert on their executive team. And a majority -- 55 percent to be exact - said that their business didn't have "regular access" to any IT security experts at all, internal or third-party, with the majority of companies also reporting they had no plans to hire or contract one within the next year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Cybersecurity staffing issues may be putting you at risk

A study from Spiceworks found that even though 80 percent of organizations experienced a "security incident" in 2015, only 29 percent of companies have a cybersecurity expert working in their IT department and only 7 percent have a cybersecurity expert on their executive team. And a majority -- 55 percent to be exact - said that their business didn't have "regular access" to any IT security experts at all, internal or third-party, with the majority of companies also reporting they had no plans to hire or contract one within the next year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Platforms in the cloud take heavy lifting out of architecture tasks

For six years, Watchfinder, a U.K.-based global buyer and seller of pre-owned luxury watches, split the role of DevOps between application development and management of a virtual infrastructure environment. But the company's ambitious growth plans, which included expansion to the U.S. earlier this year and an expected doubling of monthly watch sales, required IT director Jonathan Gill to think differently.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

IDG Contributor Network: Accelerating business innovation: Don’t let networks get in the way

Nothing slows down a project more than waiting for the IT and network teams to get it deployed. Right? What most of us want is for the network to just get out of our way so we can make progress on the things that really matter. Networks don’t matter. Customers matter. Revenue matters. Competitive advantage matters.+ Also on Network World: The network effect on wealth creation + In previous blog posts, I’ve made the case that networks are a strategic element for rapid innovation and the critical foundation for a competitive digital business. But aren’t networks just plumbing? Aren’t they just the dumb connections between machines that only need to be fast, cheap and invisible? Don’t we already have networks that are good enough? After all, Google, Amazon and Pokémon Go all seem to work just fine, right? We certainly don’t want to invest more in our networks. In fact, we want to invest less.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here