Most Powerful (Whatever) From A to Z

At least according to Google Chrome AutocompleteHaving long found Google Chrome’s Autocomplete feature useful, the thought was to have a little fun by combining its predictive capabilities with journalism’s “Most Powerful (Whatever)” list format by typing into the search box “Most powerful a” … “Most powerful b” … and on through the alphabet to “Most powerful z.” The results, primarily a byproduct of the public’s frequency of searching on those terms, are a mixture of what you might expect and some real head-scratchers. (Note: The slide images were created by one of our designers using a newly downloaded version of Chrome, so your mileage may vary.)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IPv6 and the Internet of Things

It has often been claimed that IPv6 and the Internet of Things are strongly aligned, to the extent that claims are made they mutually dependant. Each needs the other. However, the evidence we have so far with small self-managed device deployments does not provide a compelling justification of this case. The question here is: Does the Internet of Things require IPv6 as an essential precondition, or are we going to continue to deploy an ever expanding population of micro devices within today’s framework of ever increasing address sharing on IPv4?

IS-IS LiveLesson Publishing Soon

is-is-livelessonWhile the IS-IS book is still useful, it is getting on a little in age, and some people find learning through video to be more helpful. I’ve recorded seven hours of video on IS-IS in the form of a LiveLesson with Cisco Press. They should be available on the 18th of April (just a few days from now), and apparently they’re already available as a sneak peek.

Thanks to Brett (who runs, and has run, all my projects at Cisco Press and Addison-Wesley), Pete (who patiently recorded my many fumbles), and Chris Cleveland, who has been my steadfast editor for all things Cisco Press and Addison-Wesley for some fifteen years now), for making this happen. This is the first, I think, of a number of new video projects I have on tap, so watch this space.

And no, I’m not going to stop writing books (just a gentle reminder).

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Google cloud to OpenStack users: Come on in!

Open source cloud computing platform OpenStack has a new semi-annual version of its code out this month and one symbolically important aspect is a deepened partnership with Google’s public cloud.+MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: Status check on OpenStack: The open source cloud has arrived | Why Google hasn’t taken off in the cloud yet +In a blog post, Google announced that the Mitaka release of OpenStack includes a native option to backup OpenStack Cinder storage volumes to its public cloud.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Lasers!

Cool! You mean that I actually have frickin' switches with frickin' laser beams attached to their frickin' ports?

Dr. Evil is right, lasers are cool! The draft sFlow Optical Interface Structures specification exports metrics gathered from instrumentation built into Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) and Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) optics modules. This article provides some background on optical modules and discusses the value of including optical metrics in the sFlow telemetry stream exported from switches and hosts.
Pluggable optical modules are intelligent devices that do more than simply convert between optical and electrical signals. The functional diagram below shows the elements within a pluggable optical module.
The transmit and receive functions are shown in the upper half of the diagram. Incoming optical signals are received on a fiber and amplified as they are converted to electrical signals that can be handled by the switch. Transmit data drives the modulation of a laser diode which transmits the optical signal down a fiber.

The bottom half of the diagram shows the management components. Power, voltage and temperature sensors are monitored and the results are written into registers in an EEPROM that are accessible via a management interface.

The proposed sFlow extension standardizes Continue reading

In-ear earphones get the Bluetooth treatment

Up-front disclaimer: I have several issues with earbuds, aka “in-ear earphones” – those things that you stick inside (or just on the outside of) your ear when you want to listen to music. For the most part, people experience earbuds when they buy their first smartphone or music player, and many don’t realize that you can graduate to less sucky devices to hear your music better. The first big issue for me – comfort. Put these in your ears for any length of time longer than two minutes, and the outside of your ear starts to get sore. Next comes fit – most of the time the earbuds won’t fit correctly and will slip off, forcing you to jam the earbud further inside your ear canal, which can’t be a good thing for comfort or the health of the ear. Third – with some people there’s a bunch of gunk both inside and outside their ears, and these things tend to get grimy pretty quickly (there’s a reason why earbud companies never ask me to return their review samples).To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Seceon’s analytic approach brings security into the digital era

In the Star Trek episode, The City on The Edge of Forever, Spock found himself in a primitive setting with the task of building a radio to contact the Enterprise.Edith Keeler came in and saw Spock and asked him what he was doing. Spock sarcastically answered, “I am endeavoring, ma’am, to construct a mnemonic memory circuit using stone knives and bearskins.”The normally emotionless Spock was clearly frustrated with working with tools that weren’t designed to solve the problem he was facing. I’m sure security professionals today face the same level of frustration. It’s been well documented on this site and other publications that we are rushing headlong into the digital business era. However, security professionals are working with tools designed for an era long gone. Traditional security devices do a great job of protecting the perimeter of the business, but they don’t help protect against insider attacks, persistent threats or any of the challenges associated with security a digital organization.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How to create enterprise apps employees want to use

Mobile apps have become a cornerstone in the enterprise as a way to connect business leaders, clients and employees. A major contributing factor to this shift, according to Adam Fingerman, cofounder and chief experience officer of ArcTouch Mobile & Connected Experiences is our reliance on our mobile devices; there's even a name for this phenomenon, "nomophobia." This reliance on technology has fundamentally affected businesses that have adopted a "if you can't beat them, join them" attitude about mobile devices. But a problem arises when a business thinks it can just create an app and expect employees to use it. People are accustomed to using apps that are finely tailored to their user experience, easy to use and fun. Business apps should be no exception -- if you want them adopted by your staff.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

10 interview questions to ask remote workers

Interview questions to ask remote workersImage by PexelsInterviewing remote workers is much different than hiring for a traditional, on-site position. In addition to the usual questions about knowledge, hard skills and experience, interviewing candidates for a remote position must take into account commitment, communication skills, conflict resolution, motivation and technology prowess. "There are some differences to look for when you're hiring remote workers. You need to emphasize constant communication, availability and collaboration skills, as well as the ability to work independently, to solve problems and resolve conflicts and be able to gauge productivity," says Madhav Bhandari, head of growth at cloud productivity management and time tracking software company Hubstaff. Here are 10 interview questions for remote workers that will help you find the perfect fit.1. What's your remote work experience?Image by PexelsTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Envisioning a 65-story data center

Two Italian architects have designed a data center that challenges how the structures are built. Instead of constructing a flat, sprawling complex, they are proposing a data center that reaches skyscraper heights.At this stage, the data center designed by Marco Merletti, who works in Paris, and Valeria Mercuri, who is in Rome, is just an idea. But it's gotten recognition. The pair, who are both 28, recently received third place honors in the annual Skyscraper Competition held by architecture and design journal eVolo.From a visual perspective, the circular, futuristic-looking "Data Tower," as Merletti and Mercuri call it, almost seems like something out of Star Trek. But it incorporates sustainable technology for efficiently cooling hundreds of thousands of servers, while increasing reliance on automation. Its ideas are grounded in existing technologies.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Envisioning a 65-story data center

Two Italian architects have designed a data center that challenges how the structures are built. Instead of constructing a flat, sprawling complex, they are proposing a data center that reaches skyscraper heights.At this stage, the data center designed by Marco Merletti, who works in Paris, and Valeria Mercuri, who is in Rome, is just an idea. But it's gotten recognition. The pair, who are both 28, recently received third place honors in the annual Skyscraper Competition held by architecture and design journal eVolo.From a visual perspective, the circular, futuristic-looking "Data Tower," as Merletti and Mercuri call it, almost seems like something out of Star Trek. But it incorporates sustainable technology for efficiently cooling hundreds of thousands of servers, while increasing reliance on automation. Its ideas are grounded in existing technologies.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Symantec: Zero-days doubled in 2015, more companies hiding breach data

Fifty-four zero-day vulnerabilities were discovered last year, according to a report released this morning by Symantec, more than double that of 2014, and the number of mega-breaches of more than 10 million records also hit a record high.In fact, the number of newly-discovered vulnerabilities stayed between eight and 15 a year since 2006, then jumped to 23 in 2013 and 24 in 2014, leading researchers to hope that it had reached a new plateau.Instead, last year's 125 percent increase in zero-days was a sign of the increasing professionalization of the industry.INSIDER: Traditional anti-virus is dead: Long live the new and improved AV "People figured out that they could make money by finding zero-day vulnerabilities and selling them to attackers," said Kevin Haley, director of security response at Symantec. "So there became a marketplace, and these things started to have value, and people started to hunt for them."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Symantec: Zero-days doubled in 2015, more companies hiding breach data

Fifty-four zero-day vulnerabilities were discovered last year, according to a report released this morning by Symantec, more than double that of 2014, and the number of mega-breaches of more than 10 million records also hit a record high.In fact, the number of newly-discovered vulnerabilities stayed between eight and 15 a year since 2006, then jumped to 23 in 2013 and 24 in 2014, leading researchers to hope that it had reached a new plateau.Instead, last year's 125 percent increase in zero-days was a sign of the increasing professionalization of the industry.INSIDER: Traditional anti-virus is dead: Long live the new and improved AV "People figured out that they could make money by finding zero-day vulnerabilities and selling them to attackers," said Kevin Haley, director of security response at Symantec. "So there became a marketplace, and these things started to have value, and people started to hunt for them."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Key features of Windows 10 Enterprise

The Enterprise edition of any Windows version is aimed directly and more or less exclusively at businesses and other organizations of some considerable scale. It isn’t normally available for retail purchase (though you can find some retailers online willing to sell single copies). Usually, Windows 10 Enterprise must be acquired through some kind of licensing agreement with Microsoft or one of its partners, such as through the company’s Volume Licensing Service Center.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

Datera Bets on Massive Middle Ground for Block Storage at Scale

For those who wonder what kind of life is left in the market for elastic block storage beyond Ceph and the luxury all-flash high rises, Datera, which emerged from stealth today with $40 million in backing and some big name users, has a tale to tell. While it will likely not end with blocks, these do form the foundation as the company looks to reel in enterprises who need more scalable performance than they might find with Ceph but aren’t looking to the high-end flash appliances either.

The question is, what might the world do with an on-premises take …

Datera Bets on Massive Middle Ground for Block Storage at Scale was written by Nicole Hemsoth at The Next Platform.

A Baker’s Dozen, 2015 Edition

As is our annual tradition, this blog provides a year-end review of how the Internet providers at the top of our Internet Intelligence – Transit global rankings fared over the previous year.  The structure and performance of the Internet remains a huge blind spot for most enterprises, even those critically dependent on it for business operations.  Whether it’s the next 3 billion people coming online, poor performance due to suboptimal routing, impaired connectivity due to natural disasters or sabotage, slow DNS performance, routing leaks, or security breaches of a trust-based Internet infrastructure, Dyn provides critical insight into the structure and performance of the Internet, both real-time and historical, via its Internet Intelligence product suite.  More importantly, our services help our customers make the changes necessary to optimize Internet availability, reliability, and reach in a very dynamic environment.

Back in 2008, we chose to look at the 13 providers that spent at least some time in the Top Ten that year, hence the name “Baker’s Dozen“.  We repeated that exercise in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.  During the past 8 years, I’ve Continue reading

Jigsaw crypto-ransomware deletes more files the longer you delay paying

Understanding how to buy bitcoins and pay ransomware authors for decryption keys is hard enough, yet some cybercriminals now expect their victims to do it in under an hour if they want all of their files back.A new ransomware program dubbed Jigsaw encrypts users' files and then begins to progressively delete them until the victim pays the equivalent of $150 in Bitcoin cryptocurrency.The ransomware deletes one file after the first hour has passed and then increases the number of files it deletes in every 60-minutes cycle. If no payment has been made within 72 hours, all remaining files will be deleted.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: 6 simple tricks for protecting your passwords "Try anything funny and the computer has several safety measures to delete your files," the program's creators warn in their ransom message that's accompanied by a picture of the Jigsaw killer's mask from the horror film series Saw.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Jigsaw crypto-ransomware deletes more files the longer you delay paying

Understanding how to buy bitcoins and pay ransomware authors for decryption keys is hard enough, yet some cybercriminals now expect their victims to do it in under an hour if they want all of their files back.A new ransomware program dubbed Jigsaw encrypts users' files and then begins to progressively delete them until the victim pays the equivalent of $150 in Bitcoin cryptocurrency.The ransomware deletes one file after the first hour has passed and then increases the number of files it deletes in every 60-minutes cycle. If no payment has been made within 72 hours, all remaining files will be deleted.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: 6 simple tricks for protecting your passwords "Try anything funny and the computer has several safety measures to delete your files," the program's creators warn in their ransom message that's accompanied by a picture of the Jigsaw killer's mask from the horror film series Saw.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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