Many IT managers are facing the decision when to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7. Microsoft estimates that nearly 300 million PCs still run on the old operating system released in 2001. With Windows 7 come a host of improvements that will likely change the landscape quickly. Analysts predicting that by the end of 2012 more than 50% of business PCs worldwide will adopt to Windows 7. Studies show that increased performance, increased reliability and improved user experience are on top of the wish list for organizations. According to Microsoft, a number of new features in Windows 7 will address these requirements, i.e. Jump Lists, Windows Search, Sleep and resume. However, there are more practical reasons why IT managers want to accelerate migration plans. Over the next year, hardware vendors are gradually reducing the number of new products to be shipped with XP drivers. The same trend is occurring among software vendors. Fewer new programs and upgrades to existing applications will stop supporting Windows XP. The second most important reason to migrate is security. In 2014, Microsoft will end security support for Windows XP. When this happens, no security fixes are being issued leaving computers vulnerable to attacks and latest malware. Very compelling reasons, considering the cost for downtime in any organization, big or small.
Cooling IT spaces
In most cases, network closets and small IT rooms are packed with equipment, but never designed for this in the first place. These spaces have little or no HVAC connectivity, which is a risky approach to begin with. More often, air conditioning is shutdown on evenings and weekend to reduce energy cost and threatens IT systems that depends on moderate cooling. Many IT spaces are tight and have been turned into a mission-critical role to make it even more mandatory following cooling requirements. Here are some guidelines to ensure efficiency;
For less than 700W power consumption, passive venting is sufficient. It can be achieved by air circulation through vents and holes.
For power consumption between 700W and 2000W a (multiple) fan-assisted air venting is recommended.
For higher density closets hosting multiple servers and networking equipment (2000W+), a fan-assisted ventilation is recommended. To achieve a stable temperature, using in-room air conditioning or cooling units is a better approach. These units work for rooms with or without access to the ceiling plenum.
When battery backups (UPS) are installed in small IT rooms, the equipment will continue producing heat during a power outage. The cooling solution therefore will need to continue to operate. For run-times greater than 10 minutes, fan-assisted ventilation or dedicated air conditioning also needs to powered by the UPS. Keep this in mind when sizing the UPS!
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Difference between full, differential, and incremental backups
No question, data backups are essential whether for home or business. A good approach is to draft a backup plan and build a backup strategy. To get started, find answers for a few questions like, What needs to backed up?, Where is the data to be found?, What media do you want use for storing the backups?, How often does the data need to be backed up?, and What type of backup is best for your data? The latter question is probably the most difficult to answer, unless you already know the differences between the types. There are Full Backups, Differential Backups, and Incremental Backups.
“Full Backups” probably don’t need to be further explained. You backup everything up, every time! Depending on the amount of data, it the safest yet most time intensive and storage intensive backup type.
Differential and incremental backup types are smarter ways to secure your data. Both create a full backup set at first and consider only changed files after that. The difference lies the detail!
“Differential Backup” backs up only the files that changed since the last full back. Here is why. Imagine you run a full backup on Sunday. On Monday, you back up only the files that changed since Sunday, on Tuesday you back up only the files that changed since Sunday again, and so on until the next full backup. Differential backups are more efficient and quicker than full backups, because so much less data is being backed up. However, the amount of backup data grows with each differential backup until the next full back up. Even though differential backups are more flexible than full backups, it is cumbersome to run it more than once a day.
“Incremental Backups” also back up only the changed data, but they only back up the data that has changed since the last backup, whether it is a full or incremental backup! For instance, on Sunday it creates a full backup followed by an incremental backup on Tuesday, which considers only changed file between Monday and Sunday. On Wednesday then, it backs up only changes files between Tuesday and Monday. And so forth… The result is a much smaller, faster backup. The shorter the time interval between backups, the less data is to be backed up. In fact, you can actually back up every hour, or even more frequently, depending on the work you’re doing and how important it is to have current backups.
Network Attached Storage – NAS
With increasing demand for on-site data storage space, network attached storage devices (NAS) have transformed into a suitable alternative to Windows or Linux powered file servers. During the last year, I have deployed a number of different NAS devices each with its own pros and cons.
QNAP TS-154: I found the QNAP when I searched for a solution that would integrate with Windows Active Directory directory service. Not cheap, but definitely worth the investment. Its Linux based OS offers loads of features. Setup takes some time but with built-in print server, USB2.0 backup drive support and FTP server to name just a few of its strengths it makes a lot of sense for small business. My setup featured 4 SATA hard drives in RAID 5 configuration.
Drobo FS: My absolute favorite in terms of setup, configuration, and drive recovery. A true plug-and-play device. Great for small workgroups and mixed environments (Windows, Mac). No Active Directory support. Drive status and available storage are displayed with easy to read LEDs on the front of the unit. It comes with one Gigabit Ethernet port and hosts up to 5 SATA hard drives. It uniques BeyondRAID technology allows to mix and match drive capacities, brands and speeds. This unprecedented flexibility allows for continuous expansion as available hard drive capacities increase.
D-Link DNS-323: A cost effective NAS solution for home and SOHO users. The D-Link hosts two SATA drives, each with a capacity of up to 2GB. It supports JBOD, RAID 0, and RAID 1. The setup is simple and can be finished within minutes. An intuitive web configuration utility guarantees for a hassle free setup experience.
Windows Crash Analysis Tool
If you work with Windows PCs, chances are you’ve seen its famous BSoD (Blue Screen of Death), a.k.a. bluescreen. It official name “Stop Error” is displaying messages upon encountering a critical error, of a non-recoverable nature, that causes the system to crash. The term is named after the color of the screen generated by the error. Stop errors are usually hardware or driver related, causing the computer to stop responding. In the latest versions of Windows, the screen presents information for diagnostic purposes that was collected as the operating system performed a bug check. These details are essential for troubleshooting, but the message disappears when shutting down the computer, which by the way is the only thing anyone can do at his point. I came across a tool, named “BlueScreenView” that helps analyzing crash details initially seen on the bluescreen. Click here to view.
DNS Basics
Easy to understand articles describing the differences between an A record, a CNAME record, and a MX record.
Click here to read more.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) – Introduction, Syntax
Reconditioning vs. Refurbishing
Companies, big and small lease or rent computer equipment to save on the initial cost of investment. Once the lease agreement is maturing, the computers go back to the manufacturer or an authorized reseller to get evaluated and to receive new parts. These computers are in working order, but get the updates that have come out since the computers were initially leased. This process is more about updating than it is about repairing the equipment. The computer is still reconditioned even if it does not have a manufacturer certification.
A refurbished computer is a little different than a reconditioned computer. It is not uncommon to think these computers are the same, but a refurbished computer is a computer that has been bought by a consumer and returned for a defect such as a software or hardware problem. Once the defect or the problem is corrected it can be sold as a refurbished computer. Most manufacturers do not perform this type of repair to a computer. Instead, the defective computer is sold by the manufacturer to another company that takes care of the repair and eventually resells the computer again.
Buying a reconditioned or refurbished computer is a fair alternative to spending more on a new one. However, the information a purchaser needs to know is often greater as if buying a new computer. The first thing to consider before purchasing any computer is the memory and speed you need along with the applications you desire to run. A person just using the computer to get on the Internet or using the computer for basic word processing can purchase a reconditioned computer with less memory and processing power than someone needing a computer to help run a small business for which more speed, storage capacity and ability to multi-task applications is required. For small businesses you may have requirements for certain interfaces, like parallel printer port or and serial RS-232 port to connect a modem, cash drawer or bar code scanner. Home users on the other side focus more on Firewire, HDMI, or optical interfaces for sound connectivity to a home theater system. Beware of the limitations you may face when upgrading a refurbished computer, specifically when it comes to memory and optical drives, like a Blu-ray DVD player. Memory standards change almost every year or two making older types harder to come by over time. The most recent Blu-ray DVD player or burner connect via SATA port to the main board. Refurbished computer may not have extra SATA ports available onboard.
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Windows XP – Printing Defaults vs. Printing Preferences
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Printing Defaults and Printing Preferences?
Apparently, both let you make changes to various aspects of your printer and how it is handling it’s job. However, there is a difference that explains why Microsoft has designed it this way.
Printing Defaults: These settings are applicable to all Windows user accounts. In plain English; If you want to allow only black and white printing for everyone even though it is a color printer, it is in here where you would have to make the change.
Printing Preferences: These settings are applicable to a per-user basis and will override what is defined through the Printing Defaults. In plain English; When Peter is logged on, he can make changes that do not apply to when Mary is logged on. Further, depending on individual user rights Peter may be able within his Printing Preferences to switch back to color printing even though it has been set to black and white for all users in the Printing Defaults.
Also note, that upon installation of a printer driver settings for both, the Printing Defaults and the Printing Preferences are identical!