Brilliant!

This is so simple, it is brilliant.



Via ENDO.

Cloud

So we are moving things to "the cloud." In other words, we are having a third party host services for us. My tech friends have asked if I'm worried about security. Yes, giving control to someone else does raise some concerns, but our biggest problem is resources. (Of course, the guys who were asking me about security work at a hospital and in Oak Ridge. I'm quite certain their security requirements are higher than mine.) I have a directive to make IT more flexible and these solutions move us in that direction. For example, Google, as part of its service, would spool e-mail for us if we are down while relocating our data center. Also, we no longer have to spend time managing the servers - updating the application to the latest version, patching the server, backing up the server, etc. We can spend our time on other projects that help grow the business or improve the bottom line.

Panda
We have started using Panda's Cloud Office Protection for anti-virus and endpoint security. From a financial perspective, it was a great move for us. We signed up for multiple years and got a steep discount. We also now have one contract to support the global organization. I spent a lot of time last year working with Symantec to consolidate the licensing and was never happy with the results.

On the technical side, I love that we will eventually eliminate all of our internal anti-virus update servers. Panda runs the back end and I just need a web browser to manage all our devices. Unlike our old system, updates are performed from anywhere - not just within our network. The clients are smart about how they update, too. You don't have to worry about 100 machines all trying to update over your internet pipe - they use P2P to get updates locally. The client is a lot lighter weight than the real time protection of Symantec. We've had good feedback from users who say their machines are running better since the switch. The reporting is fine, but I find myself exporting the data to Excel for better filtering and sorting.

We have deployed the solution fully at two sites and are about half-way done here in Knoxville.

Postini
We are also in the middle of implementing Google's Message Security (Postini) for our e-mail spam and virus filtering. We are also replacing a Symantec/Brightmail product with this solution. The pricing is pretty much a wash with what we were spending on Symantec. (If we only wanted inbound filtering, it would have been a lot less expensive.) With the service in the cloud, it will help reduce the usage on our internet connection as spam is stopped at Google before it is ever delivered to our network. Much like the Panda solution, it allows us to eliminate an old, problematic server.

We've deployed inbound filtering to about 90% of the e-mail users we manage from Knoxville.

Bonus
We've not implemented, but I think some of the guys at work are interest in this as our next cloud project. I wonder if they got the idea from Dilbert.



Cloud Girlfriend via Business Insider

Wouxun Mobile (KG-UV920R) - Vaporware?

I've been hoping for the release of Wouxun's KG-UV920R for some time now. Speculation was rampant that it would do for mobile radios what the KG-UVD1P did for HTs - a low price and lots of features.

Ed Griffin, from www.wouxun.us, recently posted this on a radio forum:

"No word on the mobile. But I will have a surprise at Dayton, and no it's not the mobile."

Ed Greany, another reseller who provides a lot of support to the Wouxun community, had this to say on the same forum:

"Personally, I'm REALLY tired of hearing about it. It's been over 6 months since it was leaked and there is absolutely NO word from China as to 1) IF it exists, 2) WHEN it will be released, 3) IF it will be Certified or 4) WHAT the price might be.

I stopped answering these inquiries. I suggested long ago that people STOP inquiring about it since that only drives the price up due to the spirited interest. High demand = High price. Some people just don't understand the evonomics of that principal.

Basically, all the U.S. dealers want it to come out and want to sell it. That's what we are in business for. None of us know any more information than you presently know right now. My most recent inquiry was "it is still in testing." Does that mean Wouxun's Test Lab or FCC Certification Lab or some highschool kid's chemistry lab. Nobody knows!

For now, pretend it was a dream and it really does not exist."

Makes me think I should start looking for alternatives for a dual band, dual receive, cross band repeating mobile rig.

Giveaway on Survival Mom

Survival Mom has teamed up with INeed2Prepare to give away 60 servings of their grab and go food. Follow the link here, decide what would be your favorite flavor, and post a comment on her site.

Who needs data?

An article from the Student Free Press on the bill to allow guns on campus... a pretty typical write-up, but this quote caught my eye:

“The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff is paramount among our priorities, said Hank Dye, Vice President for Public and Governmental Relations. “We agree with law enforcement professionals who say ‘guns on campus’ is a bad idea…Our campus security officers feel strongly that the introduction of firearms into that kind of mix hinders rather than helps in the safety equation.”

Oh wait, they feel strongly that guns would limit safety. As long as it is a strong feeling, I guess that is okay. It is a shame there isn't a method to test the validity of theories or some group that could help analyze data.

Coal Creek Armory - Annual Pass Deal

It used to be on Half-off Depot, but one of my friends found the half price deal here. Get a one-year membership to Coal Creek Amory's indoor shooting range for $99.50.

Atlas Shrugged

I was disappointed to learn that Knoxville wasn't on the list of theaters to get Atlas Shrugged. Even though I wasn't going to drive to Nashville to see it, I have been hustling to finish the book before the movie comes out on April 15th. (Nothing like having a goal to actually motive me.) I've got about 100 pages left as of this moment. Good thing that I continued to push as they've announced that they will be showing it in Knoxville!

It will be playing at the Regal Downtown West Cinema 8.

140 Character Resume

Inspired by this article, my Twitter-friendly resume follows:

Run global IT for auto manuf co. Built 2 new plants (data center, staff, implemented Oracle ERP). Survived financial crisis using cloud & VM

Extreme Coding

A firm is hiring programmers to work in the nude. After seeing the article, my first thought was "I wouldn't want to work there. They are still using CRTs!"

Via Slashdot.org

I Before E Except After C = You Lie!

I'm always amazed to see how our minds work. Apparently, context impacts our ability to think logically.