IT Management
Computerworld, 11/12/03: Patching rhythm: Start a monthly patch process
Advice by Peter H. Gregory
NOVEMBER 11, 2003 ( COMPUTERWORLD ) - On the topic of security alerts and patches, Microsoft Corp. is undoubtedly the 800-pound gorilla. When the company publicized its strategy of issuing security alerts once a month (see story), I was initially dismayed, but the wisdom of the decision sank in.
Much of the frustration expressed by IT managers around the world has a lot to do with the unpredictability of security alerts. They could come at any time, and we'd have to drop what we were doing and spring into action -- at least the action of analyzing and understanding how bad the latest salvo could be. What would go through my mind was, "Is this the alert that if left unpatched could lead to 'Son of Blaster'?"
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Infoworld, 11/13/03: Palmisano: No more 'gizmos and guessing' for IT
IBM CEO says freeing up resources used on integrating non-compatible technologies would lead to more IT spending
By Robert McMillan, IDG News Service November 13, 2003
IBM Corp. has talked about the technology behind its on-demand software initiative for over a year now, but on Wednesday the computer giant turned its attention to the customer at an event held at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Speaking at the event, which was orchestrated for IBM customers representing a wide range of industries, IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sam Palmisano took stock of the changes in the information technology industry and how they are affecting his company's on-demand strategy, one year after it was launched.
Though on-demand has been associated with a variety of industry trends including utility computing, application integration and data center consolidation, Palmisano said that, at its core, the strategy is about freeing up resources and providing better integration between IT and business processes.
IBM recently completed a survey of 33,000 global corporations that found that the number of companies turning to on-demand computing had doubled in the last year, Palmisano said.
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Security
Computerworld, 11/11/03: Microsoft patches three critical security problems
Total of four patches released in second monthly bulletin
Story by Paul Roberts
NOVEMBER 11, 2003 ( IDG NEWS SERVICE ) - Microsoft Corp. released the second installment of its now monthly security bulletins, patching three software holes in Windows systems that it said were "critical" security risks and a fourth problem with Microsoft Office that the company rated "important."
Taken together, the security holes could allow attackers to set up Web pages to take advantage of vulnerable systems and read files or run attack code on a remote user's Windows machine, Microsoft said.
One bulletin, MS03-049, affects Windows 2000 and Windows XP workstations and fixes a critical buffer overrun vulnerability in a Windows service called the Workstation Service, which manages requests for files or printing services on a LAN. That service is turned on by default in Windows and could be compromised by an attacker using an improperly formatted network message that was sent to a vulnerable machine. (See also Microsoft's security bulletin summary for this month.)
A second bulletin, MS03-051, patches two critical problems that were discovered in Microsoft's FrontPage Server Extensions, which are installed by default with the Internet Information Server (IIS) on certain versions of Windows 2000 and allows technical staff to create, manage and add features to Web pages.
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Computerworld, 11/12/03: Security professionals form CSO council
Their plan is for the new organization to fight online security challenges
Story by Joris Evers
NOVEMBER 12, 2003 ( IDG NEWS SERVICE ) - A group of information security professionals has formed the Global Council of CSOs in an effort to better address online security challenges.
The council was formally unveiled today at an event in San Francisco hosted by a founding member, eBay Inc.'s chief information security officer (CISO), Howard Schmidt, who has also served as White House cybersecurity adviser and Microsoft Corp.'s chief security officer (CSO).
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Computerworld, 11/12/03: Zombie machines fueling new cybercrime wave
Favorite targets for extortionists include casinos and retailers
Story by Bernhard Warner
NOVEMBER 12, 2003 ( REUTERS ) - The rapid growth of broadband connections for home computers may be inadvertently fueling what could be the start of a new crime wave -- cyberextortion.
As more homes connect to faster delivery systems, their computers are becoming vulnerable to hackers and virus writers who can turn them into "zombie" machines, ready to carry out any malevolent command.
Favorite targets for extortionists -- many thought to be in Eastern Europe -- have been casinos and retailers. But one recent high-profile victim was the Port of Houston.
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Hewlett Packard
Infoworld, 11/13/03: HP officially launches Nimbus systems mgmt. tool
Systems Insight Manager is integrated tool for managing disparate systems
By Jennifer Mears, Network World November 12, 2003
Continuing to evolve its Adaptive Enterprise vision, Hewlett-Packard Co. this week unveiled more than three-dozen management software and services products, including its much-anticipated systems management tool previously code-named Nimbus. The products are aimed at making it easier for businesses to create IT environments that grow and shrink according to business demands.
At its HP Software Universe conference in Hamburg, Germany, the company finally took the wraps off Systems Insight Manager, which combines features of all of HP's server management systems to create an integrated tool for managing disparate systems.
Analysts say Systems Insight Manager is the first product that can handle the most basic server management tasks, from updating server BIOS and driver agents to updating patches, on Unix, Linux, and Windows platforms. The product combines Insight Manager, a Compaq technology that monitors Windows and Alpha servers; Service Control Manager for HP-UX and Linux systems; and HP Toptools Device Manager, which was discontinued last year, but managed multiple platforms.
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Dell
Internetnews.com, 11/13/03: Dell Tabs Microsoft for Management Software
By Clint Boulton
Continuing its evolution to become a more rounded computer systems provider for the enterprise, Dell (Quote, Chart) Tuesday unveiled its own bag of server management tools.
Leveraging new Microsoft software, Dell is retrenching for a showdown with rivals IBM (Quote, Chart) and HP (Quote, Chart) which Tuesday drew the curtain on new management software and services as part of its "Adaptive Enterprise" strategy.
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Microsoft
Microsoft PressPass, 11/13/03: Q&A: Business Value of Windows Server System, Dynamic Systems Initiative, Outlined
Kirill Tatarinov, Corporate Vice President, Enterprise Management Division
COPENHAGEN, Nov. 11, 2003 -- When Kirill Tatarinov, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Enterprise Management Division, meets with customers, they tell him they want products and solutions that are easier to manage and simple to use and deploy -- as well as provide greater value and lower total cost. In a keynote at the Microsoft IT Forum here today, Tatarinov will outline how Microsoft technology allows businesses to meet all of these needs, in part through the application of what Microsoft calls "integrated innovation."
Tatarinov will explain how the Microsoft Windows Server System provides businesses a complete server infrastructure that integrates with other Microsoft products, enabling them to meet their IT challenges. He will also explain how Microsoft's Dynamic Systems Initiative (DSI) will address platform management issues -- and extend the company's commitment to what Microsoft calls "integrated innovation" -- by dramatically simplifying and automating development, deployment and operation of distributed computing systems.
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Microsoft Developers Network, 11/13/03: A First Look at Writing and Deploying Apps in the Next Generation of Windows
Dino Esposito
SUMMARY The next version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, code-named "Longhorn," marks a significant change not only in terms of how the operating system works, but also in the way in which applications are built. The Longhorn version of Windows includes a new storage system, natural search technology, and an increased emphasis on security and trustworthy computing. Here the author provides an overview of Longhorn, focusing on the build-once, deploy n-times application model. In addition, he discusses the new language, code-named "XAML," that's used to create UI elements, then presents some working samples.
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Cool Stuff
The New York Times, 11/13/03: Keep an Eye on the News From Your Desk or Laptop
By MARK GLASSMAN
Television recording devices like TiVo free viewers from rigid network schedules by letting them decide when to watch their favorite programs. But such devices are still subject to at least one limitation: they must be plugged into a television set.
A new Web site called ShadowTV will let subscribers watch CNBC and NBC News programs whenever and wherever they like, as long as they have access to a computer with an Internet connection. The site (www.shadowtv.com) will maintain a two-week archive of all CNBC programming as well as "Today," "Meet the Press" and "NBC Nightly News."
Subscribers will be able to monitor live television for specific words or phrases and receive e-mail updates whenever they are uttered. If you are so inclined, Tom Brokaw will never say "Bush" or "Iraq" on the air without your hearing about it.
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