Industry woes dampen Comdex
The chill in the air last week here was not just from the desert's cool autumn winds - it also came from the feeling that
the once-red-hot technology industry continues to suffer through an ice age.
Hospital sounds alarm after 3-day struggle
The healthcare industry is sitting up and taking notice after one of Massachusetts' best-known hospitals suffered network
slowdowns and interruptions for more than three days earlier this month.
Search is on for Web services standards
Three standards bodies are cooperating on the complex task of creating protocols and architecture guides to manage Web services,
the last major stumbling block deterring development and widespread adoption of the technology.
Top ISP Report
Is your ISP measuring up? Find out with our October 203 Top ISP Report, a joint venture between Network World and VeriTest's
Internet BenchMark service.
Diligent improves mainframe backup
Virtual tape technology promises faster, more economical data storage.
Now that AT&T has cut cable
Experts see shedding of debt as key to reorganized company's future.
Freight carrier wraps up Web services
Commercial freight carrier gives its Web services apps a makeover, with an eye toward decreasing the development burden on
its IT staff and its customers' IT resources.
Managing Cisco routers: Do it yourself
Whether it's through tapping hidden features in the gear, deploying software tools or training staff, finding innovative ways
to manage a large Cisco network can provide cost savings, reduce some tedious staff duties and optimize the equipment's performance.
Linux launch at Comdex
While Microsoft traditionally dominates Comdex, several companies used last week's show to announce the first production version
of a unified Linux distribution.
IBM launches WebSphere upgrade
This week IBM will begin shipping a new version of its application server - which is to become the underlying platform for
Big Blue's entire software line. The new version includes autonomic computing features aimed at helping customers lower administrative
costs and optimize infrastructure performance and availability.
States, RBOCs battle over regulations
State regulators are banding together in a last-ditch effort to influence a looming federal ruling about whether they can
keep the tools they have for promoting local phone competition.
Cisco touts variety of security routers for VPNs
Cisco is wheeling out new security routers for small offices this week that make it possible to network small and home offices
into corporate VPNs.
VPN management help on tap from SmartPipes
SmartPipes is now offering its services directly to businesses, providing them an easier way to manage Cisco-based VPNs.
Vendors look to pool management data
Network administrators soon will have two new options to help them make better use of the data collected by their multiple
management tools.
Candle bundles WebSphere management
Candle this week will introduce software and services designed to help companies more easily deploy and manage IBM's WebSphere
application server and middleware products.
Blades begin to make their mark
As Dell this week becomes the second major vendor to ship blade servers - Hewlett-Packard was first - customers and industry
analysts say they are beginning to see signs of what vendors have promised all along: that the compact machines will revolutionize
computer network design.
Enterprise Applications news briefs
Watchfire announces a new version of its Web site quality assurance software that can check Web pages for accessibility features
required by disabled computer users.
Carrier briefs
News from Sprint, Aerie Networks, Sockeye Networks and Savis Communications.
Coping with information overload
The barrage of new products pumped out at events such as Comdex can make it difficult to separate useful IT technologies from
mere gadgetry and fluff.
Reporters' notebook
Cool and interesting stuff spotted at Comdex.
Tripwire widens reach of data-integrity offering
Tripwire has broadened the number of network devices it can protect with its data-integrity software designed to prevent tampering
of configuration settings in firewalls, switches and routers.
IETF looks to streamline work
Plus: Charles Wang steps down; Lancope to build new security system with NSA; Windows .Net Server shipping date slips; more.
Infrastructure briefs
Server news from IBM, desktop wireless news from Hitachi.
NEC bulks up high-end servers
NEC Solutions announced two servers last week aimed at call centers or financial companies that can't afford to have a server
crash.
Digital Harbor eases integration
Vendor's Piie lets end users drag and drop application components onto a palate to build composite Web-based applications
that incorporate data from numerous sources.
