* Search engine users: You're wasting your time * NIST announces competition for new cryptographic hash algorithm * Microsoft takes annual jab at IBM/Lotus * Latest McAfee upgrade jams up Lotus Notes * Metro Wi-Fi rates high in study * Buzzblog: Give up your personal data for safety’s sake? * Today on Layer 8
News podcast: Network World 360
Microsoft developing new secure VPN tunneling protocol, vendors push gear that runs 10G over Cat6 copper and into blade servers, Verizon previews 2007 services road map, and Cisco takes a first step in revamping IOS distribution. (8:21) Listen now.
Search engine users: You’re wasting your time
A company that employs 1,000 information workers can expect more than $5 million in annual salary costs to go down the drain because of the time wasted looking for information and not finding it, IDC research found last year. Think that’s bad? A survey this month of 1,000 middle managers found that more than half of the information they find during searches is useless. There seem to be no shortage of enterprise search applications that help companies find information hidden within their networks. So why are searches so ineffective? Click here for more.
NIST announces competition for new cryptographic hash algorithm
The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced a public competition to pick a new cryptographic hash algorithm that would become the new federal information processing standard. This evaluation process is expected to run a minimum of three years. Click here for more.
Microsoft takes annual jab at IBM/Lotus
Microsoft, taking its annual dig at rival IBM/Lotus, on Monday announced a set of free tools it plans to ship in February to help customers migrate from Notes/Domino. Click here for more.
Latest McAfee upgrade jams up Lotus Notes
The latest upgrade to McAfee’s VirusScan Enterprise security software is causing hiccups for some versions of IBM’s Lotus Notes, the companies warned. Click here for more.
Metro Wi-Fi rates high in study
Metropolitan Wi-Fi networks deliver much higher speed than cellular data and in some cases have comparable coverage, according to an independent test conducted in 14 North American cities and towns. Click here for more.
Buzzblog: Give up your personal data for safety’s sake?
Want to know if your information is already in the hands of identity thieves? All you have to do is trust this company you never heard of and hand them the keys to your life. Click here for more.
Today on Layer 8, where we always wear rubber gloves:
If your desk is anything like mine at Layer 8, on any given day you might find the odd coffee stain and a few crumbs but you wouldn’t consider it dirty. But alas, the desktop is a foul, dirty place that demands radiation-security-like precautions. Maybe that’s overkill, but according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story this week, your workplace is home to billions of creepy-crawling microbes and is the chief reason for billions of dollars in lost worker productivity each year. At your home for not-just-networking news.
