* Crunch time for Microsoft management plan * The 200 biggest networking companies record one for the books * New York county enacts wireless security law * The hard sell of the IP softphone * Marshal sets up spyware protection * New regulations make hardware more environmentally friendly * Today on Layer 8 Crunch time for Microsoft management planThree years into a projected 10-year effort to create a self-healing management platform for Windows, it’s time for Microsoft to stop talking and start producing, analysts and partners say. Click here for more.The 200 biggest networking companies record one for the books2005 was a good year: North America’s largest network companies saw collective revenue up 11%, and 70% posted profits. Click here for more. Catching up with Nick CarrThree years after author Nick Carr raised hackles with his groundbreaking piece “IT Doesn’t Matter,” he looks at how the paper affected the IT industry – and what the future holds – on a special edition of the Network World Hot Seat. Watch it now. New York county enacts wireless security lawWestchester County, N.Y., this week enacted a new law that requires local businesses to implement “minimum security measures” for protecting their wireless networks. Click here for more.The hard sell of the IP softphoneCorporate users are talking on IP softphone clients everywhere – or nowhere, depending on whom you talk to. While use of PC-based VoIP software is taking off in homes and college dorms, the use of softphones in companies remains somewhat mixed. Click here for more.Marshal sets up spyware protectionMarshal, a U.K.-based company that NetIQ acquired in 2002 and sold back in a management buyout three years later, plans to announce this week the first round of upgrades to its e-mail and Web security software since regaining control of those products. Click here for more. New regulations make hardware more environmentally friendlyAs IT buyers focus on finding the most energy-efficient and coolest-running data-center systems, another environmentally friendly trend is taking off in the industry: the requirement to build hardware free of toxic substances. Click here for more.Today on Layer 8, where spring was sprung:MP3 player sparks murder, protest in Belgium; citywide Wi-Fi – what happens when it stinks?; Apple may win music pricing squabble; and the winner of our latest Weekly Caption Contest; all this today and more at your home for not-just-networking news For news updated throughout the day, go to Network World’s NetFlash news page. Related content news analysis Western Digital keeps HDDs relevant with major capacity boost Western Digital and rival Seagate are finding new ways to pack data onto disk platters, keeping them relevant in the age of solid-state drives (SSD). By Andy Patrizio Dec 06, 2023 4 mins Enterprise Storage Data Center news analysis Global network outage report and internet health check Cisco subsidiary ThousandEyes, which tracks internet and cloud traffic, provides Network World with weekly updates on the performance of ISPs, cloud service providers, and UCaaS providers. By Ann Bednarz and Tim Greene Dec 06, 2023 286 mins Networking news analysis Cisco uncorks AI-based security assistant to streamline enterprise protection With Cisco AI Assistant for Security, enterprises can use natural language to discover policies and get rule recommendations, identify misconfigured policies, and simplify complex workflows. By Michael Cooney Dec 06, 2023 3 mins Firewalls Generative AI Network Security news Nvidia’s new chips for China to be compliant with US curbs: Jensen Huang Nvidia’s AI-focused H20 GPUs bypass US restrictions on China’s silicon access, including limits on-chip performance and density. By Anirban Ghoshal Dec 06, 2023 3 mins CPUs and Processors Technology Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events NEWSLETTERS Newsletter Promo Module Test Description for newsletter promo module. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe