Here is this week's Editors' Choice; look for Readers' Choice later this week.
EDITORS’ CHOICE
From the front page
Microsoft to let users lead Longhorn forward
Microsoft plans this summer to offer special licenses to users who want to run the Beta 2 version of the Longhorn Server operating system in specific roles within their networks.
Layer 2 VPN services not ready to fly solo
There’s plenty of buzz about Layer 2 VPN services, especially those that boast the familiarity of Ethernet and the scalability of MPLS. But enterprises at last week’s MPLScon 2006 conference said Layer 2 services aren’t yet mature enough to support demanding service-oriented application architectures, such as those used for large-scale multicasts and utility computing.
Are all rootkits evil?
When a security researcher late last year discovered Sony was using hidden software-cloaking and monitoring techniques to protect copyrights on its music CDs, public backlash prompted lawsuits against the company and a debate ensued about using “rootkits” in commercial software.
Test
NetBotz watches the NOC around the clock
Network operations centers often contain hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment, not to mention the cost of the applications and processing on the equipment. NetBotz appliances and sensors provide extra eyes and ears to a network manager looking to have data for decision support, monitoring and auditing.
ITVideo
Mixed wireless environments
How do you blend wireless, cellular and two-way radio into a single infrastructure? Cathy Zatloukal of MobileAccess Networks explains how its done on this week’s Network World Hot Seat.
In depth
Toll savings: Global training firm saves with VoIP
With 25,000 to 30,000 students each year depending on educational and training services, it’s critical that the employees of America-Mideast Educational and Training Services be in constant contact. But the fear of high toll costs left the company’s 350 administrators in the United States, Middle East and Africa out of touch. So its IT director enabled VoIP to most of the company’s 16 international offices.
Protocol weds Ethernet and ATA drives
Applications need massive amounts of storage, but servers have limited disk space. Moving storage out of a server and putting it on a network makes expanding storage easy. The ATA-over-Ethernet storage protocol (AoE) combines Ethernet and low-cost disks to create a simple way to connect storage to a network.
Assemble the right players for ILM
Implementing the technology required for information life-cycle management is much easier than nailing down policy decisions about the value of data and where to store it. To make those calls, storage managers often need the help of department heads, compliance officers and the legal department.
How to
Nutter’s Help Desk: A real time sync
Ron Nutter helps a user figure out the best way to keep the time on all his network devices in sync.
How 802.11w will improve wireless security
Joshua Wright of the Wireless Vulnerabilities and Exploits project, discusses.
From the blogs
The Alpha Doggs examine an MIT semiconductor discovery that could lead to dramatically smaller devices by using the spin of electrons to do processing. Mark Gibbs doesn’t drink the Vonage Kool-Aid. Paul McNamara gets an answer on why “Yahoo” beats out “sex” as an apparent Google search term. Keith Shaw looks at tons of cool gadgets. James Gaskin marvels that the government has finally ended a telecom tax originally enacted to fund the Spanish-American War.
More news
Proposed tax-relief legislation for teleworkers gathers steam
Backers of a proposed bill to protect teleworkers from onerous state tax rules hope this could be the year the legislation sticks.
Retailers hone data-handling skills
The key to keeping stores stocked with the items customers want is good information, and retailers are doing all they can to keep system data clean, accurate and accessible to their suppliers.
IBM boosts storage software
IBM last week enhanced popular data pooling and storage virtualization software to include business continuity and disaster-recovery capabilities, as well as faster performance and support for more storage platforms.
FEMA talks about IT lessons learned
The office of the CIO for the Federal Emergency Management Agency has made several changes in the past year in order to better communicate with state and local officials, support citizens who need assistance, and keep better track of assets such as food and water. Network World Senior Editor Denise Pappalardo recently spoke with FEMA CIO Barry West and Deputy CIO Jeanne Etzell about some of these changes. West is about to make a career change as he heads over to the Department of Commerce to become its CIO.
AT&T offering managed RFID service
AT&T is rolling out a fully managed service that supports RFID from end to end by joining a handful of vendors.
PC blade maker steps up management focus
ClearCube is stepping up its focus on tools to manage its PC blades, as well as those from other vendors, as enterprises show growing interest in centralizing their computing resources.
Hitachi boosts high-end storage
Hitachi Data Systems last week said it has enhanced its largest storage arrays with software and hardware that gives the TagmaStore Universal Storage Platform (USP) a 25% performance boost.
Data center networks often exclude Ethernet
It’s not often that Ethernet is on the outside of an emerging network technology market. But in linking some data center equipment to high-speed pipes, Ethernet sometimes has its nose pressed to the glass door, looking in.
In brief: Verizon Business launches services to Web site performance
Verizon Business last week launched a suite of services designed to help companies enhance the performance of the applications on their Web sites.
Are rootkits really all bad?
When a security researcher late last year discovered Sony was using hidden software-cloaking and monitoring techniques to protect copyrights on its music compact discs, public backlash prompted lawsuits against the company and a debate ensued about using such “rootkits” in commercial software.
Flaw found in Symantec antivirus
Security researchers at eEye Digital Security have discovered a serious flaw in Symantec’s enterprise antivirus software that could be used by hackers to create a self-replicating worm attack against Symantec users.
Even more!
Our This Week page will also link you to these articles: Healthcare exec talks security; Microsoft tweaking OS to boost networking performance, scalability; USB tokens tighten up secure-WAN links; ProactiveNet enhances net, app management software; Colligo builds offline client for SharePoint; Commuting to slow bird flu pains?; D-Link switch marks shift in WLANs; DOD hosts massive interoperability test.
