Welcome to This Week on NW Fusion, featuring breaking news, info, and tips from Network World Fusion, the most comprehensive enterprise networking resource on the Internet. See below for the week's biggest stories and check out our other e-mail newsletters at http://www.nwfusion.com/focus
1) Has IE dug itself a hole? 2) Wireless directory draws cheers, jeers 3) A Wider Net: When silence sounds too, well, silent 4) How GM saved a billion dollars 5) Un-wiring the wireless LAN 6) Review: Pedestal aids in security enforcement 7) Review: LANsurveyor 8.5 for Windows 8) Review: SCO’s UnixWare measures up with open source additions 9) Technology Update: FTTP boosts bandwidth in the last mile 10) Management Strategies: In the firing line 11) Wary buyers dampen software sales 12) The other side: Hardware revenue should be up 13) Dell continues network battle 14) Tools help manage domain names 15) ISPs look inward to stop spam 16) Start-ups automate global trade functions 17) Microsoft aims to save $1 billion this fiscal year 18) Siemens exec talks up VoIP
1) Google search cache spawns SSL fear
2) IP VPNs save, but they can carry ‘gotchas’
3) Just in time for the holidays: Cool Yule Tools 2004
4) Wireless Wizards: Excessive RF interference
5) Nutter’s Help Desk: Debugging router speed problems
6) One man’s trash is another’s cheap PC
7) Review: Adtran serves up newest low-cost router
8) 802.11n throttles up WLAN throughput
9) Keeping IT simple
10) FCC ruling stirs up VoIP competition
11) Anti-spam vendors target the out-box
12) Outgoing IETF chair reflects, looks ahead
13) E-comm gains offset by escalating fraud
14) Trapeze swings into virtualized WLANs
15) Microsoft’s mgmt. wares trickle out
16) Booz Allen moving to MPLS
17) IT execs share software spending strategies
18) Vendors aim to tamp down spyware
19) Dell delivers denser blade servers
20) Dell, Microsoft join forces on systems management
21) IPv6 product testing needed, experts say
22) Mitel IP PBX gets wireless support
23) Forum: SAN caches in OLTP apps
Editor’s Note: Our annual Cool Yule Tools guide has reviews for more than 150 high-tech products, from the latest LCD TVs and digital cameras, to the coolest tech toys and video games. Something for the inner geek in everyone! https://www.nwfusion.com/supp/2004/hgg/ is where it all starts. Meanwhile, our online showdown on the best way to patch systems is officially over, but you can browse the answers from the six vendors we invited (plus a couple more who popped in) at https://www.nwfusion.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1964
— Adam Gaffin, Executive Editor, agaffin@nww.com
1) Google search cache spawns SSL fear
It’s proving tougher than anticipated to protect SSL VPNs from the voracious caching machine housed inside Google Desktop Search.
DocFinder: 4760
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204google.html?tw
2) IP VPNs save, but they can carry ‘gotchas’
While IP VPNs are widely accepted as an effective remote access and WAN technology that can save money, there are hidden challenges users should be aware of to avoid costly problems.
DocFinder: 4761
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204vpnhidden.html?tw
3) Just in time for the holidays: Cool Yule Tools 2004
Our elves tested more than 130 great and geeky products to make our annual holiday gift guide – and your wish list.
DocFinder: 4762
https://www.nwfusion.com/supp/2004/hgg/index.html?tw
4) Wireless Wizards: Excessive RF interference
The Wizards conjure up an answer for: Is there something other than a wireless network that could be interfering at channel 11? We get 25% to 30% noise detected using AirMagnet. The interference could be at channel 10. This appears to be common at every site, including our corporate building. Any ideas?
DocFinder: 4763
https://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2004/112204wizards.html?tw
5) Nutter’s Help Desk: Debugging router speed problems
Ron Nutter helps a user figure out why his broadband speed isn’t up to snuff.
DocFinder: 4764
https://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2004/112204nutter.html?tw
6) One man’s trash is another’s cheap PC
Although not many Goodwill thrift stores across the country sell used hardware and software, sales are growing. Goodwill organizations also see a future in “e-waste,” the disposal of computer parts in an environmentally friendly way.
DocFinder: 4765
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204widernetgoodwill.html?tw
7) Review: Adtran serves up newest low-cost router
The NetVanta 4305 is a modest performer. The beta routing software still has some rough spots, including scalability issues, but the price advantage might offset these, especially for managers of small or midsize enterprise networks.
DocFinder: 4766
https://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/2004/112204rev.html?tw
8) 802.11n throttles up WLAN throughput
The drive for higher throughput in wireless LANs has pushed the IEEE to develop 802.11n, a new version of the 802.11 standard that promises throughput in excess of 100M bit/sec in 20-MHz to 40-MHz of bandwidth.
DocFinder: 4767
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/tech/2004/112204techupdate.html?tw
9) Keeping IT simple
IT shops standardize and consolidate systems where they can to save money and boost efficiency.
DocFinder: 4768
https://www.nwfusion.com/careers/2004/112204man.html?tw
10) FCC ruling stirs up VoIP competition
The FCC’s Nov. 9 decision to preempt state regulation of VoIP operators should result in more choices and lower prices to telecom customers, with particular benefit to telecommuters, according to industry analysts, service providers and equipment vendors
DocFinder: 4769
https://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/news/2004/112204netlead.html?tw
11) Anti-spam vendors target the out-box
A pair of anti-spam vendors are tweaking their products to help customers keep a closer eye on mail emanating from their networks, not just trying to enter them.
DocFinder: 4770
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204outbound.html?tw
12) Outgoing IETF chair reflects, looks ahead
After four years at the head of the premier standards-setting body, Harald Alvestrand talks about his tenure at the IETF and his plans for the future
DocFinder: 4771
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204alvqanda.html?tw
13) E-comm gains offset by escalating fraud
Just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season, two vendors released research last week detailing a rise in e-commerce fraud. CyberSource published the results of its sixth annual e-commerce fraud survey, while VeriSign came out with its fourth Internet Security Intelligence Briefing, which details Internet usage trends as well as threat, vulnerability and fraud patterns.
DocFinder: 4772
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204ecomm.html?tw
14) Trapeze swings into virtualized WLANs
Trapeze Networks this week is scheduled to release software it says can be used to divvy up a wireless LAN into 64 logical networks that cater to different groups of users and applications.
DocFinder: 4773
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204trapeze.html?tw
15) Microsoft’s mgmt. wares trickle out
Microsoft last week released a handful of software products that are key elements in its drive to develop a comprehensive management platform for Windows, but users and experts say the overall plan needs to be clearer.
DocFinder: 4774
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204msmanage.html?tw
16) Booz Allen moving to MPLS
Daniel Gasparro, chief technologist at Booz Allen, spoke recently with us about how to select a viable carrier and why he’s bucking the trend toward Internet telephony.
DocFinder: 4775
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204yourtakebooz.html?tw
17) IT execs share software spending strategies
An ERP consolidation plan will keep IT staff busy for the next few years at metal distributor Ryerson Tull. The $2.3 billion company, which has grown through acquisitions, is replacing five major legacy platforms with a single SAP installation, says Darell Zerbe, CIO and vice president of IT.
DocFinder: 4776
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204spend.html?tw
18) Vendors aim to tamp down spyware
Spyware protection debuts in both desktop and gateway products
DocFinder: 4777
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204spy.html?tw
19) Dell delivers denser blade servers
Two years after launching its first blade server, Dell last week announced a follow-up product: the PowerEdge 1855, a system based on Intel’s Xeon microprocessor.
DocFinder: 4778
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204-dell-blades.html?tw
20) Dell, Microsoft join forces on systems management
Dell and Microsoft last week announced a strategic partnership under which they plan to integrate their hardware and software management tools.
DocFinder: 4779
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204msdell.html?tw
21) IPv6 product testing needed, experts say
IPv6 products need more conformance testing. That’s the conclusion of network industry heavy hitters AT&T, Cisco, Juniper, Lucent, Microsoft and others, which are developing products that support IPv6, the next generation of the Internet’s main communications protocol.
DocFinder: 4780
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204moonv6.html?tw
22) Mitel IP PBX gets wireless support
Mitel Networks recently introduced a beefed-up version of its flagship IP PBX product that lets customers support more IP phones and applications than previous versions.
DocFinder: 4781
https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112204-mitel.html?tw
23) SAN caches in OLTP apps
A user asks: “Is it true that cache is effective in the sequential access and not much in random access like database etc.?” If you have an answer, let him know at:
DocFinder: 4782
