This week on Network World Fusion, 09/02/03

————————————– 1) Users still bullish on Web services ————————————– We catch up with the companies profiled in last year’s Web Services Early Adopters series (http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2002/0415webservices.html) to see if they’re reaping the benefits promised. Two out of three give an enthusiastic thumb’s up. DocFinder: 5944 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0519revisited.html

1) Microsoft to revamp patch management software

2) Under the gun: Regulations and you

3) Proprietary servers keep losing ground

4) Auto industry portal kicks into high gear

5) Router/Switch Notes: Netgear times out Wisconsin

6) Nutter’s Help Desk: Access rule vs. firewalls

7) Security Notes: MasterCard plays it safe

8) Disaster-recovery plans still need work

9) The toys of summer

10) Image is everything

11) ISNS eases management of storage nets

12) WLAN security: A big problem for small nets

13) Sears techs packing a wireless punch

14) Microsoft’s VoIP server could shake IP PBX market

15) NetScreen to add application layer security to gear

16) Dell to help customers corral their switches

17) PeopleSoft refund offer aims to assure customers

18) IBM cuts mainframe software/hardware pricing

19) Wireless Wizards: Consumer-grade access points in a business network

20) McData ups storage switching ante

1) Microsoft to revamp patch management software

In the wake of recent ugly worm episodes, Microsoft is planning to overhaul its much maligned patch management architecture to try to ease the frustrations of corporate users.

DocFinder: 7449

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901mspatch.html

2) Under the gun

Compliance with new security and privacy regulations falls squarely on IT departments – and the cost could total in the billions. We detail the network and cost impacts of all these new measures.

DocFinder: 7455

https://www.nwfusion.com/research/2003/0901regs.html

3) Proprietary servers keep losing ground

Analysts expect more businesses to move to x86-based servers.

DocFinder: 7456

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901serverstds.html

4) Auto industry portal kicks into high gear

The Big Three automakers are finally ready to make Covisint the central engine in their e-commerce and messaging systems.

DocFinder: 7457

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901covisint.html

5) Router/Switch Notes: Netgear times out Wisconsin

Senior Writer Phil Hochmuth reports on what at first seemed to be an odd denial-of-service attack at the University of Wisconsin – somebody seemed to be trying to knock out its network time servers – that turned out to be a case of misconfigured routers.

DocFinder: 7458

https://www.nwfusion.com/topics/routers.html

6) Nutter’s Help Desk: Access rule vs. firewalls

Ron Nutter helps a user figure out if the best way to restrict server access via protocol is with access lists on the router or a second firewall.

DocFinder: 7459

https://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2003/0901nutter.html

7) Security Notes: MasterCard plays it safe

Senior Editor Ellen Messmer talks to the credit-card company about its new disaster-recovery faility – including its rationale for putting it in Kansas City, Mo.

DocFinder: 7460

https://www.nwfusion.com/weblogs/security/003389.html

8) Disaster-recovery plans still need work

In another report, we discover that, nearly two years after the Sept. 11 attacks, many organizations remain woefully unprepared to quickly recover their IT systems  and key business processes in the event of a disaster.

DocFinder: 7461

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901disasterrecovery.html

9) The toys of summer

Some cool tools that will get you through the lazy days.

DocFinder: 7462

https://www.nwfusion.com/research/2003/0901toysofsummer.html

10) Image is everything

Banks are replacing paper-clogged, check-clearing systems with electronic-imaging networks, saving an estimated $2 billion  annually.

DocFinder: 7463

https://www.nwfusion.com/research/2003/0818bank.html

11) ISNS eases management of storage nets

Tech Update: Internet Storage Name Service brings the plug-and-play capabilities of Fibre Channel to IP storage networks

DocFinder: 7464

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/tech/2003/0901techupdate.html

12) WLAN security: A big problem for small nets

Emerging standards and products aim to remedy the problem.

DocFinder: 7465

https://www.nwfusion.com/net.worker/news/2003/0901netlead.html

13) Sears techs packing a wireless punch

As part of a $65 million project, the retailer this year has outfitted trucks used by its 10,000 service technicians with a five-antenna dome that supports Global Positioning System, 802.11 wireless LAN and packet data WAN services.

DocFinder: 7466

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901sears.html

14) Microsoft’s VoIP server could shake IP PBX market

While IP PBX vendors duke it out for market share in the converged LAN/WAN arena, a recent analyst report warns not to count  out a certain software vendor from Redmond.

DocFinder: 7467

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901voip.html

15) NetScreen to add application layer security to gear

NetScreen Technologies later this year will improve its security products to help customers combat attacks disguised as innocuous  traffic that might sneak by traditional firewalls.

DocFinder: 7468

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901netscreen.html

16) Dell to help customers corral their switches

Dell this week will offer a free tool for centrally managing its LAN switches, a move that better matches up the boxes vs.  those of network gear sellers such as Cisco and Nortel that already offer such software.

DocFinder: 7469

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901dellswitches.html

17) PeopleSoft refund offer aims to assure customers

PeopleSoft took another jab at Oracle last week, as part of its aggressive defense against the database giant’s hostile takeover  bid.

DocFinder: 7470

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901peoplesoft.html

18) IBM cuts mainframe software/hardware pricing

IBM is reducing hardware and software costs by as much as 80% with an eye toward making it easier for businesses to buy and  deploy Big Iron.

DocFinder: 7471

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901ibmmainframe.html

19) Wireless Wizards: Consumer-grade access points in a business network

The Wizards help a user who keeps having problems with certain access points on his wireless LAN

DocFinder: 7472

https://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2003/0901wizards.html

20) McData ups storage switching ante

McData’s acquisitions of Nishan Systems and Sanera Systems last week put it in the middle of a select group of manufacturers  – including Brocade Communications and Cisco – that are embedding applications in their Fibre Channel switches.

DocFinder: 7473

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0901mcdata.html