Every administrator runs into the FTP question eventually: Can we get FTP for our site? Setting up FTP is relatively easy with a few concerns around security. Old FTP sites were prone to security holes and configurations that were difficult. With vsftpd, the host...
In my last blog post, I gave 5 reasons to use ntop (Network TOP) to monitor your company's network. The tool is actually very straightforward to install and configure for infrastructure management, but there are a few steps you'll need to do before you're monitoring...
This seems to be the age of “Big Data”. Every sector seems to have a need for it -- from biotechs doing genome sequencing, to financial providers mining market data. For many, the ability to store massive amounts of structured or unstructured data is the key to...
For the everyday user with a laptop or desktop, this article may not apply. And for those of you who have no need to have more than one PC on your desk -- kudos! But from time to time, its necessary to have several PC's on your desk at the same time -- especially...
Have you ever sent out an email with a bunch of important questions and received a reply that began with "my answers are in blue". Have you then found yourself combing through your large email searching for those answers only to discover that your email provider...
Recently I took over DIACAP testing on a few machines. The task of starting DIACAP testing may seem overwhelming when presented with the number of tests and findings you will need to complete. Thankfully, there have been some automated tools released to help aid the...
Sometimes finding the information you want for IBM Rational ClearQuest can be a challenge -- and when you find something, it can be that the level of detail needed is not present. That's why we at SPK and Associates started this series of technical how to guides to...
Everyone knows that troubleshooting “slow performance” is one of the most challenging tasks we have as IT services providers, but is also one of the best ways to improve productivity (and morale!). Although replacing hardware and buying more expensive computers can...
With websites, it's important to have a consistent method to gate keep incoming connections. This is primarily to maintain security and ensure a common access point for all traffic. Web proxy servers allow channeling of traffic and proxy content from internal servers...
One of the most critical aspects of your network infrastructure is how well it's performing. The question that I often get asked as a provider of infrastructure services is, "Am I getting the most out of my local network and my internet bandwidth?" This is the one...
Greater medical device interoperability and the adoption of commonly accepted standards could save the US in excess of $30B, suggests a West Health Institute report published in March. Lack of device interoperability creates significant waste and risk to patient...
I don't usually read autobiographies, but recently a close friend of mine suggested that I read "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!" Being bored with the book I was currently reading, I decided to give it a go. In it there is a chapter title "A Different Box of...
