Barry Rubin Technology Talk

It’s ok NOW for Comcast: Comcast, NBC deal opens door for online video

2011-03-12T20:26:00.001-05:00

Reversal of Fortunes…

Yahoo News Article - Comcast, NBC deal opens door for online video

It seems that Comcast has had a change of heart with respect to 3rd party video and rich-content services as they are now, a player in the game.

“To win government approval to take over NBC Universal last month, cable giant Comcast Corp. agreed to let online rivals license NBC programming, including hit shows such as "30 Rock" and "The Office." Comcast also agreed not to block its 17 million broadband subscribers from watching video online through Netflix, Apple's iTunes and other rivals yet to come.”

In a Quid Pro Qou maneuver, Comcast has unwound their prior rigid position on 3rd party blocking online services.

“Government officials wanted to ensure that Comcast could not crush competition through its control over both a major media empire and the pipes that deliver cable and Internet services to millions of American homes.”

This in particular, relates to Comcast’s prior resistance to the principle of Network Neutrality. Comcast has been cited numerous times for their position against Network Neutrality and an open Internet. Comcast’s prior position was based on a profit-driven drive to discourage competition in the IP video space so as to present Comcast’s IP video offerings to be more attractive to subscribers in a seemingly “competitive” playing field. Unfortunately, Comcast tipped the scales in their favor by blocking competitive content services in place of their own, subscription-based services.

Now that Comcast has a larger stake in the game, it is now in their best interest to play towards an open internet, one that is more friendly towards Network Neutrality.

Veritas vos liberabit - The truth will set you free

Dahh! Good Reasons to Lock Down Your Wireless Network

2010-09-05T18:07:00.001-04:00

Good Reasons to Lock Down Your Wireless Network

Click Here to View the Blog / Article

Aside from some of the “obvious” Security issues with Wireless / WiFi Internet (Do I need to summarize it? Click on the above link to review the obvious), one may want to ask themselves about other more practical implications of not securing your home/business wireless network.

Consider simply the cost of the service. It is clearly not free nor is it free to maintain.

Why would you want your neighbors (I love my neighbors, but let them pay for their own access) to get a free ride on access to the internet, assuming that they are only hijacking your internet access… Hmmm
Additionally, you may want to consider a performance angle. How many people may download videos or music on your internet access before it annoys the heck out of you?

Be a good neighbor…

“If you see your neighbor's Wi-Fi in an unsecure state (e.g., open access) let them know. Don't assume the owner configured the device, perhaps it was a more technically savvy neighborhood high school student or a for hire network installer -- who in both cases failed to put a WPA2 password in place.”

You can easily check for Secured Networks by looking for a Padlock next to the name of the Wireless Network.

Certainly you need to make sure that your own Network is secured, but be a good neighbor, and let your “Networking Neighbors” know if their network is not secured.

Magnus frater spectat te

(Big Brother is watching you)

Who’s in charge? - Court to FCC: You Don’t Have Power to Enforce Net Neutrality

2010-01-10T15:16:00.001-05:00

Click Here for Wired.com Article

This is yet another important chapter in the ongoing war of Net Neutrality. This particular battle is between the FCC and Comcast. While much debate continues over technical and philosophical views of Net Neutrality, Comcast actively manages traffic based upon content, which in turn is based upon Business Objectives and sometimes profit motivated policies which may compete with open internet access. Certainly, many ISPs would like to manage traffic along the same lines so that they can balance business objectives with open internet access. Comcast has not waited for the jury to be out on this issue. Comcast has aggressively been managing traffic based upon self determined content policies, not necessarily in the “Best Interest of the Public Good”.

The FCC, the likely regulator of balance between profit and public good, has been sued by Comcast.

A federal appeals court gave notice Friday it likely would reject the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to sanction Comcast for throttling peer-to-peer applications.

To be sure, Friday’s reaction to the appellate court hearing made it increasingly clear the Obama administration’s FCC has been preparing for a defeat concerning net neutrality (.pdf), one of the largest issues surrounding internet freedom.

The cable company, which is engaged in talks to merge with NBC Universal, has repeatedly argued the FCC had no right to tell it how to manage its internet traffic. Comcast maintains the FCC’s decision was arbitrary because the enforcement of so-called “net neutrality” rules did not go through the proper rule-making process.

So, Who is in Charge? Of the Internet that is? If the Federal Appeals Court have deemed that the FCC has “No Authority” to regulate internet providers, who then? To be fair, the Courts are not the place to make new legislation, that is the province of the Congress (Oiy).

Traditionally, the FCC has been the Federal Agency unit responsible for this governance. It is not as if there are other competing agencies vying for this lofty role. If this ruling stands, what will it mean for Internet Governance? In the end, how will it affect the Consumer? After all, isn’t that what it’s all about? I am sure that this will be taken to the next level.

See My Prior Posts on Net Neutrality

Technorati Tags: FCC,ISP Internet,Internet,Net Neutrality,Comcast

Facta, non verba

(Deeds, not words - Actions speak louder than words)

Fewer high school students taking computer science classes

2009-12-21T11:49:00.001-05:00

Washington Post Article

It would be hard to find a student at Stone Bridge High School who has never used the Internet for a research assignment, socialized with Facebook or played a video game.

But few know much about how computers and the Web actually work.

Like most Teenagers, they are rabid “Consumers” of the available technologies, Blackberry, iTouch, wireless internet, Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, XBox, etc. my own teenagers alike.

Despite my long career in Technology and my passion / expertise in Infrastructure and core technology, my own kids have evolved into huge consumers of the gadgets that they have acquired (“acquired” = Dad buys, Kids consume, of course you knew that)

Nationally, the portion of schools that offer an introductory computer science course has dropped from 78 percent in 2005 to 65 percent this year, and the corresponding decline in AP courses went from 40 to 27 percent, according to a survey by the Computer Science Teachers Association.

As the Washington Post article points out, teenagers are increasingly only interested in consuming the technology. Is this because core technology science has become commoditized? Are our students numb to the excitement of what makes technology tick?

While it is true that funding for core Computing Science classes has been in decline and many school systems do not consider Computer Science as a core discipline.

Computer science is not considered a core subject by the No Child Left Behind law, which influences school priorities and budgets.

Despite all this, so much technology innovation still continues to dominate here in the US. There may not be a direct correlation between total Computer Science credits taken and students maturing into technology professionals or even geeks. I for one, have 25+ years as a Technology Professional, despite the fact that I was a Pre-Law Major. A point that is still perplexing my mother (Why didn’t he become a lawyer? - A topic for a future Blog Post). My older brother, was a Computer Science Major, but went on to Medical School to become a surgeon. (This does not perplex my mother, BTW)

While it would make us all feel better that our precious youth is investing a part of their efforts in Technology, it may not be a clarion call. We will need to see how this pans out.

Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere

(If it ain't broke, don't fix it)

Technorati Tags: Technology,Education,Twitter

The 2009 Data Breach Hall of Shame

2009-12-18T13:43:00.001-05:00

CIO Article on 2009 Data Breaches

If there was anything even vaguely comforting about the data breaches that were announced this year, it was that many of them stemmed from familiar and downright mundane security failures.

What does this say or speak loudly of? Is it about Competence or Incompetence? I don’t really think so. Overall, it is about a lack of “dogged, stick-to-it-iveness”. What does that mean? I am certain that all the named organizations on this list have highly competent practitioners in their IT space. Certainly there may be exceptions.

I have found through many, many year of hands-on experience that it isn’t always about the level of technical competence. Most of the time, it is about the burning desire to ALWAYS get it right. Is this type of discipline possible or warranted for every aspect of Technology Management? Well, in an ideal environment called “Nirvana”, maybe. In real life, it just isn’t practical. As a result, some Technology disciplines such as Security, Data Privacy, etc. absolutely require that kind of commitment and effort.

For example, if I were build a submarine and I had the best engineers / practitioners in the world, but the Project Manager decided to put in a screen door, overall, a small detail, but completely defeats the concept of a secured and air-tight perimeter. You can use the same example for corporate network access. If you secure 99% and one rogue sales office adds a DSL modem without proper security, you will get the same affect of the screen-door in the submarine.

Heartland makes the list simply by virtue of the spectacular size and scope of the data breach it disclosed in January.

The compromise stemmed from SQL injection errors that allowed hackers to break into the payment processor's networks and steal data on approximately 130 million credit and debit cards over several months.

It gave Heartland the dubious distinction of having announced the largest ever data breach in history.

TAKEAWAY: 130 million credit card records were in the open. Was it one of yours? Technical Competency must be augmented with strict levels of effort and commitment in order to be effective.

Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris

(If Caesar were alive, you'd be chained to an oar)

Technorati Tags: PCI,Security,Risk Management,Privacy

Not Exactly Emily Post for the digital World, but..Smartphone Etiquette: Five Unspoken Rules for the Holidays

2009-11-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

Click Here for CIO.com Article

Toilet texting. Tweeting in church. What are the do's and don'ts for smartphone users this holiday season? You may be surprised at what most people consider good iPhone and BlackBerry manners, as revealed by a new survey.

These are Five Key Rules of Digital Mobile Etiquette that you should live by. This article is as humorous as it is relevant, even if most of you don’t openly acknowledge it.

Fac ut vivas

(Get a life)

Technorati Tags: Blackberry,iPhone,Smartphone,Etiquette,Mobile

GPS: Now we know where we stand, and it's about time

2009-11-03T09:48:00.001-05:00

See Washington Post Article

A very concise article, written in plain English that describes the GPS Network, it’s origins and uses. The Wikipedia article, on the other hand, is much better suited to Information Sponges or Geeks Only

Thanks to an invisible armada of incessantly broadcasting satellites, collectively called the Global Positioning System, and to the explosive proliferation of GPS receivers in gadgets from dashboard map units to cell phones to dog collars, even the cartographically clueless are now good to go.

So if you are “Cartographically Clueless” (I Love that phrase), please read the Washington Post Article, and get a clue! Did you know that GPS is all about keeping time, actually incredibly accurate time using Atomic Clocks in space?. If you MUST know how and not satisfied with just using GPS, read the Wikipedia posting. Take good notes, there will be a quiz!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Technorati Tags: GPS,Technology

Tempus Fugit

(time flies)

Net Neutrality: AT&T throws support behind FCC chairman

2009-10-30T10:54:00.002-04:00

Read Network World Article
Here we go. AT&T, Major Carrier and ISP, throws it’s support behind the FCC and Network Neutrality.

"AT&T has long supported the principle of an open Internet and has conducted its business accordingly. We were also early supporters of the FCC's current four broadband principles and their case-by-case application to wired networks. To the extent that the chairman seeks to bolster the FCC's legal authority to enforce these principles, we would support him. “

The Internet “Peanut Gallery”, thinks this is a waste of time. How wrong they are. This is about big business, big revenues, consumer fairness and equal access.
Read CNET Article
On the flip side of the coin, Verizon came out against Network Neutrality.

CHICAGO--The day before the FCC is expected to start the ball rolling on new regulations to keep the Internet open, Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg painted a doomsday picture of what could happen in the industry if stricter rules are imposed.

"Proponents (of Net neutrality) have a worldview that network providers and application providers, like Google, occupy different parts of the Internet: dumb pipes versus smart apps," he said. "This is a mistake pure and simple. It's an analog idea for a digital world. It completely understates the need for sound practices and ignores the benefits of smart networks."

Verizon and other network operators already agree with the first four Open Internet principles adopted by the FCC. In summary, these principles state that operators cannot restrict access to lawful Internet content, applications, and services nor can they prohibit users from attaching non-harmful devices to the network.

On the Flip Side:

Vint Cerf, Google's chief Internet evangelist and one of the original architects of the Internet, joined other pioneers in sending another letter to the FCC expressing support for the commission's proposed rules.
"The issue is nondiscrimination against applications and against consumer choice," The Washington Post quoted him as saying. "That should be clear by the letter from my colleagues, and by others, that the fundamental concern is that the provider of broadband service not be able to take advantage of that to act in an anticompetitive fashion against others that are trying to provide competitive applications using the same broadband facilities."

See PC World IDG News Article

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward creating formal net neutrality rules, despite a huge lobbying effort from opposing groups in recent days.
The FCC voted last Thursday to open a rulemaking process and begin receiving comments on a proposal to create new net neutrality rules following a contentious debate on whether new regulations are needed.

Other Noteworthy Online References:
See Washington Post Article
See Washington Post Article
See Washington Post Article

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt favors net neutrality, but only to a point: While the tech player wants to make sure that telecommunications giants don't steer Internet traffic in a way that would favor some devices or services over others, he also believes that it would be a terrible idea for the government to involve itself as a regulator of the broader Internet.

See Network World Article

The FCC Intends to codify six principles that will apply to all platforms for broadband Internet access

This is debate is now making big news. While no one truly (not so sure?) wants more big government regulations, the FCC probably needs to (at least) balance the scales so that the ISPs and carriers do not subvert the internet for their own proprietary profit-interests.
There is a concept in Technology Circles called “Content versus Container”. The carriers have traditionally been “Containers” (transport), while the Google’s, Microsoft's, Amazons, etc have been “content”. When the lines are crossed, a higher level of scrutiny is called for so that the roles are made clear to “container” subscribers.
Conlige suspectos semper habitos

(Round up the usual suspects)

Technorati Tags: Network Neutrality,Internet,ISP,AT&T,Verizon,FCC

Risky Business: Three simple rules of risk management

2009-10-26T12:22:00.001-04:00

See Network World Article

Knowledge of risk factors goes a long way in protecting data

Knowing what you're doing does not remove the risk. Knowing what you're doing can help mitigate, or alleviate, the risk but it rarely removes all of the risk. Still, it's important enough that we could say the first rule of risk management is: Know what you are doing.

Please read the article, and then think a while about your project load and where these rules might likely apply. The rules are really quite simple in nature, which is why they are quite often overlooked.

It's not rocket science, and it can be very simple as long as you remember the three rules:

1. Know what you are doing.

2. Know the risk involved.

3. Remove as much risk as possible.

“I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” - Bill Cosby

Technorati Tags: Risk Management

Picking Sides: Facebook and Twitter Founders Join Net Neutrality Wars

2009-10-19T10:36:00.001-04:00

(Better late than never)

Technorati Tags: FCC,Network Neutrality,ISP Internet,Internet,Twitter,Facebook

Companies, lawmakers tell FCC to dump Net neutrality

2009-10-18T14:13:00.001-04:00

Click Here to Read More on Computer World Article

Cisco Systems, Alcatel-Lucent, Corning, Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia

Well, the battle for Network Neutrality rages on. Are we shocked that all these “delivery-based” companies are desirous of killing Net Neutrality? We should not be.

When you read the rhetoric, keep in mind that their “mom and apple pie” does not seem to include the support of “Content Destination” companies. Nor did I see support from companies that make their living on content / applications and being an internet destination (versus an internet delivery company). Some of these companies obviously absent from this support letter are Google, Amazon, etc. Also absent from this side of the debate are consumer advocacy groups.

They do not seem to be included on this side of the argument, possibly because this set of companies (internet delivery) is interested on optimizing profits and lowering operating expenses at the expense of free and open internet access and usage. This is something that consumers and “internet destination” companies are most interested in and why they were not included in the letter to congress.

Public policy should encourage more investment to expand access to the Internet, whether it is access through a cell phone, a laptop, a PC or any new device that we have yet to imagine," the letter said. "If the FCC takes a prescriptive approach to new regulations, then it could place itself in the position of being the final arbiter of what products and services will be allowed on the Internet."

This excerpt above from the letter is mis-leading, as Network Neutrality attempts to prevent the ISPs from “being the final arbiter of what products and services will be allowed on the Internet”

When the government picks winners and losers in the marketplace, the incentive to invest disappears,"

These excerpts from the letter seem to indicate a belief that the Government is intending to stifle innovation. To be fair, I would agree that each delivery company can likely accelerate innovation, but at the expense of free and open access for consumers? What is wrong with a little balance?

The proponents of killing Network Neutrality are profit driven at the expense of open access. ISPs benefit from many local monopolies, meaning consumers don’t have a lot of local choices for broadband access. I do not know the real answer, only that Network Neutrality seems to be a fair playing field.

As stated by Watto: "I'm a Toydarian! Mind tricks don't work on me - only money!"

Technorati Tags: Network Neutrality,ISP,Internet

Study: EHRS improve care in community-based practices

2009-10-11T21:59:00.001-04:00

Click Here for HealthcareIT News

This doesn’t exactly qualify as “News”, but more of a validation of the benefits of EHR/EMR systems. These systems bring tremendous value in function to Healthcare providers as well as they put in place a process and methodology that will literally squeeze expense dollars out of the equation. The reduction of expense dollars can very often make the Business Case for the investment in such systems.

Technorati Tags: EMR,EHR,IT Healthcare

Electronic Health Records and the 21st Century Health Care System

2009-10-11T20:47:00.001-04:00

Technorati Tags: IT Healthcare,EMR,EHR

DOJ Investigating IBM Mainframe Business: Report

2009-10-08T14:06:00.001-04:00

(Better late than never)

Related Story : Prior eWeek.com Story

This goes back a long way: eWeek.com Article

Oh By the Way, IBM Acquired the Plaintiff: eWeek.com Article

Technorati Tags: Mainframe,IBM,Antitrust,DOJ,HP

Citing cybercrime, FBI director doesn't bank online

2009-10-07T20:59:00.001-04:00

Careless downloading makes BlackBerry users spy targets

2009-10-07T20:06:00.001-04:00

Technorati Tags: Blackberry,Mobile,Security

Click Here for ComputerWorld Article

Verizon to manage JetBlue's network, data centers and help desk

2009-10-07T19:42:00.001-04:00

Technorati Tags: Verizon,Network,Outsourcing

AT&T Reverses Course on Internet Phone Apps

2009-10-06T16:55:00.001-04:00

Read WSJ.com Article

A Carrier Caves in, chalk one up for Network Neutrality, Consumers win! - AT&T to Allow Internet Phone Apps

Technorati Tags: Network Neutrality,Internet,Mobile

Millions of people use the Internet to research drugs

2009-10-05T00:04:00.001-04:00

Click Here for HealthcareIT News Article

Technorati Tags: ITHealthcare,Internet

Virtualization: Tips for avoiding server overload

2009-10-04T22:11:00.001-04:00

ComputerWorld Article: Virtualization: Tips for avoiding server overload

Technorati Tags: Virtualization,Server,IT

Credit-card security standards questioned, survey says – I DO NOT Agree

2009-10-01T01:27:00.001-04:00

Click Here for Lionel Wilson Blog Post

I should first state that I have not seen this Ponemon survey that was mentioned by the author of the above-referenced blog post. I have requested to see it.

Most IT security professionals who must comply with the industry standards to protect credit card data think those standards have no impact at all on actual security, according to new study by Ponemon Institute.

As an Infrastructure and Security Professional, I do not agree with this statement and would welcome the opportunity to review the source survey. PCI DSS has had a huge positive impact (albeit SOX-like painful) and has significantly raised the bar (which was the intent) in protecting Credit Card Privacy information.

10 of the Worst Moments in Network Security History And they say the main benefit of meeting the standards isn't better security, its better relationships with business partners who regard payment card industry (PCI) compliance as an easy-to-read sign that businesses are paying attention to protecting the personal data of people who use credit cards, the study says.

While there clearly have been a number of well documented “PCI-related” data breaches showing up in the news, I see the point that the author is making about Business relationships. Firstly, if you look carefully at the details of some of these breaches, like TJX for example:

WSJ Article on TJX Breach

Read the WSJ Article (linked above) on the TJX breach. This was a failure of BASIC NETWORK SECURITY Best Practices, notwithstanding PCI guidelines. You may find that many, if not all of the infamous breaches, were a result of less than vigorous compliance.

Secondly, as far as the blogger’s view of the “main benefit” of PCI, notwithstanding the blogger’s sarcasm about Merchant relationships, but a lot of it has to do with liability. The Credit Card companies, The Banks, The Credit Card Processors and ultimately the Merchants, all get named in Lawsuits when customer data is exploited. As a result, PCI is an industry self-governing attempt to curb the liability. That generally translates into greater security controls and governance.

Keep in the forefront that this “survey” was conducted for a Security Software developer, not an industry watchdog group. I offer no disrespect to Imperva. While I HAVE NOT SEEN the survey, I have to question these statements until more details can be made available.

"PCI does not necessarily mean better security within the hearts and minds of respondents," says Larry Ponemon who conducted "PCI DSS Compliance Survey" for Imperva, which makes database and Web application security products.

This next section is particularly perplexing as even lay observers can surmise that PCI controls (if implemented vigorously) provide greater levels of security. Much of PCI is plain common sense and Best Practices.

The benefit of PCI compliance cited most often by the IT security pros polled was that it improves relationships with business partners, not that it made data more secure.

There is certainly nothing wrong with questioning the effectiveness of any industry governance code. My concern here is that the concerns raised by the blogger / author do not “appear” to be based on common sense or yet to be seen facts. Common sense alone (although, common sense apparently is not always common) should indicate that any set of guidelines, PCI or otherwise, would increase effectiveness, let alone the PCI DSS standard which has sustained continued scrutiny from insiders, outsiders and litigators. It is almost preposterous to state that the implementation, compliance and adherence to PCI DSS “standards have no impact at all on actual security”

Let the people decide.

Ne feceris ut rideam

(Don't make me laugh)

Technorati Tags: PCI,Security,Privacy,Credit Card,Technology,Audit

The FCC's Heavy Hand? or Hand’s Off?

2009-09-29T14:03:00.001-04:00

Click Here for Washington Post Article

The debate and the battle for Net Neutrality is heating up. Resources are being marshaled. Rhetoric is spinning. Tweeters are, well you know, Tweeting.

In my opinion, this is a straightforward, if not simple concept, called Net Neutrality. If you click on the Net Neutrality link, you will find Wikipedia’s definition:

“Network neutrality (also net neutrality, Internet neutrality) is a principle proposed for residential broadband networks and potentially for all networks. A neutral broadband network is one that is free of restrictions on content, sites, or platforms, on the kinds of equipment that may be attached, and on the modes of communication allowed, as well as one where communication is not unreasonably degraded by other communication streams.”

Essentially it is a PROPOSAL that ISPs do not make performance or destination decisions based upon content or application. Why is this important to both consumers and providers alike? Because as a consumer, you pay a fee for unbridled or unfettered access (not without some legal governance) to receive or transmit content, to and from whatever site(s) & applications that you wish, based upon the data plan that you have subscribed to (To be Fair, it is NOT Free).

I have written on this topic before ( Internet Network Neutrality – You Should Know the Basics, FCC Chairman To Smack Down ISPs That Throttle Data , Net Neutrality? AT&T Asks for Curbs on Google ).

Imagine that you have signed up for some type of Internet Phone Service that of course uses your home or business internet access. Maybe you did not consider or was not impressed with the competing offer that your ISP has made for a similar type of service. What if the ISP were to (due to compelling competitive pressures) place their thumb on the scale and slow down or inhibit in some way your service, while theirs (the ISP), gets full network access? Hmmmm. Would it be OK if Verizon or AT&T degraded in some way your cell phone access or 3rd party application because you didn’t purchase that competing product from them? again, Hmmmm.

Mr. Genachowski (FCC Chairman) explains it this way: ISPs "cannot block or degrade lawful traffic over their networks, or pick winners by favoring some content or applications over others in the connection to subscribers' homes." In short, ISPs, which have poured billions of dollars into building infrastructure, would have little control -- if any -- over the kinds of information and technology flowing through their pipes.

This is a good summation from the FCC Chairman. Why would we want the ISPs to operate without any reasonable governance? I am certainly NOT in favor of bigger government and we also have a heavy load of laws already on the books.

Nonetheless, ISPs should not be in a position, or allowed to make content-based or application-based decisions that are within the traffic payload.

This is not about the FCC telling Comcast or Time-Warner how to run their businesses. We don’t want government to do that. To be fair to the providers, they have spent fortunes on building and maintaining their technology infrastructures.

Rich-content services from Smartphones, Blackberrys and iPhones are surely stretching the capacity of each carriers’ internal network. I can personally relate to this as I have been building and managing corporate-based infrastructures for many years. ( My Web Site Profile ) There is an old saying for this: “Cost of Doing Business”. The investments that the providers have made are expected to turn a profit because they are charging subscribers for their services. The services should be offered equally and have equal expectation of performance in line with the subscription plan.

The detractors (author of the Washington Post Editorial, see Link above) would have you believe that this is about government meddling into the affairs of of corporate America. Not so, I say.

But unneeded regulation could still interfere with their ability to manage bandwidth-hogging applications that can hamper service, especially during peak times.

Again, the providers will need to manage the capacity of their networks as consumers acquire devices like data hungry iPhones (maybe that's why Verizon doesn’t offer it??)

Mr. Genachowski claims that the FCC "will do as much as we need to do, and no more, to ensure that the Internet remains an unfettered platform for competition, creativity and entrepreneurial activity."

“Unfettered” access (commensurate with a paid subscriber plan) is the goal that we should all seek. The providers made the investments and should expect to see a return. The service is not free as this is a subscriber service and the providers are in a business to make money for their owners and shareholders. That concept should not get in front providing equal access. The internet can be a wonderful resource as it has matured from some amazing innovations. We shouldn’t be surprised that at this juncture, people actually want to use the internet. Let’s make sure we keep it on a level playing field.

Si tu id aeficas, ei venient. Ager somnia

(If you build it, they will come)

Technorati Tags: internet,isp,Network Neutrality,FCC

Net Neutrality? AT&T Asks for Curbs on Google

2009-09-29T12:18:00.001-04:00

Click Here for WSJ Online Article

By AMY SCHATZ

WASHINGTON -- AT&T Inc. alleged Friday that Google Inc.'s Google Voice service is improperly preventing consumers from calling certain phone numbers, in violation of federal call-blocking rules.

What’s good for the Goose (or Google), should be good for the Gander. Net Neutrality cannot be applied or invoked when it is convenient based upon a competitive dispute. Either we all subscribe to and adhere to the tenants of Net Neutrality or we don’t. Does AT&T eat it’s own dog food?

Google's view of Net Neutrality, what is your view?

The Internet is here now and we have to deal with it’s governance.

Si tu id aeficas, ei venient. Ager somnia

(If you build it, they will come)

Follow me on Twitter

Technorati Tags: Network Neutrality,Internet,Google,ATT

Physical Security - Organized Crime and Retail Theft: Facts and Myths

2009-09-29T12:05:00.001-04:00

Click Here for CSO Article

Small, loosely connected gangs illustrate the challenge of stopping organized retail theft

This isn’t exactly the stuff that makes it into Organized Crime Drama Plots such as The Sopranos from HBO.

In the Retail Space, crime does not draw the same attention and glitz as has been popularized in the HBO hit series. Some Retailers, like Target, have made some improvements to security:

Target's success at holding the line on retail crime comes from the way it organizes itself. Its cuts have been strategic, not wholesale. The store also has a four-pronged approach in place to battle organized theft:

1. Diverse hiring in the security department. Target doesn't just hire from law enforcement. Brekke himself is a lawyer who spent a number of years at the Federal Bureau of Investigation before coming to Target in 1997. Target has an internal forensics lab for lifting fingerprints, and it also hires people with experience in information systems, finance and analytics so it can look for patterns that help it predict where thieves might strike next.

2. Intergroup cooperation. Target collaborates through vehicles like LERPnet (Law Enforcement Retail Partnership and Network), an information-sharing network between big retailers and law enforcement; and the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance, a government and industry collaboration for fighting cybercrime.

3. Technology. Target now uses IP-based camera systems that allow for remote surveillance of its stores.

4. Partnerships. Besides national information-sharing efforts like LERPnet, Target works to form alliances with various law enforcement officials and with other retailers.

REFUND FRAUD
In one recent case, Target helped snare a four-person ring committing refund fraud. Refund fraud happens when people buy something, remove it from its box, put something of similar weight into the box, reseal it, return it, then sell the original item on an Internet auction site like eBay.

Technology’s role in this has two sides. One being quite murky in the sense that tech sites like eBay are being used by scoundrels to move their ill-gotten gains. Technology has also played a role in defending and assisting law-enforcement in tracking down suspects and locating the “loot”

Technology giveth, technology taketh away. Internet auction sites are an important tool for thieves. They can sell goods to wider audiences than those of flea markets.

Collaboration is the key as is suggested by the article. Nonetheless, this sector of crime is in the Billions of dollars.

Technorati Tags: Retail,Crime,Technology,Security

I Just Donated Blood, Give the Gift of Life

2009-09-27T20:57:00.000-04:00

I am passionate about this topic, as a result, I have re-posted this. Get passionate yourself!

Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you who makes the choice to donate. There is no substitute for your donation.

When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group. Currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood.

From its beginning, the American Red Cross has formed a community of service, of generous, strong and decent people bound by beliefs beyond themselves. The American Red Cross blood donor embodies this principle. Please join us in our mission to maintain a safe and stable blood supply by making your appointment to donate blood today.

Give Blood - Give the Gift of Life - Click Here

Find a Blood Bank Near You - American Association of Blood Banks

Technorati Tags: Donate Blood,Red Cross,IT,Health