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BEST CREDIT CARD OFFERS

2011-08-16T23:22:00.010+02:00

0% APR Introductory Rate, Low Interest, Cash Back, Rewards and Gas Rebate Credit Card ...
Here is a good article :

Intro APR	APR	Rewards
-	15.99% - 22.99% Variable*	Cash Back

Chase Freedom^® Visa - $200 Bonus Cash Back

Click “APPLY HERE” to apply online or call 1-888-466-9550
Earn $200 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in purchases in your first 3 months
5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent on Gas, Hotel and Airline purchases from 7/1/11 - 9/30/11
You'll enjoy new 5% categories every 3 months like grocery stores, dining, department stores and even home improvement stores. It's free and easy to activate your bonus each quarter!
Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases without limits on what you can earn
Up to an additional 10% Cash Back when you shop online at select merchants through Chase
No annual fee and cash back rewards never expire
This offer is for people with an excellent credit history
Excellent credit history means, among other things, that you have a credit history clear of bankruptcy and seriously delinquent accounts

Intro APR Purchases	APR	Rewards
0%	11.9% - 19.9% (V)	Miles

Capital One^® VentureOne^SM Rewards Credit Card

To apply online click the “Apply Now” button or call 1-866-582-0808
1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Earn 10,000 bonus miles, equal to $100 in travel
Redeem miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals and more
No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire
Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates
0% intro APR on purchases until August 2012
No foreign transaction fees
No annual fee

Intro APR Purchases	APR	Rewards
0%	11.99% - 22.99% Variable*	Cash Back

Chase Freedom^® Visa - $100 Bonus Cash Back

Click “APPLY HERE” to apply online or call 1-866-524-0425
Earn $100 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in purchases in your first 3 months
0% Intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers and 6 months on purchases - no annual fee and cash back rewards never expire
5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent on Gas, Hotel and Airline purchases from 7/1/11 - 9/30/11
You'll enjoy new 5% categories every 3 months like grocery stores, dining, department stores and even home improvement stores. It's free and easy to activate your bonus each quarter!
Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases without limits on what you can earn
Up to an additional 10% Cash Back when you shop online at select merchants through Chase
This offer is for people with an excellent credit history
Excellent credit history means, among other things, that you have a credit history clear of bankruptcy and seriously delinquent accounts

Intro APR Purchases	APR	Rewards
0%	11.99% - 20.99% (V)*	-

Citi^® Platinum Select^® MasterCard^®

To apply online click the "Apply Now" button or call 1-800-419-5006.
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 21 months. After that, the APR will be 11.99%-20.99% based upon your creditworthiness.
Extra Cash from Citi: enjoy discounts on gift cards, travel, merchandise and more
Citi^® Identity Theft Solutions
Secure, free online account management
No annual fee*

Intro APR Purchases	APR	Rewards
0%	10.9% - 18.9% (V)	-

Capital One^® Platinum Prestige Credit Card

To apply online click the “Apply Now” button or call 1-866-582-0808
0% intro APR until November 2012 on balance transfers
0% intro APR until November 2012 on purchases
No annual fee
$0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
24-hour travel assistance gives you a replacement card and cash advance
24-hour roadside assistance
Pick an image for your card-choose the one shown here, any of the hundreds in our collection or add your own

Intro APR Purchases	APR	Rewards
0%	12.9% - 20.9% (V)	Cash Back

Capital One^® No Hassle Cash^SMRewards - Excellent Credit

To apply online click the “Apply Now” button or call 1-866-582-0808
2% cash back on gas and groceries
1% cash back on all other purchases
Bonus: Get up to 15% more cash back when you shop over 300 retailers
No annual fee
No limit on the cash you can earn and cash won't expire
Redeem cash rewards any time for any amount, even set up automatic redemption
0% intro APR on purchases until August 2012
Pick an image for your card-choose the one shown here, any of the hundreds in our collection or add your own

Intro APR Purchases	APR	Rewards
0%	11.99% - 20.99%(V)*	-

Citi^® Platinum Select^® Visa^®

0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 21 months. After that, the variable APR will be 11.99%-20.99% based on your creditworthiness.*
$0 Liability on unauthorized purchases
Citi^® Identity Theft Solutions
Secure, free online account management
No annual fee*

Intro APR Purchases	APR as low as	Rewards
0%	9.99% - 22.99% Variable*	-

Chase Freedom^® Visa - $50 Bonus Cash Back

Click “APPLY HERE” to apply online or call 1-800-851-2716
This offer is for people with an excellent credit history
Excellent credit history means, among other things, that you have a credit history clear of bankruptcy and seriously delinquent accounts
0% Intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers and 6 months on purchases - a variable APR as low as 9.99% -22.99% after your 0% ends
$50 Bonus Cash Back after your first purchase
5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent on Gas, Hotel and Airline purchases from 7/1/11 - 9/30/11
You'll enjoy new 5% categories every 3 months like grocery stores, dining, department stores and even home improvement stores. It's free and easy to activate your bonus each quarter!
Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases without limits on what you can earn and up to an additional 10% Cash Back when you shop online at select merchants through Chase
No annual fee and cash back rewards never expire

Credit card insurance: don't believe the hype

2011-08-09T15:58:00.002+02:00

At first glance, a credit card insurance policy sounds like a great deal: For mere pennies on every $100 of debt, your credit card bills will be paid even if you don't have the money. Sounds like a bargain, right?

As with everything in life, however, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Though many cardholders believe a policy will pay off the card completely, the reality is that most plans only cover the minimum payments. And even if you have the insurance, the company may make it difficult for you to collect.

Variations on a theme
Though programs and coverage will vary, there are four basic types of credit insurance:

Credit life insurance pays off the credit card balance owed at the time of the cardholder's death.
Credit disability insurance will make the minimum payment due for a specified period after a medical disability. Purchases made after the disability are generally excluded.
Credit involuntary unemployment insurance will cover the minimum payment if a cardholder is laid off for a specific period of time. Charges incurred after the layoff are excluded, and if you're fired, you're not covered.
Credit property insurance pays for credit card purchases if the items are damaged or, in some cases, stolen.

Nearly all credit card companies offer some form of credit insurance for a couple of very good reasons. "Some card companies really push credit insurance because the policies are extremely profitable," says Dennis O'Brien, president and founder of Coastal Financial Advisors. Indeed, the Center For Economic Justice estimates that credit insurance generates over $2 billion in revenue each year.

"It's always easiest to sell to your existing customers," adds Peter Bielagus, a licensed financial adviser and author of "Getting Loaded: Make A Million While You're Still Young Enough To Enjoy It."

Solicitations can come from a telemarketer, a flier tucked in with your statement or even a customer service rep who's helping you authorize a new card. They're also starting to show up in e-mail and online banner ads. Then, if you sign up, the issuer gets a cut of the sale from the insurance company -- which is usually an outside partner rather than an sister company or affiliate -- as does the phone rep who's trying to get you to sign up.

Bait and switch
According to Ken Clark, a certified financial planner and author of the forthcoming book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Out of Debt," the phone pitch typically describes the best-case scenario of how the insurance will work. "Very often, there are numerous exclusions for what type of death, disability or unemployment will be covered by the policy," he says. "In addition, there are often waiting periods or deductibles that prevent someone with a minor crisis from benefiting."

Unlike other kinds of insurance, credit insurance doesn't require a signature to purchase a policy. In many cases, all you have to do is verbally agree over the phone. With one popular offer, the first 30 days are free, and you'll only be billed after that period. What they don't mention is that it's often difficult to cancel, and Clark notes that it's not unheard of for an unscrupulous representative to sign you up without your consent.

In fact, it's happened to him at least twice in the last 10 years. After receiving multiple phone calls from his credit card companies offering the service -- he declined both times -- a monthly fee appeared on his statements anyway. The charges were removed after he called the company. "The customer service rep was confused and asked why I signed up if I didn't want it."

A bad deal
Financial experts agree that most people don't need credit card insurance for several reasons.

First, there's a very good chance you're already covered by another insurance policy. If your employer offers a standard $50,000 life insurance or short-term disability policy, you're covered. In addition, homeowners' insurance typically will pay for damaged property.

Also, other insurance policies are generally cheaper. "For example, term life insurance costs less and provides better coverage than a credit card policy," says Steven S. Camp, banking partner in the Dallas office of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. And if you have three credit cards, you'll need three separate credit card insurance policies to be sure you're totally covered.

Other forms of insurance provide more flexibility. "With credit card disability insurance, the policy will only make the card payments," says Bielagus. "With a traditional disability policy, the cardholder receives a check from the insurance company and can decide who and how much to pay."

The burden of proof
There's another problem. Collecting on a claim can be difficult, and the burden of proof is on the policy holder.

In the case of disability, the insurer often requires reports from doctors and hospitals, along with copies of medical tests and diagnoses. To collect on an involuntary unemployment claim, a cardholder will need to submit copies of bank statements, applications for unemployment and checks and proof that you're looking for a new job. If you land part-time employment, your claim will probably be denied because most companies pay only if you're 100 percent unemployed.

Since both disability and unemployment may be short-term, many cardholders conclude that the leg work required to collect for a minimum payment of $30 a month isn't worth the effort.

Furthermore, some cardholders have found out the hard way that even when their claim is approved, the payment from the insurance company may show up late or not at all, which can increase your balance with late fees, raise your interest rate on all of your credit accounts, and lower your credit score. These additional charges can easily exceed the minimum payment, putting you even further in the hole.

The irony is that the insurance companies will generally only pay an account in full if you have the great misfortune to die. After all, that can easily be proven with a death certificate.

Should anyone buy credit insurance?
"The people who need it the most are those folks who simply cannot get insurance elsewhere," says Bielagus. "The chief virtue of credit insurance is that it's easy to get. If you have a pre-existing condition that prevents you from getting life or disability insurance, then credit insurance might be worth considering."

O'Brien suggests that people who work in industries where layoffs and temporary unemployment cycles are frequent should consider involuntary unemployment insurance, though he admits it's not the best option. "If you're in this type of industry, it's better to put some money away for the expected periods of unemployment," he says. "It's also a good idea to have a fall-back employment option so you can work elsewhere if this happens frequently." Similarly, he adds that if your industry has a high rate of disability, the insurance may be worthwhile, but disability insurance is a much better option.

But he and other experts agree that it's a better idea to self-insure by making a small deposit each month into a savings account to draw on for the minimum payment. After all, it's better than opting for a plan that may not deliver if you find yourself facing financial challenges in case of disability or unemployment.

Read more: http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-insurance-1267.php#ixzz1UXXn72jw
Compare credit cards here - CreditCards.com

Credit card protection insurance: What you need to know

2011-08-09T15:55:00.004+02:00

Your credit card company may offer it under a variety of names. Credit card protection insurance. Credit Shield. Payment protection. Credit safeguard. But no matter what name it goes by, this insurance aims to provide the cardholder with the same thing: security in case unemployment, injury, disability, or death makes paying your monthly credit card bills impossible. By paying a monthly fee (which vary between issuers), if you should lose your job or become incapacitated, your credit card payments are put on hold and interest is suspended, often for as much as two years. This can help keep your credit rating intact during a rough patch, enabling you to remain in good standing with creditors.

But is paying for such a service worthwhile?

If you do suffer an unforeseen life event, credit insurance protection can be helpful in preventing your debt from spiraling beyond your control. As with any insurance, credit card insurance needs generally are very specific to a person's life situation.

To understand what your credit card company may offer, consider the four major types of credit insurance: life, disability, involuntary unemployment and property.

Credit life insurance pays the balance owed on your card when you die, provided the credit card company is named the beneficiary of the insurance.
Credit disability insurance covers the minimum payment due on your card for a specified period following a medical disability, with purchases made after you become disabled not covered.
Credit involuntary unemployment insurance pays the minimum amount due on your account should you be laid off from work or downsized for a certain length of time, with purchases made after you become unemployed not covered.
Credit property insurance may be included with your credit card and usually provides payment for items purchased with the card if the items are damaged or, in some cases, stolen.

With disability and unemployment credit card insurance, a drawback is that the payment made by the insurance is just the minimum monthly payment and often for a very limited time frame. Minimum payments are mostly between 2 percent and 3 percent of your balance, meaning interest will still accrue on the remaining 97 percent to 98 percent of what you owe. If you have more than one credit card, you must purchase separate insurance for each card. Meanwhile, for major illnesses, at the time of the incident you generally must have been employed for a minimum of 20 hours per week. The insurer will sometimes only pay off your minimum payment until a maximum benefit (generally $5,000 to $20,000) is reached or you return to work, whichever happens first.

Should you suffer a critical illness or death, the insurer will pay off your entire balance, saving your family members from having to make payments. In such cases, coverage may be limited to major afflictions. Once again, the credit card company will only pay up to a maximum benefit (generally $5,000 to $20,000).

Prior to signing up for credit card protection insurance, ask your card issuer the following questions:

What situations will the insurance pay for and which ones will it not cover?
Will the insurance cover a spouse or other supplementary cardholder?
Can you choose to purchase just one or two coverage options or do you have to purchase all of them?
What are the requirements for each policy -- such as if you miss a payment or your account is not in good standing when you file a claim?
Do age restrictions exist for life or disability insurance?
What does the insurance cost annually, and how frequently can rates go up?
How can the policy be canceled?

Before purchasing credit card or any insurance, be aware of exactly what you are getting and what it will cost over time.

Although your case may be covered depending on your situation, for many consumers credit card insurance is expensive and rarely pays off. Enrolling in credit card protection insurance effectively boosts your annual percentage rate. A premium is charged on a monthly basis, and is calculated by multiplying a set fee by your outstanding balance. Even if you lose your main income stream, secondary money from savings, investments, or other coverage (such as your employer's disability insurance) could help you make the minimum credit card payment. And hold on to any documents proving your illness, as you will have to include it with your insurance claim.

Additionally, be careful if you get a call from a person claiming to offer credit-loss protection from your credit card issuer. Many scammers use this technique to get you to provide your credit card number and expiration date by claiming they need this information to issue the insurance. You do not need credit-loss protection in most cases, since the cardholder is only held accountable for the first $50 of fraudulent charges made with their plastic and only then if they do not report the loss to the issuer in a prompt manner.

Credit card insurance ?

2011-07-29T21:39:00.001+02:00

A brand new year always starts off with new possibilities and opportunities. For many, a new year offers a fresh start, and thousands will make a New Year's resolution to get their financial matters more organized.

When sorting through various files regarding credit cards, many people may happen upon information regarding credit insurance. In fact, many people may be paying for this insurance and not even realize that they have it. Not a good idea-fees can sometimes be as high as $25 to $30 a month.

What is credit insurance?

In a time when credit card debt is at an all-time high-up to $500 billion last year-
many people turn to credit card insurance for a little security. Consumer Reports reveals that yearly sales of credit insurance total $6 billion.

Credit insurance is a type of coverage designed to pay off the minimum monthly payment in the event that a credit user cannot make their payments. Credit insurance is offered more and more, so if you haven't heard of it yet, chances are that you will. It is offered by credit card companies, banks, stores, car dealers…the list goes on.

The average rate of credit insurance is around 75 cents for each $100 of loan coverage per month. This means that if you carry a monthly balance of $3000, the insurance premium would cost you around $22 each month. That may not seem like a lot, but small sums add up: $22 dollars a month costs you $264 a year.

There are several types of credit insurance:

Credit disability insurance pays on your credit card bills if you become disabled.

Credit involuntary unemployment insurance pays on your credit card bills if you are fired.

Credit property insurance pays to fix or replace items bought on credit or used as collateral.

Credit life insurance pays off a debt if the borrower dies.

A typical credit insurance policy offers:

Voluntary enrollment
Cancellation at any time
Rates regulated by the state insurance commissioner, regardless of age, gender or health
Premium fee calculated on current monthly balance
Benefit of minimum monthly payment if borrower is disabled or unemployed
Full payment benefit in the event of death or dismemberment, with a cap set typically at $10,000
Personal credit rating maintained in good order in the event of disability or unemployment

The key thing to remember is what most insurance offers don't eagerly highlight: most coverage pays only the minimum monthly payment each month.

So is credit insurance worth the fee?

A strong debate exists regarding credit insurance. Supporters of credit insurance (usually those who offer it) say that it offers great protection for some credit users. For instance, a consumer who carries a large debt and who is in poor health may definitely benefit from the advantages of credit insurance should they become too ill to work.

Critics argue that it's a grand money maker for companies that offer the insurance, but a bad deal for consumers. They make a case that a life insurance policy would cost the consumer less and pay out more benefits. Indeed, the Consumer Credit Insurance Association notes that people who earn a lower income and don't have other types of insurance are the people who tend to use credit insurance the most.

Consumer Reports Online offers some key information on credit insurance for consumers who want to know more. Their report illustrates loss ratio (the proportion of claims paid by insurers to the amount of fees paid by consumers) and how it affects consumers.

So is it worth it? Again, it depends on your situation. Usually, however, the expense of credit insurance outweighs the potential benefits. Because most insurers pay only the minimum monthly payment when a claim is made, a better alternative to credit insurance might be to pay down debt and set aside funds for emergencies such as illness or job loss. As always, being informed of all the options will help you make the decision.

So take some time to sort through those files, get organized, and make the best of the year to come!

Click here for more credit education articles!

Please visit our Card Reports section to review our current credit card ratings.

Rebecca Lindsey is a Senior Staff Writer for CardRatings.com. She began writing articles about consumer credit issues for CardRatings.com in September 2000.

Originally Posted Jan. 2001- Updated Sept. 2004

Important Note! The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date that the article was written. Please keep in mind, though, that credit card offers and terms change frequently. Therefore, we can not guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card offer prior to applying.

Low Interest Credit Cards

2011-07-29T21:32:00.001+02:00

Here a list of low interest credit card ...

Capital One® Platinum Prestige Credit Card

Click "APPLY HERE" to apply online or call 866-533-0808
0% intro APR until October 2012 on balance transfers
0% intro APR until October 2012 on purchases
No annual fee
$0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
24-hour travel & emergency assistance gives you a replacement card and cash advance
24-hour roadside assistance
Travel accident insurance
Pick an image for your card—choose the one shown here, any of the hundreds in our collection, or add your own

Read more: http://www.creditcards.com/low-interest.php#ixzz1S6rPKA5Z
Compare credit cards here - CreditCards.com

Bank of America® Accelerated Cash Rewards™ American Express® Card

Click "APPLY HERE" to apply online or call 800-424-6365
Get a $50 statement credit after making at least $50 in retail purchases within the first 60 days of the account opening date. Get an additional $25 statement credit by using your Card for a qualifying purchase at select merchants
Earn 1.25% cash back on all purchases
No cap on dollar redemption - no limit to how much you can earn and rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open
No annual fee* and the flexibility to pay over time
Redeem your cash rewards for cash back payable in a check, statement credit, or direct deposit

Read more: http://www.creditcar ds.com/low-interest.php#ixzz1S6rlF0RZ
Compare credit cards here - CreditCards.com

Discover® More® Card

0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months, then the variable APR of 11.99% - 20.99%
0% intro APR on Purchases for 6 months, then the variable APR of 11.99% - 20.99%
5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, gas, groceries, restaurants, home improvement stores and more
Ranked #1 in customer loyalty (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
24/7 access to a U.S. based Account Manager within 60 seconds
$0 Fraud Liability plus automatic mobile and email fraud alerts
No annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee

Read more: http://www.creditcards.com/low-interest.php#ixzz1S6s0xzPt
Compare credit cards here - CreditCards.com

WORLDWIDE AND US TOP BANK

2011-07-29T21:20:00.002+02:00

TOP banks on U.S and worldwide

So today I got 2 lists from Allbanks.org which are very useful if you want to open a bank account

TOP 10 OF THE USA:

Rank	Institution	Headquarters	Assets
1.	Bank of America Corp.	Charlotte, N.C.	$1,082,243,000
2.	J. P. Morgan Chase & Company	Columbus, Ohio	1,013,985,000
3.	Citigroup	New York, N.Y	706,497,000
4.	Wachovia Corp.	Charlotte, N.C.	472,143,000
5.	Wells Fargo & Company	Sioux Falls, S.D.)	403,258,000
6.	U.S. BC	Cincinnati, Ohio	208,867,000
7.	Suntrust Banks, Inc.	Atlanta, Ga.	177,231,000
8.	HSBC North America Inc.	Wilmington, Del.	150,679,000
9.	Keybank	Cleveland, Ohio	88,961,000
10.	State Street Corp.	Boston, Mass.	87,888,000

TOP 50 OF THE WORLD:

Rank	Bank	Country	Assets, $ million	Capital, $ million	Balance Sheet
1	UBS AG	Switzerland	1,963,227	172.85	31.12.2006
2	Barclays	UK	1,951,041	3,198.28	31.12.2006
3	The Royal Bank of Scotland Group	UK	1,705,680	1,595.22	31.12.2006
4	Deutsche Bank AG	Germany	1,485,008	1,770.83	31.12.2006
5	BNP Paribas SA	France	1,483,934	11,442.56	31.12.2005
6	The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd	Japan	1,362,598	8,449.64	31.03.2006
7	ABN AMRO Holding NV	Netherlands	1,301,508	1,430.64	31.12.2006
8	Société Générale	France	1,261,657	760.81	31.12.2006
9	Crédit Agricole SA	France	1,251,997	20,665.25	31.12.2005
10	Bank of America NA	USA	1,196,124	2,878.89	31.12.2006
11	JPMorgan Chase Bank National Association	USA	1,179,390	1,785.00	31.12.2006
12	Banco Santander Central Hispano SA	Spain	1,099,516	4,123.35	31.12.2006
13	UniCredito Italiano SpA	Italy	1,085,554	6,404.20	31.12.2006
14	Credit Suisse Group	Switzerland	1,028,882	497.26	31.12.2006
15	Citibank NA	USA	1,019,497	751.00	31.12.2006
16	ING Bank NV	Netherlands	983,764	619.25	31.12.2005
17	Bank of Scotland	UK	890,936	853.40	31.12.2006
18	Fortis Bank NV/SA	Belgium	889,624	-	31.12.2006
19	Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation	Japan	884,978	5,635.95	31.03.2006
20	HSBC Bank plc	UK	862,713	1,559.99	31.12.2006
21	Commerzbank AG	Germany	802,135	2,248.15	31.12.2006
22	Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Limited	China	789,793	30,730.34	31.12.2005
23	Intesa Sanpaolo SpA	Italy	760,527	8,723.63	31.12.2006
24	Rabobank	Netherlands	733,722	-	31.12.2006
25	Caisses d'Epargne Group	France	711,644	5,214.93	31.12.2006
26	Agricultural Bank of China	China	684,673	-	31.12.2006
27	Lloyds TSB Group plc	UK	672,535	2,797.02	31.12.2006
28	Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank AG	Germany	669,875	2,969.41	31.12.2006
29	Dresdner Bank	Germany	655,705	1,981.80	31.12.2006
30	Natixis	France	604,738	18,979.43	31.12.2006
31	The Norinchukin Bank	Japan	599,747	12,416.45	31.03.2006
32	Mizuho Bank	Japan	593,302	5,508.94	31.03.2006
33	Bank of China Limited	China	587,694	25,950.66	31.12.2005
34	DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank	Germany	578,829	3,992.62	31.12.2006
35	National Westminster Bank Plc	UK	568,920	3,284.40	31.12.2006
36	China Construction Bank	China	568,232	27,841.81	31.12.2005
37	Calyon	France	567,724	7,876.86	31.12.2005
38	Landesbank Baden-Württemberg	Germany	564,680	6,488.96	31.12.2006
39	Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA	Spain	543,139	2,294.92	31.12.2006
40	Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd	Japan	527,236	9,076.74	31.03.2006
41	Wachovia Bank NA	USA	518,123	455.00	31.12.2006
42	Danske Bank A/S	Denmark	484,577	1,236.14	31.12.2006
43	Royal Bank of Canada	Canada	479,825	7,371.06	31.10.2006
44	Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)	Germany	473,067	4,351.27	31.12.2006
45	Bayerische Landesbank	Germany	465,741	6,352.37	31.12.2006
46	Nordea Group	Sweden	457,397	3,420.36	31.12.2006
47	Banque Fédérative du Crédit Mutuel	France	447,027	1,716.77	31.12.2006
48	Bank for International Settlements (BIS)	Switzerland	409,252	1,033.23	31.03.2007
49	The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation	Hong Kong	405,133	2,892.26	31.12.2006
50	Wells Fargo Bank NA	USA	398,671	520.00	31.12.2006

Here's What A Card Skimmer Looks Like On An ATM

2011-07-25T20:20:00.004+02:00

A lot of you have been asking to see what a skimmer looks like before it's yanked off an ATM. Are they easy to spot or virtually unnoticeable? Our reader Timeus works for a bank and deals with this sort of thing every day, and he sent in the following photos. Enjoy.

“

Now, let me explain some of the pictures. The scary thing when it comes to skimming device problems is that, the skimming device itself is only half the battle, per se. Take the following example.

See that gray rectangular box? That box was attached to the lighting above the ATM screen. If you look closely, you see a small pinhole in that box? There is a camera in that box, aimed right down at the ATM keypad where people enter their pin codes. Here's this device pulled off, sitting on the ground upside down, to show you the camera, with its Sony Lithium-Ion battery powering it.

[Editor's note: another reader, Will Z, sent us a link to a tiny battery-powered video camera he found through a simple Google product search. It looks strikingly familiar.]

Also included are pictures of the skimmer on the ATM, as some members of the site had asked to see, as well as the skimmer when it was removed.

The strange thing that gives this away to me as a skimming device is that the skimmer itself appears to be a part of what we call a Dip-Reader. A Dip Reader is where you slide your card in and out, like on the card reader you see in this picture of a Shell Gas Station card reader:

he other type of Card reader we use is what we call a motorized reader, where you slide your card in, and the machine takes the complete card, and then ejects it when you're done with your transactions. From the pics of this location, they stuck the housing for a dip-reader onto an ATM that has a motorized reader. That's a huge red flag to me, had I been someone who walked up to use this ATM before the reader was found.

”

Timeus also points out that even though the standard customer service rep may have no idea how to respond to your call if you try to report a suspected tampering, the bank's ATM security people will definitely want to know.

“

I won't lie, skimming devices are still uncommon to come across. I can't tell you how many times we've spoken to a technician who says, "Well what do you know? I've heard of these things but this is the first time I ever saw one, what do you want me to do with it?" Not to scare anyone, but I've spoken to more than one police officer who has said, "Ok, what do you want us to do with it?"

The bank has to tell these people what to do with them, a lot of the time. Some PD will hold the device as evidence while our investigations unit tries to build a case and find out who was responsible, some PD simply destroy it, it seems to vary frm one police department to the next.

[...]

If we get notified, we can begin notifying all potentially affected customers and begin the process of safeguarding their accounts. If we don't get notified, potentially hundreds, maybe thousands of accounts are at risk for fraud depending on how busy a particular ATM is.

[...]

We have procedures for situations where an ATM skimming device is found. There's almost always a number on the ATM to call in the case of any emergency, that goes directly to our Corporate Security Department. They will contact us, unless a customer gets to my department first via Customer Service. We would immediately shutdown the ATM, dispatch a Second level technician to the site to evaluate the situation, remove the device, and send out a Privacy Event Notification to our investigations department as well as dispatch the police to meet our vendor tech on-site. We would also pull all ATM logs and submit that information with the Privacy Event Notification to notify all customers who were potentially effected.

In the future, if you ever come across a skimming device on an ATM, if you have the time, I know we appreciate a call to be notified. Trust me when I say, when a device is found, "alarm and whistles" go off in my department, upper management is notified and everyone gets involved.

”

In other words, if you end up talking to a standard CSR who doesn't get what the big deal is, try to find a way to reach the bank's security or fraud department instead.

Airline Credit Cards

2011-07-19T22:26:00.001+02:00

The travel/airline credit cards listed below offer frequent flyer programs that provide cardholders with airline mileage credits. Frequent travelers can enjoy savings with a travel/airline credit card. Compare the following credit cards, then apply online for your choice of credit card by completing a secure application.

Search
Search through the Airline Credit Cards below.

Compare
Compare offers side by side in order to determine which card is best for you.

2011-07-19T22:22:00.001+02:00

This post provided by CardRatings.com.

Even as economists debate whether the U.S. could experience a double-dip recession, unemployed and underemployed Americans agree on one thing: looking for work can get expensive. Fortunately, the best credit cards offer ways that you can actually save money during your job hunt, as long as you use them responsibly.

Best credit card for the all-important interview outfit

In a recent interview, New York style adviser Allison Berlin told CBS News that few job seekers need to spend more than $500 on their core interview outfit. For women, a simple sheath dress and a sharp pair of shoes will fit the bill. Men should invest in a classic wool suit.

According to experts at Virginia Tech’s Career Services Center, your interview suit’s designer doesn’t matter nearly as much as how well it fits. Investing just $50 in custom alterations can make even an inexpensive suit or dress help you look corner-office ready.

Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express offers special department store bonuses to help you save money on your job-hunting togs. This top-rated credit card gives you 2 percent cash back on regular department store purchases. AmEx has also partnered with online retailers to save you even more money on select sales events. There’s no annual fee, and you can even qualify for up to 12 months at zero interest.

If you make the first cut and are called back for a second interview, personal finance expert Barbara Friedberg suggests scanning department stores for clearance-priced accessories. Jazz up your basic suit or dress with a pop of color from a sharp tie or an accent pin. If you feel overdressed during your first interview, hit the sale racks for a blazer and matching slacks or skirt.

Best credit card for basic job-hunting expenses

Chase Freedom Visa has been rotating through a series of attractive cash-back offers all year. Right now, they’re offering a $200 cash rebate if you use your new card consistently for six months. Get $100 back after spending your first $500 before month three, and get another $100 back when you spend another $1,000 before the half-year mark. This means that Chase could end up picking up half the tab for your basic interview wardrobe.

You’ll also get 1 percent cash back on all your purchases, giving you something back on related expenses such as online job-search services, networking power breakfasts, resume preparation, interview coaching, and so on.

Best credit card to keep the gas tank full

A government survey estimates that most Americans spend just under a half-hour commuting to work every day. When researchers from Gallup excluded telecommuters from a similar poll, they bumped their best guess to a 45-minute round trip to the office. Your first commute, of course, is to the job interview.

Booking multiple interviews could force you to drive in opposite directions throughout the week, so you could easily spend a chunk of your savings on gasoline. Gas rewards cards shave some of those costs, letting you earn back some of your gas money as rebates or bonus merchandise.

PenFed Platinum Cash Back Rewards can keep you moving through the job market with an unusual combination of bonus rebates and low finance charges. New cardholders can earn 5 percent cash back when they pay at the pump, paying back $1.50 on every $30 tank of gas. There is no annual fee, and its current 13.99 percent APR is among the lowest available.

Of course, PenFed reserves its best rewards credit card for applicants with excellent credit. According to the credit union’s website, unemployment doesn’t necessarily block you from contention, as long as your credit profile shows that you’ve worked hard to pay your existing bills on time.

Best credit card for out-of-town job offers

Today’s job market forces us to make hard decisions. Sometimes, the right opportunity just isn’t in our own backyard. According to government statistics, about one in eight Americans told census takers that job opportunities prompted their most recent move.

And about three in 10 of us moved to stay close to family members, including spouses who had to relocate for work. Not every employer foots the bill for candidates to interview in person, making a flexible travel card essential if you intend to take your job hunt on the road.

VentureOne Rewards from Capital One offers the benefits of an airline credit card with the earnings potential of a traditional cash rebate credit card. With no annual fee, this Capital One credit card plugs cardholders into an innovative way to earn free travel.

You’ll get “miles” for every dollar you spend on the card, which you can trade for flights on any airline. Use your leftover miles for hotel stays and car rental fees, and your entire out-of-town interview could cost you nothing out of pocket.

Can I get a credit card if I’m not working now?

If you’re not currently employed, applying for a new credit card while you’re looking for work may sound like an exercise in futility. But as long as you’ve stayed current with your credit card payments, lenders still want to see your application.

Consider hanging out a consulting shingle and applying as a self-employed business owner. It’s a job-hunting strategy that many professionals use, anyway. Your prospective credit card issuer really cares more about whether you’re a solid risk than where you intend to work.

Just make sure you don’t use a new line of credit to replace your lost income. Stay frugal and focused, using your credit card’s rewards to offset the cost of finding a new job–even if you’re presently employed.

Important Note! The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we can not guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

The original article can be found at CardRatings.com:
“Best credit cards for job seekers“

Why closing your oldest credit card may be a bad idea.

2011-07-19T22:13:00.003+02:00

Credit Score Report

Jeremy M. Simon covers credit scoring and other issues as a staff reporter for CreditCards.com.

Ask a question.

'Credit Score Report' stories

Dear Credit Score Report,
I'm reading your articles and several of them stress length of credit history as an important factor. Let me tell you about myself: I have had credit cards for 20 years, pay them off in full, have never been late and have a credit score in the 780 range. But my two oldest cards have both gotten worse in the past year or so. Both have higher rates and one imposed an annual fee. I get offers for better cards all the time. But if I close the old cards and have two new cards instead, will my credit rating go down? What's the logic of that? I'm no riskier than I was before. -- Jaconda

Hey Jaconda,
Even if the logic may not seem obvious at first, closing those cards will likely make your FICO score fall. That's because closing your oldest accounts will shorten your borrowing history, making it appear you have less experience using credit cards than you actually do.

As you probably know, the FICO credit scoring model looks favorably on consumers who have long histories of responsible credit card use. With 20 years as a borrower and a credit score in the high 700s, you are obviously among them. Although it's unfortunate your banks are risking the loss of a good customer by raising your interest rates and imposing an annual fee, your high credit score means you have the option of applying -- and likely getting approved -- for a new card. According to our 2011 credit card fee survey, 95 percent of credit cards don't charge an annual fee -- so you have options.

But the news isn't all good: If you choose to close your oldest accounts, that will eventually shorten the credit history listed on your credit reports, which may cause a drop in your FICO score. Closing accounts when you have outstanding balances can also boost utilization ratios -- which measure debt relative to credit limits -- and hurt your credit score. (However, if you replace the closed cards with two new cards, keeping your total available credit about the same, that shouldn't be much of an issue for you.) Both of those changes will make you look riskier to lenders.

Closed accounts will remain on your credit reports for only so long. While those accounts won't vanish immediately, they will eventually be taken off your credit reports. Accounts with positive credit history, such as yours, remain on reports for 10 years; accounts with negative history, meanwhile, remain for seven years from the date of first delinquency. Once your oldest accounts disappear, the FICO scoring model won't be able to consider them, since the score is generated at a specific moment in time. Whatever appears on your reports at that moment can go into your FICO score, while anything that doesn't appear can't be considered.

Here's an example that I hope will help: Right now you have two cards that are 20 years old. Let's say that in addition to those cards, you have another account that has only been open for five years. That means after you close those old accounts and they drop off your credit history, your credit report will only include the newer account, effectively trimming your credit history by 15 years (the difference between the oldest and newest accounts). Based on your abbreviated credit history, your FICO score may fall.

Maybe you can avoid closing those accounts. If you never carry a balance past the bank's due date, then it shouldn't matter how high your credit card's interest rate goes. If you're unhappy with that new interest rate, however, call the bank and let them know that you are a responsible, long-standing customer who would like to have your interest rate reversed back to what yours once had. Don't threaten to close an account unless you're willing to do so, but with your good credit, you can easily transfer a credit card balance.

Similarly, I'd encourage you to call the card issuer that imposed an annual fee and see about having it removed from your account. If they won't budge, you can always close that account and leave the other old card open. If those cards are the same age, closing one will still leave you with 20 years of credit history. If the card you close is older, at least you'll still hang onto most of your credit history by maintaining the second-oldest account in your wallet.

You've spent 20 years building a good credit history, and it would be a shame to lose it now.

Good luck!

--Jeremy

What is a credit card ?

2011-07-14T21:27:00.002+02:00

A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services.^[1] The issuer of the card creates a revolving account and grants a line of credit to the consumer (or the user) from which the user can borrow money for payment to a merchant or as a cash advance to the user.
A credit card is different from a charge card: a charge card requires the balance to be paid in full each month. In contrast, credit cards allow the consumers a continuing balance of debt, subject to interest being charged. A credit card also differs from a cash card, which can be used like currency by the owner of the card. Most credit cards are issued by banks or credit unions, and are the shape and size specified by the ISO/IEC 7810 standard as ID-1. This is defined as 85.60 × 53.98 mm (3.370 × 2.125 in) (3³/₈ × 2¹/₈ in) in size.

ATM

2011-07-14T20:37:00.001+02:00

Many credit cards can also be used in an ATM to withdraw money against the credit limit extended to the card, but many card issuers charge interest on cash advances before they do so on purchases. The interest on cash advances is commonly charged from the date the withdrawal is made, rather than the monthly billing date. Many card issuers levy a commission for cash withdrawals, even if the ATM belongs to the same bank as the card issuer. Merchants do not offer cashback on credit card transactions because they would pay a percentage commission of the additional cash amount to their bank or merchant services provider, thereby making it uneconomical.
Many credit card companies will also, when applying payments to a card, do so at the end of a billing cycle, and apply those payments to everything before cash advances. For this reason, many consumers have large cash balances, which have no grace period and incur interest at a rate that is (usually) higher than the purchase rate, and will carry those balance for years, even if they pay off their statement balance each month.

Credit card cost

2011-07-14T20:36:00.000+02:00

Credit card issuers (banks) have several types of costs:

[edit] Interest expenses

Banks generally borrow the money they then lend to their customers. As they receive very low-interest loans from other firms, they may borrow as much as their customers require, while lending their capital to other borrowers at higher rates. If the card issuer charges 15% on money lent to users, and it costs 5% to borrow the money to lend, and the balance sits with the cardholder for a year, the issuer earns 10% on the loan. This 10% difference is the "net interest spread" and the 5% is the "interest expense".

[edit] Operating costs

This is the cost of running the credit card portfolio, including everything from paying the executives who run the company to printing the plastics, to mailing the statements, to running the computers that keep track of every cardholder's balance, to taking the many phone calls which cardholders place to their issuer, to protecting the customers from fraud rings. Depending on the issuer, marketing programs are also a significant portion of expenses.

[edit] Charge offs

When a consumer becomes severely delinquent on a debt (often at the point of six months without payment), the creditor may declare the debt to be a charge-off. It will then be listed as such on the debtor's credit bureau reports (Equifax, for instance, lists "R9" in the "status" column to denote a charge-off.)
A charge-off is considered to be "written off as uncollectable." To banks, bad debts and even fraud are simply part of the cost of doing business.
However, the debt is still legally valid, and the creditor can attempt to collect the full amount for the time periods permitted under state law, which is usually 3 to 7 years. This includes contacts from internal collections staff, or more likely, an outside collection agency. If the amount is large (generally over $1500–$2000), there is the possibility of a lawsuit or arbitration.

[edit] Rewards

Many credit card customers receive rewards, such as frequent flyer points, gift certificates, or cash back as an incentive to use the card. Rewards are generally tied to purchasing an item or service on the card, which may or may not include balance transfers, cash advances, or other special uses. Depending on the type of card, rewards will generally cost the issuer between 0.25% and 2.0% of the spread. Networks such as Visa or MasterCard have increased their fees to allow issuers to fund their rewards system. Some issuers discourage redemption by forcing the cardholder to call customer service for rewards. On their servicing website, redeeming awards is usually a feature that is very well hidden by the issuers. With a fractured and competitive environment, rewards points cut dramatically into an issuer's bottom line, and rewards points and related incentives must be carefully managed to ensure a profitable portfolio. Unlike unused gift cards, in whose case the breakage in certain US states goes to the state's treasury, unredeemed credit card points are retained by the issuer.

[edit] Fraud

In relative numbers the values lost in bank card fraud are minor, calculated in 2006 at 7 cents per 100 dollars worth of transactions (7 basis points).^[18] In 2004, in the UK, the cost of fraud was over £500 million.^[19] When a card is stolen, or an unauthorized duplicate made, most card issuers will refund some or all of the charges that the customer has received for things they did not buy. These refunds will, in some cases, be at the expense of the merchant, especially in mail order cases where the merchant cannot claim sight of the card. In several countries, merchants will lose the money if no ID card was asked for, therefore merchants usually require ID card in these countries. Credit card companies generally guarantee the merchant will be paid on legitimate transactions regardless of whether the consumer pays their credit card bill. Most banking services have their own credit card services that handle fraud cases and monitor for any possible attempt at fraud. Employees that are specialized in doing fraud monitoring and investigation are often placed in Risk Management, Fraud and Authorization, or Cards and Unsecured Business. Fraud monitoring emphasizes minimizing fraud losses while making an attempt to track down those responsible and contain the situation. Credit card fraud is a major white collar crime that has been around for many decades, even with the advent of the chip based card (EMV) that was put into practice in some countries to prevent cases such as these. Even with the implementation of such measures, credit card fraud continues to be a problem.

[edit] Promotion

Promotional purchase is any purchase on which separate terms and conditions are set on each individual transaction unlike a standard purchase where the terms are set on the cardholder’s account record and their pricing strategy. All promotional purchases that post to a particular account will be carrying its own balance called as Promotional Balance.

[edit] Revenues

Offsetting costs are the following revenues:

[edit] Interchange fee

Main article: Interchange fee

In addition to fees paid by the card holder, merchants must also pay interchange fees to the card-issuing bank and the card association.^[20]^[21] For a typical credit card issuer, interchange fee revenues may represent about a quarter of total revenues.^[22]
These fees are typically from 1 to 6 percent of each sale, but will vary not only from merchant to merchant (large merchants can negotiate lower rates^[22]), but also from card to card, with business cards and rewards cards generally costing the merchants more to process. The interchange fee that applies to a particular transaction is also affected by many other variables including: the type of merchant, the merchant's total card sales volume, the merchant's average transaction amount, whether the cards were physically present, how the information required for the transaction was received, the specific type of card, when the transaction was settled, and the authorized and settled transaction amounts. In some cases, merchants add a surcharge to the credit cards to cover the interchange fee, encouraging their customers to instead use cash, debit cards, or even cheques.

[edit] Interest on outstanding balances

Interest charges vary widely from card issuer to card issuer. Often, there are "teaser" rates in effect for initial periods of time (as low as zero percent for, say, six months), whereas regular rates can be as high as 40 percent. In the U.S. there is no federal limit on the interest or late fees credit card issuers can charge; the interest rates are set by the states, with some states such as South Dakota, having no ceiling on interest rates and fees, inviting some banks to establish their credit card operations there. Other states, for example Delaware, have very weak usury laws. The teaser rate no longer applies if the customer doesn't pay their bills on time, and is replaced by a penalty interest rate (for example, 23.99%) that applies retroactively.

[edit] Fees charged to customers

The major fees are for:

Late payments or overdue payments
Charges that result in exceeding the credit limit on the card (whether done deliberately or by mistake), called overlimit fees
Returned cheque fees or payment processing fees (e.g. phone payment fee)
Cash advances and convenience cheques (often 3% of the amount)
Transactions in a foreign currency (as much as 3% of the amount). A few financial institutions do not charge a fee for this.
Membership fees (annual or monthly), sometimes a percentage of the credit limit.
Exchange rate loading fees (sometimes these might not be reported on the customer's statement, even when applied).^[23] The variation of exchange rates applied by different credit cards can be very substantial, as much as 10% according to a Lonely Planet report in 2009.^[24]

Namecheap - Un nom de domaine à 1.99$ !

2011-07-07T20:34:00.001+02:00

Pour ceux qui souhaite un nom de domaine à bas prix, c'est ici que ça se passe, dépêchez vous :
Le Lien

Digicube - Un serveur dédié à 11.95e TTC/mois

2011-07-07T20:08:00.001+02:00

Voila ça se passe sur http://www.digicube.fr/details/small
En enlevant les options, on arrive a un tarif de 11.95 TTC, malheureusement des frais d'installations de 50e sont nécessaire, mais sur le long terme on reste gagnant.

Un site de l´OTAN piraté

2011-07-07T08:42:00.001+02:00

Des dossiers et des fichiers appartenant à l´OTAN diffusés sur la toile. Le groupe de pirates informatiques Inj3ct0r Team, crew officiant sur la toile depuis 2003, vient de mettre en ligne un document baptisé "NATO Tomcat 5.5 Servlet Backup".

Son contenu, 2646 fichiers qui appartiendraient à un serveur de l'OTAN. «Très bientôt, toutes vos stupides idées seront publiées sur WikiLeaks.» expliquent les Hackers. Les pirates reprochent à l'OTAN le financement des armes nucléaires et de ne pas avoir suffisamment sécurisé son serveur.

Fin juin, c'était la bibliothèque de l'OTAN a être visité, mais sans fuite de contenus.

En mars 2008, l'OTAN annonçait prendre très au sérieux les menaces informatiques. Le piratage informatique était même aligné au niveau des attaques de missiles. Suleyman Anil, en charge de la sécurité informatique à L'OTAN, expliquait lors d'une conférence dédiée au cyber-crime, (E-Crime congress à Londres) que le piratage informatique était devenu une des inquiétudes de l'Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord. L'espionnage en ligne et l'e-terrorisme représentant maintenant de vraies menaces "Le piratage informatique est maintenant mentionnée au plus haut niveau avec les attaques de missiles et l'énergie, confiait Suleyman, Ces attaques sont de plus en plus nombreuses, nous ne croyons pas que ce problème disparaisse rapidement à moins que des mesures à l'échelle mondiale soient prises. Le piratage informatique peut devenir un problème global." A cette époque, ZATAZ.COM vous révélait une fuite de données appartenant à un site de l'OTAN dédié à une grande manœuvre sous marine.

En juin, l´Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord classifiait les Anonymous comme étant dangereux.

Voir l'article original

Webacula sous Windows - Installation et utilisation

2010-08-12T22:40:00.004+02:00

Voila dernier article consacré à bacula, on voit ici comment installer/configurer webacula sous Windows.

WEBACULA

Installation

1. Extraire webacula-3.5 dans C:\xampp\htdocs.

2. Le renommer en webacula.

3. Dans le fichier php.ini (C:\xampp\php) vérifier que ces lignes soient décommenté (enlever le #):

extension=php_pdo.dll

extension=php_pdo_pgsql.dll

extension=php_gd2.dll

extension=php_xmlrpc.dll

extension=php_pdo_mysql_libmysql.dll

extension=php_pdo_pgsql.dll

4. Dans le fichier httpd.conf (C:\xampp\httpd.conf) ajouter en fin de fichier :

Alias "/webacula" "c:\xampp\htdocs\webacula\html"

RewriteEngine on

Options FollowSymLinks

AllowOverride All

Order deny,allow

Allow from 127.0.0.1

# your network

Allow from 192.161.150.0/255.255.255.0

AuthType Basic

AuthName "Webacula"

AuthUserFile c:\xampp\apache\webacula.users

Require valid-user

</Directory>

5. Créer le fichier mot de passe :

cd c:\xampplite\apache\bin

htpasswd.exe -c C:\xampplite\apache\webacula.users bacula

6. Tous les scripts php (webacula/application) de webacula sont à la base pour linux et non compatible avec dos, les scripts sont de la forme :

$astatusdir = $director->execDirector(

"<<EOF

status dir

@quit

EOF"

);

Pour les rendre compatible avec Windows il faut tous les modifier en créant un fichier temporaire, le script précédent devient :

$tmpfname = tempnam ("/tmp", "FOO");

$handle = fopen($tmpfname, "w");

fwrite($handle, "status dir \n@quit");

fseek($handle,0);

fclose($handle);

$astatusdir = $director->execDirector(

"< ".$tmpfname

);

unlink($tmpfname);

J'ai crée une archive contenant tous les fichiers de configuration necessaire au bon fonctionnement de webacula sous windows: http://code.google.com/p/webaculawindows/downloads/list

7. Installer le zend framework :

Extraire l’archive zendframework

Copier le dossier library dans le dossier C:\xampplite\htdocs\webacula

8. Copier le dossier bin de C:\Program Files\Bacula dans la racine C:\

9. Modifier le fichier config.ini du dossier C:\xampplite\htdocs\webacula\application :

Remplacer

; locale = "en"

Par

locale = "fr"

Remplacer

bacula.sudo = "/usr/bin/bconsole"

bacula.bconsole = "/sbin/bconsole"

bacula.bconsolecmd = "-n -c /etc/bacula/bconsole.conf"

Par

bacula.sudo = ""

bacula.bconsole = "C:/bin/bconsole.exe"

bacula.bconsolecmd = ""

10.

Aller sur http://localhost/webacula

Entrer le login (bacula) et le mot de passe (pass choisit lors de l'appel à htpasswd)

Utilisation

Lancement d’une sauvegarde

Aller dans Tache/Exécuter

Sélectionner la tache a lancé :

Sous webacula la tache peut facilement être modifier, on peut changer le client sur laquelle elle doit être effectué, quoi sauvegarder, où sauvegarder, quand la démarrer…

Lancement d’une restauration

Aller dans Tâches/Récupération

Sélectionner le type de restauration a effectuer, le client, et s’il faut restaurer tout ou une partie des fichiers.

Cliquer sur prochaines.

Fin de ce dossier sur bacula/webacula.

Besoin de proxy ?

2010-08-12T13:12:00.005+02:00

Voila pour tous ceux qui comme moi sont parfois a la recherche d'un proxy qui met pas dix plombe pour afficher 2 images, je vous propose de vous rendre sur http://proxy-masterz.com/vb/f13/ on y trouve de nouveaux proxy rapides et anonyme chaques jours et tous cela gratuitement bien sur, seule une inscription rapide est requise ;).

Bacula sous windows serveur 3/3

2010-08-12T04:56:00.088+02:00

Voila la troisième et dernière partie, elle décrit comment utiliser les fonctions les plus courantes de bacula (sauvegarde non planifié, restauration, petits soucis ;) )

Utilisation

Toutes les commandes DOIVENT être faites via le service console (bconsole).

Ou Executer/cmd/ « c:\Programs Files\bacula\bin\bconsole.exe »

Lancer une sauvegarde.

Lancer un job:

-> Lancer la commande « run »

-> Sélectionner la tâche à effectuer.

->Une fois la tâche sélectionnée, vérifier que tout est correct, si tout est bon taper « yes », si il y’a des modification à apporter par exemple le client sur lequel faire la sauvegarde, l’heure de départ, le lieu de sauvegarde … taper « mod », enfin si vous voulez annuler taper « no ».

Vérifier les statuts :

Status dir pour le directeur – Afficher les détails concernant : les résultats des tâches, les tâches en cours et les tâches planifié.

Status storage pour le storage – Affiche les informations sur le(s) périphérique(s) monté(s), les volumes en cours d’utilisation, les taches en cours et les taches terminés.

Status client pour les clients – Afficher les informations sur démarrage du client, le nombre de job depuis son lancement, les taches en exécution sur ce client, et les jobs terminés de ce client.

Lancer une restauration:

LES RESTORATIONS NE DOIVENT PAS S’EFFECTUER AVEC LA COMMANDE RUN !!

Restauration complète :

Taper restore all

 To select the JobIds, you have the following choices:
    1: List last 20 Jobs run
    2: List Jobs where a given File is saved
    3: Enter list of comma separated JobIds to select
    4: Enter SQL list command
    5: Select the most recent backup for a client
    6: Select backup for a client before a specified time
    7: Enter a list of files to restore
    8: Enter a list of files to restore before a specified time
    …


#On peut effectuer une restauration selon plusieurs critères, les plus intéressants :
#    1: Lister les 20 derniers jobs
#    2: Lister les jobs où des fichiers ont était sauvegardé
#    5: Sélectionner la sauvegarde la plus récente pour un client
#    6: Sélectionner une sauvegarde pour un client avant la date spécifié

Restauration de tous les fichiers de la dernière sauvegarde effectué :
Select item:  (1-9): 5
cwd is: /
#Taper « done »:
$ done
OK to run? (yes/mod/no): yes

Restauration d’un/plusieurs fichier(s) avant une date spécifié :
Restore
Select item:  (1-12): 6

Recherche du fichier grâce a la commande find / -name

Selection du fichier en tapant: mark « nomdufichier »

ls pour vérifier que le fichier a bien était sélectionné (il doit être précédé d’une asterisk) .

Une fois la sélection terminée taper « done »

Volume requis pour la restauration

Sera le chemin où la restauration sera effectué sur la machine cliente (ici gertrude-fd).

Voila avec çà vous devriez avoir un bacula solide et utile.
Dans un prochain tuto je décrirai l'installation de webacula une interface web très ergonomique et simple d'utilisation.

Bacula sous windows serveur 2/3

2010-08-12T01:08:00.071+02:00

Voici la deuxième partie du tutoriel d'installation et de configuration de bacula. Dans cette partie on aborde la partie la plus importante et certainement "difficile" lors de la mise en place de bacula: la configuration des services et la planification des tâches.

CONFIGURATION

EMPLACEMENT DES FICHIERS DE CONFIGURATION

Sous Windows les fichiers de configuration se trouvent dans

« C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Bacula »

Sous linux dans /etc/bacula.

Sous Windows NT dans « C:\ » (Après modification).

Ansi on trouve :

Sur le serveur directeur : bacula-dir.conf qui est le fichier de configuration du directeur et bconsole.conf qui est le fichier de configuration de la console.

Sur les clients : bacula-fd.conf (FD pour File Daemon) qui est le fichier de configuration du client

Sur le serveur de stockage : bacula-sd.conf (SD pour Storage Daemon) qui est le fichier de configuration du Storage

Configuration des services

Vus la taille des fichiers de configuration j'ai crée un tableau récapitulatif contenant toute les indications afin de configurer correctement bacula, j'ai essayé d'être le plus clair possible. Vous pouvez récupérer le pdf à cette adresse : http://dl.free.fr/eY91Jt4bT

LIER BACULA A LA BASE DE DONNÉES.

(xampplite installé sur le serveur directeur)

cd C:\Program Files\Bacula\bin

1. Modifier le fichier grant_privileges.cmd :

Ligne 6 remplacer : "@SQL_BINDIR@\mysql" par "C:\xampplite\mysql\bin\mysql"

2. Faire la même modification sur create_database.cmd

3. Faire la même modification sur make_mysql_table.cmd

4. Modifier make_mysql_tables.sql

Ligne 1 remplacer : USE ${db_name}; par USE bacula;

5. grant_privileges.cmd :

6. create_database.cmd -u root:

7. make_table.cmd-u root:

Vérifier la création sous phpmyadmin (22 tables):

Après les configurations, redémarrer tous les services bacula : bacula-fd,bacula-dir,bacula-sd

Sous Windows les arrêter puis les relancer (c:\bacula\bin)

Sous linux: pkill bacula-fd / bacula-fd).

Sous NT:

-cd « C:/Program Files/bacula/bin »

-bacula-fd –c C:/bacula/bacula-fd.conf

CRÉATION DES VOLUMES

Il faut affecter un Label aux différents média (les nommer) et les ajouter au Pool de sauvegarde (on utilise les pool Hebdomadaire et Journalier que nous avons crée dans le bacula-dir.conf). Cela permet à bacula de connaître chaque média et de pouvoir les exploiter, nous allons créer deux volumes, 1 hebdomadaire et 1 journalier :

cd "c:\Program Files\Bacula\bin"

bconsole

label
Hebdomadaire

label

Journaliere

Verification

list volume

Bacula sous windows serveur 1/3

2010-08-11T19:04:00.090+02:00

"Bacula est un ensemble de programmes qui vous permet de gérer vos sauvegardes, restaurations ou vérifications de données d'un ordinateur sur un réseau hétérogène.

En termes techniques, il s'agit d'un programme de sauvegarde client/serveur. Bacula est relativement facile d'utilisation et efficace, tout en offant de nombreuses fonctions avancées de gestion de stockage qui facilitent la recherche et la restauration de fichiers perdus ou endommagés." (source: http://www.bacula.org/fr/)

Nous verrons ici comment installer et configurer pas à pas bacula et son interface graphique webacula sous Windows Server. Dans cette première partie: une présentation de comment fonctionne bacula et comment installer les différents services.

COMPRENDRE BACULA

Bacula est constitué de cinq composants:

Le service Bacula Director

Programme qui supervise toutes les opérations de sauvegarde, restauration, vérification et archivage, permet de planifier les sauvegardes et restaurer les fichiers.

Sera installer sur une machine sous Windows serveur 2003.

Le service Bacula Console

Programme qui permet à l'administrateur ou à l'utilisateur de communiquer avec le Bacula Director (schéma).

Sera installé sur la même machine que celle accueillant le service directeur.

Le service Bacula FileDeamon (ou programme client)

Programme installé sur la machine à sauvegarder.

Sera installé sur 1 machine Windows, 1 machine Linux et 1 machine Windows NT.

Le service Bacula Storage

Programme qui transfère les données et les attributs de fichiers aux média physiques ou aux volumes et les restitue lors de restaurations. En d'autres termes, Le storage Daemon est responsable des opérations de lecture et d'écriture sur vos cartouches (ou autres média de stockage, comme par exemple des fichiers).

Sera installé sur le serveur de stockage.

Le service Catalog (transparent)

Bacula gère toutes les opérations de sauvegarde et de restauration grâce à une base de donnée, lors d’une sauvegarde il y entre les informations concernant les fichiers (nom, taille, emplacement sur le periphérique de sauvegarde…). Afin de restaurer il va récupérer ces infos.

Voici un schéma de l'infrastructure:

INSTALLATION

Télécharger winbacula-3.0.3a

http://sourceforge.net/projects/bacula/files/Win32_64/3.0.3a/winbacula-3.0.3a.exe/download

Directeur (Windows serveur 2003)

Lancer winbacula-3.0.3a.exe

Cocher uniquement Server/Director Service et Consoles/Command Console, ceci permet d’installer le directeur et la console uniquement :

Pas d’alerte par mail, donc les deux premières zone ne sont pas à remplir, on utilisera une base de donnée de type Mysql.

Storage (Serveur de stockage Windows serveur 2003)

Cocher Server/Storage Service uniquement :

Entrer le nom du directeur, je vous conseille de choisir un nom du type : nomdelamachine-dir (ici se sera HOM-dir).

Ne pas sauvegarder le template à insérer dans la configuration du directeur, nous le configurerons nous même :

Les clients

Clients Windows

Cocher uniquement « Client »

Entrer le nom du directeur

Décocher la case du template.

Clients Linux

wget http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/bacula/bacula/3.0.3/bacula-3.0.3.tar.gz

tar –xvzf bacula-3.0.3.tar.gz

cd bacula-3.0.3

./configure --enable-client-only

make

make install

make install-autostart-fd

Client sous Windows NT

Couper le dossier Bacula dans le répertoire :

C:\WINNT40\Profiles\Administrateur\Données d'applications

Le coller dans le répertoire C:\

Modifier le fichier bacula-fd.conf

Remplacer :

WorkingDirectory = "C:\\WINNT 40\\Profiles\\Administrateur\\Données d'applications\\Bacula\\Work"

Pid Directory = "C:\\WINNT 40\\Profiles\\Administrateur\\Données d'applications\\Bacula\\Work"

Par:

WorkingDirectory = "C:\\bacula\\Work"

Pid Directory = "C:\\bacula\\Work"

Voila, maintenant que les 3 clients, le serveur et le directeur sont installé passons à la configuration.

JanusVM sous Linux (Ubuntu server)

2010-08-11T17:32:00.024+02:00

JanusVM est un tunnel VPN mais pas seulement, grâce à l'utilisation combiné de Tor, Privoxy, OpenVPN et Squid, il est considéré comme l'une des base les plus fiable et abordable afin de vous rendre plus anonyme, en gros JanusVM c'est VOUS <--> VPN <--> TOR <--> PRIVOXY <--> CIBLE. Son installation est très simple il s'agit d'une machine virtuel au format VMware.

Son utilisation sous Windows reste très facile mais j'ai voulu passé par JanusVM sous Ubuntu server et j'ai beau eu cherché aucune documentation n'était réellement explicite, j’ai donc décidé de réaliser ce tuto afin d'aider (je l’espère) certains d'entre vous.

JanusVM utilise le protocole PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) pour communiquer avec la machine cliente (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocole_point_%C3%A0_point).

1. On commence donc par installer les dépendances nécessaires à établir une liaison de point à point

apt-get install ppp pptp-linux pptpd pppoe

2. On crée le fichier de configuration (nommé ici JanusVM) afin de se connecter à Janus VM dans le répertoire « /etc/ppp/peers/ »

vim /etc/ppp/peers/JanusVM

remotename JanusVM
linkname JanusVM
ipparam JanusVM
pty "/usr/sbin/pptp --loglevel 1 192.168.1.X --nolaunchpppd"
name "guest"
require-mppe
nomppe-stateful
noauth
nodetach
lock
bsdcomp 9,15
deflate 9,15
mtu 1492
mru 1492

où 192.168.1.X est l'adresse IP de JanusVM

On configure le mot de passe requis

vim /etc/ppp/chap-secrets

guest * "" *

On configure les methodes d'authentification

dans le fichier /etc/ppp/options.pptp

commenter les 4 lignes

refuse-pap

refuse-eap

refuse-chap

refuse-mschap

3. On se connecte à JanusVM

On modifie les interfaces réseaux:

vim /etc/network/networking .

En ajoutant:

auto ppp0

iface ppp0 inet ppp

provider JanusVM

On lance la connexion (Il faut indiquer le nom indiqué comme provider de l’étape précédente)

pon JanusVM

4. On configure nos routes

route –n

Vous obtiendrez un résultat de ce style:

10.10.10.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0

192.168.1.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0

127.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 lo

0.0.0.0 192.168.1.254 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0

La dernière ligne correspond à votre passerelle par défaut, vous pouvez constater que la redirection est actuellement dirigé vers votre routeur, on change cette route pour passer par JanusVM:

route add default gw 10.10.10.1 && route del default gw 192.168.1.254

5. On vérifie

route –n

10.10.10.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0

192.168.1.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0

127.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 lo

0.0.0.0 10.10.10.1 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0

6. (Optionnel mais recommandé) Changez l'adresse de votre serveur dns (etc/resolv.conf) par ceux d’opendns

nameserver 208.67.222.222

nameserver 208.67.222.220

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Webacula sous Windows - Installation et utilisation

Installation

Utilisation

Lancement d’une sauvegarde

Lancement d’une restauration

Besoin de proxy ?

Bacula sous windows serveur 3/3

Utilisation

Bacula sous windows serveur 2/3

Voici la deuxième partie du tutoriel d'installation et de configuration de bacula. Dans cette partie on aborde la partie la plus importante et certainement "difficile" lors de la mise en place de bacula: la configuration des services et la planification des tâches.

CONFIGURATION

EMPLACEMENT DES FICHIERS DE CONFIGURATION

Configuration des services

LIER BACULA A LA BASE DE DONNÉES.

CRÉATION DES VOLUMES

Bacula sous windows serveur 1/3

COMPRENDRE BACULA

Le service Bacula Director

Le service Bacula Console

Le service Bacula FileDeamon (ou programme client)

Le service Bacula Storage

Le service Catalog (transparent)

Bacula gère toutes les opérations de sauvegarde et de restauration grâce à une base de donnée, lors d’une sauvegarde il y entre les informations concernant les fichiers (nom, taille, emplacement sur le periphérique de sauvegarde…). Afin de restaurer il va récupérer ces infos.

INSTALLATION

Directeur (Windows serveur 2003)

Storage (Serveur de stockage Windows serveur 2003)

Les clients

Clients Windows

Clients Linux

Client sous Windows NT

JanusVM sous Linux (Ubuntu server)

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