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How to Create VMware Templates

2012-09-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

VMware vCenter Server allows you to create templates from existing virtual machines. You can use templates to reduce the amount of time spent building and implementing new servers, cutting down the provisioning process to just a few hours.
vCenter Server uses one of two methods to build templates. The first method, Clone to Template, duplicates a virtual machine and changes it to the template format. Unlike Convert to Template, which I’ll cover in just a moment, Clone to Template leaves the original virtual machine intact.
During the cloning process, you’ll have the option to change the format of the virtual disk(s). You can either configure the disk to fill all of the space in the datastore (thus enabling the template to maintain the same level of performance as the source VM), or use the thin provisioned format to compress the disk space so that the template uses only as much of the datastore as it needs.
Of course, when vCenter clones the source virtual machine, it doesn’t just duplicate the virtual disks, but also creates a copy of the .vmx file. The .vmx file holds the data used to configure the VM. Thus, before you run Clone to Template, you should remove any unwanted settings from the .vmx file associated with the source VM.
Convert to Template, the other method used to create templates in vCenter, is much faster than Clone to Template, because it doesn’t create a duplicate of the source VM; instead, it just changes the VM to the template format. Convert to Template is more flexible than Clone to Template because you can change the template back to a virtual machine at any time. For example, software installed to templates created through Clone to Template can’t be updated. With Convert to Template, however, you can temporarily change the template to a virtual machine and install updates to the software, then change the VM back to template when done.

Preparing for Template Creation

Before creating a template in vCenter, you’ll need to install Sysprep to VMware if you intend to clone or convert Windows-based virtual machines. Each release of Windows (including service packs) requires its own version of Sysprep; you can find the appropriate files on the operating system CD/DVD or on the Microsoft Download Center website. Find and double-click deploy.cab, and then extract the contents of the compressed file to the following location: %allusersprofile%\vmware\vmware virtualcenter\sysprep
If you’re running Windows Server 2003 or below, extract the contents to: %allusersprofile%\application data\vmware\vmware virtualcenter\sysprep
There are also a few things to keep in mind before you create your source virtual machine (the virtual machine on which the template will be based). Components like Active Directory and Microsoft SQL Server should be excluded from the template, as these can interfere with the template creation process or cause problems after the fact. Also, if you’re running VMware Infrastructure 3.5 or later, you can perform a hot clone of a virtual machine using the Clone to Template method. Hot cloning enables you to keep the source VM active during the cloning and conversion process.
Once you’ve installed Sysprep and created the source virtual machine, you can begin building templates.

Creating a Template with Clone to Template

1. Right-click the source virtual machine. Point to “Template,” then select “Clone to Template” from the context menu.

2. Create a name for the template and then choose an Inventory location from the folder list. Click “Next.”

3. Select the ESX host or cluster where the template should be stored. Click “Next.”
4. Select a datastore with enough available space to accommodate the template. Click “Next.”
5. Click “Same as Source” to use the same disk format as the source VM; click “Thin Provisioned” to save space on the datastore; click “Thick” to reserve all of the datastore space for the virtual hard disk. If you select “Thin Provisioned,” make sure to allocate the virtual disk to a VMFS3+ datastore. Click “Next.”

6. Review your selections on the Ready to Complete screen. Click “Finish” to create the new template in VMware vCenter Server.

Create a Template with Convert to Template

1. Power off the source VM. Right-click the virtual machine, and then point to “Template.”
2. Click “Convert to Template.” Select “Home.” Go to VMs and Templates view to locate the new template.

3. Right-click the template and then click “Convert to Virtual Machine” to return the template to its original state whenever necessary.
You can also create new templates from existing templates. Right-click the source template and then click “Clone” to begin the duplication process. The steps in the wizard are identical to those in Clone to Template.

Create a Virtual Machine from a Template

After you finish creating a template, you can run the Deploy Template Wizard to create a new virtual machine.
1. Switch to VM and Templates view. Right-click the template and select “Deploy Virtual Machine from This Template” from the context menu.
2. Name the virtual machine and select a folder location. Click “Next.”
3. Select the ESX host and/or cluster on which the VM will run. Click “Next.”
4. Choose which resource pool the new virtual machine will use. Click “Next.”
5. Select which datastore or datastores will accommodate the virtual machine. Click “Next.”
6. Choose the appropriate disk format and then click “Next.”
7. Click “Do Not Customize,” “Customize Using the Customization Wizard,” or “Customize Using an Existing Customization Specification,” depending on your preferences. You won’t see this screen if you didn’t load Sysprep into vCenter. If you selected the second or third option, follow the on-screen instructions to configure the template.
(Note: If the OS installed to the source virtual machine requires an OEM product code, select option two and then enter the information into the appropriate field when prompted.)

8. Click “Edit Virtual Hardware” to make changes to the VM configuration, if necessary. Click “Finish” to deploy the new virtual machine.

VMware Networking: Configuring and Troubleshooting a vNetwork Part 2

2012-09-04T09:50:00.002-07:00

For the second half of the series, I’ll explain how to set up a distributed vNetwork (DVN) with VMware, and how to troubleshoot your vNetwork if problems occur. In part one, I discussed the basics of virtual networks, as well as how to create and configure a standard vNetwork.
Distributed virtual networks use a distributed virtual switch (DvSwitch) to manage data transmission between virtual machines and enable guest systems to connect to physical networks. As I explained in the last post, a DvSwitch works like a global switch; all of the hosts in a datacenter can connect to a single distributed switch. A DvSwitch also enables the use of private virtual local area networks (PVLANs), which divide VLAN domains into smaller sub-domains, enabling multiple hosts to use the same address space, but exist separately, or isolated, from one another.
Like standard virtual switches, distributed virtual switches provide virtual uplinks called distributed virtual uplinks (dvUplinks). Uplinks represent physical network adapters. When creating a DvSwitch, the virtualization platform finds the maximum number of uplinks associated with a host and uses that number as a basis when setting up the dvUplinks on the switch.
DvSwitches offer more ports than do standard virtual switches; the former offers up to 6,000, compared to the latter, which provides up to 4,088. A maximum of 64 hosts can connect to a single DvSwitch and up to 16 distributed switches can be implemented per host.
DvSwitches are stored to the VMkernel, but the settings linked to the DvSwitch are contained in the vCenter database. Therefore, to create a distributed switch in VMware, you must have vCenter installed.

Creating a Distributed Virtual Switch

1. In vCenter, select “Home” and then “Networking.” Click the datacenter on which the host or hosts reside.
2. Select from the toolbar the icon to launch the Create vNetwork Distributed Switch wizard. Name the vNetwork. Click “Next.”

3. Select each host to associate with the DvSwitch, and then select which network adapters to use with each ESX/ESXi host. Choose multiple network adapters to create uplink groups and provide load balancing and fault tolerance to a host. Make sure to select the correct network adapters during the creation process, as reassigning the adapters is not a simple process. Click “Next.”

4. Click “Finish” to create the DvSwitch in vCenter.

Configuring DvSwitches and Port Groups

DvSwitches and vSwitches share most of the same options, but distributed switches offer a little bit more control over the operation of the vNetwork. To access the settings, right-click the virtual switch and then select “Edit Settings” from the context menu.
On the General tab are options to change the name of the switch and the number of dvUplinks connected to the vNetwork. On the Advanced tab are options to increase or decrease the maximum transmission unit (MTU), which limits packet size, and enable Cisco Discovery Protocol. In later versions of vSphere, you can also set up features like NetFlow, which analyzes network communications transmitted between virtual machines and physical networks; or port mirroring, which copies packets from one port to another for monitoring purposes.

To configure the port group, right-click it and then click “Edit Settings.” Most of the options match those described in the previous article, with a few exceptions:
General

Static Binding: Adheres a virtual machine to a port on the DvSwitch that remains active even when the machine is powered off
Dynamic Binding: Assigns a port to a virtual machine at the time the machine is powered on
Ephemeral: Allocates a port to a virtual machine when powered on. If the machine reboots, it loses its old port and is assigned a new one

Advanced

Override Port Policies: Overrides the settings associated with the dvUplinks
Live Port Moving: Transfer stand-alone port groups to distributed port groups, assigning settings associated with distributed port group to the stand-alone group
Configure Reset at Disconnect: Port settings are reset when a port is disconnected from a virtual machine
Port Name Format: Changes the naming convention of a port group

Troubleshooting a vSwitch or DvSwitch

Under ideal circumstances, the vNetwork will work as intended after creating and configuring the virtual switches and port groups — but certain settings can interfere with how the virtual network functions.
A virtual machine uses a port group to communicate across a network. Port groups are associated with a parent switch, so if a machine’s virtual network adapter is not assigned the correct port group, it might not link to the correct distributed or standard switch, either. Furthermore, port group names are case-sensitive, so a group named “Test,” for example, is not the same as a group named “test.”
To confirm that a virtual machine is connected to the correct port group, right-click the virtual machine and then select “Edit Settings” from the context menu. Select the appropriate port group from the drop-down menu.

While in Virtual Machine Properties, also confirm that “Connected” and “Connect at Power On” are checked under the Device Status heading. Click “OK.” Restart the virtual machine or network services if the machine has not been assigned a static IP.
If the settings for the virtual machine are correct, move on to checking the vNetwork settings for the host. Click the Configuration tab after selecting the appropriate ESX/ESXi host and then select the Networking link.
Choose “Virtual Switch” or “Distributed Virtual Switch” from the menu. Click the call-out icon for the correct switch or port group and review the settings shown in the dialog box to confirm that the network configuration is correct.
If you detected a problem with the settings, click the Properties link to make changes to the vSwitch. If you’re working with a distributed switch, follow the instructions in the above sections to change the switch’s properties. To learn more about the options available on these screens, go to the first part of this series and view “Configuring Port vSwitches and Port Groups.”
If you’re working with a vSwitch, make sure that the port group is using the original name assigned to it upon creation. If you’ve changed the name of the port group, you must edit the properties of every virtual machine originally connected to it and select the new name from the drop-down menu under Network Connection.
If your switches and port groups are all in order, the next things to check are the network adapters. If working with a standard switch, select the Network Adapters tab from the vSwitch properties window. If working with a DvSwitch, select “Manage Physical Adapters” from the Networking screen.
Confirm that the adapter is using the correct speed and duplex. If the adapter settings don’t match that of a network component or client, performance or connectivity issues can occur. Click “Edit” to change the adapter settings.

VMware Networking: Configuring and Troubleshooting a vNetwork Part 1

2012-09-04T09:49:00.005-07:00

The term vNetwork refers to the technologies that VMware vSphere utilizes to integrate networking and input/output functions on an ESX/ESXi host. vSphere includes a number of features and enhancements to provide administrators thorough control over networking processes and make management of these processes simpler.
Implementing a vNetwork in ESX or ESXi is essential for enabling virtual machines to communicate with one another within a networking environment — but establishing a vNetwork on a host can be a difficult and complicated process if you don’t understand how virtual networking works in vSphere.
A virtual network is made up of virtual machines that run on a single, physical machine and transmit data to and from one another. In vSphere, a virtual switch is called a vSwitch. Virtual machines connect to the virtual ports that make up the vSwitch to create a vNetwork. The vSwitch then routes network traffic between the connected virtual machines. vSwitches can also use physical network adapters, or uplink adapters, to connect to a physical switch and associate the virtual network with a physical network.
In vSphere 4, VMware introduced an enhancement to vNetworks: the distributed virtual switch, or DvSwitch. A DvSwitch acts like a global switch, enabling administrators to associate a single switch with all ESX or ESXi hosts in a datacenter, rather than configure a vSwitch for each individual host.
vSphere separates vSwitches and DvSwitches into smaller groups called port groups. VMware uses port groups to connect virtual machines to a switch and define settings like traffic shaping, NIC teaming, load balancing, and other parameters.

Creating Standard Switches

In vSphere, vSwitches can be mapped to one network adapter or to multiple network adapters. vSwitches that have no associated network adapters can also be implemented as well.
A standard switch that has no associated adapters is called an internal vSwitch. Virtual machines connected to an internal vSwitch cannot communicate with other virtual machines outside of the host. These switches can be used to test virtual machines before mapping them to a production network. A vSwitch that is associated with two or more adapters is called a teamed vSwitch; these switches provide an added layer of protection to a network and are used for fault tolerance and load balancing.
A vSwitch starts out with 56 ports, by default, but can be configured to use up to 4,088 ports, and up to 20 network adapters can be associated with a host.
To create a standard switch in vSphere, follow the instructions below:
1. In vSphere, select the ESX or ESXi host. Click “Configuration.” Select “Networking” from the Hardware box. Click “Add Networking” to run the Add Network Wizard.

2. Select “Virtual Machine” and then click “Next.”

3. Select each network adapter to associate with the vSwitch. To create an internal vSwitch, make sure that all network adapters are deselected.

4. Create a unique name for the port group. Names are case-sensitive. (A couple things to keep mind when naming port groups: one, if the names aren’t consistent from host to host, problems will occur when migrating virtual machines or using VMotion; two, while it’s possible to rename a port group after-the-fact, virtual machines that were connected to that port group will disassociate with the switch. Therefore, to avoid potential complications, it’s best to keep track of port group names and follow a standardized naming convention.)

5. Click “Finish” to create a standard vNetwork.

Configuring vSwitches and Port Groups

After creating a vNetwork in vSphere, you can modify the vSwitch to add additional ports and change network parameters.

Add Port Groups

As I mentioned in “Creating Standard Switches,” vSwitches start out with 56 ports, but administrators can increase the port number up to 4,088. Increasing the number of ports per vSwitch is not recommended unless the operating environment requires it, as the ESX/ESXi host must be restarted after the change, and upping the port number requires additional overhead that will lead to wasted resources.
To increase the number of ports per switch:
1. Select the host and then click the Configuration tab. Click “Networking” from the Hardware box.
2. Select the Properties link. Click “vSwitch.” Click “Edit.”
3. Choose from the drop-down menu the number of ports to use with the standard switch. Click “OK.”

Set Network Policies

You can change the parameters of a vSwitch to apply global policies to the vNetwork. Port groups feature options similar to those available to switches and can be used to add greater flexibility to a virtual network, as the settings associated with the port group can act as exceptions to the global policies. You can access the network settings using the same method as described in the section above.
I’ll provide a brief overview of the options you’ll find on each tab:

Security

Promiscuous Mode: Enables a network adapter to retrieve and read all network traffic. Used for packet sniffing to troubleshoot and diagnose network issues.
MAC Address Changes: Allows the virtual MAC address associated with a virtual machine to be changed. Used to create cluster addresses for services like Network Load Balancing, used by Windows Server.
Forged Transmits: Enables a virtual machine to transmit network traffic even if the MAC address on the guest operating system doesn’t match the MAC address stored to the .vmx file (the file that holds the virtual machine’s configuration information).

Traffic Shaping

Traffic shaping is used to control bandwidth on a vNetwork. Traffic shaping focuses on outbound traffic sent from a virtual machine to the physical network; it doesn’t interfere with inbound traffic. The vast majority of administrators will never need to use this feature, particularly because traffic shaping in the vSphere environment is not dynamic and can hinder network performance.

NIC Teaming

NIC Teaming is used for fault tolerance; you can configure standby adapters to take over when the primary adapter fails.

Load Balancing: Configures how outgoing traffic is handled across multiple network adapters in a teamed vSwitch.
Network Failover Detection: Specifies how the host detects network failure.
Notify Switches: Tells the physical switches to route network traffic from virtual machines to different physical network adapters.
Failback: Specifies how the failed adapter should operate if it comes online again.

That’s it for configuring standard switches in vSphere. In part two, I’ll explain how to set up a vNetwork that runs on a distributed switch, and how to troubleshoot your vNetwork if problems occur.

Top 5 Most Common VMware Compatibility Issues (and How to Work Around Them)

2012-09-04T09:49:00.002-07:00

If a computer is not equipped with the hardware required to run a specific version of VMware ESX or ESXi, a number of errors can occur during or after the installation process. If a machine lacks a compatible BIOS or CPU — equipment central to the operation of the system, in other words — setup will usually fail to initialize or complete. Sometimes, however, the hardware configuration is just enough to get the hypervisor up and running — and that’s where most of the problems occur. Incompatibilities can cause hardware to stop operating or fail to respond, produce error messages when booting a host or virtual machine, and result in poor performance when running VMware vCenter Server or accessing a datastore or virtual network.
Before installing or upgrading to a version of ESX or ESXi, it’s important to confirm that the hardware of the target system is compatible with the hypervisor. Even if a previous version of ESX/ESXi works with the machine, that doesn’t mean a more recent version will work just as well. Review the minimum requirements to confirm that your hardware is supported.
Some hardware issues can be worked around, however, and some errors that seem hardware-related are instead caused simply by misconfigured settings. Below is a list of common compatibility errors or issues you might encounter after installing the hypervisor, configuring resources, or creating a virtual machine, as well as solutions for resolving these problems.

Datastores

ESX/ESXi 4.0 does not support LUNs larger than 2TB in size. If the size of a LUN surpasses 2TB, the host will fail to assign block devices, or storage resources, to the LUN, and prevent VMware from creating a datastore on the device.
You can use extents to work around this limitation. An extent is a partition on a LUN. A datastore can consist of up to 32 extents. Since each LUN is limited to 2TB in size, and a datastore can utilize 32 extents in total, volumes of up to 64TB in size are possible in VMware. In other words, if you need a datastore to be larger than 2TBs, spread the datastore across multiple LUNs to expand the size of the volume.
To expand a datastore in VMware:
1. Select the target host. Click “Configuration” and then select “Storage” from the Hardware pane.

2. Right-click the target datastore and then click “Properties.” Click “Increase.”

3. Select the appropriate LUN from the options and then click “Next.” To create a new extent, select a LUN marked as un-expandable (listed as “No” under the “Expandable” category); to increase the size of an extent, select a LUN marked as expandable. Select the appropriate disk layout and then click “Next.”

4. Check “Maximize Capacity” to use all available disk space, or enter the desired amount in the applicable field. Click “Next.”
5. Review your options on the summary screen and then click “Finish.”

Central Processing Unit

While older versions of the hypervisor, such as ESX/ESXi 3.5, can run without issue on 32-bit processors, ESX/ESXi 4.0 and ESXi 5.0 both require 64-bit CPUs. ESXi 5.0 has additional hardware requirements above what ESX 4.0 and ESXi 4.0 require, as well: the latest version of the hypervisor must run off, at minimum, a dual-core CPU that supports SAHF and LAHF (instructions that control which flags are loaded into the upper half of the AX register, the latter of which is used to gather the results from arithmetic and logic calculations). Chip manufacturers didn’t begin integrating SAHF and LAHF into the 64-bit instruction set until 2005, however, so even if you’re running a 64-bit multi-core CPU, it still might not work with ESXi 5.0. If the CPU isn’t compatible with the hypervisor, installing/upgrading ESX/ESXi will fail.
Even if the host is able to run off the processor, however, certain virtual machines might not. As to be expected, a 64-bit guest operating system utilizes a 64-bit CPU. However, just having a processor with a 64-bit instruction set isn’t enough to run a 64-bit virtual machine; the CPU also must have virtualization technology enabled.
If VT is disabled, the following error is likely to appear when attempting to run a 64-bit guest OS in VMware: “Host CPU is incompatible with the virtual machine’s requirements at CPUID level.” Enabling Intel VT-x or AMD-V in the BIOS should resolve the above error, allowing the virtual machine to boot. Since the BIOS varies based on the make and model of the motherboard or computer, consult the documentation for your machine to determine how to enable virtualization technology.

Optical Drive

When performing a cold migration, the error “Incompatible device backing specified for device” will appear if the optical disc drive is misconfigured. To reconfigure the drive in vSphere:
1. Right-click the virtual machine and then click “Edit Settings.”

2. Select the CD- or DVD-ROM from the Hardware tab. Choose “Client Device” as the device type and then click “OK.”

If the above steps fail to resolve the error, check the VMX file associated with the virtual machine to see if the optical device is connected in the configuration data. If the file indicates that the optical device is connected, remove and then re-add the CD- or DVD-ROM from the same window.

TEAC DV-28 series DVD-ROM drives can also cause, at random, an ESX or ESXi 4.0 host to stop responding in vCenter Server or refuse connections from VMware vSphere. While certain models are incompatible with ESX/ESXi altogether, upgrading the outdated firmware on some devices will resolve the issue and restore function to the host. (Some manufacturers, such as Dell, provide firmware flash upgrades for certain TEAC DV-28 series models.)

Virtual Disks

When attempting to run a virtual machine created in another VMware virtualization platform, such as VMware Workstation, the VM will fail to start and the message “Unsupported and/or invalid disk type” will appear. This error occurs because the virtual disk formats associated with the different virtualization platforms are incompatible with ESX/ESXi.
You can use VMware vCenter Converter to convert the disk and import the virtual machine into vSphere. This is a called a cold migration in ESXi (V2V).
Running the following command from the server console will also convert the virtual disk to a format that ESX/ESXi can understand:

vmkfstools -i <original file>.vmdk <new file>.vmdk

Networking

VMware vSphere can run virtual standard switches (vSwitches), which apply to a single host, or virtual distributed switches (vDS), which span across multiple hosts. If the license is incompatible with the vDS feature, vCenter Server will fail when creating a distributed switch. To work around this error in vSphere 5, you must upgrade each host to the Enterprise Plus license.

Conclusions

It’s important to keep in mind although there are workarounds for some compatibility issues, if a critical hardware device isn’t supported by the hypervisor, there’s little recourse. For example, if the hypervisor requires a 64-bit CPU but your system only includes a 32-bit processor, you have no choice but to upgrade the hardware or stick with an older version of ESX/ESXi.

How to Protect Yourself from the “Flame” Virus

2012-09-04T09:47:00.002-07:00

Recently, reports have been circulating that a virus, called “Flame,” has been infecting users in the Middle East, particularly Iran. This has led many to conclude it is the work of Israel’s engineers. Experts also suggest there is more evidence to suggest this including the links of this malware with previous malware targeting Iran. The official name for Flame is W32.Flamer because it targets 32bit Windows PC users.

The “Flame” Virus Looks to be the Work of Professionals

According to the USA Today, the reason for the suspicion existing about Israel being pinned as the culprit is that Iran has been particularly affected by it. This led Kaspersky Lab to conclude engineers in Israel should claim responsibility as there is distrust and animosity between the two nations.
Another virus launched last November, called Stuxnet, that targeted nuclear centrifuges in Iran and Flame. It shares a lot of similarity to Flame, according to reports. It has been speculated for quite a while now that engineers from Israel created Stuxnet.
The New York Times reported last November, the virus was precisely created to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program. It caused nuclear centrifuges to be sent out of control.
The Russian anti-virus company, Kaspersky Lab, also claims responsibility for the discovery of its existence, as reported by a company news brief. However, other anti-virus companies have also been analyzing it and trying to address its reach as well.
According to USA Today, a unit within Iran’s communication and information technology ministry claimed it has anti-virus software capable of identifying and removing it:
“Tehran has not said whether it lost any data to the virus, but a unit of the Iranian communications and information technology ministry said it had produced an anti-virus capable of identifying and removing Flame from its computers.”
When Israel’s Vice Premier Moshe Yaalon didn’t outright dismiss Israel’s responsibility for it when asked about its significance. This leads to further conclusion Israel’s hands were at work here.
“Israel is blessed with high technology, and we boast tools that open all sorts of opportunities for us,” he said.

What Makes “Flame” Stand Out Among Malware

Flame is particularly alarming in terms of the security concerns it poses for users on the recipient end of it. It really shows just how exposed anyone of us can be online if we do not take precautions. Examples of damage it can do include allowing its creators to take screenshots, log keystrokes, and even steal data from mobile devices via Bluetooth.
“It can be used to spy on everything that a user is doing,” said researcher Roel Schouwenberg in the USA Today report.
I recently spoke to the director of Norton’s Star Program, Kevin Haley, about the threat and what risks it poses for end users.
Besides its ability to spy on users; take screenshots of user activity and send it back for analysis; and steal files, it can also be improved upon or patched.
Haley said that its creators can write modules adding functionality to it over time. This means they do not have to create new malware but simply modify Flame for added functionality end threats.
“It was clearly built so it could be added upon again and again.”
He also pointed out its complexity when analyzing it and looking at its size. The actual file size is about 200MB, which makes it much larger in scope than most other malware. It also makes Flame harder to detect in many cases due to users thinking it is a legitimate application or program.
“It is like 20 times as large as Stuxnet. It is bigger and more modular, Haley said. “It is build like multiple people worked on it and didn’t know what other people were doing.”
What he meant by calling its engineering modular was that multiple groups of professional engineers were probably contracted to create it in different steps. Then their work was put together into what is now known as Flame.
Haley also indicated that in his opinion it probably took about 6 months to create and it will take Norton months to fully comprehend it. Norton has only been analyzing it for the last few days although there are indications it was around for at least two years in one shape or form.

A Disguised File

Haley said that its creators found clever ways to hide it inside systems it infects. Because of its large size, it may trick users into thinking it is harmless, but also in the way it runs on machines without showing indications of its approach.
“It tries to hide itself inside other applications to disguise itself,” he said. “It also hides itself inside another process inside the computer.
“If you weren’t examining it closely, you would think it is doing things that are harmless. It has functionality that normal programs have to make users think it is not doing anything not unique.”

Command-and-Control Server

The way its authors use Flame is through a command-and-control server (C&C). Its authors give it instructions through this structure to accomplish certain tasks.
“Typically once it gets on a machine it will report back to CMC server and wait for instructions,” haley said. “The author gives commands like show what documents they are and these are the ones I want you to copy.”
By the way, Symantec has provided further analysis of the virus in a blog posting on the company’s website titled “Painting a Picture of @32.Flamer.” This analysis points out that Flame is actually a whole platform and not just a file with a single function. It includes a Web server, a database server, and secure shell communications. It also includes a scripting editor.

How to Protect Yourself from the “Flame” Threat

What makes Flame such a threat is that it may have the potential of infecting users who have great firewalls or are not even connected online. Malware can, for instance, be infected from a USB drive.
However, Haley said that anyone with an updated version of Norton’s or Symantec’s anti-malware programs should be safe (these two product lines are linked to the same company, but Symantec is geared for enterprise users while Norton is geared for regular computing users). It should automatically detect and remove Flame. He even pointed out that competitor products are also able to remove it now. It is the users who are not protected that should make sure their system is safe.
Haley described how in 2011 alone there were over 400 million unique threats and he expects 2012 to show greater figures.
He thinks that a layered approach is needed with anti-virus software, firewalls, and other tools. He described one of these tools, which Norton uses, as the intrusion prevention systems (IPS).
“IPS intrusion prevention systems looks for patterns in network traffic,” Haley said. “It will detect malware unlike firewall that just blocks it.”
Despite Haley’s enthusiasm for anti-virus software being able to remove it, keep in mind that he did also say its creators have the ability to modify it and add functionality to it. Take that as you will, but it may mean that it still can pose a danger to any user.

Conclusion

Viruses like Flame show the challenges users and companies face every day when targeted by calculating and skillful threats. However, do not expect the average hacker to be able to create something this sophisticated. A group like Anonymous may have the potential over time so do not rule the idea out. However, this was most likely the work of engineers being hired full time to work on it over a period of numerous months as Haley pointed out.

Installing WordPress on IIS7 – Part 2

2012-09-04T03:27:00.002-07:00

Now that we’ve installed and setup a WordPress blog on IIS 7 let’s get into the details and enhance it a bit.
First we’ll set up search engine friendly URLs for our WordPress on IIS 7 to increase SEO. Then we’ll learn how to take advantage of the many WordPress plugins. And finally I’ll talk about setting up IIS Authentication for our WordPress site.
If you missed it, here’s Part 1 of Installing WordPress on IIS 7.

Search Engine Friendly URLs for WordPress on IIS7

Now if you’re interested in getting free and highly targeted traffic to your website, you can’t do much better than the search engines. As of this writing most search engines put a good deal of weight on having friendly URLs that include what the page is about.
For example, in our current install if you click on the default post you will notice that the url is:

http://domainname/?p=1

This doesn’t really tell the search engines anything about the page so they will not use it in their ranking weight. Now what if this was changed to something like:

http://domainname/hello-world

The search engines would accord more ranking weight for the keywords "Hello World" that are in the url. This is the reason I had you install the URL Rewrite module, because there is a little code you can include to help make the URLs friendly to both search engines and users.
1. Browse to the directory you have installed WordPress in and create/open the web.config file in Notepad.

2. Now navigate to the <System.Webserver> element and copy the code below into it and save it.
<rewrite>
<rules>
   <rule name="Main Rule" stopProcessing="true">
   <match url=".*" />
   <conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll">
   <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsFile" negate="true" />
   <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsDirectory" negate="true" />
   </conditions>
   <action type="Rewrite" url="index.php" />
   </rule>
</rules>
</rewrite>
NOTE: Your web.config file might look very different from mine due to any other options that are installed on your server. The main thing is, if you already have a <rewrite> section then place the rules within that, if you don’t then just put in the whole section below anywhere between <System.Webserver> </System.Webserver>

3. Now in your WordPress dashboard go ahead and click on Settings in the top right

4. Now click Permalinks across the middle of the screen

5. Under Common Settings go down to Custom Structure and place the following in the text field:
/%postname%/
If you want to put other variables into the url structure you can find a full list at:
http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks under Structure Tags
After you configure your structure click on Save Changes.

6. Now let’s go back to our site home page and click on the default post, you will now see that the url is now http://domainname.com/hello-world/

That’s it, using this will almost certainly increase your search engine visibility along with making your post URLs easier to remember for average users.

WordPress Plugins

One of the best things about WordPress and why it has become so popular is that it allows for great flexibility by allowing the use of plugins. Plugins are at the heart of WordPress’s extensibility because they are for the most part written by the user community. This means that when someone needs some kind of functionality more than likely someone else has needed it and written a plug-in for it.
While I cannot cover all the plugins out there, let me mention some tips if you have any problems with using them on your site. If you try a plugin and have issues take a quick look at the following:

PHP extension needed – if you kept your PHP installation lean you might not have all the extensions needed and configured. Make sure that you review the requirements for the plug-in and you have the extension loaded.
File permissions – watch the permissions in the directory that the plug-in is installed.

Here’s where you can learn more about plugins: http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins
And here’s where you can search the 3,000+ WordPress plugins: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/

IIS Authentication for WordPress

WordPress uses its own users and rights system, but there might be a situation where you want to use IIS authentication instead to seamlessly integrating the WordPress blog with the rest of a site. While this is very site specific and I will not go into detail here on how to do it, Mike Volodarsky has a great write-up on it using a plug-in that he wrote.
You can find that information on his site: IIS 7.0 Server-Side.

Summary

You have now installed and configured WordPress on IIS7 and even changed the URL structure to a custom one that will help you grow your blog through increased search engine traffic. Now go look through some plugins and start adding content to your site!

Installing WordPress on IIS 7 – Part 1

2012-09-04T03:26:00.002-07:00

In the past few weeks I have been writing a lot about using open source software such as PHP and MySQL on IIS7 to get you ready for today. This article will take the knowledge and experience of those articles and apply them to install one of the most popular open source blogging and CMS software products: WordPress.
WordPress is always being updated but for this article we will be using the 2.6 version. A word about the versions, this article should stay applicable through the usual feature updates, if there is a major code overhaul there might be issues, but as long as you are in 2.x fork you should be good following this article.

WordPress Requirements

As I said, my earlier articles were in preparation for this article so if you have not already done so please go back and follow these earlier articles to make sure your IIS7 server is ready for WordPress.

Now with those applications and module installed we are ready to move forward!

Download WordPress

Now that we are going to install WordPress let’s download the files and get them on the server. You can either FTP these up to your server or as I am going to do, just download them directly from the server.
You can get the latest files here: http://www.wordpress.org/download. You should see a big download button on the top of the right column, go ahead and start the download.
WordPress is famous for the 5-minute install, which normally is quite correct for Apache servers. Our install might take a little longer, but shouldn’t be too bad.
Now that you have downloaded the files, go ahead and unzip/FTP them to the site directory on the server.
I am going to be installing this under a local domain called wordpresstestinstall.com that is setup to resolve locally for my server. The physical path of the directory is under the directory structure specified in the php.ini.
NOTE: This is a biggie, back in the Install PHP article there was a section that had you modify the php.ini with the top most level of the directory structure that PHP would function within. You MUST have this WordPress install under that directory structure for it to function.

Configure MySQL for WordPress

Now, we have to setup a MySQL database for WordPress to use. There are several ways to do this, especially if you used my Install phpMyAdmin article, you can use that or you can use the MySQL command line interface.
I will actually walk you through both, we will start with phpMyAdmin, but if you want to use the command line sequence instead skip this next section.

Setup MySQL Database with phpMyAdmin

If you read my earlier articles then you know that phpMyAdmin can be used to create and manage MySQL databases in a somewhat easy to use GUI. If you have installed phpMyAdmin let’s go ahead and use that first, by opening it in your web browser.
1. First login with your MySQL username and password.
Unless you have setup other high level users this will almost certainly have the username of root and whatever password you used to install MySQL then hit Go.

2. On this page you can type the name of the database into the field under Create new database.
For this demo I am just going to use wordpress, but you may want to use something a little less generic. After typing in the name, click on Create.

3. Now we are going to create a user for the wordpress database, go ahead and click Privileges

4. Now click on Add a new User

5. Now fill in the details for your new user. For my demo I am using the following information:
User name: wpuser
Host: Any host
Password: password
re-type: password
The rest of the settings I am going to leave at the default and then click Go at the bottom of the screen.

6. After creation scroll down to the section Database-specific privileges and in the dropdown choose the database you created earlier. In this instance it is wordpress.
Once you scroll down you will see the page load up all the possible privileges for that database. Since I want this user to have full rights on this database I am going to select Check All and then click Go.

7. Ok that’s it, you should now have the following information available for your WordPress install:
Database Name: wordpress
Database User: wpuser
DB User Password: password

Use MySQL Command Line Interface

This section is only if you didn’t use the phpMyAdmin interface to setup your MySQL database. We are going to setup the exact same database as before — just without phpMyAdmin.
1. Go to the start menu and open up the MySQL program folder and click on MySQL Command Line Client

2. You will need to enter the root password and hit Enter

3. At the prompt type in: CREATE DATABASE wordpress; then hit Enter.

4. Now we will create and assign the user:
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON databasename.* TO "wpuser"@"localhost"
IDENTIFIED BY "password";
then hit Enter
Note: To go to a second line just hit Enter without a ";" at the end of a line. The ";" signals the end of the command.

5. Now type the following:
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
then hit Enter
6. Type Exit
7. Ok that’s it, you should now have the following information available for your WordPress install:
Database Name: wordpress
Database User: wpuser
DB User Password: password

Run the WordPress Install Script

Ok the moment of truth is upon us. First we are going to modify the wp-config-sample.php file with some information.
1. Navigate to the directory you placed your files and find the file named wp-config-sample.php and open it with Notepad.

2. You need to modify the following fields in the file. Please note I am using my values in the screenshot, replace them with your specific information.
DB_NAME: wordpress
DB_USER: wpuser
DB_PASSWORD: password
In the next section replace ‘put your unique phrase here’ with a different random phase for each, you don’t have to remember them so just make it up.

3. Save the file as wp-config.php
4. Type in the following to start the script replacing wordpresstestinstall.com with your domain.
http://wordpresstestinstall.com/wp-admin/install.php
You will find that the WordPress welcome screen is now shown. You can now configure the following — use your own info:
Blog Title: WordPress Test Install
Your E-mail: email
Click Install WordPress after you are done.

5. You should now see a screen that says Success! with your username (always admin) and a random password you can change later.
Make sure you write down or copy the password. There is also a small button at the bottom that says Log In, go ahead and click that button.

6. You will now be asked for your username and password that was given on the last page (I told you to write it down). So fill those in and click Log In

7. Now if you login and see a 403 error screen, more than likely it means your default document isn’t setup for index.php in IIS Manager.
If you are seeing the WordPress dashboard, then skip to the next step. For those that need to, do the following:

Open IIS Manager
Click on the site you are working with
In the center content area click on Default Documents
Once in Default Documents click on Add… in the right pane
In the Add Default Document Box type Index.php
Click OK
Close IIS Manager
Refresh your browser or login again to http://domainname.com/wp-admin/

8. Congratulations, you should now be in the WordPress Dashboard! You can also click the little button that says Visit Site and you will see the default post and theme loaded on your site.

Installing WordPress on IIS 7 – Part 2

Ok, now we have a WordPress blog setup and running on IIS7, with the core basic functionality. In my next article we’ll go a little further and enhance it a bit. In Installing WordPress on IIS 7 – Part 2 I’ll show you how to:

Set up search engine friendly URLs for WordPress on IIS7 to increase your SEO
Take advantage of the many WordPress plugins
Set up IIS Authentication for WordPress

How to Configure and Manage OWA on Exchange Server 2007

2012-09-04T02:57:00.001-07:00

Mobile messaging has become widely used since the release of Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2), which provided much needed functionality. SP2 has been able to offer remote access users much of the same functionality as users working within the network.
Outlook Web Access (OWA) provides remote users access to their messaging system via any compliant web browser, making mobile messaging universally accessible to any user with a browser enabled device.

The release of Outlook Web Access 2007 further increases the functions available to the remote user, including:

Out of office messaging

Scheduling assistant

Access to SharePoint documents within the browser

Web-ready document viewing within the browser

Access to managed e-mail folders

Voice and fax access via UM

Search access to GAL

Access to RSS feeds

Configuration and Management Tools

OWA is made available via the Exchange Server, deployed in the client access server role. There are five tools available to manage and configure OWA:

the Exchange Management Console graphic interface
the IIS Manager
direct registry configuration settings using the Registry Editor
the Outlook Web Access Web Administration tool
the Exchange Management Shell which provides command line and automated plug-ins

Some settings are only configurable via certain tools; settings, such as the PublicClientTimeout, TrustedClientTimeout, and SSLOffloaded values can only be configured by using the Registry Editor.

Configuring the Virtual Directories

When you install the client server access role on the Exchange Server, four default virtual directories are created to be used by Outlook Web Access. The directories are:

/owa – which is used for mailbox access
/Public – used to access public folders
/Exchange – used to access mailboxes and provide backwards compatibility
/Exadmin – which provides access for administrative settings and properties

These directories are usually sufficient for most deployments, but you can create additional virtual directories if you require them using the New-OWAVirtualDirectory command. Note that the forms based auth and secure socket layer encryption enabled by default in the /owa virtual directory will not apply to the new directory and these security services must be enabled manually.

Simplifying the OWA URL

Users like simplicity and simplicity reduces the need for tech support from the IT helpdesk. The URL that users use to access their mailbox via OWA can be simplified using the IIS manager. The process simply employs an http redirect and you can also set the IIS web page to automatically send the user to the secure http URL.
Simply create the html redirect code to URL=https://servername/exchange, open the IIS manager and program the redirect in the properties of the default web site.

Modifying Attachment Handling Settings

A new service introduced in Exchange Server 2007 is Web Ready Document Viewing, which allows users accessing the messaging servers via OWA to view certain types of common documents rendered within the browser.
The document types include Word, PDF, Excel and PowerPoint. You can use either the Exchange Management Console or the Set-OwaVirtualDirectory command under the manager shell. In the console, the settings are located under Web Ready Document Viewing settings under the OWA properties in the server properties Client Access settings.
Public and private file access can be configured to either allow access, block access, or force save the file to the client’s device before viewing. All attached files with either a default or a known file extension, are by default set to one of these three options.
You can also choose one of the options for unkown file extensions. Again, you can either use the Exchange Management Console or the Set-OwaVirtualDirectory command under the manager shell.
In the console you can set the file name extensions in the allow, block or force save list under the Direct File Access settings page. To modify the list you must select Customize direct file access and Direct file access must be enabled. There are two sets of settings, one for public file access and one for private file access.
Available only in Outlook Web Access Premium client, SharePoint and Windows File Share (UNC) integration provides read-only access to documents. Administrators can configure OWA to allow or block access on individual servers, allow or block access from private or public computers, create a list of remote servers to be treated as internal (only documents on internal host can be accessed via OWA), and allow or block access using segmentation.
To set access to individual servers simply add the host name to the block or allow list under Remote File Servers in the OWA configuration settings. You can also use the Set-OwaVirtualDirectory command in the manager shell.
To allow or block private or public computers, enable or disable the Windows SharePoint Services or Windows File Shares under the OWA setting. You can also enable or disable via the command shell using the Set-OwaVirtualDirectory command.
To add a domain suffix to be treated as internal, simply add the suffix to the list of domain suffixes to be treated as internal under the Remote File Server tab in OWA settings. To set access to individual virtual directories or to individual users you must use the command shell commands Set-OwaVirtualDirectory and Set-CASMailbox respectively.
Other configuration and management tasks for OWA include: configuring authentication methods, modifying language and character handling settings, configuring Gzip compression settings and disabling Web Beacons.
But we’ll save these for another time …

Top 10 New Features in Exchange Server 2010

2012-09-04T02:52:00.003-07:00

It’s difficult to read any technical journal or website today without finding stories on cloud computing. In an effort to reduce costs and network complexity, some organizations are opting to move at least some software or services to the cloud.
In response to this need, Microsoft released the first new version of Microsoft Exchange since 2006.
Exchange 2010 has a lot to offer including more flexibility, a better user experience, simplified administration, and much more.

What’s New in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010

Exchange has been known for its extensive feature list, including: email, calendars, contacts, and storage management.
With the 2010 update, they have addressed a few long standing issues and included additional functionality to help solve a crop of new, modern business problems.
The benefits? Unification, lowered costs, higher availability, and improved security.
Let’s review the top 10 new features.

1. Webmail

The new outlook web access (OWA) webmail client allows for delegation of administrative tasks. It also includes updated self-help options, intended to reduce help desk calls and ultimately, costs.
The Exchange Control Panel allows users to set their own email rule-set, create distribution groups, and track message delivery. And, if you lose your phone, you can remote wipe from your browser.
Another import feature is the inclusion of support for Firefox and Safari as well as Internet Explorer.

2. Legal Hold

By now, most corporate employees are aware that email should not be considered private. In fact, email has been subpoenaed for court cases.
But corporate policies that outline conflicting message retention dictates make balancing legal requirements against increasing storage costs, a challenge. In response, Exchange now has a legal hold feature that allows for the retention of email, even if archived or deleted.

3. Multi-Mailbox Search

As a tie-in to the legal hold feature, the multi-mailbox search function will allow for searches spanning multiple users’ inboxes. This feature will prove useful for enterprises that need to search their entire systems, perhaps based off a few keywords.

4. Exchange Control Panel

The Exchange Management Console and Exchange Management Shell have been joined by the Exchange Control Panel. This is a new, user-level and administrator management tool that lets users perform basic tasks, and allows admins to perform tasks remotely, using a web interface.
The more an end user is able to accomplish with help desk intervention, should translate to lower costs.

5. Database Availability Groups

Exchange 2010 introduces the concept of database availability groups. The idea is to allow you to designate multiple servers to host copies of individual databases. This is a feature designed to provide for a type of automatic backup. If one database fails, data can easily be restored from one of the availability groups.
This will definitely prove to be an essential tool for business critical email.

6. Database-Level Failover

In previous Exchange versions, a failure would affect an entire cluster. But with the 2010 update, a database failure will be contained to only that database.

7. Voice Mail Transcription

Instead of storing email messages only as sometimes difficult to access attachments, Exchange 2010 now has a speech recognition engine that will automatically transcribe voice mail messages.
The message will still appear as an attachment, which will allow for indexing, but will include a written text preview of the message.

8. Call answering rules

At some point, we’ve all encountered an automated attendant, directing us to press an option on our keypads to handle call routing. This nifty feature has found its way to the end user.
Call Answering Rules allows employees to setup their own call routing rules. For instance, they can send certain calls to voice mail, to their cell or home phones, or to ring through to their desks.

9. Personal Archive

Users in this version of Exchange have a new tool to help manage often unruly inboxes.
Personal archive allows for essentially two mailboxes — a primary mailbox and an archive mailbox. The archive is as readily available and easily browsed as the primary inbox.

10. Retention Policies

With the new retention policies in Exchange 2010, users can determine when messages should expire. This can be done at the folder or individual message level.
Permissions can be tricky and determining resources access requirements can be a time-consuming activity. However, using role-based access control greatly simplifies this process.
Rather than assigning permissions, an administrator can indicate tasks that a resource will perform. The appropriate permissions will then be assigned automatically.

Try Exchange Server 2010

If you think this sounds like an impressive feature list, you’re not alone. An Azaleos survey finds that 44% of enterprises plan to migrate to Exchange Server 2010 within 18 months. Which means that you must be ready for Exchange 2010 if you want to be a part of the action.
Microsoft is providing you with three ways to try Exchange 2010 for free:

120 day software trial download
60 day web-based test drive
30 day online trial

Cloud Computing 101: Private vs Public Cloud

2012-09-04T02:47:00.003-07:00

The “cloud” is a term with a debatable meaning. Even in the enterprise, surveys have revealed that there are some who have yet to develop a clear understanding of cloud computing. A recent survey by Virtacore Systems published in this CompTIA SmartBrief estimates that 48% of IT professionals at mid-sized companies don’t understand what the term actually means.
Perhaps some of the confusion comes from the fact that there are two types of clouds: public and private. Let’s take a closer look at what the main differences are between private and public clouds and later, what you should take into consideration when looking for a cloud computing provider.

Private vs Public Clouds

A public cloud is one in which a service provider serves customers, with functionality like applications, infrastructure, and storage. These services are available to businesses and individuals over the Internet. Public cloud services may be free or offered on a pay-per-usage model; sometimes it’s referred to with the -aaS acronym, meaning “as a Service” as in IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service). More on this here: What Cloud Computing Really Is.
This is a scalable service provided by a vendor, designed to be easier to setup and administer with less cost, in addition to reducing waste from lesser used data center resources.
The idea is to eliminate physical location from the data and system access equation. Data from several corporate or individual clients are segmented but do share server space — called, co-location.

The private cloud describes an internal computing model and architecture which provides hosted services similar to those of the public cloud, but reserved for corporate users and those that are approved; essentially, a private cloud is not open to the public and us usually setup behind a firewall. In a sense, this turns the IT department into the service provider or vendor for cloud resources. For those interested in reaping the benefits of virtualized cloud architecture, yet needing more control and security, this is a popular option.
Virtualization and data center automation allows for the scalability, maximizing hardware usage, and flexibility to support internal corporate clients. And, if your organization is so inclined, metering also allows you to charge departments based on their usage.

Top 5 Things to Look for In A Cloud Computing Provider

For many organizations, the benefits of the public cloud outweigh the risks. But before making a decision on shifting an application or service to the cloud, there are a few things to consider. The first question is whether or not the intended application is suitable for use in a cloud-based setting.
Assuming your application has been deemed a good candidate for the cloud, the second consideration is who to trust with your data.
So here are the top 5 things you should consider when selecting a public cloud vendor.

#1 Is the company viable?

Before handing over your critical applications and data, an important first step is to assess the financial viability of the company. Find out how long the company has been in business. Given the relative immaturity of this market, it may be unlikely to find vendors with several decades of presence, but you almost certainly don’t want a company that has just set up shop either. In addition, look for any indicators of past or future economic issues, along with frequent leadership changes.

#2 Are service level agreements offered?

For organizations entrusting mission critical data to a vendor, you’ll want to ensure that your systems will not suffer from frequent or extended outage periods. Downtime can have disastrous consequences both in terms of financial loss and damage to company reputation. For this reason, a service level agreement with negotiable terms, should be available. This agreement should outline provisions for everything from server or software issues, to more detailed disaster recovery plans.

#3 Is customer service a priority?

One guarantee with corporate networks is that something often can and will go wrong. In these instances, it is imperative that the vendor respond quickly, efficiently, and professionally. You should determine things like: response times, dedicated vs. general support, and phone/email/chat availability. Depending on the nature of the application that the vendor hosts, you may find that a dedicated support engineer, with 24×7 availability better suits your needs than calling a general help line and waiting in a call queue.

#4 Will my customers have the same level of performance?

Another issue cited with cloud services is the perceived negative performance impact. Customers and employees have an expectation that no matter where data is housed, they will enjoy the same level of performance. The cloud provider should be able to define how they measure performance and be able to provide real-time and ongoing measurements and statistics to back this up.

#5 How is security handled?

Perhaps the most frequent reason cited for not pursuing cloud computing is security. Many organizations have invested considerable financial and human resources in order to secure their network environments and the thought of abandoning that level of control and comfort to an unknown entity can seem like an unnecessary gamble. Any reputable vendor should be able to outline their security practices and modify them based on your requirements, particularly as it relates to any industry-specific regulatory requirements you have.

Summary

The decision to pursue cloud computing is one that many organization have or will make as this technology grows and matures. But this decision need not be one fraught with uncertainty. With a little due diligence, and answering a few key questions, you can ensure that your cloud vendor selection is a sound one.

Choosing Between Private and Public Cloud Computing

2012-09-04T02:46:00.002-07:00

Are there advantages to having a private cloud network operated within a company’s own infrastructure over having a public cloud? Should smaller companies outsource their servers and information to external public cloud networks like Microsoft’s Azure or Amazon’s Web Services? The difference between public and private cloud computing can be summarized by looking at where the infrastructure or data is being hosted — is it within a company’s own firewall or outside of it? However, the question related to what should a company choose to rely on for its own network and infrastructure is much more complex.
Let’s first take a look at the three main service modules as they relate to cloud computing:

SaaS

Software as a service may refer to something like Google Docs or Microsoft Office 365 which allow you to access productivity suites through the cloud. The advantages are numerous. For example, the cost of this sort of software is generally based on the pay-as-you-go model and this eliminates huge upfront expenses. You don’t have to purchase an entire suite from Microsoft, but instead you can pay a monthly fee for the privilege of having your employees use it. It is also flexible in terms of how many employees have access to the software and the types of features that can be enabled or disabled on demand. In a private cloud, SaaS can also exist within the ranks of the employment force. For example, an e-mail client who is only accessible to the users within the same firewall could fit under private cloud.

IaaS

Infrastructure as a service may reference computers, servers, storage units, and the building blocks of a company’s IT section. IaaS may refer to virtual machines as well as physical hardware.

PaaS

Platform as a service refers to the layer of software hosting that the SaaS sits underneath— and relies on it to function. For example, an operating system can be considered a platform. Many PaaS, including Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), offer a wide range of platforms and operating systems for companies to choose from or alter — thus offering great elasticity and scalability.
According to Amazon’s EC2 description page, “Amazon EC2 presents a true virtual computing environment, allowing you to use web service interfaces to launch instances with a variety of operating systems, load them with your custom application environment, manage your network’s access permissions, and run your image using as many or few systems as you desire.”
Now let’s take a look at public and private cloud computing and compare their advantages or disadvantages as they relate to companies of different sizes and needs.

Public Cloud

For SMBs and startups public cloud computing makes all the sense in the world. These companies often don’t have much capital and have less risk in losing information due to theft or security breaches. For SMBs, cloud computing saves them a lot of money and the need to build extra infrastructure.
Smaller businesses and startups really enjoy the pay-as-you-go flexibility that public cloud offers and the cost savings associated with it. Most service providers, like Amazon with Web Services and EC2, offer a lot of scalability so businesses can scale their operations only to the needs that they have.
For example, if a company’s demand grows and more employees get hired, the public cloud provider will allow the company to have access to more infrastructure as a service and servers hosting the data that will be need for the additional employees.
David Linthicum, CTO and founder of cloud computing consolidation firm, Blue Mountain labs, emphasized this recently in an interview I conducted with him for another story. He said that a company’s workforce should never see a server and should only bring on-site computing devices like laptops to their workplace. The actual infrastructure should be in a public cloud and any computing device — be it a laptop, tablet, or tower PC — should be able to access it.
However, questions arise when you talk about bigger companies or ones with a lot of sensitive data to keep track of. Should they rely on a public cloud option or host their own private cloud?

Private Cloud

Private cloud makes a lot of sense to these bigger companies because it is based on a model where they run their own servers and infrastructure. The idea is to control your own infrastructure and only allow workers within the same firewall to access all the content from the cloud.
Whether or not your company is sharing a network with users outside your firewall is a key part that separates public cloud from private cloud. This may or may not mean the servers are on-site, but connectivity is probably done through a VPN connection and there are a lot of encryptions that keep anyone else from accessing the network. Public clouds also have a lot of security, but your company is sharing software, computing or infrastructure with other companies using the same network.
Another key aspect of private cloud is that management is done within the organization itself. This means that if something goes haywire the company has someone to blame within its own ranks rather than has to rely on the provider of the cloud service to fix the issue.
The private cloud platform can also scale on demand, to the degree to which the company can purchase equipment on a whim. It still makes sense from a financial perspective for any company instead of not using a cloud at all and purchasing all software and hardware upfront.

Hybrid Cloud

There is also another category called the hybrid cloud. This is a form of cloud computing where a company may manage its own infrastructure and thus rely on private cloud for IaaS, but at the same time allow this infrastructure to go outside the firewall for other cloud computing tasks such as SaaS. This model has aspects of both private and public cloud in different areas of the company’s operations. Another example of the hybrid cloud, as outlined by SearchCloudComputing, is if a company uses Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), which is a public cloud service to store archival data, while it relies on in-house storage infrastructure for customer data being used on a daily basis.

Conclusion

Cloud computing is much more complex and varied than meets the eye at first. The idea isn’t just based on an on demand network with freedom of infrastructure accessibility. There are also both self-hosted private cloud networks running within companies’ own ranks, and companies like Amazon that are embracing the cloud for the public enterprise market. It will be a very interesting in the next couple of years to see how bigger companies embrace the public cloud. They are the most reluctant to make the switch due to the fear of loss of control, security, outages, being tied down to an external network, and other things that these enterprises have to consider when choosing an infrastructure. Cloud computing, both public and private, however will continue to evolve and offer more options for both smaller companies and large enterprises.

Guide to Installing and Setting up Linux — The Easy Way

2012-09-04T02:44:00.003-07:00

So you want to try Linux but don’t know how. Well, it’s actually pretty simple and you have a few options before deciding to fully commit to a Linux based operating system.
The first thing you need to ask yourself is which Linux distro do you want? I recently read an article on Digg about the top 35 Linux ditros out there.
Don’t worry, I won’t bombard you with all the different choices you have, but the three that you should consider are Ubuntu, Mandriva, and OpenSuse.
I like OpenSuse and Mandriva because of the interface, usability, and because it just looks really cool right off the bat. Ubunto is also a great option and the ease of installation makes it a great choice for any Windows user to try out.
There are a few things that I am going to address in this article:

I’ll talk about how to use the Live CD so that you can try out Linux without actually installing it
I’ll also discuss how to do a complete install for those of you who have given up on Windows completely … hey, I don’t blame you, I sympathize
I will also address another option for those of you who still want to be able to use Windows every now and again while also having Linux

Downloading Ubuntu Linux

The first thing you want to do is go to www.Ubuntu.com and determine how you want to receive your free copy of Ubuntu.
Your options are to either download directly or request a copy through mail. Both options are free but remember, a copy through the mail can take up to 10 weeks. The quick option is to just download it.

You have a few options with the download. The default is the one you will probably want to stick with but you have choices like a 32 bit version of Ubuntu or a 64 bit. Unless you know your graphics card can handle 64 bit graphics I wouldn’t change/or worry about this selection and just stick to 32 bit.
Next you’ll have to select your location. I would just pick whichever location is closest to you and click download. The download will vary depending on your Internet speed but 30-45 min is a good estimate.

Getting Your ISO onto a CD

You’ve downloaded Ubuntu … Now what?
Well what you’ve downloaded was an ISO image. An ISO image is an image of a CD/DVD, so what you need to do is get that ISO image onto a CD. There are a few ways to go about this.
If you have a CD burner on your computer then you probably have software as well. Something like Nero or Toast Titanium will work.
If you don’t have burning software then what you can do is go to CDBurnerXP and download burning software on XP. Follow the steps (each software will be a little different) and ultimately you should see an ISO/burn image option.
Once you have your copy of Ubuntu on a disk it’s time to get the party started!

Try Out The Live CD

With your computer running, go ahead and throw in you copy of Ubunto. A menu will automatically appear with all the options you need — the first being Demo and Full Install.

If you want to demo Ububtu, you will have to restart your computer with the CD in the tray. This is also the best way to install Ubuntu because you have that option in the Demo as well. When your computer reboots it should automatically come up with the Ubuntu menu (pictured below). From there you can go and try Ubuntu without any changes.

Ubuntu will come up and from here you can go ahead and start surfing around.
Do you see the Install icon your desktop? Good! Go ahead and click on that — it’s time to start the install.

Installing Linux Ubuntu

The next question you have to ask yourself is: In or out?
You’ve probably determined by now whether you want to install Ubuntu exclusively on your computer or if you want to install it while keeping Windows. If you haven’t you don’t have much time — make your snap decision now!
The first thing that will come up will be Language preference. Make your selection and click forward.

Next you will have Time Zone selection followed by your keyboard selection.

Pretty simple so far, right?
Your next option will be about Partitioning and there are two options you want to worry about.
Basically, do you want to do a full install of Ubuntu (Guided – use entire disk) or if you have a spare hard drive you will have that option under Guided (just make sure you select the right drive!)
You also have the option to partition your single drive and Ubuntu makes it really easy to use. There is an arrow tool in the middle that you can click and drag and decide for yourself. Just make sure Ubuntu gets at least 10 GB of space; I selected 50/50. Windows will have 50% of the drive and so will Ubuntu.
Once you decide click on the forward button and continue.

Next you will need to enter a name and password for the computer. Almost done!

You also have the option to import some of the documents and settings from your Windows accounts.

The last step is just a review of the installation. If everything looks kosher you can go ahead and click forward.
Note that the installation process will start after this. Go ahead and take a break as the install will take about 30 minutes.

All Done!

Now that wasn’t so bad was it? The install will include everything you need to start using Ubuntu right away (internet, Openoffice.org, etc.).
If you did a complete install your computer will go right into Ubuntu once it reboots. If you installed it alongside Windows, you will be prompted to a selection menu every time your computer starts — you will have to select Windows or Ubuntu.

Don’t Forget To Update

If you have a wired connection then you are good to go and you can start surfing away.
One thing you will want to do is to get some updates. There is a button on the top right corner that will update everything for you. It’s quick and painless and will benefit you for obvious reasons.

That’s all folks and remember there is a ton of Linux distros out there. Not all installs are the same but some are similar in installation, so check them out and make sure you find the right one for you.
Good Luck & Godspeed!

How to Create a Separate Home Partition in Ubuntu Linux

2012-09-04T02:43:00.004-07:00

One of the joys of being a Linux user is the flexibility. Virtually every aspect of your system is customizable. Testing and tweaking desktop managers, compiling a new kernel, fearlessly contributing through trial and error, to the open source movement. Yet, all this flexibility is not without its perils.
It’s happened to us all at some point. We’ve tinkered ourselves into a technical abyss rife with grub errors, system freezes, or black screens of death-our systems fried. When all attempts at recovery fail, we sigh, break out our LiveCD and reinstall. While devastating, the pain can become compounded if you have not properly backed up the data residing in your /home directory.

Advantages of a Separate Home Partition

The general consensus among Linux enthusiasts is that the /home directory should be placed on its own partition. There have even been proposals that this be made a part of the default installation process.
The separation accomplishes two things: facilitates cleaner, simpler Linux upgrades and provides a safe haven for your data in the event of a problem with your primary Linux partition. As a side benefit, if you run multiple Linux flavors (i.e. Fedora, openSUSE, Mint, etc.), you’ll be able to use the same /home partition for each of these.
Ubuntu Linux operates on a 6 month release cycle. Clicking the upgrade button in the synaptic package manager will upgrade your distribution – albeit, with varied results. Some upgrades work flawlessly, while others are plagued with problems. Consequently, many agree that a clean install is the preferred option.
A clean install does exactly what the name implies, wiping the hard drive during the installation process. One can easily back up their data and then restore it, but this step can be eliminated if /home is on a separate partition.

Creating a Separate Home Partition in Ubuntu

Convinced? Wondering how to make the change on your existing Ubuntu installation? Great! Without further ado, we’ll walk through the simple steps to repartition your drive, moving your /home directory to its own partition.

It is important to note, that while these steps (or the many variations on them) have been successfully performed many times over, the potential for data loss exists.
It is imperative that you backup your data before you begin. You can use an external drive, online storage systems like Ubuntu One or Dropbox or whatever solution you choose. But I can’t stress the importance of this step enough.

Assuming you’ve backed up your data, you’ll need to boot from your LiveCD. Why? Basically, because you can’t alter a partition if it’s mounted. So, after booting, select your language, and then select: try Ubuntu without installing.
There are several partition managers available, but for this tutorial, we’re going to be using the Gparted partition manager. From the application menu, click on:

System > Administration > Gparted
When Gparted loads, you’ll see a graphical depiction of all the partitions on your hard drive. You’ll need to decide which partition you want to resize to create space for /home.
Right click the partition you choose and click, Resize/Move
As most important data is stored at the beginning, or the left side of the partition, I suggest you resize from the right side. In terms of size, needs vary depending on the user, but allocate as much room as you can for /home.

Use your mouse and drag left, to resize the partition and then click, Resize/Move.
You should now have a space called unallocated. This will be the home of your new partition. Select this space with your mouse and click on Partition > New from the menu.

Now select the filesystem you want, ideally, this should match your existing file system , ext3 or ext4.

*make note of your partition names, we’ll need these later.
Click Apply twice.
Click Close, then Quit.
Now we’ll need to tell Ubuntu how to use the new partition. Open up a terminal and type the following commands:

To mount the new partition, (for this example, assuming partitions sda1 and sda2 and file system ext3, yours may be different):
sudo mkdir /old
sudo mount -t ext3 /dev/sda1 /old
sudo mkdir /new
sudo mount -t ext3 /dev/sda2 /new
Now backup the old /home and move to the new partition:

cd /old/home
find . -depth -print0 | cpio –null –sparse -pvd /new/
sudo mv /old/home /old/home_backup
sudo mkdir /old/home
Tell Ubuntu to use the new partition as /home:

sudo cp /old/etc/fstab /old/etc/fstab_backup
gksudo gedit /old/etc/fstab
This will open fstab in Gedit, now type the following:

/dev/sda2 /home ext3 nodev,nosuid 0 2
Save the Gedit file, exit and reboot. Viola, you should now be using your new separate /home partition!

When Things Go Wrong …

Inevitably, things go wrong. What should you do, you ask?
The Ubuntu forums and IRC channel are an excellent resource. However if you’d like to skip the troubleshooting and start over, type these commands to restore things to their previous configuration:

sudo mkdir /recovery
sudo mount -t ext3 /dev/sda1 /recovery
sudo cp -R /recovery/home_backup /recovery/home
sudo cp /recovery/etc/fstab_backup /recovery/etc/fstab

Creating a separate /home partition may seem like more trouble than it is worth, but in the end, can save you countless hours of exasperated troubleshooting on Ubuntu’s next update.
This isn’t an exercise you should undertake lightly. However, knowing your data is safe and sound is a powerful incentive. Still, as hardware failure looms ever possible, it is best to develop and stick to a consistent backup schedule.

How to Install LAMP in Ubuntu 9.10

2012-09-04T02:41:00.002-07:00

There are many reasons that people make the leap from other operating systems to Linux: improved security, embracing open source software, adventure. And then there are programmers, who in their search for a more stable development platform, are drawn to the other side.
PHP has become a popular language for web developers. It’s powerful and easy to learn.
If you would like to set up a web development environment on your computer away from the prying eyes lurking on the Internet, in just a few steps, you can have PHP installed on your Ubuntu system.

What is LAMP?

LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) is an open source Web development platform.
Linux is the operating system, Apache is the web server, MySQL is the database management system and PHP is the language.

PHP vs. Python

PHP was designed primarily as a language for web design. Some of the benefits are its easy integration with HTML, the tons of free scripts available for reuse, and its low learning curve.
And then there are the new frameworks like, CakePHP and CodeIgniter that are designed to aid in rapid development. Opponents though, will point out its inconsistent naming conventions, excessive built-in functions and lazy syntax.
Enter Python. The new kid on the block is rapidly gaining popularity. It is a bit more difficult to setup, but proponents rave about its clean, elegant syntax and large standard library. Its a more general programming language, not specially for web design and uses the Django framework.

LAMP Installation

As is often the case, there are a couple ways to install the LAMP environment.
Command Line:

sudo apt-get install php5 mysql-server apache2

sudo tasksel

Press the space bar to select LAMP server. As a lesson from a rather painful personal experience, I implore you to make sure none of the other options are accidentally selected before you proceed.
During the installation, you’ll be asked to enter your MySQL root password. Ensure you use a secure password, including numbers and letters, special characters and remember it — recovery of a lost password is no picnic.

LAMP Installation Checks and Balances

Next, let’s make sure everything is installed properly.

• Apache

In your browser’s address bar, enter this address: http://localhost. You should see the words, “It Works!” in your browser window:

• PHP

Apache is up and running, so we’ll check PHP next. You’ll need to create a file in /var/www called testing.php. Open a terminal and enter:

sudo /var/www/testing.php
restart apache – sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Now go back to your web browser and enter this address http://localhost/testing.php/. You should see a page displaying version information for your php installation.

Configuring MySQL

In order to use MySQL under the LAMP environment, we need to bind the MySQL database to the localhost IP address – 127.0.0.1. You can verify it with this terminal command:

cat /etc/hosts | grep localhost
cat /etc/mysql/my.cnf | grep bind-address

You should see 127.0.0.1

Optional Install – PHP MyAdmin

If you feel comfortable administering a MySQL database directly, you won’t need to install phpMyAdmin, but I think it makes things easier. You can install phpMyAdmin from the command line. Fire up a terminal windows and type:

sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-auth-mysql phpmyadmin
select apache2, hit enter, enter MySQL root password from earlier step, create phpMyAdmin password – you can use the same as your MySQL root password

Open your web browser and enter the address http://localhost/phpmyadmin/. You should see a page like this:

PHP Editors

Developers often feel as strong about their editors as they do about the languages they favor. The best way to decide on an editor is to install a few, try them and pick which works best for you. Here are some of the top contenders:

• PHPEdit

PHPEdit is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for PHP. It has advanced PHP tools, a powerful debugger and real-time syntax checking.
You can check out PHPEdit here.

• Bluefish

Bluefish is my one of the editors I use most. It is used not only for PHP, but a number of other languages. It’s open source, has SFTP support and code highlighting among other benefits.
You can check out Bluefish here.

• GNU Emacs

GNU Emacs is also an editor for a variety of file types. It has a large extension library including a project planner, mail and news reader, debugger and calendar.
You can check out GNU Emacs here.

• jEdit

jEdit is one that I tried and set aside quickly, but your experience may be different. It has hundreds of plugins that help extend the editor’s functionality and is a very mature product.
You can check out jEdit here.

• Netbeans

NetBeans is an open source IDE built in Java. It supports several languages in addition to PHP, including C, C++ and JavaScript.
You can check out NetBeans here.

• Vim

Vim is an advanced text editor, based on the still widely used Vi Unix editor, along with a more complete feature set. Check it out here.
You can check out Vim here.

Programming in Ubuntu

For those new to PHP, there are a plenty of resources online to help you get up to speed. I recommend you start at the PHP main website, then move on to Sitepoint’s PHP Forum and w3 Schools PHP tutorial.
Happy coding.

How to Install Sun VirtualBox and Widows 7 in Ubuntu 9.10

2012-09-04T02:37:00.003-07:00

For many of us, the decision to transition from Windows to Linux (or Mac to Linux) was a thoughtful, decidedly analytical process. For others — those that lean toward a more adventurous approach at new technology adoption, perhaps the decision was easier.
But one challenge that both camps share is evaluating whether or not all their software will work under the new operating system.
From my perspective, the only obstacle was being able to access and sync my iPod Touch, as Apple’s iTunes software does not run under Linux. There are several equally capable open source music library managers under Linux (I’m in the Banshee camp), but even with all the tweaks and tricks posted online, my iPod Touch remained stubbornly mute.

The Solution: Virtualization

I decided not to trash my music player, and instead researched and installed what’s called virtualization software.
This software allows a single computer, called a host, to create and run virtual environments, called guests. This allows you to run multiple operating systems on a single computer without disturbing your current setup.

Virtualization Software Options

There are a number of different virtualization tools available for Linux. Two of the most popular are VMware and Sun’s VirtualBox. The most immediate difference between the two is price — VMware is $189, while VirtualBox is free. Though I haven’t tested VMware, it seems that many also consider it more difficult to configure.

VirtualBox comes in two flavors: VirtualBox Enterprise and Virtualbox Open Source Edition (OSE).
The closed source software includes binaries and source code available from Sun’s download page. This version is free only for personal use or evaluation. In order to help generate revenue, licenses and technical support for the enterprise version of the software are available for $50 per license at Sun’s Web Store.
VirtualBox-ose is available for free in the Ubuntu repositories or from Sun’s download page. It is released under GPL and the complete source code is also available. There are just a few differences between the enterprise and ose versions. This list can change, but currently includes:

Remote Display Protocol (RDP) Server
- This component implements a complete RDP server on top of the virtual hardware and allows users to connect to a virtual machine remotely using any RDP compatible client.
USB support
- VirtualBox implements a virtual USB controller and supports passing through USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices to virtual machines.
USB over RDP
- This is a combination of the RDP server and USB support allowing users to make USB devices available to virtual machines running remotely.

VirtualBox Installation Options

Command Line:

sudo apt-get install virtualbox-ose

Ubuntu Repositories:

System, Preferences, Synaptic Package Manager – virtualbox-ose, click apply

Sun Website:

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Installing Windows 7 in VirtualBox in 10 Easy Steps

Once you have VirtualBox installed on your system, you can install any OS inside the VM. I’m going to show you how to install Windows 7 in your VirtualBox:
Step 1: Launch Virtualbox-ose:

Applications, Accessories, Virtuabox OSE

Step 2: In the main VirtualBox window, click the New button and then click Next to start the installation wizard.

Step 3: Enter a name for your new virtual machine, for example: Windows 7. Choose Microsoft Windows in the Operating System box, and Other Windows in the Version box. Click Next.

Step 4: Next enter the amount of memory you want to give to the guest OS. My laptop has 4gb of RAM, so I allocated 2gb. The idea is to leave enough for your host machine to still function properly, but to allocate enough so that Windows will run smoothly. Click next.

Step 5: Now, to create a virtual hard drive for the new guest operating system, click the New button.

Step 6: Make sure dynamically expanding storage is selected, then click Next.

Step 7: Next, enter the size and location of your virtual hard disk and click Next.

Step 8: Click Finish. Installation is complete. You’ll see the virtual machine we just created listed on the left.
Step 9: Under settings, in the CD/DVD ROM section, you can now define where the Windows 7 install CD is located. Assuming you have a CD, insert it into your CD/DVD drive and select “Host CD/Drive”, defining the drive letter.

Step 10: Click OK to save and exit settings. Click start and the Windows 7 installer will launch. Now you can install Windows 7 like you normally would.

Running VirtualBox

Easy: highlight your Windows installation and click start.

I also installed Guest Additions. It isn’t required but it will add support for seamless mode, additional display resolutions and copy/paste from guest to host. You can do the install yourself from the Device menu.

One last tip: To run in fullscreen mode, press host key (usually right, control key) + f

VirtualBox: Not Just For Windows

At the risk of sparking a distro war in the comments section, I’ll still say that Ubuntu is probably one of the most recognizable Linux distributions. Many newcomers begin with Ubuntu or Linux Mint, but inevitably (like me) get the urge to try other distributions. Fedora, OpenSUSE, Gentoo, and Mandriva are other popular options.
Take the plunge, download an .iso file or burn a CD, and create a virtual machine to test out other Linux flavors.

How to Install Skype in Ubuntu Linux 9.10

2012-09-04T02:36:00.003-07:00

Prior to the information age, our phone selections were simple. One line per family, typically a lone phone, attached to the wall with a tangled cord, push-button, or (gasp!) rotary dialing.
Thankfully, telecommunications have come a long way. With an array of mobile and cordless phones, along with an even more confusing number of providers, the choices are dizzying.
The most recent telephony innovation lives on the Internet. Using desktop, laptops, and even netbooks, coupled with the right software, our computers have become an attractive alternative to traditional phone services.
In fact, a quick scan of popular news websites will confirm that many people are opting to eliminate their land lines in favor of these less costly, even free, portable options.
Skype has emerged as a leader in this area.

Skype Overview

Skype allows you to make regular audio and video calls over the Internet using your computer’s microphone and webcam. Video to other parts of the world can be spotty, based on the country’s bandwidth restrictions, but audio is more consistent. In addition, it has instant messaging, file transfer, and SMS features.

Calls to other Skype users are free. Calls to other lines are charged a per-minute or monthly rates, based on the country. Call forwarding and voicemail are available at an additional cost. You simply deposit funds into your Skype account, and call charges are deducted from there.
Pricing details are available here. Skype is also available as an application on Blackberry and Android phones. Now, you can make free calls on these cell phones without using any plan minutes.
Skype uses a decentralized peer-to-peer technology that routes calls through distributed servers and other users. Those concerned about security should note that all communications are encrypted from end to end so there is no danger of someone intercepting and listening in on your calls.
While Skype is free to download, it is proprietary software, not open to modification. And for this reason, there are some in the open source community that balk at its usage. There are open source versions of software like Ekiga (available in the repositories) that allow for audio and video calls, as well as instant messaging.

Installing Skype

There are two ways to install Skype. You can either download the Debian file (.deb), or add it to the Ubuntu software repository. The benefit of adding it to the repository, is that you will receive automatic updates via synaptic, or apt-get. If you choose to install via .deb file, you’ll need to keep abreast of any updates and manually download and install new versions from the Skype website when they become available.
Instructions on how to add to the repository are available here.
Debian file installation was tricky in previous iterations of the software. And things like hardware and Linux version still play an important part in what your particular experience will be. I’ve run Skype under both Karmic Koala (9.10) and its predecessor Jaunty Jackalope (9.04), both on HP and Toshiba hardware. In both, instances, it’s worked well calling as close as my own neighborhood, and as far away as Africa.
Here are the quick installation steps:

First, download the appropriate version for your file system type from this link
Make note of where you downloaded the .deb file. Double click on the file to launch the installer.
Follow the prompts to install the software.

Using Skype

Launch Skype from the menu — Applications, Internet, Skype:

• Creating an Application Launcher

You can always launch Skype from the command line by typing: skype, in a terminal window. But if you’d like to add a desktop launcher follow these steps:

first right click on top of the menu and click: Add to panel
select custom application launcher
type in a name
type command: skype

** you may also drag the icon from the Application menu to the top panel

Skype Customization

You can customize Skype to suit your preference for things like privacy and notification settings. You’ll also be able to tweak and test your audio and video settings.
In the skype window, press ctrl+o or press the small “S” symbol at the bottom of the window.

For more information about individual customization settings, visit skype.com.

Skype Addons

As a writer, I often use Skype to make calls for interviews. There is a tool that is very useful to me in writing that others might find helpful as well — the Skype Recorder. This program, works with Skype, to allow you to record your calls.

Record calls to MP3, Ogg Vorbis or WAV file format
Automatic and manual recording
Configure automatic recording on per-caller basis
Split stereo recording
Free, unlimited and open source, released under the GNU GPL

In addition to writers, businesses and organizations that would like to record company teleconferences would benefit most from this tool. It should be noted that recording calls without prior knowledge and permission of all participants is illegal in some countries. So, be sure to notify you caller if you intend to record the session.

• Skype Recorder Installation

Download the Skype Recorder
Double click the file and follow the prompts to install
Find Skype Recorder under Application, Accessories
To use the software, first launch Skype, then launch Skype Recorder. An icon will appear on your panel. Start your call in Skype and then click record.

Is Skype Right for You?

Some users have experienced audio problems with Skype, while others have had a nearly flawless experience. But there are alternatives. In addition to Ekiga, check out QuteCom (formerly WengoPhone) and ooVoo.
In terms of audio recording, Audacity (available in the repos) is a popular alternative. Keep in mind also, that Skype cannot be used to call for emergency services.
My suggestion is to install and test each of these, and use what works best for you.

How to Set Up Safe FTP in Linux

2012-09-04T02:35:00.003-07:00

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is one of the oldest and most popular ways to share files between computers and servers. In terms of the Internet, this happens transparently on websites where you download software or files. FTP is available both under Windows and Linux.
FTP by itself isn’t very secure. Information is transmitted in clear text, making it subject to interception and theft. Thus, we have more secure options, like the Very Secure FTP daemon (vsftpd). In this article, we’ll explore how to setup vsftpd under Linux.

What is VSFTPD?

The vsftp daemon runs in the background and allows you or users you designate, to copy files to and from your linux boxes, using username and password as login credentials. This ability is open to individuals or groups you may want to establish.
VSFTPD features include:

Virtual IP configurations
Virtual users
Standalone or inetd operation
Powerful per-user configurability
Bandwidth throttling
Per-source-IP configurability
Per-source-IP limits
IPv6
Encryption support through SSL integration

How To Install VSFTP

The daemon is included in most versions of Linux. If you are using a Debian based distribution like Mint or Ubuntu, open a terminal window and type: sudo apt-get install vsftpd
If you are using a Red Hat based disto, open a terminal window and type: sudo yum install vsftp

How To Configure VSFTP

To configure vsftp, open the vsftpd.conf file in the /etc directory. For instance, if you were using gedit as your text editor, you would type: sudo gedit /etc/vsftpd.conf
First, for a secure setup, you’ll want to disable anonymous access to your ftp server. Change this line: anonymous_enable=YES to anonymous_enable=NO
With anonymous access disabled, you’ll want to allow local users to log in, by uncommenting the following line: #local_enable=YES to local_enable=YES (simply remove the # sign).
Allow write access by uncommenting this line: #write_enable=YES to write_enable=YES
Save and close the file.
Setup an FTP user account:

sudo mkdir -p /home/ftp/ftpuser
sudo useradd ftpuser -d /home/ftp/ftpuser -s /bin/false
sudo passwd ftpuser

Restart your ftp server:

Debian: sudo etc/init.d/vsftpd restart

Red Hat: sudo service vsftpd restart

Test:

netstat -a | grep ftp

Run at the command Line:

ftp ip address or hostname: ftp 100.00.00.00

Other VSFTP Configuration Options

There are many other options you can add to this file:

Limiting the maximum number of client connections (max_clients)
Limiting the number of connections by source IP address (max_per_ip)
Setting the maximum rate of data transfer per anonymous login (anon_max_rate)
Setting the maximum rate of data transfer per non-anonymous login (local_max_rate)

VSFTP Considerations and Resources

Potential issues are often as simple as username and password entry errors. But because firewalls are designed to limit access to certain ports, this is a good area to investigate if you experience issues with your installation. Be sure to check out the vsftpd html man page for more information.

Introduction to Python Programming in Ubuntu Linux

2012-09-04T02:34:00.003-07:00

Python is one of a handful of modern programming languages gaining a lot of traction in the development community. It was created by Guido von Rossum in 1990, named after – you guessed it – the comedy, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”. Like Java, once written, programs can be run on any operating system.
I began programming many years ago, and admittedly once I got into networking, turned away from my first love. But for those of you who would like to begin trying your hand at a new language, Python is excellent to start with. Supporters tout its low learning curve and elegant coding system.

Python Installation

Ubuntu makes starting easy, as it comes with a command line version pre-installed. In fact, the Ubuntu community develops many of its scripts and tools under Python. You can begin the process with either the command line version or the graphical Interactive Development Environment (IDLE).

Python Programming From the Command Line

Open a terminal window and type ‘python’ (without the quotes). This opens python in interactive mode.

While this mode is good for initial learning, you may prefer to use a text editor (like Gedit, Vim or Emacs) to write your code. As long as you save it with the .py extension, it can be executed in the terminal window.
Ready to write your first program? Many a road to programming excellence began with the old standby – the Hello World program. So that’s where we’ll begin.
At the prompt, type in print “Hello World!” (with the quotes) and hit enter. You’ll see the command printed on the next line.

To run a script from the command line, type: python my_script.py. To exit the command line, type exit() or hit ctrl+d

Python Programming with IDLE

Can’t imagine writing a long program from the command line? Me either. In that case, you can try IDLE. Open a terminal window and type: ‘idle’. (without the quotes). You’ll see the python graphical shell loaded.

To write a Python script, click on File > New Window. This will open a sort of Notepad type editor. Type in the following code:

#linuxversion.py

#Have user input version and print response

name = raw_input(“What Linux release do you use?”)

print “I also like”, name, ” – Linux rules!”

Couple things going on here. The first 2 lines, preceded by the # sign are just comments. One of my earliest programming lessons was to always comment your work, not only for your own sanity, but for those who may need to edit the code after you. The third statement uses the input gathered from the raw_input function and assigns it to a variable, name. Finally, the print statement will return the result.
Save the file, with a .py extension, then click on Run > Run Module from the menu to run the program.

A Word of Caution

Many programming languages typically ignore whitespace – that is the spacing in your code. But in Python, improper use of spacing can generate syntax errors. As an organization nut of sorts, I can appreciate the simplicity and readability of properly aligned code, but for some this takes a bit of getting used to.

Python Programming Resources

Now that you have Python up and running, you’ll undoubtedly want to move to on to a bit more complex programs. One of the best resources is the main Python website. Here are a few additional recommendations:

Linux Commands for Beginners Part 2: Exploring the CLI

2012-09-04T02:33:00.003-07:00

This article, which continues from Beginner Linux Administration, will focus mainly on the command line interface, also known as the CLI. We will explore features using ls, grep, piping and other tools used for generating info, creating files and directories, and a brief introduction to permissions.
In general you may be using a GUI to do everything, but using the CLI will give you a deeper, more profound understanding of how your Linux machine works. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn about the OS as well as where certain files are located, why, how to edit, and accessing them quickly and more efficiently.

Using ls

Using ls is useful for quickly displaying files and directories, who created them, who owns them, and whether I have permission to read, write, and execute. You can also use it to quickly display a particular file. For example:
I’ll first start in the root directory (so issue the command cd /) then type the command ls.
All “ls” does is display the files and directories that you are in. Not much info as you can see, but there are several different options you can use along with “ls” to get the info you are looking for.

Let”s change to the /etc directory and run the ls command: cd /etc
You’ll notice when you run “ls” this time you see too many options and you can’t read all of them. So what we will do is execute “ls” but we will pipe the output of ls to the less command.

Piping: Redirects the output of one program into the input of another. The symbol is |. The command to the left is sent as input to the command to the right of the pipe.

Type ls | less

The files are displayed with colons at the bottom. Use the arrow keys to scroll up and down. All you have to do is hit the “q” button to get out of less.

Less: Less is a program that allows backward and forward movement. It is similar to opening a file in an editor but it doesn’t have to load the whole file before viewing which is helpful if you are dealing with large log files.

You can also just use less to view your files. For example we want to view the passwd file so we can quickly view all of the newest users added to the system.
[The passwd file stores essential info containing system’s accounts with user and group ID's, home directory, shell, etc.]
Make sure you’re in the /etc directory and type “less passwd.”

If you scroll down to the bottom (or type “G”) you will notice the last few users added to the system. Type “q” to quit less and let’s try it with the file called group.
Type less group

Go ahead and scroll around and then type “q” to quit.

Basically, less is just an alternate way to view files and directories but it is much more convenient than viewing data then using the cat command. We will learn how to edit this data later using vi.
You can issue the commands “cat passwd” and “cat group” to see the differences.
Also, there are other keystrokes you can use with less to quickly navigate within a document. You can always issue the command “man less” for a complete breakdown of what less does, and the other options available.

Using ls with Options

So, we’ve used “ls” on its own and we’ve used it with a pipe and less. Now we’ll use ls to find specific files we are looking for, as well as displaying more information associated with said file.
Let’s go back to the root directory, cd / and then type ls

Then type in ls –l

You’ll notice everything is displayed in long format which now includes info about permissions, group, size, date, and filename.
Permissions – drwxr-xr-x
Directories – 2
User – root
Group – root
Size – 4096
Date – May 5 04:03
Directory or File – bin

Read – you can read the file
You can write or make changes
Execute – you can execute the file

We will get into this in more detail and change permissions levels later using the chmod script.
Directories – The amount of directories within the directory
User – The user that owns the file
Group – Group assigned to the file or directory
Size – This should be obvious
Date – Date of last modification
Directory or file – Name of the directory or file
Other options to use with “ls” are:
-a – Displays all files, even those that are hidden
-g – Same as l except the owner is not printed
-r – Reverse order of how files are displayed
-m – Output is listed across the page
There are quite a bit of options and you can also use these in combination with each other.
Such as “ls –lar.”

As well as “ls –lar | less.”

As you can see, the “ls” command is just a simple way of displaying output in the command line interface but with the many different features associated, you can display the info to how you want it presented.
Let’s finish off this lesson with the grep command.

Grep – is a command that searches for a specific string in a file and prints out matching a match to given strings or words. You can use grep with “ls” to locate a file you need but are unsure of the exact title.
If I’m in the /etc directory and am looking for a particular host file.
I will issue the command “ls |grep host.”

Then you can use “cat”, “less”, or even an editor like vi to view or alter the specific file you are looking for.
Let’s say you want the information on the user Roman that is in the passwd file. I would issue the command “grep roman passwd.”

As you can see it will just give me the information associated with the search word “roman.”
If you’re not in the directory of the file you are looking for you can always add the directory info in front of the file you are searching.
“grep igby /etc/group” – For user igby (replace with your own)
or
“grep roman /etc/passwd”
or
“grep roman /etc/hosts”

These are just simple commands that can be used for a multitude of purposes, but if you’re new to using the CLI you can play around with them and get a little more comfortable using them in different directories and your own files that you’ve created.
Hopefully this article has been informative for you. We will advance on the commands we’ve talked about in the next lessons, as well as get into the many others that are available.

Linux Commands for Beginners Part 1: Beginner Linux Administration

2012-09-04T02:32:00.003-07:00

The goal of this article is to help introduce new users to the basics of Linux. After reading this article you will have an understanding of how the Linux system is structured, where files and directories are located making it easier for you to navigate around, giving you a better idea of how your systems works. We’ll then move on to some basic Linux navigation, copy, showing your files and directories, etc.
Whether you’re new to Linux or are looking into getting some type of certificate, you’ll need to have some basic knowledge of the Shell, the Kernel, the Terminal, and FHS, among others. There’s actually quite a bit of other things you’ll need to know, but let’s start with the basics.

The Kernel

The Kernel is what controls everything on a system; think of it as the heart of Linux. It performs tasks that create and maintain the Linux environment. The Kernel receives instructions from the shell and engages the appropriate hardware (processors, memory, disks, enforces security, etc.). It is a bridge between applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware level.

The Shell

The shell is the interface between you and Linux. We issue commands through the command line interface which is interpreted and passed on to the kernel for processing. When we log onto the computer the shell will automatically start. It will then monitor the terminal for any commands.

This is the Terminal (command line interface).

There are a number of shells you can use, each differing slightly. Most Linux distros use Bourne-Again shell(bash) but support various others: Korn Shell, Bourne shell, C shell, etc. For all intensive purposes you can just stick with bash but I will show you how to change this if you want to. As you advance you can use shells to create scripts to automate tasks, making your daily routine all the more easier.

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard

Next important aspect is the FHS. Everything in Linux is either a file or a directory. The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FSH) is the way that these files and directories are structured. More importantly though is how they are structured. Looks intimidating at first glance but when you realize that there is a method to this madness, you will find it’s so much simpler because everything is organized in the proper place and you can find where you want go much easier.

/ – The root directory. This is where your directory structure starts. Everything is housed under the root directory.

/bin – Essential user command binaries used for general operations: Copy, show directory, etc. (ls, cp, and cat – we’ll get to these commands soon)
/boot – Static files of the boot loader. Files here are necessary for a Linux system to start (Kernel & GTUB information)
/dev – Where the device files are located
/etc – Configuration files for all programs. Things like an apache web server, users & groups on your system, or printer configuration. Think of this as a control panel for Windows users. We will edit these text files later (These files should remain static and text based).
/home – Home directories for all the users to store personal files (i.e. /home/roman) –Windows equivalent of Documents & Settings.
/lib – Essential shared libraries and kernel modules
/media – Mount point for removable media
/mnt – Temporary mounted file systems
/opt — Add on application software packages – (i.e. Program files for windows users)
/sbin — Essential system binaries
/tmp – Programs write their temporary files here.
/usr – Multi-user utilities & Applications. It contains application source codes, documentation, & config files they use. It’s the largest directory on the system.
/var – Variable data on a system. Data that will change as the system is running (Log files, backups, cache, etc.)
/root – Home directory for root
/proc – Virtual directory containing process information (system memory, hardware configuration, devices mounted, etc.)
The directories that I would be most concerned starting off are /etc, /home, /dev, /mnt. As your skills progress you’ll venture off into other areas, but I started out in /etc 95 percent of the time. There are directories that extend, but we’ll get those later.

Navigation & Issuing Commands

The first thing you want to do is open a terminal. Depending on the distribution you are using this may differ but you should find it in Utilities. Since you are new to Linux, I recommend downloading a distro and trying it Live without having to install. Check out the blog’s Linux section and our list of Linux distros.

Let’s start with some basic commands

pwd – Print working directory will tell you what directory you are in.

Notice that I used pwd to tell me where I am & I used cd (change directory) to move into another folder.
cd – Change Directory. Can be used with “/” & then the folder you want to go to. For example, cd /home/roman will take me to the directory that exits for user Roman.

ls – Lists files & directories that you are in.
It may help to use the ls command to list what files and directories exist in the directory you are in. It’s vital to know the difference between ls & pwd. pwd tells you where are, ls tells you what you have to work with.

whoami – Tells you which user is logged in

You’ll notice I used the su command to change from user roman, to root, then to igby, though igby does not exist. I then used “exit” to go back to user roman.
su – Substitute user. There are some rules and additional features that we’ll explore on the next lesson.
Let’s go to your home directory and finish off a few other commands. For me it will be cd /home/roman.
Let’s make a file and delete it.
touch – A command you can use to quickly create a file that you can also “touch” on existing files (We’ll dive into that later)

You’ll notice that “createfile” wasn’t there before but when I used it with the “touch” command it was created. Nothing is in createfile but it exists.
rm – Removes the file for you

clear – Clears the terminal for you
Those are some of the basic commands. There are plenty more where that came from. Hopefully this article has been informative and insightful. The next article will follow up on this one with more information on Linux as well as commands to really get you going.

Linux File Permissions

2012-09-04T02:30:00.003-07:00

What we’ll cover in this article is how to identify permissions for files & directories and how to change them, as well as changing ownerships, groups, etc. Depending on what you want to do, you’ll want to make sure you have the appropriate permissions (obviously), so let’s find out how to change them.
Let’s start by making a file we can use.
I issued the “touch” command to make a file creatively named testfile.
Touch will just create an empty file but has all the same attributes as an actual file. You can see this by using “ls –l.”

Commands:: touch test file; mkdir workfolder

The permisions are broken into 4 sections.

chmod – adds and removes permissions

If you wanted to add or remove permissions to the user, use the command “chmod” with a “+” or “–“, along with the r (read), w (write), x (execute) attribute followed by the name of the directory or file.

chmod +rwx “name of the file”

chmod –rwx “name of the directory”

chmod +x testfile – this would allow me to execute

chmod –wx testfile – this would take out write and executable permissions

You’ll notice that this only changes the permissions for the owner of the file, in this case roman.

Changing Permissions for the Group Owners & Others

The command is similar to what we did before, but this time you add a “g” for group or “o” for users.

chmod g+w testfile

chmod g-wx testfile

chmod o+w testfile

chmod o-rwx workfolder

Lastly you can change it for everyone: “u” for users, “g” for group, & “o” for others; uog or a (for all).

chmod ugo+rwx workfolder – will give read, write, execute to everyone

chmod a=r workfolder – will give only read perission for everyone

chgrp – changing groups of files & directories

Another useful option is to change file permission to the group owning the file. Perhaps you create the files, but people on the db2 team can write/execute as well. We use chgrp for this purpose.

You can see above that testfile and the work folder belong to the users group.

By issuing the command – chgrp “name of the group” “name of the file” – you can change this.

chgrp sales testfile

chgrp sales workfolder

This give sales control of the file & then I can take away permissions for everyone else.
Note: The group must exit before you try to assign groups to files and directories.

chown – changing ownership

Another helpful command is changing ownerships of files and directories. The command is “chwon” along with “name of new owner” & “name of file.”

The files belonged to roman. To give ownership to tom, issue the command:

chown tom testfile

chown tom workfolder

We can also combine the group and ownership command by:

chown -R tom:sales /home/roman/tsfiles

The above command gives tom the ownership of the directory tsfiles, and all files and subfolders. The -R stands for recursive which is why all sub folders and files belong to tom as well.
As opposed to: chown tom workfolder
This command will give ownership to tom but all sub files and directories still belong to the original owner. The -R will transfer ownership of all sub directories to the new owner.
As you can see, you have several options when it comes to permissions. You have the capability to dictate who can do what & the flexibility to limit usability among users. It may be easier to just give all permission to everyone but this may end up biting you in the end, so choose wisely.

Permission in numeric mode

The above way of changing permissions will work fine but you may also need to know how to change permissions in numeric mode. chmod is used in much the same way, but instead of r, w, or x you will use numbers instead.
What are the numbers?
0 = No Permission
1 = Execute
2 = Write
4 = Read
You basically add up the numbers depending on the level of permission you want to give.

Examples:: chmod 777 workfolder; Will give read, write, and execute permissions for everyone.

chmod 700 workfolder

Will give read, write, and execute permission for the user, but nothing to everyone else.

chmod 327 workfolder

Will give write and execute (3) permission for the user, w (2) for the group, and read, write, and execute for other users.

Permission numbers: 0 = —; 1 = –x; 2 = -w-; 3 = -wx; 4 = r—; 5 = r-x; 6 = rw-; 7 = rwx

Either variation of changing permissions will work, just remember how to use the numeric values.

Cisco CCNP Security Curriculum Update

2012-09-04T02:29:00.002-07:00

n February of 2012, Cisco announced updates to their Cisco CCNP certification program. Since the world of networking and system security is constantly evolving, Cisco wanted to ensure that the skills assessed in the CCNP Security certification provided both candidates and prospective employers with the appropriate skills. This newest iteration of the CCNP Security certification adds additional support for newer features revolving around the ASA platform, including support for the newest 8.3 and 8.4 software versions and AnyConnect 3.0.

Securing Networks with Cisco Routers and Switches (SECURE)

The SECURE objectives and exam have not been changed with the current upgrade of the CCNP Security certification. The following lists shows the objectives of the SECURE exam.
Pre-Production Design

Choose Cisco IOS technologies to implement HLD
Choose Cisco products to implement HLD
Choose Cisco IOS features to implement HLD 2
Integrate Cisco network security solutions with other security technologies
Create and test initial Cisco IOS configurations for new devices/services

Complex Operations Support

Optimize Cisco IOS security infrastructure device performance
Create complex network security rules to meet the security policy requirements
Optimize security functions, rules, and configuration
Configure & verify NAT to dynamically mitigate identified threats to the network
Configure & verify IOS Zone Based Firewalls including advanced application inspections and URL filtering
Configure & verify the IPS features to identify threats and dynamically block them from entering the network
Maintain, update and tune IPS signatures
Configure & verify IOS VPN features
Configure & verify Layer 2 and Layer 3 security features

Advanced Troubleshooting

Advanced Cisco IOS security software configuration fault finding and repairing
Advanced Cisco routers and switches hardware fault finding and repairing

Implementing Cisco Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

The IPS objectives and exam have not been changed with the current upgrade of the CCNP Security certification. The following list shows the objectives of the IPS exam.
Pre-Production Design

Choose Cisco IPS technologies to implement HLD
Choose Cisco products to implement HLD
Choose Cisco IPS features to implement HLD
Integrate Cisco network security solutions with other security technologies
Create and test initial Cisco IPS configurations for new devices/services

Complex Support Operations

Optimize Cisco IPS security infrastructure device performance
Create complex network security rules, to meet the security policy requirements
Configure and verify the IPS features to identify threats and dynamically block them from entering the network
Maintain, update and tune IPS signatures
Use CSM and MARS for IPS management, deployment, and advanced event correlation.
Optimize security functions, rules, and configuration

Advanced Troubleshooting

Advanced Cisco IPS security software configuration fault finding and repairing
Advanced Cisco IPS sensor and module hardware fault finding and repairing

Deploying Cisco ASA Firewall Solutions (FIREWALL)

When preparing for this article it became obvious that while the wording and organization of many of the objectives has changes, much of the material that is expected to be known is the same; because of this, objectives that are similar between version1 and 2 will be marked as such.
Existed in v1 curriculum
Added to the v2 curriculum
Cisco ASA adaptive security appliance Basic Configurations

Identify the ASA product family
Implement ASA licensing
Manage the ASA boot process
Implement ASA interface settings
Implement ASA management features
Implement ASA access control features
Implement Network Address Translation (NAT) on the ASA
Implement ASDM public server feature
Implement ASA quality of service (QoS) settings
Implement ASA transparent firewall

ASA Routing Features

Implement ASA static routing
Implement ASA dynamic routing

ASA Inspection Policy

Implement ASA inspections features

ASA Advanced Network Protections

Implement ASA Botnet traffic filter

ASA High Availability

Implement ASA Interface redundancy and load sharing features
Implement ASA virtualization feature
Implement ASA stateful failover

Deploying Cisco ASA VPN Solutions (VPN)

As was stated with the FIREWALL objectives, the same is true of the VPN objectives.
Existed in v1 curriculum
Added to the v2 curriculum
Common Cisco ASA adaptive security appliance VPN Configurations Components

Identify ASA VPN licensing requirements
Identify the components and features of AnyConnect 3.0 Mobility (VPN, NAM, Web Sec (ScanSafe), an Telemetry)
Implement ASA VPN connection profiles, group policies, and user policies
Implement Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) proxy operations using Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM)
Implement local and external VPN authorization using ASDM/
Implement VPN session accounting using ASDM

Implement Cisco Secure Desktop and Independent Host Scan operations using ASDM

Implement DAP operations using ASDM

Implement LOCAL CA operations for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPNs using ASDM

Implement certificate maps using ASDM

Identify the ASA IPv6 VPN capabilities

Monitor and verify the resulting CLI commands resulting from the various VPN configurations on the ASA

ASA IP SEC S2S VPN

Implement a security high-level design according to policy and environmental requirements by identifying Cisco ASA IPSec S2S VPN features and supporting technologies
Implement basic IPSEC S2S VPN operations with PSK and digital certificates using ASDM
Implement basic IKEv2 based IPSEC S2S VPN operations using ASDM
Troubleshoot the initial provisioning IPSec S2S VPN applications due to misconfiguration

ASA EZVPN

Implement a security high level design according to policy and environmental requirements by identifying Cisco ASA VPN client features and supporting technologies
Implement basic EZVPN server operations on the ASA using ASDM

Basic EZVPN remote operations on the ASA 5505 using ASDM

Implement AnyConnect 3.0 IKEv2 RA VPN operations
Implement Client Services Server (CSS) feature
Troubleshoot the initial provisioning IPSec RA VPN applications due to misconfiguration

ASA AnyConnect SSL VPNs

Implement a security high-level design according to policy and environmental requirements by identifying Cisco ASA AnyConnect client features and supporting technologies
Implement DTLS operations using ASDM
Implement basic AnyConnect 3.0 full tunnel SSL VPN operations
Troubleshoot AnyConnect SSL VPN operations using DART
Implement AnyConnect Profiles using ASDM
Implement advanced authentication in AnyConnect Full Tunnel SSL VPNs (certificate and multiauthentication) using ASDM
Troubleshoot the initial provisioning client-based SSL VPN applications due to misconfiguration

ASA Clientless SSL VPNs

Implement a security high level design according to policy and environmental requirements by identifying Cisco ASA clientless SSL VPN features and supporting technologies
Implement basic Clientless SSL VPN operations using ASDM
Implement advanced applications access using ASDM
Implement the SSO features on the ASA in a clientless SSL VPN environment
Implement advanced authentication in clientless SSL VPNs (certificate and multi-authentication) using ASDM
Manage the clientless SSL VPN user interface and portal using ASDM
Implement basic portal customization
Troubleshoot the initial provisioning of Clientless SSL VPN applications due to misconfiguration

SSL VPN High Availability

Implement SSL and IPSEC VPN high availability features

Top 7 Programming Language Certifications for Web Developers

2012-09-04T02:27:00.003-07:00

Times have changed and websites are now much more complicated than they were when the Internet was first used by the public. Now, thanks to new technologies and programming languages, Web development has become more and more exciting and at the same time very challenging. A Web developer can put up just about any service on the Web, and as such, needs to have different skills sets. A Web developer would have to know more about client side programming, server side programming and would even need to be proficient in databases.
Technologies come and go, and in Web development, it is essential to know the hottest and most used programming languages and technologies. Right now, the biggest development areas are in:

Ruby on Rails
Javascript
Python
Java
ASP.Net MVC
Node-js
Objective-C

So, if you are looking for a way to break into Web development, or just looking to have a demonstrable skill set, you might want to learn and get certified in these seven hot Web development know-hows.
But just how do you get certified for these? Read on and find out!

Ruby on Rails

A good certification program on Ruby on Rails is the Ruby Association Certified Ruby Programmer. The certification helps verify the skills of IT professionals who work with Ruby on Rails and is managed by ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation. This certification is sanctioned by the Ruby Association LLC.
Currently, there is only one skill level that is certified: The Ruby Association Certified Ruby Programmer Silver. It covers the basics of Ruby, including background, objects, standard libraries and classes of Ruby. This 50 question multiple-choice test lasts for 1 hour and 30 minutes and costs $150.
This exam includes questions on execution environment in Ruby, command line option, grammar, built-in classes, built-in functions, and object orientation.

JavaScript

The CIW Web Development Series has three specialized exams that you would have to pass in order to get the Web Development Professional title: Perl, Database Design and Javascript. The Javascript Specialist exam will verify your skills in using JavaScript for client side solutions that are platform independent. Questions touch on form validation, frame targeting and image animation, among other advanced Javascript topics.
If that is too complicated for you, you can avail of the JavaScript Developer Certificate that W3Schools is offering. For this certification, you need to have knowledge in both JavaScript and HTML DOM. The 70-question exam lasts for 70 minutes. You would need to get 75% of the questions correct to get the certificate.

Python

The O’Reilly School of Technology, which is working with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has released a four-level Python programming certificate program.
These four levels are:

Beginning Python
Getting More Out of Python
The Python Environment
Advanced Python

This is perhaps the first Python certification exam available, with none other than Steve Holden creating it. Holden is the chair of the Python Software Foundation.
However, If you do not want to invest that much time or money in a Python certification you might want to go by the Expert Rating route. Expert Rating offers an online test that would quiz you on the basics of Python, common modules, programming concepts, Web programming, exception handling, object class, namespaces, bindings, printing, text processing and advanced concepts, among others.
The proctored test will last 40 minutes and will have 40 multiple-choice items. Each item will have two to eight options. The test costs $10.

Java

The Oracle Certified Professional Java SE Programmer is the most basic certification exam for those who work with Java. Provided by Sun Microsystems, the exam seeks to certify your skills in Java. This is a requirement for other Java certifications and costs $150. Test takers will be given 150 minutes to answer 60 questions.
For those with advanced skills in Java, you might be interested in Oracle Certified Master Java SE Developer. You would need to be a Sun Certified Programmer to take this test, but a Java Associate certification is not required. The exam costs $575. The Master Java certification combines a written certification exam and a practical programming task.

ASP.Net MVC

While there are a lot of ASP.NET certification exams available, only a handful actually certifies MVC skills. And while you have ASP.NET, this does not necessarily mean that you know MVC. A good certification program is Microsoft’s MCTS: Web Applications Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4, which also measures your skills in setting up and deploying MVC applications.
Specifically, your skills in ASP.NET MVC will be tested in the configuring and extending a web application section, which is 15% of the exam. As part of this section, you will be asked about deploying an MVC application. Another part of the test that is relevant to ASP.NET MVC 2 accounts for 13% of the exam where you are asked about developing Web applications using MVC 2. This section includes the following topics, among others:

Creating custom routes
Creating actions and controllers
Structuring an application based on ASP.NET MVC
Customizing and creating views

Node-js

ATG Certified provides a standalone Certified Node.js Developer Exam that costs $79. The four-hour exam demonstrates one’s skills in node.js, TCP and HTTP servers. The candidate will be tested on his or her skills in writing a Javascript server using node, as well as his or her understanding of TCP and ports. It also covers data transmission from a client to a server and back.

Objective-C

Brain Measures offers an Objective-C certification program that costs only $10. The test covers 40 multiple-choice questions that each have two to five options.
Topics covered include the following, among others:

Best practices
Exceptions
Categories
Memory Management
Protocols

Expert Rating also provides a similar examination.
Web development professionals would need to undergo these certifications to help them get hired. Having the skills is simply not enough. You need to prove your ability so that a potential employer would be able to discern how talented you are even before you show them your portfolio. Take note that because some of these technologies are rather new, there are no official providers.

Cisco CCNA Service Provider Certification Guide

2012-09-04T02:26:00.001-07:00

With the expanding growth of public Internet and networking services it is very important that any new or existing networking engineer looking to work at a Service Provider (SP) be well trained on the technologies that will be deployed. While much of the SP environment overlaps in terms of skillset to that of an enterprise engineer, there are a number of different features and technologies that are simply not required for most enterprises. Cisco’s SP line of certifications allows a candidate to follow a clear path when the expected outcome is working for a service provider; this includes preparing the candidate with the knowledge necessary to succeed.
The CCNA Service Provider certification requires the candidate to pass two different exams, including the Building Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Networks, Part 1 and Part 2; the CCNA SP certification has no prerequisites. The next two sections will show the current objectives for both of these exams, which are both 90 minutes and ranging 65-75 questions.

Building Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Networks Part 1

640-875 SPNGN1

IP Networks

Describe the purpose and functions of various network devices (at the core, distribution, and access layers)
Identify the functional components required to meet a given network specification
Describe the OSI and TCP/IP models and their associated protocols to explain how data flows in a network
Describe common network applications and their impact on the network
Interpret network diagrams
Troubleshoot common network problems at layers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 using a layered model approach
Describe differences between LAN and WAN operation and features

IPv4 and IPv6 Addressing

Describe the structure of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
Describe VLSM, CIDR and route summarization concepts
Describe the different types of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
Design an IP subnetting plan based on given requirements

Switched Network Technologies I

Describe bridging concepts and Layer 2 Ethernet frames
Configure basic Spanning Tree operations on Cisco IOS Switches
Interpret the output of various basic show and debug commands to verify the operational status of a Cisco switched network
Configure basic switch security (i.e, port security, securing unused ports)
Describe Ethernet link bundling, LACP, and PAgP and Flex Links

Routed Network Technologies I

Describe classful versus classless routing
Describe routing protocols basics (metrics, IGP versus EGP)
Describe RIPv1, RIPv2, RIPNG
Implement EIGRPv4 and EIGRPv6 on Cisco IOS, IOS-XE and IOS-XR routers
Describe route redistribution
Describe VRF
Describe GRE

IP Services

Configure NAT (IPv4) on Cisco routers
Configure DHCP (IPv4 and IPv6) operations on Cisco routers
Describe ICMPv4 and ICMPv6
Describe DNS

Cisco Operating Systems and Platforms I

Implement basic Cisco IOS, IOS-XE and IOS-XR CLI operations
Implement basic Cisco IOS, IOS-XE and IOS-XR routers configurations

Transport Technologies

Describe SONET and SDH
Describe DWDM, IPoDWDM, and ROADM
Configure 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 40 Gigabit Ethernet, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on Cisco routers
Describe Frame Relay
Describe ATM
Describe Metro Ethernet
Describe DSL
Describe T1, T3, E1, E3, and ISDN
Implement PPP encapsulation on Cisco routers serial and POS interfaces
Describe cable (DOCSIS)
Describe the main BRAS and BNG routers functions in IP NGN
Describe various Passive Optical Network (PON) access technologies and FTTx

Security in the Network

Describe Layer 2 security features on Cisco IOS switches
Configure management plane security on Cisco routers and IOS switches
Describe IPsec
Describe control plane security
Configure basic AAA (TACACS+ and RADIUS) services on Cisco routers
Configure routing protocols authentication between Cisco routers
Describe the relationships between users, user groups, tasks groups and task IDs in IOS-XR
Describe common types of network attacks

Network Management

Configure NTP server or client on Cisco routers
Configure IP SLA on Cisco routers
Configure CDP on Cisco routers and IOS switches
Configure SNMP on Cisco routers
Configure NetFlow on Cisco routers
Configure logging to Syslog server on Cisco routers
Describe the Cisco IOS Call-Home feature
Describe Cisco TAC procedure and navigate Cisco support tools (CCO)
Implement management access (SSH, telnet, and out-of-band management design)
Implement SPAN, RSPAN, and ERSPAN
Implement file transfers to manage network devices configurations and images using FTP, SCP, TFTP, SFTP, and RCP

Building Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Networks Part 2

640-878 SPNGN2

IP NGN Architecture

Identify the functional components that are required to meet a given network specification
Troubleshoot common network problems at Layers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 using a layered-model approach
Describe the different types of service providers
Describe service provider principal and reference next-generation network (NGN) architecture
Describe the IP address and autonomous system (AS) number allocation process via the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)

Switched Network Technologies II

Configure enhanced switching technologies (including Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol [RSTP], Multiple Spanning Tree [MST], and Per VLAN Spanning Tree [PVST]) on Cisco IOS Software switches
Describe how VLANs create logically separate networks and the need for routing between them
Configure VLANs on Cisco IOS Software switches
Configure trunking on Cisco IOS Software switches
Configure inter-VLAN routing
Configure Resilient Ethernet Protocol (REP) on Cisco IOS Software switches
Configure queue-in-queue (QinQ) on Cisco IOS Software switches

Routed Network Technologies II

Configure basic single-area Open Shortest Path First version 2 (OSPFv2) and OSPF version 3 (OSPFv3) routing on Cisco routers
Configure basic single-area Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) routing on Cisco routers
Describe the differences between static versus dynamic routing as well as distance vector versus link-state routing protocol operations
Configure basic Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing on Cisco routers
Describe the address family concept on Cisco routers
Describe IPv6 transitioning technologies
Configure First Hop Redundancy Protocol (FHRP) (including Hot Standby Router Protocol [HSRP], Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol [VRRP], and Gateway Load Balancing Protocol [GLBP]) on Cisco routers
Implement access control list (ACL) on Cisco routers
Describe carrier-grade NAT (CGN) and Network Address Translation 64 (NAT64)
Describe Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) functions in the service provider IP NGN
Configure Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) on Cisco routers

Cisco Operating Systems and Platforms II

Manage the Cisco IOS XR configurations and software packages
Describe Cisco IOS XE software packages
Describe Cisco service provider router platforms, their operating system, and their placement in the service provider IP NGN

Top 9 Linux Productivity Tips and Tools

2012-09-03T11:31:00.002-07:00

One of the benefits of Linux is its flexibility. You can customize virtually every aspect of the operating system to suit your needs.
In order to assist those new to Ubuntu I’ve compiled a list of tools that will enhance your productivity:
• Application/Task Launchers
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Clipboard Management
• and much more!
Check them out and let me know what your best tip for Linux productivity is.

1. Save Time With Aliases

One of the most powerful features of Bash (the free shell written for the GNU Project) is the use of aliases. Think of aliases as shortcuts — they use shorter commands to execute a longer or series of longer commands. And anything that saves typing time, is always welcome.
For example, if you prefer to use the command line to update and upgrade Ubuntu versus synaptic, you would open a terminal window and type: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade. That’s quite a bit of typing. Say you only wanted to type the word update to perform the same function. You would edit your ~/.bashrc file and add this line:

alias update=’sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade’

Are there other repetitive tasks that your perform daily, weekly? Give aliases a try. As always, I recommend you make a backup of your .bashrc file before editing.

2. Use Application/Task Launchers

• GNOME Do

To call GNOME Do (also known as Do) a launcher does not fully explain the capabilities of this tool. Through the use of keyboard shortcuts, it can help you perform many common tasks. Do can help you launch an application, search for a file, manage your music player and a host of other things.
Want to open firefox? Simply type “f”. Want to send an email to your favorite editor? Type editor, hit tab, then type email.
Install via synaptic package manager or from the command line:
sudo apt-get install gnome-do

• Launchy

Do isn’t the only tool in the launcher space. Launchy is another option, initially a Windows product, it now has a Linux version.
Launchy, like Do, wants to make your application menu obsolete. It launches apps, documents and bookmarks using keyboard combinations. Start Launchy by holding the alt key and hitting the space bar, then typing a few keystrokes.

3. Take Advantage of Docking Systems

• Cairo-Dock

Are you a fan of the Mac Operating system dock? Then you’ll be happy to know that Linux has their own versions. Cairo-Dock is a Mac-like application launcher for the Linux desktop. Populate the launch bar with your favorite apps and applets, then launch them with one mouse-click.
Cairo-dock is available in the Ubuntu repositories.

• Awn

Avant Window Navigator (AWN) is another option, and the one that I use. Like Cairo, it sits at the bottom of your screen and can be used to lauch applications and applets and has extensive plugins to enhance functionality.
Awn is also available in the repositories, just be sure to install all three of these packages:

avant-window-navigator-trunk
awn-manager-trunk
awn-extras-applets-trunk

4. Do More with Clipboard Management

• Klipper

GNOME is the default graphical environment for Ubuntu Linux, but there are other options like KDE. Klipper (hence the K) is an advanced clipboard utility that runs under KDE. It turns basic clipboard functionality on its ear, storing clipboard history, and allowing you to link clipboard contents to application actions.

5. Save Time with On-The-Fly Encryption

TrueCrypt is an open source disk encryption software. Here’s a feature snapshot:

Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.
Real-time Encryption of entire hard disk partition or storage device like USB flash drive.
SHA-512 hash algorithm (replacing SHA-1, which is no longer available when creating new volumes)

TrueCrypt is not available in the repositories. You can download it here.

6. Top Linux Keyboad Shortcuts

• Switch to the Next/Previous Workspace

If you’re like me and use workspaces to segment your wok — 1 for writing, 1 for web work, yet another for email and social networking — listen up. You can easily switch between workspaces by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Left/Right Arrow keys. As you may have guessed, the Left key takes you to the previous workspace while the Right key brings you to the next adjacent.

• Show the Desktop

Ctrl + Alt + D allows you to quickly minimize all windows and bring focus back to your desktop. When all windows are minimized, it works in the reverse, maximizing all windows to their previous state.

• Show Hidden Files

By default, system or hidden files in your home folder aren’t visible, probably to protect us from accidentally deleting them. But occasionally we need to access these files and you can do so by pressing Ctrl + H in the Nautilus file manager.

• Application Specific Shortcuts

A real time saver for me, application shortcuts are plainly visible in the pull-down menus at the top of the application’s screen. For example in Open Office Writer, click on File, and you’ll see that next to Open, the shortcut combination, Ctrl + O

• Launch an Application

Alt + F2 will launch a box where you can type in an application name to launch it.

• Access the Applications Menu

Alt + F1
Check out this page for additional keyboard shortcuts.

7. Switch to the Desktop Post-it Note

• Tomboy Notes

I’m trying to shed the habit of having physical sticky notes plastered on my desk. To help wean me off those addictive yellow pads, I’ve adopted Tomboy. This is a desktop version of the Post-it Note, albeit on steroids. Tomboy allows for highlighting, spell checking, linking, font styles and lists. It comes as a part of the default Ubuntu install.

• Scribes

I have yet to try Scribes, but have read many reviews touting its benefits over Tomboy. Its actually a full text editor, that works with Gnome and offers templates, tabbed input and numbered lines.

8. Resize and Rotate Images in Nautilus

For those that spend quite a bit of time working with images and needing to make quick edits without firing up Gimp or Photoshop, this tool is a must-have. After installation, and rebooting, you will be able to right-click on an image and you’ll see two new image items: resize and rotate.
Install from the command line:

sudo aptitude install nautilus-image-converter

9. Increase Productivity with Project Tracking

Not your typical project management application, Freemind is more of a productivity tool that can help you track projects. Where this tool shines is in its ability to map Internet search links for easy reference. Its also an excellent brainstorming tool.

Other Tips and Tricks

This is just a snapshot of the available tips and tricks. A quick Google search will probably yield even more information. The Ubuntu support website is an excellent resource.
If you are a fan of any of these tools or tricks, chime in. If there are others you’d like to share with the community, I invite you to do so in the comments.

What’s Your Linux Productivity Tip?

Leave a comment with your favorite tip for Linux productivity. What helps you get more done? What’s a great tool that you wouldn’t want to be without?