Apple iPhone OS 3.0 activations crash iTunes server

The mad grab for the newest version of Apple's iPhone won't begin in earnest until the iPhone 3G S is released on Friday. But a flood of current iPhone users looking to download the newest operating system, iPhone OS 3.0, crashed the activation server at the iTunes store on Wednesday.

Apple simultaneously released patches for 46 security vulnerabilities in the OS 3.0 which, if left unpatched, could allow hackers to execute malicious code through maliciously crafted images or PDF files.

After the operating system became available for download on the iTunes online store, many users reported being able to successfully download the upgrade, but were unable to activate the OS on their phones.

Disgruntled users received an error message that the iPhone activation server was temporarily unavailable.

The update is available for free for owners of the original iPhone and iPhone 3G, but iPod Touch owners have to pay $9.95 for the update. However, security experts warned that Touch users should get the upgrade to fix security holes in its operating system that were patched yesterday.

From: mxlogic.com/securitynews

How to Set Up a Virtual Private Network with Windows

However, if you knew how to set up a virtual private network (VPN), you could access the file from any computer in the world! A VPN allows you to connect to a computer from anywhere in the world and access the files.

Setting up a VPN in Windows is a two step process.

1. Set up one computer to share files (server).
2. Set up another computer to access them (client).

Begin by setting up the server:

1. Open Internet Explorer and go to www.whatismyip.com. Write down the IP address. You will need it to configure the client.
2. Click the Start button and click Run.
3. Type control and hit Enter.
4. Click Network and Internet Connections.
5. Click Network Connections.
6. Click Create a New Connection, which is the first option on the left toolbar.
7. The New Connection Wizard will open. Click Next.
8. Choose Set up an advanced connection, the last element on the list. Click Next.
9. Choose Accept incoming connections. Click Next.
10. You will see the Devices for Incoming Connections screen. Do not select anything on this screen. Click Next.
11. Select Allow virtual private connections. Click Next.
12. Select to whom you want to give access. Click Next. If a user is not listed, you will have to add an account. See “Related Wikihows” for more information.
13. Do not change anything on the Networking Software screen. Click Next.
14. That’s it! Your computer is now set up to allow for VPNs. Click Finish to complete the wizard.

Now proceed to connect the client:

1. Click the Start button and click Run.
2. Type control and hit Enter.
3. Click Network and Internet Connections.
4. Click Network Connections.
5. Click Create a New Connection, which is the first option on the left toolbar.
6. The New Connection Wizard will open. Click Next.
7. Select Connect to the network at my workplace and click Next.
8. Select Virtual Private Network connection and click Next.
9. Type the name of your network in the blank box. Click Next.
10. Enter the IP address you wrote down earlier and click Next.
11. Select Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop and click Finish.

Source: wikihow.com/Set-Up-a-Virtual-Private-Network-with-Windows

How to Install Nagios on Ubuntu Server?

You want features? Nagios is full of them. Nagios can monitor your entire network, you can handle problem remediation, you can plan network downtime, you can watch hosts, systems, services, applications..there’s very little you can’t do with Nagios.

But let’s think about this installation. The best way to install Nagios is from source. This means you are going to have to do some compliation. Don’t worry, it’s not hard…when you have a step-by-step guide that is.

Before you start

If you are using, as I did, a Ubuntu server installation, you will need to install a few tools first. So from the command line issue the following commands:

sudo apt-get install php5-gd

sudo apt-get install gcc

sudo apt-get install make

The above commands will install the tools you need in order to get Nagios installed. If you don’t install the above, you won’t be able to complete the installation.

Installing Nagios - preflight

Before you actually run the installation you will need to take care of some user/group accounting first.

Create the user nagios:

sudo useradd -m nagios

Give the nagios user a password:

sudo passwd nagios

NOTE: You will have to enter the new password twice for the above command.

Create the group nagios:
sudo groupadd nagios

Add the user nagios to the group nagios:

sudo usermod -G nagios nagios

Create the group nagcmd:

sudo groupadd nagcmd

Add the user nagios to the group nagcmd:

sudo usermod -a -G nagcmd nagios

Add the Apache user to the group nagcmd:

sudo usermod -a -G nagcmd www-data

Installing Nagios and Nagios Plugins

The first thing to do is to download the files you need. Issue the commands:

wget http://osdn.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/nagios/nagios-3.0.6.tar.gz

and

wget http://osdn.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/nagiosplug/nagios-
plugins-1.4.11.tar.gz

to download the files you need.

Untar the Nagios file with:

tar xvzf nagios-3.0.6.tar.gz

Change into the newly created Nagios directory with the command:

cd nagios-3.0.6

Now run the configure script using the nagcmd defined as the command group with the command:

sudo ./configure –with-command-group=nagcmd

Time to compile:

sudo make all

Time to install everything:

make install

make install-init

make install-config

make install-commandmode

Almost ready to finalize the installation of Nagios (before moving on to installing the plugins.) There is one simple configuration to take care of (for the basic installation). Open up the /usr/local/nagios/etc/objects/contacts.cfg file and add your email address as the contact email address. That’s the only configuration to change for now.

Configuring for the Web interface

There are just a few commands to run to configure the Web interface:

make install-webconf

htpasswd -c /usr/local/nagios/etc/htpasswd.users nagiosadmin

/etc/init.d/apache2 reload

The final command above simply restarts Apache.

Install the plugins

Before you log into your Nagios installation you have to install your plugins first. Change to the directory you downloaded the Nagios files to and untar the plugins file:

tar xvzf nagios-plugins-1.4.11.tar.gz

Now change into the newly created directory:

cd nagios-plugins-1.4.11

Compile the plugins with the command:

sudo ./configure –with-nagios-user=nagios –with-nagios-group=nagios

Now install the plugins with the following commands:

make

make install

Fire it up!

Of course you want to make sure Nagios starts any time the system is restarted. Do this with the command:

sudo ln -s /etc/init.d/nagios /etc/rcS.d/S99nagios

And finally, before you start up Nagios, make sure there are no errors with the command:

sudo /usr/local/nagios/bin/nagios -v /usr/local/nagios/etc/nagios.cfg

If you see no errors reported, it’s time to start it up. Issue the command:

sudo /etc/init.d/nagios start

Nagios is ready to go. Point your browser to:

http://ADDRESS_OF_NAGIOS_SERVER/nagios

Source: http://www.ghacks.net/2009/06/08/how-to-install-nagios-on-ubuntu-server/

Business Server Support Services and Solutions

Business Server Support has become a major part of our lives. Any business or office is almost completely dependent on server support today for their operation. Once an office is computerized it may tend to have problems with the server hardware or may end up with some software related issue some time or the other. To take care that the functioning of the business is not affected due to these problems most companies hire the services of an On-Site or Online server support firm which would provide it with the necessary small business server support that it needs from time to time. In case of any problem this firm would give the server support solutions that are required to overcome the problem.

IT experts do a wide variety of jobs which include designing and installation of computer networks, managing the system and various other tasks. Some server support lending firms have such advanced technology that they identify a problem at a very early stage and that tends to work as an alert system. This works as an alarm and major problems can be avoided and huge expenses can be prevented. The server support services firm monitors the functioning of the servers and being a continuous process, problems are identified and addressed at the earliest saving both time and money.

Hiring a competent server support services firm is of utmost importance as it would have all the server solutions which would make the functioning of the business an absolutely smooth process. Over a period the servers tend to slow down and a server support firm which has the right expertise would help you deal with this issue by monitoring the servers and providing effective maintenance at regular intervals. The most well equipped firms offer online server support and this would help in saving a lot of time. They are even capable of identifying a failing hardware which would ensure that no data is lost as recovery measures can be setup at the earliest.

Security issues are a big concern as far as servers are concerned. A capable and proficient server support partner would help in getting the very best out of your servers. Most of the time companies have a requirement of programs which are to be made with certain specifications meeting the demands of the company. Such server solutions can be brought about only with a well experienced team of an efficient server support firm.

If the server is managed by an experienced hand then you can concentrate completely on the functioning of the business. There are such firms which look into the needs of Companies requiring small business computer support to enterprise level support. Such competent firms also have well experienced staff to attend to every problem at the earliest and offer the very best solution.

One should conduct a thorough survey before hiring the server support of any such firm. There are plenty of such support providers but an efficient one is of utmost importance as the functioning of your enterprise is largely dependent on their service and effectiveness.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/software-articles/business-server-support-services-and-solutions-757465.html

Server Support Services: The Big Idea

Some people are destined to get big ideas; some are destined to grow very big because of those ideas. In the early days, the big idea was perhaps enough to determine success. However, today with the myriad forms of communication available to businesses just a big idea is not enough. Even the recipients of big ideas are used to modern communication methods. The point that I am trying to make here is that form, structure, sharing and communication on time, every time is extremely important for the success of that ‘big idea’.

For a small business that employs more than five people a community needs to be built so that all employees are focused on the same big idea. What is this community; a small business network server. What will this do for a small business? It will create a platform whereby a common communication and interaction platform is developed. Your business will be able to use e-mail, common calendar and the Internet to name a few of the key advantages. New marketing opportunities will be created as you now will have the option of creating your own website, selling online, and logging business sitting in the comfort of your office space.

Having aroused your interest (hopefully!), I must caution you that even a small business network server requires attention and good qualified tech support actually, the need for tech support kicks in even before you buy a small business network server. It is important that you purchase something that can be potentially scaled up to match with your growing needs. It would not hurt to have sound and qualified advice from a tech support professional. Whether it is price, compatibility or availability, a professional tech support person’s inputs would be invaluable.

Like with any new product and service, training and orientation is extremely critical. It is possible that you may have an in-house resource that could meet your server support requirements. Fantastic, with proper training your server ship is ready to sail.

While a server brings wonderful networking and communication opportunities to your business, it will also open you to the world. What I am referring to is the need for firewalls and other security measures against spam, virus, spyware and the need for passwords and user authentication. Server support is a 24/7 requirement. Your data back up typically happens when you are away from office so your server never sleeps and honestly neither should your server support. A small business cannot afford to have server support on holiday.

A small business server becomes the nerve center of your enterprise. You interact of it, you backup data on it, and you host your online business on it. It’s an extremely precious resource. Supporting this workhorse is an important part of your day to day business.

For a big idea to grow, the small business network server must grow as well. You will have to move from the plug and play server to a bigger business server. Similarly you will need to decide on how much computer support you actually need on a day to day basis.

Reacting to emergencies is one major area that computer support is required but I feel that preventive and diagnostic tech support is really mandatory for a business. For the big idea to become a big sustainable business, good sustainable technological infrastructure is a must. There is no getting away from this fact. Where there is technology, there must good tech support; either in-house or outsourced.

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Server-Support-Services--The-Big-Idea/882024

New Features of Windows Server 2008 R2

As expected, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 will be ready for customers in time for the holiday shopping season. This is something that industry analysts and bloggers have speculated for months, but Microsoft has not confirmed until now.

"With early RC testing and extensive partner feedback we've received, Windows 7 is tracking well for holiday availability," said Microsoft senior VP of Windows Business Bill Veghte during today's keynote speech at Tech Ed.

Veghte touted in his speech that the one-two punch of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will help businesses become more efficient and save money. Two Windows 7 features that utilize Windows Server 2008 R2 that Microsoft believes will accomplish this goal are DirectAccess for connecting to corporate networks without the use of a VPN, and BranchCache for speeding up access to files in remote offices that are away from corporate headquarters.

In a briefing late last week, Ward Ralston, a Microsoft Windows Server marketing executive, touted the efficiencies of the Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2 union.

"Companies that have been testing DirectAccess and BranchCache are seeing improvements in employee productivity. They are also seeing thousands of dollars of bottom line savings by eliminating VPNs and reducing WAN bandwidth," he said.

Microsoft also revealed today three interesting features new to the release candidate of Windows Server 2008 R2:

Hyper-V scales higher - Microsoft's server virtualization software will now give users the ability to support 64 logical processors, with the goal of getting more out of hardware and server availability and handling the biggest enterprise workloads. Previously, Hyper-V could only scale up to 32 processors.

Processor Compatibility Mode - Allows the migration of virtual machines to another physical server with a different CPU version (but not to a machine with a CPU made by a different chipmaker.) In the past, to move a Hyper-V virtual machine to different hardware, the CPUs had to be the same, forcing users to buy new hardware.

File Classification Infrastructure - FCI is a built-in feature that allows IT pros to classify and manage data in file servers. Data can be classified as having high, medium or low business impact, and then users can back up the most important data more often and on higher-speed storage.

Download Here

Source: itworld.com

iYogi Acquires Clean Machine Inc.

Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine appointed as President Global Channel Sales at iYogi

New York, NY, May 11th, 2009 : iYogi, a global direct to consumer and small business remote technical support provider, today announced it’s acquisition of Clean Machine Inc, a provider of remotely administered PC security and performance management services. Clean Machine will operate as a separate brand under the iYogi services umbrella along with the recently lunched Support Dock (www.supportdock.com) and its comprehensive range of 24/7 technical support services for computers, printers, MP3 players, digital camera, routers, servers and more than 100 software applications. Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine is appointed as the President of Global Channel Sales for iYogi.

iYogi will integrate technology and innovation that Clean Machine Inc. has developed for delivering an enhanced service experience by proactively managing the health and security for PC's and Apple Computers. This acquisition also broadens iYogi's access to key markets through Clean Machine's existing partnerships. Larry Gordon's past experience and successful track record will accelerate iYogi's expansion through his focus on global alliances.
Commenting on the acquisition of Clean Machine Inc., Uday Challu, CEO & Co-founder of iYogi, said,

"This acquisition will help iYogi to enhance our customer experience and extend our market reach to the millions of consumers that are challenged by the increasingly complex technology environment. Clean Machine's proactive maintenance and management of PCs in home and small business environment will be our launch platform for building the next generation of managed services for consumers."

"We are delighted to have Larry spearheading partnerships and global alliances for iYogi. His incredible experience in marketing, sales and building global alliances will help forge partnerships with retailers, multiple service operators, software publishers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and other such companies that are at the frontlines for managing tech support issues for consumers and small businesses",

added Challu.

With more than 20 years of experience, Larry Gordon has played a variety of strategic roles in marketing, sales and building alliances. Larry was the Executive Vice President at Capgemini and Kanbay. He was also VP of Global Marketing for Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leader in global IT services and Director of Marketing for New York based Information Builders.

"I am excited to join a company that shares a common mission to Clean Machine in creating a global brand for delivering the best technical support to consumers and small businesses. We also share a common approach of utilizing highly skilled talent with leading edge tools, thereby delivering services at incredible price-points, with high margins for our partners",

said Larry Gordon, the newly appointed President of Global Channel Sales at iYogi.

ABOUT IYOGI

Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, USA, iYogi provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. IYogi's 24/7 phone and remote technical assistance, spans across a comprehensive range of technologies we use every day from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing its proprietary technology iMantra , and highly qualified technicians, iYogi delivers amongst the highest benchmarks for resolution and customer satisfaction. iYogi is privately held and funded by SAP Ventures, Canaan Partners, and SVB India Capital Partners. iYogi was recently awarded the Red Herring Global 100 Award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most innovative private companies driving the future of technology. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.net.

ABOUT CLEAN MACHINE

Clean Machine Inc. is a NJ-based and incorporated company that helps consumers and small business owners easily manage and protect their computing environments safely and cost effectively. The company is has a unique, powerful and inexpensive PC concierge service. Specifically, each customer is assigned a highly-trained tech concierge who remotely examines their computer system on a scheduled and very secure basis. The PC concierge will immediately fix software-based problems and prevent new threats to the customer's computing environment including offensive pop-ups, browser redirects and slow performance, and then provides a detailed report. Clean Machine's proprietary Radar(TM) technology (Remote Access Detection Audit and Repair) allows its expert technicians to remotely resolve any problems, eliminating the need for customers to go through the frustrating process of speaking with a tech support expert, and still having to do the work themselves. In other words, the Clean Machine PC concierges do it all. For more information on Clean Machine please visit www.pccleanmachine.com.