Some files are just too big to send via e-mail. However, you don't have to resort to burning a CD and snail mail. We review the options for getting large files from here to there.
Have you ever needed to send someone a large file such as a Photoshop or ISO image? If you have, you know it isn't as simple as it sounds. However, when a file's size makes it too large to send as an e-mail attachment, there are other options. However, many times they more complicated and usually take longer to setup. As a result, a task that should be fairly easy to accomplish becomes a project in and of itself. Recently, I needed to send a file that contained a couple of hundred megabytes of data, so I couldn't transfer it via e-mail. I could afford the time it would take to burn a CD and mail it to the recipient. I was forced to try and find another way.
The most efficient thing I could think of was to post it on an FTP server for downloading. FTP, for those of you not be familiar with it, stands for File Transfer Protocol. It uses the Internet's TCP/IP protocols to transfer files between computers. FTP is often used to transfer Web page files from their creator's computer to the hosting provider. FTP is also commonly used to download programs and other files to your computer from your favorite shareware sites.
The problem was that I didn't have access to an FTP server from my home office, which meant I would have to setup one from scratch. The biggest drawback with this approach was that while it's not necessarily hard to set up an FTP server, it is time-consuming. Also, while this method works for me, it does require a some technical savvy. Plus, in order for it to work, you'll need to modify your router's (and possibly your PC's) firewall to allow it to pass FTP traffic over your network.
Recommended Reading PracticallyNetworked.com:Setting Up an FTP Server Part 1 Setting Up an FTP Server Part 2
Other File Transfer MethodsSo what other options are there? Well, I could have used a remote access application such as Go To My PC, but I didn't necessarily want to give a complete stranger access to my PC. Plus, I would have had to sign up for for Go To My PC's service at a cost of $20 a month. Obviously, neither of these represents an ideal solution, but of the two, the FTP server was the better choice for me, so that's was what I did. However, about two weeks later, I was recounting my story to a colleague and he mentioned a couple of easier ways for me to accomplish the same thing, without the complex configuration or firewall modifications. The first option involved a concept that was first introduced about six or seven years ago, but then sort of faded away. However, in recent years, online storage has been making a come back and today is more popular then ever. Think of online storage as a personal hard drive on the Internet. The way it works is simple: You log on to your personal storage site via any Web browser and upload your files. Once on their servers, your data is not only accessible from anywhere, but will also be backed up on a regular basis. So never again will you have to worry about losing your precious data due to theft, fire or other damage. Two of the most popular online storage services are provided by Xdrive and iBackup. These two services are similar in operation and pricing, offering you up to 5GB of storage for about $10 a month. A free 30-day trial is available for you to evaluate each service first hand. How Xdrive works: After you upload a file to your Xdrive, you use the "Send a File" feature to send an e-mail to the intended recipient. The e-mail contains a link to the file stored in your Xdrive. All the recipient needs to do is click on the link to locate and begin downloading the file. This file is even further compressed to help increase downloading speeds. The other option works in a similar fashion, but instead of storing your files online, you actually keep your files on your PC and allow the user to download it straight off of your system. There are numerous offerings available in this category, but one of the best ones I've found is available from a company called Avvenu. The Avvenu service is based on the company's patent-pending technology in media routing and managed peer-to-peer content access and distribution. Using Avvenu you can share your files among multiple users. The sharing happens directly, from your computer. Simply locate the file you want to share, specify for how long you want the share to be available and with whom you want to share it. It's all done automatically and securely. The Avvenu service lets you have up to four computers registered with the system. That means that your home computer, office computer, laptop and Media Center PC can all be accessible to you remotely. The service works with all file types, including Word documents, spreadsheets, photos and even music files. Speaking of which, for you music aficionados, Avvenu will allow to not only access your MP3 files, but stream them to a remote location. So you can enjoy your collection no matter where you are. Now the number one question associated with any service of this nature is, "Is it secure?" Access to your PC is managed by Avvenu, which ensures that only the people you authorize can access your pictures and files. In addition, all communication between your PC and remote users take place over an encrypted Web browser using a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) [define] connection. Remote users are assigned read-only access to your system, minimizing the possibility of a user accidentally deleting or modifying the files stored on your system. However, all the files can be downloaded for editing. You can suspend access at anytime, and you can even track which files that have been accessed. Best of all, the Basic Avvenu service is free, allowing you to access all of your files, from anywhere, any time as long as your computer is turned on and online. And unlike some "free" applications, Avvenu will (supposedly) not bombarded you with spam, put advertising messages in your e-mail or reveal your registration information to third-parties. And like Xdrive, Avvenu does not require any modification to your network or firewall. These products offer you more than just the capability to store files and you should check them out for yourself to discover what else they can do for you.
Rabu, 04 Juni 2008
When Is Downloading Music on the Internet Illegal?
So your daughter wants the new Britney Spears CD or perhaps you're looking to make a nice Christmas music compilation for playing over the holidays. For many people it is as simple as opening one of many peer-to-peer file share programs, selecting the tracks, downloading and burning to a CD-ROM. What isn't so simple about downloading music is the copyright protection laws that people break everyday by downloading some music tracks off the Internet. To make matters even more muddled, some music can be lawfully downloaded, and for those that aren't, laws regarding the sharing and downloading of music on the Internet vary from country to country.
In Canada, for example, downloading copyright music from peer-to-peer networks is legal, but uploading those files is not. Additionally Canada has imposed fees on recording mediums like blank CDs and similar items. These levies are used to fund musicians and songwriters for revenues lost due to consumer copying. Canada has initially charged this tax on MP3 players, but a recent Supreme Court decision ruled that the law was written in such a way that these players were exempt from the tax.
The U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act is much more strict and deems copying of copyrighted music (with the exception of making a copy for your own use) as illegal. The U.S. Code protects copyright owners from the unauthorized reproduction, adaptation or distribution of sound recordings, as well as certain digital performances to the public. In more general terms, it is considered legal for you to purchase a music CD and record (rip) it to MP3 files for your own use. Uploading these files via peer-to-peer networks would constitute a breach of the law.
One of the big issues concerning the music industry is, of course, the revenue loss. In theory, if a person is able to download his or her favorite music off the Internet, that person would not need to purchase the CD at a local music store. Every story you read will most likely produce a different set of numbers the music industry claims it has lost due to music downloading. The most common average of numbers seems to sit around a loss of 20 percent globally in sales since 1999.
Organizations that support music sharing and downloading however have thrown a wrench into the statistics released by the music industry as they suggest some of these losses are due to a bad economy and fewer "new releases" hitting the market in some of those years. It is obvious that the music industry has to be losing some money due to Internet music file sharing, but finding the exact amount lost due to music downloading isn't so simple. One thing that is for certain however is that the loss affects the industry, the musicians, and even sound technicians, recording studios, and music stores.
The music industry and even some musicians who feel they are taking a loss due to the sharing of their copy-protected works online have started fighting back, so to speak. In recent months there have been more cases of music piracy heading to the courts. From the creators of peer-to-peer and music sharing program authors, to individual users uploading and sharing copy-protected works online, more people are finding themselves in court trying to avoid paying monetary damages and trying to prove that what they are doing is in fact, fair use.
As mentioned on the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), the penalties for breaching the copyright act differ slightly depending upon whether the infringing is for commercial or private financial gain. If you think being caught infringing on these copyright laws will result in a small fine or "slap on the wrist", think again! In the U.S., the online infringement of copyrighted music can be punished by up to three years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Repeat offenders can be imprisoned up to six years. Individuals also may be held civilly liable, regardless of whether the activity is for profit, for actual damages or lost profits, or for statutory damages up to $150,000 per infringed copyright.
If there are so many lawful issues surrounding the downloading of music, you might wonder why we have such in influx of MP3 players, CD burners, and even software that allows users to easily rip music from a CD to their computer. The simple answer is that these devices do have a legitimate and legal fair use association. As mentioned earlier, you may choose to make your personal back-up copy to use in a MP3 player, or you may visit one of many Web sites, like iTunes, which offers music that you pay for as you download. While some may wonder why people are willing to pay for what can be had for 'free'. Those who do prefer to obey the copyright protection laws have sung in to the tune of purchasing over 150 million songs from the iTunes site alone.
In Canada, for example, downloading copyright music from peer-to-peer networks is legal, but uploading those files is not. Additionally Canada has imposed fees on recording mediums like blank CDs and similar items. These levies are used to fund musicians and songwriters for revenues lost due to consumer copying. Canada has initially charged this tax on MP3 players, but a recent Supreme Court decision ruled that the law was written in such a way that these players were exempt from the tax.
The U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act is much more strict and deems copying of copyrighted music (with the exception of making a copy for your own use) as illegal. The U.S. Code protects copyright owners from the unauthorized reproduction, adaptation or distribution of sound recordings, as well as certain digital performances to the public. In more general terms, it is considered legal for you to purchase a music CD and record (rip) it to MP3 files for your own use. Uploading these files via peer-to-peer networks would constitute a breach of the law.
One of the big issues concerning the music industry is, of course, the revenue loss. In theory, if a person is able to download his or her favorite music off the Internet, that person would not need to purchase the CD at a local music store. Every story you read will most likely produce a different set of numbers the music industry claims it has lost due to music downloading. The most common average of numbers seems to sit around a loss of 20 percent globally in sales since 1999.
Organizations that support music sharing and downloading however have thrown a wrench into the statistics released by the music industry as they suggest some of these losses are due to a bad economy and fewer "new releases" hitting the market in some of those years. It is obvious that the music industry has to be losing some money due to Internet music file sharing, but finding the exact amount lost due to music downloading isn't so simple. One thing that is for certain however is that the loss affects the industry, the musicians, and even sound technicians, recording studios, and music stores.
The music industry and even some musicians who feel they are taking a loss due to the sharing of their copy-protected works online have started fighting back, so to speak. In recent months there have been more cases of music piracy heading to the courts. From the creators of peer-to-peer and music sharing program authors, to individual users uploading and sharing copy-protected works online, more people are finding themselves in court trying to avoid paying monetary damages and trying to prove that what they are doing is in fact, fair use.
As mentioned on the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), the penalties for breaching the copyright act differ slightly depending upon whether the infringing is for commercial or private financial gain. If you think being caught infringing on these copyright laws will result in a small fine or "slap on the wrist", think again! In the U.S., the online infringement of copyrighted music can be punished by up to three years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Repeat offenders can be imprisoned up to six years. Individuals also may be held civilly liable, regardless of whether the activity is for profit, for actual damages or lost profits, or for statutory damages up to $150,000 per infringed copyright.
If there are so many lawful issues surrounding the downloading of music, you might wonder why we have such in influx of MP3 players, CD burners, and even software that allows users to easily rip music from a CD to their computer. The simple answer is that these devices do have a legitimate and legal fair use association. As mentioned earlier, you may choose to make your personal back-up copy to use in a MP3 player, or you may visit one of many Web sites, like iTunes, which offers music that you pay for as you download. While some may wonder why people are willing to pay for what can be had for 'free'. Those who do prefer to obey the copyright protection laws have sung in to the tune of purchasing over 150 million songs from the iTunes site alone.
Understanding Rootkits
I've been reading a lot about undetectable malware androotkits — and the like —recently. Without a doubt, these attack tools have been iteratively improving over the years. Like most such security "nasties," however, a bit of safe computing goes a long way. Let's explore a bit. First off, let me explain what a rootkit is so we can consider the facts and not get caught up in the hype. A rootkit is a tool, or (more commonly) a collection of tools, that an attacker can install on a compromised computer. The functionality of rootkits vary tremendously from one version to the next, and they're available for just about any computer operating system and architecture in existence today. What they have in common, however, is generally a small set of features:
they hide their (and the attacker's) presence on the compromised computer and
they enable the attacker to log back onto the compromised computer. Most rootkits include tools for removing historical indications the attacker has been on the computer as well, but I think of that as just one aspect of hiding their presence.
A subtle, but important, issue here is that rootkits typically don't have their own collection of tools for providing the attacker with elevated privileges, but they do require those elevated privileges to already be in place in order to install on a victim's computer. So the attacker has to somehow get elevated (e.g., root or administrator) privileges before a rootkit can be installed.
Ever since I first saw a rootkit installed a computer during a system compromise back in the 1994-1995 time frame, I've been watching them and following new rootkit technologies as they've been unleashed. The earliest rootkits accomplished their goals by replacing normal system tools on the victim.s computer with altered versions. Since most of the early rootkits were UNIX-based, their (altered) tools included login, ls, ps, df, netstat, and so on — tools a UNIX user or administrator would routinely run to look at files on a system, processes running in memory, disk utilization and so on. The rootkit versions of these tools did all of these things and more. Specifically, they carried out the features I described above. Pretty soon after these started appearing, the IT Security community got wise and started running login, ls, ps, df, etc., from CD so they could be sure they.re using tools that haven.t been tampered with.
So, the attackers responded by modifying the underlying system shared libraries and leaving the tools intact. So, when ps runs, it returns a list of all the processes on the system, except for those owned by the attacker.not because it has been tampered with, but because the system calls it made returned erroneous information. More recently, rootkits have been installed as kernel loadable modules and such. This has made things increasingly difficult for the IT Security folks to detect rootkits, since they keep going lower (in a software abstraction sense). In fact, with modern microprocessor technology, any software — legitimate or malicious — can pass along deceptive or erroneous data to software that calls it, so long as it is the first in line. In other words, if your software loads first and intercepts system calls, then you can control what others see. If someone else comes along and can find a way to butt into the line, then they can control what others (and you) see. That's the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. So what can we do about it? On the surface, the answer is simple (don't run a rootkit or allow one to be run on your computer), but in practice it's not quite so trivial. However, here are a few things that can help in preventing bad stuff from happening,:
Make judicious use of privileges. Remember the principle of least privilege? Well, you need to put it into practice. If your users run with privileges on their desktops, then the environment is ripe — in fact, it is ideal — for malicious insertion of a rootkit. Users should be able to run software, but not install software. Likewise, when you're logged in as an administrator to do administrative things, that's all you should be doing.
As much as I hate security patches, it's still important to stay up to date with them. Sure, we've all heard this a gazillion times, but unpatched systems provided rootkits with easy avenues of entry to your system. Remember I said most rootkits need to already have privileges in order to install? I'm constantly amazed by how many people don't run some form of Windows Update on their Windows desktops.
Antivirus programs, firewalls, and — those things — are also important layers of security, of course.
Of course, those are just a few things that can be done. The list can't guarantee safety from rootkits and other malware, but it sure can go a long way to reducing the risk, if the recommendations are well-thought-out and implemented.
From Webopedia.com
they hide their (and the attacker's) presence on the compromised computer and
they enable the attacker to log back onto the compromised computer. Most rootkits include tools for removing historical indications the attacker has been on the computer as well, but I think of that as just one aspect of hiding their presence.
A subtle, but important, issue here is that rootkits typically don't have their own collection of tools for providing the attacker with elevated privileges, but they do require those elevated privileges to already be in place in order to install on a victim's computer. So the attacker has to somehow get elevated (e.g., root or administrator) privileges before a rootkit can be installed.
Ever since I first saw a rootkit installed a computer during a system compromise back in the 1994-1995 time frame, I've been watching them and following new rootkit technologies as they've been unleashed. The earliest rootkits accomplished their goals by replacing normal system tools on the victim.s computer with altered versions. Since most of the early rootkits were UNIX-based, their (altered) tools included login, ls, ps, df, netstat, and so on — tools a UNIX user or administrator would routinely run to look at files on a system, processes running in memory, disk utilization and so on. The rootkit versions of these tools did all of these things and more. Specifically, they carried out the features I described above. Pretty soon after these started appearing, the IT Security community got wise and started running login, ls, ps, df, etc., from CD so they could be sure they.re using tools that haven.t been tampered with.
So, the attackers responded by modifying the underlying system shared libraries and leaving the tools intact. So, when ps runs, it returns a list of all the processes on the system, except for those owned by the attacker.not because it has been tampered with, but because the system calls it made returned erroneous information. More recently, rootkits have been installed as kernel loadable modules and such. This has made things increasingly difficult for the IT Security folks to detect rootkits, since they keep going lower (in a software abstraction sense). In fact, with modern microprocessor technology, any software — legitimate or malicious — can pass along deceptive or erroneous data to software that calls it, so long as it is the first in line. In other words, if your software loads first and intercepts system calls, then you can control what others see. If someone else comes along and can find a way to butt into the line, then they can control what others (and you) see. That's the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. So what can we do about it? On the surface, the answer is simple (don't run a rootkit or allow one to be run on your computer), but in practice it's not quite so trivial. However, here are a few things that can help in preventing bad stuff from happening,:
Make judicious use of privileges. Remember the principle of least privilege? Well, you need to put it into practice. If your users run with privileges on their desktops, then the environment is ripe — in fact, it is ideal — for malicious insertion of a rootkit. Users should be able to run software, but not install software. Likewise, when you're logged in as an administrator to do administrative things, that's all you should be doing.
As much as I hate security patches, it's still important to stay up to date with them. Sure, we've all heard this a gazillion times, but unpatched systems provided rootkits with easy avenues of entry to your system. Remember I said most rootkits need to already have privileges in order to install? I'm constantly amazed by how many people don't run some form of Windows Update on their Windows desktops.
Antivirus programs, firewalls, and — those things — are also important layers of security, of course.
Of course, those are just a few things that can be done. The list can't guarantee safety from rootkits and other malware, but it sure can go a long way to reducing the risk, if the recommendations are well-thought-out and implemented.
From Webopedia.com
Is Your Child's Information Protected Online?
We knew the day would come when we would see computers in the classrooms of students of all ages, even preschoolers. Even at home, computer usage among younger children is on the rise, and as such, so is Internet usage by a younger audience. Recent CPB statistics show that more than 65 percent of children* in the United States use the Internet at home, school or at public libraries.
Naturally, many parents are torn between allowing their children access to registration-required Web sites, whether they are sites created by individuals or Web sites created by corporations and nonprofit organizations.
Seeing a need for some concrete laws regarding what can and can't be used when collecting information from children online, the Federal Trade Commission enacted new rules for Web site administrators to ensure a child's privacy is respected online. These rules were an addition to the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and took effect in the year 2000.
Web sites knowingly collecting information from children under the age of 13 must provide a public notice on their Web site that indicates the type of public information they collect (such as name, phone number address and so on). The site must also state how this information is used, and whether the information is made available to third parties. Additionally, unless the information is being used for a one-time event (like a contest or to collect an e-mail address for a newsletter list), the Web site must obtain parental consent before collecting and using this information about a child
Naturally, many parents are torn between allowing their children access to registration-required Web sites, whether they are sites created by individuals or Web sites created by corporations and nonprofit organizations.
Seeing a need for some concrete laws regarding what can and can't be used when collecting information from children online, the Federal Trade Commission enacted new rules for Web site administrators to ensure a child's privacy is respected online. These rules were an addition to the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and took effect in the year 2000.
Web sites knowingly collecting information from children under the age of 13 must provide a public notice on their Web site that indicates the type of public information they collect (such as name, phone number address and so on). The site must also state how this information is used, and whether the information is made available to third parties. Additionally, unless the information is being used for a one-time event (like a contest or to collect an e-mail address for a newsletter list), the Web site must obtain parental consent before collecting and using this information about a child
For the Web sites needing to comply with COPPA, the challenge was great. Many Web sites needed to invest a large amount of money to comply with the law, and some sites run as non-profit or for fun ended up shutting down because they did not have available finances to comply with the amended Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Still, other Web sites who couldn't afford to comply stuck up notices stating their Web site was not intended for those under the age of 13 — which kept them free of having to comply but also enabled them to continue running their Web site.
In theory, this amendment to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act would make one think it is safe to allow your child to surf the Internet and register on Web sites dedicated to their favorite game or cartoon character, but it is important to remember that the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act states the law, but parents must be diligent about assisting children with online Web site registrations and ensuring the child is not signing-up for something that is not appropriate for their age, and that the Web site in question does comply with the privacy Act. Additionally, many Web sites are not intended for children but your child may still access them — even if they site states its' content is not for under-aged children.
[example of a privacy statement written to protect the Web site operator IF a child's information is collected]
Web sites who are found guilty of noncompliance with COPPA now face heavy fines and repercussions. A Web site could be find up to $11,000 per incident of noncompliance. While this deters Web sites from breaking these laws, exceptions exist and parents need to look for these instances. If you believe a Web site has compromised the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, you can file a complaint directly from the Privacy Initiatives Web site (see related links below).
One way to ensure your child's information is not being distributed or misused is to create a free online e-mail account that your child can use for entering contests and registering on Web sites. Once that account is created, the parent can assume the responsibility of checking the e-mail account to "filter" its contents and pass along only the e-mails they consider appropriate for their child. Additionally parents should make it a priority to discuss privacy with their child and set rules for registering on Web sites. This could be something as simple as having the child show you the Web sites they wish to join, allowing you, the parent, an opportunity to read the Web sites' privacy policy before your child registers. While the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act provides the laws, parents still need to be diligent in reading Web site privacy policies prior to having their child register on them.
In theory, this amendment to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act would make one think it is safe to allow your child to surf the Internet and register on Web sites dedicated to their favorite game or cartoon character, but it is important to remember that the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act states the law, but parents must be diligent about assisting children with online Web site registrations and ensuring the child is not signing-up for something that is not appropriate for their age, and that the Web site in question does comply with the privacy Act. Additionally, many Web sites are not intended for children but your child may still access them — even if they site states its' content is not for under-aged children.
[example of a privacy statement written to protect the Web site operator IF a child's information is collected]
Web sites who are found guilty of noncompliance with COPPA now face heavy fines and repercussions. A Web site could be find up to $11,000 per incident of noncompliance. While this deters Web sites from breaking these laws, exceptions exist and parents need to look for these instances. If you believe a Web site has compromised the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, you can file a complaint directly from the Privacy Initiatives Web site (see related links below).
One way to ensure your child's information is not being distributed or misused is to create a free online e-mail account that your child can use for entering contests and registering on Web sites. Once that account is created, the parent can assume the responsibility of checking the e-mail account to "filter" its contents and pass along only the e-mails they consider appropriate for their child. Additionally parents should make it a priority to discuss privacy with their child and set rules for registering on Web sites. This could be something as simple as having the child show you the Web sites they wish to join, allowing you, the parent, an opportunity to read the Web sites' privacy policy before your child registers. While the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act provides the laws, parents still need to be diligent in reading Web site privacy policies prior to having their child register on them.
Webopedia.com Again*
The Windows System Registry
What Is a Windows System Registry?The system registry is one of the most important parts of a Windows-based computer system. Not to be tampered with lightly, the registry is a system-defined database used by the Windows operating system to store configuration information. Most Windows applications write data to the registry during installation, and system components store and retrieve configuration data through the registry. The data stored in the registry varies according to the version of Microsoft Windows.
Registry Structure: The Tree, Nodes and KeysThe data is stored in the registry in a tree structure format, for those who have never opened the Registry Editor, you'd find its layout is similar to what you would see when you open your Windows Explorer. Each node within the registry tree contains a key which may have both subkeys and data entries (called values). Depending on the application you run, the application may need only the associated key while others may need the value data set for that specific key. A hive in the registry is a group of keys, subkeys, and values in the registry that has a set of supporting files containing backups of its data. The Windows boot process automatically retrieves data from these supporting files. [ Click to Enlarge Screenshot from Registry Editor
How Applications Use the RegistryApplications use the registry in several ways. They can add data to your registry by creating or opening existing keys. When applications add to the registry, the data is sorted by computer-specific data or user-specific data. Through this distinction applications can support multiple users and locate user profile data. An application can close a key and write the data it contains into the registry and applications can delete a value from a key or delete a key. Applications can also save specific data, or parts of the system registry in a file to load that file into the registry which is common when large amounts of data is being handled, or when multiple entries are being added to the registry.
Problems Associated With The RegistryUsers can experience computer problems caused by system registry errors for several reasons. Problems with the computer itself will usually occur because of invalid or missing keys in the Windows registry. Some signs of trouble include computer system crashes, stalls, or even a noticeably slower operating speed. Of course knowing what causes errors in your system registry can go a long way to avoiding registry problems in the future. In most cases, problems with your registry occur from user actions mainly involving the installation or removal of software and hardware on your computer. If you frequently install or uninstall programs, delete startup programs, change hardware and do not remove old drivers (or have corrupted hardware drivers), delete software which was not properly uninstalled, or have installed a program with embedded spyware on your computer, then you may experience problems with your Windows system registry.
Editing a RegistryYou can edit the Registry directly by using the Registry Editor provided with the operating system. However you must take great care because causing errors in the Registry could disable your computer. You should not edit registry data that does not belong to your application unless it is absolutely necessary. If there is an error in the registry, your system may not function properly. If this happens, you can restore the registry to the state it was in when you last started the computer successfully. Editing a registry can be a difficult task and you should read through the help files for your specific Windows operating system before giving any further thought to editing the registry yourself.
Registry Backup and RestoreSome versions of Windows operating systems such as Windows 98, will create a backup of your system registry for you everyday provided your computer was rebooted during that calendar day. Unfortunately, the problems you may wish to fix with a registry restore may be included in the most recent backup, so it is advisable to start making your own registry backups instead of relying on those generated by Windows. It is important to note that the process for backing up and restoring a registry will differ between versions of Windows, and you should search the Microsoft Web site for exact instructions pertaining to your version of Windows.
Windows ME and Windows XP make system restore a bit easier as both have a System Restore feature that securely stores data that can later be used to put your system back to a previous state when it was known to function correctly.
If your last restore point had problems — for example a virus or worm, you'll face the probability that this information will also be restored to your system. It is important to remember that achieving a good system registry restore is dependant on you having taken the proactive steps to creating a good, usable backup to restore from. It is also important to read help files and search the Microsoft online Knowledgebase for registry backup and restore information for the version of windows you are running.
Registry Cleaner and Restore UtilitiesFor many, the process of cleaning and restoring a system registry is made easy with the use of third-party software utilities. A simple Google Web search for registry cleaning utilities will provide you with a plethora of results. For the most part, all registry repair and cleaner utilities provide you with an easy way to create registry backups, clean out your registry, and repair problems with your Windows system registry — some will provide additional features, but those are the basics to look for. Once you have installed your registry cleaner of choice, you will then set-up the basic options offered by the software (such as directories to store logs, backups, choose between automatic repair or to see the checklist of problems and confirm repair of each item. The cleaner utility will check areas storing information related to custom controls, software locations, shared DLLs, Startup programs, add/remove programs, and more.
You will have an option to create a system registry backup from the current state before making any changes to your Windows system registry as recommended by the cleaning utility. It is very important to create this backup, just incase something goes wrong when problems in the registry are repaired.
If you've make the decision to use a registry cleaning and repair utility to fix existing problems with your Windows System registry, you'll find you don't necessarily have to clean your registry frequently. But since you have the utility on your system creating registry backups is easily done with just a few clicks and can save you from total reformats and loss or corruption of your system in the future.
From Webopedia.com
Registry Structure: The Tree, Nodes and KeysThe data is stored in the registry in a tree structure format, for those who have never opened the Registry Editor, you'd find its layout is similar to what you would see when you open your Windows Explorer. Each node within the registry tree contains a key which may have both subkeys and data entries (called values). Depending on the application you run, the application may need only the associated key while others may need the value data set for that specific key. A hive in the registry is a group of keys, subkeys, and values in the registry that has a set of supporting files containing backups of its data. The Windows boot process automatically retrieves data from these supporting files. [ Click to Enlarge Screenshot from Registry Editor
How Applications Use the RegistryApplications use the registry in several ways. They can add data to your registry by creating or opening existing keys. When applications add to the registry, the data is sorted by computer-specific data or user-specific data. Through this distinction applications can support multiple users and locate user profile data. An application can close a key and write the data it contains into the registry and applications can delete a value from a key or delete a key. Applications can also save specific data, or parts of the system registry in a file to load that file into the registry which is common when large amounts of data is being handled, or when multiple entries are being added to the registry.
Problems Associated With The RegistryUsers can experience computer problems caused by system registry errors for several reasons. Problems with the computer itself will usually occur because of invalid or missing keys in the Windows registry. Some signs of trouble include computer system crashes, stalls, or even a noticeably slower operating speed. Of course knowing what causes errors in your system registry can go a long way to avoiding registry problems in the future. In most cases, problems with your registry occur from user actions mainly involving the installation or removal of software and hardware on your computer. If you frequently install or uninstall programs, delete startup programs, change hardware and do not remove old drivers (or have corrupted hardware drivers), delete software which was not properly uninstalled, or have installed a program with embedded spyware on your computer, then you may experience problems with your Windows system registry.
Editing a RegistryYou can edit the Registry directly by using the Registry Editor provided with the operating system. However you must take great care because causing errors in the Registry could disable your computer. You should not edit registry data that does not belong to your application unless it is absolutely necessary. If there is an error in the registry, your system may not function properly. If this happens, you can restore the registry to the state it was in when you last started the computer successfully. Editing a registry can be a difficult task and you should read through the help files for your specific Windows operating system before giving any further thought to editing the registry yourself.
Registry Backup and RestoreSome versions of Windows operating systems such as Windows 98, will create a backup of your system registry for you everyday provided your computer was rebooted during that calendar day. Unfortunately, the problems you may wish to fix with a registry restore may be included in the most recent backup, so it is advisable to start making your own registry backups instead of relying on those generated by Windows. It is important to note that the process for backing up and restoring a registry will differ between versions of Windows, and you should search the Microsoft Web site for exact instructions pertaining to your version of Windows.
Windows ME and Windows XP make system restore a bit easier as both have a System Restore feature that securely stores data that can later be used to put your system back to a previous state when it was known to function correctly.
If your last restore point had problems — for example a virus or worm, you'll face the probability that this information will also be restored to your system. It is important to remember that achieving a good system registry restore is dependant on you having taken the proactive steps to creating a good, usable backup to restore from. It is also important to read help files and search the Microsoft online Knowledgebase for registry backup and restore information for the version of windows you are running.
Registry Cleaner and Restore UtilitiesFor many, the process of cleaning and restoring a system registry is made easy with the use of third-party software utilities. A simple Google Web search for registry cleaning utilities will provide you with a plethora of results. For the most part, all registry repair and cleaner utilities provide you with an easy way to create registry backups, clean out your registry, and repair problems with your Windows system registry — some will provide additional features, but those are the basics to look for. Once you have installed your registry cleaner of choice, you will then set-up the basic options offered by the software (such as directories to store logs, backups, choose between automatic repair or to see the checklist of problems and confirm repair of each item. The cleaner utility will check areas storing information related to custom controls, software locations, shared DLLs, Startup programs, add/remove programs, and more.
You will have an option to create a system registry backup from the current state before making any changes to your Windows system registry as recommended by the cleaning utility. It is very important to create this backup, just incase something goes wrong when problems in the registry are repaired.
If you've make the decision to use a registry cleaning and repair utility to fix existing problems with your Windows System registry, you'll find you don't necessarily have to clean your registry frequently. But since you have the utility on your system creating registry backups is easily done with just a few clicks and can save you from total reformats and loss or corruption of your system in the future.
From Webopedia.com
Is Software Ownership the Same as Licensing?
What happens when you purchase a specific software application? And if you’ve purchased software, what is the license agreement for? Do you now own the software because you paid for it?*
Simply put, no. Though you may have paid for the software, what you have actually done is licensed the application, essentially paying for the rights to use the software according to guidelines determined by the owner. The owner of the software remains the person or entity that holds the copyright, giving them the sole legal authority power to sell, distribute, copy and/or change the content of the software. And unless the person or organization transfers ownership rights, the rights remain with the owner no matter how many times the owner legally distributes the software.
When a user either purchases software or freely downloads software from the Internet, the user is not buying the ownership rights to the software but a license to use the software according to the licensing agreement, or EULA (for end user licensing agreement). The EULA is a legal agreement between the two parties and is legally actionable if either party violates the terms of the agreement. While no two EULAs are exactly the same, a typical EULA, whether it comes in the boxed software from your local computer store or attached to an Internet download of an application, states that the person or organization licensing the software is granted permission to use the software and almost nothing else. This ensures that the software cannot be copied and sold by anyone, nor can the fundamental programming of the software be changed to alter the performance of the application. The licensing agreement also protects the end user from any legal liabilities incurred by the owner of the software’s copyright. Typically, software that can be used by both individuals and organizations have different licensing agreements that cover different issues (e.g., the EULA for software being distributed to an enterprise will specify how many individual workstations the software can be deployed on).
It’s a good idea to actually read all the way through the licensing agreements of software you buy or download. One way that spyware has been able to proliferate over the Internet is by individuals not paying attention to the licensing agreements that state that along with the intended software the program will also be installing spyware on your system.
*It should be noted that the software referred to herein is proprietary software, not open source software, which follows its own set of rules
From Webopedia.com
Simply put, no. Though you may have paid for the software, what you have actually done is licensed the application, essentially paying for the rights to use the software according to guidelines determined by the owner. The owner of the software remains the person or entity that holds the copyright, giving them the sole legal authority power to sell, distribute, copy and/or change the content of the software. And unless the person or organization transfers ownership rights, the rights remain with the owner no matter how many times the owner legally distributes the software.
When a user either purchases software or freely downloads software from the Internet, the user is not buying the ownership rights to the software but a license to use the software according to the licensing agreement, or EULA (for end user licensing agreement). The EULA is a legal agreement between the two parties and is legally actionable if either party violates the terms of the agreement. While no two EULAs are exactly the same, a typical EULA, whether it comes in the boxed software from your local computer store or attached to an Internet download of an application, states that the person or organization licensing the software is granted permission to use the software and almost nothing else. This ensures that the software cannot be copied and sold by anyone, nor can the fundamental programming of the software be changed to alter the performance of the application. The licensing agreement also protects the end user from any legal liabilities incurred by the owner of the software’s copyright. Typically, software that can be used by both individuals and organizations have different licensing agreements that cover different issues (e.g., the EULA for software being distributed to an enterprise will specify how many individual workstations the software can be deployed on).
It’s a good idea to actually read all the way through the licensing agreements of software you buy or download. One way that spyware has been able to proliferate over the Internet is by individuals not paying attention to the licensing agreements that state that along with the intended software the program will also be installing spyware on your system.
*It should be noted that the software referred to herein is proprietary software, not open source software, which follows its own set of rules
From Webopedia.com
All About Online Forums
Forums are an online discussion areas where you can post and read messages from other users with similar interests, usually in an organized thread layout. Many Web sites today also build communities around their site by offering discussion forums where users can post messages, reply and discuss specific topics or simply introduce themselves to other forum members. These online communication spaces are frequently called online forums, discussion forums or just forums.
The forum itself is an application that "holds" discussions and user-generated content that is contributed by the community of forum members. Most forums will have moderators, sometimes called mods for short, who are users that have access to remove unrelated posts, rude comments, spam messages posted to the forum or even remove unruly users themselves. They can lock threads from further discussion and generally oversee that the forum runs smoothly for all participants.
Things to Consider Before JoiningWhen using an online forum, it's important to remember that public forums can be accessed by anyone from anywhere in the world, and as such there may be some language barriers to consider when posting and replying to messages. Also, a forum will be centered around a specific topic (e.g., small businesses, online games, a hobby such as collecting, sports, and so on).
Also, be sure that when you register for and use a forum you're joining one where you have an interested in the designated topic. If you want to discuss your new AMD gaming rig, don't join an "All About Intel" forum, for example. You can also spend some time reading older forum posts to get an idea of the types of discussions that take place and to see how active a forum is before joining.
Typical Forum Layouts
Using the discussion forums hosted on PracticallyNetworked.com as an example, you can see how the discussion board is laid out. The main page of the forum displays important information, such a FAQ which will explain what the forum is for and what type of posts are and are not allowed, as well as a the link to register for an account. Many forums will allow you to read the messages, but won't allow you to reply or post your own until you have registered
The main page also lists the different forums available. In the first screenshot below you will see forum discussion areas for General Discussions, Sharing, Wireless Networks, Alternative Networks and so on. This helps users find the forum discussion most related to what they want to read about.Selecting Wireless Networks takes you to the list of threads that have been posted to this forum. In the second screenshot below, you can see the thread title, when the last post was made to this thread, how many forum users have replied to a particular thread and also how many have viewed the thread. The "New Thread" button lets registered members start a new thread in the forum. Be sure to search to ensure your topic or question has not already been covered before starting a new thread.
Netiquette: Good Forum EtiquetteAn important term that you should be aware of and know about is "netiquette". This term is a contraction of Internet etiquette, and it's really the etiquette guidelines for posting messages to online services. Netiquette covers not only rules to maintain civility in discussions (i.e., avoiding flames), but also special guidelines unique to the electronic nature of forum messages. In most cases, netiquette is enforced by the forum administrator. One of the biggest issues facing those unfamiliar with using online forums is that they may not even be aware of what constitutes netiquette. To get you started with using online forums here are some tips to get you started and keep you from being banned on forums;
Do Stay On Topic. Many people use forums for knowledge gathering as well as social interactions. Forum posts and threads can be read by hundreds or thousands of users, and as such it's important to read the topic of a particular discussion and keep your posts related to that topic. If you are looking for general chat and comments, look in the forums for an off-topic discussion area.
Don't Be A Troll. A "troll" is a person who breaks netiquette on a regular basis by posted inflammatory messages (called a flame) when responding to other users in the forums. Trolls are also users who will find older flame-filled threads on a forum and reply to them just to get users worked up again.
Do Turn That Caps Lock Key Off. When you type a post in all capital letters you are going to annoy other forum users. Capital letters are viewed as shouting when communicating online, and its considered rude to do.
Don't Double Post. When using Internet forums it annoys other users when you post the same message more than once, in more than on discussion thread. If you make a post and no one replies, then leave it at that. Reposting the same message or slightly edited versions of the same message will not earn you any respect from other forum users, and in fact it may earn you warnings from the moderator.
Do Search Before Posting. Before posting a question or asking for help on a particular topic, do use the forum search option to make sure this question has not already been asked and answered by other users. Even if your question does not appear in the thread list, it may still be available as an archived topic in the forum.
The forum itself is an application that "holds" discussions and user-generated content that is contributed by the community of forum members. Most forums will have moderators, sometimes called mods for short, who are users that have access to remove unrelated posts, rude comments, spam messages posted to the forum or even remove unruly users themselves. They can lock threads from further discussion and generally oversee that the forum runs smoothly for all participants.
Things to Consider Before JoiningWhen using an online forum, it's important to remember that public forums can be accessed by anyone from anywhere in the world, and as such there may be some language barriers to consider when posting and replying to messages. Also, a forum will be centered around a specific topic (e.g., small businesses, online games, a hobby such as collecting, sports, and so on).
Also, be sure that when you register for and use a forum you're joining one where you have an interested in the designated topic. If you want to discuss your new AMD gaming rig, don't join an "All About Intel" forum, for example. You can also spend some time reading older forum posts to get an idea of the types of discussions that take place and to see how active a forum is before joining.
Typical Forum Layouts
Using the discussion forums hosted on PracticallyNetworked.com as an example, you can see how the discussion board is laid out. The main page of the forum displays important information, such a FAQ which will explain what the forum is for and what type of posts are and are not allowed, as well as a the link to register for an account. Many forums will allow you to read the messages, but won't allow you to reply or post your own until you have registered
The main page also lists the different forums available. In the first screenshot below you will see forum discussion areas for General Discussions, Sharing, Wireless Networks, Alternative Networks and so on. This helps users find the forum discussion most related to what they want to read about.Selecting Wireless Networks takes you to the list of threads that have been posted to this forum. In the second screenshot below, you can see the thread title, when the last post was made to this thread, how many forum users have replied to a particular thread and also how many have viewed the thread. The "New Thread" button lets registered members start a new thread in the forum. Be sure to search to ensure your topic or question has not already been covered before starting a new thread.
Netiquette: Good Forum EtiquetteAn important term that you should be aware of and know about is "netiquette". This term is a contraction of Internet etiquette, and it's really the etiquette guidelines for posting messages to online services. Netiquette covers not only rules to maintain civility in discussions (i.e., avoiding flames), but also special guidelines unique to the electronic nature of forum messages. In most cases, netiquette is enforced by the forum administrator. One of the biggest issues facing those unfamiliar with using online forums is that they may not even be aware of what constitutes netiquette. To get you started with using online forums here are some tips to get you started and keep you from being banned on forums;
Do Stay On Topic. Many people use forums for knowledge gathering as well as social interactions. Forum posts and threads can be read by hundreds or thousands of users, and as such it's important to read the topic of a particular discussion and keep your posts related to that topic. If you are looking for general chat and comments, look in the forums for an off-topic discussion area.
Don't Be A Troll. A "troll" is a person who breaks netiquette on a regular basis by posted inflammatory messages (called a flame) when responding to other users in the forums. Trolls are also users who will find older flame-filled threads on a forum and reply to them just to get users worked up again.
Do Turn That Caps Lock Key Off. When you type a post in all capital letters you are going to annoy other forum users. Capital letters are viewed as shouting when communicating online, and its considered rude to do.
Don't Double Post. When using Internet forums it annoys other users when you post the same message more than once, in more than on discussion thread. If you make a post and no one replies, then leave it at that. Reposting the same message or slightly edited versions of the same message will not earn you any respect from other forum users, and in fact it may earn you warnings from the moderator.
Do Search Before Posting. Before posting a question or asking for help on a particular topic, do use the forum search option to make sure this question has not already been asked and answered by other users. Even if your question does not appear in the thread list, it may still be available as an archived topic in the forum.
What Makes a Virtual Private Network Private?
An overview of how VPNs workLast updated: June 01, 2007
Using a public network, usually the Internet, to connect securely to a private network, such as a company's network is the basis of a VPN or virtual private network. Companies and organizations will use a VPN to communicate confidentially over a public network and can be used to send voice, video or data. It's an excellent option for remote workers and organizations with global offices and partners to share data in a private manner.
One of the most common types of VPNs is a virtual private dial-up network (VPDN). A VPDN is a user-to-LAN connection, where remote users need to connect to the company LAN. Here the company will have a service provider set-up a NAS (network access server) and provide the remote users with the software needed to reach the NAS from their desktop computer or laptop. For a VPDN, the secure and encrypted connection between the company's network and remote users is provided by the third-party service provider.Another type of VPN is commonly called a site-to-site VPN. Here the company would invest in dedicated hardware to connect multiple sites to their LAN though a public network, usually the Internet. Site-to-site VPNs are either intranet or extranet-based.
intranet A network based on TCP/IP protocols (an intranet) belonging to an organization, usually a corporation, accessible only by the organization's members, employees or others with authorization. Secure intranets are now the fastest-growing segment of the Internet because they are much less expensive to build and manage than private networks based on proprietary protocols. extranet An extranet refers to an intranet that is partially accessible to authorized outsiders. Whereas an intranet resides behind a firewall and is accessible only to people who are members of the same company or organization, an extranet provides various levels of accessibility to outsiders. You can access an extranet only if you have a valid username and password, and your identity determines which parts of the extranet you can view. Extranets are becoming a popular means for business partners to exchange information.
Other options for using a VPN include such things as using dedicated private leased lines. Due to the high cost of dedicated lines, however, VPNs have become an attractive cost-effective solution.
Securing a VPNIf you're using a public line to connect to a private network, then you might wonder what makes a virtual private network private? The answer is the manner in which the VPN is designed. A VPN is designed to provides a secure, encrypted tunnel in which to transmit the data between the remote user and the company network. The information transmitted between the two locations via the encrypted tunnel cannot be read by anyone else.
VPN security contains several elements to secure both the company's private network and the outside network, usually the Internet, through which the remote user connects through. The first step to security is usually a firewall. You will have a firewall site between the client (which is the remote users workstation) and the host server, which is the connection point to the private network. The remote user will establish an authenticated connection with the firewall.
EncryptionEncryption is also an important component of a secure VPN. Encryption works by having all data sent from one computer encrypted in such a way that only the computer it is sending to can decrypt the data. Types of encryption commonly used include public-key encryption which is a system that uses two keys — a public key known to everyone and a private or secret key known only to the recipient of the message. The other commonly used encryption system is a Symmetric-key encryption system in which the sender and receiver of a message share a single, common key that is used to encrypt and decrypt the message. VPN TunnelingWith a VPN you'll need to establish a network connection that is based on the idea of tunneling. There are two main types of tunneling used in virtual private networks. Voluntary tunneling is where the client makes a connection to the service provider then the VPN client creates the tunnel to the VPN server once the connection has been made. In compulsory tunneling the service provider manages the VPN connection and brokers the connection between that client and a VPN server.
There are three main network protocols for use with VPN tunnels, which are generally incompatible with each other. They include the following:
IPSecA set of protocols developed by the IETF to support secure exchange of packets at the IP layer. IPsec has been deployed widely to implement VPNs. IPsec supports two encryption modes: Transport and Tunnel. Transport mode encrypts only the data portion (payload) of each packet, but leaves the header untouched. The more secure Tunnel mode encrypts both the header and the payload. On the receiving side, an IPSec-compliant device decrypts each packet. For IPsec to work, the sending and receiving devices must share a public key. This is accomplished through a protocol known as Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol/Oakley (ISAKMP/Oakley), which allows the receiver to obtain a public key and authenticate the sender using digital certificates. PPTPShort for Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, a new technology for creating VPNs, developed jointly by Microsoft, U.S. Robotics and several remote access vendor companies, known collectively as the PPTP Forum. A VPN is a private network of computers that uses the public Internet to connect some nodes. Because the Internet is essentially an open network, PPTP is used to ensure that messages transmitted from one VPN node to another are secure. With PPTP, users can dial in to their corporate network via the Internet. L2TPShort for Layer Two (2) Tunneling Protocol, an extension to the PPP protocol that enables ISPs to operate Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). L2TP merges the best features of two other tunneling protocols: PPTP from Microsoft and L2F from Cisco Systems. Like PPTP, L2TP requires that the ISP's routers support the protocol.
VPN EquipmentDepending on the type of VPN you decide to implement, either remote-access or site-to-site, you will need specific components to build your VPN. These standard components include a software client for each remote workstation, dedicated hardware, such as a firewall or a product like the Cisco VPN Concentrator, a VPN server, and a Network Access Server (NAS).
webopedia.com
Using a public network, usually the Internet, to connect securely to a private network, such as a company's network is the basis of a VPN or virtual private network. Companies and organizations will use a VPN to communicate confidentially over a public network and can be used to send voice, video or data. It's an excellent option for remote workers and organizations with global offices and partners to share data in a private manner.
One of the most common types of VPNs is a virtual private dial-up network (VPDN). A VPDN is a user-to-LAN connection, where remote users need to connect to the company LAN. Here the company will have a service provider set-up a NAS (network access server) and provide the remote users with the software needed to reach the NAS from their desktop computer or laptop. For a VPDN, the secure and encrypted connection between the company's network and remote users is provided by the third-party service provider.Another type of VPN is commonly called a site-to-site VPN. Here the company would invest in dedicated hardware to connect multiple sites to their LAN though a public network, usually the Internet. Site-to-site VPNs are either intranet or extranet-based.
intranet A network based on TCP/IP protocols (an intranet) belonging to an organization, usually a corporation, accessible only by the organization's members, employees or others with authorization. Secure intranets are now the fastest-growing segment of the Internet because they are much less expensive to build and manage than private networks based on proprietary protocols. extranet An extranet refers to an intranet that is partially accessible to authorized outsiders. Whereas an intranet resides behind a firewall and is accessible only to people who are members of the same company or organization, an extranet provides various levels of accessibility to outsiders. You can access an extranet only if you have a valid username and password, and your identity determines which parts of the extranet you can view. Extranets are becoming a popular means for business partners to exchange information.
Other options for using a VPN include such things as using dedicated private leased lines. Due to the high cost of dedicated lines, however, VPNs have become an attractive cost-effective solution.
Securing a VPNIf you're using a public line to connect to a private network, then you might wonder what makes a virtual private network private? The answer is the manner in which the VPN is designed. A VPN is designed to provides a secure, encrypted tunnel in which to transmit the data between the remote user and the company network. The information transmitted between the two locations via the encrypted tunnel cannot be read by anyone else.
VPN security contains several elements to secure both the company's private network and the outside network, usually the Internet, through which the remote user connects through. The first step to security is usually a firewall. You will have a firewall site between the client (which is the remote users workstation) and the host server, which is the connection point to the private network. The remote user will establish an authenticated connection with the firewall.
EncryptionEncryption is also an important component of a secure VPN. Encryption works by having all data sent from one computer encrypted in such a way that only the computer it is sending to can decrypt the data. Types of encryption commonly used include public-key encryption which is a system that uses two keys — a public key known to everyone and a private or secret key known only to the recipient of the message. The other commonly used encryption system is a Symmetric-key encryption system in which the sender and receiver of a message share a single, common key that is used to encrypt and decrypt the message. VPN TunnelingWith a VPN you'll need to establish a network connection that is based on the idea of tunneling. There are two main types of tunneling used in virtual private networks. Voluntary tunneling is where the client makes a connection to the service provider then the VPN client creates the tunnel to the VPN server once the connection has been made. In compulsory tunneling the service provider manages the VPN connection and brokers the connection between that client and a VPN server.
There are three main network protocols for use with VPN tunnels, which are generally incompatible with each other. They include the following:
IPSecA set of protocols developed by the IETF to support secure exchange of packets at the IP layer. IPsec has been deployed widely to implement VPNs. IPsec supports two encryption modes: Transport and Tunnel. Transport mode encrypts only the data portion (payload) of each packet, but leaves the header untouched. The more secure Tunnel mode encrypts both the header and the payload. On the receiving side, an IPSec-compliant device decrypts each packet. For IPsec to work, the sending and receiving devices must share a public key. This is accomplished through a protocol known as Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol/Oakley (ISAKMP/Oakley), which allows the receiver to obtain a public key and authenticate the sender using digital certificates. PPTPShort for Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, a new technology for creating VPNs, developed jointly by Microsoft, U.S. Robotics and several remote access vendor companies, known collectively as the PPTP Forum. A VPN is a private network of computers that uses the public Internet to connect some nodes. Because the Internet is essentially an open network, PPTP is used to ensure that messages transmitted from one VPN node to another are secure. With PPTP, users can dial in to their corporate network via the Internet. L2TPShort for Layer Two (2) Tunneling Protocol, an extension to the PPP protocol that enables ISPs to operate Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). L2TP merges the best features of two other tunneling protocols: PPTP from Microsoft and L2F from Cisco Systems. Like PPTP, L2TP requires that the ISP's routers support the protocol.
VPN EquipmentDepending on the type of VPN you decide to implement, either remote-access or site-to-site, you will need specific components to build your VPN. These standard components include a software client for each remote workstation, dedicated hardware, such as a firewall or a product like the Cisco VPN Concentrator, a VPN server, and a Network Access Server (NAS).
webopedia.com
The System Boot Process Explained
The typical computer system boots over and over again with no problems, starting the computer's operating system (OS) and identifying its hardware and software components that all work together to provide the user with the complete computing experience. But what happens between the time that the user powers up the computer and when the GUI icons appear on the desktop?
In order for a computer to successfully boot, its BIOS, operating system and hardware components must all be working properly; failure of any one of these three elements will likely result in a failed boot sequence.
When the computer's power is first turned on, the CPU initializes itself, which is triggered by a series of clock ticks generated by the system clock. Part of the CPU's initialization is to look to the system's ROM BIOS for its first instruction in the startup program. The ROM BIOS stores the first instruction, which is the instruction to run the power-on self test (POST), in a predetermined memory address. POST begins by checking the BIOS chip and then tests CMOS RAM. If the POST does not detect a battery failure, it then continues to initialize the CPU, checking the inventoried hardware devices (such as the video card), secondary storage devices, such as hard drives and floppy drives, ports and other hardware devices, such as the keyboard and mouse, to ensure they are functioning properly.
Once the POST has determined that all components are functioning properly and the CPU has successfully initialized, the BIOS looks for an OS to load.
The BIOS typically looks to the CMOS chip to tell it where to find the OS, and in most PCs, the OS loads from the C drive on the hard drive even though the BIOS has the capability to load the OS from a floppy disk, CD or ZIP drive. The order of drives that the CMOS looks to in order to locate the OS is called the boot sequence, which can be changed by altering the CMOS setup. Looking to the appropriate boot drive, the BIOS will first encounter the boot record, which tells it where to find the beginning of the OS and the subsequent program file that will initialize the OS.
Once the OS initializes, the BIOS copies its files into memory and the OS basically takes over control of the boot process. Now in control, the OS performs another inventory of the system's memory and memory availability (which the BIOS already checked) and loads the device drivers that it needs to control the peripheral devices, such as a printer, scanner, optical drive, mouse and keyboard. This is the final stage in the boot process, after which the user can access the system’s applications to perform tasks.
From Webopedia.com
In order for a computer to successfully boot, its BIOS, operating system and hardware components must all be working properly; failure of any one of these three elements will likely result in a failed boot sequence.
When the computer's power is first turned on, the CPU initializes itself, which is triggered by a series of clock ticks generated by the system clock. Part of the CPU's initialization is to look to the system's ROM BIOS for its first instruction in the startup program. The ROM BIOS stores the first instruction, which is the instruction to run the power-on self test (POST), in a predetermined memory address. POST begins by checking the BIOS chip and then tests CMOS RAM. If the POST does not detect a battery failure, it then continues to initialize the CPU, checking the inventoried hardware devices (such as the video card), secondary storage devices, such as hard drives and floppy drives, ports and other hardware devices, such as the keyboard and mouse, to ensure they are functioning properly.
Once the POST has determined that all components are functioning properly and the CPU has successfully initialized, the BIOS looks for an OS to load.
The BIOS typically looks to the CMOS chip to tell it where to find the OS, and in most PCs, the OS loads from the C drive on the hard drive even though the BIOS has the capability to load the OS from a floppy disk, CD or ZIP drive. The order of drives that the CMOS looks to in order to locate the OS is called the boot sequence, which can be changed by altering the CMOS setup. Looking to the appropriate boot drive, the BIOS will first encounter the boot record, which tells it where to find the beginning of the OS and the subsequent program file that will initialize the OS.
Once the OS initializes, the BIOS copies its files into memory and the OS basically takes over control of the boot process. Now in control, the OS performs another inventory of the system's memory and memory availability (which the BIOS already checked) and loads the device drivers that it needs to control the peripheral devices, such as a printer, scanner, optical drive, mouse and keyboard. This is the final stage in the boot process, after which the user can access the system’s applications to perform tasks.
From Webopedia.com
What You Need to Know About Motherboards
The main circuit board inside your computer is called a motherboard. The motherboard contains the connectors for attaching additional boards, such as the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage interfaces, serial and parallel ports, expansion slots and all the controllers that are required to control standard peripheral devices such as the display screen, keyboard, and hard drive. Collectively, all these chips that reside on the motherboard are known as the motherboard's chipset.
Example of what a physical motherboard looks like that is inside your computer.
You can think of the motherboard as a communications center. The purpose of the motherboard is to provide the means for all the other components and peripherals to talk to each other. You may be able to upgrade to a faster PC by replacing the CPU chip (processor) or improve performance by adding RAM (memory).
There are different types of motherboards depending on the type of CPU is was deigned to use. Motherboards are divided into categories based on what type of socket it has. Socket 478, for example, is used for Intel Pentium 4 and the Celeron series CPUs. Socket 939 is used for the AMD64 range of processors. It's important to ensure any motherboard you buy will support the type of CPU you want to use in the system. If you already have a CPU you'll need to purchase a motherboard that will accept that same processor. For those building or upgrading a system, you can also invest in a motherboard & CPU combo, which is often cheaper than buying the two components separately and it also ensures compatibility.
It's important to remember that all of the system components must be supported by the motherboard itself. So, if you were to upgrade your memory you can't just search online for "system memory" and buy whatever falls into your price range. You must make sure the type of memory you buy (SDRAM, DDR-SDRAM, RDRAM) and the size (512-MB, 1-GB) is supported by the motherboard.
NOTE: The manual that came with your motherboard will detail these types of specifications. Also, motherboard manufacturers tend to keep updated manuals and specifications on their Web site should you happen to lose your paper copy.
When upgrading your system you should keep in mind that not all components of your system can be upgraded due to limitations of the motherboard. For example, an older motherboard will not support dual channel memory or PCI Express. Some upgrades that you may want to make may mean upgrading to a new motherboard first.
Example of what a physical motherboard looks like that is inside your computer.
You can think of the motherboard as a communications center. The purpose of the motherboard is to provide the means for all the other components and peripherals to talk to each other. You may be able to upgrade to a faster PC by replacing the CPU chip (processor) or improve performance by adding RAM (memory).
There are different types of motherboards depending on the type of CPU is was deigned to use. Motherboards are divided into categories based on what type of socket it has. Socket 478, for example, is used for Intel Pentium 4 and the Celeron series CPUs. Socket 939 is used for the AMD64 range of processors. It's important to ensure any motherboard you buy will support the type of CPU you want to use in the system. If you already have a CPU you'll need to purchase a motherboard that will accept that same processor. For those building or upgrading a system, you can also invest in a motherboard & CPU combo, which is often cheaper than buying the two components separately and it also ensures compatibility.
It's important to remember that all of the system components must be supported by the motherboard itself. So, if you were to upgrade your memory you can't just search online for "system memory" and buy whatever falls into your price range. You must make sure the type of memory you buy (SDRAM, DDR-SDRAM, RDRAM) and the size (512-MB, 1-GB) is supported by the motherboard.
NOTE: The manual that came with your motherboard will detail these types of specifications. Also, motherboard manufacturers tend to keep updated manuals and specifications on their Web site should you happen to lose your paper copy.
When upgrading your system you should keep in mind that not all components of your system can be upgraded due to limitations of the motherboard. For example, an older motherboard will not support dual channel memory or PCI Express. Some upgrades that you may want to make may mean upgrading to a new motherboard first.
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)