operating systems

Tracking software helps CIOs

Judi Hasson — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:48:34 -0400

IT consultant Nels Marin, a former managing director of global infrastructure at Credit Suisse Group, says the biggest problem for CIOs in keeping control of IT assets is knowing what you have and where. "Very few companies can say they know that," Marin said. BDNA Corp., an IT asset tracking software maker in Mountain View, CA, is betting that it has the solution to this problem.

The company reported that using its asset tracking software, a CIO of a large manufacturer discovered that 15 percent of the company's mission-critical applications were running on unsupported operating systems. Another CIO found that 10 percent of the company's laptops did not have the required hard drive encryption software activated. The company tells searchcio.techtarget.com that its software can provide CIOs with a comprehensive and analytical view of their IT environment, and an accurate picture of what's on their IT infrastructure.

For more on tracking software:
- see this searchcio.com article

AMD unveils low-powered Opterons

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Advanced Micro Devices Inc., has unveiled five low-power quad-core server processors, hoping to attract the attention of IT executives concerned about power efficiency and conservation.

The x86 Opteron HE processors are designed to run in a 55-watt ACP thermal envelope and are available in the 2300 and 8300 series product lines for two, four and eight-way rack servers and blades.

"The issue around power efficiency and power consumption has really been gaining a lot of forward momentum in the server and data center space," said Charles King, an analyst at Pund-IT Inc., in Hayward, CA.

For more on the next generation of processors:
- see this ComputerWorld.com article

Stamping out domain tasting

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

The sharp increase in speculation over domain names is causing a backlash. As every CIO knows, a company's domain name is a treasure, but havoc can be caused by typo-squatters--those who create and register websites with misspelled variations of company names.

Millions of names also are routinely tied up in a constant churn of registering and returning names before fees are charged--a practice known as "domain tasting" that is used to test out advertising and marketing possibilities.

Now the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the organization based in California that manages domain names--is considering steps to stop the practice. The board of ICANN will vote in Paris next month on a proposal to severely limit the number of domain names that can be returned without a fee, but the organization is facing resistance from domain name registrars who are against ending the grace period.

To read more on the domain name chase:
- see this cio-today.com article

For more tech stories from the FierceCIO network:
> Space shuttle hard drive data recovered. Article
> Dell takes aim at MacBook air. Article
> HTC announces Touch Diamond. Article

Data centers becoming mega-polluters

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

It may be hard to believe, but the world's data centers are becoming major contributors to global warming and are projected to surpass the airline industry as a major greenhouse gas polluter by 2020. That's the word from a new study by McKinsey & Co., which estimates that the carbon dioxide emissions from electricity consumed by fast-expanding data centers are growing rapidly, are largely uncontrolled and need to be cut. The study focuses on the cost and energy-saving opportunities that it says are being ignored in both corporate and government data centers.

To read more:
- Check out The New York Times article

Will the lights go out for IT?

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:59:59 -0500

It's probably too warm in your back office where the server and all of its components reside. That should come as no surprise. IT energy consumption in the United States is growing dramatically, according to a new report by the Technology CEO Council. And every kilowatt hour of energy used by IT replaces 10 kilowatt hours of energy that would have been used elsewhere. This doesn't mean the lights will go out tomorrow. It does mean, however, that IT, like every big energy user, must figure out a way to lower the thermostat, so to speak. That's doubly hard because most IT systems need to operate 24/7. That has become a way of life.

IT currently uses about six percent of all U.S. electricity, up from two to three percent in 2000, according to the report by John Laitner, director of economic policy analysis at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Dell CEO Michael Dell joined others at a press conference recently on the growing importance of green technologies. He said computer users should expect to see more energy-saving devices entering the market in the near future.

"As an industry, we have begun to take up the [environmental] issue in a serious way," Dell said. "It's an issue that customers care about." In addition to the ACEEE report, the Technology CEO Council released its own report called "A Smarter Shade of Green." It lays out the group's environmental policy principles, including:

The U.S. government should invest more money in green research.
Governments across the world should reduce tariffs on green technologies.
Companies shouldn't wait for government mandates or incentives but should adopt energy-efficient strategies on their own.

For more on technology and energy conservation:
- See this Techworld article

Windows 7 in 2009: a blessing or a curse?

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

You've probably heard the rumors floating around the Internet this week: Microsoft has allegedly accelerated the development cycle of Windows 7, in an attempt to counter the tepid response that Windows Vista has received. According to this rumor, the OS would land sometime in calendar year 2009--as opposed to 2010, as was originally expected. While many enterprise users and consumers rejoiced at the thought of a non-Vista Windows next year, there are some serious reasons for concern. Ars Technica takes a close look at Vista's deadline-driven development cycle and warns that if Microsoft accelerates development of Windows 7, a similarly half-baked OS could be the result. "You don't want to move too quickly in an effort to fix your mistake, because you can end up making another, potentially costlier one," Ars writes. "In Microsoft's case, the company can easily weather the trials and tribulations that Vista has brought it. But should the company release another operating system that fails to gain a critical, but positive reception, it will signal a true crisis for the company's desktop business."

For more on Windows 7:
- see this Ars Technica piece

Mutitouch coming to Windows 7

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

At the moment, we know tantalizingly little about Windows 7--the successor to Windows Vista--aside from the fact that we could see it within the next three years. Maybe that's why everyone is so excited about a little tidbit recently leaked by Windows 7 test engineer Hilton Locke. In a blog post, Locke hints that multitouch capabilities will be coming to Windows with the next version of the OS. "I will say that if you are impressed by the "touch features" in the iPhone, you'll be blown away by what's coming in Windows 7," Locke wrote, adding "Now if only we could convince more OEMs that Windows Touch Technology is going to drive their sales." Multitouch and Windows aren't such strange bedfellows if you think about it: Dell's Latitude XT will soon get multitouch capabilities in Vista and Microsoft's Surface project uses a Windows PC to drive a huge multitouch display. Still, the idea of multitouch functionality built-into a consumer level operating system is pretty exciting. Don't you agree, Apple?

For more on multitouch in Windows:
- check out Locke's blog post

Changelog details Vista SP1 changes

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

At this point, there's not a whole lot left to know about Windows Vista Service Pack 1 that we don't already know but it's still nice to see Microsoft giving out some official info on the fixes. The company has released a 17-page "changelog," detailing every single change that SP1 will bring to the operating system. The list is pretty long and fairly technical, so I won't bore you with its contents here--but be sure to hit the link below for the full list of changes if that sort of thing tickles your fancy:

For the full list:
- see this post from I Started Something

Verizon to support Google Android

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

In the days since Verizon's unexpected about-face on the issue of open access, there has been a lot of speculation as to whether Verizon would support Google's Android platform. Though it seemed like a long shot, many hoped that Verizon would at least certify Android handsets for use on its network--if not outright sell them directly to consumers. Well, Android lovers, it looks like your wish has been granted: Verizon will be supporting Android, though exactly how remains unclear. "We're planning on using Android," Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam told BusinessWeek. "Android is an enabler of what we do."

As McAdam sees it, this isn't a change of heart; rather, Verizon was simply waiting it out to see if Android would be worth their time. "To get into that press release really didn't do anything," McAdam said of Verizon's decision not to join the Open Handset Alliance. "We needed to understand the details of that operating system." After digging through the SDK, however, the folks at Verizon were apparently impressed enough that they wanted to support the platform. "Clearly the Android system gives a lot of developers the opportunity to develop applications for a wide range of handsets," McAdam said.

So...what's going on here? According to McAdam, Verizon was planning on going open all along, it was just a matter of time. That's a little hard to believe, however, given that the company has been fighting the FCC's open access rulings on the 700Mhz spectrum auction tooth and nail. So what's Verizon trying to pull? Some have suggested that the company is simply trying to appease the FCC while scaring off anyone who might challenge them in the auction and that all this talk of openness is just that--talk. However, I'd like to give Verizon the benefit of the doubt: I think they simply saw that open access will become an inevitability in the mobile industry and wisely decided to evolve rather than fight it. If that's the case, we could be on the cusp of a sea change in the industry. Et tu, AT&T?

For more on the announcement:
- see this BusinessWeek article

Eee PC vs. the OLPC XO

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 06:59:53 -0500

Though they might be different machines with different target audiences, you can't blame folks for wanting to compare the OLPC project's XO and Asus' Eee PC. After all, they're both small, minimalist laptops that essentially retail in the States for $400 (though the XO's actual value is only half of that). So let's just get this over with: which machine reigns supreme? Laptop Magazine put both notebooks to the test and in their opinion, a clear winner emerged. Though the XO scored well for its design, durability and innovative approach to WiFi connectivity, it ultimately couldn't compete with the Eee PC's UI, bundled applications and performance. "Barring its unique form factor and mesh networking features, we wonder if the XO couldn't have been better served by an operating system and programs more akin to the Eee PC 701," Laptop writes.

For more on the two tiny laptops:
- see this article from Laptop Magazine