Features

Features

• HP Partner Program Checklist

  Value-added resellers (VARs) and service providers interested in becoming an HP partner can learn about the features of HP PartnerONE, the company's reseller partner program, with this standardized checklist.  Continue Reading

• What kind of incentives and partner programs does VMware offer to its resellers?

  Learn about VMware's three reseller partner levels: Professional, Enterprise and Premier. These levels increase in both the commitment expected from the reseller and benefits offered by VMware.  Continue Reading

• Hardware as a Service (HaaS)

  You may have heard the term Hardware as a Service (HaaS) before, but do you know what it means? In this IT Channel Explained article, we clarify the term's different meanings within managed services and grid computing.  Continue Reading

• How to provide VoIP services and generate new leads

  If you provide VoIP services, your business has the potential to add new features to your clients' communications systems, as compared to providing traditional TDM-based systems. Learn how providing VoIP services could be a great way to increase ...  Continue Reading

• Should I use a large central network firewall at the core or smaller distributed firewalls?

  Learn when to recommend a large distributed network to a client as opposed to smaller distributed firewalls.  Continue Reading

• When should orgnizations use ASIC-based network firewalls?

  Even though ASIC-based network firewalls are often much faster than their software-only counterparts, learn why deploying them within some network environments is a bad idea.  Continue Reading

• Comparing network firewall inspection technologies

  Network firewalls have evolved from packet filters to proxy servers and finally to stateful inspection, which delivers the benefits of both packets filters and proxy servers.  Continue Reading

• Is it possible to measure network firewall throughput?

  Learn why rating firewalls by network throughput is a challenge and can lead to a large disparity between the vendor rating and the firewall's actual performance. The problem is compounded because few organizations know how many packets per second ...  Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of seperating network firewall and VPN services?

  Learn the two cases where separating a client's network firewall and VPN functions can be a significant benefit to an organization.  Continue Reading

• The benefits of VoIP

  VoIP's features can save your customers money and integrate with other services to round out your sales and service options. Learn about the benefits of VoIP, from cost efficiency to customer satisfaction.  Continue Reading

• What does data lifecycle management mean?

  IT lifecycle management is a policy-based approach to managing data that automates processes and organizes data into tiers. This excerpt from "Data Lifecycles: Managing Data for Strategic Advantage" provides a comprehensive description of the ...  Continue Reading

• Why is IT lifecycle management important?

  This chapter excerpt from "Data Lifecycles: Managing Data for Strategic Advantage" makes a case for why ILM/DLM should be implemented, for reasons ranging from security to smart business practice to compliance. It also projects storage trends ...  Continue Reading

• Introducing Utility Computing

  Utility computing enables a service provider to make computing resources and infrastructure management available to customers as needed. This excerpt from "Data Lifecycles: Managing Data for Strategic Advantages," discusses how to use utility ...  Continue Reading

• Data lifecycle management: What are the things organizations need to consider?

  This excerpt from "Data Lifecycles: Managing Data for Strategic Advantage" outlines the storage problems that organizations face today and considerations businesses need to make when assessing solutions.  Continue Reading

• What are some of the risks associated with iSCSI?

  There are two risks VARs need to make customers aware about when using iSCSI. Since the technology is so easy to deploy, it is also easy to loose track of all the details. Customers also need to be aware that iSCSI can hog bandwidth on a network.  Continue Reading

• What are the disadvantages of iSCSI?

  Deploying iSCSI in mission-critical situations isn't a risk-free proposition. Customers may have to cope with higher latency and performance issues in mixed networks after an iSCSI implementation.  Continue Reading

• What are some of the advantages of iSCSI over traditional Fibre Channel SANs?

  iSCSI SANs allow for much cheaper connectivity than a Fibre Channel SAN. The initial sticker shock Fibre Channel gives customers may turn them away, while iSCSI allows customers to build on their networking experience, negate the problem of distance...  Continue Reading

• Top five Snort tips

  Snort can be immensely helpful as an intrusion detection system on your clients' networks. Check out our most useful tips on basics such configuration and troubleshooting, and advanced topics, such as upgrading, compiled from the Snort Report.  Continue Reading

• Tracking botnets

  Tracking botnets takes several technical steps, starting with data gathering and information extraction. Get a detailed walk-through in this book excerpt.  Continue Reading

• Bot and botnet 101

  Bots can be controlled by attackers and used simultaneously with other bots under a botnet. Learn the basics of bots and botnets and how they can be used as spyware.  Continue Reading

• Generating revenue with open source software

  Many companies are looking to open source software to lower IT costs. We've outlined opportunities and tips within the open source world in a Channel Hot Spot Tutorial. This introductory chapter will give you an overview.  Continue Reading

• IT distribution channel (distributors)

  Distributors are wholesalers that act as intermediaries between vendors and value-added resellers (VARs) or system integrators (SIs). Learn more about the role of distributors in the channel -- and how it's changing.  Continue Reading

• Top five network security concerns

  Securing a computer network requires mastery of many skills and concepts -- network design, device configuration, protocols, etc. As an expert on sister site SearchSecurity.com, Mike Chapple, CISSP, answers end users questions on these topics and ...  Continue Reading

• Understanding security risk management: Recovery time requirements

  After you help your clients see the need for security risk analysis and establish a methodology and priorities for security risk mitigation, the next step is to assess recovery time. This will able you to help your clients understand the operational...  Continue Reading

• Understanding security risk management: Criticality categories

  Security risk management involves a sober assessment of your client's business operations and the relative security risks of each. Once the need for security risk analysis has been recognized by your client, the next step is to establish catageories...  Continue Reading

• Refining your criteria for prospective networking partners

  As you continue the iterative process of choosing a networking partner, it's important to revise your selection criteria after discussing it with colleagues. Learn how to do so by using this tip.  Continue Reading

• How to design and implement a business VoIP network

  Once you've established that a customer's hardware and network connection can support business VoIP services, the next step is to design and the implement those services. Learn the basics of designing and implementing a simple end-to-end VoIP ...  Continue Reading

• Reading, writing and advanced IP

  Physical security and cyber security have become a two-pronged approach to school security in K-12 schools. Even so, challenges remain, one of which is finding a way to stay technologically ahead of students who have the ability to evade cyber ...  Continue Reading

• Storage network backup: Next generation

  Storage network backup offers new possibilities for getting around performance bottlenecks. This excerpt from Storage Networks Explained describes your options and what to consider when deciding which one best suits your clients' system.  Continue Reading

• Storage network backup of file servers

  Storage network backup of file servers is crucial since all applications store their data in file systems. This excerpt from Network Backup Explained discusses fundamental requirements and problems, as well as examining the functionality of modern ...  Continue Reading

• Examining unified Snort output

  Take a look at Snort's unified output.  Continue Reading

• Barnyard processing logs for Snort

  How Barnyard processes Snort IDS logs.  Continue Reading

• Getting Barnyard working with Snort databases

  Having Snort write output to the hard drive and letting a tool like Barnyard handle database inserts, as explored here, considerably improves Snort performance.  Continue Reading

• Storage network backup: Server components

  Storage network backup servers are comprised of a range of component parts. This excerpt from "Storage Networks Explained" discusses the main components. Learn what they do and how they work.  Continue Reading

• Verify the IP routing table

  Verifying the Cisco IP routing table is a key part of troubleshooting Cisco Express Forwarding's network switching. Learn the necessary steps for identifying and remediating problems.  Continue Reading

• Verify the Address Resolution Protocol table

  Learn how to verify the ARP table as part of troubleshooting networking issues with Cisco Express Forwarding. The first step in troubleshooting IP connectivity issues and Cisco Express Forwarding from a Layer 3 perspective is to consult the ARP ...  Continue Reading

• Conduct hardware-specific troubleshooting

  If you are troubleshooting a Cisco Express Forwarding platform that supports dCEF or hardware switching, the final step is looking for potential hardware-specific problems.  Continue Reading

• Scope the network topology

  Learn how to scope a network's topology to troubleshooting IP connectivity problems involving Cisco Express Forwarding. A sample physical topology is included to illustrate the discussion.  Continue Reading

• Verify the adjacency table

  Once the FIB table has been checked, the next step in troubleshooting Cisco Express Forwarding lies with the rewrite information in the adjacency table.  Continue Reading

• Verify the CEF Forwarding Information Base table

  Learn how to take a stepwise approach to troubleshooting the Cisco Express Forwarding FIB table, a critical part of any methodology for resolving Cisco IP connectivity issues.  Continue Reading

• Top SMB networking tips for resellers and service providers

  Learn how to choose and implement networking technologies for your small and midsized customers. These tips cover firewall architecture, VPNs, hybrid PBXs and more.  Continue Reading

• Managed services, your business plan and you

  Learn why a business plan is an essential part of any reseller's successful managed services business. Discover how to use a business plan as the impetus for refining your marketing strategy, locating sources of revenue and sizing up the competition.  Continue Reading

• Managed IT services provider business plan

  A business plan is an essential part of success as a managed IT services provider. Here is a sample business plan that takes into account the special concerns of a value-added reseller (VAR) changing their business model to offer managed IT services.  Continue Reading

• Snort command line output modes

  Snort command line output modes, as described here, are usually selected for testing purposes or demonstrations.  Continue Reading

• Snort.conf output options

  Snort offers functional equivalents for FAST, FULL and SYSLOG command line output modes, as shown here.  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Member voting

  Use Oracle RAC's member voting to check member validity in Oracle database 10g. Learn how in this excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook."  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Log directory structure in Oracle RDBMS

  Oracle 10g RAC installations include log files that provide diagnostic and bug-repairing tools. Learn more in this excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook."  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC and the Lamport algorithm

  In Oracle's RAC, the Lamport algorithm works with system change numbers (SCN) and the distributed lock manager (DLM) to control and lock management and conflict resolution; read more in this excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application ...  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Cluster reconfiguration steps

  Oracle RACs cluster reconfiguration process entails seven steps. Learn what they are in this excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook."  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Debugging node eviction issues

  Oracle RAC's node eviction root cause analysis (RCA) is common and complex. This excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Applications Clusters Handbook" shows you how to recover from a communication failure in Oracle 10g.  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC troubleshooting

  Oracle RAC shared disk method of clustering databases increases scalability and lowers costs. However, it can be challenging to find and fix bugs in Oracle 10g. This chapter excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook" ...  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Database performance issues

  Oracle's RAC databases share resources with other applications which are also in demand. Sometimes resource management runs into a deadlock. This excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Applications Clusters Handbook" examines what happens to a ...  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Log directory structure in cluster ready services

  When diagnosing Oracle 10g problems in cluster ready services do what Oracle support does -- examine installation log files and respective directories. Learn more in this book excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook."  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: ON and OFF

  Disabling Oracle's RAC options may be necessary when testing the Oracle Database 10g. Steps are outlined in this excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook."  Continue Reading

• Oracle RAC: Debugging CRS and GSD using DTRACING

  Oracle RAC tracing facility can be enabled to provide additional screen output in Oracle 10g. The steps are outlined in this excerpt from "Oracle Database 10g: Real Application Clusters Handbook."  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking tools and techniques: Vulnerability scanning

  In this portion of a tip on network penetration testing and ethical hacking tools and techniques, security consultants and value-added resellers (VARs) will learn about vulnerability scanning.  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking tools and techniques: Password cracking

  In this portion of a tip on network penetration testing and ethical hacking tools and techniques, security consultants and value-added resellers (VARs) will learn about password cracking.  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking tools and techniques: Information gathering

  This portion of a tip on network penetration testing and ethical hacking tools and techniques discusses information gathering for security consultants and value-added resellers (VARs).  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking tools and techniques: Port scanning

  In this portion of a tip on network penetration testing and ethical hacking tools and techniques, security consultants and value-added resellers (VARs) will learn about port scanning.  Continue Reading

• Voice over Wireless LAN in the small office and home

  Voice over Wireless LAN technology isn't just for large customers. Value-added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators will find an opportunity to implement and service VoWLAN technology for small offices and homes.  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel man-in-the-middle attacks

  A Fibre Channel man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is the act of an untrusted third party intercepting communication between two trusted entities. Learn more about man-in-the-middle attacks in this excerpt from "Securing Storage: A Practical Guide to ...  Continue Reading

• Becoming a managed service provider (MSP): Essential questions to ask first

  Before becoming a managed service provider (MSP), ask yourself these essential questions and determine if the MSP model is right for you.  Continue Reading

• Benefits of providing managed services

  Recurring revenue is one obvious benefit of providing managed services, but don't overlook these other MSP advantages.  Continue Reading

• The managed service provider (MSP) model

  Determine if the managed service provider (MSP) model is a good fit for your channel business. The nine questions and corresponding expert advice in this tip will get you started on the road toward or away from the MSP model.  Continue Reading

• How to price managed service provider (MSP) offerings

  To price a managed service provider (MSP) offering, you must weigh how much your client pays to manage apps in-house versus how much they may pay to have you manage them.  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel storage area network (SAN) security

  Underestimating storage area network (SAN) and Fibre Channel security risks could lead your customers to data loss. This chapter excerpt from "Securing Storage: A Practical Guide to SAN and NAS Security" provides full descriptions of Fibre Channel ...  Continue Reading

• Storage area network (SAN) risks

  Storage area network (SAN) security risks manifest as easily infiltrated gaps in your customers' storage; learn where weaknesses lie in a SAN architecture as outlined in this book excerpt from "Securing Storage:A Practical Guide to SAN and NAS ...  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel risks

  Fibre Channel risks and security weaknesses leave this infrastructure open to attack. Learn about Fibre Channel vulnerabilities in this excerpt from "Securing Storage: A Practical Guide to SAN and NAS Security."  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel address weaknesses

  Fibre Channel address weaknesses include manipulation of the 24-bit fabric address, which can cause significant damage and denial of service in a storage area network (SAN). Learn where the vulnerabilities lie in this excerpt from "Securing Storage:...  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel clear-text communication

  Fibre Channel communication is clear-text, which allows for certain security threats.. Find out what to watch out for in this excerpt from "Securing Storage: A Practical Guide to SAN and NAS Security."  Continue Reading

• Fibre Channel man-in-the-middle attack assessment exercise

  Fibre Channel man-in-the-middle attacks come as a result of the architecture's communications weaknesses. Learn how to find these Fibre Channel vulnerabilities with the assessment tool in this excerpt from "Securing Storage: A Practical Guide to ...  Continue Reading

• Storage area network (SAN) hacking

  SAN hacking translates into network insecurity and lost or corrupted data. Get to know SAN threats as outlined in this excerpt from "Securing Storage: A Practical Guide to SAN and NAS Security."  Continue Reading

• Partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) vendor

  Managed service provider (MSP) partnerships are rarely as fruitful as both sides would like. When choosing an MSP vendor, ask these questions to determine if your partnership will be a good one.  Continue Reading

• IDS Snort rules: Sourcefire rules

  This portion of the Snort report on Snort IDS rules covers rules provided by Sourcefire. It also discusses the pros and cons of rules by subscription, free rules and rules submitted by the Snort community.  Continue Reading

• IDS Snort rules: Bleeding Edge Threats rules

  This section of the Snort Report on Snort IDS rules covers rules privded by Bleeding Edge Threats (BET).  Continue Reading

• IDS Snort rules: Activating Snort rules

  Learn the dos and don'ts of activating the Snort Sourcefire and Bleeding Edge Threats rules.  Continue Reading

• IDS Snort rules: Acquiring Snort rules

  Learn how to acquire the rules you'll need to run Snort to your specifications.  Continue Reading

• IDS Snort rules: False positives

  In this portion of the Snort Report on IDS Snort rules, Richard Bejtlich discusses how to identify and deal with false positives.  Continue Reading

• IDS Snort rules: Loading rules

  Learn how to load Sourcefire and Bleeding Edge Threats rules for the open source intrusion detection tool Snort.  Continue Reading

• Multi-core processor benefits and trends

  Dual-core success has paved the way for quad-core or many-more-core processors. Author Barb Goldworm highlights the benefits of using multi-core processors in customer shops.  Continue Reading

• Licensing requirements for multi-core processors and server virtualization

  Multi-core processors and server virtualization advancements have left licensing doors open to interpretation by vendors. Know your licensing requirements and limitations.  Continue Reading

• Common SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package management scenarios

  Whether connecting to SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), running packages or viewing package summaries, these scenarios will answer basic SSIS package management questions, from the book "Inside Server SQL Tools."  Continue Reading

• Common SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package development scenarios

  Learn how common SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package development scenarios can benefit your customers' business intelligence plans in this excerpt from "Inside Server SQL 2005 Tools".  Continue Reading

• Common SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package deployment scenarios

  Prepare SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) projects for deployment and testing with assistance from this excerpt from "Inside SQL Server 2005 Tools."  Continue Reading

• SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) overview

  SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) introduces the concepts of control flow and data flow in packages. Learn more about this SQL Server 2005 tool in this excerpt from "Inside SQL Server 2005 Tools."  Continue Reading

• Using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) tools in business scenarios

  Applying SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) to business scenarios involves development and testing, deployment and administration. Get answers to common questions that arise when working with SSIS in this excerpt from "Inside SQL Server ...  Continue Reading

• SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) tools

  Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS) introduces a rich toolset that supports development, deployment and administration of extract, transform, load (ETL) solutions. Learn more about these SQL Server tools in this excerpt from "Inside SQL Server ...  Continue Reading

• SQL Server 2005 Practical Troubleshooting

  When it comes to data corruption and recovery, BACKUP and RESTORE are your most important tools; find out what to do when these commands fail in this book excerpt.  Continue Reading

• SQL Server 2005 Practical Troubleshooting: User database inaccessible

  Learn SQL Server 2005 tools that allow access to an inaccessible database. This excerpt from "SQL Server 2005" provides the toolbox.  Continue Reading

• Incident management

  Incident management policies and processes should meet certain goals when responding to customer's incidents, as outlined in this book excerpt by Dan Sullivan.  Continue Reading

• Mastering the release management process for service delivery

  Release management helps you preserve customers' production systems when new software and hardware is deployed. Learn about release management processes in this book excerpt by Dan Sullivan.  Continue Reading

• Elements of service support

  The interdependencies of incident management, problem management, configuration management, change management and release management are discussed in this book excerpt by Dan Sullivan.  Continue Reading

• Mastering the problem management process for service delivery

  Problem management should help your clients reduce incidents and their impact on an operations, but it's not the same as incident management, as described in this book excerpt by Dan Sullivan.  Continue Reading

• Cloning Virtual Machines Utilizing ESX Shell Scripts

  With VMware you can create exact replicas of your virtual machine's virtual disk. Learn how here.  Continue Reading

• Scripting Creation of Virtual Machines in Perl Scripts

  Use VMware with VMperl to create your or your customer's virtual machine. Learn more about this partnership here.  Continue Reading

• Securing wireless access points: War driving and war walking

  This portion of the Vines penetration testing tip on securing wireless access points describes war driving and war walking.  Continue Reading

• Securing wireless access points: Wireless testing tools

  This portion of the Vines penetration testing tip on securing wireless access points describes wireless testing tools.  Continue Reading

• Securing wireless access points: WLAN security countermeasures

  This portion of the Vines penetration testing tip on securing wireless access points describes WLAN security countermeasures.  Continue Reading

• Securing wireless access points: WLAN vulnerabilities, SSID issues, WEP weakness

  This portion of the Vines penetration testing tip on securing wireless access points describes WLAN vulnerabilities, SSID issues, and WEP weakness.  Continue Reading

• Scripting creation of virtual machines in ESX shell

  Scripting the creation of virtual machines using VMware power tools is simpler that you might think. This book excerpt tells you how.  Continue Reading