Your Server

Small Business Server - Linux or Windows? I have a small business office, 15 computers all are on wired LAN. Also have a wireless network setup, with about 15 devices. Which software would be better to run on a desktop for a small server. I need the following: Performance/Speed Many/Multiple Users FTP/SSH Access Performance is my big issue. I need this to be quick and fast when my employees are accessing the server at the same time. Just wondering which OS would be better. Thanks! Ok I guess also, what are the pros & cons of each Linux and Windows?

Which is the ideal Linux distro for Small Business Server? I've got a few distro's in mind, which of these could be a good OS for a small business server that functions as a file and print server, an internet gateway, DHCP server rolled into one. I'm looking at: Open SuSE 10.5 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Ubuntu Server Fedora Core 5+ Please, no Windows Server crap.

How do I install microsoft windows small business server 2003 on an old server that has Linux? The server is from like 1998 and was an Internet infrastructure server from Tele net solutions systems Inc. I have no idea how to work the machine so where would I start and how do I finish doing it? Is it even possible? Does the server need to be 64 bit to work on a network that has two 64 bit windows 7 pc's?

Which Linux distribution is best suited for small business servers? Thank you, your help is much appreciated =]

Looking for a cheapish server to run Linux on can anyone help? I want an example of server that a small business could run a linux server software on… can anyone help gimmie some examples as im stuck!

How do you set up SBS2003 to work seamlessly with a separate linux postfix mail server? I have a working linux postfix mailserver on a windows network and I would like to set up the Small Business Server 2003 so that it works seamlessly with it if possible to be able to get the users email to and from it via outlook via their windows logon. The Linux mailserver has a different email domain to that of the domain controller. The email accounts are in the UNIX username format. IE. joebloggs which goes to joe@emaildomain.com. I can connect to the linux server via pop3 and imap no problem but just wondering if there is a fairly painless way to integrate this into the system for easy email transit? I think the sbs2003 server doesnt have roaming profiles set up and the users store their files locally for some bizarre reason. The sbs2003 wasnt set up by me as i'm more a Linux person than Windows Server. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks In Advance.

I need a decent small business server package? I have been running Microsoft SBS 2003 since it came out (and 2000) before that and LOATHE it. It is clunky, complicated. the Exchange Server is ridiculously complex and all up vast overkill for a business of less than 200 staff. (I have 7). Does anyone know a simple alternative that will do file sharing, email, remote access and good security ? I have never used Linux and am not keen on learning command line stuff so something with a simple GUI would be good. Actually, I am not in IT - that is the whole point. I do not want to have to call in an IT bloke every time a service does not start, or the badmail folder blows out to 10 gig, or a user cannot log in remotely. (each of these is easy to fix the second time. The first time it takes a few hours which I do not want to spend away from my real work.) Surely in this day and age a simple, reliable system exists that manages mail (can't use pop 3 alone, need to archive for audit purposes) logs on who needs to be logged on and lets them get at files can be bought for a grand or two ?

I want to go into business for myself offering server space, but I'm not sure how to get started...? I'm fairly new to business, but I want to go into business for myself. The company I'm with now works with a kid who is only 19 years old and went into business for himself offering server space and now makes enough that it's self-supporting. One thing I DO know is I need to build up capital, but I'm fairly young (22 years old) and I don't think my credit is decent enough to apply for loans. However, before I even consider raising capital for this venture, I'm not sure how I would even get started. Do I just purchase up servers and a high bandwidth? Do I need to start buying up domain names? Is this something I could do out of home or should I lease a facility? I was thinking of purchasing one of those pre-built barn-type buildings and insulating it myself and converting that into an office at home. I guess a side question would be what are some good books to read on the subjects of small business and networking/servers? Should I focus on Windows or Linux servers? HELP!!

Setting up a server environment for a small business? Hi. I am the CTO of a new small sized company (15 employees) and would like to provide the following services on my network without using windows server 2003 (cost reasons) or linux (not enough knowledge reasons). 1. Mail server - I intend to use Mdaemon as a mail server along with the outlook connector to replicate what exchange does without having to go thru the tedious task of installing server 2003 and exchange and not to mention the money saved. A few employees will be using blackberry's.. so i wanted to know how to integrate the same with the mdaemon server? 2. I want to set up some sort of file server system wherein each user is assigned space on the server which only he /she can access. 3. Is it possible to have automated backups from each node on the network every evening? I want to implement this entire setup on XP professional. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

What is a good windows server motoring application? I am an IT administrator, and looking for a really good system that we can use to monitor disk space usage database sizes as well as hardware performances and everything. I have found quite a few things but most of everything seems to be linux based. is there a good system that is more windows based that will do what i am looking for. All of our servers are Windows Small Business Server 2003 and Server 2003.

Linux Server or Windows Server? I have a small business and need to upgrade my server. I am currently running a Linux server on my in office network but I did not set it up and know nothing about it except that I was told recently by an free lance tech guy that it was configured terribly. The person who set it up did a poor job and at this point it is an old version of linux. Long of it short, I am getting a new server. Should I stick with linux or move to windows? Pros? Cons? Cost differences? And about how much would it cost to have a professional set my new server up?

Starting a small business- designing small business/home Networks? I would like to start a side business designing and implementing small business/home networks. I'm just wondering how feasible this is at my current experience/education level. I am currently in a Bachelors degree program; at an associates degree level in Information Technology with a main focus in Network Administration (4.0GPA to date). I am familiar with and understand subnetting (VLSM concepts), Windows Server topics, such as, Active Directory, DNS, file management and utilities etc. I believe I'm very close to taking and passing CompTIA A+ and an MCTS exam, specifically 70-640. My course line ups are all geared towards Microsoft Server and Linux Administrating. I also have 5+ years of desktop support in a call center environment. I've setup several small networks over the years and a small Windows Server 2003 domain at home. I do not have any wiring experience (recommendations on how to learn that would be helpful- with limited income).

Best Linux distro for a server? Not looked into it really but i know of one big company that uses redhat enterprise, so i guess this is the best you can get? How do i define "best" - not sure really - good gui, wizard based, similar to windows server, lots of features i suppose. I would be looking to replace windows server 2003 for a small business, as far as i can see, redhat ent does not require licences, you just need to pay a one off price? What other options do i have?

Help Setting Up Secure Small Business Network with Static IPs? I am setting up a small office network that is composed of the following: Hardware: - 1 Windows 2003 Enterprise server (R2) - 3 to 5 Windows XP and Vista computers Software / Services: - An FTP site will be necessary for uploading files - We will receive 5 static IPs from Verizon (DSL). One will be exclusively assigned to the FTP server. - VPN using 2003 server I have a basic idea of what needs to be done, but I am not too sure if this is the best way to do this. I am planning on getting a firewall to go between the DSL modem and a router. However, I am not sure what kind of router/switch to use because I am not sure how to handle splitting the static IP addresses. The FTP server will need to reside on the 2003 server (either via IIS or Linux running in virtualization). I also need to configure incoming VPN using Windows 2003 Server. I would like to know what the Best Practices for this situation would be. I'm having a a hard time finding this info on the web. Thank you!

Which do you say is the best for setting up a small business? LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and php/perl/python) or the whole ASP, windows server, oracle, that sort? I personally would think the LAMP setup would be better because its all free, what do you guys think?

Any advice on starting a webhosting and computer consulting business? I have a friend of mine who has offered to set me up with a linux-based VPS, and was thinking of starting a webhosting business with this? In addition I was thinking about doing some consulting like setting up servers for small businesses, setting up home wireless networks, and PC repair? Any advice?

How to block brute force attacks on SBS 2003 FTP server? I have a small network centering around an SBS 2003 box. I have a web server setup and an FTP server each assigned their own Static IP (ISP issued). I opened up the event viewer yesterday and noticed that my "security events" were filling rapidly. (like a new notification every second) Every single event was originating from an outside IP address and was trying to logon to the FTP server using an enormous amount of combinations every second. I did a lookup on the address and found that it originates from France, -some marketing company... But that really means nothing since the attacker could be using multiple proxies right? I guess my question is this. Is there a way to block the single IP address that is brute forcing my FTP? Or possibly a way to null route his attacks on a windows based computers? I used to use IPTables back when I ran a Linux based machine, but since I am new to Windows Small Business Server 2003 I ended up disabling the FTP until I can find a simple solution. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! **Side note: Additionally, is there anyway to report/retaliate against such flagrant attacks? Thanks in advance!

Small home office file server vs. dropbox.com? I have a small home office business. I need to network my 4 computers. I use quickbooks, proseries (tax program), LaserApp, microsoft office, etc. I want to have all the files for all my computers in one location, instead of having 4 different versions, moving files back and forth with a memory stick. I also need to share my 2 printers. I am not proficient with computers, and I can't spend 30 hours learning to use a file server. My requirements are as follows: 1.) Very simple, with as little to learn as possible 2.) Shared files stored in one location, accessible from any computer on my home network 3.) Ability to use all printers from any computer 4.) Speed and efficiency, low tolerance for downtime/wasted time 5.) Storage space of 500GB should be more than sufficient My first question is, would a file server such as HP's Proliant MicroServer with windows server 2008 Home or standard edition be suitable to my needs? What server software would be best, I only know the little info that I have googled. I have heard that Linux is more complicated to learn than Windows OS's. Is there a better small server with an OS pre-installed that is still in the price range of $500-$1,000? Secondly, I have tried the free version of Dropbox.com's file syncing software. It seems to work as advertised, though the saving/uploading seems a bit slow. The main advantage that has drawn me to it is the simplicity. After a couple hours of tinkering, I already feel like I know the basic ins and outs of the program. Dropbox would cost more in the long run and syncs kind of slow, so the file server would be preferable IF a simple to set up, easy-to-use model existed. What is your opinion on Server vs. Dropbox? Do you have a third alternative that you believe would better suit my needs? Is there any other info I should be aware of?

Windows 2K3 Server hardware failure. How should I proceed? At my house I run a Windows network complete with an Exchange server. This morning I got a message on my server ***Hardware Failure: Contact your vendor for support*** This message comes up after the Windows logo appears so it appears that the hard drive is okay and that some part of the hardware has failed. I have backups of my server but I am still left with a server that dies during loading Windows. Last week I purchased a server on which I had been planning to install W2K8 Small Business server to which I was going to migrate, in fact I started the install of the server software over the weekend. (I am halfway convinced that my old server detected the new one on the network and died in protest. :-) My home network is pretty simple. 1 server, 2 workstations and a laptop. 3 users; myself, my wife and my oldest child. I am now left with a couple of choices. I can figure out what is wrong with the hardware of my old server and finish the migration in a normal mode. My alternative is to simply bring the new server up as a fresh incarnation of my network infrastructure and find some way to import the 3 mailboxes from the old server. The only migration I have ever done was my upgrade from W2K to W2K3 and Windows took care of that for me. This a little different since I will have to transfer the mailbox files and get the new Exchange 2007 server to use the files. Any advice would be appreciated that does not recommend switching to Linux or some other Un*x variant. For clarification, it blue screens on the part of Windows when the system is coming up. I get the "Choose your operating system" choice and select "Windows 2003 Server" or let the timer expire. The Windows logo comes up and the system starts the part wherein it is loading the OS. It goes for a while and then blue screens, so I am guessing that it is failing when some device driver is trying to load. I never get the "Press Ctrl-Alt-Del to log in" message.

Any ideas on a small business network? Five doctors have formed a partnership and are consulting my team and I for creating a network between the five offices. We will be using existing T1 lines to connect the offices but are not sure on the network and subnet design. Four of the offices are each about 15 miles from the central office, which has an existing LAN in place. Also, the east and west offices have existing LANs. All five offices have outdated hardware and software, so we will be replacing all of the computers with new systems running Windows XP. Each office will require ten computers, a printer/scanner/copier, and a fax machine. We will be using SUSE Linux to run the server. It will also be using Samba in order to work with the XP clients. We aren't sure which would be easier: if all of the offices should be on one subnet or if each office should have it's own subnet. We also plan on having Voice Over IP for each office. If it's all one subnet, then VoIP will be no problem. But, if we go with multiple subnets, should we get seperate VoIP services for each subnet? or have one VoIP provider on the central server? I should also mention that the doctors have not given us the job yet. They are "shopping around" for the best deal for them. any help with this would be much appreciated.

Nishida Kitchens has a business and sales unit of 42 computer users. The plant in which the foods are produced? Nishida Kitchens has a business and sales unit of 42 computer users. The plant in which the foods are produced, packaged, and shipped has 45 computer users. The company has both Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers. The business and sales unit uses Windows XP Professional workstations. The plant users have a combination of Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux computers on user’s desktops. The company plans to have Internet connectivity available to all network users. Nishida Kitchens has an outlet store across town which provides the public with direct sales of their products. The outlet store also has Internet connectivity on a small network of 12 computers that are running Windows XP Professional.

network engineer courses help cnt bugget? i would like to know in what order should i proceed with these classes for a entry lvl tech got ahold of the 09 cbt nugget cd's and i cant start school till next year anyways wanted to get a head start videos are as follow Microsoft - MCP - MCTS - MCSA 2000 - MCSA 2003 - MCSA: Messaging - MCSA: Security - MCSA: Messaging 2003 - MCSA: Security 2003 - MCSE NT - MCSE 2000 - MCSE 2003 - MCSE: Security - MCSE: Messaging 2003 - MCSE: Security 2003 - MCDST - MCTS: Windows Vista - MCITP: Windows Vista - MCITP: MCSE Upgrade to Enterprise Admin 2008 - MCITP: MCSE Upgrade to Server Admin 2008* - MCITP: MCSA upgarde to Server Admin 2008* - MCITP: MCSA upgarde to Enterprise Admin 2008* - MCITP: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Admin* - MCITP: Windows Server 2008, Server Admin* - MCTS: Windows Server 2008* - MCTS: Exchange 2007 - MCITP: Exchange 2007* - MCTS: Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) - MCTS: Microsoft SharePoint Server (MOSS) - MCTS: Microsoft System Center - MCTS: Essential Business Server - Small Business Server 2003 - OJT Series: Windows PowerShell - OJT Series: VBScript Cisco - CCENT - CCNA - CCNA Lab update* - CCNP - CCNA Security - CCSP* - CCVP - CCIP* - CCDA - CCIE - CWNA* - Firewall Specialist* - IPS Specialist - VPN Specialist* Security - Security+ - SSCP - CISSP - CISA - CISM - Certified Ethical Hacker - OJT Series: End-User Security - Check Point CCSA* CompTIA - A+ - Network+ - Server+ - Server+ 2009* - Security+ - Linux+ - Project+ - iNet+ Microsoft Exchange - Exchange 2000 - Exchange 2003 - Exchange 2007 - MCTS: Exchange 2007 - MCITP: Exchange 2007 Citrix & VMware - CCA Presentation Server 5 - CCAA update* - CCA Presentation Server 4.5 - CCA Presentation Server 4 - VMware Infrastructure 3.5 - Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager* Wireless - Wireless# - CWNA - CWSP - CWNE - CCNA Wireless* - CWST* IT Management - ITIL - CISA - CISM Project Management - Project+ - Microsoft Project - PMP - Agile Project Management Linux - Linux+ - Intermediate to Advanced Linux (RHCE) - LPIC-1* - LPIC-2 Programming & Databases - MCAD - MCSD - MCTS - MCDBA - MCDBA 2003 - MCITP: Database Administrator 2005 - MCITP: Database Administrator 2008 - MCITP: Database Developer 2008 - MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer* - SQL Server 2005 - Oracle DBA - Sun Java (SCJP) - C# - Perl - JavaScript - PHP - MySQL Database Admin* - The SQL Language* Web Development - CIW Associate - CIW Perl Fundamentals - CIW JavaScript Fundamentals - iNet+ - Zend PHP 5 Microsoft Office and End-User Applications - Word 2000, 2003, 2007 - Excel 2000, 2003, 2007 - PowerPoint 2000, 2003, 2007 - Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007 - Access 2000, 2003, 2007 - FrontPage 2003 - Intuit Quickbooks Apple - Mac OSX let me know atleast what area i should start Thank You

Advice on starting a Remote Technical Support Business? I am in the IT consulting business and would like to start a remote technical support business offshore with my foreign contacts, any advice on how to start a small offshore business catering to small/midsize companies?....specializing in Unix & Linux, webserver, e-mail, FTP, Firewalls and internet server monitoring?

How many websites could this server hold? About how many medium-sized websites with average traffic could this server hold? Just like the average website, kind of like a small business site. How many sites could this server hold, but still maintain nice, decent speed? PowerEdge R510 PE R510 Chassis for Up to Four 3.5" Cabled Hard Drives, LEDedit Processor Intel® Xeon® E5630 2.53Ghz, 12M Cache,Turbo, HT, 1066MHz Max Memedit Memory 8GB Memory (4x2GB), 1333MHz Single Ranked UDIMMs for 1 Procs, Optimizededit Operating System SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, SP3, Up To 32 CPU Lic, 1 YR Sub, DIB, Mediaedit Red Hat Enterprise Linux Licensing Hard Drives 1TB 7.2K RPM SATA 3.5" Cabled Hard Driveedit Hard Drive Configuration No RAID, Embedded SATA Controller for x4 Chassisedit Power Supply 480 Watt Non-Redundant Power Supplyedit

How can I build a server that will handle many websites on a small budget? I want in depth instructions, what I'm thinking is using this ancient '98 dell xps with a 6 gig hard drive, possibly more. I will use some version of Linux built for servers, probably Ubuntu 8.04 or BSD, due to security reasons, remember most people spy through windows. 128 Megs of RAM and a basic setup other than that, 1 CD drive 1 floppy, 2 USB ports a couple serial ports and, of course, an Ethernet port. What exactly do I need to do to make it into a good web server. I'll sell server space for basic HTML sites, so I may upgrade it to a cheap 80GB hard drive, and if it turns into a good business, I may just daisy chain loads of hard drives and become the first person I know to have a terabyte of space. would it be possible to host multiple websites from one server? I have cable internet with a wired network. like I said, I REALLY NEED IN DEPTH INSTRUCTIONS Ok, I now have 46GB of space to work with and would 3 ethernet ports be enough? That's my maximum. I MAY add some ram If I could find it, probably around an extra 192 MB of ram if I can find it, as for OS, I've used Damn small before on a virtual machine, and could you use it as a web server, remember, I now have an extra 40 gig hard drive to work with.

Setting up a small computer support business (Locally) what do I need? To start with I should explain my background and the services I aim to offer. Im 20 years old and have been involved with computers since birth (When I was left at home with my dad he had me sat next to him whilst he worked on the home PC) When I was 4 I was using basic windows systems. When I was 6 I got my first computer running the then "new" Windows 95 Since then i've built over 20 systems and fixed many more than I can count. I have extensive Windows experience and a limited Mac and Linux Background What I aim to offer is a local go to service for computer issues ranging from. Needs a virus scan to corrupted MBRs. I will also offer to install new components, build machines from scratch, "Clean" existing machines both logical and physically (Dust and dirt inside and outside the case) and configure networks. I have at home a high performance desktop running Win 7 Ultimate. An old PC currently running Linux Fedora and running as a file server storing all my films and music so they can be played from any machine on the network. I have a second Linux machine that operates as a Firewall and router for my home network. I have two Monitors one of which Is supporting the Linux box and the other for the Windows machine. Im planning to invest in a KVM switch to allow me to use one of these monitors for at least one more system. The plan being to be given a PC which has a problem and be able to instantly connect it to the existing Keyboard Mouse and Monitor. In addition I will be creating a website that lists contact information and lists the services on offer. Any advice on what I can do differently what I can offer or what I need to know about setting this sort of thing up would be great. Im based in England London. Thanks in advance

What kind of server do i need? I own a small business with 5 employees and I was wanting to set up a server based network. What would be my best option for setting up a server that will provide email, website, chat, file and printer sharing, etc. What is the most reliable brand (hp, dell, etc.) Also what is the best kind of server OS? MS Windows, or Linux? The computers I have currently are all Windows 7 Ultimate. I also want to set it up so that my employees are able to login on any of the computers with there own personal username and password. If someone can help me I would appreciate it.

linux for cyber cafe? i wants now to break free from my servitude to the beast of redmond. either that or i wants to closed both my fists and raised my middle fingers at bill gates. latest of their dirty tricks is to charge cyber cafes yearly rental fees for the use of their products to cybercafe customers in Malaysia.it seems having paid for legalized software is not enough for them. their greeds makes them forget that cybercafes are the frontline free advertising ambassadors to introducing newbies to their operating softwares and office applications. my knowledge of linux is rather limited so what linux software should i use for server and diskless clients. is ubuntu server software+vmware+crossover wine enough? most of us cyber cafes operators are mom and pop small business. this latest move by heartless microsoft will cause most of us small businesses to throw in the towels. please help.

Choosing a network protocol? case project? Nishida Kitchens is a medium-sized company that makes packaged Japanese foods, including noodles and sauce combinations. Its foods are distributed to grocery stores and specialty food stores throughout Canada, Europe, and the United States. The company is moving in to a new building and has hired Network Design Consultants to help them create a new network. Before the move, their head network administrator accepted a job with another company and his inexperienced assistant has been promoted as the head network administrator. The Nishida Kitchens business and sales unit has 42 computer users. The plant in which the foods are produced, packaged, and shipped has 45 computer users. The company has Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers. The business and sales unit used Windows XP Professional workstations. The plant users have a combination of Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux computers on users' desktops. The company plans to have Internet connectivity available to all network users. Nishida Kitchens has an outlet store across town which provides the public with direct sales of their products. The outlet store also has Internet connectivity on a small network of 12 computers that are running Windows XP Professional. What protocol do you recommend for this network, and what are its advantages? Because you have to travel to the location of the new newtwork, you want the option to remotely access the Windows Server 2003 and Linux servers from your office at Network Design Consultants, and from your laptop computer at home. What options are available for you to accomplish this? Nishida Kitchens wants the ability to monitor its networks to keep the network stable and to troubleshoot problems. What should they implement to accomplish network monitoring at the main location and the outlet store? How can network monitoring be made secure? Nishida Kitchens is considering the implementation of their own e-mail server so that employees can exchange email with one another and with others over the internet. What element is important to implement in the e-mail server so that messages can be transported over the Internet? How does this element work? For WAN communications, such as over the Internet connection, what protocol should be used by the Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstations? What are the advantages of this protocol?

Is it possible to run a CS:S server through a website, such as "http://google.com/csserver"? I have a yahoo small business website, and it says I have unlimited bandwidth/storage space, and that would be perfect to run a server off of I would guess... I have a proxy on my site at the moment that most of my school uses, because our school blocks every website (including google images) and the site doesn't lag, because it runs at yahoo, and yahoo has some DEDICATED servers. Can I load the pre-made files onto the website through FTP? Is it the same? or would I need to actually get a VPN or whatever it's called, where it hosts an actual operating system (ie windows, linux, etc.) Also, by "CS:S" I meant CounterStrike: Source

Please help me edit the work eperience section in my resume:? I'm not good at writing resumes, but please help me edit for grammer, flow, ect...: Duties Included PC hardware, operating system, and network troubleshooting, design, and maintenance. Extensive Knowledge of Windows based operating systems and advanced MS Office skills. Posses strong experience in providing software support for a large enterprise resource planning system, inventory management system, and ecommerce shopping cart system. Extensive experience in providing telephone and remote support to end users. Exercises patience and maintains a friendly demeanor when assisting clients. Experience with basic and advanced networking, home networking and small business networking. Experience with hardware and how to build and take apart PC’s and Servers. Experience with Widows XP, Office 2003/XP, Outlook, Windows Server 2003, IE, Firefox, Norton Ghost, Adobe Acrobat, Wireless Networks, HP Printers/Scanners, Storage Area Networks, Active Directory, and Whitebox Linux,

I have some questions about creating a new network? Our food business and sales unit contains 42 computer users. The plant in which the foods are produced, packaged, and shipped has 45 computer users. We have both Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers. The business and sales unit use Windows XP Professional workstations. The plant users have a combination of Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux computers on user’s desktops. We want Internet connectivity available to all network users. Our business has an outlet store across town which provides the public with direct sales of our products. The outlet store also has Internet connectivity on a small network of 12 computers that are running Windows XP Professional. My question is: What protocol do you recommend for this network and what are its advantages? For WAN communications, such as over the Internet connection, what protocol should be used by the Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstations? What are the advantages of this protocol?

Nishida Kitchens is a medium-sized company that makes packaged Japanese foods including noodle and sauce combi? Nishida Kitchens is a medium-sized company that makes packaged Japanese foods including noodle and sauce combinations. Their foods are distributed to grocery stores and specialty food stores throughout Canada, Europe, and the United States. The company is moving into a new building and has hired the company you work for, Network Design Consultants, to help them create a new network. Before the move, their head network administrator accepted a job with another company and his inexperienced assistant has been promoted as the head network administrator. Nishida Kitchens has a business and sales unit of 42 computer users. The plant in which the foods are produced, packaged, and shipped has 45 computer users. The company has both Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers. The business and sales unit uses Windows XP Professional workstations. The plant users have a combination of Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux computers on user’s desktops. The company plans to have Internet connectivity available to all network users. Nishida Kitchens has an outlet store across town which provides the public with direct sales of their products. The outlet store also has Internet connectivity on a small network of 12 computers that are running Windows XP Professional. What protocol do you recommend for this network and what are its advantages? For WAN communications, such as over the Internet connection, what protocol should be used by the Windows XP Professional and Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstations? What are the advantages of this protocol?

Linux Question? I currently use a CRM called maximizer - I have 1 address book stored on a PC win XP home - and i have wired all the 6pc's also using win xp home through a router so they are all connected and in a small office network i have enabled file sharing and linked all other pcs to share the one address book that is how i have a network in place - i am worried that if i get any more new users on board it will crash as it cant cope with lots of PC's i got an error message pop up once saying the pc cannot accept any more connections this message came up once but not anymore - I need to set up a server system - how much will it all cost - i have a small - medium business - 10 - 20 employees - im looking for a cheap effiecient system - help - I was told to Use Linux on a spare PC - its free, will work on low-spec hardware, is secure, and you can set up a directory to look like a standard windows file-share. can someone tell me how to do this please - please

I want to start a web hosting business. How do I start? I always wanted to start a business, in the web hosting industry. I installed server 2003 on an old laptop I had, played with IIS and Active Directory. I also played around with linux, and Apache. I'm more experienced on Apache, than IIS. I want to manage customers, websites, and feel cool. I wanted a business like this since I was small. I'm 17 now, a senior in high school. I want to do networking and security when I get older. I would like to start a web hosting business. It would make me harder worker, and then money to look at and tell myself I did a good job. I see web hosting companies all the time, not providing support all the time. :/ Once in a while, they log in to their support, then back out. I'd like to be the host that does provide support all the time. I sold Microsoft keys a while ago on eBay, and in two weeks - I managed to sell over 100 keys, and got $3,200. I haven't had one person say my support was bad. They all thanked me for helping them out right away, after buying the key. So, anyhow, does anyone know where I can start to start my own business? Should I buy a dedicated server, advertise, gain customers. Then when I get money, I can advertise more, buy a bigger server. With more and more money, I can buy my own server and bandwidth and host at my house. Does that how other businesses start? I have about $3000 I can use to start my business, but I would only like to spend $200 of it now because I need to look for a car.

iMac and mass mailing worm? I know very little about MACs and there are no MAC technicians in our area so I greatly appreciate any help. I have tried searching the internet with little success. The problem MAC is where I work (a small business). We have it on a Linux network with pc's as well. Our ISP shut us down last week because they said we were mass mailing with a large amount of returns and that it was coming from our IP address. One suggestion was that someone was spoofing our ip address but I don't think that is the case as we looked on the server and it showed pages of traffic passing by with an internal IP address from one of our machines. When we disconnected the MAC from the network all the traffic stopped. I imagine that it will start again if we plug it back in. The machine is a newer (Maybe a 2006/07) iMAC 5.1 running OS X 10.4.11. We use MS Office 2004 and use Entourage for our email. Someone mentioned that it might be Entourage causing the problem. Any ideas? Anyone? Much thanks. Thanks, Sir.Ezz, Yes, I think it must have been Entourage. I removed outgoing mail server settings and then went looking for MS Office updates/patches. I downloaded a few and crossed my fingers. Seemed that took care of the problem, thus far. I am really curious as to how the problem started; whether the user clicked on a link in an email or opened an infected attachment. I don't know how this works with a MAC. I am definitely learning about MACs in a hurry (prefer PC myself). I appreciate genuine attempts to help others. Thank you.

How can I share one e-mail account with 15 computers simultaneously? I work for a small business that has approximately 15 separate computers, all connected to the internet. Our business has a single e-mail account, which is shared among all of the computers for both receiving and sending messages. Currently, we use our ISP's web mail client to use the mail on these computers. Unfortunately, this poses a problem. Let's say that Computer A is currently checking the mail when Computer B, in a different office down the hall, decides to also check the mail. When this happens, Computer A is disconnected from the mail server, a normal security function of the web mail client which, unfortunately, cannot be disabled. A recent change in our business operation now requires that more than one computer at a time be allowed to use the mail account. This means that the ISP's web mail client is no longer a workable option, since it only allows one computer at a time to connect. So, we are looking for an alternative. At first we thought about setting up an e-mail client on every computer and configuring them to not delete the messages from the ISP's mail server, but this would raise two new problems: 1. Once a message has been downloaded on one computer, it will not be downloaded again by any other computers after that, even though it is still on the server (After being downloaded a message is marked as read, which means any further download attempts will ignore it). For example, if there's a new message intended for Computer A, but Computer B checks the mail first, then Computer A will never receive the message. 2. If configured to leave the messages on the ISP's mail server, then eventually the mailbox will fill up, and no new incoming messages will be allowed at all. This would take only a matter of hours, as we receive many dozen messages a day with large attachments (5MB+), and our ISP has our mailbox capped at 100MB. So, I am seeking a more efficient way to share this single e-mail account with all 15 computers, with emphasis that more than one computer should be allowed to use the mail simultaneously and have access to ALL messages, new and old, at the same time. What I have in mind is the following: Designate one of the computers on the network as the "master". This computer will, on a regular basis (Once per hour or so), download the mail and save it on its hard drive. Then, whenever any other computers on the network want to check the mail, they will then connect to the master through its own web mail client, and retrieve the messages from it instead of connecting to the ISP's mail server. Likewise, any messages being sent will go through the master, which will then direct them to our ISP's outgoing SMTP server. How would I go about setting something like this up? As mentioned before, the ability for two or more computers to be checking the mail simultaneously is a requirement, as is the ability for all computers to access ALL messages, including old messages. We most desire a free option/setup, but if it will cost money, let's try to keep it under $100. Linux is not an option, this must be able to run on one of our currently-existing computers, which are all running XP. Perhaps an extension for Mozilla Thunderbird that adds a web mail interface to it? (Thus using Thunderbird to download and store the messages, with the extension allowing other computers on the network to remotely read those messages and send messages). I appreciate any input on this.

TCP/IP Redirecting Based on Network Connectivity? I have a multiple-computer setup in a small-business-type peer-to-peer environment. One of my computers runs a couple different servers (HTTP, FTP, VNC, etc) and are accessible from inside and outside the network. I can type the requests as http://192.168.xxx.xxx:xxxx and have intranet-based access (with all the speed expected) or I can use http://my.server.name:xxxx and connect from the laptops on the go. My question is this: Is there any way to set up Windows to automatically choose which way it should connect? Using HOSTS, I can redirect all local addresses to use the outside address or vice-versa, but I don't know how, if I even can, make Windows detect if there's a functioning local connection then fall back to the outside connection if that fails. Is this possible with or without the help of external programs? As a note, I would like something that is compatible with multiple versions of Windows and preferably with Linux as well. Our setup includes systems with Windows XP Home and Pro as well as Vista Home. I believe one of our systems even has 2000 Pro on it. Thanks to everyone in advance!

Having trouble even getting an interview for a graduate IT job? Ok i lost my job about 3 months ago now under a stupid 90 day rule and the business said they couldn't afford me. I went to my employment agency afterwards and redid my CV etc. I handed out a few cold CVs to businesses and some of those businesses were really impressed with my CV but had no positions available. Plus a lot of other people have seen my CV and say its great and I even have an IT guy I know act as a mentor and he really likes it. The big problem is when I apply for an IT graduate job that has advertised I can't even get an interview. They just say there are candidates better qualified and have more experience. I know they are full of BS when they say that. I have an IT uni degree and 6 months IT work experience applying for jobs that require no experience. My CV is below. Anyone have any ideas why I keep getting turned down at the first step. CAREER OBJECTIVE To gain employment with a company or institution that offers me a consistently positive atmosphere to learn new technologies and implement them to add value to the business. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
 Employer:Vistic Limited Date:October 2010 – December 2010 (3 month contract) Title:Software Developer Description:Vistic Limited is a small IT consultancy business. Vistic uses a diverse range of technologies to meet its customers requirements. My role while I was there was as a .net Developer. Technologies used while there include SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and 2010, Sharepoint 2007 and 2010. Operating Systems used include Windows 7, Windows XP via Virtual PC and Windows Server 2008 R2 via Virtual PC. 
Projects worked on included making an ASP .NET web application that would be used internally in a business to access data stored in SQL Server 2008. Sharepoint projects worked on included developing an Approval system for Hardware Requests. Another project involved in developing and maintaining a collection of sites for contractors to enter their daily work records where it awaits approval. Support was provided to the contractors. Employer:Treefish Ltd. Date:July 2010 – September 2010 Description:Unpaid IT work experience. Had exposure to Mac OS X and Linux. Mainly providing support for Mac OS X and a small amount of Windows XP. Employer: McDonalds Courtenay Central, Wellington 
Date: May 2008 – January 2010 Duties:Customer service, cash handling, EFTPOS, food preparation, food safety, inventory control. EDUCATION Victoria University of Wellington (2007 – 2010)
 Bachelor of Commerce and Administration 
 (Majors in Information Systems and E- commerce)

 Areas of Information Technology studied: Information Systems Management Database Management and Programming Web Design and Development Systems Analysis Telecommunications Project Management
 New Plymouth Boys High School (2002 – 2006) NCEA Level 1 (Economics, Maths, English, Spanish, Graphics) NCEA Level 2 (Accounting, Economics, Maths, English, Legal Studies) NCEA Level 3 (Accounting, Economics, Calculus, Statistics, English) COMPUTER SKILLS Operating systems used include: Windows XP, Vista, 7 and Server 2008 R2. Mac OS X (Snow Leopard) Linux (CentOS) Technologies used: Sharepoint 2007, 2010 and Sharepoint Designer Visual Studio 2005, 2008 and 2010 Microsoft Office 2003, 2007 and 2010 SQL Server 2005 and 2008
 Programming languages used include: C# JavaScript Perl Other skills include: HTML CSS SQL REFERENCES Available on request.

What is the best hosting plan to pick? I am going to be putting my business online. Nothing big I'm just a small repair company so I don't need anything fancy. I like the pricing of Mochahost.com But they have two different servers to pick from one is Windows and the other is Linux. What I want to know is which server should I get? Linux or Windows? http://www.mochahost.com/webhosting.php (these are the hosting details) The website I will be putting up is basic. It explains my company, shows pictures of before and after certain jobs. and it gives my contact info and thats all. It will most likely be no more than 30 MB. I just want to be able to upload the website and that it is easy to use. Basically a site a customer could go and see what services I offer. I just wanted to have a domain name instead of one of those free sites like: (freesite.yourname.com I just want www.yourname.com Thats why I am doing all of this by hosting it myself.

How do you make an exception for a Group Policy that is enforcing Automatic Updates? I've got a Windows Small Business Server 2003 that is currently using a Group Policy to enforce all of the client computers to use Automatic Updates, this normally isn't a problem, but now the voice mail computer is a domain machine (previously i think it was some sort of Linux distro), that needs to be on the domain to get it's AV. I'm fine with it downloading the updates, but i don't want it to restart until someone tells it to. Otherwise it restarts on a weekend, and the person who works in the office this box is in won't know until Monday, meaning anyone who tried to leave a message Friday-Monday didn't. I'm kind of a newb when it comes to group policy, so try and be specific, and clear. I've heard something about WMI filters, but I don't understand how they work, and I've heard they drop performance, if that's the way to go, can you spell it out for me? If there is already a solution to this somewhere, feel free to link to it, but it's got to be almost exactly identical. Thanks in advance, Tenshi.

help i have no idea wat this means some body explain in short text 10 points best answer in plain explantion? Overview Instant messaging (IM) and chat are technologies that facilitate near real-time text based communication between two or more participants over a network. It is important to understand that what separates chat and instant messaging from technologies such as e-mail is the perceived synchronicity of the communication by the user - Chat happens in real-time before your eyes. For this reason, some people consider communication via instant messaging to be less intrusive than communication via phone. However, some systems allow the sending of messages to people not currently logged on (offline messages), thus removing much of the difference between Instant Messaging and e-mail. Instant Messaging allows instantaneous communication between a number of parties simultaneously, by transmitting information quickly. Some IM systems allow users to use webcams and Microphone which made them more popular than others. Due to this feature users can have a real-time conversation. In addition IM has additional features such as: the immediate receipt of acknowledgment or reply, group chatting, conference services (including voice and video), conversation logging and file transfer. IM allows effective and efficient communication, featuring immediate receipt of acknowledgment or reply. In certain cases Instant Messaging involves additional features, which make it even more popular, i.e. to see the other party, e.g. by using web-cams, or to talk directly for free over the Internet. It is possible to save a conversation for later reference. Instant messages are typically logged in a local message history which closes the gap to the persistent nature of e-mails and facilitates quick exchange of information like URLs or document snippets (which can be unwieldy when communicated via telephone). [edit] History In early instant messaging programs each character appeared when it was typed. The UNIX "talk" command shown in these screenshots was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s.Instant messaging actually predates the Internet, first appearing on multi-user operating systems like CTSS and Multics[1] in the mid-1960s. Initially, many of these systems, such as CTSS'.SAVED, were used as notification systems for services like printing, but quickly were used to facilitate communication with other users logged in to the same machine. As networks developed, the protocols spread with the networks. Some of these used a peer-to-peer protocol (eg talk, ntalk and ytalk), while others required peers to connect to a server (see talker and IRC). During the Bulletin board system (BBS) phenomenon that peaked during the 1980s, some systems incorporated chat features which were similar to instant messaging; Freelancin'_Roundtable was one prime example. In the last half of the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the Quantum Link online service for Commodore 64 computers offered user-to-user messages between currently connected customers which they called "On-Line Messages" (or OLM for short). Quantum Link's better known later incarnation, America Online, offers a similar product under the name "AOL Instant Messages" (AIM). While the Quantum Link service ran on a Commodore 64, using only the Commodore's PETSCII text-graphics, the screen was visually divided up into sections and OLMs would appear as a yellow bar saying "Message From:" and the name of the sender along with the message across the top of whatever the user was already doing, and presented a list of options for responding.[2] As such, it could be considered a sort of GUI, albeit much more primitive than the later Unix, Windows and Macintosh based GUI IM programs. OLMs were what Q-Link called "Plus Services" meaning they charged an extra per-minute fee on top of the monthly Q-Link access costs. Modern, Internet-wide, GUI-based messaging clients, as they are known today, began to take off in the mid 1990s with ICQ (1996) being the first, followed by AOL Instant Messenger (AOL Instant Messenger, 1997). AOL later acquired Mirabilis, the creators of ICQ. A few years later ICQ (by now owned by AOL) was awarded two patents for instant messaging by the U.S. patent office. Meanwhile, other companies developed their own applications (Excite, MSN, Ubique, and Yahoo), each with its own proprietary protocol and client; users therefore had to run multiple client applications if they wished to use more than one of these networks. In 1998 IBM released IBM Lotus Sametime, a product based on technology acquired when IBM bought Haifa-based Ubique and Lexington-based Databeam. In 2000, an open source application and open standards-based protocol called Jabber was launched. Jabber servers could act as gateways to other IM protocols, reducing the need to run multiple clients. Multi-protocol clients such as Digsby,Pidgin, Trillian, Adium and Miranda can use any of the popular IM protocols by using additional local libraries for each protocol. IBM Lotus Sametime's November 2007 release added IBM Lotus Sametime Gateway support for XMPP. Recently, many instant messaging services have begun to offer video conferencing features, Voice Over IP (VoIP) and web conferencing services. Web conferencing services integrate both video conferencing and instant messaging capabilities. Some newer instant messaging companies are offering desktop sharing, IP radio, and IPTV to the voice and video features. The term "instant messenger" is a service mark of Time Warner[3] and may not be used in software not affiliated with AOL in the United States. For this reason, the instant messaging client formerly known as Gaim or gaim announced in April 2007 that they would be renamed "Pidgin"[4]. [edit] Cooperation Standard free instant messaging applications offer functions like file transfer, contact lists, the ability to have similtaneous converstations etc. These may be all the functions that a small business needs but larger organisations will require more sophisticated applications that can work together. The solution to finding applications capable of this is to use enterprise versions of instant messaging applications. These include titles like Jabber, Lotus Sametime, Microsoft Office Communicator, etc., which are often integrated with other enterprise applications such as workflow systems. These enterprise applications, or Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), are built to certain constraints, namely storing data in a common format. There have been several attempts to create a unified standard for instant messaging: IETF's SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and SIMPLE (SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions), APEX (Application Exchange), Prim (Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol), the open XML-based XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), more commonly known as Jabber and OMA's (Open Mobile Alliance) IMPS (Instant Messaging and Presence Service) created specifically for mobile devices. Most attempts at creating a unified standard for the major IM providers (AOL, Yahoo! and Microsoft) have failed and each continues to use its own proprietary protocol. However, while discussions at IETF were stalled, Reuters head of collaboration services, David Gurle (the founder of Microsoft's Real Time Communication and Collaboration business), signed the first inter-service provider connectivity agreement on September 2003. This agreement enabled AIM, ICQ and MSN Messenger users to talk with Reuters Messaging counterparts and vice-versa against an access fee. Following this, Microsoft, Yahoo! and AOL came to a deal where Microsoft's Live Communication Server 2005 users would also have the possibility to talk to public instant messaging users. This deal established SIP/SIMPLE as a standard for protocol interoperability and established a connectivity fee for accessing public instant messaging clouds. Separately, on October 13, 2005 Microsoft and Yahoo! announced that by (the Northern Hemisphere) summer of 2006 they would interoperate using SIP/SIMPLE which is followed on December 2005 by the AOL and Google strategic partnership deal where Google Talk users would be able to talk with AIM and ICQ users provided they have an identity at AOL. There are two ways to combine the many disparate protocols: One way is to combine the many disparate protocols inside the IM client application. The other way is to combine the many disparate protocols inside the IM server application. This approach moves the task of communicating to the other services to the server. Clients need not know or care about other IM protocols. For example, LCS 2005 Public IM Connectivity. This approach is popular in Jabber/XMPP servers however the so-called transport projects suffer the same reverse engineering difficulties as any other project involved with closed protocols or formats. Some approaches, such as that adopted by the Sonork enterprise IM software or the Jabber/XMPP network or Winpopup LAN Messenger, allow organizations to create their own private instant messaging network by enabling them to limit access to the server (often with the IM network entirely behind their firewall) and administer user permissions. Other corporate messaging systems allow registered users to also connect from outside the corporation LAN, by using a secure firewall-friendly HTTPS based protocol. Typically, a dedicated corporate IM server has several advantages such as pre-populated contact lists, integrated authentication, and better security and privacy. Some networks have made changes to prevent them from being utilized by such multi-network IM clients. For example, Trillian had to release several revisions and patches to allow its users to access the MSN, AOL, and Yahoo! networks, after changes were made to these networks. The major IM providers typically cite the need for formal agreements as well as security concerns as reasons for making these changes. [edit] Mobile Instant Messaging Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) is a presence enabled messaging service that aims to transpose the desktop messaging experience to the usage scenario of being on the move. While several of the core ideas of the desktop experience on one hand apply to a connected mobile device, others do not: Users usually only look at their phone's screen — presence status changes might occur under different circumstances as happens at the desktop, and several functional limits exist based on the fact that the vast majority of mobile communication devices are chosen by their users to fit into the palm of their hand. Some of the form factor and mobility related differences need to be taken into account in order to create a really adequate, powerful and yet convenient mobile experience: radio bandwidth, memory size, availability of media formats, keypad based input, screen output, CPU performance and battery power are core issues that desktop device users and even nomadic users with connected network. [edit] Friend-to-friend networks Instant Messaging may be done in a Friend-to-friend network, in which each node connects to the friends on the friendslist. This allows for communication with friends of friends and for the building of chatrooms for instant messages with all friends on that network. Emotions are often expressed in shorthand. For example; lol. But a movement is currently underway to be more accurate with the emotional expression. Real time reactions such as (chortle) (snort) (guffaw) or (eye-roll) are rapidly taking the place of acronyms.[citation needed] [edit] Business application Instant messaging has proven to be similar to personal computers, e-mail, and the WWW, in that its adoption for use as a business communications medium was driven primarily by individual employees using consumer software at work, rather than by formal mandate or provisioning by corporate information technology departments. Tens of millions of the consumer IM accounts in use are being used for business purposes by employees of companies and other organizations. In response to the demand for business-grade IM and the need to ensure security and legal compliance, a new type of instant messaging, called "Enterprise Instant Messaging" ("EIM") was created when Lotus Software launched IBM Lotus Sametime in 1998. Microsoft followed suit shortly thereafter with Microsoft Exchange Instant Messaging, later created a new platform called Microsoft Office Live Communications Server, and released Office Communications Server 2007 in October 2007. Both IBM Lotus and Microsoft have introduced federation between their EIM systems and some of the public IM networks so that employees may use a single interface to both their internal EIM system and their contacts on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo!. Current leading EIM platforms include IBM Lotus Sametime, Microsoft Office Communications Server, and Jabber XCP. In addition, industry-focused EIM platforms such as IMtrader from Pivot Incorporated, Reuters Messaging, and Bloomberg Messaging provide enhanced IM capabilities to financial services companies. The adoption of IM across corporate networks outside of the control of IT organizations creates risks and liabilities for companies who do not effectively manage and support IM use. Companies implement specialized IM archiving and security products and services like those from Secure Computing, Akonix, SurfControl, and ScanSafe to mitigate these risks and provide safe, secure, productive instant messaging capabilities to their employees. [edit] Practical Use in Enterprise The popular embrace of IM technology for sharing information has quickly led to organizations adopting IM solutions for the perceived advantages that can be brought by it. As organizations are becoming more information based (McNurlin & Sprague, 2006, p.499) the need for effective knowledge sharing, team working and collaborative environments amongst employees has become vital, especially within more geographically dispersed teams. Typically IM conversations tend to have a certain "character", they are often short and only cover one topic. Media-switching and multitasking are common throughout, however IM might also be used between established coworkers and friends for longer, more intermittent conversation. In their report of IM use at the workplace Nardi et al. (2000) identifies the four primary functions of IM which are often cited in other reports, These primary functions are: Quick Questions and Clarifications Coordinating and scheduling tasks Coordinating impromptu social meetings Keeping in touch with friends and family IM is perhaps best suited to "Quick Questions and Clarifications" as this is the most often mentioned attribute in other reports. A user can "respond rapidly without the overhead of telephone or FTF interaction. For example, IDC reports, "Users see IM as a medium for quick, semi-permanent ‘flashes’ that beg a near-immediate response" (Isaacs et al., 2002). Nardi's second and third observations are enabled in part due to the "Presence Awareness" feature of IM clients in which the user knows who is "available". This is the most relevant for colleagues who share the same physical space as each other and even paves the way for other mediums to take up the task of communication e.g. F2F or Phone. The implication is that viable communication of any sort can in someway be encouraged through IM's "Presence Awareness" feature. (Issacs et al, 2002) supports this view, "IM in business might not be the main tool for of communication, it could just be the meeting point for another type of media e.g. conference calls. Nardi's third and fourth observations focus on the social use of IM, which have also been widely publicized in other report. That IM is used for keeping in touch with friends and arranging social events has led some employers to believe that it is used primarily for this purpose. According to (Issacs et al, 2002) a market study found that "'Fear of losing employee productivity’ was the greatest concern of businesses in regards to instant messaging". The study by (Issacs et al, 2002) goes on to suggest this fear is unfounded as it was found that on average "only 13% of conversations contained personal topics", and "only 6.4% were exclusively personal". [edit] Review of Products "IM solutions can typically be catagorised into two types: Enterprise Instant Messaging (EIM) and Consumer Instant Mesaging (CIM). Enterprise solutions use an internal IM server, however this isn't always feasible, particularly for smaller businesses with limited budgets. The second option, using a (CIM) provides the advantage of being inexpensive to implement and has little need for investing in new hardware or server software. However, in recent years open source IM clients such as Jabber have emerged that provide free EIM grade solutions. (Wikipedia,. 2008) For corporate use encryption and conversation archiving are usually regarded as important features due to security concerns. Sometimes the use of different operating systems in organizations calls for the use of software that supports more than one platform. For example many software companies use Windows XP in administration departments but have software developers who use Linux. Most people have had experience of using online chat and messaging over the internet whether it is with Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger, Skype or e-mail. One form of chat and messaging currently popular is Bebo. It is a non-corporate form of messaging which allows its user to create and maintain a social network. Libraries use chat applications and Morris Messenger is an application commonly used by them. This is a power based instant messenger, which uses Perl, SQL, and small Java. It accepts input from both staff and regular customers and saves important information in an SQL database built for the system. [edit] Risks and liabilities Although instant messaging delivers many benefits, it also carries with it certain risks and liabilities, particularly when used in workplaces. Among these risks and liabilities are: Security risks (e.g. IM used to infect computers with spyware, viruses, trojans, worms) Compliance risks Inappropriate use Intellectual property leakage Crackers (malicious "hacker" or black hat hacker) have consistently used IM networks as vectors for delivering phishing attempts, "poison URL's", and virus-laden file attachments from 2004 to the present, with over 1100 discrete attacks listed by the IM Security Center[5] in 2004-2007. Hackers use two methods of delivering malicious code through IM: delivery of virus, trojan, or spyware within an infected file, and the use of "socially engineered" text with a web address that entices the recipient to click on a URL that connects him or her to a website that then downloads malicious code. Viruses, worms, and trojans typically propagate by sending themselves rapidly through the infected user's buddy list. An effective attack using a poison URL may reach tens of thousands of people in minutes when each person's buddy list receives messages appearing to be from a trusted friend. The recipients click on the web address, and the entire cycle starts again. Infections may range from nuisance to criminal, and are becoming more sophisticated each year. In addition to the malicious code threat, the use of instant messaging at work also creates a risk of non-compliance to laws and regulations governing the use of electronic communications in businesses. In the United States alone there are over 10,000 laws and regulations related to electronic messaging and records retention.[6] The more well-known of these include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, HIPAA, and SEC 17a-3. Clarification from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") was issued to member firms in the financial services industry in December, 2007, noting that "electronic communications", "email", and "electronic correspondence" may be used interchangeably and can include such forms of electronic messaging as instant messaging and text messaging.[7] Changes to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, effective December 1, 2006, created a new category for electronic records which may be requested during discovery (law) in legal proceedings. Most countries around the world also regulate the use of electronic messaging and electronic records retention in similar fashion to the United States. The most common regulations related to IM at work involve the need to produce archived business communications to satisfy government or judicial requests under law. Many instant messaging communications fall into the category of business communications that must be archived and retrievable. Organizations of all types must protect themselves from the liability of their employees' inappropriate use of IM. The informal, immediate, and ostensibly anonymous nature of instant messaging makes it a candidate for abuse in the workplace. The topic of inappropriate IM use became front page news in October 2006 when Congressman Mark Foley resigned his seat after admitting sending offensive instant messages of a sexual nature to underage former House pages from his Congressional office PC. The Mark Foley Scandal led to media coverage and mainstream newspaper articles warning of the risks of inappropriate IM use in workplaces. In most countries, corporations have a legal responsibility to ensure harassment-free work environment for employees. The use of corporate-owned computers, networks, and software to harass an individual or spread inappropriate jokes or language creates a liability for not only the offender but also the employer. A survey by IM archiving and security provider Akonix Systems, Inc. in March 2007 showed that 31% of respondents had been harassed over IM at work.[8] Companies now include instant messaging as an integral component of their policies on appropriate use of the World Wide Web, e-mail, and other corporate assets. Within the company there is also the risk of employees using instant messaging to release confidential information and project details to an outside source. This issue is best controlled by a combination of written policy and technology. An organization's policies on use of IM in the workplace should be an integral part of the overall computing and network use policies, and should be published and communicated at least annually. In addition to written policy, organizations should implement "gateways" or IM security products to monitor content of inbound and outbound messages. Products from IM security providers (See section on IM security) typically allow administrators to set alerts and enforce policy (i.e. allow or block messages) based on keywords and regular expressions within instant messages. Employees may also misuse IM to communicate on a personal level with friends and family. This is poor use of a business’s time and resources, as the employee’s effectiveness will most certainly decrease due to the added distractions. (Licari, J., May 2005). Businesses often use IM security products to monitor and archive IM conversations for the purpose of minimizing this type of productivity drain. [edit] Security and archiving In the early 2000s, a new class of IT security provider emerged to provide remedies for the risks and liabilities faced by corporations who chose to use IM for business communications. The IM security providers created new products to be installed in corporate networks for the purpose of archiving, content-scanning, and security-scanning IM traffic moving in and out of the corporation. Similar to the e-mail filtering vendors, the IM security providers focus on the risks and liabilities described above. With rapid adoption of IM in the workplace, demand for IM security products began to grow in the mid-2000s. By 2007, the preferred platform for the purchase of security software had become the "appliance", according to IDC, who estimate that by 2008, 80% of network security products will be delivered via an appliance.[9] [edit] User base Note that many of the numbers listed in this section are not directly comparable, and some are speculative. Some instant messaging systems are distributed among many different instances and thus difficult to measure in total (e.g. Jabber). While some numbers are given by the owners of a complete instant messaging system, others are provided by commercial vendors of a part of a distributed system. Some companies may be motivated to inflate their numbers in order to increase advertisement earnings or to attract partners, clients, or customers. Importantly, some numbers are reported as the number of "active" users (without a shared standard of that activity), others indicate total user accounts, while others indicate only the users logged in during an instance of peak usage. Service User count Date/source AIM 53 million active September 2006 >100 million total January 2006 Jabber 40-50 million total January 2007, based on calculations of Jabber Inc 90 million total Based on calculations of Process-One: Process-One uses ejabberd as Jabber server software. If it is assumed that ejabberd has a 40% market share amongst public and private open source server deployments, there are 50 million users using open source servers. With Jabber Inc's numbers, this adds up to the 90 million number stated here. eBuddy 35 million total October 2006, including 4 million mobile users Windows Live Messenger 294 million active worldwide November 2007 Yahoo! Messenger 22 million total September 2006 QQ 20 million peak online (majority in China) 3 June 2006 221 million "active" (majority in China) 3 June 2006 IBM Lotus Sametime 17 million total (private, in enterprises) November 2007 ICQ 15 million active July 2006 Skype 12 million peak online February 2008 309 million total April 2008 Xfire 10 million total May 2008 MXit 7 million total (>560,000 outside of South Africa) 10 August 2007. Note that these users are part of the Jabber user base as MXit federates with the Jabber network. Gadu-Gadu 5.6 million total June 2006 Paltalk 3.3 million unique visitors per month August 2006 IMVU 1 million total June 2007 Mail.ru Agent 1 million active (daily) September 2006 Meebo 1 million total October 2006 PSYC 1 million active (daily) (majority in Brazil) February 2007. Total count cannot be accurately estimated due to the decentralized nature of the protocol. VZOchat >200,000 October 2007 [edit] IM Language Users sometimes make use of internet slang or text speak to abbreviate common words or expressions in order to quicken conversations or to reduce keystrokes. [edit] See also Comparison of instant messaging clients Comparison of instant messaging protocols Instant messaging manager LAN messenger Text messaging it is a question

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