As a frequent traveller, going online has become universal for me. I expect Internet access wherever I am for whatever I need. However, when I am on the road, accessing the Internet can be challenging. Connections may be not only slower but also at greater risk, especially when connecting to public networks or using a public computer in the hotel. The key to using the Internet securely while travelling is to understand these additional risks, use caution, and be prepared.

PLANNING AHEAD

One of the most effective ways you can protect yourself when travelling is to first take simple, preventive steps before you leave. If you are using a corporate image notebook, most of the following tasks are likely maintained by your IT desktop management, but nevertheless worth to check frequently by your own, in particular if this is your own device that is not managed by IT.

• Ensure your laptop and smartphone operating systems and applications have the latest version...

Virtualization management tools are important. In part one of this series we reviewed some of the basic features of proper virtualization management tools as well as how a lack of said tools could make managing a fleet of virtual servers as labor intensive as an equal number of physical systems. In this post, we'll explore some of the more advanced features of management tools, and how their implementation saves you significant time.

First, let's look at Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). VDI is an umbrella term for a collection of technologies whose purpose is to provide centrally-located desktop environments to remote users. These users can be using virtually any device, while the processing and storage requirements are handled entirely by the VDI server. Though VDI can be delivered in many ways, the most common option is to virtualise a client operating system and provide...

If your computer keeps locking when you are trying to work, it can be really annoying. On your own Windows PC this isn’t a problem - you can just change the settings. But on a network or virtual system, this has been set by a well-meaning administrator, and you might not have the necessary privileges. These kinds of network regulations play an important role in terms of security, but for some people they are simply an impractical nuisance. This is where a clever little program called NoSleep comes into play. This free software prevents your PC from locking by keeping it active. How does it do this? It’s very simple: the mouse cursor moves by one pixel every 30 seconds. Barely perceptible, but it keeps your PC alert. It’s the digital equivalent of coffee, and can be a timesaver if you find yourself working on multiple workstations at any one time. If this sounds like just what you’ve been looking for, then don’t hesitate to...

Maybe somebody can explain it to me, because I’m not getting a clear picture of late from the numerous virtualization events I’ve attended. I’ve read the research, I’ve interviewed architects, systems administrators, consultants and even a few IT execs, and I’ve reviewed information from various vendors on the challenges and solutions around virtualization. So, is complacency the new IT strategy for business-critical virtualization? 

At a recent event that shall remain anonymous, I asked a few of the attendees at lunch what challenges they were facing as they virtualized their infrastructure. One immediate response was “budget”. Now, I understand that there are investments to be made in acquiring the infrastructure and software, and the time it takes to define and resource a project. But, in the face of reducing server provisioning from weeks to minutes, recovering failed systems in seconds and minutes...