A Very Happy Eid Mubarak to you all
-Irey-
Dec 19, 2007
Windows Vista has been with us for almost 12 months now, so you'd imagine that pretty much everyone will have heard about it. The question is: does the wow really start now? After using Windows XP, is it time for you to upgrade to Vista?
"NO"
Cards on the table... Vista is a huge disappointment, and it's no real surprise that after six months, sales have tailed off dramatically. One of the biggest issues with Vista is stability and its lack of it. You might not see Blue Screens Of Death (BSODs) any more, but it's all too common to see a message informing you that an application has stopped working. Vista recently informed me that I needed to install a reliability update, the installation of which killed my entire Vista install!
Vista's much hyped Aero interface - its lovely 3D buttons and translucent Window borders - puts quite a burden on your hardware. If you're a gamer, then a machine that was perfectly fine for gaming under XP will need an additional 1GB of RAM under Vista, along with a CPU upgrade.
Microsoft's new OS also suffers from interminable boot-up and shut-down times, and certain actions, such as browsing a network, take far longer than they do under XP.
Security... don't get me started! It's still lamentable. The basic firewall, which is an improvement on the XP version, is still all-but-useless. User Account Control is so invasive that most users are driven to turn it off as soon as they can work out how to do so.
Microsoft might bang on about Vista's multi-media applications, but seriously, who wants a PC in the living room connected to the TV? Let's also not forget that two of the so-called features of Vista, both Media Player 11 and Internet Explorer 7, can be downloaded and installed under XP. For the sake of your sanity, and your wallet, stick with XP.
"YES"
Although XP has matured into a (relatively) secure and stable OS, Vista offers a lot more. The most obvious new feature is the look and feel, with the use of translucency on Windows and a gorgeous 3D look to the buttons. This eye candy aside, there are plenty of other things to love about Microsoft's latest OS.
One of the most underrated is the Start search bar, and its ability to launch programs or find files with just a few keystrokes. Want to launch the calculator and don't want to search the menus? Simply type 'calc' into the Start Search box and Vista will quickly show you all relevant matches - just click the icon to launch.
Another innovation is the Windows Sidebar, which acts as a dock for various handy Windows gadgets. These can be anything from weather alerts to daily RSS feeds.
Windows Vista now incorporates Media Center (OK, except for in the Home Basic and Business versions) and it's much improved over the old XP version. Movie Maker has also been given a radical overhaul and the new DVD maker makes creating DVD films an absolute breeze. As for photos, the way Vista handles them is excellent, with instantaneous editing including resizing and red eye removal.
Outlook Express has been replaced with the far superior Windows Mail and there's also a new Calendar, something you previously only got with the full version of Outlook. Vista incorporates Tablet PC features as well, such as handwriting recognition, plus an underrated speech recognition feature that works remarkably well.
Vista is also much more secure than at the kernel level. The firewall has been improved and User Account Control stops unauthorised actions from being performed. Yes there are some bugs to iron out but, overall, Vista is a whole lot better than some people give it credit for!
Dec 14, 2007
“Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy.” It says, “Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications.”
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Microsoft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1. Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device. For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself. If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow ‘!’ appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it. Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as ‘IRQ holder for PCI steering’. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it. Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a sound card, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty). When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity. To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2. Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing. But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked. One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged. Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble. EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programs.
3. BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up. Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to. A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer’s display. Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to ‘yes’ to allow Windows to do this.).
4. Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimization. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5. Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the color settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high color 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card’s manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6. Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
7. Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer’s performance. If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognized, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer’s default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8. Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the program in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000. Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don’t do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message “Starting Windows” press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly. Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn’t work. Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9. Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been over clocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to. One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heat sinks are available from www.computernerd.com or http://www.coolit.com/. CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10. Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut. It is a good investment if your data is critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
Dec 5, 2007
Dec 2, 2007
Yap Dhiraagu is give Post-Paid user unlimited Free talk time. It was launched by Dhiraagu Chief Executive, Mr Ismail Rasheed, at a function held on 29 November 2007 at Hulhule Island Hotel.What this mean, Post-Paid Customers using Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond and Platinum Will get Unlimited Free talk time to selected numbers according to there package. Cool haaa!
Platinum gets free unlimited Call to 5 numbers, no 15% on friends and Family numbers and 10% Discount on any International Numbers. Diamond is new package introduce to the postpaid packages, Diamond gets free unlimited Call to 4 numbers, 15% Discount on 1 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers. Gold gets free unlimited Call to 3 numbers, 15% Discount on 2 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers. Silver gets free unlimited Call to 2 numbers, 15% Discount on 3 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers. Bronze gets free unlimited Call to 1 numbers, 15% Discount on 4 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers.
Platinum gets free unlimited Call to 5 numbers, no 15% on friends and Family numbers and 10% Discount on any International Numbers. Diamond is new package introduce to the postpaid packages, Diamond gets free unlimited Call to 4 numbers, 15% Discount on 1 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers. Gold gets free unlimited Call to 3 numbers, 15% Discount on 2 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers. Silver gets free unlimited Call to 2 numbers, 15% Discount on 3 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers. Bronze gets free unlimited Call to 1 numbers, 15% Discount on 4 number for friends and Family and 10% Discount on any 2 International Numbers.
And I Heard that dhiraagu is going to introduce new adsl Packages and giving existing packages higher Speed and More Allowance. Kool.
Nov 21, 2007
"I think the LINQ feature is really the No. 1 new feature in Visual Studio," Greg DeMichillie, lead analyst at Directions on Microsoft, told, All programmers write programs that access data, using either Visual Basic or C# with SQL, DeMichillie noted."
Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Visual Studio 2008 and .Net Framework 3.5 have been released to manufacturing and are now available for MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) subscribers to download, the company announced Monday.
Included in Visual Studio 2008 are enhancements such as visual designers for faster development with the .Net Framework 3.5, significant improvements to Web development tools and language enhancements that speed development with all types of data, Microsoft said. The platform provides developers with all the tools and framework support required to create compelling, expressive, Ajax-enabled (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) Web applications, it added.
.Net Framework 3.5, meanwhile, builds incrementally on the new features added in .Net Framework 3.0, including feature sets in Windows Workflow Foundation (WF), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Windows CardSpace. Version 3.5 also contains a number of new features to avoid breaking changes, Microsoft said.
250 New Features
"Visual Studio 2008 delivers over 250 new features, makes improvements to existing features including performance work on many areas, and we've made significant enhancements to every version of Visual Studio 2008, from the Express Editions to Visual Studio Team System," said S. "Soma" Somasegar, corporate vice president of the developer division at Microsoft.
"In Visual Studio Team System in particular, I'm pleased with the progress we made in scalability and performance for Team Foundation Server (TFS)," he added.
Although the products are now available for download, they won't be officially released until February.
Web 2.0 Functionality
Visual Studio 2008 delivers improved language and data features, such as Language Integrated Query (LINQ), that make it easier for individual programmers to build solutions that analyze and act on information. It also provides developers with the ability to build applications that target the .Net Framework 2.0, 3.0 or 3.5, supporting a wide variety of projects in the same environment, Microsoft said.
New tools speed the creation of connected applications on the latest platforms including the Web, Windows Vista, Office 2007, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008, while other additions help improve collaboration in development teams, including tools that help integrate database professionals and graphic designers into the development process.
New features in .Net Framework 3.5 deep integration of LINQ, ASP.Net Ajax and new Web protocol support for building WCF services including Ajax, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), REST (Representational State Transfer), POX (Plain Old XML), RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Atom, and several new WS-* standards.
Together, Visual Studio and the .Net Framework reduce the need for common plumbing code, reducing development time and enabling developers to concentrate on solving business problems, Microsoft said.
Hitting a 'Sore Spot'
All programmers write programs that access data, using either Visual Basic or C# with SQL, DeMichillie noted. LINQ makes it easier to write code that queries databases, and so is a particularly important addition because it "really hits a sore spot for developers," he explained. "Virtually 100 percent of customers will end up using that feature."
Life Cycle Management
.Net Framework 3.5 will also help visual designers create and manage graphically rich Web 2.0 software, Melinda Ballou, program director with IDC told, in addition, Visual Studio 2008's TFS makes improvements in both performance and version control, she said.
"My main concern about Web 2.0 development is the need to do better quality testing," Ballou added. Web 2.0 applications, because of their complexity and incorporation of diverse types of data, require different steps in managing the life cycle, she noted.
"I look forward to companies such as Microsoft and others providing effective life cycle management support for both Web 2.0 and service oriented architecture (SOA)-based software," Ballou said.
Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Visual Studio 2008 and .Net Framework 3.5 have been released to manufacturing and are now available for MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) subscribers to download, the company announced Monday.
Included in Visual Studio 2008 are enhancements such as visual designers for faster development with the .Net Framework 3.5, significant improvements to Web development tools and language enhancements that speed development with all types of data, Microsoft said. The platform provides developers with all the tools and framework support required to create compelling, expressive, Ajax-enabled (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) Web applications, it added.
.Net Framework 3.5, meanwhile, builds incrementally on the new features added in .Net Framework 3.0, including feature sets in Windows Workflow Foundation (WF), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Windows CardSpace. Version 3.5 also contains a number of new features to avoid breaking changes, Microsoft said.
250 New Features
"Visual Studio 2008 delivers over 250 new features, makes improvements to existing features including performance work on many areas, and we've made significant enhancements to every version of Visual Studio 2008, from the Express Editions to Visual Studio Team System," said S. "Soma" Somasegar, corporate vice president of the developer division at Microsoft.
"In Visual Studio Team System in particular, I'm pleased with the progress we made in scalability and performance for Team Foundation Server (TFS)," he added.
Although the products are now available for download, they won't be officially released until February.
Web 2.0 Functionality
Visual Studio 2008 delivers improved language and data features, such as Language Integrated Query (LINQ), that make it easier for individual programmers to build solutions that analyze and act on information. It also provides developers with the ability to build applications that target the .Net Framework 2.0, 3.0 or 3.5, supporting a wide variety of projects in the same environment, Microsoft said.
New tools speed the creation of connected applications on the latest platforms including the Web, Windows Vista, Office 2007, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008, while other additions help improve collaboration in development teams, including tools that help integrate database professionals and graphic designers into the development process.
New features in .Net Framework 3.5 deep integration of LINQ, ASP.Net Ajax and new Web protocol support for building WCF services including Ajax, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), REST (Representational State Transfer), POX (Plain Old XML), RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Atom, and several new WS-* standards.
Together, Visual Studio and the .Net Framework reduce the need for common plumbing code, reducing development time and enabling developers to concentrate on solving business problems, Microsoft said.
Hitting a 'Sore Spot'
All programmers write programs that access data, using either Visual Basic or C# with SQL, DeMichillie noted. LINQ makes it easier to write code that queries databases, and so is a particularly important addition because it "really hits a sore spot for developers," he explained. "Virtually 100 percent of customers will end up using that feature."
Life Cycle Management
.Net Framework 3.5 will also help visual designers create and manage graphically rich Web 2.0 software, Melinda Ballou, program director with IDC told, in addition, Visual Studio 2008's TFS makes improvements in both performance and version control, she said.
"My main concern about Web 2.0 development is the need to do better quality testing," Ballou added. Web 2.0 applications, because of their complexity and incorporation of diverse types of data, require different steps in managing the life cycle, she noted.
"I look forward to companies such as Microsoft and others providing effective life cycle management support for both Web 2.0 and service oriented architecture (SOA)-based software," Ballou said.
Nov 16, 2007
Microsoft-backed Zumobi (previously ZenZui,) will be a free downloadable application featuring 16 tiles (application widgets) that zoom in with touch, tap, or button clicks. Users can customize tiles by picking from the device or Zumobi's online gallery. Zooming into a tile takes you into the always-on application, which contains multiple search functions and a banner ad. Developers, keep an eye out for the software developer's kit announcement. Users, keep an eye out for the upcoming beta.
Mobio lets users create a portal of Web applications on their mobile phones. Since the applications, currently totaling 40, are all provided by Mobio, they share a similar look and feel across all handsets and carriers. Mobio, as a platform, renders images and sizes so users will share an identical experience, regardless of handset and carrier differences.
FoneMine is one Web 2.0 company that's working to make the Internet more mobile-friendly by offering business partners an XMS-powered scalable platform to build mobile applications for consumer use. Businesses using FoneMine's integrated mobile services can quickly create Java applications using widgets, voice, data messaging, and social networking.
Yap you heard it right its windows server 2008
Windows Server 2008 will be launched in eight different flavors, four of which will include the software giant's Hyper-V virtualization tech. Microsoft might be a late arrival to the virtualization game, but the company's commanding presence in the data center means that Windows Server 2008 should have considerable traction at launch.
Microsoft used its TechEd IT Forum 2007 conference in Barcelona, Spain this week to detail its forthcoming Windows Server 2008 platform lineup, which will integrate a complete set of virtualization capabilities when it launches next February.
"With more than one million downloads and evaluation copies, we've built Windows Server 2008 based on a solid foundation of customer feedback, which is reflected in the product's ease of management, security enhancements, and overall reliability," said Microsoft vice president Bob Kelly.
Kelly also said Microsoft's key virtualization hypervisor, known as Hyper-V, will be made available as a stand-alone product. "The unprecedented range of customer choices and the virtualization enhancements will help customers tailor solutions built to fit virtually any business need," he said.
Server Smorgasbord
Microsoft might be a late arrival to the virtualization game, but the software giant's commanding presence in the data center means that the effort should have considerable traction right from the get-go. According to IDC, Windows server products generated $5.0 billion or 38.2 percent of all server OS revenue in the second quarter of this year -- up by 4 percent from one year earlier.
"It's still very, very early," said Microsoft's System Center & Virtualization general manager Larry Orecklin. "With less than 5 percent of the servers out there actually virtual today, the industry is still in its infancy."
Windows Server 2008 will be launched in eight different flavors, four of which will include the software giant's Hyper-V virtualization technology. The Standard and Enterprise editions with Hyper-V will ship with a limited number of virtual instances per license, while the Datacenter edition with Hyper-V will include unlimited virtual instances per license.
Microsoft will launch a stand-alone Hyper-V Server product for customers consolidating existing servers running Windows Server 2003 that have not yet validated Windows Server 2008 in the infrastructure, noted Microsoft Windows Server senior director Zane Adams. The retail price of Microsoft Hyper-V Server is pegged at just $28.
"They can buy Microsoft Hyper-V Server and consolidate using that," he said. By contrast, new customers "can buy Windows Server 2008 Edition, which comes with the Hyper-V technology, and use that for consolidation," Adams said.
Pricing the Menu
"We believe that virtualization should be a feature of the operating system," Orecklin said. With Hyper-V, customers will be able "to use the skills they have developed on managing their windows environments and apply that to virtualization," he explained.
Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition, including Hyper-V and five client licenses, will be priced at $999, while the Enterprise version with 25 client licenses will cost $3,999. The Datacenter edition with Hyper-V is expected to be priced at $2,999 per processor, whereas the iteration for Itanium-based systems will cost $2,999 per processor.
Microsoft expects to release five additional server flavors that do not incorporate Hyper-V technology, including new platforms targeting Web development as well as the deployment of servers based on Intel's Itanium microprocessor.
The iterations of the Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter products without Hyper-V will cost $28 less than their virtualized counterparts. In addition, the retail price of Windows Web Server 2008, which likewise does not support Hyper-V, is being pegged at $469.
Windows Server 2008 will be launched in eight different flavors, four of which will include the software giant's Hyper-V virtualization tech. Microsoft might be a late arrival to the virtualization game, but the company's commanding presence in the data center means that Windows Server 2008 should have considerable traction at launch.
Microsoft used its TechEd IT Forum 2007 conference in Barcelona, Spain this week to detail its forthcoming Windows Server 2008 platform lineup, which will integrate a complete set of virtualization capabilities when it launches next February.
"With more than one million downloads and evaluation copies, we've built Windows Server 2008 based on a solid foundation of customer feedback, which is reflected in the product's ease of management, security enhancements, and overall reliability," said Microsoft vice president Bob Kelly.
Kelly also said Microsoft's key virtualization hypervisor, known as Hyper-V, will be made available as a stand-alone product. "The unprecedented range of customer choices and the virtualization enhancements will help customers tailor solutions built to fit virtually any business need," he said.
Server Smorgasbord
Microsoft might be a late arrival to the virtualization game, but the software giant's commanding presence in the data center means that the effort should have considerable traction right from the get-go. According to IDC, Windows server products generated $5.0 billion or 38.2 percent of all server OS revenue in the second quarter of this year -- up by 4 percent from one year earlier.
"It's still very, very early," said Microsoft's System Center & Virtualization general manager Larry Orecklin. "With less than 5 percent of the servers out there actually virtual today, the industry is still in its infancy."
Windows Server 2008 will be launched in eight different flavors, four of which will include the software giant's Hyper-V virtualization technology. The Standard and Enterprise editions with Hyper-V will ship with a limited number of virtual instances per license, while the Datacenter edition with Hyper-V will include unlimited virtual instances per license.
Microsoft will launch a stand-alone Hyper-V Server product for customers consolidating existing servers running Windows Server 2003 that have not yet validated Windows Server 2008 in the infrastructure, noted Microsoft Windows Server senior director Zane Adams. The retail price of Microsoft Hyper-V Server is pegged at just $28.
"They can buy Microsoft Hyper-V Server and consolidate using that," he said. By contrast, new customers "can buy Windows Server 2008 Edition, which comes with the Hyper-V technology, and use that for consolidation," Adams said.
Pricing the Menu
"We believe that virtualization should be a feature of the operating system," Orecklin said. With Hyper-V, customers will be able "to use the skills they have developed on managing their windows environments and apply that to virtualization," he explained.
Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition, including Hyper-V and five client licenses, will be priced at $999, while the Enterprise version with 25 client licenses will cost $3,999. The Datacenter edition with Hyper-V is expected to be priced at $2,999 per processor, whereas the iteration for Itanium-based systems will cost $2,999 per processor.
Microsoft expects to release five additional server flavors that do not incorporate Hyper-V technology, including new platforms targeting Web development as well as the deployment of servers based on Intel's Itanium microprocessor.
The iterations of the Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter products without Hyper-V will cost $28 less than their virtualized counterparts. In addition, the retail price of Windows Web Server 2008, which likewise does not support Hyper-V, is being pegged at $469.
New to the Intel lineup of 45-nm chips, which IC Insights analyst Rob Lineback called "revolutionary," are 15 Xeon server processors. The 12 new quad-core chips boast clock speeds ranging from 2 GHz up to 3.20 GHz, with frontside bus speeds up to 1,600 MHz. The three new dual-core chips feature clock speeds of up to 3.40 GHz.
On Monday, Intel unveiled a new generation of processors that are built on an entirely new transistor formula designed to improve performance while decreasing wasteful electricity leaks.
Gordon Moore, Intel's cofounder, said the technology responsible for the new processors represents the biggest transistor advancement in 40 years.
Gordon Moore, Intel's cofounder, said the technology responsible for the new processors represents the biggest transistor advancement in 40 years.
The processors are the first to use Intel's Hafnium-based high-k metal gate formula and also the first to be manufactured on the company's 45-nanometer manufacturing process, further boosting performance and lowering power consumption.
Nearly Twice the Density
The new 45-nm processors boast nearly twice the transistor density of previous chips built on the company's 65-nm technology. That is up to 820 million transistors for each processor using Intel's new formula.
Combining these advancements with new processor features clears the path for Intel to design products that are 25 percent smaller than previous versions and thus more cost-effective, the company said. In addition, the new technology gives Intel the ability to pursue new opportunities for ultramobile electronics.
"As devices shrink the scaling of the device sizes tends to play against them," said Rob Lineback, senior market research analyst at IC Insights. "They don't work as well as they get smaller and thinner. Leakage has been one of the biggest problems the industry has faced in recent technology generations.
But, he said, Intel's advancement has the potential to create better transistors that do not leak current and basically perform better switching.
High End of Desktop
The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad core processor, one of the new 45-nm chips, aims to please hardcore gamers and media enthusiasts. Enhancements such as a larger L2 cache and support for new Intel media instructions are designed to help bring desktop performance to "extreme" new levels, Intel said.
Also new to the Intel lineup are 15 dual-core and quad-core Xeon processors. The 12 new quad-core chips boast clock speeds ranging from 2 GHz up to 3.20 GHz, with frontside bus (FSB) speeds up to 1,600 MHz, and cache sizes of 12 MB. The three new dual-core chips feature clock speeds of up to 3.40 GHz, an FSB of up to 1,600 MHz, and cache sizes of 6 MB.
"This is a revolutionary move, but Intel isn't the only one doing it," Lineback said. "The question is whether Intel will essentially control the type of material and the processes that other companies are going to have to use to follow them. Intel's is not the only way. It may be the best way, and that's what we have to wait and see." It will probably be at least a year before AMD can match Intel's technology, Lineback said. "This is an attempt by Intel to stay ahead, and not only ahead in this generation, but guaranteeing it can be even further ahead even at 32 nanometers."
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Nov 12, 2007
iPhone users will have to be just as vigilant in following "safe surfing" practices as PC users if they want to avoid having their systems taken over by hackers. A newly identified vulnerability in the Safari browser is among the first serious holes that could be exploited -- but given the device's popularity, more are almost sure to follow.A hole in the iPhone's security apparatus could allow a hacker to take complete control of the device, warn researchers at Independent Security Evaluators, who identified the flaw.
The exploit is delivered via a malicious Web page opened in the Safari browser on the iPhone, according to ISE. There are at least three vectors from which a device could be infected:
An attacker-controlled wireless access point: The iPhone learns access points by name (SSID, or service set identifier). Therefore, if a user ever gets near an attacker-controlled access point with the same name and encryption type as an access point previously trusted by the user, the iPhone will automatically use the malicious access point. This allows the attacker to add the exploit to any Web page browsed by the user by replacing the requested page with a page containing the exploit.
A misconfigured forum Web site: If a Web forum's software is not configured to prevent users from including potentially dangerous data in their posts, an attacker could cause the exploit to run in any iPhone browser that viewed the thread.
A link delivered via e-mail or SMS (short message service): If an attacker can trick a user into opening a Web site that the attacker controls, the attacker can easily embed the exploit into the main page of the Web site.
Admin Privileges
Once the browser opens the malicious Web page, arbitrary code embedded in the exploit is run with administrative privileges. In ISE's proof of concept, this code reads the log of SMS messages, the address book, the call history and the voice mail data, and then transmits the information to the attacker.
However, code could be embedded to interfere with anything that the iPhone can do, notes ISE. "It could send the user's mail passwords to the attacker, send text messages that sign the user up for pay services or record audio that could be relayed to the attacker," the firm says.
"As is described in the preliminary research paper, the attack isn't necessarily a serious vulnerability," Shane Coursen, senior technical consultant at Kaspersky Lab, told MacNewsWorld. "What is more serious is that all applications ... are being given administrator privileges." Coursen added the caveat that these statements are subject to ISE's research holding up under peer review.
No Surprise
The discovery is hardly causing shock waves in the security community. The iPhone has an unusually high profile, and there is a temptingly large number of people who already own the device. Also, smartphones are increasingly vulnerable to hacks, given their sophisticated computing processes.
The Safari browser is the obvious chink in the iPhone's armor, David Finger, product marketing manager for TrendMicro, told MacNewsWorld. "By making Safari available on the Windows platform, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has made it much more likely for hackers to target the OS," he said, referring to Windows' huge share of the market compared to the Mac's.
Apple will probably be able to close the hole, Finger added, "but the fact that they found it shows the iPhone is not invulnerable -- and, perceptually, that is important." While the iPhone's popularity leaves its users particularly vulnerable to unwelcome attention from the world's malware community, the larger threat applies to every smartphone owner. "Yes, Apple is a huge brand and the race is, no doubt, now on to exploit the vulnerability," Mark Sunner, chief security analyst at MessageLabs, told MacNewsWorld. "But the bigger problem is not the iPhone in particular, but the fact that small handheld devices are becoming mini-computers in functionality. As with laptops, as the devices become more sophisticated, the potential for exploited vulnerabilities increases in tandem." WiFi poses a huge potential threat for smartphones, Kaspersky's Coursen pointed out. "Once we start to see more cafe-style WiFi hotspots and more WiFi-enabled smartphones, rogue hotspots are going to be a big headache," he predicted.
Modifying Behavior
What this all means is that users of any smartphone device will have be trained to be just as careful on the phone as they are online, said Ron O'Brien, security analyst for Sophos.
"Ultimately, it is the behavior of the user that leads to the vulnerability being exploited," he told MacNewsWorld. "Browsing to an infected site or logging onto a fictitious WiFi site requires user interaction. Such exposure is typical of a laptop or any portable device that allows access to the Internet."
Smartphones hold more than enough personal data that is of interest to hackers. As for the iPhone specifically, it has now been proven that it can act as a physical vector.
"Having control over a device that allows the sending of spam is quite powerful," Coursen remarked. Though common sense precautions could alleviate many of the risks, he has his doubts that any will be quickly adopted en masse.
"The ISE gives several best-practice suggestions, all of which will work perfectly to avoid the exploits they have described in their paper," Coursen said. "Unfortunately, the suggestions mirror those given to PC users for many years -- yet we still see PC users falling victim now and again."
Nov 11, 2007
Software engineers at Mozilla are working on a fix for another protocol handing issue affecting the company’s flagship Firefox browser. The flaw originally reported in February 2007 and independently discovered by Petko D. Petkov, turns a little-used Firefox feature into a security risk that could lead to cross-site scripting attacks.
Explains:
The problem is that the “jar:” protocol handler does not validate the MIME type of the contents of an archive, which are then executed in the context of the site hosting the archive. This can be exploited to conduct cross-site scripting attacks on sites that allow a user to upload certain files (e.g. .zip, .png, .doc, .odt, .txt).
The “jar:” protocol is designed to extract content from compressed files. A vulnerability note from US-CERT suggests there may code execution attack scenario: This vulnerability may allow an attacker to execute cross-site scripting attacks on sites that allow users to upload pictures, archives or other files. If the user opens the malicious URI with a Firefox Addon, an attacker might be able to execute arbitrary code. The bug has been confirmed in fully patched versions of the open-source browser. In the absense of a patch, Firefox users should avoid follow untrusted “jar:” links on suspicious Web sites.
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