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Storage intelligence: storage virtualization by Dell Compellent

June 30th, 2011
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Storage virtualization, like other forms of virtualization, is using excess system resources to create an artificial environment for data and applications. The process of abstracting functions away from the physical hardware allows the introduction of any number of wonderful new capabilities. The folks from Dell Compellent stopped by to let me know what they’re doing in this area.

The company has developed a virtual storage environment that allows data and applications to me automatically positioned on tiers of storage for maximum performance. It also optimizes the use of storage so organizations can make best use of their storage devices. Dell Compellent is calling this concept “fluid data.”

How does Dell Compellent describe what they’re doing?
Compellent virtualizes enterprise storage at the disk level, creating a dynamic pool of shared storage resources available to all servers, all the time. With read/write operations spread across all drives, multiple requests can be processed in parallel, boosting system performance. Compellent Storage Virtualization allows users to create hundreds of virtual volumes in seconds to support any virtual server platform and optimize the placement of virtual applications.

What improvements does this virtualization make possible?
Dell Compellent has developed storage controllers that offer a number of really useful features. The storage controller makes it possible for virtual storage volumes can be created without IT administrators having to allocate devices to support specific servers or do extensive capacity or performance planning.

Servers (physical or virtual) simply see a specific amount of storage capacity without having to know that its data is being spread across a number of different storage devices. Servers can be connected to the controller using a number of different storage networking architectures. The controller optimizes how the data and applications are spread across physical storage devices.

The storage controller is intelligent enough to allow many different types of storage be used. It organizes the storage into different tiers and moves most used data onto the fastest storage devices. It can use different RAID levels on each tier to optimize performance, reliability and manageability.

The controller is also smart enough to allow data structures to be created based upon today’s needs and expand as needed up to limits set by the administrator.

Snapshot analysis
If we examine typical system configurations, it soon becomes clear that a significant portion of the hardware costs can be attributed to storage. Companies seeking to cut costs are likely to find many opportunities to both reduce the number of storage devices needed and improve performance by using storage virtualization tools, such as those being offered by Dell Compellent.

This technology makes it more easily possible to precisely tune a storage configuration to meet today’s and tomorrow’s requirements because many different types of storage can be made to work together. As new types of storage become available, storage virtualization makes it possible bring that new technology in without requiring a total replacement of storage systems in place today.

Source:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/virtualization/storage-intelligence-storage-virtualization-by-dell-compellent/3442

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Watch Out for Hardware Keyloggers

June 30th, 2011
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Keyloggers are either hardware devices or software which can record the key strokes of a user. Both are legal to own in the US and other countries despite their ability to be used in identity theft and fraud. While software keyloggers are the most common, hardware ones need to be watched out for too. While this is true for any computer, it is especially true for public computers.
What do they look like?
Hardware keyloggers can be hard to spot. They are typically small and can be plugged into the back of a computer, unseen. They often look like a USB flash drive or a keyboard connector. They are easily found online; even Amazon has several them. If you see any device plugged into a computer that is not yours, consider this a red flag. While there is a good chance the device will look like one shown in the link or below, there are others out there.

Why are they legal?
While they may be useful in fraud and identity theft, they do have valid uses. In testing software, knowing exactly what a user did is useful to programmers. That can effectively pin-point a problem in code. Employers can use them to monitor the progress and productively of employees. Some manufacturers advertise them as a form of backup, keeping each page you write even if the power goes out. While arguments can be made that they are more often used for nefarious reasons, in the right hands, they are a useful tool.

Have they actually been found on public computers?
Yes. Earlier this year, there was a case where hardware keyloggers were found on library computers in Manchester. In three separate locations, the devices were found plugged into public access machines. The type used here was the kind that looked like a USB flash drive. Authorities advise greater vigilance, especially for the employees, but users need to be alert too.
It should be noted that it is generally unwise to use public computers for sensitive data. E-mail, banking sites, and credit card use should be avoided when on these computers. If you have to use them, here are some tips. Ask how the computers are protected. Do they block software installation? Are they wiped on reboot with software like Deep Freeze? If so, could they restartthe computer for you (wiping out most software keyloggers)? Always use a secure connection (https) when possible, and be alert to your surroundings (e.g. watch those around you, know what is connected to the PC). This still is not as safe as a home computer running a live CD, but there is not much more you can do.
What do I do if I find one on a work computer?
It should go without saying that you should contact IT and your manager immediately. Should you remove it? Ask. If the company owns a PC, they can install a keylogger on it. What is deemed notification (if required) can vary by state and country. Typically, a software keylogger would be more conventional, so a hardware one is suspect. Chances are that it was planted, but if that is the case, then it is evidence. Physical and digital forensic information can be gathered. Let someone responsible for and trained for this handle it.
Should one of these devices be found on a server, the problem is much more severe. It highlights a lack of physical security. A strong firewall, good anti-virus software, proper permissions, and complex passwords will not protect you from a trick like this.
The Point: Awareness
The point of this article is to be aware of the existence of these deices. They do exist, but they are not commonly seen. If you do see one on a computer, let someone know. Chances are they are not supposed to be there. While they are legal to own, it is illegal to install them on computers for public use or on systems someone does not own.

Source:http://www.ghacks.net/2011/06/30/watch-out-for-hardware-keyloggers/

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Shares of Silicon Graphics International Rank the Highest in Terms of Relative Performance in the Computer Hardware Industry (SGI, DELL, HPQ, NCR, AAPL)

June 30th, 2011
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We looked at the Computer Hardware industry and measured relative performance to find the top stocks. Relative outperformance is a bullish sign of underlying fundamental and technical strength. We look at yesterday’s price action of all companies in this peer group.

Silicon Graphics International (NYSE:SGI) ranks first with a gain of 4.36%; Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) ranks second with a gain of 2.63%; and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) ranks third with a gain of 1.34%.

NCR (NYSE:NCR) follows with a loss of 0.05% and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) rounds out the top five with a loss of 0.36%.

Silicon Graphics International share prices have moved between a 52-week high of $22.95 and a 52-week low of $5.84 and are now trading 191% above that low price at $16.98 per share. Over the past week, the 200-day moving average (MA) has gone up 1.0% while the 50-day MA has declined 0.6%.

Source:http://www.fnno.com/story/fast-lane/331-shares-silicon-graphics-international-rank-highest-terms-relative-performance-computer-hardware-industry-sgi

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HP TouchPad: Beautiful Software, Lousy Hardware, Say Mossberg, Pogue

June 30th, 2011
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Hewlett-Packard’s (HPQ) “TouchPad” tablet computer goes on sale Friday, and The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg and The New York Time’s David Pogue both weigh in with their views in their respective Thursday columns.

Mossberg: “Despite its attractive and different user interface, this first version is simply no match for the iPad. It suffers from poor battery life, a paucity of apps, and other deficits.” Though he adds toward the end, “Despite these problems, in many ways the TouchPad is a joy to use.”

Pogue: “In this 1.0 incarnation, the TouchPad doesn’t come close to being as complete or mature as the iPad or the best Android tablets; you’d be shortchanging yourself by buying one right now, unless you’re some kind of rabid A.B.A. nut (Anything but Apple). But there are signs of greatness here.”

Pogue notes the hardware specs are a dud: 40% thicker than the iPad, 20% heavier — “a bitter spec to swallow in a gadget you hold upright all day long.” He attributes some peculiar performance to the processor: “When you rotate the screen, it takes the screen two seconds to match — an eternity in tablet time.” (He doesn’t mention Qualcomm (QCOM) by name, though it is a QCOM part in there, and he sneers at the notion the TouchPad has “a blazing-fast chip.”)

The TouchPad got 60% of the iPad’s battery life in Mossberg’s test, about six hours, though Pogue got eight, he writes. The TouchPad doesn’t have a rear-mounted camera or a proper app for taking pictures and movies, both point out. It only has a front-facing camera for video conferencing. The TouchPad has only 300 apps optimized for it at present, they both observe. (It runs 8,000 or so Palm apps, but they can’t fill the 10-inch screen.)

And there were “plenty of bugs” during his one week using it, writes Mossberg, including “Angry Birds” crashing repeatedly (thus making them even angrier, one would suppose), irregular playback of Flash-based Web video, some degradation of performance, requiring rebooting of the device over time, etc. Videos “play jerkily” Pogue writes of Flash quality.

On the plus side, Mossberg and Pogue both have heavy praise for the many user interface elements that are by now legendary in the WebOS software on the TouchPad, which first showed up on Palm handhelds. Things such as the “card view” system of window manipulation and task-switching; the notifications bar and dashboard; the “synergy” system for integrating online and offline contacts and events, etc..

“The WebOS is beautiful, too,” writes Pogue. “It’s graphically coherent, elegant, fluid and satisfying. It works beautifully, and conveys far more information than the iPad’s application switcher (which is just a row of icons).”

Both Pogue and Mossberg also love “Touchstone,” the technology for sending information between TouchPads through physical proximity.

Source:http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2011/06/30/hp-touchpad-beautiful-software-lousy-hardware-say-mossberg-pogue/?mod=BOLBlog

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Amiga Brand Resurrected as High-End Gaming Computers

June 30th, 2011
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Commodore USA – not the original Commodore, but rather another company which has licensed the name – is resurrecting another name that it has licensed: the Amiga. This time around, the Amiga is going to become a “high-performance home computer for creativity and entertainment” apparently, with three different models on offer.

According to the website (That logo! Memories!) the goal of the company is to “restore the AMIGA brand to its former glory” and “showcase the latest and greatest Personal Computer Hardware and Operating System technology available today”.

The AMIGA 1000 is a slim affair intended for home theatre use, while the AMIGA 2000 has a stupid amount of flexibility, packing room for “seven full size expansion cards, a full size ATX power supply, a full size ATX motherboard, six hard drives and a full size optical drive”. The AMIGA 3000 is, bizarrely, a middle-ground between the two. Absolutely no hardware specs have been released yet, but Commodore USA promises to remedy that shortly.

What say you, old schoolers – are you ready to return to the days of the AMIGA in your living room?

Source:http://games.on.net/article/13020/Amiga_Brand_Resurrected_as_High-End_Gaming_Computers

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Dell’s transformation already paying off, company officials say

June 30th, 2011
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Dell Inc.’s 3-year-old business transformation isn’t close to done yet, but CEO Michael Dell said Wednesday that the company’s move toward a broad-based information technology company is already paying off.

The PC maker is investing heavily in new technology companies to win business customers who want more than just computer hardware.

Dell bought eight companies in its last fiscal year and said it continues to hunt for good deals.

Several of the companies that Dell bought, including storage network firm Compellent Technologies , are expanding rapidly with Dell’s help, company officials said at a gathering of financial and industry analysts in Austin on Wednesday.

But Dell has also revamped its traditional PC business to bring it back to profitability, which helped the company notch a record profit in the first quarter. Dell reported a profit of $945 million for the first quarter, up 177 percent from the year before,

“The company is performing well,” Dell said, “It is a very different business than it was five years ago, and it is producing record earnings.”

The Round Rock computer maker added about 7,000 jobs last year, and its CEO said it could add slightly more than that this year. The company expects to add jobs in the Austin area, but he declined to say how many.

Dell also said the company has no intention of winding down its three-year string of business acquisitions designed to make the company more than just a PC hardware maker.

The company remains a small part of a $2.7 trillion global information technology industry, Dell said, and it will continue to make acquisitions in areas where it sees strong opportunities for growth and profit.

Company officials also said Dell hasn’t given up on becoming a bigger player in mobile Internet devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Analysts say its offerings have been lackluster so far, but senior Dell officials said the company intends to create business-oriented mobile devices when the right software from Microsoft Corp. is available. Analysts said Microsoft’s mobile-friendly Windows 8 is expected out in the middle of next year.

Dell sold a record $18 billion in servers, services and storage networks to corporate customers last year, up 87 percent from six years ago.

But a big part of the company’s surge in profits came with increased sales of profitable PCs fueled by a surge from businesses that had put off buying new computers during the business downturn of 2008 and 2009. The company sold $34 billion worth of PCs last year and made a gross profit (revenue minus the cost of production) of 20 percent, up from 14 percent the year before.

Company officials said Dell saved costs by simplifying its product lines and pruning away less profitable products such as low-cost netbooks, which it discontinued last year. The company also saved by having offshore contract manufacturers build more of its PCs.

Analysts say the business plan is working.

“The best thing for a company to discover is what its strengths are and double down on those strengths, and Dell is doing that,” said Rob Enderle with the Enderle Group. “Things look pretty good for them.”

Analyst Brian Alexander with Raymond James Financial said the company made a good case that its improved PC profit margins can be sustainable over time.

“I thought it was convincing and thorough, and I think people will come away feeling better about the stock,” Alexander said.

Dell also has repurchased $1.6 billion of its stock this year and expects to repurchase $2 billion for the year as a whole, company officials said. Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden said the company took advantage of market conditions to buy back more stock than it originally planned in the first quarter.

Gladden said Dell typically expects to use 10 to 30 percent of its cash flow in any quarter to buy back stock.

Dell’s stock closed at $16.42 a share Wednesday, up 41 cents, or 2.6 percent.

Source:http://www.statesman.com/business/technology/dells-transformation-already-paying-off-company-officials-say-1571190.html

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Tablet War: HP’s Touchpad Vs. Apple’s iPad 2

June 30th, 2011
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PC giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) will be launching its Touchpad tablet device in United States on July 1.

The key feature of the tablet is none other than its operating system – WebOS, which HP with its $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm. Touchpad will be loaded with WebOS 3.0 operating system.

The WebOS was critically acclaimed, but was said to be dampened by the hardware of Palm. The operating system was very much appreciated for its ease-of-use, multitasking functions and open architecture.

“What makes HP TouchPad a compelling alternative to competing products is webOS,” said Jon Rubinstein, senior vice president and general manager, Palm Global Business Unit, HP. “The platform’s unmatched features and flexibility will continue to differentiate HP products from the rest of the market for both personal and professional use. This is only the beginning of what HP’s scale can do with webOS.”

So, a neat operating system along with HP hardware makes Touchpad a good competitor in the tablet space.

TouchPad, which boasts a 9.7-inch screen, is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The device supports proximity-based sharing, allowing compatible devices to wirelessly exchange data, media, and information, via Bluetooth.

The device provides premium audio playback with stereo speakers and Beats Audio technology. It has the Just Type feature to find information on the device or in the cloud and offers integrated access to their information with HP Synergy. Meanwhile, HP’s exclusive Touch to Share capability allows users to share web addresses between HP TouchPad and compatible webOS phones.

Recently, HP announced HP webOS Pivot, providing users an entertaining and informative editorial resource for discovering webOS 3.0 applications for the HP TouchPad.

The Touchpad currently comes only with Wi-Fi, costing $499.99 for a 16GB model and $599.99 for a 32GB model. But, the company said it will be partnering with AT&T later this summer to launch a connected version of the tablet.

Optional accessories for HP TouchPad include the HP Touchstone Charging Dock, the HP TouchPad Wireless Keyboard and the HP TouchPad Case.

HP TouchPad will be available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany on July 2 and in Canada on July 15, with availability scheduled to follow later this year in Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore and Spain. A Wi-Fi model for Asia Pacific is expected to arrive later this year.

In U.S., apart from HP’s online store, HP TouchPad will be available at Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, Walmart, Sam’s Club, OfficeMax, Amazon.com, Fry’s, Microcenter and other leading local and regional retailers.

Now, let’s take a look whether Touchpad has the meat to beat the market leader Apple iPad 2.

iPad 2 is the second generation of the iPad, a tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc.

iPad 2 has a lithium-ion polymer battery that lasts up to 10 hours, a new dual core Apple A5 processor and VGA front-facing and 720p rear-facing cameras designed for FaceTime video calling.

The tablet, which runs on iOS 4.3.3, is 15 percent lighter and 33 percent thinner than its predecessor.

Apple unveiled the device on March 2, 2011, began selling it by website and retail stores on March 11, and released it in 25 other countries on March 25, including Australia, Britain and Canada.

iPad is one of the best-selling gadgets and Apple recently announced it sold more than 25 million devices since iPad was launched in April 2010. In 2011, iPad is expected to take 83 percent of the tablet computing market share in the United States.

Wi-Fi models of iPad 2 starts at $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB and $699 for 64GB. Adding 3G costs $130 extra per model, so the most expensive model (64GB / 3G) is $829.

Source:http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/171848/20110629/hp-touchpad-apple-ipad2-ipad-2-webos-webos-3-tablet-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-ios-icloud-palm-google-a.htm

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