Blog | Jason Palmer, CPA, CITP

What are Online Cloud and Offsite Backup Services?

June 15, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

An Offsite Backup is any copy of data that is stored in a distinctly different location from the site of the original data. The specific term “Online” usually refers to a Backup Service or Storage Location for the Backup that is available via an Internet connection on a 24/7/365 Basis.

The critical thing to note it that Offsite storage of any version of a relatively current backup is a requirement of a good Disaster Recovery Plan. The immediate accessibility of the Backup Data and it currency, i.e. how “fresh” is the data backup in relation to the original data files is the focus of On-Line Backup Services which come in two primary flavors: Real Time with Snap-Shots – sometimes referred to as “Continuous Data Protection” and Traditional – which are on-line copies of locally created compressed backup files or copies native files themselves. In most cases, only data files, such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Pictures, Music (MP3/iTunes) Adobe PDF’s are copied. The files required, also known as “System State Files” to completely restore the Operating System are ignored.

Many Traditional Backup Programs support the storage of an “Offsite” Copy to either the Software Manufactures site or your own Data Center, hence the term “Cloud Backup” or “Online” as the backup files go off to storage in Cyberspace.

Types of Backup:

As mentioned above, many Cloud/Online Backup services focus exclusively on what would be in a “My Documents” folder and the native data files as produced by well known software applications such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Acrobat. This method and type of backup is referred to as “File-by-File” because it is no different than if one were to copy each file from the local hard drive of a computer to perhaps an External Hard Drive, USB Drive, or CD-Rom. At the Consumer/Small Business level, this is exactly the type of backup that services such as Mozy, Carbonite, Norton On-Line Backup and SOSOnlineBackup perform.

In order to have a complete recovery from hard disk failure, one needs an “Image Based Backup” preferably capable of “Bare Metal Restore.” An Image Based backup takes an exact picture of the hard drive at a point in time, just like a Polaroid or Kodak photo Every single aspect of the computer is captured and frozen in time, like a photograph, and subsequently can be restored to that same exact point in time before the failure. Bare Metal Restore refers to the ability to restore the Backup Image to equipment that is empty, unformatted, and has no previously installed Operating system. This is in contrast to a “File-by-File” backup that requires a completely functioning computer or at least a fresh copy of the Operating System so that Files can be copied back to say the “My Documents” folder.

For a File Server, Image Based Backup goes one step further to what is known as “Dissimilar Hardware Restore” and the ability to convert a Physical Machine Backup to a Virtual Machine Backup and vice-versa. In short, assume that an Image Based Backup is from a Vintage 2006 Dell File Server with an Intel Xeon Processor and traditional SCSI Hard Drive that is completely End-of-Life and it fails. With Dissimilar Hardware Restore capability, the Backup Image File could be restored to a brand new HP 2012 File Server with an Intel Multi-Core Processor and current generation SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) Hard Drives in a RAID Array on “Bare Metal”, or, to a VMWare VSphere/ESXi “Virtual Machine” eliminating the hardware differences completely. The Recovery/Restore Process is intelligent enough to be able to automatically reconfigure and install the required Operating System drivers so that the Server can be restored to a completely different hardware configuration – physical or virtual.

In this group, Backup Software makes a local copy of Data to an External Drive and optionally has the capability to transfer a copy of the local Backup Data Set to a Remote Storage Location a.k.a. Online to “The Cloud.” Many allow copying of the files to an FTP Server (via File Transfer Protocol) which is included in many web hosting packages in which case one is limited only by the amount of on-line storage purchased. Some of the providers listed have their own Cloud Storage options available which work in tandem with the software and automatically migrate and transfer copies of the Local Backup Sets to their Company Clouds for an additional periodic service fee.

Traditional Backup Programs with Online and Offsite Copy Capability
– Cloud Optional

Available for BOTH Servers AND Workstations

Symantec Backup Exec
– http://www.symantec.com/backup-exec
NovaStor Backup
– http://www.novastor.com
Paragon Software
– http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free (For Home Use)
Acronis
– http://www.acronis.com

Image Based Backup (w/File-by-File Restore) for Servers
and Workstations – Cloud Optional
Symantec System Recovery
– http://www.symantec.com/system-recovery-server-edition
Acronis
– http://www.acronis.com
Paragon Drive Backup
– http://www.paragon-software.com
NovaStor Backup Professional
– http://www.novastor.com

Virtual Machine Backup for Servers
NovaStor Backup Business Essentials
– http://www.novastor.com/en/software/sql-exchange-virtual-server-backup
Acronis Backup and Recovery Virtual Edition
– http://www.acronis.com/backup-recovery/advanced-server-virtual
Symantec Backup Exec w/Virtual Support
– http://www.symantec.com/backup-exec
Symantec System Recover with Virtual Support
– http://www.symantec.com/system-recovery-server-edition

Pure Online Cloud Storage Options
– Consumer and Small Business Options
SOS Online Backup
– http://www.sosonlinebackup.com
Symform
– http://www.symform.com
Norton Online Backup
– http://us.norton.com/online-backup

File Synchronization / Multi-PC Online Cloud Storage Options
Drop Box
– http://www.dropbox.com (2gb Free)
Microsoft Sky Drive
– http://www.live.com (25gb Free)
Trend Micro Safe Sync
– http://us.trendmicro.com/us/products/personal/safe-sync (Paid)
Sugar Sync
– http://www.sugarsync.com – (5Gb Free) – Business Plan Options

For Mac/Apple users, MobileMe and iDisk have been replaced by iCloud. Click Here for More Information.

Verizon Share Everything Plan Review

June 14, 2012 By Jason Palmer 1 Comment

Verizon Wireless, on June 28th, 2012, will introduce the “Share Everything” Plans. For the first time up to ten devices that use 3G/4G data, such as smartphones, tablets, cellular data cards, MiFi’s, and JetPacks that are under one billing account can share a bucket of data ranging from 1GB to 10GB at a cost for the data portion of the plan of between $50 and $100. An added benefit is that the fee for turning a smartphone in to a Mobile Hotspot has been eliminated as well.

A significant change in the new Share Everything Plans is that all phones will now have unlimited voice minutes and unlimited text messages. Other features of the plans are standard and straightforward: No Domestic Roaming or Long-Distance Charges; Basic Voice Mail with Message-Waiting Indicator, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-Way Calling, Call Forwarding and No Answer/Busy Transfer; Access to personal email3 and corporate email4 (using Exchange ActiveSync® or Lotus Notes Traveler) is included with data allowance, if supported by your device – Data charges apply and coverage varies by area for all voice and data features.

The plans work as follows: For each type of device, Smartphone, Basic Phone, Data Device (JetPack/MiFi, Embedded Cellular Data Card or USB Cellular Stick), and Tablet there is a Monthly Line Access charge ranging from $40 down to $10. Then add a Shared Data Monthly Access Charge of between $50 and $100 for between 1GB and 10GB of data for all of the devices on the account to share. Remember, all plans now include unlimited voice minutes (local, regional, and long distance) and unlimited text messaging.

Verizon Wireless is also offering a Data Only version of the Share Everything plan which includes from 4GB to 10GB of Data for as low as $30 up to $60/month for up to ten data only devices on a single wireless subscriber account. And, for the customers that have Basic phones – 700 voice minutes – no text and no data allowance at $40/month and unlimited voice, unlimited text with 300MB of data for $70/month.

For full plan details, view the PDF file here.

To use the Share Everything Plan Tool Calculator to help determine which plan is right for you, click here.

Short Recommendation: In general, even if you presently are grandfathered in with an unlimited data plan on your Smartphone or Cellular Data Card, if you are within the industry norms of using less than 2GB of data per month, per device, and predominantly use your Smartphone or Cellular Data Device to check email, browse the web, and chat, you will save an average of at least 10% or more by choosing some version of the new Share Everything Plan. However, if you are a heavy user of data on your Smartphone or Cellular Data Card, for example, you spend lots of time on NetFlix or downloading music, you will have to carefully review the usage on your past months bills and determine if the savings is worth the trade-off.

Recommendations and Considerations based on the type of devices and amount of usage in your current plan:

Do any of the Smartphones or Cellular Data Cards presently have grandfathered Unlimited 3G Data Plans? – If yes, then there is a lot to think about. As more and more applications become available and our need or desire to be always connected increases, even though you may not be using a significant amount of data monthly now, it is most certainly going to increase in the future. Verizon Wireless has stated that customers will be able to keep their grandfathered unlimited data plans, moving forward, provided that they either renew a two year agreement prior to the start of the new Share Everything Plan or if after June 28th, 2012, users purchase their new Smartphone at full retail price (or from another source). The premise being that Verizon Wireless will no longer subsidize your Smartphone if you want to keep your unlimited 3G/4G data plan.

If you are well within your current monthly voice minute allowance, with or without the inclusion of the “Friends and Family” numbers, Free Night and Weekend Minutes, and you are using less than 1GB to 2GB of data per month and do not expect your usage pattern to change and would like a subsidized Smartphone when your current agreement renews, then you will most likely save money by switching to the Verizon Wireless Share Everything Plan. However, if you have recently discovered NetFlix or YouTube or have decided to start to use your Smartphone as an MP3 Player and are starting to download a significant numbers of movies, videos, and music, stay with your unlimited data plans for as long as Verizon will let you do so.

All of your Smartphones, Tablets, and Cellular Data Cards are already on a Tiered Data Usage Plan: This is the much simpler case. Most people will immediately save because all voice minutes and texts are unlimited and all data usage across up to ten of your devices is combined in to one data tier. No longer will you be paying for data you do not use. Right now, many customers have a Smartphone – which has a tiered data plan, and a MiFi or JetPack (for WiFi to Cellular Data Access) for their WiFi Tablet or WiFi capable notebook computer. (Or, in some cases they have their Smartphone enabled as a HotSpot instead of using a MiFi/JetPack and are already sharing the monthly data allowance of their Smartphone – which is not considered in this example but would not significantly affect the math.) Since the new Verizon Share Everything Plan includes Smartphone HotSpot capability for free, the Smartphone can replace the MiFi, JetPack, and/or Cellular Data Card for your WiFi devices that need access to the Cellular Data Network. Instead of maintaining two separate 2GB tiered data plans at $30/month each, with the new Verizon Share Everything Plan, you could have just one 2GB plan for both devices. This does assume that one of the two devices sits idle most of the time and that the total data usage of both devices is presently under 2GB/month. Even if you select the exact same amount of data at 4GB for $60/month, at first it appears there is no benefit – until you add in the fact that now all voice minutes and texts for your Smartphone are unlimited. Even if you were a mid-level voice plan, presently at $90/month for 900 minutes, the new cost for the Monthly Line Access would drop to $40.

Here is the math for a customer with One Smartphone with 900 minutes, 1000 Text Messaging Plan and a 2GB Tiered Data Plan, along with a MiFi/JetPack also with a 2GB Tiered Data Plan:

Smartphone Voice Plan w/900 Peak Minutes at $90/month, 1000 Texts at $10/month, 2GB Data at $30/month and MiFi/JetPack with 2GB Data at $30 Month – Total of $160 exclusive of Taxes and Fees.

The same exact configuration under the new Verizon Share Everything Plan would be:

Smartphone Monthly Line Access at $40 with Unlimited Voice and Text Messaging, MiFi JetPack Monthly Line Access at $20 and a 4GB Shared Data Tier at $60 – Total of $120 AND a $40 Savings over your current plan.

You can save an additional $20/month if you use the Smartphone HotSpot capability of your Smartphone and retire the MiFi/JetPack.

IMPORTANT: The above example is based on the current voice and data plan pricing for relatively new subscribers based on information published on the Verizon Wireless web site as of June 14th, 2012. Many customers may have grandfathered Nationwide Access, Friends and Family, Family Share, or similar plans that had excellent promotional pricing that are still in effect. For example, at one time Verizon Wireless offered 250 Text Messages for $5/month. And some of the earlier versions of Family Share plans were $10 to $20 less expensive than the current offerings and had different buckets of voice minutes amounts. It is critical that you review your billing for at least the past six months to verify the usage patterns and actual number of voice minutes, text messages, and data used to make an educated decision if switching to the New Verizon Wireless Share Everything Plan makes good economic sense. This information along with additional tools to help you perform the analysis of your current Verizon Wireless usage on your account is all conveniently available at MyVerizon (Click here to access.) You can also contact Verizon Wireless via telephone at 800-922-0204 or by dialing *611 from your cell phone. Customer Service Representatives are available from 6am to 11pm Eastern Standard Time, Seven Days a Week, excluding major holidays.

What are IT Managed Services?

June 13, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

The proactive monitoring and maintaining of computers, networks, and software by either an internal or external party to make sure the technical infrastructure is operational.

Managed services, by any other name, off-load the responsibility of “up-time” to another party. For example, the Power Utilities, by strict definition are “managed services.” If there are problems with the electrical grid or an actual power outage, the Power Company is monitoring, aware, and automatically takes corrective action without end user (consumer) involvement.

Unfortunately, most IT is “Reactive”, only attending to a problem once it has reached a critical stage, impacts business productivity, or in extreme cases, a work stoppage level.

What if your computer told you its’ hard drive was about to fail? S.M.A.R.T. stands for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. It was developed by a group of the major hard disk drive manufacturers years ago to predict the future failure of a hard disk drive. Almost every current generation computer has a S.M.A.R.T. enabled hard drive – but is anyone listening?

Managed Services are a set of monitoring and management tools that allow you to listen to what the equipment is telling you.

The examples below are all Managed Services even though they are all usually referred to by their individual function. Normally, only IT Professionals and people who manage Technology refer to this group of individual processes as “Managed Services.” For the rest of us, we refer to their common functional names such as: Software Updates and Pop-Up Alerts.

Managed Services Examples – Consumer
-Windows/Mac Operating System Software Automatic Updates
-Anti-Virus/Anti-Spam Definition Updates & Alerts
-Printer “Toner/Ink Low” Alerts
-Any Software Application Automatic Update
-Any Software Update Subscription Based Service
-HP Firmware/Software Drive Alert Update Service

Managed Service Examples – Business / Enterprise
-Web Site Visible / Responding to Requests
-File Server Hardware Monitoring
(Power, Fans, Drives, Memory, Utilization)
-Application Server Monitoring – Are Services “up?”
(SQL, Exchange, Sharepoint)
-Internet Connectivity
(Web Browsing, Office to Office Connections}
-Power Monitoring for Line Quality
(Voltage Spikes/Brown-outs/Outages)
-Network Utilization
(Packet Loss – Server/Workstation Connectivity.)

Mobile Communications Technology Overview

June 12, 2012 By Jason Palmer 1 Comment

Wi-Fi® – Is a certification mark developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to indicate that wireless local area network (WLAN) products are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11 standards. Wi-Fi® has become somewhat misappropriated to refer to all wireless local area network technologies in the same way as Kleenex® is used to erroneously refer to all facial tissue or Xerox® is used to refer to the process of copying documents. Unless specifically referring to a device bearing some form of the Wi-Fi® mark, the correct generic term is “Wireless LAN” (WLAN) or “Wireless Connectivity.” For those of you that are old enough, “The Wireless” was the newfangled term for the Radio or any form of Radio Transmission Broadcast and Receiver.

In the same manner, in order to connect a wireless local area network enabled device (i.e. notebook computer with WLAN card) to a wired local area network, there needs to be a Wireless Access Point (WAP). A Wireless Access Point simply adds a wireless antenna to a wired local area network and electronically transforms the connection from wired to wireless while maintaining all other characteristics of the network configuration.

Conversely, if no wired local area network exists, a Wireless Router can connect directly to an Internet Modem (i.e. Cable Modem or xDSL Modem) and translate as well as “route” (think play traffic cop) between the single connection provided by the Internet Service Provider (i.e. Verizon xDSL, FiOS, Time Warner Cable, Cox Cable, Cablevision, Etc.) and the multiple Wireless Enabled Devices in your office or home. (i.e. Again any WLAN card enabled computer, digital video recorder like Tivo®, Blu- Ray DVD player, XBox® gaming device or Wi-Fi® enabled Cell phone.) Note: A “Wired Router” does exactly the same thing as a wireless enabled router except that it uses RJ-45 Ethernet cables to make the connections between all devices instead of relying on Wireless technology. Some Routers offer both “Wired” and “Wireless” connectivity options.

Many commercial establishments and public spaces offer free Wi-Fi® a.k.a. HotSpot Wireless LAN connectivity as a courtesy. These include transportation centers, parks, restaurants, rest stops, hotels, and shopping malls. In the past many establishments charged for WLAN access but now provide it free of charge as an incentive to visit their locations. Virtually all of these public HotSpots require the user to accept a “terms of use” agreement which in short generally states that the WLAN Service is offered as a convenience on a where-is, as-is basis with zero liability to the provider and a pledge by the user to only use the service for lawful purposes. These are what are known as “click-through” agreements that usually require one to enter their name, possibly email address, and click, “I accept.” The provider may capture the IP Address and/or Media Access Control (MAC) address of the device being used to access their network. The MAC address is like a social security number for any network enabled device – no two units should have the same one.

It is important to understand that these are PUBLIC, insecure networks that place your computer, smart- phone, or tablet computer directly on the Internet with no front door security or Firewall of any kind. For any kind of notebook or desktop computer that will be connected via a PUBLIC HotSpot (or directly connected to a cable or xDSL modem without a Router in place), it is imperative that the Firewall feature of the respective operating system be “turned on and active.” Both Windows and Apple computers include basic Firewall capabilities as part of their operating system software.

As most Tablet computers and Smart-Phones do not contain any significant amount of stored sensitive data, but are viewed primarily as “consumption only” devices, they are less of a target by hackers – people that want to illegally obtain data from these devices. This is slowly changing and Firewall applications are being developed for these platforms to protect them.

Cellular Data Cards and devices that have Embedded Cellular Data Card technology also provide “Wireless” Internet connectivity except they use a different technology based on predominantly CDMA EV-DO (Code Division Multiple Access – Evolution Data Optimized) or EDGE-GSM (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications) which are generally referred to as “3G” (Third Generation) technologies or LTE (Long Term Evolution) and HSPA+ (Evolved High-Speed Packet Access) which are generally referred to as “4G.” (4th Generation). These devices connect directly to the major US Cellular Carrier data networks as available from Verizon Wireless, Sprint, AT&T, TMobile, MetroPCS, and Virgin Mobile. In terms of functionality, they are exactly like a cell phone that carries voice communications, except they carry packets of data instead – with all of the same benefits and pitfalls. A strong signal, i.e. more “bars” will provide better throughput of data. No “bars” means no signal, and therefore, no cellular data service. These devices usually provide access for the one specific device to which they are attached or embedded. In some cases, a computer which has an attached Cellular Data Card can be transformed in to a Wireless Cellular Data Router so that other Wireless LAN (WLAN) enabled devices can “share” the Cellular Data Internet Connection provided by the host device.

A MiFi® refers specifically to a line of wireless routers manufactured by Novatel Wireless, rebranded by the major Cellular Carriers (Verizon Wireless, Sprint, AT&T) that contain embedded cellular data card technology and allow for multiple, usually up to five maximum, WiFi® (Wireless LAN enabled) devices to connect to the Internet. The more generic term is “Cellular Data HotSpot.” Similar cellular enabled wireless routers have started to appear from other manufacturers. These devices can be 3G or 4G and speeds vary with the specific cellular data coverage available in a given area by the Cellular Carrier.

Smart-Phones have embedded cellular data card technology separate and apart from their ability to be used as regular cellular phones. In most cases, the data plan to enable Internet access for the Smart- Phone is an additional charge above and beyond the voice minutes plan. Some Smart-Phones have the capability to act as a “Cellular Data Hotspot” in a manner exactly as described above with the same five Wireless LAN (WLAN) enabled device connection limit. The other significant limitation is that the Carrier does NOT provide any additional data allowance for the additional fee. Any WLAN devices just deplete the monthly data allowance more quickly.

References for more information:
Wi-Fi® Standard – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi® Alliance – http://www.wi-fi.org
MiFi® Standard – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mifi
Novatel MiFi® – http://www.nvtl.com/
Cellular Data Standards: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_wireless_data_standards

Cellular Data Card Carrier Sites:
Verizon Wireless – http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/explore/?page=mobile-hotspots
Sprint – http://ria.sprint.com/ria/pages/index.jsp?ms=4G&INTNA V=A TG:HE:4G#!/devices/mifi
AT&T – http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/specials/netbooks.jsp
Virgin Mobile – http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband/mifi-2200.html

VMWare vCenter Converter StandAlone 5.0 Slow Transfer Rate

June 11, 2012 By Jason Palmer 8 Comments

VMWare by default enables SSL encryption during the Physical to Virtual (P2V) and Virtual to Virtual (V2V) conversion process. This has the effect of bringing the transfer rate to a crawl of as low as 200kbs instead of the expected 40mbs or better.

The problem is a VMware proprietary protocol called NFC that is used to create the source image and encrypt the data during the transfer process.

The SSL feature of the NFC VMware proprietary protocol can be disabled in a file called:

converter-worker.xml

located in one of the following places depending on the Operating System:

Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 2008
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone

Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2000
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone

Find this section of code and change the highlighted TRUE to FALSE.

—–

Should be:
<useSsl>false</useSsl>

It is CRITICAL that the “VMware vCenter Converter Standalone Worker” Service be restarted. DO NOT FORGET THIS STEP!

Office Applications in the Cloud – Google Apps for Business and Office365

June 10, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Traditional software applications like Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Quickbooks, and Contact Management, like ACT! are installed locally on the Computer. One downloads an installation program or inserts a CD/DVD to load the software application to the computers’ hard drive.

Slimmed down versions are available via “The Cloud” in a format called “Software as a Service” or SaaS for short. Examples of Word Processing, Spread Sheet, Presentation, and Email applications, entirely web based would be Microsoft Office365, Microsoft Live and Google Docs. SalesForce and SugarCRM are examples of full featured Contact Management and Sales Cycle software that are entirely web based. Quckbooks and TurboTax have complete Online Versions as well.

There are definite advantages to both types of offerings depending on the circumstances. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications are usually completely inaccessible if there is no Internet Access. For the true “Mobile Warrior” traditional, locally installed applications may still be the way to go as they guarantee access to applications and data at all times. Many SaaS offerings have or will have shortly, applications which can be installed locally that will provide the ability to access data when not connected to the Internet.

If one has a number of desk based employees coupled with a number of incidental technology use employees such as shop floor personnel, call center staff, and anyone else who should have Corporate Email and perhaps some Word Processing capability to stay connected, but the cost of a dedicated computer is prohibitive, then Software as a Service may be the optimal solution. If the average Office Application Suite costs approximately $300 (Microsoft Office Standard Edition) per seat, then it starts to make economic sense to look at a Software as a Service Online Application Suite in either the Free or Nominal Monthly Subscription cost basis.

A number of factors affect the pricing but many Small Businesses can get by with the Free Editions of the Suites (Google Docs and Microsoft Live) and for those that need more features prices start as low as $4 for Email or $6 or $8/month for a Basic Suite and go up to $22/Month for a Microsoft Premium Suite which include a fully licensed copy of Microsoft Professional 2010 and Voice Integration with the Microsoft Communications Server. All Microsoft plans include access to a custom RIM Hosted version of the Blackberry Enterprise Server for seamless Blackberry Connectivity and full Active-Sync support for Android and Apple IOS (iPhone/iPad/iTouch) devices.

Google Docs (Apps) are free for individuals and small teams while Google Apps for Business start at $5/month ($50/year) for the Full Featured Suite (Gmail, Docs, Calendar) or $10/month which includes the addition of email archiving, retention policies, and E-discovery which can be beneficial to companies that must follow compliance policies.

The key philosophical difference between Google Apps and Microsoft Office is that Microsoft wants their offering to be an extension of the Microsoft Office Servers and Applications already installed in your corporate environment. Google Apps just wants to make you instantly more productive with zero capital infrastructure cost outlay.

Cloud Office Application Suites

Microsoft Live – http://www.live.com – (Consumer Oriented)
Microsoft Office365 – http://www.office365.com

Google Docs – http://docs.google.com – (Consumer Oriented)
Google Apps for Business – http://www.google.com/apps/business

Cloud Accounting Applications

Quickbooks Online – http://quickbooks.intuit.com
TurboTax Online – http://turbotax.intuit.com

Cloud CRM – Customer Relationship Management

SalesForce – http://www.salesforce.com
SugarCRM – http://www.sugarcrm.com

Bitnami Web Hosting and Amazon Web Services for Free

June 9, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Bitnami Cloud Hosting is offering a free developer account which will allow you to manage and host one free Amazon EC2 micro server instance for a full year at no charge. Included are the free usage tiers for Amazon S3, Amazon Elastic Block Store, Amazon Elastic Load Balancing, and Amazon Web Services data transfer.

Translation: The Bitnami Cloud Hosting Management Portal coupled with Amazon EC2 Services enables fast and easy one click creation over 20 ready-to-run applications which include the most popular content management systems like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal; customer relationship management systems including SugarCRM and the wiki environments DokuWiki and MediaWiki. For a list of presently supported Apps available for deployment through the Bitnami Cloud Management Portal, click here.

Need to run more than one Application? No problem. Bitnami Cloud Hosting makes it easy to install multiple applications on the same Amazon EC2 Server instance.

Some major advantages of using the Bitnami Cloud Hosting Management Portall to manage Amazon EC2 are the Automated Backups as well as the One-Click Server Restore capabilities. Backup scheduling can be set to weekly, daily, or even hourly and it uses an incremental model to save on storage costs. Only changed data is added at each scheduled backup. Restoring a corrupted or damaged server to the time of the last backup takes only minutes.

Although not an issue during use of the first year free period, Bitnami supports Server Scheduling to shut down and start up the Server instances that may not be in use after business hours thereby saving money by only running applications when needed. Bitnami and Amazon hope that the free first year trial users will upgrade to higher level paid accounts and to that end, Bitnami offers an excellent tool for estimating Cloud computing costs on Amazon both on a per hour and per month basis.

Bitnami supports the ability to make “Templates” of specific configurations and customizations of Servers. This enables a quick spin-up of a copy of an existing server for new projects without having to start from scratch each time.

Bitnami Cloud Hosting is independent of the Amazon Web Services account so if the Bitnami Managment Control Panel service is canceled, all existing Amazon Servers and Backups remain.

To learn more about Bitnami Cloud Hosting Services, click here.

To learn how to sign up for an Amazon Web Services Account to work with Bitnami Cloud Hosting, click here.

Flame Virus: How to check if infected.

June 8, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

The main module of Flame is a DLL file called mssecmgr.ocx.

There are two known versions to this module: a large 6mb version, which includes the full virus package, and a small 900kb version containing only the core module – which once installed will connect to the source command and control server to download and install the remaining components.

Note: The Mssecmgr could have other names and moving forward may be best discovered with signature files that look at the content of the infected files instead of the file name.

Step 1

Search for the file ~DEB93D.tmp.

The presence of this file is positive confirmation that the system is infected by Flame.

Step 2

Check the registry key using: RegEdit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa

Key Name: Authentication Packages

If the DATA contains the files:

mssecmgr.ocx or authpack.ocx

The system is infected with the Flame virus.

Step 3

Browse to: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared

The system is infected with the Flame Virus if any of the following Directories are present:

MSSecurityMgr

MSAudio

MSAuthCtrl

MSAPackages

MSSndMix

Step 4

The system is most likely infected with the Flame virus if any of the following files are present. Search each one by one.

mssecmgr.ocx
advnetcfg.ocx
msglu32.ocx
nteps32.ocx
soapr32.ocx
ccalc32.sys
boot32drv.sys
~DEB93D.tmp
~8C5FF6C.tmp
~DF05AC8.tmp
~DFD85D3.tmp
~DFL*.tmp
~dra*.tmp
~fghz.tmp
~HLV*.tmp
~KWI988.tmp
~KWI989.tmp
~rei524.tmp
~rei525.tmp
~rf288.tmp
~rft374.tmp
~TFL848.tmp
~TFL849.tmp
~mso2a0.tmp
~mso2a1.tmp
~mso2a2.tmp
sstab*.dat
dstrlog.dat
lmcache.dat
mscrypt.dat
wpgfilter.dat
ntcache.dat
rccache.dat
audfilter.dat
ssitable
audache
secindex.dat
wavesup3.drv
svchost1ex.mof
Svchostevt.mof
frog.bat
netcfgi.ocx
authpack.ocx
~a29.tmp
rdcvlt32.exe
to961.tmp
authcfg.dat
Wpab32.bat
ctrllist.dat
winrt32.ocx
winrt32.dll
scsec32.exe
grb9m2.bat
winconf32.ocx
watchxb.sys
sdclt32.exe
scaud32.exe
pcldrvx.ocx
mssvc32.ocx
mssui.drv
modevga.com
indsvc32.ocx
comspol32.ocx
comspol32.dll
browse32.ocx

The Modules

A dissection of the Flame Virus shows that each component has a purpose. Identified modules and their functions are listed below. The names were extracted from the binary and the 146 resource.

BeetlejuiceBluetooth: enumerates devices around the infected machine.
May turn itself into a “beacon”: announces the computer as a discoverable device and encode the status of the malware in device information using base64.

Microbe

Records audio from existing hardware sources. Lists all multimedia devices, stores complete device configuration, tries to select suitable recording device.

Infectmedia

Selects one of the methods for infecting media, i.e. USB disks. Available methods: Autorun_infector, Euphoria.

Autorun_infector

Creates “autorun.inf” that contains the malware and starts with a custom “open” command. The same method was used by Stuxnet before it employed the LNK exploit.

Euphoria

Create a “junction point” directory with “desktop.ini” and “target.lnk” from LINK1 and LINK2 entries of resource 146 (were not present in the resource file). The directory acts as a shortcut for launching Flame.

Limbo

Creates backdoor accounts with login “HelpAssistant” on the machines within the network domain if appropriate rights are available.

Frog

Infect machines using pre-defined user accounts. The only user account specified in the configuration resource is “HelpAssistant” that is created by the “Limbo” attack.

Munch

HTTP server that responds to “/view.php” and “/wpad.dat” requests.

Snack

Listens on network interfaces, receives and saves NBNS packets in a log file. Has an option to start only when “Munch” is started. Collected data is then used for replicating by network.

Boot_dll_loader

Configuration section that contains the list of all additional modules that should be loaded and started.

Weasel

Creates a directory listing of the infected computer.

Boost

Creates a list of “interesting” files using several filename masks.

Telemetry

Logging facilities

Gator

When an Internet connection becomes available, it connects to the C&C servers, downloads new modules, and uploads collected data.

Security

Identifies programs that may be hazardous to Flame, i.e., anti-virus programs and firewalls.

Bunny, Dbquery, Driller, Headache and Gadget

Unknown function.

For a more comprehensive discussion of the Flame Virus direct from the Kaspersky Lab Expert, Aleks, please review:

The Flame: Questions and Answers

For more information on the modules themselves, please review:

Flame: Bunny, Frog, Munch and BeetleJuice…

HP Color LaserJet M451 Series – Phantom Paper Jam – Error Code 13

June 7, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

There is a firmware update for the HP Color Laserjet M451 Series Printer, (M451d, M451dn, M451dw) that corrects the Phantom Paper Jam, whereby the display shows “Error 13”, yet there is no actual paper jam in the printer itself. The Printer Web Page Event Log will show “Error 13.0000 Paper Jam”.

Download the Firmware directly from HP here or from HP.com – Support and Drivers – Enter “M451” as the Search Term – for Firmware and Drivers along with other support files.

The currently installed Firmware version can be found on the “System Configuration” page of the Web Management Console or by printing a “System Configuration Page” via the REPORTS menu from the Printer Control Panel. To view the Printer Web Configuration Pages (Console) via a Web Browser, locate the IP address of the printer and enter in to a Web Browser. The IP Address of the printer is usually shown on the LED Display of the Printer itself alternating with other activity and status information.

Below is a full list of issues addressed in this firmware update, release on February 1st, 2012. Datecode: 20120123

HP LaserJet Pro 300/400 color M351/M451 Series Firmware Enhancements and Fix List

New Features and Enhancements
a. Active Device Serviceability-Diagnostics
b. Wireless Setup of Wireless
c. Active Firmware Updates
Improved Auto On Auto Off (AOAO) functionality
Fixes issues changing settings on Economode
Fixes copy issues and jam recovery issues
Fixes issues when cancelling copies and printing pages.
Fixes issues when printing PDF files
Corrected the Mobile Supplies Status URL
Improves handling settings on EcoSmart console
Corrected a USB thumb drive recognition issue
Improves handheld wireless device connections to the printer
Corrects misalignment issues when adjusting the printer
Fixed EWS language settings
Fixed some service errors when enabling Wireless Direct
Improved network/EWS settings
Improves functionality for AirPrint devices.
Improved the ePrint experience
Fix a printer hang when doing a cleaning page in duplex
Fixed a discovery issue in Windows Vista when only IPV4 is enabled
Corrected media option types-added Opaque Film

Connect Microsoft Online Services Module for Windows PowerShell to Office365

June 7, 2012 By Jason Palmer Leave a Comment

Many of the features we take for granted in a traditional or hosted Microsoft Exchange / Outlook environment which can be easily managed in the Exchange Management Console or Outlook itself, require the use of the Microsoft Online Services Module for Windows PowerShell to accomplish in Office365. These features include, but are not limited to, Delegation and Mailbox Permissions as well as many AD (Active Directory) management features.

The Windows PowerShell for Windows Server 2008 SP1/SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows 7 and Windows XP SP3 is available at the Windows PowerShell Web site http://www.microsoft.com/powershell

The Microsoft Online Services Module for Windows PowerShell for Office365 is available here:

http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/Office365-enterprises/ff652560.aspx

Once both the Windows PowerShell and Microsoft Online Services Module Powershell for Office365 are installed, use the following commands to connect your local PowerShell session and create your Microsoft Online Office365 Administration session:

Copy and Paste each of the following commands, in sequence, in to the PowerShell command line window.

Tip: Copy and paste long strings in to Notepad and turn Word Wrap OFF, then copy and past in to PowerShell.

Click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > Windows PowerShell > Windows PowerShell
Optional, if script security errors, then use this command once per session:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
Login to Office365 Administrative Account through the PowerShell

$LiveCred = Get-Credential
When prompted enter the credentials of an administrator account:

This should be your fully qualified user name such as:

user@your-domain.onmicrosoft.com

Create the Session:

$Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://ps.outlook.com/powershell/ -Credential $LiveCred -Authentication Basic –AllowRedirection
Import-PSSession $Session

To get a list of commands: Get-Command -Module tmp*

Reference to Available PowerShell Cmdlets in Exchange Online

http://help.outlook.com/en-us/140/dd575549.aspx

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