Under The Minutia - UNE-P is Gone [ 5/23/2005 ] Carrier competition has only been able to postpone what has become the inevitable:  RBOCs  are no longer obliged to supply UNE-P (pronounced "You Knee Pee") to their competitors.  As a result, your local service may be transferring back to the ILEC as of March 1, 2006.  There will be no more appeals and that decision represents some big changes to the local carrier landscape.  The question is: Does this affect me?  The answer is YES! Under The Minutia - I've Been Hijacked !! [ 4/21/2005 ] Although, I, personally, have not been hijacked, my company's domain name has. As a result of what these unscrupulous individuals have done, our SurfControl email filter is now stopping over 2,000 returned emails per hour, each day that are being directed to my inbox, which I would normally have to act upon. How did this happen? What could we have done to prevent it? This month's article focuses on the answers to these questions. What Happened?   Under The Minutia - Directory Listing [ 3/21/2005 ] The other day, I tried to reach a prospective client, a local hotel. Unfortunately, I did not have this person's phone number on me at the time, so I tried my old reliable friends at Directory Assistance. To my surprise the phone number I had been given was disconnected! "What is this?" I thought as I began silently cursing the Directory Assistance operator who had helped me. Why can't they find someone who knows what he is doing? Much to my chagrin, I later found that it was not the operator but the system in general that is at fault that I had been given the incorrect phone number.   Planning to move your telephone number? [ 1/3/2005 ] Just before the Christmas holiday, two different companies moved within a mile of their existing offices. Coincidentally, both of these organizations also decided to move to a new local service carrier while keeping their same telephone numbers. Each of the carriers said that their new customer's desire would not be a problem and they would put the "wheels in motion" to ensure that the transfer of the numbers could be done in the short amount of time given. Sounds like everything would work out well, right? Think again!

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to increase productivity [ 11/3/2004 ] Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification system that uses low powered radio transmitters to read data stored in a transponder (tag). The data transmitted by the tag may provide identification or location information, or specifics about the product tagged such as color, price, date of purchase, etc.

Network Security - Am I Safe? [ 10/5/2004 ] Virus, Worm, Intrusion - Do these words strike fear in you? How about Blaster, Code Red, Slammer? If the answer was "no" to either of these questions - you of all people must read on; unless someone printed this article for you because you do not use a computer. As for the rest of us, we have either been adversely affected by some or all of these trespassers or at least know someone who has. The focus of this week's article is network security or protecting company networks and personal computers from damage or theft.

Digital satellite radio is attracting plenty of listeners [ 9/13/2004 ] Digital satellite radio is attracting plenty of listeners who are tired of the same old playlists, poor reception, and seemingly endless advertising being heard on traditional FM and AM stations, and who don't mind paying a nominal fee for the service. This edition of Under the Minutia focuses on comparing the two digital satellite radio providers, Sirius and XM, with analog radio.

IT Collaboration Among Government Locals [ 9/5/2004 ] Where can a member of the Michigan Association of Government Computer Users (MAGCU) go to visit with so many IT professionals that it would otherwise take them months to meet with them and vendors individually?

GigE to the Desktop: Should We Invest [ 8/2/2004 ] Business computer usage has evolved over the years. In addition to concurrently using word processing and spreadsheet software applications, employees now also require Internet uploads/downloads and a variety of other customized computer applications. This makes "multi-tasking" today's buzz word and the reason why IT managers are considering upgrading/transitioning to Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) as a means of increasing workforce productivity. This edition of Under the Minutia focuses on issues to consider in determining whether to upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet and the other aspects of the business' network that will be affected by such a move.

VoIP via the Corporate Intranet [ 6/28/2004 ] In the previous edition of this column, we explained what VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) is and identified the three general types of VoIP as: Internet, Internet Telephone Service Provider, and the Corporate Intranet. Today, we will focus on VoIP via the Corporate Intranet, a proven and reliable technology. My counterparts and I have been recommending this voice technology for our clients over the traditional legacy telephone systems for the last two years. This edition of Under the Minutia will discuss the benefits of VoIP, approaching VoIP in stages, pre-planning steps for VoIP, and IP Telephony.

Under The Minutia - VOIP What is it really? [ 6/14/2004 ] The voice technology acronym VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) encompasses so many different meanings. Before I can answer a question regarding VoIP, I need to first clarify what type of VoIP the person is referring to in the question. The focus of this article is to explain what is VoIP, types of VoIP services, and some provoking thoughts regarding this type of technology.

ILEC VS. CLEC - PROS AND CONS [ 5/24/2004 ] There are few monopolies left in the United States whether your need is for voice or data, private or switched, Internet, wireless or landline service. It is our right to choose, but our burden to know how to choose. Under the Minutia is going to provide you with the basic tools to decide which carrier is right for you and your organization.

Telephony Service - Using Your Common Cents [ 5/17/2004 ] As a technology consultant, I am often asked "Who offers the best plan?" When it comes to landline or wireless services, we can choose among numerous carriers, each who have numerous plans, within which we have numerous options. It is enough to make your head spin, so stop asking me!! I do not know who the best is for you.

How Did We Get Here from Ma Bell? [ 5/10/2004 ] This is the first of a 3-part article that will pinnacle to discussing the debate "ILEC vs. CLEC - Pros and Cons". Why? Because I have so much information that I want to impart on our readers that I felt the same as Quentin Tarantino did with the Kill Bill series. It all needs to be told and just because I can, I am giving you everything.

Forensic Analysis in a Digital World: The strategy, process and tools for reconstructing past events.
Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems, Intrusion Prevention Systems, Routers, Proxy Servers, Content Filtering, Network Management, Event Correlation. By now, most organizations have developed some type of strategy and policy statement, and deployed some or all of the abovementioned systems under the general heading we call "security". This is not another article preaching the importance of security policies and solutions. The article is intended to provide insight into the next wave of challenges facing the IT community.