Centrify Express 2011 – A FREE Active Directory Integration Solution
May 8, 2011 at 14:00 | Posted in Cloud, Free Stuff, News, Software | 1 CommentTags: Cloud, Free Stuff, News, Software
Earlier this month Centrify released Centrify Express 2011, a significant update to its free suite of Active Directory based integration solutions for authentication, single sign-on, remote access, file-sharing, monitoring and cloud security for cross-platform systems. The suite comprises of the following 5 modules:
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DirectControl Express for Active Directory based authentication and single sign-on
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DirectManage Express for centrally discovering and managing non-Windows systems, deploying Centrify software, and administering local Linux accounts
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Centrify-enabled versions of OpenSSH, PuTTY and Samba for optimized remote access and file sharing leveraging Active Directory
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Centrify Insight is a Splunk application that delivers integration of identity and access management (IAM) with security information and event management (SIEM) as well as operational intelligence regarding cross-platform systems
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Centrify Cloud Tools for securing Linux systems deployed in the cloud; letting organizations dynamically apply Active Directory based authentication and access control to Linux systems running within cloud hosting providers such as Amazon EC2 and the RightScale Cloud Management Platform.
Click here for more information and to download Centrify Express 2011.
VMUG (VMware User Group) Advantage
April 30, 2011 at 21:00 | Posted in News, Virtualization | 2 CommentsTags: News, Virtualization
I just came across a truly great offer from VMUG (the independent, global, customer-led organization, created in August 2010 to maximize members’ use of VMware and partner solutions through knowledge sharing, training, collaboration, and events).
For anyone who hasn’t isn’t a VMUG member, membership to VMUG is free of charge (you can sign-up here). However recently VMUG introduced it’s ‘Advantage’ programme; this is a paid-for addition to your membership which gives you an opportunity to enhance your VMware experience and knowledge through specific offers for training, VMworld and product licenses for VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion.
The full benefits are listed here (and include a 20% discount on instructor led training; 30% discount on VMware Fusion ad VMware Workstation; and… 1 Years FREE subscription to all VMware eLearning Courses (worth $750)!
If that wasn’t enough, as a incentive, until May 21st, 2011 the membership prices have been discounted:
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Individual package: $170
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Corporate package with 2 users: $165 per user
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Corporate package with 3+ users: $160 per user
Standard VMUG Advantage Pricing (after May 21st) will be:
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Individual package: $200
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Corporate package with 2 users: $180 per user
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Corporate package with 3 – 5 users: $170 per user
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Corporate package with 6+: $160 per user
You can subscribe here.
Summary of the Amazon EC2 and Amazon RDS Service Disruption
April 29, 2011 at 20:30 | Posted in Cloud, News | Leave a commentTags: Cloud, News
Some of you may be aware that late last week the Amazon EC2 service over in the US suffered a prolonged (and unplanned) outage affecting a number of its customers.
Whilst the service has since returned to normal, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has posted a summary on what happened, the cause of this, and importantly what is being dome to prevent it from happening again.
Amazon Cloud Drive Has Arrived
April 29, 2011 at 20:30 | Posted in Cloud, News | Leave a commentTags: Cloud, News
During late March, Amazon released Cloud Drive – its version of DropBox; MobileMe; SkyDrive; etc.
Cloud Drive offers better value for money in comparison to some providers – you get 5GB of storage free of charge, with 20Gb costing only $20 per-year, and 100Gb being only $100 per-year (Dropbox gives you 2GB free storage and MobileMe charges $99 per-year for 20GB); also, Cloud Drive storage capacity goes up to 1TB(!)
As a bonus, if you buy an album from the Amazon.com MP3 Store, your storage is increased to 20GB at no extra cost (provided you are a US customer), in addition Amazon MP3s don’t count against your storage quota, the only downside at the moment (for us over in the UK) is that at present Cloud Drive is primarily a US service, so whilst you can sign-up for an Amazon.com account and use Cloud Drive for general cloud based storage, the Amazon.com (US) MP3 store may not work for you.
In terms of using the service, whilst the web interface for Cloud Drive is pretty straightforward it is somewhat limited in features; however if you use a third-party client (such as Gladient) you can leverage the storage in many more ways (e.g. Windows desktop integration/mapped drives thereby making it accessible to other applications – MS Office, etc.).
FREE VMware ESXi eLearning Course
April 29, 2011 at 19:30 | Posted in Free Stuff, Virtualization | Leave a commentTags: Free Stuff, Virtualization
VMware Education Services have released a FREE self-paced training course covering the requirements and effects of transitioning your VMware vSphere environment to VMware ESXi 4.1. It covers the following modules:
Module 1: Transition to ESXi Overview
Module 2: Compare and Contrast VMware ESXi and VMware ESX
Module 3: Install and Configure VMware ESXi
Module 4: Script Interfaces and Command Line Tools
Module 5: Performing Management Tasks
At the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Identify ESXi installation and configuration procedures
- Leverage scripting interfaces to manage ESXi
- Identify risks when migrating to ESXi
Who Should Attend? System administrators, systems engineers, technical support engineers, and consultants responsible for managing and supporting a vSphere installation.
In addition tho this, for a limited period, by completing a short on-line survey at the end of the course you can claim a voucher for a free eBook copy of “VMware ESXi: Planning, Implementation, and Security” authored by Dave Mishchenko
VMware vSphere Client for iPad
April 29, 2011 at 19:00 | Posted in News, Virtualization | Leave a commentTags: News, Virtualization
During March VMware finally released (free of charge via iTunes) its long awaited VMware vSphere Client for iPad; a companion interface to the traditional vSphere client, optimized for viewing and managing your vSphere environment on the go. With this you can monitor the performance of vSphere hosts and virtual machines via your iPad.
Features include:
- Search for vSphere hosts and virtual machines in your vSphere environment
- Monitor the performance of vSphere hosts and virtual machines
- Manage virtual machines with the ability to start, stop and suspend
- View and restore your virtual machine snapshots
- Reboot vSphere hosts or put them into maintenance mode
- Diagnose vSphere hosts and virtual machines using built-in ping and traceroute tools
Whilst this is great free application, before you all get too excited and go download it to manage your VMware environment, you need to have several prerequisites in place for the client to work:
- vCenter Mobile Access (vCMA) virtual appliance available from the VMware Labs
- Network connection to the vCMA virtual appliance; can use built-in VPN client
- VMware vSphere and VMware vCenter Server 4.x or higher
FREE SolarWinds Orion Application Performance Monitor (APM) License – $995 Value
April 29, 2011 at 18:30 | Posted in Free Stuff, Networking, Software | Leave a commentTags: Free Stuff, Networking, Software
Orion Application Performance Monitor (APM) delivers enterprise-class, agentless, application performance monitoring for your applications and servers.
SolarWinds is making a FREE 25 user licence available via this special offer (the free license is eligible for Maintenance and Support renewal beyond its initial period).
Mobile Wi-Fi Hot-Spot
April 29, 2011 at 18:30 | Posted in Hardware, Networking, News | Leave a commentTags: Hardware, Networking, News
You’ve probably seen/used a 3G ‘Dongle’ to access the Internet from your laptop when you’re away from the office. However if you have other WiFi enabled devices (e.g. Wi-Fi only iPad/Kindle/etc.) or if there are other colleagues at the same place (e.g. presenting at an exhibition who may need Internet access) and there is no Wi-Fi hot-spot available, you can get yourself a Mi-Fi router. This is basically a pocket sized 3G Modem with an integrated Wi-Fi Router; providing a mobile Wi-Fi host spot.
The Zoom 4520 We3G is powered by built-in rechargeable battery (it charges via a Micro-USB port) providing up to 4 hours of Wi-Fi use for up to 5 devices; it also supports 32Gb of storage via an on-bard Micro-SD card.
Other than the 4520 We3G all you need is a 3G enabled SIM from your chosen cellular provider.
The 4520 We3G is available for £110 from here.
Edimax EW-7612UAn USB WiFi Adapter
April 29, 2011 at 17:19 | Posted in Hardware, Networking, News | Leave a commentTags: Hardware, Networking, News
Got a desktop you want to conect to a WiFi AP or a laptop that dosen’t get good WiFi reception; if the answer is yes, then take a look at the Edimax EW-7612UAn USB WiFi Adapter.
- Extends wireless coverage for 4 times
- Complies with wireless 802.11b/g/n standards with data rate up to 300Mbps
- Supports 64/128-bit WEP, WPA , WPA2, WPS and IEEE802.1x encryption for wireless security
- Supports WMM
Available for £20.00 from here.
Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! Pro – External USB Sound Card
April 29, 2011 at 17:00 | Posted in Hardware | 1 CommentTags: Hardware
If you have a desktop or laptop PC that doesn’t have an on-board Sound Card (or has one that just isn’t up-to-the-job); this could be the solution for you… a USB Sound ‘Card’ from Creative Labs.
Whilst the X-Fi Go! Pro won’t give you 5.1 Surround Sound, it does provide superior audio quality compared to many of the ‘economy’ on-board Audio Cards found in desktops and laptops – and it can be easily used on different PCs.
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