Novell to ship next Suse with Xen

Novell to ship next Suse with Xen

The next version of Novell's SuSE Linux product, shipping in mid-April, will let users run multiple versions of the operating system simultaneously, the company said on Thursday.

The support for multiple instances of the operating system in SuSE Linux Professional 9.3 comes through software called Xen, an open-source package that competes with products from Microsoft and EMC's VMware and has won big-name endorsements. Novell is adding the technology, which is useful for a number of tasks, to give programmers new abilities, said Greg Mancusi-Ungaro, director of marketing for SuSE Linux.

Read the FULL ARTICLE at ZDnet Australia

Linux Server Break-in Challenge

Linux Server Break-in Challenge

Are you an Internet security expert at heart or by profession? Ever thought of trying your skill at a professionally set up server? If you are ready, enter.

The Linux Server Break-in challenge. You will have a server available on the Internet 96 hours without interruption starting from 9 March 2005 2 AM IST. However, the server's life on the Net is in your hands.
This server won't be protected by firewall. There won't be any fake demons or honeypots as well. It will be running all the services normally found in a regular Linux distribution and more.

For the rest of this article, click Here!

When Did You Say You Got Your MCSE?

When Did You Say You Got Your MCSE?

Hiring managers may soon be asking IT candidates a new question: When did you take your Microsoft certification exams?

Microsoft Learning is adding hands-on simulation questions to most of its core exams for the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) tracks. The process starts with exams 70-290, Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment, and 70-291, Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, later this month.

For the rest of the story, click Here!

Make your Windows desktop apps open source

Make your Windows desktop apps open source

Even if you have good reasons for sticking with Windows, you can still keep your desktop applications open source. OpenOffice.org, the GIMP, Gaim, and Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird are all pretty obvious choices when it comes to software most of us use on a daily basis. There are, however, quite a few other useful applications that can help you to deal with the daily grind.

For the rest if this informative article from NewsForge, click Here!

Virtualization eases bank's updates, reduces downtime

Virtualization eases bank's updates, reduces downtime

It could take an army of system administrators to constantly update and upgrade the IT systems that support Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and its many branches and offices throughout the western U.S. But even an IT army couldn't do those things without disrupting the performance of the bank's 300 employees, thousands of customers, 225 servers and $60 billion in revenue exchanges.

Rather than put his IT army of about 100 people to work fighting fires caused by system changes, Mike Bedford, the bank's senior systems architect, sought and found a virtualization technology to do it for them. He then discovered that virtualization helped reduce manpower demands and costs in many other ways. In this two-part interview, he describes the switch to virtualization and its results.

This story will help explain the uses and scope of virtualization software such as VMware in the enterprise....

Virtual Iron, VMware Virtually Duke it Out

VMware has been the undisputed leader in the x86 virtualization space, teaming up with large systems vendors to find placement among the loads of Intel servers that companies like Dell, IBM and HP have been selling.

But one new start-up looking to advance the notion of using software to consolidate infrastructure in data centers has arrived this week, promising to do virtualization on a much broader level, starting with Intel machines running Linux.

Read the full story: Here

New Windows Scripting Cert

New Windows Scripting Cert

Don Jones, Windows consultant and developer who created and maintains the Windows scripting site ScriptingAnswers.com, plans to introduce a new certification program that Windows systems administrators can use to offer tangible proof of their automation and scripting expertise.

Two credentials, Certified Administrative Script Specialist (CASS) and Certified Administrative Script Development (CASD), are expected to debut some time in March.

Full Story: certcities.com

Carlys Gone, HPQ up 10%!

Carlys gone, HPQ up 10%!

Thats right, Carly Fiorina has stepped down as CEO and Chairwoman of HP today after a dispute with the board!
HP has been in somewhat of a downward spin since 2002 when Carly pushed through the compaq merger, and has been the reason behind thousands of lay offs and the shutting down of some of HPs best divisions
The industry in general seems pleased with the move, with HPQ jumping 10% at points earlier, an increase in value of over 7 billion dollars (wonder how she feels knowing she had a -$7bn impact on the company)
(reports have been coming in of HP staff celebrating in thier labs/cube farms most of the day)

Full story: here

Microsoft Announces Simulation Questions

Microsoft Announces Simulation Questions

The Microsoft Learning Group announced what it calls a "dramatic change in the testing protocol," with the incorporation of newly developed performance-based question types to its exams. The new question types will begin to appear in exams in late March.

The Learning Group previewed performance-based questions, also called "simulations," to Microsoft Certified Trainers and Certified Partners for Learning Solutions members at a special non-disclosure session at Microsoft's World Wide Sales partner conference in Toronto last summer.

Full Story: certcities.com

Warning over Microsoft Word files

Warning over Microsoft Word files

Writing a Microsoft Word document can be a dangerous business, according to document security firm Workshare.

Up to 75% of all business documents contained sensitive information most firms would not want exposed, a survey by the firm revealed.

To make matters worse 90% of those companies questioned had no idea that confidential information was leaking.

The report warns firms to do a better job of policing documents as corporate compliance becomes more binding. [FULL STORY]

Source: BBC News