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Interesting Developments in ‘2Mb for All’ Plans

2Mb-for-all broadband in three years’ time this sounds like a tall claim coming from communications minister Stephen Carter, who wants to make this a technological feat and rouse Britain’s economy through this initiative.

Satellite and mobile broadband can be introduced to extend the broadband network to places where fixed-line broadband hasn’t reached yet. However, BT has now suggested that 2Mb speed can be attained by speeding up its existing network through simple modifications that range from modest enhancements in home wiring and putting in second lines, to using the new ADSL2+ technology that has the potential for high speed and better coverage.

85 percent of the British population can enjoy the benefits of high-speed broadband through fixed-line connections, says an Ofcom report. Though the percentage may sound impressive, it leaves more than 1 million homes in the UK with disappointingly slow connections. To overcome this speed gap, Kip Meek of the communications ministry is ready to talk with the UK’s mobile broadband providers about expansion of mobile broadband to locations that are still deprived of fixed-line broadband, granting them portions of the broadcast spectrum in return. If mobile broadband interests you, click on pay and go mobile broadband.

However, BT now says that it expects to satisfy 93 percent of the population with its new measures while the remaining 7 percent of UK homes can take recourse to satellite broadband. BT believes mobile broadband cannot address the issue of greater and better network coverage on a long-term basis. It seems the company is troubled by the prospect of mobile broadband taking over fixed line broadband in the near future, as the government had to side with mobile network operators to finally make BT take note of the situation in the interests of the public, and work on measures to expand the reach of its high-speed service.

100 Million Views for iPlayer on Virgin; HD Service to be Made Available

Rahul Chakkara, BBC controller of TV platforms, says that the BBCi Player is very popular with the viewers and the recent enhancement of the service, enabling it to provide high definition content, will further boost its popularity.

Virgin Media’s latest offer in which it has formed an alliance with the BBC to allow its bundle package costumers access to iPlayer HD content while other users continue to be irritated over the low resolution of the service, seems to be a win-win proposition.

There are two Virgin Media deals, which currently offer bundled broadband, phone, and TV package. One is the Virgin Size L Broadband + TV (L) + Phone for which Virgin Media is crediting £20 to all new online subscribers till May 31st. The second one is the XXL package, which consists of a super fast 50 MB broadband connection in addition to the TV and phone services. Subscribers of both these packages will be able to access the iPlayer HD service. To see if you’re broadband is up to it, click here for a quick broadband speed check.

Chakkara said that the HD enhancement would allow Virgin costumers to watch high quality pictures in vivid colours. He pointed out that the rising number of views that BBC iPlayer has garnered ever since its launch in May 2008 on the Virgin Media platform shows how popular the service is with Virgin customers.

The total number of iPlayer views since the launch on Virgin platform is over 100 million, and March 2009 registered 15 million views, showing that the service is growing rapidly.

Keeping You Safe with PC SafetyPlus

In this era where computer viruses relentlessly seep into computer systems; where information hackers spread themselves exponentially; and where criminals have made identity theft a thriving business; there is an imperative need for you to protect your property and your identity. Trilegiant Corporation, the premier membership-based provider of a broad range of services, offers PC SafetyPlus, a comprehensive security service that provides virus protection, personal firewall, fraud protection, and so much more. Its service combines online security software and you can be certain that your PC gets updated and upgraded every time you connect to the Internet. Now, you can have that peace of mind whenever you use your computer for web surfing, downloading files, or by simply checking your email.

PC SafetyPlus offers an array of online and offline protection services including security software and fraud protection which cover:

Virus Protection

PC SafetyPlus provides a built-in virus protection that comes with several scanning devices. Its advanced virus detection technology coupled with an automated updating system shield your computer against computer viruses and Internet attacks.

Spyware Protection

PC SafetyPlus has enabled synchronized spyware scanning by default. Spyware protection gets rid of the unwanted pop-ups that barrage you every time, as well as new toolbars in your browser that you have never installed. Spyware protection also prevents frequent breakdowns and other alterations in the configuration of your computer.

Personal Firewall

PC SafetyPlus’ built-in firewall guards your computer against Internet hackers. PC SafetyPlus’ Personal Firewall is armed with an advanced intrusion detection system that tracks all shared information and alerts you of unauthorized actions, preventing hackers from stealing any personal information from your computer.

PC SafetyPlus is offered by Trilegiant, a subsidary of Affinion, a world leader in marketing, customer service, and loyalty programs.

ECTA Releases Figures on EU Broadband Penetration

The ECTA or the European Competitive Telecommunications Association had conducted a study on the 25 member countries of the EU to compare their progress in broadband penetration levels. The study that covers data until the month of October last year was released recently and the UK, surprisingly, finds itself among the leaders.

According to the results, Scandinavian countries including Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden have performed very well with penetration rates as high as 30%. The average annual penetration increase of EU countries has been calculated to be around 20%, which is a very healthy rate, and has taken the total number of connections to as high as 110 million.

Even the UK, which is more often than not at the bottom of these lists, has improved its penetration rate to reach the 28 percent mark (Broadband Genie has info on broadband in the UK). However, countries like Ireland and Poland have shown disappointing results. Ireland’s broadband growth between 2003 and 2006 was quite unimpressive, and thus it has a very low position on the list. Poland too has not fared well and is currently at the bottom of the list with just a 10% penetration. One can hope for better results from these countries next time as they are right now in a high growth phase.

The study by ECTA did not take into account the speeds of broadband connections, thus, a comparison of the service levels among these countries cannot be made. One can however check the list of “the world’s top 20 fibre optic, high speed broadband connection enabled countries” to gain more insight into that aspect.

Although, the UK has shown a significant improvement in terms of the adoption levels, it does not necessarily indicate that the country can be proud of its broadband industry, especially as its performance in terms of speed, service and price competitiveness if quite poor.

Games Consoles - Buy From a Trusted Retailer

Are you at this time anticipating jumping into the titillating sphere of next generation videogaming? There are quite a few particular types of gaming consoles to select from all with particular specifications and proprietary games in stock on each. Making the vital decision as to which gaming-console is perfect for you presently can often be an overwhelming mission; but with a little help from the helpful John Lewis shopping guide you will be relishing new versions of your favourite video games in short order.

Remember, you also have the vital choice to make betwixt a hand held and desk-top games machine? The final decision is really quite conditional on where abouts you at this current time enjoy playing video games - are you the kind of gamer who is disposed to while away a night in front of an Sony Play Station 3? Or maybe you currently like to game on your Nintendo DS Lite while you speed to and from school? Or perhaps you’re a truly devoted gamer and simply cant survive without some video games action regardless of where abouts you are situated - in that case why not think about one of each.

whatever machine you end up picking, be it a Nintendo DS, Sony PS3, Sony PSP, or perhaps a an Xbox 360, you will have a wide selection of add ons to choose from on the John Lewis web site. From additional controllers and remotes, to hard drives and battery packs. And of course that there is a considerable variety of the most current games in stock too - so you’ll have something to play when your video games machine turns up.

Shopping on the internet with John Lewis has got to be one of the simplest methods of obtaining a new next generation gaming machine. Not only will you get the option to choose between the exciting most recent video-games consoles, e.g. the DS, all at fabulous prices; but you will furthermore get free standard delivery on any orders. As luck would have it if you are in a big hurry for your brand new video games consoles don’t forget, you can always pay a minor amount for next day delivery. Not only that, but should you have second thoughts about your video games console you can send it back it free of charge. Looking for a PS3? Want to buy online with confidence? Take a look at the John Lewis website.

Mass Market Laptops for Gaming Here

Until recently, gaming laptops were typically custom built by certain manufacturers. For the companies they were hugely money generating despite not shifting in large quantities. They were the kind of notebook computer everyone wished for but the one they just couldn’t afford. Plainly they were the best laptop computers around. Having mentioned that the vast number of us probably didn’t buy laptop computers of this kind because of the price. As the large computer manufacturers recognize the potential revenues in gaming laptops, the sector is transforming.

I bet they could categorise it as a high grade notebook and make a lot of money on these particularly with their economies of scale. As the markup on mid range laptops have become so small, making specialized laptops for gaming is one tactic to regain a higher gross profit. Small companies are unable compete with them in persuading people to buy laptop computers. I do not know what this will do to littler system builders however it will have a bad effect on them. I am quite sure that the well known manufacturers will seek to force the little ones out. Obviously the power of a recognisable brand name comes in here. With that these systems are also considered to be the best laptop computers already, even when they actually are not. This has the potential to be increasingly promising for small resellers. I do not believe people will like to have a similar spec like everyone else in this kind of sector. I think the consumers that buy laptops for gaming normally know what they’re looking for. The details are of great importance for this type of consumer.

This would be construed as a good situation for the gamer. One technique that the littler companies might apply is to decrease margins in to shift more system. Things change so quick in this market that I cannot exactly produce any confident claims. Whether notebook prices will come down on the whole is another matter however the best laptop computers are usually expensive. We will discover what we can look forward to from the gaming notebook markets giant players.

Investigate your Download Transfer Rate with the Easy to Use Broadband Connection Test

One particular piece of equipment that everybody must demand amidst this day in period is a nippy broadband connection so that you yourself may converse to friends & family through email and perhaps MSN Messenger and also import files of your choice quickly from the entire web. Compare Broadband UK allows you yourself to notice just how nippy your own link to the internet is by letting each of us to undergo the whole of the Broadband Speed Test and should you yourself find that your web connection is not efficient enough then you can easily change your broad brand connection so that it better conforms to exactly where everyone live. Compare Broadband UK does this service for you; entirely hassle free. We are living during an extraordinary place aren’t we. Compare Broadband UK allows you to check your broadband speed at www.comparebroadbanduk.com/broadband-speed-test.htm.

At the whole of the Compare Broadband UK website you have the quick and easy opportunity to take a Broad band speed test. The whole speed check reports on the actual net rate for all uploads and downloads available through your current broad band. From this everyone will then be able to access the pace of a broad band internet connection and once you’ve landed there you will then be able to find if you want to switch your web account.

The speed test will easily find out your current download speed, this is the speed your current web connection can then download files from the whole of the net, it is useful to have a respectable rate for this service as it is what you will use to download images, music and e-mails in addition to sizeable attachments. One will then enjoy the broadband upload connection rate this is the pace with which one’s current connection transfer files back to the net, this service is crucial concerning online games and net phone calls. This is where Compare Broadband UK comes in helpful. All that’s required is for you to quickly just put your details into the web site & specify what exactly you are trying to search for and it will pop up a selection of the cheapest and most rapid broadband offers available to you. The prices may easily range from 4 pounds per month to 50 pounds depending on what customers are trying to look for. Compare Broadband UK uses your areacode to find out exactly what it is the fastest speed targeted at your particular region.

Gaming Laptops To Turn Thin And Weightless

Notebook computer shipments are approximately estimated to be approaching 130million units this year, which is colossal! Taiwanese companies have said material shortages will affect fullfilment this year due to the massive demands. Many have predicted laptops to be trendy but its surprising that theres been no slip. The technology is evolving in all directions at once as well.

One of the increasing trends is gaming laptops. These days you get higher specifications for your cash because the latest tech is always around the corner. Notebook computers can now sensibly be used for gaming by us due to the advanced performance of new portables. A few of the issues like heat and noise still exist to an extent but barely in the mainstream notebooks. The chassis’s are also pretty slick. Hardcore gaming enthusiasts will always prefer their desktop gaming rigs for speed and rightly so but it’s the usability notebooks give that makes people settle on frame rates. I wouldn’t give it too long before we see ultra portable gaming notebooks on the shelves.

I think we are seeing greater amounts of start-up companies exclusively peddling custom built notebooks. The foremost advantages here are the fact that you can usually get better aftermarket parts in custom notebooks. Specifying what you want basically is the main advantage. The vast amount of laptops are made for the moderate consumer which means you may not find what you’re searching for. So hence this is why you need a custom notebook computer. High levels of customer care and support can also be discovered when getting custom built notebooks. Yet another good factor.

It’s fascinating to see more powerful notebooks hitting the market every year. Internet devices look to be an evolving sector as of now. The Asus Eee just built a new niche division. Huge lcd and supremely lightweight, that’s what consumers should love. This is something that can be achieved even now if we sacrificed speed. It would not shock me to see miniture gaming notebooks in the next 4 years time. I honestly can’t guess what to expect apart from those things spoken of. Some Manufacturer is developing a product to be diverse in a saturated market.

Microsoft Loses Patent Lawsuit

One of the top news stories this week that got virtually no popular press involves the judgment against Microsoft by a small company with a big software patent.

University of California and Eolas Technologies, Inc. hold a patent which Microsoft, according to several judges, violated with its popular Internet Explorer Web browser.

Without going into painful technical detail, the patent involves the “ActiveX” technology enabling Web browsers to display both web pages and content such as streaming audio, Flash, QuickTime video and other “rich” or “dynamic” content.

Despite heated input by the Internet community to invalidate Eolas’ patent because of its broad nature, Microsoft lost every appeal and effort to get the patent nullified.

Bottom line: Microsoft faced two choices. First, they could pay the patent owner and keep things moving along, business as usual (much the way Blackberry did recently when a judge found them guilty of patent infringement).

Second choice: Microsoft could avoid future licensing fees by changing their IE browser and removing the offending code.

Which do you think they chose? Ding-ding-ding!

You guessed it, Microsoft chose to avoid paying millions more by simply removing the offending code.

Unfortunately, that decision means a bit of trouble for a few million web designers who use Flash, streaming movies, and more.

Ultimately, the change to IE may force visitors to sites with rich content to click on an object to enable it before they can interact with it.

Not a huge deal. However, time will tell what ultimately happens and the actual impact on sites running rich content.

But before everyone starts screaming that “The sky is falling” and “our websites are broken,” let me ask you a question.

Do you really think that companies like Macromedia (makers of Flash) and sites like Google Video will let a few changes in Internet Explorer put them out of business?

I don’t think so!

If anything, this change will force companies to step up to the plate and discover ways to serve dynamic content that does not depend on ActiveX.

Sure, it will mean some pain for both content creators and users in the short term, but in the end I honestly believe that, through innovation, we will all end up with a better solution than what currently exists.

In other news today…

** Hollywood Goes Online **

Six major movie studios recently announced their intentions to start selling new-release movies via Internet download from the site MovieLink.com.

But before you jump for joy at watching “Brokeback Mountain” on your pc, understand a couple of facts.

You can’t burn the movie to DVD, and the downloadable films carry a price tag of around $15-30, a price comparable or more than a physical DVD you can purchase at Wal-Mart.

As a rabid DVD consumer and enthusiastic computer user (with six in my home office alone), I can tell you right up front, there is no way in @#$%* I’ll pay 20 bucks for a movie I can’t “veg” out with in front of the TV.

Are they insane?

Until it gets to the point where you can download a new- release movie, burn it to DVD or put it on your iPod, downloadable flicks will remain, at best, a novelty.

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iSCSI vs. FC for Meeting Mission Critical Requirements

Introduction

Mission Critical Data is just what its name says: critical to the core functioning of an enterprise. Mission critical data must be available 24×7 and fully backed up for immediate recovery in the event of disaster. Enterprises are constantly seeking more reliable, more efficient, more convenient and more affordable ways of meeting these needs. SANRAD’s V-Switch 3000 uses Iscsi technology to centrally consolidate, manage, backup and restore mission critical data at a fraction of the cost, in capital and human resources, of existing FC SAN technologies

Mission Critical Requirements and SANRAD’s Solutions

Storage Area Networks (SANs) are used to manage mission critical data and, as they have developed, storage and network administrators have identified three main requirements on a SAN to manage this critical data:

• High Availability: Storage systems and their mission critical data must be available 24×7.
There is no leeway for downtime. Every minute of downtime equals a loss of revenues and credibility for an enterprise.

• Remote Backup and Recovery: Data must be backed up off site to enable remote recovery in the event of disaster. Experts estimate that 30% of companies could not recover from a
catastrophic loss of data and having backups on premises is of no use if the premises are destroyed.

• Manageability: A SAN management system must be able to be centrally managed and provide a consolidated storage solution accommodating different storage subsystems and infrastructures. In addition, the SAN management must not exert added strain on the network and storage administration staff.

• Dynamic Expandability: Storage networks must be able to grow with an enterprise. Systems cannot be taken offline to accommodate this growth and no one wants to search for new storage management solutions every time there is a growth spurt.

SANRAD has taken these requirements and provided comprehensive solutions in a single centrally
managed platform using iSCSI technology.

• SANRAD’s High Availability: The V-Switch 3000 hardware is fully redundant to weather power, processor and fan failures. The V-Switch 3000 configuration database is written to both flash and compact flash memory. The software IP-based SAN configuration provides automatic V-Switch 3000 failover and failback as well as data mirroring. No single point of failure ensures high availability.

• SANRAD’s Remote Backup and Recovery: The V-Switch 3000 can create global IPbased storage networks to allow mission critical data transfer to remote sites within the IP SAN.

• SANRAD’s Manageability: The V-Switch 3000 enables storage pooling across multiple platforms and infrastructures and eliminates the need for host agents. The V-Switch 3000
functions at the network layer and is therefore independent of host OS and storage vendors. The V-Switch 3000 provides storage virtualization and precise LUN carving of the pooled storage,
supporting volume concatenation, mirroring and striping. The locally accessed GUI-based Storage Pro management server is used to centrally configure volumes, monitor status and
manage the storage pool.

• SANRAD’s Dynamic Expandability: The V-Switch 3000 uses existing adapters, network and disk subsystems to form a sophisticated SAN solution ranging from 72 GB to 16 TB. New
storage devices can be added dynamically and their volumes virtualized in real time without taking the system offline or impacting on functioning volume performance. Two V-Switch 3000s
can be combined in a SAN to form a cluster to provide inter-V-Switch 3000 load balancing and failover.

Benefits of iSCSI SAN over FC SAN

When creating a SAN, enterprises find that the traditional answer is FC SAN. However, the investment required to implement an FC SAN is often beyond the means of a young enterprise. As a result, growing enterprises may find themselves delaying the inevitable upgrade to a SAN and, therefore, gambling with
their mission critical data store.

The FC investment comes from four fronts:

• Infrastructure: An FC network demands FC switches, hubs and bridges along with specific
GBICs and cabling. In addition, each host requires dedicated FC HBAs.

• Storage Devices: The storage devices must be costly FC RAID arrays. If an enterprise wants
to maintain its JBOD stores, it must purchase virtualization appliances to convert the JBODs for
use in an FC SAN.

• Software: A variety of software tools is needed to manage all of this new equipment as well as
the dedicated FC HBAs.

• Human Resources: dedicated group of FC storage and networking IT administrators is
needed to manage all of this.

For a growing enterprise, this represents a sizable investment in capital and human resources to acquire,
implement and manage only one aspect of the enterprise’s data flow.

SANRAD’s V-Switch 3000 provides a single integrated hardware/software solution to SAN management:

• Infrastructure: The V-Switch 3000 uses an enterprise’s existing IP infrastructure including
existing Ethernet switches, cabling, GBICs and SFPs. A host’s existing NIC is all that is needed
to connect to the SAN.

• Storage Devices: The V-Switch 3000 supports existing legacy storage devices, both FC &
SCSI, RAID & JBOD, so there is no need to purchase new storage devices. Due to the V-Switch
3000’s storage pooling capabilities, enterprises may have an increase in usable storage space.

• Software: The V-Switch 3000 has both hardware and a software component. There is no need
for additional software beyond the included Storage Pro storage management tool.

• Human Resources: Because the V-Switch 3000 operates over the enterprise’s existing
Internet network, minimal additional knowledge or training is needed to implement or manage the
SAN. The existing network or storage administrator is readily qualified to manage SANRAD’s Iscsi SAN.

Business Case: V-Switch 3000 vs. FC

Typical SAN topographies can be divided into 5 groups according to the number of servers accessing the SAN and the net storage capacity of the SAN.

• Small: 8 servers accessing a net capacity of 500GB.

• Small - Medium: 12 servers accessing a net capacity of 1TB.

• Medium: 16 servers accessing a net capacity of 1.5TB.

• Medium - High: 24 servers accessing a net capacity of 2TB.

• High: 32 servers accessing a net capacity of 3TB.

To best understand the budgetary impact of implementing an FC SAN compared to a SANRAD iSCSI SAN, consider the costs of each for a medium enterprise with sixteen hosts accessing a storage pool of 1.5TB.

In an FC SAN, this would require two FC switches. Upstream of the FC switches there are five server
clusters, including Exchange, SQL and file servers, plus six individual servers. Each server requires FC
software and each server has two HBAs, each connected to a different switch for a total of thirty-two HBAs.
Downstream of the FC switches is a RAID system with RAID 5 and hot spare capabilities and a net capacity
of 1.5TB.

In a SANRAD V-Switch 3000 SAN, this would also require two V-Switch 3000s. Upstream of the V-Switch
3000s there are two multi-Gbit switches but no special host software or HBAs are required. Downstream of
the V-Switch 3000s are the legacy SCSI or FC JBODs with a net mirrored capacity of 1.5TB.

For a medium enterprise, implementing an FC SAN for Mission Critical Data is more than two times as expensive as a SANRAD iSCSI SAN. This expense does not take into consideration the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), e.g. FC cabling installation costs; cost of human resources to regularly upgrade FC
software and maintain two separate networks or the cost of replacing an FC RAID unit compared to a JBOD
disk. As the size of an enterprise grows, the cost par between FC and iSCSI SAN grows.

Conclusion

SANRAD iSCSI SAN provides all of the key SAN requirements needed to manage, backup and restore
mission critical data with added benefits over FC SAN. SANRAD’s V-Switch 3000 represents a single
integrated hardware/software solution to SAN management, including storage pooling, virtualization,
mirroring, striping and remote backup. The IP-based iSCSI SAN permits remote storage access and
provides greater flexibility in the location of network and storage components within an enterprise and it
does so at a fraction of the cost of an FC SAN.

SANRAD is a leader in IP Storage Networks enabling organizations to effectively Access, Share & Manage Stored Data across Standard Ethernet Environments.

SANRAD delivers simplified networked storage with excellent price/performance by coupling open IP storage connectivity with comprehensive network-based data management using IP Storage Area Networks (IP-SANs).

With SANRAD, organizations of all sizes can leverage the benefits of networked storage to link employees and clients with stored data for full storage availability, flexible and scalable storage using an economical Ethernet (IP/SCSI) network.