Servers: The Next Generation By Art Wittmann
Where Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Dell lead, others follow. In the server market
that means Xeon CPUs, four-way configurations and more power in 1U and 2U
devices as bladed architectures take hold.
Review: Dell Serves Up a Winner By Steven J. Schuchart Jr.
Four-way multiprocessing servers can cost a bundle, but Dell's got an edge.
Its PowerEdge 6650 takes our prize for its competitive price and sleek design.
The Anti-Spam Cookbook By Ron Anderson
Combine one part rules, a dash of blacklisting and a liberal dose of filtering software, and you have a recipe for eliminating junk e-mail before it overflows in your users' inboxes.
Workshops
Workshop: Managing Your Digital Rights By Sean Doherty
Digital-rights management products and laws can help you control the distribution and use of intellectual property in all its formats--even after it has been accessed and downloaded.
Online Only:Interactive Buyer's Guide: C++ Development Tools
We've compiled the top products' features, including available platforms, support for C modules and debugger support, in a reader-friendly format.
Online Only:Interactive Buyer's Guide: Java Development Tools
To help with your purchasing decisions, we spotlight features such as supported platforms and source-code editors and available database connectivity.
Sneak Previews
St. Bernard's iPrism Clears Up Web Filtering Job for Small Organizations By Saurabh Bhasin
Thumbs up for iPrism, which uses a URL database to prevent inappropriate material from finding its way to users' desktops. It works well in smaller organizations and on departmental LANs, but only if you're willing to install a Win32 client on administration PCs.
Faster Than a Speeding VPN -- Super Remote Access with Neoteris' IVE By Michael J. DeMaria
In this Network Computing Exclusive, we tested the Instant Virtual Extranet PartnerAccess 1000 2.1 appliance and found that it's easier to use than some VPNs. All transactions are performed over SSL using a Web browser, which eliminates the need for client software.
Interworking Labs' Boreal Protects Your Enterprise From SNMP Vulnerabilites By Bruce Boardman
You may not see them, but they're there. Poorly implemented SNMP agents plague nearly every network and can lead to DoS and buffer overflow attacks. Boreal tracks down these rogue agents, testing for SNMPv1, v2 and v3 problems.
Departments
Centerfold: T.G.I. Friday's Owner Serves Up an IP SAN By Kelly Jackson Higgins
Hospitality firm Carlson Companies chose a storage solution with real strategic value. Its IP SAN eases critical apps development and will contribute to the company's plan to build e-learning apps for training restaurant and hotel employees.
Letters
"Telecoms will likely offer MPLS VPNs over the exact same infrastructure on which they offer Internet services." --Chris Calabrese, Internet security analyst
Quick Takes
We take a look at these top products:
* FatPipe Networks Warp 2.0 router-clustering hardware
* Network Physics NP-1000 Internet Traffic Manager 1.1
* Turillion Software Technologies eServer Secure
Columns
Top of the Stack: A Safer Bet for Buying Carrier Services By David Willis
"Telecom customers need a new buying strategy. Signing up with a single carrier just won't do. Instead, protect yourself by using multiple carriers, and shun managed services that tie you into a single transport provider."
BuzzCut: Patches Shouldn't Be Our Problem By Lori MacVittie
Who knows how the rampant spread of some viruses begins. Maybe in software that's released before it's ready? Vendors need to take a proactive approach to quality.
The Inside Story: IT's Makeover By James Hutchinson
"Not many 'traditional' business people have ever believed that IT geeks care about the business impact of technology purchases. But nowadays, complex business issues are being aligned with a guy in a short-sleeve shirt and a bad tie."
BuzzCut: End of the Line for Maxtor NAS Customers By Steven J. Schuchart Jr.
Along with Maxtor's exit from the NAS market, be on the lookout for further consolidation. In the meantime, make plans to remove these devices from critical service in the next six to 12 months.
BuzzCut: OS X: Intel Inside? By Richard Hoffman
It's highly unlikely that Apple will release a version of OS X for Intel machines. But here's a thought: What if Apple jumps ship from the PowerPC platform in favor of Intel machines?
BuzzCut: PGP Rediscovers Open Source, Sort of By Don MacVittie
PGP Corp. announced a free, individual user version of its e-mail encryption product. While it's a good PR move, it won't help your enterprise. What's really needed is a more user-friendly version.
Down to Business: Placing Blame, Executive Style By Rob Preston
"Time after time in a quarterly earnings release, a company blames an IT snafu for a revenue shortfall in an attempt to deflect criticism of their own management inadequacies."
REPORTS
Analyize In-Line NAC strategies and products.
ANALYTICS Plan and design your enterprise blade server deployments
InformationWeek U.S. IT Salary Survey 2008
Salaries for business technology professionals are falling. Here's what you need to know in order to make good hiring decisions and personal career choices. Download Today