Author Archive
John McCormick
Digital Government
Traditional values
Blade servers may be cutting into the market for traditional servers, but there are still many applications where rack or tower servers are an appropriate and sensible choice. While traditional servers and blade servers perform the same tasks, the main differences are in expandability and processing density.
Digital Government
Blade servers: Cutting edge
The market for blade servers is growing rapidly, especially for new installations, but also for those replacing older server farms. What's surprising is not that blades are soaring in popularity, but why it took so long.
Digital Government
Power User: Still seeking common sense, the Power User logs off
I've spent years in Washington and elsewhere and have concluded that lack of common sense is by far the greatest threat facing this country.
Digital Government
Power User: Lack of technology is a disaster
It's still difficult for me to concentrate on the trivialities of computer technology during the ongoing tragedy along the Gulf Coast, especially when I know from personal experience just how poorly prepared we are to face real disasters
Infrastructure
Power User: Feed yourself a helping of RSS
Blogs are still hot, and now video bloggers running their own news shows online are the latest thing on the Web.
Cybersecurity
Mobile PC lock down
Reliable mobile security demands a multi-pronged strategy. Here's a start.
Cybersecurity
Power User: Licensed to Drive Windows?
Windows device drivers are like drivers on the road in that they need to be licensed to operate.
Cybersecurity
Security appliances
Growing security needs place a proportionally growing burden on agency IT managers.
Cybersecurity
Want wireless security? Hack yourself
Wireless networks can be a nearly magical budget-saving wonder.
Infrastructure
Power User: In search of better search engines and tools
As basic as online search may seem, it remains an important tool in a government worker's information arsenal.
Featured eBooks
Cybersecurity
Burning issues for network firewalls
An unprotected PC or server connected to the Internet has about 65,500 open ports. That translates into thousands of possible points of attack for hackers.
Digital Government
Power User: Record what you want, where you want
For the second Power User column in a row, I actually have some new products to talk about. This is unusual for me because these days I seldom see anything new and worthwhile.
Digital Government
Enterprise storage - it's SAN-tastic
Whether you're part of a large agency that has long dealt with massive storage requirements, or a smaller agency just beginning to buckle under the weight of accumulated data, the storage area network'in all its increasingly varied flavors'remains a popular solution
Cybersecurity
Don't be put off by PKI
Implementing a public-key infrastructure is a daunting task. It is a very expensive and complex project, in which many components have to be tightly integrated with an existing network.
Digital Government
Power User: Hardware that works: A truly portable scanner
Sometimes I like to use this space to talk about a new product that's crossed my desk. So here's one for you.
Digital Government
Power user: For agencies, it's Firefox no, OpenOffice yes
Several weeks ago, I wrote a somewhat lukewarm review of Firefox that got a big response from defenders of the open-source Web browser.
Digital Government
Power user: Avoiding the Longhorn stampede starts now
Power users are always checking out operating systems still in development.
Cybersecurity
Lines of defense
The last year or so has seen unprecedented consolidation in the IT security field'especially in the antivirus business, where big companies, including Microsoft Corp., have gobbled up innovative small companies.
