A Beginners Guide to the World of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has taken off and is now accepted in the business world as an viable and safe alternative to the traditional network server and hardware based IT Infrastructure. For some though the terminology can still be overwhelming to the beginner. In simple terms, Cloud Computing means your IT (information technology), your files and applications are stored in the 'cloud', another term for the internet, instead of being on your own network server hardware.

It can be a cheaper option for some businesses as you now no longer need to purchase applications, hard drives or back up disks or software every again. All of your data and files are stored on the 'Cloud' and rented through a cloud hosting provider.

IT as a Service on the Cloud

Moving IT infrastructure to cloud computing sees delivery of IT resources as services incorporating infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) over the internet. The advantages, beside the cost benefits of not need to constantly upgrade hardware, are that business operations tend to be faster, more flexible and highly efficient.

To access the 'Cloud' and all your data and applications, all you need is a cloud computer called a Notebook or Netbook and an internet connection with a cloud hosting service provider. You do not need expert technology knowledge or cumbersome computer hardware. If you can operate a lap top and a browser you can easily become a user of cloud computing.

A Cloud computing service provider allows for common business applications online, as mentioned above, accessed from a web browser. Business software and data are stored on the servers of your cloud host.

The Benefits of Moving to the Cloud

* Reduction in capital expenditure over the long haul (no need to constantly invest in new infrastructure)
* Increases business operations efficiency

While security and monitoring have been issues in the past with moving to the cloud, much of this is sorted out now with the military and Governments moving off hardware. This move has seen a dramatic maturation of cloud security. Security is becoming less of a problem as more larger companies move their entire IT infrastructure to cloud computing. It is still always a good idea to check with your cloud host or provider, what their back up and security protocols are and be satisfied you data and files will be in safe hands.

Source : Ezinearticles

Tips on Changing Your Movie Projector Light Bulb

If you have the movie projector bulb and it has stopped working, you do not need to worry because there are some steps that you can take in getting the movies playing again. You may find the hardest part in the right replacement lamp. There are various types and models with their specific bulbs. You can read the information below to know the steps in replacing the burned out light bulb.

For the first step, you can locate your bulb in your movie projector. You can use the screwdriver in order to open the bulb compartment. Check the manual instructions for the proper procedures.

For the second step, you should remove the movie projector lamp. It must be cool before you are going to take it out. You can use a tissue or the cloth in removing the bulb since the glass bulb is fragile. Remember to not throw away the bulb yet, you will need it in order to help find the replacement.

For the next step, you have to find the replacement bulb. There are various types and models of the light bulb. You can choose the model number from your entire bulb, and then buy the replacement.

For the last step, you have to replace the movie projector lamp or the light bulb. Remember to not touch your bulb with your skin. If you touch the bulb with your skin, it will transfer oils from your skin onto the bulb and will give you the result in the hot spot which will make your bulb burst. You can use the tissue or your cloth in order to handle your new bulb in screwing it back into the place and after that replace the cover.

Source : Ezinearticles

Tips to Select Best Cartridges For Better Results

Computers have become the important tool of an individual and along with it printers are equally important for use. So buying ink cartridges for your printer is also important, so that you can get good quality of print out for clear visibility.

Every time your printer might send a signal of having less ink. So you may think which ink cartridges is best for your printer. The best place which is to be considered is to look at the cartridges of your printer. Check what type of cartridges your printer requires. However, there might be some issues when, you might not find the same type of cartridges or it may not be available for some reason.

So in that point of time you will have to consider the following points:

Use of generic cartridges should be avoided, if you use these kind of cartridges, you might end up damaging your printer.

You should figure out the printing quality you need. If you are using the ink cartridges that are manufactured by the same company can give the same best result.

You must look at the printer warranty. There are some manufactures warranty that are not same if any ink cartridges is being used and made by different manufacturer.

To use the ink cartridges for prolonged time and to save money on refilling of the cartridges you can go for following steps.

Never keep this cartridges dry, as it can affect your printer by burning it and providing the desired quality printout as you need to get.

Never run one cartridges when the other one is out. This can ruin the jets can cause future problem.

You can shake the ink cartridges to help the printer use the remaining small amount of ink.

If you go by the above points you can get the best results and get the good quality of print out.

Source : Ezinearticles

The Instruction of Projector Lamp Replacement

Projectors in the board rooms and also auditorium will help you to express the new ideas, explain the issues and also make sales. Projectors will also be found in the home theater. Projector bulbs are rather expensive, but with the right handling and also maintenance of the projector, lamp life is normally 2,000 to 3,000 hours. Here is information for you to make your projector bulbs last longer.

For the first step, you have to turn your projector off. Please wait for a full minute. After that, unplug your projector. Let it gets cool for at leas one hour before it is getting started with the lamp replacement. You can place the towel on the flat surface. Then, flip your projector over, placing its top quietly on the towel.

For the second step, loosen the lamp cover screw with the screwdriver. Doing the screw can be loosened, but it will not removed. You can remove the cover of the lamp. Then, loosen the two lamp module screws. They will be loosened, but not removed.

For the next step, you can remove an old lamp module by pulling on the handle or the grip. After that, insert the new lamp module. It will easily slide into the socket. You need to tighten the two lamp module screws.

For the last step, you should screws. Then, reattach the cover of the lamp and tighten its screw. Flip your projector over. Plug it into the surge protector plugged into the working electrical outlet. In doing this, you need to make sure that your projector is well ventilated. Turn on your projector and then use it's the menu in order to reset the lamp hour counter to zero.

Source : Ezinearticles

Ink Cartridge Replacements - Getting the Best Deal

Some people print documents quite frequently, yet even for these, each time they need to print a new document, the inkjet cartridge seems to malfunction. This usually occurs in the later hours of the day, or just as they are about to leave home. It is remarkable the feeling of frustration that can develop from such a minor thing as an inkjet cartridge.

However, the frustration is even greater when they attempt to substitute cartridges. Normally, while walking along an aisle to find a cartridge, they walk past most recently developed and most advanced electronic products, printers included. The prices appear to be lower with each passing day. Now, in moving towards the inkjet cartridge section, resolved to be intelligent by purchasing two this time, they might be surprised by the price of an inkjet cartridge. Sometimes their prices are similar to the cost of a new printer. Obviously, a wiser route to purchases is needed.

Finding a great deal on an inkjet cartridge begins while purchasing the printer. Initially, ensure that the printer you select is built with the black ink cartridge housed separately. The great majority are so constructed, however there are plain paper facsimile machines with color and black ink in one unit. Obviously, such a cartridge can be quite expensive. Inquire about prices at stores, not excluding the location where you plan to make the purchase., since the prices are available there.

Sometimes a printer seems to use ink sparingly. Among these are the HP 1530 all-in-one. Having to part with such a printer can cause sadness, since they can work effortlessly for long periods of time and their cartridges appear to function endlessly, For those who don't print in color, when the color tank gets empty, they don't replace them. Unfortunately, that old type printer will eventually break, however there are other HP printers just as miserly in their use of ink. Therefore, search for such printers, and find out which brand uses the least amount of ink.

It is also possible to reduce your spending on each cartridge by buying your ink in multi-packs, thus looking for the availability of multi-packs for the printer you select is advisable. In trying a generic type cartridge, you might find the output less than first-rate, but some people swear by them. They refill the cartridge themselves, and from reports, they save the owners a lot of money. If you shop om the internet, it's possible to find bargains every now and then.

Perhaps the consumer would prefer buying a new printer instead of replacing the cartridge. initially, doing so might appear a wise choice. Nevertheless, sales personnel in ahy store that sells printers will tell you, when asked, that new printers don't contain anywhere near the amount of ink that a replacement cartridge does. You can research this yourself. It seems plausible, as anyone who has bought new printers might attest.

Incidentally, defective printers like the HP 1350 can be sold on eBay for small amounts of money, even though that might not be able to pay for new cartridges.

Therefore, when someone shops for an inkjet cartridge, initially select the printer, and afterwards check out the possible choices for a replacement for the cartridges. Another idea: never purchase only one. You will understand why afterwards.

Source : Ezinearticles

How Do I Implement Business Intelligence

As either a business manager, knowledge worker or IT practitioner, you will have almost certainly come across terms such as 'business process' or 'software development life-cycle' (SDLC). In both cases, they provide a road-map or some kind of instruction set that spells out what should be done, and in what sequence.

Marching orders such as these need to be carefully planned and constructed to ensure successful completion of a required process, in a way that is consistent and compliant with company policy and best practices.

The field of Data Warehousing (or On-line Analytical Processing - OLAP) is similar to other automated application systems in that it involves the development of databases and software in order to provide some useful and reliable service to its business users.

This document outlines the Process for BI Development and follows industry standard practices, base on the Kimball methodology.

Conventional systems usually have a specific role to play by providing defined functionality that is tied to business processes and that can be preformed repeatedly with virtually the same outcome using, of course, different data and different selections of tasks and operations to be performed. OLAP based systems tend to fall into a rather different category than the general business application. Although it is known what kind of operation and process an OLAP system can be asked to perform, these are not usually mapped to a specific business process. It is much more about exploring data and discovering previously unknown or unrecognized facets of the business and being able to further investigate the data based on such discoveries.

These fundamental differences in the way Data Warehousing and OLAP are employed within an organization are what make the development process also differ from the approach use in developing conventional applications.

The panel that follows lists the main steps in a process for BI development. Please note that 'Requirements Gathering' and Testing have been omitted from the list but will be discussed below.

The major components of the Process for BI Development

* Characterize the Environment.
* Establish Development Road map.
* Perform Data Profiling
* Perform Data Analysis.
* Perform Dimensional Modeling.
* Design ETL (Extract, Transform and Load).
* Design Analytics and Presentation.
* Configure Data Management.


Choice of Platform

There are different platforms, and toolsets on the market and a process for the development of a DW and BI solution should be relatively neutral in this respect. However, there are points in this document where reference is made to the Microsoft BI platform, specifically to the use of Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Excel. These products also represent the platform upon which the measuregroup™ framework is built and to which several measuregroup™ tools are applicable.

Requirements Gathering

A project deliverable with a name along the lines of 'Functional Requirements Specification' or 'Business Requirements Document' is typically created by a Business Analyst, at or near the beginning of most conventional application development projects. In the case of the BI Project, However, there is less need for a specification of functionality.

This because the DW and BI facilities are not normally in place to map against a particular 'Business Process'. They are not typically performing set-piece functions as in the case of conventional applications. The need for specification is at a somewhat higher level of generality and speaks more to the scope and treatment of the data that is to be included in the facility.

For the main part, then, it is probably better to eliminate the document that is defined as something to do with 'function' and concentrate more on scoping the data landscape to be addressed by the DW solution.

Testing

Who could imagine the development of anything that involves data design, programming and implementation on computers without some form of testing being performed on the delivered system.

Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence software is no less likely to suffer from logic errors or even simple typographical errors that would render the system far less useful if they were delivered to the customer. These programs need testing just as much as any other software genre.

What is different, though, is the fact that, as stated previously, we are not programming against a set of business functional requirements. This means that the 'best practice' of designing our test specifications against the requirements may not be possible in the same way. They are never the less, still possible to create and execute.

What we need to do, is test the programs against the job that is specified for them to do, and that job is specified in a slightly different way. Instead of business requirements we are faced with technical specifications telling us that certain data has to be copied from its initial location, possibly reconfigured in some way and then deposited in some new and exotic 'Dimensional Model'

The specification for what has to happen in this process is coming not from the business users but from the Data Warehouse Architect and Dimensional Modeler.

It is a common mistake for teams not experienced in DW/BI development to assume that the development process is just like any other they have encountered involving conventional applications. Herein, lies one of the many pitfalls that await the uninitiated.

Business User Expectations

It may be better to think of the BI development effort as being something that is part of the technical 'back-room' of IT. Something like the business of 'back-up', 'high availability' or 'disaster recovery'.

The direction given us by our business sponsors is more along the lines of requests for the availability of certain data, in forms that make it efficient for use with certain tools, created or purchased externally.

That is really what OLAP technology is about. The presentation (or analytic) tools are designed to provide a wide range of generic operations on your company's data but first you must get the data into the Dimensional Model to facilitate the use of such tools. Quite how you go about that is not for the business user to worry about, just so long as you make it work, efficiently, accurately, in a timely manner and with usability high on the list of priorities.

Source : Ezinearticles

iTouch 2nd Generation - How to Use it As Telephone (iPhone VoIP)

iPod Touch has many great features and people love to enjoy using this device. User can customize their touch especially for communication use. If you have iTouch 2nd generation or higher and you want to use it as Telephone - iPhone VoIP, you need to follow these simple steps:

#1 Make sure you have an iTouch 2nd generation version because it will not work with the first generation version

#2 you need to buy an iPod touch compatible microphone. The price range between $4,99 to $34,99, you can find it on Amazon. Do a search for "microphone iPod touch" and you will find it easily in no time. After you purchase microphone iPod touch then connect it to your iPod.

#3 access the iTunes app stores by using your wifi connection and do a search for free apps called "Frings". Many user use this free applications as their favorite applications.

#4 You need to get a google talk or Skype account and then you will be able to connect the account to "Frings" applications by following their instructions easily. I recommended using Skype as it more well known and they have been around forever with a very large customer base.

Some advice from me, this method will only work when you are using a wifi connection. You can find it in public area easily. Many public are offer a free wifi connection such as Starbucks or McDonalds area. They offer free wifi connection for iphone and iPod touch customers.

Source : Ezinearticles

Internet Crime and What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

The internet has gone a long way to increasing opportunities for people with disabilities. Today, one does not even need to leave the home to purchase a television, furniture or even a wheelchair. Websites like eBay, Craigslist and Amazon have made it extremely easy for anyone to make a purchase over the internet. So easy in fact that many individuals do not consider the possibility of a fraudulent transaction. However, it does happen. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), it received 206,884 complaint submissions for the year 2007. Just slightly lower (by 0.3%) than the year before, which was 207,492.

IC3 reports that 90,008 complaints of crime to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies around the country for further consideration. The majority of cases referred alleged fraud and involved a financial loss on the part of the person making the complaint. The total dollar amount lost from these cases was $239.09 million with a median dollar loss of $680.00 per complaint. This was an increase from $198.44 million in total reported losses in 2006. Therefore, although the number of cases reported went down slightly, the actual cost to the person who suffers a lost went up.

The WC3 Statistical Breakdown
Perpetrators were predominantly male (75.8%) and half resided in one of the following states: California, Florida, New York, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Georgia. The majority of reported perpetrators were from the United States. However, a significant number of perpetrators also were located in United Kingdom, Nigeria, Canada, Romania, and Italy.

Among complainants, 57.6% were male, nearly half were between the ages of 30 and 50 and one-third resided in one of the four most populated states: California, Florida, Texas, and New York. While most were from the United States, IC3 received a number of complaints from Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, India, and Mexico.

Males complainants lost more money than females (ratio of $1.67 to every $1.00 lost per female). This may be a function of both online purchasing differences by gender and the type of fraudulent schemes by which the individuals were victimized.
Electronic mail (e-mail) (73.6%) and web pages (32.7%) were the two primary mechanisms by which the fraudulent contact took place.

The Agency claims that recent high activity scams in 2007 were those involving pets, checks, spam, and online dating sites, all of which have proven effective as criminal devices in the hands of fraudsters.

Who is WC3?
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

IC3's mission is to serve as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding the rapidly expanding arena of cyber crime. The IC3 gives the victims of cyber crime a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations. For law enforcement and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, local and international level, IC3 provides a central referral mechanism for complaints involving Internet related crimes

How do I file a complaint?

IC3 accepts online Internet crime complaints from either the person who believes they were defrauded or from a third party to the complainant. We can best process your complaint if we receive accurate and complete information from you. Therefore, we request that you provide the following information when filing a complaint:

- Your name
- Your mailing address
- Your telephone number
- The name, address, telephone number, and Web address, if available, of the individual or organization you believe defrauded you.

Specific details on how, why, and when you believe you were defrauded. Any other relevant information you believe is necessary to support your complaint.

File a Complaint at http://www.ic3.gov

Note The Following:

• Because IC3 is a partnership the proccesed complaints are forwarded to Federal, State, Local and International law enforcement agencies for action.
• It is at the discretion of receiving agency as to what type of action to take.
• Filing a complaint with IC3 does not mean that your credit card companies or banks have been notified of fradulent charges. It is your responsibility to notify your credit card company or bank directly.
• IC3 does not guarantee that information submitted to authorities on your behalf will remain confidential. The state that it depends on the State or Local laws.

Source : Ezinearticles

Choose a Local Computer Repair Firm For PC Repair Over a PC Manufacturer

The first personal computers were made available in the 1970s and were so simplistic that they were sold in kits, which could easily be put together by the consumer. The famous Apple-1 was the first personal computer to come with a fully assembled circuit board. However, one still had to provide a case, power supply, keyboard, and display for their Apple-1. When comparing today's personal computers to the first models, one can see how advanced computer technology has become over a short period of time. For instance, gigabytes, MP3's, AVI's, USB's, UPS's and dual cores are terms that never existed in the 1970s, but are all common terms today when discussing computer technology. When today's computers become damaged, a computer repair firm that specializes in PC repair and IT consulting in Cleveland, Ohio can help one understand what went wrong with their complex machine, how it will be fixed and maintenance tips.

Computer manufacturers do not work with consumers on a personal level when it comes to computer repair. When one sends their damaged computer to its manufacturer, it requires a mailing fee. Then the usual repair time is a couple of weeks to a month. After the repair is made, the consumer then has to wait at least a week before they receive their computer. The computer manufacturer may only disclose what was repaired in the consumer's copy of the work order or receipt, but will not tell the consumer how the computer failed or how it was repaired. If the consumer calls the manufacturer with questions, they have to go through a hierarchy of employees starting from the bottom.

One blogger on Askville.Amazon.com, said when he contacted HP to troubleshoot one of its computers it took them two hours and then another hour to authorize the return. The blogger said it took two weeks before HP sent the repaired computer back to him. He also said when he contacted Dell to troubleshoot one of its latest computer models, he was put on hold excessively before he was able to authorize the return. He said it took Dell three weeks to send him back the repaired computer.

A computer repair company that specializes in PC repair and IT consulting in Cleveland, Ohio can offer certified computer technicians who will work with the PC owner one on one at their home or office. This not only allows quicker repairs, but also gives the PC owner the opportunity to establish rapport with the computer repair firm, allowing an opportunity for discounts and other deals on services. A PC owner has the chance to ask questions about how their computer failed to understand how to avoid it from happening again. For example, a computer technician from a computer repair company that specializes in PC repair in Cleveland, Ohio can inform the PC owner what Web sites to avoid to prevent the downloading of adware, spyware and viruses to keep their computer performance at optimal level after the repair is made. A computer technician from this type of firm can inform a PC owner to use surge protectors to prevent electrical damage after replacement of the damaged part.

Since computers are complex machines a lot more can go wrong with them other than virus infection and electrical damage. A computer repair company specializing in PC repair and IT consulting in Cleveland, Ohio can get to know the PC owner and their computer habits, since its computer technicians are able to work with the consumer on a personal level. This means the firm will know what maintenance tips to tell the consumer to keep their computer running for a long time and to save them money. Here are a couple of examples:

Never turn the computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down

This will prevent permanent hard drive defects and Window problems from occurring. Use the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys to restart the computer if it crashes.

Use an USP, uninterruptible power supply for the computer

This prevents the computer from crashing during power outages and protects it from low and high voltage shortages (some say a USP is more superior than a surge protector)

Back up important data on at least two separate physical drives

-Hard drive failure is a common occurrence

Run Scandisk and Defragment at least once a month

This can prevent crashes

Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up

This can short out the motherboard

Keep at least 600 MBs of C: drive free

This can keep the computer from running slow. Windows XP and Vista requires 400-600 MBs.

Use a firewall program

A firewall program prevents hackers from gaining access to the computer system

Keep every software disk

Disks can contain important drivers that need to be reloaded

Computers are complex machines that require certified experts to fix them the right way. When a computer needs repair, a computer repair firm that specializes in PC repair and IT consulting in Cleveland, Ohio can offer more than a computer manufacturer. The firm can offer the right expertise at one's home or office to make the repair faster, offer better deals, and gives maintenance tips to save PC owners money.

Source : Ezinearticle