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Monday, July 12, 2010

TIPS FOR MANAGING YOUR COMPUTER SOFTWARE

I usually tell my friends that "computers dont just crash". more than likely, if anything goes wrong trust me ITS YOU!! either directly or in some remote way. I got two calls this week to fix one dell inspiron desktop(a very old model!!) and one LG laptop(cant remember the model). what they had in common was that their users' were doing things they shouldn't be doing. so i decide to let you guys know 10 things i think would improve youre general computer usage experience.Personallly, i believe software is always on top of hardware so i'm starting with software management tips. follow me:

1.Remember that the most important software on your computer is the Operating System.

2. Install genuine windows/provider Operating system.

3. As a benefit of  (2.) above, make sure you install any operating system patches in form of service packs or fixes.

4. Make sure you have a personal inventory of every application software  you install/uninstall.(the operating syatem itself keeps track of this information in event viewer(start-control panel-administrative tools-event viewer)) its only fair that you have yours.

5. Make sure you only install software from TRUSTED sources.

6. Make sure you always check the company website of important software that you use for sofware updates(this is essential because, your software provider works day and night to find and close-up loop-holes in their software, the closing up is in form of updates or newer enhancements)

7. Install a good anti virus software( i wont go into the argument of which is the best?!?!?!).

8. BE PATIENT. When users click a button and its taking more time than usual to respond,i notice that  users always respond to this by clicking more and more. i want to let you know that the OS now has to respond to the first click,and your zillion subsequent clicks.

9.If you notice any unusual computer behaviour just after u install a software. do a system restore(start-all programs-accessories-system tools- system restore) this restores your computer to its state before certain installations. simply uninstalling the software might not fully remove all the traces of the software(to make sure this works well you can use windows clean-up tool. download this at http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Windows-Installer-CleanUp-Utility-Download-18442.html

10. After all said and done, the software is meant to run over hardware. Make sure your installed hardaware meet the pre-requisite for any software you are installling.Not to mention that your softwares should be interoperable(see 9. above)


AND ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR CRITICAL DATA.

Keep pressing F8

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Virtualization;the Ace Technology

I know u guys were expecting the sequel to my june 24 post about cloud computing. So as not to be guilty of putting the cart before the horse,i would lets first look at a veritable tool for driving efficient cloud computing, 'SERVER VIRTUALIZATION'.

Today’s datacenter is a complex ecosystem with different kinds of servers,operating systems, and applications interacting with a wide variety of desktop computers and mobile client computers. For IT departments, managing and supporting this assortment of mission-critical technologies is a challenge.

Deploying server virtualization technology—moving disparate servers to virtual machines (Virtual
machines) in a centrally managed environment—is an increasingly popular option for facing this challenge.

Virtualization reduces IT costs, increases hardware utilization, optimizes business and network infrastructure, and improves server availability.
Windows Server® 2008 includes Hyper-V (formerly codenamed viridian), a powerful virtualization technology that enables businesses to take advantage of the benefits of virtualization without having to buy third-party software.

The most widely leveraged benefit of virtualization technology is server consolidation, enabling one server to take on the workloads of multiple servers. For example, by consolidating a branch office’s print server, FAX server, Exchange server, and Web server on a single Windows Server, businesses reduce the costs of hardware, maintenance, and staffing.

Microsoft’s virtualization strategy includes five key components:


• Server virtualization, enabling multiple servers to run on the same physical server

• Presentation virtualization, enabling remote users to access their office desktops or serverbased applications

• Desktop virtualization, enabling desktop operating systems to be consolidated into the datacenter

• Application virtualization, helping to prevent conflicts between applications on the same PC

• Comprehensive management, tying virtual components into the same management tools used to monitor and control physical components


Server Virtualization


Microsoft has two server virtualization offerings: Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008, and Virtual Server 2005 R2. Hyper-V extends virtualization capability to manage 32-bit Virtual machines alongside 64-bit Virtual machines, enable Virtual machines to access larger amounts of memory, and enable Virtual machines to leverage multiple processors. Virtualization is a key feature of the operating system and helps customers get complete isolation of the different virtual machines and still benefit from server consolidation.

Desktop Virtualization


When server virtualization is used host client OSes for remote access, this approach is often called desktop virtualization. While the principles of desktop virtualization are similar to server virtualization, this approach can be useful in a variety of situations. One of the most common is to deal with incompatibility between applications and desktop operating systems. For example, suppose a user
running Windows Vista needs to use an application that runs only on Windows XP with Service Pack 2.
By creating a VM that runs this older operating system, then installing the application in that VM, this problem can be solved. Microsoft VirtualPC is an example of a solution in this space to help address th scenario for hosting VMs in a desktop environment for application compatibility.

Application Virtualization

Application virtualization helps isolate the application running environment from the operating system install requirements by creating application-specific copies of all shared resources and helps reduce application to application incompatibility and testing needs. With Microsoft SoftGrid, desktop and network users can also reduce application installation time and eliminate potential conflicts between
applications by giving each application a virtual environment that’s not quite as extensive as an entire virtual machine. By providing an abstracted view of key parts of the system, application virtualization reduces the time and expense required to deploy and update applications.

Presentation Virtualization


Presentation virtualization is a technology that enables applications to execute on a remote server, yet display its user interface locally. Microsoft’s presentation virtualization technology, Microsoft Terminal Services, enables remote users to connect to their office desktops from anywhere in the world, taking full advantage of applications, resources, and familiar interfaces even from computers with different operating systems or system capabilities. Administrators can access system management tools from remote locations, for example, or applications can be run on a server and accessed by remote users.
Presentation virtualization enables customers to centralize and secure data, reduce cost of managing applications, reduce test costs for compatibility between the OS and applications, and potentially improve the performance of systems overall.

Comprehensive Management in a Familiar Environment


Virtualization technologies provide a range of benefits. Yet as an organization’s computing environment gets more virtualized, it also gets more abstract. Increasing abstraction can increase complexity, making it harder for IT staff to control their world. The corollary is clear: If a virtualized world isn’t managed well, its benefits can be elusive.To a large degree, the specifics of managing a virtualized world are the same as those of managing a

physical world, and so the same tools can be used. To this end, Windows Server virtualization and the Microsoft System Center family of products includes many management features designed to make managing virtual machines simple and familiar while enabling easy access to powerful VM-specific management functions.
culled from: hyper-v product overview.
                   by microsoft corporation,October 2008