Enterprise Tech @enterprisetech-blog - Tumblr Blog

Posts

fitnessultimate

Christmas blog

oahficw

A bike for the Christmas season

enterprisetech-blog

Love this

truthbeknown!

Customer Experience (repost)

Why the customers experience is so important

In today’s world we have choices to how we access information and the key to any successful business - with information as a primary business fuction - is how that business makes information accesable and easy to manage for the consumer.

There is a quote to help bring this to focus. It comes from Nick Bilton who wrote I Live in the Future & Here’s How It Works.

"We don’t actually pay for content; I think we pay for the experience. If I were to ask, would you like to buy my book for twenty dollars you might say sure. But if I said would you buy my book for twenty dollars but I’ll put them on post-it notes you wouldn’t be so inclined, right, because the experience would be horriable."

This reminds me of how successful iTunes was for Apple. The content before iTunes was accessible by many different methods to include digital sharing and the music industry became frustrated with this. But they were reluctant to provide a proper experience for the customer because they wrongfully believed the content just sold itself; totally neglecting the experience of the once famous record stores and MTV.

Then came along Apple who proposed to provide the right experience needed for the digital age and magically (sarcastically speaking) it become worthwhile to pay for the digital content and it has thus far worked.

The human experience is all about the information we thrive on. But if the information isn’t accessable through a proper experience it will become lost in a sea of meaningless content.

WHM/cPanel + ConfigServer Services

ConfigServer Services offers some great add-on products for cPanel/WHM. http://www.configserver.com/cp/cpanel.html

An awesome firewall program is ConfigServer Security & Firewall or CSF/LFD. NOTE: I'm using cPanel/WHM on CentOS or RedHat Enterprise 64 bit v3 to v6 operating system

1. Download csf.tgz to your root "/" folder

# wget http://www.configserver.com/free/csf.tgz

2. Untar the Distribution:

# tar -xzf csf.tgz

3. Go to the csf/ directory

# cd csf/

4. Once in the csf directory, Install ConfigServer Security & Firewall

# ./install.sh

If running WHM/cPanel then reload WHM if logged in.

Now another great ConfigServer Service is ConfigServer ModSecurity Control (cmc) I use this a lot. It is great for seeing threats/intrusions.

Follow the same directions as above except the download and file names are different.

Link: http://www.configserver.com/free/cmc.tgz

Directory: cmc/

Deleting the csf and cmc folders after installation is fine. ConfigServer Services also has Mail

#Justin Aeschleman #ConfigServer #ConfigServer Services #cPanel #cPanel/WHM #cPanel Firewall #cPanel Security #ConfigServer Security & Firewall #ModSecurity installation #ConfigServer Security & Firewall installation #centos 6 #RedHat Enterprise #Enterprise Tech

Imagination doesn't take a TV

A List of some Run Commands

I recently was creating a kiosk with only an internet explorer shell in the registry and had to quickly learn a lot of run commands, as it was the only way to access controls on local computers. While most of the policies were pushed out through the group policy I created, I still needed to access some local computer controls.

I figured it would be nice to have a list of run commands. It is a bit long and some of them are familiar, while others are not.

To Access…

Add Hardware Wizard - hdwwiz

Add/Remove Programs - appwiz.cpl

Administrative Tools - control admintools

Adobe Photoshop (if installed) - photoshop

Calculator - calc

Certificate Manager - certmgr.msc

Character Map - charmap

Check Disk Utility - chkdsk

Command Prompt - cmd

Component Services - dcomcnfg

Computer Management - compmgmt.msc

Control Panel - control

Date and Time Properties - timedate.cpl

Device Manager - devmgmt.msc

Direct X Troubleshooter - dxdiag

Disk Cleanup Utility - cleanmgr

Disk Defragment - dfrg.msc

Disk Management - diskmgmt.msc

Disk Partition Manager - diskpart

Display Properties - control desktop

Display Properties - desk.cpl

Display Properties (appearance) - control color

Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility - drwtsn32

Event Viewer - eventvwr.msc

Files and Settings Transfer Tool - migwiz

File Signature Verification Tool - sigverif

Fonts Folder - fonts

Game Controllers - joy.cpl

Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) - gpedit.msc

Iexpress Wizard - iexpress

Internet Explorer - iexplore

Internet Properties - inetcpl.cpl

Keyboard Properties - control keyboard

Local Security Settings - secpol.msc

Local Users and Groups - lusrmgr.msc

Logs You Out Of Windows - logoff

Malicious Software Removal Tool - mrt

Microsoft Access (if installed) - msaccess

Microsoft Excel (if installed) - excel

Microsoft Paint - mspaint

Microsoft Word (if installed) - winword

Mouse Properties - control mouse

Mouse Properties - main.cpl

Network Connections - control netconnections or ncpa.cpl

Notepad - notepad

On Screen Keyboard - osk

Paint - pbrush

Performance Monitor - perfmon.msc

Performance Monitor - perfmon

Power Configuration - powercfg.cpl

Printers and Faxes - control printers

Private Character Editor - eudcedit

Regional Settings - intl.cpl

Registry Editor - regedit

Remote Access Phonebook - rasphone

Remote Desktop - mstsc

Scheduled Tasks - control schedtasks

Security Center - wscui.cpl

Services - services.msc

Shared Folders - fsmgmt.msc

Shuts Down Windows - shutdown

Sounds and Audio - mmsys.cpl

SQL Client Configuration - cliconfg

System Configuration Utility - msconfig

System Information - msinfo32

System Properties - sysdm.cpl

Task Manager - taskmgr

Utility Manager - utilman

Windows Address Book - wab

Windows Address Book Import Utility - wabmig

Windows Explorer - explorer

Windows Firewall - firewall.cpl

Windows Magnifier - magnify

Windows Management Infrastructure - wmimgmt.msc

Windows Media Player - wmplayer 337.25

Windows Messenger - msmsgs

Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected) - wiaacmgr

Windows System Security Tool - syskey

Windows Version (to show which version of windows) - winver

Wordpad - write

#Microsoft Windows #Windows XP #Windows 7 #Run Commands

What not to outsource

Never outsource

- IT leadership/managemenet

- Architecture development

- Business and technology advancement

- Vendor management

- Customer facing activities

- Core competency

- Strategic functions

- Measurement functions

"The Business Value of IT" Harris, Herron, Iwanicki 2008

facebook

I "deactivated" my facebook account. They made it extremely difficult to do so, but I got through it. I guess there is always the last-line of addictive behavior left, because they only deactivated the account, NOT deleted it.

They won't delete the account and they make sure you know that all you have to do to reactivate your account is log back into it. Like a liquor store always around the corner.

It is a cheap move, but will probably work at keeping people members. Hope I don't get an urge!

Had a nice weekend

Redesigned my website. Got a few hours in on homework - statistics problems finished, sql problems almost done, and business value of IT paper finished.

I need to do some research on SharePoint Workflow options for work and start a new website design.

Hopefully, I'll start making some money for all this stuff! = )

I am currently working on these websites. One more to come in a few weeks.

Busy Spring

I have work coming in from all directions.

Currently, I now working on two websites, one for Frazer and Jones Company and another for eNcompass Technology (my current employer).

I have to write a bunch of SQL code for class, start a homework assignment (for the same database class) that uses data from Netfilx, and a paper do for another class - on the Business value of IT. Coding websites is a lot of fun. I love designing and problem solving.

Some useful sites I use during the process

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/mostpopular?time=0

http://lipsum.com/

http://www.istockphoto.com/

some useful training

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/videotraining.html#intro

#Web development #html #kuler #lipsum #istockphoto #adobe #netfilx #sql

new website

I finished transferring files to www.justinaeschleman.com, from Syracuse University's provided domain. The SU domain jlaeschl.mysite.syr.edu is still running, but I needed my own so I could install MySQL and PHP in the future.

Time to read some Database Demystified and run some errands.

Another full day of interfacing with programs

What a day. I spent the morning configuring SharePoint for a local company, and I have some mixed emotions about it. Then, later today I had the pleasure of programming SQL (this was in an academic environment).

First SharePoint 2010.

I can see the potential of SharePoint. It really isn't a program, it is more like an over glorified document repository with a poorly built website face-lift. I love the idea of bringing employees together, in a social media kind-of-way, but SharePoint gets right to that point and then just pulls back. I have yet to see SharePoint make in impact in any environment. I have used it at Syracuse University, as a user, and am now configuring it for a small company. But to be fair, this small company probably wouldn't utilize its full potential. Still it is very clunky to configure and not friendly to design the UI.

There is an editor you can download, which seems some what familiar to Expression Web 4 and HTML, not really - but close enough, where you can edit the "code" of SharePoint. This of course requires EXTENSIVE time to learn and master. The UI is just as Extensive and time consuming to learn.

It appears the normally smaller learning curve, but less functional, nature of GUI's are getting closer to the larger, more functional, learning curves of programming language & CLI's.

On top of all this, when uploading documents, SharePoint doesn't like specific characters...especially ones used in the schema's of many people. ( i.e. # > & %)

Companies thinking of SharePoint will have to think of the time to invest in it. Not only building it, but also in maintaining it. It is a full time job for sure.

Of course, the simple template use of SharePoint, with minimal setup, is possible.

Moving on.

SQL is fun and surprisingly easy to learn, but I doubt easy to master. Got to make a few tables and saved some good scripts that will probably come in handy in the future. Constraints are a pain but necessary. What I learned today is that logic is very important to remember, the where's, and's, and if's.

SQL Database

Having a lot of fun with this semester database class #ist359. Tougher than I thought, but not beyond my reach (by any means) and well worth the effort. Because there are so many possibilities with database design.

Using SQL Server Management Studio to connect to the School account. Pretty snazzy

#SQL database

Browser Toolbars

Seriously, what is the benefit to these companies that are so sneaky with adding toolbars to IE or other browsers? I don't get it. They go out of their way to get you to install something that is annoying to the user, is barely functional, and slows the heck out of the browser.

It is looked at as a sneaky tactic, the add'ons suck, and there really is not advertisement value in them. For instance, when trying to install Yahoo Messenger for someone, I unchecked everything I thought would try to install the yahoo toolbar (three things), then on the final install it still said yahoo messanger and yahoo toolbar. So I went back and found, in small print, a custom options. Once I hit the custom option there was one more hidden request to install something I didn't download! How sneaky can they be. The Custom option is suppose to be for options for the program being installed Not for unrequested programs!

Would it not just more productived for Yahoo to create their own browser? They have done it before with SBC Global, so I know they have the capabilities.

Your passcode, your life

If you are anything like me, than a lot of your life is online. And most likely your online life is protected by a 6 to 8 character passcode - with a combination of different character types. Today, everything from email servers to social networking sites to online banking is protected by your passcode, giving you exclusive access.

Recently, I have been seeing more and more issues of stolen account passcodes and identity theft around the web. Therefore, I want to provide some passcode do's and don'ts. While this blog is about passcodes, it isn't on the strength of passcodes - we all should know what makes a strong passcode. Instead, this blog is more about the integrity of them.

DO:

- Make a mental rating system for sites/services that require a passcode. Think of the terror threat system if it helps. But know who, when, and what to trust. I give a low, medium, and high priority to sites.

- Have more than one passcode. It is good to have at least two, better to have four or five. Basically, the more the merrier.

- Apply the newest and strongest passcodes to the most important sites/services. (i.e. if your life depends on your job, then it is probably a good idea to provide those services with the newest and strongest passcodes.)

- Create a new passcode about once a year, if your company or school doesn't make you do it on a regular basis. But once a year is good if you follow these rules.

- Build your collection of passcodes by reusing older passcodes, obviously ones that haven't been compromised. It is okay to reuse them, as long as you move them down the priority list. For me, social media sites get a medium priority. By medium priority, I mean it is a reasonably new passcodes that was once considered high. The average site gets the oldest passcodes (i.e. magazine and newspaper sites), that may or may not have been high at one point in time; definitely were medium though.

***If a site you are trying to access requires an account, and it isn't a well known site or is a questionable one, then the best option is to create a random passcode and write it down for future reference.***

If the questionable site becomes something you trust, then over time you will have gained a new passcode to use, but for the medium or low pool. It doesn't meet high pool standards. Therefore, until that time comes, the passcode means nothing, relates to nothing, and you lose nothing if the passcode is associated with information you entered. Any hacking program will be denied access to higher priority sites (even low priority).

DON'T:

- Only use one passcode for each and every site/service you use. This is the biggest security threat, as mentioned above. If the site is malicious and you used your one and only passcode, they now have access to your online life. Figuring out your username for a site/service is a hell of a lot easier than trying to figure out your passcode. And since most sites just use your email address as a username anyway, it is now only a matter of time before it is compromised.

Facebook for example does this, if you sign up for an account using the same email address and passcode, you are compromised. But you wouldn't be if you had used a low priority passcode.

- Trust a site with your information. It is a basic judgement call, but in today's online world we have become accustom to treating our passcodes like simple keys. I say don't treat them like keys, treat them like your SSN or bank account number, and only enter the high passcodes when you are 100% sure the site/service will protect the passcode. Or only create the high pool passcodes on those sites and retire them to the medium/low pool as time goes by.

- Be afraid to give false information to low priority sites. Does it matter if these sites know your real address or real name is, no of course not.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Enterprise Tech