D-Link put more Secure in your Wi-Fi
February 12, 2008
D-LINK INTRODUCES SECURESPOT 2.0 SECURITY: POPULAR WI-FI ROUTER ADDS WHOLE-HOME PARENTAL CONTROLS AND SECURITY SERVICE
D-Link, the end-to-end networking solutions provider for consumer and business, announced the release of SecureSpot 2.0 Managed Security Service. Designed to accommodate the growing needs of the home broadband network, D-Link, is offering the all-in-one managed security service integrated with the popular Draft 802.11n router, DIR-625.At the heart of the SecureSpot 2.0 Services is an industry first - a unique, graphical, web based security console that remotely communicates with the router and networked home devices to make setting up and managing security for the connected home faster, easier and more effective than the old way of separately purchasing, loading and managing bulky security and parental controls packages on each PC.
“Security is a fundamental and overdue service needed at the hub of the connected home,” says Daniel Kelley, Marketing Director for D-Link Systems, Inc. “We believe SecureSpot 2.0 Services are an easier and more effective way to protect both family and network. Future consumers can avoid purchasing bulky security and parental controls packages and loading them separately onto each PC.”
The graphical web console with its managed service back end discovers and protects new devices as the network grows - guest computers, media centers, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, and other CE networked devices. Unique to other software or hardware solutions, SecureSpot 2.0 Services protect at both the network and computer layers, replacing the need for separate solutions. The hardware based firewall, parental controls, reporting and SMS alert features protect all devices in the network with multiple Web 2.0 lists that are updated in real-time. When a computer is added to the network, the console detects and loads a very thin client application (including the McAfee Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware engine) that protects computers from malware, ID theft and pop ups both within the network and while on the road.
Pricing is $60 annually for 3 PCs (Windows and Apple), with a “pay as you grow” model that licenses additional PCs at $20 each. Service is available to owners of the D-Link DIR-625 RangeBooster N® router, with information available at securespot.dlink.com. D-Link and managed service partner Bsecure Technologies have plans to roll out the service on other D-Link consumer router models.
New WiMAX stuff from Motorola
February 7, 2008
Motorola just unveiled two new 802.16e Wave 2-ready WiMAX devices. The desktop CPEi 750 and PCCw 200 PC card are part of a new generation of WiMAX devices designed to bring end-users higher data rates at a lower cost. These and other WiMAX customer premises equipment (CPE) and devices, along with Motorola’s WiMAX infrastructure solutions, will be on display enabling personal media experiences in Motorola’s booth (#8A159) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Feb. 11-14, 2008.
“Motorola offers a tiered portfolio of fixed and nomadic devices that meet a variety of feature and functionality requirements demanded by consumers,” said Fred Wright, senior vice president, Cellular Networks and WiMAX, Motorola. “From simple data-only devices to robust units that combine data, Voice over IP, and WiFi, our portfolio of market-tested, PC cards and award-winning design CPEs are helping to accelerate broadband growth for both fixed and mobile operators’ WiMAX deployments. With these devices, they can offer new services today to many types of customers.”
With the addition of the CPEi 750 and PCCw 200 PC card, Motorola continues to expand its portfolio of distinct and stylish Wave 2-ready WiMAX devices which includes the CPEi 850 - honored with the Industry Choice Award at WiMAX World USA 2007 in Chicago. These new Wave 2-ready devices are successors to Motorola’s currently available portfolio that includes the data-only CPEi 100 launched at CES 2008, the outdoor CPEo 400, and the PCCw 100 PC card. The portfolio also includes a data and VoIP product - the CPEi 300 - which was named Best of WiMAX World Europe 2007 in the devices category.
Motorola’s new PCCw 200 PC card can support both 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz on one card, giving users access to nomadic and mobile connectivity with global roaming capabilities. The PCCw 200 is expected to be available for commercial deployment in the second quarter of this year.
Motorola’s desktop CPEi 750, a second generation WiMAX 802.16e-compliant wireless broadband modem, provides fixed, wireless broadband connections to support bandwidth intensive, media rich applications. The CPEi 750 features one data and two VoIP/ATA ports and is available in both 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz. With its “plug-and-play” functionality, it acts as a compact communications center for advanced home communication. The CPEi 750 is slated for availability by mid-2008.
With true “plug-and-play” capability, operators are able to speed time to service and reduce operating costs associated with service turn-up. Users can be online in just a few minutes from the time they’ve unpacked the CPE from the box. The WiMAX network automatically detects the Motorola subscriber device upon power up and performs the necessary authentication processes. An elegant and user-friendly graphical interface allows end-users to self-diagnose their connections and personalize their service.
Motorola’s WiMAX device portfolio is fully compliant to the IEEE 802.16e-2005 technology standard which enables both fixed and mobile use. Products in the portfolio will be delivered for WiMAX Forum certification to ensure interoperability among the global WiMAX ecosystem.
Motorola’s wi4 WiMAX solutions are designed to support fixed, portable, nomadic and mobile applications. The WiMAX access points, CPEs, PC cards and mobile WiMAX chipsets under development for use in Motorola’s mobile devices are part of the MOTOwi4™ portfolio of solutions that complement and complete wireless broadband networks
Advanced Disk Arrays at low prices from HP
February 6, 2008
HP today introduced a new family of entry-level disk arrays with enterprise-class features that can help customers more effectively centralize storage to lower costs, increase administrator efficiency and reduce business downtime.
The HP StorageWorks 2000 Modular Smart Array (MSA2000) family is composed of low-cost Fibre Channel and iSCSI disk arrays for highly available, storage area networks (SAN) that is designed for virtualized server environments.
The easy-to-use, enterprise-class systems are designed for small and mid-size businesses, however, enterprises also will find the MSA2000 is an ideal solution for their remote office, departmental, secondary and tertiary storage needs.
The entry-level external storage market was $2.8 billion in 2006, according to analysts, and HP garnered a market-leading 21 percent market share in this segment in 2007.
“HP’s market strength and experience in the entry-level SAN segment allows them to deliver cost-effective solutions that provide high levels of availability and scalability,” said John Webster, principal IT advisor, Illuminata Inc. “There is a growing demand among customers with smaller storage needs for features to support high-profile data and applications, as well as deployments of virtual servers.”
The MSA2000 arrays are easily deployed in physical or virtual server environments to deliver an available and automated infrastructure. The modular arrays also support a wide range of application deployments, including VMware virtualization software. The MSA2000 enables customers to increase disk utilization by deploying any combination of SAS or SATA drives to achieve an ideal mix of price, reliability and performance to support their business.
New capabilities within the MSA2000 increase application uptime to better ensure that the systems are available for the business. For example, features such as dual power supplies, optional dual controllers and redundant hardware with automatic failover significantly reduce business downtime.
To further minimize the risk of business interruption, the MSA2000 includes optional management software for “snap and clone” capabilities. These new data duplication capabilities are critical in protecting data and streamlining IT processes with rapid backup and recovery operations. This more reliable data protection also features a persistent cache that does not require a battery backup, thus reducing the potential disposal of hazardous material.
Both the iSCSI and Fibre Channel MSA2000 arrays complement the HP BladeSystem and feature a built-in management console to set up and configure the storage without additional hardware and software. This enables HP BladeSystem customers to easily fit the MSA2000 into their current management environment and configure all their blades at once instead of one blade at a time.
The flexible and modular nature of the HP StorageWorks portfolio eases the addition of file services to the MSA2000 family using HP ProLiant Storage Servers or an HP StorageWorks EFS Clustered Gateway. By leveraging familiar ProLiant server configuration and system management tools, minimal training is required for IT managers and administration is simplified.
“Our modular storage arrays are perfect for customers who have a limited IT budget, but need a solution that is quickly scalable for shared storage environments,” said Robin Hensley, vice president of Entry Storage, StorageWorks, HP. “Customers will benefit from consolidating their storage and can take advantage of features like snap and clone to protect their data and deliver value to their business.”
The MSA2000 disk arrays can scale up to 36 terabytes of capacity and support either 4-Gb Fibre Channel (MSA2000fc) or 1-Gb iSCSI (MSA2000i) host connectivity. The arrays can be configured with up to 48 SAS or SATA disk drives for an optimal mix of performance, cost and energy efficiency.
Pricing and availability
The HP StorageWorks 2000 Modular Smart Array starts at U.S. list price of $4,999 with general availability expected in March.
Specifications :
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MSA2000fc |
MSA2000i |
|---|---|
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- 12 drive bays in array enclosure
- 3 additional drive enclosures supported
- 48 drives maximum
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- SAS – 146GB 15K, 300GB 15K
- SATA – 500GB, 750GB (all 7200 RPM)
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D-Link gets nominated for Gaming Gear
February 4, 2008
The consumer electronics industry’s leading organization has announced that D-Link’s corporate “green” policy and its newest computer gaming device are finalists in the prestigious Consumer Electronics Association Mark of Excellence competition.Similar to the Academy Awards, the winners will not be revealed until the night of the awards banquet March 14th at the Electronic House Expo in Orlando, Fla.
Beating out hundreds of products for the finalist honor was D-Link’s “green” computer networking initiative, namely its environmentally friendly Green Ethernet™ switches used by consumers and businesses to manage network communications traffic.
A staunch supporter of worldwide green initiatives, D-Link’s entry was recognized for its ability to encompass recycling programs, reduce packaging and incorporate new technologies that support or promote state and federal legislation and environmentally/planet-friendly practices. The D-Link Green Ethernet switches are the first in the market to automatically decrease energy costs by reducing power consumption without sacrificing operational performance and functionality.
Also named a finalist was the new D-Link Xtreme N™ Gaming Router (DGL-4500), designed especially for online video game enthusiasts. The D-Link® DGL-4500 is the first home networking router to incorporate the fast Draft 802.11n Wi-Fi speed and range along with D-Link GameFuel™ engine for optimizing the network performance of online multiplayer gaming applications over all other processes on the home network.
The DGL-4500 was recognized as one of the best new or improved wireless products that provide solutions for computer networking systems in the home.
“To achieve finalist status in this important awards competition is an enormous honor,” said Steven Joe, president and CEO for D-Link Systems, the end-to-end network solutions provider for consumers and business. “We constantly strive to incorporate the latest technology into our products, delivering best-in-class solutions designed to enhance our customer’s digital lifestyle while also helping the environment through intelligent power reduction.”
If you want a datacenter you need the new Cisco Nexus 7000
January 28, 2008
Cisco® announced today an innovative family of data center-class switching platforms, the Cisco Nexus Series, to meet customer demands for next-generation mission-critical data centers. As the data center transitions to a more services-centric model, the network plays a pivotal role in orchestrating virtual IT resources and scaling workloads. The Cisco Nexus 7000 Series was designed with this environment in mind, delivering the infrastructure chapter of Cisco’s Data Center 3.0 vision.
Today’s announcement features a new data center platform with both hardware and software innovations, including:
- The Cisco Nexus 7000 Series, the flagship data center-class switching platform combining Ethernet, IP, and storage capabilities across one unified network fabric
- The Cisco Trusted Security (TrustSec) architecture
- An advanced operating system, the Cisco Nexus Operating System (NX-OS), and the Cisco Data Center Network Manager
Introducing the Nexus 7000 Series: Purpose Built for Data Centers
The Cisco Nexus 7000 Series is the flagship member of the Cisco Nexus Family, the first in a new data center class of switching products. The Nexus 7000 is a highly scalable modular platform that delivers up to 15 terabits per second of switching capacity in a single chassis, supporting up to 512 10-gigabits-per-second (Gbps) Ethernet and future delivery of 40- and 100-Gbps Ethernet. Its unified fabric architecture combines Ethernet and storage capabilities into a single platform, designed to provide all servers with access to all network and storage resources. This enables data center consolidation and virtualization. Key components of the unified fabric architecture include unified I/O interfaces and Fibre Channel over Ethernet support to be delivered in the future.
The Nexus 7000 is designed specifically for the data center with improved airflow, integrated cable management, and a resilient platform architecture. The data plane is fully distributed and, when coupled with the Cisco NX-OS operating system, is designed to enable zero service-disruption upgrades on production systems. This provides a seamless systems design that reduces administrative tasks and simplifies complex systems operations.
A Unique Unified Fabric Architecture
Building data centers based on a unified fabric eliminates the need for parallel storage and computational networks, reducing the number of server interfaces and significantly reducing the cabling and switching infrastructure required. A unified fabric also enables customers to move to higher-density server form factors, increasing the IT workload output of each data center. Combined with virtualization, this new technology will help customers to build more efficient and sustainable data centers, maximizing IT workload for each facility and saving more power overall than the network generally consumes. The Nexus 7000 architecture is designed around this lossless unified fabric capable of simultaneously forwarding storage, Ethernet, and IP traffic. The fabric scales performance linearly with each fabric module and is logically partitioned for efficient unicast and multicast traffic, making it ideally suited for market data video as well as collaboration applications.
Microsoft is currently performing rigorous testing of the Nexus 7000 Series for security, manageability and performance in a lab environment. “We appreciate the modular processes of the Cisco Nexus operating system designed to resolve problems in real time without impact to production traffic, as well as data center-class high-availability features and unified fabric support,” said Debra Chrapaty, corporate vice president, Global Foundation Services, Microsoft.
Powered by an Advanced Operating System: NX-OS
At the heart of the Nexus 7000 Series is the NX-OS software, purpose-built to maximize data center resiliency and to consolidate disparate networks. NX-OS combines the best of Cisco’s SAN-OS, Layer 2 switching, Layer 3 routing protocols, and advanced virtualization capabilities into one reliable operating system with the familiar Cisco IOS® interface.
NX-OS has many innovative features, including:
- Zero-service-disruption upgrades
- Virtual device contexts
- Graceful systems operations
- XML interfaces to access switch information or any command
NX-OS delivers zero-service-disruption system upgrades to maximize production uptime while self-diagnostic capabilities continuously track each software component in the operating system. If a failure is detected, NX-OS policies enable stateful process restart without service disruption. This modular design provides fault containment and automatic recovery so that processes can be remotely started, stopped and upgraded without human intervention.
Innovative virtualization capabilities such as virtual device contexts allow the system to be partitioned into multiple logical devices, each with its own processes and command-line interface running independent of one another. This system may be used by hosting providers and complex enterprise administrative models, to be shared by multiple administrators concurrently, each with its own switching environment.
