Increase Server Uptime With Automatic Defrag

In today’s computing environment, uptime is a critical factor. This is because information technology has slowly crept up from the supporting position it had years back—suddenly we look up and IT is not merely enhancing business operations, it in itself has become business operations. When a customer is placing an order, it is directly or nearly directly with a computer. When a shipment is received by a customer, the receiving signature is scanned and receipt is immediately confirmed through a computer. Messaging, quotes, accounting, inventory—they’re all done straight through automated systems that cannot afford downtime.

Now that so many servers are “front and center” and must run 24X7, time to perform tasks such as anti-virus, backups and defrag has become incredibly scarce. So scarce, in fact, that some sites put off defrag until performance is absolutely intolerable and the only choice is to bring a system down and run a manual or scheduled defragmentation.

Disk fragmentation occurs when a file is broken up into pieces to fit on the disk. Because files are constantly being written, deleted and resized, fragmentation is a natural occurrence. When a file is spread out over several locations, it takes longer to read and write. But the effects of fragmentation are far more widespread: Slow performance, long boot-times, random crashes and freeze-ups — even a complete inability to boot up at all. Many users blame these problems on the operating systems, when disk fragmentation is often the real culprit.

In the context of administering computer systems, defragmentation is a process that reduces the amount of fragmentation in file systems. It does this by physically reorganizing the contents of the disk to store the pieces of each file close together and contiguously. It also attempts to create larger regions of free space using compaction to impede the return of fragmentation. Some defragmenters also try to keep smaller files within a single directory together, as they are often accessed in sequence.

Jim Bernal, Senior Network Engineer with Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett in Chicago, Illinois, found out just how bad it can get. “We constantly had servers running slowly and getting really fragmented from constant file access and over time file access would almost halt or take minutes to access a file,” Bernal said. “We also had problems with users logging in with domain controllers sometimes rejecting users because of timeouts in communicating with our DNS servers.”

Like many sites today, Bernal’s company was running the whole gamut of services and applications, including Microsoft Exchange, SQL, fileservers, domain controllers, print servers, Terminal Services, Live Communications servers, accounting software, SharePoint and Virtual Services servers for virtualization.

But also like many sites, Bernal’s fortunately discovered Disk Defragmentation. Only a high quality disk defragmenter utilizes only otherwise-idle system resources, so defrag takes place whenever and wherever possible. There is never a negative performance hit from defragmentation, and no scheduling is ever required. Performance is always maximized, so systems can remain up and running.

Today, taking your systems down is the same as taking part of your business down. Therefore it is always well said that its better to take care of your servers & systems before the problem becomes incurable. So go ahead & download your copy of a free Disk Defragmentation Software.

Colleen Toumayan is the Vice President of Public Relations at Diskeeper Corporation. With over 31 million licenses sold, home users to large corporations rely on Diskeeper software to provide unparalleled performance and reliability to their laptops, desktops and servers. Diskeeper Corporation further provides real-time data protection and real-time data recovery™ with Undelete 2009.

Home Automation via Your PC Serial Port, Controlling Your Home through Your Desktop Computer

Everybody wants to take control of their daily lives in order to get through the day smoothly. From the moment you wake up to the moment you are preparing to get some sleep, you want everything to run the way you want it to run. Just one minor glitch can ruin your day. Imagine when your already in the parking lot of your office building, you suddenly forgot to turn on your home security system or you suddenly forgot about the important presentation documents that is due that same day. Because of this, your whole day will be a mess.

This is why many people today, especially people with rather large houses and people who are workaholics, are now considering getting a home automation system installed in their homes. If you are a type of person who tends to always forget something, home automation can work for you. Back at the example about forgetting turning on your home security system, you don't have to drive all the way back home if you have a home automation system installed. All you need to do is access your home automation system through the internet and turn your home security system on. Indeed, home automation can definitely make it easier for you to live your daily life.

Another great example of home automation system is that at the moment you wake up, it will remind you about your important presentation or appointments and tell you not to forget about your presentation documents. You simply have to input the reminder on the home automation system and program it to remind you at a specific time and at a specific date.

Remotely turning on your alarm system and giving you reminders is not the only benefits of this kind of system. You can also preprogram your system when to switch the lights (or other electronic devices in your house) on or off. Imagine, as you are driving home from work, everything inside your home is falling into place and prepare everything for relaxation. The climate control device is turned on and is specified to a level comfortable for you, your favorite music is turned on, the porch and garage lights are turned on and the coffee maker is already making coffee. All of these are done while you are driving through the freeway on your way home. The moment you reach home, all you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy your favorite coffee.

However, a home automation system can be rather expensive. It can cost you thousands of dollars just to get your entire house fully automated. This is why many people who cannot afford state-of-the-art home automation systems are now considering an alternative. To do this, you can purchase a device that you connect between your power outlets and your electronic device and are connected through a serial port in your PC.

You will also need a software program to install in your PC that can communicate with the device. Sure it can be great if you have one of those state-of-the-art wireless control panels included in some home automation systems. However, this system can cost you thousands of dollars. Why get something that cost a lot of money when you can get the same results with your existing home computer?

If you are the kind of person who is practical and also a person who doesn't have enough money but wants a home automation system, your home PC will do. The software you will install in your PC pretty much uses the same kind of interface that most home automation system uses today.

The only difference is that the control panel-based home automation systems are designed to run the home automation system only, while the PC-based system is designed to be a cheaper alternative and runs different software.

So, if you are looking for a cheaper alternative for home automation systems, getting a home automation system that is designed for PC serial connection is one of the best ways to save money. This kind of alternative can be as effective and can cost at half the price than what you will see in state-of-the-art home automation systems. So, get a PC-based home automation system and save a lot of money. There are various devices that are now widely available today for PC home automation systems.

Computer and Internet Security Issues that you Should Know

Using your computer and a reliable Internet connection can be the best combination for an ideal business opportunity. You don’t need raise too much capital for your business venture. With just a reliable Internet connection and computer system (which, because of wide availability and usage, become cheaper), you will be able to start your business right away and earn hundreds to thousands of dollars every month, depending on the online business opportunity that you would prefer.

However, you must be aware of the miscalculations that you can commit along your online business venture, especially when you forget to prioritize the protection of your computer system from unauthorized use and data theft. Contrary to the popular belief that a small-size Internet business will make them safe from data hackers and online intruders, there is also a great risk and danger involved once you neglect to protect your computer system, especially the hacking and computer destruction activities that are increasing significantly as the Internet evolves over the years. Most small-time Internet entrepreneurs are blinded by the fact that they are not exempted from these notorious data thieves, which is not true nowadays.

According to a research conducted by AMI-Partners, almost 50 percent of small and medium-sized online businesses failed to execute even the most basic security protection, which includes the installation of anti-spyware and anti-virus programs to their computer systems. This is one of the main reasons why the Mydoom worm triumphed, affecting one out of three small and medium-sized online businesses compared to one out of six large Internet companies. This was also discovered by the ISA or the Internet Security Alliance, a non-profit organization that handles information security issues. In other words, we can conclude that even small online businesses are more vulnerable to online threats of data theft and electronic sabotage.

In fact, every small online business owner must give data and network protection more attention due to the sophistication of data thieves. These thieves have now one of the advanced software programs and hardware necessary to break into the security measures implemented by data mangers. It would be a great waste of time and financial resources if your computer is left unguarded against these advanced data thieves and online hackers. You are on the verge of losing everything—including your computer, which is also a valuable investment.

Thus, it is important that you should consider data security and encryption as one of your top priorities. Keep in mind that your computer system is always vulnerable to this kind of attacks, even if you are just starting up. In fact, big businesses have more chances to recover compared to small business since big business have necessary funds available to recover from mishap. On the other hand, your small business has meager funds to start with your business—and an attack will be catastrophic for your small business.

There are hundreds of software providers that came up with latest solutions to guarantee the safety of your computer system. In addition, there are also Internet security services to guarantee protection of your online data against Internet hackers. By incorporating high level of encryption technology, hackers will have a hard time intercepting the data being stored in your computer system or while it is transmitted to a certain network of computer systems.

Always explore your options. Prioritize what is important and avoid getting caught by a catastrophic incident that will shut down your small business at an instant.

Data Collocation Tiers: What They Mean and What You Need

When a data colocation company talks about “tiers”, they are referring to the different levels of reliability they can offer for your server maintenance and storage. This grading system ranges from Tier I to Tier IV, with IV being the topmost reliability in power, cooling and availability. Prices can rise significantly based on the tier level offered by a data center. A government’s intelligence department would use Tier IV, however most companies can benefit fine from a Tier I or Tier II system and get the most for their buck. Choosing the right colocation center based on tier performance can differ according to the operational needs of a specific company. For VoIP telephone services, it would be more important to make sure servers aren’t going down for a few hours at unexpected notice since customers are heavily involved. For others, a basic Tier I will meet business needs while maintaining an economical balance for return on investment.

Tier I

The Tier I system is the longest living data colocation design having been around since the 1960s. It offers one pathway with no redundancies, which are used in case the main power pathway fails. Floor height, which is important to prevent damage against floods and can determine the effectiveness of a cooling system, stands at about 12 inches. The weight capacity of the platform on which the server stands is about 85 pounds per square foot. Weight capacity is important when considering the chances of a collapse (if say, you live on the earthquake-prone West coast of North America). Yearly downtime is estimated to be about 29 hours due to site infrastructure deficiencies (which are inevitable). Costs can be about $450 per square foot a month.

Tier II

Tier II holds all the qualities of a Tier I system except that the main feature is its redundant component, providing an alternative power source in the event the main circuit supply fails. Floor height is at 18 inches instead of 12 and the weight capacity is at 100 pounds instead of 85. Downtime is calculated to be around 22 hours a year. A Tier II system can cost about $650 per square foot a month.

Tier III

Tier III is a level up from Tier II, only now you have multiple electrical delivery paths that act independently, with any given circuit providing power to the servers at a time. In other words, instead of having only one circuit delivering power to equipment, with a back-up plug in that ‘sleeps’ until needed, now you have separate circuits connecting to the multiple plug-ins located in the equipment for more reliability. Floor height jumps to anywhere between 30 to 36 inches and weight capacity increases to 150 pounds. Downtime dramatically decreases to just below 2 hours a year, but costs soar to $900 per square foot of construction. Major telecoms or non-vital government departments might usually opt for a Tier III system.

Tier IV

Finally, the ultimate in performance, the Tier IV system. This design has everything of the first three Tiers plus added layers of protection, using multiple redundancies for each piece of equipment. Basically, if one power hub goes out, let alone the circuits and plugs in involved at the lower electrical layers, another will take over. In extreme cases, there will be back-ups for back-ups. Floor height remains at 30 to 36 inches since anything higher will not affect security or cooling greatly and might, in fact, create dust-build up that can cause trouble for servers in the long run. The weight capacity can exceed 150 pounds, depending on the data center’s specific infrastructure design. Downtime is at an all-time low of less than one hour per year, but costs are a hefty estimate of $1,100 per square foot a month or more.

As mentioned above, Tier I or, preferably Tier II systems will do fine for most business needs. It’s only the big players that will need higher reliability and actually have the resources to finance investments in Tier III or Tier IV systems. Speaking with a data center’s representatives about your server needs and their site infrastructure will help aid your decision greatly. Also keep in mind that the Tier system is only one of the many qualities to look for in selecting a data center to store your server. Other important factors not to be neglected are security, cooling, remote assistance and, of course, price.

Saleh Tousi is the CEO of SmarttNet, a Vancouver IT company offering comprehensive business Internet services including Vancouver colocation since 1995.

Data Backup and Storage Solutions For Your Colocated Server

We’ve all had that personal experience of losing hundreds of files and hours of work due to a computer crash right at the most inconvenient moment. Imagine a crash like that affecting a company that holds information computers pertinent to the survival of its place in the market. Backing up data, therefore, is not a new idea to come to the great minds of business owners and technical gurus, especially those that work with data centers. There are however, options that will suit different businesses in different ways, and having a working knowledge of the various backup solutions available will help guide the company in the right direction when it comes to avoiding such a great loss.

When choosing a backup storage solution, things to consider are:

Just how much data are we talking about? It may be that simpler methods won’t do in your case, at least not in the long run.
Will the data be expanding? If so, choose an option that will grow with you and can be more adaptable to your needs as things take a different form.

Are we dealing with top-notch security items? If accountability is important and you can’t afford the slightest possibility of a machine blowing up for one reason or another, don’t compromise – get the best there is.

Is this a group effort? If different people working from different computers in company will need access to the same information at any given time during the day, you could save yourself a lot of trouble by preparing for that in advance.

Have enough pocket change? Depending on the size of your business, it may be that budget concerns will mark the end of the argument – buy as you need until you can afford (and actually require) more.

Backup storage solutions in a data center come in three forms: Direct Attached Storage (DAS), Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN).

DAS is the most basic and commonly-used type of backup system. External hard drives that attach to your home computer and allow you to plop memory onto them are examples of DAS. What you save stays on one server, and copies of those files also nest in the same server, but on a separate drive. That way, if your main drive gives you problems, or you do a reformatting, you always have an extra copy just to be safe. If your company is a small, local one (i.e. without branches physically distant from each other) DAS may be your simple, one-step solution. The down side is that your server may get extra busy storing files and running applications at the same time, which can slow things down. However, on the upside, when problems do occur, they can be dealt with in-house on the attached server. Keep in mind though that DAS is limited in capacity and once memory space runs out, it’s out. If your company is growing, DAS may only be a temporary solution to your backup needs.

NAS is a solution that puts memory on a server separate from where applications are running. This increases speed and allows multiple users to access information from a hub. As indicated by its name, NAS runs on a network, and is therefore more suitable to businesses using networked computing. Its popularity has greatly increased, especially in light of its cost-decreases and return on investment. Management of the file storing server can be handled centrally in one location and not affect multiple servers that are being used for applications while maintenance is going on. Especially for computing systems in an office using multiple operating systems, NAS can act as a neutral file-sharing component to give access to work done by employees across the board.

SAN is an over-the-top backup system designed for very large businesses that require the ultimate in quickly transferring many files at the same time and connecting over long distances through a fiber channel. This method, though highly optimized, is still in development and lacks an across-the-board compatibility agreement that would make it more usable in the long run. Since it is more complex than either DAS or NAS, it usually falls as an option to those who can afford its novelty. Web-based companies, or those that conduct transactions online might require SAN backup because of the high level and frequency of data traffic.

Luckily, no matter what decision is made between the three, remember that often multiple systems can, and are often, used in conjunction with one another. For example, a company running DAS may also have NAS for certain operations. NAS can also appear where SAN is prominent. The first step would be determining the computing necessities of your businesses, and then assessing which backup system or combination of which, would suit you best.

Saleh Tousi is the CEO of SmarttNet, a Vancouver IT company offering comprehensive business Internet services including Vancouver colocation since 1995.