Category Archives: Miscellaneous IT

Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 01/29/18

If you had a busy week in the office and need to catch up, here’s our tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 01/29/2018!

Why successful DevOps implementation requires a more cultural change. Microsoft’s new update kills off Intel’s Spectre fix. Cisco acquires Skyport Systems to bolster its hybrid cloud positioning. Important security takeaways from applying Spectre and Meltdown patches and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Help Desk Basics: How Effective Is Your Help Desk, Really?

IT Operations

Microsoft

NVIDIA

  • NVIDIA brings its fastest GPU accelerator to IBM Cloud to boost AI, HPC workloads

VMware

Citrix

Cisco

Cloud

  • Could the cloud save government websites from going dark in the next shutdown?
  • Here’s what happens to private cloud if VMware reverse merges with Dell
  • Is your cloud service provided ready for HIPAA?

Security

  • $530 million cryptocurrency heist may be biggest ever
  • Hidden US military bases revealed by fitness app, shows need for IoT security policy
  • Cisco: This VPN bug has a 10 out of 10 severity rating, so patch it now
  • Ransomware: Now crooks are stealing bitcoin ransom payments intended for rivals
  • 6 important security takeaways from applying Spectre and Meltdown patches

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

Upcoming Webinar:

AWS or Azure? How to Move from Analysis Paralysis Toward a Smart Cloud Choice

Click here to register!

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 01/22/18

If you had a busy week in the office and need to catch up, here’s our tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 01/22/2017!

VMware recently updated vSphere to 6.5, find out why you should be upgrading. HPE partners with Portworx for easier Kubernetes deployment. Evolving IoT data storage in 2018. Cisco acquires Skyport Systems to bolster its hybrid cloud positioning and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Fighting Modern Threats with Next-Gen Firewalls with GreenPages’ network expert, Bobby Mazzotti

IT Operations

Microsoft

  • Microsoft shields Azure Stack hybrid cloud users from patent trolls
  • Microsoft unleashes new cloud growth via go-to-market program including customers as partners
  • Windows 10 can now show you all the data it’s sending back to Microsoft

VMware

  • VMware recently updated vSphere to 6.5, find out why you should be upgrading
  • Tips for upgrading to vSphere 6.5 in a large-scale environment
  • VMware adds edge computing support to vSphere through AWS Greengrass integration

HPE 

Cisco

AWS

  • Amazon’s new data-driven convenience store, Amazon Go, uses AI to check you out

Cloud

Security

  • Spectre flaw: Dell and HP pull Intel’s buggy patch, new BIOS update coming
  • US economy could lose $15B if one major cloud provider went down for a few days
  • Cyber attacks on the cloud could cost retail $3.4B
  • OnePlus.net suffered script injection; 40K customers’ payment details compromised

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

Upcoming Webinar:

AWS or Azure? How to Move from Analysis Paralysis Toward a Smart Cloud Choice

Click here to register!

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech New Recap for the Week of 01/08/17

If you had a busy week in the office and need to catch up, here’s our tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 01/08/2017!

The future of data technology. How network verification differs from monitoring, and what it’s good for. Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is ready for business. How Cisco’s newest security tool can detect malware inside of encrypted traffic. Intel CEO: 90% of vulnerabilities will be fixed in coming days and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Join GreenPages’ Cloud Experts on January 17th for a lively, non-biased discussion at our webinar:

AWS or Azure? How to Move from Analysis Paralysis Toward a Smart Cloud Choice

Click here to register!

IT Operations

  • Big data: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, the cloud… and other 2018 trends
  • 5 big data focal points for CDOs and CIOs in 2018
  • CIO: Adaptability essential to modernize IT structure
  • Hyperconverged secondary storage market heats up
  • How network verification differs from monitoring, and what it’s good for
  • How does SD-WAN manage real-time network traffic performance?
  • Why your company should stop neglecting data storage: 6 tips for getting organized
  • When disaster strikes too close to home, IT needs data protection
  • Future of data technology: Transformation trends for 2018

Microsoft

VMware

  • Meltdown and Spectre: VMware products

Cisco

  • How Cisco’s newest security tool can detect malware in encrypted traffic

Cloud

Security

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

AWS or Azure? How to Move from Analysis Paralysis Toward a Smart Cloud Choice

Click here to register!

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 01/01/18

Welcome to 2018!

If you had a busy week in the office following the holidays and need to catch up, here’s a tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 01/01/2017!

Why 2018 is the year for Kubernetes. The biggest hardware and software milestones of 2017 for Microsoft. Updates and patches for the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. Eight burning questions for enterprise technology in 2018 and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Join GreenPages’ Cloud Experts on January 17th for a lively, non-biased discussion at our webinar:

AWS or Azure? How to Move from Analysis Paralysis Toward a Smart Cloud Choice

Click here to register!

IT Operations

Microsoft

  • Microsoft Monday: Foldable smartphone patent, Surface Pro with LTE availability, Andromeda OS hinted
  • Microsoft in 2017: The biggest hardware and software milestones
  • VDI with Citrix on Azure Government
  • Microsoft is already fixing the big chip bug – here are the Windows PCs that will be the most affected
  • Why 2018 could be a big breakout year for Microsoft’s Stream video service

HPE

  • HP’s newest ‘zero’ client offers improved security, VMware and Amazon integrations

VMware

  • Once again, analysts name VMware a leader in cloud management

Cisco

Cloud

Security

  • 2017 Threat Trends – The Year in Review
  • One surprising statistic explains why phishing will remain the most common cyber attack for the next few years
  • Emergency Windows Meltdown patch may be incompatible with PC
  • Anonymous no more: Reusing complex passwords gives your identity away

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

While you’re here, check out this white paper on how to rethink your IT security, especially when it comes to financial services.

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 12/18/17

If you had a busy week and need to catch up, here’s a tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 12/18/2017!

What the loss of net neutrality means. 8 game-changing data trends that will impact businesses in 2018. VMware to focus on its multi-cloud management platform. Massive ConsumerView database leak and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Featured

AWS re:Invent 2017 – re:Cap from Chris Williams

IT Operations

Microsoft

HPE

  • Toshiba, HPE head 2017 storage acquisitions

AWS

  • AWS raises machine learning expectations for cloud security
  • Amazon has come up with a genius new way to run productive meetings

VMware

Cisco

Cloud

Security

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

While you’re here, check out this white paper on how to rethink your IT security, especially when it comes to financial services.

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 12/11/17

If you had a busy week and need to catch up, here’s a tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 12/11/2017!

The top tech gifts of 2017! Traditional WANs vs Next Gen. How Microsoft will hit its $1 trillion valuation. 3 advanced data protection technologies to look for in 2018. Microsoft makes Azure Bot Service generally available for developers and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Featured

  • Top Tech Gifts of 2017! Brought to you by Team GreenPages

IT Operations

Microsoft

AWS

  • AWS announces single sign-on, but is it worth it?

Cisco

  • Profiles in Cybersecurity: Steve Martino, Chief Information Security Officer, Cisco
  • An overview of Cisco‘s 2017 performance

Cloud

  • What’s more secure than the cloud?
  • 62% of IT leaders say legacy systems are the biggest roadblock to multi-cloud success
  • 2020: The magic year public cloud becomes more popular than on-premises
  • Four ways to avoid vendor lock-in when moving to the public cloud
  • Juniper Contrail battles Cisco ACI, VMware NSX in the cloud

Security

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

While you’re here, check out this white paper on how to rethink your IT security, especially when it comes to financial services.

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, tech gadgets, tech gifts

Top Tech Gifts of 2017 from Team GreenPages

Just in time for your last minute holiday shopping! Here are our picks for the top tech gifts this holiday season, chosen by Chris Williams, Tony Ramsey, Tim Ferris, David Jones, and me, Jake Cryan. Hopefully, this will help you find something for the techies on your list!

Chris Williams
Enterprise Consultant

2nd Generation Amazon Echo
All of the same features and sound quality of the original Alexa, but smaller, more stylish, and cheaper at $100!

Nintendo Switch
It’s a great gaming platform both for at home and on the road. With several great games already and more coming out in time for Christmas, now is the time to get it!

Fitbit Charge HR
I’ve been using this fitness wearable for the past year and it’s still the best mid-range priced device out there. Compatible with both Android and iPhones, synchs with phones GPS for running, biking and hiking and many more activities. If you want to go high end, get the Fitbit Ionic and you’ll upgrade to waterproof (for swimming) and built-in GPS.

Tony Ramsey
Practice Manager, Network & Security

Bose Sports Wireless Earbuds
Bose is well known for the best quality sound, however, these are perfect for any type of sport and listening to music or audiobooks. They’re also weather and water resistant, perfect for use anywhere. The best part is, if you lose them, there’s an app that will help you find them!

Quadrocopter Drone
This drone is great for beginners, kids and adults alike. It also comes equipped with a 720P camera and one key return. You simply press a button and it’ll fly back to its place of initial take off! You can also control it by remote control or smartphone. Plus, at $60 you won’t be breaking the bank for your first drone.

Tim Ferris
Solutions Architect

2nd Generation Amazon Echo Dot
The perfect starter device for your home. If you aren’t ready to make the plunge and buy an Amazon Echo, invest in the more affordable, Echo Dot. This simple device gives you access to all of Alexa’s skill and the ability to control a variety of smart home gadgets. P.S. most retailers are currently offering it for a discounted price before the holidays.

David Jones
Enterprise Consultant

Amazon Echo & Wink Hub
One Two Combo
I use this combination of devices to control my entire house. Lights, fans, door locks, you name it. I’ve created “macros,” so by telling Alexa “goodnight,” she will turn off most of the lights in the house, dim the remaining, lock the front door, and set the thermostat. It’s pretty amazing stuff. I also use it in conjunction with sensors, and my garage doors to automatically turn lights on when certain doors opened (like the one to my basement) without having to fumble in the dark for a light switch.

Jake Cryan
Digital Marketing Specialist

Skyroam Solis

A 4G LTE global wifi hotspot and power bank. As an avid traveler, this is the perfect device to connect to fast wifi anywhere in the world. It helps me get online when I’m away, whether it’s for work or personal reasons, I get access to high-speed internet in over 100+ countries. I had it with me while on a recent trip to Iceland and no matter how deep into the isolated snowy tundra I was, it worked perfectly. The bonus of the Solis is that it’s also packed with a 60000 mAh power bank, allowing you to charge your gadgets while you are on the go.

 

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 12/04/17

If you had a busy week and need to catch up, here’s a tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 12/04/2017!

Dell EMC makes big hyper-converged systems push with new servers. Configure a complete enterprise DaaS deployment. Ransomware: A cheat sheet for professionals. VMware targets cloud and container networking with latest NSX-T launch and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Featured

IT Operations

Microsoft

  • The missing link in Microsoft’s AI strategy
  • Seven end-of-year maintenance tips for Windows client systems
  • Company of the Year: Microsoft
  • Microsoft Monday: Windows 10 hits 600M, Edge for iOS and Android, massive Redmond campus expansion

HPE

Dell

  • Dell EMC makes big hyper-converged systems push with new server
  • Dell EMC all-flash surge collides with softening storage demand

VMware

Cloud

Security

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

While you’re here, check out this white paper on how to rethink your IT security, especially when it comes to financial services.

Amazon Web Services, AWS, Featured, Miscellaneous IT

AWS re:Invent 2017 – re:Cap from Chris

AWS re:Invent 2017By Chris Williams

This was my very first AWS re:Invent conference and there are so many things to talk about!

I’m going to briefly talk about the new services that have were announced, but I’m not going to do a deep dive on any one of them… the reason being that (a) there is going to be MUCH more coming out on the services in the future & anything I say here will probably be incorrect and (b) you can go straight to the source... so I’ll link where appropriate, and (c) there were so many new services that I’m only going to hit on the big ones that I have better than passing knowledge of anyway 🙂

  • Amazon Sumerian 
    • Create and run VR, AR, and 3D applications without requiring specialized programming or 3D expertise.
  • Alexa for Business
    • Start meetings, shared devices, use for conference calls, create private skills for your business… the sky’s the limit with this & I’m excited to see where it goes.
  • Amazon ECS for Kubernetes (EKS)
    • This has been a long time coming.  Most of the Docker instances on EC2 were managed by K8s anyway.
  • New EC2 instances:
    • M5
    • H1
    • T2 Unlimited
  • Lambda
  • Amazon Time Sync Service (NTP)
  • AWS Serverless Application Repository
    • … Just signed up for the preview – can someone do WordPress please!?  😉
  • AWS Server Migration Service for Hyper-V
  • Aurora
    • Multi-Master – scale write nodes across multiple AZs increasing scalability and availability
    • Serverless – A new serverless mode that will save time and money by automatically adjusting database capacity to match application needs
  • DynamoDB
    • On-Demand Backup
    • Global Tables – Fully managed, multi-region, multi-master.
  • AWS Cloud9
    • It is a browser-based IDE where you can write/run/debug.  As long as you have a web browser… you have access to your code to work and share.  I haven’t tried it yet but it sounds very cool.
  • IoT
  • Machine Learning (or as I call it the Skynet initiative…)
    • DeepLens – Skynet eyeball, but I still WANT ONE
    • Comprehend – “analyzes text and tells you what it finds, starting with the language, from Afrikans to Yoruba, with 98 more in between. It can identify different types of entities (people, places, brands, products, and so forth), key phrases, sentiment (positive, negative, mixed, or neutral), and extract key phrases, all from text in English or Spanish. Finally, Comprehend‘s topic modeling service extracts topics from large sets of documents for analysis or topic-based grouping.” … not super creepy at all…
    • Rekognition Video – Rekognition, but for video now
    • SageMaker
    • Translate – a neural machine translation service that uses advanced machine learning technologies to provide fast language translation of text-based content
    • Transcribe – add speech to text capability to your apps!

There were many more announcements.  If you want the whole comprehensive list please go here: https://aws.amazon.com/new/reinvent/

Alternatively, if you are on the road I recommend listening to the AWS Podcast & the AWS Tech Chat, both are excellent.

Something else to keep in mind:

I suggest you go to as many hackathons, chalk talks, hands-on labs, and workshops that you can. Basically, anything that isn’t being recorded that you can watch later that you want to do, go do that. I met some really excellent people at the 1 hackathon that I attended. Next year I will try to hit at least 2. In terms of getting the most value out of my time, Hackathons, the Expo hall (here’s my interview with Linux Academy!), and simply walking up and talking to people were my top 3.

My hackathon team thanks to Calvin’s 360 camera… which I am now ordering 🙂 

 

Team Nakatomi in the house #reinvent #awsjamsessions – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

All in all, I had a great time. Sure the conference had some issues that needed tweaking, but I learned more, came away with more energy and excitement than I have from a conference in a long time. Now I need to rest up on the couch with #ITKitty, Kim, and a giant iced coffee 🙂

Thanks for checking out my AWS re:Invent re:Cap 2017!

Featured, Miscellaneous IT, Tech News, Tech News Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 11/27/17

If you had a busy week and need to catch up, here’s a tech news recap of articles you may have missed the week of 11/27/2017!

How SDN can improve compliance and customer experience. How blockchain can transform the manufacturing industry. Barracuda Networks is sold to Thoma Bravo for $1.6 billion. Why 2018 will be the year of the WAN and more top news this week you may have missed! Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

Featured

IT Operations

  • Networking verification: Predictions the future of complex networks
  • How blockchain can transform the manufacturing industry
  • Barracuda Networks is sold to Thoma Bravo for $1.6 billion
  • How VDI became the workforce transition solution that’s been staring us in the face
  • Data center cooling market set to explode in the coming years
  • How artificial intelligence will self-manage the data center
  • Why 2018 will be the year of the WAN

[Interested in learning more about SD-WAN? Download, What to Look For When Considering an SD-WAN Solution.]

Amazon

Microsoft

Dell

  • Dell EMC one year in: How are they performing and how did they do it?
  • Dell EMC updates hyperconverged VxRail XC Series systems with latest PowerEdge servers

Cisco

  • What to expect from Cisco in 2018

VMware

Cloud

Security

Thanks for checking out our tech news recap!

By Jake Cryan, Digital Marketing Specialist

While you’re here, check out this white paper on how to rethink your IT security, especially when it comes to financial services.