Areas Related to MIS on the 9th SONA of the President

Last July 29, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had her 9th State of the Nation Address during the 3rd Joint Regular Session of the 14th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines at the Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa at Quezon City. SONA (State Of the Nation Address) is important because this is the time wherein the president would tackle or discuss to the mass all the achievements which he or she has done. This 2009 was the last SONA of the President Gloria Arroyo in which she commemorate most because this is the last term of her administration.

The 9th State of the Nation Address of President Gloria was attended by many celebrities in the political discipline. Senate President Enrile, Speaker Nograles, Senators, Vice President de Castro, Former President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, and the other congressmen and ambassadors were present during that SONA. President Gloria M. Arroyo carved up to the crowd what she did last 2008. In her speech, many achievements she shared especially the infrastructures in those remote areas in the country. The million jobs also in which she gave scholarships to the Filipino people in which they can go to some TESDA accredited school to study some vocational qualifications or courses so that after they went to the training, they can have the National Certificates Level II in the discipline of butchering, bartending, computer maintenance and so on.

Mrs. Arroyo also talked about some issues regarding in the field of ICT. To start with:

1.) Sa telecommunications naman, inatasan ko ang Telecommunications Commission na kumilos na tungkol sa mga sumbong na dropped calls at mga nawawalang load sa cellphone. We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law. And we need to do it now.

In this first issue, it is so very nkaka-irita that when you have cellphone load worth of 30 pesos then some networks would send you some nonsense messages such in Smart, they will send some promos in which you did not subscribe that promo. It is necessary that NTC should made some actions in which the sumbong of the people will be heard so that this telecommunication companies will know what are their mistakes.

2.) Kung noong nakaraan, lumakas ang electronics, today we are creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines of growth. Electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy. But BPO remains resilient. With earnings of $6 billion and employment of 600,000, the BPO phenomenon speaks eloquently of our competitiveness and productivity. Let us have a Department of ICT.

This second issue talks about BPO and tourism sectors in which they contributed more to the economy's wealth. It is necessary to have a Department of ICT so that it will oversees to the small and medium BPOs in which it aligns to the field of electronics and other services which is related to ICT to guide and help them in some financial matters and how for them to export more their products. Due to their earnings, all I can say is, let should have a DICT.

3.) In technical education and skills training, we have invested three times that of three previous administrations combined. Narito si Jennifer Silbor, isa sa sampung milyong trainee. Natuto siya ng medical transcription. Now, as an independent contractor and lecturer for transcriptions in Davao, kumikita siya ng P18,000 bawat buwan. Good job, Jennifer.

In this last issue it talks about two fields, these are: the field of education and and the field of ICT. It is good that President Arroyo made some programs in which it helps to the can't afford Filipinos to attend in schools to have some diplomas and certificates after they graduated to their chosen field. The Arroyo administration together with the cooperation of the TESDA (Technical Education Skills and Development Authority) made the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships or PGS in which they can choose any qualifications they want such as computer maintenance, bartending, housekeeping, welding, medical transcriptioning and etc.. Because of these qualifications offered by the PGS, you may work as an independent contractor and lecturer in any ICT related fields. Just like Jennifer Silbor, she finished the qualification of medical transcription in which she is also a scholar of PGS and because of this, she earned almost P18,000 every month. Whew! What a big amount. Well, just like me, I am a scholar of PGS last summer in the qualification of computer maintenance. It it still related in ICT. I passed also my NC II and because of that, I can earn money and at the same time, I am a student. Congratulations to Jennifer and Me. hehehe

SONA is not all about pagmamayabang of the president. These are all the efforts she made even though she was criticized by many people. Well, all I can say is, let's see what will the next president can do better than this president.

If I am an IT Consultant

If I am the IT Consultant, I better suggest to the president to improve the IT infrastructure of the university as well as the technology so that internet connectivity will be enhanced not only the internet connection but also the different tasks of the different offices of the University of Southeastern Philippines.

As I surf over the internet, I found out this so-called Advanced Console Server. This ACS secures the remote IT infrastructures management. What is this IT infrastructures management service? IT Infrastructures Management Service is a set of concepts and policies for managing information technology (IT) infrastructure, development and operations and also known as Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).

Over the past decade, corporate information technology (IT) departments have replaced large mainframes and minicomputers with smaller, less costly, and more scalable servers. This transition offers substantial benefi ts. In the past, increasing an organization’s computing power meant replacing a large computer with an even larger one – a process that was both expensive and time-consuming. The switch to clustered computing (also called server farms) reduced both the expense and the disruption of adding more computing resources. Mainframes offered high availability and reliability, but at a premium price. Servers offer equally reliable and available computing resources using less expensive hardware – and because servers are incrementally scalable, adding more computing power leverages previous IT investments. As IT departments adopted cluster computing practices, managing the widely dispersed servers became a signifi cant issue. Monitoring and managing remotely located servers usually relies on an on-site IT staff member, a third-party service contract, or a willing, but untrained, employee. The fi rst two are costly, and the third compromises IT access and security policies. This white paper explores the issues facing the IT staff as it attempts to manage the dispersed and growing IT infrastructure. As more servers and more support equipment connecting these servers enter the corporate computing environment, the demand for high-quality, platform-independent infrastructure management tools also increases. Effectively managing centralized or remote servers, networking equipment, and other IT assets will remain a critical aspect of IT infrastructure management.

Identifying and Meeting Infrastructure Management Challenges
Managing today’s IT infrastructure requires an approach that maintains virtually continuous business operation, provides high levels of security, and reduces operating cost and complexity while increasing IT staff productivity.Each of these challenges presents IT administrators with unique issues, many of which involve ensuring secure and immediate access to the IT infrastructure.

An effective way to achieve this access is through a console server, which connects the serial console ports of many managed devices to a single appliance. An IT administrator can access any managed device’s console from any location at any time, even when the production network is unavailable. State-of-the-art console servers offer the following features:

Scalability — The ability to manage several servers in high-density racks is beneficial.
Port density — A console server should use a minimum amount of space in a rack to manage all the equipment in that rack.
Reliability — All connectors are located on the same side of the console server; the unit must be rack-mountable; and the unit should require minimum cabling and offer a high level of integration.
Power supply — The console server’s power supply needs to be integrated into the device.
Compatibility — The console server needs to be compatible with all of the IT organization’s servers and network equipment.
Security — Comprehensive support for IT security policies, including multilevel user access control and logging capability, is critical.
Audit capability — The console server needs to log all its activities in order to maintain security and regulatory auditing compliance.
Hardware flexibility — Support for out-of-band management, the ability to connect to more than one LAN, and integration with service processors and intelligent power distribution units (IPDUs) is useful.
Software flexibility — Upgradability helps to take advantage of emerging technologies.
Cost and service — The console server vendor should be committed to a product roadmap in IT infrastructure services.

Maintaining High Availability
Widely dispersed computing resources create an environment that relies on component peak performance for a maximum amount of time. Infrastructure problems, including environmental factors, hardware and operating system errors, power failures, and natural disasters, comprise 20 percent of all unplanned data center downtime.When the network is operating properly, local or remote access is available through the network (in-band) and standard programs such as SSH and encrypted Web browser sessions. However, if a server or a network router has failed, IT administrators need access to the failed device through an out-of-band mechanism that connects to the device’s serial port and provides low-level control such as hardware self-tests or power cycling.

Maintaining Network Security
Widely dispersed computing resources often create a serious challenge to maintaining network security. Established access policies become more troublesome to enforce (e.g., when a non-IT employee reboots a server). Likewise, talking an employee through the steps to change BIOS settings involves employee access to administrative passwords, which violates established authentication, authorization, and auditing policies. In the event of an IT audit, these practices increase company vulnerability to charges of security policy violation and non-compliance with regulatory requirements. Out-of-band access strengthens IT security policies by supporting features such as encryption of console traffic, authentication protocols including token-based authentication, and IP packet fi ltering, among others. Role-based access limits access to only those administrators with responsibility for maintaining specifi c servers. A console server also needs to support session management and maintain local and remote event logs, access logs, and data logs. Effective physical security (e.g., keeping servers in a locked room) is rarely possible at remote locations that do not employ full-time IT staff. Access to a server’s serial console from anywhere strengthens server security and enhances IT policies governing the confi dentiality of corporate data.

Centralizing Data Center Management
Today’s data center environment includes both a heterogeneous mix of servers and geographically dispersed servers and other devices such as uninterruptible power supplies and PBX phone systems. The IT staff needs to be able to manage this diverse environment from any location at any time of day or night, without regard to hardware type, operating system, or network status. A console server needs to support all popular server operating systems and hardware features, such as a service processor and its Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI). In addition, because many network-connected devices include only a serial console interface, a console server needs to be able to aggregate operating information from these devices. Uninterruptible power supplies, network routers and switches, telephony systems, and environmental control systems are examples of non-computing devices that can be controlled through console server.

Controlling Costs
Without remote access to a device’s serial port, IT administrators are unable to securely communicate with an inoperative server unless they travel to the site. IT administrator travel incurs costs. A far larger cost is incurred if server availability is critical to the company’s business. Productivity losses throughout the company further increase the negative effects of unplanned downtime. Space requirements also increase without remote access to the device’s serial port. When servers and other network equipment are functioning properly, in-band access to the devices and systems management applications normally suffi ce to monitor and manage the IT infrastructure. A serial console server directly addresses infrastructure hardware failures using secure out-of-band access to the failed device, even when the network is not functioning. The out-of-band capability enables IT administrators to communicate with a failed device without having to be physically present at the site where the device is located. Quicker access to failed devices reduces unplanned downtime on the production network and enhances a company’s ability to maintain or even improve its revenue stream.

Reducing Complexity
The variety of servers and other devices in a typical corporate environment complicate detection of hardware failures and initiation of correct recovery features. Each device may support a different serial port connector, and there is no standard for the pin assignments on the commonly used RJ-45 serial connector. Add to this the different types and lengths of serial cables, and the complexity of merely gaining access to serial ports often requires signifi cant investments of IT staff time and budget. Simpler cabling and connectors increase the infrastructure management value of a console server. Standard CAT5 cables and RJ-45 connectors, coupled with confi gurable cabling pin-outs, add fl exibility and eliminate the need for specialized adapters to connect to the console server.

Increasing Staff Productivity
Automating as many routine, repetitive administrative tasks as possible contributes signifi cantly to a more productive IT staff. Locating and creating an inventory of all IT assets, particularly at remote locations, consumes many hours of staff time that could be more productively used on other, more strategic tasks. Staff hiring and training also becomes more diffi cult, time-consuming, and expensive in a heterogeneous and dispersed environment in which each server and device relies on a different user interface. A serial console that automates discovery of any serially connected device saves confi guration and installation time, and reduces the chance of human error. In the same vein, a consistent user interface simplifi es confi guration of a large number of servers and other devices that could
be dispersed among many locations. And a consistent, simple, Web-based interface reduces hiring and training costs.

The Advanced Console Server Solution
ACS advanced console servers provide IT and network operations center staff with the ability to perform secure, remote and out-of-band data center management of IT infrastructure from anywhere in the world. It also offers an Enhanced Security Framework that provides current security profi les and enough fl exibility for IT administrators to create custom security profi les that comply with existing network security policies.

Maximizing Network Availability
Perhaps the single most important objective of today’s IT staff is to ensure that data is available to suppliers and company employees without interruption. Unplanned server or network downtime undermines that objective and causes productivity losses and reduced revenue to every one of the company’s partners. To ensure that an organization’s data and its network are always available, the console server provides both in-band and out-of-
band remote access to servers and other serially connected networked devices. IT access to the console server is available from any location at any time, providing the IT administrator with low-level control of network attached hardware. This control includes hardware self-test, BIOS access, power cycling, and remote rebooting.

Protecting Network Security
The console server integrates with a company’s existing security structure and supports enterprise security policies. It
supports strong user authentication using two-factor authentication with RSA SecurID and device authentication using certifi cates and a host key. The console server is compatible with virtually all authentication servers, including RADIUS, LDAP, Active Directory, TACACS+, Kerberos, and NIS protocols. Supported authorization methods include local access control lists or server-based group authorization through Active Directory, LDAP, TACACS+, or RADIUS. The console server also supports role-based authorization, and maintains both remote and local data and event logs and audit trials. It supports data encryption and secure out-of-band dial-up access through ISDN modem.

Centralizing Data Center Management
The console server provides both in-band and out-of-band remote access to connected serial devices. In-band access is available through single or dual Ethernet ports, which support up to 1 Gbit/second transmission speeds and secure Telnet and SSH access to serial devices. A PC card slot (16- or 32-bit) supplies wireless remote access. Out-of-band access is available through either a built-in modem or a customer-supplied V.92 or ISDN modem. The ACS console server easily confi gures and manages large data centers using a browser-based interface. Tight integration with Avocent DSView 3 software provides an effective method to configure and manage servers using a consistent, simple interface. The ACS console server also integrates power management from a single interface for any third-party power supply vendor.

Controlling Operational Costs
Remote access to all devices connected to the advance console server virtually eliminates the need for IT staff to travel to remote sites in order to manage and maintain servers and other network equipment. Not only does this save travel costs, but remote access also reduces recovery time for unplanned downtime, which helps a company meet its revenue goals.

Providing Easier IT Management
By using a simple, secure Web-based interface, the advance console server enables an IT administrator to configure and manage any networked device with a serial port. This includes servers, routers, switches, and some non-computing devices such as power supplies, HVAC controls, and building alarms.
The advance console server also simplifies cabling requirements. Standard CAT5 cabling terminated with inexpensive RJ-45 connectors supply the needed connections to the console server. Because RJ-45 pin-outs differ from one manufacturer to another, the advance console server provides a software-configurable pin-out feature to simplify serial connections between a device and the console server.

Enhancing IT Staff Productivity
The auto-discovery mechanism of the advance console server saves significant amounts of IT time at the time of initial installation and configuration. Auto-discovery detects the names of connected devices and updates the network confi guration automatically, reducing the possibility of data entry errors and further helping to maximize uptime. The auto-discovery feature also detects servers that have been re-located, which allows the IT staff to avoid time-consuming and error-prone re-confi guration. The advance console server’s consistent Web-based interface also simplifies hiring and training requirements, and enables the IT staff to configure and manage large numbers of servers and other devices.

Therefore, advance console server provides secure remote access to serial consoles for servers and other devices, including power supplies, telephony equipment, and network routers and switches. Out-of-band capability enables secure console access from anywhere at any time regardless of network availability, reducing downtime and virtually eliminating travel to remote sites. The advance console server solution includes integrated power management and centralized management to support network security, administration, maintenance, and upgrades. The console server reduces operational costs, automates device discovery, and simplifies cabling and pin-out requirements not only that but also it enhances internet connectivity from network traffic.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Technology_Infrastructure_Library
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9pCdNdHkRo
Avocent.pdf

Barrier's on IT/IS Implementation

Before we are going to tackle about the barriers of IS/IT implementation for my visited organization, let's define first what barrier is. According to a common online dictionary, it is anything that restrains or obstructs progress, access or in other word, it is a barrier. Barrier is not new to us anymore. Even in our personal lives, there are barriers also. These barriers hinder so that we will not become successful in life.

As I surf over the internet, I found these seven barriers in IT modernization. These are:

1. Cost: Finding the funds to pay for modernization projects

Modernization is rarely an IT budget item and typically requires incremental funding that must be raised from somewhere else in the organization. And, getting those monies allocated is the number one challenge facing IT managers. In fact, many executives express frustration at their inability to show business value or return on investment (ROI) from modernization initiatives. For example, arguments related to technical capabilities and toolsets or addressing the shrinking pool of staff skills are viewed as purely IT problems, and therefore, fall on deaf ears. What’s more, in the eyes of financial types, legacy applications are “paid for” with ongoing maintenance (which is a standard IT budget line item) their only cost. Couple that with the perception that modernization projects simply maintain the status quo – and don’t deliver new functionality – and it’s easy to see why there’s little enthusiasm for projects to upgrade legacy systems. What’s lacking are vehicles to communicate the current business value of the supporting applications and infrastructure, the future business value of modern, agile systems, and the implications of delaying modernization work. IT executives need ways to make a stronger connection between modernization and operational concerns, such as lost competitive advantage, declining revenue, and poor regulatory compliance, to get the needed funds.

2. Risk: Changes to core business applications must be carefully considered
Frequently, the very systems that are in the most need of modernization are essential to the business and, as such, are very likely running quite well. And because downtime isn’t an option with such software, IT has the additional challenge of trying to modernize without jeopardizing current operations. Moreover, any change to core capabilities introduces significant business risk that can be very hard to justify. Without a sound business case for modernization, there’s little reward for that risk, particularly when compared to doing nothing at all. But, IT executives also worry that “leaving well enough alone” when it comes to core business applications simply delays the inevitable – and puts them in the uncomfortable position of having to be reactive rather than proactive. However, they need to ensure that their political capital is spent on projects that deliver maximum benefit in the shortest time possible and with minimal risk. A clearer understanding of the risks from inaction is necessary to make a good case for modernization.

3. Inertia: Why modernize when everything is working fine?
For many IT executives today, there’s no clear personal reward for modernization. And, that’s particularly true in situations where the end result simply maintains the status quo functionality, albeit on a more current technology platform. In fact, there’s a strong disincentive to take on projects to update legacy applications and development tools. Horror stories abound of career-killing, big-bang modernization projects that go over budget and fail to go live. This, combined with the fact that all IT departments have more than enough urgent work on their to-do lists, creates yet another barrier to modernization.

4. Time: Modernization projects take too long
Another common impediment to modernization is the perception that timelines for such projects are inordinately long. Of course, they are complex and require considerable planning and validation time, in addition to performing the actual upgrade work. However, as with any project, the longer the timeline, the more time it takes to realize the benefit – and the greater the likelihood that it will be interrupted, suspended, or even cancelled. IT organizations need to find ways to define an overall modernization roadmap, deliver in smaller, incremental steps, update the plans as business and IT needs change, and show progress along the way.

5. Information: Where to start; what the best practices are; when to use what approach
Another common concern for IT executives is how to make the right decision about modernization tools and techniques. There are many vendors promoting many products and services – and little independent information to help organizations make the smart investment for their particular environments. There’s a real fear of being locked into an approach and technologies that don’t easily adapt as the industry changes. And, that’s understandable because modernization projects are hard enough to get off the ground without having to worry that they are going down the wrong path.

6. Balance: Modernize and maintain – how do you do both?
Seventy percent or more of IT budgets is devoted to the maintenance and support activities needed to ensure that day-to-day operations run smoothly. Shifting focus and funding to modernization is a difficult balancing act and a significant barrier. With pressing business and IT issues always front and center, modernization projects quickly fall to the bottom of the list. Many IT executives find it difficult to “keep the lights on” while simultaneously updating legacy systems. They report feeling like they need ways to change the tires on the car while it’s speeding down the road at 85 miles per hour.

7. Quality of Service: Organizations are leery of changes that could compromise service levels
One significant advantage enjoyed by legacy applications is the years of careful, iterative tuning to ensure enterprise-class reliability, security, scalability, and availability. And, IT managers worry that adopting newer technologies, such as Java and .NET, may pose serious service quality problems once deployed. Even upgrades to the latest operating system levels and hardware technology can degrade the performance of aging applications, which were not designed to run in these environments or which exploit long forgotten features of the old one.

Incremental modernization approaches are needed that:
• Consider quality of service requirements
• Can model the production environment before deployment
• Help to ensure a seamless transition

Now, let's go to my adopted company for this task. My adopted company for this task is the Rhine Marketing-Computer Division in San Pedro St., Davao City. As we interview the MIS Manager of the Rhine Marketing-Computer Division, he gave us four barriers in which they found too tough in order for them to implement their IT/IS. These are:

1. Cost
2. Adoption in New System
3. Downsizing of Manpower
4. Feedbacks

According to him, the most barrier of these barriers which he enumerated for their organization is the Cost. Why cost? It is because when they want to change their IS in their organization, cost is the main reason why sometimes there are delays in implementing new IS. He also stated that, it is too difficult also to change new systems if the user of it is older and doesn't have any background in computer.

We all know that Rhine Marketing has many branches in the Philippines, they made their own programs and systems so that it is easy for them to implement within the organization. Mr. MIS Manager shared that when they're going to have their maintenance on their programs and systems, they usually made some back-ups of the data for some security reasons. Because they have their own systems, Rhine Marketing experienced also downsizing of the HR. But the bottom line of that is, if you have your own program within your company, be assure that it is user friendly.

Sources:
http://www1.unisys.com:8081/eprise/main/admin/micro/doc/Seven_Barriers_to_Modernization_White_Paper.pdf

How Can This University Helps Achieve My Goals?

How Can This University (USeP) Helps To Achieve My Goals?.........

Well, if you graduated in a school having a well-known name such as the University of Southeastern Philippines, it is easy to look and land for a job. Why I say this? It is because, it is proven and tested that graduates of the said university can easily land for a job specially in this kind of discipline which is the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. I have a friend of mine who is a graduate in the said university but not in the discipline of Information Technology. Even though she graduated in the field of education, she walked in the red carpet of the PECC Gymnasium of the University of Southeastern Philippines-Tagum with a big smile and teary eyes as a cum laude during their graduation rites. After she passed their board exam, she applied as a teacher in a public elementary school. The personnel who interviewed hired her immediately without doubt it is not because she is pretty, it is because she is cum laude who came from USeP. With that, I reflect, can I survive with this kind of course? Then on my mind, an answer came up and I said to my self, "I can". They said, if you are in the Insitute of Computing (USeP-Obero), don't expect that you can take up BSCS or BSIT just in 4 years. Whew! With that words I heard from other's mouth, I trembled but I encouraged my self, to finish this course I choose. The University of Southeastern Philippines molds their students to be globally competitive so that if they want to apply both inside and outside the country, they can easily cope up the things related to the course they chose. Since the instructors of the said university are highly qualified, they are the epitome and paragon of the institution which students should extol, admire and respect. Indeed, the University of Southeastern Philippines provides quality education to the students so that they are competent enough to face the challenges on what life brings.

COMDDAP 09 @ Davao

Last July2, 2009, the first day of COMDDAP exhibit at Apo View Hotel at the heart of the city of Davao was embraced with a warm welcome by the Davaweños. It was participated by different computer stores and companies such as HP Philippines, Jupiter Systems Inc., Neo Philippines, AOC (Arts Of Color) Philippines, Canon Philippines and a lot more. This association aims to improve their camaraderie with each other.

1:35 PM: I myself, together with my classmates arrived at the Apo View Hotel. The exhibitors exhibited their products at the hotel's Grand Ballroom. In there, they displayed their optimum and finest products such as he Canon's latest printer, the Neo's pocket laptop and etc..

1:50 PM: We entered at the Vanda Room to listen some lectures presented by some exhibitors. The first lecturer was the Marketing Head of ERIC Systems Inc., which is 24 year old and a 100% Filipino owned company. There, he presented to us the latest system of Jupiter System Inc., which is the DMS (Dealer Management System). DMS is used by some car dealer companies. He said, DMS has a Thai and English language system. The Marketing Head of Nexus Group pointed also that DMS is a complete end-to-end solution for dealership. It is use for vehicle sales, services, back off and financial reporting.

DMS Process Flow presented by the Marketing Head of ERIC Systems Inc.:

Pre-Sales

• sales appointments
• sales lead monitoring from initial inquiry to actual close
• supervisor review of appointment schedules and sales calls
• classifies sales probabilities
• keepsall call histories
• prospect follow-up reminders
• lead generation reports
• sales quotation processing

Vehicle Sales

• the system supports sales of new and used vehicles
• vehicle inventory checking in multiple branches and warehouse
  
• vehicle purchase agreement processing
• Vehicle Sales Invoicing
• process receivables and payables
• Vehicle Delivery Advice Entry
• Vehicle Receipt to Warehouse
• Vehicle Inventory Costing
• registers all vehicle purchase to Service Management

After Sales

• advance booking/customer appointments
• operation maintenance/flat rates
  
• repair orders
• repair estimates
• customer service history
• technician time-in/time-out
• parts requisitioning and picking
• service invoicing
• warranty claims and processing
• field service actions
  
• service reminders
• customer feedback
• highly graphical technician assignments and loading window
• sublet P.O. processing
• Point-of-Sale (POS) type billing window
• interface to Manufacturer Systems
• reports and queries
• service metrics

3:30 PM: The next lecture we attended is the exhibitors from HP-Philippines. It is a well-known company because of their optimum products such as the HP notebook and desktop computers, HP printers, HP scanners and other computer accessories and parts. The Market Development Manager of HP-Philippines showed the us their latest product and that is the HP Thin Client. According to a common online encyclopedia, a thin client (sometimes also called a lean or slim client) is a client computer or client software in client-server architecture networks which depends primarily on the central server for processing activities, and mainly focuses on conveying input and output between the user and the remote server. In contrast, a thick or fat client does as much processing as possible and passes only data for communications and storage to the server. The term was coined in 1993 by Tim Negris, VP of Server Marketing at Oracle Corp., while working with company founder Larry Ellison on the launch of the landmark Oracle7 release of the company's flagship relational database management system (RDBMS). Ellison had charged Negris with finding a way to boldly differentiate Oracle's server-centric software from the decidedly desktop-oriented products of then-rival Microsoft. Thin Client became Ellison's relentless battle cry, repeated in hundreds of speeches, interviews and articles attendant to the release of Oracle7 and many other products after that. Many thin client devices run only web browsers or remote desktop software, meaning that all significant processing occurs on the server. However, recent devices marketed as thin clients can run complete operating systems such as Debian Linux, qualifying them as diskless nodes or hybrid clients. Some thin clients are also called "access terminals." Many people that already have computers want the same functionality that a thin client has. Computers can simulate a thin client in a single window (as thru a browser) or with a separate operating system boot-up. Either way, these are often called "fat clients" to differentiate them from thin clients and computers without thin-client functionality. As a consequence, the term "thin client", in terms of hardware, has come to encompass any device marketed as, or used as, a thin client in the original definition – even if its actual capabilities are much greater. The term is also sometimes used in an even broader sense which includes diskless nodes.

The Market Development Manager of HP-Philippines tackled also about the challenges for IT professionals and these are:

• Provide Information Security
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Deployment and Maintenance

After he lectured to us about their product which is the thin client, he gave some prizes to those who can answer the questions about thin client and that experience, all I can say is, "Technology is dynamic, not static".

Being a Web Designer

What is a Web Design?

According to a common online encyclopedia, Web Designing is the skill of creating presentations of content (usually hypertext or hypermedia) that is delivered to an end-user through the World Wide Web, by way of web browser or other Web-enabled software like Internet television clients, microblogging clients and RSS readers and therefore, the person who creates the web sites is the Web Designer.

Technology nowadays is expanding at an increasingly high speed due to the thriving expansion of the Internet. The World Wide Web has taken a strong hold on the vast majority of businesses and organizations, becoming a principal means of marketing and providing information. The number of Web sites in use increases every minute-skyrocketing job opportunities for Web site developers and designers - Webmasters. Today's companies seek professionals with the skills and training to produce effective Web sites that can attract the billions of consumers surfing the Web every day.

Being a web designer it is not an easy task. Before creating a web site and uploading a website you have to plan eagerly in order that your project will be done properly. Thoroughly considering the audience or target market, as well as defining the purpose and deciding what content will be developed are extremely important.

Part of the web designer's task is to create pages that can be used on any type of server (a central computer in a network that stores files and provides these files to individual computers) and viewed with any type of browser (the software that enables people to access the World Wide Web). To do this, a web designer must be familiar with issues of browser/server compatibility, including which browsers and servers work well together and which ones do not. In addition, the designer must know computer languages such as Javascript, which can be used to create web pages that are compatible with a wide range of hardware and software.

Website design is comprised of many steps. Depending on the employer and the designer's skills, typical duties may involve:

• Translating a client's marketing or informational content into a functional website.
• Mapping or outlining a website's structural content.
• Creating or editing images and graphics for website use.
• Determining all coding requirements for site creation including: e-commerce capability, forms and specialized scripts.
• Creating templates of approved website layout.
• Coding website using HTML, or GUI design software.
• Coordinating with programmers for specialized scripts.
• Creating verbal content for the website or using approved content from the client.
• Integrating verbal content with site design for final product.
• Posting completed site to internet server using FTP software.
• Making changes to the site directed by client.
• Submitting completed site to search engines.

Some web designers possess all the skills listed above, while others only possess a portion of them.

If you have the right technology background and can learn new software quickly, a career as a web designer can be very lucrative. Web design skills are important in every industry now and they afford motivated people the chance to run their own business.

Reference: http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/142/Web-Designer.html
http://www.degreesource.com/articles/89/1/Web-Designer-Job-Description/1.html

Green Campus Computing

Here are some links about "Green Campus Computing":

http://greencampus.winserve.org/greencampus/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=7&Itemid=39

TIPS ON HOW TO ELIMINATE WASTE:

Recycling
1) Practice the 4Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle and buy products with recycled content.
2) Recycle white, colored, post-it, shredded and construction paper, empty metal cans, pans, empty clear and colored glass containers, empty plastic bottles, clean plastic wrap and bags, buckets and trays. corrugated (wavy edges) cardboard boxes (please no waxed cardboard and flatten boxes), styrofoam packing forms (but not packing peanuts), chipboard (small office supply boxes), newspaper, telephone books, catalogs, magazines, brochures, paperback and hardcover books, Kraft (brown paper bag) paper, paper ream wrappers, envelopes (windows ok) and file folders. Non-recyclable items: paper cups or plates, tissues or paper towels, food or wet waste, food or liquid stained items, wood or green waste.
3) Reuse paper that has only been used on one side
4) Recycle your old cell phone to prevent hazardous substances from entering our environment. These substances include lead, arsenic, and cadmium, which have been linked with cancer, neurological disorders, and developmental abnormalities. Some helpful links: www.recyclewirelessphones.org and Wireless Foundation’s “Donate a Phone” program: www.wirelessfoundation.org
5) Recycle your ink cartridges through our campus program. E-mail slincoln@sdsu.eduThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to request a postage-paid envelop to mail your used ink cartridge off to a recycling facility6) The SDSU Physical Plant recycles boxes.
7) Recycle your junk mail by depositing it in the large blue trash containers outside the Arrowhead Village or in the trash rooms in Serrano Village.

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http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html
GREEN COMPUTING GUIDE
The growing use of computers on campus has caused a dramatic increase in energy consumption, putting negative pressure on CU’s budget and the environment. Each year more and more computers are purchased and put to use, but it’s not just the number of computers that is driving energy consumption upward. The way that we use computers also adds to the increasing energy burden.
Research reveals that most personal desktop computers are not being used the majority of the time they are running and many personal computers nationwide are needlessly left on continuously. Every time we leave computers or lights on we waste electricity. Burning fossil fuels generates most of our electricity and it also emits pollutants, sulfur, and carbon dioxide into the air. These emissions can cause respiratory disease, smog, acid rain and global climate change.
Computer Operating Costs
Over the last fifteen years, computers have transformed the academic and administrative landscape at the University of Colorado. There are now over 18,000 computers on campus. Personal computers (PC) operation alone may directly account for nearly $550,000 per year in University energy costs.
Computers generate heat and require additional cooling which adds to energy costs. Thus, the overall energy cost of CU’s personal computers is more likely around $700,000.
Meeting computer cooling needs in summer (and winter) often compromises the efficient use of building cooling and heating systems by requiring colder fan discharge temperatures. In the summer, these temperatures may satisfy computer lab cooling needs while overcooling other spaces.
Given CU’s commitment to energy conservation and the environmental stewardship, we must address the issue of responsible computer use. By adopting conserving practices, annual savings of $300,000-400,000 are possible.
How Much Energy Does Your Computer System Use?
A typical desktop PC system is comprised of the computer itself (the CPU or the “box”), a monitor, and printer. Your CPU may require approximately 100 watts of electrical power. Add 50-150 watts for a 15-17 inch monitor, proportionately more for larger monitors. The power requirements of conventional laser printers can be as much as 100 watts or more when printing though much less if idling in a “sleep mode.” Ink jet printers use as little as 12 watts while printing and 5 watts while idling.
How a user operates the computer also factors into energy costs. First let’s take the worst case scenario, continuous operation. Assuming you operate a 200 watt PC system day and night everyday, direct annual electrical costs would be over $125 (at $0.075/kWh). In contrast, if you operate your system just during normal business hours, say 40 hours per week, the direct annual energy cost would be about $30 – plus, of course, the cost of providing additional cooling.
Considering the tremendous benefits of computer use, neither of the above cost figures may seem like much, but think of what happens when these costs are multiplied by the many thousands of computers in use at CU. The energy waste dollars add up quickly.
Energy Efficient Computing
Here are some tested suggestions that may make it possible for you to reduce your computer energy consumption by 80 percent or more while still retaining most or all productivity and other benefits of your computer system, including network connectivity.
Screen savers save no energy
If screen saver images appear on your monitor for more than 5 minutes, you are wasting energy! Screen saver programs may save the phosphors in your monitor screen, but this is not really a concern with newer monitors, especially LCD screens. And they do not save any energy.
A screen saver that displays moving images causes your monitor to consume as much as electricity as it does when in active use. These screen saver programs also involve system interaction with your CPU that results in additional energy consumption. A blank screen saver is slightly better but even that only reduces monitor energy consumption by a few percent.
Enable power management features
Thanks to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), personal computer systems purchased today can be easy on energy. These “Energy Star” computers and monitors can be programmed to automatically “power-down” to a low power state when they are not being used. These efficiency gains can be achieved without any sacrifice in computing performance.
The EPA has estimated that providing computers with “sleep mode” reduces their energy use by 60 to 70 percent – and ultimately could save enough electricity each year to power Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, cut electric bills by $2 billion, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of 5 million cars.
Follow these simple steps to access computer and monitor power management features for Macintosh and Windows.
Macintosh:
• From any application select the Apple menu
• Select “System Preferences...” (OS X) or “Control Panels” (OS 9) and then click on “Energy Saver”
Windows:
• Point your cursor at the desktop background and right-click
• Choose “Properties” from the pop up menu
• Go to the “Screen Saver” page; in the lower right-hand corner near the ENERGY STAR® logo click the “Settings” button. This brings up another dialog box where you choose power management settings.
The recommended settings are 20 minutes for monitor sleep and 30 minutes for system sleep. Remember that to save energy with your monitor’s built-in power management system, your monitor must go to sleep (shut itself down).
When not in use, turn off the juice
This is the most basic energy conservation strategy for any type of equipment. Consider the following:
• Turn off your computer and/or peripherals when they are not in use. Turning on and off will not harm the equipment.
• Don’t run computers continuously unless they are in use continuously.
• Turn off at night and on weekends
• Look for ways to reduce the amount of time your computer is on without adversely affecting your productivity.
You Can Turn Your Computer Off!
The common misconception that a computer’s life is shortened by turning it on and off has led some to leave computers on all the time. Others are reluctant to switch their computers on and off a couple times during their workday despite only using this equipment for a fraction of that time.
Desktop computers are designed to protect the internal circutry from power damage from on/off switching. Turning PC equipment off at night or on and off a few times a day will not appreciably affect its useful life. Electronic equipment life is a function of operating hours and heat — both these factors are reduced when equipment is switched off. Modern hard drives are designed and tested to operate reliably for thousands of on/off cycles.
Thus, you CAN turn off your computer (and monitor and printer)! The inconvenience of waiting a minute or two for a computer to reboot or peripheral to come on line may be trivial compared to the energy savings achieved by keeping computer equipment off when not in use.
Some specific suggestions
• Unless you require immediate access to e-mail or other Internet services, break the habit of turning on all your computer equipment as soon as you enter the office each day.
• If practical, informally group your computer activities and try to do then during one or two parts of the day, leaving the computer off at other times.
• Avoid using the switch on a powerstrip to turn on all your equipment.
• If you use a laser printer, don’t turn your printer on until you are ready to print.
• Turn off your entire computer system (CPU, monitor and printer) or at least your monitor and printer when you go to lunch or will be out of office for a meeting or an errand.
• For “computer servers” which must be on to serve network functions, explore ways to turn servers off at night.
• If monitors are not needed for “servers” to operate, keep server monitors off. If server monitor is needed during the day, at least turn it off at night and weekends.
While the energy saving suggestions listed above are appropriate for many campus PC users, some of the suggestions may be inappropriate for certain computer applications or work situations. When in doubt, discuss possible energy conservation measures with your colleagues, supervisor, or computer lab director to determine which steps can be taken without harming productivity.
Our energy conservation program will not work without your help. Be an energy educator and gently remind your co-workers and colleagues to save energy by changing their computer habits. Circulate this booklet among the members in your office or department. Gain the support of your supervisor and set up a brief meeting to discuss how to implement energy saving strategies.
Other Green Computing Practices
You can take a giant step toward environmentally responsible or “green” computing by conserving energy with your computer. But green computing involves other important steps as well. These pertain to paper use, toner cartridges, disposal of old computer equipment and purchasing decisions when considering new computer equipment.
Reducing Paper Waste
Rather than creating a paperless office, computer use has vastly increased paper consumption and paper waste. Here are some suggestions for reducing waste:
• Print as little as possible. Review and modify documents on the screen and use print preview. Minimize the number of hard copies and paper drafts you make. Instead of printing, save information to disks.
• Recycle waste paper.
• Buy and use recycled paper in your printers and copiers. From an environmental point of view, the best recycled paper is 100 percent post consumer recycled content.
• Save e-mail whenever possible and avoid needless printing of e-mail messages.
• Use e-mail instead of faxes or send faxes directly from your computer to eliminate the need for a hard copy. When you must fax using hard copies, save paper using a “sticky” fax address note and not a cover sheet.
• On larger documents, use smaller font sizes (consistent with readability) to save paper.
• If your printer prints a test page whenever it is turned on, disable this unnecessary feature.
• Before recycling paper, which has print on only one side, set it aside for use as scrap paper or in printing drafts.
• When documents are printed or copied, use double-sided printing and copying. If possible, use the multiple pages per sheet option on printer properties.
• When general information-type documents must be shared within an office, try circulating them instead of making an individual copy for each person. This can also be done easily by e-mail.
Reusing and recycling
CU generates thousands of spent printer toner and ink jet cartridges and batteries a year. Instead of tossing these in the garbage, they can be recycled, saving resources and reducing pollution and solid waste. To recycle spent toner or ink jet cartridges (printer and some fax), deposit them at any of the five campus Copy Centers. To recycle batteries, drop them off at any of the battery collection bins around campus. For specific locations call the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Hazardous Material group at 303-492-7845 .
Computer diskettes may be inexpensive, but why keep buying more? Diskettes with outdated information on them can be reformatted and reused. When you are done with your diskettes, utilize CU Recycling’s new mail back program. Put no more than 10 and no fewer than five rubberband-tied diskettes into an interdepartmental envelope and mail to Campus Box 209, attn: diskettes for recycling. Special collections for larger amounts can be arranged by calling 303-492-8307 .
Members of the University community realize that recycling old electronics equipment is the “right thing” to do and have made a commitment to recycle old equipment rather than landfill it. When landfilled, computer equipment leaches lead and other heavy metals into ground water and the soil.
For University of Colorado at Boulder campus departments, it is important to remember that not only is disposing of electronics (by just throwing them away) unwise from an environmental point of view, it is also contrary to policy and procedure as well as being illegal! All Boulder campus departments are required to process unwanted properties (up to and including unusable electronics) as stated in the Property Accounting System Guidelines and Procedures Manual.
Property Services has the responsibility of providing for the removal and final disposal of these items, working or not. This is accomplished through the Surplus Property Program (which serves to relocate usable/needed items to other departments and agencies), Periodic Property Auctions (where functional items are sold to the public) or by the last resort of processing through an agency certified to process/ recycle the hazardous components found in defunct electronics
For private disposal of unwanted electronics, individuals can donate used working electronics though the Colorado Materials Exchange (COMEx). COMEx maintains an on-line bulletin board where private individuals and industry groups can create exchange possibilities that reduce waste while providing for reuse of functional equipment.
Visit the COMEx Web site here. Additionally, for working and non-working electronics, Eco-Cycle’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is a good choice and will provide for the proper disposition of these types of materials. Additional information and pricing can be found online.
Purchasing recommendations
Environmentally responsible computer use implies not buying new equipment unless there is a demonstrated need. Thus, before buying new equipment, consider the following questions:
• Do you really need a new computer or printer?
• Can you meet your needs (with less expense and environmental damage) by upgrading existing equipment?
• Can you find a solution in software rather than hardware?
If you do need new equipment, buy efficient and buy green. Do research online and talk to the Buffalo Chip in the UMC about purchasing environmental and socially responsible equipment.
• Buy only “Energy Star” computers, monitors and printers. Flat panel monitors use about half of the electricity of a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display.
• Buy a monitor only as large as you really need. A 17-inch CRT monitor uses 30 percent more energy than a 15-inch one when each is in an active mode.
• Buy ink jet printers, not laser printers. These use 80 to 90 percent less energy than laser printers and print quality can be excellent.
• Network and share printers.
• Once they are available, consider buying “Green Computers.” Several computer equipment manufacturers are currently developing PCs which are not only highly energy efficient but are also manufactured in a resource efficient and less polluting manner and are designed and built for eventual recycling.
• Consider leasing equipment as an alternative to purchasing. Leased equipment is typically refurbished or recycled, and packaging is reduced. For leasing options contact

Campus Environmental Policies
In 2002 the Vice Chancellor for Administration adopted a campus policy to reduce energy use per square foot of campus building, with a goal of stabilizing or reducing total energy consumption and emissions. One of the key actionable measures is enabling desktop power management features.
The campus energy strategy map outlines steps that need to be taken to conserve energy on campus. One of these steps is to incorporate operational efficiencies in equipment purchases.
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http://chronicle.com/free/2009/01/10296n.htm
Campus Computing Goes Green to Save Money (by: Josh Keller)

Relocate a college's server computers next to a solar-power generator. Replace AC power with DC power. Cool the servers only where they get the hottest. Put the servers in the ocean and power them with waves.
Those were a few of the ideas discussed last week at a conference, "Greening the Internet Economy," that was designed to address the problem of the soaring financial and environmental costs of information technology. The event, held by the University of California at San Diego, offered a sampling of a new generation of technologies that promise to help colleges make their IT departments both more efficient and more sustainable.
Many of the participants emphasized the importance of systems that could more intelligently measure energy use on the campus. In recent years, colleges have been hurt by the rising costs of powering and cooling their data centers, in part because those costs are difficult to measure and poorly understood (The Chronicle, January 9).
At San Diego, researchers have started work on hardware to help colleges and other organizations understand how to make their servers more efficient. The device, called the GreenLight Instrument, will deploy sensors and software to measure the energy use, humidity, and other variables in various parts of a Sun Modular Data Center, a popular, self-contained complex of servers.
The goal is to encourage engineers to try different computing strategies to reduce electricity consumption, said Thomas A. DeFanti, principal investigator on the project and a senior research strategist at the university's California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology.
"Right now there isn't enough information for somebody to make a definitive decision: Where do I save my money? Do I eliminate disks in my computers, or do I stop them? Do I use more RAM or less RAM?" said Mr. DeFanti. "Nobody has detailed information on this."
Aiming for Precision
Intelligent measuring systems like Greenlight should be extended to allow engineers to more precisely determine how to use energy, said Gary L. Baldwin, director of special projects at the University of California's Citris program. For example, he said, operators at a data center could direct cool air only where the facility is generating the most heat.
Another idea that shows promise, participants said, is to supply computers directly with local DC power. Computers generally use direct current, but the public electricity grid typically supplies alternating current, and 30 percent of the electricity can be lost in the conversion of one form to the other.
Some colleges have started projects to power their computers directly from solar cells or other sources of DC power on the campus, avoiding the energy loss altogether. At San Diego, administrators hope to build a "power ring" that will supply computers across the campus with DC power, said Mr. DeFanti.
The rethinking of how to supply campus power is part of a broader effort to "divorce ourselves from the electrical grid," said Bill St. Arnaud, chief research officer at Canarie Inc., a Canadian computer-networking organization. Power-transmission lines lose a significant amount of energy over long distances, he said, which means that supplying a campus with energy from faraway power plant can be inefficient.
A better strategy, Mr. St. Arnaud said, is to build campus data centers next to a renewable source of power, like a solar plant. High-speed optical transmission lines, he said, would ensure that the computers would seem "as close as next door."

How can USeP adopt this concept?
It is true that the earth is suffering from global warming. Global warming is the increasing of average temperature in earth's atmosphere and because of this, many icebergs melted and some mountain in Europe and some part in America experienced avalanche because of global warming. As a student and a citizen in this country, my concern is to save our mother earth. Why? It is because this is the last thing we can pass to the next generation. I do not understand why some student in our university doesn't consider this factor. One time, when I pass to a room in the engineering building (not to mention the floor and room number), the students after having a class to that room, they left their ceiling fan turning on. I do not know if that room will be occupied by the next class. But the main issue their is, you should have to turn off the fan if it not in use whether there are next batch of students to conduct some class their. It is our concern as a student to do that. Turning off some electronic devices when not in use helps a lot to the university in energy consumption and to the mother earth for it reduces the heat contributed by the used electronic devices. Next time, students and as well as faculty and staff of this university should practice of turning off some electronic devices in school especially to those computers turning on but not in use for it contributes heat that makes the earth having more heat leading to global warming and it contributes also for having a high energy consumption.
Another issue is, there are students also in the university doesn't having the concern on putting their garbages in the trash can. They only left their wastes on the lobby or in the room. They not considered the fact that USeP is lack of manpower especially in utility and they should consider this. It is so untidy if we should not keep and put our wastes in its proper area. If we do have this attitude of being tamad of putting our wastes to trash cans, it so very dirty and having some rooms that it's dirty, it reflects to us students of University of Southeastern Philippines that we are untidy too and we dragging the name of our school into shame. Maybe, if we are still practicing this norm, our school may be listed to one of the filthiest college insitution in the country.