What Are the Most Important Considerations for Buying a Server?

What Are the Most Important Considerations for Buying a Server?

 

Buying a server consists of knowing a variety of information about what the server will be used for and the types of programs it will need to have as well as hardware configurations. Because of this, there are many components that go into buying a server. This guide will go through what a server is and the various considerations for buying a server that users must know if they want to pick the perfect server for their needs.

What is a Server?

A server is a computer that provides data to other computers. There are servers that are central locations for storing information shared by many other computers, email servers, and even print servers that are designed to ensure all of a company's print jobs are printed on the right paper at the right printer. While servers can run on different types of computers, it is important that the hardware is sufficient to support the demands that will be placed on the server.

Considerations for Buying a Server

There are many things to consider when buying a server and many of them are related to the hardware the server is built with. A server is just a computer that works for other computers, so all of the parts of the computer are important just as they are for other computers. Listed below are some of the most important things to consider that should help any buyer pick the hardware for a server computer.

The Computer Case

Questions to consider when picking out a case: Does it hold all of the hardware? Do the buttons and the lights work? Are there USB ports on the front or just in the back? More so than any other component, the case is self-explanatory in that buyers only have to look at it to know how it works. Understanding what the case does, how it works, and why it's designed the way it is will help buyers make good choices. But the right casehas the potential to make a mediocre system okay and a good system great.

The Size Does Matter

Unlike with motherboards and processors, a case's size doesn't need to be explained. Bigger cases can hold more optical drives and more hard drives, have room for bigger video cards, and are easier to work with. The terms full tower, midtower, and minitower are sometimes used to suggest cases' decreasing size. Buyers will need to think about the form factor. This term refers to the general design of the case's interior, and to the type of motherboard the case supports.

Keep It from Overheating

The biggest way that a case can affect a system's performance is in how well it can cool the interior area. Buyers will want to pay special attention to what sort of fans the case has out of the box and how many can be added to it later. Most all computers have an exhaust fan on the rear panel for drawing out heated air, and some have intake fans on the front panel for pulling air into the case. The intake fan is usually placed near the hard drives, so that they can be cooled before the other components. The more powerful the system, the more additional fans a buyer is likely to see; high-performance servers can also include extra exhaust fans in the case's ceiling, or intake fans in the side panel. One thing a buyer should keep in mind when deciding which fan or fans to use is that the more fans a case has, and the smaller they are, the more noise the computer makes. Large fans can move more air while spinning more slowly, and will in turn keep the server from roaring like a jet engine.

The Hard Drive

This is the most critical component of the computer system, after the CPU and the memory. The hard drive is the hub where the operating system, programs, and data are permanently stored and accessed.

If the server will be used for large data transfers and high-use programs, a large and fast internal Parallel or Serial ATA hard drive can improve the overall computing experience. If more storage is needed or a buyer wants to back up the internal drives, they can add an external hard drive. Some versions available are: USB 2.0, FireWire 400 or 800, or external SATA. If a buyer wants a centralized storage, he or she should consider buying a network-attached storage device. NAS devices are constantly improving, and can be a convenient way to add storage that all of the computers on the same home network can share.

Data Storage and Handling

With the introduction of perpendicular magnetic recording, the terabyte became available to consumers as a larger capacity drive for personal computers. Given how quickly new technology is being invented, it's safe to assume that the drive that's bought today will give a buyer more storage capacity for less money than the one that could have been bought a year ago. When considering storage for server machines, keep in mind how much space will be needed and the potential for increased requirements in the future.

The Number of Hard Drives

If a buyer wants high capacity inside their server, they need only to remember that it doesn't have to be contained all in a single package. Most computers have room for at least two internal hard drives, and a typical large tower can hold even more. A buyer can usually save money by purchasing two 500GB drives instead of a single 1TB. Also, a buyer will want to insure they have available interface ports. If not, they may have to purchase an add-in card.

Memory

Memory comes in several shapes and sizes. It is important to get the correct memory for the specific motherboard the buyer possesses. There are four main types of memory:

SIMM: Single In-Line Memory Module

This is an older technology that dates back to the earlier days of the Pentium. Few people use it today; however, the term is still used by many when referring to memory.

DIMM: Dual In-Line Memory Modules

Also known as SDRAM, it is still supported by many motherboards. It has the advantage of being inexpensive and compatible with both Intel and AMD processors if the computer has the correct motherboard.

DDR DIMM: Double Data Rate SDRAM

It is faster than DIMM; however, the motherboard must have special sockets to support it. This is mainly used on AMD Athlon-based motherboards, although it is supported on some Pentium motherboards.

RIMM Rambus or RDRAM

This was the memory that Intel designed the Pentium 4 around. It is the fastest and in turn the most expensive memory available.

Network Card

When purchasing a network card, look at the available connections that the card allows. This is not as important as it has been in the past since many networks are using RJ45. If the network utilizes a different interface, such as Coax, buyers will want to verify that the card they are planning on purchasing has this connection.

Card Interface

The interface that the card connects to is an important consideration. Below is a listing of the three available interfaces.
 

Interface	Description
PCI	The PCI interface is suggested solution for desktop computers as it is a much faster solution compared to the ISA interface. On the other hand this is a little more expensive solution compared to ISA interface.
ISA	The ISA is a solution found with 10 Base network cards. The ISA cards are a less expensive option; however, compared to PCI, they are somewhat slower.
PCMCIA	The PCMCIA is a solution that is used with laptop computers and, in fact, are the only option for laptop computers.

When looking to buy a PCMCIA card, it is important to look at the connection and the slots used as well.

Connection is of course the most important consideration. When looking at PCMCIA cards, a buyer needs to look at the connection, and if any extra cables are needed to connect the network card to the network. These cables can become lost and sometimes damaged. The other options to additional cables are cards that contain the actual connection on the card.

It is important to verify the card being used as it utilizes the type II connection. If the card uses a type III connection, one needs to verify that the other cards are able to be inserted.

Operating System

Most desktop or laptop computers come pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows. Macintosh computers come pre-loaded with Mac OS X. Many corporate servers use the Linux or UNIX operating systems. The operating system (OS) is the first thing that is loaded onto the computer.

Operating System Functions

On the simplest level, an operating system has two functions:

1.     It manages the hardware and software resources of the system. In a desktop computer, these resources include such things as the processor, memory, disk space, and more.

2.     It provides a stable, consistent way for applications to deal with the hardware without having to know all the details of the hardware.

Even if a particular computer is unique, an operating system can ensure that applications continue to run when hardware upgrades and updates occur. This is due to the fact that the operating system, not the application, is charged with managing the hardware and the distribution of its information. Today's systems can accommodate thousands of different printers, disk drives, and special peripherals in any possible combination.

Processor

The processor is the brains of a computer, so choosing the right one is key. Below are some terms to become familiar with in order to choose wisely:

64-bit Support

Almost every computer on the market today is a 64-bit model, which means it can process 64 bits (or 8 bytes) of information at one time. Due to so many of today's apps, from Windows to Photoshop, supporting 64-bit technology, buyers are better off avoiding 32-bit processors should they happen to come across them.

Cache

Cache can be a bit confusing, especially in part because there are three different variations, and the names are very similar: L1, L2, and L3. Understanding that the L stands for level, will help to make cache easier to understand. L1 is the primary cache. It is the fastest section of the memory and the one most directly responsible for a processor's performance primarily because this is where instructions are stored while waiting to be processed. L2 works in almost the exact same way; however, instead of sending instructions to the microprocessor itself, it sends them to the L1 cache, therefore using slower memory. The L3 cache sends the information to the L2 cache, and is even slower still.

Manufacturing Technology

This refers to the depth of the die from which the processor has been constructed. Over time, they have become smaller and more energy-efficient, and more powerful. The higher-priced computers on the market use 22 nm or 32 nm technology, and the older computers are typically at 45 nm or more. Buyers will rarely need to worry about this, the only exception being that they ensure that their processor works with the motherboard into which it is to be installed.

Buying a Server on eBay

Whether building your own server or purchasing one already built, eBay has vendors that can accommodate your needs. If you want to buy a server that is all set up and ready to go, you can search for machines on eBay using the following steps.

Searching for a Server on eBay

Should you be confident in the type of server you need, you can simply enter the name of it in the search bar available at the top of the page and search for it directly. For a more refined search, you can use the Advanced Search option. If you would prefer to browse the listings, you can begin with a search for Servers, and then you can narrow down the listings by category for a wider search.

You can start narrowing down the listings by navigating to the Computers, Tablets, & Networking, from there, select Drives, Storage & Media. Because there are so many variations of servers, utilizing a direct or advanced search would be advised.

Remember when buying anything on eBay to thoroughly investigate the item you are purchasing, such as a server to be sure it meets all of your criteria. If you are searching for a new server, be sure that the listing indicates that the machine you are considering is new. Also, because servers and their components can be pricey, be sure that the seller has a good feedback rating from other buyers and that the seller offers returns. This will help ensure that your purchase from a reliable seller and get the exact item you need.

Conclusion

For those who need to purchase or build a server computer, there are many things to consider, such as the processing speed of the machine needed and the amount of data it should be able to store. It's also important to consider the network card and how quickly the server will be able to move information across the network to meet the needs of the computer users who will be accessing the server. Whether you are going to build your own server, or buy one ready-made, eBay is an excellent choice because of its large variety of options available at any time.

 

10 mistakes that rookie IT consultants make

10 mistakes that rookie IT consultants make

1: Underestimating total project time

None of us is perfect. Unforeseen issues always arise. There are no "simple" projects. Consultants must take those issues into account when preparing project cost estimates.

The very first time I ever estimated a simple Windows Small Business Server rollout for a client with seven employees in two locations, I budgeted eight hours to "deploy the server." In developing my estimate, I included time to unbox and install the server, set up DNS, configure the VPN, join the second location to the VPN, register the domain name, configure MX records, create data shares, set permissions, and configure and test email accounts. Let's just say it took longer.

New consultants must be particularly careful to review project plans before settling on a final estimate that is forwarded to the client. Such estimates should be first run by veteran IT staff for feedback whenever possible.

2: Failing to properly document project scope

Why did my first server deploy take longer? In conversations with the client, when discussing the project, I was focused on the tasks associated with deploying the server. The client already had a peer-to-peer network in place. I saw my role as simply dropping the server on the network, joining workstations to the domain, configuring a VPN to give a remote but key employee data access, and introducing email.

But the client thought a "server deployment" included installing a couple network printers with network scanning functionality, upgrading Microsoft Office software on eight workstations, implementing site-wide antivirus, and other tasks. Such disconnects are the IT consultant's fault.

Clients are not technology experts. It is the consultant's responsibility to ensure that the client's business needs and objectives are understood and that the technology deployed matches them. Whenever estimating a project now, I provide clients with a project plan that lists specific bullet points. I don't just state "deploy server," "configure DNS," etc., as most clients don't know what that even means. Instead, before starting a project, I go through a project plan with the client that reviews tasks I will perform and the specific functionality those tasks will provide ("Users will store their files on the server's X drive," All users will send/receive email using Microsoft Outlook 2007 on their desktop workstations," "A new network printer will enable scanning documents and storing them over the network to a Z drive hosted on the new server," etc.).

3: Underestimating hardware costs

Just as it's easy to underestimate the time and labor required to properly complete a project, hardware costs frequently become a source of trouble. Here's one common scenario: An IT consultant specifies a particular gigabit switch or router when assembling a project budget using a temporary price because a vendor is offering promotional pricing (and the temporary price cut may NOT be evident when researching pricing). Or a server configuration may be priced using unique components. Ten days may pass before the client approves the purchase. Then, when the consultant proceeds to order the items, the server configuration and promotional pricing (or both!) are no longer available.

I see it all the time, even with one leading Texas-based computer vendor's promise of 30-day price locks. And I've yet to see one of these changes work in the consultant's favor. Whenever preparing project estimates, always note that hardware costs are subject to change. Be sure, too, to always include shipping costs in estimates. Clients should find no surprises when receiving a final invoice, but if the consultant neglects to include shipping costs in preliminary conversations, such fees will prove problematic.

4: Trying to master all technologies

An IT consultant cannot master all the technologies clients require. It's not going to happen. Some busy consultants will service three or four clients a day. There's no way that consultant is going to develop comprehensive expertise with all the myriad applications clients wield, such as Dentrix (dental), Timberline (accounting), QuickBooks (financial management), Intergy (physician practice), Act (database), Prolog (project management), Aloha (restaurant), and SEMCI Partner (insurance), as well as routing platforms (Cisco, SonicWALL, WatchGuard, etc.), Windows desktop and server operating systems, antivirus solutions, Exchange email, and others.

Determine which platforms you'll master. Then make sure you know who to call for assistance when troubleshooting problems with the remainder. Whether you're contacting the software manufacturer or another consultant to assist when servicing a platform with which you don't have expertise, you're performing a service for the client. Ultimately, clients typically don't care that you know every nuance of every program -- they just want a dependable partner they can call when they encounter technology issues.

5: Waiting to send invoices

Consultants, especially those starting a new business, are particularly eager to jump on new projects. It's seemingly best to always be billing. Given the choice between taking downtime to develop and mail invoices or go onsite to complete another service call, rookie consultants almost always favor knocking out additional service calls. But there's no cash flow when invoices aren't going out.

New consultants must schedule time, daily whenever possible, to write and distribute invoices. A CPA client gave me great advice. He recommended I always send invoices within a day of completing work. He told me studies reveal customer satisfaction is highest when invoices are received quickly.

It makes sense. Every day a consultant delays sending an invoice, clients forget a little more the pressing need that demanded the repair or service. When bills arrive three weeks or a month later, cash flow not only suffers, but customers are more likely to believe charges are excessive. This is because the business and operations interruptions and resulting trauma and downtime the consultant corrected have been forgotten.

6: Scheduling too many calls

When planning a typical workday, consultants should schedule one or two hours of time for every hour billed. Essentially, that means two to four service calls are the most that can be reasonably accommodated on any given day. A fair rule of thumb is that each member of an IT consultancy traveling onsite to resolve client issues should bill 20 to 25 hours per week. Any more than that, and you begin stretching resources too thin.

When scheduling client calls (I aim for four billable hours per day, which I have consistently met for years), you must include time for administrative and operational work. Numerous tasks require a consultant's attention, including managing payroll, accounting, QuickBooks data entry, internal IT, advertising, and marketing tasks.

7: Failing to market the business

Rookie consultants, whether working for a firm they own or as an employee within a consultancy, typically strive to maximize billable hours. The desire for billable hours sometimes comes at the expense of obtaining new clients and chasing larger projects. These consultants should do more than just report to work and service existing clients. They must take time to attend BNI, chamber, Rotary, and other networking meetings. They should distribute business cards at every opportunity.

Some consultants don't believe they have time for additional marketing responsibilities. That's a common mistake. The fact is, many business networking events end before 8:00 AM, so there's no excuse for new consultants not rise early and attend networking events before their regular work day begins. Recently, a longtime friend and insurance agent reminded me that, by scheduling 7:00 AM and 7:30 AM meetings every day, he's opened an additional 250 meetings a year on his calendar. That's impressive.

8: Overlooking travel costs

Many consultants, especially those new to consulting, don't realize the costs of travel time. Traffic is expensive. Very.

Consider the facts. If an IT consultant charges $115 an hour for onsite commercial work, and traveling to client sites consumes just six hours a week (it's likely much more), the opportunity cost of traffic and travel time to the consultant exceeds $30,000 annually.

Those costs must be captured. Typically, IT consultancies capture them in the form of onsite service fees, inflated first-half-hour rates, or other surcharges. Just this past week, a plumber completed work at my residence. The bill included a $35 "truck fee." That's nothing but fair. In addition to paying for fuel and wear-and-tear on a fleet vehicle, the plumbing shop needs to cover the time spent traveling to my home.

New IT consultants must remember to charge 30% to 40% more than their regular onsite rate for the first half-hour or simply add a flat-rate callout fee.

9: Charging too little

There's a natural temptation, especially among new technology consultants, to believe the rates they charge are expensive. But running a business costs money, lots of it, and technology solutions are complex. Consultants must remember that their expertise, and the delivery of onsite service especially, possess great value. Hourly onsite support rates vary from $85 to $125 or more per hour. But that doesn't mean a new consultant must charge just $85 per hour.

To the contrary. Local market conditions are usually the largest factor. The costs of delivering services is higher in Boston, where taxes, fees, parking, and other expenses are naturally higher than in Louisville, KY, where the costs of living are less. Thus, an IT consultant in Boston should expect to earn a higher hourly rate than a consultant in Louisville.

10: Working Saturdays

Technology consultants operate within a pressure-packed environment. This is likely the single greatest factor I underestimated when opening my own consulting shop almost four years ago.

Most clients don't call for help before critical systems fail. Instead, they wait. Then they try to fix it themselves. Next, they enlist the assistance of the local computer geek on staff. Often, the consultant is called only after these efforts -- and those of the business owners' friends, colleagues, and neighbors -- have failed to resolve the problem. As a result, IT consultants spend much of their time running from raging and complicated fires to blisteringly complex crises. It is fatiguing work. Many days, my technicians and I are physically and mentally exhausted by 2:00 PM.

Inevitably, clients request that consultants work weekends. I almost always say no. It's not that I so feverishly guard my personal time. Instead, as I mature and spend more time within the industry, I've come to understand the importance of approaching complicated issues with a fresh mind and properly fed body (of which I'm not making light; too often my staff and I must skip lunch because of new-client crises). How many times have you struggled with a complicated Windows issue at 1:00 AM, only to quickly solve it the next morning after getting some sleep and a decent breakfast?

The same principle is true within a consulting firm. Rookie consultants must take time to help their bodies, physically and mentally, recover from the rigors of their profession. That means minimizing weekend work, for better or for worse.

What works for you?

My office staff and I are passionate about technology. We truly enjoy diagnosing and repairing technology problems for clients. But the work is stressful, administrative tasks can prove maddening, and some days are more rewarding than others. What tips or tricks have you discovered that help technology consultants run smoother operations? Post your comments below.

 

List Of Tools Used for Security Audit.

List Of Tools Used for Security Audit.

1) Port Scanners :-

            Nmap              :-          Network Security Scanner.

            ADMSmb                     :-          Security Scanner For Samba and Lan.

            SmbScanner :-          Scans For SMB.

            PortScanner :-          TCP PostScanner.

            SATAN                        :-          Vulnerability Scanner

            Nessus                        :-          Vulnerability Scanner

            SAINT                          :-          Vulnerability Scanner

            SARA               :-          Vulnerability Scanner

            COPS               :-          Unix Host Security Scanner                                                   

            Tiger               :-          Unix System Security Scanner      

            Retina             :-          Windows Based vulnerabilty Scanner.

            GFI LANGuard            :-          Windows Network Scanner

            SuperScan     :-          A very Fast Windows Port Scanner.

            ISS                  :-          Internet Security Scanner

            IPeye              :-          TCP Port Scanner with FIN, SYN, NULL, and X-MUS Scan.

                VLAD                      :-              Sans Top Ten Vulnerability Scanner.

                 Gate                         :-               Modular Linux Scanner.

 

2)  Packet Generators :-

                IpSend                              :-    Generates TCP/IP Packets

                UDP Probe                       :-    Send and Receives UDP Packets

                Arping                               :-    Send ARP Pings and IP collution detection

                LibNet                               :-    Helps in Contructing and Handling Of Network Packets.

                Nemesis                             :-    Packet Injection Utility

 

3)  Sniffers and Related Tools :-

                Tcpdump                            :-    Helps to Capture Network Packets

                Sniffit                                  :-    Packet Sniffer

                Argus                                  :-    Network Monitoring Tool.

                Karpski                               :-    A Gtk based sniffer

                Ethereal                               :-    Capture and Analyse Network Packets

                GnuSniff                              :-    Multithreaded Sniffer.

                Perro                                   :-    Logs TCP, ICMP, UDP Packets

                EtterCap                              :-    Packet Sniffer

                Pdump                                  :-    Advanced Perl Packet Sniffer.

               WinSniffer                              :-    Console Based Sniffer For Windows.

               Big Brother Network Monitor    :-    System Monitor For Intranet and Internet Servers.

               Ippl                                        :-    Logs icmp, tcp, udp packets.

               Aps                                        :-    Console Based IP Sniffer.

               WSA                                      :-    IBM's Wireless Security Auditor. 

 

4)  Crypto And Secure Communication :-

                GnuPG                                  :- Pretty Good Privacy.

                Nautilus                                 :-    Secure Voice Conversation

               OpenSSL                               :-    Secure Socket Layer.

               Putty                                       :-    Windows Port Of SSH

              Openssh                                  :-    A Secure Alternative to Telnet.    

              CryptF                                    :-    File Encryption using 3-DES or IDEA

              CIPE                                      :-    Crypted IP Encapsulation For VPN.

              PPPTCP                                 :-    Tunnel PPP over an Arbitrary Tcp Tunnel.

              HTTP Tunnel                           :-    Http Based Tunneling 

              Psst                                         :-   A Free Secure Shell Implementation.  

              CryptoNite                              :-    A Java Package for Strong Encryption.

 

5)    File Integrity Checker :-

            Tripwire                                     :-    Keeps Track of Altered files on a system.

            Nannie                                       :-    Monitors File Changes

            Chkrootkit                                  :-    Checks for Rootkits

 

6)    Network Diagonistics :-

            Hping2                                        :-    TCP Ping. Spoof Scanning.

            Iptraf                                          :-    LAN Statistic Utility

            yapm                                           :-    Ping Monitor.

            Ntop                                           :-    Network usage.

            NetCat                                        :-    Swiss Army Knife

            Samspade                                   :-    Network Utilities

            NBTScan                                    :-    Gathers NetBIOS Information.

            Firewalk                                      :-    Advanced TraceRoute.

            Xprobe2                                      :-    OS Fingeprinting Tool.

            Amap                                          :-    Application Scanner.

            Fping                                          :-    Parellel Ping Scaning

            TCP Traceroute                           :-    Advanced Traceroute

            Dig                                             :-    DNS Query Utility. It is a part of BIND

           Visual Route                                :-    Visual Trace Route. with Map.

           Rain                                           :-   Stability Tester for hardware and Software.

           NetDiag                                      :-   Collection Of Network Diagonistics Tools.  

           Btng                                          :-   EtherNet Monitor.

           DOS Tracker                               :-   Dos Attack Tracker.

           Traffic Vis.                                 :-   Visualises Amount On IP networks.

           Calamaris                                    :-   Squid Proxy Log Analyser.

           EARS                                          :-   System Monitor.

           Epan                                          :-    Protocol Analyser.

           Big Sister                                    :- Web host Monitoring Solution.

 

7)    Firewalls and Routers :-

           IPtables                                        :-    Netfilter based Linux Firewall.

           IPchains                                        :-    Netfilter based Linux Firewall.

           Firestarter                                     :-    GUI Front End for Iptables.

           Zone Alarm                                   :-    Windows Firewall.

          Tiny Personal Firewall.                   :-    Windows Personal Firewall.

          NetFilter                                        :-    Current Linux Kernel Firewall

          SINUS FireWall                            :-   Packet Filter For Linux.

          Click                                             :-   Software Based Router.

          Linux Router                                  :-   Disk less Linux Router.

          Edge Router Project                       :-    Basic Firewall.

 

8)   Cgi Scanners :-

            Whisker                                        :-    Cgi Scripts Scanner.

            Nikto                                            :-    Cgi Scanner

            N-Stealth                                      :-    Web Scanner.

            Achilles                                         :-    Web Proxy Scanner

            Spike Proxy                                  :-    HTTP Hacking

 

9)   Password Crackers :-

            John The Ripper                            :-    Password Cracker

            L0pth Crack                                  :-    Password Cracker. 

            Brutus                                            :-    Password Cracker.

            Hydra                                            :-    Parellel Authentication Cracker.

            MB HTTP Brute Forcer                 :-    Munga Bunga HTTP Brute Force Cracker

            Oracle Password Cracker              :-    Great For retrieving Oracle DB Passwords.

            IMAP Password Cracker               :-    IMAP Password brute force tool.

            MySql Brute Force                        :-     MySql Hash Brute Forcer.

 

10)   Intrusion Detection Systems :-

 

            eXpert BSM IDS                         :-    Host Based Intrusion Detection System.

            Snort                                            :-    Intrustion Detection System.

            SHADOW                                   :-    Mother Of All Intrustion Detection Systems.

            Nidsbench                                    :-   Network Intrusion Detection Test Suit.

            Lids                                              :-   Linux Kernel Based Intrusion Detection.

            Snare                                            :-   Host Based IDS.

            Free Agents DIDS                        :-   Distributed Intrusion Detection Systems.

            Fragroute                                     :-  IDS's Worst Nightmare.

 

11)   Proxy and Port Redirectors :-

             Fpipe                                              :-    Port Redirector,Bypass Firewalls.

             Redir                                              :-      TCP Port Redirector.

             Uredir                                             :-     UDP Port Redirector.

             WebFilter                                       :-      Content Filter.

             Squid                                              :-      PowerFul Proxy.

             Tiny Proxy                                      :-      Small Proxy Server.

             Tirc Proxy                                      :-      Proxy Server For IRC.

             Bnc                                               :-      Irc Bouncing Tool.

             Stunnel                                          :-       SSL CryptoGraphic Wrapper.

 

12)  Miscellaneous :-

             E-Security Audit Tool kit                     :-    Collection Of items and Checklists for Auditing.

             TOD   (Touch Of Death)                     :-    Connection Killer.

             Sm Start                                              :-    Start Sendmail WithOut Root Priviliges.

             TCP Server                                         :-     A Small and Simple TCP server.

             Bastille                                                :-     Hardening Script for *Nix Based Systems.

 

 

 

Seven Deadly Sins When Deploying Thin Clients

For the majority of users, the traditional Enterprise Desktop PC can be said to be on borrowed time. Your own disk resource, dedicated CPU and memory – a boon when mainframe time was expensive and installations were few – has become a support imposition; costly to power, a target for thieves, and ultimately expensive to maintain. With marketing machines re-heralding the benefits of centralisation – be it Presentation or Desktop Virtualization – removing that Enterprise Desktop PC for a device with fewer components to fail, lower power consumption, longer refresh cycles indeed, a lower cost of  ownership, appears to be a far more prudent use of refresh budgets.

Obviously Thin Client marketing departments will herald such benefits. Yet, there is no such thing as a free lunch: what, if any, are the pitfalls of replacing an Enterprise PC with a Thin Client device?

Here are seven common issues which, if left unchecked, can significantly impact the success of a migration from traditional desktops to Thin Clients.  Failure to realise these sins, while not deadly, can severely impact on the cost savings that you're attempting to realise.

7: Multimedia capability
Thin client performance historically grinds to a crawl under even modest multi-media usage. Audio and video delivered from a Server Based Computing environment, be that hosted desktops or Presentation Virtualization, to a thin device can be of poor quality. Thin client support for bi-directional audio, let alone video was poor as the display protocols – typically Citrix's Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) and Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) – were not optimised for such real-time traffic. Moreover, these remote display protocols did not support high definition images or multi-monitor environments.

If your environment relies on high quality video and audio – it's unlikely you would have been able to implement a thin client solution.

Yet, there have been great strides in improving thin-client multimedia capability. Wyse, with their TCX Multimedia software  have focused on streamlining the delivery of the multimedia stream to the local client for a rich user experience within a thin computing architecture. Citrix recently announced their High Definition User Experience Technologies (HDX), which offer real-time audio and video and higher graphics capabilities,  not only for their XenDesktop solution, but their XenApp range for Presentation virutalization. Quest Software have their Experience Optimised Protocol (EOP).

Moving to a thin client environment will obviously mean your end-device is different from a traditional PC. But if properly anticipated, not having the same capabilities of a PC need not severely impact a Thin Client roll-out. New services that support real-time video, high quality images, even multi-monitor support are now available and deliverable with Thin Client architectures.

The important consideration with delivering multimedia capability to a thin client solution is to remember to include it in your purchasing criteria and ensure that the correct teams review the capabilities of the solutions you consider.

6: Local Device Access
As with multi-media, thin client devices have a reputation for poor support for local device access – historically because the centralised services did not readily support connecting local devices reliably from the end device.

Does your environment have a number of PCs that connect to local devices: typically this will include USB devices such as cameras, scanners, video capture devices, remote drives and PDA devices?

Again, as with multi-media, vendors have worked hard to provide solutions for thin client devices. Citrix HDX makes USB support far more seamless than previous versions of XenApp; Wyse's TCX USB Virtualizer can be used to better support USB devices connecting to Thin Clients.

As with multi-media, be sure to capture and review your local device access requirements in order to include them in your purchasing criteria. When trialling the devices, remember to review how successful device connection/disconnection is and how long and the reliability of the transfer of data.

5: Network Resilience
Thin-client computing relies on constant connectivity between the server and the client. If that connectivity is broken, clients cannot continue working, although their current session will remain in the state it was in at the time the link was lost.

Therefore, LAN/WAN resilience is vital. In high-availability environments, best-practice recommends that alternate path and supplier routing, particularly for WAN links, exists. This may increase initial costs for deployment over a fat-client environment, as you have to initiate links. Yet, since each of network links using a centralised service such as VDI or Presentation Virtualisation do not need as much bandwidth as traditional PCs, ongoing costs can be lower.

4: User Acceptance
A major, yet often unexpected, challenge to deploying thin-clients is managing user acceptance before, during and after deployment.

A successful centralisation deployment will introduce a greater level of management and control. Outside a tightly managed environment, users will have had access to their floppy and CD drives. They may well have had the ability to install software on their own PCs or change screen savers. Whilst this approach can make the employee feel empowered, its not so great for productivity. When the change causes the PC to crash, who fixes it, and when.

A top-of-the-line computer is often a status symbol in a business environment. Users can be reluctant to switch to Thin Clients, where not only they will have less control but bragging rights can be severely curtailed. Things like personal software and screen savers may be great for employee relations, but they are a burden on productivity and a route for computer viruses and worms.

Users will undoubtedly miss the familiarity and power that their PC provided. There will be claims from "power users" for a high-end PC to perform their job function.

It is useful to accept the fact that a pure thin-client environment might be ideal, but not possible: bear in mind your virtualisation solution may not virtualize all devices. That said, a Gartner Group study stated the total cost of ownership per year and per user for a desktop computer was $5,400—which includes training and deployment costs—compared to $2,200 per Thin Client.

User acceptance must begin at the top – management buy-in, and support of, a thin-client deployment is essential. An excellent way to manage change is to invlove the user community from the start of the project. Actively have users assist in evaluating devices and accommodate their feedback. Often, when presented with thinner devices users appreciate the faster start-up time, increased desk space, the quieter working environment, and the ease of replacement.

3: Printing
If deploying a Presentation Server virtualisation solution such as Citrix's XenApp the complexity of supporting a number of printer drivers in a multi-user environment can have an impact on stability.

Depending on the thin client network's design and set-up, what should be a simple task of sending a document to a printer can adversely affect other users on the network. A move from a distributed desktop environment with local resources to a centralised thin-client environment can put a severe load on regional or branch office network links and the time to print a document.

It is not unusual for a thin client environment to be introduced to such environment to generate cost savings from reduced network bandwidth charges yet, failure to consider printing needs can severely impact on a project's success. Poor bandwidth can lead to slow or even failed printing and indeed can have the knock on effect of impacting user connections to the extent that large print requests effectively deny desktop services to a remote office.

A number of vendors offer solutions that can effectively manage Thin Client printing requirements. Triceart, for example, have their Simplify Printing Bundle to improve printing performance, and the Screwdrivers solution can provide a solution for problem free printing. Other solutions include Quest Software's Print-IT, or UniPrint's Uniprint VDI Edition.

As with multi-media, and local device access – there are products that can enhance a Thin Client printing service and help to deliver an improved user experience – it is understanding your printing environment that is key to delivering a successful solution.

2: Mobile Users 
Moving to a thin client environment can be greatly beneficial for desktop users. Their centralised service can be better maintained, so more consistent, and in  turn more productive. Their end devices less complex, faster, quieter. But, what about remote users? Potentially you still have to manage mobile devices: and a mobile device is often more costly than a desktop. When you consider a laptop is a roaming asset, not only in terms of a higher 'failure'/loss rate and more demanding use – but also in taking expensive silos of data out of your offices and on the road for periods of time.

The technologies that support thin clients can be deployed to a variety of devices – and indeed there are thin client mobile devices. Wyse have their Wyse X90 and Wyse X90e mobile thin clients; HP have their 4410t.

Obviously, such devices are only effective for 'on-line' use – if you have truly roaming users who need to work off-line such thin client mobile devices are not useful. If your environment needs to continue to use 'traditional' laptop devices – don't forget to include them from the cost model and support requirement of deployment and management tools.

However, it is not unusal to consider a 'traditional' laptop as the ultimate replacement for a desktop PC. The latest laptops do have a very low form factor: rather than a 'thin client device' provide users with a laptop or financial resources to purchase their own device (also known as Bring Your Own Computer) and connect that to the corporate network. While this may indeed be a very agile solution, you need to consider who is responsible for these devices; do you provide a docking station for users in office; is corporate data allowed to be stored unencrypted on the device for off-line working? Who pays for and install encryption services?

Laptop use allows for flexibility – but does remove data from the office network; and indeed is ultimately as, if not more, expensive to maintain than Enterprise Desktops. While thin-client laptops do exist, they rely on good quality network links and don't provide for off-line use.

1: Cost savings
Effectively, this is the sum of parts. Through increased security, reduced energy consumption and centralised management a Thin Client device can have a lower cost of ownership than an Enterprise Desktop.

Any Presentation or Desktop Virtualization project, at its heart, is about managing your corporate resources better and releasing spend on unnecessary effort. While there are energy and maintenance savings in removing an Enterprise PC and replacing it with a thin client, removing an Enterprise PC and replacing with it with a Thin Client device is not a cost saving exercise if done in isolation. In addition, before you invest in a services to support your Thin Client solution, consider all the costs behind moving towards a virtual desktop deployment. Microsoft Licensing must be purchased, as well as the VDI connection broker solution.

At an extreme, virtualising every desktop, as you would virtualize a server, and replacing each PC with a thin client will not save money. The capital cost of implementing that project will far outweigh the year on year savings of managing that centralised environment. Therefore, it is also useful to consider the cost of replacing each and every Enterprise Desktop and when it is useful to do so.

There are solutions to convert existing Enterprise PCs to thinner devices. For example, Igel have a low cost PC to TC conversion card; Companies such as 2X and ThinLaunch produce tools to convert existing Enterprise Desktops into tightly managed Thin Client style devices. While as expensive in terms of power and heat re-purposing Enterprise desktops devices as thin clients, either through hardware or by software solutions, will extend the lifetime of an Enterprise Desktop device.

A Thin Client is cheaper than an Enterprise Desktop PC, a Thin-Client solution can realise cost savings over the life-time of the service. But, there are significant costs associated in creating that environment. Centralised services, licensing, device replacement. Don't rely solely on vendors cost calculators to drive your project – examine your own environment and be willing to re-use and re-cycle.

Absolution?
While the traditional desktop PC may be on borrowed time it supports services, such as local device access or multi-media, that have become business critical and on par with the ability to crunch numbers, or produce nicely formatted letters.

We are undoubtedly at the cusp of a major shift in the paradigm of how organisations deploy a worskpace to allow a user to work with their data. It looks like the keyboard, mouse and screen are still with us – but the controlling unit has an increasingly reduced role. The need for the power – not only in terms of processing, but in terms of heat and electricity – of an Enterprise Desktop will reduce as desktop virtualisation and web based applications come ever more to the fore.

While Thin Clients can, and do, readily replace Enterprise Desktops, there are major considerations to be made in their deployment. Obvious candidates such as multi-media, local device access, network access and mobile support, through to user acceptance and printing are often overlooked at the start of a project. It's useful to note replacing a hefty PC with a small box could equate to a better managed PC re-provisioned with a thinner OS or PCI card. But ultimately, focus on understanding where where your costs are now and how you can best use the investment in deploying a Thin Client solution to reduce those costs in the coming years to realise savings on your enterprise workspace spend.