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The article discusses on some rules and important facilities to be considered in data centers. It asserts that data centers should have a minimum ceiling of eight feet, five inches, and require raised flooring that can handle 1,500 to 2,000 pounds per square foot loading to hold up to the needs of high-density equipment configurations. The author adds that facilities should have diesel generators to provide an alternate power source when the local utility is not available. Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can also be used to provide a clean, continuous power to computer equipment in the data center.

The article focuses on the company's inclusion of funds for email encryption in addition to virus scanning and content filtering. According to the author, information technology (IT) managers had to weigh the needs of their department against the reality of the budget, wherein the range of potential purchases that makes up their budget proposal includes critical products, as well as not-so-urgent pet projects. The email security has encompassed a wide variety of initiatives that attempt to reduce risk to employees, IT networks, intellectual property and customers. The author has stressed that the type of encryption that makes sense for a company will depend on the kind of business that they were in and the type of content they need to lock down.

The article examines the three e-mail sender authentication technologies including Sender Policy Framework (SPF), Sender Identification and Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) that have been submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force. The record checking of SPF is assisted by every mail server vendor and its specification's ease of deployment will enable everyone to promptly publish SPF records. The complex configuration of DKIM needs important alterations to both inbound and outbound e-mail software and brings down a serious performance penalty on dependable systems and networks' traffic between sites.

The article reviews several anti-spam software iHateSpam from Sunbelt, Mail Security for Exchange from Symantec, Policy Patrol from Red Earth Software, Server Edition from Cloudmark, and Server Gateway from MailFrontier. INSETS: SPAM FILTERS.;SPAM LINGO..

Focuses on the research on spywares and the test which was conducted to check seven enterprise class anti spyware suits. Suggestions for those computer professionals who can't restrict rights from the research; Comment on various computer softwares that can detect and remove spywares; Information on the companies that are involved in testing and removing spywares. INSETS: SPYWARE DETECTION;HOW WE TESTED SPYWARE DETECTORS;NO SHOWS AND NO GOS.

Evaluates the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 3.0 computer operating system. Reception of independent software vendors, hardware manufacturers and enterprise customers to Red Hat's first enterprise version of Linux; Features of RHEL 3.0; Factors affecting adoption of the operating system in data centers; Information on different versions of RHEL such as workstation, edge server and advanced server. INSETS: RHEL 3.0;HOW WE TESTED RHEL 3.0;RED HAT LINUX MORPHS INTO FEDORA CORE.

The article provides information about sender authentication, a method used to defend against unsolicited e-mail messages. According to the author, businesses have a better chance of stopping spam with the combination of e-mail sender-authentication technologies and filtering software. Sender authentication has several approaches including the Sender Policy Framework, Sender Identification, and Domain Keys Identified Mail.

The article provides information on the Systems Management Task Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH) protocol offered by Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) to simplify the methods of managing the hardware. SMASH protocol helps the system administrators to take control of the computer server at the hardware level, regardless on the network's location and hardware vendor. It was stated that the protocol would address the need of bringing order the complexity of server management environment. In addition, it helps the business reduce the total cost of server management by providing them the access to critical system information at the hardware level.

The article evaluates Raritan Computer Inc.'s CommandCenter NOC, a software that monitors information technology systems, and provides information about its three versions.

The article evaluates the SunFire T2000 server from Sun Microsystems Inc. and offers information on the features of its new UltraSPARC T1 processor, its increased performance on multithreaded applications, its reliability, low power consumption low heat generating ability and price.

This article reports that Veritas Software Corp.'s Storage Foundation High Availability (HA) Solaris 4.1 computer software makes implementing one's disaster-recovery plan with a few mouse clicks possible. Storage Foundation HA Solaris 4.1 lets one create software-based RAID volumes to protect one's data. Because it supports advanced features such as Solaris 10 Containers, it'll meet one's organization's data-consolidation needs. Veritas' Storage Foundation offering integrates with the vendor's Cluster Server and Volume Replicator products. Cluster Server is used to create and manage multiple servers as an entity to deliver high-availability applications. The author designated one location as his main facility and another as his disaster-recovery (DR) site. In the main facility, he connected two Solaris 10 servers to a shared Sun StorEdge D2 disk array, for purposes of configuring the two hosts as a single Network File System application service in HA mode. At the DR site, he configured one server to another StorEdge D2 disk array running Solaris 10. In such a setup, user data exists in volumes at both the main site and DR facility but is activated at only one location.

Reviews the Solaris 10 operating system from Sun Microsystems.

Evaluates the ftServer W Series 2300 computer server from Stratus Technologies. Features and capabilities; Benefits and limitations; Application requirements; Retail price.

This article evaluates the Sun Fire V40z processors from Sun Microsystems. Sun has a complete line of x86 servers, but its addition to the lineup, the Sun Fire V40z, sports AMD Opteron 800 Series processors. The V40z can be delivered with a two- or four-way configuration and up to 32 gigabyte of random access memory. The 3U device offers up to six UltraSCSI 320-MBps drives, or five drives and a combo slim-line DVD and 3.5-inch floppy drive. The V40z tested at the Syracuse University Real-World Labs® was a four-way server with Opteron 848 2.2-GHz processors. Only standby power was required to boot up the onboard management software and set the server's 14 hot-swappable fans in motion. Although 14 fans seem like a lot, the server draws only 10 amps of power, making rack-to-rack replacements a viable option. The AMD Opteron processors' onboard memory controllers reduced latency and pooled resources for all processors into a single memory space. Using the three 6.4-GBps HyperTransport links, Sun ensures that the V40z memory and processing power are available whenever one needs them. Make no mistake, the machine is fast. Sun not only supports the hardware, but also will answer questions regarding the operating system. The V40z comes with a three-year warranty.

The article evaluates the AlterPath KVM/net switch from Cyclades Corp. AlterPath KVM/net switch is a 1U appliance that aims to give administrators secure access to the keyboards, video and mice (KVM) of remote servers. KVM/net lets you work with every aspect of your server--from configuring basic input/output system, power-on self test and redundant array of independent drive controllers to managing intelligent Cyclades power strips--up to 500 feet away. Cyclades uses a Linux operating system, giving the KVM/net a stable and secure environment that integrates easily with most networks' authentication methods, including remote authentication dial-in user service, lightweight directory access protocol, and Kerberos, and even two-factor authentication such as SecurelD. The appliance is available in two versions--one for 16 servers and one for 32 servers. Multiple units can be daisy-chained to control up to 1,024 servers as if they were a single unit. And the appliance is virtually bulletproof: It contains no moving parts other than a fan to cool the processors. KVM/net allows for two simultaneous users--one over the Web and one connected locally to a monitor and keyboard. These users can control two different servers at the same time. KVM/net also lets you configure the appliance so one user can watch the other work.

This article provides information on the TrueSight TS-1000 Real Transaction Monitor from Coradiant. The device gives real-time view of the end user experience without throwing extra traffic at the Web application servers. Built on Gentoo Linux, the device is easy to set up. The initial configuration must be done from a serial connection. From there, the user can create a security-officer account and set up network parameters. Traffic capture is off by default. Once traffic capture began, it took about 60 seconds for the device to classify data and show it on the front page. Because of its location on the network, TrueSight watched both inbound and outbound traffic. Its value comes from its watchpoints, perspectives built from data taken by watching the network from the tap and resembling each user transaction. Users can choose from about a dozen preconfigured watchpoints or create their own. Like other network monitoring device, TrueSight must first decrypt the Security Sockets Layer Web traffic users want to analyze. They must give the device the private key of the Web server generating the traffic. One loaded into the device's one-way encrypted jail, the key cannot be viewed. Only a designated security officer can manage or remove it.

Presents information on sources of support services for Linux computer operating system. Information on the support provided by vendors; Details of the cost of vendor support or assistance; Factors to consider before signing a contract with service providers; Importance of certification and training on the quality of service to be provided by technicians.

Reviews the Netasyst analyzer software from Network Associates.

Reviews the computer antivirus software McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator 3.0 from Network Associates.

Evaluates the Linux 9 open-source Linux desktop operating system from Red Hat. Key features; Applications in computer networks; Pros and cons; Price.

Reviews the application computer software WinInstall Light Edition 2003 from OnDemand Software.

Evaluates the network intrusion-detection system SecureNet Provider offered by Intrusion Inc. Needs of security managers and administrators as satisfied by SecureNet; Significance of SecureNet for small offices and enterprises; Functionalities provided by SecureNet sensors.

Evaluates several high-technology products. PMP-120 media player from IRiver America; iPaq hx4700 handheld computer from Hewlett-Packard Co.; NeverLost handheld global positioning system from Hertz.