InfoWorld articles from March 2003

InfoWorld archives from March 2003

IM knocks on enterprise door : Security, interoperability remain obstacles to corporate use.
March 3, 2003... Make no mistake: Instant messaging is taking root, with or without the blessing of IT. To meet that demand, companies such as Sun Microsystems, Oracle, AOL, and Yahoo revved up real-time communications capabilities at the IM Planet Spring...

Commerce One takes on integration stalwarts : Web services platform tackles complexity of composite apps.(Commerce One Conductor)
March 3, 2003... Commerce One is set to release a Web services-based platform that in one fell swoop challenges emerging offerings from traditional ERP players and middleware integrators alike. Slated to be available March 24, Commerce One Conductor taps...

BEA unveils WebLogic Platform 8.1 : Integration strategy touted amid heat from IBM, Oracle.
March 3, 2003... Once considered the leader in J2EE application servers, BEA Systems is fighting off fierce competition and the potential commoditization of the technology. While the San Jose, Calif.-based company renews its application server push this...

Wireless switches target Wi-Fi hurdles : Vivato, Symbol lead charge to deliver repackaged Wi-Fi.
March 3, 2003... Wireless switches are making inroads into the enterprise with a set of management and deployment features designed to make Wi-Fi technologies a must-buy. Vivato, Symbol, Trapeze Networks, and Aruba Wireless Networks are among the companies...

WINDOW MANAGER: Speed cleaning -- A quick change to the Registry hastens the process of eliminating temporary files.
March 3, 2003... Any time I can help you do something faster and better in Windows, it makes my day. Today's tip is an undocumented feature that can help you save disk space and save time, too. Reader Norman Vance likes to clean temporary files off his disk...

STORAGE INSIDER: Microsoft: storage supernova? -- Microsoft opens the curtains and brings storage awareness inside Windows.
March 3, 2003... You may have not noticed, but Microsoft is playing a fairly significant role in the storage market. The Redmond, Wash.-based software supernova came out of practically nowhere to capture nearly 30 percent of the NAS market, according to IDC,...

THE OPEN SOURCE: Who let Microsoft in? -- Redmond giant's appearance at upcoming open-source conference spurs mixed reaction.
March 3, 2003... There must be something in the water at conferences these days. A couple weeks ago, the Desktop Linux Summit made headlines when some participants accused Lindows, the primary sponsor, of hijacking the agenda. Now, March's upcoming Open...

SECURITY ADVISER: COOP? What COOP? -- A continuity of operations plan can save your business in more ways than you think.
March 3, 2003... When I mentioned using your COOP (continuity of operations plan) as a way to stay operational while also making sure your production environment was actually up-to-date (at least as much as it could be), the first question I got by e-mail was...

A brighter future for Sun One? : Better flexibility, integration could boost app server's standing.
March 3, 2003... Mark Bauhaus, vice president of Java Web Services at Sun, is just the kind of smart, results-oriented executive the company needs. He's spent the past nine years in Sun's services division, so he brings a customer and solutions-focused...

Moving from A to B : Access points from 3Com, Cisco ease wireless-network transition.
March 3, 2003... As wireless networking evolves from 802.11b to 802.11a and beyond, access points that combine operation of the two standards offer the possibility of migration to higher speeds while continuing to use existing infrastructure. We looked at...

Dell packs full blade performance into half the space : PowerEdge 1655MC proves ideal for clustering or load balancing.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2003... Looking for all the performance and functionality of a conventional low- profile server but in half the space? The Dell PowerEdge 1655MC (Modular Computing) blade server could be the ticket. The dual-processor servers -- each with RAID-based...

PowerEdge 1655MC outmuscles HP, RLX offerings.
March 3, 2003... The emerging category of blade servers appears to be bifurcating. On the one hand, there are ultrahigh-density server systems, such as RLX Technologies' System300ex, which crams as many as 24 underpowered servers in a 3U-high (5.25-inch)...

SECURITY ADVISER: Let's get physical -- Just because you have a firewall doesn't mean your data isn't at risk.(Column)
March 10, 2003... I was chatting with a friend as we sipped drinks in San Francisco a few days ago. I was relating a story about my visit to a federal agency's offices and seeing its main server sitting on a table. A couple of other servers were on a table...

Update: Commerce One tunes Conductor for integration : Platform designed to orchestrate business processes.(Commerce One Conductor)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Commerce One is attempting to re-establish itself on the enterprise road map with an application integration platform that seeks to redefine the role of internal developers. With the release of Commerce One Conductor on March 24, the...

Hurry up and wait : Dawn of the application network.
March 10, 2003... CIOs frequently cite application integration as their top IT spending priority. Not surprisingly, a top IT spending priority for CIOs creates a host of vendors trying to solve the problem. Commerce One's Conductor is the latest offering in this...

Microsoft spies virtual-machine territory : Server consolidation drives Connectix deal.
March 10, 2003... Microsoft is on a quest to conquer the world of VM (virtual machines). With its acquisition of San Mateo, Calif.-based Connectix and its flagship virtual-machine software, Microsoft embarks on a strategy to fuel server consolidation and build...

Microsoft unites Office tools : Beta 2 includes support for OneNote, InfoPath.(Microsoft Office 2003)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Microsoft's launch of Office 2003 Beta 2 this week marks a transition point in the company's quest to reinvent the productivity suite as a development platform. Beta 2 shows the integration of the company's OneNote and InfoPath...

WINDOW MANAGER: Patch your passwords -- Switching from IE 5 to 6 may make you reach for headache remedies.(Internet Explorer )
March 10, 2003... Switching from IE 5 to 6 may make you reach for headache remedies I wrote two weeks ago that upgrading from Internet Explorer 5.x to 6.0 wipes out Windows Media Player's ability to open password-protected files. You've typed the correct...

THE OPEN SOURCE: A database query -- From the super speedy to the feature- rich, several open-source databases are equipped to meet your needs.
March 10, 2003... One of the more common queries I hear is, "What database should I use under Linux?" That is actually a pleasantly difficult question, because there are a number of choices that depend on what you want to do. If you are looking for a large...

STORAGE INSIDER: HP's partner search -- Storage virtualization is still virtually nonexistent, despite the industry's best efforts.
March 10, 2003... If you think making storage devices from different vendors coexist harmoniously in your datacenter is difficult, consider how baffling it must be for HP to consolidate two distinct -- and possibly overlapping -- lines of storage products from...

Instant messaging made secure : Akonix L7 Enterprise 2.0 is an easy, affordable way to impose corporate usage policies on public IM services.
March 10, 2003... You've seen the high-profile role that e-mail records have played in recent accounting scandals. But what about instant messaging? Today, much vital business communication occurs over IM (instant messaging), thanks to free downloads of...

Take the mesh-networking route : Mesh networks prove more agile and cost- effective than their point-to-point counterparts.
March 10, 2003... Wireless point-to-point or point-to-multipoint networks supplement campuswide Ethernets, bridging networks and avoiding a backhoe problem, but otherwise they act much like a line-of-sight wire or a high-tech tin-can- and-string network. ...

Nokia catalyzes handset evolution - Phone giant to test devices that handoff between 802.11x and public networks.
March 24, 2003... Nokia executives have revealed plans to deliver high-end cellular handsets that seamlessly switch between 802.11b and public carrier networks in an effort to transform handsets into terminals capable of consuming composite applications. ...

Microsoft rolls out autonomic plan - Strategy targets preventative healing.(Dynamic Systems Initiative)
March 24, 2003... Microsoft last week detailed a software architecture that helps corporate and third-party developers create applications with autonomic capabilities that are designed to take advantage of existing IT infrastructures more efficiently. The...

Living on the edge - Edge appliances fill the gap between resource restrictions and plans for future growth.(Industry Overview)
March 24, 2003... Given today's shortage of IT resources, the demand for self-sufficient technology is becoming an industrywide rallying cry. Frustrated by the limited scalability of software but not flush enough to throw money at their problems, enterprises...

WINDOW MANAGER: Someone's planning a list of who's naughty and nice, but it won't be mailed to the North Pole.
March 24, 2003... Windows file update I reported last week that the Windows Update routine was quietly changed a few months ago to upload to Microsoft your Product ID and a list of your hardware. Prior to the change, Microsoft merely downloaded a list of...

STORAGE INSIDER: Your SAN in the air - Xiotech and Nishan bridge networked storage and wireless data transfer.(Column)
March 24, 2003... There is nothing like writing a weekly column such as this to really understand the meaning of "you can't please them all." It's not that we dislike disagreements; indeed, your two faithful authors sometimes hold different points of view, which...

SECURITY ADVISER: Less appliance reliance - Security appliances can ease your load but can make it worse if you're not careful.
March 24, 2003... It's probably no surprise to you that those of us who test products for a living get a lot of calls and letters from companies that would like us to feature their products. After all, getting a favorable review in InfoWorld can sell a lot of...

THE OPEN SOURCE: SCO's version of history - The SCO Group's claims against IBM don't seem to jibe with facts and logic.
March 24, 2003... The open-source world is abuzz about The SCO Group's lawsuit against IBM. SCO alleges that Big Blue has incorporated SCO's intellectual property surrounding Unix into its Linux efforts. The SCO Group, formerly Caldera Systems, acquired Santa...

Patching made painless - Windows Update now intranet-ready; critical patches installed painlessly.(Microsoft Software Update Services 1.0)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 24, 2003... One of the primary drawbacks of the Windows platform is the amount of time it takes to keep up with patches for the operating system and the inextricably entwined Internet Explorer Web browser. New patches are issued so frequently that they...

Rapid responder - Redline Networks' E/X 3250 combines ease of setup with significant performance boost.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 24, 2003... Performance is an ongoing issue for any Web site that draws a high volume of traffic. Redline Networks has an appliance that may allow administrators to put off upgrading servers and Internet connections by reducing bandwidth requirements and...

Easing the load at the edge - Careful consideration a must when seeking an appliance to fit your needs.
March 24, 2003... Nearly a decade ago, I opened a box that had arrived by FedEx. There, buried in Styrofoam dunnage, was a Proctor-Sylex "toaster," emblazoned with the name of a firewall manufacturer. The implication was that installing their firewall was about...

Microsoft builds on SMS beta - Systems Management Server 2003 beta boasts better integration, software metering, and mobile support.
March 24, 2003... Microsoft launched the SMS (Systems Management Server) 2003 Beta program in early 2002 with plans to release the final version at the end of the year. That plan, however, has slowed -- SMS 2003 has only now reached the late stages of its open...

SIP fuels communications interplay.(Session Initiation Protocol)(Industry Overview)
March 31, 2003... Momentum is gathering across a broad swath of industry sectors behind the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) real-time communications protocol for IP-based voice, video, and IM. With support from IM platform heavyweights IBM and Microsoft as...

Web services paths remain divided - Opposing forces struggle over standards.(Industry Overview)
March 31, 2003... Sun Microsystems entry into IBM and Microsoft's WS-I (Web services interoperability) organization was widely interpreted as a good step towards industrywide cooperation. But as a dazzling array of vendor-driven standards continues to...

Killing time with a handheld - Cell phone vendors are taking on the handheld market with your boredom in mind.(Industry Overview)
March 31, 2003... Wireless is a rare bright spot in a world that has too much unproductive time on its hands. Downtime is bad. Multitasking is good. We only have to consider airline travel to prove the point. You typically spend 30 minutes in a taxi, 20...

NOTES FROM THE FIELD: Tightening belts - Some Feds fed up with Microsoft.
March 31, 2003... As I contemplated how far my commitment to the juicer and the marathon would really get me, Amber showed up with enough bags of overpriced clothes to re-outfit half of Silicon Valley. She casually tossed my MasterCard on the table and smiled....

THE OPEN SOURCE: Sing your DB's praises - If you want an open-source database to thrive, you need to talk it up.(Column)
March 31, 2003... In a recent column, I outlined some open-source database systems. Several readers responded by mentioning other open-source database options that I didn't cover, including SleepyCat's Berkeley DB (http://sleepycat.com), frequently used for...

SECURITY ADVISER: The trouble within.
March 31, 2003... When it comes to securing IT, Pogo said it best: "We have met the enemy, and he is us." I couldn't get an IP address. I knew that meant trouble because the Advanced Network Computing Laboratory at the University of Hawaii...

STORAGE INSIDER: Your SAN in the air - Xiotech and Nishan bridge networked storage and wireless data transfer.(Column)
March 31, 2003... There is nothing like writing a weekly column such as this to really understand the meaning of "you can't please them all." It's not that we dislike disagreements; indeed, your two faithful authors sometimes hold different points of view, which...

WINDOW MANAGER: Know your upgrades - Readers sound off on the pros and cons of Microsoft's Windows Update for crucial upgrades.
March 31, 2003... Know your upgrades For the past two weeks, I've written about the fact that Microsoft a few months ago quietly changed Windows Update. It now uploads the Product ID number of your Windows installation and a list of your installed hardware...

WIRELESS WORLD: Straining the supply chain - Companies building public Wi-Fi networks are biting off more than they can chew.(Editorial)(Industry Overview)
March 31, 2003... We know from history that some of the greatest generals have been defeated when their supply lines were overextended. Hannibal at the gates of Rome and Napoleon before Moscow are two of many. With that thought in mind, I've been looking at...

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Meet me back here when it's over - Consolidation is a certainty, but what happens to all the incredibly bright people who will be displaced?(Industry Overview)
March 31, 2003... I spent the entire first quarter of this year touring major technology vendors. The point was not to promote myself or InfoWorld, but to get some perspectives on how big and violent the coming IT industry consolidation will be. I started at...

Policing the airwaves.(AirDefense Guard 3.0)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 31, 2003... It's expensive, but AirDefense Guard gives you solid IDS bang for the bucks An IDS (intrusion detection system) is usually considered the icing on the cake when it comes to monitoring a conventional network. But when it comes to monitoring...

Windows Server 2003 worth the wait - Windows Server 2003 a good performer, easy to manage, scales well.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 31, 2003... The wait is over. Microsoft is poised to release the long-anticipated -- and frequently renamed -- Windows Server 2003, almost a year and a half after the last beta version became available in November 2001. (See our previous reviews:...

Mission accomplished - Microsoft InfoPath 2003 brings XML template design to noncoders.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 31, 2003... The next version of Microsoft Office is, among other things, a family of XML editors. I have discussed the XML modes of Word and Excel (see "XML for the rest of us" and "Exploring XML in Office 11"), and described the newest member of this...