Technology Journal

2006-03-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

Design Criteria for Application Development

1)Functionality : A need assessment of the user needs to be done. Depending on the requirements of the client the functionality of the application should be arrived at.

2) Performance : If a customer is waiting at the booking counter and the system takes 3 minutes to retrieve details of flight, the response is certainly not mission critical. The system should be adequately performing.

3) Usability : Multiple users should be able to use the system if it is the requirement according to problem at hand.

4) Quality Requirement : the reports should be neat and impressive, the system should perform well at stress loads, back up and restore of data should be easy and less time consuming. Business continuity, DR should all be the best conforming or if possible of path breaking standards.

5) Security : Without proper security all investment fail as internal or external hacker may halt the system resulting in business loss.

6) Simplicity :Complexity is already driving the organizations crazy , so simplicity will sure reduce the headaches.

7) Scalability : It's the ability to add more number of users & functionality as the enterprise grows.

8) Modularity :Modular system are fail safe and easily scalable. They are also easily maintainable.

9) Flexibility and Customization : The software should be amenable to be used for the peculiar situation of an enterprise. Also it should be easy to add new features.

2006-03-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

What is ethical hacking?

When you have professionals who are experts at hacking but work for the good of humanity to hack into your system to find out vulnerabilities in your application at the application development level or the testing phase or after deployment, using the same tools which professional hackers use; to patch these vulnerabilities is called ethical hacking.In olden days hacker stood for a very Intelligent IT professional with gifted talent. In recent times many hackers have been arrested and jailed, a number of them being minors. Many of them ( their talent identified either after their jail term or sentence pardoned) otherwise started their own companies in security vertical to advice companies on security. Well ethical hacking is the highest paid job in IT.

"Wanna get rich, try hack..err...ethical hacking".

2006-03-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

Spam or no spam

Yahoo and America Online ( AOL) have decided that for a certain payment ( up to 1 cent), they would allow bulk mailers to get past all spam filters and block lists of user. This they say is to ensure that the genuine mails are differentiated from the real spam. The existing rules they say sometimes prevents the delivery of genuine mail. Users say it is just another ploy by these companies to generate another revenue stream. Ultimately spam is a big drain on corporate and user resources. According to an estimate users receive 3,250 spams per annum on a average. About 67% of total e-mails on the internet are spam, which inundates a genuine mail in heaps of spam.

Meanwhile,"Keep deleting spam".

2006-03-07T02:01:00.000-08:00

Web Phone

What is a web phone or a Internet Phone. This is a facility by which using the Internet Protocol ( IP ) a user can connect to another computer and talk to another person. This is a cheap alternative for conventional phones and specially useful for people who use computers heavily to cut costs ( eg. multi location corporate users, BPO's).The advantage is specially more pronounced for long distance telephony as the toll can really go down. Initially there were glitchs regarding quality of voice transmission but these are being addressed now. Here comes a damn difficult time for the conventional Telecom Companies. They would have to offer value for money proposition to customers along with Innovative Value added services to retain their customers. While Happy Sailing for the Customers.

2006-03-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

A Job more difficult than that of CEO

Wondering what this job could be.Well in IT industry it is said that the job of a project manager is more difficult than that of a CEO. It is easy to find a CEO than to find a Project Manager. A project manager needs to be excellent technically. She needs to have Project management skills. She also needs to be good at relationship management. Generally IT people are known to be inward facing, this makes finding a person with all these skills a real challenge. Generally a old technical head who has enough technical experience and the right kind of experience ( in years ) is made into a Project Manager.

So if you are looking for a challenging job, why not be a IT Project Manager.

2006-03-07T01:58:00.000-08:00

IPTV Comes to India

Indian Entertainment industry is coming of Age.BSNL and MTNL are planning IPTV rollout initially in Mumbai and Chennai, Bharti and Reliance also plan the same. IPTV is delivering TV programs using the Net or Cable. So that the programs can be downloaded when one feels convenient and watch it at leisure or favorite programs can be watched to your hearts will. Soon you would be viewing only your favorite programs at times when it suits you.

"Happy Idiot Box Viewing."

2006-03-07T01:56:00.000-08:00

Seven Wonders of the Modern World

If there are some really happening Innovations of the modern age then I think they are as follows

1. Cable TV : Cable TV has changed the landscape of Entertainment on Earth. All sorts of channels flood your life. Sports,News, Movies, health, god,cartoon,music . You name it and there is a channel. But it seems that there is a dearth of real entertainment.

2. Internet : Internet and WWW has changed the way we comunicate, work, entertain ourselves and carry out business. With new uses like IP telephony propping by the day, only user imagination is a constraint to this Invention.

3. Mobile Services : Dropping handset prices and Increasing value added services and added functionality by the day. Mobile has had a great impact on our daily lives making earth a global village.

4. Digital Cameras : Digital cameras have improved the quality of photographs. There is a great ease of using these gadgets. Prices are falling by the day and better devices are available for a Fraction of the cost.

5. ATM : ATM's have redefined the quality of service level of banking by a Quantum leap. The banks have even become innovative in entering into alliances with other bankers and allowing customers to access their networks at a very nominal price.

6. Nanotechnlogy : Nanotechnology has numerous applications in medical science, Material Science and various other domains. Its the future technology.

7. Robotics : Robotics have various applications. They are used in Industries for hazardous works like welding etc. Robots are more efficient and they dont ask for salary, housing or clothing, or flexible working hours. With aging population in America, Europe and Japan expect robots who would take care of the elderly.

2006-03-07T01:54:00.000-08:00

Spyware

Spyware is not a virus as commonly misunderstood. It doesnt self replicate. It is a malicious program which

1. delivers unsolicited pop-up advertisements
2. carries out theft of personal information
3. monitors your browsing and spending pattern to tailormake spams
4. re-routing you to advertising sites

What precautions can be taken?

1. Dont use ActiveX. Set the internet setting security option to appropriate value.
2. Install spyware - blocking software.
3. Take a backup of all important data on a medium like CD.

What are the Symptoms of Spyware Infestation?

1. loss of System Performance
2. System hangs and crashes
3. threat to private info stored in the computer.

2006-03-07T01:52:00.000-08:00

PC Market in India Update

There are ten vendors in the branded space. HP, Acer, AMD, Dell, Zenith, LG, HCL and so on are some of the well known players. Xenitis in Kolkata and Sogo in Bangalore are strong regional players. The market share of branded PC's has increased from 50 percent to 70 percent over the last couple of years whereas the market share of assembled PC's have come down to about 30 percent. This market share is likely to stabilise over the coming years. Rationalisation of duties has narrowed the price gap from 37 to 40 percent that assemblers enjoyed in 2000-01 to under 14 percent in 2005. Today an average branded PC in India is priced in the range of 22K to 25K.An advantage working on the side of assemblers is that they are innovative and flexible in their offerings. Studies show that upto 75% of the cost of the PC has to be spent on the PC after purchase. For branded PC's this figure can be brought down to 40%.

A brand will always remain a brand.

2006-03-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

Evolution of E-Commerce

The minimum you could do is have at least an informative web site which is a marketing tool active 365 days of year x 7 days a week x 24 hours a day basis. You can inform people about your product, processses, Organisational processses, culture, mission, vision, values etc. You could provide important contact information on the web site.

In the next evolutionary stage you could provide for some sort of central complaint lodging system directly to the company to account for the improper treatment of customers ( incompatible with company values ) by the call centres or regional centers. This will also act as a control for the organisational values. Innovative companies also use some sort of Live Chat or Help Desk to sort out the queries and problems of customers.You can have a online transaction facility i.e. selling online.

Next you could go all the way to integrate the entire supply chain i.i. you could seamlessly connect to your Suppliers and Ditributers or the End Users. You can use the internet to add interactivity to your advertisements and customise your communication to the customers. For certain industries like software, digital music internet gives the market Global Reach.

You could add internet as an additional channel to your existing brick and mortar business or have a buiness which is built from scratch as a pure internet dot com company and after succeeding with the internet version you could go in for the brick and mortar version.You could also use collaboration tools to Co-ordinate projects done by different teams which may be located in different geographical locations working on different aspects of a project or taking advantage of the time zones. Also there are the applications of telecommuting and mobile work force.

Go E-Commerce.

2006-03-07T01:50:00.000-08:00

Bravo Google

Google has recently taken a number of innovative steps like advertising solutions, e-mail, , online library, google earth etc and has earned in reputation and profits. Microsoft is being touted as a laggard in Innovating its business. Google has been proactive in leading innovation led growth. Microsoft has been reactive in its response to changed market reality and needs of customers.

2006-03-07T01:49:00.000-08:00

3G Moble Sevices Soon to hit India

Characteristics would include faster web browsing speeds comparable to that of broadband. Sharper pictures enabling better gaming and mobile tv experience to the mobile users. Also streaming video and audio would be a real possibility.But cost of handsets which is expected to be on the upperside would prove to be a major hurdle. Also 3G policy regarding spectrum allocation would have to be framed. Further telecom companies would have to spruce up their network infrastructure to be able to roll out these new services.In India where a mobile model from Motorola in the range of Rs. 700 is expected soon and the inequality of income distribution as a result of improperly executed libralisation steps ,with people having disparate incomes and purchasing power is going to make growth for the telecom companies in 3G segment not an easy thing. Also competition from VOIP is going to intensify with computer penetration and home broadband connections going up.

2006-03-07T01:47:00.000-08:00

Some ERP Related Facts

1. Business processes have to be mapped to ERP and customization has to be done.
2. The aim is to have all the processes of the business mapped in the Package.
3. An ERP system helps in reacting faster to marketplace changes i.e. in being proactive rather than being reactive to market.
4. Standardization of business processes across units can be achieved.
5. Best business practices can be adapted. 6. Real time information is available to the Decision maker.
7. Legacy systems are generally fragmented and not properly integrated across functions.
8. An ERP system enables IT to be used as a strategic business tool rather than for a limited purpose of data processing.
9. ERP systems support E-Commerce.
10. Awareness training sessions should be held for managers and key end users should be involved at various stages of implementation to ensure success.
11. Most people consider ERP system as a hygiene factor for effectiveness.
12. ERP Systems avoids duplication of efforts across functions and business units.
13. Using ERP system one can integrate their partners systems and information can flow seamlessly.
14. Performance can be reviewed more frequently, for example weekly instead of monthly.
15. It facilitates business innovation through new business processes.
16. It increases revenue through its built in collaboration abilities.
17. It improves operational efficiency by streamlining processes.
18. It increases ROI through Reliable Operation with a stable and proven infrastructure.
19. Change management is the biggest challenge of ERP implementation.
20. While choosing a package flexibility, Scalability should be kept in mind.

2006-03-07T01:43:00.000-08:00

Modules of SAP
ERP Modules

The Core Modules of SAP are

1. Finance (FI)
2. Controlling (CO)
3. Sales & Distribution ( SD)
4. Production Planning ( PP)
5. Materials Management (MM)
6. Quality Management ( QM)

Other Modules supported are

1. Plant Maintenance (PM)
2. Profit Center Accounting ( PCA)
3. Profitability Analysis (PA)
4. Treasury ( TR)
5. Executive Information System ( EIS).
HCM ( HR & Payroll Package )
7. E-Commerce
8. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
9. Supply Chain Management (SCM)
10. Data Warehousing Data Mining ( DW DM)
11. Project System ( PS )
12. Service Management ( SM)
13. Asset Management (AM )

2006-03-07T01:41:00.000-08:00

ERP Benefits
Benefits of ERP Implementation

1. Reduction of lead time

2. On-time shipment

3. Reduction in Cycle time

4. Better Customer Satisfaction

5. Improved Supplier Performance

6. Increased Flexibility

7. Reduction in quality Costs

8. Improved resource utility

9. Improved information accuracy and decision making capability

2006-03-07T01:40:00.000-08:00

Internet Marketing

1. Most of the companies have a web presence basically to disseminate product or service information and distribute brochures.

2. The glitches include lack of inexpensive payment models. People are not comfortable with divulging their private information like credit card numbers online because of lack of adequate security protocols Another glitch is the sheer limit of number of people who have access to payment methods like credit cards.

3. Many banks in India are already using Mobile phone for banking purposes.

4. One big obstacle in the way of using internet in a big way of conducting business is the abysmally low internet penetration and the digital divide in India.

5. One delicate issue in this context would be that of Ethical Marketing. There is a very thin line between consumer delight and intrusion of privacy of the customer.

6. Those who already have an established brand are more likely to successfully sell their products online compared to those following purely internet model as the customers know about the quality antecedents of the company.

2006-03-07T01:37:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Vista OS Preview

This new Operating System (OS) is going to boast of a number of features. Prime among them being, better and less expensive security of computer networks; employees can remotely log on to the office system without the use of VPN which people find difficult to use. More secure browsing with internet explorer version 7.0 . Easier installation of software fixes or patches. Improved user account management, for example a clerk or a junior could install printer or scanner without having access to Administrators password.

The operating system is being tested through 5 lakh selected customers initially.Other popular operating system in the market include Unix, Linux, Mac OS et at. Microsoft increasingly faces competition from OS such as Linux which is an open source software. An open source software is a software which doesn't cost having been developed by volunteers from IT software developers profession.

In India especially in the government sector i.e. state government and center government offices are increasingly adopting Linux operating system too keep their IT spend down. Also with introduction of low cost computers ( sub 10,000 Rs. Category ) , these systems are preloaded with Linux OS . Linux is itself a powerful operating system being used in industry as web server and Application Server. Both are mission critical applications.Microsoft sighting the widespread use of pirated software ( 90%) in India has come out with a stripped down cheap version for the Indian market to boost sales.

Microsoft claims the TCO ( Total Cost of Ownership including cost of maintenance, training and support )Of windows operating system is less than TCO of Linux. Other vendors claim that Microsoft uses various coercive strategies to induce desktop vendors to ship their OS.

I say, "May the open source prevail".

2006-03-07T01:34:00.000-08:00

Categories of OS : ClassRoom

An OS is the interface between the user and hardware , it controls the execution of software instructions and controls the operation of other computer components.

1.Stand Alone OS : These files are stored on the hard disk and loaded into the computers RAM when the system boots. These control the interface and working of a single computer. Ex : Windows OS, MAC OS.

2.Network Operating System (NOS): These are used to co-ordinate and control a group of computers connected together in a LAN. Ex: Windows xp, windows 2000, Unix, Linux.

3. Embedded Operating System : These are used in handheld devices like a PDA. These are called embedded because they are completely stored inside the ROM.( Read Only Memory.) Ex: Windows CE, Palm OS.

"Which is your category ".

2006-03-07T01:31:00.000-08:00

Did you know?

a) How worms spread? Worms spread mainly through unsecured networks,p2p applications and shared folders.

b) What is the motivation of the hackers?For kicks, for fame and most commonly for financial gain.

c) What is adware?It is a program which pops up advertisements when you try to link to a site.

d) What is spam?It is a unsolicited e-mail.

e) What are common categories of spam?

Education Related
Finance Related
Health Related
Gambling Related
Adult Related

2006-03-07T01:28:00.000-08:00

User of Internet Banking Beware

You may have heard about the pros of banking but not cons. Here is a a caveat. It does offer you convenience of transferring your funds at any time you need but you stand the threat of losing vital information through trozan horses if you use internet cafes or your own little secure handheld device for accessing your bank accounts.There are keylogging programs ( a kind of trozan horse ) that once enters into your system by being hidden in other software programs start monitoring your keyboard entries as you visit a bank and then sends this information to the theives through the net.

They can also be planted in your device or desktop through e-mail messages. So be careful whenever you download and install free software on your system or read emails. Don't blindly download or don't open suspicious looking( rather harmless looking) e-mails. There may be a malicious code in it.Cases were reported in Brazil where 55 people stole $4.7 million and in France $1.1 million from bank accounts( internet ofcourse). According to some reports in the period between '00 and '05 the number of such cases have increased exponentially.

These problems of fraud have also been occuring in India but under reported or not reported by the banks because of the threat of loss of reputation and a profitable medium of business channel.

Murphy's Trivia," Why robbers are always ahead of police----------------------because the police is behind and the robbers are ahead of police, Hi Hi Hi".

2006-03-07T01:24:00.000-08:00

What is RDBMS

It stands for Relational Data Base Management System. It is data stored in a set of related tables. There are other objects like queries, views, indexes, clusters, etc in a RDBMS. It is used to store millions of transactions or records in transaction intensive industries like the BFSI, BPO etc. Popular RDBMS providers are Oracle, SQL Server from Microsoft, Sybase, Ingres et al. SQL Server 2005 edition has built in data warehousing, mining and Business Intelligence and Analysis functions and tools built into it.