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Important patch Tuesday update

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:07:34 +0000

On Tuesday, a massive 34 fixes will be issued in the weekly ‘patch Tuesday’ update for personal and business computers around the world.

IT administrators and technicians are being urged to give priority to installing these updates over other routine tasks. Three of the updates are expected to have the critical status, although at this current stage it has not been revealed specifically which programs this will affect.

For networks and systems which are running different versions of operating systems it is both important and recommended to schedule additional time in case any unforeseen errors occur.

Backing up data on disks

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 16:27:29 +0000

Storing important data such as photos, videos or music for either personal or business use on disks could prove to be risky. Research from the French National Centre for Scientific Research has found out just how risky by testing the longevity of data on media formats such as CDs and DVDs.

It has been found that disks vary in quality even across the same brand due to being produced by different manufacturers. Often, the brand of a disk has no effect on the quality you can expect. Some branded disks which have been printed or etched with logos have even found to last less time due to minor damage being created in production.

Unlike traditional cassette tapes, disks are read with a laser meaning there should be no cause for ‘wear and tear’. To calculate the estimated life span of a disk, scientists artificially aged them using heat, water vapour and light.

In the very rare worst cases, disks which are meant to last for centuries last just a few years. With the increasing amount of data used by individuals and companies today, it’s important to keep backups of data on reliable media formats. As the classic quote goes, “data not saved in at least two locations is data not worth having at all”.

The cloud may improve security

admin — Sat, 29 May 2010 15:51:16 +0000

According to security experts, the use of cloud computing could in fact assist in improving system security for computer users. In addition to adding new challenges to the world of technology such as compromised personal data, cloud computing may also provide advancements.

In current systems, many organisations are slow to update software and firmware when bugs are patched from new security breaches. With the assistance of cloud computing, organisations will not have this additional worry or responsibility as updates will be performed automatically to all users from a centralised location.

Patches will ensure systems are up to date ensuring a decreased security the threat. There is a downside however; organisations which are already quick to react to breaches could find that cloud computing updates are completed slower than they are used to. Organisations will need to find the correct balance between security and acceptability.