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ITS Feda - Keeping you up to date with what's new in IT
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Welcome to the July edition of the ITS Feda Newsletter. The newsletter menu (below) offers quick navigation of the news articles in this email so you can quickly scan the topics and choose if you want to read more on those relevant to you. We always like communication with our customers to be two-way so please let us know about any changes you would like to see and anything you would like us to publish more information on. Menu Thinking about virtualising? – don’t forget your storageJISC RSC Northern invite ITS Feda to update their college technical managers Novell Schools can now save 70% on software costs by switching to Novell New Novell ZENworks Configuration Manager (ZCM) Beta available Are you using Universal Passwords with ZENworks Volatile Dynamic Local user? Check your certificates before the summer! Xen Virtualisation and High Availability Clustering on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Microsoft MCDSTs: Save 40% on upgrading to Windows Vista certification Important Changes to Microsoft Exam Delivery Cool toys and serious benefits – don’t underestimate Microsoft Live Symantec Symantec still the best for security |
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Thinking about virtualising? – don’t forget your storage One of the most important factors when designing a virtualised server, but one that is often overlooked, is the shared storage. It is essential that you have fast reliable storage to meet today’s needs as well as having the ability to easily upgrade the system to meet the needs of tomorrow. Many network managers of large, complex networks are considering the use of fibre channel storage arrays and whilst these undoubtedly meet the speed and storage requirements they are often beyond the financial reach of managers of smaller networks. Investigating an iSCSI storage solution offers a much more cost effective solution without losing the performance that a fibre channel solution can offer. ITS Feda have been working with a major supplier of iSCSI solutions to allow us to bring to market a cost effective, high performance iSCSI storage solution which will match, and in many areas exceed the service provide by a fibre channel array. To find out more about our iSCSI storage visit our website or contact us on 0870 145 1600 or sales@itsgroup.org.uk |
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JISC RSC Northern invite ITS Feda to update their college technical managers Today ITS Feda staff are delighted to be in Sunderland at the request of the local JISC Regional Support Centre to give presentations and demonstrations of some of the latest and greatest new technology in the IT world. As hosts to one of the most pro-active and well attended IT Technical managers groups, RSC Northern are great supporters of ITS Feda’s free IT events and we are delighted to be invited to visit. If you would like to enquire about running a free event for IT managers in your area please contact Gillian on 0870 145 1600 or email info@itsgroup.org.uk |
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Schools can now save 70% on software costs by switching to Novell Did you know that you can now get Novell Open Workgroup Suite and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop through the Novell Schools Licence Agreement? At around 70% cheaper than the comparable Microsoft products, the Novell Open Workgroup Suite is ‘everything in a box’ – It includes application services, file and print services, desktop components, email and collaboration, office productivity, and resource management, all with extensive compatibility with other vendor products, including Microsoft… Not only is it cheaper, it’s well supported, and since it’s not targeted by malware as often as other vendors, Novell assert it’s more reliable and secure. This is something we believe every school should make the time to look at. Learn more here or contact us for a quotation via sales@itsgroup.org.uk or 0870 145 1600 |
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New Novell ZENworks Configuration Manager (ZCM) Beta available We mentioned our excitement over this upcoming release back in May and now you can try out the Beta for yourselves. Those customers who moved to Active Directory from Edirectory and had to give up their beloved ZENworks can have it back – no eDirectory is required! There will be a Jump Start course for this coming this autumn for those of you already familiar with ZENworks. |
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Are you using Universal Passwords with ZENworks Volatile Dynamic Local user? Then you need to make sure that the Novell client can access the user’s NICI keys. You may not even see any errors but the passwords may not be updated. This can cause major issues in an Identity Manager (IDM) environment where the passwords in the connected systems are not updated. Tell tale signs are NMAS error when trying to unlock the screensaver using the NDS account (though it will work with the Windows account.) Please see this TID for further information. Luckily our friendly Novell sysop, Shaun Pond has added this registry key to his client adm files, or you could create an application object to do the job. http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tools/14348.html |
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Check your certificates before the summer! Every year we get lots of calls from customers whose certificates expired over the summer. If you installed any Netware servers over the summer about 2 years ago you might find that Remote Manager, and Imanager (or any Apache services such as Virtual office and GroupWise Webaccess) stop working after a server reboot around their 2 year anniversary. Find out how to proactively prevent this becoming an issue on your site. |
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Xen Virtualisation and High Availability Clustering on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Don’t forget our Advanced Technical Training course for this running on the 14th of August 07. It’s a brand new course and this is its first run in the UK, so be ahead of the crowd and book now! Bookings close on the 19th of July. You can view the course details here
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MCDSTs: Save 40% on upgrading to Windows Vista certification Until 30th September 2007, you can save 40% on your exam fee by using promotional code DCAUPG when you register for Exam 70-621 to upgrade from an existing MCDST certification to MCTS: Windows Vista and MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician certifications. Review the Preparation Guide for Exam 70-621 If you are considering MCDST certification we have a course running 20-24th August 07 If you are considering MCITP Vista certification we have a course running 17-21 September 07 |
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Important Changes to Microsoft Exam Delivery Microsoft Learning has announced its decision to deliver its professional certification exams exclusively through Prometric. Pearson VUE will stop selling Microsoft professional certification exams after August 31, 2007. Pearson VUE exam vouchers will still be redeemable at Pearson VUE authorised testing centres until December 31, 2007. Learn more about this change here |
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Cool toys and serious benefits – don’t underestimate Microsoft Live We have to confess, even the boss has taken the Microsoft Live web site beta home to play with over the weekend, it’s just an irresistible toy and a really powerful tool for both personal and professional use and it’s not the only one. As Microsoft Live services begin to mature we are seeing more and more really useful and accessible stuff coming out. For example – did you know that anyone can get a free professional website, domain name, web hosting, storage space and company branded email accounts with Microsoft Office Live Basics? Or that the Windows Live @ edu program is offering higher education institutions a suite of free hosted communications services for students, alumni and faculty? Check it out; we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. |
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Symantec still the best for security Despite many healthy attempts, no one looks like taking the best in show ribbon from Symantec anytime soon. Their products have once again beaten the competition, being selected to play a key role in securing one of the world's largest demonstrations for new military technology, the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID). Symantec was presented the opportunity to demonstrate Intelligence Guided Computer Network Defense (IGCND(TM)) for NATO, the United Kingdom and Canada as part of an integrated approach to network security specifically designed to protect agile military networks of the future. This was the first time that a single supplier demonstrated this kind of capability and provided on-site security consulting on such a large scale to support overall CWID operations in those countries as well as the United States. Capt. Ramon Rodriguez of the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and CWID Network Lead said. "Symantec's solutions and experts provided invaluable insight and quantifiable evidence that our networks were more secure than in any prior CWID demonstration." You don’t need to be running international military operations to need excellent security, and Symantec products can help bring it to your organisation no matter what size you are. ITS Feda are a Symantec Silver Partner. Contact us for your Symantec needs via sales@itsgroup.org.uk or on 0870 145 1600. |
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Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter. As always, your feedback is both welcomed and encouraged. |
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ITS Feda Ltd |
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