Market Analysis: Network Node Validation By Greg Shipley
Vendors are rolling out smarter network access-control models with node validation technology. We provide an overview as well as a few operational concerns to consider.
Review: Network Node Validators By Greg Shipley
We examined three vendors' NNV approaches and found each has distinct strengths and weaknesses. Your organization's specific use case should determine the path you choose.
Voice Over Wireless LANs By Frank Bulk
New dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi systems and standards may fulfill the promise of just one mobile device that works anywhere. We evaluate what's being called the killer app for WLAN.
Affordable IT: Finding and Fixing Billing Errors By Tim Wilson
Cost-conscious IT departments often overlook one thing that can cost their departments money: the vendor's final invoice. We offer some tips on how to catch vendor billing errors early--before they cost your organization.
Review: Norton Internet Security 2006 By Rick Broida
This year's Norton security suite is a mixed bag, offering effective protection from many threats but stumbling with spyware.
Review: Internet Explorer 7 By Barbara Krasnoff and Scot Finnie
In the latest preview of Windows Vista, IE 7 offers some significant new additions. However, it's still a work in development.
Review: Three One-Touch Backup Drives By Bill O'Brien
One-touch external hard drives let you save data with a minimum investment of time. IOGear, Maxtor and Seagate each have their own backup solution. Find out which one's button you should be pressing!
Workshops
Buyer's Guide: All-In-One Security Appliances By Curtis Franklin Jr.
An all-in-one security appliance provides protection against a multitude of threats without adding to your device-management burden. Here's how to choose the right model for your organization.
How to Manage Configuration Relationships By Bruce Boardman
A configuration management database is a critical system for understanding your assets' relationships. As we show, creating an effective CMDB takes careful planning and a well-designed pilot project.
Sneak Previews
Kazeon Information Server IS1200 Version 1 By Lori MacVittie
Promising scheduled crawls to classify all your storage secrets on both NFS and CIFS shares, the IS1200 keeps you compliant.
Exabyte VXA-320 By Don MacVittie
This autoloading tape changer provides easy backups, more choices for type of tape and fewer moving parts, making this a good investment for SMBs.
Kyocera KR1 Router By Sean Ginevan
Easy setup and good throughput make the KR1 Router a device any mobile business can both afford and put to good use.
NexonNAS 1000 By Don MacVittie
Small businesses in need of fast storage that doesn't take a bite out of their wallets or office space should check out this nifty little NAS.
Mindjet MindManager Pro 6 By Ron Miller
This easy-to-use tool includes lots of features to make project planning and collaboration easier, including notes, linking to documents and Web sites, RSS integration and integration with Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Vista October CTP Pre-Beta 2 By Scot Finnie
Another Community Technology Preview release of Vista adds features for networking and the Control Panel, including a great new Mobility Control.
Departments
Last Mile: Election Time Edited By Tim Wilson and Tom LaSusa This edition looks at the Top 11 reasons IT people never run for political office. Plus, the ButtKicker chair and the cute little Nabaztag?
Quick Takes: Intrusion Prevention By Patricia Thomas
This edition looks at TippingPoint's network-based IPS products. We also highlight products from fCoder, Faronics and more.
Letters: Taking a Breather By NWC Readers
Mike Lacy contends, "Innovation hasn't yet reached its prime. The rate of innovation slows now and then, giving us time to assimilate it all."
Columns
Down to Business: Heads Up, IT By Rob Preston
There's a perception that IT pros are disengaged from business objectives and counterproductive in their resistance to change. If we don't change that distortion, the consequences could be dire.
Reality IT: BPR Revisited By Hunter Metatek
When choosing processes and software, it pays to get IT's two cents.
BuzzCuts
ICANN-VeriSign: Lawsuit Settled, Problems Remain By Sean Doherty ICANN has finally settled with VeriSign over new services that would help enterprises claim expired domain names, but the services still are not available and some of the capabilities are limited only to IE users.
DataPower Deal Stirs Questions on IBM's SOA Plan By Lori MacVittie
The purchase of DataPower is an odd move for IBM, given that it's hardware-based and IBM's hardware is focused on servers, not networking.
No Decision in BlackBerry Case By Garrett Michael Hayes
A patent dispute between Research in Motion and patent-holding company NTP could result in a shutdown of service--or at least higher prices--for users of the popular handheld mobile device.
FUDBusters: New Dot-com Wave: Not Even a Swell By Tim Wilson
Investment experts have been abuzz recently with talk about a new wave of dot-com startups fueled by social networking technology. But a new report suggests investment in pure-play Internet ventures are slipping.
REPORTS
Analyize In-Line NAC strategies and products.
ANALYTICS Plan and design your enterprise blade server deployments
InformationWeek U.S. IT Salary Survey 2008
Salaries for business technology professionals are falling. Here's what you need to know in order to make good hiring decisions and personal career choices. Purchase Today: $299