Architel and Moleskine
Alexander Muse , March 30, 2007
Everyone at Architel is required to use a Moleskine for handwritten notes. Of course we prefer everyone use the wiki for documentation, but when the wiki won’t do, our folks pick up their handy Moleskines. Notepads and stickies have been outlawed (don’t let Alex see them).
“MOLESKINE IS THE LEGENDARY NOTEBOOK, USED BY EUROPEAN ARTISTS AND THINKERS FOR THE PAST TWO CENTURIES, FROM VAN GOGH TO PICASSO, FROM ERNEST HEMINGWAY TO BRUCE CHATWIN.” via the Moleskine website.
Security Advisory: Microsoft Windows Problem
Alexander Muse , March 29, 2007
Via Microsoft’s Website:
Microsoft is investigating new public reports of targeted attacks exploiting a vulnerability in the way Microsoft Windows handles animated cursor (.ani) files. In order for this attack to be carried out, a user must either visit a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit the vulnerability or view a specially crafted e-mail message or email attachment sent to them by an attacker.
As a best practice, users should always exercise extreme caution when opening or viewing unsolicited emails and email attachments from both known and unknown sources.Microsoft has added detection to the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner for up-to-date removal of malicious software that attempts to exploit this vulnerability.Microsoft intends to actively share information with Microsoft Security Response Alliance partners so that their detection can be up to date to detect and remove attacks.Customers in the U.S. and Canada who believe they are affected can receive technical support from Microsoft Product Support Services at 1-866-PCSAFETY. There is no charge for support calls that are associated with security updates.International customers can receive support from their local Microsoft subsidiaries. There is no charge for support that is associated with security updates. For more information about how to contact Microsoft for support issues, visit the International Support Web site.
Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to help protect our customers. This will include providing a security update through our monthly release process or providing an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs.
Microsoft is actively monitoring this situation to keep customers informed and to provide customer guidance as necessary.
70% of Dell Customer want Linux as an Option!
Alexander Muse , March 29, 2007
In response to a survey that showed that 70% of Dell customers would use Linux if offered preloaded on Dell computers, Dell is offering PCs preinstalled with Linux! Very nice! Very nice! Read more here.
Exchange 2007 and Asterisk ~ Integrated!
Alexander Muse , March 12, 2007
Microsoft’s Exchange 2007 offering has lots of new unified messaging features and supports PBX integration. It would seem at first that Exchange 2007 should easily integrated with Asterisk. They both run SIP, but soon it becomes apparent that this won’t be easy.
Turns out Exchange 2007 uses SIP over TCP, while Asterisk uses SIP over UDP. There is a solution. By using the open-source tool called SIP Express Router you can convert SIP packets between TCP and UCP so that Asterisk can talk to Exchange and vice versa. Here are the instructions.
Paul Robichaux writes about a similar solution he found for Live Communication Server 2005 and Asterisk:
What is the value of integrating a PBX with Live Communications Server 2005? First, Live Communications Server 2005 is shipping now; you can deploy it without waiting for the Exchange 2007 release. Second, Live Communications Server 2005’s feature set complements Exchange nicely; Exchange provides voicemail integration and a telephone UI for Exchange calendar, contact, and email data (plus faxes and the Global Address List), and Live Communications Server provides presence, IM (including audio and video), and call control. Live Communications Server’s call control features require the software to be able to talk to the PBX so that the software can properly route incoming calls. How do Live Communications Server 2005 and its successor, Office Communications Server 2007, work with Exchange UM? Let’s say that Alice is calling Bob and that Bob’s Active Directory account is provisioned for both a UM-enabled Exchange 2007 mailbox and Live Communications Server. When Alice dials Bob’s number, the following things can happen: 1. If Bob is talking on the phone, the PBX automatically routes Alice’s call to the Exchange UM server. The UM server records a voicemail message, which appears in Bob’s Inbox. 2. If Bob is in the office or working outside the office while connected to the office via VPN, when Alice calls his office phone, Live Communications Server sends a call notification to Microsoft Office Communicator 2005, running on his computer. This notification causes Communicator to generate a pop-up message on Bob’s computer screen using the familiar “toast” window style (like MSN Messenger and Outlook). Bob can use the toast window to take the call on his computer or transfer it elsewhere (such as to a mobile phone). If he transfers the call, Live Communications Server instructs the PBX to perform the transfer. 3. If Bob is feeling antisocial and doesn’t want to take Alice’s call, the phone will keep ringing. Depending on how the PBX is configured, the unanswered call will eventually be transferred to the Exchange UM server so that Alice can leave a voicemail message. One benefit of using Asterisk to enable these scenarios is that it’s inexpensive compared with traditional PBX systems. Even if you buy a preloaded server running Asterisk (and there are many companies that provide such complete, turnkey products), the cost is significantly less than buying a new IP PBX, which in turn results in a lower cost barrier to small-to-midsized businesses that want to deploy UM, enhanced presence, and telephony integration.
DST change over = mini-Y2K event for IT
Alexander Muse , March 5, 2007
FYI - if things don’t work next week, don’t blame your IT vendor (blame Congress).
The change takes effect Sunday, as daylight saving time begins three weeks earlier (and ends a week later, on the first Sunday in November). And many companies are scrambling to reset BlackBerry e-mail devices, desktop PCs and big data-center computers used to automate payrolls, purchasing and manufacturing.
This puts the United States out of sync with the rest of the world for longer than usual this spring, almost certainly disrupting not only computers but also the business and travel schedules of companies, workers and travelers. Most of Europe goes to daylight saving time March 25, two weeks after America, while most of Asia, Africa and South America do not observe daylight saving time at all.
Any device that has an internal clock looms as a potential problem and must be tweaked for the time change, usually with a software patch. Most internal clocks in computing devices are programmed for the old daylight-time calendar, which Congress set in 1986.
Architel Managed VoIP Services
Alexander Muse , March 2, 2007
After more than a year of testing, we are offering Architel clients a hosted VoIP phone system. Pricing starts at $50.00 per handset per month with a $5,000 install fee. To learn more visit our website.
