Friday, November 11, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog For 11/11 - Pervasive Computing (ubiquitous computing)

Pervasive Computing (ubiquitous computing)

This definition is part of our Essential Guide: IoT analytics guide: Understanding Internet of Things data

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

WhatIs.com

Pervasive computing, also called ubiquitous computing, is the growing trend of embedding computational capability (generally in the form of microprocessors) into everyday objects to make them effectively communicate and perform useful tasks in a way that minimizes the end user's need to interact with computers as computers. Pervasive computing devices are network-connected and constantly available.

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Unlike desktop computing, pervasive computing can occur with any device, at any time, in any place and in any data format across any network, and can hand tasks from one computer to another as, for example, a user moves from his car to his office. Thus, pervasive computing devices have evolved to include not only laptops, notebooks and smartphones, but also tablets, wearable devices, fleet management and pipeline components, lighting systems, appliances and sensors, and so on.

The goal of pervasive computing is to make devices "smart," thus creating a sensor network capable of collecting, processing and sending data, and, ultimately, communicating as a means to adapt to the data's context and activity; in essence, a network that can understand its surroundings and improve the human experience and quality of life.

Often considered the successor to mobile computing, ubiquitous computing and, subsequently, pervasive computing, generally involve wireless communication and networking technologies, mobile devices, embedded systems, wearable computers, RFID tags, middleware and software agents. Internet capabilities, voice recognition and artificial intelligence are often also included.

Pervasive computing applications can cover energy, military, safety, consumer, healthcare, production and logistics.

An example of pervasive computing is an Apple Watch informing a user of a phone call and allowing him to complete the call through the watch. Or, when a registered user for Amazon's streaming music service asks her Echo device to play a song, and the song is played without any other user intervention.

History of ubiquitous/pervasive computing

Ubiquitous computing was first pioneered at the Olivetti Research Laboratory in Cambridge England, where the Active Badge, a "clip-on computer" the size of an employee ID card, was created, enabling the company to track the location of people in a building, as well as the objects to which they were attached.

Largely considered the father of ubiquitous computing, Mark Weiser and colleagues at Xerox PARC soon thereafter began building early incarnations of ubiquitous computing devices in the form of "tabs," "pads" and "boards."

Weiser described ubiquitous computing:

Inspired by the social scientists, philosophers and anthropologists at PARC, we have been trying to take a radical look at what computing and networking ought to be like. We believe that people live through their practices and tacit knowledge, so that the most powerful things are those that are effectively invisible in use. This is a challenge that affects all of computer science. Our preliminary approach: Activate the world. Provide hundreds of wireless computing devices per person per office of all scales (from 1" displays to wall-sized). This has required new work in operating systems, user interfaces, networks, wireless, displays and many other areas. We call our work "ubiquitous computing." This is different from PDAs [personal digital assistants], Dynabooks or information at your fingertips. It is invisible, everywhere computing that does not live on a personal device of any sort, but is in the woodwork everywhere.

He later wrote:

For 30 years, most interface design, and most computer design, has been headed down the path of the "dramatic" machine. Its highest ideal is to make a computer so exciting, so wonderful, so interesting, that we never want to be without it. A less-traveled path I call the "invisible": its highest ideal is to make a computer so imbedded, so fitting, so natural, that we use it without even thinking about it. (I have also called this notion "ubiquitous computing," and have placed its origins in postmodernism.) I believe that, in the next 20 years, the second path will come to dominate. But this will not be easy; very little of our current system's infrastructure will survive. We have been building versions of the infrastructure-to-come at PARC for the past four years in the form of inch-, foot- and yard-sized computers we call tabs, pads and boards. Our prototypes have sometimes succeeded, but more often failed to be invisible. From what we have learned, we are now exploring some new directions for ubicomp, including the famous "dangling string" display.

The term pervasive computing followed in the late 1990s, largely popularized by the creation of IBM's pervasive computing division. Though synonymous today, Professor Friedemann Mattern of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich noted in a 2004 paper that:

Weiser saw the term "ubiquitous computing" in a more academic and idealistic sense as an unobtrusive, human-centric technology vision that will not be realized for many years, yet [the] industry has coined the term "pervasive computing" with a slightly different slant. Though this also relates to pervasive and omnipresent information processing, its primary goal is to use this information processing in the near future in the fields of electronic commerce and web-based business processes. In this pragmatic variation -- where wireless communication plays an important role alongside various mobile devices such as smartphones and PDAs -- ubiquitous computing is already gaining a foothold in practice.

Pervasive computing and the internet of things

The internet of things (IoT) has largely evolved out of pervasive computing. Though some argue there is little or no difference, IoT is likely more in line with pervasive computing rather than Weiser's original view of ubiquitous computing.

Like pervasive computing, IoT-connected devices communicate and provide notifications about usage. The vision of pervasive computing is computing power widely dispersed throughout daily life in everyday objects. The internet of things is on its way to providing this vision and turning common objects into connected devices, yet, as of now, requires a great deal of configuration and human interaction -- something Weiser's ubiquitous computing does not.

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Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

In addition to this blog, Netiquette IQ has a website with great assets which are being added to on a regular basis. I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, “Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". My new book, “You’re Hired! Super Charge Your Email Skills in 60 Minutes. . . And Get That Job!” has just been published and will be followed by a trilogy of books on Netiquette for young people. You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:

www.amazon.com/author/paulbabicki

In addition to this blog, I maintain a radio show on BlogtalkRadio and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and Yahoo. I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and PSG of Mercer County, NJ.

I am the president of Tabula Rosa Systems, a “best of breed” reseller of products for communications, email, network management software, security products and professional services. Also, I am the president of Netiquette IQ. We are currently developing an email IQ rating system, Netiquette IQ, which promotes the fundamentals outlined in my book.

Over the past twenty-five years, I have enjoyed a dynamic and successful career and have attained an extensive background in IT and electronic communications by selling and marketing within the information technology marketplace.Anyone who would like to review the book and have it posted on my blog or website, please contact me paul@netiquetteiq.com.
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Thursday, November 10, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog Of 11/10/16 - Financial Institutions Network Security Is Being Blinded!

Tabula Rosa Systems provides :best of breed" network, security and systems management products for all sizes of companies and their applications. One of our premiere products is PacketViper. The article below is by Frank Trama, one of the company' founders and its CTO. For more information on this product or to see the Tabula Rosa product suite, please contact them as noted below.
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Financial Institutions Network Security Is Being Blinded!

Nov 4, 2016

Today, Financial institutions (not limited to) are being over run with security logging and alerting. Each new monitoring and alerting device adds more things to consider when evaluating threats on a daily basis. You would think this would help, and is a good thing? It is and isn't at the same time. We bury our faces in reports, sift log after log for the magic bullet, set up countless alerts on top of alerts, to chase countless rabbits (false positive) down holes. This in itself burdens budgets, jades security teams, and masks legitimate threats that can ultimately lead to breach.

How many stacks of reports, graphs, and pie charts do you look at today? How many lines of logs do you look at? Do you stop when your eyes are bleeding? I personally I've chased enough rabbits down holes (false positives) to where I almost grew a tail

To understand the enormity of the problem let's rewind the clock a couple year and see what it was in 2014: Damballa's Report

The average North American enterprise fields around 10,000 alerts each day from its security systems, far more than their IT teams can possibly process, a Damballa analysis of Q1 2014 traffic has found.

You have to ask why? Why are we seeing this many alerts on a daily basis? The simple answer is we are not considering what we are allowing to and through the perimeter. We basically open up exposures into our firewalls and DMZ's, then top it off with a army of monitoring devices to watch and understand the traffic.

Hold on! Before you write me a nasty comment... Here is what I'm saying. Today we are allowing everything to the gateway forcing the security devices to inspect everything. This is how they are built and designed.

For instance: your firewall rule may look like this

permit any to 1.1.1.1 tcp/udp x,

permit any to any tcp/udp port x, y, z

What you told your firewall is allow everyone on the planet access to those IP's and Services. What if that was a VPN, HR, WebMail, FTP, VM, PAYMENT PROCESSING, SSH, RDP, or TELNET Portal?

Have you ever asked why are we doing it this way or why are we inspecting everything?" Imagine if your security environment only had to inspect 30% of what you are seeing today. That would alleviate logging, alerting, shrink rules sets, provide faster threat detection, and unburden human resources. Right? Right!

You're probably wondering it can't be that simple? It is though. Lessen the traffic burden lessens the traffic load. Today in many situations the solution may look like:

We need more bandwidth
We need a bigger firewall
We need to consolidate logs and alerting
We need more staff
All of this may be true, and if budgets permit. Got for it! But think about it. If we we can remove the bulk of the garbage traffic (let's say 70%), without it interfering with production traffic and all the above is mute.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, enter the Geo-IP Layer a seemingly simple layer but when done properly will remove the burden through the security environment by eliminating the waste before it enters. But don't think for one minute your current security devices can do this properly. That's a myth. The problem has always been that current security tools only provide a subset of what is needed to properly Geo-IP, that leaves a bad taste in the security teams mouth. Separating the Geo-IP layer from the application layer is vital to have this layer work to your benefit. Anything else, you are back to where you started.

The Geo-IP layer sole purpose is to effectively eliminate traffic before it is inspected. The end result is what you see in the image below. A much cleaner more effcient security environment.

Francesco Trama

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Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Netiquette IQ Security Alert From US-CERT - Microsoft Releases Security Updates 11/8/16

National Cyber Awareness System:

Microsoft Releases Security Updates

11/08/2016 03:12 PM EST

Original release date: November 08, 2016

Microsoft has released 14 updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft software. A remote attacker could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
Users and administrators are encouraged to review Microsoft Security Bulletins MS16-129 through MS16-142 and apply the necessary updates.
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Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog Of 11-9-16 - The Cure for Nasty Emails

There are a number of terms for the exchange offensive emails, among them flame Wars. I write about these extensively in my book, noted below and also with this blog. Below is some wonderful advice for avoiding these situations.

The Cure for Nasty Emails

Dressing someone down via email is tempting because it's easy--you have plenty of time to dream up daggers that strike straight to the heart.

By Travis Bradberry

We've all been on the receiving end of a scathing email, as well as its mysterious, vaguely insulting cousins. You know the messages I'm referring to. They don't need exclamation points or all caps to teem with anger and drip with sarcasm.

Dressing someone down via email is tempting because it's easy--you have plenty of time to dream up daggers that strike straight to the heart, and you lack the inhibition that would be present were the recipient staring you in the face.

This type of email is known in cyberspace as "flaming," and all such messages have a single thing in common--a complete and utter lack of emotional intelligence (EQ).

A recent survey (sponsored by communications device manufacturer Plantronics) found that 83 percent of today's work force consider email to be more critical to their success than any other form of communication.

Email has been around long enough that you'd think we'd all be pros at using it to communicate effectively. But we're human, and--if you think about it--we haven't mastered face-to-face communication, either.

The bottom line is that we could all use a little help. The five strategies that follow are proven methods for keeping your emotions within reason, so that you don't hit Send while your emails, tweets, comments, and chime-ins are still flaming.

1. Follow Honest Abe's First Rule of Netiquette

I know what you're thinking: How could someone who died more than a century before the internet existed teach us about email etiquette?

Well, in Lincoln's younger years, he had a bad habit of applying his legendary wit when writing insulting letters to, and about, his political rivals. But after one particularly scathing letter led a rival to challenge Lincoln to a duel, Lincoln learned a valuable lesson: Words impact the receiver in ways that the sender can't completely fathom.

By the time he died, Lincoln had amassed stacks of flaming letters that verbally shredded his rivals and subordinates for their boneheaded mistakes--because Lincoln never sent them. He vented his frustration on paper, and then stuffed that sheet away in a drawer. The following day, the full intensity of his emotions having subsided, he wrote and sent a much more congenial and conciliatory letter.

We can all benefit from learning to do the same with email. Your emotions are a valid representation of how you feel--no matter how intense-- but that doesn't mean that acting on them in the moment serves you well. Go ahead and vent--tap out your anger and frustration on the keyboard. Save the draft, and come back to it later when you've cooled down. By then, you'll be rational enough to edit the message and pare down the parts that burn, or--even better--rewrite the kind of message that you want to be remembered by.

2. Know the Limits of Virtual Humor

Some people show their displeasure by typing words in ALL CAPS or using a barrage of exclamation points. Others, however, express dissatisfaction more subtly, with sarcasm and satire. The latter is no less of a breakdown in the core EQ skill of self-management, and it can be even more dangerous because it's harder to detect when you're doing it. The sender can always convince him- or herself that the spite was just a little joke.

While a little good-natured ribbing can sometimes help lighten face-to-face interaction--interaction with an arsenal of facial expressions and voice inflections to help you to convey the right tone--it's almost never a good idea to have a laugh at someone else's expense online.

Online, your message can too easily be misinterpreted without your body language to help to explain it, and you won't be there to soften the blow when your joke doesn't go over as intended. In the virtual world, it's best to err on the side of friendliness and professionalism. For those times when you absolutely cannot resist using humor, just make sure that you are the butt of the joke.

3. Remember That People Online Are Still People

While entranced by the warm glow of a computer monitor, it's sometimes difficult to remember that a living, breathing human being will end up reading your message. Psychologist John Suler of Rider University has found that people who are communicating online experience a "disinhibition effect." Lacking the real-time feedback between sender and receiver that takes place in face-to-face and telecommunication, we simply don't worry as much about offending people online.

We don't have to experience the discomfort of watching someone else grow confused, despondent, or angry because of something we said. When these natural consequences are delayed, we tend to spill onto the screen whatever happens to be on our mind.

Averting such messages requires you to be intentional in applying your social awareness skills. Without being able to physically see the other person's body language or hear the tone of his or her voice, you must picture the recipient in your mind and imagine what the person might feel when reading your message as it's been written.

In fact, the next time you receive a curt or outright rude email, put the brakes on before firing back a retort. Taking the time to imagine the sender and consider where he or she is coming from is often enough to extinguish the flames before they get out of control.

Could the sender have misinterpreted a previous message that you sent him or her? Could the person just be having a bad day, or be under a lot of pressure? Even when the other party is in the wrong, spending a moment on the other side of the monitor will give you the perspective you need to avoid escalating the situation.

4. Know How the Internet Feels

Emoticons have a mixed reputation in the business world. Some people and even organizations believe that smiley faces, winks, and other symbols of digital emotion are unprofessional, undignified, and have no place outside of a high school hallway.

However, a Dutch research team has shown that emoticons, when used properly, can effectively enhance the desired tone of a message. The team, led by Daantje Derks at the Open University of the Netherlands, concluded that "to a large extent, emoticons serve the same functions as actual nonverbal behavior." Considering that nonverbal behavior accounts for between 70 and 90 percent of a message when communicating face to face, it's time to ditch the stigma attached to emoticons in the business setting.

For those leery of dropping a smiley face into the next email, I'm not suggesting that you smile, wink, and frown your way through every email you write. Just don't be afraid to peck out a quick the next time you want to be certain that the recipient is aware of your tongue planted firmly in cheek.

5. Know When Online Chats Need to Become Offline Discussions

Managing online relationships will always be a somewhat difficult task for people built to communicate in person. However, managing critical email conversations is even more difficult for those programmed to communicate via email. Significant, lengthy, and heated email exchanges are almost always better taken offline and finished in person.

With so much communication via email these days, it can be hard to pull the trigger and initiate a face-to-face conversation when you sense that an interaction is becoming too heated or difficult to do well online. Online technologies have become enormously useful for increasing the speed and efficiency of communication, but they have a long way to go before they become the primary source for creating and maintaining quality human relationships.

Bringing It All Together

Email is a challenging way to communicate strong emotions. I look forward to reading about your experiences and strategies in the Comments section.

From Inc.com Published on: Apr 9, 2015
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Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Security Bulletin For 11/8/16 - Microsoft Releases Security Updates

National Cyber Awareness System:

Microsoft Releases Security Updates

11/08/2016 03:12 PM EST

Original release date: November 08, 2016

Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

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Friday, November 11, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog For 11/11 - Pervasive Computing (ubiquitous computing)

Pervasive Computing (ubiquitous computing)

Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog Of 11/10/16 - Financial Institutions Network Security Is Being Blinded!

Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Netiquette IQ Security Alert From US-CERT - Microsoft Releases Security Updates 11/8/16

Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Tabula Rosa Systems Blog Of 11-9-16 - The Cure for Nasty Emails

Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Tabula Rosa Systems Security Bulletin For 11/8/16 - Microsoft Releases Security Updates

Another Special Announcement - Tune in to my radio interview, on Rider University's station, www.1077thebronc.com I discuss my recent book, above on "Your Career Is Calling", hosted by Wanda Ellett.