Inside the data center, meet-me-rooms connect carriers to tenants. In a carrier neutral facility, multiple colocation providers will use the MMR (meet-me-room) to connect to multiple carriers.

This process is also referred to as peering, and is basically a way for carriers to cut costs. There are at least 3 common ways in which interconnections can be made between a provider and tenant. They are as follows:

Cross Connect

Inside the MMR each tenant connects to pre-installed hardware located on a secure side of the room. The connections are then sent to the tenants MMR space where they are routed accordingly. Cross connections do pose a threat to some carriers as other tenants could accidentally dis-connect one another during an installation process. However, this mishap can be avoided by using a MMR that is professionally managed.

Direct Connect

As mentioned above, each client has their own secure side of the MMR in which they rent. A direct connect is were a carrier connects directly to a tenant, patching in directly to the equipment rack. In this scenario, both the client and carrier have access to the MMR.

Direct Connection (Extended Control)

The other type of direct connect is where each carrier connects with each client's equipment rack. This connection method enables clients to easily manage the cabling housed within the MMR. Technically speaking, operational control of connections changes hands with each tenant.

Access and Control

The MMR is but one component of the colocation business model and depending on the type of tenant agreements you are dealing with, access and control should be limited to building management only. This will avoid cross connections from being inadvertently disconnected by other tenants.

For more information contact Albert Ahdoot

For hundreds of years wealth has been measured in physical commodities like gold, silver, diamonds, and oil. These currencies are still important, but the digital revolution brought on by the power of the computer and Internet has catapulted the value of data and information to a new height. 

In fact, a 2012 survey of over 4,500 global IT professionals, commissioned by cyber security vendor Symantec, estimates that 49 per cent of an organization’s worth is derived from the information it owns.

Data Loss

There are many threats facing corporations — both internal and external — that could lead to a data loss disaster. These include external hacking and phishing attempts, malware and viruses, unauthorized data access by staff, accidental data loss by staff, data leakage through social media, and unauthorized data access by contractors and/or former employees.

What's at Stake

Respondents to Symantec’s survey said that the consequences of losing critical information could be “catastrophic.” When asked what would happen if their organization’s information was lost with no chance of recovery from the disaster, 49 per cent of respondents said their company would lose customers, 47 per cent said their brand would be damaged, 41 per cent predicted decreased revenues and 20 per cent thought their stock prices would tumble.

Worldwide spending on business information is over $1.1 trillion each year, but despite the importance of protecting corporate data and the vast amount of money spent on it, many businesses still fail to effectively manage this critical resource. Symantec found that between 2011 and 2012, 69 per cent of organizations lost or exposed important business information and that 30 per cent of respondents said information sprawl played a factor in these mishaps.

While valuables like gold, diamonds, and cash can be secured in a safe or bank vault, protecting valuable information isn’t as simple and easy. Organizations must educate themselves on proper data management practices and deploy tools like enterprise content management (ECM) software to ensure they have an effective data security strategy.

How ECM Solutions Can Help

When data is sprawled across a corporate network it becomes very difficult for end users to know which information is actually important. ECM solutions can help organizations map their data and gain a full understanding of the business and retail value it holds.

Once you know what data is important, it’s critical to understand where it is located. According to Symantec, over 42 per cent of corporate data is duplicated information. Not only is this a major waste of storage resources, it makes it very hard to keep track of where important information resides and where it can be found when needed. ECM software can help companies de-duplicate and archive information to enable them to protect more data, while storing less and keeping pace with exponential data growth.

ECM solutions can also help control information and protect against other risks like unauthorized access by staff, contractors, or ex-employees by encrypting databases, enforcing the use of passwords and other authentication metrics, as well as monitoring permission and access logs.

Proactive Defense

The growth of data is not slowing down. Organizing and securing information on the corporate network is a critical step in ensuring your company’s continued and future success. By educating yourself on the dangers of data loss and taking proactive steps like deploying an effective ECM strategy and solution, you can avoid a costly data loss disaster.

About the author: Brian Stephens is a retired ECM solutions consultant. Having worked in the industry for over 20 years, Brian has much industry knowledge to share.

Overcoming the challenges of Big Data is no easy feat. Companies with at least 100 servers need a reliable, cost effective storage solution that is compatible with the software used to manage Big Data. Fortunately, new storage servers from Supermicro are up to the task and offer companies the fastest ROI. Those Big Data woes are a thing of the past, for now at least.

Big Data Hadoop

As we continue to generate more data each and every day, the software framework Hadoop, allows us to manage Big Data much more efficiently. Even still, all that old data has to be stored someplace where it can be quickly accessed in a reliable manner. Supermicro's data nodes and backend storage servers are powerful enough to address the challenges of Big Data. When deployed inside a data center, these servers consume 20 % less energy than industry standard offerings.

In an industry where 'green IT' and 'energy efficiency' buzz-phrases are thrown around like loose change, it's a refreshing though that a company can release a piece of hardware that is both powerful and efficient. And lets face it; the mantra of Big Data goes against traditional ideas of energy conservatism simply because it's all about generating more. 

Big Data Storage

Therein lies the everlasting challenge of Big Data; to develop storage systems that can keep up with the exponential accumulation of data and still meet or exceed todays efficiency standards. For companies with 100 + employees and at least 100 servers to their name, a storage solution such as those offered from Sypermicros are worth looking into. Nearly 25 % of the demographics mentioned above have deployed Hadoop to manage big data. At a glance, Supermircro data nodes offer the following: Rack mountable solutions in 42U, 1U, 2U, and 4U configurations with 64 GB of memory per node.

For more information contact James Mulvey

Losing your data from your computer is a sheer nightmare as it often means losing things that are dear to us. Do yourself a favor and take a little advice from this article on how to help prevent data loss.

OS Updates

1) This may involve buying an upgrade every now and again, but that is not all you can do. For example, when Windows downloads updates then run them. Don’t leave them kicking around for six months

Antivirus software

2) You need this for more reasons that you know. The Internet is full of auto-download stuff and clickable attack stuff. Antivirus software will protect you from everything (malware, worms, etc). You also need a security program that pre-empts the virus downloading or setting up shop on your computer.

System Restore

3) It all seems like wasted computer space, all up until the point where you actually need it, then it is a godsend. It could just be that you forgot to install a program that simply will not un-install correctly. Use the system restore to get you back to the point before you downloaded or installed the program.

Backup your files

4) This is a no brainer. For example, if you keep your college files on your hard drive, then back them up as hard copies on discs. If you have lots of accountancy documentation then make hard copies, or store the backup information on a removable hard drive.

Surge Protectors

5) The easiest way to prevent power surges: Do not plug your computer into the wall socket. Plug the socket power strip into the wall and then plug your computer, printer, monitor, etc, into the strip.

Protect your computer from physical harm

6) This means protecting it from extended periods in the sun, from excessive moisture, from dust, dirt, knocks or scrapes.

Create strong passwords

7) Keep hand-written notes of your passwords but do not store them on anything electronic.

De-frag Your Computer

8) Computers are advanced enough you won't have to defragment every week like we used to. Many computers still function quite well when they are fragmented, but that does not mean you should not maintain your computer.

Consider human threats from within

9) You may lose data thanks to your kids playing with your laptop. You may lose data from one of your malcontent staff removing information via a flash drive. You may also have a sneaky and suspicious partner who monitors and purges your files of things that he/she does not approve of. Do not overlook your internal threats.

Make it hard for hackers and be wary with emails

10) Making it hard for hackers involves longer and stronger passwords. It also means keeping your files and systems up to date. Keep yourself informed on the current hacker trends. This is especially true of email matters. Some phishing or malware emails look very inviting and legitimate. Be suspicious at all times and always make backup plans in case your next email contains the virus to end all viruses.

Author bio: Korah Morrison, writer on College-Paper.org that helps students achieve their academic goals.

Fact: server rooms can get pretty hot and overheating can lead to excessive downtime. Whether you manage your own server-rack or operate leased colocation space, proper cooling techniques are a must. Here are 4 ways to improve airflow inside a server room:

Server room cooling

If your server-rack has been running hotter than usual, it is time to rethink your cooling methods. First rule of thumb: document any changes you make in regards to airflow. Now follow these 4 steps:

Step 1: Figure out the Cooling Capacity Factor (CCF) for each server room. This is accomplished by dividing the cooling capacity of cooling equipment by 100 % of IT critical load. For example, every fan operates at a fixed sped or variable speed. Determine if your fans are working optimally. A good tool to use would be the CCF calculator offered by Upsite.

Step 2: AFM (Airflow management) can be improved by sealing off any openings where cabling enters the raised floor space under a server rack. Also, seal off any wall openings in the server room. Install blanking panels in any unused 1U or 2U space etc.

Step 3: Determine if there is enough open space to form a hot-aisle containment zone. This may involve filling in any space located between or behind the server racks. Server rooms with higher densities benefit greatly from hot-aisle containment (separating hot air from cool air and expelling it through ventilation systems).

Step 4: Having documented any changes made to AFM, go back and repeat the previous steps as necessary. You may find that further adjustments to block-off paneling and fan speeds will yield even better cooling results.

The steps mentioned above may not seem like much but can make a noticeable difference in server performance. Even a few degrees can mean the difference between uptime and hardware failure.

For more information contact Albert Ahdoot

Internet scams are on the rise. These scams come from every corner of the globe. There's so many emails and hacked websites revolving around phishing schemes and general scams that in boxes are simply inundated with them.

With the lack of quality that some of the more common scams have, you would think that there wouldn't be a soul in the world that would fall for them.

From everything to cheaply designed imitation websites to poor grammar, there are red flags that anyone should be able to see. Below are four tips to avoid Internet scams that everybody should know about already.

4. Don't Give Anyone Your Money

If someone were to walk up to you on the street and ask you the following, what would you do? “Hello Sir or Madam! It is a very fine day. I would like for you to deposit $200,000.00 into my bank account to receive $5 Million USD.”

You would probably laugh in their face, right? Then why in the world would anyone ever give some stranger requesting money on the Internet what they want? Your money should be reserved for things that you want. Don't ever give it to someone else just because they promise more money in return.

3. Don't Trust Anyone

Would your bank ever send you an email from an address like “yourbank@hotmail.com”? The short answer is that they wouldn't. They have official email address that they used for customer service. To keep yourself safe from Internet scams, just don't trust anyone that looks suspicious. It's actually a relief if you end up contacting your bank to verify whether the email is actually from them, because it means less work for them in the event that the email isn't from them.

2. Don't Click on Links

It doesn't matter if you have a dial-up connection of one those CLEAR packages of Internet, you're risking just as much by clicking on links that you aren't familiar with in your email. When you hover over a link in your email, you can see the address. Why would your bank use an email address like “http://thisisyourbank.com.not.a.real.website.fr/”?

Again, the simple answer is that they wouldn't. To protect yourself from Internet scams, just don't click on those links if they don't look trustworthy.

1. Recognize Spam

Corporations spend thousands of dollars a year employing people who can spell. All it takes is one little typo to make a business the laughing-stock of an industry. With that being said, do you really think that they would send out an email to you in broken English? If anything looks wrong in an email, just don't trust it. Chances are that the presence of multiple grammatical errors and misspellings located in an email means that the sender isn't who they say they are.

About the Author: This is a post written by Annabelle Smyth on behalf of clear-internet.com.

Peak 10 Data Center

Power monitoring technology has made the data center more resilient to outages. Proactive power monitoring also helps to optimize efficiency during peak hours. Perhaps the biggest impact of power monitoring is on Disaster Recovery.

Energy Management

Power monitoring equipment was used to prevent power spikes, though wasn't always a cost effective approach. But as technology evolved, data center operators were able to identify key points in a facility where data could be collected. Presently, facility managers closely monitor air temperatures in the AC units, power consumption of servers and the behavior of the PDU (power distribution unit). Any abnormality detected allows facility mangers to eliminate a potential threat before it leads to equipment failure.

Rack Densities

Depending on the model, servers might consume between 200 and 400 watts. By measuring the power draw in a real environment power densities can actually be boosted 50 percent, or a extra 10 servers per rack. In other words, power consumption in the data center is typically less than what specified from the manufacturer. Power monitoring allows you to take advantage of un-used power by boosting rack densities to the limit. 

Some may arguer however, that this is not a safe practice during peak operation. A automated process known as power capping allows managers to adjust rack densities of server equipment on the fly without affecting performance. Power capping is yet another byproduct made possible by proactive energy management systems, a process which allows for lower operational costs, greater performance and greater resiliency to power outages.

For more information contact Colocation America Editorial

News Corp, owner of the Fox television network is threatening to make the channel a subscription based service unless the feds agree to shut down an organization they claim is illegally streaming content.

Is this a bluff or is News Corp for real? From the looks of it, News Corp is simply trying to make a point: Tech startup, Aereo is utilizing a unique antenna setup connected to streaming servers in various data centers to transmit broadcast TV free of charge.

Illegal? Possibly, but there is a twist; According to a federal court, Aereo isn't breaking any laws. So, where's the loophole you ask? Perhaps the controversy really lies within the data center.

Streaming Servers

A few months back Colocation America's blog featured an article about a cool gadget called the Leap Motion Controller. 

This device offers a different user experience. Not so long ago, a gesture control called MYO appeared on the market allowing users to control not just a computer but also anything with an iOS or Windows operative system.

Motion Control

Gesture recognition devices are not new at all; in 2010 the first commercial gadget able to detect body movements was the X-Box Kinect. The success of the X-Box Kinect proved that there was a market available for such devices. The difference with the MYO is that this armband detects the muscle movement of the arm and transmits the signals via Bluetooth 4.0 low energy to communicate with a device.

What to expect from the MYO armband?

As mentioned earlier, the MYO armband works with iOS and Windows powered devices. It has rechargeable lithium-Ion batteries and an arm processor. It also has muscle activity sensors (property of Thalmic Labs) as an outfit and a 6 axis inertial measurement unit, which is what allows the arm processor to track a certain position and interpret a command.

The developers of the MYO say that accidental input is also covered; this is achieved with a unique on/off gesture to enable and disable the control. The MYO uses something called haptic feedback to let the user know when it is activated using the sense of touch. A good way to understand haptic feedback is to think about the PS3 vibrating controllers; that vibration is the result of something happening in the video game, like a crash or a hit - that is a form of haptic feedback.

How can I get my own MYO?

Currently, Thalmic Labs is taking pre-orders for the second batch of MYOs. Expect shipping to commence early 2014. The cost is $149 USD and they ship everywhere on the planet for 10 USD (before taxes and duties). Thalmic Labs expects people to have an amazing experience when they receive their one-size-fits-all MYO device.

MYO promises precision and speed to detect the arms movements. In fact, sometimes the commands occur before moving the arm because the muscles are activated slightly before the movement actually occurs. Are you ready for this? I personally can’t wait to have mine!

About the author:

Jose Lozano is a gadget lover who is constantly researching the world of technology. He enjoys sharing his findings and opinions with others as to contribute and spread the message. Jose also enjoys writing RC helicopter reviews for his website rchobbiesonair.com.

Compass Datacenters has completed its first truly modular data center built for Windstream Hosted Solutions. The new facililty is located in Franklin, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville) and features 10,000 sq ft of raised floor space and 12 MW of power.

Tier III Data Center

According to Windstream Hosted Solutions, the Tier III data center was built in only 6 months - months ahead of schedule. Under normal circumstances, construction of a Tier III facility can take up to two years to complete. A Modular data center takes considerably less time to build than a traditional facility because they are designed for rapid deployment.

Though company sources point out that it's too early to have received a Tier III certification from the Uptime Institute. yet Design documents for the facility have, however, met Tier III requirements as of last fall. Compass data centers attributes the success of the project to senior VP Jay Forrester, a former construction consultant for Digital Realty Trust. In order for a data center to meet Tier III standards data centers must operate at 99.982% Uptime (no less than 1.6 hours of downtime/per year) and maintain 72 hours of power outage protection.

Modular data center Vs traditional data center

Modular data centers can to be built much faster than tradtional facilites due, in part, to the useage of pre-fabriacted materials and effcient design methods. This is most likely the reason why Compass was able to cut construction times by a year-and-a-half. Wherever rapid deployment is needed a Modular data center will suffice. With 10,000 sq ft of raised floor space this Nashville data center will be able to support high server densities and operate at a lower cost for years to come.

For more information contact James Mulvey

Mobile apps are a leading trend in today's fast-paced world, not to mention a viable source of revenue for companies who have the means to offer them. However, not everyone has the programming skills necessary to build their own. So others can hire a mobile app development company to do most of the work for them, just as you would hire an inbound marketing company for their marketing solutions. If you plan on doing this, here are 7 Tips for choosing the best mobile app development Company.

Experienced app companies

Official Certification - A company having official certification for mobile app development is a big plus for clients, since they can be assured of the integrity and reliability of their apps.

Dedication - Even though the company has numerous projects at hand, it's very important a dedicated team works on that specific app of yours. That team must oversee the development process until the app is deployed. This ensures that the company can deal with any potential issues that might happen during app development, all in the smallest amount of time.

Adaptability - Mobile technology is constantly evolving, and if one does not catch up, he will easily fall behind. That's why the app development company should be constantly updated with the new trends in mobile devices and mobile app development. This is reflected through the tools that they use in app development. It does not have to be state-of-the-art, but stable enough for development.

Innovation - A good development company should always look forward. Look for a mobile app developer that strives to be innovative in what they do. 

Communication & Professionalism - The mobile app company should be prompt on communicating with the client, constantly informing them of the entire development process, from app development until its release. The company should also address its clients in a professional manner, adhering to the set deadlines that they promised. If problems do arise, clients should be informed promptly and concerns should be dealt with accordingly.

Pricing - This plays a very important factor into choosing what company to hire for app development services. Ensure that the company delivers the best, high-quality app at a reasonable and competitive price. Remember that the app that you want them to build could be a future source of revenue, so be sure that you get the maximum profitability from your app.

About the author: Sunny Popali is SEO Director at tempocreative. Tempo Creative is an Phoenix inbound marketing company that has served over 700 clients since 2001. Tempo Creative specializes in digital and internet marketing services including web design, SEO, social media and strategy.

HP has been an industry leader in the server industry for quite some time but feels the time has come to offer a hyper scale server platform to support higher densities in the data center. 

HP bets big on Project Moonshot, an intel-based system that closely resembles a rack of contained blade servers. HP CEO Meg Whitman promises to deliver a hyper-scale dedicated server platform that is 77 % less costly, consumes 87% less energy, 80% less space and 97% less complex to deploy.

Server Racks

According to HP, deployment of Project Moonshot systems will be ongoing in an effort to consolidate unsustainable growth patterns of the internet. In other words, a 4U chassis will be capable of housing 45 ProLiant Servers and supplying each with shared cooling, power and manageable switchpoints . Each module will be wired to multiple fabrics allowing for maximum bandwidth and redundancy.

Intel Atom S1200 Processor

HP's flagship model, the Moonshot 1500, will be powered by an Intel Atom S1200 processor. Expect HP to launch an ARM based Moonshot server line later this year. These server offerings will be labeled as Calxeda-based Moonshot servers, developed in partnership with Calxeda. Calxeda-based servers will come with a 180 quad-core, 4U sized chassis.

HP says it has more than 50 Moonshot systems testing in beta right now and is hopeful that they will revolutionize the dedicated server industry for years to come. The ethos, less is more, is what HP is going for - equipment that consumes less space and energy in the data center.

For more information contact Albert Ahdoot

Twitter is a great tool. You can use it to connect vast numbers of people to discuss a single topic, or to mine data and even predict a flu outbreak.

But it can be hard to draw conclusions from Twitter's default interface. These top 5 visualization tools for Twitter will make your user experience much more exciting!

Twitter Map

Tapping into the Google Maps API, Twitter Map drops all the most recent tweets about any topic or hashtag onto a map of the world like little red thumbtacks. It works best for trending topics because it only looks at the most recent 100 or 500 tweets. Regardless, Twitter Map shows you where exactly something is most popular in real-time.

Hashtagify.me

If you’re looking for related hashtags check out Hashtagify.me. Type in any hashtag and it will show the ten most related hashtags. There are two modes: simple and advanced. Use simple to surf through hashtags, refocusing on each one you click, and use advanced to see the deeper connections between two related terms.

Twitter StreamGraphs

An older tool, SteamGraphs displays a twisty graphical map of related terms within the last 1000 tweets containing the search term.

Click any part of the graph to highlight a part of the search results to see what tweets contain that term.

This is a great way to see what’s popular right now in your industry. For example, if you work with software, a search for software will reveal that Facebook is trending right now (because of Facebook Home) as well as the hashtag #job (for tweets from software companies that are hiring).

Mentionmapp

Mentionapp is a great way to find connections between the people you know and the people you want to know. Simply type in a Twitter username, and watch Mentionmapp populate the screen with their strongest connections and most related hashtags. Click on a different node and the focus will change to that node, popping out additional connections. Another great way to use Mentionmapp is to enter the names of influencers you admire, such as Bill Gates, to find connections to other highly influential people you are interested in. E.G., @TEDxChange or @gatesfoundation.

Spot

Working with individual tweets like particles, Spot gives you tools for organizing and separating tweets around a specific topic (or username or list) in a number of ways. View them on a timeline by default, or view them based on who created the tweets, what words they used most frequently, what they were talking about, or how they relate. It’s a unique and extremely beautiful way of visualizing a conversation around a topic, and gives you lots of insight into how Twitter is a living beast. For example, I searched for online education and saw that some of the most related words are free, kind, elearning, and networking. Certainly, not terms I expected to feature so boldly!

About the author: Aaron Walker works with social media every day, but looking at feeds can get pretty boring, which is why he is always looking for new ways to visualize the information. Follow him on Twitter @aronwalker77

Last week, I had the chance to catch up with our resident technician, Ivan Manchan, for a behind-the-scenes look at one of our Los Angeles data centers.

I've been writing about colocation and related services for nearly a year now and was happy to see first hand how a world class data center is setup and properly maintained. It's no easy task, but Ivan takes great pride in his work and does a fantastic job proactively monitoring all aspects of the data center ensuring our clients are online and connected to their servers 24/7/365. As you would guess, the data center is quite noisy (thanks to all those fans and air conditioners), well-maintained and properly wired for optimal bandwidth.

Without further ado, I'm pleased to present part 1 of A day at The Data Center: Behind the scenes with James and Ivan. Please excuse the video quality as I shot this on an iPhone 4 and am not up-to-snuff on my video editing skills. Nevertheless, our video tour with Ivan demonstrates how server isles are separated for effective cooling and how miles of delicate fiber optic cabling is safely routed alongside traditional copper cabling. Pay close attention to the yellow trays and blue wiring routed through the ceiling. It's all about connections - literally. 

Data Center Cooling

Data center cooling and backup power supply are two very important things to stress over. And with good reason; computer equipment generates a fair amount of heat and whenever you have a room full of machines generating a lot of heat you'd better have a well-designed cooling system to keep things under control.

Traditionally, dedicated servers are connected to a meet-me-room and other important switch points from the back of the rack. Incidentally, the rear side of a server rack generates the most amount of heat.

This particular facility uses what is called hot aisle/cold aisle containment. The front of the server racks face the cold aisle; industrial strength fans direct cold air from the AC through the cold aisle. What this does is force the heat out the back of the server rack. The heat is contained in the hot aisle and the fans push the hot air into a return air-intake system.

The hot air is pumped through the ac system, cooled, and the whole process repeats itself. Pushing cold air through the front of the rack helps to contain heat in the hot aisle. If it weren't for this cooling system, servers would overheat and performance would be affected. On a side note; hot aisle and cold aisle containment differs from a raised-floor cooling system. Raised floor cooling takes a different approach, but we'll save that for a later discussion. On to the backup power supply, otherwise known as a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). Check out the video below for a closer look:

Uninterruptible Power Supply

The UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is a huge battery. Like Doc Brown said in Back to The Future, "This sucker's electrical." As such, the UPS stores electricity and kicks in whenever a power outage is detected.

The UPS is different from a diesel generator as it requires no fuel to function, but more or less, it serves a similar purpose. The UPS adds to the redundancy factor if in fact an outage does occur

Thankfully, the UPS sees very little to no action. Even if it does kick in, it does so with such speed and precision network latency is hardly noticeable. The UPS takes up quite a bit of space inside our facility, but it's pretty inconspicuous. Whatever you do, don't flip that on-off switch! Stay tuned for part II of A day at The Data Center: Behind the scenes with James and Ivan.

For more information contact James Mulvey

Update: We heard it all before, tablets are killing PC sales, but does anyone truly believe it? According to CNN money, Lenovo is the only profitable PC manufacturer. What does the future hold for the PC market?

Lenovo PC

PC shipments have fallen 14% since this time last year. Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker says this decline has been the worst they've recorded since they started tracking the PC market 19 years ago. Netbooks sales continue to decline due to the perceived failure of Windows 8 - a double whammy for Microsoft who still has high hopes for its latest operating system. Furthermore, tablet based operating systems, such as those offered on Surface Pro have proved to be too complex and expensive to appeal to mobile users. So where does that leave the PC segment? Worldwide Quarterly suggests PCs will remain in the workplace, where people still have a need for personal computing. 

Smartphone - The Giant Killer

The office is perhaps the only place where one cannot be caught goofing off on a smartphone; the wisdom of the workplace PC will hold true in the coming years. Even still, more and more of us prefer to read emails, news, listen to music and view all our favorite media on our smart-phones. Especially when you consider the cost of a monthly data plan, and the wonderful speed offered by the 4G LTE network, why would any of us choose to digress? If anything, Android and Apple will continue to take hold of a technology segment that was traditionally occupied by PC manufacturers. HTC's latest Android phone is something to watch out for. If Apple doesn't respond with a better iPhone this year, they might just lose their grip. Stay tuned.

Original Posting from 1/15/2013

PC sales have flatlined and will continue to decline. But will the tablet totally kill off the PC?

According to Gartner reports, the PC market has only experienced declining sales 3 times since the mid-1980's. The first decline occurred in 1985 - a few years after PCs hit the market.

The second came in 2001 following the dot-com crash and the most recent in 2012. So does that mean the writing is on the wall for PC manufacturers? Possibly, though the numbers suggest that the PC will stay around for quite a while. What really has happened is that Wi-Fi enabled tablets have changed the way we consume media on the go. Laptops weren't half as capable 10-15 years ago, not like today when your favorite mobile computing device has become your best friend.

Our Mobile Best Friend

Consumers have become smitten with the thin structure and small screen size of tablets, which explains why PC sales have declined. Now suddenly, tablets are our PC. But I really wouldn't want to work all day on a tablet like I do on laptop. I digress. In 2012, leading manufacturers sold $350 million worth of tablets. 6 Years ago, PC manufactures moved about 270 million PCs. Compare that to the 240 million tablets manufacturers expect to sell this year and one thing is clear: Tablets have broken up the market - they haven't replaced but they have definitely put a dent in PC sales.

Tablets Are Getting Smaller Not Larger

For some, tablet screens are simply too small to work on every day, and quite frankly, no one really wants a bigger tablet. That would defeat the purpose as portability is a big part of the tablet charm. Tablets with keyboards place themselves neatly before a 13 inch laptop, but large screened tablet sales are declining, which backs up the point further: tablets aren't replacing PCs as the end-all be-all computing device. They simply cater to different needs . The hype is just hype - unless you're completely head-over-heels over your new tablet. Have you gotten rid of your PC yet? More importantly, do you think the PC will go away within the next ten-fifteen years?

Will the #PC survive the #tablet craze? @gartner_inc reports say no. bit.ly/W5wDrJ

– Colocation America (@ColocationUSA) January 15, 2013

For more information James Mulvey

Ohhhhhh tay! Friday is here again and it's time to party. Unless you're hungover from Thursday night, then you'll probably sit tonight out. This week, the history of the toilet, email after death and four reasons why Husky dogs are one of the best breeds ever! Friday Fun blog is full effect.

History of the toilet

We realize that potty humor may not be an appropriate topic, but then again, if you're reading this you probably don't care. A friend of ours shared with us this rather informative bit about the history of the toilet. Crapper really isn't really a slang word for our beloved porcelain thrones; it's the named after John Crapper, the grandaddy of flush toilets.

Mr. Crapper got sick of seeing people doing their business in the street so he sprung to action marketing flush toilets in the 1800's; no-doubt in the name of public health. Not exactly something you want to think about while eating a ham sandwich but still, Mr Crapper deserves world-wide recognition and praise for promoting the use of flush toilets in modern societies. Leave the street pooping to your dog, but please, don't forget to pick up after them. RIP Mr Crapper. You're a gentleman and a scholar.

Google

Google has just released its Inactive Account Manager in case you want to keep your email and social media accounts going in the afterlife. So, if you're thinking of kicking the bucket anytime soon you can update your profile info to include secondary email addresses Google will reach out to if your account becomes inactive for a period of 6-12 months. You can elect family members to keep your accounts active and keep everyone updated on your legacy following your death. Looks like the Grim Reaper just got a personal secretary service to offer us in the afterlife. But seriously though, who cares what happens to their emails and blog posts after death? I guess if you wanted to live forever this is the next best thing. Thanks Goog, you're the best! Forward our calls to the grave would ya. Enough of that noise; have a look at these Husky pups. They're are cute as hell, aren't they?

Husky Pups!

Husky pups! And why not? It's Friday: Four facts you may not know about this beloved beast: Husky pups originated from eastern Siberia and were imported to Alaska during the turn of the century.

The town of Nome experienced an extreme diphtheria outbreak in 1925 and a team of Husky dogs traveled through an intense blizzard to deliver a life-saving serum to residents.

Talk about bravery. These cute bastards have a howl that can be heard for miles too. Perfect for those times when you're stranded in the middle of no where and can't get a cell-phone signal. On a side note, we think it's time they brought back the carrier pigeon, you know, for those times when a howling husky dog loses his voice. 

Friday Fun Blog Week of 3/29

Don't work too hard because it's Friday. This week, the cars of A-Team (flash-back Friday anyone?), a dishwashing monkey (a dream pet) and Mark Zuckerberg's outrageous tax bill. Friday fun blog is in full effect. But first, the A-team van and Face's sweet 80's Corvette.

The Cars of the A-Team

The A-team van is way too badass to be considered rapey. even though it has no windows and transports a couple of war criminals.

Why exactly did every young boy fall in love with this 80's sitcom? Simple; Because B.A Baracus rocked a fricken mohawk and kicked major ass and rolled deep with his poesy in a bad-ass conversion van, that's why. Obviously, this has nothing to do with tech but who cares.

Just look at that sweet Corvette with red stripes. And you wonder why Face was such a ladies man. It's cause of that corvette man. Chicks dig it!

Dishwashing Monkey (Because washing dishes sucks)

Washing dished sucks! Seriously, don't you just hate it when your significant other goes through clean dishes like they're going out of style? Again, rhetorical. What's with those delicate hands of yours? Washing dishes can be really bad for the skin. The solution: get a dishwashing monkey. Problem solved!

You might think it's cruel but take a look at this video of a monkey doing dishes. He needed some responsibility and someone up and gave him some. Just look at him, he's perfectly happy doing those dishes. Just get him some rubber gloves so his cute little humanoid hands don't get all wrinkly. At least that might get PITA off our asses for employing a dishwashing monkey.

Abandoned places are creepy beautiful

Geeks and nerds all have their crosses to bear. Our favorite time waster of this week: looking at abandoned places on buzzfeed. For no apparent reason here's a picture of a sunken ship in Antartica:

Mark Zuckerberg is Stinking Rich

Mark Zuckerberg has done wonders for the social media community but dispute the fact that he has money flowing out his ears, we're almost certain he's still a geek. A geek with a huge tax bill that is. According to Wall Street, Zuckerberg 'exercised' his right to purchase 60 million Facebook shares at 6 cents each.

That amounts to roughly $13 billion of personal income and you better believe Uncle Sam is gonna get rich quick. So how much does he owe anyway? The IRS says $1.1billion. Gasp! Yup, you heard correct. $1.1 billion smackaroos. Can't say we feel sorry for the guy. What the heck would you do with $13 billion? Seriously, what would you do? By your own island maybe?

We'd snuff out the competition :0 Just kidding. That's called monopolizing, which is against the law (ahem google) and consequently frowned upon here in the states. Until next week dear friends. Have yourselves a great weekend. Please excuse us while we go buy some paper plates.

Friday Fun Blog Week of 3/18-3/22

Friday, let me count the ways in which I love you, 4 to be exact. Let's be honest here, if you're reading this you're probably slacking off like the best of 'em today. We'd be lying if we said we weren't doing the same. Okay, on to the fun stuff.

This week, NCAA.com now includes a "boss button" on the side of your screen so you can watch the game at work and not get caught, Apple patents drop protection for iPhone, Apple patents a useless feature and Business Cat trends again. Oh the humility! Cat lovers are some weird folks. Here goes:

NCCA Boss Button

So the scenario goes a little something like this; you're a sports fan and pretty stealthy at slacking off during work, so what do you do?

You head over to NCAA.com, cue up the latest March Madness game but oh wait, you're boss just walked in, on their way back from the bathroom (coffee's a natural diuretic) and they just happen to glimpse at your monitor. "Was he just watching march madness while pretending to work?" Nah, why? Because you hit the boss button just in time and minimized the window.

But wait, you forgot to close that my little pony fan-page you've got going on safari. Now you're boss just pities you because you're a broney (male my-little pony fan). Shit happens, but hey, at least you didn't get caught watching college basketball at work. Thank you NCAA.com. We love you! On to the next...

Apple Patents Drop Protection

Lets be honest; how many of your annoying iPhone wielding friends have dropped their iPhones and cracked their screen? Practically everyone you know who owns an iPhone right? That's a rhetorical question btw so bear with me. Apparently Apple got the memo: STOP MAKING THINGS THAT BREAK SO EASILY!

Yeah, a glass screen on a smartphone, that's a GREAT idea. Apple's answer: patent an internal gyroscope that will "thrust" the phone in mid-drop as to make it land not on the glass screen (that breaks if you look at it funny) but instead on its arse. Which is apparently MUCH more durable.

News-flash Apple: It's called an iPhone case. You know, those rubber thingys they up-sell you at the Apple store. So, you didn't have to go and spend god knows how much on an anti-drop mechanism, did you.

I got a better idea fellow iPhone users. Don't drop your phone. Yeah, how bout them apples? Ok, done with the rant. Congrats to the engineers at Apple, who've manage to re-invent the way we drop our expensive iPhones. Another fine example of how innovation is turning us into idiots. But what about those weird Cat fans?

Business Cat Trends Again

Some cat owners just have way-too much time on their hands. What's that you say? Dressing up your cat in business suits and taking photographs of them is normal? Yeah, totally normal. Just like conspiracy theories, Luis Vuitton Snuggies and The Kardashians. I digress. Without further ado I give you Business Cat. The online sensation caught trending on Reddit and Buzzfeed. Happy Friday everyone! Rememeber, if you're going to slack off at work, do it right. Hit the "Boss Button". Did we mention that Harvard beat New Mexico? Who knew those Ivy leaguers could actually play ball?

Fun Friday Blog Week of 3/15/2013

Ah yes. It's Friday, and you know what that means; Time for yet another installment of our Fun Friday Blog. This week: Tim Cook gets a downgrade from his employees, the internet community pits Alpacas against Raccoons just for the heck of it and Google "accidentally" steals or data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Oh the irony.

Tim Cook Isn't Winning

Newsflash, Apple CEO Tim Cook isn't exactly living up to expectations but to be fair, Steve Jobs left behind some rather large shoes to fill. You'd think his staff would cut him some slack.

Not so much. Apparently, Apple employees logged on to Glassdoor.com to rank their no-so-prolific leader. Unfortunately, Cook's approval ratings have dropped 4 percentage points since last year.

The Apple Maps fiasco didn't help his reputation much as the app completely sucked. I know that's harsh to say, even coming from an Apple lover, but when you get lost in West L.A traffic at the hands of Apple's crappy map app you'd understand where we're coming from. 

No one doubts Apple's ability to innovate so lets hope cook can rally the troops and force them to innovate like they've never done before. Don't worry Cook, we're sure you're compensated handsomely for your woes. It's tough being on top isn't it?

Alpacas Vs Raccoons

So, apparently the internet community has a lot of time on their hands. That or everyone goofs off way more than they should during normal business hours. Either way, enjoy the picture above of this cute raccoon doing absolutely nothing and the creeper alpaca photo-bombing itself below. If cuteness could kill we'd be dead by the end of this sentence.

Google Steals Data "Accidentally"

I used to steal candy when I was kid, naturally, because i'm a ginger. But doesn't mean i'd lie about it to my mother and tell her it was an accident that all that Brachs candy ended up in my pockets.

So don't spit on us and tell us it's raining GOOGLE. How do you accidentally steal data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks anyway? That's just the question several states asked the tech giant, to which they responded: "Don't worry. It's all good. It was an accident, we swear. Um, sorry. Here's $7million for your troubles. Go buy yourself something nice."

I guess when you're a rock star tech giant company $7 million bucks paid out to 37 states is just chump change. Jeez, we're clearly in the wrong line of work. Moral of the story: Don't steal candy if you have red hair. Everyone knows your guilty. And if you run a company that's so big and profitable it's practically a monopoly stealing data is "no big deal". Just bust out your wallet and pay for what you stole. Until next time, Happy Friday dear friends. PS. Secure your Wi-Fi network, it's really not that hard ;)

Friday Fun Blog Week of 2/22/2013

Oh yes ladies and gents, it's about that time. Friday Fun Blog is here! This week, a rather embarrassing windows 95 video starring Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry resurfaces, the FCC attempts to make public Wi-Fi less terrible and NBC gets hacked.

But first, let us declare our grievances concerning this weeks subject matter: First off, public Wi-Fi really does suck, we're really surprised cast members from friends didn't capitalize on their notoriety even more and no-one really cares NBC got hacked until it has affected their afternoon spiel. Ok, onward we go.

Windows 95 Instructional Video: They Shouldn't Have

No one can deny the TV show "Friends" was a force to be reckoned back in the day, but Windows 95 was seriously taking over. We suppose the internets was still considered unchartered territory for some but this is just plain ridiculous, even by 1995 standards. Apparently, Microsoft figured that navigating through its latest desktop OS was just too confusing they felt the need to shoot an instructional video starring non-other than, Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry. This Cyber Sitcom will take you on an "adventure in computing". Rachel hair-do not included. What chemistry those two had. Did we mention one of our staffers caught Mr. Perry checking out his girlfriend once? No? Just saying.

The FCC: Public Wi-FI Will Suck Less

In an effort to provide better Wi-Fi signals in US cites, the FCC announced they will be freeing up some spectrum, specifically, in the 5GHz range to improve the internets. So basically five nerds got together and came up with a creative solution that actually might work: use existing television towers to amplify Wi-Fi signals. The FCC seemed vague on the details but promised this approach to be a real "game-changer". For our shake, lets hope that this so-called "game changer" is enough to make us not curse like a sailor ever-time we decide to check our email at the shopping mall. "Stupid Phone, won't connect. My data plan sucks!" We won't hold our breath on that one, which brings us to the next topic at hand.

Hackers Strike. Again.

Dear hacker, 1995 called and they want their instructional video back. No seriously, what does one have to do to not have their web browser crash every-time they need a does of Jay Leno's Garage?

Sadly, NBC experienced a "potent strain of malware" first hand, when a Trojan (normally used to steal bank-account information) infected any computer attempting to navigate through its website. So now, some unlucky peeps just got hacked while trying to waste time at work.

Let this be a lesson to ya (ah-c'mon) and a reminder that Hackers suck! I guess this means we should update our computers when prompted. NBC stated that the malware detected outdated web-browser settings and exploited accordingly. We sincerely hope that no one's financial data was compromised but seriously, enough with the damn malware. We've got enough to worry about, like crappy free Wi-Fi and the pleated pants our mother's keep sending us. Until next week, happy Friday folks!

For more information contact Colocation America Editorial

Coffee cup rings and squeaky chairs aren’t the only worries for small businesses in 2013, but things are looking up. As the economy begins to thaw out from the chill of the recession, some small businesses continue to struggle in regaining prominence in the business market. 

A few tweaks and a few new business technologies might make the difference between bust and boom. A small business needs a healthy business plan; today’s market is all about better communication and faster Wi-Fi.

VoIP Phone Systems

Efficient phone calls, fast-reply faxing, and mobile availability are just as crucial as online presence and warm greetings when the customers walk through the door. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology isn’t expensive and connects phone calls using the Internet instead of using old fashioned copper landlines. VoIP also offers business owners a few other helpful business features that are not available through traditional phone service.

Lawn and Gardening

The slump of lawn and gardening is surprising, especially with the rise in popularity of organic foods and DIY projects like home gardening. There is a market for lawn and gardening, and these small businesses simply need better ways to connect with potential customers. VoIP is a cheaper means of communication with these future customers, by allowing businesses to make cheap cold calls and follow-up phone calls.

Cold calling is still an effective means to gain new customers. The small business calls individuals that may have an interest in lawn or gardening products but have not been approached about buying these products from this particular store. Follow-up calls are also important when growing new plants. The small business can check in and offer advice if the plants are not growing properly.VoIP providers offer low-priced plans, averaging about $20/month.

Real Estate

Back in the 1990s anyone with a real estate license and a bus bench sign could sell a house. These days nothing has crashed in the market worse than the housing industry. However, real estate is climbing back.

The trick that a small real estate agency needs to succeed is strong and swift communication with its homebuyers. Real estate agencies usually have extensions for each agent. That agent needs the ability to talk cheaply on their extension at the office, and needs that extension to follow him or her if he or she is out of the office scouting for houses for clients. VoIP offers both of these features for a low cost.

Business VoIP service is often sold by the extension, and averages about $20/month per extension. These extensions are wireless, and using the Find Me Follow Me feature of VoIP, all office calls can be designated to the agent’s home phone or mobile phone as necessary. Customers will never hit a busy signal or have their call missed.

Printing Businesses

Shakespeare never thought that his work would be read on electronic tablets, and printing businesses never thought that the print business would turn so sour. However, printing is still very essential to the everyday life of the corporate world. Business cards, business posters, business flyers, and business presentation documents are in demand. This is where IP faxing is such a useful tool for a printing business.

The sight of a harried employee running into a print store to have some last-minute presentation materials printed out is not a sight that will disappear anytime soon. Printing companies simply need to utilize VoIP to cater to our harried population. IP faxing does just that. The wireless nature allows anyone to send faxes to an IP-enable fax machine through an Internet-capable device, such a smartphone or tablet.

The rushed employee can fax their work materials to the printing shop through their smartphone along the way to the store. The material will be faxed and printed by the time the employee gets there, saving time in the process. A good business plan never fails. VoIP will allow small businesses to stay in business and thrive in 2013.

About the author:Jennifer Cuellar is a VoIP writer based out of the San Diego area.

WordPress plugins are really great; they speed up loading times of a website, improve structure of the theme and more. But WordPress plugins can be problematic.

Over 22,000 plugins have been developed by numerous developers around the world so we can safely say WordPress Plugins are playing a very constructive role in our WordPress ecosystem. So where is the problem?

WordPress Sites

People tend to blame plugins and sometimes for all the wrong reasons. However, there are some definite reasons to remain skeptical about the over use of WordPress plugins. But let me clear one thing that the problem does not lie with the excessive number of WordPress plugins. You are free to use as many WordPress plugins as you wish. The problem lies in choosing the wrong or half-baked plugins that have securities issues.

Common issues with WordPress plugins

Plugins may not get updated regularly and this could lead to an increase in loading time and poor user experience. WordPress plugins have been known to cause security vulnerabilities.

Reasons behind Loading Time Increase

There are two possible reasons behind a dramatic rise in the loading time once you start using multiple WordPress plugins.

• Unwanted HTTP Request is a standard practice to bring down the number of HTTP request because this has an adverse impact on the loading time. There are some WordPress plugins that may contribute to an increase in the number of HTTP requests by sending request for files which are not needed at all.
• Duplicate JavaScript Library: Some plugins send requests for open source libraries like MooTools, jQuery without checking whether these libraries have been requested or not.

Long-term Risks

Using WordPress plugins for a short period of time is not a matter of concern, but as a long term solution you can inadvertently expose your website to some serious problems.

Plugin Updates may not happen frequently so if they take a long time to release a new version of their plugins you will be at a disadvantage.

Moreover, plugins may be discontinued. Since you have no control over the development of the plugin, it may happen that the developer does not feel like giving support to his developed plugin and its functionality will slowly fade away.

Security Vulnerabilities

Some WordPress plugins continue to use worn-out libraries which are no longer in perfect shape or no longer are being maintained properly.

• Susceptible Libraries: plugins may leave your website to external threats that you should not ignore.
• Validation and Other Issues: Some WordPress plugins fail to follow the standards of data validations and this eventually leads to cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities and MySQL injections.

Before you install another WordPress plugin, ask yourself:

• Do you really need this plugin? There is no reason to install a plugin just because other people have installed it.
• What you are going to do with this plugin? Is this plugin going to serve any fruitful purpose? If not. Just think about installing another WordPress plugin.
• Is the plugin better than other plugins available?
• Is the developer well known and has credibility online?
• How long the plugin is available and what is the feedback other people of this plugin?

About the author: Michael Evans is a passionate blogger and organic web strategist. He is associated with flash-templates, MotoCMS .

There's a discussion going about PUE metrics and whether or not it is fair to compare efficiency ratings of different facilities. 

Industry insiders suggest that PUE is not meant to compare one facility to another. If in fact, the PUE of similar data centers are to be compared the following factors must be examined:

Data Center Tiers

Data center Tiers represent the reliability of a facility. A Tier 1 data center will have different energy capacities than say a Tier 4 facility. Tier 4 facility is the highest enterprise class facility that likely has greater network storage demands. Most likely, a facility like this will have a higher PUE rating based on the power needs of the equipment. Such a facility may have a PUE rating of 3 based on redundancy but it is still something that is continually monitored to see how much energy is lost in relation to how much of it is consumed.

Other Factors Affecting PUE

Regardless of the size of the facility, climate, age and business model play a significant role in determining a facility's PUE rating. Colocation facilities typically require a lot of power, redundancy and cooling capacities. So, it is unlikely that a colo facility will have an more efficient PUE than a modular data center - as load is more easily scaled to meet demand. A data center located in a cold climate will require less energy to cool itself just as an older facility will likely consume more electricity as its aging hardware struggles to keep up with computing demands.

Defining Efficiency Standards

PUE (Power Use Effectiveness) is meant to measure efficiencies of a single facility so owners can determine where energy is being lost. The lines between industry standard and benchmarks for each facility have been skewed, which is why this debate is ongoing. Industry folks stress that PUE isn't meant to compare efficiency standards across the broad range of data center facilities. It should simply be used as a way to improve energy efficiency within a specific condition.

For more information contact Albert Ahdoot