Step 1: Risk Analysis
The first step in drafting a disaster recovery plan is conducting a thorough risk analysis of your computer systems. List all the possible risks that threaten system uptime and evaluate how imminent they are in your particular IT shop. Anything that can cause a system outage is a threat, from relatively common manmade threats like virus attacks and accidental data deletions to more rare natural threats like floods and fires. Determine which of your threats are the most likely to occur and prioritize them using a simple system: rank each threat in two important categories, probability and impact. In each category, rate the risks as low, medium, or high.
Step 2: Establish the Budget
Once you've figured out your risks, ask 'what can we do to suppress them, and how much will it cost?' Can I detect a threat before it hits? How do I reduce the potential of it occurring? How do I minimize its impact to the business? For example, our small California Internet company could employ an emergency power supply to mitigate its power outage threat and have all its data backed up daily on RAID tapes, which are stored at a remote site in case of an earthquake. The more preventative measures you establish upfront the better. Emerson says, "dollars spent in prevention are worth more than dollars spent in recovery."
Step 3: Develop the Plan
The feedback from the business units will begin to shape your DRP procedures. If, for example, they determine that the company must be up within 48 hours of an incident to stay viable, then you can calculate the amount of time it would take to execute the recovery plan and have the business back up in that timeframe. Emerson suggests that you have the recovery systems tested, configured, and retested 24 hours prior to launching them. He says the set up takes anywhere from 40 hours to days to complete.
Step 4: Test, Test, Test
Once your DRP is set, test it frequently. Eventually you'll need to perform a component-level restoration of your largest databases to get a realistic assessment of your recovery procedure, but a periodic walk-through of the procedure with the Recovery Team will assure that everyone knows their roles. Test the systems you're going to use in recovery regularly to validate that all the pieces work. Always record your test results and update the DRP to address any shortcomings.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Case 8: Current Issues
Aquino: 43,650 new jobs from US investments
MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III returned from his US trip on Tuesday and said the US$2.4 billion new investments secured during the trip would create 43,650 new jobs in the next 3 years.
"It's good to be home. In the last week, during our visit to the US, we were able to send our message across: the Philippines is open for business," Aquino said after his flight arrived at around 3:45 a.m. from California at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.
Among the business firms that have committed to make new investments are: Coca-Cola, Pfizer, AES Corp., Hewlett-Packard, J.P. Morgan Chase, Global Services Inc., Century Properties, and General Electric.
Aquino said these investments are in power generation, consumer products, business and knowledge process outsourcing, health care, garments, and leather goods.
"We were able to secure a commitment of at least 43,650 new jobs in the next 3 years, including some 4,500 in construction-related jobs. And because of the multiplier effect, we estimate 200,000 more jobs to benefit our countrymen," he said.
Winning bidder AES Corp. will be expanding the capacity of the Masinloc Power Plant 2 by up to 660 megawatts with a project cost of $1 billion.
He said foreign investors feel the new confidence that has arisen from the new political and economic environment.
He also urged his critics to support the drive for progress.
"Hinihikayat ko ang ating mga kapwa Pilipino na panay pa rin batikos, makiisa sana kayo sa ating pagsisikap," he said. "Kararating lang po namin at medyo pagod, pero talaga naman bale wala po yon kung maganda naman ang dalang balita."
He declined to reveal details since he has not taken up the matter with the president. "I'm not sure if we can discuss it today," he said. -- with a report from Ruby Tayag, dzMM
Rescue near for Chile miners trapped for two months
In one of the most challenging rescue operations in mining history, engineers hope to finish drilling a shaft about 700m down to the miners by Saturday. But it will still then take days to hoist them to the surface one at a time in special capsules.
Relatives of the trapped miners sang and prayed around a bonfire at the mine-head in Chile's Atacama desert, waving banners and lighting candles for each of the men.
"We are calm. We've already held on for two months. Now we are in the closing stage," said Samuel Avalos (70) whose son is among the trapped. "We hope it's over."
Mining Minister Laurence Golborne, spearheading the rescue effort, said engineers must still decide how much of the shaft to line with metal tubing before lifting the miners out in the capsules.
Once the escape tunnel is finished, it would take anything from three to 10 days to get the men out, Golborne told reporters at the mine.
Following the August 5 collapse, engineers first bored tiny drill holes the width of a grapefruit to locate the men stuck in a tunnel 700m below ground -- equivalent to 233 storeys.
The men were found 17 days after the cave-in, miraculously all still alive, when the miners tied a message to the perforation drill, triggering celebrations across Chile.
Rescuers then used the ducts as umbilical cords to pass the miners high nutrition gels, water, medicine and later solid food to keep them alive.
The high cost of barangay elections.
It's the eve of the campaign period for the Barangay and SK elections. At the stroke of midnight, the streets and alleys of the metro will once again take the shape of a 3-dimensional collage, plastered from end to end with faces and promises of the nation's smallest political unit.
In Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City, incumbent barangay chairman Benedick Banega preoccupies himself with barangay affairs, while in a room nearby, barangay workers and volunteers are busy mounting some 600 tarpaulins on bamboo frames.
"Barangay elections are more expensive now," Banega says. "During my father's time, candidates used to just write their names on old sacks. And hardly anyone wanted to run. But now, with more funds and more autonomy given to barangays, it's become more a more lucrative profession."
By Capt. Banega's estimation, his team has spent more than 50,000 pesos on campaign materials alone. Each kagawad gets 75 tarpaulin posters, while Banega gets 150 pieces. Each of these are priced at 24 pesos. This doesn't include the P45,000 they've allotted for their poll watchers on election day.
"Nowadays, you really have to spend to get ahead in the race," says Banega.
But it's a slightly different picture in Brgy. Baseco, Tondo, Manila. There are no tarpaulin posters at the headquarters of candidate Domingo "A-1" Ramirez, only used posters made of sack that some party-list group left lying around on the streets.
A-1's team was seen turning these old posters over so they could paint their names on the clean back side. In one corner of the room, volunteers are cutting up some old donated cardboard, and using a rubber stamp to mark them with "Vote A-1 for Brgy. Captain."
And plastered on the wall are different-sized, home-made printouts of the running kagawads, with the only thing in common being the face of their candidate for chairman.
I don't have any money, so the kagawads have adopted my face on their own campaign posters," A-1 Ramirez declares proudly. "Poverty is not a hindrance for me."
By the team's computation, they have spent just a little more than 10,000 pesos, including P1,400 for 2 gallons of paint, P80 for the single rubber stamp, and about P300 for refills of the stamp pad.
Ramirez initially tried to collect 1,000 pesos from each kagawad, but not everyone could come up with the money. Now, they're powered by donations after swallowing their pride.
"All the 3 other candidates for chairman here are millionaires. I'm the only one who's poor. I guess all I can offer is heart," Ramirez chuckles.
But Ramirez concedes that money does matter in any election, big or small. He says he would spend more if he had more.
But with the campaign period starting in just a few hours, and with only 10 days of campaigning allowed, he can only pin his hopes on those in Baseco who can look past the re-used sacks and dirty cardboard giveaways…and see promise behind his persistence.
Super typhoon Juan makes landfall in Northern Luzon
Thousands of families in Isabela and Cagayan provinces were evacuated to safety as super typhoon "Juan" (international name: Megi) swept across Northern Luzon on Monday.
Packing maximum winds of 225 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, Juan slowed down as it made landfall in the Northern Sierra Madre mountain range shortly before noon.
According to the Twitter account of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the agency's Aparri Radar recorded that the 'eye' of typhoon Juan made landfall at Estagno Point near Divilacan Island on the eastern coast of Isabela province at 11:25 a.m.
The rugged Northern Sierra Madre mountain range on the sparsely populated eastern coast of Luzon helps shields the fertile plains, and the north's food basket, from the ferocious winds.
Typhoon Juan is expected to exit the country from the Ilocos Sur and La Union areas tomorrow morning. The rainfall rate is 50 to 65 millimeters of rain per hour.
According to an Associated Press report, Juan carries "ferocious winds and heavy rainfall" and is the most powerful typhoon to threaten the country in four years. In 2006, typhoon Reming's 250 kph winds set off mudslides that buried entire villages and killed about 1,000 people in the Bicol region.
Trucks, rescue boats and food packs have been pre-positioned near vulnerable areas, said Benito Ramos, a senior disaster-response official.
"This is like preparing for war," he told the Associated Press. "We know the past lessons and we're aiming for zero casualties."
According to a CNN report, meteorologist Ivan Cabrera called typhoon Juan (Megi) a "monster storm" and warned that it could damage thousands of hectares of agricultural land along its path.
The storm could trigger landslides and floods as wide areas of northern Luzon will see 300 mm of rain, while more isolated pockets may see up to 500 mm, added CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward.
PAGASA reminded residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under storm signals to take precautions against possible flashfloods and landslides.
It also warned residents in coastal areas under signals 4, 3 and 2 against possible storm surges.
MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III returned from his US trip on Tuesday and said the US$2.4 billion new investments secured during the trip would create 43,650 new jobs in the next 3 years.
"It's good to be home. In the last week, during our visit to the US, we were able to send our message across: the Philippines is open for business," Aquino said after his flight arrived at around 3:45 a.m. from California at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.
Among the business firms that have committed to make new investments are: Coca-Cola, Pfizer, AES Corp., Hewlett-Packard, J.P. Morgan Chase, Global Services Inc., Century Properties, and General Electric.
Aquino said these investments are in power generation, consumer products, business and knowledge process outsourcing, health care, garments, and leather goods.
"We were able to secure a commitment of at least 43,650 new jobs in the next 3 years, including some 4,500 in construction-related jobs. And because of the multiplier effect, we estimate 200,000 more jobs to benefit our countrymen," he said.
Winning bidder AES Corp. will be expanding the capacity of the Masinloc Power Plant 2 by up to 660 megawatts with a project cost of $1 billion.
He said foreign investors feel the new confidence that has arisen from the new political and economic environment.
He also urged his critics to support the drive for progress.
"Hinihikayat ko ang ating mga kapwa Pilipino na panay pa rin batikos, makiisa sana kayo sa ating pagsisikap," he said. "Kararating lang po namin at medyo pagod, pero talaga naman bale wala po yon kung maganda naman ang dalang balita."
He declined to reveal details since he has not taken up the matter with the president. "I'm not sure if we can discuss it today," he said. -- with a report from Ruby Tayag, dzMM
Rescue near for Chile miners trapped for two months
In one of the most challenging rescue operations in mining history, engineers hope to finish drilling a shaft about 700m down to the miners by Saturday. But it will still then take days to hoist them to the surface one at a time in special capsules.
Relatives of the trapped miners sang and prayed around a bonfire at the mine-head in Chile's Atacama desert, waving banners and lighting candles for each of the men.
"We are calm. We've already held on for two months. Now we are in the closing stage," said Samuel Avalos (70) whose son is among the trapped. "We hope it's over."
Mining Minister Laurence Golborne, spearheading the rescue effort, said engineers must still decide how much of the shaft to line with metal tubing before lifting the miners out in the capsules.
Once the escape tunnel is finished, it would take anything from three to 10 days to get the men out, Golborne told reporters at the mine.
Following the August 5 collapse, engineers first bored tiny drill holes the width of a grapefruit to locate the men stuck in a tunnel 700m below ground -- equivalent to 233 storeys.
The men were found 17 days after the cave-in, miraculously all still alive, when the miners tied a message to the perforation drill, triggering celebrations across Chile.
Rescuers then used the ducts as umbilical cords to pass the miners high nutrition gels, water, medicine and later solid food to keep them alive.
The high cost of barangay elections.
It's the eve of the campaign period for the Barangay and SK elections. At the stroke of midnight, the streets and alleys of the metro will once again take the shape of a 3-dimensional collage, plastered from end to end with faces and promises of the nation's smallest political unit.
In Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City, incumbent barangay chairman Benedick Banega preoccupies himself with barangay affairs, while in a room nearby, barangay workers and volunteers are busy mounting some 600 tarpaulins on bamboo frames.
"Barangay elections are more expensive now," Banega says. "During my father's time, candidates used to just write their names on old sacks. And hardly anyone wanted to run. But now, with more funds and more autonomy given to barangays, it's become more a more lucrative profession."
By Capt. Banega's estimation, his team has spent more than 50,000 pesos on campaign materials alone. Each kagawad gets 75 tarpaulin posters, while Banega gets 150 pieces. Each of these are priced at 24 pesos. This doesn't include the P45,000 they've allotted for their poll watchers on election day.
"Nowadays, you really have to spend to get ahead in the race," says Banega.
But it's a slightly different picture in Brgy. Baseco, Tondo, Manila. There are no tarpaulin posters at the headquarters of candidate Domingo "A-1" Ramirez, only used posters made of sack that some party-list group left lying around on the streets.
A-1's team was seen turning these old posters over so they could paint their names on the clean back side. In one corner of the room, volunteers are cutting up some old donated cardboard, and using a rubber stamp to mark them with "Vote A-1 for Brgy. Captain."
And plastered on the wall are different-sized, home-made printouts of the running kagawads, with the only thing in common being the face of their candidate for chairman.
I don't have any money, so the kagawads have adopted my face on their own campaign posters," A-1 Ramirez declares proudly. "Poverty is not a hindrance for me."
By the team's computation, they have spent just a little more than 10,000 pesos, including P1,400 for 2 gallons of paint, P80 for the single rubber stamp, and about P300 for refills of the stamp pad.
Ramirez initially tried to collect 1,000 pesos from each kagawad, but not everyone could come up with the money. Now, they're powered by donations after swallowing their pride.
"All the 3 other candidates for chairman here are millionaires. I'm the only one who's poor. I guess all I can offer is heart," Ramirez chuckles.
But Ramirez concedes that money does matter in any election, big or small. He says he would spend more if he had more.
But with the campaign period starting in just a few hours, and with only 10 days of campaigning allowed, he can only pin his hopes on those in Baseco who can look past the re-used sacks and dirty cardboard giveaways…and see promise behind his persistence.
Super typhoon Juan makes landfall in Northern Luzon
Thousands of families in Isabela and Cagayan provinces were evacuated to safety as super typhoon "Juan" (international name: Megi) swept across Northern Luzon on Monday.
Packing maximum winds of 225 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, Juan slowed down as it made landfall in the Northern Sierra Madre mountain range shortly before noon.
According to the Twitter account of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the agency's Aparri Radar recorded that the 'eye' of typhoon Juan made landfall at Estagno Point near Divilacan Island on the eastern coast of Isabela province at 11:25 a.m.
The rugged Northern Sierra Madre mountain range on the sparsely populated eastern coast of Luzon helps shields the fertile plains, and the north's food basket, from the ferocious winds.
Typhoon Juan is expected to exit the country from the Ilocos Sur and La Union areas tomorrow morning. The rainfall rate is 50 to 65 millimeters of rain per hour.
According to an Associated Press report, Juan carries "ferocious winds and heavy rainfall" and is the most powerful typhoon to threaten the country in four years. In 2006, typhoon Reming's 250 kph winds set off mudslides that buried entire villages and killed about 1,000 people in the Bicol region.
Trucks, rescue boats and food packs have been pre-positioned near vulnerable areas, said Benito Ramos, a senior disaster-response official.
"This is like preparing for war," he told the Associated Press. "We know the past lessons and we're aiming for zero casualties."
According to a CNN report, meteorologist Ivan Cabrera called typhoon Juan (Megi) a "monster storm" and warned that it could damage thousands of hectares of agricultural land along its path.
The storm could trigger landslides and floods as wide areas of northern Luzon will see 300 mm of rain, while more isolated pockets may see up to 500 mm, added CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward.
PAGASA reminded residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under storm signals to take precautions against possible flashfloods and landslides.
It also warned residents in coastal areas under signals 4, 3 and 2 against possible storm surges.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Case # 7 Ways to Secure your System from being Compromised
1. Perform daily scans
Occasionally, virus and spyware threats escape a system’s active protective engines and infect a system. The sheer number and volume of potential and new threats make it inevitable that particularly inventive infections will outsmart security software. In other cases, users may inadvertently instruct anti-malware software to allow a virus or spyware program to run.
Regardless of the infection source, enabling complete, daily scans of a system’s entire hard drive adds another layer of protection. These daily scans can be invaluable in detecting, isolating, and removing infections that initially escape security software’s attention.
2.Disable autorun
Many viruses work by attaching themselves to a drive and automatically installing themselves on any other media connected to the system. As a result, connecting any network drives, external hard disks, or even thumb drives to a system can result in the automatic propagation of such threats.
Computer users can disable the Windows autorun feature by following Microsoft’s recommendations, which differ by operating system. Microsoft Knowledge Base articles 967715 and 967940 are frequently referenced for this purpose.
3. Surf smart
Many business-class anti-malware applications include browser plug-ins that help protect against drive-by infections, phishing attacks (in which pages purport to serve one function when in fact they try to steal personal, financial, or other sensitive information), and similar exploits. Still others provide “link protection,” in which Web links are checked against databases of known-bad pages.
Whenever possible, these preventive features should be deployed and enabled. Unless the plug-ins interfere with normal Web browsing, users should leave them enabled. The same is true for automatic pop-up blockers, such as are included in Internet Explorer 8, Google’s toolbar, and other popular browser toolbars.
4. Deploy DNS protection
Internet access introduces a wide variety of security risks. Among the most disconcerting may be drive-by infections, in which users only need to visit a compromised Web page to infect their own PCs (and potentially begin infecting those of customers, colleagues, and other staff).
Another worry is Web sites that distribute infected programs, applications, and Trojan files. Still another threat exists in the form of poisoned DNS attacks, whereby a compromised DNS server directs you to an unauthorized Web server. These compromised DNS servers are typically your ISP’s systems, which usually translate friendly URLs such as yahoo.com to numeric IP addresses like 69.147.114.224.
5.Detecting root-kits
There are two approaches to defending your system against LKM root-kits, a proactive defense and a reactive defense. The detection work can be simple and painless, or difficult and tiring, depending on the approach taken.
6. Continuously update the system
You should conduct security updates frequently. The vast majority of exploits result from known vulnerabilities that have not been patched in time,
7.Avoid using the unstable branch
Unless you want to dedicate time to patch packages yourself when a vulnerability arises, you should not use Debian's unstable branch for production-level systems. The main reason for this is that there are no security updates for unstable (see How is security handled for testing and unstable?, Section 12.3.8).
The fact is that some security issues might appear in unstable and not in the stable distribution. This is due to new functionality constantly being added to the applications provided there, as well as new applications being included which might not yet have been thoroughly tested.
In order to do security upgrades in the unstable branch, you might have to do full upgrades to new versions (which might update much more than just the affected package). Although there have been some exceptions, security patches are usually only back ported into the stable branch. The main idea being that between updates, no new code should be added, just fixes for important issues.
8. Use Legal Operating System and Software
Use legal operating system so that your computer will be secured from hacking because some of free operating system are purpose for hacking someones personal computer. Also in legal software just make sure you will use legal to avoid crashing your computer and avoid from hacking
9.Don't try to fix errors
If your computer crashes don't try to fix it unless you know how to repair it. Call your provider to avoid destroying your system.
10.Backup your files
You must back up your files so that if there is time your computer will crash you have another copy of your file. Also if there also someone destroy your file
Occasionally, virus and spyware threats escape a system’s active protective engines and infect a system. The sheer number and volume of potential and new threats make it inevitable that particularly inventive infections will outsmart security software. In other cases, users may inadvertently instruct anti-malware software to allow a virus or spyware program to run.
Regardless of the infection source, enabling complete, daily scans of a system’s entire hard drive adds another layer of protection. These daily scans can be invaluable in detecting, isolating, and removing infections that initially escape security software’s attention.
2.Disable autorun
Many viruses work by attaching themselves to a drive and automatically installing themselves on any other media connected to the system. As a result, connecting any network drives, external hard disks, or even thumb drives to a system can result in the automatic propagation of such threats.
Computer users can disable the Windows autorun feature by following Microsoft’s recommendations, which differ by operating system. Microsoft Knowledge Base articles 967715 and 967940 are frequently referenced for this purpose.
3. Surf smart
Many business-class anti-malware applications include browser plug-ins that help protect against drive-by infections, phishing attacks (in which pages purport to serve one function when in fact they try to steal personal, financial, or other sensitive information), and similar exploits. Still others provide “link protection,” in which Web links are checked against databases of known-bad pages.
Whenever possible, these preventive features should be deployed and enabled. Unless the plug-ins interfere with normal Web browsing, users should leave them enabled. The same is true for automatic pop-up blockers, such as are included in Internet Explorer 8, Google’s toolbar, and other popular browser toolbars.
4. Deploy DNS protection
Internet access introduces a wide variety of security risks. Among the most disconcerting may be drive-by infections, in which users only need to visit a compromised Web page to infect their own PCs (and potentially begin infecting those of customers, colleagues, and other staff).
Another worry is Web sites that distribute infected programs, applications, and Trojan files. Still another threat exists in the form of poisoned DNS attacks, whereby a compromised DNS server directs you to an unauthorized Web server. These compromised DNS servers are typically your ISP’s systems, which usually translate friendly URLs such as yahoo.com to numeric IP addresses like 69.147.114.224.
5.Detecting root-kits
There are two approaches to defending your system against LKM root-kits, a proactive defense and a reactive defense. The detection work can be simple and painless, or difficult and tiring, depending on the approach taken.
6. Continuously update the system
You should conduct security updates frequently. The vast majority of exploits result from known vulnerabilities that have not been patched in time,
7.Avoid using the unstable branch
Unless you want to dedicate time to patch packages yourself when a vulnerability arises, you should not use Debian's unstable branch for production-level systems. The main reason for this is that there are no security updates for unstable (see How is security handled for testing and unstable?, Section 12.3.8).
The fact is that some security issues might appear in unstable and not in the stable distribution. This is due to new functionality constantly being added to the applications provided there, as well as new applications being included which might not yet have been thoroughly tested.
In order to do security upgrades in the unstable branch, you might have to do full upgrades to new versions (which might update much more than just the affected package). Although there have been some exceptions, security patches are usually only back ported into the stable branch. The main idea being that between updates, no new code should be added, just fixes for important issues.
8. Use Legal Operating System and Software
Use legal operating system so that your computer will be secured from hacking because some of free operating system are purpose for hacking someones personal computer. Also in legal software just make sure you will use legal to avoid crashing your computer and avoid from hacking
9.Don't try to fix errors
If your computer crashes don't try to fix it unless you know how to repair it. Call your provider to avoid destroying your system.
10.Backup your files
You must back up your files so that if there is time your computer will crash you have another copy of your file. Also if there also someone destroy your file
Case # 6 Consumer Act of the Philippines
This Consumer Act of the Philippines or R.A 7394 is helpful for every Filipino's its because this act is eventually protecting us in every harmness of a certain product because its stated there that, anyone or anyboby who is selling products in which hazardous content will be penalized and then face sanctions regarding on it.It is great because we can assure that product we buy is safe and good for our health.
It help us to start and to follow the basic rules of our country. Like the drugs or medicine we take the price of it and the price of our food we eat everyday. If there is no act like this it will cause war to both people because misunderstanding.
It help us to start and to follow the basic rules of our country. Like the drugs or medicine we take the price of it and the price of our food we eat everyday. If there is no act like this it will cause war to both people because misunderstanding.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Case #5 How New Technology is Rewiring our Brains?
An issue that comes up more frequently in my therapy practice is the impact of communication technology and the internet on emotional, psychological and relationship health. The seduction of
these tools, though helpful in a myriad of ways, is proving to be increasingly problematic. As a therapist, I’m experiencing first-hand the consequences occurring for people in distruption to relationships via distractibility and inattentiveness – as well as individual struggles with compulsive e-mail checking, social networking site checking and other what I refer to as “rabbit holes” that technology has created for us. As someone who is very connected to this technology myself, I can also relate to the problem potential.
It is ultimately up to us whether we jump into those rabbit holes and if we do, that we can get ourselves out unscathed; without the personal and relational problems I’ve indicated. According to a recent article in The New York Times, people are indeed paying a price for their involvement in technology. “The technology is rewiring our brains,”said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse and one of the world’s leading brain scientists. She and other researchers compare the lure of digital stimulation less to that of drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess.
these tools, though helpful in a myriad of ways, is proving to be increasingly problematic. As a therapist, I’m experiencing first-hand the consequences occurring for people in distruption to relationships via distractibility and inattentiveness – as well as individual struggles with compulsive e-mail checking, social networking site checking and other what I refer to as “rabbit holes” that technology has created for us. As someone who is very connected to this technology myself, I can also relate to the problem potential.
It is ultimately up to us whether we jump into those rabbit holes and if we do, that we can get ourselves out unscathed; without the personal and relational problems I’ve indicated. According to a recent article in The New York Times, people are indeed paying a price for their involvement in technology. “The technology is rewiring our brains,”said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse and one of the world’s leading brain scientists. She and other researchers compare the lure of digital stimulation less to that of drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess.
Friday, August 13, 2010
CASE # 4 IT Outsourcing
Outsourcing often refers to the process of contracting to a third-party.While outsourcing may be viewed as a component to the growing division of labor encompassing all societies, the term did not enter the English-speaking lexicon until the 1980s. Since the 1980s, transnational corporations have increased subcontracting across national boundaries. In the United States, outsourcing is a popular political issue.Outsourcing often refers to the process of subcontracting to a third-party. While outsourcing may be viewed as a component to the growing division of labor encompassing all societies, the term did not enter the English-speaking lexicon until the 1980s. ...
Disadvantages of IT Outsourcing
1. Loss Of Managerial Control
Whether you sign a contract to have another company perform the function of an entire department or single task, you are turning the management and control of that function over to another company. True, you will have a contract, but the managerial control will belong to another company. Your outsourcing company will not be driven by the same standards and mission that drives your company. They will be driven to make a profit from the services that they are providing to you and other businesses like yours.
2. Hidden Costs
You will sign a contract with the outsourcing company that will cover the details of the service that they will be providing. Any thing not covered in the contract will be the basis for you to pay additional charges. Additionally, you will experience legal fees to retain a lawyer to review the contacts you will sign. Remember, this is the outsourcing company's business. They have done this before and they are the ones that write the contract. Therefore, you will be at a disadvantage when negotiations start.
3. Threat to Security and Confidentiality
The life-blood of any business is the information that keeps it running. If you have payroll, medical records or any other confidential information that will be transmitted to the outsourcing company, there is a risk that the confidentiality may be compromised. If the outsourced function involves sharing proprietary company data or knowledge (e.g. product drawings, formulas, etc.), this must be taken into account. Evaluate the outsourcing company carefully to make sure your data is protected and the contract has a penalty clause if an incident occurs.
4. Quality Problems
The outsourcing company will be motivated by profit. Since the contract will fix the price, the only way for them to increase profit will be to decrease expenses. As long as they meet the conditions of the contract, you will pay. In addition, you will lose the ability to rapidly respond to changes in the business environment. The contract will be very specific and you will pay extra for changes.
5. Tied to the Financial Well-Being of Another Company
Since you will be turning over part of the operations of your business to another company, you will now be tied to the financial well-being of that company. It wouldn't be the first time that an outsourcing company could go bankrupt and leave you holding-the-bag.
6. Bad Publicity and Ill-Will
The word "outsourcing" brings to mind different things to different people. If you live in a community that has an outsourcing company and they employ your friends and neighbors, outsourcing is good. If your friends and neighbors lost their jobs because they were shipped across the state, across the country or across the world, outsourcing will bring bad publicity. If you outsource part of your operations, morale may suffer in the remaining work force.]
Advantages
1. Focus On Core Activities
In rapid growth periods, the back-office operations of a company will expand also. This expansion may start to consume resources (human and financial) at the expense of the core activities that have made your company successful. Outsourcing those activities will allow refocusing on those business activities that are important without sacrificing quality or service in the back-office.
Example: A company lands a large contract that will significantly increase the volume of purchasing in a very short period of time; Outsource purchasing.
2. Cost And Efficiency Savings
Back-office functions that are complicated in nature, but the size of your company is preventing you from performing it at a consistent and reasonable cost, is another advantage of outsourcing.
Example: A small doctor’s office that wants to accept a variety of insurance plans. One part-time person could not keep up with all the different providers and rules. Outsource to a firm specializing in medical billing.
3. Reduced Overhead
Overhead costs of performing a particular back-office function are extremely high. Consider outsourcing those functions which can be moved easily.
Example: Growth has resulted in an increased need for office space. The current location is very expensive and there is no room to expand. Outsource some simple operations in order to reduce the need for office space. For example, outbound telemarketing or data entry.
4. Operational Control
Operations whose costs are running out of control must be considered for outsourcing. Departments that may have evolved over time into uncontrolled and poorly managed areas are prime motivators for outsourcing. In addition, an outsourcing company can bring better management skills to your company than what would otherwise be available.
Example: An information technology department that has too many projects, not enough people and a budget that far exceeds their contribution to the organization. A contracted outsourcing agreement will force management to prioritize their requests and bring control back to that area.
5. Staffing Flexibility
Outsourcing will allow operations that have seasonal or cyclical demands to bring in additional resources when you need them and release them when you’re done.
Example: An accounting department that is short-handed during tax season and auditing periods. Outsourcing these functions can provide the additional resources for a fixed period of time at a consistent cost.
6. Continuity & Risk Management
Periods of high employee turnover will add uncertainty and inconsistency to the operations. Outsourcing will provided a level of continuity to the company while reducing the risk that a substandard level of operation would bring to the company.
Example: The human resource manager is on an extended medical leave and the two administrative assistants leave for new jobs in a very short period of time. Outsourcing the human resource function would reduce the risk and allow the company to keep operating.
7. Develop Internal Staff
A large project needs to be undertaken that requires skills that your staff does not possess. On-site outsourcing of the project will bring people with the skills you need into your company. Your people can work alongside of them to acquire the new skill set.
The Implications of Outsourcing\
By Diane Trommer
When the Dow Jones stock index recorded its largest single-day loss in late September 2008, many investors panicked. But billionaire investor Warren Buffet took a different stance – declaring the time was right to buy United States stocks. Buffet saw opportunity amidst chaos. That’s a lesson the electronics supply chain would do well to consider in current economic times, industry executives argue.
“When business starts to go bad, people panic. As a result, they tend to abandon their long-term strategic course, scrambling for short-term relief,” said Greg Frazier, executive vice president, supply chain business development worldwide, Avnet Electronics Marketing, Phoenix. For example, Frazier has recently fielded a flurry of calls from small and mid-size OEMs asking about outsourcing – customers that had previously decided that outsourcing was not the right fit for their company. And though under the right circumstances outsourcing can certainly provide an OEM with significant opportunities for savings, it is no panacea. “When they hear major OEMs like Sony announce plans to close 10 percent of its plants worldwide and shift more manufacturing to outsourcing, they question their (manufacturing) decisions,” Frazier noted.
Supply chain integrators like Avnet work closely with OEM customers to evaluate the pros and cons of outsourcing, said Frazier, who cautions companies to be particularly vigilant in their evaluation of suitability and financial stability of potential contract manufacturing partners. A recent report from electronics research firm iSuppli Corp. found that the global electronics contract manufacturing sector has begun to feel the impact of the slowdown.
Friday, July 23, 2010
CASE # 3 What is Facebook?
Facebook is a social networking website intended to connect friends, family, and business associates. It is the largest of the networking sites, with the runner up being MySpace. It began as a college networking website and has expanded to include anyone and everyone.
Facebook was founded by 2004 by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and originally called thefacebook. It was quickly successful on campus and expanded beyond Harvard into other Ivy League schools. With the phenomenon growing in popularity, Zuckerberg enlisted two other students, Duston Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, to assist. Within months, thefacebook became a nationwide college networking website.
Facebook users create a profile page that shows their friends and networks information about themselves. The choice to include a profile in a network means that everyone withing that network can view the profile. The profile typically includes the following: Information, Status, Friends, Friends in Other Networks, Photos, Notes, Groups, and The Wall.
Users are able to search for friends and acquaintances by e-mail address, school, university, or just by typing in a name or location for search.
2. What are the disadvantages and advantages of facebook?
Advantages
· Allows user search for new and old friends
· Accessible to chosen universities having a high level of security
· Makes it less awkward when communicating with strangers or people you are not familiar with
· Love attraction - can be used as a dating service system
· Makes it easier to join groups having similar likes and dislikes
· Allows members to check students who are taking the same class, living within the same area, or coming from the same academy
Disadvantages
· Overcrowding
· Weakening long distance relationship
· Unsupported by physical adjacency
· Contributes wide-range procrastination
· Rampant addiction
· Stalking is possible
· Acquaintances be labeled as friends.
3. What are the characteristics of facebook and why many people engage?
1. True friends list: Gaming can now happen exclusively within the context of one’s actual friends. Multiplayer games no longer suffer from the Catch-22 of requiring friends to be fun while new players always start the game without friends.
2. Free-to-play business model: New players need not shell out $60 to join the crowd. Consumers don’t like buying multiplayer games unless they know that their friends are all going to buy the game as well. Free-to-play removes that friction.
3. Persistent, asynchronous play: Finding time to play with one’s real friends is difficult, especially for working, adult gamers. Asynchronous mechanics, however, let gamers play at their own pace and with their own friends, not strangers who happen to be online at the same time.
4. Metrics-based iteration: Retail games are developed in a vacuum, with designers working by gut instinct. Further, games get only one launch, a single chance to succeed. Most developers would love, instead, to iterate quickly on genuine, live feedback.Many people engage facebook because they can meet or find more new friends in other country. they can make their self enjoy because of the different games found in facebook.
4. Can we use facebook in E- commerce? Why?
Yes, we can use facebook in E- commerce, because facebook talking much about social media marketing here at Get Elastic, blogging, podcast, viral videos and so on. There are Shopping Engines, Social Shopping / Bookmarking, Deals and Coupon Sharing, Online Retailers, User Developed Fan Apps, E-commerce Service Providers.
5. How important facebook in society today?
Fecebook is very important in the society today in terms of gaining friends, entertainment of different games online. It has a great help for E- commerce because it has features like Shopping Engines, Social Shopping / Bookmarking, Deals and Coupon Sharing, Online Retailers, User Developed Fan Apps, E-commerce Service Providers for business online.
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