10 dumb things IT pros do that can mess up their networks

10 dumb things IT pros do that can mess up their networks: "

End users aren’t the only ones whose misguided actions can bring a smooth-running network to a screeching halt. IT pros make their share of mistakes, too — from sliding on DR planning to stalling on repairs to ignoring the need for logs and documentation.

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One of the most popular pastimes of IT professionals is complaining about the dumb things users do. We all get a laugh from articles like TechRepublic’s ultimate collection of dumb user stories. But if we’re honest, we have to admit that computer novices aren’t the only ones who make mistakes. Most network administrators could (but probably won’t) tell you about their ‘most embarrassing moment.’ That’s the one where you discover you accidentally misconfigured the firewall to shut down the boss’s Internet connection or that the backup you’ve been making every day has been copying the wrong files. Oops.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common dumb things IT pros do that can mess up their networks — and how you can avoid making such mistakes yourself.

Note: This information also appears in article format and is available as a PDF download.

#1: Don’t have a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan

It’s not that backing up is hard to do. The problem is that it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, because most network administrators are overloaded already, and backups are something that seem like a waste of time and effort-until you need them.

Of course you back up your organization’s important data. I’m not suggesting that most admins don’t have a backup strategy in place. But many of those backup strategies haven’t changed in decades. You set up a tape backup to copy certain important files at specified intervals and then forget about it. You don’t get around to assessing and updating that backup strategy — or even testing the tapes periodically to make sure your data really is getting backed up — until something forces you to do so (the tape system breaks or worse, you have a catastrophic data loss that forces you to actually use those backups).

It’s even worse when it comes to full-fledged disaster recovery plans. You may have a written business continuity plan languishing in a drawer somewhere, but is it really up to date? Does it take into account all of your current equipment and personnel? Are all critical personnel aware of the plan? (For instance, new people may have been hired into key positions since the time the plan was formulated.) Does the plan cover all important elements, including how to detect the problem as quickly as possible, how to notify affected persons, how to isolate affected systems, and what actions to take to repair the damage and restore productivity?

#2: Ignore warning signs

That UPS has been showing signs of giving up the ghost for weeks. Or the mail server is suddenly having to be rebooted several times per day. Users are complaining that their Web connectivity mysteriously drops for a few minutes and then comes back. But things are still working, sort of, so you put off investigating the problem until the day you come into work and network is down.

As with our physical health, it pays to heed early warning signs that something is wrong with the network and catch it before it becomes more serious.

#3: Never document changes

When you make changes to the server’s configuration settings, it pays to take the time to document them. You’ll be glad you did if a physical disaster destroys the machine or the operating system fails and you have to start over from scratch. Circumstances don’t even have to be that drastic; what if you just make new changes that don’t work the way you expected, and you don’t quite remember the old settings?

Sure, it takes a little time, but like backing up, it’s worth the effort.

#4: Don’t waste space on logging

One way to save hard disk space is to forego enabling logging or set your log files to overwrite at a small file size threshold. The problem with that is that disk space is relatively cheap, but hours of pulling your hair out when you’re trying to troubleshoot a problem without logs to help you discover what happened can be costly, in terms of both money and frustration.

Some applications don’t have their logs turned on automatically. But if you want to save yourself a lot of grief when something goes wrong, adopt the philosophy of ‘everything that can be logged should be logged.’

#5: Take your time about installing critical updates

The ‘It’ll never happen to me’ syndrome has been the downfall of many networks. Yes, updates and patches sometimes break important applications, cause connectivity problems, or even crash the operating system. You should thoroughly test upgrades before you roll them out to prevent such occurrences. But you should do so as quickly as possible and get those updates installed once you’ve determined that they’re safe.

Many major virus or worm infestations have done untold damage to systems even though the patches for them had already been released.

#6: Save time and money by putting off upgrades

Upgrading your operating systems and mission-critical applications can be time consuming and expensive. But putting off upgrades for too long can cost you even more, especially in terms of security. There are a couple of reasons for that:

• New software usually has more security mechanisms built in. There is a much greater focus on writing secure code today than in years past.


• Vendors generally retire support for older software after awhile. That means they stop releasing security patches for it, so if you’re running the old stuff, you may not be protected against new vulnerabilities.

If upgrading all the systems in your organization isn’t feasible, do the upgrade in stages, concentrating on the most exposed systems first.

#7: Manage passwords sloppily

Although multifactor authentication (smart cards, biometrics) is becoming more popular, most organizations still depend on user names and passwords to log onto the network. Bad password policies and sloppy password management create a weak link that can allow attackers to invade your systems with little technical skill needed.

Require lengthy, complex passwords (or better, passphrases), require users to change them frequently, and don’t allow reuse of the same passwords over and over. Enforce password policies through Windows group policy or third-party products. Ensure that users are educated about the necessity to keep passwords confidential and are forewarned about the techniques that social engineers may use to discover their passwords.

If at all possible, implement a second authentication method (something you have or something you are) in addition to the password or PIN (something you know).

#8: Try to please all the people all of the time

Network administration isn’t the job for someone who needs to be liked by everyone. You’ll often be setting down and enforcing rules that users don’t like. Resist the temptation to make exceptions (’Okay, we’ll configure the firewall to allow you to use instant messaging since you asked so nicely.’)

It’s your job to see that users have the access they need to do their jobs — and no more.

#9: Don’t try to please any of the people any of the time

Just as it’s important to stand your ground when the security or integrity of the network is at stake, it’s also important to listen to both management and your users, find out what they do need to do their jobs, and make it as easy for them as you can-within the parameters of your mission (a secure and reliable network).

Don’t lose sight of the reason the network exists in the first place: so that users can share files and devices, send and receive mail, access the Internet, etc. If you make those tasks unnecessarily difficult for them, they’ll just look for ways to circumvent your security measures, possibly introducing even worse threats.

#10: Make yourself indispensable by not training anyone else to do your job

This is a common mistake throughout the business world, not just in IT. You think if you’re the only one who knows how the mail server is configured or where all the switches are, your job will be secure. This is another reason some administrators fail to document the network configuration and changes.

The sad fact is: no one is indispensable. If you got hit by a truck tomorrow, the company would go on. Your secrecy might make things a lot more difficult for your successor, but eventually he or she will figure it out.

In the meantime, by failing to train others to do your tasks, you may lock yourself into a position that makes it harder to get a promotion… or even take a vacation.

"

(Via 10 Things.)

Top 5 Scary Movies You (Probably) Haven't Seen

Top 5 Scary Movies You (Probably) Haven't Seen: "Veer off the beaten path this Halloween for vintage horror flicks that will deliver fresh shocks (with YouTube clips to whet your appetite).

"

(Via Clippings.)

Round Those Corners With CSS

Round Those Corners With CSS: "Angular, boxy designs are great for furniture and old Volvos, but not web
pages. Keep your content hip by encasing it within a set of smooth, rounded
corners. The easiest (and most proper) way to create rounded corners is
using web standards — HTML, JavaScript and cascading style sheets.

"

(Via Clippings.)

10 ways to get a slipping project back on track

10 ways to get a slipping project back on track: "

Plenty of things can derail a project plan: underestimated tasks, departing staff, misallocated resources. Here are some practical techniques that can correct the direction of a project that’s losing ground.

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Anyone who’s worked on project teams knows that a variety of factors can move a project past its deadline. It’s not uncommon for some of the work to be harder than originally anticipated or to have turnover on the project that requires you to bring new people up to speed. Sometimes you discover that activities were simply underestimated.Regardless of how it happens, many times you’ll find that you’re trending beyond your committed deadline date. If you discover that happening, your first obligation as the project manager is to try to determine the cause. If you look for remedies without knowing the cause, the situation will probably recur. Your second task is to try to make corrections that will get the project back on track.

At the beginning of a long project, you have many options to solve your problem. But toward the end, your choices dwindle. Look at this list of techniques and see which ones can be applied to your situation. Note that this list is not prioritized. Some of the techniques may work in one instance, while others could be applied better in another situation.

This information is based on the articles ‘Correct your off-schedule project with these techniques,’ and ‘Apply these techniques to get your project back on schedule,’ by Tom Mochal. It’s also available as a PDF download.

#1: Work overtime

Everyone hates it, but one logical place to start is with overtime. If people work more hours, they can get more work done in the same amount of calendar time. Overtime may be the best option if you’re close to the end of the project and just need a final push to get everything done on schedule. If you’re toward the end of the project, you also may be able to issue comp time after the project is completed. If you’re still early in the project, there are probably more effective strategies. This option may also have cost implications if you need to have contract resources work overtime.

#2: Reallocate resources

The project manager must first understand what activities are considered most vital to the project’s success, or on the ‘critical path.’ After all, if the project is trending over deadline, by definition it is the critical path that’s late. Once you understand the critical path, see if resources can be moved from other activities to help resolve the issue. This will allow you to get the project back on track by delaying or stretching out some work. Be careful, though: Delaying some work may end up changing the critical path. Always make sure you double-check the critical path each time you change the schedule.

#3: Double-check all dependencies

Schedule dependencies represent activities that must be completed in a certain order. For example, if you’re building a house, you cannot start putting up the frame until the foundation is poured and dried. If you’re trending over your deadline, you should revalidate dependencies, since it’s possible that the schedule is being lengthened by invalid dependencies between activities. Invalid dependencies may make it appear that activities must be performed sequentially, when they can really be done in parallel.

Sometimes the scheduling software accidentally adds a dependency. Sometimes the project manager adds the dependency but on later review decides it doesn’t really exist. It might make sense to have the team members review the schedule to see if they find dependencies that the project manager thinks are valid, but that they know to be invalid. Check all dependencies to make sure you have all your facts correct before you move into more drastic measures to bring the project back on schedule.

#4: Check time-constrained activities

Time-constrained activities are those with durations that don’t change based on the number of resources applied. For example, you may be allocating team members to a five-day class. The class takes five days if one person attends, and it takes five days if 10 people attend. Check all of these time-constrained activities to validate the timeframe. Perhaps you’re making assumptions that could be changed with a different approach. For instance, if you allocated three days for a contract to reach a client, perhaps the time could be reduced to one day by paying more for overnight delivery.

#5: Swap resources

I mentioned that the first thing to do when you’re trending over your schedule is to determine the cause. One cause you may find is that you have one or more resources that aren’t as productive as you planned. Perhaps certain team members don’t have the right skills. Perhaps they aren’t as productive in this particular area as they are in other areas. Regardless, there may be opportunities to replace resources. In some instances, you can simply swap people who are working on different activities within your project. Other times, you may release a team member and bring in another person.

Remember that the activities on the critical path are key. You may have options to assign a more productive resource to those activities, while reassigning a less productive resource to noncritical path activities. If the activities off the critical path are delayed, you may still be okay in terms of meeting your overall project deadline.

#6: Crash the schedule

Crashing the schedule means applying additional resources to the critical path, the sequence of activities that must be completed on schedule for the entire project to be completed on schedule. It’s always possible to just throw more resources on the critical path, but crashing also means you try to get the biggest schedule gain for the least amount of incremental costs.

For example, if one person were assigned to complete an activity in 10 days, you could see whether two people could complete it earlier. If two resources can complete the activity in five days, you may not be adding any incremental cost to the project, since you’re applying twice the resources for half the time.

In another example, if two people can complete the work in six days, you will have accelerated the schedule at an incremental cost of two workdays (two people for six days vs. the original 10-day estimate). In this example, you could further crash the schedule by applying three resources. Perhaps then the activity would take four days, or four and a half days. Typically, the more resources you throw on an activity, the more the incremental cost will be and the less incremental timesavings you will receive.

The additional resources may come from within the project team or they may be loaned temporarily from outside the team. One of the goals of crashing the schedule is to minimize the incremental cost. However, crashing — in exchange for completing some work ahead of schedule — usually leads to some incremental cost increase to the project. If cost is not as important as the deadline, crashing a set of activities can result in accelerating the schedule.

#7: Fast track it

Fast track means that you look at activities that are normally done in sequence and assign them totally or partially in parallel. Back to our home-building example, you can’t construct the frame until the foundation is dry. However, if the house is large enough, you may have options to fast track by starting to erect the frame on the side of the home where the foundation was poured first. The foundation will start to harden there and might allow you to erect the frame on that side, while the foundation on the far side of the home is still drying.

Another example involves designing an IT application. Normally, you wouldn’t start constructing a solution until the design was completed. However, if you were fast tracking, you would start constructing the solution in areas where you felt the design was pretty solid without waiting for the entire design to be completed. Fast tracking usually involves risk that could lead to increased cost and some rework later. For instance, in our example of designing and constructing an application, it’s possible that the design might change before it is finalized, and those final changes may result in having to redo some of the work already under way.

#8: Prevent all scope change

Many projects begin to trend over their deadline because they are doing more work than they originally committed to. This could be a result of poor scope change management or it could be that small changes are being worked in under the radar screen. If you’re at risk of missing your deadline date, as the project manager you must work with the client and team members to ensure that absolutely no unplanned work is being requested or worked on, even if it’s just one hour. All energy should go into accelerating the agreed-to core work.

#9: Improve processes

When you look at the cause for the project trending over schedule, you may find that some of the internal work processes could be improved. Solicit team member feedback and look for ways that are within your team’s internal control to streamline processes. For instance, perhaps you have a daily status meeting that is not providing value and that can be scaled back to once per week. You may also find bottlenecks in getting deliverables approved.

If you discover delays caused by external processes, try to negotiate changes to the processes going forward, at least on a temporary basis. For example, you may find that activities are being delayed because people need to work on their yearly performance reviews. While these are important, perhaps the timing of completing the reviews can be changed to allow critical project activities to be completed on schedule.

#10: Scale back the scope of work

One option that is usually available is to look at the work remaining and negotiate with the client to remove some of it from the project. If you think some of the remaining work is not core to the project, you could discuss eliminating it quickly. If the remaining work is all core to the solution, this discussion still might need to take place as a last resort. It may be an option to complete this project on time with less than 100 percent functionality and then execute a follow-up project to complete the remaining requirements.

Determining priorities

I’ve pointed out 10 areas to examine if you’re behind schedule. Obviously, one solution is just to deliver the work at a later date. In some cases, that may be perfectly acceptable. However, the assumption here is that the scheduled completion date is important to the client. Some of these techniques don’t require any incremental budget. You should look at them first, if possible.

Other techniques to accelerate the schedule will result in increased cost to the project. If the deadline date is more important than costs, these techniques should be applied next.

If the deadline date is extremely important and you can’t move the schedule or the budget, there may be options associated with scaling back the scope of work. Usually you can complete less work faster. Once you know the cause of the problem and your budget flexibility, you can determine the best actions to undertake to get you back on track to hit your deadline.

"

(Via Clippings.)

10+ ways to help your users transition to Outlook 2007

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10+ ways to help your users transition to Outlook 2007: "

Unlike the other Office 2007 apps, the Outlook 2007 interface isn’t likely to throw users into a panic. But you’ll still need to help them get up to speed with new features and show them how to take advantage of various improvements.

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When you upgrade users to a new version of software, it always takes time for them to get acclimated. They can’t find their favorite features and they often resist using new features. Outlook 2007 is no exception. But the good news is, users won’t find Outlook 2007 as radically different as they might have feared. The familiar interface is still there, and old features are easy to find.

If you upgrade from a previous version, Outlook will import the existing address book, settings, and messages. You won’t lose anything, even if you uninstall the old version before installing 2007. Your system will tolerate only one version of Outlook, but that won’t be a nuisance to most users.

Here are a few Outlook 2007 tips and gotchas that will prepare you to help your users when they make the switch.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: The infamous Ribbon isn’t so scary

Outlook 2007’s main interface is the same, basically, as earlier versions (Figure A). In fact, the main window is so similar to 2003’s, users might be a bit confused. They’ll be expecting something wildly different, and when Outlook 2007 presents them with the familiar interface, they may think you made a mistake.

Figure A

Users won’t see much difference when they launch Office 2007 for the first time.

Prepare users up front. Only Outlook 2007 item windows, e-mail, tasks, contacts, and calendars use Ribbons. (There’s a unique Ribbon for each item.)  The Ribbons are intuitive, and before long, most of your users will be comfortable with them. As you can see in Figure B, Outlook 2007’s Ribbon has little to challenge users.

Figure B

Users will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly they adjust to using Outlook 2007.

If users need help, they can use the online Microsoft Outlook 2007 Interactive Guide or download the Excel mapping workbook., which lists old and new commands.

#2: The To-Do Bar replaces the Task Pad

Previous versions of Outlook use the Task Pad to display daily tasks to the right of the calendar in Calendar view. Outlook 2007 replaces the Task Pad with the To-Do Bar (Figure C). By default, it’s turned off. To display it, choose To-Do Bar from the View menu and then choose Normal or Minimized.

Figure C

You can display the new To-Do Bar in normal or minimized mode.

A wide screen monitor is a plus if you want to appreciate the full effect. In E-mail view, Outlook 2007 displays the Navigation Pane, the current folder, the Reading Pane, and finally, the new To-Do Bar. You can collapse the To-Do Bar by clicking the double arrow at the top right (circled in Figure C). The list is specific to each view, which means you can open or close it in one view without changing its display in the other windows.

The To-Do Bar is more functional than the Task Pad and displays the Date Navigator (this use to be a separate view), appointments, the Task Input panel, and the task list. If appointments take up too much room, right-click the bar’s title bar and deselect Appointments, as shown in Figure D. You can also inhibit Tasks.

Figure D

Show users how to customize the new To-Do Bar.

By default, the list displays a single column. Drag the list’s left column to widen the pane and display more information. There’s a lot more to the To-Do list, but a short introduction will get your users started.

#3: Old flagged mail requires a workaround

When you flag a mail item, Outlook 2007 adds it as a task to the To-Do Bar. That includes old mail items from a previous version when you upgrade. Outlook 2007 will display all older flagged mail in the To-Do Bar, even archived mail. If your users rely on flags, they’ll need to clean up as follows:

1. Click the segmented title bar at the top of the task list in the To-Do Bar.


2. Choose Type from the context menu.


3. Repeat step 1 and choose Show In Groups to group the mail by type.


4. If Posts On Top is visible in the title bar’s right edge, click it to display Messages On Top.


5. With the flagged messages grouped, use the Shift method to select a contiguous block or hold down Ctrl and click the messages you want to clear.


6. Right-click any flag in the selected block and choose Clear Flag/Delete Task.

That will clear flagged messages and tasks without deleting the original e-mail items. Don’t delete the items from the task list by pressing the Delete key, as that will delete the original e-mail items. Don’t clear any flagged messages you mean to keep as tasks. If you don’t want to clear the items, collapse the group (by clicking the minus sign to the left of the Message label in the title bar) to reclaim some space.

#4: A quick click deletes tasks

Clicking a flag in the To-Do Bar’s task list or in the Inbox marks it as complete and removes it from the task list. If the task item originates with an email, Outlook 2007 won’t delete the original e-mail message, just the related task. However, Outlook 2007 won’t give you a chance to confirm or cancel the action; the task just disappears. Clicking the flag next to a flagged task will also mark it as complete and remove it from the list.

#5: Flag delayed e-mail responses

You can’t always respond to a new message right away, but if you don’t, it might fall through the cracks by scrolling off screen. Now that flagged e-mail shows up in the To-Do Bar, and you can display the To-Do Bar in all views, a flag can help you keep up with those delayed responses. Even if the actual message scrolls out of sight, the flagged task shows up in the To-Do Bar. Just pick a flag (by color) to represent delayed responses to e-mail and start flagging those messages as they arrive.

If you move the message to another folder, it still appears in the To-Do Bar (as long as it’s flagged). In addition, Outlook displays a mail icon next to the item in the task list as a subtle visual reminder, as shown in Figure E.

Figure E

Flagged e-mail shows up in the To-Do Bar.

What users might not expect is for Outlook 2007 to roll over uncompleted flagged items to the next day. That might take a bit of adjustment.

#6: Take advantage of Daily Tasks view

Calendar view displays a new daily task list in both Day and Week view. A quick peek into Calendar view, shown in Figure F, keeps you updated with the day’s deadlines, which helps you make better scheduling decisions. Week view displays task below the appropriate day.

Figure F

Tasks are visible in Calendar’s Week view.

Because this list sorts current task, previous tasks, and completed tasks by oldest tasks first, it can lose its usefulness if you have a long list of tasks — and who doesn’t? Unfortunately, you can’t change the sort order.

To delay a task a few days, simply drag it from the task list to a new day. You can drag a task to the mini calendar, but doing so turns it into an appointment, so be careful. Outlook won’t assume you want the task to remain a task.

#7: Organize items with enhanced e-mail categories

In E-mail view, Outlook displays the Categories column by default, as shown in Figure G. Categories are similar to flags, in that they mark a message. With a quick glance, you can distinguish a message by purpose, project, and so on. You can categorize calendar events and tasks as well.

Figure G

Give categories meaningful names to help organize your messages, events, and tasks.

Categories aren’t new to Outlook, but now you can label them to make them more meaningful.

You decide what each categories means. Simply right-click the Categories cell and select a category. Or assign a category to a selection of multiple messages by selecting a block of messages and then right-clicking Categories.

Categories come with default names that simply repeat their color. Outlook encourages customization by prompting you to rename a category the first time you apply it. To rename a category at any other time, right-click Categories and then choose All Categories; the resulting commands are self-explanatory. You’ll notice that the Master Category list from earlier versions is gone. Everything’s in one neat list.

You can assign more than one category to a message. Simply repeat the process of assigning a category. When you do, Outlook adds the new category; it doesn’t overwrite the existing one. To remove a category, simply deselect it.

If you use one category more than any other, assign it as the Quick Click selection by right-clicking Categories and selecting Set Quick Click. In the resulting dialog box, choose the category you want to use as the default. Once you do, a single click in Categories will assign the Quick Click category.

Because Outlook saves your categories in your default data file, your categories can be available on multiple computers if you have a Microsoft Exchange Server E-mail account.

#8: Outlook’s search engine is much improved

Searching in previous versions was painfully slow and frustrating. Outlook 2007 uses Windows Desktop Search technology, which indexes data. Its search feature is easy to use and snappy. As you enter characters, Outlook 2007 immediately starts to filter items. A search of several thousand messages takes less than a couple of seconds.

In addition, you can extend searches to all mail items by choosing Search All Mail Items, as shown in Figure H. For an advanced search, click the expanding arrows to display more criteria controls, as shown in Figure I.

Figure H

Search all mail items with a single option.

Figure I

Add criteria to create a more advanced search.

Vista users are already using this new technology. If you’re using Windows XP, you can download Windows Search.

#9: View attachments with a quick click

Attachments are easy to view in Outlook 2007. In the Reading Pane, click the attachment icon, shown in Figure J. If Outlook 2007 warns you about viewing files, click Preview, assuming you trust the sender. Viewing the attached file within the context of its accompanying e-mail message is helpful and efficient. However, this view allows you only to scan the file’s content. You can’t edit the file. In addition, not every file is viewable.

Figure J

View an attached file with a quick click.

#10: Minimize the Navigation Pane

Now you can minimize the Navigation Pane to a small vertical button bar to free up a bit of workspace. Simply click the left-pointing double arrow to minimize the pane. Click the right-pointing double arrow to restore it. While minimized, click any of the minimized buttons, shown in Figure K, to access that view.

Figure K

Views are still easily assessable from the minimized Navigation Pane.

#11: Word is the only e-mail editor

Word is the only e-mail editor you can use with Outlook 2007. Specifically, Outlook 2007 uses Word’s HTML engine, which works well — most of the time. You might see a few HTML messages behave oddly, but for the most part, users won’t notice much difference. They just need to be aware that they no longer have a choice in the matter.

#12: View multiple calendars

To view multiple calendars, highlight Calendar in My Calendars. Outlook 2007 displays your calendars in tabbed windows, as shown in Figure L. (More than one calendar must be checked for this view to appear different from the other calendar views.) Using this view, you can overlap and color-code calendars to find competing appointments and tasks. To overlap (or remove the overlap), click the arrow in the tab. To add a calendar to this view, select it in My Calendars.

Figure L

View multiple calendars in a single view.

#13: Share calendars

Exchange accounts have been able to share calendars for a while. Now, Outlook 2007 lets non-Exchange accounts share calendars using Microsoft Office Online (a free service) as follows:

1. In Calendar view, right-click the calendar you want to share (publish).


2. From the resulting shortcut menu, choose Publish To Internet.


3. Click Publish To Office Online. The first time you publish a calendar, Outlook 2007 will ask you to register using your Windows Live ID account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one by following the provided instructions.


4. Select the number of days you want to share the calendar.


5. Click the Detail arrow to determine the amount of detail to share.


6. Choose whether to limit those who can view your calendar (Permissions).


7. By default, Outlook 2007 will update the calendar during the next manual or automatic Send/Receive. You can also click Advanced and then click Single Upload. Updates will not be uploaded if you want to upload the calendar without subsequent updates.


8. Click OK.

You can also e-mail a calendar, as follows:

1. Right-click the calendar you want to mail and choose Send Via E-mail.


2. From the Calendar list, choose a calendar. By default, Outlook 2007 sends your default calendar.


3. From the Date Range list, choose the time period you want to include. Or click Specify Dates and enter a custom date range. (The more you include, the larger the e-mail message will be.)


4. Choose the details you want to share from the Detail list. Outlook 2007 won’t share private items unless you change this setting in the Advanced options.


5. Click OK.


6. In the To control, enter the name of the person to whom you’re sending the calendar.


7. Click Send and then click OK to confirm the action.

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Susan Sales Harkins is an independent consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. Her most recent book is Mastering Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express, with Mike Gunderloy, published by Sybex. Other collaborations with Gunderloy are Automating Microsoft Access 2003 with VBA, Upgrader’s Guide to Microsoft Office System 2003, ICDL Exam Cram 2, and Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Access 2003, all published by Que. Currently, Susan volunteers as the Publications Director for Database Advisors. You can reach her at ssharkins@gmail.com.

"

(Via 10 Things.)

Parallels for Mac and Network Loss

After updating to this week's security update for Leopard on my desktop computer, I no longer had network on my Parallels virtual machine Windows XP. I also noticed under Mac's System Preferences/Networking that I had self-assigned IP addresses under the section for Parallels Host-Guest connection (starting with 169.x).

I closed my virtual machine under Parallels and went into the preferences for Parallels and ticked and unticked the network section's DHCP scope. I watched the System Preferences and as soon as I re-ticked the DHCP scope, my network connections were getting IP addresses.

This has happened to me in the past and others but after seeing this work, it will save a lot of time compared to what had worked for me in the past.

Deploying Adobe [Acrobat] Reader

Found this great blog post listing recommendations for deploying Adobe Reader, very helpful!

Barracuda and WSUS Not Playing Well Together...

In a client's installation who had a previously installed Barracuda anti-spyware applince, I noticed that the WSUS server was synchronizing but wasn't able to download the updates. A quick call to Barracuda revealed that an exemption for the WSUS server should be added to the IP Block/Exempt section under the Block/Accept tab. I was instructed to add the WSUS server twice, once under 'Source IP Address' with a Source netmask of 255.255.255.255 and again under the destination IP address with the same subnet mask. I set it up and all worked well.

Now to download 39 GB worth of updates!

Offline File Syncronization Errors

For those of you who synch offline files either through GPOs or local security policies, you might encounter errors in synchronizing database files. Microsoft has a suggested fix but they don't officially recommend it.

Google Earth for iPhone

This is very cool!

Google Earth for iPhone: "By Scott Knaster, Google Mac Team

Google Earth is now available for the iPhone! And it's free, of course. Read all about it at the Google Mobile Blog.

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(Via Clippings.)

Internet Explorer and Outlook on XP not able to pull up local resources: internet explorer canot display the webpage valid

XP & Server 2003 occasionally encounter corruption in Winsock, resulting in many web sites and local resources don't seem to be able to find local resources even though from the command line they are resolved with nslookup and pings to the name.

I've seen this error in both Internet Explorer and Outlook on XP when trying to access local resources.

There are some free tools for resolving it but the Microsoft document is here.

Tame the Wild Web With These Browser-Specific CSS Hacks

Tame the Wild Web With These Browser-Specific CSS Hacks: "Your code is standards-compliant and it looks just right in Firefox. But Internet Explorer, not so much. While outdated browsers are still a fact of life, it's up to you to make your pages backwards-compatible. Why make visitors with up-to-date browsers suffer with
obsolete code? Solve that problem the Webmonkey way — hack around it.

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(Via Wired: Top Stories.)

Noah Webster's ghost happily haunting your iPhone

This is really neat stuff. I just read another story where Apple is treating the iPhone as their 'netbook' laptop and I can see why. After trying to type on one in Best Buy (ASUS or Acer, I can't remember), I decided to wait on getting a netbook laptop, at least until I try one with a little more keyboard, perhaps the Lenovo S10....

Anyhow, the dictionary being loaded onto your iPhone totally reinforces the iPhone being all about the apps.

Noah Webster's ghost happily haunting your iPhone: "

Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

With the availability of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, for the iPhone and iPod touch, Noah Webster must be a happy ghost. His namesake dictionary, converted to Apple's handheld platforms by Paragon Technologie GmbH, now gives teachers, writers, and students a fully searchable reference at their fingertips.

This is a pocket version of the best-selling dictionary in the USA, featuring over 225,000 defined words. Since it is a self-contained application and not a web front-end to an online dictionary, it can be used in situations where your device is in airplane mode.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary isn't cheap -- it sells for US$24.99 in the App Store (click opens iTunes). However, carrying this app on your iPhone is a lot lighter than lugging around the US$23.95, 3.6 lb. (1.63 kg.) printed version.

The other major competition to this application, Webster's New World Dictionary (click opens iTunes) from AcroDesign, is a bit less expensive at US$14.99, but is less complete with only 163,000 entries.

What's the favorite reference you'd like to have on your handheld device? Leave us a comment!

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(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)