Copyright (c) 2008 Wes Fernley

When it comes to IP video surveillance, the IP cameras themselves are only part of the picture. Beyond the physical cameras is the IP camera software you use to monitor and record video. Oftentimes cameras will not come with this software included, and it will be up to you to pick the right software for your needs.

IP Camera Software Features

One of the major things to look at when choosing software for your IP camera software is the features included with that camera. Take some time to think about what exactly you want your software to do. If you want nothing more than for video to be recorded to look at later, then just about any piece of IP software will do. However, if you are looking for something more advanced you will find there are many options.

Many pieces of IP camera software come with a variety of features. For example, oftentimes they come with advanced video analytics such as motion detection, object recognition, even facial recognition. The software can then be programmed to do things such as send out notifications or alerts should an intrusion happen via e-mail, text or other signal. Software can also be programmed to only record, for example, upon motion detection.

Make a list of the things you would like your IP camera software to do, then look for a piece of software that has the features which will make these things happen. This is your first step in choosing the piece of software that is right for your security system.  Read more...

Introduction

What to Buy – That is the Question

Buying decisions are the essence of life in the commerce-driven 21st century. From everyday decisions like selecting lunch from a restaurant menu, to getting a new car, to major company acquisitions, much of our time is spent “buying”. And these choices are anything but simple. Each marketer professes to be the sole champion of our consumer rights and pummels us with enticing advertising messages, about how their wares are “the best”. Seductive as these messages are, no product or service is quite the same. The difference may be glaring – that of “better vs. worse”, or a subtle tradeoff between price, quality, feature set, customer service, or durability. It is therefore important to keep our wits about & develop a systematic approach to the buying decision. Our view should be broad & farsighted, rather than buying based only on what immediately meets the eye. Hasty decisions leave us with flashy features never used, or hefty repair bills of products that came cheap. A good example of a systematic approach is when you buy a car. A myriad of factors are considered & weighed, which impact the owner for the next decade. This includes brand, performance vs. style, price, safety, terms of finance, mileage, maintenance, resale value & so many other factors.

Selecting Software

 Read more...

Depending upon the model, a notebook battery usually lasts from 1 to 8 hours. However, with efficient battery usage, an hour or two of battery power can significantly be increased. You can save battery power by using the built-in battery saving modes and by following good notebook battery-saving practices.

Built-in battery-saving modes are Stand By and Hibernate. In the Stand By mode, open applications are stored in the RAM, the hard disks power down, the monitor switches off, but the processor goes on running. When you again perform some activity of the mouse or the keyboard, then the hard disk powers up, the monitor switches on, and the data from the RAM is activated, restoring your notebook exactly the way you left it.

The Hibernation mode is used when the notebook is left unattended for a long time. The open applications are stored on the hard disk, which subsequently powers down, the monitor turns off, and the processor turns off going in for hibernation. On soft rebooting like a restart or wake up on LAN, the processor turns on, the laptop wakes up, and the same exact settings are restored. Both these modes should be used to conserve battery power. You can preset your preferences in the settings of your notebook, so that in case you doze off, or leave the device for a coffee or a snack, the notebook automatically goes into any one of these power saving modes.

 Read more...

This article is also the topic of a Podcast on “The Root Cause” available on iTunes.
—————————————————————–

IT Career Planning is an area that all IT workers must take seriously. This article and podcast discuss one area of such planning. The difference between Horizontal and Vertical growth in your technical career.

What does it mean to say Vertical or Horizontal in this context? Horizontal Knowledge is to know pure technology while Vertical Knowledge is knowing how your organization uses and deploys technology. In other words, knowing where all the bodies are buried and how your organization has evolved as a technological organism is Vertical. Product knowledge, IEEE specifications, protocols and Best Practices–are Horizontal.

Which is better? That depends on who is asking. If you are an IT manager looking at your staff–company specific knowledge is far more valuable. If you are an IT manager looking at a potential new hire–raw technology wins. The question to ask is–where do you see yourself? If you are confident in your position–then your vertical knowledge is your security. If you think you may need to seek a new position someday–and you most likely will–then you cannot ignore horizontal knowledge.  Read more...

Now more than ever, information technology is booming. The advancements in the past few years have surpassed anything else in the industry. And this trend is almost guaranteed to continue to rise over the years.

There are many exciting career opportunities that you can get with a technology degree such as network engineering, database management or even becoming a computer technician. Therefore, choosing the technology degree that is best for you is crucial to your future success. There are a lot of qualified colleges and learning facilities that will give you the tools you need.

There is great interest in these types of jobs, so it is important to get the best training. Most institutions that offer a technology degree program will have the necessary hands on training that you need to succeed. They will also be able to work with you to make sure you find the career that is best for you.

If you have a love for computers and technology, then you have a great starting point. The next step is acquiring the skills and tools that are necessary for you to be able to turn that love into a lucrative career. Upon receiving your technology degree, you will be qualified to work in a wide variety of information technology fields.

With the amount of Internet based crimes on the rise, a career working in network security can be a great plan. Hackers are always finding new tricks to get access to secure information. If you worked in network security, you would always have to stay one step ahead of the hackers. This can be a fun and challenging position.  Read more...