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Prospective Reflections on Computers and Technology

The millennium era is the season for information technology, internet and computers. They become the parts and parcel of our daily life. We cannot dream of living without them. In order to honor them, I provide in this article, various prospective reflections on computers and technology.

Here they are:

Technology is ruled by two types of people: those who manage what they do not understand and those who understand what they do not manage.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.
Information Technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don’t think anybody can meaningfully talk about one without talking about the other.
Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they are basically good and smart and if you give them tools, they will do wonderful things with them.
Every once in a while, a new technology, an old problem and a big idea turn into an innovation.
The science of today is the technology of tomorrow.
I think it’s fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created. They are tools of communication, they are tools of creativity and they can be shaped by their user.
Treat your password like a toothbrush. Don’t let anybody else use it and get a new one every six months.
The next major explosion is going to be when genetics and computers come together. I am talking about an organic computer – about biological substances that can function like a semiconductor.
Computing is not about computers anymore. It is about living.
With all the abundance we have of computers and computing, what is scarce is human attention and time.
The new information technology – internet and email – have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications.
Part of the inhumanity of the computer is that, once it is competently programmed and working smoothly, it is completely honest.
By the time we get to the 2040s, we’ll be able to multiply human intelligence a billion-fold. That will be a profound change that’s singular in nature. Computers are going to keep getting smaller and smaller. Ultimately, they will go inside our bodies and brains and make us healthier and smarter.

Understanding the Microsoft Certification Test

Since you have decided that becoming a certified IT professional is your career goal then you will want to prepare yourself for the Microsoft Certification Test. This certificate is highly recognized in the IT industry and shows that you are qualified to be an expert in Microsoft applications such as Windows 2000, Windows XP and Microsoft Excel. Earning this certification shows that you are proficient in these Microsoft programs. Working on your MSCE certification is important because the certificate for the Windows Server 2003 doesn’t expire. Meaning if you are already certified on the Windows 2000 Server you need only take two more exams in order to get your MSCE certification. A very important part of preparing for this test will be the Microsoft Test Prep.

In order to become certified in MSCE you must pass seven individual exams. Of these seven exams four are on networking systems and one each on core design and client operating systems. The seventh exam is an elective. It is highly recommended before taking the Microsoft Certification Test that you utilize a MSCE Test Prep due to the different exams and topics covered. This will give you the opportunity to see questions that may be on the actual test and to help you identify areas where you might need to spend extra time studying.

It is extremely important that you utilize the Microsoft Prep Test. Its sample questions will help you determine what areas you might need to work on before taking the actual exam. The practice test will allow you to see if you got a question wrong and what the correct answer is. Seeing the correct answer of what you answered wrong in print may help you to better retain the information and ensure that you pass the Microsoft Certification Test.

There are several different courses and study guides available to help you learn the requirements for passing the MSCE test. These Test Prep sites will walk you through everything you need to know for passing the Microsoft Certification Test. You will also receive resource links to find any information you will need to know on how to pass the test. If you do not pass the test the first time it is taken then you will be allowed to take the test a second time at no cost. This is a great feature especially for those who are not good test takers or might need further training.

What Is the Current Demand for Computer Forensics Certification?

In recent years, there have been a record number of computer security related crimes than ever before. The more that digital technology advances, the more chances that computer criminals will take advantage and find new ways of stealing and destroying data. That is why the growing interest in computer forensics training is becoming a sought after field for those wanting a high paid and stable forensics career.

If you want to pursue a computer forensics education, there are many forensics classes you will need to complete to get your forensics degree. The basis of your forensics classes will be to become a forensics specialist who can solve computer crimes successfully.

Another aspect of your forensics training will be to find and recover lost or stolen computer systems information, as well as making it safe against future computer criminals. Going to forensics school will also entail becoming trained to analyze other electronic devices besides computers, such as cell phones, iPads, iPhones and other new technological devices that connect to the internet. As a result, you can imagine that there are many in-demand forensics colleges and forensics classes that will help you to get your forensics degree. Believe it or not, you can receive a forensics degree as soon as two years from now.

However, keep in mind that the highest salaried forensics jobs will be from those forensics colleges that offer a four-year degree in the specialized area. Some of the training you will receive when attending a forensics school, will be the basics of computer forensics, as well as much more focused education on computer file recovery, how criminals hide data, administrative procedures when dealing with related court cases.

You will also become an expert in computer forensics software programs used in the profession. If you are someone who enjoys computer work on a full time basis and you also find working with the law interesting, the field of computer forensics will be very rewarding for you. If you also have a degree of skill working with computer software and programs, you will very likely enjoy the computer forensics training you receive.

This is a field that will never be short of jobs because of the continued advancements in computers and digital technology. This, like the healthcare field, is a career you can feel secure about pursuing as it will always be in demand as long as there are computers and people who use them!

Hard Drive Crash? The Essential Data Recovery Report

Your worst nightmare just became a horrifying reality. You keep hearing that little voice in your head mockingly shout “you should have backed that stuff up” The voice keeps echoing throughout your head as you perform a quick inventory all of the important information that you just lost…..your client database, a years worth of e-mail, your entire inventory database, even your family photos.

Even worse, you’ve got a deposition in two-weeks and key information needed to help win the case were also lost. You quickly call a service technician and have them come over to check the computer out, only to hear the worst news of all….your data has been lost. When a hard drive crashes, it’s too late to worry about what you “should have done.”

Today data recovery is a multi-million dollar industry. The number of data recovery firms out there seems to exceed the number of fast food restaurants for the entire planet. These companies specialize in helping their clients retrieve data on anything from hard drives to flash-roms. In the following report, we will discuss what data recovery really is; the different types, the costs, and what you can realistically expect when it comes to getting your data recovered.

What To Do In The Event Of Data Loss?

Around 44% of all data loss is caused by hardware failure. It’s important to make sure that you immediately shut your system down if you suspect that hard drive has crashed. Don’t even try to go through the shutdown procedure, just pull the plug from the wall. Do not try to run off the shelf data recovery software or drive utilities. Many times these applications will assume the drive is functioning properly and will increase the risk of permanent data loss.

Types Of Hard Drive Failure

When we discuss data recovery in this report, we will primarily focus on issues surrounding hard drive failures; since these types of failures are most common. There are really two primary forms of failure in a hard drive, logical and physical. Logical failures are usually a result of file-system corruption. This can occur due to a virus, accidental deletion of key files or registry components, and in some cases even electro-static discharge. In most cases where a logical failure has occurred, the drive is still recognized by the system BIOS, but it will not boot. In most cases, your data should still be intact on the drive, even though it may appear to be inaccessible.

If the system BIOS does not detect the presence of the hard drive, then chances are a physical failure has occurred. Physical failures can result from a wide variety of causes. There are really two sub-categories for physical hard drive failures; mechanical and electronic. Mechanical failures usually result from a failure of the spindle motor. Spindle motor failure can result from excessive heat due to a bearing failure. The increased heat resulting from the bearing failure will expand the drive shaft and therefore seize the spindle motor. Suddenly, your drive will become inoperative. Occasionally, you will get a warning that something bad is about to happen. You may hear a loud whining, a grinding noise, even high-pitched screeches. If anything like this starts to occur, BACK UP YOUR DATA IMMEDIATELY.

Another physical issue that sometimes rears its ugly head is an electronic failure. If you look at a hard drive you will notice a circuit board on the bottom. This board is basically the brains of the drive, and it is where the computer interfaces to the hard drive. An electrical failure can occur unexpectedly at any time. Even brand new hard drives are not totally immune to having electrical failures. Sometimes it’s just a faulty component, sometimes it’s improper installation (i.e. electro-static discharge, grounding out the board, damaging circuitry during installation). It’s important to also keep your system clean and well ventilated, since excessive heat can damage the electrical components on the drive. If you have a system that is in a somewhat contained area, you may look at adding an additional 80mm fan to cool the internal components of the system, especially the hard drive. No other component of a computer works as much as the hard drive, and therefore it is vitally important not to overlook it when cooling issues arise.

How Is My Data Recovered?

One of the most often asked questions that customers ask is, “how do you get my data back?” Well, it’s really not black magic or rocket science. It’s just a matter of having the right tools and the knowledge necessary to know what to do, much like a surgeon performing heart by-pass surgery. Many prominent data recovery facilities have a large array of hardware, software and tools for recovering data.

Generally speaking when a hard drive is received by a data recovery firm, the first thing they do is evaluate it, and determine what recovery solution will be necessary. If the drive failure is a logical issue as mentioned earlier, then a scan of the drive will be performed to try and repair the file system corruption. Sometimes a partition can be repaired and the drive restored to the status that it was before the failure. If this is not possible, then a very low-level scan will be performed that essentially searches every sector of the hard drive for files. Once the files are located, they can then be copied to the media of choice, i.e. a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or another hard drive. Logical recoveries can take up an enormous amount of time, especially if the drive is on the verge of physical failure. It’s not uncommon to allow for one day of scanning and a day for recovering the found files.

If the drive has suffered a physical failure, then the recovery procedure is quite a bit more challenging. As mentioned above, there are really two sub-categories of physical failure; mechanical and electronic. An important element in recovering data from a physical failure is having the necessary parts to get the drive functioning again. Unfortunately with hard drives if you have a 20GB Maxtor Hard Drive for example, then you will need another identical 20GB Maxtor Hard Drive for salvaging parts. In cases where the electronic circuit board has failed on the hard drive, then you have to have the exact same circuit board on hand in order to retrieve the necessary circuit components for replacement. Many times you cannot even exchange circuit board for circuit board. These repairs generally require soldering skills and a thorough knowledge of electronics to be successfully completed. You will most likely hear “Class100 Clean Room” thrown around a lot when talking to data recovery professionals. Simply stated, a Class100 Clean Room maintains exceptional air purity, and contains less than 100 airborne particles larger than 0.5 microns in each cubic foot of air. This is vital in protecting sensitive internal components of hard drives. Anytime a hard drive is having an invasive procedure performed on it, a Class100 clean room or better is needed.

The time frame for recovery is generally 5-10 business days for physical issues and 2-4 days for logical issues. Sometimes if components are not readily available, then it may take weeks to complete the recovery. Some firms offer expedite service and you definitely pay for this added attention.

What About Data Recovery Software

This is one area where you really do get what you pay for. Try to stay away from software in the $20-$60 range, since these utilities are generally very limited in what they can do. Also make sure that you NEVER and just to emphasize, NEVER EVER get data recovery software that writes anything at all to the damaged disk. You run the risk of overwriting data that may otherwise have been recoverable, but will be lost forever. If you are fairly computer savvy, then there are a few good data recovery software solutions available.

What To Look For When Shopping For Data Recovery

There’s an old saying, “you get what you pay for.” In most cases this is true. However, just because a company with a fancy website quotes you $3,500 for data recovery, does not mean that they are any better than a company that quotes you $1,500. Also, try to stay away from companies that want to charge $50-$300 for evaluating your drive. There has been a movement in the data recovery industry over the last couple of years to offer a number of free services. Most reputable data recovery companies will evaluate standard IDE drives free of charge; so don’t let the word “free” this or “free” that stop you. The data recovery market is quickly becoming saturated, and a company does not necessarily cheapen itself or lack expertise by offering free evaluations.

You will find as you shop around for data recovery that prices vary greatly. You will get quotes that range from $300 to $5,000 for standard hard drive recoveries. It’s not uncommon to literally get quotes that have at least a $1,500 high/low spread. We shopped one prominent data recovery company where we gave them specific indicators of a physical hard drive failure. We were eventually quoted a price range of $600 to $2,900 for the recovery. Many times this is a bait and switch type tactic. They get you to send in the drive with the low-end $600 price, then they let you know it’s going to cost $2,100 for the recovery. You end up being well under the $2,900 high-end price, but well over what other reputable companies would charge. Since most customers won’t go through the pain of having the drive sent back, only to have to send it out to another company, these bait and switch companies end up making huge profits off of unsuspecting customers.

Try to find a company that will give you an up front cost for either a logical or physical recovery. Most companies will be able to tell you within a couple hundred dollars the cost of a recovery. However, don’t misunderstand a company that gives you a price for two different procedures. For example, some companies will give you a price if the failure is logical and a price if the problem ends up being physical. We called one firm and were told that if the drive had a logical failure the price would be $400 and if it ended up being a physical issue the price would be $1,600. This is not a high/low spread as mentioned in the earlier example, this is simply quoting a price for two different types of recoveries.

On average you can expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $600 for logical recoveries, and $1,200 to $2,000 for physical recoveries on standard IDE hard drives. If you have RAID drives, SCSI, etc. depending on the configuration prices can be as high as $15,000. Remember, backup backup backup backup backup!!

Can My Data Be Recovered?

In most cases the answer to this question is yes. On average, the success rate for data recovery professionals is about 75-85%. However, there are times when the data is just lost, either due to extensive damage to the platter or unavailability of replacement parts.

How Do I Get Started?

If you have a hard drive that has crashed, the most important thing you can do is contact a data recovery professional immediately. Make sure you aren’t being charged an evaluation fee if you have a standard IDE hard drive. Most companies only charge evaluation fees for complex RAID and network server drives.

Tips To Follow Before You Buy Computer Hardware

For a computer to perform as efficiently and effectively, good hardware configuration is a must. From the very basic functioning to running the most advanced softwares, the hardware set up holds the key. The component of a computer hardware usually includes keyboards, monitor, mouse, printers, scanners, Central Processing Unit (CPU), disk drives, digital flash drives, audio and video cards, motherboard, processor, graphic card, memory chips, RAM and cables. For proper programming and functioning of the computers, it is necessary that the above mentioned hardware is in proper functioning. However, while you are seeking to buy computer hardware, you need to recognize the several options you have at bay.

Although there are traditional ways you can opt while you look to buy computer hardware, you must also explore the dimension that online domain has brought forth. Today, there are innumerous hardware shops which operates online and facilitate online buying and selling of hardware products. The growing trend of online shopping provides you an array of options of choosing a large number of hardware products that are available under different brands and series. So, you may visit a large number of products with scrolls and clicks of the mouse.

If you favor visiting a hardware store to find out the suitable hardware product, then there are comprehensive benefits as well. Not only the fact that you can have a good look at the stuffs you are buying, there are technical staffs at your service who will intimate you with any of your latent queries.

Regardless of the fact that whether you decide to buy computer hardware online or from a dealer, there are certain things that you ought to take care of. In the following paragraph, we will discuss some of the key points that are necessary for you to remember before finalizing a deal.

1. Validation – Whether you are buying hardware articles from a retailer or via online, proper validation is an absolute necessity. This validation is in regards to whether a company selling computer hardware products is a registered one. There are few stores and websites which profess to deliver high grade products but in reality may ultimately fraud you by dumping the cheap computer hardware articles to you.

2. Reputation – Before you decide on the final buy, make sure that you have gained knowledge about the history of the company. In this regard, you may take references of the customers these companies have served and verify the record of their services as well the quality of products.

3. Reviews – It is a common fact that the online stores that sell computer peripherals and hardware accessories generally lists the impressive comments of the customers and upload them on the website. So, in order to derive the unbiased side of the story, you can rely on the reviews. These reviews which are written by professionals and experts uphold the unprejudiced views about a company, the services they render and also the customer’s comments. Thus, before you decide to purchase hardware or computer peripherals from a traditional store or via internet, make sure we have made a thorough glance over these reviews.

4. Quotes – If you wish to avail hardware articles at budget friendly price, then always ask for quotes from the company. Almost all the online hardware shops have a separate page wherein you can request a quote and they will get back to you through e-mail. So, before closing a final deal, make sure that you have availed quotes from multiple companies. High prices seldom determine quality of a product, so devote time to avail something that will suit your budget as well as leave its mark in terms of quality. The same applies when you decide to buy hardware from regular computer stores. Make sure that you have visited such multiple shops and have acquired the approximate costs and then decide accordingly.

While you wish to avail hardware products, at a low price, you need not necessarily have to compromise with quality. So while buying hardware, look around every possible niche, research every brand and finally make invest your resources to make sure that you get the best thing for your system.