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Greetings!
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Photo from Rutgers University
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Greetings!
In our last PCATT eZine, we talked about securing your passwords. Winlab at Rutgers University has developed a prototype of a ring-like device that transmits data identification through a touchscreen, thus "Replacing Your Password with a Finger Swipe." Until the ultimate password security method is found, we must rely on our human abilities, perhaps the best solution. If you would like to test your passwords, try The Password Meter. There are several resources like this, but I like this one because you can add and deduct elements to strengthen your password. Stay safe, protect your data and your identity.
All the best,
Beryl Morimoto
Program Manager
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DropBox Alternatives
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Graphic from PC World
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Speaking of security, here's a DIY encryption alternative to TrueCrypt for cloud storage called BoxCryptor. Brad Chacos writes a clear how-to article for PCWorld. You will want to read the comments as they are worth noting.
There's a new service called AeroFS which is available as an invite-only beta. Five enterprise DropBox alternatives listed in CIO include Syncplicity, Cubby, Huddle, Egnyte, and ShareFile and you may want to check out SpiderOak. Yes, there are a lot of choices and not everything is free. A very good comparison resource is NextAdvisor which rates online services in an easy-to-read format. Topics like these and others are discussed in the PCATT Security courses.
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VMworld 2012 - Right Here Right Now
The big news at VMworld this year was the impending
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Self-driving car at the VMworld 2012 conference
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release of vSphere 5.1. The general availability release wasn't announced until September 12, but new features were the topics of one of the keynote talks and many breakout sessions. The loudest applause was during Dr. Steve Herrod's general session when he announced the end to vRAM entitlements. The return to licensing based only on CPUs was the topic of many conversations after the announcement. Dr. Steve Herrod is the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President of Research and Development for VMware.
vSphere 5.1 seems to have some significant enhancements for a "dot" release. One of those is vMotion without shared storage. Other enhancements include a more functional vSphere Web client, vSphere Data Protection, vSphere Replication and vSphere Endpoint. To read more about what's new in vSphere 5.1 check out the PCATT blog.
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"23 IT Certifications That Mean Higher Pay"
 There isn't really a way to definitely receive a 10% to 15% pay raise if you attain a CISSP or an Oracle DBA OCM certification. Still, this is an interesting read and you'll probably want to see what certifications are listed with what percent pay increase. The bottom line is the last sentence of this article written by Rich Hein for CIO.com: "To be an IT professional with longevity, you need education, hands-on experience and the ability to evolve with the technology and while these certifications alone won't necessarily get you hired, they should ensure that if you are hired you get paid what your worth." Read the article here.
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Best Websites
You see these all the time. The "Ten Best Something", the "5 Ways to do Something-Or-Other". This one is simply titled "Best Websites" and 119 websites are listed. One hundred and nineteen sites are overwhelming but the categorization is helpful. There are expected categories such as Productivity, Security/Privacy, and Social. There's also categories for Bored, Local, and Online Shopping. It's quite a compendium from the site, makeuseof.com where they have cheat sheets, how-to tips, best apps, and all sorts of things. Perhaps they could have listed themselves in the "I am Bored" category of their Best Websites listing, and that's meant as a compliment.
To create your own great websites, PCATT has training for you too. The newest course is HTML5, CSS3, and jQuery for Dynamic Websites which starts on November 20.
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Educational Benefits for Active Duty Military and Veterans
We regularly receive inquiries about the GI and Post 9/11
GI Bills and their associated benefits. It's best to go directly to the source for information and a very good site is from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, and several other military educational program benefits are listed on this VA site.
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For Smart People 
We consider our PCATT friends to be intelligent. The reasons are obvious. Anyone interested in technology and advanced technology training surely starts with a lot of intelligence. Here you'll find our PCATT courses coming in October. Hope you find something that works for you. If not, contact us.
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And Finally...
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Graphic from xkcd.com
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We end with something light or amusing. This is an interactive cartoon where you click and drag in the last frame. I never reached the end. If you do, please share what happens. Beware of carpal tunnel. Enjoy "Click and Drag" from xkcd.com who bill themselves as "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language." Again from their site: "Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)."
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