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March 2012 |
The seminar in 2012 will have 8 sessions covering 4 hardware sub-systems
of a computer, Windows which drives the hardware, server virtualisation which optimizes the use of hardware, and the hardware which interfaces with the network. On top of these, it will include case studies and knowledge base articles to assist real life technical support. We will mention some software applications as this is inevitable for a computer but software applications are not the focus of this seminar.
• The technical level is L3 to L5 on the Compucon Seminar Scale which prescribes L1 as for generic audience, L2 for generic technical, L3 for technical overview, L4 for technical details, and L5 for technical hands on. People involved in implementing and supporting information systems and networks for business clients (as against consumers) will benefit most. People new in the IT industry will benefit but they may find this seminar too much to handle at one time (like a big bang). This seminar contains about 30% new content as compared to 2011- some sessions are 100% new and some include 20% new content only. People who have attended this seminar before will benefit and possibly are the ones benefiting the most.
• This seminar has been positioned differently to all other courses in the IT industry or given in learning institutes. It is different as the content is up to date, it does not contain sales propaganda, it is given by practising specialists in the industry, it contains both theories and practical implementations, and most importantly, it removes myths and reinforces certainties. This seminar promotes attention to detail as well as the big picture, and it aims to assist peers to adopt the same practices. People with training in A+, Network+, Microsoft and Cisco certification, or in Computer Science at a university level will benefit from this approach.
• There is a minor speaker change from last year. Edmond will take up Knowledge Base and Case Studies in place of Joseph, and Mike Grant will handle Wireless and Networking in place of Edmond. In addition, this seminar will have Dave Fielder and Sion Roberts as in-class tutors. They will ask questions or add comments to help the audience put messages into perspective.
• This seminar has been held once a year for the last 10 years. It is the only seminar in the year which incurs a fee for attending. For 1st timers, the fee is $210 + GST. If a company sends 2 persons or more to the seminar, each will pay $140 + GST only if they are 1st timers. Refreshers will pay $70 + GST only. The fee will cover the tuition, seminar manual, lunch, muffin, wine and cheese, and a day of valuable experience.
11:00 - 11:15 Course Outline (TN)
11:15 - 12:15 PC System Architecture & Design Philosophies (TN), 25%
12:15 - 12:45 Wireless & Networking (Mike) 30%
12:45 - 1:30 Lunch Break (take orders at 10:50am)
1:30 - 2:15pm RAID, NAS & SAN (Ed) 30%
2:15 - 3:00pm Graphics & GPU (Ed) 30%
3:00 - 3:30pm Technical Knowledge Base Review (Ed), 100%
3:30 – 4:00pm Muffin Break
4:00 - 4:50pm Compucon Windows (Daryl), 20%
4:50 – 5:20pm Server Virtualisation (Daryl) 100%
5:20 - 6:00pm IPMI & Remote System Management (Daryl), 10%
6:00 – 7:30pm Wine and Cheese
Architecture: Where is PC positioned when phones are becoming very smart and tablets are so easy to use? How to deliver max performance from minimum specification? How to achieve very high performance from very low wattage? How to achieve customer loyalty with solutions in lieu of PC platforms? How to make computers that are reliable? We will provide a brief history of Chipset and CPU evolutions, the race in architecture between Intel and AMD, and the new face of computing with nVidia joining. (1hr)
Networking: This is an overview of networking technologies pertaining to small and medium businesses. We will cover the world of wired and wireless by referring to IEEE specifications, OSI 7 layer model and TCP/IP stack. We will look at performance parameters, security standards, and power over Ethernet. We will se the differences between IPv4 and IPv6 and discuss the adaption transition process. (30min)
RAID & Storage: HDD is inexpensive and yet data is the most expensive. RAID is such a device for deploying inexpensive devices for the most expensive assets. We will cover the various RAID algorithms and levels of performance and security. We will explain the benefits of Host versus Hardware based RAID, and the use of enclosures with useful visible indications. We will briefly explain the Building and Re-building processes and how we can provide remote RAID Maintenance monitoring service. We will disclose the simplicity for constructing NAS and SAN for department and enterprise data storage. (45min)
Graphics & GPU: We know VGA as a graphics display adapter previously. Modern VGA is known as GPU for its computing capabilities, initially for visualisation and further for pure computation. We will cover the 3 levels of nVidia market segmentations as in GeForce, Quadro and Tesla. We will attempt to define the demarcation between integrated and discrete graphics. (45min)
KB and Case Studies: This is the most practical session of the course. We will review a couple of real life technical support cases that have high learning values and disclose the logics and tools we use. We have posted many technical knowledge base articles on our website within the last 12 months. We will explain a couple of them for appraisal. (30min)
Windows: Compucon has developed a unique Pre-installation System for Windows OS to achieve system stability, quality assurance and consistency. We will explain how it works and how it benefits our peers and end users. All desktops pre-installed with Windows would have a Compucon Folder- what are in it and how it benefits customers? We will discuss recommendations for routine maintenance, fault diagnosis and recovery. This info alone could worth your time investment in this course. (40 min)
Server Virtualisation: Server Virtualization is new for CAST although we have covered it previously in several CPD seminars. This session will focus on Windows Hyper Visor only. We will explain the concepts of virtualisation and real life implementation issues such as hardware requirements, sizing, limitations, and best practices. (40 min)
IPMI and Remote Management: All Compucon servers including the single processor WGS are equipped with IPMI which is a piece of silicon which remains active as long as the server is connected to the wall (even when the server has crashed). We will explain how to set up IPMI, what it does as differ to VPN, RDP, VNC etc. We will recommend the best practices for peer adoption and explain how Compucon can provide a hand on remote system maintenance and diagnosis. (40 min)
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March 2012 |
 Not everyone is involved in selling. No, this is not true. Everyone is involved in selling everyday. A teacher sells his knowledge to students. A supervisor sells his help to his subordinates. A president sells his contributions to the country. A parent sells disciplines to children. Selling can be interpreted as personal communication, and it certainly includes selling in a commercial sense. This article is intended to prescribe how we do it professionally.
In the CPD seminar held on 21 March 2012 attended by 25 peers, we presented 5 do's and 5 dont's in selling for discussion. The points were originally quoted from a book entitled "Selling Sucks" published in 2007 and slightly modified for our peer group environment. We started with dont's.
1st Dont cold call because it is not cost effective and would give the other person an impression that we are too keen to sell. Most peers agreed although some did take cold calls as they found gold in a couple of inward cold calls. Another peer commented that cold calling was one way to let people know what we had to offer.
2nd Dont go to networking events as we would be networking with other sales people and not with purse string holders. Some peers did not agree as they obtained business from networking events. The majority agreed that time was precious and there were more important things to do than going to networking events. For those who do not know how to do better, networking events may be an option.
3rd Dont be phony when we meet our propect for the first time. A peer quoted an example of how a phony person behaved. The majority agreed with this recommendation and a couple commented that being jovial and chatty was essential to gain relationships.
4th Dont lean. A peer commented that he still paid attention to the prospect (or speaker) even though he may lean. This has missed the point of perception as the prospect may perceive someone who leans as weak or lacking a good manner. Powerful people do not lean and they lean when they are in doubt or tired or not focussed only. Nevertheless peers found this recommendation debatable.
5th Dont take abuse from the prospect. A peer said there were genuine reasons to attend to something else in a one to one meeting, but he would ask for permission first. As such, this peer is not rude at all. Peers therefore take the recommendation that we should not tolerate abusive behaviours from the prospect.
The 5 do's are largely about how to position or prepare ourselves better so that we can obtain leads on propects without selling the hard way. This approach is good but to practise is a different story. For example, we have to give something to the customer unconditionally of any trading and outside the domain of trading. Is seminar a way to give? Does the prospect perceive this as a gift? To set up a catchment network of leads is also not easy as it will take a long time with invisible return for people who have a short horizon. To raise the personal profile is another task that needs a long time and possibly a lot of efforts. Paying a commission for referrals could be seen as unethical or even illegal in some circumstances.
Largely the seminar on 21 March 2012 stopped at what not to do and it did not prescribe how to sell successfully. Presumably closing the back door is a good first step before we open the front door.
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March 2012 |
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Compucon Channel Partner Newsletter Issue 1204
22 March 2012
Most of the information here is for channel members only and access to the web for the information requires channel member login. If you have lost your login and/or password for accessing the Members Area of the website, please email
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Solid State Disk- new releases of Hybrid and Incompressible
Solid State Disk (SSD) is a product category name of the integrated circuit version of hard disk drive (HDD). HDD was invented around 1950 using magnetism to store data on a rotating disk. Current products are still based on the same architecture although the storage density and capacity have greatly improved over the years. As of March 2012, HDD with a SATA interface has reached 4TB of recordable size and 500GB is considered entry level. SSD appeared about 50 years later. It does not involve any rotation parts and therefore the initial applications were for satisfying computers in motion or adverse environments when HDD would fail almost immediately. SSD technology has improved over the last 10 years but is not ready to replace or take over HDD yet as of 2012. It per GB price is about 8 times of HDD. As such, SSD applications are still limited to adverse environments, small size (such as 60GB), and as cache for RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). This article looks at 2 SSD product releases from vendors for general use in the first quarter of 2012: Hybrid SSD from Seagate and MLC SSD based on SandForce. Both were in their second generation. http://www.compucon.co.nz/content/view/1352/300/
High Quality Low Cost IP Camera T3111
Quality and Cost normally go in the same direction (higher quality incurs higher cost) but the relationship is not fixed in the market place due to involvement of numerous factors. It is possible to obtain products and services of a reasonably high quality for a reasonable cost. When we first released Megapixel IP cameras in 2009, customers were impressed with the high quality but were put back by prices that were 5 times higher than analogue cameras of a lower quality. The quality gap and price gap between these 2 generations of camera technology have not really changed much over the last 3 years in general terms. Being the new guy in the market, IP cameras should have more rooms for improving the quality upwards and price downwards than analogue cameras. At last we obtained one good illustration of this prediction in a new model with a stock code of CAT3111. It is a new model priced at 60% of an old model of similar quality from the same vendor. We have installed many units of the old model in commercial environments and all have worked well. This price drop is therefore meaningful and is good news. Please check the spec of the new model here: http://www.compucon.co.nz/content/view/1351/226/
Compucon II Resolution
Compucon New Zealand will complete 20 years of operation by 1 May 2012. We have taken time to revisit who we are and what we do. At a staff meeting in March, we established a new set of priorities for the company and will work towards the new goals. The top goal is to operate Compucon New Zealand perpetually! How long can a technology business last in a competitive high tech industry segment? For a business to last long, it must be loved by the society and patrons. For a business to be loved, it must do a lot of good things to the society. Compucon II Resolution is an attempt to define what we do, how we can help New Zealand and all stakeholders, and how to achieve sustainability. It is a bold resolution. http://www.compucon.co.nz/content/view/1348/299/
Help University of Auckland
Compucon New Zealand has helped the University of Auckland for nearly 10 years as an industry supervisor for their 4th year BTECH students and has produced visible benefits for students. The title of the BTECH project for Year 2012 is CUDA Computing. CUDA is a new computing scheme that has shown high potentials for both fast and green computing. Supervisors involved are TN Chan, Edmond Chan and Matthew Ng on the industry side, and Dr Mano and Professor Reinhard Klette on the academic side. Dr Mano is the overall coordinator and he makes sure that all project design and execution satisfy the teaching learning and research goals of the university. Read the project outline here: http://www.compucon.co.nz/content/view/1354/18
Celestino and Conrad in TSD …
Joseph in our Technical Service Department (TSD) has gone to the university at the end of February 2012. No wonder you have not heard from him on the phone or via email recently. In his place are Conrad Villamara who attends TSD from 9am to 3pm and Celestino Legaspi from 2pm to 6pm. You will win a small prize if you are the first two persons to know their original nationalities without asking them or anyone in Compucon. Email your answers to
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to claim a prize. Conrad has been in Auckland for nearly 3 years and Celestino for over 10 years. Celestino has worked in Auckland in a management position for several years before changing his interest to IT. Owing to his industry experience, Celestino has taken up a higher level of responsibility than Conrad in TSD and he makes sure that all TSD service tickets are attended to. Being new in this position, they will take a while to be 120% competent like Joseph. Please be patient with them, and talk with Edmond for technical support if you want to. They will do their best to win your top score when we carry out our next survey in June.
Next Seminar is CAST on Monday 16 April 2012
CAST is Compucon Authorised Service Technician Seminar. It starts at 11:00am and finishes at 6:00pm followed by wine and cheese. There is a small fee for attending CAST which will cover lunch, muffin break and a seminar manual. We will publish the seminar outlines and invitation message by 6 April the latest. Please block your calendar now for CAST!
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March 2012 |
Synology DiskStation DS412+ is specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses who need a high-performance, easy to manage, and full-featured network attached storage solution to centralize data backups, protect critical assets and share files across different platforms. Synology protects your investment in the DS412+ with a 2-year limited warranty.
Key Features:
- 202.36 MB/sec Reading, 179.15 MB/sec Writing
- 2 LAN with Failover and Link Aggregation Support
- Features SuperSpeed USB 3.0
- CPU Passive Cooling Technology & System Fan Redundancy
- Hot-swappable Hard Drive Design
- Windows ADS and ACL Support
- VMware / Citrix / Microsoft Hyper-V Compliance
- Running on Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
Experience High Performance Data Throughput
With the Link Aggregation enabled, Synology DS412+ delivers an average 179.15 MB/sec writing speed under RAID 5 configuration in a Windows environment, and 202.36 MB/sec reading. Coming with USB 3.0 support which offers transmission speeds of up to 5 Gbps, namely 10 times faster than USB 2.0, DS412+ takes less time for data transfer for external hard drives and consumes less power. Synology DS412+ brings you the high performance that your data-intensive applications demand for a storage system.
Dependable and Reliable
Businesses need a strong foundation to face mission-critical tasks. Synology DS412+ deliver high data availability to ensure access when it’s needed. The 2 LAN with failover support and hot-swappable drives will ensure continual service uptime should the drives need replacement or the unexpected LAN failure.
CPU is the heart of any system, and DS412+ incorporates a passive cooling structure to avoid the dependency of a dedicated processor cooling fan, and mitigate any critical point of failure. When system detects fan fails, the built-in redundancy mechanism will spin up the functional fan to properly ventilate the system, and support continuous operations until the replacement fan arrives. Therefore, potential system damages are minimized and system availability is maximized.
Fit to Business Environment
Windows ADS integration allows the Synology DS412+ to quickly and easily fit in an existing business network environment with no need to recreate users’ accounts on the Synology DS412+. The User Home feature minimizes the administrator’s effort in creating a private shared folder for a large amount of users.
Windows ACL support on DS412+ provides much finer-grained access control and efficient privilege settings, allowing IT staffs to set up privileges to files and folders on DS412+ through their familiar Windows user interface. The privileges set on Windows ACL will be applied to all access entries, including AFP, FTP, File Station, NFS and WebDAV. The secure privilege offers IT staff peace of mind, no worries about any loopholes.
iSCSI and Virtualization Ready
With the iSCSI support in DiskStation Manager (DSM), the Synology DS412+ provides a seamless storage solution for virtualization servers, such as VMware, Hyper-V, and Citrix. It is the ideal alternative to SAN solution for businesses. Affordable and cost-effective, iSCSI allows SMB users to consolidate storage into data center storage arrays while providing hosts with the illusion of locally-attached disks.
Specifications
Hardware
- CPU Frequency: Dual Core 2.13 GHz, with floating point
- RAM Size: DDR3 1 GB
- Internal HDD/SSD: 4X 3.5” or 2.5” SATA(II)
- Max Internal Capacity: 16TB (4X 4TB hard drives) (The
- actual capacity will differ according to volume types.)
- External HDD Interface: 2X USB 3.0 ports, 1X USB 2.0 port, 1X eSATA port
- Size: 165mm X 203mm X 233.2mm
- Weight: 2.03kg
- LAN: 2X Gigabit
- Wireless Support (wireless dongles not included)
- Wake on LAN
- Fan: 2X (92mm X 92mm)
- Noise Level2 : 19.4dB(A)
- Hot Swappable HDD
- Power Recovery
- AC Input Power Voltage: 100V to 240V
- Power Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, Single Phase
- Operating Temperature: 5°C to 35°C (40°F to 95°F)
- Storage Temperature: -10°C to 70°C (15°F to 155°F)
- Relative Humidity: 5% to 95% RH
- Max Operating Altitude: 10,000 feet
- Power Consumption3: 44W (Access); 15W (HDD Hibernation)
- Certification: FCC Class, CE Class B, BSMI Class B
 Networking Protocols
- CIFS
- AFP
- FTP
- iSCSI
- Telnet
- SSH
- NFS
- SNMP
- WebDAV
- CalDAV
File System
- EXT4
- EXT3 (External Disk Only)
- FAT (External Disk Only)
- NTFS (External Disk Read Only)
File Sharing Capability
- Max User Account: 2048
- Max Group: 256
- Max Shared Folder: 256
- Max Concurrent Connections (CIFS, FTP, AFP): 512
Security
- FTP over SSL/TLS
- IP Auto-Block
- Firewall
- Encrypted Network Backup over rsync
- HTTPS Connection
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