Too early for new years resolutions, I think not.

I’m a selfish bastard but you knew that…

So today my wife and children went to Randwick to Libby’s Aunt and Uncles for Christmas Lunch tomorrow. I am at home because for the Second time in a little over a month doctors are using language like “if this course of action doesn’t work by Sunday will admit you for a few days”

With out going into details both issues I have had is because I treat my body like a tip, and even though it has concerned my wife for a decade I figured nothings going to happen, you worry too much, yada yada yada.

Well if I am to be admitted to hospital I would rather it happen in Canberra instead of an unplanned stay in a random Sydney Hospital, BTW we were coming home tomorrow night anyway.

Tomorrow I’ll be home and it is largely my fault so I guess I best start taking my health seriously and stop being such a selfish bastard.

Mind you having a fever for 24 Hours and then having another after it breaks in the same day does help to catch up on sleep. Not to mention a 48 hour computer free time.

So once I am well again I need to:

• NOT be 150+ Kgs (might help with the Sleep Apnoea)
• Take care to prevent more Kidney Stones
• Look at making the ugly lower leg horrificness diminish (yep stuck with the look) but not the damage I hope
• Generally pay attention to my health.

So I wonder how I’ll go now that I’ve had too scares so close together lets not wait for the Heart Attack trifecta before I clue up.

Lunar Eclipse to Milk for the SeaCat

Sometimes I wonder at what pace my brain makes connections. Here are the links created from a Twitpic by someone I follow on twitter.

When I asked where it was taken they told me. Naturally I jumped on Nearmap.com for a quick squiz of the area because the foreshore was sweet. By the way it is somewhere on the left of that picture Balmain in case you care.

Scrolling out what do I notice? Cockatoo Island (Co Dock) I spent a little time there during refits of the last Submarine and first Warship (which happened to hunt Submarines) I served on.

This was a time of transition for me and the beginning of a great few years. A generally really good time traveling the world with great mates.

Funny I have two photos taken on HMAS Parramatta when I was on her (1988-1991) hanging in my study since we moved in, in 1999 but I hardly notice them anymore.

Tonight I took them down scanned them for this post. I will clean up the frames and put them back up on boxing day.

Point is I am wired to leap from connection to connection at a rate of knots and I’d like to thank Catherine for reminding me of a time long ago, even though she might shake her head at how I got here.

Prepared to defend my views on #OffSpring

So I was talking about my Girly Programming Selections with @MolksTVTalk on Twitter tonight.

"@DavidLMackie I have no problem with people liking things like #Offspring - they just need to be prepared to defend their views. ;)"

Sad that I felt the need for a whole new blog for this but I know that folk would not cope well with just a new category.

So why do I like Offspring?

• Not the Nina / Dr Chris saga so maybe I missed the point but I watch in spite of that.


• Billy and Mick Super funny. Really like Eddie Perfect - (loved Howard 2.0 from 2007)


• Jimmy such a funny funny loser, endearing and pathetic too


• I like Cherie but Deborah Mailman has not been the same for me since she wiped off in the opening scene of "The Secret Life of us". Not that girl from play school anymore. Still a character that ties together many others so nice.


• Dr Chris has a Crazy Runaway Bride who I quite like in #Rake

I really like no LOVE Zara. Funny and Hot too, which reminds me must watch the Nurses Webisodes

So there you have it MolkTVTalk the defence rests.

Small Agency Mentoring Program #AGIMO

I recently began following John Sheridan from AGIMO and since I’ve not followed much of what he has been doing since I was in Defence, I took a peek back through his Twitter Feed in as non stalkerish way as possible (BTW Days NOT Years) came across a link to the Small Agency Mentoring Program (SAM).

Mentoring programs like SAM are important because they help to build the capability of the APS by strengthening cross-agency relationships and developing future ICT leaders. For more information on mentoring programs supported by the Department of Finance and Deregulation please take a look at the website:

I’m an IT Contractor and have been for many years and the thing I find all over is Infrastructure People in Agencies both big and small have very little clue who their peers are, let alone what they can share with each other.

I notice Mentoring Programs for SES and Women in IT both of which I’m very supportive.

I wonder if Agencies are to do more with less how do Technical Leaders (Contractors too) get to network and share with each other.

I use Facebook, LinkedIn and even Twitter to extend my contacts in my field and locally try to connect widely with my peers. I am aware that there is some nervousness from Agency Security Advisors about public social networks and I understand why they think they should be nervous however are we not talking about professionals.

I guess I’m proposing Public Social Networking for an Essentially Closed Population. Not seeking to provide an answer but wonder how to discuss this sensibly.

What I’m saying is good job going as far as you do. How do we grow that???

Comments OPEN

Small Agency Mentoring Program | AGIMO Blog

Document Holder – How to do it yourself #movember

 

One of the Tech Writers where I am currently doing a gig is doing Movember and has been “Selling” things for donations. This one got my attention today so if you use it donate. Instructions at the bottom of the “Task Card”

Keep up the good work Bob

This doco holder is quick and easy to make.

It is a lot stronger than most other types and you can confidently put a full 2-ring binder on it.

All you need is a paper box with lid, a craft knife (box cutter) and tape. 

The Executive model needs a large fold-back clip.

Take off the lid and use it as template to mark where to cut on the first side.
Use the cut-off scrap as a guide to cut the second side.
Make two cuts on the lid, and fold it back, as shown.
Fit lid over the base and tape it on.
Tape on the lid. Some people prefer staples as they are environmentally friendlier.
Executive model Put a sheet of A4 paper on the holder. Mark the top of the paper.   Cut away a chunk of cardboard above the A4 sheet
Attach clip.   Sit back and smile   J

Remember to donate (pay for this taskcard) to Bob T’s Movember effort.

Pay online on-line with credit card or PayPal account at 
       http://au.movember.com/mospace/1139044/ 

 

Games Meh but XBox Kinect in every Board Room #messaging

I’m no big gamer I just don’t have the time so when I do set aside enough time it tends to be something like a retro game of Age of Empires or Diablo so XBOX has not been a big focus for me.Well except for the version 1.0 I have with XBMC loaded.
I have been focusing on how my customers might get value from messaging systems that extend what they already do and the Tandberg Systems they have been putting in are kind of sweet. Well not really the Tandberg kit more the 60” plasmas (3D, SD & USB plus divx)
Imagine my surprise when I saw …

In a move that surprised practically everyone, though, Microsoft also said that users of Lync (and Office 365) will be able to videoconference with home users of XBox game machines through Kinect, a new camera peripheral that tracks users' movements in a room using infrared (IR) wireless.

Now I wonder if we need to gateway this through XBox Live or if we can directly integrate with an in house Lync 2010 System?

Microsoft will also add the shared videoconferencing capabilities for Kinect through a software update.
Corporate Lync customers can ditch their old PBX and phone systems to run Lync entirely on one or more servers. Alternatively, they can hold on to these legacy systems and interface them to Lync through gateways

Here’s to hoping that the firmware updates allow us to point to our own system if they do I can see big potential.
Plus so interesting XMAS parties in future.

Source Betanews.com

This plan is lunarcy - Security - Technology

When I moved some of the content from a previous blog I move the stuff I wanted to keep and archived the rest to some PDFs.

The other day I got the idea to revisit and update some of them so on days when I’m light on for thoughts I might put some of these together.

Ooooops not a good start so far.

Found the guys who were running this program over at http://lifeboat.com/ex/programs and although I was worried that Moon based DR might not be going forward as a priority there are lots of other Programs current and planned that could provide blog fodder for quite some time.

Wow I might have to create a category as some of this seems off the wall but nice to think about…

BTW the original Article was written by

Nate Cochrane

@natecochrane Sydney, NSW, Australia

Editor in chief @CRN_au, @iTnews_au, @SCMagazineAU; AU's 1st online journo; Deal or no Deal's biggest prize winner; AU's biggest cash prize game show winner

http://haymarketmedia.com.au

This plan is lunarcy - Security - Technology

Now I thought my customers had big expectations for their offsite requirements. Check this out.

IF YOU think your organisation is savvy because it has an offsite data warehouse, spare a thought for William Burrows' plan to store life's blueprints - on the moon.

The journalism professor and former New York Times' space reporter's dream to back up the world's DNA to a site on the lunar surface would read like science fiction if it wasn't for the fact that the general idea is supported by the likes of Stephen Hawking, five Scandinavian prime ministers and a British group compiling a genetic
database of endangered species.

Mr Burrows devised the disaster plan with Robert Shapiro, professor emeritus and senior research scientist in biochemistry at New York University, in the 1999 book A Lunar Sanctuary. From there, they formed the Alliance to Rescue Civilisation (http://arc-space.org), which has attracted scientists and thinkers.

So that would be quite some DR project, how do we keep the DR Site up to date? What are our RPO and RTO? I'm thinking the replication across the wide area might be a little behind during
high rate of change situations.

Source: This plan is lunarcy - Security - Technology – http://smh.com.au

Posted: Sep 15 2006, 10:48 PM by David Mackie

Privacy Options that don’t protect my privacy

I was signing up for a Microsoft Regional Business Building Event and part of the sign up form included…

Privacy:    Please tick this box if you do not wish Microsoft to use the details you have provided above to contact you regarding important security, product, and event information    Trusted Microsoft Partners may use the details I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.   A response for this question is required.

I do want Microsoft to contact me because we are a partner so I can’t tick that button.

I do not want Microsoft Partners to contact me because I am that trusted partner and won’t want SPAM from my competitors.

I am not concerned about the mail because I have a delete key, but I also don’t want to give explicit permission to these other companies to send me offers. I guess creating an Outlook rule for “Competitive Intelligence” is my only option.

Just saying

It's slowly becoming an Android world, Gartner says

Earlier today I wondered why no Android Pallbearers when talking about the Windows Phone 7 RTM Launch.

Gartner seems to think Android will be number two in phones by 2014.

Despite the imminent launch of Windows Phone 7, Gartner expects Microsoft's share in the mobile phone market to continue to shrink, from 8.7 percent last year to 4.7 percent this year to 3.9 percent by 2014. By 2014, it will range sixth behind MeeGo on a global basis, according to Gartner.

The predicted market share in 2014 is …

1. Symbian – 30.2%
2. Android – 29.6%
3. Apple iOS – 14.9%
4. Blackberry – 11.7%
5. Others including MeeGo and Windows Phone 9.6%
6. Windows Phone alone 3.9%

These numbers make me think Android more likely to have the credible iPhone and Crackberry killer

So I wonder who funds Common Criteria Evaluations??

I think the horse to back may well be Android but using it with Government clients will need someone to back an evaluation.

It's slowly becoming an Android world, Gartner says - Software - Technology - News - CRN Australia

The only reason for time is…..

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” Albert Einstein

This quote was used in a TV show I was watching this morning because I wanted to know the exact quote I Binged it and found it on Quote DB. Those who know me will understand that I often have difficulty remaining on task, so I looked wider and found:

“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction.”

Of course everyone can tell I needed to rewind the programme because I spectacularly moved off task.

So what freakishly ridiculous long bow am I trying to pull?

I’ve just come back from AUTechED trying to resist the the marketing after glow….

I am increasingly a fan of Role Based Administration and Workflow Enabled Provisioning.

We currently use with a major client tools like:

• SCCM 2007 R2 (ConfigMGR) to Deploy Servers and Desktops, Deploy Applications, Printers and Secure Shares;
• FIM 2010 for Directory Synchronisation and some stuff we perhaps should not be.

maybe we should be looking at Service Manager, SSP 2.0 for SCVMM  which of course implies SCVMM and what looks like a very good option for stringing it all together Opalis.

So where is the genius in this post?

We do some things in my view the hard way and perhaps because we didn't know what we didn’t know, and I am so tempted to implement everything in the System Center Enterprise Suite and leverage the whole ecosystem BUT today I’m leaning toward a big long roadmap for this client.

BUT …

Once we get a chance to train and define an offering, I think a whole business unit can be built around building complexity in what we offer to drive simplicity for our clients.

In other words I love the Microsoft Ecosystems and see promise in System Center and Forefront for completely abstracting the use of native tools into fully automated, work flow driven, user self service. The glue in this seems to be solid scripting in PowerShell well we need something complex to make things seem easy.

The only reason for time is…..

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” Albert Einstein

This quote was used in a TV show I was watching this morning because I wanted to know the exact quote I Binged it and found it on Quote DB. Those who know me will understand that I often have difficulty remaining on task, so I looked wider and found:

“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction.”

Of course everyone can tell I needed to rewind the programme because I spectacularly moved off task.

So what freakishly ridiculous long bow am I trying to pull?

I’ve just come back from AUTechED trying to resist the the marketing after glow….

I am increasingly a fan of Role Based Administration and Workflow Enabled Provisioning.

We currently use with a major client tools like:

• SCCM 2007 R2 (ConfigMGR) to Deploy Servers and Desktops, Deploy Applications, Printers and Secure Shares;
• FIM 2010 for Directory Synchronisation and some stuff we perhaps should not be.

maybe we should be looking at Service Manager, SSP 2.0 for SCVMM  which of course implies SCVMM and what looks like a very good option for stringing it all together Opalis.

So where is the genius in this post?

We do some things in my view the hard way and perhaps because we didn't know what we didn’t know, and I am so tempted to implement everything in the System Center Enterprise Suite and leverage the whole ecosystem BUT today I’m leaning toward a big long roadmap for this client.

BUT …

Once we get a chance to train and define an offering, I think a whole business unit can be built around building complexity in what we offer to drive simplicity for our clients.

In other words I love the Microsoft Ecosystems and see promise in System Center and Forefront for completely abstracting the use of native tools into fully automated, work flow driven, user self service. The glue in this seems to be solid scripting in PowerShell well we need something complex to make things seem easy.

Look just follow me on Twitter

I have moved this blog around so much that I will be very surprised if I have anyone left following me but unlike Kate I am very happy that you are and of course I might even be happy to be your friend on Facebook

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid until revoked

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact  David@Mackie.dropbear.id.au.

This blog does not accept any form of sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, I will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organisations.

The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements.

The owner of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If I claim or appear to be an expert on a certain topic or product or service area, I will only endorse products or services that I believe, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

The owner of this blog would like to disclose the following existing relationships. These are companies, organizations or individuals that may have a significant impact on the content of this blog.

• I am employed by Synergistic Network Solutions Pty Limited.
• I am part was part of the leadership team of the Canberra Windows User Group - Sponsored by Microsoft and Culminis *** This Group no longer meets ***
• I am was the Principle Speaker at the CBRWINUG and speak passionately about Microsoft and other Interesting Technologies that run on Windows Infrastructure

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid until revoked

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact  David@Mackie.dropbear.id.au.

This blog does not accept any form of sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, I will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organisations.

The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements.

The owner of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If I claim or appear to be an expert on a certain topic or product or service area, I will only endorse products or services that I believe, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

The owner of this blog would like to disclose the following existing relationships. These are companies, organizations or individuals that may have a significant impact on the content of this blog.

• I am employed by Synergistic Network Solutions Pty Limited.
• I am part was part of the leadership team of the Canberra Windows User Group - Sponsored by Microsoft and Culminis *** This Group no longer meets ***
• I am was the Principle Speaker at the CBRWINUG and speak passionately about Microsoft and other Interesting Technologies that run on Windows Infrastructure

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Low Barometric Pressure

So why do doors on meeting rooms open inwards?

Barometric Pressure as people meeting for reasons of wanting to be in the loop, basically moving their heads from side to side scanning the room like the clown game in a side show and adding the same value.

Progressively stealing oxygen from the room and the longer it happens without someone saying why are we here what is the outcome? Who owns the next step? The less oxygen is left at the end.

Now think about what would happen if the door opened outward? The low pressure would suck the door against the jam sealing it shut and people outside would have no way to open it.

Conversely if the door opens inward the pressure may be so great that the door pops open on it’s own saving the lives of all inside or at least rescuers just need to turn the handle to let air in again, as the door slams open under the strain.

A fast thinking attendee could also pop the pins out of the hinges, this person of course would be killed be the door imploding toward them. They may see this as a merciful way to go, I think we just need to hold less meetings.

Low Barometric Pressure

So why do doors on meeting rooms open inwards?

Barometric Pressure as people meeting for reasons of wanting to be in the loop, basically moving their heads from side to side scanning the room like the clown game in a side show and adding the same value.

Progressively stealing oxygen from the room and the longer it happens without someone saying why are we here what is the outcome? Who owns the next step? The less oxygen is left at the end.

Now think about what would happen if the door opened outward? The low pressure would suck the door against the jam sealing it shut and people outside would have no way to open it.

Conversely if the door opens inward the pressure may be so great that the door pops open on it’s own saving the lives of all inside or at least rescuers just need to turn the handle to let air in again, as the door slams open under the strain.

A fast thinking attendee could also pop the pins out of the hinges, this person of course would be killed be the door imploding toward them. They may see this as a merciful way to go, I think we just need to hold less meetings.

Agencies SHOULD

I am rethinking how I would deal with elements of designs where a security control says agencies should...

I have been notionally sharing in the agencies should = do what you want because that seems to be how some folk read the guidance.

But of course this is garbage, so today is the day where “agencies should” actually means our risk assessment says... at least when looking at my projects

I'm thinking a few times it will really be "Computer says NO" or actually Agencies MUST.

Just thinking out loud

*** Update ***

To drive some context

“[–,IC-P,r] non-agency owned devices
6.8.9. Agencies should not allow devices not directly owned and controlled by the agency to be used with
their systems.”

Generally speaking there are many people who see the use of home computers for remote access as the only real method of large scale remote access, allowing for remote workforce in times of emergency or pandemic. I would be concerned that this would quickly lead to “Bring your own computer” policies becoming more of a norm.

I would need serious convincing that BYO Computer is sensible but remote access on the other hand I can see being a necessity in the short term.

So what would a risk assessment look like?

Agencies SHOULD

I am rethinking how I would deal with elements of designs where a security control says agencies should...

I have been notionally sharing in the agencies should = do what you want because that seems to be how some folk read the guidance.

But of course this is garbage, so today is the day where “agencies should” actually means our risk assessment says... at least when looking at my projects

I'm thinking a few times it will really be "Computer says NO" or actually Agencies MUST.

Just thinking out loud

*** Update ***

To drive some context

“[–,IC-P,r] non-agency owned devices
6.8.9. Agencies should not allow devices not directly owned and controlled by the agency to be used with
their systems.”

Generally speaking there are many people who see the use of home computers for remote access as the only real method of large scale remote access, allowing for remote workforce in times of emergency or pandemic. I would be concerned that this would quickly lead to “Bring your own computer” policies becoming more of a norm.

I would need serious convincing that BYO Computer is sensible but remote access on the other hand I can see being a necessity in the short term.

So what would a risk assessment look like?

Finding time to update this thing

Well our IT Graduate tells me I have not updated this in a while well thanks for the prompt Jay this is for you.

"Since I don't have all, well actually any, answers my plan is to work hard to continue to over-service our current clients, build the cash reserve so I can devote time to build sales and train up staff in our own brand of service delivery."
The first priority is trying to wind back his contracting to three days a week, and hopefully down to one.

Ha that lasted 6 weeks … L

So now doing a Major Infrastructure Modernisation Project which sucks me back to full time in an Enterprise role.

How will this affect my blogging?? Well it might get better as I describe a whole new problem domain, we shall see.

Cloud could make you look bad

OK I saw this headline and thought here we go…

IT warned: Cloud could make you look bad

Aussie government CIOs will soon face increasing pressure to explain why in-house ICT services take so long and are so expensive to deploy compared to cloud-based services, Ovum has said.

In a research note, director Steve Hodgkinson warned the cloud "will come to be viewed as the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to source basic commodity ICT services"….

I do agree Private cloud is the way for the Commonwealth to drive efficiency but it will require some very interesting collaboration and some leadership. Of course there will be issues with connectivity among security domains (I assume there is not a recommendation for a cloud service per classification) and management of that access, perhaps it will require security clearances for MANY more Public Servants and Professional Service Providers or build the many networks with air gaps between.

My point is IT deployment in Government takes time because of Architecture, Design, Build Engineering, Testing, Deployment and Maintenance. Solutions are Integrated, Data Protection is in place, there are SLAs, Security and Access Management is in place and there is a responsibility to the Users and Executive (Departmental and Government).

So what are my examples of cloud making CIOs look bad…

• How about 72 Hours without email? and having the Vendor say “there are no SLAs (service level agreements) offered on managed exchange, POP e-mail or webmail services.”
• A cloud services vendor making data available to other customers, the week before running workshops for Government IT Managers asking for their business?

I have other reservations and these are logistical and usability issues

• What about Identity Management? We use many applications in our business and I’d like to manage all of our Identity requirements. I know if you use a username and Password pair users make them all the same which is not optimal.
• What about customisation? This moves away from the cloud providers selling space / time on a cookie cutter basis and would drive up cost.
• and of course a cloud service we use has broken features and has not been updated in several months but our cloud dream is tainted by users asking when we will have some of the issues fully resolved. Yes this is a beta and we see promise so we persist BUT not really the promise of the cloud delivering no admin worries, rapid development / deployment and worry free user experience. One of the features is the out of cloud backup so no we don’t run EVERYTHING on this service.

So for me I think Government CIO’s may look bad in Delivery and Cost but better than the OOOOPs sorry but no SLA that makes the majority of cloud offerings cheap and agile.

Can we measure with the same stick????

Give me a cloud service providing 3500 Users with Email, Document sharing, filtered Internet, reliable and timely printing plus a Finance and CRM System. And compare an on premise solution.

People need to take scale into account and service level too.

So rolling my eyes I think here we go, Cloud Services Providers are the ASP’s of this decade this is NOT a panacea and far from the brave new world those with a cloud service to sell would have you believe.

IT warned: Cloud could make you look bad - Internet - iTnews Australia