Category Archives: News - Page 3

The times, they are a-changing

Posted by on November 14, 2005 1 comment

Regular readers might have seen my open letter to ABC affiliates in the wake of the ABC/Apple video distribution deal. It seems that a few of the local affiliates have wised up with their own plans to distribute local programming via the internet. While I doubt local executives read my letter it seems to show that at least some local stations are planning for the future when more and more people become interested in timeshifting via digital downloads.

In further support of my original hypothesis about the decline of appointment viewing and the paradigm shift to digital downloads as a video distribution mechanism AOL has announced a deal with Warner Brothers to distribute classic tv from the WB archives via a peer-to-peer download method.

I can’t say yet specifically what the replacement for broadcast appointment viewing will look like, but it is coming. The WB/AOL annoucement requires custom p2p software and relies on advertising and a yet unknown codec. The ABC deals allow mobile viewing via the iPod’s video capabilities. Podcasters and online only shows such as DigitalLife TV have embraced BitTorrent and H.264 amongst other standard codecs. One thing all these services have in common is that they are a “direct to the viewers” approach that is generally favored by media creators and leaves the old affiliate system of broadcast appointment viewing out in the cold. The genie is out of the bottle.

Cisco announces emergency communications integration system

Posted by on October 30, 2005 1 comment

This week both ComputerWorld and NetworkWorld carried the story about Cisco announcing their IPICS product. Unfortunatly, the headlines, if not the articles, are misleading or at least confusing in their description of the product.

Ever since September 11 there has been a big discussion in the emergency services community about the need for communications interoperability. Out of this discussion the APCO Project 25 standard for public safety digital voice systems emerged. The big downside is that this requires the (expensive) replacement of radio equipment in the service area. While many states have started statewide P25 programs (such as the ARMER project in Minnesota) full capabilities are still a long way off.

With the recent natural disasters there has been an increased awareness of the challenges faced by communications interoperability. My understanding of the Cisco product is that it is a server and gateway product designed not to create a new communications system (a la Project 25) but to tie existing Nextel talkgroups, cell phones, VoIP systems and radio systems together for emergency communications. Think of it like an autopatch on steroids. It’s certainly a big undertaking, especially when you consider how reliable and easy to use it needs to be in emergency situations. It’s pretty tough to explain the server going down and cutting off communications in these situations. It will be interesting to see how Cisco fares in the public safety market which is decidedly different from areas they’ve been in before. For more information on the IPICS system check out the Cisco product annoucement and get it straight from the horse’s mouth.

News Source for IT in Education

Posted by on October 30, 2005 Comments Off on News Source for IT in Education

Those who work in higher ed certainly are familiar with the Chronicle of Higher Education which is the trade paper du jour. You may be interested to know that the Chronicle also has a “Wired Campus Blog” which is devoted to technology news for educators and educational institutions.

Ungoliant and Shelob Protect Networks From Themselves

Posted by on October 30, 2005 Comments Off on Ungoliant and Shelob Protect Networks From Themselves

Last week IT professionals from the University of Indianapolis demonstrated their network virus detection and quarantine tool, called Shelob, at the Educause 2005 conference in Orlando, FL.

Shelob was designed to stem the rapid spread of network-propagated viruses by combining several existing protocols and services. This server-based management tool, capable of removing infected computers from the network, went into production in fall of 2004, monitoring all nonwireless traffic from resident halls, computer labs, and desktop computers.

My understanding is that the product, built on open source software, detects infections and automatically moves infected systems into a quarantine VLAN which points them towards a web page explaining the problem and how to fix it. The programs designers are working on gleaning up the project to make it usable by other instituions and groups through the Ungoliant project. Handouts from Educause and additional information are avilible at that site.