A Drop of Honey: The Dale Carnegie Method

Commentary: This is a continuing series of posts reviewing Dale Carnegie's book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. This program is attractive in professional relationships due to it's time tested advice for those moving up the ladder of success. I have been introduced to Dale Carnegie training not once but twice. I attended Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School or AOCS during 1988 through which Dale Carnegie principles were first introduced to me, at least in part. Years later during 1999, I attended the Dale Carnegie school and coursework introducing me again to the Dale Carnegie method and principles.  I will be detailing only one principle a week in a shorter post in order to for you to digest the information. This series  may be reviewed at All the Principles in One Post

A Drop of Honey

Will an unchecked temper make it easy for someone else to agree with you? What about the other people? Will they share in your pleasure, belligerent tones, hostile attitudes as you tell them a thing or two?

Carnegie cites a violent situation with flared tempers at Rockefeller who could have easily assumed the same temperament. Instead, he began in a friendly way. He meet with the people's families and leadership from both sides. Then he made a speech to the masses in which he praised the people and sought common ground. The people responded exceptionally passive and returned to work nearly immediately without achieve their goals.

After a litany of examples where people began in a friendly way, Carnegie assesses by citing Lincoln who said that a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall. The use of gentleness and friendliness is demonstrated by people day after day resulting in changed minds more effectively without all the bluster, storming, and blathering. 

Principle 13: Begin in a Friendly Way

Commentary: Your objective in your relationships is to move forward productively. Being unyielding and defensive are character qualities that do not move hints forward. Admit errors and forgive people. Sometimes there are people who are difficult to work with. These relationships are sensitive and require special handling. Almost always in these cases the difficult person has a combination of security, esteem, and recognition issues. You will need to assess those situations. 

References:

Carnegie, D. (1981). How to win friends and influence people. New York: Pocket Books.

How to Interest People: The Dale Carnegie Method

Comment: This is a continuing series of posts reviewing Dale Carnegie's book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. This program is attractive in professional relationships due to it's time tested advice for those moving up the ladder of success. I have been introduced to Dale Carnegie training not once but twice. I attended Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School or AOCS during 1988 through which Dale Carnegie principles were first introduced to me, at least in part. Years later during 1999, I attended the Dale Carnegie school and coursework introducing me again to the Dale Carnegie method and principles.  I will be detailing only one principle a week in a shorter post in order to for you to digest the information. This series may be reviewed at All the Principles in One Post. 

How to Interest People

The royal road to a person's heart is to talk about things he or she treasures most. This is a valuable technique in business. Yes! Talking in terms of the other person's interest pays off for both parties. Carnegie points to an enlargement of one's life as a reward. 

The examples Carnegie offers demonstrate a variety of outcomes. His first example was Theodore Roosevelt who was known for his diverse knowledge. Roosevelt would study the interests of his visitors prior to their arrival in order to establish immediate rapport. Other examples, led to stronger outcomes and relationships, willingness to listen to new ideas, and a sense of being valued or important.

Principle 8: Talk in terms of the other person's interests

References:

Carnegie, D. (1981). How to win friends and influence people. New York: Pocket Books.

The Safety Valve in Handling Complaints: The Dale Carnegie Method

Commentary: This is a continuing series of posts reviewing Dale Carnegie's book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. This program is attractive in professional relationships due to it's time tested advice for those moving up the ladder of success. I have been introduced to Dale Carnegie training not once but twice. I attended Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School or AOCS during 1988 through which Dale Carnegie principles were first introduced to me, at least in part. Years later during 1999, I attended the Dale Carnegie school and coursework introducing me again to the Dale Carnegie method and principles.  I will be detailing only one principle a week in a shorter post in order to for you to digest the information. This series  may be reviewed at All the Principles in One Post.

The Safety Valve in Handling Complaints

The safety valve in handling not only complaints but people is to allow others to talk themselves out!  They know more about their situation than you do. So ask questions and let them tell you a thing or two. If you disagree, do not interrupt as it is dangerous. They will not listen to you, at all, since they still have their own ideas crying out for expression.  Encourage them to express their ideas fully.

Does this policy pay off in business? You bet!  Carnegie gives an example in which he lost his voice and could not speak during an important meeting. The client's CEO spoke for him, taking his position, and Carnegie just gave smiles and nods. In the end, Carnegie's silence and listening were rewarded after a lively discussion as the company awarded the contract to him. What Carnegie discovered while listening was that he had the incorrect proposition / proposal and would have lost the contract. However, because he was silent while the CEO and staff debated the fine points they talked themselves into the contract. 

Successful people like to reminisce about their past struggles that made him into the success they are today. Even our friends would rather talk about their achievements rather than listen to others boast. There is an adage by a French philosopher that if you want enemies, excel your friends; if you want friends, let your friends excel you. This is true because when friends excel you they feel important. But when we excel them they feel inferior and envious, at least to some extent.

Mention your achievements only when asked. Let other boast and talk. 

Principle 15:  Let the Other Person Do A Great Deal of Talking

Commentary:  When I lived in San Diego, CA I decided to find out what made local millionaires the success they were. I wrote letters to 10 local millionaires requesting an audience. I wanted to learn how they did it. Nine of the ten responded favorably and I met with them for about an hour each. They sat back in their high back leather chairs, waving their hands, and orating their philosophies and struggles.  Huge grins stretched across their faces. I sat there listened and took notes. In the end after all their talking, several offered to get me started.  They would give me business or they would give me other opportunities. They wanted me to be a success like them. In one case he wanted to discuss having me as his protege. The point is that letting people talk opens opportunity and you gain tremendous insights. 

COMPUTER ATTACKS: HACKERS

Commentary: This is the first in a series of four posts on Computer Attacks. This post focuses on hackers and their practices.  The notion is that if you want to stop a hacker then you need to think like a hacker. This post details the approach hackers use. 

The Computer System Hacker

Security is always a concern in software and operating systems. The structure of the operating system is critical to security. Microsoft divided their operating system into three components; command.com, MSBIOS.sys, and IO.sys files in order to make it easier for users to install peripherals and configure the system. Dividing the operating system into three components created vulnerabilities that permitted a virus and hackers to bypass the command.com file and access the system resources directly. Hackers and mal-contents wasted no time exploiting this vulnerability.  Microsoft has been chasing its proverbial tail on this problem with so many different viruses circulating today.

Hackers come in a variety of styles and flavors from the teen re-coder to nation states battling on the World Wide Web. Even the militant combatants, terrorists or individuals acting on their self interest,   have found the hacking to be an effective instrument in an asymmetric warfare campaign. The goal is for a relatively low cost and effort to cause the target, usually a nation state or large corporation, to spend millions, if not, billions countering the threat. This has the potential to economically exhaust the target and distract it from other more productive efforts. Thus, given a basic understanding of how the threat operates will yield insights into how to diminish their impact. However, keep a few things in mind:

1. Almost all hacking requires physical access at some early point in the process in order to seed the system or to plant back doors. Therefore, physical security and monitoring is very important.
2. Almost all advanced or experienced hackers go unnoticed for extended periods of time.
3. Attacks are rarely temporally cohesive meaning they can be low and slow or erratic with respect to time appearing as noise or buried in the noise.

Hackers employ a series of nine steps when attempting to exploit vulnerabilities throughout the networks (McClure, 2009). According to McClure, who wrote a series of Hacking Exposed books, these nine steps are:

• Foot Printing: An information gathering process that targets a range of addresses and\or naming structures in order to map a network.
• Scanning: A focused assessment of listening ports and services to seek the most promising avenue of attack.
• Enumeration: More intense and intrusive probing begins as user accounts and vulnerable shared devices are discovered.
• Gaining Access: Enough data has been collected to make an informed attempt to access the victim systems.
• Escalating Privileges: If the initial access was gained by a user level account, attempts to gain administrative control within the immediate system are made.
• Pilfering: The attacker seeks to gain complete control of a system by gaining greater access to trusted systems.
• Covering Tracks: Once complete control is obtained, the attacker seeks to hide his work from the system administrators by clearing logs and hiding tools.
• Creating Back Doors: At will access is laid through out the information system to ensure that privileged access is easily regained. This involves rogue user accounts, batch files, trojans, remote control services, Bots, other virus programs etc…
• Denial of Service: The attacker may decide to disable the victim for any justification. Numerous DOS methods exist and most of the data for such an attack is discovered in the footing-printing, scanning, and enumeration steps.

McClure remarks that defending a system involves detection, identification, and suppression of the threat. Understanding the mind of the ‘Bad guys’ is essential to countering their assault. Therefore, to know the vulnerabilities, methods, and processes used is imperative to expose and stop the attackers in the early stages of the assault.

Commentary: The mindset of the hacker ranges from intellectual curios rebels to outright militant combatants seeking means to deter, deny, disrupt, and/or destroy their target's efforts. At one time, I tracked hacker groups. I also studied methods and technologies that could be exploited.  In extreme malicious efforts, it is possible through code to shutdown the CPU fan then run a high load on the processor causing it to heat and simply burn up. Cooling of the CPU is extremely important. Fortunately, many manufacturers use large heat sinks that can prevent the CPU from detonating without the fan running. However, in an over-clock situation that may not be the case since over-clocking will most likely require enhanced cooling. In order to over-clock a system the mal-content would need access at the board level in order to set the CPU clock speed jumpers. So physical security is essential. A disgruntled employee or service technician may be a typical culprit of such as act. System security and integrity checks, both physical and virtual, is essential to defending the informations systems. Typically, a trilogy of administrators, technicians\coders, and security inspectors  each having limited access is necessary for a system of checks and balances in the security system. 


Note: Over-clocking is a technique to gain higher speed performance out of a system. It often involves more than over-clocking a processor. System over-clocking requires adjustments to RAM and board speeds in order to keep everything in sync to the timing diagrams.  When over-clocking precision and accuracy are diminished. Also the cooling efforts dramatically increase. Over-clock saw its greatest gains when processors and boards were much slower than today. Over-clocking earlier technology often saw exponential speed gains. Processors and board speeds at the time of this post are approaching the limit where gains in speed are becoming negligible, processing is achieving near real-time capability. 

Reference:

Englander, I. (2003). The Architecture of Computer Hardware and Systems Software: An information Technology Approach. (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

McClure, Stuart, January 2009. Hacking Exposed 6, Mcgraw-Hill Company, ISBN 9780071613743

Other posts in this series

COMPUTER ATTACKS: HACKERS

COMPUTER ATTACKS: VIRUSES

COMPUTER ATTACKS: PROBING PORTS

COMPUTER ATTACKS: TCP/IP SECURITY

PRESENCE! The New Job Search Paradigm

Commentary: In the old days, 20 years ago or more in the pre-information age, there was a lot of latency in the job search.  Employers spent days preparing a position description. There was usually general detail in the description of the job and it was posted in newspapers, magazines, and other places. Professionals would then prepare Resu-Letters which were a cross between a resume and letter. These were then mailed to the perspective employer and followed up with a phone call. The process took about two weeks before an interview was generated. Success rates averaged around 30% of the letter sent resulted in a meeting with 80% of the hiring managers taking time to talk to the candidate. Today the situation is quite different. Resu-letters are rarely sent unless a perspective employer requests it. Most of the early engagement is conducted over the World Wide Web. It is not uncommon for an employer to post a position then update the requirements or qualifications as they discover their real needs during the vetting process. This frustrates those applying to the posting as it changes after they submitted their package.  Employers are becoming frustrated as they are inundated with irrelevant applications. The emerging situation is that proactive hiring managers are using social media and other methods to resource and hire candidates. The new paradigm is all about your Presence.

Presence! The New Job Search Paradigm

Our world is transitioning without a doubt. Large territories are regionalizing and the economy is undergoing it's 80 year cycle marked by a boom, bust, and war. We had the dot-com boom then entered an economic bust and most likely there is a major war on the horizon. Whether or not the trend's groundwork for war is emerging is another discussion. Nonetheless, it is an unfortunate history that where goods and services do not cross international borders troops do. We are also seeing that paradigms are being upset as 'necessity is not the mother of invention' insteadit is invention that is the mother of necessity.' No one in the past said we need a telephone, LED, TV, and lightbulb let us invent them. Yet these things were created and through awareness enormous markets emerged. Likewise, the ole adage "it's not what you know but who know" has been upset too. The new paradigm is "it's not who you know but who knows about you." This is the challenge of the job searcher.

The phones rings or you get an email. It is an unsolicited ping from a manager in some company you never approached. He had reviewed your background and seems to know more about you than you know about him. He tells about his company and an opportunity he would like you to consider.  After a brief conversation you wonder what just happened? As it turns out your presence in the marketplace spoke for you. Half the job search effort is over for you. The employer found you! You no longer have to sell yourself, you just have to strengthen and build the relationship.

Proactive employers are seeking attentive, well organized, and responsive employees. The employer researches you on the internet, in professional groups, and through your social media, blogs and other activities. Then determines to make contact. Early contact may be an innocuous email remarking that you have applied, even though you did not, and they need more information. If you catch this subtle email and note that you never applied to this company then you may be part of a professionally designed interview that begins with the first contact. Your marketplace presence attracted the employer and the conversation had been ongoing perhaps without you knowing it.

There has been more than enough research that indicates markets are actually conversations. The studies show these conversations go on with or without your participation. It is to your benefit to participate and mange the conversation. Otherwise, in your absence the conversation is not to your favor. In regards to your job search, your objective is to build a presence in the marketplace to get noticed. The character of the presence depends on a few things such as the audience, conversations topics, and your circumstance.

Audiences

The audience will always be your prospective boss and those senior to you. Although you will engender your peers in conversations as they will be your advocates and sponsors in organizations. You should engage your audience in a variety of ways such as blogging, professional organization involvement, speaking engagements, and other ways in order to build your presence. The intensity and focus on the type activity depends if you are employed or not. I will discuss these differences later in this postings.

Conversations

The conversation topics should center on career and industry topics. You should mix up the topics to show breadth of knowledge but also show a little depth too. Stick to knowledge that is commonplace and/or self-evident. Speeches and blogs should make appeals to commonly accepted principles but avoid making points, especially controversial points. Sensitive topics or subjects matter should be handled delicately and in third person. Showing how you handle these sensitive topics is a demonstration of your breadth of knowledge, understanding, and ability to discuss these things without invoking hostile emotions. Employers who are seeking top candidates will recognize this ability. Avoiding tough topics simply does not address your full abilities.

Some points in discussing your topics are to focus on your objective. Do not allow side topics to digress from achieving your objectives. Also anticipate reader reactions and questions. Either answer them or terminate any secondary concerns or questions then move on. If you don't they will linger and distract the audience.

Circumstances

Your circumstance has several components such as history, education, and other life conditions. Unless, you have a criminal history, poor credit rating, or other legal conditions making you not bondable almost everything else can be overcome - even getting fired. Getting fired, unless for cause, is mostly personality based. Some of the world's greatest leaders had terrible histories. Winston Churchill was an utter failure for his entire life before rising up against Nazi Germany. While Churchill is a dramatic example, you can achieve similar results of rising up to achieve great things given a challenged past in your career. It is those hard knocks that prepare you for greatness.  Dale Carnegie has a product that discusses Greatness which is about leadership in your personal life and workplace. 

Networking

Nearly every expert agrees that you need to network. Networking can help you conduct a better job search and find a better job. However, there is little agreement on the most effective methods and everyone needs to find their comfort zone. Orville Pierson is a professional career counselor who helps people find work. My postings on the Orville Pierson method follow:

1. Everybody Knows You Need to Network!
2. Systematic Job-Search Networking
3. Networking Myths Misunderstanding and Dumb Ideas
4. Real Networking and How it Works
5. Your Total Network is Bigger than You Think
6. Plan Your Job Search and Your Networking
7. Personal Networks and How To Use Them
8. Build Your Professional Network
9. Networking Tools and Advanced Strategies
10. Moving From Networking to Interviews and Job Offers

Commentary: Some time ago I had a post called 'The Art of the Follow Up' Part One andPart Two. I encourage you to read these posts in addition to this posting.

Conducting a Search While Employed

The problem searching for a job while employed is, of course, the current employer. Many employers would deem an employee searching for other work as a loyalty issue which often beckons immediate release due to fears of increased risk. The best approach is to leverage professional organizations, symposiums, blogging, and speaking engagements to network regularly. You'll work at first to build a presence then at some point you will transition into a heightened search using the Orville Pierson Method.

While building your presence, avoid direct networking and/or job search methods that broadcast your intentions. Obviously, never respond to blind ads and job postings that sound too much like your dream position. Queries into your availability should be answered as the reluctant jobseeker. You are happy where you are at but are always open to new challenges and willing to listen. Some job seekers anticipate becoming discovered by seeking more responsible or other professional challenges with the current employer. This, at least, demonstrates to an employer that you desire to grow with him even if he has no opportunities. Upon discovery, your response could center on your reluctance to change employers, a desire to grow into more responsible positions, and that you are open to new challenges with him. If you really dislike your employer that is a more stressful situation requiring special handling and is not a topic of this posting.

Conclusion:

It is your presence in the marketplace that draws attention to you either when a manager is proactively seeking someone or after you have established yourself in a target company. Your presence in the marketplace speaks about you to those researching and participating in the conversation.  The easier it is to find you and learn about you the greater your chances are of landing a terrific job.  

Virtualizating Computational Workloads

Commentary:  This is a general discussion in which I wrapped up into the discussion an unique use of Virtualization. In the short term, companies can benefit from off loading heightened computational demands. They may desire to purchase computational power for a limited time versus the capital expenditure of purchasing and expanding the systems. The virtualized environment also can solve issues relating to geographically dispersed personnel. Overall, we are a long way from meaningfully and effectively using the excess computational power residing on the web or across an organization. This discussion though hopefully gives some insight on how to use that excess power.  

Virtualize computing can occur over any internetwork system including World Wide Web. The concept centers on distributing the use of excess system resources such as computational power, memory, and storage space in a service-oriented or utilitarian architecture. In simple terms, internet based resource provisioning. Multiple virtualized environments can exist on the same network. Although, the physical hardware can only be assigned to and managed by a single virtualized engine. Each virtualized environment, a cloud, encapsulates a unique group of participating hardware resources which is managed through virtualization; Figure 1. Demand for services are then sent out into the cloud to be processed and the results are returned to the virtual machine.

Figure 1:  The Virtualized Concept

The virtual machine can be as simple as a browser or can be the complete set of applications including the operating system running on a terminal through thin clients such as Citrix.  The cloud service can be as simple as a search service such as google and/or database storage of information. A simple cloud example is SkyDrive, MobileMe^TM, and now iCloud^TM. iCloud^TM offers backup services, storage services, and platform synchronization services to its users over the World Wide Web.

Virtualization

The virtualization concept is one in which operating systems, servers, applications, management, networks, hardware, storage, and other services are emulated in software but to the end user it is completely independent of the hardware or unique technological nuances of system configurations. Examples of virtualization include software such as Fusion or VMWare in which Microsoft's operating system and software run on a Apple MacBook.  Another example of virtualization is the HoneyPot used in computer network defense. Software runs on a desktop computer that gives the appearance of a real network from inside the DMZ to a hacker attempting to penetrate the system. The idea is to decoy the hacker away from the real systems using a fake one emulated in software. An example of hardware virtualization is the soft modem. PC manufacturers found that it is cheaper to emulate some peripheral hardware in software. The problem with this is diminished system performance due to the processor being loaded with the emulation. The JAVA virtual engine is also another example of virtualization. This is a platform independent engine that permits JAVA coders to code identically the same on all platforms supported and the code to function as mobile code without accounting for each platform.

Provisioning In Virtualization

Once hardware resources are inventoried and made available for loading. Provisioning in a virtualized environment occurs in several ways. First, physical resources are provisioned by management rules in the virtualization software usually at the load management tier, Figure 1. Secondly, users of a virtual machine can schedule a number of processors, the amount of RAM required, the amount of disk space, and even the degree of precision required for their computational needs. This occurs in the administration of virtualized environment tier, Figure 1. Thus, idle or excess resources can, in effect, be economically rationed by an end user who is willing to pay for the level of service desired. In this way the end user enters into an operating lease for the computational resources for a period of time. No longer will the end user need to make a capital purchase of his computational resources.

Computational Power Challenges

I have built machines with multi-processors and arrayed full machines to handle complex computing requirements. Multi-processor machines were used to solve processor intensive problem sets such as Computer Aided Design, CAD, demands or high transaction SQL servers. Not only were multiple processors necessary but so were multiple buses and drive stacks in order to marginalize contention issues. The operating system typically ran on one buss while the application ran over several over other busses accessing independent drive stacks. Vendor solutions have progressed with newer approaches to storage systems and servers in order to better support high availability and demand. In another application, arrayed machines were used to handle intensive animated graphics compilations that involve solid modeling, ray tracing, and shadowing on animations running at 32 frames per second. This meant that a 3 minute animation had 5760 frames that needed to be crunched 3 different times. In solving this problem, the load was broken into sets. Parallel machines crunched through the solid model sets handing off to ray tracing machines then to shadowing machines.  In the end the parallel tracks converged into a single machine where the sets were re-assembled into the finished product. System failures limited work stoppages to a small group of frames that could be 're-crunched' then injected into the production flow.  

These kinds of problems sets are becoming more common today as computational demands on computers become more pervasive in society. Unfortunately, software and hardware configurations remain somewhat unchanged and in many cases unable to handle the stresses of complex or high demand computations. Many software packages cannot recognize more than one processor or if they do handle multiple processors the loading is batched and prioritized using a convention like first in first out (FIFO) or stacked job processing. This is fine for a production use of the computational power as given in the examples earlier. However, what if the computational demand is not production oriented but instead sentient processing or manufactures knowledge? I would like to explore an interesting concept in which computational power in the cloud is arrayed in a virtualized neural net.

Arraying for Computational Power in New Ways

Figure 2: Computational Node

One solution is to leverage arcane architectures in a new way. I begin with the creation of a virtual computational node in software, Figure 2, to handle an assigned information process. Then organize hundreds or even tens of thousands of computational nodes on an virtualized backplane, Figure 3. The nodes communicate in the virtual backplane listening for information being passed then process it, and publish the new information to the backplane. A virtualized general manager provides administration of the backplane and is capable of arraying the nodes dynamically in series or parallel to solve computational tasks. The node arrays should be designed using object oriented concepts. Encapsulated in each node is memory, processor power, its own virtual operating system and applications. The nodes are arrayed polymorphically and each node inherits public information.  In this way, software developers can design workflow management methods, like manufacturing flow, that array nodes and use queues to reduce crunch time, avoid bottle necks, and distribute the workload. Mind you that this is not physical but virtual.  The work packages are handed off to the load manager which tasks the physical hardware in the cloud, Figure 3.

Figure 3:  Complex Computational Architecture

This concept is not new. The telecommunications industry uses a variation of this concept for specialized switching applications rather than general use computing. There are also array processors used for parallel processing. Even the fictional story, Digital Fortress by Dan Brown centered on a million processor system. Unfortunately, none of these concepts were designed for general use computing. If arrayed computational architectures were designed to solve complex and difficult information sets then this has the potential for enormous possibilities. For example, arraying nodes to monitor for complex conditions then make decisions on courses of actions and enact the solution.

The challenges of symbolic logic processing can be overcome using arrayed processing to virtualize neural nets.  A combination of sensory arrays for inputs, (node) neural-to-neural (node) processing, and valid pathways or lines of logic would provide the means to complete complex processing and output results that are otherwise difficult to achieve. If enough physical hardware participates the World Wide Web then the web could become an enormous neural processor solving some of the most incredibly complex computational problem sets.

The World Wide Web and Computational Limitations

This architecture within a cloud is limited to developing knowledge or lines of logic. Gaps or breaks in a line of logic may be inferred based on history which is also known as quantum leaps in knowledge or wisdom. Wisdom systems are different than knowledge systems. Knowledge is highly structured and its formation can be automated more easily.  Whereas wisdom is less structured having gaps in knowledge and information. Wisdom relies on inference and intuition in order to select valid information from its absence or out of innuendo,  ambiguity, or otherwise noise. Wisdom is more of an art whereas knowledge is more of a science.

Nonetheless, all the participating computers on the World Wide Web could enable a giant simulated brain. Of course, movies such as The Lawn Mower Man, Demon Seed, The Forbes Project, and War Games go the extra mile making the leap to self-aware machines that conquer the world. For now though, let's just use them to solve work related problems.

References:

Brown, Dan, May 2000. Digital Fortress, St Martin’s Press, ISBN: 9780312263126

Englander, I. (2003). The Architecture of Computer Hardware and Systems Software: An information Technology Approach. (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Using a MacBook PRO For Your Job Search

Commentary:  In August 2009 MicroSoft's Genuine Advantage shut my professional and work notebook computer down. The banner read I was a victim of piracy.  I was in the middle of a major project using MicroSoft Project.  This event forced me to seek a solution other than Microsoft solutions. 

The Fall of the Microsoft Empire

My machine was shut down by Genuine Advantage and the banner read I was a victim of piracy. Nothing was pirated on my machine. I owned everything. I provided Microsoft valid keys and receipts but they were unable to turn my machine back on. I swiftly moved all the data and critical applications to another Microsoft notebook machine to sustain my operational tempo. Then over the next several  months a Chinese Advanced Senior Technical Engineer and MicroSoft physicist who specialized in issues within the Microsoft Universe worked with me.  Instructions she sent me were rarely accurate. However, I had been MicroSoft certified years prior and was able to correct her instructions to do things like load registry updates but her choice of solutions were never fruitful.  Eventually, after months of no solutions from Microsoft they stopped responding to emails and I converted the machine to another operating system for training purposes. Simultaneously and early on, I began migrating software and processes to the MacBook Pro and purchased an iPad. My computational life instantly changed!

The Rise of the Apple Empire

Migration at first was mainly my music, audiobooks, and video products. After nearly a year of increasing skill in Apple products, I am currently at a point of working almost wholly from Apple solutions. Some activities like project management have to be conducted using Microsoft solutions. I now run those few processes in a virtualize workspace.  I will be able of fully dropping the use of MicroSoft solutions should an Apple solution become available for project management that can work with others who use the Microsoft Project solution.  I found the Apple solutions to be better organized, more reliable, and easier to use after adjusting to the graphical user interface differences and human interface device changes such as using my fingers on the iPad. I want to share with you how to use the MacBook Pro and iPad in your job search.

I assume you already own a MacBook notebook and the iPad product. My MacBook has the maximum drive and RAM possible giving me plenty of speed and room to work.  The software that best supports a job search includes:

Pages: This is the word processing capability. It costs about $11.oo for the iPad and $79.oo for the MacBook. The MacBook product also includes Numbers, the spreadsheet, and Keynote, the presentation package. I converted my resume to Pages with virtually no effort other than some minor formatting issues. The document is readily converted to a Word 2003 version file to be emailed out and can be worked in pages as a MS Word 2003 file too.  Pages also supports the universal file format, PDF. There really is no reason or major technological barriers to using pages. The only real barrier is the users mindset.

Bento: This is a database package and foundational to your search. It cost about $5.oo for the iPad and $49.oo for the MacBook. The package has dozens of templates available and can be readily adjusted to support numerous needs.  I choose to use the Contact Management template and modified it with additional fields. This process was ridiculously easy. I added fields to store files sent to a contact, to followup, and the type of contact I was engaging. I used the note field as a journal to document contact discussions. I also sync'd this with Bento on my iPad. Unfortunately, iPad Bento is not as robust and not all the fields move over.  Also the iPad presentation is vertical and linear. The same look and feel as MacBook Bento is not offered in the iPad version.

Mail:  This is Mac's email package. It is unlike MS Outlook and takes some practice to configure to your preferences. It is embedded with Snow Leopard, Mac's operating system. Mail does offer rules and smart boxes to sort out emails and can be a bit confusing at first. Nonetheless, it works and serves the communication purposes. You can email directly from the apps on the iPad or on the MacBook in several formats.

MobileMe: This is a virtual environment or your personal data cloud and cost $99/year. It is an efficient means to keeping your data the same on all your devices. However, I have found that is does not effectively work with iGoogle calendars and I have observed problems syncing with the Microsoft environment. These issues created the circumstances for me to shift further towards Apple since reliability and availability of information was critical to me. 

LinkedIn: This is essential to your networking effort. However, it does not replace getting out and talking to people. LinkedIn offers tools that integrate with your mobile devices and browsers. They offer an application for your iPad but no plugin for the Safari browser. LinkedIn does offer a plugin for the FireFox browser. Unfortunately, Firefox does not sync with Mobile Me. Therefore, you may desire to use Safari for everything except use of the LinkedIn plugin. I use both browsers on my MacBook Pro. I'll post an update regarding the use of the browsers in a further post after I have more experience. 


My Computational Life Changed

Computationally, I have had sort of a mid-life crisis after I have worked almost exclusively with Microsoft since 1982 when I purchased my first computer. I have jaunted into UNIX for about 2 years, dabbled with LINUX off and on, and other operating systems as sort of a fling from time to time. However, this shift to Snow Leopard is long term.  The changes are profound. I now carry my iPad almost everywhere and rarely tote a notebook. I perform work as the task demands where ever I am at shifting back and forth between projects. Granted, I need my MicroSoft notebook for most of my project work but my iPad lists the tasks, contact data, and other critical information while on-the-go. It takes some effort to sync the two worlds.

In terms, of a job search Bento is the underpinning of the search maintaining the contact list, journals, and files. LinkedIn will help you build a network. Pages provides the word processing capabilities to maintain a resume and develop cover letters. Mail helps communicate as sites like Career Builder, Monster, and corporate sites pour out emails based on search engines you have set.  On the go, MobileMe and the iPad keep you sync'd in and able to respond quickly from almost anywhere.  Virgin Mobile's MiFi ensures you can stay connected in places that do not offer WiFi service. Just throw the unit in your briefcase or backpack and you will have up to 4 hrs connectivity on your iPad significantly cheaper than if you use the 3G or 4G ATT service embedded in the iPad units. 

In the end, your computational life will become more mobile, more capable, and more reliable after switching to the Apple Universe.  It also gives you a transportable skill, you can use Apple products proficiently. 

Why is IPv6 Taking So Long?

The advent of IPv6 will create a culture in which nearly every device can be placed on the world wide web for various exciting purposes and possibilities. This is in response to the concern why IPv6 is taking so long. Addressing technologies are coupled with topologies and have undergone numerous design attempts as engineers sought ways for packets to locate their destinations. Tokens are an highly ordered approach but slowed networks as they grew in size. Ethernet approaches flooded networks with packets that had to be assigned time-to-live in order to reduce the packet traffic lingering on the networks. Sixteen bit Internet Protocol, IP, addressing has emerged as the dominant protocol used on most networking topologies. The draw back is the limited number of addresses are available as the Internet and networks grow in size and use. IPv6 is based on 128 bit addressing and is said to provide more than enough IP addresses for future demands. Many vendors are reluctant to implement the newer addressing technology. However, implementation may occur without most people being aware of the transition.

MicroSoft’s current official company position, although published sometime ago, remains in effect today. Microsoft has been loading IPv6 in all current operating systems and nearly all the older XP platforms. IPv6 is also in the server product lines as newer generations are released. The purpose for the implementation simultaneous with the older IPv4 is to debug addressing problems and build a sufficient base of machines that can operate in a seamless transition from IPv4 to IPv6. This yields broader scalability and increased devices on those networks when the transition become more mainstream. Microsoft remarks that the transition must be conducted in a responsible manner to prevent costly unproductive missteps (Microsoft, 2008).

The real challenge is not converting the personal computer. Instead, the challenge is implementing IPv6 on the vast array of other computational devices such as cell phones, PDAs, iPods, internet enabled TVs and other web devices. In many cases, the older technology device must simply become obsolete and move out of service over time. There is no time limit on IPv6 implementation and these older devices may persist for years to come. To the common user the transition will have just happened.

Reference:

MicroSoft (12 Feb 2008). Microsoft's Objectives for IP Version 6, Copyright 2009, Retrieved on 01APR09 from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb726949.aspx

Stallings, William. (2009) Business Data Communications, (6th Edition) New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall

Business Intelligence

Commentary: Many vendors offer business intelligence solutions. Project managers need to understand not only the vendor application but more importantly the business strategic objectives.   

The article “Best Practices for Great BI Performance with IBM DB2 for I” discusses another vendor solution to the general information science problem of data storage. Practices such as Business Intelligence, BI, relate more to contextual presentation of data patterns. How data is stored, retrieved, then processed on demand is essential to good BI. BI is a subset of the broader discipline of Decision Support Systems, DSS, which are at the top of the information food chain. Information sub-systems collect, sort, validate, and store data before passing the information to the next level. As the data moves up through the levels the quality of the data improves.

Acquiring quality data for DSS systems and applications begins at a much lower level. Operational sub-systems collect data and business rules validate then store data usually in several different relational databases. Typical operational sub-systems data involves data entry of customer data, employee time clock data, repair data, bookkeeping, and logistical information collected by scanners. Information across these databases are then gathered or organized in support of operational level processes which add value to the data through operational processes. Typical operational processes involve activities such as purchase orders, payroll, travel, customer service, financial statements etc… Operational level data across numerous systems and databases is then rolled up into a DSS system. DSS level processes are dramatically different than operational processes. DSS processes look at the character of the data sets, for example trends, patterns, and behaviors, in order to form strategic decisions. Because of the large data sets involved in DSS; storage, processing, and reporting of the data is critical in order to meet on demand for review requirements in a timely manner.

The common approach currently in use is the data mart that are working subsets of larger primary databases and present a unique view. These data marts when organized in ways to permit multi-dimensional modelling of the operations are called data cubes. The use of methodologies such as online transaction processing (OLTP) and online analytic processing (OLAP) can continuously usher data into the data cubes in support of on demand reviews. Numerous vendors are beginning to offer services in this arena although the methodologies and markets are still being shaped. “BI will surge in the mid market” (Cuzillo, 2008) “In the last two years or so we have seen some important new technologies emerge and begin to influence BI, and I believe they’ll have an even more significant effect in the coming year. Some examples include SOA/Web services (and overall componentized design), in-memory analytics, integrated search, and the use of rich media services to provide more compelling (Web-based) user experiences.” (Briggs, 2008)

Commentary:  Decision support systems are a growing business interest as markets become increasingly volatile. Possessing a fundamental understanding of these systems and their value to business is pinnacle to architecting effective systems. Many businesses continue to struggle with the best way to employ information technologies and serve business intelligence needs. Project manager's implementing these kinds of projects need to be involved right from the inception in order to maintain a focus on the strategic objectives. It is the project manager who corals and focuses these projects for the senior leaders and achieving their visions.  

Reference:

Englander, I. (2003). The Architecture of Computer Hardware and Systems Software: An information Technology Approach. (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Cain, M. (2008). Best Practices for Great BI Performance with IBM DB2 for i. Penton Media, Inc. Retrieved from http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/resources/Great_BIPerformance.pdf

Cuzzillo, Ted, Dec 2008. Analysis: BI Transformation in 2009, TDWI, Retrieved from http://www.tdwi.org/News/display.aspx?ID=9262

Briggs, Linda, Dec 2008. Q&A: Market Forces That will mold BI in 2009, TDWI Retrieved from http://www.tdwi.org/News/display.aspx?ID=9263

Healthcare Information Virtual Environment System (HIVES)

Healthcare information systems have a vast array of various equipment, clinics, labs, governmental agencies, manufacturers, doctor offices, and innumerable other organizations providing, collecting, and processing information.  Classic issues of stove piping or 'Silos' have emerged causing inefficiencies in the industry such as multiple lab test and/or diagnostics being prescribed. The advent of a nationalized health records system increases the complexity of these networks as well. In order to gain management and control over these information systems, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) hosts the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel, (HITSP). This is one of several cooperative efforts, between industry and government to create standards. However, all too often the standards result in a highly complex architecture and system design. This is because early standards and architectures often focus on resolving major issues with little forethought into the broader architecture. Many argue that little information is known or that the project is far too complex. Years later, this results in an effort to simplify and streamline the system again.

Allowing a Frankenstein architecture to emerge would be a travesty when our initial objectives are to streamline the healthcare processes removing redundancies and latencies in the current system. The planners should design the system for streamlined performance early. Large scale projects like these are not new and history tells us many good things. The evolution of complex systems such as the computer, the car, and the internet have emerged out of a democratization of design. Literally, tens of thousands of people have contributed to these systems and those models are one approach to resolving the large scale complex information systems involved in healthcare. What we have seen emerge out of the democratization of design is a standardization of interfaces in a virtualized environment. For example, the headlamps are nearly identical for every car with standard connectors and mounts even though the headlight assemblies are artfully different on each car. The computer has standard hardware and software interfaces even though the cards and software perform different functions. The virtual computer is independent of vendor product specifications. Instead, the vendor performs to a virtual computer standard in order for their products and services to function properly.

Let us take a moment to explain that virtualization is the creation of a concept, thing, or object as an intangible structure for the purpose of study, order, and/or management. The practice is used in across a breadth of disciplines to include particle physics and information science. Within the information realm, there are several different virtualization domains to include software, hardware, training, and management virtualization. My interest is not in the use of any specific virtualized technology but instead in exploring healthcare virtualization management.

I propose a need for a Healthcare Information Virtual Environment System (HIVES), Figure 1, which is essential to reducing complexity and establishing a standard for all those participating in the healthcare industry. The virtual environment is not a technological system. Instead it is a management system or space in which medical information is exchanged by participating objects within the virtual environment. Real things like clinics, offices, data centers, and equipment sit on the virtualized backplane or space.  HIVES would have a set of standards for participating equipment, clinics, hospitals, insurance agencies, data centers, etc... connecting to the environment in order to exchange information. Many may remark that these standards exist. I am able to locate dozens of vendor products and services supporting hardware, software and even service virtualization which are not a standard virtualized management of the overarching healthcare environment that is what the nationalized healthcare system is attempting to manage. I have reviewed HITSP and noted there is no clear delineation of a virtualized managed environment.

Figure 1: HIVES

In such an environment, I envision data being placed into the environment would have addressing and security headers attached. In this way, data is limited to those listening and who have authorization to gather, store, and review specific information. For example, a doctor prescribes a diagnostic test. An announcement is made in the environment of the doctors request addressed to testing centers. Scheduling software at a testing facility participating in the environment picks up the request then schedules the appointment. It announces the appointment in the virtualized environment in which the doctor's office software is listening to receive the appointment data. Once the patient arrives the machines perform the diagnostics placing the patient's data back in the environment. A analyst picks up the record reviews it and posts the assessment in the environment. In the meantime, a data center participating in the environment that holds the patient's record is listening and collects all new information posted in the environment regarding the patient then serves those records to authenticated requests. The patient returns to the doctors office which request the patient's record from the data center through the environment. 

The advantages to having such an environment whether called HIVES or something else are astronomical. The patient's records are available to all participating in the environment, security levels and access can be administered in the environment efficiently to ensure HIPPA and other security compliance standards, bio-surveillance data is more readily available with higher accuracy in the data centers, the environment can be an industry driven standard and managed through a consortium, and the government could be an equal participant in the environment.  

Moreover, to be a participant, the manufacturer, clinic, lab, hospital, doctor office, data center or any others have to meet the clearly defined standards and become a consortium participant at some level. Thus, complexity of the architecture and systems interfacing can be tremendously reduced achieving the stated objectives of healthcare reform and streamlining.

Commentary:  Please feel free to comment and dialogue on this concept. I would especially enjoy commentary regarding the standards and any efforts at virtualized management of health care information.