Joseph Williams

Secure peer-to-peer networking: the JXTA example

The JXTA frameworks key benefit is its ability to provide security via well-understood, trusted approaches. Likewise, JXTAs transport protocol independence lets applications avoid the security breaches imposed by gateways or other network infrastructure. Project JXTA has now completed J2SE and J2ME MIDP implementations.The latter is for small-footprint devices like mobile phones. A C implementation is nearly completed. These three are edge-to-edge interoperable and thus will provide JXTA P2P functionality across the device space. At JavaOne 2002, held in San Francisco during March, developers demonstrated group instant messaging among mobile phones, laptops, and desktop systems with firewall traversal, using the JXTA protocols.An open-source framework, JXTA can accommodate centralized and decentralized certificate authorities for P2P networking.

Correctly assessing the -ilities" requires more than marketing hype

Understanding key system qualities can better equip you to correctly assess the technologies you manage. Dot-coms and enterprise systems often use terms like scalability, reliability and availability to describe how well they meet current and future service-level expectations. These ilities characterize an IT solutions architectural and engineering qualities. They collectively provide a vocabulary for discussing an IT solutions performance potential amid ever-changing IT requirements. The paper considers the role that ilities play in the solution architecture. They generally fall into four categories: strategic, systemic, service and user.

The IEEE 802.11b security problem. 1

It is important to be aware of the security issues a wireless LAN can pose, and take steps to use its built-in security features. IEEE 802.11b-related security issues range from security management to inherent weaknesses of the underlying technologies. In addition, WLANs are subject to the same attacks that target traditional LANs.

Avoiding the CNN moment

The CNN Moment is that agonizing disaster where the dot-com infrastructure fails and its architectural shortcomings end up as a lead story on CNNs financial news. As everyone battles to restore the operational integrity of the site, the hapless company combats angry customers, disappointed analysts, falling stock prices, reduced earnings, lawsuits, and a plethora of other ills that can damage the value of the dot-com brand and, in some cases, imperil the companys very survival. At a minimum it is always the kind of bad publicity that every dot-com wants to avoid. It is vital to take steps now to keep your company from experiencing the CNN Moment.

Cameron Etezadi: Barbarians at the Gate--Now What?

The author talks to Cameron Etezadi, deputy CTO at Concur, a leading provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions. Concur was recently acquire by SAP, and Etezadi discusses, among other things, integrating technology and culture in the midst of a merger.

IT Leadership Is Morphing

IT leaders are taking on new responsibilities in addition to their traditional IT functions. The author discusses the constantly changing roles of C-suite executives, and sets out a plan for the Life in the C-Suite column to provide perspectives from executives themselves on how these role changes are affecting their lives.