Access Cisco’s rommon from minicom

Minicom is to Linux/Unix as Hyperterminal is to Windows.

In minicom, the key-combination is ctrl+a f

Lotus Domino VS Exchange?

Okay, before you start assuming, this is just my quick 30-second answer to the difference between Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange.  I use this analogy when explaining to others that really do not know much about the topic.  I’ll give you my personal opinions at the end.

Entire Books and Libraries have been created to determine the real differences.  This is not meant to go into any detail

First off, let me preface by saying, anyone can make an email server.  SMTP/POP3/IMAP are not difficult protocols.

“Microsoft Exchange does a great job of messaging, and, oh… by the way…. it can also do collaboration.  Lotus Domino does a great job of collaboration, and, oh…. by the way….. it can also do messaging”.

The main focus that I’m trying to point out is, IBM/Lotus understands that anyone can do email, so they put their Research and Development into the collaboration piece.  The sending/receiving email is just a side-note bonus item.  Whereas, Microsoft spent a lot of time in the messaging piece and the management of it.

Now, this post isn’t to bash Exchange lovers.  There are a lot of things I miss on Exchange that Domino doesn’t do.  However, I did want to give my 30-second explanation on the major difference between the two.

My personal opinion is, in this day and age, we are beyond the need for simple messaging.  If that was the case, we would still be running sendmail systems (some of us still are) using Eudora Pro.  You can only take it so far.  At this point, businesses are more interested in effectively collaborating efficiently and without geographic boundries.  Anyone can send and receive email.

Technorati Tags: Collaboration, Domino, Exchange, Messaging

Styx Netflow Collector Update

I’ve been having a VERY hard time keeping up on my development on Styx.  With adding changes to OpenNMS, new projects, and my studies, it’s sooo hard to work on this project too.  But, I see ALOT of use for this type of system.  Below is an image of what I consider to be a 1.0 release.  Of course, current development is no where near that, but I’m hoping to have most of this done by 4Q2008.

Obviously, if you are a java developer, or have other qualifying experience, I would love to have you on the team!

  Tags: styx, netflow    Powered by Qumana

Nashville Cisco Users Group

Being in the Nashville area for the last 18 months, I figured it was about time to start getting some social networking processes started in my industry.

I did some looking, and found the Cisco Nashville Users Group. So, I joined.  I haven’t been to a meeting yet, but March’s meeting sounds really interesting. See agenda below. I may joine the Java User Group as well, but haven’t decided if I can commit to that much time yet.

MARCH 2008 NCUG MEETING: The March 2008 NCUG meeting will occur on a THURSDAY! (gasp). This meeting will occur on Thursday March 13th 2008 from 5pm-7pm Central time. It will be hosted by AT&T and will be on the topic of 3G broadband aircards connected to Cisco routers. Dinner and a free AT&T Blackberry door prize will be provided by AT&T, and additional free book door prizes will be provided by Wiley and Cisco Press.

The title of the presentation is

"Cisco High Speed Wireless Interface Card and AT&T Network Services"

The agenda should be approximately as follows:

Dinner and Meet and Greet @ 5pm

Introductions and open discussion @ approx 5:30pm

Presenter	Title	Topic	Time
Gary Weatherford	AT&T Systems Engineer	GSM 3G Network Overview	15 minutes
Theresa Corballis	Cisco Systems	AT&T Service Creation Cisco High Speed Wireless Interface Card (HWIC)	30 minutes
H. Bryan Pettus, CCSP	AT&T Technical Network Consultant	Cisco HWIC-MPLS Case study	15 minutes

DIRECTIONS:

The AT&T Mobility Office in the Maryland Farms Complex in Brentwood, TN is located at 5310 Maryland Way, adjacent to the Tractor Supply Corporate HQ. The best contact number to provide is my cellular, 336-7087. Directions below:

From North of Downtown Nashville :

• I-65 South to Old Hickory Blvd. West
• Go approximately 2 miles west on Old Hickory Blvd. to Granny White Pike, turn Left going south on Granny White Pike.
• Go approximately 1/4 mile to the traffic light @ Maryland Way, turn Left going west on Maryland Way.
• Go approximately 1/4 mile and 5310 Maryland Way is on the left. Park on the Maryland Way side (south) parking lot.

From South of Brentwood TN :

• I-65 North to Old Hickory Blvd. West .
• Go approximately 2 miles west on Old Hickory Blvd. to Granny White Pike, turn Left going south on Granny White Pike.
• Go approximately 1/4 mile to the traffic light @ Maryland Way, turn Left going west on Maryland Way.
• Go approximately 1/4 mile and 5310 Maryland Way is on the left. Park on the Maryland Way side (south) parking lot.

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks!

David L. Kessler, Mobility Applications Consultant

Business Markets Group – Global Channel

AT&T Mobility® 615-336-7087 david.kessler@att.com

http://www.wireless.att.com/home Data Support: (800) 331-0500

PLEASE RSVP to nashvillecisco@yahoo.com by Thursday March 6th 2008 one week out, because escorts are required in this building, and so that AT&T orders the right amount of dinner, and so that AT&T makes sure you have a seat at this Thursday March 13th 2008 event.

Thanks again, and if you are no longer interested in receiving invitations to our free dinner & learns, please send an email to nashvillecisco@yahoo.com with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Take care…

Metro Ethernet Frustrations and the fix

For those that have been following the last few weeks, you’ll know that I was implementing a Metro Ethernet (MAN) network for my company using a Cisco ME-3750 switch, and the frustrations that came with it.

Well, I still went forward using the ME-3750, just not using the ES Ports.  The circuit came up fine.  I thought I was done.  Ran a few simple tests…. yep, communication is working.  So I left to the airport.

A couple of days later, communications started failing.  Intermittent results.  Basically, it stems from ARP not working correctly.  I would try to ping a device, then look at it’s ARP table.  Nothing….. hmmm… wierd.

I then look at the Switch’s mac-address table… yep…. the MAC’s are populating.  So, I go the distance, and place two network sniffers on each end.

The end result, was that sometimes (and only sometimes), an ARP request would get sent out, but the reply would never com back across the link.  Since I was monitoring the actual trunk ports, this must be a problem with the provider.

Well, come to find out, AT&T (who was doing the fiber to copper hand-off for me) has a mac-address table with a maximum entry of 50 entries.  50 entries!!  We have a decent sized network, and we are moving servers to a co-location DR site.  C’mon… we’ll max 50 entries in no time.

I didn’t even know AT&T caps mac-addresses.  Do other providers do this, as well??

Technorati Tags: Cisco, Network, metro-ethernet

Cisco discontinues the Pix Firewalls

Well, it has finally happened.  It was only a matter of time.  Since the Cisco ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance) did exactly what the Pix does, and them some, why support two lines?
Cisco announces that they will stop sales for the Pix Firewall in January 2009.  Support, however, will be continued until 2013.

See Cisco’s press release.

So, let’s talk about these ASA’s.  For those that do not know, the ASA is actually the PIX underneath, with modularity to allow you to expand it to a specific appliance, such as Application Inspection or Virus/Malware/Spyware inspection.  I’m actually using the one with the CSC module, which includes the Virus/Malware/Spyware inspection.  The ASA actually inspects SMTP,HTTP,POP3, and IMAP packets.

When I first purchased and used it 18 months ago, Trend Micro (who owns the scanning engine of the CSC module) had quite a few bugs in it, so, I didn’t like it at first.  Too many problems.  However, over the last 18 months, their updates and bug fixes have seem to stablize it a little bit

You can learn more about the ASA at Cisco’s website, if you aren’t already familiar.

Technorati Tags: Cisco, Network, Security

Captaris Rightfax First User Group!

For the first time, a Captaris Rightfax User Group is forming in Minn, with it’s first event set in Feb.

If you are not familiar with RightFax, it is an electronic fax delivery and document conversion application, which can scale extremely well. It also offers software development kits (SDK’s) for those that want custom integration into your ERP systems, and can integrate into some messaging/ERP systems out of the box.

If you were ever wishing you could centralize your inbound/outbound faxing due to regulatory compliance, or just for accurate metrics, RightFax can also integrate with most MFP (Multi-Function Printers), which includes your All-in-one HP printer/fax/copier.  Also, your high-end copier/fax machiens should also integrate well with it (but ask your rep first).

I’m a huge fan of user groups. Not only does it allow you to network with your peers with similar interests, but you can learn how they solved certain solutions, and, at the same time, learn new items that the User Group discusses.

Although, the User Group is only as successful as it’s sponsers and community, it is uncertain who will sponser and lead the User Group at this time. However, there is one company sponsering the first event, which is Dynamic Solutions Group. Companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, ING Group, and United Health Group will attend and share their experiences.

The User Group will be held in Minneapolis, Minn on Feb 22, 2008 at the Embassy Suites Hotel.

For more information on the User Group, or for attendance details, see the press release (PDF)