Archive for the ‘Technologies related’ Category

Upgrading Wordpres 2.7 to Wordpress 2.8

Posted on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 7:33 am


Problems with upgrading Wordpres 2.7 to Wordpress 2.8 ?

I have search throughout the Internet, Googling the Wiordpress.org site and other forums etc. No solutions and nothing found. I have a few blogs that are still at the older ends of 2.6/2.7.

So why upgrade ? Due to exploits and bugs and features, especially Fantastico in Cpanel, which automatically updates to the latest version. Now whenever I change webhosting sites, I will use Fantastico instead of manually uploading.

Ok so heres a simple guide (wrote for myself actually) how I figure out upgrading this 2.7 to 2.8 thing, to solve all the STUPID problems with Upgrading Wordpress 2.8.X.

1) Install new WP 2.8 with Fantastico on your web host’s Cpanel

2) Create a new Database with your myPHPadmin (this is just for simple editing of your DB) Import your old Database (export using replace function) into this “test” Database.

3) Using this guide, do all the necessary changes for the Database structure. Its just a few simple deletion of attributes that differs from 2.7 and 2.8: http://codex.wordpress.org/Database_Description

4) Delete the “active plugins” data in Table WP_Options, just to make sure no conflicts of plugins + deactivates all plugins.

5) Export out this “Test” DB as Insert instead of Replace, then Import this Database script into the newly create Wordpress 2.8x Database in Step 1. There shouldn’t be any Database structure errors like errors or missing stuff etc…

6) Now, copy WP-Content folder (except Plugins folder) and into your FTP webspace.

7) What you should see now on your www.your || blog.com is a site with your posts, theme, and probably not widgets.

8) Now here’s the hard part (saving your trouble of reinstalling, you got to do this.) The posts might not have tags or categories due to the change in Wordpress Version. You have to manually create Categories and tags etc. But with the new versions, you can do bulk updates, which is quite simple.

That’s it. Hope your upgrading is a success.

Research on Business Process Revolution

Posted on Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 10:19 am


The term web services is getting popular these days. Web services are systems that helps to break down an entire system into sub components, by using services oriented architecture method on the web.

What is does is it is able to provide any type of services you see online, plug it in and out of a system eg. a website, and then “publish” it so that everyone else is able to use it.

This is a research that I have done over the past few days and it shows how businesses of today should adapt the same concept to what web services is providing.

 
What is SOA?

This paper focuses mainly on what is Service Oriented Architecture or SOA in short. SOA is a new technology, and a new buzz trend in the IT industry. In summary, this new technology enables business to reach a new level in terms of business process, improve performance and overall cost savings. This will revolved the way Information systems entirely, therefore improving the productivity.

Services oriented architecture, in other words, is a collection of services provided by systems, that allows inter-communications. To use these services, one need to pass simple data to those services and a result will be returned.

At a more in depth level, an IT software system can or should be built with a loosely coupled collection of services. It means a system containing many other tiny systems that communicate to either internal or external services, also known as “web services”.

In return, any data that are passed to these services will return the proper results for the user who requested it. The user, on the other hand, does not need to understand how the system works.

 
Benefits of SOA and how it re-engineers the business process

There are several advantages with regards to a SOA built system. A system in the current context can either be an IT system with a few computers, an IT application for the enterprise, a software guided process flow, or just a piece of software on running on a network of computers.

One of the main advantages, is the ability to plug and play components. As we have discussed above, the beauty of SOA lies in the possibility to take out or bring in a particular process easily. A revolution will take place and business process will change entirely, saving resources and redesigning the business process. This will therefore improve productivity and other related matters.

Another advantage is the ability to break up an entire system into sub-systems or components, and allow inter-communications among these components to talk one another services provided. In other words, we are able to build a complete software just by bringing smaller components together. These web services are able to provide you with enough resources to produce an output desired.

Just imagine a printer cartridge that consists of black, red, blue and yellow ink. When anyone of these inks are used up, you will need to replace the whole cartridge. Then they started selling separate cartridges, black and color. Then they further break it down to individual color, so when any of the ink color is finished, you only need to replace one of them.

Finally, cost saving is the most concerned factor for businesses. Based on the previous advantage, existing businesses with a software system will not need to spend large amount of money to maintain or upgrade. This system may exist all over multiple sites. By implementing SOA, a business can redesign their processes over these sites, such that they can remove duplicate services, standardize software platform, outsourced or sell some of the non-core activities, and concentrate on core business priorities and improve performance.

 
The dawn of re-engineering

The next step in re-engineering the business process is to map out all activities, including those IT and non IT. This diagram will be term as “Heat map”, which will list down all tasks, grouped according in terms of priority, cost, performance, or other measurement factors. Within each job tasks, list down the possibilities of whether it should be automated with IT, whether if it should be kept in-house, outsourced, brought to customer’s or distributor’s site.

Once a diagram is drafted out, the next tier is to look at what value each task will fetch for the organization. We shall call this tier activity evaluation. Identification for the tasks should be decided, like core or non core activities, or it can be grouped as mandatory or support activities. The value of the tasks will then be evaluated, whether it is generating profits to a company, or if it is an important task in the support arm.

The next tier is about evaluating its current level performance. This step is consider most important, as the turning point on each tasks, whether they should be step up, cut down, terminated, or maintained. This is when the services oriented approached is needed. These tasks can then be purchased (if there’s a solution), sold (as a profitable unit), or enhanced by executing Web services.

The big thing of the 21st century in IT is automation and outsourcing. If the tasks can be automated, maintenance cost could be lowered. If not, it will be decided if it should be kept in-house (running IT web services), or it should be purchased, from other vendor providing these services, or it can be sold to customers, distributors or partners, if this service has started.

Finally the performance of core units can be measured after implementation of the re-engineering exercise. By using the SOA approach, the benefits mentioned in this report should take commence and follow through, giving some yield in terms of performance, or cutting down maintenance cost. The plug and play capabilities displayed here, will ensure that if remodeling or transition of services are needed, then it can done freely.

 
Conclusion
To conclude, large oraganizations should actively change the way traditional IT systems work, adapt, and make full use to whatever new technologies that will revolutionized business of today.

 
 

Set Ubuntu Linux Root password for the first time

Posted on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 6:22 am


This is just a simple tip that I use when I did some Ubuntu Linux installations, and almost forgot how to set the root password. Because Ubuntu Linux doesn’t ask you for a root password when you install, and assigns a random password for root, you can’t switch to root # in your environment.

All you can do is to login into the Desktop UI/shell with your newly created password. This tip will help you set your root password so you can use it subsequently.

This is how you set the Ubuntu Desktop Linux password:

1) Type in sudo -i
This switches your shell to Root # priviledges

2) passwd
This sets new UNIX Password for root

Now your Root password is set! And for one reason, if the owner did not set this sudo -i. it means you might be able to escalate root privileges for free.

High Quality Business VoIP for a Reliable Business Telephone System

Posted on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 9:15 am


Communication is deeply essential in any business, running a business requires for every department to be in constant communication with each other to avoid confusion. Each division has an important role in keeping the business running. Without communication, each one could be operating solely on their own devices and could conflict with the operation of another. That is why successful businesses maintain a good telephone system that can keep them in co0ntact with each other as well as to their customers.

Service providers and carriers that at present manage or are planning to manage both retail and wholesale customers do not have the time and resources to manage multiple network solutions. A lot of them should be familiar with the benefits of an all-in-one solution so they can concentrate their time and resources on increasing their customer base.

Having a good quality business VoIP in the business world is not a problem as long as it suits and satisfies the customer needs. Advertisements and lots of fliers would be a big help for the expansion of the products. Your customer deserves the best.

Voice over internet protocol technologies are scalable to fit any office environment, and can take advantage of a wide range of network infrastructures. With Voice over internet protocol, free your business from the expenses of per-minute long distance charges, paying only for initial equipment and any applicable managed service charges.

If you have had interest in Voice over internet protocol for your business, you have in excess of likely felt a little overwhelmed by the number of VOIP service providers available. You can find small companies, medium size companies and large companies. There is no wrong or right to the conclusion but looking at the options to agree on which VOIP service provider is best for your business is a good way to start.

Voice over internet protocol review provides a number of easy ways to find the best VOIP service for you. To search for residential or small business VoIP in your area:

1. You can use the Basic VoIP Search.
This is the easiest and quickest line of attack to find service.

2. You can use the Advanced VoIP Search Wizard.
If there is something specific you are looking for or you want to find the cheapest provider based on your calling minutes, features and number of phone lines.

3. You can use the VoIP Comparison Tool.
This lets you do a side by side comparison of VOIP Providers all at once.

Here are some ways you should consider on how to maximize business VoIP services which can boost your company’s performance:

• You should learn the different methods of organizing Voice over internet protocol.

• Be able to evaluate the confusing selection of opposing technologies that enable VoIP services.

• Learn how the Multimedia IP calling services and applications works, their uses and importance.

• Learn about security solutions for soft switch deployments.

• Marketing strategies supporting both enterprise and consumer VoIP service offerings should also be learned.

• Learning the regulatory issues and likely responses to the burgeoning VoIP service trend should also be observed.

Voice over internet protocol is the fastest growing business in the industry and offers big opportunity. VoIP is a flexible program that will fit any business. Voip is everything you need for a successful business strategy and system.

Apache Web Hosting and Dedicated Servers Systems Tutorial

Posted on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 9:17 am


Overview:
Summarized, Apache web hosting services and dedicated servers are one of the popular services that serve most of the OS or operating systems. The dedicated server applies applications to run on computers using “client’ server’s model. In addition, the dedicated servers work with the web hypertexts transfer protocols. The ultimate concern of the dedicated servers and web hosting is to service web content to fit web browsers, which work on the client computers.

Computers with Internet connection contain web pages that require the use of dedicated or shared servers. Apache hosting services and system servers often apply huge packages for intranet and Internet applications to run on. The users have access to several e-mail address, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), building tools and web page publishing.

Most of the web hosting and dedicated server packages are reasonably priced. With the web hosting packages, you have access to Site Ground, which are dedicated servers, as well as the technology of PHP. You can request that your site to be hosted by Apache servers, of which the server is updated on a regular basis. The web hosting and dedicated servers give you the most advanced versions that are set up on a stable platform. You will also have access to the Site Ground Host Accounts.

Apache hosting services and systems provide you with:
1. Sturdy web servers over powerful secured platforms
2. Red hat
3. Linux OS
4. Technical Support 24/7
5. Account instant activation
6. Free domains
7. Twelve to 500BGB disk space
8. 900GB traffic
9. MySQL
10. PHP
11. FTP

Apache web hosting and dedicated servers, as well as the systems, give you the best of the Internet world. The services are great for Internet marketers, webmasters and companies.

Tutorial for PHP and MySQL Support:
PHP is taking the lead to alternatives with ASP (Microsoft Active Server Page) and has opened sources to “server-side language.” Users have tools to create dynamic pages and can embed Html.

MySQL freely prepares users to use open sources in “Relational Database Management Systems,” otherwise known as RDBMS. The database has an engine that sorts through files by employing SQL or Structured Query Language. The PHP has script platforms, which sit adjacent to the MYSQL database on the UNIX or the Linux server. PHP is the “Personal Home Page” of a web site and is the hypertext pre-processor, which operates with an “Open source server-side language, known as C+.

Commonly, the hypertext joins with MySQL databases on the UNIX and Linux servers. This is the most often used dedicated server script language used by developers. You can embed html and save them as PHP file extensions. Using the extensions, the user can change the content on multiple pages. To make a long story short, it will simplify content designing. Users can modify a single file. Server-side engines allow users to transform PHP regions to html. MySQL is nice to have, yet if you intend to use the servers, you want to take measures to protect your server.

You want to remove MySQL databases at times:
Database is limited. The database should be removed by the user so that he or she can design complex databases on the dedicated servers. Look below to remove your database.
Access the “MySQL account Maintenance Menu.” Next, click on the tab or icon you see above MySQL databases. You will see this on the main window screen in the C-Panel interfaces. Then, click “Delete” after you select the database to remove.

Rather than deleting important databases due to conflicting issues, you can repair the database.

To remove MySQL users:
MySQL users you want to delete can be removed for preventing the user(s) from accessing your databases.

Access your Account Maintenance Menu. Next, click the icon on top of the MySQL Databases that you will see at the Main Window Screen at the C-Panel. Scroll until you see the username you want to delete and then select the user.

To learn more about web hosting and dedicated servers, you can visit the Internet. While we mention Apache, there are various other web hosting and dedicated servers available on the Internet. The best thing to do is search the web to find what you need. It makes your life simpler, and you can find more information to help you understand web hosting and dedicated servers.

Vtund problem with /etc/init.d/vtun start

Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 8:54 pm


I was mingling around with Linux Ubuntu where I had to do a VPN / VTUN connections to a certain host. So there was this problem where after I did all the settings in vtund.conf (the vtund config file) which was given to my by one of the support tech guys (I trust them..)

So now if I start the vtun connection manually, by typing this in the shell eg.

/home/user# vtund MYVPN1 192.168.100.1

This would create a task called vtund running after I ran ps -ef for the process list. A check with the ipconfig stats my connection up and connection were great.

Now the problem is…

I did a crontab job with /etc/init.d/vtun restart, or even /etc/init.d/vtun start, which I thought the vtun daemon would be able to start with init.d call, instead of running manually.

In the case of the manual vtund crashing or stopping for whatever reason, the /etc/init.d/vtun restart will help to “reset” the connection and help to re-connection, and keep the tunnel alive. But it didn’t work at all! For some reasons all efforts in starting the daemon with /etc/init.d/vtun couldn’t work, but only when I am at my shell connecting it manually.

The solution…

After poking around (for 2 hours) and verifying alot of stuff, I’ll just list down my findings… By the way, I’m using vtun 3.0x, so do upgrade yours if its still 2.x. To check, run “man vtund”

The vtund uses these files:
/etc/vtund.conf - client vtund configurations
/etc/vtund-start.conf - Server vtund configurations (I wasn’t dealing with this)
/etc/default/vtun - The file to modify if you have this /etc/init.d/vtun problem

So after you tried your vtun connection manually, add those fields into the /etc/default/vtun, where your /etc/init.d/vtun will work! In this /etc/default/vtun file, theres only a few fields to fill in, where it simulates you running the manual task. Just fill in your tunnel name and host IP and it should work fine.

Singtel (finally) pushes Android Cupcake 1.5 OTA

Posted on Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 7:16 am


OTA meant Over The Air, which was quite cool because it is not common for phone updates to be done that way. Remember the times where we had to “flash” our firmware for our phone to the latest version in order to gain better performance etc…

Finally Singtel (singapore telco) pushes Android Cupcake 1.5 down to Singapore users OTA. It was an exciting process, downloading the new patch for around 30-60 minutes, and then installing it. I already knew what the patch does and the new stuff it comes along with, but just didn’t know it took so long for us to got hold of it.

And it really feels like a new phone now, because with the video recording and on-screen keyboard, phone usage changed alittle. Additionally, the battery life got better, and browsing sites came much easier. Now instead of recharging it daily, I now do it… once every 2 days.

It also proves that the 3G broadband plan rocks, with 44MB worth of data downloaded over the air, means giving me more convenient.

Now let me wait for more good stuff… Android Donut ?

Types of internet web sites - Web traffic analysis #7

Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 10:58 pm


 
 
In the recent years, internet websites and resources has transform into something different.

We are see a few types of internet websites that can be grouped into a few categories.

They are :

- Ecommerce
- Informational Content
- Lead generation (Corporate)
- Help and Support sites

Ecommerce

These are basically websites that people do go and buy stuff. Some of the examples includes Amazon.com or a more popular one, to jazzgift.com (which is currently under my ownership and construction).

What this means is a business to consumer type of market. As for Ebay.com, it is a consumer to consumer type of commerce, with a proper platform to buy and sell there. These sites often attract online shoppers, and needs a high traffic in order to sustain.

Informational Content

These sites usually contain information like current news, technology updates, information of anything that you want to know more about. It can be a blogging site, like this site or http://singwithpiano.com (offering some singing and piano tips), some organization’s website (http://goodspeedcybercafe.com), or Wiki. By the way, those 2 websites are under my ownership.

There are tons of people sharing information, whether you are a geek or a newbie. These sites often attract a special or specific group of people that needs information. What it means is that people like me who needs help on “how to do wordpress this” or “how to do programming in language X” will tend to like them.

Lead generation (Corporate)

The reason I put a corporate is that nowadays, the corporate site don;t just sit there as a PoC (Point of contact) for clients and customers to get phone numbers or emails. Actual transactions work there. For example, DHL or fedex, where their services are offered online.

The type of website requires a custom design web application, where the business logics are inline with the information systems. Thus they represent a critical function in a business model. These sites attract users who are in the business and consumer market, because apart from giving information, it also provides an offline service.

Help and Support sites

Help and support sites generally meant sites that provide help, and especially help. They are usually sites where a company publishes their help for a product or service, as to lessen the number of service calls required. Some example are microsoft’s support and Yahoo! Answers.

These sites also generate a high traffic rate because it is community driven, meaning people helping each other out, and if you have a similar question, they are more probably answered. Forums can be in this group or under the information/content, depending on what type of information it serves

 
So there you go, a summary of the current sites on the www

 

Android - Applications without Borders!

Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 9:52 am


In this video the developers at Google’s Android developer team shows us some of the power features of what Google Android can do, with the help of combining applications together to create a much more useful device, by the use of camera, GPS, and internet access.

Google’s Android Operating System 1.5 Cupcake Released!

Posted on Friday, May 15, 2009 at 5:39 am


Just to add on to the good news, its not just any update. Its a major one where many improvements were made to the phone.

The two most significant improvements were the on-board keyboard (similar to Chomp SMS), and the Video Camera that’s added to this version of the release. Upgrading / flashing the firmware would be tricky, because users might not get access to the develop mode for this phone.

Click on this next official video release from Google’s Android Dev team and see what are the other improvements over the older firmware (Damn I must get the upgrade!)

This is another Android review from a another reviewer. Apparently he had a copy of 1.5 release on his phone already and demonstrating some of the cool features that we (old users :< ) don't

 

Now this is definitely called innovation, where users complaints were heard and technology allow all these to be fulfilled on the Google Android platform, as well as on the HTC Dream G1 handset.

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