This is part 3 of the multipart series on how I am building a public vCloud lab, this post will explain vSphere 5.0 setup on each of the host machines as well as how to setup vShield Manager for the cluster.

Installing ESXi 5.0
I won’t go too deep into this part as there are already a lot of how-to guides for installing vSphere 5… and it hasn’t even been publicly released yet. For the most part the ESXi install is identical to that of 4.x, the only major difference is how the installer looks, as well as having to specify a root password during setup instead of after.

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vSphere 5 VSA – Virtual San Appliance – Part 1

With the release of vSphere 5, comes VMware’s VSA (Virtual Storage Appliance).

What exactly is it? Well, it’s VMware’s answer of providing shared storage to SMBs that don’t purchase a physical SAN or NAS. It will use the local storage in each ESX box, and present it to the VSA VM, and that in turn will present it back to the ESX servers as shared storage. Each ESX server will have a VSA VM running, and each will contain a replica of the other’s storage.

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Upcoming Event Schedule and Links
 

CA ARCserve r16 Overview
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 - 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Webinar
Join us for a webinar on Tuesday, 9/20, to learn more about the risk of data loss and how this can be addressed by CA ARCserve r16 release. Register here or call 937-498-7080 X 2237 for more information.

Technology First,
5th Annual Taste of IT
Thursday, November 9, 7:00–5:00
You will not find a better conference value for IT leaders and staff in SW Ohio. Visit our booth and class sessions while you are there.
Click here for more information. Location is Sinclair Community College, Ponitz Center.

Piqua Chamber Regional Showcase
October 13,  4:00 – 7:30
Piqua High School
SMS proTECH is proud to sponsor this event. Be sure to visit us during the Exhibitors’ Showcase opening at 5:00. The Keynote speaker is Michael Caruso, author of “5 Cool Ideas” and he’ll present “Now is Your Time – Working Smarter in the New Economy.” More information at the Chamber website.

Quote of the Month

Jeff Foxworthy

The focus of our September issue is Security in remembrance of the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.
You may have noticed our new format, this change is an extension of our new website. We just released our new version this past week and hope you’ll be able to visit: www.smsprotech.com; be sure to check out our engineers comments under the About Us tab.

Kathy

Call it the SMB security gap.

A new study from Symantec finds that while small and midsize businesses are acutely aware of today’s security risks, a large number have yet to take even the basic steps needed to protect themselves. Further, the study shows that simple protection measures could have prevented many of the security breaches reported by these companies.

According to the study, based on surveys of 1,425 SMBs worldwide (defined as companies with 10 to 500 employees) in the first quarter of 2009, the lack of a dedicated IT staff and tight budgets were the main reasons for the lack of action. Respondents also cited a lack of employee skills as a top barrier to security.

The study finds that SMBs have no illusions about today’s risks. Asked how concerned they were about a wide range of security issues, from spam to data breaches to insider attacks, respondents consistently described themselves as “extremely” or “somewhat” concerned.

So what does it mean to say that SMBs have yet to take the basic steps to protect themselves? According to the study:

• 59% of respondents said they have no endpoint protection (i.e., software that combines antivirus with advanced threat protection technologies such as desktop firewall and intrusion prevention for laptops, desktops, and servers).

• 47% do not back up their desktop PCs, leaving their important information at risk.

• 33% lack even basic antivirus protection.

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The security of your computer and data is crucial for you and the success of your company. Lost or stolen information can reveal company secrets, or expose your confidential or personal information. The more you do to keep your computer secure, the safer your information will be. Use these 10 tips to learn ways you can help protect your computer, your data, and your company's network.

1. Work with your IT department
Make sure that you install all of the patches and updates that your IT department recommends. In addition to installing Windows and Office updates, your IT department might require you to install additional security software, such as a firewall or custom software to help you connect from remote locations. Making these regular installations will keep your computer and your company's network as secure as possible.

Learn more about ways to manage your computer and devices at work.

2. Use strong passwords
Passwords provide the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your computer, and a good password is often underestimated. Weak passwords provide attackers with easy access to your computer and network. Strong passwords are considerably harder to crack, even with the latest password-cracking software.

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The Weakest Link in Network Security
By Peter Alexander
Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center
 

Your small-business network may be protected by firewalls, intrusion detection and other state-of-the-art security technologies. And yet, all it takes is one person's carelessness, and suddenly it's as if you have no network security at all.

Let me give you an example. In March 2006, a major financial services firm with extensive network security disclosed that one of its portable computers was stolen. The laptop contained the Social Security numbers of nearly 200,000 people. How did it happen? An employee of the firm, dining in a restaurant with colleagues, had locked the laptop in the trunk of a SUV. During dinner, one of the employee's colleagues retrieved an item from the vehicle and forgot to re-lock it. As fate would have it, there was a rash of car thefts occurring in that particular area at that particular time, and the rest is history.

The moral of that story is clear: No matter how secure your network may be, it's only as secure as its weakest link. And people--meaning you and your employees--are often the weakest link. It's important to note that poor security puts your business, as well as your partners, at risk. As a result, many enterprises and organizations, such as credit-card companies, now specify and require minimum levels of security you must have in order to do business with them.

So what can you do?

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Does Everyone in Your Organization ‘Get’ the Security Agenda?
reprinted with permission from Symantec
 

Summary
End users often understand the need for security only in a general sense, without grasping the vital role they play in maintaining security. This article looks at the steps IT can take to convey the message that all employees must be proactive about adhering to security procedures.

If there’s one issue that keeps IT managers up at night it’s security. According to Symantec’s 2010 State of Enterprise Security Report, cyber security now outranks traditional crime, natural disasters, and terrorism as the top risk at large organizations.

Moreover, the report found that nearly all the organizations surveyed (94%) expect to implement changes to their cyber security efforts in 2010, with almost half (48%) predicting major changes.

That being the case, it may come as a surprise that a lack of security awareness is still a fact of life at many organizations. Research conducted by the IT Policy Compliance Group shows that the number one cause of audit failure within organizations is lack of employee awareness.

This article surveys the current state of enterprise security and then recommends steps IT can take to convey the message that all employees must be proactive about adhering to security procedures.

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Business Continuity Tip
 

Storms Brewing

Hurricanes are one of nature's most powerful and destructive forces generating heavy rainfall, destructive winds, flooding and tornadoes. Hurricane Irene became the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season as it moved over Puerto Rico early Monday morning. Irene is projected to strengthen over the next five days before reaching Florida and the Southeast U.S. between Thursday and Saturday.

With several storms brewing in the Atlantic, it is important to prepare now. Download the Hurricane Preparedness Checklist to help prepare your business, employees, and community.