Using a proxy has its advantages as and in this article we are going to talk about how to use proxies, how they work, the best ones to use, and their disadvantages.

Proxies have been around for as long as the Internet. A proxy is best defined as a middle man that handles data and communications for another entity on their behalf. The most common type of proxy is in the form of an Internet website. You simply visit the website, enter your web address that you want to go to and you are away. Proxies work by acting as a middle man and handling data on your behalf, thus eliminating threats like viruses and Trojans. Not only this, but it also hides your identity from the outside world.

Every website you visit collects certain information about you. The information that is collected and how it is used varies. The most common information collected is your IP address, geographical location, Internet browser you are using, and you ISP. These are the basics of what is collected. With advancing technologies giving rise to ever more sophisticated way of collecting data about you, you will be surprised about what a simple visit to a website reveals.

So are these proxies safe you may ask? Which are the best ones to use?

The majority of proxies are safe. However, you should be aware that some people that run these sites act with malicious intent. They do not care about your privacy and are more concerned about disrupting it and your computer system. Always check forums, newsgroups etc and try to find out as much information about a proxy before using it.

There will be people that have used it who will have had either a positive or negative experience. You can use this to help reach a decision. You can also check the hosting provider of the proxy. If the hosting provider is reputable then the chances are that websites are safe and secure and pose no threat to you. If you do have a negative experience, contact the hosting provider and put in a complaint and they will take action.

Proxies exist all over the world and location, location, location is a key factor here. Firstly, you want to look at where the proxy is being hosted. Avoid places like North Korea, Iran for obvious reasons. Secondly, look at how much the country of where the website is being hosted respects your privacy.

If your proxy is hosted in the United States, for example, this may be a poor choice. Ideally, you want jurisdictions that have tight privacy laws in place to maximise protection on all fronts. Probably the best two in the world are Panama and Guatemala. Both countries have tight privacy and secrecy laws and make attractive options above the US, Canada and EU countries. Also, like I have said before, avoid places like North Korea, Iran and Nigeria.

If you surf behind a proxy that is hosted in these countries then you are asking for trouble and are likely to run into problems.

Web Based CRM Software (such as sales force automation on the web) features a number of benefits when compared to traditional on-premise CRM solutions. The top three benefits are: lower TCO, an accelerated implementation track and improved technical integration capabilities because of its inherent Service Oriented Architecture.

The reduced TCO of online customer relationship management solutions has 2 main drivers: lower implementation cost and reduced operational costs for system and software maintenance. One of the advantages of Sofware as a Service is that the solution is immediately accessible and operational at the moment a subcription license is bought at web based CRM vendors such as Salesforce, Entellium, Netsuite, RightNow and other SaaS companies.

Furthermore, a subscription-based internet CRM application does neither demand costly on-premise IT infrastructure or extensive operational investments to maintain the infrastructure. The lower costs for software maintenance (mainly performed by the SaaS vendor) will have a positive impact on the ICT budget because numbers of in-house IT staff can be kept low. Effectively, the base solution is maintained and operated by the software provider. Only the customizations done by customers beyond the standard solution have to be budgeted for.

The number two benefit is the accelerated implementation of web based CRM software. The moment the customer finalizes the sign-up, the application is available for operational use. It is clear that some basic setup has to be performed to tailor the customer relationship management software to the specific needs of the company, but in essence, the application is ready-to-use and with its standard built-in processes can be made operational in a breeze.

However, we must point out that the apparent ease-of-use can be misleading. It is strongly advised that early on in the process, the business and IT organizations align themselves on the CRM requirements and thoroughly prepare the configuration (and potential customization) of the solution in order to prevent inefficiencies and miscommunication at the moment the web based software suite is available for productive use. The fact that it concerns a SaaS solution does not make any difference to the normal process of software acquisition. And like in all IT implementations, Pareto rules. In other words, 80% of the cost of the software is incurred by 20% of the functionality (additional customizations, integrations and the additional documentation and maintenance that comes with it), so think twice about building additional functionality.

The final benefit, easier integration, is a result of the SaaS architecture. Sofware as a Service applications such as web based CRM software are built on Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles which provide a number of benefits such as easier integration and a high level of reusability. The reduced complexity of establishing technical integration is a result of the use of open web standards like web services (functionality provided under the form of xml over the http protocol). Because most of the applications that enter the market (or have recently been released) have built-in support for web technologies, the technical integration of the online customer relationship management solution with other applications is much simpler.

Another advantage of the easier technical integration is found in the field of user productivity. Lately, a lot of model-based rapid application development tools arrived on the market. These tools make it possible to build business applications (so-called mash-ups) through modeling, without having to write one line of code. These tools combined with functionality provided under the form of web services make a powerful combination that can increase the ROI of any online CRM solution.

To conclude, although on-premise business software has evolved a lot in the last of couple of years, web based CRM software has some distinct benefits. It is true that traditional business software vendors have invested heavily in pre-built scenarios that reduce the implementation time (think about the SAP Baseline ERP suite targeted at SMBs) and in the service/web enablement of their applications. However, the business model, operational model and web based software architecture make online CRM a winner and a guaranteed bet on the future.

If you have become sick of Windows notifying you about a weak signal with your wireless network, there is no need to give up on the technology entirely. Many businesspeople may have cursed the day they changed to wireless, however, following a few simple tips can make the entire experience a lot smoother for you. Positioning, parts, options and upgrades can all help improve your wireless network. If your network performance monitoring says there is room for improvement, here is how to do it.

The cheapest options, and those which will be investigated first by your information technology consultants, are those of positioning of the router. Your router, or wireless access point, should be in a central location. If it is against an outside wall of your building, simple physics tell you that the signal will be weaker on the other side of the structure. The closer the router or wireless access point is to the computers that will be using it, the better the signal will be.

Sometimes there is not much you can do about the positioning of your router within your building. However, you can manage your network performance more effectively if you move your router off the floor, and away from walls and metal objects. Filing cabinets are a common culprit in offices, as are metal desks. Walls and floors will not help either - position your router on a table or desk if possible, and in a location central to the room where you can.

If you have the standard antenna with your wireless connection, you have an omni-directional one. If the only possible position for your access point is against the outside of your home, then half the signal will be sent outside. Replace the antenna with a hi-gain antenna that focuses the signal in one direction for better network performance management.

If your PCs have card-based wireless network adapter, you could consider replacing these with USB network adapters with external antennas. Some, such as the Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless USB Network Adapter can provide significant range gains. This is not generally necessary on laptop computers, however.

Wireless repeaters are another option - these are placed halfway between your access point and your computer, and give you an instant boost to your signal strength.

If you are still having trouble, try changing the channel on your wireless device. Just like on the radio, in different positions some stations have interference or feedback, and others come through clearly. The same is true for your wireless channels. Experiment until you find the one that works best in your business.

You may also have high levels of wireless intereference from other wireless devices in your office. Your information technology consultants will be able to recommend devices that use a different frequency to your wireless computer network, helping reduce noise.

Something to think about when you are setting up your wireless network, is that your monitors will see better network performance if you choose equipment from the same vendors. If you choose D-Link equipment, stick with that throughout, etc.

Finally, as with all technology, there are levels within the technology differentiated by both price and performance. If you want to manage your wireless network performance better, choose 802.11g equipment, rather than the cheaper, older and less effective 802.11b equipment. Ask your information technology consultants to help you upgrade, or with choosing new equipment.

You may remember the things that seemed impossible when you were a child: talking to somebody on the other side of the world, for free and anytime you like was probably one of them, along with a cure for AIDS, and being invisible. All of these boundaries have been broken, completely or at least in effect. Surely we will be flying, teleporting and living to our two-hundredth birthdays, within the next century! However, sometimes the simplest advances are the most amazing, not least because they are actually here, now. In this article we look at some amazing advancements in technology from 2008, specifically with regard to computer hardware, software, network performance management and information technology infrastructure.

Do you remember the science fiction movies where messages are projected onto walls, or even into the middles of rooms like in Star Wars? Well, the first steps to that technology have been unveiled by Microsoft at the CEO Summit in Washington recently. Microsoft has developed laser technology that can turn any surface into a touchscreen, and allow you to interact with a central computer, even on the internet. This information technology infrastructure means you could be having chat conversations on the kitchen bench while cooking, or reading emails in the shower, before long. We aim higher than even Bill Gates comment that we should “Think about the whiteboard in your office becoming intelligent”.

Not likely to be hailed as a genius breakthrough by consumers, but perhaps the savior of the music industry, is a new digital fingerprinting technology being developed primarily by LTU technologies. Long has law enforcement and information technology consultants thrown their hands up in helplessness at the problems of piracy of music and video content, saying there is juts no way to control it. However, digital fingerprinting could save the music and video industries millions of dollars every year. Key identifiers in a file are pattern matched against a central database - if a pattern is copyrighted, it can’t be uploaded. This information technology infrastructure also has the potential to do wonders for network performance management, as traffic levels drop.

Sometimes the most amazing advancements are also the ones that you didn’t realize weren’t yet possible. Ordinary people have heard of wireless technology, and immediately assumed they could be surfing the internet from their laptop while skydiving, travelling the countryside, or out in deep dark forests.

The reality is a lot more sober - however, there has recently been an amazing new development in wireless information technology infrastructure that allows delivery of audio and video content to passengers on the Singapore Flyer, the world’s tallest observation deck. It was previously impossible to get data reliably through such a tall, large and dense structure, which was also continuously moving. However, an IT consulting firm has developed solutions which allow just that. Laptops while skydiving are one step closer, at least!

New wireless sensor technology might also help track both computational loads on large mainframes, and the heat distribution of your house. Microsoft has developed very cheap wireless sensors that can be used to collect and transmit data, as well as controlling environments. For about $3 a sensor, in the future you could have an automatically, perfectly climate controlled home. No more chilly hallways and dank corners!

While we aren’t teleporting or outliving turtles yet, it seems that it certainly won’t be long.

Wireless networks have been one of the most significant innovations in information technology infrastructure this millennium. The ability to take the internet with you, wherever you go, has made an enormous difference to how we do business and research for our own information, and has multiplied the effectiveness of the internet by hundreds of times. Wireless technology has its limits, though, just like anything else, and in this article we look at the fine minds of this century that are pushing the boundaries of wireless.

In 2005 alone, shipments of wireless LAN chipsets surpassed the 100-million mark worldwide, with as joint effort by private consumers and business helping reach the milestone. From being an untrustworthy novelty several years ago, it has quickly evolved into a necessity as businesses see its value. However, new uses of wireless technology like personal gaming, internet telephony and music streaming, as well as this enormous number of wireless users are putting strain on new wireless networks. We need better information technology infrastructure, and the new wireless standard, 802.11n is coming to the rescue.

IT consultants hail the new standard as promising ” both higher data rates and increased reliability”. For comparison, the first wireless standard that hardware had to conform to as seen by network performance monitors was the 802.11b, which allowed data transfer at raw rates of up to 11 mbps, using a modulation technique named Complementary Code Keying.

After this, the 802.11g standard was developed, hailed by IT consultants as the solution to speed and reliability issues with existing wireless networks. It allowed raw data transfer at 54 mbps, and the speed was so anticipated that hardware was selling like hotcakes a year before the new standard for network performance management was finalized.

Now 802.11n is here, with innovations that allow for a variety of optional configurations and modes that dictate individual maximum raw data rates. This gives better baseline network performance management for 802.11n devices and allows manufacturers to tweak capabilities for different price points.

Another of the more exciting wireless technology developments has come this year, with relatively little fanfare. It is now possible, thanks to an Asian company named Datacraft, to have wireless technology in places that were previously very difficult logistically. The information technology consulting firm has developed technology that allows passengers in the Singapore Flyer, the world’s tallest observation wheel, to enjoy audio and video entertainment during the ride.

Hidetaka Kai, the IT consulting company’s general manager, says that “This is the first time any vendor has implemented a wireless solution for such a high-rise, massive, spinning and continuously moving structure”.

These new developments and standards for wireless technology should continue to help clear up the spaghetti-bowls under desks around the world, at rates never before imagined!