Apples angle? If you have to backup everything anyways – why not just move over to a Mac?

At work, we have finally begun the process of upgrading our access control software (Cisco ACS) from an antiquated version to a more recent one. The issue of upgrading has been forced because of necessary features and our version is nearing End of Life. In addition, we are moving the services off dedicated servers and putting them on VMs. I thought this would be fairly straight forward – it’s become anything but.

You see, there are 2 versions in between where we are and where we want to go. (Much like someone upgrading from XP trying to get to 7). Unfortunately for us, a backup from one version can’t be restored to a new version. Upgrading our production boxes also isn’t an option we want to pursue (because if it fails, we’re really hosed).

So our upgrade path? Build two new VM boxes with the old version. Backup our production boxes and restore onto the new ones. Upgrade the new boxes. Then upgrade them again (because you can’t do a full upgrade, it has to go step-by-step).  Of course, this whole process has to be done under a “lockdown” period – seeing as once we start, we can’t have users changing passwords or have new users created.

If you couldn’t tell it’s a lot of fun…

It’s led me to believe that software developers should be gifted with the ability to see down the road 5-10 years. They should be able to know exactly where they will be tomorrow, so they can better plan for today. I mean – really – how hard can it be?

Realistically however, I know that software progresses rapidly – and often requires a complete redesign every couple iterations. Software has to be re-written to take advantage of newer technology and hardware and scrap the old. Upgrade paths aren’t always the cleanest, and we should be prepared for that. However, wouldn’t it be amazing if software could be coded to evolve? No one would ever need an “upgrade” – unless of course your software evolved into something bad. Or somehow we became slaves to this evolution.

Maybe we’re already there. Perhaps now is a good time to move to a Mac.

It didn’t come with my own line – it was just a phone I could use on the house line (however, my parents did eventually give me my own line – because they got tired of me using it to get online with dial up modems). Nevertheless, I cherished the simple nature of what it meant.

This phone couldn’t text, couldn’t play the top radio single as a ring tone, couldn’t watch an episode of the latest sitcom, or browse through your favorite google search. It was a phone. It could make calls and it could receive calls.

Lately I feel as if the phone is losing it’s identity. Phones (especially cell phones) are no longer sold to make and receive calls – they are sold on the basis that you can tweet from the toilet, download an application so you can use your phone as a level, and browse the web at 25,000G speeds.

Now – do I appreciate the fact that my phone reminds me about meetings, lets me check my email, and allows me to reserve a movie on redbox.com? Yes – of course. If technology didn’t advance – I wouldn’t be employed.

I guess my beef stems from the countless people that I see driving outside of their lane because they’re updating their Facebook status. I get annoyed at the people that are too busy playing <insert trendy phone app> to realize they’re about to walk into someone. Or worse yet, when you’re with someone who feels inconvenienced because you can tell they’d rather finish their virtual conversation. A phone shouldn’t be the end all and be all of who someone is – what they think – or control their day to day life.

I suppose I should probably finish this post – my exit is coming up.

During the summer of 2007, I finally made the transition from only using a laptop to building a desktop. At the time, it had relatively new components, a Gigabyte P35 motherboard, an Intel e6550, a NVIDIA 8800GTS 320MB graphics card, and 2GB of DDR2 memory at 800mhz. The total system (including hard drive, power supply, monitor) came to roughly $1200.

In the current market, a substantially faster machine could be procured for roughly the same dollar. However, as an IT professional, am I required to “keep up with the Jones’s” as it were? Can someone be technologically “with it” without having it? Does the mantra of an IT guy require the latest and greatest in order to be considered an IT guy?

I think this depends on your attitude. I have witnessed many technologists that didn’t want to evolve because of fear of the unknown. They were complacent with the current system and adhered to the adage “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” A professor of mine in an Operating Systems class once indicated that in 5 years, everything we learned would be obsolete. To stay an IT professional, it would require the lifelong pursuit of knowledge – and couldn’t thrive on anything less.

However – I’m sure there are many who are just like me – too broke to advance. As you can imagine – I’m pretty ok with this group. At least until I can convince my wife we need the newest flavor.

Until then – its vanilla for me.

Part of this demo included a marketing pitch that indicated many universities (such as BYU) had switched classes from being held in lecture halls to being held virtually.

Cisco WebEx isn’t the only player in this market. Many have probably seen the recent advertisements on TV for GoToMeeting. Another relatively new one is Yugma. The premise for each is simple – you can save money, time, and travel by virtually holding meetings – while still accomplishing what you need to.

It seems this trend is following that of social networking. You no longer have to stop by and sit down in someone’s living room to find out how they’re doing. All that’s required now is a text, a quick look at their facebook profile, or even a glance at their twitter status. While I agree – the more collaboration the better – I wonder where the line is drawn.

Can a student honestly learn (to the same degree) thru a computer screen as they could in a classroom? Can all meetings accomplish the same thing without having to be in the same physical space at once?

Maybe it’s just me – but I think there’s a difference between productivity and connectivity. To connect with someone requires more than pixels of data.

Changing directions – as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – I attend a 3 hour block of worship services every Sunday. I wonder how things would change if all the meetings became virtual. Would this improve the meetings?

Obviously Web 2.0 is here to stay – sometimes I just wonder at what cost.