Viking Waters presents
News from the Computer World

Custom-System Opportunities

In the coming year, 64-bit computing will become red-hot in higher-end servers, digital convergence will drive new opportunities for system builders and Linux-based home entertainment PCs will become a small but growing niche for workstation integrators.

Because 64-bit processors can address more memory, surpassing the 4-Gbyte limitation of 32-bit processors, they enable database applications to run more efficiently by keeping more data available in memory. And that will enable enterprises to use fewer CPUs. "If I can do on two CPUs what I was doing on four, I just saved $100,000," said an analyst for Insight 64.

For workstation integrators, Linux-based home entertainment PCs could become a strong niche.

Linux systems, driven by the anything-but-Microsoft attitude, could grow 298 percent to more than 2 million units by 2006.

read the entire story

Cisco Fesses Up To Access Point Security Breach

Several Cisco wireless access points (APs) are susceptible to a previously undetected security breach, the company said in an advisory issued this week.

The APs will send Wired Equivalent Privacy static keys as clear text to simple network protocol (SNMP) servers under certain circumstances.

The specific APs with the vulnerability are Cisco's 1100, 1200 and 1400 series running the company's IOS software. Cisco said it is offering free software upgrades to fix the problem.

read the entire story