ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP is a way to integrate the data and processes of an organization into one single system. Usually ERP systems will have many components including hardware and software, in order to achieve integration, most ERP systems use a unified database to store data for various functions found throughout the organization.

The term ERP originally referred to how a large organization planned to use organizational wide resources. In the past, ERP systems were used in larger more industrial types of companies. However, the use of ERP has changed and is extremely comprehensive, today the term can refer to any type of company, no matter what industry it falls in. In fact, ERP systems are used in almost any type of organization - large or small.

In order for a software system to be considered ERP, it must provide an organization with functionality for two or more systems. While some ERP packages exist those only cover two functions for an organization (QuickBooks: payroll & accounting), most ERP systems cover several functions.

Today's ERP systems can cover a wide range of functions and integrate them into one unified database. For instance, functions such as Human Resources, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relations Management, Financials, Manufacturing functions and Warehouse Management functions were all once stand alone software applications, usually housed with their own database and network, today, they can all fit under one umbrella - the ERP system.

Integration is Key to ERP
Integration is an extremely important part to ERP's. ERP's main goal is to integrate data and processes from all areas of an organization and unify it for easy access and work flow. ERP's usually accomplish integration by creating one single database that employs multiple software modules providing different areas of an organization with various business functions.

Although the ideal configuration would be one ERP system for an entire organization, many larger organizations usually create and ERP system and then build upon the system and external interface for other stand alone systems which might be more powerful and perform better in fulfilling an organizations needs. Usually this type of configuration can be time consuming and does require lots of labor hours.

The Ideal ERP System
An ideal ERP system is when a single database is utilized and contains all data for various software modules. These software modules can include:
Manufacturing: Some of the functions include; engineering, capacity, workflow management, quality control, bills of material, manufacturing process, etc.
Financials: Accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, general ledger and cash management, etc.
Human Resources: Benefits, training, payroll, time and attendance, etc
Supply Chain Management: Inventory, supply chain planning, supplier scheduling, claim processing, order entry and purchasing etc.
Projects: Costing, billing, activity management, time and expense, etc.
Customer Relationship Management: sales and marketing, service, commissions, customer contact, calls center support, etc.
Data Warehouse: Usually this is a module that can be accessed by organizations customers, suppliers and employees.

ERP Improves Productivity
Before ERP systems, each department in an organization would most likely have their own computer system, data and database. Unfortunately, many of these systems would not be able to communicate with one another or need to store or rewrite data to make it possible for cross computer system communication. For instance, the financials of a company were on a separate computer system than the HR system, making it more intensive and complicated to process certain functions.
Once an ERP system is in place, usually all aspects of an organization can work in harmony instead of every single system needing to be compatible with each other. For large organizations, increased productivity and less types of software are a result.

Implementation of an ERP System
Implementing an ERP system is not an easy task to achieve, in fact it takes lots of planning, consulting and in most cases 3 months to 1 year +. ERP systems are extraordinary wide in scope and for many larger organizations can be extremely complex. Implementing an ERP system will ultimately require significant changes on staff and work practices. While it may seem reasonable for an in house IT staff to head the project, it is widely advised that ERP implementation consultants be used, due to the fact that consultants are usually more cost effective and are specifically trained in implementing these types of systems.

One of the most important traits that an organization should have when implementing an ERP system is ownership of the project. Because so many changes take place and its broad effect on almost every individual in the organization, it is important to make sure that everyone is on board and will help make the project and using the new ERP system a success.
Usually organizations use ERP vendors or consulting companies to implement their customized ERP system. There are three types of professional services that are provided when implementing an ERP system, they are Consulting, Customization and Support.

Consulting Services - usually consulting services are responsible for the initial stages of ERP implementation, they help an organization go live with their new system, with product training, workflow, improve ERP's use in the specific organization, etc.

Customization Services - Customization services work by extending the use of the new ERP system or changing its use by creating customized interfaces and/or underlying application code. While ERP systems are made for many core routines, there are still some needs that need to be built or customized for an organization.

Support Services- Support services includes both support and maintenance of ERP systems. For instance, trouble shooting and assistance with ERP issues.

Advantages of ERP Systems
There are many advantages of implementing an EPR system; here are a few of them:

. A totally integrated system
. The ability to streamline different processes and workflows
. The ability to easily share data across various departments in an organization
. Improved efficiency and productivity levels
. Better tracking and forecasting
. Lower costs
. Improved customer service

Disadvantages of ERP Systems
While advantages usually outweigh disadvantages for most organizations implementing an ERP system, here are some of the most common obstacles experienced:

. Usually many obstacles can be prevented if adequate investment is made and adequate training is involved, however, success does depend on skills and the experience of the workforce to quickly adapt to the new system.
. Customization in many situations is limited
. The need to reengineer business processes
. ERP systems can be cost prohibitive to install and run
. Technical support can be shoddy
. ERP's may be too rigid for specific organizations that are either new or want to move in a new direction in the near future.

References: http://www.tech-faq.com/

Protect Your Computer from Spyware and Adware

Spyware and Adware are the most insidious threats to Internet users. It poses a growing risk to individuals and businesses alike, endangering privacy as well as the security of financial data and other types of proprietary information.

What is Spyware?

Spyware is computer software that collects and reports information about the use of the system it is installed on without the user's knowledge. Spyware comes in a variety of forms with intentions that range from Internet usage tracking to outright theft.

What is Adware?
Adware is software that shows advertisements on your PC while browsing the internet. These advertisements pop suddenly on your screen. Some companies offer "free" software in exchange for being publicized on your screen, and it is a fact that when you install one of these shared programs it will also copy spyware without being aware of this.

Most computer users don't know what spyware is, how it spreads or the real dangers it poses. Installed on the sly by Web sites, or hidden and installed unknowingly by the user within other programs, Spyware applications collect information about the user without their knowledge and send it out via the Internet to advertisers or other interested parties to be used for marketing or other purposes.

Spyware applications are delivered through a variety of mechanisms, including e-mail, Web sites, pop-up ads and images and to be installed without a user's consent. Visiting a Web site or viewing an HTML e-mail message can trigger a "drive-by download," installing the Spyware invisibly. In other cases, the user unknowingly installs Spyware along with other applications in a process hidden by software engineers.

Has your computer been affected by Spyware?

Adware and Spyware are installed without permission on your PC through one of these methods:

· Misleading yourself, so that you click on a link that installs it. Links to spyware are not what they seem to be, they make you believe that you are connected into another site. Sometimes, people that promote spyware will put a false title on an empty window and later they would install spyware when you try to close the connection.

· When you install free software that includes it. For example, you can install a program for file sharing that installs Spyware without your knowledge. File sharing programs can be a big source of Adware.

How to protect yourself from Spyware and Adware?
Without help, you have no way to prevent Adware or Spyware. Old antivirus programs don't even prevent Adware, since they didn't consider them viruses or worms. First, you usually give permission to install Adware, although you do so unwittingly because Adware and Spyware pushers are deceptive. Second, Adware doesn't behave like a typical virus or worm. They don't usually do actual damage to your computer, other than wrecking its performance, and they don't spread themselves using your address book.

Things are changing for the better, though. Most popular antivirus products now include Adware and Spyware scanning. For example, the latest versions of McAfee Virus Scan, Norton Antivirus , and Trend Micro now scan for some Adware and Spyware.

In addition, some Internet Services Providers (ISPs) already include protection from Adware and Spyware. For example: America Online (AOL) 9.0 Optimized, EarthLink also offers protection from Adware and Spyware in the latest version of its software.

How to avoid programs from being installed without your consent?

Companies that promote Adware and Spyware depend on these two things: the user's desire for free software and taking advantage of naive individuals.

It is very important to be sure that the program you want to install does not contain Adware:

· Most free software programs include Adware. This is the way their creators make money. If you have any doubts when installing software, read the license contract with care and you should also verify who created the website. If you are still not sure, do a search in a internet search tool such as Google with the name of the program and the keyword Adware or Spyware. If it finds no comment regarding this, then it is probable that you should not have any problems.

· Do not unconsciously install adware or software. If you have any doubt regarding the software that you are going to install do not do so, you should only install Internet software that you really need.

Spyware and virus scanners with spyware signatures can help the fight against these programs. Nevertheless, the best strategy is to be very careful with what you decide to download and install on your computer.

References:
http://www.microsoft.com/

http://www.banamex.com
Network World Fusion, "The Costs of Spyware,"

Network Security: Firewalls

Today’s organizations face an increasing number of malicious threats across their networks (LAN, WAN, and at endpoints). Fast-paced business world need unified, multifaceted protection from these threats, backed by strong performance and complete reliability. Protecting them all can result in security sprawl, an ever-increasing set of product that is hard to manage and result in inconsistent security.
A firewall is a protective system that lies, in essence, between your computer network and the Internet. When used correctly, a firewall prevents unauthorized use and access to your network. The job of a firewall is to carefully analyze data entering and exiting the network based on your configuration. It ignores information that comes from an unsecured, unknown or suspicious location. A firewall plays an important role on any network as it provides a protective barrier against most forms of attack coming from the outside world.

Firewalls can be either hardware or software. The ideal firewall configuration will consist of both. In addition to limiting access to you computer and network, a firewall is also useful for allowing remote access to a private network through secure authentication certificates and logins.

In the past, a connected enterprise needed a complex set of tools, systems, and personnel for access control, authentication, virtual private networking, network management, and security analysis. These costly systems were difficult to integrate and not easy to update.
Today, the Hardware firewall systems (e.g. Watch Guard, Check Point etc) deliver a complete network security solution to meet these modern security challenges:

# Keeping network defenses current
# Protecting every office connected to the internet
# Encrypting communications to remote offices and traveling users
# Managing the security system from a single site

A hardware firewall uses packet filtering to examine the header of a packet to determine its source and destination. This information is compared to a set of predefined or user-created rules that determine whether the packet is to be forwarded or dropped. Hardware firewalls are important because they provide a strong degree of protection from most forms of attack coming from the outside world. Additionally, in most cases, they can be effective with little or no configuration, and they can protect every machine on a local network.

A hardware firewall in a typical broadband router employs a technique called packet filtering, which examines the header of a packet to determine its source and destination addresses. A more advanced technique called Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) looks at additional characteristics such as a packet's actual origin and whether incoming traffic is a response to existing outgoing connections, like a request for a Web page.

To most hardware firewalls, the traffic generated by such programs would appear legitimate since it originated inside your network and would most likely be let through. This malevolent traffic might be blocked if the hardware firewall was configured to block outgoing traffic on the specific Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) port(s) the program was using, but given that there are over 65,000 possible ports and there's no way to know which ports a program of this nature might use, the odds of the right ones being blocked are slim.

When properly configured and administered, the hardware firewall system reliably defends any network against external threats.

Are You A Safe Cyber Surfer?

Cyber safety
The Internet is a useful tool for millions of peoples, but there is a danger of having the world at our fingertips, especially for children. There are some very real security issues that should concern every computer user. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your computer, your information and your peace of mind from computer creeps who try to slow down a network operation, or worse yet, steal personal information to commit a crime.

Almost any Internet activity - from banking online to surfing the Web just for fun - opens a virtual gateway to personal information on your computer, including credit-card numbers, phone numbers, addresses, and even bank balances. Thieves can use your personal information to steal your money or even your identity. Viruses that are spread through e-mail and websites are also an ongoing problem in cyberspace. Viruses can infect an unprotected computer, destroying important information and leading to costly repair bills. The fact that so many different things are available on the Internet can cause problems. Basic precautions can protect you, your children and the computer.

Strong passwords, firewalls and up-to-date anti-virus software can go a long way toward protecting computers, and personal or business information from those who would try to damage a network operation, or worse yet, steal personal information to commit a crime. There are some simple steps that can be taken to remain safe while online:

Make sure your passwords have both letters and numbers, and are at least eight characters long. Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word in the dictionary. Don't use your personal information, your login name or adjacent keys on the keyboard as passwords-and don't share your passwords online or over the phone with anyone. If possible keep separate passwords for different sites and change them frequently.

Install anti-virus software and update it regularly. The best anti-virus software products recognize old and new viruses and update automatically. If you decide to download anti-virus software from a web site, make certain the site is owned by a reliable, legitimate software company. Pirated software is no bargain.

Don't open a file attached to an e-mail unless you are expecting it or know what it contains. If you send an attachment, type a message explaining what it is. Never forward any e-mail warning about a new virus. It may be a hoax and could be used to spread the virus.

Prevent unauthorized access to your computer through firewall software or hardware, especially if you are a high-speed user. Some recently released operating system software and hardware devices come with a built-in firewall. Firewalls that block outgoing information as well as incoming files can stop hackers from planting "spyware" programs that cause your computer to send out your personal information without your approval.

Back up your files. This is in case a virus does get into your computer. It is a guarantee that you will have your important files no matter what happens.

Never put personal information or photos on a Web site, blog, or forum. Online predators are not only patient, they also tend to "cultivate" many potential victims at once. A name here, a city or office name there-if you're not careful you may be dropping clues all over the place. And you don't know who might be picking them up.

Turn off your computer's guest account; use a password-protected account instead.

If people implement these simple procedures, monitor children's activities, it is easy for everyone to be a Safe Cyber Surfer.

Cyber Security Technology:Data Encryption

Data Encryption
Encryption is a cyber security technology used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information stored on or transmitted between computers. Encryption software solutions (Checkpoint, DESlock and XTool etc...) automatically obscure digital files and make them unreadable to unauthorized users. The software allows authorized users to automatically de-encrypt files for use with appropriate applications. The use of these solutions is transparent to users and provides a vital infrastructure service similar to electricity or gas.

The worth of encryption is a significant issue for the modern enterprise. In the early days of computing, digital resources were under an organization’s strict control. The Internet did not exist yet and the transfer of digital files to computers outside an organization’s sphere of control did not occur. Today, digital information can go anywhere easily. Previously, most cyber-security precautions have focused on preventing hackers and criminals from accessing sensitive computing resources via the network perimeter or endpoints. Now enterprises must also address the risk of losing portable computing devices that contains sensitive data.

Surveys indicate that up to 60 percent of information theft results from lost or stolen equipment. Every laptop, PC, personal digital assistant (PDA), portable music player, flash memory stick, external hard drive, smart phone, or any other mobile device that can store data is a potential weak point. It is impossible to always control who has possession of or transfers confidential files onto mobile devices. But, access to that information can always be controlled— with encryption. For more information visit http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-dataencr.html

Do Not Reuse Mineral Water Bottles For Long

DO NOT REUSE MINERAL WATER/COOL DRINK BOTTLES FOR LONG

Many are unaware of poisoning caused by re-using plastic bottles. Some of you may be in the habit of using and re-using your disposable mineral water bottles (e.g. Nestle, Bisleri, Aquafina, Kinley, Evian,SAFA , etc.....), keeping them in your car or at work. Not a good idea.

It happened in Dubai, when a 12 years old girl died after a long usage (16 months) of SAFA mineral water bottle, as she used to carry the same fancy (painted by herself) bottle to her school daily. In a nutshell, the plastic (called Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET) used in these bottles contains a potentially carcinogenic element (something called Diethyl-hydroxylamine or DEHA). The bottles are safe for one- time use only; if you must keep them longer, it should be or no more than a few days week max, and keep them away from heat as well. Repeated washing and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and the carcinogens (cancer-causing chemical agents) can leak into the water that you are drinking. Better to invest in water bottles that are really meant for multiple uses. This is not something we should be crimping on. Those of you with family do please advise them, especially children.

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This is a special! Warning for families who hang on to these disposable bottles and use them for cold water in their fridges for ages.

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When a bottle looks a bit DISCOLOURED - please get rid of it as a precaution. ALWAYS USE COLOURLESS BOTTLES RATHER THAN THE COLOURED ONES

What’s leaking out of your browser?

Do you know what’s leaking out of your browser?

Information seeping out of your Web browser could provide a gold mine for hackers doing reconnaissance for targeted attacks.

At the ToorCon Seattle (beta) conference, Web application security specialist Robert Hansen (RSnake) demoed Mr-T (Master Recon-Tool), a new utility that combines information disclosure flaws in Internet Explorer and Firefox to collect information on a target's computer system.

For a basic idea of the kinds of information your browser is willingly coughing up, click on this link and you'll see a snapshot of your machine, including the browser version, the add-ons installed and enabled, your ISP hostname, a list of previously visited Web sites and, in some instances, your Gmail address.
RSnake explains:

Mr. T combines all that into one place so that you can gather a great deal of client based info through a single XSS hole. Then by taking the DOM and dumping it into a form that you submit to a logging server, you can know pretty much everything you want to know about breaking into the machine in question.

Basically, a hacker can lure a specific target to a Web site and collect enough information to prepare an attack. This becomes even more scary when you take into account that even before you visit a Web site, your computer is already broadcasting all kinds of data that can be used to prepare a solid profile of a target.

Earlier this year at Black Hat DC, Errata Security's Robert Graham released Ferret, a souped-up sniffer that gathers all the benign data that seeps out when you turn on your computer. For example, even before your machine fully boots up, it is already broadcasting the list of Wi-Fi access-points you've got cached on your computer, the previous IP address you used (requested by DHCP), your NetBIOS name, your login ID, and a list of servers (via NetBIOS request) you want connections to.

Combine the data from Ferret with a reconnaissance tool like Mr-T and you can get a basic idea of the data your machine is broadcasting to the world.

Another tool is that fits into this data profiling realm is Evolution, a data correlation/search utility written by South African hacker Roelof Temmingh. Evolution, which is currently in beta, provides an interface to connect publicly available data.

The idea behind Evolution fits into the Mr-T/Ferret concept because you can basically type in a person's name into the search interface and see how that name connects to domain names, IP addresses, telephone numbers and other things of interest to an attacker.

Temmingh at CanSecWest earlier this year, was positioning Evolution as a forensics tool for law enforcement and other investigators but, anyone with access to a database of valuable information (think about Ferret's output) can build out a fairly solid profile of a target.
Once you know what's running on your target's machine, the types of sites he visits, the company he keeps (say, MySpace or LinkedIn connections), you can easily prepare an attack.

What's even more scary is there's very little you can do about it

Nature

Nature can set a sky aflame at sunset or magically transform a familiar landscape into a snow-white wonderland. It can paint a rainbow in the sky and a beautiful autumn colour on trees. Nature can make the grass glow with soft sunlight and the sea sparkle dazzling silver. There is so much beauty all around us to see, touch, and hear. Nature is so miraculous because it is always changing. No matter how many times we look at it, something is always different.

It is very sad that in the name of progress we humans are making such a mess of things. We are damaging things so fast that hey will soon be way beyond repair. If we do not take care of our beautiful world then we will not have any more lovely trees, sparkling oceans, animals etc..

Nature provides services that we take for granted. Clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, soil for agriculture, the pollinating effect of many insects and much more is provided for s, but we tend not to play much attention to these service


Nature is useful in many ways. It not only provides us with useful products and essential elements, it also brings a lot of beauty into our lives. Nature has a way of affecting our moods and it can force us to change our plans. Nature is responsible for sun, clouds, rain, and snow. When it is cloudy and rainy, we often feel gloomy. When the night is beautiful and starry, the moonlight makes us feel romantic.

When we see green leaves on a tree or when a timid flower pushes through the frozen ground, or when we smell the freshness of spring, new hope fills our hearts with joy. Nature is truly an intrinsic part of our lives.


When we awake and see the sunrise, when we walk and feel the breeze, when we gaze at the mountains and the splendor of the seas, when we see the earth renew its beauty at each season of the year, and when the stars shine at night, we should be very thankful for all these wonderful and miraculous things. Learning to become more aware of nature can truly have a good effect on our lives. It is our duty to conserve nature and to lead a bright and healthy life.

Flowers

Garden of Delight

Gift of God

Positive, smiling, dynamic............
Every bad day has its sunshine.
Always trying to make the best of things.
Life is too precious to waste time over black clouds.
Every new day is the precious gift of god..........

THE ZAHIR

Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho's novel The Zahir is about a renowned author who writes about spirituality and once went on a pilgrimage along the road to Santiago. On a return visit, he is suddenly abandoned by his wife, who leaves no trace of herself behind. As the story unfolds the author becomes obsessed with understanding the reason for her desertion. Was she kidnapped, blackmailed, or simply bored with their marriage? His search for her - and for the truth of his own life - takes him from South America to Spain, France, Croatia and, eventually, the bleakly beautiful landscape of Central Asia. More than that, it leads him into a new understanding of the nature of love, the power of destiny and what it really means to follow your heart.


‘Suffering occurs when we want other people to love us in the way we imagine we want to be loved, and not in the way that love should manifest itself - free and untrammelled, guiding us with its force and driving us on.'