OVO Templates for ZyWall Firewalls - Since the ZyWall firewall is my firewall of choice, I've written a small set of templates in order to keep an eye on mine.  I make no claims as to their completeness (no VPN templates included, for example) and no warranty is provided, but they do provide a good groundwork for creating any additional templates.  The conditions are very complex, and assume that the ZyWall is configured to use syslog functionality, rather than SNMP (which is extremely unreliable on the ZyWall).  You will have to change the Node of this template to reflect your own, and you may have to change the logfile specification if you're using this on a box other than HP or a syslog other than /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log.   The tar file will un-tar in ./cfgdwn.  Email with questions!    Click here to download.
11:28:52 AM    

HP refreshes consumer PCs. The company has changed the look of four Presario desktops and has added faster wireless networking to two Presario notebooks. The new machines run from 499.99 to $819.99.  Not terribly exciting news, but the portable versions come with 802.11g -- an interesting decision based on the fact that the 802.11g standard has yet to be finalized. [CNET News.com]
4:17:36 PM    

HP, Brocade ally on storage virtualization. HP and Brocade Communications Systems will together develop products that use HP's VersaStor virtualization technology to make it easier to manage storage-area networks.  This is an integration with Openview CASA. ([keywords:"openview"]
9:36:16 AM    

HP Server No. 1 in Density. The article tells us that HP's ProLiant DL560 server holds the most horse-power per rack-inch.  It never ceases to surprise me the things people dream up to say, "We're number 1!"  eWeek Mar 28 2003 4:21AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:31:57 AM    

HP wins $100m Ireland e-learning contract. This particular link is from ComputerWorld, and is plagued by a very annoying full-screen pop-up.   You've been warned!  CW360.com Mar 28 2003 8:08AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:28:03 AM    

HSBC and HP Clear HK Offices over "mystery virus" threat. HP Ultimately sends 300 people home over fear that one of their employees contracted the deadly Pneumonia Virus we've heard so much about in the news of late.  Forbes Mar 28 2003 10:17AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:25:28 AM    

New NNM 6.2 Patches Available:   There are even more NNM 6.2 Patches that were announced this morning.

• PSOV_03253 -- Intermediate Patch, March 2003. For Sun Solaris.
• NNM_00984 -- Intermediate Patch, March 2003.  For Windows NT
• PHSS_28878 -- Intermediate Patch, March 2003.  For HP-UX
• PHSS_28877 -- Intermediate Patch, March 2003.  For HP-UX

It must be patch-day at HP!
9:07:59 AM    

New OVO Patches:  There are two new OVO Unix patches that were released today:

• PHSS_28646  -- Msg and Act Agent A.07.x Linux A.07.12
• ITOSOL_00212 -- JavaGUI client A.07.12

I know that there's some serious problems with the JavaGUI Client on XP, so I would expect a patch for that fairly quickly as well.
9:02:05 AM    

HP Openview beats IBM and CA - A press release from HP, announcing that "HP OpenView management software was named overall winner within CRN’s recent “Channel Champions 2003” study, beating IBM and Computer Associates."   
7:40:04 PM    

HP has released server patch A.07.13, for OVO/Unix 7.1, which fixes numerous annoying problems, including one particularly annoying opcforwm problem that caused the forward manager queue to go insane.

6:55:08 PM    

News from C3 - Rumors from the HP Channel Partner conference, which took place just recently, are bad news for small channel partners like My Company (page still under construction).  The report is that HP will increase the number of certified consultants required to become channel partner.   This appears, from my pespective, to be another move punishing small channel partners, and helping larger channel partners.   The number of certs, minimum, will be either 3 or 4, I'm not sure which yet.   I will be fine, but some of my fellow smaller channel partners may have problems.  Since it's rumored that HP plays fast and loose with these rules for their Executive and Platinum partners, this is particularly upsetting.  
6:52:59 PM    

HP unleashes Shrek in ad blitz. That's right, Shrek is going to be the new Spokesbeast for HP.  Rumors abound that Shrek is first in line to replace Carly Fiorina. Singapore Business Times Mar 26 2003 7:38PM ET [Moreover - moreover...].
9:19:57 AM    

Time for HP users to migrate. The HP3000 is finally going to die.  Shipping stops in October and support life will run for three more years.  CW360.com Mar 26 2003 9:15PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:18:03 AM    

HP Openview Service Desk 4.5, Service Pack 2 was released this morning.  Even though it's called a Service Pack, it appears to fix only one know problem -- Role authorization on "When Assigned to user's workgroup" results in no access.

9:07:47 AM    

Sun, HP, IBM cook up wired kitchen. More interesting "Kitchen of the future" stuff, talking about web managed appliances in the home.  Neat stuff, but I have to wonder, will these appliances be SNMP enabled?   I want "OVO-Home!" to monitor web surfing, the PC's in my home, and the aforementioned appliances.  Of course, being an OVO Consultant, I already do the first two -- I just haven't been able to find that SNMP enabled Fridge yet.   CNET Mar 26 2003 4:45PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
4:35:44 PM    

Gartner ITxpo: Top 10 strategic technologies. Analysts outline emerging technologies ripe with opportunity.  Including centralized security management.  They claim the technologies to put IDS, nIDS, Vulnerability assessment and firewall blocking will all end up in a unified interface.  Sound familiar?   I have a solution for this now, at least integrating IDS, nIDS and Systems and Network Management (an important part of a unified interface of the future) in a single unified interface.   It's part of my IDS/OVO integration solution.  The article says that this technology will reach maturity in 2006.   [InfoWorld: Top News]
9:34:07 AM    

HP Ipaq H5450, a British review of the new Ipaq, which includes Bluetooth, 802.11b, and biometrics security (specifically, fingerprint recognition technology for access).  My question -- If I cut my finger, will I be unable to use my Ipaq?    vnunet.com Mar 26 2003 10:07AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:19:49 AM    

HP Thinks in 3D for Web Browsing. An interesting article about HP's new VEDA (virtual environment design automation) project.  A 3D interface utilizing XML for 3D web-shopping.   The concept was based on First Person shooters.   Interesting idea, anyway.  Internet News Mar 26 2003 10:38AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:14:05 AM    

Why HP's rally doesn't compute. A rather large article, not entirely about HP's Rally.   The author seems to think that HP doesn't deserve the current 17% increase in stock value, and that the Compaq purchase will result in major write-offs in the future.  They may be right.   Certainly, there's an awful lot of discord inside HP, still, regarding the merger.  As one HP employee expressed to me, "Digital always wanted to own HP, and now they do."   Another HP employee tells me that "The HP Way(tm) went with Agilent."   My stand on the merger is less hostile, even though I'm an ex-HP employee.  Sure, I don't like it, but what can I do about it?   The biggest "problem" I've seen since the merger is, understandably, Openview related.   It's widely suggested that the move to charge OV Channel Partners for the previously free channel-partner training courses, is a Compaq-Inspired move, since Compaq always did well in the training arena.  This is a move that I still am very unhappy about, and, in fact I have written to HP management about how it favors large channel partners and punishes small channel partners.    MSN MoneyCentral Mar 25 2003 10:03PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
9:07:57 AM    

Large Scale Network Forensics. 24 Mar 2003: Computer forensics are being injected into the corporate world to fulfill a large gap in IT capabilities and a greater need for comprehensive security. There are many common misconceptions about what the technology can and cannot do. Single solutions and cutting edge tools can accomplish their goals at the hands of trained examiners employing investigative mindsets and utilizing proper methodologies. There is no quick fix forensic solution, there are brilliant tools on the market that are worth exploring. [RootPrompt.org -- Nothing but Unix]  [Ray's Note:  Good article, if you're interested in security issues.]
4:43:43 PM    

HP offers support for Red Hat Linux products. According to this article, HP will be selling and supporting RedHat Linux.   This may have implications to the OpenView world.  I have heard rumors (from unreliable sources) that NNM and OVO for Linux could be on the roadmap for HP.   CW360.com Mar 20 2003 8:09AM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
4:07:53 PM    

Blogging From Baghdad: Everyone else has posted this, so why not me?  Salam Pax is a blogger based in Baghdad.  His blog is absolutely fascinating reading.  If you have the time, it's recommended you go back to the beginning and read from there.  
10:18:00 AM    

CERT Security Leaks: Wired News is carrying a story about a CERT security alert being leaked to a popular security mailing list.  Speculation as to how the alert was leaked is fairly rampant.  The alert has to do with a new bug related to the SUN (Solaris) operating system.  CERT typically sends this information to affected vendors before widely publishing and it's suspected that perhaps one of these vendors systems was the result of the leak.
10:13:38 AM    

U.S. EBay Seller Refuses Canucks. A Georgia computer vendor won't honor an online auction sale to a buyer from British Columbia, citing Canada's lack of support for the war in Iraq. Who knew buying a laser printer could be such a politically charged event? Charles Mandel reports from Vancouver. [Wired News]
9:48:12 AM