This is a handy little utility and although some sites don't allow for all of the features to be supported, it can save time and frustration.

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Internet Protocol v6 has been in the works for for years, even bypassing v5 (never released).  The much need IPv6 has many enhancements over IPv4 including; 128 bit addresses providing greatly increased address space, built in encryption, built in QoS, built in Remote Desktop Protocol, the use of MAC addresses for TCP/IP address configuration and headers for future expansion.

Start planning.  Estimates are that by the year 2010 the Internet will be 100% IPv6 compliant.  The bulk of the work in the conversion will rest on the developers and engineers.  If, however, you are planning to purchase new networking gear, start putting IPv6 on your checklist.  In addition, start your education process and be informed.

For more information, review the InfoWorld article titled "IPv6 cuts address chaos" by Brooks Talley or go to the IPv6 web site.

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The newly formed group, called the NGIO Industry Forum, includes Intel, Dell, Hitachi, NEC, Siemens and Sun.  The group was formed to create and implement an Input/Output (I/O) architecture to improve data flow between servers and communication, networking, processing and storage subsystems.  This specification is based on the Next Generation Input/Output (NGIO) architecture and has been in development for the last two years.

Negotiations for the NGIO architecture between Intel and Compaq, and Hewlett-Packard and IBM were said to have broken down late last year because Intel was unwilling to compromise on its proposed NGIO.  So, Compaq, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Adaptec stated that they have created the Future I/O and will announce technical details for their proposed I/O architecture shortly.

Dog fights between competing vendors trying to work together on new standards are common.  Some have predicted that the Future I/O group will work things out with the Intel-led coalition.  A unified specification would clearly be the best for the industry.

The proposed NGIO and Future I/O standard would replace the PCI and PCI X bus, in use by major hardware vendors. The existing PCI bus architecture can't keep up with new processor speeds and is widely seen as inadequate to run high-power applications such as e-commerce.

Look for machines using the new NGIO and/or Future I/O architecture in 2000.   Optimistically is will be one unified specification.

Information for this article was collected in part from two pieces by Nancy Weil (Next Generation Input/Output) (Future I/O) - Infoworld - January, 1999

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Rambus Inc. [Nasdaq:RMBS] develops and licenses high-performance, chip-to-chip interface technology that enables semiconductor memory devices to keep pace with faster generations of processors and controllers. Rambus technology is incorporated onto dynamic-random-access-memory (DRAM) chips and the logic devices that control them to deliver more than ten times the performance of conventional DRAMs. A single Rambus(R) DRAM, referred to as RDRAM(R), transfers data at speeds up to 800MHz over the Rambus Channel to Rambus-compatible ICs.

Rambus technology is an open standard, accessible to all semiconductor companies. Rambus provides licensees a full range of design, documentation and system-engineering services. In exchange, IC companies pay an up-front license fee and royalties. System companies buy Rambus-compatible ICs from licensed semiconductor companies; they do not pay separate royalties or license fees for using Rambus technology.

Information obtained on this web site, and more is available from the Rambus web site.  http://www.rambus.com.

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Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) is a set of management and Internet standard technologies developed to unify the management of enterprise computing environments.  WBEM provides the ability for the industry to deliver a well-integrated set of standard-based management tools leveraging the emerging Web technologies.  The DMTF (Distributed Management Taskforce, Inc.) has developed a core set of standards that make up WBEM, which includes a data model, the Common Information Model (CIM) standard; an encoding specification, xmlCIM Encoding Specification; and a transport mechanism, CIM Operations over HTTP.

The CIM specification is the language and methodology for describing management data. The CIM schema includes models for Systems, Applications, Networks (LAN) and Devices. The CIM schema will enable applications from different developers on different platforms to describe management data in a standard format so that it can be shared among a variety of management applications. The xmlCIM Encoding Specification defines XML elements, written in Document Type Definition (DTD), which can be used to represent CIM classes and instances. The CIM Operations over HTTP specification defines a mapping of CIM operations onto HTTP that allows implementations of CIM to interoperate in an open, standardized manner and completes the technologies that support WBEM.

Look for most vendors, including Microsoft Corporation with Windows (NT, W2K, XP, .NET) to include WBEM into the core of their products.

The Xbox was released to great enthusiasm in the fall of 2001.  The price just dropped to a very competitive $199.  The looks are killer and the games are awesome.  Most every major game console software maker is developing games for the Xbox.

What will you get your kids for the greatest game play?  Xbox!

The driving force behind Microsoft .NET is a shift in focus from individual Web sites or devices to new constellations of computers, devices, and services that work together to deliver broader, richer solutions. People will have control over how, when, and what information is delivered to them. Computers, devices, and services will be able to collaborate directly with each other, and businesses will be able to offer their products and services in a way that lets customers embed them in their own electronic fabric.

For developers Microsoft .NET will enable programs that transcend device boundaries and fully harness the connectivity of the Internet.  For Information Technology professionals who use .NET Enterprise Servers, IT professionals can take advantage of the same technologies on which the .NET platform is being built.  For business, the .NET platform will fundamentally change the way that companies interact with their customers and partners over the Internet.

The transition to .NET technology will be developed in stages.  Microsoft Windows 2000 and the Windows 2000 series of technology provide a beginning foundation, and with the introduction of Microsoft Office XP and Microsoft Windows XP (The next version of Windows 2000 and the merging of the consumer and commercial operating system base), the pieces will begin to mature.

To learn more about Microsoft .NET, please visit www.microsoft.com/net.

The popular 802.11b (Wi-Fi) standard has launched a new era in wireless, and beyond some belief, interoperability between vendors is promising.  Those looking for quick and mobile network access without the need to run cables, look at the 802.11 standards.

The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) mission is to certify interoperability of Wi-Fi™ (IEEE 802.11) products and to promote Wi-Fi™ as the global wireless LAN standard across all market segments.  They have done a good job and there are solutions for many vendors supporting the 802.11b standard at various prices, starting at as little as a couple hundred dollars.

Some of the confusion and concerns come in concerning the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security standard (It has been cracked), the fact that the wireless air space is getting crowed and the various 802.11 standards.

As you can see from the table above, 802.11a is faster than 802.11b and 802.11a runs on an incompatible frequency than 802.11b products.  802.11g would appear to be the solution, and for many it will be, but there are considerations versus 802.11a (See this Linksys wireless chart for further information).  There are also some other wireless technologies like Bluetooth that make the decisions on technologies interesting.

Wired may still be the most reliable and fastest approach, but the wireless front looks promising.

Information for this article was collected in part from an article in the ZDNet Anchor Desk by David Coursey titled "Ready to turbo-charge home wireless? Say hello to 802.11a" - August, 2001 and his article titled "Confused? Try my 2-minute course on wireless options" - November 2001

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