MPLS Update - One Library System left on MissIN2

All MissIN2 libraries, except for one are migrated over to MPLS MissIN3 Consortium.
The one remaining is in the midst of getting circuits installed, and barring some major issue, will be migrated over by December 31, 2008.

Thanks all for your cooperation getting migrated over to the MPLS MissIN3 Consortium.

Viigo App for Blackberry

If you want to keep up with RSS feeds, and search for flights, get your weather delivered and personalized, check your stocks and market news, podcasts, and election polls/news, package tracking, del.ici.ous, technorati, etc ... to your blackberry, sign up for viigo. It's free.

http://viigo.com/download

Emerging Technologies - Forecast

This from Gartner, Inc.
Publication Date: 9 July 2008/ID Number: G00159496

The following technologies and trends are at or around the peak of hype during 2008:

• Green IT. Along with broader societal pressure for environmentally sustainable
solutions, IT has the opportunity — and in many cases, a requirement — to improve the
"greenness" of its own activities, as well as to contribute to broader company and
industry environmental initiatives.

• Cloud computing. As enterprises seek to consume their IT services in the most costeffective
way, interest is growing in drawing a broad range of services (for example,
computational power, storage and business applications) from the "cloud," rather than
from on-premises equipment. Many types of technology providers are aligning
themselves with this trend, with the result that confusion and hype will continue for at
least another year before distinct submarkets and market leaders emerge.

• Social computing platforms. Following the phenomenal success of consumer-oriented
social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, enterprises are examining the
role that these sites, or their enterprise-grade equivalents, will play in future
collaboration environments. The scope is also expanding to incorporate the notion of
social "platforms," or environments for a broad range of developers to build on the basic
application.

• Video telepresence. High-end videoconferencing systems (for example, from HP,
Cisco, Teliris and others) that utilize large, high-definition (HD) displays and components
to show life-size images of participants in meeting rooms or suites have proven
significantly more-effective than earlier generations of videoconferencing technology in
providing a strong sense of in-room presence between remote participants. High cost is
currently the barrier to broader adoption.

• Microblogging. Pioneered by Twitter (although other services are becoming available),
microblogging is a relatively new addition to the world of social networking, in which
contributors post a stream of very short (less than 140 characters) messages providing
information about their current activity or thoughts, which can then be subscribed to by
others. The phenomenon has caught on among certain online communities, and
leading-edge enterprises are investigating its role in enhancing other social media and
channels.

• 3-D printers. Thanks to dramatic price reductions and quality improvements during the
past two or three years, 3-D printers (which create a physical model from a digital
design) are expanding into hobbyist, education and small business markets, and have
transformational potential in manufacturing, replacement parts and design industries.

Since 2007, virtual worlds have slipped down toward the Trough of Disillusionment, based on a
lack of compelling business applications for the technology and economic challenges in Second
Life, one of the most visible virtual worlds. Topics, such as corporate blogging and Web 2.0 in
general, are suffering from the inevitable impatience and disillusionment that comes from earlier
overhype, particularly when the promise of highly successful consumer models clashes with
enterprise requirements for security and accountability. However, planners should remember that most technologies pull through the Trough.

MPLS Update - 2 lib systems left to migrate

There are two library systems left on MissIN2.
Blackmur and Washington will be migrated before December 31, 2008.

We are starting January 1, 2009 on MLC's "migration", i.e. redistributing the MLC MissIN2 core over to Missin3 MPLS. We hope to have that completed by March 31, 2009.

Remember....
MLC pays public library internet utilization costs for MissIN3 MPLS.
MLC provides free email accounts and domain names to public libraries.
MLC provides help desk support and vendor advocacy for all public libraries.
MLC sponsors all MPLS VRF's (community of interests) for public libraries on MissIN3.

Mpls update
One more lib system migrated
That leaves 3 left on mi2 to migrate over
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

MPLS Migration Update

As of today, 4 library systems remain on MissIN2, 41 on MPLS MissIN3 or 91% migrated by library system, 95% by library physical site count.

The four remaining to migrate over by December 31, 2008:
B lackmur
Harriette Person
Union
Washington

WiMax 802.16 Emerging Technology

Just become familiar with the term and concept for now, we don't have it, we can't get it yet. Youu can get 3G cards but be advised, for AT&T 3G only "works" currently in Vicksburg, Jackson, and Oxford), and for Verizon, 3G works on their enhanced network along the Hwy 49 corridor south, although Verizon does have limited availability on their extended service network in most of the rural areas according to their coverage maps.

WiMax IEEE 802.16 is emerging. While it is still slowly making headway in north america, it is beginning to gain momentum in Europe, China, and South America. I've seen projections through 2012, and it looks like it may penetrate the US market by 26% by 2012. That would be great, but don't look for it in Mississippi unless we all ask for it, and demand it from our carriers. It is not an expensive infrastructure as I understand it, but it is a controlled service, i.e. those with vested interests in traditional infrastructure may not be readily interested in building out the new technology. AT&T for instance is building out their 3G networks currently. WiMax is considered 4G. We want to make sure if and when we get this type technology it is not limited ot major metro areas, but reaches into the rural communities.

WiMax is considered better than 3G networks with mobile type cards and delivers broadband coverage up to 30 miles from a fixed location, and up to 10 from a mobile location. Wimax is perfect for underserved communities that have difficulty obtaining high bandwidth connectivity.

But again, don't look for miracles in Mississippi unless we all start talking it up. The infrastructure must be built. It involves point to point antennae towers, and multi-point antennae towers, and enough saturation to blanket an area. Typically, today, only a few US metro areas have it. In China they are exploring building it out to rural areas. Let's all keep watch.

WiMax is.... (in the simplest explanation)
wireless connectivity into fixed locations, or mobile (laptop, pda's) devices, providing broadband speeds, and security and reliability, with class of service standards.

3G is... (in the simplest explanation)
wireless connectivity to mobile locations, with better than normal cellular bandwidth speeds, but minimal range, and limited saturation capabilities.

Everyone uses their own terminology and typically spins their network to be metro e or metro connect, and may say it's WiMax when it is 3G. No matter, I believe sooner or later, in my lifetime, whether it is Wimax, or some other emerging technology, we will have blanket connectivity across the US, including rural areas in the 45M capacity or better, and it and our cellular and television devices will interact seamlessly with our internet availability. I believe the pricing model will be based on a utility type model. In other words, you'll pay for it like you do your water bill or electric bill and will have coast to coast coverage on whatever medium (cell phone, smartphone, laptop, fixed computer, car...), and whatever content (television, videos, internet, ....) you wish to tap into.

mpls update

As of today, 5 library systems remain on MissIN2. 40 on MPLS. That is an 86% migration completion date by site count (number of physical sites).

Library Systems remaining to migrate over by December 31, 2008:
Blackmur
Lee Itawamba
Harriette Pearson
Union
Washington

Please keep up the good work. AT&T should have all migrated over by the deadline.

Your own email server?

Here's a quick explanation for MS public libraries regarding email services:

If you wish to have email accounts for your staff, at no charge to you, MLC provides them. We provide POP type accounts, with the domain name we manage (i.e. .lib.ms.us) and with those POP type accounts, we provide a webmail interface (i.e. webmail account). The way this works is, your staff have email accounts and when staff is at a pc with an email client (like Outlook), and check their mail, their mail "pops" down to the hard disk on that pc. Webmail does not "pop" down but stays on the server until you "pop" down your email from a pc client (like Outlook). If you "pop" down your email at a pc client to a hard disk, that is where it resides forever or until you delete it, or there is a catastrophic failure, or you intentionally move it.

Some libraries prefer to use their own email server or services from another party. If a library gets its own domain name it is possible for those libraries to have their complete own email services without any relaying or dynamics from MLC. For example, a library might choose to use XYZlibrary.org instead of XYZlibrary.lib.ms.us. However, if a library keeps its use of the MLC provided domain name, such as XYZlibrary.lib.ms.us, then MLC is still managing your email routing, even if you have your own server. It is done through DNS services, as a standard. It however, is not being scrubbed for anti-virus activity, as that now becomes your responsibility as you chose to run your own email services, we simply make it happen with your MLC owned domain name.

To sum up, some libraries have moved over to their own domain names and email systems. Some libraries are putting in their own servers to gain more functions than what libraries are offered free through MLC, but still want to use their MLC provided domain name. Some libraries prefer to have nothing to do with their own email systems other than use the MLC provided email accounts. All these are fine, and no one is better than the others, it is a choice libraries make depending on their level of expertise, outsource strategy, funds, and desired functionality, etc.

Be mindful, if you implement your own email server, whether you choose to continue to use your MLC provided domain name, or you choose to get your own one, you are responsible for scanning / scrubbing your own email for viruses. If you use MLC provded email accounts, your emails are scrubbed of viruses, again free of charge to libraries. Antivirus scrubbing is a feature you will want and need to continue if you operate your own email server or outsource it.

Hope this clears up some gray areas. Hope it doesn't create more gray areas. If you have questions on this topic, please email me. - Treasure