My experience with small shops (ones that don't have an in-house IT department) is that they wont back up regularly if too many steps are involved.
I haven't done contract work in about 5 years -- but I used to set up servers to backup to tape, spit out the tape when finished -- and send out nag SMB messages to change the tape if it hadn't been changed by noon. The owner or some designee would just swap tapes and pocket the most recent to take home. This requires next to no effort.
Again, this is just my experience, of the "emergency" calls I was contracted to handle, most loss of data issues were due to the shops practicing exactly what you suggest. There was never more than 1 day of data loss with tape. Why? The drive wasn't regularly hooked up and backups performed. Playing with plugs or cables or drive-drawers is a quick way to get a small shop lazy.
So... you can suggest that using tape is being "anal retentative", I would disagree. But I do agree with you on one point... external drives MIGHT work for small businesses -- providing they don't get lazy.
In summary, if you don't require a backup solution that involves as little human intervention as possible, then using an external USB HD is fine.
And you really think it's more convienient to disconnect a drive and place the drive in a foam cushioned case for off-site transportation? That this is a practical off-site data solution? That it would be practical to handle daily backups? That the daily connection/disconnection of USB or firewire hardware is healthy for a production server? More convienient than say... droping a tape in a transport bin? Ok... if it works for you, go for it.
I'll have my people take 20 or 30 seconds a day to swap tapes and otherwise leave the server alone. One tape drive + a dozen tapes is a better solution than a dozen portable USB HDs. Unless you are suggesting only one or two HDs? Then you lose HISTORY. You cant restore past the most recent backup.
And *I* made a comment about dropping them. You drop a mechanical drive and don't be surprised if your data goes bye-bye. It would certainly be an additional measure -- but for regular transport to off-site storage, tape is the way to go. Tiny, light and resistant to bumps and drops -- which happen during transport.
As for who has the time? You swap the tape out in the morning -- takes all of about 20 seconds. Backup runs whenever (evening, morning, whenever you script it to run). Next morning, you take ANOTHER 20 seconds and swap the next tape. Takes an additional few seconds to drop in the transport bin for off-site storage -- or drop in your pocket to take home.
Yes, restores will take longer than USB 2.0 or firewire. So what? If your backup plan also includes in-house off-server storage (such as a backup file server or something), you restore from that. The only time you would need to recover from tape would be due to a catastrophe (the whole data center burns to the ground leaving ash and slag).
Unfortunately closed minded groups and certain people have a bit of an agenda that isnt simply "find the truth".
Yes. There certainly are a number of closed minded groups and certain people who have a bit of an agenda that isn't simply "find the truth".
Before those who support those groups say that "the other does it as well"- yes, it happens. However, such actions appear on a regular basis with such groups as Pajamas Media, and that they do so blatantly enough to make it a sign of their presence.
Ah got it. So it's your claim that Kos or Franken, for example don't do "it" blatenlty enough? Wow. Love your glasses. Are they comfortable?
one of the movies I watched, I found it amazing that in a "wizard contest" of some sort, the contestants' friends were put in mortal danger without the consent or knowledge of them OR the contestants.
Yup... you didn't read the books. That "wizard contest" of some sort where the "friends were put in mortal danger"? They were in no real danger at all. Ever. The book made that clear. The movie, less so.
My opinion is that the movies are more or less 'eye-candy' for those who read and enjoyed the books.
Heh... back in the day we actually used Doom to help ID network bottlenecks. It helped us finally retire a problem arcnet segment... Man, I'm showing my age.
I question your use of the word "no" here. I think you are incorrect. Proof of concept exploits are out there and I think it's a matter of time before something nasty gets released.
I'll agree that at least for now the risk is low, but I think that's going to change over time. Further, one needs to assess risk vs. loss. Our shop is a mid-sized lab. We can afford to spend a few hours a week of our IT staff sifting manually through filtered DOC attachments. The consequences of a compromised machine inside our network aren't worth the convenience for us.
As a lab, we'll play "better safe than sorry" for now.
All attached DOC files are filtered and placed in to a users quarnetine folder (which they have access via a web browser). Simple permissions keep them from accessing the file itself until it can be checked. Once checked, permissions are changed and the user can pull the document.
It's frustrating for the end user as they don't have instant access to their attachment (sometimes there's a 4-hour delay before the file can be manually inspected -- still waiting for some def-files!) and it's taxing my staff time-wise to do this (we've got better things to do than check for any monkey-business in word documents). We've suggested everyone convert to PDFs and send THOSE and it's been working but it's still a disruption.
And the higher temperature would melt any water ice on the ground. This could make precious liquid water available for astronauts to drink, and the water could also be used as a raw material to produce rocket fuel for the journey home, Woida says.
Wouldn't the melted ice boil away at 68 some odd degress on Mars? Or do they plan on heating up a kilometer sized pressurized dome?
The extra warmth would mean the astronauts would not need heavily insulated suits or living quarters, allowing them to work more easily.
Maybe not "heavily insulated", but certainly pressurized. Working "more easily" is still not easy.
Either you are lying or you are ignorant. If you are lying, I can make stuff up, too! I just don't because I think it's rude and insulting to the intelligence of the person I'm conversing with. If you are ignorant, look up the stuff and get informed, I'm not going to waste my time correcting your ignorance. Thats something you can easily do yourself.
Um... don't look now, but I think you missed an important fact. Orville and Wilbur received no federal funds for research. It was a private enterprise. And they made a bundle. Fancy that... all from the private sector.
If we could fly without government grants, just imagine what else we could do without government grants.
You're right. My day that day started at 2am. I was trying to fire off a few messages before heading home). My fault -- I blame haste and a failure to proofread. Reading further down, you finally got the gist.
The real safety concern in using adult stem cells is implant compatibility
This is virtually a non-issue with adult stem cells with the exception of some bone marrow transplants where the patients own stem cells are unavailable -- adult stem cells usually come from the patients themselves. And with cord blood transplants, rejection is less of a risk.
Are you aware of any current embryonic stem cell therapy currently used at all? Nevermind routinely?
There are a number of ROUTINE ADULT stem cell therapies in use today. From treating multiple blood disorders (leukemia, for example).
From everything I've read, adult stem cells are less likely to result in uncontrolled growth. Far less. Their effectiveness in neurological disorders is on par with embryonic stem cells, far less risk of rejection (once the cells differentiate) and far less chance of the uncontrolled growth of embryonic stem cells.
And I've had that link in my profile since the 90's. Your point?
As for "ethical" baggage, not vigorously pursuing embryonic stem cell research is the only unethical act going on here.
Wouldn't you consider it unethical to spend limited public resources on research which has displayed far less promise than, say ADULT stem cell research? Maybe not "unethical", but certainly unsound fiscal policy...
Not that the current administration isn't currently spending like a drunken sailor...
Speaking as a European, I can safely say, so what?
Speaking as an American, "embryonic" stem cell research is one of those polarizing issues (like abortion) which at worst is ripping apart our nation and at best is keeping our representatives from cooperating with each other on the MUNDANE tasks of government because they are so busy stroking their respective constituencies passion with such hot-button issues
This experiment proves that stem cells can be used to cure disease
No it didn't. This experiment shows what has LONG been established -- that stem cells (embryonic, in this case) can be used to TREAT diseases. There are in fact already TREATMENTS for several diseases that utilize stem cells -- virtually ALL either adult stem cells from the patient themself or donor cord blood stem cells.
What this experiment ALSO shows is the difficulty in using EMBRYONIC stem cells in that they often (and EVERY instance in this experiment) lead to uncontrolled growth (read CANCER).
to use tissue from even adult stem cells, you have to accelerate their growth in an appropriate growth medium
Accelerate? Why? Whereas this "accelerated growth" natural for embryonic stem cells, and VERY much unwanted, in adult stem cells, are less likely to give rise to the uncontrolled growth seen with embryonic stem cells. At least, so I've read...
Why not use adult stem cells? There also the cord blood research to add in, as well. So far, all the research I've been reading suggest these to be the best direction to take and such research is funded at the federal level. And as a bonus, has no real ethics baggage associated with it!
And it's been my experience that the type of control-freak management style that you seem to exhibit only lowers peoples productivity. You think all people are easily replaceable so you don't value them. You think every problem is one of employees and it can be fixed with just a few firings
Wow. You have an amazing ability to put words in the mouths of others -- words they never said! Good job!
Seriously, your criticism is weak and suggests you have no management skills or experience. Particularly obvious when you claim to know my management style.
You think every problem is one of employees and it can be fixed with just a few firings.
I do, do I?
If there's one single factor in a workplace that leads to it's success or failure it's management.
This is true. Fancy that!
Creating a workplace where people feel constantly watched only creates paranoia and miss-trust. People don't work well under those conditions, and that usually leads to the best people leaving.
Wow. I like the neat "either/or" argument you make here. Either let people slack or you create "paranoia" and "miss-trust". Very convincing. How would I counter such a strong argument? Hmmm... OH! By providing at least ONE alternative that works OUTSIDE of the limits your statements placed.
LIKE: People work best and happiest under conditions which are consistent and fair. Where not only is poor work performance addressed by whatever means necessary (up to and including dismissal), but good work performance is rewarded.
Just because I disagree with your approach? Seems a little harsh.
No. Because your attempt to narrow the field down to programmers -- who are typically either exempt, 1099, or sub-contracted out -- as some crazy example about how wrong I am. Either you were deliberately narrowing the profession down to something silly (thus being intellectually dishonest) in a piss-poor attempt at a reductio ad absurdum while committing a strawman, *OR* you dont know anything you are talking about. I figured you were more ignorant than malicious and suggested you are unaware of the daily realities of business.
The fact that you think people in highly creative disciplines like programming should only take "scheduled breaks" speaks loads about your management style.
First, you are misreading my post. Second, I'm sure you are unfamiliar with California Labor Law which, as I've stated in this thread, is fairly strict about work breaks and there is not much wiggle-room. If your gripe is with "scheduled breaks", complain to Sacramento about their rules, not to me about my management style.
Also, how did the topic get narrowed down to "programming" only? That's a pretty neat way to set up a straw-man. First, it would be silly to have a non-exempt programmer on staff. Most programmers are either exempt, 1099 or sub-contracted out. You must not know much about the daily realities of business -- at least in the restrictive environment of California. Certainly you must not be in a position of managment or responsibility.
didnt say slacking off all day. but if you honestly believe your employees are not slacking while getting paid, you are simply out of touch.
Perhaps you didn't understand this when I first said "What we have here, I think, is a difference in opinion of what amount of slack is acceptable."
I never suggested you said "all day". Nor did I suggest "no slack" what so ever.
If you follow up the thread, with regards to one of the GPs, you'll notice my gripe was with the need to spend fairly excessive amounts of time regularly OUTSIDE of what the company already provides. Do I think 20% of ones time at work as downtime is "unreasonable"? Yes -- if this is done regularly.
Certainly everyone has an off day now and then, and I would suggest, from an employers stand point, it's laughable for an employee to expect to remain employed if they "suffer from excessive slack" (i.e. slack regularly).
Then again, I'm pretty good at hiring. We don't really have a "slack" problem in my department. Perhaps you work under a poor manager who has little skill in picking the best possible candidates? And this has dramatically reduced your expectations?
Hint: Hiring someone isn't always about just finding anyone with the TECHNICAL SKILLS you need.
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My experience with small shops (ones that don't have an in-house IT department) is that they wont back up regularly if too many steps are involved.
I haven't done contract work in about 5 years -- but I used to set up servers to backup to tape, spit out the tape when finished -- and send out nag SMB messages to change the tape if it hadn't been changed by noon. The owner or some designee would just swap tapes and pocket the most recent to take home. This requires next to no effort.
Again, this is just my experience, of the "emergency" calls I was contracted to handle, most loss of data issues were due to the shops practicing exactly what you suggest. There was never more than 1 day of data loss with tape. Why? The drive wasn't regularly hooked up and backups performed. Playing with plugs or cables or drive-drawers is a quick way to get a small shop lazy.
So... you can suggest that using tape is being "anal retentative", I would disagree. But I do agree with you on one point... external drives MIGHT work for small businesses -- providing they don't get lazy.
In summary, if you don't require a backup solution that involves as little human intervention as possible, then using an external USB HD is fine.
And you really think it's more convienient to disconnect a drive and place the drive in a foam cushioned case for off-site transportation? That this is a practical off-site data solution? That it would be practical to handle daily backups? That the daily connection/disconnection of USB or firewire hardware is healthy for a production server? More convienient than say... droping a tape in a transport bin? Ok... if it works for you, go for it.
I'll have my people take 20 or 30 seconds a day to swap tapes and otherwise leave the server alone. One tape drive + a dozen tapes is a better solution than a dozen portable USB HDs. Unless you are suggesting only one or two HDs? Then you lose HISTORY. You cant restore past the most recent backup.
And *I* made a comment about dropping them. You drop a mechanical drive and don't be surprised if your data goes bye-bye. It would certainly be an additional measure -- but for regular transport to off-site storage, tape is the way to go. Tiny, light and resistant to bumps and drops -- which happen during transport.
As for who has the time? You swap the tape out in the morning -- takes all of about 20 seconds. Backup runs whenever (evening, morning, whenever you script it to run). Next morning, you take ANOTHER 20 seconds and swap the next tape. Takes an additional few seconds to drop in the transport bin for off-site storage -- or drop in your pocket to take home.
Yes, restores will take longer than USB 2.0 or firewire. So what? If your backup plan also includes in-house off-server storage (such as a backup file server or something), you restore from that. The only time you would need to recover from tape would be due to a catastrophe (the whole data center burns to the ground leaving ash and slag).
And a nice hot fire will destroy your data. Any backup solution should consider periodic off-site storage of media.
Until they roll out cheap 40+ gig solid state media, I'm sticking with tape. It's easy to move and I wont faint if it's dropped.
Yes. There certainly are a number of closed minded groups and certain people who have a bit of an agenda that isn't simply "find the truth".
Ah got it. So it's your claim that Kos or Franken, for example don't do "it" blatenlty enough? Wow. Love your glasses. Are they comfortable?
My opinion is that the movies are more or less 'eye-candy' for those who read and enjoyed the books.
Heh... back in the day we actually used Doom to help ID network bottlenecks. It helped us finally retire a problem arcnet segment... Man, I'm showing my age.
Our filters based on extensions & MIME...
Thanks for your concern.
I question your use of the word "no" here. I think you are incorrect. Proof of concept exploits are out there and I think it's a matter of time before something nasty gets released.
I'll agree that at least for now the risk is low, but I think that's going to change over time. Further, one needs to assess risk vs. loss. Our shop is a mid-sized lab. We can afford to spend a few hours a week of our IT staff sifting manually through filtered DOC attachments. The consequences of a compromised machine inside our network aren't worth the convenience for us.
As a lab, we'll play "better safe than sorry" for now.
All attached DOC files are filtered and placed in to a users quarnetine folder (which they have access via a web browser). Simple permissions keep them from accessing the file itself until it can be checked. Once checked, permissions are changed and the user can pull the document.
It's frustrating for the end user as they don't have instant access to their attachment (sometimes there's a 4-hour delay before the file can be manually inspected -- still waiting for some def-files!) and it's taxing my staff time-wise to do this (we've got better things to do than check for any monkey-business in word documents). We've suggested everyone convert to PDFs and send THOSE and it's been working but it's still a disruption.
Wouldn't the melted ice boil away at 68 some odd degress on Mars? Or do they plan on heating up a kilometer sized pressurized dome?
Maybe not "heavily insulated", but certainly pressurized. Working "more easily" is still not easy.
Either you are lying or you are ignorant. If you are lying, I can make stuff up, too! I just don't because I think it's rude and insulting to the intelligence of the person I'm conversing with. If you are ignorant, look up the stuff and get informed, I'm not going to waste my time correcting your ignorance. Thats something you can easily do yourself.
Um... don't look now, but I think you missed an important fact. Orville and Wilbur received no federal funds for research. It was a private enterprise. And they made a bundle. Fancy that... all from the private sector.
If we could fly without government grants, just imagine what else we could do without government grants.
You're right. My day that day started at 2am. I was trying to fire off a few messages before heading home). My fault -- I blame haste and a failure to proofread. Reading further down, you finally got the gist.
Are you aware of any current embryonic stem cell therapy currently used at all? Nevermind routinely?
There are a number of ROUTINE ADULT stem cell therapies in use today. From treating multiple blood disorders (leukemia, for example).
From everything I've read, adult stem cells are less likely to result in uncontrolled growth. Far less. Their effectiveness in neurological disorders is on par with embryonic stem cells, far less risk of rejection (once the cells differentiate) and far less chance of the uncontrolled growth of embryonic stem cells.
Wouldn't you consider it unethical to spend limited public resources on research which has displayed far less promise than, say ADULT stem cell research? Maybe not "unethical", but certainly unsound fiscal policy...
Not that the current administration isn't currently spending like a drunken sailor...
What this experiment ALSO shows is the difficulty in using EMBRYONIC stem cells in that they often (and EVERY instance in this experiment) lead to uncontrolled growth (read CANCER).
Why not use adult stem cells? There also the cord blood research to add in, as well. So far, all the research I've been reading suggest these to be the best direction to take and such research is funded at the federal level. And as a bonus, has no real ethics baggage associated with it!
Seriously, your criticism is weak and suggests you have no management skills or experience. Particularly obvious when you claim to know my management style.
I do, do I?
This is true. Fancy that!
Wow. I like the neat "either/or" argument you make here. Either let people slack or you create "paranoia" and "miss-trust". Very convincing. How would I counter such a strong argument? Hmmm... OH! By providing at least ONE alternative that works OUTSIDE of the limits your statements placed.
LIKE: People work best and happiest under conditions which are consistent and fair. Where not only is poor work performance addressed by whatever means necessary (up to and including dismissal), but good work performance is rewarded.
Also, how did the topic get narrowed down to "programming" only? That's a pretty neat way to set up a straw-man. First, it would be silly to have a non-exempt programmer on staff. Most programmers are either exempt, 1099 or sub-contracted out. You must not know much about the daily realities of business -- at least in the restrictive environment of California. Certainly you must not be in a position of managment or responsibility.
Perhaps you didn't understand this when I first said "What we have here, I think, is a difference in opinion of what amount of slack is acceptable."
I never suggested you said "all day". Nor did I suggest "no slack" what so ever.
If you follow up the thread, with regards to one of the GPs, you'll notice my gripe was with the need to spend fairly excessive amounts of time regularly OUTSIDE of what the company already provides. Do I think 20% of ones time at work as downtime is "unreasonable"? Yes -- if this is done regularly.
Certainly everyone has an off day now and then, and I would suggest, from an employers stand point, it's laughable for an employee to expect to remain employed if they "suffer from excessive slack" (i.e. slack regularly).
Then again, I'm pretty good at hiring. We don't really have a "slack" problem in my department. Perhaps you work under a poor manager who has little skill in picking the best possible candidates? And this has dramatically reduced your expectations?
Hint: Hiring someone isn't always about just finding anyone with the TECHNICAL SKILLS you need.