Men And Wedding Plans

Being a man I had always imagined that if and when I got engaged to be married I would have little to worry about in the way of wedding plans and things of that nature. Perhaps I was being a bit chauvinistic in my assumption that brides took care of and addressed all plans and problems surrounding the wedding. In truth all I ever wanted at my wedding was an open bar and some good rock n roll. I cared very little about anything beyond those two must haves.

Well my fantasies of the perfect “man gathering” as my wife calls it where shattered post haste as plans for the wedding took off at a hurried pace and I was swept up in the pandemonium that is planning for such an event. My then fiancée expressed great interest in having me participate along with her in the planning of our day of joy. She didn’t expect me to pick a DJ, band, and brand of liquor to serve and then quietly sit back and watch her finalize the rest the plans. She conveyed with great emotion that she had hoped that I would be with her to meet with florists, DJ’s, photographers, etc. As a man I had no opposition to this however I wanted to avoid this type of thing for fear of being stricken with boredom.

As the fates would have it, I agreed and gave our wedding my full attention and partook in all aspects of planning our wedding. Ironically meeting with all the different vendors and even wedding officiants was anything but boring. These people treat weddings as though they are creating fine, priceless pieces of art and I was amused at just how serious they took each and every wedding they provided services to. This helped to make the experience much more enjoyable than I had envisioned it to be.

There was one activity that was less than thrilling for both my wife and me and that was looking at Mens Wedding bands and trying to find one that I would actually consider wearing. Prior to getting engaged I had never given much thought to men’s jewelry and though I had accepted the fact that I would be wearing some sort of wedding band, I had strong reservations about wearing any rings I considered to be effeminate. The search for a suitable wedding band was long and arduous and the tension that mounted with each visit to a jeweler was palpable.

Eventually after what we agreed to be an exhaustive and tumultuous search we began looking online for Mens Wedding bands and we were both surprised at what we found. Men’s rings made from platinum, titanium and tungsten where littered all over each website. It appeared to us that these sites were really pushing these types of rings and after reading multiple reviews on such topics we found out why. Luckily for me I turned out to be but one of many men who despised the traditional gold, silver, and diamond men’s rings. Not only do many men feel those rings are a misrepresentation of their masculinity, but they also feel these rings lack any style. When our online expedition for the perfect ring concluded I ended up with a multicolored Tungsten ring with fancy inlets. It is both reflective of my inner man and oozes class and style.

Once our quest for a ring was finished we wrapped up a few small loose ends and then waited out the remaining six month between that and our wedding on the couch watching our favorite movies and television shows. Any men who are close to proposing or accepting a proposal should prepare themselves for a long but enjoyable planning process. Don’t be afraid to take part in the planning of your wedding. It can only serve to make the event great.

Surviving In a Technologically Demanding Business World

The majority of business owners these days are always looking for ways to improve productivity and performance at a low cost. With budgets becoming more restrictive and most companies penny pinching many executives are finding it difficult to get both old and new services at a friendly price. This is no truer perhaps than when dealing with IT staffs and department budgets. With almost every aspect of the IT world becoming pricier those in charge of IT departments as well as their CEO’s have recently been forced to get extremely creative and do more with less. The most talented of these people will never cut corner but instead find a way to meet the needs of both their networks and their staff.

Most recently two affordable solutions have presented themselves to willing industry leaders. Both network automation as well as data center consolidation are providing institutions with not only affordable new technologies but these technologies also save money and time buy freeing up resources and allowing networks to manage themselves to a large degree. Of course those who do automate quickly learn that this does not necessitate the end of employing an IT staff. What it does mean however is that those individuals who once spent their days watching for and patching bugs can now be assigned more significant tasks which ultimately makes an IT department more productive. This also allows an IT budget to be neatly trimmed as the need for hours of overtime will be lessen considerably.

Aside from automating a network a business may also opt for data center consolidation in lieu of automation or in addition to it. Either way consolidating networks helps all businesses make their IT budgets much more responsible and manageable by drastically cutting the cost of power consumption and allowing multiple servers to be combined into one. Additionally important business applications can be merged onto a single server which usually means an improvement in application performance and reliability. Those thinking of data center consolidation should be aware however that the process is not a short one by any stretch of the imagination. Though smaller networks will complete the process more rapidly large corporations and networks should expect at least a 5 year process.

Most business have already adopted data center automation and while consolidation is the new kid on the block, expect to see businesses of all sizes warming up to the procedure as the economy forces businesses to work with less. We should also expect companies that streamline their networks and IT teams with one or both of these methods to survive while those that do not will likely have a difficult time maintaining a healthy bottom line and may end up going out of business. This highly technology dependant business world requires a willingness to accept changes even when they initially seem as though they aren’t for you.

Why Data Center Automation?

It is easy to mismanage a network and even an IT team. Not only must IT managers be educated well before entering the field or obtaining such a position, but must continually keep up with the latest changes, both bad and good. As the world of network technology is constantly changing and evolving keeping up can be difficult, especially when you spend ten to twelve hours in the office managing your team.

IT managers or those hoping to secure such a prestigious position should be realize early on that automating their networks in part or in whole will not only free up resources and allow their teams to be more productive but will also create some free time for themselves as well. Things like Runbook automation and good ITIL management and mechanization will also free an IT manager from performing some of the more daunting and tedious tasks that a network demands before it becomes automated.

Once a network has automation in place, even in limited capacity, an IT manager will find that they now have time to perform duties which where previously placed at the bottom of a priority list. Things like simple team meetings, and even time for technological research will be moved up this list which in turn will help make the manager more productive. As always in business when a motivated and organized leader is productive the team always follows suit. So in essence automation allows an environment to be created that is both productive and more streamlined.

Those companies who have yet to automate any part of their network face rising staffing costs as well as steadily increasing networking costs both in operating procedures and in hardware and software maintenance. It’s likely that most companies will automate out of necessity at some point but it is almost a certainly that some will remain resistant to the idea and will go out of business as a result of being unable to meet costs and keep up with competition.

The automation process though initially costly pays for itself over time, many times over in fact. Those businesses that have resisted in the past but are now considering a transition to an automated database should take heed and handle the process in proper fashion. Take the time to find actually assesses your networks and find out exactly what it needs and what will work best for your company, its clients, and its employees. Taking the time to automate properly and find the best services provider will make the transition smooth, fast, free up resources sooner rather than later.

Automation: The Proper Approach

It has become common knowledge that data center automation saves not only IT department’s headaches and money but the companies which employ these departments as well. What isn’t common knowledge is that many while automation solves many problems and frees up a great deal of resources, it does not replace the need for a talented and skilled IT staff. All too often do companies large and small make the mistake of either letting some of their IT professionals go or they transfer them to another department or give them tasks that don’t help the department remain productive.

As it is common for overly eager companies to rush head first into network automation without much preparation it is equally common to see these same companies either restart the process or pull back out and forego the process. This happens when IT staff and management have to little experience or aren’t keen on change. These people and companies find it easy to lay blame on the automation process and almost always back out at the first sign of perceived trouble.

So what are some of the common mistakes companies make when rushing into and through this process? Most commonly these people believe that a revised run book isn’t essential and that automating the run book so that it can manage and update itself is something that’s just not needed. Many untried IT professionals will also pass up the opportunity to have ITIL automated which then leads to problems down the line as the run book and ITIL are the foundations on which a their networks stand.

Sadly these missteps and shortcuts turn into costly blunders and often require a company to start the process again from scratch. These mistakes are easily avoided as well by taking things slow, performing research on not only organizations that offer automation services but taking the time to determine which services your company and network need as well. It is not unusual too, to find companies that have gone overboard with the process especially when expectations are high. Going this route carries with it a whole host of problems as well however it’s always easier to trim the edges of something when you have too much than it is to work with to little.

If you find yourself or a company with whom you are employed in a situation where the decision to automate has just been handed down, remind those involved to not only be patient but to keep their expectations realistic. Sure you’ll have the opportunity to delegate new tasks to those who once micromanaged your network but you’ll still need a full and talented staff on call to keep things running smoothly. Take things slow and spend some time in preparation for the transition. Following simple steps like those can help ensure that your networks perform better than ever after automation is complete.

Preparing for Two Factor Authentication

When dealing with security types such as two factor authentication, those in charge of company finances regularly cut corners in an effort to get preeminent protection at a fraction of its cost. In almost any circumstance where this is the case, the consequences of such actions are costly and can end up being detrimental to a business. When preparing for implementation of such technologies, business owners or those who write the check should be prepared to go all the way or should consider not going at all.

Those business who are prepared to take their online and in office security to the next level will often spend a large number of hours in researching the different parties that offers two factor authentication services. Once a service and provider have been chosen the company and it’s IT department need only the patience and knowledge to implement such a thing. In many instances, those organizations who provide such things will also make available, consulting and implementation services in the event that an IT staff requires assistance. These additional services can be invaluable if you have a small but eager staff or an inexperienced one.

Going into such a project one should be aware that there are many forms of two factor authentication yet not all businesses need more than one type while others may require additional services or equipment. Things like RSA Tokens can help protect sensitive data and the servers on which it resides while biometrics can be used keep those without permissions out of private or areas in which they do not belong. There are also various types of security such as SSL VPN Authentication which makes using certain websites safer for both the business and the consumer.

It is ignorant to believe that simple usernames and passwords are enough to protect a customer. This is especially true when dealing with websites that allow financial transactions. All to often identity and data theft occur when a website or its parent company require little more than a password. SSL VPN Authentication requires a user to enter more than a simple password and offers online protection that is indispensable.

This is perhaps the reasoning behind the high adoption rate that two factor authentication has experienced as of late. As the threat of theft grows so does the weariness of not only major corporations but smaller businesses as well and this is reflected by the realization that two factor authentication will provide the best protection that money can buy. All that remains now is for smaller and independent businesses to begin adopting the technology which will further help cement this type of security and make it mainstream. Are you on board?

Two Factor Authentication: Protecting A Network

In the ever changing world of online and network technologies Two Factor Authentication has played a large role in the reshaping of IT staffs and budgets. Though it got off to a rocky and slow start, and was exposed as being “beatable”, Two Factor Authentication has proven time and time again that it is the best type of security for companies, their customers, and employees. Most major businesses have employed such security measures and automated their networks to some degree which has improved the performance of their business applications to a large degree. Why then are these same companies now finding themselves at a dead end with their networks?

It isn’t so much a dead end as it is the end of their automation. Many companies have automated to a point where going any further with the process will cost to much and yield little to no improvement. What many of these same companies are not yet aware of however is the fact that there is a next step. This step involves consolidating servers and applications to help reduce IT costs across the board. This is commonly known as data center consolidation. When executed properly the process will reduce power consumption in your office and can eliminate unnecessary IT positions. This allows IT managers to delegate more significant tasks to their teams raising productivity and reliability which in turn saves business owners a lot of money.

Simple data center automation though complicated and detailed can be accomplished in a short amount of time given a business has the budget and the willingness to begin the process. In sharp contrast data center consolidation takes several years. While you would be hard pressed to find a medium or small sized business that has consolidated several major corporations have already begun the process and regularly speak of this as a five plus year plan. These companies also speak highly of the process and about how much money the process will be saving them.

Those organizations that are spending the time and money necessary for such processes have also recently spoken out about just how important it is to have some form of Two Factor Authentication in place both during and after this process. This type of security ensures that their customers and their properties receive maximum protection against theft and malice. It would be foolish to invest in such expensive developments without having some type of security like Two Factor Authentication in place.

Automating a network and protecting it are two of the most important things that anyone can do for his/her business. Businesses that take the necessary steps to ensure that their customers receive fast reliable service and are well protected will likely outperform their counterparts whom choose not to take these steps.

Satellite Communications: Not What They Used To Be

I had never given much thought to the likes of satellite internet until recently. For most of my professional life I have been tied to a desk as many of us are, that is until I was promoted to the executive level within my company. Though I knew there would be some travel involved with the position when I interviewed for it, it was revealed to me that I would be on the road eighty percent of the time.

I would be on trains and airplanes the majority of the time preparing for presentations and so I it was advised that I set up some type of commercial satellite so that my time traveling would be productive and well spent. I had two weeks to prepare for my first trip so I spent a number of hours both at home and in the office researching satellite communications.

When I first began my search for a decent satellite internet provider I recalled all of the horror stories I had been told by subscribers of such technology. From complaints of slow connections, to horrible lag and ping rates, these reverberated in my mind as I looked over several of the newer providers. I was surprised at what I found however. Many of the organizations I had looked into provided sections within their websites that showcased just how much the technology had matured and improved over time. Thankfully, this laid many of my fears I had to rest.

No longer was connectivity an issue and gone where the disquieting ping rates. It was connection speeds however that had shown the most growth. Though speeds varied from provider to provider, the majority of transfer rates I saw had been nearly as fast as a home based cable connections and in a few cases just as fast and reliable. Of course websites more often than not throw a pair of rose tinted glasses on their readers so I knew the only way to be sure was to try a couple of providers out at a time. With the go ahead from my superiors at work I proceeded to test the three providers that piqued my interest.

I ran my laptop from my car, home, office, and even a coffee shop. I put my connections to the test by performing such tasks as surfing the net casually, downloading movies and music, and uploading a website or two through an FTP. After almost a week and half of putting these providers through the mill I settled on one. The one provider I settled on outclassed the other two in terms of upload capabilities. In all other areas the three providers where nearly equal but upload speeds where the deciding factor simply because I was going to be doing a lot of communicating with the office servers.

Having been on the road making use of my satellite internet connection, I can tell you that things have gone smoothly. Every single worry and myth about satellite communications I held in the back of my mind has been negated by an outstanding and dependable service provider. If mobile technology continues on the path it’s currently on I have no doubts that eventually all internet connections will be wireless.

Sports Apparel Is Big Business

Sports apparel has become big business as the majority of sports fans flock to a sports outlet to snatch up Jersey’s, hats, and other types of memorabilia in order to show support for their favorite team. It is rare thing to see a gathering of fans that doesn’t have at least one individual wearing some type of sports wear. Sports fashions however have not always been a lucrative business.

In days past shouting from the couch with a group of friends was considered supporting the home team. Fans could also make a trip to a stadium to catch a home game or throw parties in honor of a big game, which was also a way to support your favorite team. Make no mistake, sports apparel has been around for as long as professional sports have, however the selections and quality of such apparel used to be extremely limited and expensive.

As a boy I remember baseball caps being a huge deal in my circle of friends. In those days however these caps where often one solid color with a team logo embroidered on the front. I also remember these hats wearing out rather quickly as the stitch would often unravel and the bill of the cap would often warp. One might argue that the sports apparel of yesteryear was not as durable as today’s because children are more active and therefore wear things out at a much quicker pace. In reality however it is fact that many types of clothing from decades past where made using smaller budgets and less resilient materials.

As sports fans looked back at the 80’s and turned their heads towards the 90’s they saw both the birth of the Superfan and a wider variety of options when shopping for sports apparel and memorabilia. Though many major league sports sought to appease the veracious appetite of the Superfan, it was NFL Apparel that really took hold first and helped make sports apparel big business. The shark toothed, and paint stroked hats propelled this industry forward and proved that fans would go to great lengths to support their teams.

It was also during this era that the companies responsible for manufacturing hats and jersey’s took a big step up in terms of the quality of apparel they produced. Over the last fifteen years, the sport apparel business has continued to grow and thrive as fans become even more involved with following and supporting their teams. The internet too has helped take the business of sports apparel to the next level as fans can now shop online for jersey’s, caps, and the like even during the off season. Where this business goes from here is anybody’s guess, but if I where to guess, I’d guess the sports fans will drive it up and help it grow larger.

Mobile Connectivity

Doing business while on the road used to be much more difficult than it is now. As most business on the road involves a computer, mobile business persons at one time either had to pre-prepare massive amounts of data prior to embarking on a business trip and couldn’t make any changes or continue research until reaching their destination. In actuality changes and research could be made but it was a painstaking process where by an individual would be forced to connect to the internet through some type of business satellite internet.

In its infancy and for quite some time that period satellite technology was exceedingly slow not just in upload and download speeds but ping rates left much to be desired as well. During this era, most who sought to do business on the road where discouraged by these types of connections and would regularly wait until they had reached their destinations before moving forward with any additional work. Fortunately things in the satellite communications industry matured and improved rapidly.

Now it’s not uncommon to find all types of people with a laptop and connected to the internet through either a WIFI hotspot while in restaurants and shops or through a commercial satellite connection. The performance and reliability of today’s satellite connections outperform yesteryears counterparts by leaps and bounds. Men and women of business are connecting in cars, buses, airplanes, and trains and now have the capability to further prepare for upcoming meetings, or finish that last bit of work on their way home.

As satellite technology has matured it has also opened doors for the everyday computer user. Casual users can often be found browsing the internet much as people of business do. No longer must people such as students and friends be at home to study and to chat online, nor must they be stationary to browse the internet.

Though connection speeds and availability have vastly improved over the course of this decade the those who may be apprehensive about getting their internet through satellite can rest easy. Satellite providers are working diligently to improve their services, plans, speeds, and availability. Having the internet at home is has quickly become a necessity for many and someday mobile connectivity will be just as important.

Mens Wedding Bands: Changing Traditions

It used to be that engaged men had a small and somewhat limited choice of Mens Wedding Bands to choose from. That is because traditionally, men have worn rings that are either similar to women’s wedding bands or are part of a matching set designed to pair up with their spouses ring. Men previously had only the choice of gold, silver, or diamond wedding bands.

Much like the winds however, times have changed and men now have many more options when considering which type of wedding band to wear. No longer must men endure such an infinitesimal variety of wedding rings. It is now common for men to find rings made from titanium, tungsten, and even platinum on sale and at reasonable prices to boot. Not only are these rings made from some fantastic metals, but they often incorporate multiple colors, and designs adding to the already high allure these alternative wedding bands possess.

While platinum is often fairly expensive, it is tungsten and titanium Mens Wedding Bands that allow would be grooms to not only purchase a ring that’s affordable but stylish as well. As some men will claim that the majority of men’s wedding bands do not carry enough masculinity, this claim is often uttered only by those men who have yet to view these unconventional options. Men who have viewed these tungsten and titanium rings however have made rings of solid black and rings sporting inlet designs extremely popular.

The popularity of these rings continues to soar in part to online jewelers but word of mouth as well. Many men who become engaged will often speak of these non traditional rings when their friends become betrothed to their sweethearts. Even those with larger budgets are now considering a titanium or tungsten simply for the exuberance and options they bring to the table. No longer must a groom be forced to a single style on a single type of metal. Customization is quickly becoming the name of the game as rings with only a single design are becoming a thing of the past.

The changes in both attitude and expectations towards Mens Wedding Bands are breathes of fresh air for men and women. No longer do women have to fight with their soon to be husbands about wearing a wedding ring and men no longer need be apprehensive about wearing one as their choices are now virtually unlimited and much more affordable.

Stepping Up Your Security

The online world changes faster than anyone can blink and the tools used to deliver and keep the online world safe change almost just as fast. When you’re talking security applications however some tools and services change while others change very little if at all. This is a surprising fact however given how secure businesses and their clients want their transactions to be.

Take for example usernames and passwords. Many online businesses have been using this method of security for over ten years and still have not upgraded to a better form of online security. Though many smaller businesses have yet to adopt a more advanced technology, several high profile companies have begun using some form of two factor authentication both on their websites and in their offices.

Though it’s still an emerging and growing technology prestigious companies like Microsoft, Google, and even Pay Pal have incorporated two factor authentication which has made online transactions more secure and has helped protect in office property from those would seek to do harm. It is through an Authentication Service Provider that these companies deliver these types of safety measures to their clients.

While these well known companies have all implemented TFA to some degree many are still quick to dismiss the technology as incomplete or vulnerable. While many of these detractors make valid points this writer would argue that no technology, especially those of a security nature are always vulnerable. There will always be those individuals who would seek to disrupt business and expose the Achilles Heels of various applications so it’s likely that there will never be a technology immune to people with such an agenda.

Despite its outspoken naysayer’s two factor authentication has grown and thrived over the last few years with more and more businesses slowly adopting the technology. While are correct in that it’s an imperfect technology, it’s simply the best type of security presently available. Having recently made the switch, many banking and credit establishments will tell you that usernames and passwords are no longer safe nor acceptable when dealing with people online.

Motor Sports: From Curiosity to Passion

Being an homebody I had never given much thought to outdoor sports, especially motor sports. This all changed however when I met someone who introduced me to the world of motor sport and showed me just how much fun and competitive they could be. As someone who would still be considered green by most others’ standards, my knowledge of racing something like a Sand Rail or Yamaha Rhino has dramatically increased in a short time.

Once I was introduced to racing of all sorts I immediately began spending time with my new friend out at various races. I think it may have been this that helped me become familiar with things so quickly and I believe this also helped the sport make a much larger impression on me that it would have had I not attended so many races. As someone who almost never left the home, I initially figured that there wasn’t much to motor sports nor the vehicles used for racing.

Mind you it was not the minute details and things such as engine specs and history that I learned of so quickly but instead I promptly became familiar with important racers, and which vehicles worked best on which tracks and things of this nature. For an individual whom believed he knew it all, this was quite a culture shock but an enjoyable one at that.

To recount the number of hours spent watching races and pow-wowing with my new race buddies is nearly impossible. As time passed however my admiration for motor sports grew even as my hyper focus on the subject evened out and it became commonplace in my house. It was during this time that I began to contemplate building or buying my own racer and eagerly anticipated learning to drive competitively.

After much deliberating and debate I deiced that with the help of a good friend I would be purchasing a Yamaha Rhino. Building my own car sounded and looked good on paper but the man hours necessary to perform such a task was something neither me nor my friend had to spare so the decision to buy outright was a natural one. The purchase of my Rhino went smoothly and I have been behind the wheel for quite some time now, though on limited training capacity. I still look forward to the day I will race against others.

I often find it intriguing that we sometimes discount things we know nothing about or things we think we know a lot about and am glad that I took a chance and followed the curiosity that was sparked by a good friend. Curiosities can lead to hobby’s and to passions if one had enough courage to follow them.