Sun Asset Connection Demonstration on Fresh Tools

IT Asset Management (ITAM) enables organizations to save money and create a better performing environment. Managing hardware assets in complex and geographically dispersed operating environments is a daunting, but increasingly necessary, undertaking. For example, reducing costs through server consolidation is popular, but you'll first need to know the number, type, and location of installed systems, plus the applications running on these systems, and any software licenses attached.

Other ITAM needs include negotiating software contracts, improving total cost of ownership, developing service level agreements, chargebacks, obsoleting end-of-life equipment, and more.

On My Sun Connection, you'll find a demo of the Sun Asset Connection in the Fresh Tools tab. The Sun Asset Connection helps systems managers track and report Solaris, UNIX, Linux, Windows, Mac and AS400 hardware, plus identify the installed base of software, too.

Here's an example from the demo, a pie chart showing operating systems distribution:

Clicking on any segment (representing an OS) displays details for the machines in that group. You can view DNS hostname, make and model, asset tag and serial number (important information required by most vendors when requesting support), and more.

Give the Sun Asset Connection demo a try, and as always, we're very interested in your feedback.

A Better Way to Search?

Like most people, I spend lots of time searching for information to help me get my job done each day. For example, I search through my email messages to find room information for meetings, instructions from colleagues, and remind myself about messages I sent earlier.

When I'm starting a new project, my best research comes from Web pages I've found through searches. When I get stuck on a problem, an intense search usually yields the answers I need to keep working.

This is sometimes a brain-racking exercise, since most search engines require keywords to provide the best results. The trick is coming up with the right set of keywords, and using boolean operators to refine the results.

Sometimes I wish search engines could work the way I think. For example, instead of having to form a query like "solaris 10 + install + laptop - server," I'd rather ask the question "How do install Solaris 10 on my laptop?"

The solution might be close, at least for finding answers to Solaris 10 questions. The folks behind the Solaris 10 Knowledge Base pilot have developed search capabilities based on natural language queries. You enter a phrase or question just like you would ask a friend or colleague, and behind the scenes the natural language processing technology locates the documents that are most likely to provide the answer.

When I posed this question, I was pleased with the results:

Not too shabby! The first document returned is a How to Guide for new users wanting to Solaris 10 on x64 or x86 systems. Even if the results were not what I expected, I could easily narrow my search by selecting a category (such as Install/Boot) or a document type (such as documentation). It's definitely a new way to search, and I'm having to unlearn some old "boolean" habits and trust my instincts.

Intrigued? Try the Solaris 10 Knowledge Base pilot and let us know what you think.

The Cure for App Envy?

Ever get a bad case of app envy, where you wish you could run that "killer app" but couldn't because your computer was under-powered or worst yet, unsupported by the developer?

Or, have you dealt with requests for new or non-standard equipment because a user can't function without that one critical (but unsupported) application?

I know I have. As a writer, I'm always on the look out for tools to help me organize ideas. I got excited when a colleague showed me a mind mapping application, only to be let down when I learned it was Windows only.

I may have found the answer. Sun Secure Global Desktop lets you run Windows apps in a Java-technology enabled Web browser. Better yet, it does Linux, and Solaris apps, too.

Here's a screen shot of the Sun Secure Global Desktop interface:

And, a picture of a Windows app running in my Web browser:

Interested? You can give it a try yourself right now using the online demo.

And, you can always learn more about Sun Secure Global Desktop using the links to forums, blogs and other resources on My Sun Connection.