Almost all Internet users send and receive at least a few (smile) emails per day. As you can probably tell, most of them are unaware of what BCC: is and the benefits of using BCC: while sending an email. You should definitely read this article if you are one such internet user, who doesn’t know about the advantages of BCC:!

BCC: or “Blind Carbon Copy” refers to the practice of sending an email to multiple recipients without disclosing the individual email addresses. It is a common practice for most users to separate the email addresses by using a comma or semi-colon and insert all those addresses in the TO: field, while sending the same email/message to multiple recipients. In emails that are sent in this way, each receiver is able to see the complete list of recipient email addresses to which the message was sent. Using the BCC: option allows you to hide all of the recipients email addresses in email messages. This means when you send emails using BCC:, the receiver will not be able to see the list of email addresses of any of the recipients on the list. Thus using BCC: is the best way to protect the privacy of the recipients and their email addresses. If you are simply forwarding any wishes or funny emails to some business or organization IDs, it is very important to keep the email addresses of receivers or associates confidential. So wherever privacy matters (which is always), make BCC: your friend and keep using it.

People often times forward messages to their entire address book using CC: field. Messages that are repeatedly sent to many recipients mostly contain long lists of email addresses. This makes it easy for the spammers to collect and utilize those emails for spamming. In order to avoid the risk of spammers, it is wise to use BCC: while forwarding any messages. This prevents the email address from appearing in other people’s inboxes thereby keeping the email less exposed to spammers. Some viruses also harvest e-mail addresses from users’ cache folder or address book, and large CC: lists may further the propagation of viruses. By using BCC:, one can avoid such risks also. Always remember “What is forwarded by you will most likely be forwarded to someone else”

BCC: is a great tool used to avoid an accidental “Reply All” when sending a reply intended for only the sender of the message. Most email clients have the option of BCC:, listed below the TO: field in another line. But some email clients provide a separate option that is not listed by default. You may need to contact your email provider to receive instructions on displaying your BCC: field Some email clients (email software) will not allow you to send a message when there is no address in the TO: field. Consider using your own email address in the To: field, when you want to BCC: all recipients. In addition to hiding the identity of other recipients, this option enables you to confirm that the message was sent successfully. Use BCC: strictly while sending bulk messages so that you can protect the privacy of your recipients.

Happy BCC’ing (Smile)

Network maintenance involves corrective and preventive measures to make the managed network run “better”, such as adjusting device configuration parameters. Network maintenance is concerned with performing repairs and upgrades—for example, when equipment must be replaced, when a router needs a patch for an operating system image, when a new switch is added to a network.

To keep your network running at its optimum performance you need to perform computer network maintenance on a regular basis.  Network maintenance includes several preventative steps including monitoring your bandwidth and checking packets. If you own a computer, chances are that at some point or another you will need computer network maintenance support.

The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is one example of a methodology for guiding the project management process from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application. Various SDLC approaches include the waterfall model, which was the original SDLC method; rapid application development (RAD); joint application development (JAD); the fountain model; the spiral model; build and fix; and synchronize-and-stabilize. IT project management methods focused on matching user requirements to delivered products, in a Waterfall model method. IT project manager takes responsibility for planning and managing to deliver success on an IT project. A successful project needs a project plan, which includes the step by step plan to manage a project from the starting to the end.

There are several things that need to be managed in an IT project, including risk management, alternative life-cycle models, development team organization, and management of technical people are also discussed. The process of IT management exists primarily for supporting the management of software development and Network integration, and is generally skewed toward addressing business concerns. Many IT project management processes can be run in a similar way to general project management processes.

“We know that identity thieves are constantly coming up with new ways to try to defraud consumers,” said Life Lock CEO Todd Davis. “It’s our strategy to continue to develop new services that meet the challenge. We’re extremely gratified to see that Life Lock Identity Alert system is getting the job done on behalf of our members. This represents a major advance in the battle against this crime.”

Identity thieves typically obtain and exploit personally identifiable information about individuals, or various credentials they use to authenticate themselves, in order to impersonate them. Examples include: Retrieving personal data from redundant IT equipment and storage media including PCs, servers, PDAs, mobile phones, USB memory sticks and hard drives that have been disposed of carelessly at public dump sites, given away or sold on without having been properly sanitized, skimming information from bank or credit cards using compromised or hand-held card readers, and creating clone cards, Using contactless credit card readers to acquire data wirelessly from RFID-enabled passports, etc. Life Lock Identity Alert system uses multiple technologies and data sources to help better defend Life Lock members against the inherent risks of identity theft. Once identity thieves fake your identity, they: Open a new credit card account, using your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. When they use the credit card and don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. They can call your credit card issuer and, pretending to be you, change the mailing address on your credit card account. The Identity thieves can open even a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account. Preventing identity theft is a lot better than trying to recover from identity theft. Life Lock Identity theft protection can help to save you from such conditions with regular monitoring of your credits reports.

“We know that identity thieves are constantly coming up with new ways to try to defraud consumers,” said Life Lock CEO Todd Davis. “It’s our strategy to continue to develop new services that meet the challenge. We’re extremely gratified to see that Life Lock Identity Alert system is getting the job done on behalf of our members. This represents a major advance in the battle against this crime.”

Life lock has won an International Stevie Award for Communications Team of the Year in the 2010 International Business Awards. The International Business Awards are the only global, all-encompassing business awards program honoring great performances in business. Life Lock Identity Theft Protection is a leader in proactive identity theft protection industry. Life Lock Identity Alert system offers broader identity coverage, greater control, and early notification of both credit and non-credit related identity threats by searching more than 45 million data points daily and 30 million consumer transactions each month. This advanced detection system can identify fraudulent applications for many forms of both credit and non-credit related services. These include many but not all retail credit cards, mortgage loans, and auto loans, as well as non-credit related transactions such as wireless services, utilities, check orders and reorders, and non-credit related payday loans.

With regular monitoring of your credit reports you may learn of identity theft as soon as possible. Otherwise, your creditors will inform you after bills have been unpaid and your credit has been damaged. The Life Lock Identity Alert system detects a member’s information in an application, for many forms of credit and services, Life Lock will alert the member of the application by email, postal mail, and phone. If the application is fraudulent, the Life Lock remediation team will take action to help protect the member’s good name.

In a world of large enterprises, with global operations, operating continuously, and business continuity becomes even more critical and making a disaster recovery plan becomes even more necessary. In the ideal disaster recovery plan, the recovery would be completely automatic; with absolutely no loss of data, cost nothing, and happen instantly, and with no effect on business operations.

Data backup involves the storing of files from your computer in another location. This way, if there is ever any loss of data on your primary machine, you still have your data backed up in order to restore those files. Loss of data can be devastating, and while there are possibilities for recovery of data after a disaster it is far easier to restore your files from a backup rather than to attempt to find your data on a crashed hard drive.

The traditional floppy disks of years ago have become obsolete, and the new technologies that have become available in the meantime are Tape Media, DVD-Rs, external hard discs, online backups, and key drives. These are all very powerful tools that can hold large amounts of data. One of the most powerful and easiest new data backup utilities is the key drive, you plug it directly into your computer and it can be used immediately. The limitation of the key drive is the same as with the other technologies if it is not scheduled and maintained it is a worthless investment.

“Proper” Data backup is an absolute necessity and can save you great amounts of time as well as ensure that your data is secure and recoverable even in the event of a catastrophic disaster.

“Improper” Data recovery is a very difficult, time consuming and expensive process, and it is not even guaranteed that you will be able to recover your data from a system crash.

What is a “Proper” Data Backup?

A proper data backup is:

1. Part of a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. This plan must be documented.
2. Tested regularly.
3. Encompasses all of the data and systems you need that you need.
4. Will allow your system to be up and running in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
5. Includes Offsite storage as well as onsite storage
6. A recovery process and timeline

There are many different options for “Proper” data backup, and you will have to choose the one that is best for you. Just make sure you know exactly what you are getting and the risks associated with the solution.

You can repair damage from a system crash by performing a “soft recovery” when you restart the server. A soft recovery is a process that runs automatically when you try to start the information store after a system failure. Soft recovery uses the log files and database files on the disk instead of using tape backup. If your server crashes and the contents of memory are lost, the database file on disk is flagged as inconsistent.

If soft recovery does not work or if there is a more serious problem within the system, you need to restore from backup. The process for restoring from an online backup is similar to soft recovery. Exchange Server makes sure that all of the files are put in the right place and brings the database up to a consistent state. When you restore data from tape backup, the restore process returns to disk all of the files that were backed up.

The most time-consuming aspect of doing a restore is not copying the database files back to the disk but replaying the log files. It may take several hours to replay log files on large servers during a restore.

Sometimes users delete some messages but later realize that they should not have deleted them. It cannot easily restore individual messages in a mailbox from backup. However, there is a way for users to recover messages that they have deleted from a mailbox without having to resort to backups. The Recover Deleted Items feature that comes with Exchange Server 5.5 lets a user retrieve messages from the Deleted Items folder in Outlook if you enable the feature on the server.

Proper back up and better management of disasters can make your data much safer. Regular backups are critical, preferably every night and monitor your backups, track the status of the database engine and the information store, and do not ignore error messages. Decide how big you will allow your information store to grow, and manage it at that level. Test and practice your backup and disaster management procedures.

Following are some computer maintenance tips to keep your computer running smoothly. Never turn off your computer power switch until windows shut down or hard drive is not running. This will prevent permanent hard drive defects caused by the hard drive heads contacting the surface of the drive disc. Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. Press them again to reboot your computer.

Always use an UPS for your computer. This will protect your computer from crashing during power problems. Backup any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives; to external hard drives, Zip disks, CD-RWs etc. Run Scandisk and Defragment at least once a month to keep your hard drive healthy and prevent crashes. Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up. Unplugging with the power on can short out the connector socket or the motherboard. Do keep at least 300 MBs of your C: drive free for Windows to use otherwise will start dumping data to your hard drive, or will get really, slow.

Use the ADD/Delete tool in the Windows Control Panel to delete unneeded programs that use valuable memory, from your drive. Close all programs in your Windows System Tray if you don’t need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot up. Other programs running in the background can be found by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time.

Do perform a virus check regularly with a dedicated anti-virus program.   If you have a high speed Internet connection you need a firewall program, which saves your system from hijacking.

Keep track of the software disks you receive with your computer and new peripherals. These disks contain valuable software drivers and programs for Windows and are needed when Windows must be reloaded. All these maintenance tips can help for a better performance of your computer, and it can extend your computer’s life also.

You should check the hardware settings in the CMOS and in the device manager of the system and make all the device drivers up to date. Check whether all the cards are plugged in properly. When you notice a software or hardware error in your computer, determine what was changed before the problem occurred. Use the event viewer utility by going to Start > Control panel > Administrative tools > Event viewer. In the event viewer you will find the error or warning messages associated with any faulty hardware or software.

Beep sounds also can help you to determine the problems of your computer. Continuous beeps indicate power supply and other cards errors. One long and short beep indicates system board problems and 3 long beeps define keyboard errors. No system beep tells about power supply errors. And there are a few more tips to trouble shoot the basic problems of your computer. If you encounter a slow boot up problem, there are some basic tips and by implementing these tricks you can increase the speed of your computer and laptop.

Windows Defragmenter utility is the first tool. You can use this utility by using this path Start > Programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk defragmenter. This built-in utility in Windows operating systems will automatically analyze the empty disk space on the hard disk and defragment all scattered files. The second tip to increase the speed of your computer is the shutting down of unwanted   programs which are running. By using this path Start > Run > Msconfig > Startup, you can close all unwanted programs at the Windows startup and this will automatically increase the windows loading time and the speed of the computer.

More simple tips like increasing Ram, Disk clean up, Empty recycle bin, Delete temporary internet files, etc. are there to increase the speed of your computer. These tech tips can help you to save your computer fast from troubles even without the support of a technical person.

• Get quicker access to all of your stuff—use Pin and Jump Lists to keep the programs and files you use the most right at your fingertips.
• Easily create and share movies—create great looking movies and slideshows and share them on YouTube in minutes.
• Manage open windows more easily—resize and arrange windows simply by dragging their borders to the edge of your screen.
• Connect to networks easily—view and connect to any available wireless network in as few as three clicks.
• Quickly find what you’re looking for—use Windows Search to find a specific file, program, or e-mail in a few seconds.
• Do more and wait less—improvements that can accelerate sleep and resume and make your PC more responsive help you get more done.
• Share files and printers among multiple PCs—from one Windows 7-based PC to another, you can share files, music, photos, and even printers across your home network.
• Don’t leave programs behind—run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode.
• Stay entertained effortlessly—with Windows Media Center you get one place to enjoy your photos and music, watch and record live TV, and watch free Internet TV.
• Offers your PC better protection—help keep your PC, your information, and your family safe.

Windows 7 features better multi-threading, which will improve power consumption and battery life for net books and note books. The improvements are because Windows 7′s kernel manages multi-core CPUs better, and locks threads to a particular core rather than the swapping threads around cores. New hard drive technologies which boosts windows 7, are about to launch in 2011. Users of windows 7 and other new modern operating systems can enjoy the benefits of the technology. While windows XP users must actually be experiencing a performance hit by using the new drives. The new technology will improve the speed, capacity, and power consumption of their drives. One reason why some users cling to Windows XP is because of its speed, but in Windows 7, this new hard drive format serves as another bullet point in the list of reasons to abandon the aging operating system.