2003

Drool Boxes on the Show Floor Alex Goldman
[November 17, 2003] Now playing in Phoenix, Arizona: A trade show on whose show floor is a greater amount of bandwidth than is available to many of the nations of the world.

Monitoring E-Mail Monitors Best of ISP-Lists
[September 29, 2003] ISPs are using larger and larger numbers of lists of spammers to fight spam, but are finding that some anti-spam systems have to be watched carefully.

Don't Destroy What You Want to Save Best of ISP-Lists
[March 7, 2003] Members of the ISP-Tech list discuss the many pitfalls of data backup. Tight budgets are conspiring to make a vital business process more difficult that it should be.

Examining the Black Hole Best of ISP-Lists
[February 27, 2003] Members of the ISP-Webhosting list discuss the ever-thorny problem of blocking spam and dispute—mostly politely—the relative merits of the various solutions.

A Basic ISP POP Diagram Best of ISP-Lists
[February 14, 2003] Members of the ISP-Tech list describe in the simplest language what it takes to build a point of presence (POP) to provide dialup Internet access.

Let's Block All Stupid Mail Best of ISP-Lists
[January 30, 2003] Members of the ISP-Tech list want to block spam but say that lazily configured or poorly configured mail systems have lowered the value of one of the most simple and elegant solutions.

2002

Best of the Best of the ISP-Lists: Power Best of Best of ISP-Lists
[December 30, 2002] As the boom fades, members of the ISP-Lists discussion lists are looking at power to improve reliability, lower costs, and decrease downtime.

Paying and Paying and Paying for a Generator Best of ISP-Lists
[December 26, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list say that there are a blizzard of additional costs to consider when you buy a gas or diesel generator for your data center, but if a real blizzard or ice storm hits, it can all be worth the price and the pain.

Hydrogen: Saviour or Destroyer? Best of ISP-Lists
[December 20, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list argue about the future of fuel cell generators in data centers. Availability is not a problem—hydrogen is sold almost everywhere, deliverable in propane tanks.

Fighting IM Spam Christopher Saunders
[December 16, 2002] ISPs look to cope with a rash of new IM-based unsolicited ads, while Microsoft works to ensure users don't blame its Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger products.

Book Review: Border Gateway Protocol Patricia Fusco
[November 22, 2002] BGP is what keeps the Internet flowing. ISPs use BGP to inform each other which IP addresses go where. Are you making the most of BGP at your ISP?

ISDN: How Cheap is Too Cheap? Best of ISP-Lists
[November 14, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list look at limits of ISDN services, demonstrating the level of dial-in service you could provide for a very low setup price.

What Do My Batteries Want? Best of ISP-Lists
[October 23, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list discuss the battery life of the average uninterruptible power supply (UPS) as they scour the Web for information on some strange blinking lights.

Mail From Brazil Isn't Welcome Here Best of ISP-Lists
[October 18, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list contemplate the alternatives as one ISP considers shutting off Brazil because of spammers with total access to the ILEC's network.

Spammers, Picking the Pockets of ISPs Everywhere Best of ISP-Lists
[October 11, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list discuss the downside of e-mail address spoofing spam, wondering if there is any recourse for those that seek a permanent solution.

Internet2 Gurus Deploy New Protocol; VoIPv6 is Born Jim Thompson
[October 4, 2002] If the tunnel is Internet2, then the light at the end of the tunnel is IPv6. New land speed record proves that native IPv6 service stands ready to meet current and emerging needs of high performance networking.

DNS Server Choices Broaden Max Smetannikov
[September 27, 2002] As technology advances, equipment options proliferate, but so do security risks. ISPs now must choose between a variety of options when implementing DNS, one of the Web's basic services.

DataPeer Puts the "i" in iSCSI Alex Goldman
[September 26, 2002] There's been a lot of talk about the promise that iSCSI holds for the future of cost-effective storage, but not much action. Enter DataPeer, a firm that's making iSCSI a household word.

The Complexity of a .NET Environment Best of ISP-Lists
[September 19, 2002] Members of the ISP-Webhosting list examine the intricacies of enforcing policies on IIS/.NET servers, as they object to being serving as developers' guinea pigs.

Look, Ma, No IP! Best of ISP-Lists
[September 12, 2002] Many small businesses that have no static IP address would be surprised to find that some ISPs also have no static IP address.

The Route Through X and Y Best of ISP-Lists
[August 29, 2002] As equilibrium eludes the telecommunications sector, members of the ISP-Routing list delve into the technical details of routing IP traffic through two different backbone providers.

The Customer Across the Street Best of ISP-Lists
[August 22, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list share a massive but varied list of methods for connecting LANs in two buildings that are across the street from each other.

Innoculate Your Network: AVStripper
When Viruses Happen (Part II) Lisa Phifer
[August 16, 2002] Last week, we put AVStripper to the test with a trial run though installation and setup. This week, we wrap up our lab work and give you the bottom line on our overall experience with AVStripper.

Cisco ISP Essentials Patricia Fusco
[August 5, 2002] Cisco IOS software documentation is extensive, but it's difficult to find what you need in a crisis. In a new book, Cisco Press has put its best principles into a single resource made for ISP operators.

Blocking Competition Best of ISP-Lists
[August 5, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list say that a rule that is now imposed on subscribers by most local phone companies across the globe (even in Mexico) is preventing ISP choice.

We Need A Power Outage Website Best of ISP-Lists
[July 19, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list share ideas for checking on the power status of a remote location, although few discussion thread respondents forsee any money in the service.

Storage Basics Alex Goldman
[July 11, 2002] The first in a series of articles that will, with the insights of key industry players, cut through the hype and jargon surrounding the storage sector to identify the technologies that ISPs can utilize.

Waiting, Waiting and Waiting for IPv6 Jim Wagner
[July 3, 2002] The Internet's newest IP addressing scheme is ready for prime time, but the U.S. and the IETF are willing to hold off on widespread adoption of the revised naming system just a little bit longer.

Microsoft Advocates Path for IPv6 Evolution Jim Thompson
[June 6, 2002] Never let it be said that Bill Gates is behind the times when it comes to IPv6. Microsoft is finally stepping up to the plate and pushing the industry to make the new protocol the standard for the future.

I've Been Tagged Best of ISP-Lists
[May 30, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list help disinfect an FTP server that was being used to serve applications from a directory that was not accessible with regular NT tools.

Remote Control E-Mail Best of ISP-Lists
[May 28, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list find several ways to query a sales database and send the results of the query to the pager of the store's owner.

IMAP vs. POP3 Best of ISP-Lists
[May 20, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list discuss the difference between IMAP and POP3 mail systems and suggest valid uses for both. ISPs may therefore want to provide both to subscribers.

The Plague Upon Us Lisa Phifer
[May 17, 2002] AntiVirus protection has become an IT staple. It's bundled almost everywhere. AV scanners have become so ubiquitous that one must wonder ... Do we really need to run them everywhere?

The Value of Counter-Strike Best of ISP-Lists
[May 16, 2002] Some members of the ISP-Tech list actually like having avid gamers who gobble up bandwidth playing head to head networked games like Counter-Strike.

Spam Busting with Brightmail Patricia Fusco
[April 30, 2002] If you're not keen on routing all your e-mail through a third-party server or tapping into blacklisted IP addresses, what spam-killing options remain?

Stop the IPv4 World, I Wanna Get Off Jim Thompson
[April 5, 2002] The transition from to IPv6 on a global scale is a colossal chore. The task is so extensive, that several major ISP vendors asked everyone to hold their horses, at least until a smooth trail can be blazed.

V.92 Appeals to Dial-Up Users ISP-Planet Staff
[March 29, 2002] Research firm contends that ISPs planning to serve residential users need to climb on the V.92 bandwagon or risk diminishing returns on residential markets served over the next four years.

Building a Healthier, Low Spam Internet Best of ISP-Lists
[March 28, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list take a break to complain about the proliferation of spam on the Internet. It's time to wake up, smell the coffee, and install any one of several suggested spam filters.

Hitachi Heats Up European IPv6 Deployment ISP-Planet Staff
[March 15, 2002] The European Commission has chosen Hitachi, an IP addressing pioneer, to supply the equipment for its Euro6IX research and development coordination initiative.

SNMP Is Anything But Simple Drew Bird
[March 11, 2002] For years, upgrading SNMP has been Simply Not My Priority, but with the vulnerabilities of version 1 making headlines, it's time to re-examine the proposals for SNMP versions 2 and 3.

Caution: Internet Ahead Best of ISP-Lists
[March 8, 2002] Firewalls are meant to protect computers. But members of the ISP-Tech list report that users who do not understand their firewall software may suspect that they're being hacked by their ISP.

Windows Tips: File Extensions and Network Traffic Jim Freund
[March 4, 2002] We provide a neat little trick to let you display local network traffic in the Windows 2000 system tray, and show how to ensure all files are shown with their complete filenames.

Backing Better Backups Best of ISP-Lists
[February 22, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list talk about how they have persuaded bean counters to invest in data backup technology. In a nutshell, it's all about public relations and peace of mind.

Argentina's Other Problem Best of ISP-Lists
[February 21, 2002] Argentina is a currency crisis, civil unrest, and its banks are virtually closed. Members of the ISP-Tech list find one more Argentine woe: open spam relays in the country's cable monopoly.

Service, Not Technology, Wins ISP Wars Best of ISP-Lists
[February 20, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list urge new ISPs to look to customer service, not new technology, to win subscribers away from local competitors and from the phone companies.

Power, But Not Too Much Power Best of ISP-Lists
[February 14, 2002] Members of the ISP-Colo list discuss how to monitor colocated customers' power use. Methods range from a simple amp meter to a full-blown telco-level deployment.

Crossing Over To IPv6? Jim Thompson
[January 31, 2002] Global Crossing is offering a free tool that promises to take the drudgery out of managing and assigning Internet Protocol address space and put your ISP business on the fast track to IPv6.

Working the Tongas Best of ISP-Lists
[January 29, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list explore the strange world of satellite Internet service. Although many prime positions in orbit have been taken, money can be made from less optimal slots.

Cut Off Asia? Best of ISP-Lists
[January 18, 2002] As the flood of spam from Asia continues, some members of the ISP-Tech list consider cutting the entire region off the Internet. This is a radical solution for the controversial issue of spam.

Global Crossing Gives Out Free IPv4 Software Jim Wagner
[January 11, 2002] As IPv4 space dwindles, the communications carrier releases an in-house program that lets providers efficiently manage and allocate their customers' unique IP addresses.

KVM Switching Steps Back to Move Ahead Jim Freund
[January 3, 2002] The simple concept of sharing keyboards, monitors, and mice with multiple CPUs has evolved into the smart way to control server farms. One vendor stays ahead of the pack with new products and concepts.

Are Cable ISPs Sharing Fairly? Best of ISP-Lists
[January 2, 2002] Members of the ISP-Tech list discuss the difference between dialup and cable network architectures. In either case, the real source of network problems is oversubscription.