Videos

At Apple WWDC 2008, Steve Jobs reveals the map of countries and carriers that will be getting the next-generation iPhone beginning July 11.

Active Directory can hold valuable user data, including contact information, their departments, and even office locations. Using this data source for administrative purposes can save you time when performing everyday tasks like auditing user accounts and checking software licenses. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you an easy way to extract the data stored in Active Directory using the Comma Separated Value Data Exchange (CSVDE) command.

Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to more Active Directory advice from our IT Dojo Blog.

TROLOV (TR Out Loud on video) goes to greater links to educate and entertain the TR community in even less time this week! Find out which discussions and members are hot on the boards, and see what interesting e-mails Sonja received for the show.

To listen to this week’s TR Out Loud as just an audio file, download the mp3.

In episode #6 of Sanity Savers for IT Executives, TechRepublic’s Jason Hiner describes five CIO habits that are sure to kill your IT department and doom your career as an IT leader.

Once you’ve watched the video, you can also get the full text of the original article that it was based on and get links to additional resources in the companion blog post.

In this episode of TR Out Loud, Sonja Thompson talks about the most popular discussions (with more help from Toni Bowers) and the most active members over the past week. You’ll also hear some great answers to Neilb’s question, “What’s one of your most embarrassing moments on the job?” Find out who the winners are this week!

To listen to this week’s TR Out Loud as just an audio file, download the mp3.

Disabling unnecessary Windows Server 2003 services can strengthen your server security. Unfortunately, there are over 100 services to consider. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you how to disable Windows Server 2003 services and discusses the following five services that you may want to turn off:

1 .ERSvc – Error Reporting Service
2. HidServ – Human Interface Device Access
3. IsmServ – Intersite Messaging
4. ScardSvr – Smart Card Access
5. LMHosts – TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper

The five services Bill mentions in this video are just the beginning. You can download our complete list of Windows Server 2003 services that can be disabled from the IT Dojo blog. This download contains a complete list of Windows Server 2003 services that can be disabled. The reference sheet lists each service, describes its function, specifies whether you can safely disable the service, and outlines the ramifications of doing so. The spreadsheet also lists each service’s default configuration for specific server roles–domain controller, DHCP server, File server, mail server, and so forth.

ITIL was originally just a set of books from the U.K. about IT best practices. Today, it has turned into a global phenomenon and one of the hottest topics in IT. This episode of Sanity Savers for IT Executives gives a rundown of five basic ITIL facts every IT pro should know.

Once you’ve watched the video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, download a PDF version of the article, and read what your peers have to say about this topic in the companion blog post.

Mapping drive letters in Windows XP is a common task. It’s not a complicated process, but you can save time with a few easy shortcuts. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler demonstrates three old DOS commands that making mapping folders and network shares a snap.

First, Bill looks at the SUBST command. SUBST lets you quickly and easily map a local, nested folder to a drive letter. Second, he examines the POPD and PUSHD commands. PUSHD lets you quickly map a network share from a Windows command prompt and POPD disconnects the drive.

Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic articles, print the tips, and learn more ways to manage files and folders within Windows in the IT Dojo blog.

In the very first TR Out Loud video, Sonja Thompson covers the weekly highlights at TechRepublic, including the top five discussions of the week (with a little help from Toni Bowers), the members with the most “thumbs up” and most posts, and a brand new Question of the Week from TR member Neilb.

You can also choose to listen to this week’s TR Out Loud as just an audio file. Download the mp3.

When it’s time to spend a big chunk of your IT budget on a new purchase, you need to systematically map out the requirements of your project or upgrade so that you make the best vendor selection.

In Episode #4 of Sanity Savers for IT Executives, TechRepublic’s Jason Hiner outlines a simple process to help you do your due diligence and improve IT vendor selection.

Once you’ve watched the video, you can read the original article that it was based on and get links to some of TechRepublic’s vendor selection checklists in the companion blog post.

Making the move from a technical job to managing an IT department requires a variety of new skills. This episode of Sanity Savers for IT executives provides five tips for IT executives to help their techies make the transition to becoming managers.

Once you’ve watched the video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, download a PDF version of the article, and read what your peers have to say about this topic in the companion blog post.

Unless you’re working in a geographic region with a high rate of counterfeit software, it’s unlikely the Windows XP machines you support will have invalid licenses. However even in the best-run IT shops, unauthorized software can find its way onto the desktop. An end-user may have installed a pirated copy of XP but now wants to go legal. An organization may have installed 100 pirated copies of XP but now has a legitimate volume-licensing key.

When you come across an invalid product key problem, changing Windows XP’s product key is often the most practical solution. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic’s Head Technology Editor, demonstrates a quick and easy registry hack that replaces an invalid Windows XP key with a legitimate one.

Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, find out where to get a WMI script that automates the process, and learn more ways to resolve Windows product key problems in our IT Dojo Blog.

Hollywood would have IT pros believe that the biggest threat to network security comes from international super hackers or high school kids trying to download games like global thermonuclear war. In reality, we face a more mundane threat–our end users, particularly those wielding USB storage devices.

These pocket-sized devices can store a large amount of data. But even if your users aren’t planning to cart off sensitive company files, USB storage devices (external hard drives, camera, memory stick, MP3 players, etc.) can be a headache in other ways. Employees may use your networks to download music to their USB-based MP3 players. New USB flash drives, such as SanDisk’s U3 smart drives, can even run software directly from the device–a perfect tool for the end-user who wants to run unauthorized software on your network.

If your concerned about USB storage devices on your network and don’t feel a written policy alone will protect your data, disabling the devices is your next step.

In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic’s Head Technology Editor, shows you how to disable USB storage devices on both Apple OS X and Windows. The United States National Security Agency (NSA) described the process in a March 2008 document from the agency’s Information Assurance Directorate.

Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, download PDF version of this tip, and learn more about mitigating the risks poses by USB storage devices from our IT Dojo blog.

For many IT professionals, the ultimate job in technology is Chief Information Officer (CIO), but do you really know what a CIO does? This episode of Sanity Savers for IT Executives looks at what the CIO job involves and provides five warning signs that you may not be cut out to be a CIO.

Once you’ve watched the video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, download a PDF version of the article, and read what your peers have to say about this topic in the companion blog post.

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project’s XO Laptop may cost a bit more than the originally planned price of $100, but it still offers a very, kid-friendly computing experience. TechRepublic’s Jason Hiner saw the XO Laptop in action at CES 2008.

Imagine driving a car that can drive itself. That day is not too far off, according to GM engineers. GM CEO Rick Wagoner discussed the idea of vehicle-to-vehicle communications and displayed a futuristic concept Cadillac with solar paneling in the roof during his CES keynote speech. News.com’s Kara Tsuboi has the story.

The Nokia N810 Internet Tablet lets you browse the Web, access your web-based e-mail account, or make Skype video calls through a Wi-Fi Internet connection or a compatible Bluetooth device. TechRepublic’s Shawn Morton has been testing Nokia’s existing N800 and got to the see the updated N810 at CES 2008.

Controlling a PC connected to your television usually means keeping a full-size keyboard on your coffee table. Logitech hopes to change that with the diNovo Mini–a new wireless, hand-held keyboard and remote. Announced at CES 2008, this palm-sized device provide a thumb-type QWERTY keyboard, multifunction click pad, and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. TechRepublic’s Bill Detwiler talked with a Logitech representative about the diNovo Mini and the CES 2008 Digital Experience event.