What BBPs do you implement?

What best business practices do you incorporate to protect your network/personal information?

Conficker is on the radar. People are updating protection services and some are completely disconnecting from the network until April 1, 2009 passes.

Implement best business practices for your own network, your data, and mention in your letter of intent about how to handle your hardware, software, and network data once you pass on.

So what best business practices do you incorporate to protect your network?

One of the diary entries from the SANS Internet Storm Center under the title of, "Feeling Conflicted about Conficker?" states, "As always, we want to remind our readers that if you are doing what everybody considers to be best business practices (firewalls, unneeded services turned off, systems patched, current antivirus software, user education and awareness, good policies, an incident detection and response mechanism, etc.) then you have very little to worry about. If you detect anything new with respect to Conficker over the next 24 hours please let us know via our contact page. We'll sound the alarm should something bad happen. Otherwise, back to work and Happy April Fool's Day!!" (2009, Sachs)

If you have everything set up, automatic downloads, pre-scheduled scans, backups, take the time and check your own system and improve your own user awareness. If your BBPs are in place, take the time to share your knowledge with someone who is not implementing any safety practices for their network, personal or professional. Don't wait on anniversary of a virus or botnet attack to check your system, take care of your data on a regular basis. As with most things in life that we consider valuable, preventative maintenance is always more affordable than reactive maintenance.

As always, comments and recommendations are welcome.
Share your best business practices!

Have some fun with binary and text

During this time of transition, as an empty nester, from Information Technology to Educational Technology in education, changing my blog title, and Twitter name I decided to do this post.

010001000110111100100000011110010110111101110101001000000110
011001101111011011000110110001101111011101110010000001101101
011001010010000001101111011011100010000001010100011101110110
100101110100011101000110010101110010001000000100000001000101
011001000100010001011111010001010110010001010100011001010110
0011011010000101111100110100010011010110010100111111

If you really want to know what this means check out http://tr.im/hWOm

Ever wanted to know what your techie friends are writing about when they write in binary code? Exercises with this site can add some fun in those subnetting classes, intro to computing, and for those just experimenting with binary code.

Have fun while learning something new. Work your mind like you work your body!

Used these textbooks?

My next course, Instructional Leader as Creator of Learning Culture requires three textbooks. If you have used these books, have an opinion, or a favorite textbook source, please leave a comment.

As a grad student and a parent of a college freshman, we check out all sources for textbooks from used bookstores, online textbook rental sites, Google books, and college book swap sites because the college bookstores are overpriced. If you have a favorite textbook site or source, please share it as a comment.

Gupton, S. L. (2003) The instructional leadership toolbox: A handbook for improving practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBN: 9780761978268


Ornstein, A., Behar-Horenstein, L., & Pajak, E. F. (2007) Contemporary issues in curriculum. New York: Pearson Education. ISBN: 0205489257

Wiles, J. W., & Bondi, J. C. (2007) Curriculum development: A guide to practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 9780131716889