The End of an Era at Rossini.com

Tonight, we will be turning off the long running, faithful, web servers that have been a part of our business for over 15 years.

When we first started our business venture, in 1994, our original focus was on presentations offered on 3.5" disks. We developed a process for being able to create graphical presentations that would run right off of the floppy, and we were able to crunch up to 100 pages on a single disk. Our programs were used by a wide array of economic development organizations, and won many awards.

But, soon, the Internet came calling, and people were no longer interested in shoving 3.5" floppies into their PCs. Heck, now we have computers that don't even have a CD drive! We joined the Internet revolution. I had been working with the DOE, and was already using the Internet and email, but, finally it progressed where it was becoming more and more available to the public.

At first, we converted our disk programs to HTML, but soon we were designing from scratch and making websites for cities, counties, states, and economic development organizations. In the beginning finding a place for your website to "live" was difficult. We were one of the first companies in the entire Metropolitan Kansas City area to offer quality websites. There were even fewer places that could host websites.

We tried a few website hosting firms, but, it was expensive, difficult to find, and one we had went out of business along with all of the websites we had on their servers. We also wanted to offer services that were not available with other hosting firms. We wanted to offer database programs, and we wanted the ability to write programs with CGI, C++, Perl, etc. to extend our capabilities. We finally came to the conclusion that the only way for our business to grow was to be able to handle the servers ourselves. We had to make the business decision to provide our own website hosting. So, we went on the adventure of learning how to manage a web server.

At that point in time, you couldn't just go to your neighborhood computer sales store and purchase a web server. We had to have our servers built from scratch. We ordered the fastest processors we could find. The servers had multiple hard drives, and other components such as tape drives for backups. A server runs 24/7, 365 days a year, and are rarely turned off, so we had to have the fastest and most reliable hard drives available at the time. To keep all of it cool, we had to have multiple fans installed as well. 

I came from the world of UNIX, which was an advantage since the best platform at the time was Linux. Thankfully, Linux is very similar to UNIX. Then we had to go about the business of learning how to manage a web server. There were things such as Apache for managing web hosting, Qmail for email services, spam and virus software, reporting software, backup, etc., etc. It's a pretty big job to keep the servers up-to-date, and manage thousands and thousands of email, and presenting your websites to the entire world 24/7.

Over the years we had to keep up with new software releases. We also had to learn to protect our servers from hacking and DDos attacks. Eventually one server wasn't enough, and we maintained three of them. Hardware had to be updated over the years, and the servers themselves were completely replaced with new models multiple times. Over the years, though, our mainstay named servers: ns.rossini.com, and ns2.rossini.com have been faithfully serving up webpages for a long time.

Eventually the cost of hosting at server farms became more than we were willing to pay, so, we moved the servers into our home office. That meant being responsible for the backups, and for the power being on, and managing all of the server software. Since our area is notorious for losing power at the drop of a hat, Joe put together a backup system that included a bank of batteries in our basement to take over if the electricity goes out, and a gas electric generator if the power was out longer than the batteries could hold out. For about 4 years we have had high-speed wireless Internet access directed to a dish antenna on the top of our house with four IP addresses, a high-speed switch, and wireless router for the office.

At times they were our best asset. Particularly in the beginning there were very few companies offering web hosting. We were able to assure our customers that their website and email were being hosted on a business-only, secure server. At other times, they were an anchor, particularly when you're up at 2:00 a.m. after a vicious thunderstorm, doing a graceful shutdown from the console, and Joe is out in the rain, starting the generator, or, you're halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis and a customer calls and says "I can't get my email."

As the Internet matured, other companies started virtual hosting services, or "cloud" hosting. We've had our eyes on it for awhile. At first it was not completely reliable, and still didn't offer the options and control that we needed. But finally, cloud computing matured, and today, it is reasonably priced, reliable, and offers all of the options that we need. We've been working for a year moving all of our clients with their web pages, applications, online forms, email, etc. over to cloud hosting. Finally, today, the only domain left on the servers is rossini.com. Today after 5:00 p.m., we're turning them off.

So, goodbye old friends. They have been a constant presence for 15 years. But, everything has it's time. Time to pop the cork.

No Safe Surfing With IE For Now

A critical vulnerability with IE has occurred, and at this time we do not recommend using IE, versions 6 thru 9, for browsing, and there is no current patch. Read about the advisory here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/advisory/2757760

The following article, from Windows Secrets discusses the details:

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If you use IE, don’t — at least not for now

By Susan Bradley on September 19, 2012 in Patch Watch

A serious vulnerability in Internet Explorer 6 through 9 has come to light, and there’s no patch at this time.

If you must use Internet Explorer for specific applications, use another browser as much as possible and remove or disable Java.

Yet another zero-day exploit targets IE

Microsoft Security Advisory 2757760, dated Sept. 17, warns of a newly disclosed IE vulnerability that could allow remote-code execution — which means an attacker could take over a targeted PC with the same rights as the current user. (This type of threat is why we recommend setting up a non-admin account on the PC you use most of the time.)
According to the advisory, Internet Explorer 10 (included with Windows 8) is not threatened. But that caveat is irrelevant because few Windows users are running Win8 for any purpose other than testing the new OS.
What to do: Here, in a nutshell, are your options:
1) Use another browser. Until Microsoft releases a patch for this new threat, simply do all your Web browsing with Firefox or Chrome — and make sure they’re fully updated.
2) Remove Java. If you must use IE, ensure that Java is fully disabled or not installed. I discussed this in my Sept. 6 Patch Watch column.
3) Use the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit. If you can’t operate without IE and Java, Microsoft’s EMET software can help. A RationallyPARANOID blog has a helpful how-to guide for installing EMET. Brian Krebs also has an excellent post on using the toolkit to protect IE.
Look for more on EMET — what it is and how it protects you — in next week’s regularly scheduled Patch Watch. And if Microsoft releases an out-of-cycle IE update before then, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, keep an eye out for a soon-to-be-released Microsoft fixit for Internet Explorer; it should provide protection until a patch is ready. I’ll post an update in the Lounge when it’s released.

Update Friday

Friday is the day when I usually do website updates for my customers. I do have a fair amount of them to do today, as usual.

But, I set aside some time this morning when I first opened my laptop for some delayed, and much needed, updates for my own PC. There have been some nasty PC bugs flying around lately. Seems they come as fast and as often, and are as annoying, as the flies we have in the garage around the pears we picked the other day.

However, housekeeping is something we all must do if we want to keep our data safe and private. So, this morning I updated all sorts of things: my mal-ware software, an update that AVG has been griping about, a new update for Thunderbird, along with a Java update, Framemaker update, Flash update, and Adobe Reader update.

Pretty much all of that is security updates, and it is a necessary side note to being safe on the Internet these days. For many of you just having a browser installed (Firefox, Explorer, Chrome, etc.) is enough to spark an update of add on applications like Java and Flash. And, if you have not updated these items and have been holding out, like I have for a week or so, you really need to take the time and update these applications.

Not sure what to do? Well, if that's the case, then use your browser as a guide and a tool for add-on applications. In your browser, check for add-on updates through the menu in your browser. In Firefox, go to Tools, then Add-ons. Explorer: Tools, then Manage Add-ons. This way you can safely check to see if helper applications like Java or Flash needs to be updated. And, of course, as always, keep your virus protection software up to date!

So (yawn!) three "restart now to install your changes" and one good hot cup of coffee down the hatch, and I was good to go this morning!

"Beauty and the Beast"

For now I still digress into somewhat personal blog entries. I figure, it's still nice, even on a "technical" blog to let people get to know us.

Right now my niece is visiting for the summer. Those who know us are aware of our two, 1 ton each, Percheron horses. Our Tess is 26 years old this year. She is a large black Percheron mare. And, yes, she really weighs 2000 pounds. Our latest acquisition, Nimmy, is a rescue when he was abandoned at a local boarding stable. We've had him for 3 years now, and he actually weighs in at an estimated 1,800 pounds. So, we exaggerate a little at the 2 tons - obviously we're about 200 pounds short. Nim is 10 years old this year, and we've had him for 3 years now - he is black with a star on his forehead.

But, my summer tale involves my niece, and her relationship with the horses. We started introducing her to the horses when she was 4 1/2 years old, and we taught her safety around horses, and to respect their power. We put her in a saddle on Tess when she was 5 1/2 years old, and she was a tiny speck on the massive shoulders of our mare, and completely unafraid. She is now almost 10 years old, and she is quite the seasoned horse person, having been around horses for half of her life now.

Once we got Nimmy, she fell in love with him, and he fell in love with her. When she arrives at our house, the first thing she does is jump out of the car and run to the fence crying "Nimmy! Nimmy! Come here boy!" And, it never fails: When Nimmy hears her voice, he comes immediately, no matter how long she has been away, and no matter where he is in the pasture.

The other day we came home after shopping, and we saw that Tess was at the fence, but we could not see Nimmy. My niece said "I'll get him." So, she hops out of the car and runs up to the fence, again crying "Nimmy! Nimmy! Come here boy!" A few seconds later, our massive boy comes galloping to the fence, mane flying, nostrils flaring, large hooves churning up the dust. Once he neared the fence, he came to a sliding stop (well, at least as much of a sliding stop as a Percheron can manage), and with complete precision ended up a mere foot away from our niece, with her completely unflinching, waiting for him. With this drought our pasture is dry, and the dust billowed up around them and almost hid our niece from view. Then the billows cleared, and revealed the tiny speck of a girl caressing the large muzzle of the massive "beast." Truly an example of "Beauty and the Beast" if I ever saw one.

Yes, yes, yes. I have said I would turn over a new leaf and start blogging. Well, hopefully this time I can keep it up.

It is SO hot here in Kansas right now that you don't feel like even sticking your nose out the door to find out how hot it REALLY is out there. So, from the comfort of my basement office, I can sit in the coolness and do my thing.

I was taken back to an earlier time this morning after viewing some clothes online from a store that I use. See? It's too hot even to go try on clothes! Thank goodness I know my size and can order without getting hot. Anyway, there was a pant design on there that instantly transported me back to an earlier era. The pants had a base color with HUGE flowers on them. The era was ......... (text removed to protect the innocent) ............ and I had this pair of bell bottom pants that were bright blue with huge daisies on them. There wasn't much room for anything else, and they were so bold and bright, and I remember going to the park with them once and playing with a frisbee on the grass with bare feet. What a nice memory .... except for those pants!

Thank goodness I can order something else, like a nice, respectable, pair of dark navy pants, and leave the flower pants to the kids.

Lol.

When you are browsing the web, keep a lookout for the LizaMoon malware. There is an increasing number of links on the Internet that have been hijacked by this malware. Typically, while browsing, all of a sudden a very official looking alert window will open and inform you that it is going to scan your PC. If you follow through, malware gets installed on your PC.

If a window pops up wanting to scan your PC, even if it looks like a legitimate Windows alert (this can be faked), don't run it. Stop the process by clicking the red X on the alert window, or, close your browser. Use Windows task manager if that doesn't work to end it. Then, run a full virus scan of your PC with your virus protection software.

Don't ever run or install virus protection software that presents itself to you while browsing. ONLY use the software you have on your PC to run scans.

Long Time, No Blog

Yes, I know it's been awhile since I have blogged, but I am turning over a new leaf today.

I received an email this morning that was structured so that it appears to be from the U.S. Social Security Administration. It was structured to imply that if you are having financial or credit woes that you can apply for a new SSN.

DON'T BE FOOLED BY THIS EMAIL, and don't click on any of the links. Above all, don't reply to any web based or email inquiry unless you have initiated the contact and you are absolutely sure that you have reached the website you intended, and never give out your SSN to an unsolicited email.

If anyone has questions, please let me know.