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Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2000 14:28:01 +0000
From: Wilson Yau <wilson@netproject.com>
Subject: New Series of Netproject Seminars


With the Y2K issue out of the way now is time to address some of the
fundamental architectural issues of e-commerce.  The time and investment
required to build systems that enable e-commerce is such that most
organisations will only have one shot at getting it right. E-commerce
requires very secure, reliable and stable systems. The question has to
be asked 'Can these systems be achieved using proprietary technologies?'

Just as the Internet and the World Wide Web require protocols that are
in the public domain, so will e-commerce. Open Source is being adopted
by those who see it more than a simple alternative to existing
technologies, it is seen as an essential enabling technology for
e-commerce. Systems based on Open Source give significant benefits
including large reductions in the cost of computing and an increase in
efficiency. Those that successfully make an early move into e-commerce
will be the winners.

It takes time to change an organisations culture. The culture of being
dependent on vendor specific system software and software development
tools must change to one of engineering systems that are vendor
independent. Now is the time for those who are responsible for their
organisations IT strategy to learn about the developments in the area of
Open Source, to understand how to deploy and support systems based on
Open Source technology, how to migrate existing systems from where they
are now to where they need to be. The work we are doing together with
our members is helping them make an early move into the new world of
global ecommerce.

Several Netproject members have started working on the deployment of
Linux on the desktop. It is recognised that there is a need for a secure
desktop operating system that is free from the threat of viruses. One of
the major issues this work is addressing is the management of the
transition from the current proprietary desktop to a robust, stable and
cost effective alternative.
 
Mobile computing is growing rapidly. We will be running a series of
workshops examining the deployment of new networking technologies,
including TCP/IP V6 the 128 bit Internet protocol, Bluetooth, the Infra
Red protocol for cable less computing and WAP the wireless application
protocol. Netproject members see mobile computing as an important and
major growth area. It is an area that will be monitored very closely and
the leading authorities are being invited to work with Netproject.

It is accepted that many companies have made 'strategic' decisions to
deploy Active Directory. The potential pitfalls of using technology with
proprietary extensions are that organisations will not be able to do
e-commerce with organisations that have not deployed Active
Directories.  We will be running a workshop showing how to use Microsoft
Active Directories to enable interworking with those who use industry
standard directory service protocols.

The work we are doing is exciting and of great value. If you are
interested in discussing the work we are doing or would like to get
involved please contact me either by email or give me a call on 020 8715
0072.


Eddie Bleasdale
23rd Feb 2000


  
Schedule of events for 2000
 
Linux, Open Source & E-Business - Management Briefing
24th Feb 2000
The developments taking place around Linux & Open Source are too
important to be ignored. Business managers, strategists and IT managers
need an informed view of how best to respond. This briefing gives a
clear  understanding of what is happening with Linux and Open Source.
Note: This briefing is also run on site for organisations who want their
senior IT managers and business strategists to get a early consensus on
the way forward for their Organisations.

Directory Services
13th April 2000
This workshop, to be moderated by Dr Andrew Findlay, will examine the
issues of implementing a PKI with Microsoft Active Directory. What
should you be doing to get ready? What are the potential pitfalls of
using technology that is proprietary? What parts of Active Directory
should be used? What should be avoided? Case studies will also be given
from Organisations that have implemented large-scale directory services

Personal Computing - Strategies & Directions
11th May 2000
Netproject members have initiated a project into deploying Linux on the
desktop. This workshop will review the progress of this project. Issues
that are considered important by the members include:
Securing the desktop Applications & Users
Integrating smart card readers and biometric scanners into the PC.
Review of personal productivity applications, StarOffice, GNOME, KDE,
Corel.

Mobile Computing
21st June 2000
More mobile computing devices will be sold this year than PCs and cars
combined. By 2004 40% of business to consumer transactions will be over
mobile networks. This workshop will review the technology that will
enable organisations to move successfully into mobile computing What is
Internet 2 and what are the migration issues. The 32 bit IP4 Internet
address space will soon run out of spare addresses. IP6 will take over
from IP4 and will enable both 32 bit and 128 bit addressing to
co-exist.  A detailed review will be undertaken of what IP6 offers and
the migration issues of moving from IP4.  The Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP) offers information mobility. A description of the
protocols will be given and the proposed ways that they will be used.
Bluetooth is an infra red protocol that is designed to allow the
wireless office. What does Bluetooth offer and what are the deployment
issues?

Towards Secure Single Sign On
5th July 2000
Secure Single Sign On is an essential component for e-business in that
it allows users to log onto the network once and access all the
resources for which they have authority. E-business will require a
globally consistent solution that enable users from external
organisations to be authorised to access resources. The issues this
workshop will explore include how to achieve computing without
firewalls. The role of policy based computing. The issues of
authentication & authorisation of users.

Secure electronic commerce
Sept 2000
We are now seeing a significant increase in the number of attacks
against Organisations that are attempting to do commerce over the
Internet. Trojan attacks have started and will get more sophisticated. 
Corporate web sites have been illegally modified with false press
releases that have temporarily shifted the Organisations market
valuation. Confidence in e-commerce is being whittled away. This
workshop will examine the major threats that have to be addressed and
how these can be best countered.

Smart Card - Update
Nov 2000
The latest developments taking place in smart cards will be explored. 
Case studies of the large-scale deployment of smart cards will be given.

Clustered Computing
Dec 2000
This workshop will examine the latest developments in clustered
computing from both the very high reliability standpoint and also from
the view of very high performance massively parallel processing systems,
including the Beowulf project. Case studies will be given of the
deployment of these systems.



Best Regards,

Wilson Yau
Project Co-ordinator
Netproject