A Profile of Robert Metcalfe

Robert Metcalfe is famous for changing the world of computer networks, in particular co-founding ethernet alongside David Boggs. Ethernet has been a significant breakthrough in computer technology since the 1980’s.

Metcalfe’s student days saw him educated at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology and from Harvard, from where he graduated in 1970. After graduating Metcalfe attempted to persuade Harvard to let him connect them to the ARPAnet, the packet switching network that was a precursor to the internet. They refused and he therefore joined the team working for Project MAC at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. Project MAC stood for Project for Mathematics and Computation and it produced groundbreaking research in operating systems and artificial intelligence. At its inception it had received a $2 million grant from the Defence Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) to help it on its way.

The next step for Robert Metcalfe was to join Xeron, where Ethernet technology was developed between 1973 and 1974. It was partly inspired by ALOHAnet, the first wireless packet data network which Metcalfe had studies at college. He left Xeron in 1979 but convinced the company to work in partnership with Digital Equipment Corporation the Intel to establish Ethernet as a standard. This partnership became known as DIX and they achieved their objective of developing Ethernet into the standard for connecting computers over a short distance. The standard specified ten megabit per second Ethernet with a forty-eight bit destination and source address and a global sixteen-bit Ethernet type field.

After leaving Xeron Metcalfe formed a new company, 3Com, alongside Howard Charney, Greg Shaw and Bruce Borden. 3Com became a manufacturer of computer network equipment with the name coming from “the 3 coms”; computers, communication and compatibility. They produced Ethernet technology and a range of software to provide shared services over local area networks. Metcalfe left 3Com in 1990 after a dispute over the contest to become the new CEO, a post Metcalfe contested but did not win. He became a writer and publisher, writing for InfoWorld amongst other publications.

While Robert Metcalfe is clearly a very intelligent man, in his writing career he has been guilty of the odd bad prediction. The first of these was his prediction that wireless mobile wouldn’t last beyond the mid-1990’s, something that has, in fact, gone from strength to strength since. It may seem very short sighted now but at the time he claimed that it would be much like bathrooms, in that they are still plumbed, and computers would remained wired for the same reason. Another incorrect prediction meant he had to eat his own words… literally. In 1995 he predicted the internet would collapse in the following year and promised to eat his words if he was wrong. When this proved to be incorrect he put his column where he’d published this prediction through a blender and proceeded to drink the contents. Another incorrect prediction saw him state that Linux would disappear post-Windows 2000 in one of his many attacks on open source technology, something he likened to communism.

Robert Metcalfe has been instrumental in the world of computerisation and technology and is seen as a crucial figure in the success of computer networks. Due to this he has received many awards including the National Medal for Technology and the IEEE Medal of Honour. He is currently the Professor of Electrical Engineering and Director of Innovation at the University of Texas.

Andrew Marshall ©

Fast Ethernet has been crucial in the development of computer technology.

Paying For What You Use: Mobile Phones and Web Hosting

It can often be better to pay for what you use rather than what you think you’ll use. For many types of services there are payment options whereby customers can pay what they use rather than an overall service charge.

The obvious example of this is with gas and electricity. These are always paid for according to usage. It wouldn’t work in any other way as it varies depending on the time of year; the heating required is very different in the middle of winter compare to the middle of summer. While gas and electricity has traditionally worked in this way, there are a number of other services that are now available on a pay-as-you-use basis.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones is one well-known example of a service where you can pay for what you use, rather than paying an on-going fee. With a pay-as-you-go package, the only initial payment is to purchase the phone. Once this has been paid for customers simple top-up their phone with a certain amount, which then runs out once the credit has been used up. Except for emergency calls, no more calls can be made once the credit has been used until it is topped up once more. Topping up a mobile phone has been traditionally done through top-up vouchers purchased from outlets such as newsagents and supermarkets but can now also be done online, over the phone via credit card or debit card or at some ATM’s.

The alternative to pay-as-you-go are contracts with the mobile phone provider. Here, the phone costs less, and is sometimes free, as the provider is tying customers into an on-going contract. A contract requires a customer to make a monthly payment and in exchange they receive a certain amount of call time and text messages without incurring any extra charge. More calls can be made (and more text messages sent) additionally to this but they will cost more.

For those who make a low number of calls or only use it for an emergency the pay-as-you-go option is likely to be more cost-effective. On the other hand, a contract is the better option for those who use it more regularly. A contract can often be tailored to the needs of the customer and it is likely to prove cheaper in the long run.

Web Hosting

Traditionally, web hosting is paid for by paying a monthly fee to a web hosting provider. This will include a particular amount of disk space and bandwidth being dedicated to a website. When deciding on a package or the type of hosting they require, website owners must try to anticipate the amount of traffic the site will attract. This is not always easy and getting it wrong can mean ending up with too little bandwidth (meaning people won’t be able to view the site) or too much (resulting in paying more than is required). Cloud hosting is a solution. It allows customers to pay for the hosting resource that they require at any particular time. When additional resource becomes necessary it is automatically dedicated to a site. This is then charged for, but is only charged for when it is being utilised.

Cloud hosting is a good option for websites that have fluctuating traffic levels. It prevents them from being left short or having to pay for something all year round that is only required during busy periods.

Andrew Marshall ©

Junior ISA One Year Old

Having been in operation for a year it is time to look at whether the Junior ISA has been a success. This savings plan for children was set up by the government as a way for parents to invest on behalf of their children.

A Junior ISA allows parents to invest up to £3,600 every year with no tax having to be paid on interest or capital gains. A child will gain access to their ISA upon their eighteenth birthday. At that point they can transfer it into a regular ISA and, should they so choose, start to use the money as they see fit.

Whether the first year of this children’s ISA can be considered a success or not depends on how you perceive success in this instance. An obvious comparison that will be made is with its predecessor, the Child Trust Fund, which was introduced by the Labour government in 2005, with children born from 2002 eligible. Under that scheme parents were given a £250 CTF voucher upon their child’s birth to invest on their behalf. Had this not been invested after a year then an account was automatically opened for them. They could then contribute up to £1,200 a year towards the fund and were given another £250 voucher when their child turned seven years old (although very few reached this age before it was discontinued). There is one main benefit and one main disadvantage of the JISA compared to the CFT. The main benefit is the higher allowance with the lack of the initial government contribution being the key disadvantage.

If comparing the Junior ISA with the Child Trust Fund, the number of accounts opened has been significantly lower than the number of accounts opened in the first year of the Child Trust Fund. This isn’t really an accurate comparison, though. Not only does it include accounts that were automatically opened after a year, but parents had more of an incentive to open an account. With no government Junior ISA contribution it means that those who are not planning to make regular contributions do not have the same incentive to open an account. On the other hand, of the accounts that have been opened the average contributions have been higher. These two comparisons suggest that fewer parents have had sufficient incentive or funds to open an account but, of those who have, they are contributing more. This is, in part, because they are able to contribute more due to the allowance being three times as much.

There may have been more Junior ISA accounts opened were it not for the regular adult ISA, which has a much higher allowance of £11,280. It has been suggested that many parents are choosing to use part of this ISA allowance to effectively invest on behalf of their children. For example, parents that might wish to invest £2,000 on behalf of themselves and other £2,000 on behalf of their child might invest the full £4,000 in their ISA, rather than putting £2,000 of it towards a Junior ISA.

The long term success of the Junior ISA remains to be seen. Though we can look at trends, one year is too soon to realistically judge how successful it will be, especially considering the current economic climate.

Andrew Marshall ©

Examples of Renewable Energy Sources

We have all become more aware of the environment in recent years and the impact that our lives are having on it. This includes the problem of energy resources. We know we are running out of certain energy sources, such as oil, and in the future renewable sources are likely to become a priority, a trend that has begun but still has a long way to go. So what are some of the renewable energy sources that we are beginning to utilise more extensively?

Solar Power

The sun produces the energy for trees and plants to grow and we humans can also take advantage of the sun to produce the energy we need. This is done by using solar panels, something that, while not utilised by the majority, are becoming more common on homes and other buildings. In an individual home solar panels can be used to heat the home and the water used within it. Solar energy can also be harnessed and stored for use elsewhere.

Wind Power

Wind power is a completely clean energy source as wind turbines don’t produce any emissions at all. It does, though, require wine turbines to stand in open countryside, often in coastal areas to benefit from where the highest wind speeds are. Some are against this as they consider them to be a blot on the landscape they are situated in. Currently, wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy source and it could be key in the future.

Biomass

Biomass can be turned into an energy source by it being burnt. This is currently done by burning products such as plastic, insulation and fabric. This isn’t particularly clean energy and replacing this with burning biomass products will lead to fewer harmful emissions being released into the atmosphere. Biomass products that could be used to replace things like plastic include trees, dead plants and food wastage, all of which are natural products.

Water

Referred to as hydropower, water can be an extremely effective source of power. This can be achieved by utilising waves or falling water in the form waterfalls or building purpose built dams. The most common way in which water is used for energy is through hydroelectric power, which is the process of turning this energy into electricity. This is the most extensively used form of renewable energy used worldwide. The cost of hydroelectric power is relatively low due to the natural gravitational force of waterfalls or flowing water often being utilised. Even where investment is required - for example because a dam has to be built - once completed it is cost effective.

These are just some of the renewable energy sources that could be used more extensively in the future. These are the most common, but there are others too, and there are sure to be more developments over time. The efficiency of renewable sources of energy is likely to improve. With the human population continually growing and technology advancing we are going to require even more energy in the future. The need for clean and renewable forms of energy is a pressing concern and something that will become more necessary as time goes by.

Andrew Marshall ©

Due to developments in the energy sector it is important that energy providers keep up with Energy Law.

How Technology has Increase the Productivity of Mobile Employees

Over the last couple of decades technology has played an important role in making things easier for employees who need to travel for their work. Technology has led to improved communication, both internally and with customers, and has increased productivity.

Mobile Phones

There was a time when communication between mobile employees and their colleagues and customers was difficult. Often communication required planning in advance. If an employee had to contact their office they might have needed to find a telephone box to make a call. While this might not have been particularly complex it was hardly ideal and it would have been much more difficult in reverse. If someone needed to contact a mobile employee urgently they may have had no way of achieving this.

The mobile phone has come to the rescue. They were first used by business people in the nineteen-eighties, but it wasn’t really until the late nineteen-nineties that they became the norm. Because of mobile phones travelling employees can now be contacted at any time. If every employee has one, which they generally do, then any two employees can get hold of one another easily. Contacting and being contacted by customers is just as easy.

Laptops

The development of laptop computers has revolutionised the way in which mobile employees can operate. They don’t have to take stacks of paperwork everywhere they go, it makes presentations easier and they can access any information they have stored quickly and easily.

The Internet

The internet has made business easier in many ways. These days it is the prime tool that businesses use to carry out research, and if travelling, it can be accessed using a laptop or mobile device, such as a smart phone or a tablet. If an employee needs to quickly research something while on the move, then they can.

Email

Email is the biggest example of how mobile business people use the internet to increase their productivity. Email has had a significant impact on business communication in general and is a good way of communicating with employees who are on the move. If they need a document it can be instantaneously sent and received.

VPN and Other Security Barriers

Virtual private networks and other security barriers make accessing the internet and computer networks much safer. There are many security concerns related to accessing a network, especially if using a wi-fi connection. This can, to a large extent, be alleviated using a VPN or another method of security. Making networks secure is just as important as having them to begin with.

Video Conferencing

Using the right technology means that employees can have conferences wherever they may be. For example, using their laptop they can have a video conference with someone in another location. They can also communicate from various offices with those who are elsewhere. As well as improving the productivity of employees on the move, in some cases it can make travelling less of a requirement. There are times when a video conference can be used instead of a face-to-face meeting.

Technology is constantly making it easier for businesses that have employees who regularly travel. It has had a massive impact on how such employees operate on a day-to-day basis. Over the coming years we can expect new technologies to come to the fore to further increase productivity.

Andrew Marshall ©

Types of Websites that can Benefit from Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is a form of web hosting that has been growing in popularity over recent years. The main advantages are cost, stability and scalability and there are various types of websites that can benefit from being hosted in the cloud. These include large websites that receive a high number of visitors, seasonal sites and growing sites.

Large, High Traffic Websites

The major benefits of cloud hosting for high traffic sites are scalability and cost. With traffic levels high it makes it difficult to judge the amount of hosting resource that is required, particularly as high traffic sites tends to have constant fluctuations in traffic. With cloud hosting, resource is allocated towards a website as it is needed and removed when it is no longer required. Therefore, when the capacity needed is high it is available but when it is not then it is no longer paid for. The other main hosting option for large sites with high traffic levels is dedicated hosting. There are two major disadvantages to this though, the cost and the limits there are. Cost wise, dedicated hosting means paying for the maximum resource at all times regardless of whether or not this capacity is being utilised. There are always limitations with dedicated hosting. You can buy more servers as a site grows but however many servers are dedicated towards a site the capacity stops there, and if more is needed it is not available instantaneously. With cloud hosting, on the other hand, more resource is automatically allocated to a site as required without the client having to take action.

Seasonal Websites

Seasonal websites possibly benefit from cloud hosting more than others. Below are some examples of these types of sites:

Travel agents who tend to have peaks in the summer and in the lead up to the school holidays

Some ecommerce sites that are particularly busy prior to Christmas

Websites of events, for example the London 2012 website that would have been busier during the Olympic Games than prior to them

The cloud hosting benefit for these types of sites is that they can cope with the increase in traffic during peaks without paying for the same high capacity during the troughs. For example, site owners don’t want to be paying for the hosting resource required for the thousands of visitors they might get for a short period every year when they are only getting a fraction of this for the rest of the year. The London 2012 website had its problems due to the high volume of traffic when people were trying to purchase tickets for the Olympic Games. Perhaps some of the issues could have been avoided with the right web hosting. The site would have performed better if more servers had been available, as would have been the case with a cloud hosting service.
Fast Growing Websites

The scalability of cloud hosting can make it a good option for websites that are quickly growing. Below are some examples:

The websites of businesses that are growing

New businesses that are expected to grow as they are coming from nothing

Websites set up for an event where content and traffic will increase as the event nears and then even more so once it begins

Those who run the above websites might know that traffic will increase, but it may be difficult to predict the exact level of these increases. Utilising cloud hosting means the site owners won’t need to predict the traffic levels. As the popularity of the site increases the hosting resource will be automatically increased to keep pace with this. This means not having to constantly update hosting packages. Otherwise site owners may start off with basic shared hosting and gradually upgrade to dedicated hosting, and then add more dedicated servers should growth continue.

The above examples are the main types of websites that can find cloud hosting advantageous. The main reasons for this is the scalability on offer and the fact that site owners have additional resource should they require it without having to pay for it unless it is being utilised.

Andrew Marshall ©