IP-Converge opens cloud services portal, offers free Linux server trial

MANILA, Philippines — A local cloud services provider opened on Wednesday a one-stop-shop Web portal that gives customers instant access to the company’s various public cloud-based offerings in just a few clicks of the mouse.

Launched under the banner cloud.com.ph, the IP-Converge portal will give potential cloud customers the chance to shop around the provider’s offerings in the cloud, which include servers, applications, and disaster recovery options.

Unlike traditional on-premise hardware systems, servers in the cloud are accessed and deployed off of a provider’s data center — meaning outside your company’s premises — and can be quickly tweak to match CPU, RAM, and storage requirements.

The company claims cloud.com.ph is the first portal of such kind in the country, as it allows customers to instantly provision cloud services in a way similar to how they shop for products online — instant and hassle-free.

And just like other e-Commerce stores available today, businesses can easily set up servers, build applications, or store their data quickly and pay for it via credit or debit card, as well as other online payment options.

According to Edgar Gutierrez, vice president for carrier relations and special projects at IP-Converge, the service is primarily targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines who stand to benefit the most from cloud-based IT infrastructure and services.

“It gives SMEs access to the same business applications used by large enterprises at a much lower cost, giving them the time to focus on growing their business and not worry about the technical aspect,” Gutierrez said.

Aside from convenience, the provider said employing cloud-based IT facilities takes out the need to set aside capital funds for rolling out IT systems, and instead makes IT a utility, just like water or electricity, that is paid on a per-usage basis.

“The big plus with cloud.com.ph is that it features highly flexible subscription packages that allow customers to pay only for what they use. Subscriptions can go anywhere from annual to monthly to daily, or even on a per hour basis — an important factor for companies with tight budgets,” it added.

The cloud.com.ph portal will house majority of the providers services already being offered to local companies, such as Linux and Windows servers, disaster recovery and second-site servers, as well as business applications that include a payroll service software, an enterprise resource planning software, and a school management software.

As a promotion for its initial offering through the portal, the company is offering a free trial of its Linux Server Level 2 product, which includes a LINUX Cloud Server (CentOS), 1 CPU Core, 1GB RAM, and 5GB of Storage Area Network, available until July 31, 2012.

All the services will be delivered off the company’s telco-grade and carrier-neutral data centers located at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and at the RCBC Plaza in Makati.

“By converging our expertise in data center operations, telecommunications networking, and cloud computing, we are able to deliver a true cloud service that enables organizations to focus on their core business and grow bigger, faster” noted IP-Converge President Reynaldo Huergas.

“We believe that the cloud will be the standard model for the delivery of information to the enterprise, and we are happy to bring this capability to Philippine businesses today,” he added.

IP-Converge is part of the IP Ventures Group of companies, a technology conglomerate that also operates IP E-Games, an online gaming publisher and owner of a vast network of Internet cafe chains in the country.

Just recently, however, majority shares of IP-Converge, a publicly listed company, has been purchased by a property group located in the Visayas and Mindanao regions called Januarius Resources Realty Corp. Holdings Inc.

Nonetheless, the buyer was buying into a shell company since IP-Converge recently transferred most of its assets back to a private holdings company of IP Ventures.

source: interaksyon.com

Check for DNSChanger malware or lose Internet access by July 9, telco says

MANILA, Philippines — Leading telecommunications firm Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications urged Pinoy Internet users to check if they have been infected with a malware which will restrict their Internet access if not removed by July 9.

The malware, called DNSChanger, was discovered to be re-routing Internet traffic of infected PCs to servers of a group of Internet hackers, which allows them to display advertisements or spread malware to more users.

Once infected, the Domain Name Settings (DNS) of an infested computer will be changed to that of the hackers’ servers. Reports said systems have started to become infected when they visited similarly infected websites, “or downloaded particular software to view videos online,” according to technology news site CNet.

In addition to changing the DNS servers of the computer, the malware has also been known to prevent antivirus updates from occurring, which means traditional security software couldn’t possibly detect the infection.

The group behind the malware has since been arrested by authorities in 2011, but the temporary redirection servers set up by law enforcement bodies to give users the time to clean up their systems will soon be shut down.

“If you fail to take action, you may not be able to access Internet websites and use web services like email and search,” said PLDT and Smart Spokesperson Ramon Isberto in a statement.

To check if your system is infected, PLDT and Smart urged to go through your computer’s settings:

Windows
1. Click Start
2. Open the Command Window
3. (For Windows 7) Type cmd at the search bar
4. (For Windows XP) Click Run, then type cmd at the bar
5. Type ipconfig /all
6. Search for the DNS Servers section

Mac OS X
1. Click the Apple icon an the top left of the screen
2. Select System Preferences
3. Locate the “Network” icon
4. Read the “DNS Server” line

If the DNS servers are pointed at any of the following addresses, then it means the system is infected:

• 85.255.112.0 through 85.255.127.255
• 67.210.0.0 through 67.210.15.255
• 93.188.160.0 through 93.188.167.255
• 77.67.83.0 through 77.67.83.255
• 213.109.64.0 through 213.109.79.255
• 64.28.176.0 through 64.28.191.255

Alternatively, users can visit the following websites to automatically check if their units have the DNSChanger malware: http://www.dns-ok.us/ and http://dnschanger.detect.my.

To permanently rid your system of the malware, you can use various services put up by security software firms such as Kaspersky , ESET, McAfee , Microsoft , Norton, and Trend Micro.

source: interaksyon.com