Matt Frye

I've been looking at a lot of console server and other out-of-band management solutions recently. These days, there's no shortage of console servers, appliances to manage console servers, and appliances to manage those applicances, each at enterprise cost availability. But what if you're responsible for the network at a small business and you're looking for an out-of-band management solution on a small business budget? OpenGear's CM4008 provides secure out-of-band management for just under $500. It provides real price performance in a convenient package for small business console requirements by leveraging the power of embedded Linux and open source. The CM4008 includes key networking and security modules (OpenSSH, OpenSSL, PAM, Netfilter/IPTables and so on) too. OpenGear has harnessed the power of open source to provide a secure platform for infrastructure managem... (more)

CRYPTOCard's CRYPTOServer

Lost passwords, easily guessed passwords, accounts with no passwords - they are all huge security risks; however, there often isn't a better, more economical way for companies on a limited budget. Biometric authentication can be expensive to implement, and many organizations have to trust employees anyway, so static passwords are a no-brainer. Still, the majority of successful security attacks are achieved through password access. What are the options? CRYPTOCard's CRYPTOServer for Linux is a good one at $499. The CRYPTOServer Starter Kit comes with the software for CRYPTOServer, ... (more)

The Astaro Security Gateway 320

If you're responsible for network security, then you know that yours is a job fraught with worry over spam, network intrusions, viruses, and internal hazards like rogue servers, internal malicious activity, and web surfing control. The good news is that Astaro makes it easy to protect yourself with a family of security gateway appliances. The ASG320, its model for mid-sized business and enterprise divisions, packs a high-value punch. It doesn't take a string of Linux servers to set up a security infrastructure, just a single appliance that's certainly a more economical solution. ... (more)

Linux Made Easy

I recently had a chance to sit down with Rickford Grant, author of Linux for Non-Geeks, and talk with him about his new book Linux Made Easy (No Starch Press). LWM: First of all, why, after writing Linux for Non-Geeks, did you decide to write Linux Made Easy. Rickford Grant: The whole idea behind both books is to get regular folks into what is often considered a domain for geeks. That said, I am always looking for distributions that are easy to use and thus less intimidating for people who have been weaned on a diet of Windows all their lives. Linux for Non-Geeks is based on Fed... (more)