Stories

Google Feed Server

Dec 28, 2009

Google Feed Server is an open source Atom Publishing Protocol server based on the Apache Abdera framework. Google Feed Server provides a simple back end for data adapters, which allows developers to quickly deploy a feed for an existing data source such as a database. Google Feed Server also provid...

Backing up my cloud with backupify

Dec 28, 2009

I came across a cloud backup tool the other day called backupify. It runs in the cloud and backs up your cloud. Very cool. backupify is pretty easy to setup. It acts like most social aggregators like Friendfeed, however it then backs up your data rather than syndicating it or providing a single feed. I authorized backupify to access the following accou...

Activism 2.0, Cloud Computing, Mobile Technology

Dec 28, 2009

Just finished reading Activism 2.0: Creating Casablanca in Copenhagen, The Fresh Air Center by Chrissie Brodigan. It is an interesting look at what happened (or didn't) in Copenhagen and more specifically at the Activism 2.0 techniques of TckTckTck's Fresh Air Center

IT and Cloud Computing

Dec 27, 2009

IT tends to scoff at cloud computing. But obviously, there's a fear factor, too. If IT is too caught up in other projects to have the resources to launch some new initiative, the business side may threaten to use a cloud service instead.

#Hashtag Management

Dec 27, 2009

Just doing some reading and organizing thoughts on Twitter Hash Tags. Seems like hash tag management is becoming a regular occurrence in every day business. Companies should be establishing, disseminating, and evaluating hash tags for their company. Seems like at a basic level a company should establish and regularly use # hash tags for their company. #KinLane Then they should then establish # hash t...

Google Voice Integration

Dec 27, 2009

My Firefox browser opens all my default tabs when it opens and gives me quick access to all my core web applications. One of these is Google Voice. I am still working Google Voice into my overall platform. It isn't quite there. Today I was thinking about some good uses for it beyond receiving calls. I was mourning the deactivation of Google Noteb...

Tools - Share, Synchronize, backup files securely with Nomadesk

Dec 20, 2009

Always on the watch for quality file management tools to suggest to people. Nomadesk virtual fileserver acts just like a hard drive, storing important documents in one place with local and remote access from a PC, Mac or iPhone. You drag and drop your files into a virtual fileserver and files are automatically encrypted, backed up and available for file sharing. With Nomadesk, you can organize your files and folders just like any hard drive on your computer with no new interface to learn. ...

Enterprise 2.0

Dec 20, 2009

I was just going through my Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics, and Feedburner stats. I noticed in my Google Webmaster Tools that I come up number 7 in Google Search for Enterprise 2.0. So I went to Google and typed it in. Sure enough I'm number 5 for Enterprise 2.0. I even beat o...

Google Wave Server

Dec 18, 2009

I was going through the different areas of my Google Wave research this evening. It was time to learn more about the Google Wave Federated Protocol. I just haven't had enough time to keep reading on the subject. So to update my research: Google released their open source version of the Google Wave Federation Prototype Server.

Google Wave Embed

Dec 18, 2009

I was playing with Google Wave tonight. I am curious to see how I can use it. I keep thinking about using Google Wave as a content management system (CMS). I am starting with the basics. First I started a new wave and filled it with some dummy content.kinlane-productions2

Event Position - Backchannel Management

Dec 18, 2009

I am doing a lot of research around using social tools in event and conference planning right now. I am researching usage of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social tools in event presentation and speaking at the moment. Planning, preparation and then ultimately presenting a session or Read more →

Email in the Amazon Cloud Part 6 - Restored Faith in the Clouds

Dec 18, 2009

I strongly believe in the cloud, and more specifically in Amazon's approach to cloud computing. I constantly battle people on my decision to use the cloud for my core IT infrastructure. It allows me to scale my infrastructure as needed and gave a completely new face to my IT strategy and operat...

Email in the Amazon Cloud Part 5 - Reverse DNS

Dec 18, 2009

I was really excited when I got this email response on my ticket from Amazon Web Services: We've reached out to the Amazon EC2 team and here are the next steps. In order for us to proceed, we'll need to setup DNS Read more →

Email in the Amazon Cloud Part 4 - TrendMicro Maps

Dec 18, 2009

I woke up one morning and got an email from a project manager. The original email from a client had a returned email with the following email server response: Remote server replied: 550 5.7.1 ... Mail from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx blocked using Trend Micro RBL+. Please see http://www.mail-abuse.com/cgi-bin/lookup?ip_address=xx.xxx.xxx.xxx We were black liste...

Email in the Amazon Cloud Part 3 - Maintaining IP Addresses and DNS Quality

Dec 18, 2009

Sending large amounts of email and ensuring they get received requires a lot of work and you need to make sure your mail framework is setup correctly and is healthy. This takes a lot of work and maintenance. First off I reserve 11 IP addresses with Amazon Web Services. I reserve these 11 IP addresses and never let them back into the general po...

Email in the Amazon Cloud Part 2 - Scaling Email for Large Blasts

Dec 18, 2009

I needed to send a large amounts of email. We are talking 500,000 to 1 million emails in each send. These are emails being sent to encourage event attendance or interaction, so they need to go out quickly. The powers that be wanted to have emails go out in 24 hours. In the past we would send emails and then sit and watch servers for 24-72 hours, with constant server restarts and other problems. I came up with a new base configuration that involved using a single blast server f...

Email in the Amazon Cloud Part 1 - Using the Cloud

Dec 18, 2009

Amazon is a great place to really take care of business when it comes to IT. First order of business at my new job last year was to take care of a really troubling "hostage" situation with their current server co-location contract. My boss said, "move us to the cloud". I had used Amazon Web Services before, I thought I should check out other providers as well. So I toured a handful of cloud providers, but ended up back with Amazon Web Services. They just offered the computing and stor...

Web Site Contact Information

Dec 15, 2009

I really like this contact information on this site I was researching tonight. The colors don't really appeal to me. It is the fact that their contact information is clearly: Available on every page at the bottom. Provides Email, Phone, Twitter, Instant Message Links newsletter information Links to blog These are all mission critical ways of staying in touch with customers. Users should never have to search around a si...

Mobile Data Gathering

Dec 15, 2009

While playing around with Google Fusion Tables tonight I came across the Open Data Kit (ODK). Open Data Kit (ODK) is a suite of tools to help organizations collect, aggregate and visualize their data. The project's goals are to make open-source and standards-based tools which are easy to try, easy to use, easy to modify and easy to scale. The project consists of: Read more →

Event Technology

Dec 15, 2009

I am doing a lot of research in applications and tools that are available out there for the event and conference industry. I am always evaluating broad categories of event technology, but recently I am focusing on: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Google Wave There are ...

Crowdsourcing Database Administration

Dec 15, 2009

A while back Google released Fusion Tables allowing you to aggregate data from many data sources. Today they released an API for Google Fusion Tables. Fusion Tables is a free service for sharing and visualizing data online. It allows you to upload data, share and mark up your data with collaborators, merge data from multiple tables, and create ...

Different ways to use Google Wave

Dec 12, 2009

I have been doing some research on different ways to use Google Wave. Case studies, industry applications, clients, server, and any way I can come at it. One thing I am really noticing is heavy discussion around using Google Wave in education. Lots of information. Here is a good one: Google Wave Use Cases: Education

Amazon EC2 Down for 30 Minutes

Dec 9, 2009

We were trying to finish up a major email blast tonight and all of a sudden our main blast server stopped working. Then I immediately got a flood of email alerts saying all of our live servers were down. I submitted a trouble ticket to Amazon EC2. I have Gold Support package lately with all the email issues we have been having. I looked at their AWS Status Page and it reported nothing. Then shortly after I submitted my ticket...

Amazon DNS PTR Records for Email IP Addresses

Dec 9, 2009

I have been going round and round with Amazon Web Services EC2 and Trend Micro MAPS for about 2 weeks now about the entire Amazon IP address block being black listed. Finally got some action out of Amazon. They are going to add PTR records for all of the Amazon EC2 IP addresses that we lease. Great news for legitimizing my usage of Amazon Web Services EC2 for our email infrastructure.

What to say about your blog or site as owner, in Google Sidewiki?

Dec 6, 2009

Was just viewing my last blog post and noticed the Google Sidewiki that I had installed recently. I haven't given it much thought since I installed. Then it asked me to comment on one of my blog posts. It says: As the page owner, you can write a special entry that will remain the top entry for this page. What should I write? What is the best tone to take when comment on your blog or page?