Integration & IT Modernization

This post is the second in a multi-part series talking about setting up and configuring key and trust stores for IBM MQ and IBM Integration Bus. The screenshots are clickable for a sharp image. At this point you should have your key stores and trust stores created and empty. The next step is creating a […]

As consultants we are constantly looking for gaps in industries that utilize technology. One of the most common gaps we see is with information security. Unfortunately, information security is often ignored and not taken seriously until after an incident occurs. To help fill this gap, I am studying for the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) […]

A few years ago, I was in the middle of getting together a conceptual architectural document for a project that required very agile methodologies based on microservices and cross- functional teams. One of the key portions of the architecture involved Hadoop and Spark for both data storage and data processing for the delivery of data […]

In our previous post, Multiple Paths to Cloud: Migrating Legacy Applications, we explored options that allow you to develop, deploy, and manage new applications on cloud but still continue using your existing data center. Next, we’ll provide guidance on planning and preparing your organization for successful cloud adoption. Part 1 highlights the importance of creating a […]

This post will be the first in a multi-part series talking about configuring various key stores and trust stores IBM MQ and IBM Integration Bus and populating them with certificates. General Information Key stores and trust stores are files in a proprietary format. Key stores hold certificates that an application sends across during the SSL […]

One of the biggest concerns when switching from Skype for Business to Teams revolves around the ability for the two products to work together. However, what is often overlooked is what will be required to meet these expectations. Fear not, in this article we’ll be discussing the high level in’s and out’s for interoperability and […]

The following is the third blog in a series about software containers and Kubernetes, and their importance in modern application delivery. So far in this series, we have explored why businesses are leveraging containers and the benefits that they bring. In this blog, we will examine container management platforms, what they are, and why they’re […]

The growth of chatbots in the auto industry is undeniable. They have flooded the industry and are being used in multiple ways. Some of the uses are positive and others are negative. One of the negative, and most controversial, ways these chatbots are being used is occurring at the dealership level. Almost every dealer has […]

The following is the second blog in a series about why businesses are moving to the cloud to modernize and improve business performance. In our first blog in this series, we explored the current state of cloud and how it has changed over time. In this blog, we will take a look at how cloud […]

Office 365 has become one of the top hosting platforms for SaaS for companies of all sizes.  The traditional Microsoft Office Product Suite has been the go-to desktop productivity set for many decades and as Microsoft has adjusted their (often confusing) bundled Office 365 licensing packages and pricing models, it is becoming increasingly attractive for […]

The following is the second blog in a series about why healthcare organizations are moving to the cloud. In this series so far, we have looked at how the cloud brings robust data security to healthcare organizations. In this blog, we’ll look at how the cloud can potentially provide cost savings and greater efficiency for […]

Pen testers often need to stage payloads and other tools on servers outside of their own infrastructure.  In this post I’ll show you how to use the Amazon AWS command line interface (CLI) to dynamically create and manage S3 buckets that you can use in your own pen tests.  I’ll also show you how to […]

I created three videos with instructions on how to create a domain, an object store, and a document class with associated property templates and choice lists. However, all of these tasks assume you’ve installed, configured, and deployed the Content Platform Engine (CPE). Future videos will demonstrate how to do that. In the meantime, if you […]

Say it ain’t so! Our beloved Unified Communications platform will sadly be pushing up daisies starting July 31, 2021. For most of us working with Skype for Business (Online) we knew it was only a matter of time before Teams took the throne as Microsoft’s preferred UC/IC product. Microsoft has made this clear over the […]

Problem Description As I mentioned in one the previous posts: MQCSP structures, containing the user ID and password of the user being authenticated, are sent in the clear across the network, if you’re not using TLS to encrypt your traffic. For example, if you setup LDAP for authentication (as described in the previous post), start […]

Overview In this bog post we will discuss Using Chef Habitat to Migrate Legacy Windows Applications to a Modern Secure Platform. With support ending for Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008, legacy Windows applications will need to be migrated to newer secure and supportable modern platforms. For instance, Windows Server 2016 and 2019 […]

In our previous blog post, Multiple Paths to Cloud: Taking a Cloud Native Approach, we discussed the importance of a unified plan for cloud adoption as well as the benefits of cloud native to build apps. In part two, we examine options for migrating legacy applications to the cloud. This path to cloud adoption has […]

The following is the first blog in a series about why businesses are moving to the cloud to modernize and improve business performance. Gone are the days of wondering if your business needs to utilize the cloud. You must now decide how to best utilize it. This is a byproduct of the evolution of the […]

August 8, 2019. Due to a security vulnerability, IBM changed the order of operations when authenticating users in v9.1. This is important if you setup your security on a prior version and then migrate to v9.1. Your security rules might stop working as you intended. In this post, we will talk about “channel early adoption” […]

IBM MQ user authentication An IBM MQ queue manager can be configured to authenticate connecting users. But it does not keep a list of users or their passwords. That is the functionality that MQ leaves to external resources. There are two options you can choose from: Authenticate using the operating system Authenticate using a Lightweight […]