Step 1.

Clear the prefetch cache located at C:\Windows\Prefetch

Step 2.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: DWORD Value // Value Name: EnablePrefetcher
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Application Launch Prefetch / 2 = Boot Prefetch / 3 = Prefetch All]
Exit Registry and Reboot

My prefetch registry entry was set to 3.? I cleaned the c:\windows\prefetch directory out and set the registry entry to 0 to disable and I am much happier with my system performance.

Another tool that I find very useful is Mike Lin’s Startup Control Panel, which allows simple management of autostart applications.?

Happy optimizing!

-RJB

Not sure how many of you have seen the press on Cisco taking a 80% stake in stealth startup Nuova Systems.? Nuova System is a reincarnation of the Andiamo group which spun back into Cisco and today is what we all know as the Cisco MDS (SAN switching) product line.? There is little out there on Nuova Systems but the buzz is that they are working on a virtualization technology.? I guess the question is with all the money and power Cisco wields, does Brocade/McData stand a chance?? Does Brocade/McData have what it takes to innovate, or will the market goliath (Cisco) out innovate the smaller more nimble competitor?? With alliances like this it certainly looks that way.? One has to question the time that will be spent on the integration of the Brocade and McData product lines and positioning, and how much time this will leave for technology innovation.? It will be interesting to watch how this one unfolds.

-RJB

I know that I owe many of you who attended the seminars in Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago a copy of the road show presentation, I am working on the size so that it is manageable for everyone.? Sorry for the delay but I should have it posted in the next few days.

-RJB

Last week I completed the first three cities (Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago) in a nine city road show event focused on "The Evolution of Disaster Recovery"? where we covered three core topics:

• Recovery Management - What is it and how do we facilitate it?? What is the? state of the marketplace?
• Remote Office Disaster Recovery - Leveraging edge-to-core data consolidation
• Virtual Infrastructure - Taking disaster recovery to the next level

Despite a high potential for mistakes and missteps (due to the fact this was the first round) we managed to present 3 very good seminars.? I believe that 99% of the attendees walked away with some piece of valuable information.? Being that I will be speaking for 3 weeks on the same topic I attempted to change it up a little in each city to avoid the "Groundhog Day" effect.? In Chicago I talked a little about the "Infrastructure Chasm"?and surprisingly there was some serious head nodding going happening.? I think as we make our way to the 6 other cities I may discuss this in further detail.

-RJB

Prompted by a recent “Nick Burns” (Saturday Night Live character) event I needed to vent.

I never cease to be amazed by the vast number of people who put themselves in situations assuming they are the smartest person in a conversation, inevitably this always makes them the dumbest person in the conversation. I am guilty of this on occasion but I try to learn from my mistakes as often as possible. As a general rule I always assume that most people are smarter than I am. I have always taken this approach, because I have never met someone that given the opportunity could not teach me something. The passing of knowledge from one person to another tends to be a more fruitful and enjoyable when coupled with a little humility. I have always approached things in this manner is because it gives me a reason to puck myself as hard as humanly possible. In my opinion the key to putting yourself in a position of authority rests solely on an individuals desire and ability to study and comprehend the existing information on a particular topic coupled with the intellect to derive new conclusions. I truly believe that at the rate things change on this great planet, at any given time I know <1% of what I want or need to know. This philosophy has provided me with an insatiable thirst to know more and hopefully the ability learn enough to hold an intelligent conversation, but I would never consider myself an expert on anything; there is just to much to learn!

I feel much better now!

I just finished reading an article about how Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is investing 12.6 million in the Chinese market.? It appears the Maharashtra (literal translation: "Great Nation"), India based consulting firm is leveraging the even lower cost of labor in China.? With tech salaries rising at 15% a year in India the consulting company is looking to cash in on the low wage labor in China.? This should not be hard to do with monthly salaries for programmers in high-tech hot spots like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen between $600 and $960.? TCS already has a secured the first China based contract with Microsoft for $2 million.? Is this the beginning of a trend where the proven low cost outsourcer is looking to move up the food chain and play middle man while developing technical expertise in low wage markets?

-RJB