Microsoft reveals details of ReFS file system

Microsoft has revealed details about ReFS (Resilient File System), a new file system that will be introduced with Windows Server 8. You can learn about it at ZD Net.

ReFS will begin life as a storage system for Windows Server only. Then � some time post Windows 8 � it will become a storage system for Windows clients, and then ultimately �as a boot volume,� said author of the post, Surendra Verma, a development manager on the Windows Storage and File System team. (Interestingly, when the first leaks about ReFS, codenamed Protogon, occurred last year, those who discovered the new file system found it in leaked Windows 8 client builds.)

NTFS, the New Technology File System, has been part of Windows since Windows XP and Windows NT 3.1 were introduced in 2001 and 1993, respectively. (Thanks for the date corrections, readers.)

There are some NTFS features for which Microsoft plans to drop support with ReFS, specifically named streams, object IDs, short names, compression, file level encryption (EFS), user data transactions, sparse, hard-links, extended attributes, and quotas, Verma blogged. That said, one of Microsoft�s goals with ReFS is to �maintain a high degree of compatibility with a subset of NTFS features that are widely adopted while deprecating others that provide limited value at the cost of system complexity and footprint,� Verma said.

Microsoft reveals details of ReFS file system - More news at DV Hardware

US Predator drone system hit by computer virus

Wired reports the cockpits of the US's Predator and Reaper drones at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada have been hit by a computer virus that logs pilots' every keystroke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other warzones.

The virus, first detected nearly two weeks ago by the military�s Host-Based Security System, has not prevented pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada from flying their missions overseas. Nor have there been any confirmed incidents of classified information being lost or sent to an outside source. But the virus has resisted multiple efforts to remove it from Creech�s computers, network security specialists say. And the infection underscores the ongoing security risks in what has become the U.S. military�s most important weapons system.

�We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back,� says a source familiar with the network infection, one of three that told Danger Room about the virus. �We think it�s benign. But we just don�t know.�

Military network security specialists aren�t sure whether the virus and its so-called �keylogger� payload were introduced intentionally or by accident; it may be a common piece of malware that just happened to make its way into these sensitive networks. The specialists don�t know exactly how far the virus has spread. But they�re sure that the infection has hit both classified and unclassified machines at Creech. That raises the possibility, at least, that secret data may have been captured by the keylogger, and then transmitted over the public internet to someone outside the military chain of command.

US Predator drone system hit by computer virus - More news at DV Hardware

Check System Specification

type="html">

Computer users should familiarize themselves with the specifications of their machines. This information is valuable when it comes time to upgrade components or download new drivers for existing components.

On Windows-based Computers

1). Hold down the "Windows" key and press "Pause/Break." This will open a window listing your basic system properties.

2). Hold down the "Windows" key and press "r" to open the "Run" command dialog box for more detailed specification.

3). Type "dxdiag" in the dialog box and press "Return." This will open the "DirectX Diagnostic Tool," which contains detailed specs on your system, display and sound hardware as well as information on input devices attached to your computer.

Definition of Virtual System

type="html">

Definition of Virtual System

A virtual system is a system where all applications and data are centralized and users access this data through nodes connected to these central places otherwise known as virtual servers. The running of data, applications and operating systems on remote machines is referred to as virtualization.

Simulation

Virtual systems have allowed engineers to develop and design systems without necessarily deploying the physical components and systems. The entire system can be completed in a virtual mode.

Virtual Reality

Virtual systems will make it possible for virtual reality environments to be deployed into current activities such as online shopping and gaming bringing more realism to the virtual world.

Complexity

Due to an increased need to for virtualization, these systems have become increasingly sophisticated and have included diverse capabilities.

Growing Requirements

Advances in computing speed and memory capacities in addition to new interactive hardware have made it possible for virtualization to be used in commerce, education and social interaction. Future requirements will likely see increased memory capacities and computing speeds.

Challenges

Increased complexity comes with increased costs. Virtual systems require time consuming code reviews, verifications and validation processes which amounts to over 50 percent of the total development cost.