IT Managed Services Provider Resource Recommendation Update on February 27, 2021

Knowledge of terms to know

What is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing is live, visual connection between two or more remote parties over the internet that simulates a face-to-face meeting. Video conferencing is important because it joins people who would not normally be able to form a face-to-face connection.

At its simplest, video conferencing provides transmission of static images and text between two locations. At its most sophisticated, it provides transmission of full-motion video images and high-quality audio between multiple locations.

In the business world, desktop video conferencing is a core component of unified communications (UC) applications and web conferencing services, while cloud-based virtual meeting room services enable organizations to deploy video conferencing with minimal infrastructure investment.

“The limited acceptance of AR and VR to date has been due to the expense and because it is so new and different. Now that the world has spent a year videoconferencing, these advanced technologies may not seem so new and extreme as they find their place in our business workflows..” – David Maldow

Related Terms: unified communications, codec, compression, augmented reality, mixed reality, immersive VR, 360 VR, Zoom fatigue

What is Static Method?

In Java, a static method is a method that belongs to a class rather than an instance of a class. The method is accessible to every instance of a class, but methods defined in an instance are only able to be accessed by that object of a class.

A static method is not part of the objects it creates but is part of a class definition. Unlike instance methods, a static method is referenced by the class name and can be invoked without creating an object of class.

In simpler terms, they are methods that exist even if no object has been constructed yet and that do not require an invocation object.

What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology, also called molecular manufacturing, is a branch of engineering that deals with the design and manufacture of extremely small electronic circuits and mechanical devices built at the molecular level of matter.

Nanotech involves using devices that are miniaturized and small enough to be called nanoscale, which is around .1 to 100 nanometers, with a nanometer measuring at one-billionth of a meter. Nanotech plays an integral role in virtual reality tech hardware, communication and power. Nanotechnology plays an integral role in virtual reality tech’s hardware, communications and power. It also plays an important role in chip design and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Nanotechnology is often discussed together with micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), which are microscopic devices used to sense, transport or produce a change in an environment. Positional assembly and self-replication are two other concepts associated with nanotechnology.

Positional assembly deals with the mechanics of moving molecular pieces into their proper relational places and keeping them there. Self-replication deals with the problem of multiplying the positional arrangements in some automatic way, both in building the manufacturing device and in building the manufactured product.

“Nanoscale sensors are used for augmented, virtual and mixed reality systems…Augmented and virtual reality are only possible thanks to the nanoscale sensors available today.” – Saumya Sharma

Related Terms: MEMs, Internet of Things, positional assembly, nanometer, self-replication, augmented reality, mixed reality, immersive VR, 360 VR

What is C drive (C:)?

The C drive (C:) is the main hard disk partition that contains the operating system and the related system files. In Windows operating systems, the C drive as represented as “C:\”, the backlash representing the root directory of the drive.

The C drive is considered as the primary hard drive of the system and is used for storing the operating system, system files and other applications and their related files.

In later Windows version, the C: drive is labeled as Primary Drive or Local Disk, and can be accessed by default by opening the “My Computer” folder.

What is Runtime Environment (RTE)?

The runtime environment is the environment in which a program or application is executed. It’s the hardware and software infrastructure that supports the running of a particular codebase in real time.

Because so much of the final outcome is determined by the runtime environment, experts often consider the runtime environment to be vitally important in figuring out how to use a piece of software. In a very fundamental sense, resources have to be allocated correctly in order for a runtime environment to be successful.

The right relationships have to be set up to allow program and multithread processing, and the program has to be able to correctly access the assets it needs to run.

What is Mixed reality (MR)?

Mixed reality (MR) is a user environment in which physical reality and digital content are combined in a way that enables interaction with (and among) real-world and virtual objects.

MR programming allows digital objects to interact with physical objects and people to interact with digital objects as if they are physical. The technology’s capacity for interactivity between real-world and digital elements places it further along the virtuality continuum than augmented reality.

Although mixed reality is still in the early stages, it is already being used in many industries for educational purposes. For example, aircraft manufacturers are using MR as a cost-effective way to train repair technicians.

Instead of pulling an engine out of an aircraft to conduct a training session, technicians wearing special headsets can view a holographic image of an engine and use gesture, gaze and voice user interface (VUI) commands to interact with the hologram, changing perspectives and extracting meaningful information, layer by layer.

“The key difference is between mixed reality and augmented reality is the user’s ability to interact with the digital display. For example, a technician wearing an AR headset can view the holographic image of the engine, but can’t virtually take it apart.” – Lindsay Moore

Related Terms: augmented reality, virtual reality cloud, VR headset, mixed reality, Windows mixed reality, immersive VR, Facebook Reality Labs, 360 VR

What is Sandbox?

A sandbox is a style of game in which minimal character limitations are placed on the gamer, allowing the gamer to roam and change a virtual world at will. In contrast to a progression-style game, a sandbox game emphasizes roaming and allows a gamer to select tasks. Instead of featuring segmented areas or numbered levels, a sandbox game usually occurs in a “world” to which the gamer has full access from start to finish.

A sandbox game is also known as an open-world or free-roaming game.

Sandbox games can include structured elements – such as mini-games, tasks, submissions and storylines – that may be ignored by gamers. In fact, the sandbox game’s nonlinear nature creates storyline challenges for game designers. For this reason, tasks and side missions usually follow a progression, where tasks are unlocked upon successful task completion.

Sandbox game types vary. Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) generally include a mixture of sandbox and progression gaming and heavily depend on emergent interactive user gameplay for retaining non-progression-focused gamers. Modern “beat ’em ups” and first-person shooters have delved more deeply into the sandbox realm with titles like the “Grand Theft Auto” series, “Red Dead Redemption,” “Assassin’s Creed” and others, allowing gamers to run and gun wherever the mood takes them.

In spite of their name, various sandbox games continue to impose restrictions at some stages of the game environment. This can be due the game’s design limitations, or can be short-run, in-game limitations, such as some locked areas in games that are unlocked once certain milestones are achieved.

This definition was written in the context of Gaming

What is Color Saturation?

Color saturation refers to the intensity of color in an image. As the saturation increases, the colors appear to be more pure. As the saturation decreases, the colors appear to be more washed-out or pale.

A highly saturated image has vivid, rich and bright colors, while an image with a low saturation will veer towards a scale of grey. In most monitor devices, televisions and graphic editing programs there’s an option to increase or decrease saturation.

Color saturation ultimately is one of the three color properties, the other two being hue and value. Saturation is sometimes called “chroma” although the two terms have a slightly different meaning.

While chroma defines the brilliance of a color in absolute terms according to the Munsell Color System, saturation is relative to pure gray. However, in nearly all instances, this difference is quite negligible in practice.

What is Virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness)?

Virtual reality sickness (VR motion sickness) is the physical discomfort that occurs when an end user’s brain receives conflicting signals about self-movement in a digital environment.

While the exact number of people who will be affected by VR motion sickness cannot be known in advance, software engineers who develop VR and augmented reality (AR) environments typically assume that 25% of viewers will experience VR motion sickness. This is the same percentage of people who experience motion sickness on an airplane while traveling through low altitude turbulence.

VR sickness is caused by conflicting signals sent to the brain from the person’s eyes, inner ear and body tissue sensory receptors. A pronounced feeling of illness typically occurs when the viewer is watching a digital representation of themselves appear to move quickly in a digital environment while the person’s physical body remains stationary.

Like other types of simulator sickness, the symptoms of VR motion sickness can include nausea, dizziness/lack of balance, drowsiness, warmth, sweating, headaches, disorientation, eye strain and vomiting. Studies have shown that participants in a VR experience can feel ill up to several hours after taking off their VR headsets.

“There are technical parameters that can ameliorate some of the effects of VR sickness: Tracking needs to be fast and accurate; frame rates need to be high with no or low latency; and the experience needs to be designed in such a way that it avoids certain interactions that can exacerbate motion sickness.” – Todd Richmond

Related Terms: virtual reality cloud, VR headset, mixed reality, Firefox reality, Windows mixed reality, VR room, VR locomotion, immersive VR, Facebook Reality Labs, 360 VR

MemTest86 is a comprehensive, standalone memory tester for x86 and ARM computers. It boots from a USB flash drive and checks for faults using a set of algorithms and test patterns that have been in development for over 20 years.

The Dude is a network monitor designed to improve the way you manage your network environment. It automatically scans all devices within specified subnets, maps the networks, monitors services and alerts you to problems. Allows you to mass upgrade RouterOS devices and configure them, run network monitoring tools and more.

Lessons in Tech offers a series of well-written, detailed how-tos that explain assorted web, security and networking topics. Includes lots of example code and images for enhanced clarity.

vRIN is a VM appliance that can inject a large number of routes into a network, with routing, load test and GNS3. Generates /32 IPv4 and /128 IPv6 static routes and redistributes them into the selected routing protocol(s). Supports BGP (IPv4/6), OSPF, OSPFv3, RIPv2 and RIPng.

Policy Analyzer for analyzing and comparing sets of Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to highlight redundant settings, internal inconsistencies or differences between versions or sets of Group Policies. Can compare GPOs against current local policy and registry settings. rroodenburg explains… “Maybe it’s not user friendly, but it’s a very good tool for comparing policies! You can export results to Excel as well.”

Knowledge of terms to know

What is IT Infrastructure?

IT infrastructure refers to the composite hardware, software, network resources and services required for the existence, operation and management of an enterprise IT environment.

IT infrastructure allows an organization to deliver IT solutions and services to its employees, partners and/or customers and is usually internal to an organization and deployed within owned facilities.

What is Virtual reality-based training (VRBT)?

Virtual reality-based training (VRBT) is an immersive, interactive approach to teaching that uses technology to simulate on-the-job training in a safe, controlled and forgiving environment.

Virtual reality (VR) allows trainers to deliver complex information to a large number of trainees at minimal cost by using a virtual, rather than physical setting.

VRBT is currently being used in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, law enforcement and the space industry. VR medical instructional software is used for teaching medical procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intubation.

According to Derek Belch, CEO and co-founder of Strivr, an immersive learning solutions provider, VR equipment has enabled Walmart to reduce the time spent training associates — from eight hours to 15 minutes. Additionally, when Walmart rolls out new equipment, training can take place before the new machinery arrives.

“Immersive environments allow for mistakes and repetition. In VR, mistakes are free.” – Derek Belch

Related Terms: virtual reality cloud, VR headset, mixed reality, Firefox reality, Windows mixed reality, VR room, VR locomotion, immersive VR, Facebook Reality Labs, 360 VR

What is Dropper?

A dropper is a small helper program that facilitates the delivery and installation of malware.

Spammers and other bad actors use droppers to circumvent the signatures that anti-virus programs use to block or quarantine malicious code. It’s much easier to change the dropper, should its signature become recognized, than it would be to rewrite the malicious codebase.

Droppers, like many of their larger Trojan horse counterparts, can be persistent or non-persistent. Non-persistent droppers install malware and then automatically remove themselves. Persistent droppers copy themselves to a hidden file and stay there until they complete the task they were created for.

Droppers can be spread many ways, including by:

• Opening an infected e-mail attachment.
• Picking up a drive-by download on an infected website.
• Clicking a malicious link on a website or in an email.
• Using an infected flash drive.

Sometimes droppers are bundled with free utility programs (such as ad blockers) to avoid detection. When the free program executes, the dropper will first download and install malware before it unpacks and installs the legitimate utility.

“It’s worth noting that version 2.0 of the StrandHogg Android vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be installed by dropper apps or hostile downloaders distributed via the Google Play Store.” – Alex Scroxton

What is Default Gateway?

A default gateway in Internet jargon is a term for a hardware node or point that will provide outgoing access to data packets to a destination in some other discrete network.

Default simply means that this gateway is used by default, unless an application specifies another gateway. The default server does not even need to be a router; it may be a computer with two network adapters, where one is connected to the local subnet and the other is connected to an outside network.