Archived News for IT Professionals - July, 2012
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has estimated that as many as 10,000 Australian internet users could face imminent disconnection after US authorities shut down rogue DNS servers.
As many as four million users worldwide have estimated to be infected at the height of the DNSChanger advertising scam, with 10,000 of those in Australia. The DNSChanger scam infected users, redirecting legitimate searchers to maliscious sites via rogue DNS exchanges in Chicago and New York.
ACMA, CERTAustralia and the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy have collaborated to develop a diagnostic website.
Conroy hits out at coalition NBN 'pretence'
Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has hit out at the Federal Opposition’s ‘pretence’ of support of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
NextDC unveils M1 data centre
Networking and cloud computing specialist NextDC has officially opened the company’s new M1 data centre, the largest of its kind currently servicing the city.
Telstra announces Australia Post deal
Telstra and Australia Post have announced the signing of a new deal that will see the country’s largest telecommunications group provide Australia based telecommunications and IT cloud services to the postal group.
Sydney Harbour Bridge monitor wins iAward
Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) together with NICTA (National ICT Australia) developed the high-tech system to automatically and continuously monitor the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s structural integrity.
UTAS to participate in RDSI project
The University of Tasmania is to play a role in the development of Australia’s 100-petabyte storage cloud.
Government outlines local NBN training initiative
The Federal Government has announced a $15.2 million training initiative for 36 communities across the country to assist in the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) under the Digital Hubs and Digital Enterprises program.
First partners announced for research 'big data' project
The Research Data Storage Infrastructure (RDSI) Project, a $50 million Federal Government project that aims to transform the storage of research data has revealed the location of its first five nodes in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart.
The University of Queensland (UQ) is leading the program on behalf of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE).
Dr Nick Tate, RDSI Project Director who is based at UQ, said each of the five nodes would receive funding under the Research Data Storage Infrastructure scheme. He announced that:
• Intersect will establish a primary node in Sydney
• Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF) will establish a primary node in Brisbane
• Australian National University will establish a primary node in Canberra
• eResearch SA (eRSA) will establish a primary node in Adelaide
• The University of Tasmania will establish an additional node in Hobart
The department funds the program from the Education Investment Fund under the Super Science (Future Industries) initiative.
Professor Max Lu, UQ's Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said further nodes would be announced in the near future.
“The project will be a significant boost for researchers around Australia who are capturing and processing of enormous data sets,” Professor Lu said.
“The powerful potential of ‘big data', combined with the significant computing capability that the Government is also investing in, will transform research in many areas, including astronomy, genomics, physics and environmental studies.
“The recent announcement of Australia's involvement in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an example of this rapidly growing area. SKA's dishes will produce data each day equal to about 10 times the current global internet traffic.”
Dr Tate said the RDSI project's storage capacity was expected to grow to 100 petabytes.
“This is many times the size of existing systems,” he said.
The RDSI project aimed to develop a national network of distributed data stores where research data could be readily accessed, analysed and re-used and to support the retention and integration of nationally significant data assets.
It aims to:
• Identify, strengthen and develop research data centres, or nodes, that can hold and process high data volumes
• Identify research data holdings of lasting value and importance and contribute funding to their development at the most appropriate nodes
• Provide the widest possible range of general data sharing and movement infrastructure suitable for data-intensive research activities.
“The project's goal is to develop a coherent and integrated national research data environment, building on the strengths of different providers,” Dr Tate said.
“It aims to ensure a co-ordinated and collaborative use of these resources. This will support enhanced research outcomes through greater access to, and sharing of, research data.”
Dr Tate said consultations with the sector were held during 2010 and 2011, and the project office was established at UQ in 2011.
“Feedback revealed a preference for a distributed model for the RDSI in which services would be developed on the basis of existing local strengths, and the decisions on the location of the first five nodes reflect this,” Dr Tate said.
Government announces TUMSA appointments
The Federal Government has announced the inaugural members of the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency (TUMSA), the new statutory agency that will be tasked with ensuring basic telecommunications services are available to all Australians.
NSW Industry Action Plans released
The New South Wales Government has released draft Industry Action Plans for the manufacturing, professional services, international education and research and digital economy sectors for final consultations.