Getting Around the Logon/Legal Banner Issues when using APM PCoIP Proxy and Horizon
If you're using APM's PCoIP Proxy and require a logon banner, you've probably figured out that the PCoIP Proxy integration stops working when you turn on the integrated logon banner from within the Horizon Administrator. Adding to the pain, internal users can't get any logon banner since you had to turn it off in order for your external access to work! Well, the wait is over! With the use of a nifty iRule that you can attach to your internal Horizon Connection Servers virtual server, you can now present a banner BOTH internal users as well as external users who access Horizon resources using APM PCoIP Proxy. Here's how it works: Disable the logon banner through Horizon Administrator - the BIG-IP will handle presenting the banners for internal users (through the iRule) and external users (through the View iApp) instead of Horizon. Modify the text in the iRule with the text you want to show in the logon banner. Apply the iRule to your LTM Virtual Server that services internal Horizon users (either manually to the LTM virtual server or through the View iApp). You're done! A couple of things to think about when you implement this: If you need to present a legal disclaimer your external users using the PCoIP Proxy, you can still do that through the Horizon View iApp. Do not apply this to any virtual server running the APM PCoIP Proxy - it's only for providing the logon banner to internal Horizon users. The banner for PCoIP Proxy can be easily enabled through the iApp It's important to ensure the PCoIP Proxy's Connection Server settings are pointing to the individual connection server(s) and NOT the LTM virtual server that has the Logon Banner iRule applied. The iRule source is below. # Attach iRule to iApp created virtual server named "<iapp_name>_internal_https" # Replace the section “This is a XXX computer system that is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. This # system is subject to monitoring. Therefore, no expectation of privacy is to be assumed. # Individuals found performing unauthorized activities are subject to disciplinary action # including criminal prosecution.” with your desired text. when RULE_INIT { # Debug Level 0=off, 1=on, 2=verbose set static::internal_disclaimer_debug 0 } when CLIENT_ACCEPTED { set log_prefix_cs "[IP::remote_addr]:[TCP::remote_port clientside] <-> [IP::local_addr]:[TCP::local_port clientside]" if { $static::internal_disclaimer_debug > 1 } { log local0. "<$log_prefix_cs>: CLIENT_ACCEPTED" } } when HTTP_REQUEST { set bypass 0 if {[HTTP::uri] starts_with "/portal/info.jsp"} { if { $static::internal_disclaimer_debug > 0 } { log local0. "<$log_prefix_cs>: Portal Info request, bypassing further processing"} set bypass 1 } else { if {[HTTP::header exists "Content-Length"]} { set content_length [HTTP::header "Content-Length"] } else { # If the header is missing, use a sufficiently large number set content_length 5000 } if { $static::internal_disclaimer_debug > 1 } { log local0. "<$log_prefix_cs>: Set content-length to $content_length"} HTTP::collect $content_length if { [HTTP::path] == "/broker/xml" && [HTTP::header Expect] == "100-continue" } { SSL::respond "HTTP/1.0 100 Continue\r\n\r\n" if { $static::internal_disclaimer_debug > 1 } { log local0. "<$log_prefix_cs>: Application requested: client requires 100 continue response, sending 100-continue"} } } } when HTTP_REQUEST_DATA { if { [HTTP::payload] contains "set-locale" and ( not ($bypass)) } { HTTP::respond 200 content {<?xml version="1.0"?><broker version="9.0"><configuration><result>ok</result><broker-guid>aaaaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-ddddddddddddddddd</broker-guid><authentication><screen><name>disclaimer</name><params><param><name>text</name><values><value>This is a XXX computer system that is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. This system is subject to monitoring. Therefore, no expectation of privacy is to be assumed. Individuals found performing unauthorized activities are subject to disciplinary action including criminal prosecution.</value></values></param></params></screen></authentication></configuration><set-locale><result>ok</result></set-locale></broker>} noserver "Connection" "close" "Content-Type" "text/xml;charset=UTF-8" if { $static::internal_disclaimer_debug > 1 } { log local0. "<$log_prefix_cs>: Sending Disclaimer Message"} } if { [HTTP::payload] contains "disclaimer" } { if { $static::internal_disclaimer_debug > 1 } { log local0. "<$log_prefix_cs>: Disclaimer Message Accepted - waiting for credentials."} } } This solution has been tested using Horizon 6.0 (and later) as well as the Horizon 3.0 (and later) Client. Earlier versions of the client and/or Horizon Connection Server could produce unexpected results. Big shout-out to Greg Crosby for his work on the iRule!Load Balancing VMware's Workspace Portal/Identity Manager with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
What is VMware Identity Manager (formerly known as VMware Workspace Portal)? VMware Identity Manager is a service that extends your on-premises directory infrastructure to provide a seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) experience to Web, Mobile, SaaS, and legacy applications. Simply put, it's a service aggregator and identity provider for your IT resources. One single login to Identity Manager gains you access to Citrix XenApp, Horizon, Web, SaaS, and ThinApp resources. You can find more about Identity Manager at https://www.vmware.com/products/identity-manager/. BIG-IP can provide intelligent traffic management, high availability and monitoring through the use of BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) and BIG-IP DNS (Global Traffic Management). BIG-IP's Access Policy Manager (APM) can also provide secure access to the apps and resources accessible through the Identity Manager portal as well as the actual Identity Manager portal itself. In this article, we'll focus on building a highly available Identity Manager implementation using BIG-IP LTM. You can download the updated step-by-step load-balancing guide for VMware Workspace Portal/Identity Manager here. What's also cool is you can do a walk through of this very setup in the VMware Hands-On-Lab at VMworld 2015 (Look for HOL-MBL-1659) or by clicking the following link - http://labs.hol.vmware.com/HOL/catalogs/lab/2078. Special thanks to Bryan Salek, Matt Mabis, and Mosa Emamjomeh for helping put this together! Stay tuned for a future post on how to securely access Workspace Portal/Identity Manager using BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM), which includes proxying Citrix XenApp, Horizon, and Web Application resources. WorkspaceOne/Identity Manager 2.6 Update: When changing the FQDN of VMware Identity Manager there is an additional (and new) stepthat needs to be done.After changing the FQDN, log back into the Workspace One Admin UI using a local account and clickCatalog --> Settings. Next, selectNew End User Portal UIand clickEnable New Portal UI. Once completed, log out and you should now be able to login using a domain account.
F5 Anti-Fraud Solutions: Frictionless Protection for the Masses
Anti-Fraud Solutions: Why F5? In 2013, F5 Networks grew its security portfolio to include advanced Anti-Fraud services with the acquisition of the Israeli-based security company Versafe. At the RSA Conference in San Francisco this week, we have a section of our F5 booth dedicated to the Anti-Fraud solution where we are talking about the technology, answering questions and demonstrating the capabilities all week. If you cannot make it to the conference or even if you attended but missed us at our booth, that’s not a problem. I’ll fill you in on some of the details. First, just walking around the RSA Conference, it’s clear that there is no shortage of anti-fraud solutions on the market. The number is mind blowing and continuously growing. As new threats emerge, new technologies are introduced to combat them. But if you look at the approaches each company takes, they are often quite different. So that begs the question: why F5? Well, from a feature and function standpoint, we cover a wide range of web-based fraud detection and protection capabilities. The WebSafe solution, which protects web-based applications, safeguards against various forms of malicious activity including phishing attacks, Man-In-The-Middle, Man-In-The-Browser and Trojan activity such as web injections, form hijacking, page modifications and transaction modification. But what makes the solution unique is that it enables 100% coverage of the user base in a completely clientless manner, without impacting the user experience. We inject our obfuscated code via an iRule, into the web application code as part of the response data. In other words, the solution is completely frictionless, which is key differentiator number one. And because the solution leverages common browser-based technologies, we protect users who are navigating from all types of devices: laptops, PCs, tablets, smart TVs, mobile devices, etc. As long as the user is navigating with a standard web browser, they will be protected. This is key differentiator number two. From a deployment standpoint, today the WebSafe solution is implemented via an iRule on an F5 device (either physical or virtual), so there is no need to introduce changes to the web applications our customers are looking to protect from online fraud. This saves time when deploying the solution because there is no need to engage web development resources which are often outsourced or already engaged in critical projects. Our ability to deploy without these web application changes equates to savings and is key value proposition number three. As a matter of fact, many F5 customers can leverage their current F5 investment and deploy the Anti-Fraud services on their existing infrastructure, requiring no additional hardware investment: differentiator number four. Lastly, WebSafe provides protection against online fraud without a client install and with no change in the online users’ experience. Introducing CAPTCHAs, popups, etc is often too intrusive to the end user, so we are looking to protect the users without introducing friction in the process. Summary If you are at the RSA Conference, stop by booth 1801. We would be happy to demonstrate our Anti-Fraud solution and help to enhance your fraud protection capabilities. If you are not at RSA, look for further details here. We will be posting more details about F5’s Anti-Fraud solutions throughout the coming weeks.Privacy for a Price
A few weeks ago, I went to my usual haircut place and after the trim at the register I presented my loyalty card. You know the heavy paper ones that either get stamped or hole-punched for each purchase. After a certain number of paid visits, you receive a free haircut. I presented the card, still in the early stages of completion, for validation and the manager said I could convert the partially filled card to their new system. I just had to enter my email address (and some other info) in the little kiosk thingy. I declined saying, 'Ah, no thanks, enough people have my email already and don't need yet another daily digest.' He continued, 'well, we are doing away with the cards and moving all electronic so...' 'That's ok,' I replied, 'I'll pay for that extra/free haircut to keep my name off a mailing list.' This event, of course, got me thinking about human nature and how we will often give up some privacy for either convenience or something free. Imagine a stranger walking up to you and asking for your name, address, email, birthday, income level, favorite color and shopping habits. Most of us would tell them to 'fill in the blank'-off. Yet, when a Brand asks for the same info but includes something in return - free birthday dinner, discounted tickets, coupons, personalized service - we typically spill the beans. Infosys recently conducted a survey which showed that consumers worldwide will certainly share personal information to get better service from their doctors, bank and retailers; yet, they are very sensitive about how they share. Today’s digital consumers are complicated and sometimes suspicious about how institutions use their data, according to the global study of 5,000 digitally savvy consumers. They also created an infographic based on their findings. Overall they found: 82 percent want data mining for fraud protection, will even switch banks for more security; 78 percent more likely to buy from retailers with targeted ads, while only 16 percent will share social profile; 56 percent will share personal and family medical history with doctors ...and specific to retail: To know me is to sell to me: Three quarters of consumers worldwide believe retailers currently miss the mark in targeting them with ads on mobile apps, and 72 percent do not feel that online promotions or emails they receive resonate with their personal interests and needs To really know me is to sell me even more: A wide majority of consumers (78 percent) agree that they would be more likely to purchase from a retailer again if they provided offers targeted to their interests, wants or needs, and 71 percent feel similarly if offered incentives based on location Catch-22 for retailers? While in principle shoppers say they want to receive ads or promotions targeted to their interests, just 16 percent will share social media profile information. Lacking these details could make it difficult for retailers to deliver tailored digital offers Your data is valuable and comes with a price. While many data miners are looking to capitalize on our unique info, you can always decline. Yes, it is still probably already gathered up somewhere else; Yes, you will probably miss out on some free or discounted something; Yes, you will probably see annoying pop-up ads on that free mobile app/game and; Yes, you might feel out of the loop. But, it was still fun to be in some control over my own info leaks. ps Related: Path pledges to be ad-free: Will consumers pay for their privacy? What Would You Pay for Privacy? Paying for privacy: Why it’s time for us to become customers again Consumers Worldwide Will Allow Access To Personal Data For Clear Benefits, Says Infosys Study Engaging with digital consumers: Insights from Infosys survey [Infographic] Parking Ticket Privacy Invasion of Privacy - Mobile App Infographic Style 'Radio Killed the Privacy Star' Music Video? Technorati Tags: privacy,data,big data,mobile,loyalty,consumer,human,information,personal,silva,security,retail,financial Connect with Peter: Connect with F5:The Top 10, Top 10 Predictions for 2016
The time of year when crystal balls get a viewing and many pundits put out their annual predictions for the coming year. Rather than thinking up my own, I figured I’d regurgitate what many others are expecting to happen. 7 Future Predictions for the Internet of Things – IoT is one of the hottest terms and trends. From connected cars, homes, businesses and more, connected devices are becoming more prevalent in our lives. Stable Kernel looks at the future economic growth, development of smart cities, wearables, privacy challenges and how voice commands will become the norm. Top 10 Humanoid Robots Designed To Match Human Capabilities And Emotions – While once a dream of The Jetsons, companion robots in the home will become as common as pets, even if the pet is a robot. WT VOX explores whether robots could fully replace humans by 2045 as some predict and takes a look at the top 10 that are starting to match human capability. The top security threats of 2016 – ZDNet digs into McAfee's 2016 cybersecurity threat report covering areas like hardware, ransomware, cloud services, connected cars and the warehouses of stolen data. From the Ashley Madison hack, to Jeeps taken off-road and the TalkTalk breach, digital infiltration is now a daily occurrence and no one is immune. Forrester’s top 10 predictions for business in 2016 — and what they mean for tech – Computerworld summarizes Forrester’s top 10 predictions and how 2016 will be the year that the companies that thrive will be those advancing down the customer obsession path. They look at critical business issues like loyalty, analytics, personalization and how privacy will become a value to which customers will respond. You need to live a customer-obsessed operating model to survive. IBM predicts tech world of 2016 – At number 5, IBM has published its 6th annual Five in Five - where it predicts five innovations that will change all of our lives in the next five years, with mind-reading machines apparently set to be interpreting our thoughts by 2016. From generating our own energy to no more passwords to almost everyone having some sort of mobile technology, IBM Labs is exploring these emerging technologies. DDoS Predictions for 2016, IBM Insights – Also from Big Blue, they are sharing insight into new types of DDoS attacks that are to be expected during the coming year. DDoS is no longer a nagging problem but a bona fide technique to disable a company’s resources. BitTorrent, malicious JavaScript and Temporal Lensing DDoS (pdf) attacks are all explained. As I’ve mentioned before, there have always been protesters and activists - some write letters, some picket on the sidewalk, some throw rocks and with the advent of the internet, now you can protest (and more) by creating digital havoc. 5 IT industry predictions for 2016 from Forrester and IDC – CIO.com hits on the 2016 predictions of IDC and Forrester, two of the largest analyst firms. In their distillation, there could be a bleak future for legacy vendors since according to IDC, ‘by 2020, more than 30 percent of the IT vendors will not exist as we know them today.’ There will also be some cloud consolidation, big data gets even bigger and traditional enterprises will turn into software companies. Software developers will become a scarce commodity. IDC Software Licensing and Pricing Predictions 2016: Top 10 Predictions – And speaking of software, Amy Konary of IDC writes about focus areas like the growth of subscription and outcomes-based pricing, the real cost of licensing complexity, usage models in IoT, the business model impacts of the convergence of cloud, mobile, social, and big data technologies. 10+1 Commandments For Companies Developing Wearable Health Trackers – Many of us will be getting a wearable or two this holiday season so ScienceRoll rolled up it’s 10+1 commandments every company developing wearable health trackers should follow. Practical value, online communities, long live batteries and gamification are what user’s desire. We know you want to make money but focus on helping people live a healthier life. In-depth: Top 10 Internet of Things companies to watch – We started with IoT and figured I’d caboose this with another. RCRWireless digs in to the top players in both Industrial IoT and Consumer IoT. Many of the names are familiar: Cisco, IBM, ATT, Google, GE, Samsung and a few others are already hedging their future on all these connected nouns. See what these organizations are doing both internally and externally to embrace IoT and take advantage of this proposed multi-trillion dollar market opportunity. And if you want to see if any of the previous year’s predictions came true, here ya go: The Top 10, Top 10 Predictions for 2015 The Top 10, Top 10 Predictions for 2014 The Top 10, Top 10 2013 Predictions The Top 10, Top Predictions for 2012 ps Technorati Tags: 2016,predictions,future,technology,security,cloud,iot,silva,wearables,f5,top10 Connect with Peter: Connect with F5:The Top 10, Top 10 Predictions for 2015
The time of year that crystal balls get a viewing and many pundits put out their annual predictions for the coming year. Rather than thinking up my own, I figured I’d regurgitate what many others are expecting to happen. IDC Reveals Worldwide Internet of Things Predictions for 2015 - So 2014, according to last year's proclamations, was the break out year for the Internet of Things (Iot) and it didn't disappoint. IoT is everywhere and IDC offers their take for 2015. Cloud, security & network capacity all come into play when wearables, embedded systems and smart cities overrun our society. Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2015 - Gartner announced their technology trends that will be strategic for most organizations in October with IoT, Everywhere Computing and 3D Printing topping the list. They also include the rise of Smart Machines, Software defined systems and the recognition that it is not possible to provide a 100 percent secured environment. Once organizations acknowledge that, they can begin to apply more-sophisticated risk assessment and mitigation tools. Seven Cloud Security Predictions for 2015 - OK, not 10 but 7 interesting cloud security predictions from Perspecsys. With more breaches and surveillance it is important to secure sensitive data while maintaining application functionality. True that. They talk about how Private Clouds will continue growth, the rise of Intellectual data in the cloud, mobile-first development, breach insurance and how the cloud is redrawing the IT security line. More Cloud Data Breaches ‘Inevitable’ in 2015, Forrester Says - Robert Graham reviews Forrester's Predictions 2015: The Days of Fighting the Cloud are Over which talks about how cloud breaches are inevitable but it will probably happen through some typical business process or lack of training rather than a direct cloud hit. Forrester also says that Docker containers will become a slam dunk, that there will be a surge in industry-specific, software-as-a-service product (IoT?) and Software-as-a-service vendors will creep toward hybrid rollouts. Top 10 Tech Predictions for 2015 - Over on LinkedIn Dr. Hossein Eslambolchi, Chairman and CEO at CyberFlow Analytic, offers his 2015 take. He notes that that Applications must be the center (of the universe), that Data Intensive Applications Will Rule Wireless IP and that Cloud Computing Will Plateau among his futures. Security Predictions for 2015 and Beyond - Trend Micro has their annual report out called The Invisible Become Visible on how more cybercriminals with use darknets to share attack tools, stage attacks and sell the ill-gotten gains.We'll be sharing more data, our passwords will still be a target and an exploit kit specifically targeting Android will appear. Top cybersecurity predictions of 2015 - ZDNet offers a slideshow (with text) with their perception. While our healthcare info is always at risk, there will be new players and vulnerabilities geared toward stealing that plus a whole lotta other stuff since Information is a digital goldmine. Also, as more IoT devices connect, there will be attacks targeting your thermostat, car or coffee machine. I called it over a year ago but there you have it. IDC: Top 10 Technology Predictions For 2015 - Yea, I had IDC at the top for IoT but this is their overall report. Forbes goes over this report where new technologies (cloud, mobile, big data, and the Internet of Things — and an exploding number of solutions built on them) will see 100% growth. Worldwide IT and telecommunications spending will grow 3.8% in 2015 to more than $3.8 trillion. Wireless data will grow, innovative partnerships will form, cloud is the new data center and China will have huge influence. Interesting read here. 2015 Timeline - FutureTimeLine.net has an interesting list of upcoming 2015 events. While technology driven, many look at achievements and plans rather than wishes and guesses. For instance, in 2015 The first solar aircraft to circumnavigate the globe will make an attempt, there will be The first self-regulating artificial heart, that Electric car ownership reaches 1 million worldwide and The New Horizons probe arrives at Pluto. It just woke up from the 9 year trip yesterday! 26 Hilariously Inaccurate Predictions About the Future - And for some fun, nostalgia and history here are some predictions that just never came true. From personal helicopters to rocket belts to homes made of steel, many come with the original story. ps Related The Top 10, Top 10 Predictions for 2014 The Top 10, Top 10 2013 Predictions The Top 10, Top Predictions for 2012 Technorati Tags: 2014,2015,predictions,future,technology,security,cloud,iot,silva,f5 Connect with Peter: Connect with F5:
SDN: An architecture for operationalizing networks
As we heard at last week’s Open Networking Summit 2014, managing change and complexity in data centers is becoming increasingly difficult as IT and operations are constantly being pressured to deliver more features, more services, and more applications at ever increasing rates. The solution is to design the network for rapid evolution in a controlled and repeatable manner similar to how modern web applications are deployed. This is happening because it is no longer sufficient for businesses to deliver a consistent set of services to their customers. Instead, the world has become hyper-competitive and it has become necessary to constantly deliver new features to not only capture new customers but to retain existing customers. This new world order poses a significant conflict for the operations side of the business as their charter is to ensure continuity of service and have traditionally used careful (often expensive) planning efforts to ensure continuity of service when changes are needed. The underling problem is that the network is not operationalized and instead changes are accomplished through manual and scripted management. The solution for operations is to move towards architectures that are designed for rapid evolution and away from manual and scripted processes. Software Defined Networking address these challenges by defining a family of architectures for solving these types operational challenges and operations teams are latching on with a rarely seen appetite. The key to the success of SDN architectures is the focus on abstraction of both the control and data planes for the entire network via open APIs (not just the stateless Layer 0-4 portions). The first layer of abstraction allows for a centralized control plane system called an SDN Controller, or just Controller, that understands the entire configuration of the network and programmatically configures the network increasing the velocity and fidelity of configurations by removing humans from configuration loop – humans are still needed to teach the Controller what to do. These Controllers allow for introspection on the configuration and allow for automated deployments. As Controllers mature, I expect them to gain the capabilities of a configuration management system (CMS) allowing for network architects to rapidly revert changes virtually instantaneously. The second layer of abstraction allows for network architects or third parties to programmatically extend the capabilities of a data path element. This can be as seemingly simple as adding a match-and-forward rule to a switch (e.g., OpenFlow) or as seemingly complex as intercepting a fully parsed HTTP request, parsing an XML application object contained within, and then interrogating a database for a forwarding decision (e.g., LineRate and F5) based on the parsed application data. However, realizing the fully operational benefits of SDN architectures requires that the entire network be designed with SDN architectural principles including both the stateless components (e.g., switching, routing, and virtual networking) and the stateful components (e.g., L4 firewalls, L7 application firewalls, and advanced traffic mangement). Early on SDN proponents, as SDN evolved from a university research project, proposed pure stateless Layer 2-3 networking ignoring the complexities of managing modern networks that call for stateful L4-7 services. The trouble with this approach is that every additional operational domain disproportionately increases operational complexities, as the domains need to be “manually” kept in sync. Recognizing this need, major Layer 2-4 vendors, including Cisco, have formed partnerships with F5 and other stateful Layer 4-7 vendors to complement their portfolios. With the goal of helping customers operationalize their networks, I offer the following unifying definition of SDN for discussion: “SDN is a family of architectures (not technologies) for operationalizing networks with reduced operating expenses, reduced risks, and improved time to market by centralizing control into a control plane that programmatically configures and extends all network data path elements and services via open APIs.” Over the next few months I’ll dig deeper into different aspects of SDN – stay tuned!HOT OFF THE PRESSES – VMware and F5 Hands-On-Lab Now Available!
VMware and F5 are proud to announce the availability of one of the first partner-centric labs utilizing VMware’s global Hands-On-Lab infrastructure. In close collaboration with the VMware End User Computing Technical Enablement team, the VMware Alliance team at F5 created this lab to create easy-to-use yet rich technical exercises. This lab will show you the ease of configuration and benefits of using the F5 BIG-IP platform in support of your VMware EUC enterprise solutions. This includes Horizon 6, both for virtual desktop infrastructure and application publishing. The lab provides a walkthrough from initial setup of F5 BIG-IP withHorizon 6 to configuring and providing additional security and fault tolerance to your VMware EUC solutions. This 1 st release of the lab includes: Brief overview of intelligent, VMware Horizon-aware system availability, security, and network traffic management capabilities using F5 BIG-IP’s Local Traffic Manager (LTM), Global Traffic Manager (GTM), and Access Policy Manager (APM). Deploying the F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition on vSphere Running through the basic setup and configuration of the F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition How to upload certificates and iApps (F5’s interactive, simple-to-use configuration templates) to the F5 BIG-IP Step-by-step instructions on how to load balance multiple Horizon Connection Servers and Security Servers Implementing and configuring F5 Access Policy Manager’s (APM) PCoIP Proxy as a Security Server alternative This lab is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction into the key products, technologies, and solutions VMware and F5 have developed to bring enhanced availability, scalability, and security to your Horizon environment. After completion, you will have gained a solid understanding of how to deploy and configure F5’s BIG-IP Application Delivery Services together with VMware Horizon. Here’s the link that will take you directly to the VMware and F5 Hands-On-Lab: http://vmware.com/go/f5lab Before you start this lab – you’ll first need to register (it’s FREE). After clicking on the link, choose the “Login/Register” tab in the upper right corner of the browser window. Continue following the directions on the subsequent screens to complete the enrollment and then login to the lab. We’re open to any feedback or suggestions - just send you comments or feedback to vmwarepartnership@f5.com! Enjoy the lab!The Digital Dress Code
Coming to an office near you. If you thought the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) craze was a headache, just wait until button cameras, smart watches, and spy glasses (already here) are a daily occurrence in the office. Workplace #wearables will be a huge challenge in the coming years as more devices, clothing and pretty much any 'thing' with a chip or sensor become commonplace in our society. The device explosion with IoT (Internet of Things) will be much larger than any of these mobile phones we carry around. A couple new reports examine the impact of IoT on businesses. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released a report on wearable technology after surveying 1,000 consumers, 314 of which use some form of wearable, as part of "The Wearable Future" report. Some key findings included that 77% of respondents thought that a top benefit of wearable technology is the potential to make employees more productive and efficient. Honestly, when I read that I immediately thought of my boss's hologram standing behind me in my home office watching my work. 70% expect that their office should allow the use of wearables...probably the same folks who wanted to bring their own tablet and 46% felt that organizations should fund wearables rather than the dreaded BYOD. The idea is that if the technology is simple to use and integrates with other devices, that should boost productivity and lift profits. Even so, there needs to be significant investment to ensure the camera shirt buttons can talk to Exchange, ya know. The biggest concerns, according to PwC, include the risk of security breaches, invasion of privacy, tech dependence, having too many devices and on a more human level, not being able to relate to others or simply looking silly with all those attachments. PwC also looked at the industries that will capitalize on the wearable market. Entertainment will be more 'immersive and fun'; Social Media gets more real time updates from your clothes; Gaming can be more visually and physically engaging; Advertisers will want the space on your back; Healthcare will track your vitals; and Retail could offer “pleasant, efficient” shopping experiences. Business Insider recently released a report looking at the device growth They feel that by 2019, IoT devices will more than double the size of the smartphone, tablet, PC, wearable and connected car combined. That's huge. All the software, hardware, maintenance and management of IoT could add $1.7 trillion to the global economy by 2019. They also feel that the main benefit of IoT will be the efficiencies and cost savings by giving the user more control. But, there are sill few standards and even less compatibility so that needs work, not to mention the security risks inherent in these nouns. The processing power, storage, cameras, sensors and everything else will far surpass the USB-stick risks of years past, plus the potential of all this corporate data getting stored in personal clouds could spell big trouble. And how are all these nouns going to found on the internet? DNS of course! Once all these various wearables hit the office, DNS will be the thing that allows us people to find them threads. I truly feel that DNS will be one of the most strained technologies as more connections happen in the office and will be discussing this trend at the ThingsExpo - which is part of SYS-CON Media's CloudExpo in Santa Clara this week. ps Related: Employees Excited, Concerned About Wearables in the Workplace Medical Devices: Safeguarding the Healthcare Revolution How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Competition The 'Internet of Things' Will Be The World's Most Massive Device Market And Save Companies Billions Of Dollars As Wearables Get Hot, These 6 Industries Are Poised to Capitalize Why the Internet of Things will turn data computing on its head My Sensored Family The Internet of...(Drum Roll Please)...Band-Aids?!? The Breach of Things Technorati Tags: iot,things,wearables,workplace,sensors,silva,devices,byod,smart,f5,big data,privacy Connect with Peter: Connect with F5:Oh, Is That The Internet You're Wearing?
I can see it now... [Enter Dream Sequence] 'ALOHA! We're here at the Red Carpet Event at the 2021 Web Movie Awards! All the stars are here wearing the latest in fashion trends. Oh, here comes DigiTom wearing his underarm sweat blocker shirt that also calculates how much moisture he is losing and how many ounces of water he needs to replace that sweat. Cool stuff. Ah, and here comes Hank Hologram and what is amazing is how his shoes continue to change colors depending on his mood. Ooop...With all those screams, it must be super director Steve Streamer who has 500 little HHDD cameras sown into his clothes and he is making a live action movie of this event!' Can't wait to see who plays me!' Wearables are one of the hottest trends pushing the Internet of Things. Many of us are familiar with the sensor bracelet things that keeps track of steps, distance, calories burned and all the things a pedometer used to do. But now there are sensors stitched in to our actual clothing! Nike recently patented a shirt that provides 'enhanced body position feedback.' Basically you are wearing your coach as an outfit. It is a wearable instruction shirt that helps improve an athlete’s form or body positioning. A Korean artist has released a kinetic wearable, Metamorphosis, which features a woman’s dress and man’s blazer that detect when you’re drunk. When consuming alcohol, the shoulders on the dress expand and transition between different colors, while the collar on the blazer rise to hide the wearer’s face. The dress is designed to show how a female’s confidence increases when consuming alcohol but the blazer hides the male when it senses too much alcohol on his breath. I'm not incoxitated ossifer! A Brazilian designer has won an award for her lingerie that illuminates when touched. While not yet in production, there are micro sensors built into the bras and underwear and brings the red light district into your own home. And of you think these are one-offs, this October in Portland there will be FashioNXT’s first annual Wearable Technology Fashion Competition. They are looking at ways to bring wearables into mainstream adoption with the focus on ensuring the technology blends into the essence of the clothing. To top it all off, there is an interesting article about the 5 psychological challenges facing wearables. It is about behavior change technology and if these apps can actually change what a person does. The 5 challenges include: Apathy - if you're not motivated to change, it doesn't matter. Simplicity vs. Complexity - You can’t just shove complex psychology into an app and expect an incredible user experience. Personalization vs. Scale - Psychology is generally applied in a clinical setting, with the best results from 1:1 interactions & does not scale. Relapse - The process of anticipating/preventing relapse is integral to lasting behavior change. This important step is almost always overlooked in technologies Integration with Real Life - There exists a natural barrier between doing something on your phone and taking action in real life. With 82% of American wearable tech users believing that it has enhanced their lives, I'm sure this is just the beginning of the Wearable Internet. ps Related Nike Patents Golf Shirt Design That Could Double as Coach A Dress that Detects When You're Drunk Lingerie that lights up? Brazilian designer wins award 10 Hottest ‘Top-To-Toe’ Wearable Gadgets 5 psychological challenges facing wearables, quantified self and behavior change apps Wearable Technology – UK and US Facts & Figures Making bearable wearables Fashioning Health & Wellness: An Interview with Misfit Wearables Technorati Tags: iot,wearables,sensors,things,clothes,silva,f5 Connect with Peter: Connect with F5:
