What happens if I Google, “google?”

As I was playing with Google searching the other day, I stumbled across some ways to search that might be helpful to you in specific situations.  Check these out.

Search Terms

You can use the minus sign to exclude certain words from your search.

Enter this search: SQL -Oracle

To find this: A list of all pages that refer to SQL but do not have the word Oracle on them.

You can search all pages that link to your site.

Enter this search: www.centriq.com:link

To find this:  A list of all pages on the web that have a clickable link to your site.

You can search a specific web site.

Enter this search: sql site:www.centriq.com

To find this: A list of pages on Centriq's site that have the word "SQL" on them.

You can search the contents of a url.

Enter this search: inurl:msdn SQL

To find this: All pages that have a URL that contains "MSDN" and have the term "SQL" somewhere on the page.

Of course you can mix and match these queries with AND, NOT and OR, to find combinations of results.

You can also either directly type the following query stings, OR dynamically generate then through asp code for some creative useful searching to users on your site.

Search Parameters

Enter this address:  http://www.google.com/search?q=sql

To find this:  All pages that have "SQL" on them.

Enter this address: http://www.google.com/search?q=sql&as_eq=oracle

To find this: A list of all pages that refer to SQL but do not have the word Oracle on them.  (notice, same as above)

Enter this address:  http://www.google.com/search?as_sitesearch=www.centriq.com

To find this:  Every page at www.centriq.com.

Enter this address:  http://www.google.com/search?q=techsmartkc&as_sitesearch=www.centriq.com

To find this:  Only pages at www.centriq.com that have the term "techsmartkc" on them.

You will find a list of how to use all search terms and search parameters at https://developers.google.com/search-appliance/documentation/50/xml_reference

Happy searching, I hope this article sparks some creativity and encourages you to use Google in an innovative way.

Closed without saving?? Never fear!

Did you ever accidentally close a document that you had worked on for a while and clicked “no” when prompted to save changes? Good news! The applications in the Microsoft Office 2010 suite have the ability to recover these documents. Instead of gnashing your teeth, try this!

First, make sure that AutoRecover is turned on!

1.  In the backstage view (File tab), click Options. In the Save category, make sure that the check box for Save AutoRecover information every xx minutes is selected.
Note: This must be enabled separately for each application (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)! 

 

2. Test it! When you close a document, you should see the following warning: “Do you want to save changes… If you click “Don’t Save”, a recent copy of this file will be temporarily available.”

To recover an unsaved document:

          1. Open the backstage view (File tab).

          2. From the Info category, click Manage Versions. The Recover Unsaved Documents button will appear.

(Alternately, choose Recent from the menu.

Near the bottom of the window, click the Recover Unsaved Documents button!)

  

             3.  Open the unsaved document from the UnsavedFiles folder.

     4.  When the document reopens, don’t forget to save it properly! You can thank me later :) 
  


     - Irene Heckert

Part II – Security Policy, SMB - Security Is At The Forefront

View Part I

For a lot of SMB’s a good security policy is the basis for a strong network defense.  However for those companies who have not designed and implemented a security policy within their organizations, security issues are lying in wait.

A security policy is the backbone and foundation for information security.  However in this day and age some SMB’s have ignored or not kept up with current security concerns and their policy or lack of policy may allow for a severe security breach.  This may in fact prove fatal for a SMB.

In Part II of my series for SMB, I am going to look at what makes a good security policy.

1.  Executive Management Buy In

All security policies should begin with an executive management summary that includes the purpose, direction and approval of the policy.  This informs IT as well as employees that security is supported in all aspects of the business.  Security needs to be addressed from a top down approach when it pertains to support.  By supporting security initiatives from this approach employees know that security is not only implemented but supported at all levels.

2.  Policies

A security policy is actually a collection of different types policies put together to create one policy.  The other types of policies are created from different areas that need to be secured, such as identification, authentication, authorization and auditing.   Other types of policies would include a user access policy, password policy, vpn policy, remote access policy, wireless policy and acceptable use policy.  Each one of these policies would address a certain set of guidelines and procedures when implementing these technologies.

3)  Standards


Each policy will have standards of how the technology can be implemented.  Standards are important because they allow us to measure by a metric.  For example, if the password policy has a minimum length of 8 characters, then when we set passwords we have a value to measure if we have met the standard.

4)  Guidelines

As mentioned earlier, each policy may also have a set of guidelines.  Guidelines are helpful because they allow us to implement technology with variables that may differ from one area to another area.  Guidelines provide a range of values because if we set a standard it may not be appropriate for that technology.  An example of a guideline would be the types of hardware purchased for laptops.  No one laptop may fit all the needs so guidelines are put in place to ensure secure hardware is purchased.

5)      Procedures

These are the details that go along with every policy that explains the how, who, what and when of how the technology is implemented.  An example of a set of procedures would be how a Cisco wireless thin client would be installed and managed.

6)      Acceptable Use Policy

This is part of the security policy that informs everyone on how company assets and resources are to be used inside and outside of the company.  The acceptable use policy has guidelines, procedures and standards from how you can use a company laptop to where you can go on the internet.  It is important that companies ensure this is updated and employees are made aware of changes.

If you would like to get some more information of creating a security policy and download some templates for the creation of different types of policies try SANS: Information Security Policy Templates

Next month in part 3, I will be discussing how SMB’s can implement and improve security awareness. 

Thank you and if you have any questions during the series please feel free to email me at wpruett@centriq.com

Tom Pruett
Consultant/Instructor


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