Waze Gets Major Update on Android Auto With Coolwalk Support autoevolution
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Waze Gets Major Update on Android Auto With Coolwalk Support - autoevolution
Category: Dedicated Server
TSplus has just released an updated version of Advanced Security, the all-in-one cybersecurity program for remote desktop installations. It is the opportunity to remind users how the software can protect them against growing cyberthreats.
Press Release - Jan 27, 2023 15:00 CET
IRVINE, Calif., January 27, 2023 (Newswire.com) - In 2023, cybersecurity experts predict that ransomware attacks will keep increasing, raising the ransoms to recover encrypted data to unprecedented amounts. Both public and private spheres are under threat. That is why it is crucial that organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to single-person enterprise and freelancers working from home, use the right protection.
TSplus Advanced Security includes a powerful Ransomware Protection feature, which works as a defensive shield against ransomware attacks: using advanced analysis techniques. Possessing both static and behavioral analysis to catch ransomware unknown to antivirus and antimalware software, it immediately detects and blocks attacks even before they happen. It then quarantines the suspicious documents or programs and sends a warning with details of the attack. The admin can then decide to whitelist what is considered safe. When the feature is active, it automatically checks all opened apps and files. To ensure a greater level of protection, Ransomware Protection also creates bait files in key folders where ransomware attacks often originate.
Moreover, Administrators can quickly identify and recover affected files after an attack thanks to the snapshot feature.
Protecting Careless Remote Desktop Users From Scams
Phishing, vishing, smishing and other types of online scams are not about to stop. Fake emails, fake marketing, fake websites... The list of ways to get access to key information and important files to exploit their data is long. It is therefore the responsibility of admins to correctly protect remote access and Windows sessions in order to prevent irredeemable damage to businesses due to the unawareness of the users.
Advanced Security offers several features in order to decrease the internal risks of Remote Desktop use as much as possible:
Preventing Hackers rom Stealing Corporate Data
The global financial crisis is pushing cybercriminals to improve their techniques to take advantage of the situation.
With this problem in mind, TSplus recently developed the Hacker IP Protection: a great feature that instantly blocks over 613 million IPs identified as threats from day one of use. This list of well-known authors of online attacks, on-line service abuse, malware, botnets and other cybercrime activities is updated daily using multiple sources in the security community.
Next, the Brute-Force Defender feature automatically blocks fraudulent attempts to connect to a session using wrong credentials. To complete this security, the Homeland Protection allows the restriction of access per geographic areas. Admins can easily define which countries are considered as safe to connect. Finally,Endpoint protection is a quick way to restrict access per registered device and to prevent the wrong people from accessing sensitive corporate data.
Blocked IPs from bots and malicious sources are listed in the IP Management tab for easy administration.
TSplus Advanced Security is now available in version 6.4 with enhanced features.For more information, the changelog can be consulted online.
Update now or download the 15-day trial version from the website.
Source: TSplus Corp
Excerpt from:
2023 Cyberthreats Threads: The Advanced Security Response - Newswire
A bare metal server is defined as an advanced physical server designed to deliver a set of services dedicated to a single customer. This article explains the fundamentals of a bare metal server, how it works, and its importance in todays digital world.
A bare metal server refers to an advanced physical server designed to deliver a set of services dedicated to a single customer. It operates in a single-tenant environment that is highly stable and reliable since the physical resources of the server are not shared between multiple tenants.
The physical separation between machines isolates them from other network components and frees them from the noisy neighbor effect prevalent in virtual ecosystems. As a result, a bare metal server can process large quantities of data and run for extended periods, which can, in turn, elevate its overall performance.
Bare metal servers enable direct access to the underlying hardware architecture, unlike virtualized machines. Heres an example. In a typical virtual machine (VM), the layers are stacked one over another to access the underlying physical hardware. This implies that a guest operating system such as Ubuntu, Windows Server, Red Hat, or CentOS sits over a hypervisor, which sits over the hardware.
Thus, an end-user has access only to the guest OS and the management interface that provisions the VM. However, a users direct connection to the associated hardware is missing in such architectures.
On the contrary, bare metal servers allow users to access and interact with the physical hardware directly. As a result, users can avail multiple options while designing their own platform that can openly render a service or host an application. Bare metal servers do not need multiple software layers, as observed in virtualized systems where a minimum of one layer (type 1 hypervisor) is essential.
The servers performance is enhanced with lesser software layers between the use and the physical hardware. However, it is worth noting that the tenants of bare metal are enabled to create VMs over the hardware, much like in a typical virtualized environment.
Lets look at a simple analogy. One can equate a bare metal server to an independent house owned by a user, wherein the user is free to customize it depending on his preferences and choices. As a result, the user stays isolated and does not have to deal with nearby noisy neighbors.
On the contrary, a virtualized environment hosts multiple tenants. Here, multiple users tend to share compute, storage, and other resources hosted by the virtual server. You can equate this scenario to renting an apartment where a neighbors interference is inevitable and can disturb your personal life and space.
Organizations can benefit from bare metal servers as they can offer dedicated services in their own data centers or colocation centers. Another alternative that businesses can opt for is to rent dedicated servers to a managed service provider on a weekly, hourly, or monthly subscription basis.
See More: AWS CloudPractitioner: Certification, Exam, Jobs, and Salary in 2022
A bare metal servers workflow optimizes the server infrastructure since it fulfills an organizations unique data storage and computing needs. Managing the routine activities of such servers is slightly challenging for most organizations. However, external service providers can prove to be beneficial for companies. IT teams can zero in on critical business operations rather than engage in server maintenance tasks.
Lets understand some vital day-to-day processes that maintain the smooth workflow of bare metal servers.
Servers tend to perform well when their operating system and other software components are regularly updated and patched. These minor updates and software patches are vital to securing data and protecting the servers from external attacks. You also need to monitor other server components, such as firewalls and switches and set thresholds to ensure that the server is safe from any outside intrusion.
Traffic management is critical for any networking component, and bare metal servers are no exception. Each server instance is unique, requiring close attention and monitoring. You can define firewall and security rules for various instances and alter them as needed. The firewall restricts the ingress and egress traffic based on IP addresses, portals, IP rules, and several other factors.
Such rules are crucial to maintaining the seamless workflow of servers as suspicious traffic, and unwanted activities are kept under control.
Bare metal servers allow all the internal members within an organization to directly access their resources and interact with them without any hindrance. Since each team member has a direct link to the underlying hardware, it is essential to limit the level of interaction. You can achieve this by segregating users based on their roles and responsibilities and giving them various permissions for server interaction. This way, the server is safe from any possible physical vulnerabilities.
Moreover, operational management also involves other duties such as managing data backup and recovery, data migration, fixing and replacing hardware components, and managing domain name services. All these functions allow the servers to work smoothly.
See More: What is a Data Lake? Definition, Architecture, Tools, and Applications
With growing digitization, bare metal servers are increasingly important for enjoying stable digital connections. They address problems encountered while maintaining a virtualized environment and provide a strong, robust, and secure networking base for organizations.
Bare metal servers are an integral part of the gaming industry, which handles high latency and CPU-intensive workloads. These servers also play a key role in the aviation, finance, and online media industry verticals (YouTube, Netflix, Disney), which generate large volumes of data every second. Major players in the bare metal server market players include IBM, Oracle, OVHcloud, CenturyLink, Zenlayer, and others.
Benefits of Bare Metal Servers
Bare metal servers offer top-notch execution of tasks when compared to other servers. This high performance is a consequence of the dedicated nature of the server since all its resources work for a single client. This arrangement is suitable for various applications such as ecommerce stores, databases, VMs, mobile apps, and even hosting sites. A slow website indicates that you need to consider a bare metal server for faster operations.
Since users have complete control over the underlying hardware, they can customize server resources based on their needs. For example, the user can segregate resources into multiple VMs, customize them for specific tasks, or even dedicate them to execute a single application.
According to September 2022 data by Semrush, google.com, youtube.com, facebook.com, and amazon.com are the top four websites in the US that receive the highest traffic. These popular sites can be easily hosted on a basic bare metal server.
Additionally, more powerful and advanced servers employ several processors that can practically manage the workload of a large company. Also, server customization based on requirements further benefits the organization.
Bare metal servers isolate data, resources, programs, and even applications. As a result, they provide better security and privacy than other hosting servers. These servers reduce the attack surface, and cybercriminals cannot steal personal or sensitive data as they find it difficult to access the system.
The isolated environment allows companies to further tweak the firewall settings as per their needs to widen their security base.
Bare metal servers provide scaling options where you can scale vertically or horizontally. Scaling vertically implies upgrading to an even more powerful server when the current server cannot handle the workload. You can do this by migrating the server to another server with more RAM capacity.
Scaling horizontally entails installing additional servers to distribute the original servers workload further. In scenarios where the networking system is hosted on a single server, and you expect a more significant workload in the future, you can directly move the database to other servers.
Bare metal servers offer reliable services as the architecture is dedicated to a single tenant. As a result, workload spikes shared by noisy neighbors are negated. This reduces the chances of potential downtime and, in turn, raises server performance.
The customizability of bare metal servers increases the overall cost compared to that of shared or VPS hosting. These servers also employ specialized administering teams to troubleshoot problems arising from custom yet specific configurations.
It is worth noting that server management requires a fundamental understanding of its operating systems, security features, and services rendered. However, managing bare metal servers is considerably more accessible as the server can be controlled through phone support. Also, routine OS updation further applies updates to its security features.
Several applications in our everyday lives use Windows. Bare metal servers are supported by Windows Server versions, thereby making their management easier for anyone who is well-versed with the Windows OS.
Organizations can buy or rent a server depending on their business needs. Although buying a server is an expensive affair, it gives you the freedom to control and access the server hardware without anyones interruption. Moreover, you also need to take care of the upfront and additional expenses incurred in maintaining the server.
Due to its convenience and affordability, leasing seems to be the preferred go-to option for companies. In such a case, you need not take the onus of maintaining the server. With the renting option, you can avail of immediate assistance if you encounter technical hurdles or if some part of the server fails to perform its desired functions. You may also need to keep track of the changes made by the service provider and notify them as and when necessary.
However, buying or renting a bare metal server boils down to an organizations objectives, requirements, and future vision.
See More: What Is Knative? Overview, Working, Features, and Importance
Bare metal servers play a pivotal role in the IT sector. Moreover, several other industries that maintain high regulatory compliance, privacy, and security standards, such as healthcare, fintech, adtech, and retail, utilize this single-tenant architecture for their benefit.
Bare metal servers hosted by infrastructure as a service (IaaS) providers open a doorway to cluster resources that are scalable and accessible across the world. They also help hybridize IT infrastructure by combining bare metal and a virtual environment.
Organizations that require secure, flexible, affordable, and customizable IT systems can choose bare metal solutions to meet their long-term data storage and transfer needs.
Did this article help you understand the importance of bare metal servers and their significance for organizations? Comment below or let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or LinkedInOpens a new window . Wed love to hear from you!
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What Is a Bare Metal Server? Definition, Working, and Importance | - Spiceworks News and Insights
Migrating your website can turn into a tiresome, time-consuming experience in no time, even if you up your game with a new, magnificent web hosting (opens in new tab) provider. If you dont think things through and take proper steps to protect your content, you might end up losing some critical data and even compromise your cybersecurity.
If it spells hassle, why shouldnt you save yourself the trouble and stay where you are? Well, there are tons of right reasons why youll want to move on. For instance, if your site is suffering disastrous amounts of downtime - go and dont look back. Do the same if your site is crippled by poor performance - something like slow loading time.
Also, you should consider moving if your current provider can supply your site with the resources it needs to grow and prosper. And if the security of your site has been compromised or the customer support has been far away from helpful - get rid of your old host and get a new one.
Alright, how to do it? The good news is that you dont need to be a veteran webmaster to do it - even a newbie can do it with a solid step-by-step guide.
So, here are the top five things you should keep in mind when moving to a new web hosting provider.
Picking out the perfect web hosting provider for your site is critical as it can make or break your business in the long run. Fortunately, there is a whole variety of hosting providers, types, and overall options on the market, and each of them offers particular features, configurations, and customization choices.
Apart from choosing the host with a solid security track record, standard security-focused features (SSL certificate (opens in new tab), DDoS protection (opens in new tab), regular backups, and so on), and sterling reputation, youll want to take a look at some more specific technical stuff such as required server space, bandwidth, number of CPUs, and amount of RAM. Also, youll want to consider the type of solution you want to utilize (shared hosting (opens in new tab), VPS hosting (opens in new tab), dedicated server hosting (opens in new tab), and such), its scalability, and customizability.
Since it doesnt hurt to have a killer combination of affordability, reliability, and feature-richness, dont fail to check the pricing. Plus, make sure there is a free trial or a money-back guarantee, so you can try out the solution for yourself without doing blows to your bank account.
Before migrating your site to a new host, youll want to create a backup of everything - that is, everything you wouldnt want to lose during the migration. To do so, you can download your data as a local copy and store it somewhere safe in your system, or upload the data to a cloud server such as Google, OneDrive (opens in new tab), and Dropbox (opens in new tab).
Once this is done, you can be sure all your data is safely stored if something goes wrong due to technical or human error in the middle of the migration process. Backed by a backup, your site can be restored to its former glory in no time.
While this step isnt a must, switching your domain name system (DNS (opens in new tab)) will make things simpler for you. Once you select a new host and pick out your plan, youll be presented with two choices. You can leave your domain where it is - with your old host, or you can transfer your old domain name to a new host. Also, theres an option to register a new domain name, but theres no reason for you to do that since you already have one.
Sometimes the host will offer to help with transferring your domain name but dont count on that - particularly with pocket-friendly hosting packages. So, if you want to keep your domain name with your old host, youll have to switch domain registrars (opens in new tab). This way, your settings will stay the same while billing and customer support are transferred.
On the other hand, if you want to take your domain to the new host, youll have to switch the DNS to that host - and this is a better option.
Its also worth noting that with all the top web hosting providers, youll find step-by-step guides for either of these cases.
Before ditching your old host for a new one, youll want to make sure everything on your site works as it should. So, once the migration of your site is complete - whether by you or someone from the hosts technical team - dont forget to run a thorough test on it.
While the migration process might seem smooth on the surface, some minor issues might have occurred. So, its important to identify and fix them at once - before deleting your old hosting account, in any case.
When verifying the functionality of your site on the new host, you want to be certain that everything is working and functioning perfectly. First, check all pages from your old site to ensure its still accessible and directed to the same URL - you can utilize a URL checker to identify any broken links.
Also, check all other data such as images, videos, and user accounts. Its critical to identify any possible issues and find the ideal solutions for them as soon as possible. This way youll avoid any impediment to the functionality of your site with its new host.
Once youve considered all the things above, your final step is to say goodbye to your old web hosting provider - and youll do that by deleting your old hosting account.
If you can confirm that your site is fully functional, its time to cut ties with your old host. Its smart to do this straight away, to steer clear of any unneeded charges.
Thats it, youve considered all critical steps before migrating your site to a new web hosting provider.
TechRadar created this content as part of a paid partnership with Hostinger. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of TechRadar.
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5 things to consider when migrating to a new web hosting service - TechRadar
Now that the Mistlands update is out the door for its Viking survival game, developer Iron Gate is ready to start talking about the next Valheim biome. The studio says its something quite different from what were all used to, and that it plans on taking a different approach to development than the very secretive process that characterised the production of Mistlands.
Our ambition with the development of the Ashlands is to show you a lot more of the process, Iron Gate explains in the latest Steam update for Valheim. This will mean you will see things in their early stages, and maybe even things that wont end up making it into the game at all, but you will also hopefully have a better understanding of how far along the development has gotten.
The studio has shared two pieces of concept art for Ashlands: The Charred is a trio of skeletal warriors, two armed with swords and one with what appears to be a magical staff. Morden is a twisted undead beast of some kind, twisted into a kind of fleshy, bony crab shape and armed with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and skulls.
Our current design vision for the Ashlands is that its a land of the dead, as well as a place with quite a volcanic nature, Iron Gate says. Expect spectres and lava flows as you venture into this new region, which will be a more contiguous landmass in the southern portion of the world map.
Development timelines being what they are, Iron Gate reassures players that there will be stuff to look forward to in the interim. That includes a new NPC named Hildir, who has her own questline that will open up new clothing options for your characters.
Theres no timeline yet on when we can expect either the Hildirs Quest update or Ashlands. Youll just have to check out our list of the best Viking games on PC to get your fix in the meantime, or use our guide to set up your own Valheim dedicated server to raise a hearty skl with your friends.
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The next Valheim biome is a haunted waste called The Ashlands - PCGamesN
The Top 10 Discord Servers for data scientists in the Year 2023INTRO
Data science is a rapidly growing field that encompasses a wide range of skills and technologies. With the increasing demand for data-driven decision-making, data scientists and enthusiasts are in high demand. One way to stay up-to-date on the latest developments and connect with other professionals in the field is by joining online communities such as Discord servers. In this article, we will take a look at some of the top Discord servers for data scientists in the year 2023. These servers provide a platform for members to share knowledge, ask questions, and network with other data science professionals.
Data Science Central (DSC) is a popular Discord server for data scientists and enthusiasts. The server provides a platform for members to share knowledge, ask questions, and network with other data science professionals. DSC offers channels for various data science topics, including machine learning, statistics, data visualization, and more. The community is active and supportive, making it a great resource for learning and staying up-to-date on the latest developments in the field.
Data Science Society (DSS) is another popular Discord server for data scientists. The server is focused on providing a community for data science enthusiasts to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects. DSS has several channels for various data science topics including machine learning, deep learning, data visualization, and more. The server also hosts regular events such as coding challenges and webinars on data science-related topics. Its a great place for data science enthusiasts to connect and learn from one another.
Data Science Study Group (DSSG) is a Discord server that aims to provide a platform for individuals to come together to learn and study data science. The server has multiple channels dedicated to different data science topics and tools, where members can ask questions, share resources, and collaborate on projects. It also hosts regular study sessions and coding challenges to help members improve their skills.
Data Science Community (DSC) is a Discord server that brings together data scientists and enthusiasts from around the world. The server provides a platform for members to share knowledge, ask questions, and network with other data science professionals. DSC offers channels for various data science topics, including machine learning, statistics, data visualization, and more.
Data Science & Machine Learning (DSML) is a popular Discord server for data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts. The server provides a platform for members to share knowledge, ask questions, and network with other data science professionals. DSML offers channels for various data science topics, including machine learning, deep learning, statistics, and more.
Data Science Mastermind (DSM) is a discord server that aims to provide a platform for advanced data science enthusiasts to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects. The server has several channels dedicated to different data science topics such as advanced machine learning, deep learning, and data visualization. The community is composed of experienced data scientists who are willing to share their knowledge and help others to improve their skills.
Data Science & AI (DSAI) is a Discord server that focuses on bringing together data scientists, AI developers, and enthusiasts to share knowledge, ask questions, and network with other professionals. The server offers channels for various data science and AI topics such as machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, and more. The community is active and supportive, making it a great resource for learning and staying up-to-date on the latest developments in the field.
Data Science & Analytics (DSA) is a discord server that aims to provide a platform for data scientists, analysts, and enthusiasts to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects. The server has several channels dedicated to different data science topics such as statistics, data visualization, big data, and more. The community is active and supportive, making it a great place to learn and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field.
Data Science & Big Data (DSBD) is a Discord server that focuses on bringing together data scientists and big data enthusiasts to share knowledge, ask questions, and network with other professionals. The server offers channels for various big data topics such as Hadoop, Spark, and NoSQL databases, as well as data science topics like machine learning and statistics. The community is active and supportive, making it a great resource for learning and staying up-to-date on the latest developments in the field of big data and data science.
Machine Learning Mastery Community (MLMC) is a Discord server that focuses on providing a community for machine learning enthusiasts and professionals to share knowledge, ask questions, and collaborate on projects. The server offers channels for various machine learning topics such as deep learning, computer vision, and natural language processing.
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Top 10 Discord Servers for Data Scientists in the Year 2023 - Analytics Insight
The stadium has entered its final stretch. Googles video game streaming service will officially shut down on January 18, and the company has been taking gradual steps over the past few months to make sure users know this and stop spending their money on a dead service. The only problem remained the hardware, i.e. the controller dedicated to the service, which without the Stadia servers became a useless piece of plastic. It seems that with the closure of the service, this controller will get an update that allows it to connect to PCs or other devices via Bluetooth.
The first steps towards shutting down Stadia were taken back in the fall, when the company stopped being able to buy content on the platform, and those with Stadia Pro subscriptions were given free access to them. Google then returned the money to everyone who had bought games on the platform, but not to those who had subscribed over time.
Some game developers chose to offer Stadia customers either the game they bought on the platform for free on other non-streaming services, or allowed them to transfer their Stadia saves to another platform so they wouldnt lose progress made playing the game.
The controller was a sore point though, as those who bought it, often alongside a Chromecast Ultra, couldnt do anything else with it. Sure, it also worked wired, but inside is a chip and antennas that allow both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Implicitly, this controller works exclusively over Wi-Fi, sending button presses directly to the server the game is running on to ensure the shortest possible response time. All other streaming services communicate with the controller exclusively via the device to which it is connected.
Google has confirmed that it will release an app dedicated to the Stadia controller, which will allow it to be updated to a new software version that will enable Bluetooth functionality. This will allow those who own such an accessory to use it alongside a PC, or other devices such as smartphones or tablets. The app will be launched next week ahead of the closure of the service.
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Google will enable Bluetooth in the controller dedicated to the service - Royals Blue
An anonymous reader shares a report: David Heinemeier Hansson, CTO of 37Signals -- which operates project management platform Basecamp and other products -- has detailed the colossal cloud bills that saw the outfit quit the cloud in October 2022. The CTO and creator of Ruby On Rails did all the sums and came up with an eye-watering cloud bill for $3,201,564 in 2022 -- or $266,797 each month. Plenty of that spend -- $759,983 -- went on compute, in the form of Amazon Web Services' EC2 and EKS services.
On Twitter, Hansson contrasted that cost with the spend needed to acquire servers packing 288 vCPUs and plenty more besides over three years. Hansson was at pains to point out that even that bill was the result of a concerted effort to keep it low. "Getting this massive spend down to just $3.2 million has taken a ton of work. The ops team runs a vigilant cost-inspection program, with monthly reporting and tracking, and we've entered into long-term agreements on Reserved Instances and committed usage, as part of a Private Pricing Agreement," he wrote. "This is a highly optimized budget."
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Basecamp Details 'Obscene' $3.2 Million Bill That Prompted It To ... - Slashdot
Surfshark and ExpressVPN are among the most popular VPNs on the market. It may seem as if theres no difference between them, but there are many things that make them distinct from each other.
We tested the two VPNs to see how much they differ from one another. During our tests, there were a multitude of factors we took into consideration, namely, connection speed, security features, privacy policy, servers, and reliability.
In our Surfshark vs. ExpressVPN review, youll learn the key features the two VPNs offer and by the end of the article, youll know which one you should use. Below, youll see a table that summarizes the differences between Surfshark and ExpressVPN in different categories.
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
Location
The Netherlands
British Virgin Islands
Servers
3200+ in 100 countries
3000+ in 94 countries
Log policy
No log
No log
Price
Starting from $2.05 per month
Starting from $6.67 per month
Money-back guarantee
30 days
30 days
Compatibility
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire TV, and routers
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, and routers
Streaming
Most major platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Hulu
Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and more
Number of devices
Unlimited
5
24/7 support
Yes
Yes
Website
surfshark.com
expressvpn.com
Surfshark wins when it comes to encryption and security. Both VPNs use multiple protocols, but Surfsharks WireGuard is faster and more widely used than ExpressVPNs proprietary protocol Lightway. Surfshark also offers more security features such as NoBorders mode, CleanWeb, and Double VPN servers.
Heres a table that summarizes the key differences between Surfshark and ExpressVPNs security features:
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
Encryption
AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption
AES-256 encryption
RAM servers
Yes
Yes
Kill switch
Yes (System-wide)
Yes (System-wide and application-level)
Ad and tracker blocker
Yes
Only blocks trackers
DNS leak protection
Yes
Yes
Both Surfshark and ExpressVPN use military-grade AES-256 encryption, which is virtually impossible to crack. Surfshark integrated WireGuard tunneling protocol into its infrastructure in 2020. Its the same protocol thats used by NordVPN and many other VPNs. As youll see in our speed tests below, WireGuard is faster than ExpressVPNs proprietary protocol Lightway.
Surfsharks WireGuard tunneling protocol is faster and safer than ExpressVPNs Lightway.
ExpressVPN is currently the only VPN on the market which uses Lightway, which means the company still has a long way to go if it wants to establish trust and promote adoption among users. Its faster than OpenVPN, but its no match for WireGuard.
Surfshark and ExpressVPN both have kill switch and split tunneling functionalities. Surfshark has a system-wide kill switch, which means it disconnects your entire device from the Internet when your VPN connection drops. You dont get to exclude specific apps from it.
ExpressVPNs kill switch is called Network Lock. You have the option to select specific apps that remain connected to the Internet when the VPN connection goes down. Kill switch is enabled by default in ExpressVPN and you cant disable it on the router app. On Surfshark, you have to enable it in the settings after downloading the app.
Split tunneling on Surfshark is called Bypasser. On both VPN services, split tunneling is available on Windows, macOS, Android, and routers. Currently, theres no VPN that has split tunneling on iOS due to restrictions by Apple. You can use the feature to exclude certain apps and traffic from passing through the VPN tunnel.
The only worthwhile additional feature ExpressVPN has is Threat Manager. Its a tool that prevents sites from tracking your browsing habits. As a result, you stop seeing targeted ads. Surfshark has a similar feature called CleanWeb, but it doesnt just stop sites from tracking you, it also blocks ads.
Surfshark has more security features than ExpressVPN.
Surfshark also has Double VPN and static IP servers. Double VPN means your traffic is routed through two servers, encrypting your data twice and giving you extra protection. This is similar to NordVPNs Multi-Hop routing.
A static IP server gives you the same IP address every time you connect to it. Its different from a dedicated IP because the IP address youre assigned on a static server is shared with other users and not used exclusively by you.
ExpressVPN and Surfshark both work in China, but the latter has a feature called NoBorders which is made specifically for regions where the Internet is restricted. It turns on automatically if the VPN detects your network is being restricted.
When it comes to privacy, ExpressVPN has an edge over Surfshark because its based in the British Virgin Islands. Both have a proven no-log policy and RAM-only servers, but Surfshark is located in the Netherlands, a member of the 14 Eyes alliance.
Weve added a table below to show how Surfshark and ExpressVPN differ in terms of privacy:
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
Logging policy
No logs
No logs
Location
The Netherlands
British Virgin Islands
Member of 14 Eyes alliance
Yes
No
External audits
Yes
Yes
ExpressVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands, a region outside of the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances. Surfshark, on the other hand, is based in the Netherlands, a 14 Eyes country where VPN companies have to follow data retention laws. Surfsharks no-log policy is just as good as ExpressVPNs, so its very unlikely for the VPN provider to share data with the government.
Both VPN services are at the top of their game when it comes to having a no-log policy. Theyve had multiple external audits. Unlike most other VPNs that store their data on disk, ExpressVPN and Surfshark both have RAM-only servers, which means any data thats retained while youre connected to the VPN is erased as soon as you disconnect from it. ExpressVPN calls its RAM servers TrustedServers.
ExpressVPNs RAM-only servers are called TrustedServers. (Source: expressvpn.com)
Surfshark is one of the cheapest VPNs out there, which is why its the winner in this round. ExpressVPNs price is its biggest disadvantage because its more expensive than most VPN services. They both have a 30-day money-back guarantee and give you the option to pay with cryptocurrency.
As always, heres a table to help you understand the pricing structure of both Surfshark and ExpressVPN:
Surfshark
ExpressVPN
Monthly price
$12.95 per month
$12.95 per month
Semi-annual plan
None
$9.99 per month
1-year plan
$3.99 per month
$6.67 per month
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The humble SIM card is following hard on the heels of storage and networking and becoming software-defined. With the physical hardware making way for software, known as the eSIM, connectivity should increase, making the deployment of the Internet of Things (IoT) easier and more cost-effective. CIOs will not only be able to realize IoT ambitions, supporters and early adopters of eSIMs report a lower cost of ownership, increased flexibility and end-user benefits.
It's hard to believe, but the SIM is now 25 years old. The eSIM is an embedded SIM card and, therefore, programmable. Devoid of a removable universal integrated circuit card (the traditional SIM card), an eSIM consists of software installed onto a built-in universal integrated circuit card. First seen in 2016, the technology is backed by the GSMA, the mobile networks industry body.
CIOs and organizations adopting eSIM technology will need to decide on one of two formats. These are the Consumer Solution, which as the name suggests, will typically be seen in a handset or device and allow the owner to choose their operator just as they select which apps to use. The second format, M2M, or machine-to-machine, is dedicated to business use such as IoT.
Unlike the Consumer Solution, M2M has no user interaction and is instead typically operated by a server and management platform by the IT department. Management, operation and storage of the eSIM is done within the device. Security in both is Pre-Shared Key (PSK) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) cryptography.
Whichever format CIOs choose, the aim of eSIMs is to reduce the number of restrictions and increase the utility of mobile connectivity. Martin Langmaid, CTO with Belgian telco services provider Venn Telecom says:
We need modularity, and we need to be able to adapt very quickly to different situations. Before this concept of the eSIM, we were juggling draws full of SIMs from different operators, each with different capabilities and IDs. It was a headache to know which SIM and which service, and which device should it be in.
As a technology leader, you find that you need different operators or network capabilities in different regions. You are in a horrible place of physical SIM swaps, which is a logistical nightmare, especially for tablet devices that are airside at an airport or visiting Point of Sale (POS) terminals distributed across the nation.
The digitization of the economy relies on connectivity to be a utility, and that means CIOs cannot rely on one network provider alone. An example is Telli Health, a USA-based maker of remote patient care devices such as glucose monitors. Its healthcare customers were experiencing a high degree of data transmission failure.
Telli Health has switched to eSIMs, using the Eseye M2M eSIM system. Now its customers don't need to worry if a device is connected to any of the five major mobile networks in the USA; the device will use any of them. The Miami headquartered business had considered Bluetooth, but opted for eSIM, Will Dos Santos, Telli Health Sales & Account Executive, says. He adds::
With Bluetooth, there were compatibility issues, and with eSIM, there is no fumbling with apps. The patient simply turns on the device, they take a reading, and that is it; the data is sent to the healthcare organisation. eSIM is a simple process as everything happens in the back end.
Charity CIO Gerard McGovern has been an early adopter of eSIM for his organization, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, and is seeing real business benefits, he says:
Turning data on or off or switching tariffs is so much easier with an eSIM. We have 1800 staff, and 300-400 people join the organization or leave a year, and the majority of our staff have a phone.
McGovern says staff at Guide Dogs benefit too, which improves staff retention. He explains:
People want to separate home and work life. Guide Dogs has a high number of phones as our service users are clients and need the ability to call or message us directly. Our mobility specialists don't want to share their own number.
CTO Langmaid adds:
With multiple IDs added to a SIM that has been deployed, we know that in the future, when a customer's needs change, we can support that change using the built-in intelligence of eSIM. Whilst for others, it is about worry-free connectivity. One of our biggest users is in commercial shipping, and their people are travelling and need to know that data will work wherever they are, and at a set fee, so they can just get on with their work.
Langmaid and Venn Telecom are systems integrators and have utilized the Webbing eSIM platform to deploy the Consumer Solution into organizations. Langmaid says:
We can add network operators to a customer in an afternoon. That means we take away the fear of operator regret where a CIO chooses operator X and then finds they wish they'd gone for operator Y.
You are taking back control over your choice of operator and network, and you are changing the power dynamic by being able to remotely manage that demand.
IoT has had plenty of hype, but implementation success stories are less prevalent. One of the reasons has been connectivity challenges. A Beecham Research survey for network hardware and services provider Sierra Wireless found that organizations could not access cost-effective and reliable connectivity to make IoT successful. Inevitably, businesses that have invested in and backed eSIM believe their technology is the answer. CIO David Doherty at Jurassic Fibre, a fibre network provider in Devon, UK, says they're right to be confident. He adds:
eSIMs in devices will make IoT a lot easier for CIOs, especially if they need to change service providers or make upgrades.
Software-defined has been the making of CIOs. Whether it's Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or the plethora of cloud-based services, CIOs are spending an ever-decreasing amount of time managing bytes and pipes. Moving network connectivity to a software play akin to that of SaaS will again benefit CIOs.
In the public sector, CIOs will be able to lead digital care adoption to improve care outcomes at a lower cost. Whilst IoT will enable improvements in data collection and management and make the CIO and their department the central control unit of the organization as it strives to reduce emissions and costs.
Those business technology leaders that have already adopted eSIMs are seeing improvements in the role technology plays in work/life balance and business
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eSIMs to enable CIOs to deliver IoT and savings - Diginomica