Virtualization is a massively growing aspect of computing and IT. Virtualization has been around for many years in some form or other, the most common usage being hard drive partitioning on a home PC. It essentially means creating a new “virtual” version of something, rather than a “real” version. The disc partition example is the perfect way to understand virtualization, as you are essentially taking one hard drive and splitting it in two, with the second partition being a “virtual” partition.

The main two competing pieces of software that are used for virtualization tasks are Microsoft Hyper-V and VMWare, both of which have their merits and there is much debate over which is best.

There are three main types of virtualization, all of which carry out important tasks in businesses:

Storage Virtualization

This is where the resources of many different network storage devices such as hard drives are pooled so that it looks like they are all one big vat of storage. This is then managed by a central system that makes it all look much simpler to the network administrators. This is also a great way to keep an eye on resources in a business, as you can then see exactly how much you have left at a given time. It gives the administrator much less hassle when it comes to backups etc.

Network Virtualization

Network Virtualization is when all of the separate resources of a network are combined, allowing the network administrator to share them out amongst the users of the network. This is done by splitting the resources’ bandwidth into channels and allowing the administrator to assign these resources as and when required. This allows each user to access all of the network resources from their computer. This can be files and folders on the computer, printers or hard drives etc. This streamlined approach makes the life of the network administrator much easier, and it makes the system seem much less complicated to the human eye than it really is.

Server Virtualization

This is the main area of virtualization, whereby a number of “virtual machines” are created on one server meaning that multiple tasks can then be assigned to the one server, saving on processing power, cost and space. This means that any network tasks that are happening on the server still appear to be on a separate space, so that any errors can be diagnosed and fixed quickly.

The downsides of this phone are the poor performance of its camera and its music player, and some will be disappointed by its lack of Wi-Fi capability. But all the IM and Facebook fiends out there will have a field day with this one.

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For insurance for your iPhone, you can pay a monthly fee that covers all of these scenarios, and have the peace of mind that you will receive a new device, or repair on your damaged device, for free. However, there is often an excess fee that you pay with any validated claim. It is often a fixed fee that is applied to every claim. For example, the first £25 of each validated claim will need to be paid in order to have the rest of the costs covered by your insurance package.

Microsoft are adamant that the information did not get into the wrong hands as a result of any internal security lapses but rather that the data became available to the wrong people through the implementation of an elaborate phishing scheme.

Microsoft has assured people who may have been affected that it is blocking access to all of the affected accounts and that there are measures in place for users to reclaim the use of their accounts.

Funnily enough, October is ‘Cyber Security Awareness Month’ and here we will tell you how you can best protect your online email account.

-          When you set up your account make sure that you enter an alternative email address. This will enable your account provider to email your alternate address should someone try to change your password etc.

-          Always use a different password for your email account than you use for other sites. If another site gets hacked, the hackers may have your email password.

-          Change your password regularly

-          Never use a password that could be easily guessed such as ‘password’

With these procedures, the chance of your account being compromised are minimised. Remember that antivirus software is a must for anybody who uses the internet. Antivirus software will stop your computer becoming infecting with Trojans that may steal your passwords through the use of sophisticated keyloggers etc.

Number one in many categories, including the ‘best music phone’, is of coures the Apple iPhone 3G. With you choice of a 16G and 32G option, you won’t be short for room to store your library of music. And on the new 3G S model, there is stereo Bluetooth, making switching between your headset and speaker.

Also in the line-up is the LG Rhythm, and is one of the best music phones out there right now. With it’s unique design and exceptional audio quality, it is a heavy competitor to the iPhone.

The Walkman series from Sony Ericsson has been a popular choice among music fans for awhile, and their latest model, the W760a lives up to that expectation. Some say it is the best in the series so far, having a better design and perfect balance between features and performance.

Honorable mentions include the Samsung Trance and the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music. Both with Superior audio quality and sleek designs. The 5800 by Nokia even offers a touch-screen, and more features than the previous Xpress models in the series.

You can instantly share your photos with direct upload support for Flickr or Photobucket. Stay connected with T-Mobiles 3G network and instant messaging with AIM, Yahoo, Gmail and more. Chatting is easy with a virtual QWERTY keyboard on its vibrant 2.6 inch touchscreen. There is even GPS, a music player, and full HTML browser. There is a microSD card slot for expandable memory, and shortcut buttons for the camera shutter, screen lock, and volume rocker that doubles as the camera’s zoom controls. You can sync with your PC and utilize the Web-based email for several providers, also stay informed with a built-in RSS reader.

All of these features come at a price; at $249.99 it is still a much better deal than its European rival, the Innov8, going for $700 or more.

The Apple iPhone is the best example of a smartphone, having all the features of connectivity and organization, while performing impressively in all aspects. But Apple isn’t the only one that has perfected the smartphone. The HTC Touch Pro2 from T-Mobile is also powerful in messaging, voice capabilities, and has an elegant user interface. It also comes at a price, being targeted at T-Mobiles business professionals. The top two phones are of course the top two most expensive.

But at a more affordable price, there are other options. When talking smartphone, you can’t forget BlackBerry. Their Tour 9630 from Verizon Wireless is a top competitor with its sleek design and performance. It’s also aimed for both business users and messaging junkies. And at a similar price with similar features, the Palm Pre from Sprint also has a lot to offer. With it’s own OS developed by Palm, it competes with efficiency and accessibility. They are both priced at $149.99.

The Samsung Memoir is priced at $199.99, but the features alone are worth the money. The camera is an impressive 8 megapixels, a feature that could only be found in Europe for close to $700 until now. Samsung released the 8 megapixel Innov8 in Europe, and now brought a more affordable version to the States.

The myTouch 3G, exclusively at T-Mobile, is another touch-screen hit. It is powered by Google’s Android operating system, and performs as well as it looks. Though, the lack of a physical QWERTY keyboard has been a common complain among users.

Honorable mentions include the RIM Blackberry Curve 8900, priced at $149.99 and is another one of T-Mobiles smartphones. And the HTC Touch Pro2 is geared towards business professionals, and has a price to match. Though expensive, these phones won’t let you down in any category.

The RIM BlackBerry Bold was long awaited and didn’t disappoint. With it’s vibrant display and improved productivity tools, it does the BlackBerry name justice. It has excellent multimedia performance and is a well-rounded smartphone for business professionals. The Samsung Impression is a multimedia and messaging focused phone, and the Sony Ericsson C905a is high-quality handset that features a powerful Cyber-shot camera.

Although the BlackBerry rivals the iPhone in price, most of AT&Ts handsets are affordable without losing a library of great features. Whether you’re looking for an iPhone-killer in your budget, or the iPhone itself, AT&T can provide. They are currently the largest provider of local and long distance telephone services in the United States. It are also the second largest provider of wireless services in the United States, with over 77 million wireless customers out of 150 million total.