What Does The Future Of PHP Hold?

What Does The Future Of PHP Hold?


To understand what the future holds for PHP, it's necessary to understand a little bit of its background.

PHP Came from familiar grounds and was able to get people onboard quickly

PHP initially was more like Perl. It was very basic and looked like a library of functions rather than a complete programming language. PHP did evolve over time and today it enjoys the pinnacle of popularity. How did this happen? Well, people who were used to Perl found it easy to learn PHP, and PHP had a C++ type syntax, hence those with the flair for desktop programming also loved the language that could create dynamic web pages!

Things have changed quite a bit for PHP and it has matured into a language that has become the cornerstone for many high level projects and frameworks and websites. Open Source content management systems like Joomla, WordPress also use this as a base.

What does the future hold for PHP

Well, PHP rose to the top by fighting all the challenges posed by the much hyped languages like java etc. It had the ability to sustain the changes that technology posed. It grew steadily to a position where it could not be moved from! It's safe to assume that PHP development has a bright future. Being open source, backed with a loyal community of developers committed towards making it fit for the future, PHP definitely sees a great future ahead. The notion that PHP is for the "web" is also slowly changing. There are many desktop applications and other software that can be successfully be created with this programming language. Today there is no other scripting language that poses even the slightest of a threat to PHP.

In conclusion, PHP stands tall in the world of web development and will definitely stand the test of time when technology changes or times change. Practical applications of PHP include so many robust systems, that it is difficult to wipe away the fact that PHP is the way to go if you are considering web development of any kind. Online stores, blogs, content management systems, shopping carts and plain information websites - are some of the practical implementations that have PHP as a base. IF that's not enough, the most popular websites on the web today like Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter, all run on PHP. It can cope up with the demands of modern times and brings to the world interesting solutions to all web requirements. PHP certainly has a bright future!

Lori K Reese works with a well known PHP Development Company that offers a gamut of IT services including services to hire a PHP developer. She has years of experience in PHP web application development and has the expertise to provide innovative web solutions on the go. Keeping up with the latest PHP trends and bringing something new to the web world is what she sees as her passion.

Three Exciting Applications of RFID Cards

Three Exciting Applications of RFID Cards

A man walks to a door, pulls out a card, presses it against a device near the door, and the door opens. The corridor leads into a basement where the man steals or destroys all the documents. This typical scene from a science fiction film or a James Bond movie demonstrates the use of proximity cards very well. Things are different in real life.

These cards are not sitting ducks. They are more secure and capable than what Hollywood portrays. Films rarely show proximity cards being used in libraries, transport, and attendance systems; where, these are the domains where these cards are used a lot.

Proximity cards are a type of smart cards. They store information and use radio frequencies to interact with card readers. Card readers are devices that process data transmited from proximity cards. Depending on what a reader has been programmed for, it can allow or deny access to a building and it can track books borrowed from library etc., The use of radio signals in these cards has earned them the technical name radio frequency identification (RFID) cards.

There are two kinds of RFID cards - passive and active. Passive cards operate on energy extracted from card readers. They have a small range; less than five centimetres. Active cards come equipped with a lithium-ion battery. They have a longer range - approximately 150 meters. A downside of active cards is that their battery runs out and renders them unusable after between five and seven years of use.

The technology used in these smart cards dates back to the Second World War. They have been in use as security access cards for a few decades now. New research is opening up more fields for their applications. Here is a summary of the three exciting areas where proximity cards are used:

(a) Identification cards

Modern RFID powered identification (ID) cards look similar to the cards of 10, 20 years ago. Superficial appearances are deceptive. The functioning of these cards bears little resemblance to the cards of a generation ago. These are more secure and capable. Students and members of the faculty can use them for access, purchases, payments, and several other tasks. So many colleges and universities use them as ID cards.

(b) Library loans

Libraries are showing an interest in RFID systems. Libraries hope to cut down costs by cutting down on their staff number and replacing them with a self-service system based on RFID cards. Researchers are looking into how much libraries can earn in savings. A few researchers claim proximity cards start to pay back between two and three years; while others maintain that libraries should not expect a return on their investments before six years.

(c ) Logistics

Supply chain managers are increasingly using RFID tags to better track their products. The use of these cards allows them to learn about their products' location with an accuracy of few meters; and at very low investments.

More uses

Smart cards are being considered as an alternative payment method in transport. Their use in security systems has a long history and it is going to stay like this for a very long time.

The Migration of SDN and WAN

The Migration of SDN and WAN


If there is one thing that is always true about technology, it's the fact that it is constantly in motion. As the world becomes more and more connected on a global scale, the need for additional technology becomes obvious. One of the ways in which this technology affects both businesses and individuals is in the way that networking takes place. At one time, it was possible to take care of most of the networking needs through software defined networking, also known as SDN.

Although SDN does provide many benefits for those that use it, the network that is now in use is one that is global and is no longer localized. That is why it is of benefit for software defined networking to extend into the wide area network (WAN). This allows it to span through a larger geographical area to and it can tie more than one local area network together. Those wide-area networks are often tied together through public networks, including the cable system or the telephone system. It may also be possible to tie a WAN together through satellites or through leased lines. The Internet is the largest example of a WAN.

One of the issues with a software defined network is the fact that it does not allow for much growth within the network. Those local networks tend to be rather rigid in their performance and they do not adapt well to change . If you remove the protocols that exist in this type of networking and set up a standard set of APIs, it is possible to control the elements of the network and allow for smart decisions to be made within the network itself. This helps to open up the network on more on more of a global level.

Another issue that could occur when implementing software defined networking is in the network management. You could begin to move away from controlling each WAN hardware device and programming them all with central software that will be used as a controller. Although this may seem like a good idea, it could end up causing problems in managing the environment ( Source ). This is something that each IT team will need to discuss to determine the best course of action for their particular situation.

Before you implement any form of networking, regardless of whether it is SDN, WAN or a combination of the two, it's important for you to consider the impact that it will have on your business. Although SDN may be worth the initial investment, it may take some time before you are able to see it. You will need to consider both the short-term and long-term benefits of controlling your network through local software. You can also look for ways to implement your local software on a wide-area network so that you can remain connected while at the same time, maintaining a sense of control.

Connect With Friends and Share Information

Connect With Friends and Share Information





There are numerous companies which provide communication services to all parts of the world. They allow you to connect with individuals across the globe and share information and ideas. These companies have platforms which will allow you to hold conferences through voice calling or chatting. They provide an instant solution to communication problem since the feedback is instant.

The procedure of getting started is simple. You commence by downloading and installing the software of the company of your choice. After the installation, the following procedure should be followed to create a group feature that will serve you. The procedure varies depending on the platform you are using but the following general steps will enable you create a group feature that will work for your team.

• Open a friend page of your interest and click on the group icon which is mostly situated at the top right -hand corner.

• Click on the group name field and choose a name that will identify the people you want to include in this group.

• After successfully creating a group name, you need to scroll down the pick contact button to avail a list of contacts from which to choose the people you want to be members of your group.

• Carefully pick the names of the people you want to join your group one at a time.

• Once you have selected the contact, check the mark which indicates the contact you has been selected.

• The done button should be pressed after you have successfully picked the names of those you want to join your group.

• Most of the companies that provide these services will instantly notify your friends that you would wish to have them included in your group. If they consent you will start chatting immediately. You will also enjoy services such as voice calls and file transfers free of charge if your members are using the same platform.

• Whenever you want to chat with the members of your group, all you need to do is to go to a friend's page and select a group name you created and start chatting.

The reason why you should join one of the platforms which provide this service is that you will be able to make international calls to any part of the world at the lowest rates possible. It gives you a chance to share details of your topic without worrying about the cost. Join now and start enjoying.

Amazon Web Services - Can They Really Solve Your Problems?

Amazon Web Services - Can They Really Solve Your Problems?


I recently attended an interesting overview of Amazon Web Services and thought I would share the 'best bits'... please enjoy...

Amazon's AWS offering has now become a huge operation compared to its launch way back in 2006... when I say huge, I mean huge. To give you an idea of scale, the comparable infrastructure and computing power that supported the entire AWS offering back in 2006 is now added each and every day to satisfy ever growing demand.

AWS is spread across eight geographic areas, with local edge locations to provide proxy caching nearest to your location. This provides both redundancy, high availability and improved performance.

AWS provides a fairly complete set of services to run almost anything you like and practically on a scale that is only really limited by how much you're willing to spend. This gives CIO's and CTO's options to play with but there is still some reticent about what should or should not 'go into the cloud'...

So what can it offer you? Well, helpfully AWS provide 'Reference Architectures' to help you conceptualize particular architecture scenarios. You can find approaches to help you with Large Scale Processing, Batch Processing, Disaster Recovery, Online Gaming and of course their bread and butter eCommerce approach.

Is it Secure?

Debates still rage over 'security in the cloud' and while cloud services are maturing it would be wrong to simply assume that the security aspect will somehow simply go away.

AWS is probably as secure as it can be, at least on paper. AWS will reassure you with Multi-Factor Authentication, Encryption and various security accreditation's up to military levels. You can even implement your own security models to your own standards. The question has to be answered, though, do you trust AWS to manage and protect your data and services? On the flip side given that AWS have 'handed over the keys' to the customer to build their own services security becomes a shared responsibility. For each customer the view, approach and even the decision will be different. Local laws may also effect your decision about what type of data you are allowed to host.

What Technology is Available?

The following are some of the key services and solutions on offer at AWS...

Compute Ec2 - This is the 'elastic compute' cloud virtual machine instances which can be 'rented' and configured by the characteristic of the workload from mobile phone to large scale cluster systems. Dedicated hardware is assigned for High Instance usage.

Cloud Watch monitoring - This service will auto-scale your environment based on performance monitoring and will add more instances as required based on demand. Transport for London use this service to scale their operations on demand.

Workspace - This is a fully managed desktop environment using the G2 graphics instance supporting desktop products like Windows on Nvidia GRID GK104 Kepler GPU's

Simple Storage - S3 is a highly scalable storage platform used by the likes of DropBox, Shazam and of course Amazon's retail business. Objects held within S3 are copied around the availability zones to reduce delays and improve caching.

Elastic Block Store - This provides persistent block level storage volumes for use with Amazon EC2 instances. Replicated across availability zones.

Glacier - Backup for long term archival. Pricing is based on number of requests (metered) Can take 3-5 hours to retrieve objects.

AWS Public Data Sets - These are free to use data sets hosted on a Hadoop platform they include data sets like: NASA NEX, Human Genome, Census Data and PubChem

Kinesis - Kinesis is a managed service that scales elastically for real-time processing of streaming big data and is used in conjunction with EC2 instances.

There's More?

In addition to these 'virtual' services, AWS can even provide dedicated physical connections such as dual 10gig lines into their data centres from your offices should you require it.

If you work in research then AWS can be useful from a grant point-of-view. You can now use a pre-pay solution where you can call off costs/credits as you go.

If you're a heavy user then AWS also allow you to 'bid' for services via their Spot Market. This is a pricing model targeted for batch processing and allows ad-hoc provisioning at a cheaper rate than normal provisioning costs.

The Conclusion

For the average business though, you are more likely to choose a hybrid approach, where you choose to run your tightly coupled development in house and simply use AWS for everything else. The point is you have a choice, and AWS will almost certainly solve at least some of your challenges.