Codero strongly opposes both the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect-IP Act (PIPA) currently under consideration.  We recognize the need to protect intellectual property online; however, reasonable and well-functioning laws protecting these rights (such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act) are already in place.  It is our opinion, therefore, that SOPA and PIPA are unnecessary and would unreasonably infringe on the rights of United States citizens to freely publish and access information over the internet.

We encourage you to do your own research and form your own opinions about SOPA and PIPA. Here are some recent articles concerning the matter:

• CNET News – How SOPA Would Affect You FAQ
• The Washington Post – SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) Debate: Why are Google and Facebook against it?
• Mashable – SOPA Infographic
• Fox News – Will Amazon and Facebook Black Out The Net?
• Electronic Freedom Foundation – Updates

If you decide, as we have, that SOPA and PIPA are not in the best interest of the American people, please contact your United States congressman to share your concerns about SOPA and your United States senators to share your concerns about PIPA. You may also make your opinion known by signing the anti-SOPA petition at www.whitehouse.gov.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Ryan Elledge
Chief Operating Officer

Codero Opposes Protect-IP Act (PIPA) And Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) Legislation is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

Codero.com Has A New Look. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

You’ll find Linux in your TV, on your desktop, at the movies, powering stock exchanges, in your car, in your phone and at your ATM.

Back in 1991, it was Linus Torvalds, who released the first Linux code and decided to share his operating system with the world.  Linus is also the one who chose a penguin as the Linux mascot … he was inspired by the penguin that bit him in 1996 at an aquarium.

To commemorate its 20-year anniversary, the Linux Foundation created an infographic that highlights the events of the open-source movement since 1991.  It shows how big an impact the open source operating system has made since its inception.

Linux Infographic, click to enlarge.

Linux today continues to be the biggest OS player in the cloud as well. So it looks like it’s here to stay.

Take a look at the history of Linux in this short video produced by The Linux Foundation:

20 Years Later … Linux is More Than Just a Hobbyist’s Experiment and a Penguin. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

Need a discount on conference registration? Use Codero2011 promo code. Codero is also participating in the HostingCon expo hall. Stop by to relax because we will be giving all attendees free chair massages in booth 206 on August 9th and 10th and handing out our green tote bags.

HostingCon 2011 is the largest gathering of hosted professionals in the world. The educational tracks at the conference range from marketing and sales, to business development. Hope to see you there!

Codero COO Presents to C-level Executives at HostingCon 2011. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

Here are five security ideas you may not know about to secure your SSH server:

1.)    Brute Force Detection software should be installed. Often attackers will try brute force methods to learn your password and then attack your server. Installing a good brute force detection software helps neutralize these attempts at your sever the minute they start.

2.)    Root logins are unnecessary. Under normal circumstances, there is no reason to allow direct root logins to your server and take the risk of having your root account directly exposed to the Internet. By restricting root logins, you make it harder for outside attackers to gain access. The system administrator can become root once logged in using su or sudo.

3.)    Use chroot to restrict users to their own/home directories. Linux and Unix servers have permissions in place that prevent a normal user from damaging your files but it does not stop them from seeing those files. So if you use chroot, you can keep those users within their own directories.

4.)    Demand secure passwords and periodic rotations. When you are the system admin, you can require computer users to adhere to your password strength requirements and also demand that users change their passwords now and again.

5.)    Prevent staying logged in. Also as the system admin, you can set the timeout interval in the SSH configuration file so users do not stay logged in. This can keep people from sneaking into user accounts that are always logged in.

Do you think you can use any of these ideas in the future? What tips do you have that you can share with other system admins? Please let us know!

Does Your Security Have More Bark Than Bite? Security Tips For System Administrators. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

Gates is turning his talent for inventing cutting-edge products to this unglamorous contraption because his foundation hopes to create effective solutions for sanitation in poor urban areas. The foundation is now investigating technologies that address every part of sanitation including creating waterless, hygienic toilets that are not dependent on sewer connections. Many of the solutions being tested involve leading-edge technology that could turn human waste into fuel to power local communities or convert it to fertilizer to improve crops.

Did you know 40% of the world’s population still live without proper means of flushing away waste? Unsafe methods to capture and store waste lead to significant health problems and death. By jump-starting the initiative to provide safe and affordable access to sanitation, the foundation’s efforts for improved hygiene could prevent millions of deaths.

This most recent philanthropic project will immediately benefit Kenya and provide 800,000 people there with access to sanitation facilities and ensure clean drinking water for 200,000.

I for one am glad to know Bill Gates is not taking his retirement from Microsoft sitting down. An invention like this could improve the health of billions of people. As the creative video here suggests, it looks like Gates’ foundation is getting its shit together.

Not Everything’s Going Down the Toilet. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

Here are a few procedures to implement before you pack your bags:

1.)  Designate an IT staffer to handle your duties in your absence. Leave them your admin passwords, the keys to the server room…any type of security device you normally solely possess.

2.)  Leave written instructions for simple basic operations, too, such as how to power down servers and which buttons to press. Document policies and what to do in the event of an emergency.

3.)  Delegate your decision-making authority. Remember that warranties for equipment might be in your name, so ensure someone within your department has access to vendor and warranty information along with the authority to purchase parts.

4.)  Make sure you tell upper management and everyone within your organization you are leaving town and who they can contact in your department in your place.

5.)  Notify your server hosting provider with contact information for your second in charge and provide updated emergency contact information. At Codero, we offer Emergency SMS Service Notifications. The system accepts multiple contact numbers. That way, your staff can be notified about emergency situations should they arise while you are away enjoying your vacation.

When IT duties like data security, compliance and access control are all in your hands, problems can compound quickly when you take time off. The last thing you want is to never be able to take a vacation.

What are your tales of IT terror while you were on vacation? Share your stories with us anonymously. For example, have you ever been called back to the office from vacation to troubleshoot an IT issue? Did your number two in charge do more harm than good? Let us know, no names will be posted.

How to Take a Vacation Without The Burden of IT Baggage. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

The latest enhancement is to our convenient Server Portal. We’ve updated the Codero online portal once again … this time to spruce up the dashboard.  The dashboard will now display more information regarding Codero customer services. For example, customers with dedicated servers can now view:

-          The most recent time the server was rebooted
-          Your bandwidth usage
-          The processor for your dedicated server
-          An overview of the IP Addresses displayed under the Service description     
-          Invoices and Orders now merged together in one box
-          A New Message function available at time of login. A box is displayed which      allows you to click and view the message. Mandatory messages will still bring up a pop-up box.

To display these features while you are in Server Portal, simply click on the informational icon to the right of your dedicated server.  Here you will also see the latest Twitter updates from @Codero and @CoderoNOC which can also help you keep abreast of news about any upcoming network maintenance or system incidents.

Please continue to let us know how these newest refinements help you with your hosting and feel free to comment with feedback on any other customer portal features you would like incorporated.

New Dashboard and More Server Portal Improvements. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

Other special searches removed include Google Microsoft, Google Mac and Google Uncle Sam. Recent online discussions are focusing mainly on the loss of Uncle Sam Google Search which specialized in searching U.S. federal, state and local information. Google Community Manager addresses the change in a forum thread here.

Will this change affect you? Let us know.

Google Ditches Specialized Search Services. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog

The kernel name is not the only change. When this release is officially launched later in the summer, reports say this kernel release will include cleancache support, a Microsoft Kinect Linux driver, and various open-source graphics driver improvements.

Linus said names and renumbering were talked about at last year’s Kernel Summit, but he felt “what’s the point of being in charge if you can’t pick the bike shed color without holding a referendum on it? So I am just going all alpha-male, and just renumbering it. You’ll like it.”

What do you think, do you like it?

What’s In A Name? Linux Does It By Numbers. is a post from: Codero dedicated hosting blog