Rumor has it that Google has briefed the press that it may very soon launch its internal database, BigTable, as a web service.

For those that are not aware of what BigTable is, it has been described as a distributed storage system for structured data. It is a database system designed to handle huge amounts of date (petabytes) across thousands of community servers.

The BigTable has been built on Google File System (GFS) and more than sixty of Google’s projects store date in it, including Google Earth, Google Finance, Google Maps, Google Analytics, Blogger, Orkut, YouTube and web indexing. We can understand the vastness and capability of this system, if we can for a moment imagine the amount of data these projects could be playing with.

The original intention behind Google creating its own database is to save on the heavy costs and avail of the benefits of better access and total control over its data. BigTable has proved to be most reliable and successfully provided high applicability, high performance and scalability over the past few years. It has turned out to be a great high-end solution for the above Google projects, handling huge amounts of data, taking care of bulk processing in the backend and real-time data serving. (more…)

Spreading of knowledge has never been easier. Communication technology has opened up several opportunities for people to be part of the global economy, irrespective of where they live. Very soon there will be highly educated people from all parts of the globe and this is a healthy change.

The concept of e-learning has brought about major changes in the way people look at education. Learning is not just confined to the four walls of a classroom anymore. A disabled person can sit in front of his computer and be educated in any stream he wishes to. If we look at the avenues this new education system opens up, it is certainly a boon to those millions of students worldwide, who for their own reasons cannot go to school or college.

Previously, getting into big universities like Harvard was unthinkable for most youngsters, but now the lectures from these universities are available online, including discussion groups and even examinations. A student can obtain a degree from one of the top universities, studying and giving his exams from home. A wonderful opportunity for higher education is available to people from all over.

Even the primary schools and secondary schools are introducing technology in the education process, where students and even teachers have access to various classroom materials online, enabling them to improve the quality of education. (more…)

There is a danger of the internet going obsolete soon. That sounds bad but if you hear of the alternative, you will be thrilled.

That option could be “the grid.” The grid is expected to be “lightning” fast. How long does it take to download a feature film now? An hour? Two hours? Grid will be capable of doing it within seconds.

It does feel like a sci-fi movie but this is a fact and is the latest spinoff from the creator of the web, Cern, the particle physics center. They could outdo their previous creation by a million times, with the creation of the Grid, which they say comes with the power needed to transmit holographic images; allows instant online gaming with thousands of players and also offers high definition video telephony for just the price of a local call.

While the web is a service that allows sharing of information over the internet; the Grid allows sharing of data storage capacity and computer power over the internet.

The speed of the Grid is said to be 10000 times faster than the internet. Researchers give an example that proves the power of the Grid when compared to the internet. It has been used to help in designing new drugs for malaria, the fatal disease that kills approximately 1m people each year. In a search for new drugs against malaria, it came up with 140m compounds – a task that would have taken an internet-linked PC 420 years. These amazing results reveal the tremendous unimaginable power of the Grid. (more…)

Free and paid music downloads is a big thing online and there are many companies competing with each other to make a mark in this area.

MySpace, the top social networking website is all set to make its foray into the world of music. After capturing the social networking arena, millions of eyes watch this move to see how MySpace fares in the music business.

News Corporation, which owns MySpace, is expected to be joined by giants of music, such as Sony BMG Music, Warner Music, Universal Music Group and EMI, as minority equity holders. MySpace is noted to have had an issue with Universal Music Group earlier, with Universal filing a lawsuit against MySpace in 2006, charging it of encouraging illegal sharing of music and music videos, which seems to be a thing of the past now and forgotten. According to Reuters, MySpace has already signed up with the other three, except for EMI, with which talks are currently on.

As is evident, MySpace is looking all set to compete with the current music giant, Apple iTunes, which is one of the largest retailers for music in the US. According to Chris DeWolfe, co-founder of MySpace, this initiative will be a direct challenge to Apple’s iTunes, which holds around 75% of the entire music download market.

The intention of MySpace is also to ease the restrictions on digital rights, which allow the playing of any downloaded track only on one device. Many iTune users complain about this aspect of music downloads and MySpace promises that their downloads will play on any device, including the iPod. (more…)

A Masters of Business Administration or MBA is arguably one of the best degrees dollar-wise to advance your career. Any MBA program has weight when it comes to increasing your knowledge and clout in your current career, but some programs outweigh others when it comes to name recognition and credentials added to your professional resume.

Not all schools are created equal. But, unfortunately, there is simply not room in the Harvard Business School for everyone seeking an MBA this year. Finding the best school for you requires a balance of convenience, ability, and funding.

Consider Your Ability Level
To get in to the top executive schools, you must have a past level of ability proven by your GPA and course load in your undergraduate classes. If you were a C- kind of student, your new drive and dedication won’t have as much impact on your college applications as you old GPA.

Some master’s programs are willing to overlook a few low grades in courses unrelated to the field you’re now pursing, especially since an MBA encompasses a wide field of abilities and interests. But competition for the top schools is intense. If you don’t have the qualifications, networking and schmoozing skills to back up your application, you will likely do better to focus your attention on good schools rather than the best.

Examine Your Level of Commitment
Your next step is to examine your level of commitment. Some MBA degrees are intense rapid-fire programs that require you attend classes full-time and leave room for internship or other program commitments during what would normally be work time. Other MBA classes are done in the evenings and leave very little time for study when balanced with your current career.

If you are committed to earning your MBA as quickly as possible, taking eighteen months to twenty-four months away from your current career to immerse yourself in your studies and the overall business experience will likely prove to be the most valuable method of earning an advanced business degree. But if your budget or career can’t be placed on hold for the time it takes to earn an MBA, taking night classes over the span of three or four years with intense amounts of independent study are likely your best option. (more…)