Cloud Computing is changing application release operations

The use of cloud computing for custom-built, mission-critical enterprise applications is just beginning, but both the technology and mind-set are already influencing enterprise application architectures and delivery.

Virtualization is now the first step for companies embarking on the cloud migration, and the next step usually is a private or hybrid cloud.  My belief is that the application release operations will become more and more important and change radically. Basically, just as the Internet and direct user access drives focus on user experience, virtualization and the cloud are driving the growing focus on application agility.

Since an app’s business value is realized only after its release, application agility is one of the primary business benefits from a move to the cloud. For IT, this translates into shorter application release cycles and effective deployment of incremental releases. Most of the work for release operations will be around deploying incremental application releases or new applications.

If application release operations will change in response to the cloud, it’s also important to consider the key ingredients needed to make sure that a company’s release operations for production applications won’t get left behind:

• Operational release status monitoring – as companies do more frequent releases, IT release operations need real-time feedback on the state of a specific release and across multiple concurrent release pipelines.
• Application level versioning and rollback – the frequency of release in the cloud offers abilities like quickly returning an application to a previous version or understanding which application artifacts have changed between releases. In fact, every application release should have an associated remediation process enabling IT to return to a previous version in a safe and repeatable manner.
• Application release window maintenance – Release window maintenance is mainly a manual process, without automated administration or repairing. As the cloud increases the number of releases and release environments, the operations will need the tools to become much more ready at supporting release windows.
• Application sense and response – One of the visionary goals of the cloud is independent sense and response, enabling an app to expand or contract based on user demand. A monitor can sense the need for change, but only a release operations tool can decide what needs to be done from an app perspective to respond.

Companies starting to move to cloud environments need to get ready for the day their customized, mission-critical production apps will also move to virtual and hybrid cloud environments, even though the cloud may be currently used only for dev-and-test.

Zong 4G Coverage Maps Get Leaked

Before the official launch of Zong 4G in Pakistan, Zong 4G coverage maps get leaked on the web. Zong 4G was supposed to be launched this month as we have updated earlier. Now Zong 4Ghas already been launched officially all over Pakistan yesterday, but Zong 4G map had leaked through Zong’s official website ahead of its official launch.

Zong 4G coverage map include all those locations and areas where Zong 4G service is available at the time of launch. The directory listing of particular folder containing Zong’s 4G coverage maps was found by an enthusiastic IT reader who became the source of leakage of Zong 4G map on the web.

Zong 4G coverage map is formerly available in KMZ format (Google Earth Files). All particular locations of Zong 4G covered areas are high lightened there. Not only this, the accurate location of cell sites are also given in these files that are at present 4G ready and can be shifted to Zong 4G network instantly.

According to the leaked coverage maps of Zong 4G service in Pakistan, it is concluded that initially, Zong will launch its 4G services in 5 major cities of Pakistan namely:

-          Karachi
-          Lahore
-          Rawalpindi
-          Islamabad
-          Faisalabad

If the leaked Zong 4G map is authentic then it is clear that Zong 4G coverage is much more extensive in Lahore as compare to Karachi where Zong 4G signals are weaker. Plus, the posh areas of Islamabad are just about covered. A small portion of Rawalpindi is receiving Zong 4G network, Bahria Town Rawalpindi is fully covered by Zong 4G network. A slight Zong 4G coverage is seen in Faisalabad. You can also make further conclusion by self-visualizing the Zong 4G map coverage areas.

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Karachi:

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Karachi

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Lahore:

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Lahore

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Islamabad:

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Islamabad

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Rawalpindi:

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Rawalpindi

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Bahria Town Rawalpindi

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Bahria Town Rawalpindi

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Faisalabad:

Zong 4G Coverage Map In Faisalabad

Pakistan’s first simulator based car

Pakistan’s first simulator based car driver training school in Peshawar uses a Suzuki FX

Suzuki FX is best known for its efficient fuel consumption and as a daily workhorse and thus, in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi it is commonly used as a taxi. But Peshawar Traffic Police has found a new purpose for the car. Being put in the Peshawar Police Traffic Driving School, where the 1982 model of Suzuki FX car is no longer running on roads rather, it is engaged in helping learners in a high-tech manners.

The old workhorse’s time for running about here and there is up, it is attached now modified and installed with stimulation technology at the first ever computerized traffic police official driving school which was establish on December 12, 2008.

It was initially proposed by SSP Traffic Muhammad Jaffer Khan, who established it through his own resources seeking betterment in driving abilities of the public. Muhammad Jaffer khan was focused to give his best as an SSP traffic police and aimed to provide a school for driving where people can come for driver training with lower fees than the private driving training centers. The idea sparked away and the staff got professional training from Motorway Police Academy Shekhupura. The staff after receiving due training is now ready to give their best and boost up ethical driving which were required to take proper control on flow of unorganized traffic in the city.

With the passing of time, the traffic police Peshawar did not leave a single stone unturned and renovated its driving center according to aligned with latest technology. Traffic police sub-inspector, Ejaz Khan told us that, “We have a computerized training system of global standards, and it’s called Driving FX Simulator and it costs almost 2.3 Lac PKR.”

The advanced traffic driver training center became very useful for public, as they are benefiting from the school through not only learning the right driving techniques but, the school is also helping people to get driving licenses directly after completion of successful training.

Car driving students are also showing keen interest in the traffic driving school center at Peshawar, Cantt and many of them successfully passed out after acquiring their driving license with complete training. The computerized driving training school has certified around about 4000 students since its establishment.

The concept of Driving F X Simulator is getting fame and a new branch of the driver training school has been established in Phase 5, Principal road, Hayat Abad, Peshawar as well. And where all necessary equipments, with required technologies have been provided to learn driving in a proper imaginary road sense.

 

Ejaz khan who is running the stimulator driving school at Peshawar from its start till now feels proud to be a part of this first high tech driving school, also being a pioneer, their aim is to establish such training centers around the country which maximizes the use of technology.

How do you feel when you sit in a car and can drive it in different stimulations of winter, summer, snowfall and accident scenarios? The computerized FX stimulator car will teach you how to deal with the expected and unexpected issues of driving a car.

If you’d ask me who would make a driver simulator in an actual car, it would most probably be some car racing game fans but instead, it is the Traffic Police Peshawar.

 

speed camera on Pakistani motorways

Here’s how to escape a speed camera on Pakistani motorways

Maintaining a speed limit of 120 Km/hr is a true battle of nerves, especially when we don’t have cruise control in our cars. For people who have a vast experience of traveling on motorway; also know a handy bit of tips for escaping an over speeding ticket on motorway. Although we at PakWheels do not recommend law evasive behavior however, its no harm in giving people some friendly advice like people do all over the world by blinking to notify other drivers of a speed camera upfront.

• The set speed limit for LTV’s is 120 Km/h and we all assume that the one crossing 120Km/hr would be liable of an over speeding ticket. If you are driving around 120-130 Km/h or even 131Km/h, they won’t stop you. But as soon as you touch 132Km/h you will be stopped for over speeding if you are in range of a speed camera.

• Speed guns used on motorway detect your speed from a range of 95 to 100ft. And don’t think that if you have had a slight glimpse of speed gun from a distance, you are going to escape it. Your speed has already been recorded. One main reason behind this fact is that speed guns on motorway are usually set up on sharp turns which don’t give you enough distance to take evasive action.

• Two most common points of speed cameras are chakkri and Salt range. And majority of tickets are issued in salt range for violating the speed limit of 50 Km/hr.

• Use of radar gun can also help avoiding a speed ticket. I recently experienced it along with a friend who bought a radar gun from Dubai, radar gun detects the active speed cameras from a distance of 150ft so you can just slow down before you get into the 100ft range of speed camera. Radar gun gives you a beep if a speed camera is active ahead. But I have heard that such instruments to detect speed camera are illegal on motorway.

We do not advise people to be dangerous and a potential hazard to everyone else around you, but rather we publish such tips so those who get fined for unknowingly being over the limit with a margin of few kms, can be ready.

New Honda Car Jazz - 2014

Honda shows off new production prototype of ‘Jazz

Honda has been going on some sort of spree of revealing a new production prototype model at every auto show in the world. Take the Honda Civic Type R for example, Honda has unveiled two versions (One and two) of it up till now and we guess by the time Honda will actually send the Type R to the show rooms, they will have a few more production prototype of the Type R.

Honda unveiled the production ready Jazz/Fit at the 2014 Paris Auto Show fitted with Honda’s Earth Dream 1.3 liter engine which is joined with a six-speed manual or a CVT.