Auto Expo 2012

I am eagerly waiting to see new launches in Auto Expo 2012. I visited once in year 2002. Experience was amazing. I still feel it like just few months back.

This year I am looking forward for new SUVs and MPVs. Let us keep a watch.

How to Use the Traceroute Command

Today, we were sitting in canteen and discussing about having basic knowledge about Networking. Everyone should have basic knowledge of networking. But that knowledge ends with how to know your IP Address or getting to know MAC Address.

In today’s world we live on internet and its nothing but a web of computers which is nothing but computer network. Some time back I knew hot to reach to a computer to which actually I am pointing to. But I could not recollect it today. So I used Google .

When we connect to a computer using some address like www.hostname.com, we actually go through a series of routers and computers and finally reach to that host. Now how to find the route through which I get to this host? So here is a simple command on Windows – "tracert" followed by address. as give below

tracert www.google.com

This command will give me number of hopping points through which I will finally reach the computer on which this website is hosted. So this is what I revised ( as I knew it earlier ) today. So this post is to not to forget this command again.

Here is the output of command

tracert www.indiagetonline.in

Tracing route to ghs.l.google.com [209.85.175.121]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1     1 ms     1 ms     1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    25 ms    23 ms    23 ms  117.195.64.1
  3    24 ms    22 ms    23 ms  218.248.164.74
  4    60 ms    60 ms    59 ms  218.248.255.82
  5    63 ms    55 ms    55 ms  59.163.206.161.static.chennai.vsnl.net.in [59.163.206.161]
  6    57 ms    56 ms    56 ms  172.31.35.198
  7     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  8    56 ms    56 ms    56 ms  59.163.25.46.static.vsnl.net.in [59.163.25.46]
  9    56 ms    55 ms    55 ms  180.87.36.53
10    60 ms    56 ms    56 ms  if-7-2.tcore1.MLV-Mumbai.as6453.net [180.87.36.33]
11    56 ms    58 ms    57 ms  if-2-2.tcore2.MLV-Mumbai.as6453.net [180.87.38.2]
12    57 ms    55 ms    56 ms  216.6.13.14
13    61 ms    56 ms    55 ms  209.85.241.52
14    84 ms    82 ms    72 ms  209.85.251.95
15   201 ms   202 ms   204 ms  66.249.94.38
16   127 ms   202 ms   203 ms  209.85.241.173
17   140 ms   200 ms   205 ms  66.249.94.126
18   142 ms   202 ms   202 ms  nx-in-f121.1e100.net [209.85.175.121]

Trace complete.

Happy tracing. ​

Secured Sites and Issues with Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows Operating Systems, may of us love for user experience and many of us like me hate it. But still we use it. I am using Windows Vista on my HP Pavilion DV9731TX. I faced many hardware related issues. But all were fixed by HP under warranty.

Few days before, I discovered that I cannot access my office webmail. Initially I thought that there was some issue with office network or mail server. I called helpdesk. They said, we will look into it. After some time I check with my friends in office and they could access the site. So now, it was clear that problem was at my end. May be some issue with IE8. So I opened firefox, but I discovered that same thing is happening with other browsers too. So I started playing with browser setting, I restored original setting. But still same issue.

Then I decided to give a try with other https sites. At this point I discovered that I cannot access any secured site. i.e. https sites. I was frustrated. I called some friends, one of them said there might be some issue with your broadband connection. Other one was very sure that it is related to some virus stuff and update virus definitions. At the same time, how can I forget my best internet friend Google? So I started searching. I found many references on MS support site that IE8 has some issues with https, they gave 7 methods, I  almost tried each of them. Last one was to restore best setting for OS, So I tried a restore point dated a week back when I could access sites. But It did not work. So I started virus scan and it could not run properly, It was stopping when it was scanning windows systems files. So a new problem. System hangs frequently. By this time I got frustrated.

Now tried some other way, I used Ubuntu 11.04 Live CD. Still no success. So Finally I called HP Support. After completing all formalities, we started discussing real issue. Guy was very cooperative initially. But we could not solve issue. So he started insisting me that you restore operating system and it will solve your issue. I argued with him that why should I do that and lose my application setup? He did not agree and said this is the only option. So I thanked him and ended the call.

I thought if I have to restore factory setting then why not to give a try on my own? So I restarted system, pressed F11, and started checking system. It asked for partition and hence I gave C drive as system partition. It started checking and after 17% completion, I gave message that there were some issue in sector related to file irprops.clp. I recollected that Virus Scan was hanging when this file scan started. In few minutes it said, it replaced this file and moved ahead. It took a long time to finish complete check. Then I simply restarted system, and clicked on my office webmail shortcut. Yahooooo. It worked.  I verified with other secured sites and everything was fine as it was. So there was No Virus issue, No system restore and no use of customer support centre. it simply running check disc utility.  

I hope if you face any such problem, this article may help you to resolve issue. If you need any help, get in touch with me. So happy secured site surfing.

Company Intranet Sites and PLM

Now a days, Intranet Sites are available in all companies which think of implementing PLM. They already invested in intranet to share company announcement, events and so on. To reduce time to market for their product they think of implementing PLM. In many organizations which have both I have observed some gaps.

Let us talk about what is Intranet? In layman’s language, it is nothing but a website which can be accessed which organization network only or if possible outside organization network with some secured access control. Normally intranet sites are used for announcement, some sort of publishing method, sub-sites for departments, individual sites and so on. Intranet sites go more close to public websites and give similar features like searching content, publishing photos etc. If it is SharePoint site, then it may offer much more but less than a PLM tool. More or less, it is a communication or collaboration medium or content management system like Drupal or SharePoint.

Now if we think of a PLM tool, ideally we do not have similarities. But it you think deep, there are 2 common points. Those are

1. PLM Web Client can be used to collaborate and view information instantaneously over the browser.
2. Web Client as name suggest are web based and security is same as intranet, internal or secured.

Now most of the organization which have both the application. They may use single sign-on facility. But they are rarely integrated. PLM talks about collaboration. Intranet provides a platform for information sharing which is nothing but collaboration.

Now if we integrate both what can be achieved? Or what is that I expect as output of integration?

1. Part/Object Search: Intranet sites provide search facility, PLM Tools provide search facility. Then why not to make PLM Object Search available on intranet site?
2. Task Integration: All PLM Tools provide task notification through emails or their UIs. If companies are using intranet site, they normally provide outlook like facilities, so why not to provide a widget in intranet site which can show me my task related to my project in PLM. Those tasks might be of just notification or approval or any thing which is listed against my name.
3. Discussions: SharePoint sites or CMSs offer discussion facility. Now if give a facility to link a PLM Object and start a discussion on intranet, it can increase collaboration level to next level and decisions can be taken much faster.
4. Document Management in SharePoint: PLM performance can be improved by using SharePoint for document management and using URLs to document in PLM as reference or specification documents. This can reduce load on PLM file server. SharePoint provides workflows hence document approval can be done in SharePoint and even office integration works much better with SharePoint.

These are some of my thought on PLM and Intranet/CMS integration. Till date I tried to find some readily available tools but I could not find a satisfactory results. If you know anything just leave a comment to this post. if anyone is interested to develop something let me know.

Alternate and Substitute Parts

When somebody asks, what is the difference between Alternate Part and Substitute Part? We always get confused. Hence I am putting definitions for each.

Alternate Part:

An Alternate Part is a component that is a suitable replacement for another part in every assembly in which the original part occurs. Companies use alternate parts when multiple vendors can supply parts that serve the identical function and fit.

 

Substitute Part:

A substitute part is a component that is a suitable replacement for another part in only one assembly in which the original part occurs.

Issue with MySite in SharePoint

Recently I created many custom lists and posted many posts on my blog in my organization. But somehow MySite on our SharePoint Server was deleted. This was very strange. If this happens with many users then its very serious. No one will trust capabilities of SharePoint. I am looking forward for answer from Microsoft which our SPAdmin is following up.

Be a smart mobile user, reclaim your contacts

Losing you cell phone is bad but what else you lose and which is more valuable than your cell phone is your data in your cell phone. Most important is your contacts. Many times I come across mails that says, I lost my cell and hence I need all your contact phone numbers. I find it very funny. At least with those you have Nokia phones. Specially Nokia smart phones.

There are various ways by which you can claim your phone book. But many cell phone users are not aware or lazy to keep a backup of phone data. I am listing few here. You can add your one as well.

1. Install OVI/Nokia PC Suit and Sync your contacts and calendar with Microsoft Outlook. Sync it frequently. But make sure that you keep your Microsoft Outlook Personal folder in which you have your address book at a location other than C Drive so that you do not lose your data when you format your PC.
2. Take Backup of your phone using OVI/Nokia PC Suit and restore it whenever required. Again, keep this backup on any drive other than C  Drive.
3. Use www.ovi.com and your cell phone to store your contacts online using Sync tool in your cell phone. So even if you lose your data stored on your PC because of formatting, still you can reclaim your contacts data.
4. If you use 2 Nokia Cell Phones, use Switch functionality in your Nokia phone to sync data between both the phones.

I hope this helps you to reclaim your contacts. I wish that you do not lose your phone or your data even if you use reset to factory settings.

Let me know if this is useful. If you know any other method, please feel free to share it by commenting on this post.

Mind42.com – Better Application for Mind Mapping

Many a times noting down your thoughts in mind map is necessary. Its not necessary that you have your device with you all the time. But if you have an internet connection, then www.mind42.com is a better option. You can create you own mind map, keep them secured. You can even share it with your friends. I liked it very much. If you like to create mind maps, you can give a try on www.mind42.com

Looking for eMatrix QAs

Hey, I am looking for experienced eMatrix/PLM QAs. If interested, contact me on ashishgkulkarni@gmail.com.

Required skills,

User Level Knowledge of eMatrix

Basic Testing skills

Attitude to Learn new concepts with quick learning ability.

Corruption in India and International Media

Today, a friend of mine forwarded an email to me written by an Indian CEO. Initially I was impressed and also embarrassed like him only. But after sometime I started thinking about it.

I  do agree that congress led governments in India and even British Rule over India made Indians to think that money can be made from politics only. May be many of Indians who are not educated start thinking that money can be made easily by using illegal ways and becoming a part of government. But I thought that most of the scams in India when exposed reveal that many MNCs are involved.

So is it possible that only Indians responsible for current state of corruption in India? No I think money makers across the world who want to make money using Indian land and Indian people are also equally responsible.

Anyway, there are ways to control it if Indians have will to control it. Indians need to come together on it and fight against it so that they clear all dark pictures that are there in International Media.