Today’s networks will always have data limitations. Data sets continue to grow on pace with increasing bandwidth availability making network-compression an important service in improving network performance. The network-compression used is actually a combination of compression and caching. It has been found that TCP rate control combined with network-compression provides the best value in terms of optimizing networks.

Compression reduces the size of data frames transmitted over networks. Reducing frame size results in frames taking up less bandwidth allowing greater volumes of network traffic. Data compression is normally classified as Hardware or Software compression’s. Software compression can be further broken down into two types, CPU-intensive or Memory-intensive.

Stacker compression is based on the Lempel-Ziv algorithm and uses an encoded dictionary that replaces a continuous stream of characters with codes. This scheme is known for its flexibility, particularly in regards to Local Area Network (LAN) data since many different applications might be transmitting over the network at any given time. The dictionary approach can change to accommodate and adapt to traffic variables.

Predictor compression attempts to predict the next sequence of characters in a data stream using an index to lookup the compression sequence. By examining the next sequence, it can see if it matches the index. If so, the sequence replaces the looked-up sequence in the dictionary. If there is no match, the algorithm locates the next character sequence in the index and the process begins again. The Predictor compression ratio is not as good as other algorithms, but it remains one of the fastest algorithms available. Predictor is more memory-intensive and less CPU-intensive.

Additionally, there are also proprietary compression’s such as Cisco IOS software and Cisco hardware compression’s. Cisco IOS software supports several third-party algorithms, including Hi/fn Stac Limpel Zif Stac (LZS), Predictor, and Microsoft Point-to-Point Compression (MPPC). Compression can be used on the entire-packet, header-only, or on a payload-only basis. Cisco hardware compression is specifically designed for receiving multiple compression streams coming from remote Cisco routers using Cisco IOS software-based compression. The combination of IOS and hardware compression is designed to improve overall network performance.

In summary, compression overall improves network transmission efficiency, but much of the overall efficiency relies on other parts of the network. Slow, or problem hardware or devices anywhere in the network can still cause bottlenecks that will decrease performance of a network. Additionally, network device and software performance is dependent on computing resources available, namely sufficient memory and CPU resources. If a device or software performing compression/decompression does not have sufficient computing power it results in bottlenecks that degrade the overall performance of the network.

References

Cisco Understanding Data Compression. (2008, January 15). Understanding Data Compression. Retrieved July 20, 2017, from http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wan/data-compression/14156-compress-overview.html.

Withers, S. (2005, February 10). 10 ways to improve network performance. Retrieved July 20, 2017, from http://www.zdnet.com/article/10-ways-to-improve-network-performance/.

Disclaimer

The post Compression of Network Data and Performance Issues appeared first on .

The concept of “Safe Harbor” refers to specific actions, example; encryption of private data, that an individual or an organization can take to show a good-faith effort in complying with the law. This good-faith effort provides a person or organization “Safe Harbor” against prosecution under the law (Grama, 2015, pg.253).

The State of Texas Statute 521.002 states that when a an individual’s first name or first initial and last name are combined with other private information, example, Social Security Number, that the information must be encrypted. The State of Texas Bus. & Com. Code 521.002, 521.053; Ed. Code 37.007(b)(5), and Pen. Code 33.02 all have provisions for personal private data protection, but none of these set a specific encryption standard. According to this law as long as an organization encrypts personal private information as the law specifies, theft of encrypted information would not require a breach notification which fulfills the principle of Safe Harbor (State of Texas Statutes 521.053, 2009).

Further research into Texas information system requirements revealed that encryption standards for state agencies are controlled by the agencies themselves. Texas Administrative Code 202.1 was the only law found addressing encryption at a state level for all other agencies and it also did not provide an encryption standard. Note: this law was repealed March of 2015 and no other laws were found (Texas Administrative Code 202.1, n.d.).

References

Grama, J. L. (2015). Legal issues in information security (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

State of Texas Statutes 521.053. (2009, April 01). Business and Commerce Code Title 11. Personal Identity Information Subtitle B. Identity Theft Chapter 521. Unauthorized Use of Identifying Information Subchapter A. General Provisions. Retrieved June 2, 2016, from http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/BC/htm/BC.521.htm#521.053

Texas Administrative Code 202.1. (n.d.). Texas Administrative Code Title 1. Part 10. Chapter 202. Sub Chapter A. Rule 202.1. Retrieved June 2, 2016, from http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=2&p_dir=&p_rloc=142456&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=142456&ti=1&pt=10&ch=202&rl=1&dt=&z_chk=&z_contains=

Disclaimer

The post Safe Harbor and State of Texas Breach Notification Laws appeared first on .