Monday 16 September 2024

How GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps Saves the Day (and Your Reputation)

Let's face it, developers: we've all accidentally committed a secret (or two) to our code repository at some point. Maybe it was an API key, a database password, or that super-secret encryption key you swore you'd never forget. ‍♂️



The problem?  Those exposed secrets can be a hacker's dream come true. A leaked secret can bring your entire application crashing down, wreaking havoc on your data and reputation. Shuddersville.  Many good developers do not pay attention to this critical aspect while working on the code, behaviour which most of the time becomes very costly and painful.

That's where GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps swoops in like a superhero with a cape (well, maybe more like a shield, but you get the idea). This powerful integration brings the muscle of GitHub's security features into your Azure DevOps workflow, so you can identify and squash those secret leaks before they become a disaster.


Here's how GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps saves your bacon:

  • Secret Scanning: It acts like a super-sleuth, scouring your code for any exposed secrets like passwords, tokens, and keys. No more accidental oopsies making it past your commit.
  • Dependency Scanning: Those third-party libraries you love? They can have hidden vulnerabilities. Advanced Security scans your dependencies to expose any weak spots so you can patch them up before they get exploited.
  • CodeQL Code Scanning: This built-in code analysis tool is like a security X-ray for your codebase. It hunts for potential vulnerabilities and coding errors, so you can fix them before they become a problem.

The best part? This security suite integrates seamlessly into your Azure DevOps workflow. No need to jump through hoops or learn a whole new platform. You can find, fix, and prevent security issues all within your familiar Azure DevOps environment. Win-win!

So, ditch the stress of exposed secrets and vulnerable code. Embrace the power of GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps. Your future self (and your security team) will thank you for it.

P.S. Looking for more info? Check out the official documentation to see how to get started with GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps and start building more secure software today!

Monday 9 September 2024

Can you explain what is the different between is MTTR and MTTD use in Amazon AWS?

Amazon AWS MTTR (Mean Time to Recovery) and MTTD (Mean Time to Detect) are key metrics used to measure and improve system reliability and incident management. Here's a breakdown of each: 


  1. MTTR (Mean Time to Recovery):

    • What it is for: MTTR represents the average time it takes to recover from a system failure or incident. This metric is critical in evaluating the efficiency and speed of your recovery process after something goes wrong.
    • Use in AWS: AWS services and infrastructure are built with high availability, but incidents like configuration issues, downtime, or hardware failures can still occur. MTTR helps DevOps teams understand how quickly they can restore normal operations after an incident.
    • Example: If your EC2 instance crashes, MTTR measures how long it takes to identify the issue, apply a fix, and restore the service to full functionality.
  2. MTTD (Mean Time to Detect):

    • What it is for: MTTD measures the average time it takes to detect an issue or incident from the moment it occurs. Identifying how responsive your monitoring systems are in catching problems early is critical.
    • Use in AWS: In AWS, MTTD can be improved by using services like CloudWatch, AWS X-Ray, and GuardDuty, which help detect performance degradation, security threats, or failures in your system. The sooner you detect a problem, the faster you can work on fixing it.
    • Example: MTTD would measure how long your monitoring systems take to detect a spike in error rates in an application hosted on AWS Lambda.

Key Benefits:

  • Lower MTTR means quicker recovery from incidents, minimising downtime and reducing impact on end users.
  • Lower MTTD means quicker detection, allowing teams to act before incidents escalate into bigger problems.


Both metrics are crucial in assessing and improving the resilience and reliability of your AWS-based infrastructure. 💡

VMware Workstation Pro: Now Available Free for Personal Use

 


VMware Desktop Hypervisor products Fusion and Workstation are used by millions of people every day to run virtual machines on their Windows, Linux and Mac computers. They give users the ability to quickly and easily build “local virtual” environments to install other operating systems, learn about technology, build and test software, complex systems, browsers, apps, games, and more.

For many in our community, Workstation and Fusion are the first VMware products that they’ve ever used, and it’s an important tool for understanding Virtualization as well as the fundamentals of vSphere. Going beyond that, commercial organizations get value from VMware Desktop Hypervisor apps for a number of reasons including development and testing of apps and systems and interacting with their vSphere environments. 

As we complete the integration of Fusion and Workstation into Broadcom, I wanted to share with the community some changes to our product lineup and how we deliver them to our community.

We’ve been diligently working on important changes to our product lineup to provide ongoing, lasting value to our customers and to the VMware community at large, and we’re thrilled to be able to share with our community the next steps in our plan for the future of VMware Desktop Hypervisor apps. 

Our goal with these changes has been to simplify how we bring VMware Desktop Hypervisor apps to market, while maintaining our support of the broader community of VMware Workstation and Fusion users of both free and paid products. So let’s dig into this simplification and more importantly, what this means to you as customers.

Pro Apps are now Free for Personal Use and Licensed for Commercial Use

The most exciting part is that Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro will now have two license models. We now provide a Free Personal Use or a Paid Commercial Use subscription for our Pro apps. Users will decide based on their use case whether a commercial subscription is required.

This means that everyday users who want a virtual lab on their Mac, Windows or Linux computer can do so for free simply by registering and downloading the bits from the new download portal located at support.broadcom.com

VMware Fusion Pro Download           VMware Workstation Pro Download

Customers who use Fusion and Workstation at/for work require a paid commercial subscription, which can be purchased through an authorized Broadcom Advantage partner. More on that below.

VMware Workstation Player + Fusion Player Discontinued

With our fully featured Pro products being made free for personal use and paid for commercial use, we are discontinuing their lesser counterparts VMware Workstation Player and VMware Fusion Player. At this time they will no longer be available for purchase. Users of our Personal Use Player products can upgrade to the more full-featured Pro versions without any cost. Workstation Player will continue to be bundled with Workstation Pro just as it is today, so as an app it will continue. 

Users with Fusion Player personal use licenses can simply update to Fusion 13.5.2 and delete your license key. You must update to 13.5.2, but removing the existing Player key will unlock the full “Pro for Personal Use” licensing without needing any additional keys. Here is a simple KB that describes what to do: https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleNumber=367660

For Workstation Player for Windows and Linux, Workstation Pro requires a new download and install but is licensed for Personal Use by default. You will need a customer account at support.broadcom.com to access downloads.

Customers of Fusion Player 13 and Workstation Player 17 with commercial licenses will continue to see their products function and no new license keys are required for continued use of these versions. Once the active support term expires, customers are encouraged to upgrade to the Pro version of these products for continued support and updates.

Fusion Player and Workstation Player will continue to be supported for existing customers in alignment with their existing EOL and EOGS dates. 

All active customer accounts and associated active entitlements/licenses have been migrated to Broadcom’s customer portal, so existing license keys will now be found there. 

Subscription model for commercial use

With the new commercial model, we have reduced our product group offerings down to a single SKU for users who require commercial use licensing. This simplification eliminates 40+ other SKUs and makes quoting and purchasing VMware Desktop Hypervisor apps, Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro, easier than ever. 

The new Desktop Hypervisor app subscription can be purchased from any Broadcom Advantage partner.

If you don’t currently have a Broadcom partner, we have brought on a new reseller, Digital River, to support customers without needing a pre-existing commercial account. The VMware Desktop Hypervisor subscription is sold for $120/year and can be purchased from the new online store located here: https://store.cloudvista.com 

What do customers get with their subscription?

The new paid subscription provides entitlement to use Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro for commercial purposes subject to the terms and conditions outlined in our “Specific Program Documentation” (Available here). Subscriptions provide continued product updates, both major and minor, for the duration of the subscription term. When a ‘major’ version is released requiring a new license key, customers will be able to generate appropriate new keys within their Broadcom customer portal, much like how it worked in the past for customers with active “SnS’. In alignment with Broadcom’s practices, commercial customers will also receive support via the partner they purchased from.

Are there any product differences between Free and Paid?

The text “This product is licensed for personal use only” within the product user interface is not present when a commercial license is used. There are otherwise no functional differences.

For more information, please refer to the following KB article: https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleNumber=315642

Wrapping up

So often when we are out meeting the community, we hear about the value that Workstation, and later Fusion, have brought to the VMware community over the past 25 years is immeasurable. Workstation’s heritage reaches back to the very first product that the company ever shipped, ubiquitous with the name ‘VMware’ even to this day. 

To that end, we’re thrilled to continue the legacy that has built so many careers and enriched the lives of so many. There’s never been a better time to run local VMware virtual machines!

Podcasts

To discuss the changes, I recently went on a couple podcasts with my good friends Duncan, John and Pete!

Unexplored Territory with Duncan
Virtually Speaking with Pete and John in the Fishbowl on campus

VMware Workstation Player + Fusion Player Transition

Here’s a look at your options going forward if you are a user of our Player products.


Sunday 8 September 2024

Empower Your Website with SiteGPT: The AI Chatbot That Simplifies Customer Interactions

In today's fast-paced digital world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to enhance customer engagement and streamline their operations. Chatbots have emerged as a powerful tool to achieve these goals, offering instant support and personalized interactions. However, creating and training an effective chatbot can be a daunting task, often requiring significant time and technical expertise.


Enter SiteGPT, an innovative AI-powered chatbot solution that revolutionizes the way businesses interact with their customers. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and your website's content, SiteGPT empowers you to build intelligent chatbots that deliver exceptional customer experiences.

How SiteGPT Works

SiteGPT's magic lies in its ability to learn from your website's content. By analyzing your web pages, articles, and FAQs, SiteGPT gains a deep understanding of your products, services, and brand. It then leverages this knowledge to generate accurate and relevant responses to user queries.

Behind the scenes, SiteGPT utilizes the advanced capabilities of ChatGPT 3.5 and 4.0 API connections. This ensures that your chatbot delivers human-like conversations, providing seamless and natural interactions for your visitors.



Creating a Chatbot with SiteGPT: It's as Easy as 1-2-3

Gone are the days of complex chatbot development. With SiteGPT, creating a chatbot is a breeze. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Sign in and Create: Access the SiteGPT platform and click on "Create New Chatbot."
  2. Connect Your Website: Paste your website's URL and let SiteGPT fetch and index its content.
  3. Select and Create: Choose the relevant web pages and click "Create Chatbot."

That's it! Within minutes, you'll have a fully functional chatbot ready to engage your visitors.

Personalize and Enhance

SiteGPT offers a range of customization options to ensure your chatbot aligns seamlessly with your brand identity. You can adjust colors, logos, and chat bubble icons to create a cohesive and visually appealing experience.

Furthermore, adding quick prompts for frequently asked questions empowers users to find information quickly and effortlessly. This proactive approach enhances user satisfaction and reduces the burden on your support team.

Seamless Integration

Embedding your SiteGPT chatbot on your website is a straightforward process. Simply copy the provided JavaScript code and paste it into your website's code injection section. Once published, your chatbot will be live and ready to interact with visitors.

For those seeking an extra layer of support, SiteGPT allows you to set up follow-up prompts. If a user's query requires human intervention, the chatbot can seamlessly escalate the conversation to your support team, ensuring a smooth and efficient resolution.



The SiteGPT Advantage

Implementing SiteGPT on your website brings a multitude of benefits:

  • Elevated Customer Service: Provide instant, 24/7 support to your customers, enhancing their overall experience.
  • Reduced Support Workload: Free up your support team to focus on complex issues while the chatbot handles routine inquiries.
  • Improved User Experience: Empower visitors to find information quickly and easily, leading to increased engagement and satisfaction.
  • Boosted Website Traffic and Conversions: Enhance your website's SEO and attract more visitors, ultimately driving conversions.

Conclusion

SiteGPT is a game-changer for businesses looking to elevate their customer interactions and streamline their operations. Its user-friendly interface, powerful AI capabilities, and seamless integration make it an invaluable asset for any website.

Ready to experience the power of SiteGPT? Sign up for a free trial or demo today and discover how this AI chatbot can transform your website.

https://www.sitegpt.ai/




Don't miss out on the opportunity to provide exceptional customer service and unlock the full potential of your website. Try SiteGPT today and see the difference it can make!

Share this blog post with your colleagues and friends who might benefit from using SiteGPT. Let's empower businesses together with the power of AI chatbots!


Friday 6 September 2024

How to Master the Perfect ChatGPT Prompt Formula (in just 8 minutes)!

Imagine having the power to get the exact response you need from ChatGPT—every time. Whether you’re looking for writing help, coding assistance, or simply having fun conversations, getting the perfect result from ChatGPT all comes down to one thing: the prompt. 🎯


In this blog, we’ll explore how to master the perfect ChatGPT prompt formula in just 8 minutes. With a few simple tweaks and tricks, you’ll be writing prompts that deliver high-quality, accurate responses from ChatGPT faster than ever. Ready to dive in? Let’s go! ⏳💡


Why Does the Prompt Matter So Much? 🤔

The key to unlocking ChatGPT’s full potential lies in how you ask your question. The more precise and detailed your prompt, the better the AI can understand what you need. Think of it as giving directions: the clearer your directions, the easier it is to reach your destination. 🛣️

So, how do you master this prompt formula? The good news is that it’s simpler than you think. By the time you finish reading this post, you’ll have the skills to craft prompts that maximize the AI’s power—and you can do it in just 8 minutes! ⏱️


The Perfect ChatGPT Prompt Formula: A Simple 4-Step Process 📝

Here’s a quick breakdown of how to master the perfect ChatGPT prompt formula in just 8 minutes:

1. Be Specific with Your Request 🎯

Instead of asking a vague question like, “Tell me about history,” ask for something more focused:

💬 Example:Can you summarize the key events of the American Revolution?

The more detailed your prompt, the better the response. This allows ChatGPT to zone in on exactly what you’re looking for.

2. Provide Context 📖

Adding context helps ChatGPT tailor its response to your needs. Think of it like a conversation with a person—background information makes everything clearer.

💬 Example:I’m writing a blog post about the American Revolution. Can you summarize its causes in a conversational tone?

3. Set the Tone and Style ✍️

Do you want your response to sound formal, casual, or even funny? Let ChatGPT know upfront.

💬 Example:Write a 200-word summary of the American Revolution in a casual, conversational tone.

4. Experiment and Refine 🔄

Don’t be afraid to tweak your prompts if the first response isn’t perfect. ChatGPT improves with more specific directions, so keep refining until you get the answer you’re looking for!

💬 Example: “Can you rewrite that summary with more emphasis on the economic factors?”

🌐 Learn more about how to optimise ChatGPT prompts here


Real-Life Examples of Perfect ChatGPT Prompts 🌟

To help you visualize how these techniques work, here are some real-life prompt examples:

Content Creation Prompt ✍️

💬 “I’m creating a blog post about healthy eating tips. Can you give me 5 simple tips, each under 50 words, and write them in a friendly, conversational tone?”

Coding Prompt 💻

💬 “Can you help me write a Python function that calculates the factorial of a number? Include comments explaining each step of the code.”

Learning Prompt 🎓

💬 “Explain quantum mechanics in simple terms, as if you’re explaining it to a beginner who has no prior knowledge.”

In each of these examples, notice how the prompt is specific, includes context, and clearly defines the desired tone or style. This is the secret to unlocking ChatGPT’s full potential! 🚀


Why 8 Minutes is All You Need ⏳

Mastering the perfect ChatGPT prompt formula in just 8 minutes may sound ambitious, but with these tips, it’s completely achievable. Once you start experimenting, you’ll see how quickly you can refine your skills and create prompts that get the job done. Think of it like learning a new language—practice makes perfect! 🗣️

Want to see more detailed examples or get extra tips on making your prompts even better?
🌐 Check out this guide on crafting effective AI prompts



Tips for Making Your Prompts Even Better 🎯

Here are a few additional tips to take your prompts to the next level:

  1. Use Examples 📝: When in doubt, include an example in your prompt to show ChatGPT what you’re aiming for.

    🌐 More tips for advanced ChatGPT prompts

  2. Be Concise, But Detailed ✂️: Make sure your prompt gives enough information without being too long. Focus on what’s most important.

  3. Leverage ChatGPT’s Memory 🧠: Remember that ChatGPT can "remember" parts of your conversation. Build on previous prompts for more accurate responses.


Final Thoughts 💡

In just 8 minutes, you can transform the way you interact with ChatGPT. By mastering the perfect prompt formula, you’ll save time, get better answers, and unlock the full power of AI to help you in countless ways—whether you’re writing, coding, learning, or simply exploring ideas.

Give these tips a try, and see for yourself how quickly you can master the perfect ChatGPT prompt formula in just 8 minutes!

🌐 Start mastering your ChatGPT prompts now

Tuesday 3 September 2024

How do I build automation with ChatGPT and keep my system running with Ansible

 Simplify Your Ansible Playbook Creation with ChatGPT

Are you tired of writing complex Ansible playbooks manually? Want to streamline your DevOps processes and save time? Look no further! I’ve just released a new video that shows you how to use ChatGPT to simplify and speed up the process of generating Ansible code.

In the video, I walk you through several practical examples where ChatGPT helps in automating the creation of Ansible playbooks. Whether you’re checking system resources, verifying Java installations, monitoring WebSphere applications, or ensuring your filesystems aren’t running out of space, ChatGPT can help you generate the required playbook code with ease.


What You’ll Learn:

  1. System Resource Monitoring:

    • Learn how to create an Ansible playbook that monitors CPU, memory, disk, and network usage across your servers.
  2. Conditional Logic for Different Linux Distros:

    • See how to write playbooks that adapt to different Linux distributions, ensuring that the correct commands are executed regardless of the environment.
  3. Java and WebSphere Application Checks:

    • Discover how to automate the process of checking for Java installations and monitoring the status of WebSphere Application Server instances.
  4. Filesystem Usage Alerts:

    • Watch how to create a playbook that checks filesystem usage and triggers alerts if any directory exceeds a specified storage threshold.

Why This Video is Essential:

Ansible is a powerful tool for automating IT infrastructure, but writing playbooks can be time-consuming and error-prone. By leveraging ChatGPT, you can generate accurate, optimized code faster and with less effort. This video is a must-watch for DevOps professionals, system administrators, and anyone looking to improve their Ansible workflows.

Watch the video now to see how ChatGPT can transform your approach to Ansible playbook creation and make your automation tasks more efficient than ever!

Monday 2 September 2024

Here is a list of ChatGPT Prompts I have Used Jan 2024

 Hey welcome to my Blog - here is the author Tchize, I have been writing on my blog for the last 5 to 7 years. One of the things I have caught myself doing is deleting my past ChatGPT prompts.

To realise that I need to keep a record of those "Prompts" so that I can use them in future if I ever need them again ..  Ok, here I am going to start adding my prompts one by one, at least the ones I did not manage to delete it yet.
















Prompt in Portuguese - to create a description for a Youtube video in Portuguese which discusses, the affiliate program connected which these programs ..

Prompt:  Requesting more insight into Cryptocurrency staking in Portugueses..







       


Prompt: Requesting insight into how to protect Cryptocurrency from Hackers, Portugueses..







        

Prompt:  To build stuff on Cloud with Vagrant 




How GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps Saves the Day (and Your Reputation)

Let's face it, developers: we've all accidentally committed a secret (or two) to our code repository at some point. Maybe it was a...