Key mapping for external PC keyboard on Mac

This post is to document my steps to use external Windows keyboard on Mac with custom key mapping. Background Apple’s magic keyboard does not support multi-device so I have to repurpose my Logitech K810 keyboard with MacBook. Logitech K810 is and old model with Windows key layout even though it also supports MacOS. The bottom … Read moreKey mapping for external PC keyboard on Mac

Java Garbage Collection

Tuning the garbage collector is the most important thing that can be done to improve the performance of a Java application. GC is typically caused when the JVM decides GC is necessary, specifically when: OpenJDK has three collectors suitable for production, with different performance characteristics. In order to study the GC behaviours in application, it … Read moreJava Garbage Collection

Virtualization 1 of 4 – Hypervisor

In broad terms, virtualization of computing resource is about isolation of resources, at different levels. There are five levels of virtualization: In my context I deal mostly with OS level and HAL (hardware abstraction layer) level of virtualization. In loose terms, the word containerization refers to OS level virtualization, while the word virtualization is exclusively … Read moreVirtualization 1 of 4 – Hypervisor

Setup WSL2 (and Docker) on Windows 10

This is not for Linux snobs, but rather for those who are stuck with a Windows work laptop, have to deal with Linux on a daily basis, and are not a fan of PuTTY. This posting provides the steps to setup Windows 10 so you get a work environment closer to a Linux one. The … Read moreSetup WSL2 (and Docker) on Windows 10

NTLM and Kerberos protocols

This article explains how two most common authentication mechanisms (NTLM and Kerberos) work. Both authentication protocols are based on symmetric key cryptography. The protocols themselves are platform independent. NTLM Authentication NTLM is the default authentication protocol prior to Windows 2000 and still prevalent today as backup to Kerberos. It is based on challenge/response mechanism. User … Read moreNTLM and Kerberos protocols

Introduction to Authentication Frameworks (PAM and SSPI)

This article gives a very brief high-level introduction to PAM (Pluggable Authentication Module) and SSPI (Security Support Provider Interface) as authentication frameworks in Linux and Windows respectively. PAM The Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) architecture provides a powerful abstraction for user IAM using pluggable authentication model Unix platforms. It defines a generic API for authentication and … Read moreIntroduction to Authentication Frameworks (PAM and SSPI)