With the release of ColdFusion 10, Adobe's Enterprise application server for Rapid Application Development, there's a lot to get excited about.

HTML5 features heavily in the new release, with support for dynamic and interactive charting, web sockets, and video. RESTful web services are delivered out of the box. Improved Java integration as well the the move from JRun to Tomcat as the underlying JEE servlet container are just some of the new features.

You can find a full list of what's new, on the ColdFusion 10 Family section at http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/coldfusion-family.html

ColdFusion 10 is available now, and as an authorised reseller, Fuzzy Orange can help you with all your licensing requirements. Contact us for a quote, or for more information on how we can help you get the best out of ColdFusion 10.

As previously blogged, our very own Matt Gifford was nominated in this years .NET Awards for Developer of the Year.

We're delighted to announce that Matt has been shortlisted for the award, along with Paul Irish and Lorna Mitchell.

Congrats Matt and best of luck!

The annual .net Awards, organised by .net magazine, is one of the Web industry's leading ceremonies recognising some of the best talent the world of Web Design and Development has to offer.

For 2011, our very own Matt Gifford has been nominated in the "Developer of the Year" category.

Matt has worked like a demon, not just for us or our our clients, but also for the ColdFusion community as a whole, releasing a huge number of open source applications, including the much loved monkehTweets. His hugely popular "Object Oriented Programming in ColdFusion" book, released Autumn 2010, has been a massive success, and he's authored numerous magazine articles covering (to name but a few): Building Mobile Application with Adobe AIR, ColdFusion ORM, HTML5, Application Security, and speaking at Conferences.

We know just how good Matt's work is, as do our clients, and it's great to see that work be recognised globally.

You too can vote for Matt. Just head to the .net Awards website.

Two months from now, approximately 5,000 designers, developers, managers, technologists and more will once again descend upon LA for the 2011 edition of Adobe MAX.

This will be the fourth time Fuzzy Orange have been involved in a speaking capacity; 2007 in Barcelona and 2009, 2010 in LA.

For this years conference, Matt Gifford and myself will both be jetting in to present on a number of topics.

Matt Gifford

OWASP Enterprise Security API and available methods to help lock down a ColdFusion Application (Unconference)

Monday, October 3rd, 2.00 p.m. - 2.50 p.m.

Mobile Apps from 0 to 90: Powered by ColdFusion (BYOD Lab)

Tuesday, October 4th, 8.00 a.m. - 9.30 a.m.
In this 90 minute lab, you'll use Adobe Flash Builder to develop a mobile application from the ground up, compiling it as an Adobe AIR app. Learn how to create and push views, add a tabbed menu interface, and call and manage remote data from a ColdFusion web server. You'll also debug and deploy the final application to your mobile Android device.

Darwin Development (Unconference)

TBC
Evolution. It's a wonderful thing, and something that needs to occur for natural progression and the continuing advancement of ideas. As we see the modern trends, development paradigms and design practices evolve into different areas utilising newer technologies, should we really be saying goodbye to our old ways in favour of the new approach? Join Matt Gifford as he invites you to partake in a presentation with an emphasis on attendee input (with rewards) in a discussion to help understand what makes the web great, how we communicate in the modern world, and as a result whether or not we should leave the big screen behind entirely in favour of new formats.

Andy Allan

Adobe ColdFusion and modern Web front ends (Preconference Lab)

Sunday, October 2nd, 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.
Adobe ColdFusion works very well with most javascript frameworks and especially well with jQuery. See how ColdFusion, jQuery, and mobile web standard development can catapult your ColdFusion development to the latest and greatest.

In addition to presenting, we'll also be networking like crazy, catching up with old friends and new, and taking part in as much ColdFusion related fun as possible.

See you in LA!!

Migrating your Linux server from the Rackspace US Cloud to the UK

We here at Fuzzy Orange love the Cloud. We make extensive use of cloud services, particularly at Rackspace. When we started running cloud servers at Rackspace they only offered this service in the US but now it's offered in the UK too and we're migrating our servers over.

Rackspace have provided a detailed set of instructions which do the job well, but are maybe not the best at explaining what's going on. There are also one or two little "gotchas" not mentioned there.

Now, the first thing that should be noted is that depending on the complexity of the setup on your US cloud server it may be easier to just move files by hand. For example, if you just have a little web server with static content, it would be quicker and easier just to create a new UK cloud server and copy your content across manually.

Important things you need to know

1. US and UK usernames and API keys

The Rackspace migration scripts use the Cloud Files API to copy things around, so you will need valid usernames and API keys for both the US and UK cloud.

2. US and UK servers will run simultaneously

You need to have both servers up and running for the whole procedure, so you will be charged for both until everything is complete.

3. Python 2.6 on your UK server

Older Linux distributions ship with Python 2.4, which isn't good enough to run the Rackspace migration scripts. If you're so inclined you can build Python 2.6 from scratch, but it's easier to grab the ActiveState Python 2.6 installer and use that.

4. Files can't be changed during the process

Well, they can, but you'll have to transfer any changed files manually after the process is complete. When taking the source snapshot of your US cloud server you have to make sure no files are open for writing - this means databases either shut down or open read-only.

5. It will take about a day for this to complete

After you've created your migration image and run the Rackspace migration scripts you need to create a support ticket wait for Rackspace to do some work behind the scenes to link your US image to your UK server. It will take about a day or so for this to happen.

Step by step

1. Create the destination server in the UK cloud

Create a new, blank server in the UK cloud. Make sure it matches exactly your US server for memory, disk size and OS version.

2. Create an on-demand backup on the UK server

This is where the US image is eventually copied across to. Call this something like "MigrationImage" so you'll know what it's for.

Once it's complete, go to Cloud Files and look inside the cloudservers folder. Take note of the .yml file for your image for later (e.g. MigrationImage_20110607_123456.yml)

3. Prepare the US server

You need to prepare the server for an on-demand backup image. This means making sure no files are opened for writing, which means any databases need to be shut down or set to read-only.

4. Create an on-demand backup on the US server

This becomes the source image for your UK server. Call this something like "MigrationImageSource" so you'll know what it's from

Once you have the on-demand backup of the US server you can optionally restart your databases or make them read-write again, but understand that changes from this point on won't be copied by the migration scripts so you will have to deal with them manually afterwards.

Just like the UK image, go to Cloud Files and take note of the name of the .yml file for use later.

5. InstallPython 2.6 on your UK server

Check the version of Python you have installed by just running "python --version". If don't have Python installed at all, try to install it using your system's package manager (e.g. "yum install python" or "apt-get install python")

If you don't have at least Python 2.6.0 then you'll need to install it by hand. You can download the source and compile from scratch, but as you're probably only going to be using it this once for the migration, you might find the ActivePython from ActiveState easier to install - just remember to add the ActivePython bin directory to the beginning of $PATH once you're done.

6. Install PyYAML on your UK server

PyYAML is a Python module the migration scripts need to run. Download it from http://pyyaml.org/download/pyyaml/PyYAML-3.09.tar.gz, untar it to a folder and run "python setup.py install" to install it.

7. Download the migration script on your UK server

Get the Rackspace migration script from http://c857.r57.cf3.rackcdn.com/migrationscript_v1.0.zip and, if you like (and I'd recommend that you do so), verify the checksum with that on the Rackspace FAQ page. Unzip the file into a folder.

8. Run the migration script on your UK server

Now you need to run the command on your UK server to copy the migration image over from the US to the UK. The format of the command is :

python cpp.py -i -v US_username:US_apikey@cloudservers/source.yml UK_username:UK_apikey@cloudservers/

You need to replace US_username, US_apikey, source.yml, UK_username and UK_apikey with your details so the command ends up looking like :

python cpp.py -i -v usaccount:rapovn09202v97vouovn29v2v1@cloudservers/MigrationImage_20110607_123456.yml ukaccount:99hiefoid90ouopbv2poxcox89@cloudservers/

This will take a while to run depending on the size of the image to be migrated. It will print progress as it goes. Don't worry about getting it wrong, it handles errors gracefully and you can run it again. If you have an exceptionally large server image it may be worth running this inside Screen or some other tool that allows you to disconnect from the session without terminating your login.

9. Raise a support ticket in the UK portal

Once the migration script has completed you have to raise a support ticket in the UK cloud portal. The Rackspace FAQ has the correct wording to use in the ticket details, but additionally I would suggest you add the name of the US and UK servers.

10. Restore the migrated image to the UK server

Once you have notification from Rackspace support that they have finished migrating your image you should be able to restore the image to your UK server. The migration overwrites the on-demand UK backup you took at the start of all this with the US on-demand image, so restore using that.

Once this is done the UK server is now an identical copy of the US server at the point the on-demand image was taken there.

11. Change network settings on the UK server

Sometimes this happens automatically, but sometimes it doesn't. If you can't immediately access your UK server on the new IP address it has been assigned, you'll need to use the Cloud console to connect to it directly to change the network settings.

The Cloud portal already gives you the primary IP of your cloud server. Rackspace support assure me that for all cloud servers the netmask is always 255.255.255.0 and the default gateway is the same as the IP, but with the last octet changed to 1 - so, if your primary IP is 33.44.55.66, your default gateway is 33.44.55.1. DNS servers should be 83.138.151.80 and 83.138.151.81.

12. Test your UK server

Now you need to test the new UK server to make sure it's all working. Start any databases you had previously stopped or bring them out of read-only mode.

13. Sync up any changed content

If any content has changed on the US server since you started this process then this is the time to copy it across to the new UK server.

14. Change DNS names to point at UK server

If you have any public DNS records that refer to the US server you probably want to change them now to point at the new UK server.

15. Delete the US server

Once you are totally, 100% sure that the UK server has migrated correctly, all content has been copied and any DNS entries have been re-pointed towards it, you can delete your US server.

Remember that you are still charged even if your US server is switched off, so you need to delete it entirely. If desired, create an on-demand backup to Cloud Files before doing so you can re-create it if necessary.

And there you go - your US cloud server is now running in the UK.

ColdFusion Developer, £25 - £28k DOE

Due to our continuing success and growth, Fuzzy Orange are currently looking for a highly-motivated, experienced ColdFusion Developer to be based in Glasgow, Scotland. The position is a key role working primarily on the development of ColdFusion solutions for customers on site. Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to analysing customer and development requirements, preparing technical development documentation, undertaking development based on agreed technical designs, testing of modifications and ongoing development assistance.

About You

The ideal candidate will have a passion for great development, a desire to innovate and be brimming with creativity. An easygoing sense of humour and the ability to get along with a wide range of people are a must.

Technical Skills & Experience

You will have strong technical skills and a willingness to manage tasks through to delivery, ideally supplemented with skills in associated technologies:

• 2 years minimum ColdFusion experience
• Enterprise-level SQL relational databases
• ColdFusion components and Object-Oriented Programming
• Knowledge of current framework methodologies are advantageous
• Developing Flex and AIR-based applications
• jQuery, CSS, XHTML and JavaScript
• Version control and ticketing systems for project management

Personal Skills

You will possess the skills necessary to work in a team environment with other developers and project managers.

• Excellent problem solving and communication skills
• Great attention to detail
• Self-motivated and driven to achieve professional success in a hybrid development/consulting environment
• Ability to manage workload and time according to deadlines set
• Good team player as well as have the ability to work on your own initiative without supervision
• Resourceful, energetic and enthusiastic

About Fuzzy Orange

Fuzzy Orange Ltd is one of Europe's leading consultancies specialising in Adobe ColdFusion, Flex and AIR. Our client base comprises of local government, transport, new media, technology and entertainment giants as well as small businesses and up and coming dot coms. Fuzzy Orange is the organiser of Europe's leading ColdFusion conference, Scotch on the Rocks.

Fuzzy Orange Ltd is an equal opportunity employer.

Contact

Please email your resume, in PDF/TEXT/HTML format only to info@fuzzyorange.co.uk

No agencies please. No MS-WORD attachments.

As it's the season of good will, plus the fact we love giving swag away, we thought we'd put together a little ColdFusion development Santa sack.

Included in the sack are:

• 1 copy of ColdFusion Builder + 1 year maintenance & support
• 1 copy of Object Orientated Programming in ColdFusion book by our very own Matt Gifford
• 1 full pass to Scotch on the Rocks 2011
• 1 full license of Tasktop Pro (http://www.tasktop.com)

So what do you have to do? Simply send us your best Christmas photo. It could be of your Christmas tree, or you dressed up as Santa ... you take the photo and we'll decide which is the best.

Send your photo to christmas@fuzzyorange.co.uk - Photos need to be with us by Friday 17th December.

Our very own Matt Gifford recently saw all his hard work, long hours and caffeine addiction pay off with the release of his very first book, Object Orientated Programming in ColdFusion. Released by Packt Publishing, this 192 page book is a short but concise manual on how to design and build your ColdFusion Components (CFCs), use Inheritance, encapsulate your code, deal with portability, work with Service Layers and so on and so forth.

The book is a fantastic read for those CFML developers who need a little help in making the jump to working with CFCs, or implement Object Orientated principles. It's also a great refresher for those who have already made the jump.

Visit the publishers page for full details, including special offers.

https://www.packtpub.com/object-oriented-programming-in-coldfusion/book

Matt (Gifford) and myself will be heading out to LA a week on Saturday for Adobe MAX 2010.

We'll both be giving a hands on Lab entitled "Search Made Easy: Full Test Search with ColdFusion and Solr" at 8am on Tuesday 26th and again at 8.30am on Wednesday 27th.

Additionally, we'll both be giving presentations at the ColdFusion Unconference.

I'll be presenting on "Search and Destory: The Rock Star Approach to ColdFusion and Solr" at 3pm on Monday 25th. This session will dive into some of the unknowns such as configuration, security, monitoring, as well as some other rather nifty tricks.

Matt will be presenting "ColdFusion as a Service: How to Extend 'The Awesome'". This will be an updated version of Matt's session from Scotch on the Road 2009.

So come along, say hello, give us abuse (accompanied by donuts) and we'll maybe even buy you a beer.