Posted by Dan Webber on Mon, Aug 31, 2009 @ 06:00 AM
Many articles today are being written which focus on IT cost reduction. “Spend only what is essential to keep the lights on.” With reduction in staff, IT Leadership is being asked to do more with less. Some tactics may allow certain companies to re-architect, re-energize, simplify, and eliminate some of the headaches that engulf too many IT shops.
Re-Architect
Take a look at all of your current assets and see where there is wasted capacity. I am always amazed that when you take the time to “walk around” the enterprise, there is a lot of IT equipment which is not being utilized. Pull out your software maintenance contracts and match them against the usage which is measured by your IT asset management system. If you do not have an IT asset management system, get one. Look in all of those closets and see where departments are hoarding equipment or set aside a laptop or monitor. Are you using all of the software that you are paying maintenance for? Are you buying new software, you really don’t need? Look at your service levels and contracts. Ask the hard questions, when was the last time we needed someone out in 4 hours? Could you expand the time frame to next day? Could you buy a hot spare that would accommodate and cost you less? Have you looked at third party maintenance? Have you had a frank discussion with your vendor and asked to renegotiate the contract?
Re-Energize
This is a great time to tighten up the governance process or in some cases establish the governance process. Make them, “Make the case.” It is a great time to engrain the business as the driver of projects for the business. Standardization of the business case that feeds the process is essential. Many companies that are successful in driving good business cases add the anticipated revenue or deduct the estimated cost savings to the budget upon completion of the project. This factor leads the project initiator to be more realistic in its goals for the project.
Simplify
Take the time to review the application portfolio of the business. How much is each application being used? How well are applications performing? Is the application costing more to maintain than it is adding back to the business? Is there existing functionality within your core ERP application that is not being used that could replace another application? Have a member of the IT Team spend time working with the business in that role. It is amazing the knowledge that can be gleaned about how individuals use systems vs. how IT thinks the business is using systems.
Eliminate Some of the Headaches
Since technology is never perfect, you can never eliminate the headaches associated with IT. You can transfer some of the headaches to outsourcers or systems in the cloud. When the systems fail, it is still a headache to the business. By taking the time to Re-Architect, Re-Energize, and Simplify, you are communicating and exposing IT to the business. By streamlining the platform, it will reduce the footprint that then can be extended to support the business as it evolves and gets back to growing.
Dan Webber is a CIO in Atlanta, GA. He delivers his unique perspective as Chief Information Officer on technology, business, and the Atlanta 
IT industry. He is a recent recipient of Oracle's CIO of the quarter award.
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Posted by Crystal Nichols on Thu, Aug 27, 2009 @ 08:33 AM
This article will answer the question, “What is an IT assessment?” An IT assessment is a comprehensive and thorough review of a company’s technology systems and environment and will result in a written evaluation and recommendation. The assessment will appraise how the technology helps or hinders the core business and recommend how to use technology to meet the business goals and objectives. The assessment can include, but is not limited to, network and systems performance, software audits, concept testing and development, strategic evaluations, technical reviews, and risk management.
An IT system isn’t just technology for technology’s sake. Technology should help meet specific business goals and provide value. An IT assessment can make sure that the technology is meeting these goals, or provide a blueprint for improving the technology and a specific and measurable template for achieving business objectives. It can also ensure that technology and security is in compliance with government guidelines and best practices.
Any business in today’s environment is running on a network of connected computers, servers, printers, and other hardware. The network is the backbone of the entire enterprise and can be a major bottleneck in business applications. An IT assessment will provide a network performance review and make recommendations based on traffic, errors, packet loss, and conflicts that can bring a business network to a halt. Investing in the latest computers and servers is a waste of money if it is attached to a sub-optimal network.
Software that is out of license compliance or copied illegally can cause huge fines and penalties to a business. An IT assessment will evaluate the existing software for compliance and create an audit process for future software. A software audit now as part of an IT assessment is much more cost effective than an audit later by a software company.
Security of data is key to any business. Proper security measures not only protect the data from outside hackers, but the ability to demonstrate good security is essential for new sales and customer retention. An IT assessment will evaluate and make recommendations to close holes in security and help create a bulletproof computing environment for critical data.
Finally, business continuity is a significant part of any good business plan. In the event of a disaster, the technology must be able to continue operating so that day to day business can continue. Proper backup procedures, redundant systems, and recovery methods must be in place. An IT assessment can provide a disaster recovery plan to ensure that the business continues in the event of anything from a small electrical problem to a major disaster.
Is your company in need of an IT Assessment?
Unitiv offers assessments in all areas based on your needs:
- Systems Performance
- Software Audits
- Network Performance
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Posted by JD Eller on Wed, Aug 26, 2009 @ 08:36 AM
August 27, 2009 will mark the second annual Power IT Down Day, in which government and industry participants can pledge to turn their computers off at the end of the day, as well as printers, monitors and other IT devices that won't be used overnight.
Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett-Packard have already joined the cause and have begun to promote it on their respective websites. Citrix has now recently announced that their Professional Services Council (PSC) will join in on the cause. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, IT accounts for 2 percent of all power consumption in the nation. Dave Podwojski, director of Citrix Government, Education and Health, said “Turning off computers, monitors and printers at the end of a day saves $1.50 per person in energy.”
Last year more than 2,800 people participated, which resulted in more than 37,000 kilowatt hours saved.
Read more about Citrix joining Power IT Down Day at http://www.citrix.com/English/NE/news/news.asp?newsID=1856597
Click here to join the national push to save energy. On August 27, power down your computer, monitor, and printer at the end
of the day. HP will calculate the number of people who Power IT Down, and
post the results on this page. Plus, HP will donate a portion of the cost
savings to the Wounded Warrior Project. Do it for the environment. Do it for the next generation. But first, do it just for one day.
Download today for more information about the challenge of a complex data center, Green data center best practices, Power and cooling utilization, Building efficient infrastructures and much more!
Click here to download.
Posted by JD Eller on Tue, Aug 25, 2009 @ 07:00 AM
Looking around on the internet, I came across an article that completely grabbed my attention. IBM using “DNA” scaffolding to create circuit boards. There is nothing like something along the lines of “Sci-Fi Engineering” to make you want to read more.
Last week a team of scientist for IBM Research in a joint effort with the California Institute of Technology announced a major breakthrough in development of new semiconductors. Using the lithographic patterning – a method used to arrange DNA origami structures – they will tie in this feature set into the manufacturing of semiconductors.
This breakthrough will allow for faster speeds going forward and precise execution of the assembly of these circuit boards. With this new advancement in technology, components will be significantly smaller than what was fabricated with conventional methods.
Check it out at: http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/28185.wss
Posted by Mike Magee on Thu, Aug 13, 2009 @ 08:45 AM
I have this conversation with myself all the time. Can I fix that water leak or the occasional mechanical problem around the home? What about landscaping design? I can do that right? Maybe, but at what expense? I have to remind myself that time spent trying to do something I have no idea what I am doing is wasted time.
What I try to do instead is what I call Trusting Genius. In any business there are individuals that are so accomplished in their field of expertise that they just make everything appear simple. I have been fortunate to work with many individuals in information technology that did just that. I have never been much of a techie-type guy myself. I have always been the one trying to get the systems administrator to help me with a project. If what I asked them was within their expertise they would jump in and do it with ease. I am still amazed by how easily they can make a complicated IT project sing.
That brings me back to why I feel it is important to Trust Genius. Just because you feel you can get by with your work around doesn’t mean you are not wasting money and time. Every hour you plug alone trying to figure something out is an hour you could have been focusing on your genius.
You would be better off getting the expert involved and letting them solve the problem or complete the project quickly and efficiency. I understand that management sees this as expense they don’t need. But they need to realize that opportunity cost, during these times can mean the difference between and a successful project and one in which you just get by.
Mike Magee is a Senior Account Executive at Unitiv.
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Join us on September 15 at 10 AM EST.
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