Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• Siri, find me a good lawyer

  In this week’s roundup, a legalpalooza: Yahoo sues Facebook, someone sues Siri and a lawyer slowly backs away from her Pinterest boards. Continue Reading

• How big data improves an information security strategy

  A security guru discusses new ways of looking at the intersection between big data and an information security strategy. Continue Reading

• Data silos in big data analytics: Now you see them, now you don't?

  Big data makes the problem of data silos even bigger. Or does it? Either way, CIOs must make big changes to get the most out of big data analytics. Continue Reading

• Who’s afraid of the iPad 3?

  This week’s bits include why the iPad 3 should put a scare in the competition, and an example of how CIOs who consider the consumer come out on top. Continue Reading

• The love-hate nature of unified communications

  A unified communications strategy where workers are empowered to make decisions comes up against management's need to control. Continue Reading

• Security woes and a different kind of Net threat

  We're feeling a little vulnerable this week. Maybe it's because our cache of tech bits is a little heavy on security issues.Continue Reading

• Ezine Download: Agile Methodologies

  Agile project methodologies are transforming enterprise project management strategies, delivering fast, effective results.Continue Reading

• Data loss statistics: Emerging culprits

  Social networking, cloud computing and mobile technology create business opportunities. But data loss statistics show these advances create risks too.Continue Reading

• Silence on business analytics speaks volumes

  The next time your CIO pals clam up about business analytics, watch out. They're on to something. You should be too.Continue Reading

• No need to search, they know what you want

  Tidbits of news and analysis from the week that was, including another manipulation of big data, three steps to becoming the CIO you know you are and one mobile device that might give you headaches.Continue Reading

• BI strategies evolve for big data analysis needs

  "Big data" is a buzzword no more. CIOs are adapting their BI strategies to meet the challenges of big data analysis.Continue Reading

• Mission-critical systems taking on dual roles

  As CIOs take on new roles, they are finding new uses for mission-critical systems -- and that in turn is making their role more business-critical.Continue Reading

• Is technology leadership training lacking?

  A lack of technology leadership training specific to the CIO position leaves the up-and-comers fending for themselves.Continue Reading

• No honor-student bumper stickers for Steve Jobs

  A roundup of items you might have missed from around the Web, including Steve Jobs' high school GPA and a possible storm over cloud privacy in the EU.Continue Reading

• Days are dwindling for successful Windows 7 migration

  If you've been hitting the snooze button on Windows 7 migration, it's time to wake up -- you're already late.Continue Reading

• 2012 Global IT Forecast

  TechTarget asked 2,642 IT professionals and business analysts around the world for their IT forecasts for 2012. The direction of IT budgets and the technologies getting attention may surprise.Continue Reading

• Ezine Download: Business Intelligence: Data Mining Done Right

  Emerging technologies are revolutionizing enterprise data collection and analysis strategies, and CIOs are leading this business intelligence brigade.Continue Reading

• Big data is dead? Long live analytics apps?

  The view of BI as an enterprise-wide system similar to ERP is giving way to a more tactical, "disaggregated" approach based on analytics apps.Continue Reading

• Ezine Download: Deploying and Enhancing Desktop Virtualization

  CIOs aren't the only ones behind the push to virtual desktops -- cost savings, greater mobility and employee demand have turned business execs into fans as well.Continue Reading

• Who's the 'insider' security campaigns target?

  Can CIOs learn anything from a security campaign launched by the military more than 60 years ago?Continue Reading

• Shared services model puts focus on external customer

  For Owens Corning CIO David Johns, a shared services model is key to a low-cost, high-value IT and business services delivery strategy.Continue Reading

• Enterprise CIO Decisions Ezine

  The Enterprise CIO Decisions Ezine offers senior IT executives insights on pressing technology and management issues.Continue Reading

• The CIO and the extended enterprise

  The CIO role is stretching further into the outer limits of the "extended enterprise."Continue Reading

• CIOs: Should your next IT hire be a consumer advocate?

  How IT shops are changing and whom CIOs need to hire are big topics in the age of cloud and mobility. Should consumer advocates be on the list?Continue Reading

• IT project management strategy for CIOs

  For the CIO looking to increase organizational success, an IT project management strategy is key. Check out our IT project management resources in this guide.Continue Reading

• CIOs proving the value of technology investments

  There's no easy way to prove the value of technology investments, but smart CIOs are finding new ones -- and smarter still, being proactive about it.Continue Reading

• Rosy outlook for services broker model may have thorns

  The IT services-broker model might be good for your business, but one CIO cautions against letting the label define your role.Continue Reading

• Re-evaluating endpoint security tools

  Has technology advanced to the point that some endpoint security tools -- and the staff needed to support them -- will go away?Continue Reading

• An enterprise guide to CIO roles and responsibilities

  Get answers to questions about IT career issues, salaries, budgets, spending and staff development in this guide to CIO roles and responsibilities.Continue Reading

• Overtime pay limit could put CIOs in a tough spot

  A bill limiting overtime pay for IT workers is one more example of politicians putting corporate interests ahead of individual workers, opponents say.Continue Reading

• 'IT as a services broker' model will carry beyond 2012

  IT leaders are positioning themselves as facilitators or IT services brokers rather than as the managers and mainframe minders of yore.Continue Reading

• CIOs have to be passionate and in fighting trim

  To be executive material for the CIO job these days, you'll need more than a well-cut suit.Continue Reading

• Application portals for managing mobile devices no joke

  CIOs are turning to application portals to meet mobile needs while protecting corporate IT policies.Continue Reading

• Getting a grip on shadow IT in the age of self-service technology

  Shadow IT should be a serious concern for all CIOs in an age of self-service technology. Here's how to get a grip on it.Continue Reading

• SaaS solutions with a vertical slant

  A growing segment of SaaS solutions targets industry-specific needs and mission-critical business functions.Continue Reading

• New green IT technology for data center cooling

  One option in data center cooling allows servers to be immersed in liquid, potentially reducing cooling energy by 90%.Continue Reading

• GE's journey from waterfall to Agile practices

  General Electric Co. turned to Agile practices to revamp software development in its Energy division. Now Agile is making its way across the company.Continue Reading

• ITIL chief architect: How to build an IT Service Management strategy

  Choosing the right IT services to deliver is the foundation of a winning IT Service Management strategy. ITIL chief architect Sharon Taylor explains.Continue Reading

• External and internal cloud computing strategies from the trenches

  Here's how and why enterprise IT executives are developing external and internal cloud computing strategies and are encountering hiccups as they do.Continue Reading

• Why agile projects pose challenges for enterprise project managers

  Agile expert Joseph Flahiff explains why managing agile projects can make project managers feel as if they're cramming a square peg into a round hole.Continue Reading

• Three tech trends shaping the future IT organization and the CIO role

  Cloud computing is just one of three technologies shaping the IT organization of the future and the role of the CIO.Continue Reading

• The IT organization of the future: An enterprise within an enterprise

  The IT organization of the future is shifting to become not only a business but also a part of an integrated business services organization.Continue Reading

• Enterprise software and data management strategy guide for CIOs

  Managing software and data requires knowing how to align them with the enterprise's needs for efficiency and innovation. Learn more in this CIO guide.Continue Reading

• CIO Briefings: IT leadership resources, business management tutorials

  To help CIOs and senior IT professionals keep up with the latest IT and business trends, SearchCIO.com has developed a series of senior-level management guides designed to provide strategic guidance and advice essential for today's IT leaders.Continue Reading

• Cost and content of social media policies vary widely by industry

  Setting social media policies is a tricky and potentially costly process that varies widely based on an industry's regulatory requirements.Continue Reading

• IT leadership and strategy guides for CIOs

  Leading your IT organization through calm and troubled waters alike requires innovative strategies and top-notch leadership skills. These CIO Briefings will help you expand your leadership and strategy skill sets.Continue Reading

• The IT roles needed for the IT organization of the future

  IT's status quo will be toppled by the need for speed and tech-savvy employees. Here's what's vital for operating the IT organization of the future.Continue Reading

• Ensuring growth through outsourcing services and cloud computing

  PURE, a small insurance provider, is fueling growth on the back of outsourcing services and cloud computing, and with a clear vision of IT innovation.Continue Reading

• Sentiment analysis turns social media into customer intelligence

  Sentiment analysis tools are creating a kind of customer intelligence that online marketers are finding beats traditional market research.Continue Reading

• The CIO's dilemma? Disruptive innovation vs. performance improvement

  CIOs focused on continuously improving their IT products and services might want to heed the lessons of now-defunct market leaders who got upended by disruptive innovation.Continue Reading

• IT innovation hinges on identifying business process levers

  D&M Holdings' growing portfolio of high-end audio and video brands sparked an IT innovation that gave marketing the tools to interact with customers.Continue Reading

• Cloud brokers emerge to sort out the chaos of cloud services

  Faced with a chaotic mix of cloud services, IT execs now must sort through a crowd of cloud brokers that claim to minimize risks and improve interoperability.Continue Reading

• Exploring cloud computing solutions for the midmarket

  A comprehensive cloud strategy can help a midmarket company achieve huge payouts. Check out our cloud computing solutions primer and tips for avoiding cloud pitfalls.Continue Reading

• Information security and risk management guides for CIOs

  Keeping your IT organization safe and secure is one battle. Doing it while staying in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations is another. These CIO Briefings will help you do both, and then some.Continue Reading

• CIO role in innovation begins with foresight

  In this transcript of a CIO Innovator Profile Series podcast, H.B. Fuller CIO Steven John discusses the CIO role in innovation, and how to create a culture of innovation.Continue Reading

• Six questions for building an effective outsourcing strategy

  Knowing what not to outsource is not always as obvious as it seems, according to sourcing experts. Here are six questions to help you build an effective outsourcing strategy.Continue Reading

• IT management FAQ guides for enterprise IT strategies

  In these IT management FAQ guides, get answers to frequently asked questions about technologies and methodologies such as ITIL, Lean thinking, Six Sigma, Agile and more.Continue Reading

• Agile project management approaches for on-time and on-budget delivery

  Pick an agile project management path based on scope, schedule or budget to set project boundaries and keep release dates on track.Continue Reading

• CIO podcasts: Information technology and leadership news and tips

  At SearchCIO.com, we're always looking for new ways to deliver the latest IT news and trends. Download these podcasts and listen on the go!Continue Reading

• Enterprise data management strategy guide for CIOs

  Does your organization have a reliable enterprise data management strategy? Learn about storage options, enterprise application architecture and why paranoia is a good thing.Continue Reading

• How to select an enterprise collaboration platform (hold on tight)

  Enterprise collaboration platforms aim to add a social layer to work apps. This story, the second of two about such platforms, offers a market overview and vendor selection advice.Continue Reading

• With new enterprise collaboration platforms, 'social' means business

  Forget about pushing people to use wikis and blogs. The rush is on to build enterprise collaboration platforms that pull social networking into every workstation.Continue Reading

• Enterprise automation strategies: A guide for CIOs

  A strong enterprise automation strategy can improve your organization's approach to business process management and cut costs dramatically. Learn how in this guide.Continue Reading

• Business process transformation hinges on a flexible management model

  Business process transformation succeeds best in IT organizations emphasizing collaboration and real-time analysis. Learn how IT can bring transformation to the lines of business.Continue Reading

• A COO pushes IT innovation by making it about business value

  At the Forrester CIO Forum, a health care COO tells CIOs how he is using IT innovation to transform the business. The keys? BIACs, COEs and focusing on the bottom line.Continue Reading

• The evolving CIO role: What one headhunter says CIOs need to know

  As companies become more information-centric, the CIO role keeps evolving. A veteran headhunter tells CIOs what his clients are looking for in the role of the CIO.Continue Reading

• A burst of business continuity, disaster recovery planning

  Explosives maker Austin Powder played with virtualization, and an idea for its business continuity and disaster recovery planning ignited: Make HQ a hot site for remote offices.Continue Reading

• Weighing the pros and cons of data center outsourcing vs. owning

  Many enterprise IT organizations face a dilemma when it comes to data center outsourcing: Is it better to pass those duties onto an outside vendor, or to house the data center in-house? In the September 2010 edition of Enterprise CIO Decisions Ezine...Continue Reading

• Public vs. private cloud computing: Which fits your enterprise needs?

  Public and private cloud computing have penetrated enterprises, forcing IT to develop a plan for managing two distinct service-delivery models.Continue Reading

• The fundamentals of launching an IT service catalog

  The IT service catalog is a linchpin of ITSM, but is hard to create and manage. Here an expert advises where to begin, what to avoid and why CIOs should make a catalog a priority.Continue Reading

• Data storage management tips, techniques and options for SMBs

  With a growing number of storage options available to SMBs, it's important to nail down a data storage management strategy. Learn tips, strategies and techniques in our guide.Continue Reading

• The ins and outs of successful business intelligence management

  How much emphasis do you put on business intelligence management? Learn how to improve strategy and user adoption, and get tips on BI tools, in this guide.Continue Reading

• IT managed services providers guide for enterprise CIOs

  Many enterprise companies are establishing IT managed services provider strategies to cover new services and delivery models. Learn more in this IT managed services provider guide.Continue Reading

• IT vendor management strategy guide for enterprise CIOs

  Enterprise CIOs are looking to codify their IT vendor management strategies as vendors provide opportunities for cutting costs and increasing efficiency. Learn more in this guide.Continue Reading

• Practical project management tips, tools and software for midmarket IT

  Improve your project success rates (on time and on budget) with these soup-to-nuts project management tips -- including Gantt chart how-tos and practical software options.Continue Reading

• IT business continuity, disaster recovery strategy guide for CIOs

  IT business continuity planning and disaster recovery strategies remain big on enterprise CIO agendas this year. In this guide, learn about BC planning and DR technology solutions.Continue Reading

• IT outsourcing contracts FAQ: Establishing SLAs, flexibility and more

  IT outsourcing contracts are only as strong as the negotiations surrounding them. In this FAQ, learn how to establish service-level agreements, set contract lengths and maintain flexibility.Continue Reading

• Trends in high availability and fault tolerance

  In this podcast, hear how high-availability and fault-tolerance solutions are helping midmarket companies achieve greater availability and performance on mission-critical systems.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Next-generation business intelligence systems

  Find out how CIOs are taking their business intelligence strategies to the next level with new approaches to gathering, accessing, measuring, displaying and sharing information.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Implementing an IT service catalog

  An IT service catalog is a menu of services offered by an IT organization. Get the FAQs on how to implement an IT service catalog and automate the service request process.Continue Reading

• CIO's guide to outsourcing application development and management

  Application outsourcing will lead enterprise CIO agendas again next year, with IT application development and management services in high demand. Learn more in this guide.Continue Reading

• Remote-location disaster recovery risks

  With multiple remote locations, there's often risk associated with disaster recovery policies and technologies. Learn about the challenges of remote-location disaster recovery.Continue Reading

• Use business service management software and tools for better ITSM

  Learn how business service management software and tools can help better align IT with the business and improve governance and service delivery.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Agile practices and their role in software development

  Companies are increasingly using Agile practices to improve software project outcomes. Learn more about Agile here, from Scrum to Extreme Programming and more.Continue Reading

• Best practices for a SOA implementation and application integration

  A service-oriented architecture (SOA) implementation and application integration allow information to be transferred and supported efficiently. Learn more about SOA best practices.Continue Reading

• Guide to building and managing a business process management strategy

  Find out what it takes to implement a business process management strategy in your midmarket organization -- from BPM basics to business process tool selection.Continue Reading

• BPM tool selection: Strategies for success

  Get the most out of your BPM tools. Learn how to assess your business and technical needs and choose the best vendor and tool to meet your BPM needs.Continue Reading

• FAQ: IT and organizational change management

  The CIO's role in organizational and IT change management is to ensure service availability and business support. Learn more about IT's role in change management.Continue Reading

• A guide to managing the risk assessment process

  Risk management assessments in IT take on many different forms -- from data risk to project risk. Learn more about managing the risk assessment processes in your IT organization.Continue Reading

• IT disaster recovery outsourcing: A planning guide for enterprise CIOs

  Planning for IT disaster recovery outsourcing requires CIOs to assess their DR needs, make the case for funding and select technologies. Learn more in this guide.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Understanding the ITIL framework

  The ITIL framework is a globally accepted standard for improving IT service quality. This FAQ reviews the ITIL definition, training options and costs and ITIL-compatible tools.Continue Reading

• Lean IT principles: A FAQ for CIOs

  Lean thinking is the process of incorporating Lean principles into an enterprise. This FAQ shows how Lean thinking works and how IT is benefiting from this improvement methodology.Continue Reading

• FAQ: How does the Six Sigma methodology benefit IT?

  The Six Sigma methodology has helped companies improve customer service and eliminate errors for years. Learn how IT can reap the benefits of this service-driven methodology.Continue Reading

• IT insourcing trends: Weighing the pros and cons

  IT insourcing trends are on the rise in the midmarket, as companies realize benefits including cost savings and the ability to more quickly adapt to changing business needs.Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery plans for remote, branch offices: A guide for CIOs

  Disaster recovery plans for remote and branch offices can be complex, difficult to manage and expensive. Learn how to develop a DR plan for your remote sites in this guide.Continue Reading

• Virtualization and the private cloud: A guide for enterprise CIOs

  This guide looks at the trends, best practices and critical criteria for building a true strategy around virtualization and the private cloud.Continue Reading

• IT Service Management: Best practices for improving IT efficiency

  IT Service Management (ITSM) implementations can increase ROI and improve IT efficiency -- all while following the best practices guidelines laid out by ITIL and other ITSM frameworks. Learn more about how ITSM can work for you.Continue Reading

• Corporate performance management software strategies for the midmarket

  Corporate performance management software helps midmarket companies improve business processes and leverage metrics to better forecast their needs. Learn more with the CPM resources in this guide.Continue Reading

• BI tools vs. Microsoft Excel spreadsheets

  In this podcast, our expert discusses the differences between BI tools and Excel spreadsheets and how they can be used together in the enterprise to gather and analyze data.Continue Reading

• CIO resume refresher best practices

  Martha Heller, president of Heller Search Associates, offers CIOs candid tips on hard topics and sensitive issues, as well as simple steps to crafting a winning resume.Continue Reading