News
News
- February 01, 2011
01 Feb'11
IT offshore outsourcing markets, options on the rise, Gartner says
The never-ending quest to cut IT costs is opening up new IT offshoring markets. Here are a look at Gartner's latest assessment and a new index from IT advisory firm TPI Inc.
- January 24, 2011
24 Jan'11
2011 IT salary and careers survey guide
See how IT salaries stack up by title and vertical industry, as well as what your peers expect to make in 2011, in this guide to SearchCIO.com's CIO Salary and Careers Survey.
- December 22, 2010
22 Dec'10
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.
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- December 14, 2010
14 Dec'10
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.
- December 10, 2010
10 Dec'10
Asset inventory sheds light on lack of virtual machine management
When one of Mark Bowker’s clients went to do an IT asset inventory, they couldn’t count how many virtual machines they had … because they couldn’t see them. Bowker, an analyst with Enterprise ...
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Sponsored News
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Key Principles for Delivering a Rewarding Employee Experience
Sponsored by Citrix - In the quest for success, organizations are putting much more focus on the employee experience (EX). The goal is to improve both employee satisfaction AND engagement. According to Willis Towers Watson, employee engagement is “employees’ willingness and ability to contribute to company success.” Numerous metrics showcase the hard-dollar value of improved employee experience and engagement. The Gallup Organization found that when EX is better, profits go up 21% and absenteeism goes down 41%. The gains are so compelling that the question becomes how we improve EX, not should we do it. See More
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Surface Laptop Go: A Cost-Effective Microsoft Device for the Hybrid Workforce
Sponsored by Microsoft - This quality laptop, designed for the age of hybrid work, provides a balance of performance, functionality, portability and style that appeals to IT teams and employees without breaking the bank. See More
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Cybersecurity in the Cloud: Eliminating Confusion and Closing Gaps in Protection
Sponsored by HPE - Security continues to be a major source of concern as organizations move more workloads and applications into the cloud. According to the Flexera 2020 State of the Cloud Report, security is the top cloud challenge for decision-makers, cited by 83% of respondents. This situation has been exacerbated by COVID-19 and the expansion of remote work, as well as adoption of multicloud strategies by a large percentage of organizations. See More
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It’s Time to Modernize Your SOC
Sponsored by Microsoft - With the shift to remote work caused by COVID-19, Security Operations Centers (SOCs) are under more pressure than ever, particularly with many SOC workers also working from home. Today’s reality is that SOCs have to embrace a new way of working in order to keep their analysts and admins effective and to ensure that morale doesn’t collapse under the weight of too much work and pressure. See More
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- November 17, 2010
17 Nov'10
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.
- November 16, 2010
16 Nov'10
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.
- November 03, 2010
03 Nov'10
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.
- October 12, 2010
12 Oct'10
Mobile data security spans policies, budgets and backups
A proliferation of mobile devices in the enterprise forces CIOs to reassess policies, budgets and backups for mobile data security.
- September 16, 2010
16 Sep'10
Mobile phone security policies give IT some control over the influx
There's no turning back mobile devices' invasion of the enterprise. CIOs need to put mobile phone security policies in place to control these uninvited guests.
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- September 01, 2010
01 Sep'10
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.
- August 11, 2010
11 Aug'10
Free sample gap analysis templates: Software, security, architecture
Learn how other organizations tackle gap analysis, from software projects to IT portfolio assessments, in this list of sample gap analysis templates.
- August 06, 2010
06 Aug'10
What's data fungibility got to do with delivering business insight?
What's data fungibility have to do with delivering business insight? No, really, I'm asking. According to Burton Group analyst Lyn Robison, one reason CIOs are struggling to deliver business ...
- August 04, 2010
04 Aug'10
Corporate business services: Repurpose to reap value and flexibility
CIOs are taking a hybrid approach to the creation of IT and corporate business services, repurposing existing technology and adding new service delivery methods.
- August 03, 2010
03 Aug'10
How CIOs are tackling IT business services creation
CIOs are in a prime position to shape new IT business services and shepherd the enterprise into new markets.
- July 22, 2010
22 Jul'10
Why you need a formal data governance program, and how to get started
Formal data governance programs are still the exception rather than the rule. Learn why your organization needs one, plus five preconditions necessary to ensure success.
- July 08, 2010
08 Jul'10
IT chargeback: A fundamental part of cloud computing takes shape
IT chargeback is being put to the test by cloud computing. Which metrics can be used to charge business units for IaaS, PaaS and SaaS?
- July 07, 2010
07 Jul'10
Pros and cons of using enterprise master data management with BI
Enterprise master data management is a big task. Some CIOs are finding quick wins by starting MDM within their business intelligence efforts. For others? It's a no-win.
- July 01, 2010
01 Jul'10
Agile best practices can combine waterfall and Scrum
Agile projects can mingle Scrum and waterfall approaches, but proceed with caution. Program managers share agile best practices and pitfalls.
- June 16, 2010
16 Jun'10
Business service development: Lessons learned from the frontlines
There is no clear-cut path for IT to follow when it comes to business service development. CIOs and experts share their dos and don'ts.
- May 13, 2010
13 May'10
Business continuity plans must address massive air travel shutdown
Before the dust settles from an erupting volcano in Iceland, business continuity managers need to take a close look at their business continuity plans, starting with their supply chain.
- March 25, 2010
25 Mar'10
The importance of communication in IT innovation
I recently was asked to participate in a panel discussion about the importance of communication in IT innovation at the Olin Innovation Lab, an annual event at the Olin College of Engineering in ...
- March 03, 2010
03 Mar'10
First open source, ITIL-aligned IT change management tool coming soon
The open source community has a new addition: an enterprise-level, ITIL-aligned change management tool. Recently unveiled at the Pink Elephant IT Service Management Conference & Expo, ...
- March 03, 2010
03 Mar'10
Innovation strategies: How Chevron drives ingenuity
Should CIOs have innovation strategies? We talk with Chevron's innovation specialist on how the energy giant discovers ingenuity and develops a corporate creative process.
- February 24, 2010
24 Feb'10
How IT gap analysis can be the first step to ITIL success
Performing an IT gap analysis can help your IT shop pinpoint gaps in its service delivery as a starting point in using the ITIL framework. Learn the eight questions to ask.
- February 17, 2010
17 Feb'10
Proving the value of a business continuity plan (before disaster hits)
How do you educate the business on the value of a business continuity plan before disaster strikes? Linking risks to business performance is key.
- February 03, 2010
03 Feb'10
Project management office helps CIO navigate rough financial waters
How did CIO Sharon Gietl help The Doe Run Co. navigate budget cuts and layoffs? With a tiny PMO that is prioritizing projects across the enterprise.
- January 27, 2010
27 Jan'10
Vendor contract management key to cutting costs through renegotiation
Enterprises are finding ways to use vendor contract management as a means to cut costs by renegotiating contracts down to the maintenance-clause and business-unit levels.
- January 26, 2010
26 Jan'10
CIO best practices: A self-assessment guide for top IT professionals
Some CIO best practices held steady in the recession, while others have shifted. Test if you've kept up with these quizzes in our self-assessment guide for top IT professionals.
- January 05, 2010
05 Jan'10
Information security budget closest thing to recessionproof in 2010
Information security budgets in enterprise IT organizations will remain robust in 2010 compared with other IT spending areas. Learn more about budgeting for IT security.
- December 08, 2009
08 Dec'09
Vendor evaluation criteria and guidelines
The vendor evaluation process can be very complex and time consuming. Get the latest resources for making informed decisions during your vendor evaluation process.
- November 10, 2009
10 Nov'09
Business process automation vs. business process management: A primer
Do you know the difference between BPA and BPM? Learn the importance of business process management and business process automation in our comparison.
- November 05, 2009
05 Nov'09
Free IT outsourcing templates: SLAs, RFPs and more
CIOs pursuing IT outsourcing deals can benefit from templates spelling out SLA and RFP best practices. Get links to some free IT outsourcing templates.
- October 22, 2009
22 Oct'09
Gartner's top 10 strategic technologies for 2010
Gartner's list of technologies that bear examination during the next three years show an agile, mobile, secure enterprise that can spot early warning signs and predict trends.
- October 06, 2009
06 Oct'09
Software vendor evaluation criteria: Sample scorecard templates for IT projects
Need a hand in evaluating prospective vendors or managing your current crop? Here's a sampling of software vendor scorecards and requirements to help you create your own.
- October 01, 2009
01 Oct'09
ITIL case study: Comparing two financial services firms’ best practices
When Barclays Global Investors and Wachovia invested in ITIL, they saw improved efficiencies and huge cost savings. Read their stories here.
- September 29, 2009
29 Sep'09
Free risk management tools and resources for the enterprise
An accurate risk management assessment can save you millions. Learn how to create, upgrade or review a risk management process using our list of tools, calculators and resources.
- September 15, 2009
15 Sep'09
Service portfolio management: Helping IT get back to business
More mature IT shops are adopting ITIL v3's service portfolio management approach to better manage the service lifecycle and provide business-centric services to the organization.
- September 02, 2009
02 Sep'09
Uniting ITSM, PPM process methodologies yields IT management benefits
ITSM and PPM are typically separate disciplines, but integrating them can increase visibility, help with budgeting and more. Learn more about this dynamic duo.
- September 01, 2009
01 Sep'09
Effective ITIL project leadership: Plan-Do-Check-Act
Successful ITIL project leaders are using the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle to ensure their teams stay motivated, follow the same processes and contribute innovative ideas.
- August 27, 2009
27 Aug'09
IT outsourcing pros and cons for Latin, South America
IT outsourcing pros and cons for Latin and South America range from time zone alignment and geographic proximity to a lack of vendors and language barriers. Learn more here.
- August 18, 2009
18 Aug'09
Pros and cons of IT outsourcing in popular Asian countries
The benefits and challenges of IT outsourcing in India, China, the Philippines and Vietnam range from pricing to intellectual property barriers. Learn more here.
- August 05, 2009
05 Aug'09
PPM software vs. SharePoint: Myths and user-vendor disconnects
PPM software vendors are trying to address user concerns over pricing, resource allocation and calculating ROI. But have Microsoft SharePoint and Project already done the job?
- July 17, 2009
17 Jul'09
What is transparency, and how is it relevant to IT?
We’ve all heard about Obama’s promise for government transparency, but what about IT transparency? First, what is transparency? Transparency is basically defined as openness and accountability in ...
- July 01, 2009
01 Jul'09
Using key risk indicators to sell your information security program
Now that information security has the attention of the business, Gartner says, security needs to speak about risk in language the business can relate to. Here's how.
- June 02, 2009
02 Jun'09
9 steps to business continuity strategy: Remote access solutions, more
From remote access solutions to telecom contracts, our list will help you identify gaps in your business continuity strategy and prepare for outages.
- May 07, 2009
07 May'09
Adding a 'business downturn' clause to your telecom contracts
Telecom providers will do whatever it takes to keep your business, even in a business downturn. And that’s not just lip service. Did you know that you can insist on a “business downturn” contract ...
- April 29, 2009
29 Apr'09
How BPM and SOA work together for business process improvement
Enterprises should marry their BPM and SOA efforts if they really want reuse -- and true business process improvement.
- April 07, 2009
07 Apr'09
How collaboration tools bring cost savings, business alignment
Find out how two midmarket companies are successfully using collaboration tools and strategies to drive business outcomes.
- March 03, 2009
03 Mar'09
Targeted IT communications key to ITIL implementation success
Many companies are implementing ITIL without considering the importance of an IT communications plan. Get expert advice on ways to target your IT communications for ITIL success.
- February 18, 2009
18 Feb'09
Eight qualities of a good leader during a recession
These qualities of a leader during a recession show how CIOs can guide their organization in tough times, making the right IT budget cuts and inspiring employees.
- February 05, 2009
05 Feb'09
How to build an IT vendor management office or standards body
Vendor management offices and standards bodies can help large organizations save money on IT purchasing and better manage vendor relations, both critical during a recession.
- February 04, 2009
04 Feb'09
Economic recession to spur 'dramatic increase' in cybercrime
Bad times always bring a rise in crime. But this economic recession is setting us up for a wave of cybercrime. The broken economy, combined with increased digitization as retail and operations move ...
- December 17, 2008
17 Dec'08
Employee layoffs pose security risk if systems access not disabled
As layoffs rise, IT departments aren't being vigilant enough in disabling systems access and risk the ire of terminated employees.
- December 11, 2008
11 Dec'08
Gartner picks top 30 countries for offshore IT outsourcing
Countries like Mexico, Poland and Vietnam have strengthened their positions. Find out which countries round out the top 30.
- August 20, 2008
20 Aug'08
Sustainability risk management: Beyond green IT
Conserving natural resources is fast morphing into sustainability risk management and growing beyond the IT department. Where does the CIO fit in?
- May 15, 2008
15 May'08
Data archiving software offers compliance, management solutions
Hewlett-Packard puts database archiving in the hands of the business, courtesy of a visual design tool that can model apps and apply business rules. Improved XML makes it look like archived apps are at the ready.
- May 07, 2008
07 May'08
Five tips on selecting a data center location
Data center construction comes with a host of tough problems. Finding the right place is challenge No. 1. Here are tips to help you vet your location.
- April 09, 2008
09 Apr'08
Gartner: It's time for IT and OT to merge
As operational technology and information technology converge in the workplace, should CIOs be controlling the whole shebang?
- February 12, 2008
12 Feb'08
Facebook as a business tool? Really
To all those CIOs who refuse to embrace Facebook on the grounds that it's not a business tool: look a little closer.
- January 10, 2008
10 Jan'08
Microsoft enterprise search strategy leads to acquisition bid
Microsoft's $1.2 billion acquisition bid for Fast Search reveals Microsoft's enterprise search strategy. CIOs will feel a jolt or two.
- January 02, 2008
02 Jan'08
The year's most controversial information technology management issues
SearchCIO.com editors take a look at controversial issues facing CIOs. Read them again, if for nothing else but to whet your appetite for a good argument.
- October 17, 2007
17 Oct'07
Offshore outsourcing: A look at the security risks
Offshore outsourcing can save money. Are the savings worth the security risks? Columnist Philip Alexander addresses security and data concerns CIOs should be aware of when sending work offshore.
- August 29, 2007
29 Aug'07
ITIL V3: Stakeholder coordination is key to success
In his latest column, Brian Johnson offers tips and advice on how to coordinate the ITIL stakeholders in your organization to successfully meet business requirements by using an IT service design process.
- March 06, 2007
06 Mar'07
Wi-Fi way to shrink digital divide, say big-city CIOs
The CIOs of Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco talk about the goals of their high-profile municipal Wi-Fi projects and the challenges they faced along the way.
- January 18, 2007
18 Jan'07
Top IT execs could take heat for TJX breach
Experts say senior IT executives at TJX are most likely on the hot seat today after the retail giant revealed Wednesday a massive computer security breach.
- November 21, 2006
21 Nov'06
A 13-hour power outage puts disaster recovery plan to the test
When a blown electrical transformer left his data center in the dark and 30% of his company's employees cut off from their offices, CIO Richard Ridolfo put his new disaster recovery plan to the test.
- October 31, 2006
31 Oct'06
Five ways to improve your budgeting process
The budgeting process is often a very stressful time for IT executives, especially as they face continuing cost pressures and a need to show business value for their technology investments. Columnist James Champy offers advice on how to make ...
- August 30, 2006
30 Aug'06
Disaster recovery plans for your data warehouse
Data warehouses have become mission-critical systems that help executives make daily business decisions. In his monthly column, BI expert Wayne Eckerson offers advice on how to effectively protect your data warehouse from any type of disaster.
- July 28, 2006
28 Jul'06
Consider patch release schedule when looking at Linux
As Linux grows, choosing a version that fixes flaws quickly is critical. However, as Edmund X. DeJesus learned, some Linux distributions publish security fixes faster than others.
- July 25, 2006
25 Jul'06
Employee monitoring facts every CIO should know
Employee monitoring is on the rise as CIOs try to safeguard their company information and increase productivity. In his latest column, security expert Gary Miliefsky offers eight tips that every CIO should know about implementing and managing an ...
- June 27, 2006
27 Jun'06
ITIL: A data warehouse for enterprise IT resources
Too many companies today don't have an accurate count of their assets, and therefore are underutilizing systems and being unproductive. A CMDB framework, used in support with an ITIL project, can provide databases and analysis tools to help IT ...
- May 03, 2006
03 May'06
Shadow processes, the ghost in the BPM machine
When employees fail to follow business process, it can kill efficiency and hurt the bottom line. Don't assume your BPM solution is a cure-all.
- February 09, 2006
09 Feb'06
Three reasons to recruit an ethics officer
Ethics officers can help CIOs navigate the rising tide of compliance regulations. Find out how to make your case for one.
- January 26, 2006
26 Jan'06
Best Buy's supply chain transformation
Best Buy has transformed its supply chain from a high-volume distribution mechanism to a customer-facing operation that drives strategy as well as product.
- November 02, 2005
02 Nov'05
Small businesses mull SAP Business One, All-in-One choice
The head of SAP's product management for small businesses said there are questions to ask before deciding between SAP Business One and All-in-One software.
- November 02, 2005
02 Nov'05
Five principles of program management
Program management takes project management to a new level -- by taking into consideration how the project will affect the rest of the organization and other operational processes. In this month's column, James Champy offers five essential program ...
- October 20, 2005
20 Oct'05
Five compliance questions to ask your CEO
To avoid SOX trouble, every CIO should ask these five questions -- and every CEO should answer them.
- September 21, 2005
21 Sep'05
The five dimensions of BI tools
Business intelligence (BI) tools have evolved over the years from simply delivering reports to leveraging advanced visualization techniques to quickly detect key patterns and trends. In his column, Wayne Eckerson discusses the evolution of BI.
- July 15, 2005
15 Jul'05
Speaking of business continuity: A cheat sheet
One of the challenges organizations often face as they initiate business continuity or disaster recovery planning is to reach consensus on precisely what they are trying to do. This requires identifying and closing any gap that may exist between the...
- July 12, 2005
12 Jul'05
The top benefits of business process standardization
Learn three key things that must happen for your business and its outsourcing capabilities to be successful.
- June 08, 2005
08 Jun'05
CIO how-to: The art of developing direct reports
Most IT professionals want to develop new skills, do well and be rewarded with more pay and higher-level positions. Unfortunately, IT executives often don't do enough to help employees get there.
- April 18, 2005
18 Apr'05
Costco shops for right outsourcing contract
The senior-ranking IT executive at Costco Wholesale Corp. got a real deal on outsourcing and empowered his IT staff members by allowing them to buy into it -- or not.
- October 26, 2004
26 Oct'04
Communication, planning seen as keys to outsourcing success
Gartner says that good comminication skills, solid planning and knowing thyself are just some of the critical factors in launching a successful overseas outsourcing initiative.
- August 31, 2004
31 Aug'04
13 steps to successfully managing your offshore outsourcing supplier
More than half of offshore deals wash up on the shores of failure. David Foote offers up a baker's dozen tips for ensuring success over there.
- August 09, 2004
09 Aug'04
Justifying the cost of PC upgrades
There's good news for business users who have been waiting patiently to upgrade their PCs. PC shipments to businesses this year are expected increase by 12% from 2003, according to a recent study by Framingham, Mass.-based International Data Corp.
- February 16, 2004
16 Feb'04
Top 10 risks of offshore outsourcing
According to Meta Group research, offshore outsourcing is growing 20%-25% per annum, with little evidence of slowing. While most enterprises experience initial resistance, most technical issues are readily resolved and geopolitical risk is deemed ...
- December 12, 2003
12 Dec'03
The FAQs about SB-1386
This guide will help you learn the basics of SB-1386 and what you should do to be in compliance.
- November 17, 2003
17 Nov'03
IT demand management key for business effectiveness
Internal efficiency just isn't enough. According to researchers with InterUnity Group, IT demand management (ITDM) is what separates market leaders from market followers.
- September 08, 2003
08 Sep'03
Entrepreneurs: Born or made? A conversation with Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines
For years, experts debated the age-old question: Are leaders born or made? Now they debate whether entrepeneurs are born or made. In an exclusive interview with Babson Executive Education Center, Herb Kelleher, chairman of Southwest Airlines, ...
- June 04, 2003
04 Jun'03
Getting the hard facts about physical, logical and soft assets
All assets -- physical, logical, and soft -- are important to successful IT service delivery. Once you can see them and how they relate to each other, you can model your infrastructure and better align service delivery to the needs of the enterprise.
- April 29, 2003
29 Apr'03
Ten criteria for offshore outsourcing, part 1
Looking to jump on the outsourcing bandwagon, or bandboat in this case, and take it overseas? There are ten things you may want to consider first.
- April 08, 2003
08 Apr'03
The future of IT consulting
A recent Merrill Lynch survey of CIOs shows that most won't spend nearly as much money on IT consulting as they did last year -- mainly because consulting is seen as a discretionary expense, and these are times when money is just too tight for ...