Tips

Tips

IT applications, infrastructure and operations

• Assessing the need for an enterprise resource planning system

  If you have data discrepancies among departments or are in need of automated tasks, it might be time to look at an enterprise resource planning system.  Continue Reading

• Backup quality testing key to risk management strategy

  A checklist of security, continuity and backup policies that constitute a comprehensive risk management strategy.  Continue Reading

• Why an enterprise application architecture strategy is still needed

  Is the anytime, anywhere nature of IT making enterprise application architecture approaches obsolete? CIO Niel Nickolaisen explains why they remain relevant.  Continue Reading

• Storage area network fundamentals: The right questions to ask

  Will a storage area network be a good fit in your IT environment? Consult our guide to storage area network fundamentals, including how to evaluate your current setup and needs.  Continue Reading

• IT chargeback process: Not always a best practice

  IT chargeback process best practices can demonstrate the value of IT to the business, but chargeback pitfalls along the way challenge IT's role as a business partner.  Continue Reading

• IT business service ideas' success hinges on three factors

  An enterprising CIO finds that walking the walk with customers is key to provisioning IT business service ideas successfully into effective moneymakers.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise social media policies and strategies: A guide for CIOs

  Enterprise social media policies and strategies are evolving as organizations recognize the benefits, risks and functions that social networks like Facebook and Twitter provide.  Continue Reading

• SQL Server business intelligence and self-service BI in the midmarket

  Could your users benefit from SQL Server business intelligence? SQL Server 2008 R2 introduces valuable self-service BI tools that may be worth a look for the midmarket.  Continue Reading

• Calculating ROI for server, desktop and application virtualization

  Are you properly calculating ROI for your virtualization projects? Learn how to calculate the cost savings of your server, application or desktop virtualization implementation.  Continue Reading

• Simple project management software options for when Excel isn't enough

  A low-cost, simple project management software solution is often the next step for organizations that have outgrown Excel. Learn more about a few of the available options.  Continue Reading

• Moving away from RFPs: Taking control of a software selection process

  Traditional procurement strategies aren't always the best bet when time is short and budgets are tight. Learn how one CIO has reworked his software selection processes.  Continue Reading

• Don't skip ITIL Service Design: Questions, checklists to get started

  ITIL Service Design sits between strategy and implementation -- and is often skipped by midmarket companies. Learn which questions and checklists can keep Service Design simple.  Continue Reading

• Free IT change management templates, tips and resources

  Change management processes are important in all aspects of IT project planning and strategy implementation. Get started now with free change management templates and expert tips.  Continue Reading

• The benefits of using collaboration tools in your organization

  Learn how collaboration tools can increase employee productivity and overall business efficiency, and how the business can benefit from collaboration tool implementations.  Continue Reading

• Cost-effective Web application security testing options take SaaS form

  SaaS options for Web application security testing can help CIOs make a business case for vulnerability testing while not breaking the bank as hackers test website limits.  Continue Reading

• Insourcing IT application development and management: A how-to guide

  Insourcing your IT application development and management can bring you closer to your mission-critical applications and data. Learn how to bring application work back in-house.  Continue Reading

• Managing a virtual server vs physical server: What’s the difference?

  Server management involves the same tasks, but a different approach when the servers are virtual instead of physical. Here's how managing the two environments compares.  Continue Reading

• Swine flu preparedness: Business continuity during an H1N1 outbreak

  Swine flu preparedness will top enterprise CIO agendas this fall as offices create business continuity plans in case of widespread absenteeism. Learn more in this H1N1 flu guide.  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery and business continuity planning templates

  Need help creating a formal disaster recovery plan or business continuity strategy? Get started with some free disaster recovery and business continuity planning templates.  Continue Reading

• Using a gap analysis to reduce system downtime for business continuity

  The Real Niel takes a three-part approach to analyzing his IT processes. The result? Increased business continuity.  Continue Reading

• The real cost of cloud computing services

  Cloud computing services reallocate costs and save you money in the short term, but companies should keep in mind what the usage-based model will cost long term.  Continue Reading

• Business service management, ITIL improve IT performance at Carfax

  When Carfax automated data flows from 23,000 data sources, it needed better systems management. See how it used business service management and ITIL to meet that need.  Continue Reading

• BPM Platform as a Service turns IT shops into SaaS providers

  A business process management (BPM) project a minute? Pegasystems offers a twist on BPM, turning corporate IT shops into SaaS providers with a BPM Platform as a Service.  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery: Use simple plan to classify apps

  Classifying applications in order of importance is key to keeping disaster recovery in sync with revenue goals.  Continue Reading

• Database security: Who should have access?

  The only users who should be allowed full access to any data store should be your system administrators. What about everybody else?  Continue Reading

• Rules for outsourcing IT services

  There is no single, one-size-fits-all approach to outsourcing. Rather, the best answer to all the "should I" and "how to" questions regarding outsourcing is this: It depends.  Continue Reading

• How does transactional data lead to intelligent business intelligence?

  You've "captured" the data. But what exactly is it that you're looking for?  Continue Reading

• Computer recycling: Dangers for even the well intentioned

  Recycling computers involves more than just passing them off to another company for cleaning. Due diligence requires CIOs to go even further to make sure data is eradicated.  Continue Reading

• A converged network is risky business for an SMB

  With the promise of a single system for voice, data and video, converged networks offer SMBs a raft of benefits -- but they also expose them to increased security threats. SMBs need to identify these threats and create a policy to address them.  Continue Reading

• VoIP rollout in 10 steps

  On the road to VoIP, many pitfalls await midmarket companies. Everything from unmet cost-savings expectations to phishers and spammers can derail a VoIP initiative. Here's a 10-point roadmap.  Continue Reading

• Open source and website design: Caveat emptor

  Using open source software to redesign or create a website can be beneficial to resource-strapped SMBs, but caveat emptor -- there are hidden costs.  Continue Reading

• Laptop security best practices

  Laptops can free employees to work remotely, allowing them to telecommute and travel easily. But that freedom comes with security perils.  Continue Reading

• Self-service technology helps companies help themselves

  Self-service technology can help organizations reduce costs, but also improve the customer experience and let workers focus on what's important.  Continue Reading

• Blade servers: Check IT List

  Blade servers offer many benefits for space-challenged and energy-conscious SMBs. Before you invest in blades, know the basics on blade servers and blade centers.  Continue Reading

• SMB definition: How various vendors compare

  Everyone defines SMB differently. Some do it by employee count, others by revenue. Check out this list of vendor and analyst firm definitions to see where your business falls.  Continue Reading

• NAC solutions help SMBs control network, costs

  Network access control, or NAC, offers a cost-effective way to protect an SMB network from unwanted visitors.  Continue Reading

• Linux or Unix: Pros and cons

  If you're in need of a reliable, scalable environment, Linux or Unix may be the answer. Discover the pros and cons of each and figure out which is the best fit for your needs.  Continue Reading

• Vendor management key to maximizing ROI

  Vendor management is key to maximizing the ROI benefits throughout your project's lifecycle. Learn more in this month's ROI column.  Continue Reading

• ASP model vs. SaaS: Whats the difference?

  ASPs and SaaS providers both offer customers application hosting options. But how are they different? This article explains the difference between these two models and how to effectively choose the best one for your hosting needs.  Continue Reading

• A look at approaches to virtualization

  In this article, Anil Desai distinguishes among virtualization at the hardware, server and application levels and provides guidelines for evaluating which works best.  Continue Reading

• Master data management: Six steps to succeed

  Master Data Management allows IT organizations to share vital business information across multiple systems. Follow along with six steps to ensure data management success.  Continue Reading

• Options for recovering data with Data Protection Manager

  Having backups of your data won't do you any good unless you know how to restore them. Here are some options for restoring data through Microsoft's Data Protection Manager.  Continue Reading

• USB wireless security lets you lock your PC by walking away

  A USB wireless security device employs proximity-based security to lock a PC or server when the user or admin steps away. The device has been turned into a plug-in.  Continue Reading

• Top 10 best practices for email archiving

  Regulatory compliance, litigation support and storage management all begin with an efficient e-mail archiving process. Storage consultant Bill Tolson offers 10 detailed best practices for effective e-mail archiving.  Continue Reading

• IT inventory and compliance: Check IT List

  Here are five steps to ensuring your IT inventory goes beyond tallying hardware and software to ensure compliance with licensing and other documentation regulations.  Continue Reading

• Top 10 considerations for selecting a platform

  With hardware costs for Windows, Solaris and Linux running neck and neck these days, here's a rundown of the top 10 things beyond initial cost to consider when choosing a platform.  Continue Reading

• Physical security for laptops

  Make sure your portable computers aren't too portable. Consider physical security for your organization's laptops.  Continue Reading

• Best Practices Checklist: Exchange Server disaster recovery planning

  Learn about some tried and true best practices that you need to consider when creating a Microsoft Exchange disaster recovery plan.  Continue Reading

• Exchange Admin 101: Exchange Server communication ports

  Learn about the various ports that Exchange Server uses, so you know which ports you can close for better security, and which must remain open.  Continue Reading

• Quick VBA script: Attachment reminder for Outlook email

  We've all composed emails in which we've said "I've attached the file you wanted," hit Send -- and then realized we never attached the file. This script prevents this.  Continue Reading

• Learn VoIP: A beginner's quiz

  How much do you know about VoIP? Are you ready to implement it, or have you already done so? Here's a quiz to see how much you know about VoIP.  Continue Reading

• How to evaluate hardware for internal and external devices

  You'll be in the driver's seat with this hardware evaluation guide. Expert Bernie Klinder offers advice on evaluation basics for both internal and external devices.  Continue Reading

• Common Microsoft Exchange Server mail delivery problems

  This article discusses some common culprits of Exchange message delivery delays and failures.  Continue Reading

• How to add Internet Explorer security zones

  When five Internet security zones aren't enough, here's how you can add more levels for finer control over content.  Continue Reading

• The business value of information lifecycle management

  With consolidation to SANs and advances in storage management software packages, ILM is again at the forefront of storage architecture planning.  Continue Reading

• Launch Internet Explorer in a separate process

  Find out how to prevent one instance of Internet Explorer from affecting other instances if it stops responding.  Continue Reading

• FoundStone's SuperScan 4 lives up to its name

  A review of a free IP scanning tool called SuperScan v4.0.  Continue Reading

• Exchange Admin 101: Configuring OMA and ActiveSync

  There are two different components used by Exchange 2003's Mobile Information Services: Outlook Mobile Access and ActiveSync. This tip explains how to set up these features.  Continue Reading

• The five phases of IT Value Management

  Aligning IT investments with business goals is as old as the IT function itself. Tangible examples of IT alignment, however, have been rare.  Continue Reading

• Top 10 time management tips

  Do you have a time mangagement problem? Use these ten tips to see if you do and solve the problem.  Continue Reading

• How to choose the right data storage device

  Need storage? Ed Tittle offers an essential list with considerations and recommendations for more storage space on an SMB network.  Continue Reading

• Auto-MDIX feature addresses crossover cable problems

  This tip explains how Auto-MDIX can solve the crossover cable problems many businesses have.  Continue Reading

• Quote of the Day: A troubleshooting networking protocol

  This tip tell you how to use different networking protocol to make your life easier.  Continue Reading

• When is it time to get out of tech?

  Where do people with tech skills go when they want to leave the tech industry?  Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot firewall problems

  This tip describes how to troubleshoot problems that arise when using a new firewall.  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery spending -- How much is enough?

  This tip shows how you can recover from disaster economically.  Continue Reading

• The possibilities for grid computing in the corporate world

  Grid computing has gained success in the research and education enviroments, but is it ready yet for the corporate world? Find out here.  Continue Reading

• Four tips you can’t ignore for legacy system integration

  A legacy system integration project needs to take a number of factors into account. Get a list of things to consider, with tips from experts.  Continue Reading