FierceCIO News

Microsoft has great support for Bing

Judi Hasson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:03:38 -0400

Microsoft Corp. has big plans for Bing. It's opening two new data centers which will have more than 1 million square feet. One is located in Chicago and the other is in Dublin, Ireland. At these locations, hundreds of thousands of servers will be housed to help support the company's Bing search engine and other online services.

The Chicago center, which opens July 20, will be housing containers that can be the size of tractor-trailers with 1,800 to 2,500 servers each, reports Computerworld.com. The Dublin facility, which opened July 1, does not use containers, according to the report.

If you ever wondered if Bing will be adequately backed up, rest easy. It will be.

For more on Microsoft's new data centers:
- check out this Computerworld.com article

Reports: Faster IT rebound on its way

Judi Hasson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:47:12 -0400

Okay, so you are tired of all the predictions about the IT market: "It's up," "It's down," "It's treading water." Well, here is some good news, the tech-driven Nasdaq is up 17 percent so far this year.

While Forrester is predicting that the United States will fare better than the rest of the world, with spending falling about 5 percent this year, Business Week reports that U.S. tech businesses will start recovering in 4Q and Asia and European markets will follow in 2010.

Forrester's latest report says the tech market may be hitting the bottom very soon, that should be a relief for anyone clinging to a life raft and for others waiting anxiously for a rebound.

For more on the state of IT:
- check out this BusinessWeek.com article

Survey: Tech's high-end salaries are shrinking

Judi Hasson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:15:23 -0400

If you are in the front office, don't get too comfortable. A new survey finds that compensation for CIOs is declining. It's almost as though we didn't have to tell you this. But if you think you are in a well-paying job that allows you to keep increasing your salary with each new job you take, think again.

The semi-annual study from Janco Associates Inc., found that CIOs at mid-size companies felt the most pain, reports Computerworld.com. The median pay for a CIO at a mid-level company fell from about $172,000 to $163,000. Comparatively speaking, the salary for the chief security officer at a company, moved from $148,000 to $143,000. IT planning directors took the biggest hit, falling from about $115,000 to $97,000, according to the survey.

"There is now a surplus of seasoned IT professionals available," wrote the Park City, Utah-based IT consulting firm in its report. For example, it noted that more than 200 IT professionals in the New York region, who earned well over six figures, are now looking for work because of today's economic conditions. And you won't be surprised that they are having a hard time finding a job.

For more on declining IT pay:
- check out this Computerworld.com article

Where's your business continuity plan?

Judi Hasson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:53:12 -0400

The most important single document an IT manager can author is a business continuity plan. And it is essential to have this document in place before it's needed. eWeek.com walks you through a number of important steps to make sure plans are in place and can be activated whether there is a fire, flood or terrorist attack.

Among eWeek's pointers:

Make sure all employees know the company evacuation plan and make sure everyone is out of the facility and safe when it is implemented.
Once everyone is out of the building and at a meeting point, perform a head count to make sure no one is missing.
Tell local officials of your employee head count and the status of the building.

Some of these steps may seem too simple for anyone to follow. Yet these very procedures have been tried and tried again with great success. Any plan is better than no plan.

At the end of the day, your data is likely to be backed up in a crisis, but you must make sure your people are safe, too.

For all the tips on business continuity:
- check out this eWeek.com article

Managing information overload

Judi Hasson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:24:01 -0400

You've got Twitter and Facebook, not to mention IM and those daily memos from your boss. So, how are you supposed to manage it all? It's time for IT managers to come up with a plan to deal with these real-time data streams, sort them out and manage them. One fact that you will need to accept: You will miss much of the information coming your way.

It's also important to keep your staff from wasting time on social networking. Every IT manager must make sure that information is tagged and cataloged so employees don't mix work life and personal life. With a little organization, you can get your IT staff ready to roll in the right direction, even as distractions come their way.

According to CIO.com, Google will soon be marrying those streaming bits of information with email when it launches Google Wave. And there are ways to tap into existing streaming technologies, too. But just like the Internet, information overload is here to stay. Get used to it and come up with a plan to keep workers focused.

For more on information overload:
- check out this CIO.com article

It may take a year to find a new job

Judi Hasson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:51:19 -0400

It's a tough job market, and many IT executives are finding that it may take as long as a year to get another job. Joe Goodwin, president of Atlanta-based executive search firm The Goodwin Group, breaks the bad news to CIO magazine: The amount of time it will take to find a job is at least three times longer than it was when the economy was good.

"A few years ago, you could count on getting three interviews during the first three months you were out of work," Goodwin tells CIO. "Out of that, generally speaking and assuming your qualifications are there, you were probably going to get an offer. Based on what I'm seeing in the market today, it's now probably taking 10 to 12 interviews to yield the same results."

Goodwin adds that if you're averaging one interview a month in this job market, you're doing very well. Job searches are taking longer because fewer companies are hiring and when there is a position open, hundreds of highly qualified candidates apply.

If you're an IT exec who still has a job, consider yourself lucky. If you are unemployed, remember, "This, too, shall pass." Stay patient, stay current and network like crazy.

For more on IT job hunting:
- check out this CIO.com article

Burying unpopular news too easy on social networking sites

Paul Mah — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:16:04 -0400

The popularity of online stories is often determined by the reception they get at social networking sites. Unfortunately, the overwhelming number of supporters for a particular topic could lead stories to be buried by either "abusive" users or simply those with an axe to grind. Well, this was Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols' theory anyway. He highlighted a couple of recent stories he wrote that are pro-Linux.

He noticed how they were initially popular, before being swiftly buried into oblivion. With 28.1 percent of traffic to his site coming from such social networking sites, the direct result is that tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of potential readers will never see such articles, even if they are compelling and useful content. The result is that popular news is elevated while less popular stories never see the light of day, regardless of their relevance.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Computerworld

Facebook: New processors from Intel and AMD don't deliver

Paul Mah — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:15:40 -0400

Jonathan Heiliger, vice president Facebook's technical operations, spoke about unexpected problems encountered with keeping Facebook running and lamented the "less-than-anticipated performance gains from new micro architectures." According to Heiliger, the performance improvements being touted to the press by the two top chip makers cannot be seen in their applications. Heiliger's comment carries weight because Facebook operates a large server farm, which as of April last year had more than 10,000 webservers.

Indeed, Heiliger had some harsh words for server manufacturers as well. The complaint here centers on them not creating cheap servers that are "super power-efficient." Frankly though, I see no reason why the likes of IBM and HP would want to build and sell such hardware in lieu of maintaining their fat profit margins. Of course, this was probably why Google opted to build its own servers using custom motherboards from Intel in the first place.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at ITworld

Computerworld reviews the Intel X25-E solid state drive

Paul Mah — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:15:19 -0400

Intel has obviously been sending out review units of its X25-E SSD, the enterprise sibling of the crazy fast X25-M solid state disk. The difference between the two versions lies in the fact that the X25-E uses single-level-cell and flash chips while the latter uses multilevel cell. Essentially, SLC has far better longevity and better performance, but it is also much more expensive.

Lucas Maerian at Computerworld took a X25-E SSD for a spin on a Dell Latitude and the comprehensive review caught my attention. The results of the battery test mirrored my experience with a Samsung SSD that I tested recently. Despite the lower power rating, the improvement in battery life is negligible.

On the other hand, the performance gain of using a top-of-the-line SSD is stunning and undeniable, both in terms of computer boot timings and responsiveness in loading applications. And it does look like the X25-E SSD holds the first-place spot for speed. While it can certainly replace RAID arrays of 15,000rpm hard disk drives, the real question is whether you would be willing to part with $800 for a 64GB drive.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Computerworld

Survey: Organizations holding back on cloud adoption due to security concerns

Paul Mah — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:13:06 -0400

Fears that cloud computing does not offer adequate security for sensitive data is causing corporate customers to hesitate in adopting cloud services. Despite the current hype surrounding cloud computing, only 15 percent of 300 corporations surveyed worldwide have adopted or are in the process of adopting cloud technology over the course of next year.

Surveyed participants ranged from companies with just more than 100 users to large enterprises across various industries. One IT manager summed up the pervading sentiment on security: "The idea that I would trust my email, financial transactions, or other day-to-day business operations to cloud computing is just asking for trouble."

In many ways, we are already leveraging cloud computing in the form of Gmail and cloud-based storage, and ant spam services. Yet one doesn't typically see concern being expressed over the security of these services. I suppose it will take some time yet before more people get comfortable with this paradigm, though it is clear that the cloud is here to stay.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World

Uproar over Windows 7 upgrade limitations

Paul Mah — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:09:38 -0400

Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 upgrades will be limited to just 25 machines per company for those that purchased new computers between now and the official release of the Windows 7 operating system on October 22. This could have major implications for organizations planning larger upgrades, though was not initially publicized by Microsoft for obvious reasons.

"Gartner believes Microsoft designs these program limitations to persuade organizations to enter Enterprise Agreements, enroll licenses in Software Assurance or purchase upgrade rights to run Windows 7," Gartner analyst Michael Silver wrote in a report. This obviously does not sit well with detractors who have criticized Microsoft and are charging the company with attempting to charge twice for the same OS. Finally, it must be pointed out that the program for a free upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 will cease once Windows 7 SP1 becomes available.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at PC World
- check out this news analysis at Gartner

Attempt by LinkedIn to leverage social networking irks users

Paul Mah — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:59:49 -0400

LinkedIn, the online professional networking site decided to leverage the power of social networking in its bid to expand the four languages that it currently supports. However, a number of its translator members were irked by the survey question that asked if they would be willing to translate the site for free or for other non-cash incentives. Article

Survey: 1 in 5 firms cut IT security spending

Judi Hasson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:34:18 -0400

Some CEOs are engaging in some risky business in order to save a few bucks. A new Information Week survey finds that nearly 20 percent are cutting security spending--up from just six percent a year earlier.

Only 27 percent of CEOs are increasing spending on IT security, down from 40 percent a year earlier. In addition, the survey detected that CEOs are less concerned about the impact on data security when they figure out a way to trim expenses.

At the end of the day, this shortcut to save money may cost you far more if your system is hacked and valuable data is stolen. So think hard and be forewarned that there are other ways to save money.

For more on cutting security to save money:
- see this InformationWeek.com article

Cisco saves $277 million with telework

Judi Hasson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:15:27 -0400

Cisco has figured out how to save money and keep employees happy--which is an unusual feat, in these tough economic times. It has counted more than $277 million in productivity savings by letting employees work from home by using the company's virtual office technology. That's a pretty good bottom line for a phenomenon that is growing rapidly. It is also saving Cisco's employees $10 million in fuel costs, and they are understandably very happy about this.

"Our main intent was to really evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts associated with telecommuting," Rami Mazid, vice president of global client services and operations at Cisco, told NetworkWorld.com. "We sampled employees who have the flexibility and desire to telework to get the most up-to-date information, and the key conclusion is that employee productivity is much higher and collaboration is the same if not better when working remotely."

Cisco surveyed 2,000 employees, and nearly 70 percent cited higher productivity working from home.

For more on Cisco's success with teleworking:
- check out this NetworkWorld.com article

Survey: Top CEOs give Twitter, Facebook cold shoulder

Judi Hasson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:26:00 -0400

There's some shocking news about CEOs in a new survey released last week. The study by UberCEO.com, an online news site that focuses on CEOs at major companies, found that CEOs at top U.S. companies are dramatically disconnected from social networking, the survey found.

Only two CEOs from Fortune magazine's list of top 100 companies have Twitter accounts and only 19 have a Facebook page. None of the 100 CEOs have a personal external blog. That probably means that the CEO at your company hasn't bought into the growing social network phenomenon that has quickly become a necessity for every firm and top executive around.

You may be frustrated by this lack of attention to social networking, but as the IT executive in charge, you may be the person to educate the boss and persuade him or her to come around to the revolution.

"In our opinion, the top CEOs appear to be disconnected from the way their own customers are communicating," UberCEO.com editor Sharon Barclay told Computer World. "They're giving the impression that they're disconnected, disengaged and disinterested."

The survey also found that an increasing number of executives at smaller firms are tweeting and staying connected with customers on Facebook. We're not saying that everyone should give in to pressure, but it's smart to be able to communicate with employees, friends and customers in the language everyone is using.

For more on adopting social networking:
- check out this ComputerWorld.com article

Former IBM exec cleared to work at Dell

Judi Hasson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:38:09 -0400

U.S. judge Stephen Robinson has denied IBM's request to bar a former executive from working at Dell. The suit stemmed from IBM's concerns over Robinson taking trade secrets with him. Johnson had been IBM's vice president of corporate development and had worked at IBM for 27 years. He jumped to rival company Dell last month: A move that clearly angered Big Blue.

IBM requires executives to sign noncompete agreements to continue receiving equity benefits. According to an article in ComputerWorld.com, Johnson signed the agreement on the wrong line because he disagreed with the agreement. Despite the misplaced signature, IBM argued that Johnson had signed the noncompete agreement. The judge disagreed and also ruled that Johnson did not have access to IBM trade secrets.

For any IT executive currently contemplating a new job at a competing company, this ruling is good news. It makes it harder for a company to block an employee's departure, even one who has been on the job as long as Johnson.

For more on this article:
- check out this ComputerWorld.com article

Related Article:
Non-solicitation agreements fail in CA

Gartner: Electronics industry will recover in '10

Judi Hasson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:55:59 -0400

Tired of hearing all the predictions about when the economy will recover? Here's one from Gartner that looks optimistic: Mobile phone and PC sales are ready to start leading the electronics industry into sustainable recovery next year. The one reason it differs from others is that it is only addressing a piece of the market that has been hit hard in this economic downturn.

Gartner said that signs show a market rebound in the fourth quarter of this year, sustainability in the second half of 2010 and a final push to recovery by 2011.

"Almost all sectors of the electronic equipment market are still declining, and we will need to see markets hit bottom before we see the waves of recovery and a rebound to positive growth," Gartner analyst Klaus Rinnen said in a statement. "The wider process of rebounding will occur over a period of approximately two years."

For more on this market prediction:
- check out this InformationWeek.com article

New domain names on horizon

Judi Hasson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:21:47 -0400

It's time for dot-com and dot-net to move over. Hundreds of new top-level domains are coming your way next year. But, as always, there is controversy. U.S. corporations with large portfolios of domain names want more protection for trademark owners to prevent cybersquatting. Leading registries want continued separation of back-end and retail domain name operations. ICANN faces criticism, too, about the fees it plans to charge new applicants when it begins taking applications in the first quarter of 2010.

But new domains open a new door to creativity and lots of space for new messages on the Internet. These domain names can be anywhere from three to 63 characters in length and can support Chinese, Arabic and other scripts.

Dozens of groups have announced that they plan to apply for new domains. That includes terms such as dot-wine, dot-paris, dot-nyc, dot-sport and dot-food. Some companies plan to reserve their own names like dot-deloitte. It could actually get very crowded when all these domain names become a reality.

In the meantime, IT executives may start thinking long and hard about whether they want their own domain name and if they want to pay for it.

For more on domain names:
- check out this NetworkWorld.com article

Security expert: China's Green Dam software is not safe

Paul Mah — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:39:20 -0400

The Chinese government's plan to force the installation of content-filtering software on all PCs sold in the country could throw open the gates to a massive security breach. Called Green Dam-Youth Escort, the locally developed software has to be installed on all new computers sold in the country since July 1. The same rules apply to PCs that are imported into China

After examining the code earlier this month, Ben Feinstein, director of research at SecureWorks now says that it uses a variety of safe programming practices such as the use of the "Strcpy" function, which is a potential vector for a buffer overflow attack. Feinstein argues that any vulnerability in Green Dam-Youth Escort could well result in the creation of a botnet of unprecedented size in the country. In addition, Feinstein noted that "This software appears to be of low quality and to have not been developed with a secure methodology. It likely suffers from a whole host of problems."

For more on this story:
- check out this article at CNET News

Google sends out invites for Google Voice

Paul Mah — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:37:39 -0400

Yesterday, Google began sending out invites for its Google Voice service to users who had previously registered at the Google Voice website. Google Voice came about as a result of Google's 2007 acquisition of GrandCentral, and has reserved one million phone numbers presumably for its impending public launch.

Users who had the chance to use the service have been upbeat about its benefits. Kevin Dando, director of digital and education communications for PBS is one such user, saying, "I've only been using Google Voice for a few months, but it's completely changed the way I use voicemail and communicate." You can click on the following link to sign-up for a Google voice invite.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World

Top news sites flounder following Michael Jackson's death

Paul Mah — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:35:42 -0400

Online news sites fared relatively poorly when it came to handling a flash flood of traffic. This was evidenced when news on the unfortunate death of singer Michael Jackson broke across the Internet. Keynote Systems, a company that tracks site performance, says that the availability of some 30 plus sites that it monitors plunged from 100 percent to 86 percent. In addition, the average access time of the home pages of the top media sites also more than doubled from 4.2 seconds to 8.9 seconds, reports CNET News.

In addition, some Google users have also complained that the search giant's Google News area was inaccessible for a time. This was confirmed by a Google representative, who acknowledged that users performing "queries related to Michael Jackson" might experience difficulties for slightly less than half an hour starting from 2:40 p.m. PDT.

Shedding some light on the unique challenges of flash Internet traffic, CNN.com defended sluggish performance at its site, saying that it saw 20 million page views and a fivefold increase in just over an hour. CNET News saw twice the normal amount of hourly traffic after word of Jackson's death spread, while traffic at sister site CBSNews.com saw numbers surge to five times their normal levels.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at CNET News

Windows Security Essential beta reaches download cap in a day

Paul Mah — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:32:47 -0400

Microsoft has capped the number of downloads for the beta of Windows Security Essentials (MSE) to just 75,000, said a Microsoft spokeswoman on Monday. As we reported earlier, MSE is the replacement for Windows Live OneCare, and will focus on key security tasks such as fighting viruses, rootkits and other malware. It does not provide any firewall or spam protection

Within the span of 24 hours after MSE was launched on Tuesday, it appears that the download cap for the free antivirus product was reached. Users who try to download MSE will now get the following alert: "Thank you for your interest in joining the Microsft Security Essentials Beta. We are not accepting additional participants at this time. Please check back at a later date for possible additional availability."

So far, MSE has been getting the thumbs up. Independent testing done by AV-Test.org found that MSE was able to accurately detect 3,194 common virus, bot and worm samples from a set of WildList malware released a week ago. In addition, attempts to elicit a false positive by running MSE across a large set of benign samples did not result in any false alarms.

At the moment, MSE seems to be working exclusively with locally installed anti-virus and anti-spyware definitions and not cloud-based scanning methods. This is beta software after all, and certainly look to be promising.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World
- check out this article at The Channel Wire
- check out this article at The Register

Microsoft tells all on Windows 7; Will be cheaper than Vista

Paul Mah — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:27:26 -0400

Microsoft has finally announced the retail pricing and upgrade information pertaining to its eagerly awaited Windows 7 operating system. And yes, while there is a price reduction for the low-end and high-end editions, customers looking for a steeper cut due to the current recession might be disappointed at the modest dip in price.

Where the retail upgrade of Windows 7 is concerned, the Premium Edition is priced at $119.99, Professional at $199.99 and Ultimate at $219.99. This is priced somewhat lower than Windows Vista, when it was first launched. The same goes for the boxed retail versions for Windows 7; this will be sold at at the price of $199.99, $299.99 and $319.99 for the Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate edition, respectively.

For now, selected markets will be able to preorder Windows 7 at a discounted rate. For example, customers in the U.S. will be able to get Windows 7 Home Premium at $49.99 and Windows 7 Professional at $99.99. U.K. prices are slightly higher at £49.99 for Windows 7 Home Premium and £99.99 for Windows 7 Professional. Preorder offers are also available for Canada, Japan, France and Germany.

And as expected, users who buy a Windows Vista PC today will receive the equivalent edition of Windows 7 when it comes out.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Ars Technica

Memory scaling on the Core i7 platform

Paul Mah — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:18:00 -0400

AnandTech took DDR3 RAM from various manufacturers and ran a battery of exhaustive tests on them. Interestingly, the reviewers concluded that only in certain situations was there a point to purchasing RAM graded faster than DDR3-1066 with CAS 5 on an Intel Core i7 platform. The conclusion: "Based on today's overall results, we have to question the validity or purchasing high-end memory for most users." Article

Mind your BlackBerry manners

Judi Hasson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:54:41 -0400

Your BlackBerry is cemented to your hand. It may not be there when you go to sleep, but it is as close as anything gets to you. You probably even use your BlackBerry at time-consuming meetings.

But there is a growing debate about BlackBerry etiquette in the boardroom and on the street. When should you break away from your BlackBerry? And when should you ignore the static around you and focus on your own special messaging system?

Some companies are banning BlackBerry use at meetings. A recent poll of more than 5,000 workers found that a third of them frequently check their e-mails at meetings. Some 20 percent said they had been scolded for poor manners regarding wireless devices, according to a recent New York Times article.

So what does the future hold for BlackBerry addiction? It looks like its time to leave your PDA alone. It may take some practice to kick the habit, at least for the duration of the meeting. It could be time for some rules, but then again, rules are always made to be broken.

For more on BlackBerry etiquette:
- check out this New York Times article

Big Blue wants to go green

Judi Hasson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:15 -0400

IBM is putting its muscle behind green IT and is intent on delivering green, energy efficient solutions, according to Rich Lechner, IBM's vice president of energy and environment. IBM has embarked on six new green IT initiatives this year, including:

The Green Sigma Coalition to monitor and analyze solutions for energy, water, waste and greenhouse gas.
A water-cooled supercomputer that doubles as building heater.
Research into next-generation rechargeable batteries.

"Two years ago, we launched Project Big Green to help people be more efficient in their data centers," Lechner told eWeek. "Since then we have been methodically expanding the focus, knowing we need to optimize [all IT systems] for energy use across a broad physical infrastructure.

With a company as big and powerful as IBM behind green, it won't be long before other companies rush in to compete.

For more on IBM and green:
- check out this eWeek.com article

Seven sins of home office security

Judi Hasson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:21:15 -0400

You are not alone. Many managers are grappling with the issue of giving workers the green light to work from home. Last year, more than 17 million Americans worked from home or remotely at least one day per month, according to the human resources association World at Work. Chances are you're facing pressure to let employees work from home, if you are not already.

An article at CSOOnline.com outlines ways to allow your employees to work from home without dismal consequences. Here are a few suggestions:

Make sure a home office is physically secure.
Configure security smartly.
Make sure data is backed up.

Most importantly, make sure your workers separate their home office from their home; and separate their work world from their play world.

For more on making home work a success:
- check out this CSOOnline.com article

Demand growing for tech freelancers

Judi Hasson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:55:33 -0400

Let's face it: The demand for IT personnel has never dropped. It's just that the number of companies hiring full-time workers has declined.

Two job sites that match employers with temporary IT workers are on the rise: Elance and oDesk Corp. These two companies report sharp increases in the number of employers hiring temporary workers. Elance is averaging 25,000 job postings a month from employers, up almost 50 percent from this time last year. oDesk says it has seen job postings increase by 100 percent over the past year to about 17,500 jobs.

This rising interest in tech contract help "is what we would expect to see right now," IDC analyst Stephen Minto told CIO.com. He said that the increased project-by-project hiring does not signal an improving economy.

Regardless of the reason, it's a way into a job for many IT workers with valuable skills who find themselves jobless.

For more on temp IT jobs:
- check out this CIO.com article

E-Verify on rise despite controversy

Judi Hasson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:35:51 -0400

The Department of Homeland Security is seeing an increase in employer use of the controversial program, E-Verify, according to USA Today. In the first six months of this year, 5.5 million checks have been made by employers through the free E-Verify online service. In 2008, there were 6.6 million checks for the entire year.

But there is a long way to go. Approximately 130,000 employers participate in the program, a tiny fraction of the 6 million businesses that employ more than 115 million people in the United States, according to the newspaper. Despite this small glimmer of success, the Obama administration postponed--for the fourth time--a requirement that all companies with federal contracts use the program to verify work status of employees.

The requirement is now scheduled for Sept. 8. However, many civil rights organizations say the program is prone to errors and threatens civil liberties. Right now, it's unclear whether or not it will succeed, even with the administration's unwavering support.

For more on E-Verify:
- check out this USA Today article

Worst cities for IT work

Judi Hasson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:11:55 -0400

You're looking for an IT job, and you are willing to move anywhere--well, just about anywhere. This week, CIO.com highlights a few cities not even worth trying. A couple of these cities might surprise you, but there are a few that make the list for some pretty compelling reasons. Among them:

Detroit--need we say more about the auto industry capital of the United States?
Cleveland--which has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the United States.
Syracuse--miserable winters and exactly 49 IT jobs listed as open.

For more on the list of cities you don't want to be in:
- check out this CIO.com article

Intel showcases wireless power

Paul Mah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:40:51 -0400

Intel showed off a range of technologies from Intel Labs at its R&D Day last week. Intel Labs employs 1,000 researchers from around the world to develop cutting-edge technologies and usher them toward commercial realities. Once again, what caught my attention was its wireless power technology. This was first presented at the Intel Developer Forum last year, where Intel demonstrated wireless power technology powering a 60-watt light bulb over two feet away.

On Thursday, Intel researchers showcased the technology with the latest refinements--which allow it to send data together with power. The equivalent power used by an RFID tag was transmitted over two feet, powering a small wireless speaker and simultaneously playing back music from an Apple iPod. With a wireless transmission efficiency of 90 percent at distances of up to a meter, I can't wait to see how this technology will appear in my house. In the meantime, Intel is working to extend the technology to longer distances.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at ZDNet

Application performance set to be next virtualization headache

Paul Mah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:36:17 -0400

A new problem is starting to rear its ugly head in the spanking new post-virtualized data centers: The issue of guaranteeing the performance of running applications. Stacking multiple virtual machines on a single physical server reduces excess processing capacity and it is wonderful in terms of energy conservation, but has this made it harder to ensure the same level of performance across the board?

Summing up the issue, Andi Mann, a virtualization analyst with Enterprise Management Associates noted, "With a 1-to-1 relationship in a physical environment, you knew exactly what headroom you had to accommodate peak loads." In the past, a mix of good judgment and existing tools were adequate; now, technology such as VMware's VMotion shifts virtual machines across disparate physical servers.

While the "big four" systems management vendors are putting efforts into boosting the strength of their virtual application management capabilities, efforts so far have fallen short. Among other things, they do not have adequate oversight into the exact components that may cause problems, such as internal software switches or the state of storage I/O. Much must me done, but the crucial need to monitor application performance is clear.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at InformationWeek

Most American grads "unemployable" says top Indian CEO

Paul Mah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:34:00 -0400

When quizzed by an educational officer in the United States on why his company, HCL Technologies, was not hiring more people from his state, Vineet Nayar, a highly respected CEO, spoke of how most American college grads are "unemployable." This is only the short answer, of course, and an examination of the rationale behind his statement is necessary for a full understanding of his perspective. In all fairness, HCL has recently announced plans to invest $3.2 million and hire more than 500 employees in North Carolina.

According to InformationWeek's interpretation of Nayar's comments, American grads entering tech fields are too preoccupied with getting rich. Meanwhile, they are less inclined to spend time with the boring but necessary details relating to various process, methodology and tools--such as ITIL and Six Sigma. The end result is that these graduates become "too expensive" to train, albeit "unemployable."

Do you think that American college grads expect too much and are not willing to work their way up the ladder?

For more on this story:
- check out this article at InformationWeek

Reports: Oracle shuts down Virtual Iron

Paul Mah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:32:58 -0400

Slightly more than a month after purchasing Virtual Iron, Oracle has decided to shutter the operations of the fast-growing virtualization software company. In a letter to Virtual Iron's more than 1,500 sales partners, Oracle says it "will suspend development of existing Virtual Iron products and will suspend delivery of orders to new customers."

At the same time, it will also not allow partners to sell new licenses beyond the end of this month. Indeed, restrictive conditions are already in effect--and partners can only sell to existing customers within this month only under certain conditions. At the moment, Oracle is telling its partners that Virtual Iron Extended Enterprise Edition version 4.4 will be supported through September 3, and version 4.5 through January 14, 2010.

This swift move makes it appear that it is probably Oracle's strategy all along to simply acquire Virtual Iron's technology and keep it out of the hands of competitors. I know of at least one organization that has bought into Virtual Iron technology in lieu of VMware; good luck to them now that Virtual Iron will be no more.

So far, though, the Oracle and Virtual Iron websites do not mention the discontinuing sales.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at CNET News
- check out this article at Channel Insider

Microsoft Security Essentials Pack freeware available today

Paul Mah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:26:27 -0400

Microsoft Security Essentials, the beta version of Microsoft's new security software, will be available for download today. Designated as a follow-up to Windows Live OneCare, Microsoft Security Essentials will focus on key security tasks such as fighting viruses, rootkits and other malware. It does not provide any firewall or spam protection.

To bolster its capabilities, Microsoft Security Essentials will share information with the cloud-based Microsoft Dynamic Signature Service. In addition, kernel structure scans and support for direct file-system parsing will aid in the fight against rootkits. Finally, a whitelist of trusted software sources is maintained in order to eliminate any erroneous identification of legitimate applications. Microsoft says that the software will keep a low profile unless it detects dangerous software

Personally, what I see happening is Microsoft getting impatient with the pace of progress in anti-malware applications. Sure, the other large antivirus companies have been "working on" cloud-based solutions for a while now. Yet current generation security applications are still largely ineffective and seem stuck in the era of virus definition files and beefed-up--but still useless--spam capabilities.

At a first glance, the features in the Microsoft Security Essentials appear to be relatively sophisticated. How well that translates into real-world capabilities remains to be seen.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Tech News World
- check out this article at eWeek

Google reserved one million phone numbers

Paul Mah — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:18:01 -0400

In a sign that Google may soon be launching its Google Voice service, the search giant has reserved one million phone numbers with a company called Level 3. Google Voice was created as a result of Google's 2007 acquisition of GrandCentral. Article

CIOs no longer a 'jack of all trades'

Judi Hasson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:39:35 -0400

In the past, CIO had to be tech wizards to keep their jobs. That was then: It is now very different. In an article in the Journal of New England Technology, experts say that CIOs also have to know more than a little bit about business. Recruiters and experts say that experience in specific business verticals is especially valued. What's more, experience in Asia is widely sought-after. Manufacturing and supply-chain expertise are also hot commodities.

Experience in the finance sector is currently a liability, experts say, in the wake of last year's economic meltdown. "If you got jettisoned from Lehman or Citi, you're going to have a hard time making those skills transfer," said Charles Polachi Jr., a partner at Polachi Co.

The job market has become far more complicated in the wake of the recession. The days of jumping from $100,000 to $140,000 a year are over, says one expert. It looks like the CIO has to be a very good jack of one trade. But just what that trade is varies depending on the specific CIO opening.

For more on the changing CIO:
- check out this MassHighTech.com article

Bringing outsourcing home

Judi Hasson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:11:43 -0400

Outsourcing is on its way out and insourcing is coming back as a result of the global economic recession, outsourcing scandals and the decreasing benefit of outsourcing IT work, according to experts.

A recent Gartner survey found that only nine percent of CIOs are planning to increase IT outsourcing this year. Many surveyed are considering insourcing previously outsourced functions. It's hard to tell if this trend is reversing a practice that has been unfolding for several years, but with President Obama's pledge to keep jobs at home instead of sending them overseas, this reversal may have the White House completely behind it.

Only time will tell if companies are seeing their bottom lines improve without outsourcing or whether they will revert to old practices in order to save costs.

For more on outsourcing coming home:
- check out this SearchCIO.com article

Your data, your privacy?

Judi Hasson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:34:36 -0400

Consumers can buy everything from clothing to airline tickets online, but what happens to all the information you type into a database to get these purchases? Are companies protecting the information they collect online about consumers or is it a free-for-all for advertising purposes?

The unfettered collection of information about consumers came under fire on Capitol Hill last week when lawmakers began questioning how well Internet companies protect information they collect. "I think it's a big deal if someone tracks where you go and what you look at without your personal approval. We wouldn't like that in the non-Internet world and I personally don't like it in the Internet world," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas).

The issue of privacy continues to fester at hearings on Capitol Hill. Just how much information should a company retain about you and how is it protected?

Lawmakers are drafting Internet privacy legislation that will, among other things, give consumers information about just what is being collected about them. The legislation would also give them greater control over how the data can be used and prevent the data from being shared with advertisers.

For more on your data and your privacy:
- check out this Wall Street Journal article

Steve Jobs had liver transplant

Judi Hasson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:24:22 -0400

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is recovering from a liver transplant, according to the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper disclosed Jobs' health situation in an article that has been picked up by many media organizations. However, Apple would not comment on the article or Jobs' health situation.

"Steve continues to look forward to returning to Apple at the end of June," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said, "and there is nothing further to say."

Jobs--who announced in January that he was taking a medical leave of absence until the end of June--survived pancreatic cancer five years ago. He did not disclose why he was taking a medical leave. His gaunt appearance has been the subject of much speculation for months.

For more on Jobs' health:
- check out this WSJ.com article

Don't let your data be orphaned

Judi Hasson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:50:44 -0400

With thousands of layoffs throughout the IT world, it's easy for an IT manager to lose control of data when layoffs hit the company. It's now essential that an IT business executive take steps to identify and locate databases left behind when IT employees are laid off and depart.

Managers must identify and locate all potentially orphaned data on distributed devices. Here are several steps to prevent your data from getting lost in cyberspace:

Establish a comprehensive backup policy for data.
Create centralized control over enforcing that policy.
Use technology that can easily recover data under any circumstance.

Before there is turnover in your office, take an inventory of distributed devices likely to contain critical data. Stay in control of your data by making sure that it is backed up. A layoff may mean more than just losing a worker: It can mean losing gigabytes of information.

For more on keeping track of data:
- Check out this eWeek.com article

Recession increases IT project failures

Judi Hasson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:21:21 -0400

As if the recession wasn't bad enough, budget slashing and layoffs have also taken their toll on the success of IT projects, according to a report by The Standish Group. The group surveyed 400 organizations and found that IT project success rates were dropping. In the past two years, it found that one in four projects was considered a failure.

Some 44 percent were considered challenged: They finished late, were over budget or had fewer than the required features and functions, according to the survey. Jim Johnson, chairman of The Standish Group, told CIO.com it's the first increase in IT project failures that he's seen "in a long time."

The last time the group did a similar survey was in 2006. That survey found that 19 percent were failures and 46 percent were challenges.

For more on the recession and IT projects:
- check out this CIO.com article

Virtualization enables University network to escape encroaching fires unscathed

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:06:22 -0400

In a case that rather dramatically highlighted the value of virtualization when it comes to business continuity, a team at the online Fielding Graduate University managed to relocate the entire network in just 25 hours as fire threatened to envelope the Santa Barbara, California datacenter where it was originally housed.

This was done by literally packing up the blade servers that the entire University ran on. Indeed, this was possible only because the school had just completed consolidating 30 servers running its Windows network onto a Hyper-V virtualized environment--just month prior. Hardware was in the form of four HP ProLiant BL460c blades with an HP MSA 1500cs SAN for a combined 2.4 terabytes of data storage.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World

Overloaded Apple servers frustrate iPhone users

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:05:51 -0400

It would appear that Microsoft isn't the only company that can be surprised by overloaded servers. This time, legions of Apple fans eager to upgrade to the highly-anticipated iPhone 3.0 software slowed Apple's activation servers to a crawl. Surely a simple activation process can't be so hard to do properly?

While I noticed only a few iPhone friends gushing over successful iPhone 3.0 updates on Twitter, Alan Milford over at CBS Interactive in London apparently had a different experience, grousing: "Apple should have their own Twitter server on software release day, so all the fanboys can spam each other without bothering the rest of us."

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World

Microsoft touts scheme for unlimited Windows Volume License

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:05:34 -0400

Microsoft is expected to rally its partners to pitch its Application Platform Agreement (APA) licensing scheme next month. APA is only available to organizations on Microsoft's volume-licensing programs though, so organizations with less than 250 PCs can start looking elsewhere. For organizations that qualify though, applications under APA include a swathe of software that most organizations will use. This includes all editions of SQL Server, all editions of Visual Studio Team System and server licenses of System Center, among others.

The idea is that for a pre-determined fee, customers can deploy an unlimited number of the above applications. This can result in potentially large savings for companies that intend to sink deep roots into the Microsoft ecosystem of software. A word of caution though: APA does not cover client access licenses (CALs) on Office SharePoint Server and System Center. The exact fee to be paid will need to be worked out on a case-by-case basis with Microsoft partners.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Channel Register

Virgin considers suspending file sharers

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:47:39 -0400

Virgin Media will be launching an unlimited music download service as part of a collaborative arrangement with Universal record company. Based on a monthly subscription fee, it would certainly not be the first such service created. What makes this one different is the revelation that Virgin's service will be providing DRM-free tracks.

One condition for the music download service, it appears, is that Virgin takes steps to guard the interests of Universal Music. This much is apparent from a statement on the agreement, which reads, "In parallel, the two companies will be working together to protect Universal Music's intellectual property and drive a material reduction in the unauthorized distribution of its repertoire across Virgin Media's network."

One suggestion that is being tossed around to bring about the "material reduction" mentioned above seems to be a "temporary suspension of Internet access" for persistent offenders. The suspension could range from as little as five minutes, or up to a full day. The basis for suspension would be based on information furnished by Universal. Virgin was quick to note that the idea might never see the light of day, and would be launched on a trial basis first.

Now, I have some opinions on the viability of such a measure, which you can read in my Editor's Corner.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at ZDNET News

Google App Sync breaks search in Outlook

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:40:05 -0400

Remember the Google App Sync tool that was meant to open a way for organizations looking to move away from Microsoft Exchange? While I did mention that it would not work in my instance, I do think that the tool was a brilliant and well-executed move--especially if Google's claim of its data efficiency was true.

Unfortunately, it has now emerged that Google App Sync happens to break Microsoft's Windows Desktop Search, along with a number of other plug-ins in Microsoft Outlook. Affected applications range from Adobe's Acrobat PDF Maker toolbar, Microsoft's Office Outlook Connector and also the Outlook change notifier.

While Google says it is working on an update to its Google App Sync software to address some of the above issues, the more pertinent issue here is related to how the software was actually designed to disable Windows Desktop Search and other third-party search tools in Outlook. According to Google, this had to be done so that these applications will not attempt to endlessly index the sync files created by Google App Sync.

So when can Google cease interfering with these other search applications? Well, when these rival software makers work with Google to ensure their applications don't touch the files created by Google App Sync. And what do you think are the chances of that happening?

For more on this story:
- check out this article at CNET News

Adobe to compete with Google Docs

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:30:15 -0400

Adobe launched a new online tool at Acrobat.com this week, which allows users to collaborate on presentations and spreadsheets that are updated in real time. File storage is in the clouds, and the service is compatible with Adobe Air and Adobe Reader. Adobe has also admitted that Acrobat.com was intended to compete directly with Google Docs. Article

Reports: Sun cancels 16-core Rock processors; Weather balloon serves web access in Africa;

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:27:19 -0400

> Reports: Sun cancels 16-core Rock processors. Article
> Weather balloon serves web access in Africa. Article
> New Linux kernel adds file-system support. Article
> PC Perspective tests two Indilinx-based SSDs. Article

And Finally... Blogger Jake Seliger explains why "You're not going to be a professional Blogger, regardless of what the Wall Street Journal tells you." Article

IBM puts its engine behind the cloud

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:38:32 -0400

IBM has plenty of experience promoting new and innovative computer technology, and now it is taking on cloud computing.

"I.B.M. knows how to do all of those things," Frank Gens, chief analyst for IDC, a technology research firm, told the New York Times. "Its strategy is all about making cloud computing safe for enterprise customers." The newspaper reported that Big Blue is taking a "tailored approach," promoting the cloud for computing workloads in business.

Its cloud entries include one product which streamlines the technology used by corporate software developers and testers, which can consume 30 percent or more of a company's technology resources. Other offerings coming later include clouds fine-tuned for data storage and clouds for business analytics.

For more on IBM reaching for the clouds:
- check out this New York Times article

Safeguarding mobile devices

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:04:56 -0400

It's tough enough securing your computer systems in the office, but the growing use of mobile devices, including cell phones and wireless laptops, is making your life even tougher. Seymour Goodman, a professor of international affairs and computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology, testified in Congress last week, forecasting "a coming tsunami of insecurity."

He told the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Research and Science Education that computers with wireless connections are sitting ducks for criminals, hackers and terrorists. Goodman said cell phone use is growing faster than the Internet and presenting a prime opportunity for hacking. To deal with this issue, research and development will have to come up with better ways to protect mobile devices. It will require collaboration by experts before the threat intensifies, he said.

"We have lots of experience and mistakes with the Internet," Goodman told the congressional panel. "This time, will we be able to get ahead of the problem and make the world of mobile cyberspace safer and more secure before the tsunami forms, builds momentum, and hits us?"

For more on growing threats against mobile devices:
- check out this GovInfoSecurity.com article

Medical ID theft rampant

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:38:51 -0400

Watch your back! Medical ID theft is fast becoming a favorite cybercrimal pastime. It's been off the radar for a while, as medical ID theft data has not been collected since a 2007 report. At the time, more than 250,000 Americans a year were victims of medical identity theft. Experts say the numbers are almost certainly increasing because of the growing number of electronic medical records systems being constructed without extensive safeguards.

So, be forewarned, a hacker could get hold of your name and Social Security number and use that information for fraudulent medical charges. What does this mean for you? It means that your workers must be continually educated about cybersecurity. While your company may not work with electronic records, any employee could become a victim.

If you think the threat of electronic medical record theft is not your problem. Think again.

For more on this growing cyber threat:
- check out this New York Times article

Signs business is getting better

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:21:35 -0400

It's still a very tough year, but it's looking like cost-cutting measures have finally hit the bottom and are leveling off. There's still plenty of bad news out there, according to CIO.com. But the website's new survey shows that only 14 percent of the 171 IT leaders polled expect budget cuts in the near future. That's down from 20 percent in January and 63 percent in March 2008.

It's still not time to cheer but there are some indications that the worst may be over. Another good sign is that 28 percent of CIOs are planning to increase spending for software applications--up from 23 percent.

As the saying goes: When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

For more on the economics of the IT world:
- check out this CIO.com article

Gartner: Be wary of outsourcing deals

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:44:15 -0400

IT departments should take their time when reviewing an outsourcing contract, according to Gartner. There are many reasons to be cautious or to avoid outsourcing completely. At an outsourcing conference in London last week, Claudio Da Rold, vice president and analyst at Gartner, cautioned that the market is too volatile to predict what it is going to look like in just a few months.

Not only that, outsourcing firms are looking to reduce costs by cutting staff and increasing standardization. That means you may not be getting the cream-of-the-crop staff to provide the best service. In addition, IT outsourcing pricing is set to shrink by 5 to 20 percent, according to Gartner, so you definitely don't want to be signing a contract when prices are going down, not up.

As Linda Cohen, Gartner vice president and analyst, told the conference: "Don't sign long-term deals, there won't be enduring value for you or for your service provider. The days of the ten year deals are long gone."

For more on the state of outsourcing:
- check out this CIO.com article

Seven ways to deal with IT workers in the recession

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:08:41 -0400

You know your staff is overworked, underpaid and depressed about recent layoffs in your shop. You cannot just sit by and ignore the dark clouds. Instead, there are plenty of ways to maintain an upbeat workplace and give your employees a reason to come to work everyday. CIO.com analyzes ways you can make the workload better, ensuring productivity and keeping your workers happy and productive.

Here are a few of the suggestions:

Tell the truth. Don't sugarcoat what's going on. Tell workers how the company plans to ride out the recession.
Listen to your staff. Give them a chance to voice their concerns.
Protect your staff from a work overload.

Remember, you need the staff as much as they need you and you will have plenty of opportunities to reward those who helped you through this recession.

For more tips on IT weathering the recession:
- check out this CIO.com article

Avoid buying Windows computers in June

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:12:33 -0400

Someone has finally said it: "Don't buy computers this month," writes Dave Methvin over at his Microsoft blog at InformationWeek. This is good advice, since Microsoft will be offering free upgrades from Vista to Windows 7--though the offer doesn't start until June 26, according to a leaked memo. As it is, anyone buying Windows 7 at this point will be forced to pay when Windows 7 comes out October 22.

Of course, what is not known yet is whether customers currently on Windows Vista will have to pay for a full-priced retail box, or if they will be able to get it at a fraction of the price. After all, these are the folks who didn't insist on staying with Windows XP. Still, I won't hold up too much hope for that, considering the amount of money Microsoft stands to lose from those upgrading. But we will have to wait for the next leaked memo, I suppose.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at InformationWeek

Cross-platform compilation could become reality with return of Delphi

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:12:14 -0400

A new release of Delphi, the popular RAD tool that generates native Windows executables will be arriving soon. Delphi was bought by Embarcadero Technologies a year back as part of a larger acquisition of Borland Software's CodeGear division. The portfolio of products sold with Codegear includes Delphi and the JBuilder Java IDE.

For now, the company is working hard on the new release, which is code-named Weaver. Among other things, Weaver will feature support of the upcoming Windows 7--due out in October 22 of this year--as well as a touch API. In addition, support for native cross-platform compilation for the Mac and Linux platforms appears to be a cornerstone of Delphi's strategy now, though actual implementation details will have to wait.

In an interview with The Register, chief executive Wayne William was not concerned about competing with Visual Studio, Microsoft's deeply entrenched developer product. Williams noted that "We don't compete with Visual Studio, Visual Studio is a .NET IDE."

For more on this story:
- check out this article at The Register

Organizations open to hotter data centers

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:11:56 -0400

Data-center professionals are increasingly realizing that turning up the thermostat in the data center will not cause harm to computers. On the other hand, up to 50 percent reduction in energy can be saved simply by "changing the set point from 68 to 80 degrees," Jim Simonelli, the chief technical officer at APC, tells Network World.

The fact is that the equipment typically used in a data center is often certified to run in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. And if anyone should know this, it would be search giant Google, who runs some of the largest data centers around the world. To this end, Google published data several years ago showing how even temperatures in excess of 100 degrees showed no apparent harm to them.

If anything, the economic realities of the current recession--as well as a greater environmental consciousness--will fuel the needed thermostat adjustment.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Network World

Google scrambles over Microsoft Bing

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:11:37 -0400

Reports have it that Google co-founder Sergey Brin was so rattled by Microsoft's Bing search engine that a team of top engineers have been assembled in put together some "urgent upgrades" to Google's search engine. Underscoring the difference this time around, the New York Post spoke to an anonymous insider, who noted, "New search engines have come and gone in the past 10 years, but Bing seems to be of particular interest to Sergey."

Google's CEO Eric Schmidt, understandably, remains tight lipped about the company's position toward Microsoft's Bing. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Schmidt would only say, "It's not the first entry for Microsoft. They do this about once a year."

Microsoft calls Bing a "decision engine" rather than a search engine, and emphasized that it is pushing "beyond how search engines work today." Microsoft appears to be having success, gaining two percentage points to reach about 11 percent of the market share. Another report by StatCounter pegs Bing at 16.28 percent of the market share. Both estimates put it ahead of Yahoo's 10.22 percent.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at New York Post
- check out this article at CNET News

Coke uses RFID for drink dispensers

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:11:14 -0400

If there is one, cool way to implement RFID technology that makes perfect business sense, it would be Coca-Cola's new Freestyle drink dispensers, which are on trial at some fast-food joints this summer. The company plans to eventually roll out tens of thousands of these new drink dispensers across the nation, which will be able to serve more than 100 varieties of sodas and various flavored drinks.

What make the Freestyle drink dispenser so special is on the inside, where the 30 RFID-tagged cartridges of various flavors are used to mix the staggering combination of drinks. RFID readers inside the machines monitor the status of the cartridges while the dispenser itself actively collects data on what customers are drinking. And all these business intelligence is then transmitted each night via a private Verizon wireless network to Coke's SAP data warehouse system in Atlanta.

In this manner, Coca-Cola is able to test new drink flavors and concepts by sending out new recipes wirelessly. In addition, it is also able to identify the machines by regions and hence isolate drink preference across segments of the country. And it doesn't stop there--fast-food restaurants that lease the Freestyle will have access to an e-portal that will rank drinks sold during specific time periods.

While the initial roll out of the Freestyle will be limited to the United States, there could be global deployment in the near future. So watch out for a Freestyle near you soon.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at InformationWeek

Facebook username now available

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:09:59 -0400

If you haven't done it yet, you can now sign up for a Facebook username with an appealing URL in the form of facebook.com/yourname. As you can imagine, the availability of these vanity URLs is limited; I've already grabbed www.facebook.com/paulmah, what about you? Go to www.facebook.com/username to set your's now. Article

Poll: Technology makes work life better

Judi Hasson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:27:26 -0400

A recent Marist poll found that nearly 70 percent of those queried say that technology makes their work better, while 6 percent say it makes it worse and 25 percent say it makes no difference.

We find it hard to believe that people are not jumping for joy over the benefits technology brings to the workplace. Maybe they never experienced the days before technology was embedded in the workplace. Maybe they don't have a good help desk to troubleshoot their problems at their work station. Maybe they didn't get the proper training.

The survey also found the responses varied by income level. Of the 625 workers surveyed, those who made more money annually said technology makes their work easier.

For more on technology's impact:
- check out this MaristPoll.Marist.edu article

Survey: Employees ignore data security

Judi Hasson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:08:54 -0400

A new study by the Ponemon Institute finds that many employees are engaging in sloppy behavior that could jeopardize a firm's data security. Nearly 70 percent of the 967 IT professionals surveyed violated the rules by copying confidential company data to USB sticks. Some of them even lost said USB sticks, but did not report it immediately.

A growing number of IT employees are logging onto social networks from their work computers--nearly one-third of those surveyed engaged in the practice. And more than half of those surveyed said they downloaded personal software on corporate PCs.

This survey is bad news for every company. So what are you supposed to do? Fire everybody who violates the rules? Hire a team of cyber cops to troll the workplace? Have mandatory training sessions every three months?

These are tough questions for any company. Make sure the employees you hire follow the rules and make sure the rules are clear. That's about all you can do, isn't it?

For more on security violations:
- check out this CIO.com article

Gartner: BI market grows 22 percent

Judi Hasson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:52:59 -0400

Business intelligence software grew by 22 percent in 2008, according to Gartner. It's a huge jump from the 13 percent increase it saw between 2007 and 2008.

According to Gartner analyst Dan Sommer, the reason is simple: "Companies are looking to 'increase transparency' to identify costs and better align strategy with execution," he told InformationWeek.com.

BI business is so good that total revenue for the market checked in at $8.8 billion. That's good news for the six vendors that own 75 percent of the market: SAP, SAS, Oracle, IBM, Microsoft and MicroStrategy. It's also a sure sign that businesses realize that BI is a good thing, and it's definitely here to stay.

For more on the success of BI:
- check out this InformationWeek.com article

IRS considers taxing worker cell-phone usage

Judi Hasson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:29:02 -0400

Nothing is sacred these days, not even text messaging on company-issued cell phones. According the the Washington Post, the Internal Revenue Service could "more strictly enforce an existing law that classifies company-issued cell phones as a taxable benefit."

Ouch! Most companies would argue that mobile phones are an essential part of the workplace, especially for the ever-moving workforce. Let's face it: In this world of BlackBerrys, iPhones and other smartphones, having a cell phone is no longer a luxury. Just like your laptop, a cell phone is one of the tools you need to do your job.

The IRS is looking for comments on its proposals up through Sept. 4 and would welcome alternative ideas. You better believe they will get them.

For more on taxing texting:
- check out this Washington Post article