RIP: Old technology

Every CIO has been there before. Build something that is new, install it and wait for it to become outdated in just a few years. Everything eventually becomes obsolete, and this cycle is often accelerated when it comes to technology. So what is a CIO to do? Try to select technology that does not age quickly. Anticipate your needs correctly over the next few calendar years. Stay on top of what is new in the market, and what is coming soon. The Disney entertainment empire, for example, is trying to integrate its business and technology people, making them aware that everything that they build now will have to be replaced. "I tell business people that putting in a system is like pouring concrete. You're going to need a lot of jack hammers to get it out someday, and this is the opportunity to plan for that," says Steven Davis, chief architect  and vice president of IT at Walt Disney Studios, a $9 billion movie company that's part of the $34 billion Disney entertainment empire. Not everyone works in such a big pond. But Davis says he wants to classify every IT product at Disney as emerging, under evaluation, core or declining. That's not a bad idea for a tight budget. Just make sure you know the age of your technology and what is coming out of the pipeline next.

To read more about tech challenges:
- see this CIO Magazine article