industry pundits

What tech leaders expect 2007 will bring

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Everyone's made their resolutions, and more than a few of us have likely broken them already. So now it's time for those beginning-of-the-year predictions, and if you're been following the big trends in IT, it won't surprise you that tech leaders see a hiring boom, a talent shortage, a surge in Web commerce efforts and a big call for stronger mathematical skills within the IT development ranks ahead. Those are just a few expectations that some tech leaders and industry pundits are offering up.

For more on what's coming in 2007:
- read the feature at Computerworld

What the analysts see coming in 2007

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:01:35 -0500

IT industry pundits spend their days talking with tech leaders and business executives about the current technology in play, new technology hitting the ground and the direction IT is headed in. Sometimes industry analysts get caught up in all the hype from vendors hoping to break new ground. Yet, while we all should be taking analysts' insight and guidance with a small grain of salt, their viewpoint remains valuable. That's why Gartner Research's expectations for the coming year caught my attention. Their list of predictions includes everything from outsourcing viability to the poor networking spend habits of many enterprises. Some are common sense--mobile technologies will obviously keep rolling out, user adoption will increase and yes, Virginia, IT security won't get any easier. But it's also interesting to hear what Gartner believes will happen with corporate social responsibility and how IT fits into that puzzle.

For more on what the analysts see in the new year:
- read the feature at eWeek

The hurdles of HaaS

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:01:35 -0500

At first glance, the idea of managed service providers offering up hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) seems like a good idea but as industry pundits reveal, it won't be a bed of roses for either vendors or clients, due to cost point and profit margin issues. Yet evangelists are quick to point out that the initial hurdles aren't impossible to clear, though it will take some time. Hear about the pros and cons for both enterprises and vendors and learn why the initial target market will likely be the small to mid-sized business.

For more on the beauty of HaaS:
- read the article at CRN

Vista maker expectations running high

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Microsoft has some pretty hefty expectations on Vista adoption once its new operating system rolls out at the end of the year. It believes that the fact it's already issued new tools for upgrading, maintaining and securing the new system will work in its favor and businesses will be grabbing Vista as fast as they can get it. But some other industry pundits aren't as optimistic, saying that the last major system upgrade left a bitter taste in many an IT leader's mouth and that the taste still lingers.

For more on Microsoft's lofty predictions:
- check out the InfoWorld article

SPOTLIGHT: Why ignoring wireless networking isn't a good idea

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:01:34 -0400

If your enterprise wireless network strategy has been to ban wireless networking, then you're likely feeling a false sense of security. As some industry pundits explain, WiFi is entering every enterprise even if the 'official' IT policy is no WiFi. Users and neighboring businesses are just two potential risks you need to pay attention to. It's better to embrace, and control, wireless connectivity rather than ignore it. Article

PLUS: The latest on the certification effort. Article

'Critical' patches roll out from Microsoft

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Microsoft's monthly Patch Tuesday brought five security fixes for 14 vulnerabilities and one was the long-awaited patch for IE's latest risk. While industry pundits didn't see anything unusual about the list of fixes, most of the security bulletins were labeled as "critical" by the vendor, meaning that enterprises should roll out the patches as soon as possible.

For more on the last Microsoft patches:
- read this TechWeb article

Consolidation a big trend in security marketplace

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 19:01:36 -0500

Industry pundits are advising tech leaders to keep an eye on what's happening within the security marketplace as vendors continue to merge and acquire each other, morphing product lines and likely leaving some enterprises in the lurch during acquisition transition or dropping the relationship completely. The consolidation trend is the major force in play, but experts also note that there is a "convergence" happening within products. Physical security is melding into products traditionally meant for information technology needs.

For more on top security trends:
- read this article at CSO

The many drag points on the Windows system

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:01:37 -0500

The Windows operating system, by all rights, is the dominant platform in the world; but it's also likely the most complex. That complexity, according to both analysts and industry pundits, is exactly why Microsoft can't move or innovate at the speed such a mammoth organization should be able to move. Given the delay of Vista, and the fact that it has 50 million lines of code--nearly 40 percent more than the predecessor system, XP--it's pretty obvious Windows isn't going to get any quicker any time soon.

For more on what's slowing down Windows:
- read this article at The New York Times

PLUS: Gates gives his take on Windows development. Article

Industry cheers on Lenovo restructuring

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:01:37 -0500

It was just recently that Lenovo announced some major internal executive shifting and business strategy revamp, and the corporate decisions are being met with applause from industry pundits and analysts. Yet the experts also warn that the worst may not be over for China's biggest PC maker, which is laying off 5 percent of its staff as part of the restructuring. The staff reduction will, however, do a great deal of good for the company's bottom line.

For more on Lenovo's move to turn the corner:
- read this Vnunet article

New chip could revolutionize hefty compute work

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 19:01:36 -0500

IBM is taking what's long been a game chip, called the "Cell" chip, to power corporate computing and application speed. According to industry pundits, the first application of the IBM Cell server will likely be cutting costs of software that now demand tremendous amounts of data. The vendor recently demonstrated two applications of the technology, which is described as a good fit for specific tasks such as processing heavy duty mathematical calculations.

For more on the new computing chip:
- read this New York Times article