Web Services

CIOs must 'get' Web 2.0

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:59:58 -0500

Web 2.0 is moving so fast that most CIOs probably can't keep up. While you might leave this bundle of knowledge in the hands of your younger staffers, don't be left behind. Emailed newsletters headlined with the label "From the Desk of" are quickly becoming obsolete. Instead there are other options:

Blogging: Learn how to do it.
Social networking: This means Facebook and collaborating online. Make sure you take Facebook seriously because your staff already does.
Unified communications: That means Voice over IP and network/phone integration.

Change is always tough to absorb but it's necessary to get with the program now.

For more on Web 2.0 and the CIO:
- See this CIO.com article

Net neutrality back on the radar

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:59:59 -0500

The House of Representatives is once again delving into the issue of Net neutrality. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said that without new Net neutrality laws, "telecommunications and cable companies will be able to create toll lanes on the information superhighway. This strikes at the heart of the free and equal nature of the Internet." That is a scary thought, but plenty of insiders have blamed the failure of getting legislation passed so far on the cable industry.

Rep. Ed Markey re-introduced legislation on Wednesday that seeks to make sure the next generation of Internet users have open access to the net and are protected from the whims of the broadband industry that controls the networks. He hopes to push the bill forward this year. The Open Internet Coalition, which includes Ask.com, eBay, Match.com, Google and a number of other advocacy groups, says that Markey's legislation "will make Net Neutrality the law of the land, and will require the FCC to protect Internet freedom from the predatory efforts of the telco and cable gatekeepers."

For more on Net neutrality:
- See this CNET article
- Also see this CNET article
- And this InformationWeek article

It's Autumn: Let the trade shows begin

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0400

I can tell it's almost Autumn: the trade show season is in full swing. We're including information on news from several shows this week, from RFID to innovation to the InformationWeek 500 conference. InformationWeek always does a great job of tapping into where CIOs are going in the next year. Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed said that they use RFID in a limited number of deployments--though that seems a bit high to me, as RFID does not come up much in my interviews. Nonetheless, there were some pretty nifty applications coming out of RFID World this week. Unsurprisingly, web services technologies are also being implemented quickly. Some 70 percent of companies have widely adopted the technology, while 24 percent say that they are using the technologies in limited use. And Web 2.0, which we cover in the news section, is also on the rise. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed use wikis, blogs, and social networking tools for internal communications, while 27 percent do so with customers. What do you think of the numbers? Are they on track with what's happening in your organization? Let me know. -Patty

Open-source, Web 2.0, SAAS continue to disrupt

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Meanwhile, Gartner analysts were also talking about innovation this week, at the Gartner Web Innovations conference in Las Vegas. Their key takeaway: consumerization and open-source will continue to produce disruptions in the high-tech market and will continue to provide new revenue opportunities for businesses. Specifically, analyst Tom Austin said that the relationship between Web 2.0, SAAS, global class, consumerization and open-source is growing more complex. When it comes to vendor management, he said that "the[se] five forces can impact the vendor balance of power, kill distribution and business models and create new ones, and create implementation alternatives."

All of this has a lot to do with competition. Traditional software vendors like Microsoft and IBM are competing with smaller and more nimble vendors in the Web 2.0 space with wikis, AJAX applications, social networks and mashups. "When there [are] tens of hundreds of thousands of vendors out there, it's no longer an issue of who's the leader," Austin said. "The best alternative will change. In the end, patterns emerge and new ways of working emerge."

For more on how new tools are reshaping the enterprise space:
- see the article in eWeek

Survey: SOA missing the mark

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

One of the problems with hyping a new technology (like SOA) as a silver bullet solution for complex problems--especially in the IT arena--is that the reality can be disappointing for some. That's one of the main take-home points from a survey recently conducted by InformationWeek. Respondents reported that a high percentage of SOA projects are not meeting expectations. While ten percent of respondents say that SOA/Web services have exceeded their companies' expectations, and 58 percent say that they've met expectations, some 32 percent say that the technology has fallen short of expectations. The pressure on SOA to succeed in the enterprise is high for most organizations--so when people find SOA underwhelming, they can get pretty specific about their complaints: 58 percent of those who were dissatisfied said that SOA introduced more complexity into their IT systems rather than resolving it; 30 percent found SOA to cost more than they expected.

For the full results of SOA survey:
- read the article in InformationWeek

Is Microsoft inching toward SaaS?

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:59 -0400

As more vendors move toward an on-demand software delivery model, Microsoft might be preparing to join the party. In an apparent shift from its business of selling packaged software for personal computers, Microsoft plans to make available free software that connects its Windows operating system to software and services delivered on the Internet, according to an article in the New York Times. The company is clearly looking for ways to retain its customer base, as competitors start offering pay-as-you-go options in its sweet spot. While the article does not deal with the issue of enterprise licenses, it will be interesting to see if this model is rolled out as a corporate service, and what ramifications this could have on enterprise agreements. Microsoft's new Windows Live software suite includes an updated email program, a photo-sharing application and a writing tool for blogging. Google has already made its intentions to challenge Microsoft clear with a suite of free word processing and spreadsheet applications that can be accessed through a web browser. While Microsoft is a late entrant to this business model, it has a head start when it comes to market share with an installed base of more than 1 billion Windows-based personal computers.

For more on Microsoft and its new delivery model:
- read the article in Cnet

A SaaS checklist

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Meanwhile, Network World offers up a checklist of issues to be aware of before committing to SaaS. First off, don't use SaaS for applications that can make or break your company. In other words, if your company depends entirely on a specific application running perfectly all the time, you might want to think twice before replacing that app with a service. Secondly, vendors in this area are not nearly as established as some of the larger software companies. Thus, it is important to be sure that there's a backup plan in place--in case your SaaS vendor closes shop. Third, integration is important as more companies implement SaaS in their networks. This area has yet to be resolved in the nascent SaaS industry, but it's an area to push your vendors on as you begin your implementation.

Want to read more recommendations for CIOs?
- see the article in Network World

Saas provides an alternative to outsourcing

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

As more products come of age, companies looking to cut costs and drive innovation are turning to SaaS as a cost effective alternative-one that is less risky than outsourcing or offshoring. And no matter what application a CIO is searching for, it is increasingly likely that is being offered as a service. Everything from customer relationship management to online backup to expense reporting is now being offered as a service. CIOupdate.com this week offers a succinct look at the pros and cons of the technology. Pros include cost, risk mitigation, flexible contracts and predictability. Some of the cons are characteristics that current SaaS applications don't yet have: IT departments want apps that customize easily, scale effectively, and are evolved to a point of product maturity.

For all the SaaS details:
- read the article in CIOupdate.com

Integrating BI with Web 2.0 generates mixed reviews

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Business Objects is learning that it is difficult to please all of the people all of the time. The company has released a beta version of its Business Intelligence tools that are supposed to take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies. The tools, which support mashup and web collaboration concepts, have been released to advanced users so that they can play with the technology and provide feedback to be incorporated into production versions of the of the offerings. Word of the beta has gotten out and the some of the reviews have been less than glowing. Lavishing faint praise on the effort, Neil Raden, founder of the BI consulting company Hired Brains, reported on his blog that the effort showed "creative thinking," but little practical value. "I think these data mashup capabilities are entertaining, but I don't really see that they have any enduring value."

For more on Business Object's Web 2.0 play:
- check out InfoWorld's treatment of the story. Article

In search of a more intelligent search

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

The race is on to see who will create the next generation search engine. As ubiquitous as search queries are in the daily personal and business lives of most connected individuals, end-users are increasingly joining search's critics in wanting more. According to analysts, industry observers and vendors vying for a seat at the search table, individuals are averaging 11 minutes looking for what they want using the "pidgin" English that characterizes the way we talk to our search engines. Even with that effort, a recent analyst report suggests that a full 50 percent of online transactions end impotently because buyers can't find what they want. Next generation searches will use natural language and will do a better job of working with multiple media types to deliver more responsive results. At stake are millions of dollars and the hearts and minds of web surfers around the world.

For more on next-gen search:
- Check out this Information Week article