UPS

Storage startup offers a path to private cloud

Judi Hasson — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:30:53 -0400

ParaScale, a cloud-storage startup, says it has software that can pool a number of file servers much the same as NAS clustering schemes like F5's Acopia devices or EMC's Rainfinity software. But the company says it can do it more cheaply and on general-purpose hardware.

"Today, cloud storage means Amazon, Nirvanix, Google, Microsoft, maybe even Facebook, and it needs a large engineering team," said ParaScale CEO Sajai Krishnan. "We say, buy our software and put it on standard Linux servers--you can even re-use old servers as storage nodes--and you're a storage provider."

Krishnan maintains that enterprises should consider ParaScale-based cloud storage as an alternative to clustered NAS because a private cloud will be easier to manage and expand. He also said it ties in with other trends such as cloud computing and software as a service, and is resilient. Krishnan described ParaScale as the third generation of cloud-storage technology. He said the key to this new generation is the use of infrastructure technologies developed for Web 2.0, such as AJAX and WebDAV.

For more on startups and clouds:
- check out this InfoWorld.com article

Would you fire this person?

Judi Hasson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:22:35 -0400

What should a CIO do with a moderately competent employee; not someone who is incapable of doing the work but someone who makes life difficult?

"You can spot them and eliminate them without angst. It's semi-competent people who keep their managers awake at night,'' reports CIO.com. The publication said such employees test a manager's skills, bring down the morale of the staff and distract the team from achieving its goals. But the option of firing such an employee isn't easy and is not always the right answer.

To explore this dilemma, the publication details the story of a real employee they call Eric whose work was below par, and who for years managed to hang on without a promotion despite many ups and downs and continual frustrations from his IT managers. To see how his situation was handled, and to learn his actual fate, you'll have to read the article below.

To read Eric's saga:
- see this CIO.com article

ALSO NOTED: CIOs face a very high bar; That shrinking IT paycheck;

Thu, 22 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

> CIOs face a very high bar. Article
> A few minutes with FedEx's CIO. Article
> Top tech start-ups in 2008. Article

And Finally ... The search for people power. Article

Vista gets the cold shoulder

Mon, 19 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

A new survey has found that fewer than 1 in 12 programmers currently are writing applications targeting Windows Vista, with most still sticking with ASP.Net and Windows Forms applications and finding that most of Windows XP's legacy technologies work fine in Vista

Yet some warn it's premature to call Vista a flop with developers. Despite the 140 million copies Microsoft claims to have shipped, the market hasn't reached a tipping point yet, they say.

To explore the ups and downs of Vista:
- see this infoworld.com article

Signs of weakening IT job market

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:59:59 -0400

Just where do you look when you want to find out about the strength of the IT job market? It's supposed to be a solid market, toughened after the dot-com bust a few years ago, but it also depends on whom you ask. A CIO Insight analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that the tech sector lost 200 jobs from January to February of this year. That certainly is a small number, but it's the first drop in 32 months for the IT sector. This could be a turning point.

For more on the ups and downs of the job market:
- see this CIOInsight article

Vista upgrade coming this week

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

At the back of your mind is a gnawing question: What do I do about Windows Vista? You may be able to rest more easily sooner than you think. This week, the first major upgrade of Vista arrives as a service pack. Microsoft says this one, known as Service Pack 1 (SP1), will tackle four core areas: Reliability, security, compatibility and performance. There are no new features, and many of the benefits will appeal to large corporate enterprises rather than folks at home, according to a blog on USA Today. Some of the same problems remain--painfully slow boot times and overly intrusive security pop-ups. This is not supposed to be a band-aid, and if it turns out to be, call Microsoft pronto!

For more on the Windows Vista upgrade:
- see this USA Today article

Related Articles:
What's next for Mifare? Article
Top challenges to compliance in virtualization. Article
DataVis wants to bring Office to the iPhone. Article

Intel's Classmate PC: OLPC killer?

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:54 -0500

We've heard the term "OLPC killer" get bandied about a few times before, usually in the context of Asus' similarly-priced Eee PC but this is the first time we've ever heard it used in conjunction with the OLPC's real competitor: the Intel Classmate PC. Wired's Gadget Lab got some hands-on time with the Classmate PC and walked away quite impressed by the machine's battery life, build quality, performance and--of course--pre-loaded Windows XP and Microsoft Office. "The ultra-small keyboard won't do grown-ups' hamfists any favors, but for a Windows-centric school environment, it's hard to imagine a more appropriate notebook." No wonder they've had no trouble selling them, eh?

For more on the Classmate PC:
- see this Gadget Lab article

AMD: Intel 'extracted $60 billion in monopoly profits'

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

What did we tell you, folks: this brewing EU anti-competitive tussle between AMD and Intel can't help but heat up. Just last week, Intel fired back at AMD and the EU, asserting that "Intel's conduct has been lawful, pro-competitive, and beneficial to consumers." Now, AMD is back with a scathing press release of its own--and you had better believe this one ups the ante as far as mudslinging goes. According to a "new economic study" (conducted by a research firm under contract to AMD, natch), Intel "has extracted $60 billion in monopoly profits over the past decade." The "study" goes on to allege that this money "...moved straight from consumers' pockets to Intel's monopoly coffers." According to AMD, consumers stand to save as much as $80 billion in during the next decade, if Intel's supposed monopoly is destroyed. Those are some pretty harsh words--even though they seem to paint a picture of Intel as a little guy in a top hat and handlebar mustache. Expect retaliation soon.

For more on the brewing battle:
- see this AMD press release

The challenges faced by the female CIO

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

There is no question that it takes just a little more of everything--risk-taking and hard work, for example--for women to rise to the pinnacle in any organization. Getting there requires determination and leadership skills. Women have to earn the trust of higher-ups and IT professionals, and they have to deal with egos and politics. It takes courage and tenacity to break down barriers. Risk-taking is also critical; female IT leaders don't fear risk. Sometimes mentors play a role, taking a risk on a female high-flyer by promoting her to the next level. Women who have families have it even rougher, because women are generally still viewed as the primary caregivers. But although great strides have been made, the number of women who make it to the post of CIO are relatively few, and according to Cutter Consortium, the lack of women entering the IT field may mean that even fewer women become CIOs in the coming years.

To read more about women as IT leaders:
- read the CIO Decisions article

Related Articles:
Women defecting from IT. Report
Speaking up to get ahead as a woman in IT. Report

Will the iPhone be IT's Achilles Heel?

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Apple's iPhone wasn't intended to be an enterprise device, but there is no doubt that employees will start bringing WiFi-enabled smartphones into the corporate setting, using them for work-related pursuits. This has the potential of putting the iPhone squarely in the middle of the dilemma that CIOs face today--how to keep their networks and data secure with so many wireless devices infiltrating the organization. Because smartphones provide many of the same functions of a PC, they are a significant security threat to the enterprise. The iPhone ups the ante, because employees will want to connect these phones directly to the corporate network. Instead of implementing a ban, which has little chance of success, it makes more sense to buy more company-provided smartphones to make it easier to manage and secure the wireless devices. Another option is providing limited network access for some or all employee-provided devices while using "best efforts" to provide network and device support. Most IT organizations will likely do both. But no matter how much you try, it's impossible to control and manage every device connecting to the corporate network. It's also critical to tighten network control by automating the configuration and audit processes with a sophisticated network management tool. Other important steps include maintaining device visibility and making sure that your device inventory is accurate.

Read more about smartphones in the enterprise:
- read the article at MacNewsWorld

ALSO:
- read this on choosing the right device for mobile workers
- this on how wireless connectivity can breed wireless insecurity
- this on managing the chaos of mobility
- this on protecting Bluetooth-enabled devices
- and this on protecting remote devices with remote filtering