correlation

Patents Slow Innovation, says red hat CEO

Wed, 23 May 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Red Hat's chief executive, Matthew Szulik, had some harsh words to say about patents at the Open Source Business Conference in San Francisco: "In the last 30 years, we've continued to see patents really being a challenge to innovation. The industry moves much faster than a remedy process. There is very little empirical evidence that builds a correlation between patents and innovation," he told several hundred attendees. While he said that Red Hat does apply for software patents, he said it plans to use them only defensively. What's the solution? He is proposing a better searchable database, a "cleaner distinction between patents and trade secrets" and a shorter review process for assigning patents, Silicon.com reports.

For more on patents and innovation:
- read more at Silicon.com

Using SIM tools to protect your networks

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Finding problems in network logs is a great way to monitor network activity, but it's next to impossible in large corporations that are capturing as many as 50,000 logged events per second. SIM (Security Incident Management) technologies can help. Many consist of software that gathers logs throughout the network and sends them first to a collection point, then on to a correlation engine, where the data is analyzed. The results are then sent on to a console so that IT managers can assess any potential or actual threats that have been found. This can be a very effective way of collecting log information from a wide variety of sources. The technology is also used by many larger companies to prove they are complying with regulations. SIM systems, from vendors like ArcSight, Network Intelligence, netForensics and eIQnetworks, range from $15,000 to $200,000.

Learn more about SIM systems:
- read the article at TechTarget

Survey: Corporate boards aren't walking the walk when it comes to IT

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Corporate board members talk a good game when it comes to taking actions to align IT with corporate strategy, but they aren't supporting efforts to make it happen, according to a new survey from Deloitte Consulting. And doing so is important--the survey noted a significant correlation between the attention paid to IT and corporate performance. Even with this awareness, there is a real gap between the emphasis the board appears to place on IT and the steps they are taking to address it in many companies. Some boards are falling down on supporting IT in other ways. For example, 10 percent of boards relegate IT matters to a board committee, only 11 percent discuss IT at every meeting, and only 14 percent are fully involved in IT strategy. The survey also found that even though 22 percent of the respondents blame various aspects of IT strategy for their companies' inability to achieve its goals, 52 percent say their board will be spending no more time on IT over the next three years than it does now.

Read more about the survey:
- read the press release at PRNewswire