Was 2006 the year of "living globally"? That's what eWeek seems to think--their report on the state of the IT union centers on the blossoming outsourcing industries in nations like India and China. In addition, earlier investments made in fiber-optic networks are starting to pay off, as globalization moves from concept to reality. "The broad overinvestment in fiber cable is a gift that keeps on giving," wrote Thomas Friedman, author of the best-selling book The World is Flat. Despite the successes seen during the past year, some challenges remain: namely educational and infrastructure problems in India and legal problems surrounding the protection of intellectual property in China.

For more on the year of globalization:
- see this eWeek article