ITEC

Microsoft official says infrastructure and platform cloud lines will blur

Microsoft's Windows Azure and Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud tackle two very different cloud computing technology problems today, but are destined to emulate each other over time, Microsoft cloud official Tim O'Brien says.
Whereas Windows Azure is a platform-as-a-service cloud, giving developers the tools they need to build and deploy Web applications, Amazon EC2 is primarily an infrastructure-as-a-service cloud, offering on-demand access to customizable virtual machine instances. 

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Companies can have a lot of good reasons for not holding on to all of their old email, not the least of which is getting rid of content that might otherwise be requested through e-discovery. For regulated businesses, such as finance and healthcare, it can make particularly good sense to use technologies that make electronic messages vanish, writes David F. Carr in a column at Forbes.

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New BI and reporting features in SQL Server 2008 R2 hit the mark, but other additions leave SQL Server shops wanting more

With Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, Microsoft begins to fully realize its vision of SQL Server as an information platform and not "just" a database. Hence the main theme for this release -- at least according to Microsoft -- is self-service BI. The PowerPivot plug-ins for Excel 2010 and SharePoint 2010 are easily going to make the biggest splash of all the new features, not least because they're the most complete. But then, SQL Server 2008 R2 isn't strictly necessary for PowerPivot for Excel, which works with plenty of other data sources.

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• Focus on TCO and not just acquisition cost. Trying to save money on cheaper but less flexible alternatives can cost IT significantly more in the long run.
• Use more than one vendor for different areas of infrastructure spend to avoid lock-in and maximize ongoing negotiation leverage.
Wherever possible, schedule major software projects to coincide with hardware refresh cycles. Combining projects in this manner can minimize disruption and maximize project management economies of scale.

• The depth and breadth of the recession is driving significant and permanent changes to the way IT and data center managers make decisions. Even as the economy shifts toward recovery, long-held approaches to buying new equipment are being questioned.

Saving money and resources goes beyond focusing on the initial acquisition cost, however. It’s no longer simply about getting the best price. A strategic approach to buying new equipment can drive long-term savings within IT and, just as importantly, throughout the organization it serves. Keep the following tips in mind before finalizing any acquisition deals for new technology.

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Importance of training & certifications in the IT department   
 
Indeed, the IT industry knows certifications. Over 40 widely-held IT certifications exist, conferred by associations, vendors and other organizations. Many certifications are a measure of one’s technical proficiency in a skill area. These are often conveyed by vendors or industry organizations. Such ‘certs’ include Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), Computer Technology Industry Association’s A+ (CompTIA A+) and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
 
Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT®) and Six Sigma are an indication of one’s proficiency in understanding and applying processes that may improve preparation and operations.  ITIL and COBIT focus on IT and Six Sigma is heralded for quality management. While there are clear differences in the items addressed by each of these certifications, they measure much more than specific skill proficiency yet are not as comprehensive a measurement of one’s general management ability.

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Organizations need to operate with limited IT resources, yet with an enterprise's needs - scalability, security, and reliability - often struggle to deliver a robust wireless experience.
 
Join Meraki for a live webinar taking place on Thursday, July 15 at 2 PM Eastern/11 AM Pacific, where we will show how cloud computing brings simplicity and effectiveness to wireless networks.
 
REGISTER TODAY for this free program!

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Hold your iPhone the wrong way and it won't work, say users. There is no problem but stay tuned for a solution, says Apple. 'Death grip hysteria' is getting wackier by the minute

Guy walks into an Apple Store, goes to the Genius Bar. He says "My iPhone doesn't work when I hold it like this." The genius says, "Don't hold it like that. Next!"

Ba-dum-bum. Thank you, ladies and germs, I got a million of 'em.

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Pinching Pennies Doesn’t Mean Cutting Back On Efficiency

Key Points

• Cutting power costs is a two-part problem: knowing what is happening at a power level down to the circuit and identifying inefficient pieces of equipment.
• Increasing the supply set points for CRAC (computer room air conditioner) units can have a huge impact on cooling costs.
• Small efforts such as monitoring usage, sealing airflow, and keeping equipment up-to-date can add up to big savings.

When CFOs and CEOs tell IT and data center managers to trim the excess off their budgets, power and cooling are two of the usual targets. Although they are both integral players in data center efficiency, they can’t hide forever when cost cutting is the name of the game. Here are some tips and advice to use when you need to do more with less with power and cooling.

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Tuesday, July 20 2010 @ 2 PM ET/11 AM PT

When healthcare providers don’t align business objectives with IT initiatives many critical healthcare functions can be impacted.  Taking a look at the business side of healthcare IT we will address questions that every healthcare IT executive faces. 
1) How can we provide higher quality of healthcare through our IT systems? 
2) How is IT an enabler to business accomplishment and when is it a drag on business operations?
3) What are the top three reasons why IT strategies may cause critical healthcare services to suffer?

Register online for this free webinar:  <link coming from Diana>

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We would like your feedback on just launched Social TV Channel - The Pulse Network.  The Pulse Network engages it's audience in a rich multi-media environment. Our hosts provide smart and insightful analysis on the biggest stories of the day and use the timeliness of social media to advance the dialogue while providing a three hundred and sixty degree perspective to keep you informed.
 
The Pulse Network, it's what's next - NOW.  We are currently looking for feedback on our launch, apply now at http://thepulsenetwork.com

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