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The article reports on the growth of facilities rebuilding their data centers in the U.S. It states that the move aims to save operating costs as well as enhance efficiency and effectiveness in carrying out information technology (IT) operations. Chief information officers (CIOs) and IT executives points out the significance of redesigning their data centers which will help them reduce real estate, infrastructure, cooling and electric costs. Among the facilities that plan to upgrade their data centers, include Christus Health, OhioHealth, and Newbridge Bank. INSET: Armchair Data Center Management.

The article reports on the introduction of Microsoft Office 2007 to information technology (IT) industry from Microsoft Corp. IT professionals are facing a great challenge towards their approach on weighing the benefits and features of the new user interface. According to the survey conducted, 46 percent of respondents expressed no change in productivity with the use of the application while 24 percent indicated the benefits offered by the new software. The Office provides new resources which include Office Migration Planning Manager, the IT Resource Kit, and various electronic learning features available for users. However, training should be provided to users to gain knowledge on the features offered by the application. INSET: THE LOWDOWN on Office 2007.

This article describes wide-area file services (WAFS). WAFS are appliances or software that allow centralization of file services by optimizing connectivity to remote-office clients over a wide-area network (WAN). WAFS systems overcome bandwidth and latency limitations through a combination of caching, protocol optimization, compression, and other techniques. With the use of WAFS, branch-office file servers can be consolidated into the data center, where servers and data can be managed and protected more effectively. However, the convergence of WAFS and WAN acceleration technologies, and the entry of large players such as Cisco Systems Inc. are changing the market rapidly. INSET: How WAFS Vendors Cache In.

The article reports on issues related to the move of companies to migrate business applications to Linux platforms in the U.S. It tackles the opposition of some companies which concluded that changing their operating system to Linux was a dubious business proposition. It cites the issue that some businesses are not satisfied with the quality of the administrative tools available for the Linux environment and that the system does not work for every application. The perspectives of executives related to the issue are presented.

The article presents the strategies that need to be considered by information technology (IT) companies in moving data centers to a new location in the U.S. It states that the development of networks and utilizing technologies will help in transferring information to data centers which prevents the development of technical problems. The author states that relocating data centers also provides an opportunity for companies to carry out improvements in cabling systems. In addition, it reveals that professionals who have enough skills and knowledge in handling electronic equipment should be employed.

The article reports on the strategies that need to be considered by information technology (IT) companies in the establishment of data centers in the U.S. It states that data centers should feature design that helps companies minimize cooling and electric costs as well as promote effectiveness and efficiency in carrying out IT operations. These include the installation of equipment that works well with servers with effective cooling and heat flow to achieve power efficiency, the utilization of renewable power sources, and using green technologies.

This article reports on what information technology managers said about security metrics. Metrics that measure only the performance of security personnel and the tools they use are of limited value when it comes to assessing the true effectiveness of data protection investments. A better approach is to combine information security metrics with other performance indicators, such as the effect that security problems have on internal business processes or the availability of applications to end users.

This article features NetScout Systems Inc.'s Progressive Analytics offering, a statistical tool that learns normal network behavior over time and spots and diagnoses anomalies long before conventional tools are aware of them. Traditional products are based on simple rules, such as sounding an alarm if percentage utilization of a resource or response time rises to some predetermined level. Users are encouraged to set the thresholds high to avoid false alerts. But Protective Analytics detects anomalies by analyzing network traffic in real time and comparing it to normal patterns of behavior.

This article reports that corporate purchases of Internet protocol virtual private network (IP VPN) services continue to surge forward in the U.S., a trend that analysts said is being accompanied by a shift away from the use of frame-relay technology to carry network traffic. Information technology executives who are rolling out IP VPN connections said that the networks provide better security than dial-up systems and many other current approaches. They added that VPN can also help keep networking costs in check, allowing them to vastly increase bandwidth to handle new applications.

The article discusses about the impact of information technology (IT) on the lives of people. The true victory for IT leaders lies not in getting enterprise systems deployed or annual budgets approved. It lies in capturing the imaginations, respect and energies of a broad and diverse set of stakeholders, including suppliers, customers and line-of-business executives. As commander in chief of the Continental Army, George Washington learned a lesson that many IT leaders lamentably come to appreciate too late in their careers. Washington lost more battles than he won. Despite this, he was eulogized by Revolutionary War hero Light-Horse Harry Lee as being first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen. IT leaders find themselves waging a high-stakes info war. True victory for IT leaders lies not in getting enterprise systems deployed or annual budgets approved. Today, anyone vendors, consultants, reporters, disgruntled former employees can report on and distort what is going on in an IT shop. Not a week goes by in which a mind important to anyone that is, an Information target is not presented with a version of the facts that is not consistent.

The author reflects on the factors that need to be considered by information technology (IT) managers that will help them to effectively manage data centers in the U.S. He argues that companies with data centers should work with application and software companies that help promote the efficient deployment of servers. The author asserts that understanding the challenges and operations involved in managing data centers play significant role in improving IT services.

The article presents views from information technology (IT) executives concerning the upgrade that they want to carry out in constructing data centers in the U.S. Rodney McPearson, project manager for data center build-outs at Cimarex Energy Co., stresses to provide sufficient supply of electric power and generators for power failure. Meanwhile, President at Business technology partners LLP Joshua Aaron plans to install bandwidth and generator systems at its data center. On the other hand, Bill Maguire, chief information officer (CIO) at Virgin America Inc., states to build two power sources and entrances for easy access.

The article reports on a deal between the Hong Kong Judiciary and Unisys Corp. The Judiciary has awarded Unisys with a five-year outsourcing contract. Under the terms of the deal, Unisys Corp. will be responsible for providing continuing application support and maintenance. Unisys will also be expected to provide network infrastructure, office automation, and other information technology services. The article notes that details on the contract between the Judiciary and Unisys, specifically its value, were not disclosed.

The article offers true tales on various problems and situations encountered by computer users in the U.S. These true tales of information technology (IT) life can be found at the Web site sharky@computerworld.com and in the journal. Aside from IT problems, this section also offers IT stories such as troublesome computer technologies, clueless consultants and bungling IT executives. Furthermore, this section provides professional consulting services, computer troubleshooting solutions and network services for computer users.

The article offers information on various problems and situations encountered by computer users in the U.S. These true tales of information technology (IT) life can be found at the web site sharky@computerworld.com. One computer user complained that he is having problems accessing his electronic- mails (e-mails), and discovered that one user's workstation is generating a barrage of network traffic that is maxing out the e-mail server. Another user complained that the server has slowed his personal computer (PC) and said that the system administration pilot fish is calling him names through the network.

The article presents an announcement from IBM Corp. on its change on the way it will sell its portfolio of information technology (IT) services. The change will focus on the turning of its customized services into standardized services. The package includes networking services designed to help IT managers with information processing (IP) network convergence and IP telephony projects. For the meantime, IBM did not release pricing information on the networking services available but Bob Djurdjevic, analyst at Annex Research in Scottsdale, Arizona, predicted that overall costs will be reduced for customers and that projects will be completed quickly.

The article presents several stories related to information technology (IT). An IT professional calls vendor support when he failed to fix a workstation's graphics problem. After arguing over where to start the troubleshooting on the telephone, the two agreed to try once more. The IT personnel suggested that they pretend they just reinstalled Windows and it still does not work. The vendor retorted that reinstalling the Windows is the last resort. Another story pertains to a customer who complained that they cannot open web sites, and attributed it to maintenance problems.

The article looks into the importance of the Internet in the information technology sector in the U.S. Some experts have argued that the Internet's underlying telecommunications backbone should be considered as a quasi-public good. The author contended that the industry likes to tout the value of free markets but the freedom to use a content-neutral Internet and the freedom of companies to pursue their own ends are in conflict. The author have traced the brief history behind the rise and fall of IBM Corp. as the prominent leader in the industry and the changes brought about the entry of commercial Internet.

The article offers news briefs on recent information technology developments. Greenplum Inc. is offering its database applications to businesses for trial use and testing. Anywhere Solutions Inc. has released BlackBerry software with new features. Symbol Technologies Inc. has unveiled new wireless network infrastructure improvements, including Mesh networking.

Recounts the author's experience with a top-down information security plan. Absence of a plan that would show the integration of information security into the mission, goals, and objectives of the organization; Surprise over a top-down directive from a governor requiring that the state's chief information security officer gather plans from all the state agencies; Results of documenting and auditing information security efforts.

This article addresses the issue of endpoint security. The compliance requirements for protecting data against loss, the risk to the organization of intellectual property theft, and the support challenges arising from corrupted personal computers (PC) and laptops make a strong case for tighter endpoint controls. However, users do not like endpoint security controls. They will accept antivirus and antispyware agents, and they may grudgingly accept a desktop firewall. But most users will grumble about anything that restricts the flexibility and freedom that the PC has come to represent.

Reports on developments on topics related to the computer security. Results of the survey on consumers' confidence in the security of online transactions; Release of a bundle of security patches for Oracle Corp.'s software; Findings of Arbor Networks Inc.'s Worldwide ISP Security Report.

This article reports on the impact of the upgrade of Cisco Systems Inc.'s (CS) Network Admission Control (NAC) technologies. This upgrade adds wider hardware support and several features designed to help companies better protect their networks against insecure endpoint devices. As part of the NAC initiative, CS is selling a line of tools that can permit, restrict or deny admission to corporate networks based on the security status of end-user systems. The products include agent software for collecting security data from client systems, network appliances that enforce security rules, and a policy management server.

This article reports that Cisco Systems Inc. (CSI) will announce a package of hardware and software designed to make it simpler and less expensive for small and midsize businesses to set up Internet protocol (IP)-based networks, including voice over IP systems. The new offering, dubbed the Cisco Business Communications Solution, includes two Catalyst series switches, one for small businesses with up to 250 workers, and the other for companies with 250 to 1,500 workers. In addition, CSI is adding three new IP phones and a dozen software tools supporting tasks such as network monitoring and voice provisioning, plus revised versions of four existing products.

This article features the Intelligent Bricks hardware and Kybos software experimented by the research team at IBM Corp.'s Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California. Researchers are creating an intelligent storage system architecture that will make data easier to manage, lower maintenance costs, and reduce environmental impacts such as cooling, power, floor space, and noise. The basic unit of the scalable hardware is called a brick. Each brick contains a processor, some disks and an Ethernet switch chip. Bricks are placed next to one another and communicate with their neighbors without cables or connectors by using capacitive couplers on each brick face, forming an three-dimensional, high-speed mesh network.

This article reports that Sun Microsystems Inc. is unveiling a new line of 64-bit servers said to offer a significant performance boost, with support for Unix, Linux, and Windows. The new line targets the financial services industry, the bedrock of the company's server sales. The Sun Fire x64 servers, which carried the widely known Galaxy code name, are about one quarter the size of the UltraSparc-based systems they are replacing. The new Galaxy servers can be rack-mounted, and they are half the price and use about one-third the power of the previous high-end models.

This article reports that information security staffers at the American Red Cross, which was hit by the Zotob worm, are working overtime to try to protect the organization's networks against attacks amid surges in usage of the networks following Hurricane Katrina. In addition, the emergency relief agency has turned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and others for help in preventing the spread of imitation Red Cross Web sites set up by scam artists. Zotob, which took advantage of a hole in the plug-and-play component in Microsoft Corp.'s Windows software, saturated sections of the Red Cross' networks, making them inaccessible to users for several hours.

Shares the author's approach in managing information security priorities given budgetary constraints. Spending decision on intrusion detection systems; Need to make an evaluation, pilot or validation testing before finalizing purchasing decisions; Assurance that the corporate network is protected from unsuspecting employees.

This article reports that the Security Compliance Council plans to create standard measures to assess and benchmark information security performance. Information technology managers said that such tools can be effective, but they listed several challenges facing the new organization. The effort's chances for success will depend largely on how it builds on existing security frameworks and processes.

This article focuses on the application of the virtual concept to wireless network security. Virtual local area network, or VLAN, acts like an ordinary LAN, but connected devices do not have to be physically connected to the same segment. In other words, a VLAN appears to be one large network created from a collection of multiple networks. Many organizations also use VLAN technology to create expanded LAN comprising hundreds of host machines spanning multiple geographic locations. Essentially, a VLAN allows the uses to divide network into segments, creating multiple discrete networks within one physical network and allowing traffic to be filtered between them.

This article reports that Cisco Systems Inc. plans to announce an upgrade of the Internetworking Operating System software for its flagship Catalyst 6500 Series switches, supporting increased modularity that is designed to improve operational efficiency for information technology managers. The new features should enable faster restarts of the switches and reduce the time it takes users to install software upgrades. The updated switch offering is based on technology built into the CRS-1 carrier-class routing system that the company introduced.

Presents the findings of the Pew Internet & American Life Project survey of Internet users about spyware and related problems and of a Ponemon Institute survey of 400 people who were victims of a personal data breach. Neither study is intended to be about changing what users do for computer security measures. The main thing that is clear from both studies is that fear, anger and distrust are what motivate users to change. In the Pew survey, 91 percent of users said that fears about malware have made them change how they deal with electronic mail, the Web, downloads and even software user agreements. And, according to the Ponemon survey, most of those whose personal information is leaked will dump the bank, credit card or other company that exposed their data.

This article discusses the use of a two-factor authentication for all virtual private network access into a corporate network. In implementing the two-factor authentication, the SecureID tokens of RSA Security Inc. are used with corresponding access control provided by Cisco Systems Inc. The RSA SecureID token servers and associated tokens do not dictate which areas of the network an employee will have permission to access. This authorization piece is handled by the CISCO ACS. With the ACS, group users are defined and then assigned specific networks or hosts that they can access.

This article presents technology trends, new products, news and industry gossip in the information technology sector in the U.S. as of November 8, 2004. John Norcross, vice president of technology at Celerant Consulting Inc., warns of an impending IT expertise crisis. The release of rival offerings AirDefense 6.0 and Predator Watch Auditor 128 is expected to reinforce wireless defenses. Joelle Groeper Kaufman, vice president of marketing at Reactivity Inc., says that Web services need more than well-intended standards. Lastly, Brian Cincera, vice president of security solutions at Greenwich Technology Partners Inc. shares his advise about iPods and MP3 players as vehicles for stealing a company's data.

Access points are proliferating but despite this growth in wireless use there are still no formal policies or standards in place. This article focuses on the deployment of Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) for wireless communications. The deployment of PEAP is considered to be the only way to the only way to make use of existing deployment of RSA SecureID tokens while getting two-factor authentication. With PEAP, the authentication data is transmitted after the encrypted tunnel is created.

This article presents an interview with Ray Ozzie, founder and CEO of Groove Networks Inc. Ozzie tackled about what drives his interest in technology-facilitated collaboration and its relationship to the changing nature of business. Ozzie says that his mission is to make computers more effective communication tools. INSET: RAY OZZIE.

This article reports that a growing number of IT managers are shifting their procurement strategies in favor of purchasing computers and servers instead of leasing them. According to Gartner analyst Frances O'Brien, the shift is being driven by increasing interest rates and disenchantment among users with leasing concerns such as penalty for late returns and damages.

Grid computing-specific skills and accomplishments are relatively rare. Still, many in information technology (IT) have the background that underpins grid technology. This article looks at the talent needed to play in grid and how some IT shops are honoring them. Grid computing applies the resources of a network to work on a single complex problem or set of problems. Some of the challenges facing grid implementers are recruiting people with grid computing skills and having a broad IT knowledge. INSET: MAKING THE CASE.

Presents updates on issues concerning the U.S. computer industry as of May 2004. According to Larry English, president of Information Impact International Inc, scrapping and fixing data can cost companies at least 10 percent of their yearly revenue. And if the data quality is bad enough, that figure can reach a staggering 25%. He points out that it is not cheap to hunt down and eliminate or fix bogus information. But indirect costs, such as losing a customer, can be far greater if you provide them with bad information, and ambiguous or absent data could result in missed opportunities. In another news, Crescendo Americas Inc. will sell the CN 5000-E appliance running its Maestro network traffic management software. The appliance will ship in June 2004 and is priced at $19,995. Meanwhile, suppliers of business process management Suppliers of business process management (BPM) tools are quickly churning out modules with dashboard viewers so executives can check whether they are in compliance or in danger of the Sarbanes-Oxley act. The willingness of jail-conscious chief executive officers and chief financial officers to sign hefty checks for BPM software helped propel 15 percent growth for the market segment in 2003.

Presents several humorous stories from information technology professionals. Problem with the switches of a computer network; Error in shredding the printed spreadsheets containing the ratings of employees.

Comments on the issue on Unix computer operating system. Competition between Unix and Windows; Attack of Linux on Unix; Application of Unix in corporate information technology networks.

Presents news briefs on the computer industry in the United States as of February 2001. Problem encountered by an information technology expert on the computer network of a ski resort; Error made by an employee on the connection of her personal computer.