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Minimize Software Attack Surfaces for Stronger Security
IT security professionals understand that no software program is completely secure. Too often, systems that were thought to be secure are penetrated by individuals who discover and exploit latent vulnerabilities. However, although there is no such thing as invulnerable code, it is possible to make systems more secure. One method of doing so is to assess and minimize a system's attack surface.
May, 2008
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Virtualization: Key to a Productive Data Center
The benefits of OS virtualization are generally well-recognized: better utilization of server hardware, reduced floorspace requirements, and lower power and cooling costs. But there is one other benefit that is potentially greater than all the others, one that is not commonly recognized: virtualization also improves the productivity of data center personnel.
May, 2008
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Virtualization Improves Productivity of Data Center Staff
One of the least recognized factors of server virtualization ROI is the positive impact that virtualization has on the productivity of data center personnel. In this article, we provide statistics showing that the productivity of data center staff improved significantly from 2006 and 2007, concurrent with an increase in OS virtualization levels. These trends are consistent across Windows, Unix, and Linux platforms. We conclude by summarizing the reasons that data center staff productivity benefits from increasing the level of virtualization. (4 pp., 4 figs.)[Executive Summary]
May, 2008
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Mitigating Security Threats by Minimizing Software Attack Surfaces
An important method for improving the security of software is to assess and minimize the system's "attack surface." In this report, we provide a conceptual understanding of attack surfaces and explore how to use this concept to improve security of both internally-developed software as well as systems purchased as off-the-shelf software. We conclude by recommending best practices for limiting attack opportunities on IT systems. (4 pp., 2 figs.) [Executive Summary]
May, 2008
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Consolidation is Key in Reducing ERP Support Costs
(IRVINE, Calif.) Organizations wanting to optimize their ERP support costs should strongly consider consolidating and standardizing on a single version and instance of their primary vendor's platform.
April, 2008
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Large Companies Double Use of Contract Labor
(IRVINE, Calif.) Large enterprises nearly doubled their use of contract IT workers over the past four years.
April, 2008
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ERP Support Staffing Ratios 2008
ERP systems can be major investments requiring a substantial effort in implementation. Yet many organizations do not realize that the total cost of ownership of an ERP system is composed largely of ongoing support. In this report, we analyze ERP support staffing levels by size of the installation, the scope of functionality implemented, class of software vendor (Oracle and SAP vs. all others), the extent of system modification, the number of ERP versions and instances in production, and the age of the system. In addition, we analyze the allocation of ERP support staff to specific job functions. Based on these statistics, we conclude with recommendations for optimizing ERP staffing levels to better manage costs and improve user satisfaction. (8 pp., 9 figs.) [Executive Summary]
April, 2008
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Ensuring Success of Data Migration
Conversion of data from one form to another, or from one system to another, is a common task in IT organizations. Although many aspects are technical in nature, data migration should not be left to technicians. Without careful managerial oversight, failures in data migration can cause project cost and schedule overruns, as well as quality problems with far-reaching effects in the organization. This Research Byte is a summary of our full report on this important subject.
April, 2008
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Data Migration Requires Process, Tools, and Expertise
While many aspects of data migration are technical in nature, managing the conversion of data from one form to another should not be left to technicians. Without proper oversight, failures in data migration can cause project cost and schedule overruns, as well as quality problems with far-reaching effects. In this report, we provide an overview of the data migration process and the related issues that managers need to address. We also examine some of open source tools that can help to automate the task. Finally, we conclude with our recommendations for ensuring a smooth data migration process. (4 pp., 3 figs.)[Executive Summary]
April, 2008
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Factors That Affect ERP Support Staffing Levels
For many IT organizations, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems form a large part of the application portfolio. Therefore, understanding the support requirements of these systems is important for managing overall staffing levels within IT. To better understand ERP support staffing requirements, Computer Economics conducted a special survey of ERP user organizations. Our study identifies several factors that affect the level of staffing required to support these mission-critical systems and finds several best practices to optimize the productivity of ERP support personnel.
April, 2008
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Contract IT Workforce Increasing for Some Firms
Companies that already make aggressive use of contractors appear to be increasing their use, but most organizations have maintained a relatively steady balance between full-time employees and contract workers over the past four years. While growth in contract workforces is expected during economic upswings, it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue during a downswing. This Research Byte is a summary of our full report, Current Trends in Use of IT Contract Workers.
April, 2008
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Current Trends in Use of IT Contract Workers (2008)
Managing a contract workforce has become an increasingly important task for IT organizations. In this study, we examine the use of contractors and temps by organization size and sector. We also examine the four-year trend between 2004 and 2007 to discover how the use of contract labor has changed over time. Furthermore, we examine how the aggressive use of temporary employees relates to staff growth and turnover rates. The report concludes with our view on current and future trends in the IT contingency workforce. (5 pp., 7 figs.)[Executive Summary]
April, 2008
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Security Spending Takes Smaller Bite Out of IT Budgets
(IRVINE, Calif.) While security remains a high priority for IT organizations, spending on IT security-specific technology and services has been declining over the past three years.
March, 2008
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Nearly Half of IT Managers Not Paying Utility Bill
(IRVINE, Calif.) For all the recent talk about energy conservation, many IT organizations do not see data center power and cooling expense in their IT budgets.
March, 2008
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Promoting Energy Conservation in the Data Center
For all the discussions surrounding energy consumption in the data center, it appears that IT managers have not yet fully embraced energy conservation as a key component of their decision making. Perhaps this is because IT managers, in many cases, are not responsible for the cost of utilities used to power and cool their data centers.
March, 2008
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