Take it all with a small Siberian salt mine. Ignore the above tips and do what works and makes sense for the organisation. While most of the tips are excellent, there are several real world issues with the tips presented:

1. Simplify. Absolutely. Get rid of legacy as soon as the new methods prove reliable.

2. Virtualize everything. Ummm... come again? How about a Linux embedded firewall in a SOHO setting? The point is that there is a point where a tool is and is not appropriate. Everything is a broad brush.

3. Review the service catalog. Good call. Why advertize that you will adjust the .ini files for a better WfW 3.11 experience in 2011? Again, getting rid of legacy is one of the most important and final parts of upgrading and standardization.

4. Project portfolio management. They will call it something else next week, but this has always been important. Today it's indispensable, particularly in software. The scope is different for small businesses as opposed to the IT department of a Fortune 500, but the theory is the same. To dance a polka, everyone has to be marching to the beat of the same accordion.

5. Consider the impact of outsourcing. When you save $20.00 per month, are you laying off three people to recoup the costs? What else do those people do for you? How much of a security risk is it? Are there any compliance issues?

6. Identity management needs to be done by the same team that does security assessments. If you allow HR to register new users, or worse, allow the users to self register, eventually you will end up with someone on the network who is not on the payroll... or at least not yours.

7. Self service. Good idea, but the implementation will make or break this. The software provisioning is a bit scary when you consider licensing, but I suppose it could be done. The rest is spot on. We should already be doing this.

8. BYOD. You bring it, you support it. We'll support the apps, but the device is yours, and thus your problem. We say it a bit nicer though.

9. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. The cloud is a good idea for a lot of IT challenges, but is not the appropriate tool for everything. Walk into things with your eyes and options opened. Let the CEO spout the buzzwords and chase trends like his hair is on fire. Help the CIO make the right call.

10. Great advice. Wish I heard and groked this around Y2K. I learned this lesson then, at great personal cost. The war stories will cost ya a beer.