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Zerto's 3.1 release targets enterprise and cloud service providers
For the virtualized environment of your enterprise, Zerto wants to be the business continuity and disaster recovery solution provider of choice. TechRepublic recently spoke with Zerto about the recent...
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The future of enterprise development
Increasingly, business units are demanding faster responses and more rapid adoption of new technologies. The CIO who can adapt to this new environment will position his or her team for explosive succe...
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The CIO and the help desk disconnect
Stacked against investments in other areas like new hardware or software purchases, the help desk is often overlooked yet is tasked with a larger support role with each passing year. But it's critical...
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Preparing for the CIO track
Jay Rollins provides tips about how to prepare for the CIO position, including the top 10 undergraduate courses to take to become a CIO. He also offers insight about the evolving role of the CIO.
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Implementing help desk software: IT exec offers a firsthand account
If your organization is in the market for new help desk software, read Jay Rollins' detailed account of selecting and implementing a new help desk system. His insights into the process may save your c...
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IT project management tips about centralization, alignment, and more
In this roundup of project management tips, Jay Rollins covers centralization, alignment, prioritization, PM groups, and hiring the Super Project Manager.
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Don't let standards impede employee innovation
If users want to use one-off software tools or hardware, IT pros might want to think twice about saying "no." Jay Rollins says being too standards driven can be counterproductive to employee innovatio...
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Why SMBs should formalize IT governance processes
Want to get the benefits of IT governance without dealing with all the layers of the onion? Jay Rollins outlines what SMBs need to do to start formalizing the IT governance process.
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Let employees select trade shows to attend (but retain veto rights)
With tighter travel and training budgets, many IT leaders are being more discerning when approving employees' requests to attend trade shows. Jay Rollins discusses the process he uses to help employee...
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BI systems failure: Is the CIO to blame?
Jay Rollins comments on a recent discussion about whether a CIO could be faulted when business intelligence systems projects fail. He breaks down the two sides of the argument and offers his take.
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Responding to IT mini crises involving KFC, Lotus, Adobe, and a contractor
Business lessons can come from the most unlikely of sources, as evidenced by a mini work crisis because of this week's Kentucky Fried Chicken promo. Jay Rollins outlines the five stages of a mini cris...
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Hiring independent contractors to help with small projects is a win-win
Now is the perfect time to hire an independent IT contractor to work on small projects that are on the back burner. These projects can lead to small wins that make users happy and provide the contract...
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Stepping into a leadership vacuum shows initiative
Take charge of your career by stepping into a vacuum and taking ownership of it. Jay Rollins discusses potential pitfalls you may encounter and explains why confidence is key in this leadership role.
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Seek out difficult customers to gain valuable insight
One of the best things about difficult customers is that they care enough to complain. If you're discounting these customers' opinions, you may miss opportunities to gain valuable insights about your ...
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A funny thing happened on the way to selecting software
Actually a few funny things happened during phase one of Jay Rollins' software selection process. Find out how a pushy vendor, Thomas the Tank Engine, and a pizza party factor into the process.
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The future of enterprise development
Increasingly, business units are demanding faster responses and more rapid adoption of new technologies. The CIO who can adapt to this new environment will position his or her team for explosive succe...
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Finding time to understand new technologies
IT managers weigh in on what they see as the issues that currently need attention in small and mid-size businesses. They reinforce the assumption that IT leaders need to make time to focus on the bigg...
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The Strategic IT Infrastructure
Can infrastructure be strategic? Not by itself, but the right infrastructure can enable the IT leader to be more strategic. See how.
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Can telecommuting work?
With gas prices at record highs, telecommuting is being attempted again and again by companies across the country and around the globe. But is it something that small and mid-size enterprises should a...
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Reverse the help desk as a cost center perception
The help desk is typically the poster child for IT being labeled as a cost center. Here is a way to turn that perception around.
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How to create a project management group in your organization
Here's everything you need to know to set up a project management group in your organization. I have included links to several free tools--spreadsheet, sample business case document, and PowerPoint s...
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Creating an IT strategy: Presenting to the executive team
This is part 2 in how to create your IT strategy. In this part, Jay Rollins talks about how to present IT information to the executive team.
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Why you should centralize your IT projects
There are several reasons to centralize IT projects in your organization. In this blog, I'll take about what those reasons are.
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How to prioritize your organization's projects
Here are some tips for how to successfully prioritize your organization's projects with management. I also include a sample PowerPoint presentation you can use to communicate your concepts.
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Use these four classifications to align projects in your company
In this blog, I show you how to get away from using the old operational and strategic breakdown for aligning your organization's projects. Also, I include a link to a free example of a portfolio mix.
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Creating an IT Strategy: Information gathering
When creating an IT strategy there are a few rules of thumb that will help, but the course you take is usually dependent upon the industry you are in.
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Security tips for small businesses
There are some low-hanging fruit when it comes to security that, when implemented, can make your life a little easier. But with the limited funds available to smaller IT organizations, here are some ...
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Turning vendors into partners, part 2
There are unique approaches to finding a partner in a hardware vendor and a software provider. Here's a look at some of them.
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Turning vendors into partners, part 1
In this blog, Jay Rollins offers some real-life examples of how you can save your company money by reviewing the vendors it works with.
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Palo Alto Networks offers a next-generation firewall... really
My shop has been combating some pretty nasty battles with P2P file sharing, anonymizers like TOR and Hopster, Web-based e-mail, Google Docs, IM clients that you can attach files to. Could this new gen...