White papers
Enterprise software
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Business continuity and disaster recovery for SMBs
The benfits of server virtualisation
Business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) are major issues for all businesses, with small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) facing particular challenges. Many SMB organisations have inadequate back-up systems and cite cost and complexity as reasons for this failure.
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6 tips to mobilise your exisiting ERP
65% of employees who use perosnal mobile devices for business, report greater productivity
Enterprise mobile users throughout the global business community will number 1.19 billion by 2013, and account for 34.9% of the workforce. At the same time, the expectations of users now extends far beyond the ability to send an email on the move, with more complex processing such as invoicing, access to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and completing orders now being requested by the ever increasing 'mobile' workforce.
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Resolving common challenges in virtualised environments
Are you seeing the full benefits of virtualisation?
The adoption of virtualisation in the enterprise is transforming the way IT is deployed, managed and delivered to the business units. While virtualisation delivers many advantages, it is not perfect. As with the introduction of any new technology, there are challenges that need to be faced and overcome - not least of which may be the realisation that the link between workloads and physical platforms has been broken.
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The impact of data center and server relocation on application performance
A proven strategy for project success
According to analysts, 88% of enterprises are currently in the early phases of either consolidating servers or executing a major data center relocation. These consolidations and relocations bring measurable benefits. For example, they reduce Information Technology (IT) costs, improve business continuity and and help comply with government and industry regulations.
Security
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Why Passwords Aren't Strong Enough
Making the case for strong authentication
In this paper, we will examine the need for strong authentication and explore the return on investment that can be realized in order to help organizations make an informed decision when contemplating their strategic move toward more effective security.
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10 things you have to do today to protect your business in 2012
Make security a priority
The next twelve months will be like a fair ground ride: rotation, uncertainty and mild discomfort. The world of IT is spinning fast: cloud computing, data explosion,consumerisation, tablet computers, social media, mobile and flexible working. These changes challenge traditional views of IT.
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Security as a Service: Business Decision Factors
Security concerns are business issues
This paper reviews the business value of IT security, illustrates the business case for SaaS over “do it yourself” premise-based solutions, and outlines what to look for in SaaS solutions you can adopt with confidence and count on as you grow.
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How to protect your business from the coming Malware storm
Implications for small and midsize businesses
This paper describes the evolution and future of the online threat environment, and outlines the security, economy, performance, and control available to smaller businesses who act now to adopt Security as a Service.
Business strategy
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Let the bridge fall
As long as it falls on time
Different managers have different philosophies for project planning and scheduling, especially when it comes to meeting deadlines. But what if there was a way to improve risk management in relation to corporate projects?
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ITIL version 3 and TeamQuest
Take your organisations to the next level
Although V2 was quite successful, there were a number of gaps and the focus was still more technological than business in nature. Many ITIL practitioners and contributors felt that although the second rendition of ITIL was a quantum leap from the initial offering, it still needed more focus on the business of IT and the services provided to the business. Integration of IT processes with business processes was thought desirable. ITIL V3 was introduced to meet these perceived needs.
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A manager's guide to implementing capacity management
Getting started
Although capacity management has been in existence in one form or another for over 40 years, only a minority of shops have chosen to implement it. With constantly lowering prices, many IT shops have chosen to throw hardware at performance and capacity problems rather than spend the time to manage what they have. In the past, that approach has worked, however times and management challenges have changed and costs increased; demanding a different approach. Capacity Management is one solution.
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Enterprise GRC Management and the Impact of Global Reporting Standards
ROI Evaluation, Business Outcomes, and Recommendations
In this research study from the Aberdeen Group, findings showed that taking a proactive approach to Governance, Risk, and Compliance and global reporting requirements like XBRL and IFRS enabled companies to reduce their risk value by 34% and decrease compliance related costs by 23% over a two-year period, while also experiencing a 27% growth rate in the last 12 months.
Grid computing
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The key to cloud and virtual computing
Managing and planning capacity In 2011 and beyond
The flexibility and cost alternatives provided by new technologies such as virtualisation, internal and external cloud computing, and different types of cloud-based solutions such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) present IT organisations with a choice of platforms to run an application or a business service.
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Optimising datacenter and cloud performance
The new approach
As the worldwide economy continues to bring many business challenges, IT organisations remain under heavy pressure to contain costs while providing competitive advantages by delivering effective business processes and applications to customers and internal users alike.
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Resolving common challenges in virtualised environments
Are you seeing the full benefits of virtualisation?
The adoption of virtualisation in the enterprise is transforming the way IT is deployed, managed and delivered to the business units. While virtualisation delivers many advantages, it is not perfect. As with the introduction of any new technology, there are challenges that need to be faced and overcome - not least of which may be the realisation that the link between workloads and physical platforms has been broken.
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A decision makers guide to hybrid and cloud computing
The process every enterprise should think throgh
In recent years cloud computing has made the difficult transition from marketing buzzword to credible technology. More and more IT organisations are achieving real cost efficiencies from cloud and hybrid solutions while improving their business agility.
Communications/ networking
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5 steps to success: video conferencing
Visual communications white paper
Telepresence and video conferencing are no longer the costly and all too frequently disappointing sideshows of a few years ago.
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3 steps to understanding the possibilities of video for your organisation
Cisco Video Collaboration guide
Telepresence and video conferencing are proven tools in today’s business world, with the power to bring everyone together, everywhere. Together, they can transform your organisation, delivering natural face-to-face communication whatever the distance and resulting in faster decision making that gives you the competitive advantage.
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Social networking, security and your business
The benefits and risks of social networking to your business
If you are one of the 500m Facebook users or you have a professional profile on LinkedIn or you Tweet then you will know that social networking is an important communication medium and can be a vital business and personal tool. Download this white paper to examines the benefits and risks of social networking and examine the different ways companies can reconcile them.
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Video portals for employee engagement
A series of recommendations to help you optimise the use of video
Streaming video is not just a tool for outward-facing communications such as news releases and externally-facing marketing assets. Video can also allow companies to improve internal processes such as corporate communications, learning and development efforts, and onboarding efforts both on campus and remote locations.
Internet/ e-commerce
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Increase your e-commerce revenue with continuous application performance management
Attract and retain your customers
It takes only a few seconds for an unsatisfied e-commerce customer to switch to a competitor’s website which impacts both loyalty and revenue. To attract and retain customers, e-commerce businesses need to create a world-class online experience. Customers expect fast, highly interactive, cutting-edge and visually appealing e-commerce applications.
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The fundamentals of IPv6
Migrating to IPv6: series 1
IPv6 is needed to sustain the growth of the internet. IPv4 could in theory be continued to be used and you may be able to work around the address space security limitations of that protocol, but eventually, the cost of staying with IPv4 will outweigh the benefits.
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Video portals for employee engagement
A series of recommendations to help you optimise the use of video
Streaming video is not just a tool for outward-facing communications such as news releases and externally-facing marketing assets. Video can also allow companies to improve internal processes such as corporate communications, learning and development efforts, and onboarding efforts both on campus and remote locations.
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The future's upstream
How your business can stay competitive as new technology demands more from upload speed
This whitepaper explains the range of connectivity solutions available that make higher upload speeds affordable and accessible to everyone.
Database management
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Drowning in data?
How to manage your growing data mountain
Data is good. But sometimes that's hard to remember, given the deluge of electronic information threatening to engulf businesses. Yet, if managed effectively, the data your organisation generates can represent a vital resource that adds real value to your business and underpins your drive for profit.
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Reduce your data storage footprint and tame the information explosion
The costs of managing unabated data growth
With ever-increasing data growth worldwide, organizations must find smarter ways to store and manage their massive volumes of digital information. IBM Tivoli® storage management software solutions provide you with exceptional value and functionality to maximize your current storage environment and reduce operational and capital costs while improving service and managing risks.
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Struggling with your document filing system?
Five ways an external supplier can help you
Information is a crucial part of any organisation. Mismanaged, it can slow you down and expose your business to security risks, fines and hidden costs. While most people acknowledge that information management is critical, few organisations have the time or in-house expertise to meet today’s needs.
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How to improve access to your records
Why off-site does not mean off limits
Access to the right information at the right time transforms the work place. Mismanaged information can take a long time to find, reducing efficiency and customer satisfaction. The hidden costs of storing and retrieving information are rarely considered but can be significant. With IDC predicting an exponential increase in information, smart businesses should not delay in addressing these challenges.
CRM
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Why deliver extraordinary customer service?
Because it's a 'must' in today's competitive environment
This paper looks at how you can realise the benefits of ensuring great service for your customers.
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4 steps to building loyal and high-value customers
The customer loyalty playbook
How do you identify potential high-value customers and cultivate them to become loyal customers? Here are four steps to help guide your customer loyalty strategy.
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Choosing the best CRM for your organization
Pick the best option for your business needs
As CRM has expanded to encompass elements of collaboration and Web 2.0-style engagement, the software tools to support it have grown and become more diverse as well. Today, buyers have the luxury of choosing from a vast selection of products to help develop and nurture customer relationships. Choice has presented new challenges, however: IT and business professionals must evaluate their options wisely in order to ensure their CRM investments meet their company’s specific requirements.
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IDC Analysis - Improving Organizational Performance Management Through Pervasive BI
Learn more about the 5 key factors which can be directly influenced to increase the diffusion of BI
This IDC Analysis looks at the opportunities and business advantages of pervasive BI within organisations.
Regulatory compliance
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Managing in the financial services and insurance industries
Five key requirements for CFO's - the key to success
In recent years, the financial services and insurance industries have been continually changing within the global economy, regulations and compliance. As a result of this, traditional ERP systems are no longer seen as flexible and more as time consuming and costly to change.
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Addressing IT GRC
Meet regulatory requirements and reduce operational risk in financial services organizations
Asserting appropriate controls over IT operations helps financial services organizations make sure that systems and networks are running properly and that data is protected against the risk of compromise due to operational failures.
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Maintaining continuous compliance - a new best practice approach
IBM provides endpoint audit and management for distributed environments
Organisations of all sizes and types put policies, processes and procedures in place to try to meet the endpoint compliance requirements of internal operations, industry bodies and government regulations. But does a traditional endpoint management approach get them to the level of compliance they need? More importanly, does it keep them there? Download this new white paper from IBM and learn a best practice approach that will enable you and your organisation to continuously demonstrate compliance while enhancing security.
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Managing compliance
Streamlining multiple compliance mandates with visibility, intelligence, and automation
This paper discusses these important issues and provides IT security and compliance professionals a roadmap and practical advice for implementing an approach to compliance that helps overcome these issues.
Mobile & wireless
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Mobile application performance engineering
A lifecycle approach to achieving confidence in application performance
Around the world, organisations are joining the mobile revolution and preparing their business for a new paradigm that changes the ways in which they communicate and the manner in which they conduct business. Significant investments are being made as these companies recognise the changing landscape and the opportunity mobility presents.
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Mobile economic time
The new business opportunity
Mobile Economic Time is no longer restricted to Smartphone users just texting, making phone calls, playing music or social networking. Over the next few years, more Smartphone and Tablet PC users than ever will be using their “always-on” devices to transform the way they interact with businesses. The benefits for nearly every kind of organisation are endless — from increased customer retention and acquisition of enormous revenue generating and market growth opportunities. We hope you find this summary of the key findings of the “Mobile Economic Time Zone” of value.
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The iPass Global Mobile Workforce Report
Understanding Enterprise Mobility Trends and Mobile Usage
Enterprises are firmly in the age of “Bring Your Own Device”. This report examines mobility trends around the world, from the viewpoint of IT executives. The report uncovered that 73 percent of enterprises allow non-IT managed devices to access corporate resources, as the number of mobile workers continues to rise. The bulk of the increase was attributed to an increase in the number of mobile users and employees’ expanding use of multiple devices.
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What you need to know about the costs of mobility
Changing the economics of mobile connectivity
Corporate spending on enterprise mobility is growing exceptionally. In our recent survey of enterprises 42 percent believed mobile connectivity costs would likely outpace inflation with an increase of at least five percent over the coming year – 30 percent believed costs would increase by more than 10 percent.
Storage
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Protecting corporate and personal data
The cost you can't ignore
In recent times the quantity of electronic data that organisations have to process and store has increased beyond all recognition. As electronic media including email communication become an ever more critical element of effective business practice, organisations must manage the risks and requirements of efficient data storage while balancing the associated costs.
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Drowning in data?
How to manage your growing data mountain
Data is good. But sometimes that's hard to remember, given the deluge of electronic information threatening to engulf businesses. Yet, if managed effectively, the data your organisation generates can represent a vital resource that adds real value to your business and underpins your drive for profit.
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When good backups go bad
Data recovery failures and what to do about them
As data growth continues to accelerate each year, so does the need for reliable and effective backup; the onsequences of data loss today can be devastating for companies of all sizes. Without knowing how to understand your specific backup and data protection needs, the decision on how to back up can be a challenging one.
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Securing USB flash drives with biometric authentication
Improved security at your fingertips
Every day, people and organisations hand over their most valuable and vital personal information to government agencies. It is then up to the recipient – a federal or state agency, or another government organisation – to safely store that data.
Budgets
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5 steps to successful IT consolidation and virtualisation
Mapping out a successful strategy and how to architect a forward-looking infrastructure plan
There are many benefits associated with IT consolidation and virtualisation, but it can be a very challenging process. It is important to consider all components of an IT consolidation project before embarking on it.
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Why CIOs should look to data deduplication
Reducing storage expenses without compromising data protection
Data deduplication offer benefits to more than just the storage group because they cut data protection capital, facilitate consolidation of distributed backup operations, and slash server virtualization-related storage costs.
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The ROI and TCO benefits of data deduplication for data protection in the enterprise
Enjoy more reliable backups, more productive IT staff, and reduced costs
For regulatory and business continuity reasons, efficient, reliable data protection is an imperative for every data centre.
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Beyond ROI: Creating long term value through ERP
How do you get beyond ROI?
Smaller companies need to think “beyond ROI” to the strategic long term value that ERP can deliver.
Soft skills
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The ROI and TCO benefits of data deduplication for data protection in the enterprise
Enjoy more reliable backups, more productive IT staff, and reduced costs
For regulatory and business continuity reasons, efficient, reliable data protection is an imperative for every data centre.
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Improve IT staff efficiency while reducing IT costs and improving availability
Maintain peak operating performance across the IT environment
Balancing ever increasing demands in the face of reduced budgets and fewer resources can be challenging for even the most accomplished IT managers.
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How Flexible Are You On Flexible Working?
Realise the benefits
IDC’s latest executive brief examines how organisations should be leveraging ICT more effectively to increase the utilisation and output from their workforce. It explores how organisations are applying flexible working practices, the process they are following, and how they have overcome the challenges they have faced.
Board politics
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Improving and communicating the business value of IT
Return on IT - Selecting critical metrics for business and IT performance
An ROIT roadmap for selecting projects to reduce cost and increase effectiveness.
Outsourcing
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Six mistakes companies are making today
Data is your most important asset
Read about the six mistakes small and mid-size enterprises are making, and how to avoid them
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Lean Business Intelligence
Forrester Research
Why And How Enterprises Are Moving To Self- Service Business Intelligence
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BPM everywhere
How to make a BPMS more accessible for everyone while gaining impressive results
Learn more about the advantages of BPM and how it can benefit your organisation.
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Ensuring high service levels in cloud computing
Key steps to effective service management
For many organisations, the move to cloud computing is imminent if it has not already taken place. For those who have yet to make the plunge this paper offers an overview of some key issues organisations should be aware of. Featuring a range of practical insights, the paper looks at some of the most pressing challenges cloud computing presents in terms of service level management, and it offers some tips for overcoming these obstacles.
Desktop & client
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Power your business with a Dell Precision workstation that is certified
Ensure a seamless user experience and peace of mind
Learn what it means for a Dell Precision workstation to be certified. Hear more on how Dell works with many ISVs to help ensure peak performance and peace of mind for workstation users.
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Workstation Productivity
to get the highest productivity possible from high performance applications
Find out how to get the highest productivity possible from high performance applications that require more power than traditional desktop computers read about the top IT considerations for mobile work stations, striking a balance between performance and portability.
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When to consider a workstation instead of a PC
You need the right tool to get the job done right
Whether you require strong graphics performance, run data intensive software or create 3D environments, you need a computer that can help you push the boundaries and stay competitive
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Desktop modernization
A guide to addressing End-User requirements and IT challenges using VMware desktop virtualization
This eBook looks at the challenges involved in delivering and managing desktops, today and in the future. Its goal is to demonstrate how VMware desktoop virtualization can deliver a solution to address the requirements of IT and end0users without compromise.
Technology
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A manager's guide to implementing capacity management
Getting started
Although capacity management has been in existence in one form or another for over 40 years, only a minority of shops have chosen to implement it. With constantly lowering prices, many IT shops have chosen to throw hardware at performance and capacity problems rather than spend the time to manage what they have. In the past, that approach has worked, however times and management challenges have changed and costs increased; demanding a different approach. Capacity Management is one solution.
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A decision makers guide to hybrid and cloud computing
The process every enterprise should think throgh
In recent years cloud computing has made the difficult transition from marketing buzzword to credible technology. More and more IT organisations are achieving real cost efficiencies from cloud and hybrid solutions while improving their business agility.
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Top 10 considerations for your IT operations management in the cloud
Streamline and secure your IT Operations
This paper explores ten questions every IT organization should answer to help determine their cloud based ITOM needs.
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Managing in the financial services and insurance industries
Five key requirements for CFO's - the key to success
In recent years, the financial services and insurance industries have been continually changing within the global economy, regulations and compliance. As a result of this, traditional ERP systems are no longer seen as flexible and more as time consuming and costly to change.
Enterprise search
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The impact of data center and server relocation on application performance
A proven strategy for project success
According to analysts, 88% of enterprises are currently in the early phases of either consolidating servers or executing a major data center relocation. These consolidations and relocations bring measurable benefits. For example, they reduce Information Technology (IT) costs, improve business continuity and and help comply with government and industry regulations.
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Deploying your application in the cloud
Strategies to proactively mitigate performance risk
Corporations worldwide are shifting technology resources and infrastructure to the cloud. These businesses expect to realise gains in operational efficiency and scalability as a result of the cloud's elasticity, and they expect to reduce capital expenditures on IT infrastructure.
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CIO Insights Research Synthesis
Customer Analytics: A leadership opportunity for CIOs to Drive Customer Centricity
Customer centricity is increasingly critical to strategies for corporate growth, elevating the analysis of customer data to a top priority for most enterprises. CIOs and their IT organizations are uniquely qualified to locate dispersed and disparate customer data, create effective analytics tools to interpret that data, and deliver meaningful customer information throughout the enterprise. But as custodians – not owners – of corporate customer data, IT must forge strategic relationships with customer-facing functions including marketing, sales, customer service, business development, and operations in order to develop effective customer analytics strategies, tools, and processes.
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Analytics: the widening divide
How companies are achieving competitive advantage through analytics
Analytics skills and tools competency enhances performance by applying advanced techniques such as modeling, deep computing, simulation, data analytics and optimisation improve efficiency and guide strategies that address specific business process areas.
Change management
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4 critical success factors of change management
Mastering configuration
Change management's main goal is to ensure that configuration changes, whether planned or unplanned, are made in ways that can benefit your organisation with the least amount of impact on your IT infrastructure and in a cost effective way.
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Aberdeen Report - Analyst Insight
Enterprise Resource Planning and Business Intelligence: When 1 + 1 = 3
As SMEs grow in size and complexity they increasingly turn to Enterprise Resource Planning and Business Intelligence solutions to provide control and visibility.
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Disaster recovery survey report
Symantec EMEA enterprise survey
Doing more with less has been the recent mantra for IT professionals due to flat budgets. Add to that the increased pressures caused by high downtime costs, stringent service level agreements, and the potential for system outages to test disaster recovery plans, and you may think you have a recipe for disaster.
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How to improve disaster recovery for the enterprise
Advanced replication powered by WAN optimisation
Examining the business and technology trends that complicate and increase the cost of enterprise-wide DR planning and the proven benefits of disk-to-disk backup and replication technologies.
The CIO career
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CIO Challenges
The Best Defence is a good offence
CIOs have never been as business-focused as they are today, often ranking IT investments that contribute to the top-line above other investments. However, despite tightening budgets, CIOs are also investing in future performance.
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From the iPod to the iPad - 7 principles behind Steve Jobs breakthrough success
Innovate like Steve Jobs
This new eBook by Carmine Gallo, columnist for BusinessWeek.com, explores the 7 guiding principles of Steve Jobs' success and how you can use them to emerge from the recession stronger, more inspired, and more innovative than ever.
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The Essential CIO
Insights from the Global CIO Study 2011
How are technology leaders helping their organisations adapt to the accelerating change and complexity that mark today’s competitive and economic landscape? To find out, we spoke in person with 3,018 CIOs, spanning 71 countries and 18 industries.
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Leadership, capability and culture
The CIO's silent revolution
For Chief Information Officers (CIOs) wanting to move beyond the confines of a traditional Information Technology (IT) based role, the demands are significant. As they make the transition to a broader range of responsibilities CIOs shape their own future, the future of their IT organisations and indeed, the future of their parent enterprises.
Supplier management
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Moving forward with innovative ideas
Strategic archiving
In the late 1990s – when no one really thought about Enterprise Content Management (ECM) - Commerzbank had already developed a first draft concept for a company-wide and interconnected archiving system.
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Challenges confronting shared services
Understanding the costs and aligning shared-services resources with business demands
With costs in operating units pared back to the bone, the attention has turned to shared services – in particular, the IT function – which can be as much as 20% of total expenses in certain sectors.
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