The new year represents an opportunity for IT managers to evaluate their accomplishments and sift through their less successful projects and relationships in an effort to get things moving in the right direction. IT consultant Shannon Kalvar offers some advice that will help you keep things on track in 2007.
Your users don't need an encyclopedic knowledge of how their computers work or how your network is configured -- but they may need a little technical enlightenment here and there. This list includes some of the basics that will help them (and you) work more effectively.
If your project has many inherent risks that fall into a high-risk category, it doesn't mean you won't be successful. It only means that you should put plans into place to manage the risks.
When a business solution is deployed by someone who isn't in IT, your department may be left out of the loop. Here are some key concerns you'll want to address to make sure IT can meet its responsibilities effectively.
Laptops allow users to stay connected and productive when travelling, but they aren't much good if users can't connect to resources they need or if someone walks off with it at the airport. Here are some measures you can take to make the laptop experience as seamless as possible.
Rolling out a new app or system can wreak havoc if support is handled as an afterthought. These tips will help you plan and manage help desk involvement in the rollout so that the staff is prepared to meet user support needs.
Although it's not apparent in the structure of some organisations, leaders and managers have highly distinct roles, and both are essential to the success of the business. See if the traits described here fit your IT leaders and managers -- or help clarify your own role.
When field techs have to rely on phones to get their assignments and manage their workload, all sorts of problems and inconviences can stand in the way of efficiency. IT pro Jeff Dray shares his experiences with a better solution: a GRPS-enabled PDA that receives automated field assignments from a job-logging server.
If you're serious about becoming a successful, well-rounded IT professional, you need to constantly broaden your skills and knowledge -- and in some areas that might surprise you. This list details key competencies that will help advance your career.
Filtering the content of e-mail messages coming into and out of your organisation, Web sites being accessed by your company computers, IM conversations and other data that travels on your network makes business sense because it can save money that might be lost to lawsuits or reduced employee productivity.
At some point, you have to decide if local failover options are enough for your organisation, or whether you need to add remote failover to protect you from a major disaster.
To be successful in a tech support role, you have to become a skilled communicator. See if you recognise any of these 10 common missteps, which are guaranteed to impede your ability to work effectively with your users.
Technical support for users is a problem that every business that uses computers will encounter, and unless you plan for scalability, your tech support strategy can leave you behind as the organisation grows.
Mike Talon advises you of the many ways you can get valuable input from your peers that will help your professional development as well as improve your disaster recovery plan.
If you're planning on implementing new systems or products for disaster recovery, you and your team may require extra training. Mike Talon goes over some of the training alternatives, along with their benefits and drawbacks.
A revolution has been brought about by exposure to technology from birth.
Planning and implementing your disaster recovery plan is often a complex process, involving multiple vendors, stakeholders, and communication issues. Hone your project management skills in order to keep track of the process and make sure you are communicating clearly with everyone concerned.
Make sure you manage user expectations when you create a service level agreement for disaster recovery operations.
Are you a laid-back manager? Are you a micromanager? Sometimes you have to be both, depending on the circumstances.
If you want a new top-level IT job, follow this advice to make sure your CV passes muster.
History of British PCs
The cash-strapped UK National Museum of Computing is home to an exhibition of the evolution of British PCs.… Watch it now
Driving Business Growth Through Enterprise IT Management
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Security superguide
When chief information officers and other technology managers talk about their priorities, security is always high on the list.
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Superguide: Printers -- all you need to know
Looking to buy a printer? Our superguide rates the latest printers and shines a light into the industry.
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Storage and server superguide
Over the last decade the art of maintaining the datacentre of a large organisation has evolved into an art form.
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