An agile data center allows businesses to adapt quickly to changing market conditions by enabling rapid deployment of new applications and technologies. This helps drive new products and services to help the business thrive. An agile IT department leverages advanced technologies like virtualization and software-defined data centers to securely deliver the right services to users in a scalable and flexible way. While an IT transformation requires investment, establishing an agile infrastructure focused on information delivery can help an organization respond faster to opportunities and threats.
Charles King, Pund-It, Inc believes that the term 'enterprise system' has to be redefined to meet the today business process, application and workload.To know more about the IBM System z, visit http://ibm.co/PNo9Cb.
Charles King, Pund-It, Inc believes that the term 'enterprise system' has to be redefined to meet the today business process, application and workload.To know more about the IBM System z, visit http://ibm.co/PNo9Cb.
Keynote presentation from IBM Solutions Connect 2013 covering topics such as changing business world today and how technologies can help organisations cope with this change and move forward.
EIPP is a web-based technology that automates and streamlines the business process through self service, shortening the time it takes to collect on invoices, a metric measured as Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). Reducing DSO improves cash flow as well as the customer experience and cuts the cost of customer support. EIPP allows businesses to manage vendor and customer relationships in ways that increase efficiency. Genpact offers eBilling, an Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment software solution that is instantly accessible any time, anywhere. It serves as a single shared platform for collaboration between customers, partners, and employees. eBilling enables companies to streamline their receivables billing, dispute, and payment functions by providing an Internet-based interactive, self-service environment for these processes, minimizing collection time on invoices.
A selection of success stories that show how some IBM clients in key industries have optimized processes to conduct business quickly and effectively across dynamic business networks.
White paper achieving the most economically advantageous applications solutio...Newton Day Uploads
This is a White Paper that I produced in 2010 on the subject of how organizations have the potential to always achieve the most economically advantageous application solution for their business by insourcing IT thanks to the evolution of near-real-time applications authoring.
The Cloud, Cloud Computing is a hot topic. I sat on a beach in Cuba and looked out to the ocean and started to write a version of events that drew on books and articles that I had written and of great significance the conversations that I had been part of. Much confusion and uncertainty exists about the Cloud and what it might mean for the future of the IT supply chain. Some are signed up, some are in denial and some are just confused. It was peer reviewed and now in its 7th revision and feedback has been positive. I have no vested interest other than to share my views and invite others to contribute theirs.
The survival kit for your digital transformationrun_frictionless
To go digital, you need an IT organization, an enterprise architecture, IT processes, and tools that allow for new projects to go live tomorrow instead of next week. The ability to do this will give you a competitive advantage and it will also reduce costs. But how do you get there? This white paper will get you there.
https://runfrictionless.com/b2b-white-paper-service/
Keynote presentation from IBM Solutions Connect 2013 covering topics such as changing business world today and how technologies can help organisations cope with this change and move forward.
EIPP is a web-based technology that automates and streamlines the business process through self service, shortening the time it takes to collect on invoices, a metric measured as Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). Reducing DSO improves cash flow as well as the customer experience and cuts the cost of customer support. EIPP allows businesses to manage vendor and customer relationships in ways that increase efficiency. Genpact offers eBilling, an Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment software solution that is instantly accessible any time, anywhere. It serves as a single shared platform for collaboration between customers, partners, and employees. eBilling enables companies to streamline their receivables billing, dispute, and payment functions by providing an Internet-based interactive, self-service environment for these processes, minimizing collection time on invoices.
A selection of success stories that show how some IBM clients in key industries have optimized processes to conduct business quickly and effectively across dynamic business networks.
White paper achieving the most economically advantageous applications solutio...Newton Day Uploads
This is a White Paper that I produced in 2010 on the subject of how organizations have the potential to always achieve the most economically advantageous application solution for their business by insourcing IT thanks to the evolution of near-real-time applications authoring.
The Cloud, Cloud Computing is a hot topic. I sat on a beach in Cuba and looked out to the ocean and started to write a version of events that drew on books and articles that I had written and of great significance the conversations that I had been part of. Much confusion and uncertainty exists about the Cloud and what it might mean for the future of the IT supply chain. Some are signed up, some are in denial and some are just confused. It was peer reviewed and now in its 7th revision and feedback has been positive. I have no vested interest other than to share my views and invite others to contribute theirs.
The survival kit for your digital transformationrun_frictionless
To go digital, you need an IT organization, an enterprise architecture, IT processes, and tools that allow for new projects to go live tomorrow instead of next week. The ability to do this will give you a competitive advantage and it will also reduce costs. But how do you get there? This white paper will get you there.
https://runfrictionless.com/b2b-white-paper-service/
Digital Architecture – The Missing Link in Digital Transformation SuccessNUS-ISS
Today, every business is a Digital Business. And Digital Architecture is the critical enabler of successful Organisation’s Digital Strategy and Transformation. Without Digital Architecture, most organisation’s Digital Transformation efforts will fail or may not derive the full benefits of their Digital Strategy. In this session, we will distil the essence of Digital Architecture best practices of successful organisations into a set of principles, framework and toolkit that participants can apply to their organisations to drive successful Digital Transformation.
Digital Transformation in marketing has shown what it can do for businesses like Uber & Amazon.Digital Transformation is the implementation of digital technologies to assets, processes & products to improve efficiency.
Defining Digital Transformation - the researchTom Rieger
Everyone is talking about it but not many are doing it. Or they think they are and doing it wrong.... I am talking about defining 'digital transformation'. In working with Lane Severson we completed some great research where nearly 200 executives in the LOB and IT helped us give their take on their present state and where they WANT to go.
Hard to go on a 'digital transformation' journey if you aren't sure what it is.
Resilience Engineering as an IT Cultural DisciplineCognizant
To enable always-on and always-available digital business, IT organizations must become more operationally resilient to enhance system and application stability, which fuels service reliability and boosts reputational integrity.
100 day plan - Technology Vision Australian Perspectiveaccenture
Put this 100-day plan into action to gain a deeper understanding of who your core users are and identify opportunities to better serve individual needs.
Symantec Enterprise Security Products are now part of BroadcomSymantec
Symantec Enterprise Security Products are now part of Broadcom. The consumer division of Symantec Corp. is now NortonLifeLock Inc. -- a standalone company dedicated to consumer cyber safety.
Symantec Webinar | National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Fostering a Secur...Symantec
Youth in foster care face unique risks to their identity.In this webinar we discuss the risks, as well as tips for better protection. Watch on demand here: https://symc.ly/2N8cELV.
Symantec Webinar | National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Protect ITSymantec
Learn how to protect your data during Symantec's National Cyber Security Awareness Month webinar with the Identity Theft Resource Center and Infolock.To watch on demand https://symc.ly/2VMMWQX.
Symantec Webinar | National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Secure ITSymantec
Symantec, TechSoup and the Michigan Small Business Development Center share how to apply added layers of security to your devices and online accounts. Watch on-demand recording here: https://symc.ly/33ifcxo.
Symantec Webinar | National Cyber Security Awareness Month - Own ITSymantec
View this webinar from Symantec and NCSAM partners, the National PTA, Connect Safety and the National Cyber Security Alliance, to learn how to protect the devices you use day to day.
Watch on demand here: https://symc.ly/2nLyXyB
Symantec Webinar: Preparing for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)Symantec
On January 1, 2020, one of the strictest privacy laws in the US, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), will come into effect. What should governance, risk and compliance executives know in order to prepare for CCPA? Watch the on demand recording here: https://symc.ly/2Pn7tvW.
Symantec Webinar | How to Detect Targeted Ransomware with MITRE ATT&CKSymantec
Experts from Symantec and MITRE explore the latest research and best practices for detecting targeted ransomware in your environment.
Watch on-demand webinar here: https://symc.ly/2L7ESFI.
This webinar will explore the less-discussed topics of a mobile security strategy that everyone should understand – before it’s too late. Watch on-demand here: https://symc.ly/2z6hUsM.
Symantec Webinar | Tips for Successful CASB ProjectsSymantec
There is an art to securely using cloud apps and services, including SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. In this Symantec webcast, hear from Steve Riley, a Gartner senior director analyst who focuses on public cloud security, and Eric Andrews, Symantec’s vice president of cloud security, as they share best practices with practical tips for deploying CASB. Watch here: https://symc.ly/2QTyUec.
Symantec Webinar: What Cyber Threats Are Lurking in Your Network?Symantec
This webinar to shares insight into how an Advanced Threat Assessment does root analysis to uncover unknown, unique threats happening in your environment. Watch here: https://symc.ly/2W52MoA
Learn if you’ve got the right security strategy, and investment plan, to protect your organization and ensure regulatory compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Watch now here: https://symc.ly/2VMNHIm
2019 Symantec Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR): The New Threat Landscape presented by Kevin Haley, Director Product Management, Security Technology & Response, Symantec. Watch webinar recording here: https://symc.ly/2FJ9T18.
Symantec - The Importance of Building Your Zero Trust Program on a Solid Plat...Symantec
Gain valuable insight whether you’re well on your way to Zero Trust implementation or are just considering it. Watch the original webinar here https://www.symantec.com/about/webcasts?commid=347274.
Symantec Webinar | Redefining Endpoint Security- How to Better Secure the End...Symantec
First-hand insights on the newest cloud-delivered endpoint security solutions. Hear from Joakim Liallias, Symantec and special guest speakers Sundeep Vijeswarapu from PayPal and top industry analyst Fernando Montenegro, 451 Research. Listen here: https://symc.ly/2UY2TlS.
Symantec Webinar Using Advanced Detection and MITRE ATT&CK to Cage Fancy BearSymantec
Learn how Symantec Endpoint Protection & Response (EDR) and the MITRE ATT&CK framework can expose and thwart persistent adversaries like APT28 otherwise known as Fancy Bear. Watch Webinar here: https://symc.ly/2WyPD8I
How Recreation Management Software Can Streamline Your Operations.pptxwottaspaceseo
Recreation management software streamlines operations by automating key tasks such as scheduling, registration, and payment processing, reducing manual workload and errors. It provides centralized management of facilities, classes, and events, ensuring efficient resource allocation and facility usage. The software offers user-friendly online portals for easy access to bookings and program information, enhancing customer experience. Real-time reporting and data analytics deliver insights into attendance and preferences, aiding in strategic decision-making. Additionally, effective communication tools keep participants and staff informed with timely updates. Overall, recreation management software enhances efficiency, improves service delivery, and boosts customer satisfaction.
Prosigns: Transforming Business with Tailored Technology SolutionsProsigns
Unlocking Business Potential: Tailored Technology Solutions by Prosigns
Discover how Prosigns, a leading technology solutions provider, partners with businesses to drive innovation and success. Our presentation showcases our comprehensive range of services, including custom software development, web and mobile app development, AI & ML solutions, blockchain integration, DevOps services, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 support.
Custom Software Development: Prosigns specializes in creating bespoke software solutions that cater to your unique business needs. Our team of experts works closely with you to understand your requirements and deliver tailor-made software that enhances efficiency and drives growth.
Web and Mobile App Development: From responsive websites to intuitive mobile applications, Prosigns develops cutting-edge solutions that engage users and deliver seamless experiences across devices.
AI & ML Solutions: Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Prosigns provides smart solutions that automate processes, provide valuable insights, and drive informed decision-making.
Blockchain Integration: Prosigns offers comprehensive blockchain solutions, including development, integration, and consulting services, enabling businesses to leverage blockchain technology for enhanced security, transparency, and efficiency.
DevOps Services: Prosigns' DevOps services streamline development and operations processes, ensuring faster and more reliable software delivery through automation and continuous integration.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Support: Prosigns provides comprehensive support and maintenance services for Microsoft Dynamics 365, ensuring your system is always up-to-date, secure, and running smoothly.
Learn how our collaborative approach and dedication to excellence help businesses achieve their goals and stay ahead in today's digital landscape. From concept to deployment, Prosigns is your trusted partner for transforming ideas into reality and unlocking the full potential of your business.
Join us on a journey of innovation and growth. Let's partner for success with Prosigns.
Gamify Your Mind; The Secret Sauce to Delivering Success, Continuously Improv...Shahin Sheidaei
Games are powerful teaching tools, fostering hands-on engagement and fun. But they require careful consideration to succeed. Join me to explore factors in running and selecting games, ensuring they serve as effective teaching tools. Learn to maintain focus on learning objectives while playing, and how to measure the ROI of gaming in education. Discover strategies for pitching gaming to leadership. This session offers insights, tips, and examples for coaches, team leads, and enterprise leaders seeking to teach from simple to complex concepts.
Unleash Unlimited Potential with One-Time Purchase
BoxLang is more than just a language; it's a community. By choosing a Visionary License, you're not just investing in your success, you're actively contributing to the ongoing development and support of BoxLang.
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with PlatformlessWSO2
Key takeaways:
Challenges of building platforms and the benefits of platformless.
Key principles of platformless, including API-first, cloud-native middleware, platform engineering, and developer experience.
How Choreo enables the platformless experience.
How key concepts like application architecture, domain-driven design, zero trust, and cell-based architecture are inherently a part of Choreo.
Demo of an end-to-end app built and deployed on Choreo.
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024Globus
As part of the DOE Integrated Research Infrastructure (IRI) program, NERSC at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and ALCF at Argonne National Lab are working closely with General Atomics on accelerating the computing requirements of the DIII-D experiment. As part of the work the team is investigating ways to speedup the time to solution for many different parts of the DIII-D workflow including how they run jobs on HPC systems. One of these routes is looking at Globus Compute as a way to replace the current method for managing tasks and we describe a brief proof of concept showing how Globus Compute could help to schedule jobs and be a tool to connect compute at different facilities.
Quarkus Hidden and Forbidden ExtensionsMax Andersen
Quarkus has a vast extension ecosystem and is known for its subsonic and subatomic feature set. Some of these features are not as well known, and some extensions are less talked about, but that does not make them less interesting - quite the opposite.
Come join this talk to see some tips and tricks for using Quarkus and some of the lesser known features, extensions and development techniques.
Why React Native as a Strategic Advantage for Startup Innovation.pdfayushiqss
Do you know that React Native is being increasingly adopted by startups as well as big companies in the mobile app development industry? Big names like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have already integrated this robust open-source framework.
In fact, according to a report by Statista, the number of React Native developers has been steadily increasing over the years, reaching an estimated 1.9 million by the end of 2024. This means that the demand for this framework in the job market has been growing making it a valuable skill.
But what makes React Native so popular for mobile application development? It offers excellent cross-platform capabilities among other benefits. This way, with React Native, developers can write code once and run it on both iOS and Android devices thus saving time and resources leading to shorter development cycles hence faster time-to-market for your app.
Let’s take the example of a startup, which wanted to release their app on both iOS and Android at once. Through the use of React Native they managed to create an app and bring it into the market within a very short period. This helped them gain an advantage over their competitors because they had access to a large user base who were able to generate revenue quickly for them.
Designing for Privacy in Amazon Web ServicesKrzysztofKkol1
Data privacy is one of the most critical issues that businesses face. This presentation shares insights on the principles and best practices for ensuring the resilience and security of your workload.
Drawing on a real-life project from the HR industry, the various challenges will be demonstrated: data protection, self-healing, business continuity, security, and transparency of data processing. This systematized approach allowed to create a secure AWS cloud infrastructure that not only met strict compliance rules but also exceeded the client's expectations.
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...Globus
COVID-19 had an unprecedented impact on scientific collaboration. The pandemic and its broad response from the scientific community has forged new relationships among public health practitioners, mathematical modelers, and scientific computing specialists, while revealing critical gaps in exploiting advanced computing systems to support urgent decision making. Informed by our team’s work in applying high-performance computing in support of public health decision makers during the COVID-19 pandemic, we present how Globus technologies are enabling the development of an open science platform for robust epidemic analysis, with the goal of collaborative, secure, distributed, on-demand, and fast time-to-solution analyses to support public health.
Climate Science Flows: Enabling Petabyte-Scale Climate Analysis with the Eart...Globus
The Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) is a global network of data servers that archives and distributes the planet’s largest collection of Earth system model output for thousands of climate and environmental scientists worldwide. Many of these petabyte-scale data archives are located in proximity to large high-performance computing (HPC) or cloud computing resources, but the primary workflow for data users consists of transferring data, and applying computations on a different system. As a part of the ESGF 2.0 US project (funded by the United States Department of Energy Office of Science), we developed pre-defined data workflows, which can be run on-demand, capable of applying many data reduction and data analysis to the large ESGF data archives, transferring only the resultant analysis (ex. visualizations, smaller data files). In this talk, we will showcase a few of these workflows, highlighting how Globus Flows can be used for petabyte-scale climate analysis.
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I ...Juraj Vysvader
In 2015, I used to write extensions for Joomla, WordPress, phpBB3, etc and I didn't get rich from it but it did have 63K downloads (powered possible tens of thousands of websites).
Strategies for Successful Data Migration Tools.pptxvarshanayak241
Data migration is a complex but essential task for organizations aiming to modernize their IT infrastructure and leverage new technologies. By understanding common challenges and implementing these strategies, businesses can achieve a successful migration with minimal disruption. Data Migration Tool like Ask On Data play a pivotal role in this journey, offering features that streamline the process, ensure data integrity, and maintain security. With the right approach and tools, organizations can turn the challenge of data migration into an opportunity for growth and innovation.
In software engineering, the right architecture is essential for robust, scalable platforms. Wix has undergone a pivotal shift from event sourcing to a CRUD-based model for its microservices. This talk will chart the course of this pivotal journey.
Event sourcing, which records state changes as immutable events, provided robust auditing and "time travel" debugging for Wix Stores' microservices. Despite its benefits, the complexity it introduced in state management slowed development. Wix responded by adopting a simpler, unified CRUD model. This talk will explore the challenges of event sourcing and the advantages of Wix's new "CRUD on steroids" approach, which streamlines API integration and domain event management while preserving data integrity and system resilience.
Participants will gain valuable insights into Wix's strategies for ensuring atomicity in database updates and event production, as well as caching, materialization, and performance optimization techniques within a distributed system.
Join us to discover how Wix has mastered the art of balancing simplicity and extensibility, and learn how the re-adoption of the modest CRUD has turbocharged their development velocity, resilience, and scalability in a high-growth environment.
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024Globus
We explore the Globus Connect Server (GCS) architecture and experiment with advanced configuration options and use cases. This content is targeted at system administrators who are familiar with GCS and currently operate—or are planning to operate—broader deployments at their institution.
Software Engineering, Software Consulting, Tech Lead.
Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Spring Core, Spring JDBC, Spring Security,
Spring Transaction, Spring MVC,
Log4j, REST/SOAP WEB-SERVICES.
Large Language Models and the End of ProgrammingMatt Welsh
Talk by Matt Welsh at Craft Conference 2024 on the impact that Large Language Models will have on the future of software development. In this talk, I discuss the ways in which LLMs will impact the software industry, from replacing human software developers with AI, to replacing conventional software with models that perform reasoning, computation, and problem-solving.
1. Agile IT Empowers Business Success
In a hyper-connected world, the agile data center helps grow the business
by delivering the right services to users in a scalable, flexible and secure
Contents
• The Back End Drives the Front End............................................................................................... 2
• Business Transformation.............................................................................................................. 2
• New Models of IT Agility................................................................................................................ 3
• Transformation Is More Than Technology...................................................................................... 4
• The Right Services........................................................................................................................ 5
• Rewards and Risks....................................................................................................................... 5
• Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 6
A TECHTARGET WHITE PAPER
Brought to you compliments of Businesses today compete at the speed of thought. Nobody can afford to
stand still; if a company isn’t looking to render its best-selling products
or services obsolete, somebody else will be—and that might be a known
competitor or a stealthy startup.
At their best, IT departments are at the forefront of this change,
enabling agile transformations of business service delivery to employees
and customers. Unfortunately, while IT strives to deliver against its
capabilities, too often those capabilities may be restricted because of
legacy systems.
2. If the business can’t adapt, it may not thrive. Let’s rephrase that: If the business can’t
adapt, it may not survive. That’s why an agile data center requires a sturdy yet flexible
infrastructure, one that can withstand pressures, yet bend quickly to follow market
requirements and enable rapid deployment of new applications and technologies that
will drive products and services.
Many companies have gone from market domination to a position of weakness, simply
by not adapting to changing market conditions. Perhaps a new technology came along,
yet the company persisted with the old ways. New paradigms in sales and marketing.
New product categories. New ways of envisioning consumer demand, re-inventing the
supply chain—or reimagining a new product category that destroys a thriving one.
Buggy whips, anyone?
The Back End Drives the Front End
While consumers these days see mobile apps driving innovation, those are merely the last-mile
delivery system. The real enablers of technology are the back-end data centers, both in the cloud and
within the enterprise. An agile organization has a data center and IT department that can leverage
advanced technology to monitor critical applications, ensure system uptime and protect the integrity of
critical data across heterogeneous platforms, whether on-premises or in the cloud.
Consider how Amazon.com’s online ordering system changed how books (and other products, of course)
are sold—affecting bricks-and-mortar sales of both new and used books. Craigslist connects buyers
and sellers (and employers and job seekers) instantly—bypassing traditional newspaper classified
advertisements. Apple’s iPod and other digital music players wiped out the Sony Walkman and other
cassette and CD players. Indeed, digital music downloads took away from all forms of physical music
sales—and now free and subscription-based “Internet radio stations” like Pandora are offering yet
another business model. Banks used apps to enable home and mobile banking—including taking
pictures of checks, instead of depositing them at a branch or an automated teller machine.
Business Transformation
Let’s dig deeper into one such case: At its peak in 2004, Blockbuster Video Entertainment Inc. had
more than 9,000 stores renting out movies on VHS tapes and DVD discs. Customers would go to their
local Blockbuster store, check the new releases, browse the older films, pay to rent one or more items,
and bring the tapes or discs home. Remember the admonition, “Be Kind, Rewind”? A day or two later,
customers would bring back the tapes or discs … or pay late fees. The model was simple: The store’s
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3. role was to stock the content and collect money. It was the customer’s job to go to the store, search
through the stock of tapes and discs, decide which movies to rent, bring the desired tapes and discs to
the cashier, and return them later.
Today, Blockbuster is a mere shadow of its former self. Why? The company missed innovations in
customer service, inventory management, product delivery and customer interaction. A huge cause
of Blockbuster’s demise was Netflix, founded in 1997. Netflix completely redefined movie delivery not
once, but twice: first with DVDs-by-mail, and then later, with instant streaming over the Internet.
With its DVDs-by-mail business model, Netflix changed the game:
• DVDs are delivered by the postal service, and returned by the postal service. Customers never
need to go pick up a movie—or return one.
• There are no late fees. Customers pay a monthly subscription fee for one, two, three or more
movies—and keep them for as long as they want.
• Netflix allows customers to set up a queue, and will choose movies from that queue to send
without additional customer interaction.
• Netflix uses sophisticated algorithms to recommend movies to customers based on their prior
rental pattern and the movies’ ratings.
• Netflix set up large warehouses and systems for the rapid processing of incoming and
outgoing discs; it didn’t need storefronts, local inventory or retail staff.
Netflix’s innovative business strategy is supported and continues to be enabled by sophisticated IT
systems. By contrast, Blockbuster couldn’t transform its operations fast enough (despite its own
attempt to offer a competing disc-by-mail service), and failed in the marketplace. Today, Netflix has
evolved beyond its own DVDs-by-mail business by streaming movies and TV shows over the Internet.
Netflix’s competitors, such as Amazon, Hulu, Apple, YouTube and Roku, must be agile to compete and
survive; Netflix must be equally agile to remain competitive.
New Models of IT Agility
Business agility requires IT agility, and not only in technology companies. From landscaping to
retailing, from education to logistics, from banking to health care, all but the small organizations
must be able to rapidly adapt to changing market conditions by the use of IT. That’s true with back-end
systems, as is seen by the rapid adoption of the cloud, including Software-as-a-Service and the virtual
data center.
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4. The back end is vital, and so are the front ends to the IT infrastructure. Customers want to interact
directly with companies through apps, Web portals and social media. Partners require access through
application programming interfaces. Everything must be integrated. Everything must be secure.
Privacy must be maintained. Uptime must meet aggressive service-level requirements. Moves, adds
and changes must happen in minutes, not days. Systems must scale instantly.
For many business leaders, IT can seem like a millstone: The CEO has an idea, a product manager
has a revelation, a competitor makes a move that must be countered. Can IT respond? Perhaps yes,
perhaps not. There’s no doubt that IT must be agile to support the business. If it can, the business
is in a strong competitive position. If not, IT must transform itself to add agility, capacity, flexibility
and responsiveness.
Transformation Is More Than Technology
Agile transformation is not easy. The process of reinventing an IT organization requires cultural
changes, as well as new technologies and infrastructures. Not only must top business executives buy
into the need for transformation, but so must senior IT staff. There’s a financial cost, in hardware,
software, training and services. While the transformed IT department might have lower ongoing
operational costs, there must be investment to define and create architectures, find new business
partners, license software, transform and migrate applications and data, and implement ongoing IT
management systems.
All of those costs represent risks: risks that the company won’t choose the right technologies or
architectures, risks that old habits will emerge, and risks that financial resources won’t be used
effectively. Fortunately, best practices can help chart a solid course. As long as the goals of the IT
transformation are well understood, the move to a more agile IT footing can be done with reasonable
cost, in reasonable time and with minimal risk.
One such goal that all leaders should agree on: Information and applications are the lifeblood of the
organization, IT’s focus should be on enabling and improving access to information, protecting data
and accelerating the delivery of services and information to customers and employees.
There is a subtly dangerous temptation for entrenched IT departments to prioritize preservation
of legacy physical infrastructure like servers and networks, familiar technology platforms such as
operating systems, large-scale applications and databases, and long-standing vendor relationships.
This is understandable, as those are expensive corporate assets that are well known throughout
the company.
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5. Legacy systems are deeply entrenched in budgets and culture—and in many cases are perfectly suited
for managing today’s organizational needs. However, an IT department that devotes too many financial
and staff resources to maintaining legacy systems may be hampered in its ability to help the company
seize new business opportunities or respond to competitive challenges. An agile IT department
focuses on the information layer, rather than legacy systems and hardware platforms. It then employs
technology to improve the management of that information to better serve the needs of the business
—despite the underlying infrastructure. This way, organizations look toward the future—not the
past—and make the most out of their existing infrastructure, while (in some cases) reinventing core
capabilities. With limited resources, this is really the only way to successfully improve IT agility.
The Right Services
What does agility require? From the business perspective, IT resources must be fast to create and
change; services must be resilient and, of course, cost effective both now and for the foreseeable
future. The infrastructure should be secure, elastically scalable and easily recoverable if faults
are found or predicted. Data must be assessable and implemented with the proper access controls
to protect the business, employees and customers—while also meeting regulatory and compliance
requirements.
To put it another way, an agile IT department delivers the right services, in the right way, to the right
users—all the time.
One approach to consider when implementing agile IT transformation is the software-defined data
center (SDDC). As the name implies, the SDDC is based on the extensive use of virtual machine
technology, such as from VMware or Microsoft’s Hyper-V. With SDDC, virtualization abstracts
applications from servers or even specific locations. Deployment, provisioning and management are
implemented in software, and can work whether the applications are in a local data center, a remote
data center, private clouds or all of the above.
In an agile data center, IT can and should take all elements of service delivery into account. Those
might be physical, or they might be virtual, such as with the SDDC. Depending on its requirements,
IT can leverage both virtual and physical infrastructure to provide services that offer the best
performance, cost, scalability and elasticity.
Rewards and Risks
The SDDC is not without risks. A virtualized environment must be secured against data breaches, just
as much as a physical environment, and must comply with regulations and privacy policies. The SDDC
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