This week's Android/Windows/iOS/MacOS application of the week is Dropbox. I use Dropbox all the time, for both work and play. The premise behind Dropbox is configurable cloud storage that is yours to use and share, as you see fit. You can mount it to your Windows PC and use it as an additional drive, use the mobile client to access files, or use it entirely from the browser. Additionally, the most recent Dropbox update for Mac, offers Lion support, … [Read more...]
Hurricane Irene: GIS, Social Media, and Big Data Shine
August 28, 2011 By
As Katherine Maher pointed out on Twitter, no one gets credit when contingency plans work. And it is truly amazing how much government-citizen information collaboration has evolved--not to mention the growth of data journalism even in the most traditional news outlets. The average citizen had a wealth of accurate (and useful) hurricane information to choose from. There was also plenty of data to be used for those seeking to tinker, and very useful … [Read more...]
Hybrid IT Service Delivery
June 24, 2011 By
This post sponsored by the Enterprise CIO Forum and HP. Today’s users expect IT services and response to be immediate, interactive, connected and fluid. Delivering technology-enabled services is more important than ever and the most successful enterprises don’t just respond to this, they embrace it. Cloud computing promises the agility enterprises need. It helps deliver the precise portfolio of IT services users need, each fro the best … [Read more...]
Enhancing Functionality and Security of your Enterprise with vPro
June 21, 2011 By
CTOlabs.com, a partner site of CTOvision.com, has just published a new guide meant to help further the awareness of the many new security features being fielded in today's computer hardware. This guide, titled "Leveraging Hardware Design to Enhance Security and Functionality," provides context, tips and strategies designed to dramatically enhance the security and functionality of enterprise IT. It highlights the contributions to security possible by … [Read more...]
SOA vs Cloud Computing: Tracking the cross-over in hype
June 4, 2011 By
It is hard to measure hype. We can detect it by well trained B.S. sensors, but how we go about quantifying it is another question. Take for example the hype around SOA as a solution for all enterprise needs. IT professionals have been reading about SOA for over a decade, and with the rise of web services SOA-type solutions became very prevalent and were quickly making solid contributions to enterprise missions. But at some point the term became over … [Read more...]
Storm Clouds on the Horizon?
May 2, 2011 By
This post sponsored by the Enterprise CIO Forum and HP. The recent Amazon cloud outage at its Northern Virginia data center will raise concerns among CIO’s looking to the “public cloud” to improve IT service delivery and reduce day-to-day operating costs. Industry claims of superior “up-time” performance, reliability and massive redundancy must now be revisited and re-evaluated. In these early days immediately following the outage, the … [Read more...]
Cloud Computing For Law Enforcement
April 28, 2011 By
A few years ago, Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department revolutionized its patrols, the backbone of law enforcement, by installing laptops into squad cars, allowing officers to have true two-way communication with dispatchers, keep track of other calls and incidents in real time, simplify paperwork, locate other cars, and make their exact coordinates known to dispatchers via GPS for efficient tasking. Now D.C.'s neighbor and eighth largest … [Read more...]
Cloud Storage Can Enhance Your Data
April 15, 2011 By
This post sponsored by the Enterprise CIO Forum and HP. Cloud storage appeals to enterprises as a less-expensive alternative to building and maintaining a full-blown storage system. Leveraging cloud services to house your data off-site enhances efficiencies, increases flexibility, improves security and cuts cost through reduced personnel and hardware investments. The most common uses of the technology are cloud file storage and cloud back-up, but if … [Read more...]
Enterprise CTOs: Learn Hadoop and Cloudera’s CDH3 on 21 April
April 14, 2011 By
I've had the pleasure of meeting Cloudera's VP of Product Charles Zedlewski in person. Charles has a gift for understanding enterprise technology and conveying his understanding in clear, easy to remember ways. Charles will be providing a presentation on Cloudera's Distribution of Hadoop (CDH3) on 21 April 2011 via a webinar you can attend (link provided below). This is a particularly important webinar to attend because it will include an overview of … [Read more...]
The Cloud and the Digital Divide
April 14, 2011 By
If you're reading this blog then you don't need to be convinced about the tremendous role that information technology now plays in all aspects of our lives, from entertainment to medicine, education, and enterprise.To really be successful in the modern world as a student, entrepreneur, or even informed citizen, you need access to a computer and the internet. Yet in much of the world, this access isn't realistic. In 2007, while 62% of the developed world … [Read more...]