I have written for Processor, a print and online trade magazine geared toward IT and data center managers at small-to-midsized enterprises (what Processor terms the SME), since late 2005.
Below are seven PDFs of my work for the magazine to download and read:
The Challenge: Data Protection February 22, 2008 (Cover Focus Feature)
Data Loss Prevention In The SME: The Importance Of Protecting Your Data Center’s Information December 14, 2007 (Cover Story)
The Future of IT: A Look At Emerging Technology Trends In The SME January 25, 2008
Going Green In The SME: Looking For Ways To Save Energy & The Environment December 7, 2007 (Cover Focus Feature)
The iPhone & The Enterprise: Does The iPhone Have A Future Within The Enterprise? August 10, 2007 (Cover Story)
Organizing Your Data Center: What To Consider When Getting Your Data Center In Order November 16, 2007 (Cover Story)
Technical vs. Social Controls: SMEs May Find Success With More Social Techniques February 2, 2007
Links to my recent Processor articles continue below in reverse chronological order:
Processor Article, “The Push For Better Data Protection”
Last modified on 2008-04-21 15:28:39 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
From the April 18, 2008 issue:
It begins:
Data protection has become an inescapable topic of late for enterprises of all sizes, and with good reason. And the issues facing SMEs are just as complex as those in large enterprises. “SMEs get customers because they are as good, if not better, than the bigger guys,” says Pat Conte, CEO of risk and compliance management provider Agiliance (www.agiliance.com).
Unlike large enterprises, however, SMEs typically don’t have a large enough budget for a full IT staff. “They have the same complexity as the larger companies but with less help,” says Conte. “They can’t get access to consultants or systems integrators because they won’t even take their calls.”
So what are your options as an SME? How do you overcome the paucity of financial and human resources to effectively protect your data?
Complete article: The Push For Better Data Protection
Processor Article, “Moving From Tape To Disk: The Challenges Of Changing Backups “
Last modified on 2008-04-11 02:49:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
From the April 11, 2008 issue:
It begins:
Many SMEs still treat backup as if they are using a VCR that flashes “12:00 AM.” While tape-based backups are reliable and cheap, they, like videocassettes, require the user to rewind or fast-forward to recover, say, a lost spreadsheet.
Research firm IDC predicts that the digital universe in 2011 will equal almost 1,800 exabytes (1.8 trillion gigabytes), 10 times the size it was in 2006. If trying to find that spreadsheet within your tape backups is tedious now, imagine trying to locate it a few years from now amid your petabytes of data.
Complete article: Moving From Tape To Disk: The Challenges Of Changing Backups
Processor Article, “Speed Up Security: Minimizing The Time Between Threat Detection & Response In The Small To Midsized Enterprise”
Last modified on 2008-04-09 06:39:25 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
From the April 4, 2008 issue:
It begins:
It’s obvious why you (ideally) have good security on your network. Viruses, malware, hackers, and sometimes the garden-variety disgruntled employee all have the potential to wreak havoc on your network. But even the best security protections in the world are useless if they fail to tell you when something is awry.
Complete article: Speed Up Security: Minimizing The Time Between Threat Detection & Response In The Small To Midsized Enterprise
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Processor Article, “Growing Security Issues For Mac Systems: Make Sure Your Enterprise Is Protected”
Last modified on 2008-03-28 22:53:11 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
From the March 28, 2008 issue:
It begins:
Once upon a time, the Mac wasn’t doing so hot. Sure, it had its fanatics, many of them journalists, but overall it wasn’t seen as a serious computer. Perhaps graphics departments had their stalwarts, but with Adobe coming out with good Windows versions of its design software, why bother wasting money on a plug-and-play fancy toy that didn’t play well with the rest of the network?
Then Apple released its Unix-based OS X. Then it came out with the first iPods. Then it decided to use Intel processors, just like its Windows and Linux relatives. And then people started realizing that Macs not only worked well, they could handle a command line, translate Microsoft documents with ease—they could even run Windows! And you couldn’t even accuse them of being pricey anymore, at least relative to the average box from the big vendors.
According to research firm Gartner, Macs made up 8.1% of PC market share for the third quarter last year, something that seemed unthinkable only five years ago. However, increased market share, along with Apple’s switch to Intel, has brought something less palatable with it, and that something is malware.
To read the whole article, click here.
Processor Article, “Disposing Of Your Used Equipment: Explore Alternatives To Hauling It To The Dump”
Last modified on 2008-03-28 20:58:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
From the March 21, 2008 issue:
Yet another “Six Quick Tips” piece. It starts:
Back in the 20th century, most companies didn’t bother to consider what to do with broken or out-of-date hardware. They threw it into a dumpster, maybe with a tiny pang of guilt for causing the need for additional landfills. Used IT equipment brings up further consideration. Much of the material in old equipment, such as the amounts of mercury found in older monitors, is toxic. Meanwhile, much of the material can be reused.
How do you go about updating the ways your small to midsized enterprise disposes of used equipment without impacting the environment unnecessarily or compromising confidential information still stored on it?
To read the whole article, click here.