Baseline Issue April 2009

FEATURE

Is Your Information Really Safe?
It has become increasingly evident that enterprises must upgrade their security practices in order to prevent data breaches. The consensus among security veterans is that organizations need to take an information-centric risk management approach to safeguarding documents. This article provides a comprehensive 10-step list that can help you build a strong foundation for your security initiatives.


VERTICAL VIEW

Governing IT
Despite tight budgets, all levels of government are using IT to better serve their citizens and save money. Three key technologies that are being implemented are green IT, Web services and data analysis tools.


JOB SITE

On the Right Track
The IT executives of TTX decided to automate routine business functions in order to reduce costs, improve service levels and gain efficiency. It was part of a larger vision to use ITIL principles to guide the way TTX does business. The results include a more efficient service delivery process, a 50 percent reduction in the service desk staff and the elimination of many of the ticket-taking activities performed by help desk personnel.

Fund-raising on the Fast Track
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society?s fund-raising volume was shifting from offline to online, which put a strain on its systems and infrastructure. To deal with the situation, the organization built a rich user interface and front-end applications to enable participants to manage their own fund-raising. It also created a core set of reusable services to feed the front-end interface. The changes resulted in a tremendous boost in site performance and user satisfaction.


GAMEPLAN

Rebranding Your Web Site
Want to rebrand your Web site? These nine steps can help you build a more effective site.

Driving the Innovation Economy
Here are five priorities for ensuring the country?s future through sustainable innovation.

Cultivating Your Career
To improve your career outlook, expand your network, move out of your comfort zone and focus on the big picture.

The Magic of Mainframes
CIOs shouldn?t worry about replacing retiring mainframe pros. A whole new crop of ?young geeks? are waiting in the wings.

The Cost of Data Breaches
The biggest cause of 2008?s data breaches was insider negligence, according to a report from the Ponemon Institute.

How to Dress for Success
How you dress makes a difference in how you are perceived in the workplace?and at job interviews.


BASELINE 500

Iron Mountain Aims for Peak Performance
By reinventing its IT operation and creating a culture of change, Iron Mountain has facilitated its transition from a physical business to a digital one.


TECHKNOW

Measuring End-to-End Applications Performance
Yesterday?s network tools can?t handle today?s network applications, which must deliver content across a wide swath of Internet and local network infrastructures.


WORKBOOK

Strategy Execution for Enduring Performance
Proper execution can ensure that an enterprise?s technology initiatives originate from its overall business strategy.


OUT OF SCOPE

A mix of stories about a $1 billion IT mistake, shoe phones (really!) and ?The Terminator?s? speech at CeBIT in Germany.


OPINION

Starting Point
Eileen Feretic: Is Security a Myth?
Are we losing the battle to keep our information safe?

Tech Track
Michael Vizard: New World Storage Order
How do you decide between virtualization and NAS clusters?