03.23.07

Spring Break 2007

Posted in Course related at 12:47 pm by Paul Ambrose

It is finally here! Enjoy and stay safe.

03.08.07

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Technology Leaders

Posted in Information Systems/Technology at 3:37 pm by Paul Ambrose

Stephen J. Andriole identifies the following 7 habits of highly effective technology leaders in his recent article in the Communications of the ACM ,  Volume 50 ,  Issue 3  (March 2007), pages 66-72.

Business technology leaders:

  1. focus on business models and processes before they focus on technology infrastructure or applications.
  2. track technology that matters by focusing on the distinction between operational and strategic technology and the chasm between technology concepts, prototypes, and bona fide technology clusters.
  3. identify and prioritize business pain—and approaches to pain relief—as they move toward the creation of business pleasure.
  4. optimize the value of shared services in centralized and decentralized companies, and they organize around the distinction between operational and strategic technology. Technology leaders also champion governance above and below the operational and strategic line.
  5. manage computing and communications infrastructure professionally and cost-effectively through negotiated service-level agreements (SLAs) and measurement best practices.
  6. communicate often and predictably; leaders communicate good news and bad news in business terms and provide transparent insight into technology initiatives through tools like dashboards.
  7. actively market their roles in the company as well as technology’s ongoing contribution to the business through a variety of tools and techniques.

03.06.07

Crackpot Tech Ideas

Posted in Information Systems/Technology at 12:45 pm by Paul Ambrose

InfoWorld recently (Feb 19, 2007) featured 12 tech ideas that we have to watch out for in the near term as these innovations can transform computing in organizations. Here’s the list:

  1. Superconducting computing
    Frictionfree (or superconductive) circuits don’t generate heat, so your system clock speed will not be bound to thermal limits. The National Security Agency is working on a $400 million project to develop a prototype that works on the principles of superconductivity.
  2. Solid-state drives
    Imagine a solid state storage device (or a flash drive) that can store 32GB. But it costs about $1800 buy one now, but the price may come down as time goes by. And hopefully read/write speeds as well.
  3. Autonomic computing
    Physician, heal thy self, or computer fix yourself is the idea behind autonomic computing. IBM is poineering this concept where computers can self-configure, self-optimize, and self-protect, it was self-heal.
  4. DC power
    Pure DC current systems require about 15% less power that AC powered systems. The  Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory  is working on a 380V DC powered computers.
  5. Holographic and phase-change storage
    A prototype developed by InPhase Technologies can store upto 60 DVDs in one disk. These disks store in the entire medium, not just the surface. These disks can read and write million data bits in a single flash of light instead of one bit at a time.
  6. Artificial intelligence
    Recent AI systems are based on statistical models than trying to mimic human thought. And that seems to show some promise for building reliable??? systems
  7. E-books
    Don’t we all love read straight off our monitors, or even better, our laptop screens?
  8. Desktop Web applications
    I love this concept. No more buying software for your PC. Try these sites: Gliffy and EyeOS. You can actually create a UML diagram using Gliffy’s web app.
  9. Project Blackbox
    Imagine a datacenter inside a semi’s trailer. And it can be parked anywhere. That’s what this Project Blackbox is all about
  10. Quantum computing and quantum cryptography
    No more algorithms to contend with for encrypt. Instead you manipulate subatomic particles at the quantum to encrypt. You can spin a photon left or right to encrypt a message……
  11. Semantic Web
    This is from Sir Tim Berners-Lee so we better watch out. After all he gave us the WWW. So with semantic web, sites can understand each other. Is there any meaning in this?
  12. Total information awareness
    Or Terrorism Information Awareness. Feds pulled the plug when privacy advocates protested. But still there is a movement to track every piece of information about everyone.

The full article can be accessed from InfoWorld.com at this link 12 crackpot tech ideas that could transform the enterprise