Executive Briefings


Capacity Planning in a Virtual Environment: A New Approach for an Old Problem

More proactive capacity planning can get IT closer to a fully virtualized data center.

How Archiving Can Free You from Legacy Application Headaches

Archiving isn't just for old data. We explain the process and benefits of archiving applications no longer used.

Should Free Tools Be Used to Stretch IT's Budget?

What role can -- and should -- free tools play in an IT environment?

Upgrade Your Business Along with Your Software

Software upgrades offer your enterprise an opportunity to enrich more than just application features.

Mainframe Brain Drain Revisited

Although efforts by mainframe boosters to recruit and train new technologists are bearing fruit, there are not yet enough newly-minted pros to offset concerns about brain drain in most shops.

Reports Confirm Virtualization's Growing Popularity

No one seems to know just how pervasive virtualization is, but everybody seems to agree that at some point -- perhaps very soon – it' will be ubiquitous.

The Changing Face of Software Licensing

IT organizations don't yet have software vendors by the tail, but they do have new leverage, thanks to disruptive technologies such as SaaS and virtualization.



Rating the Up-and-Coming Offshore Outsourcing Hotspots

Offshore/outsourcing firms in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand might lack the resources of Indian heavyweights such as Tata or WiPro, but they aren't sitting still.

The Need for New Thinking about Backup/Recovery

Don't develop your backup plan based on what your DR software can do. Band-Aid fixes won't help -- we need to think about what and how you back up in a whole new way.

Best Practices for Mission-Critical Hardware Support

A two-part approach can help IT comply with SLAs to satisfy end users.

Service Portfolio Management and the Business Value of IT

IT and business must learn to speak a common language, manage according to business outcomes, and organize for value.

Five Keys to a Successful Enterprise Architecture Program

From confusion to overly ambitious goals, we look at five causes of EA program failure and how you can overcome them.

Trends and Predictions from Big Blue

IBM managers look at key events and company strategy from 2009 and explain what it means for customers in 2010.

Data Center Consolidation: Security Considerations and Best Practices

IT must balance the need for reducing costs while keeping data secure, meeting compliance requirements, and improving services to business users.

The Green and Virtual Data Center

Green IT is no fad. Paying attention to how resources are used to deliver information services in an energy-efficient, environmentally, and economically-friendly manner to boost efficiency and productivity is here to stay.

IT at the Crossroads: Time for Change is Now

An economy on the cusp of recovery presents an unprecedented opportunity, particularly when it comes to transforming underperforming IT operations.

Making the Most of Your Mainframe, Part 2 of 2

How IT organizations are managing the mainframe environment to reduce costs while delivering greater value.

Making the Most of Your Mainframe, Part 1 of 2

How intelligent software can help enterprise IT organizations meet service levels and protect the core business while using fewer assets.

IDC Notes Shift from Tactical to Strategic Green IT Planning

A new survey finds that IT organizations are thinking strategically about the implications of "going green."

IBM's zIIP a Boon to Big Iron Data Management

Big Iron data warehousing might be a pipe dream, but on balance IBM's zIIP engine has provided a bonus for data management in mainframe environments.