Cloud Computing: A new breed of skills

Cloud computing is being embraced by all companies, large and small alike. This article looks into the challenges companies face in embracing this new approach.

The commercials on cloud technology is a no brainer for business. They can benefit from software as a service with no upfront layout for hardware, rapid deployment shortening the life span of change management. All this allows companies to become efficient much faster than ever before, however it does need careful planning and the impact it has on how people work needs to be addressed to gain the full potential of moving to the cloud.

Hot Desking: Desktop virtualisation protect data and reduce costs

Evolving working practices have radically departed from the traditional concept of “one man, one desk”. Businesses are trying to cut costs and drive productivity and efficiency at the same time.

Furthermore, as more and more employees work part time, flexitime, from home or on the road, some companies have found that they must adjust, moving away from the traditional office structure and towards the more adaptable “hot-desk” environment. As these fundamental working practices evolve, so too does the technology that supports them. In this article we explain why hot-desking environments work for some businesses, and how it is possible to take advantage of the technological tools that set staff free from the confines of the static desk.

Microsoft Office 2010: Four upgrade pitfalls to avoid

The recipe for a successful Office upgrade includes “a heavy dose of planning, an ample amount of input from the business, a package of training, and just the right amount of remediation to minimize risk,” according to a Forrester research report in December 2010.

IT professionals and IT departments in larger companies - still face a lengthy process with Office 2010 upgrades that require assessments, file migrations, application testing, and training of workers, often with different considerations for different business units. And with these upgrade challenges, come pitfalls.

Unified Communications: A Step-By-Step Approach

There is greater pressure than ever on businesses to deliver applications and allow workers to collaborate from wherever they are located, with the IDC predicting that Europe’s mobile workforce will grow in size by an average of five per cent over the next three years. Consequently, many businesses have invested in unified communications solutions as part of their strategy to support greater workforce mobility.

This article looks at a sensible approach to adopting a true unified communications strategy along with the pitfalls to avoid. A simple step by step guide to take the pain out of unification.

Getting The Right Partner: How to Choose an Outsourcing Partner

When it comes to choosing outsourcing partners, whether for IT or business-process outsourcing (BPO), decision making begins by clearly defining the end result of the outsourcing engagement. As you might do with a marketing plan aimed at generating enough leads to fill a sales pipeline, you work backward, defining the metrics, program elements, likely suspects and personnel required to accomplish the goal.

Few organisations enter into outsourcing arrangements with meaningful insight into their own service delivery metrics or the business impact of their services prior to outsourcing. With many outsourcing decisions propelled by visions of cheap options or the desire to free management from some operational “headache,” starting an outsourcing relationship without knowing how to measure success sets the stage for disappointing results.