Info-Tech Advisor Newsletter articles from January 1999

Info-Tech Advisor Newsletter archives from January 1999

The Top 10 Technical & Management Issues.
January 12, 1999... (A Gartner Group Special Report) While in the trenches, it's not always easy to keep a bird's-eye view of the big IT picture. So what's the outlook for the next five years? To answer this, Gartner asked members of its IT Executive Program...

Negotiating Success.
January 12, 1999... (An InfoWorld Electric Article) The skill of effective negotiation is one of the key differentiating factors between success and failure in today's corporate world. From procuring resources, to hammering out contracts, to landing that...

The Importance of the Extranet.
January 12, 1999... (InfoWorld, Gartner, & CIO Magazine) "The ability to connect quickly and meaningfully with business partners and customers...is now a competitive imperative." The fundamental concept behind the Extranet is clear: automated processing of...

Password-Protect an Easy Nut to Crack.
January 12, 1999... (A PC Magazine Article) Everyday people password-protect a document, and then - try as they might - can't remember the password for the life of them. Luckily there are solutions at-hand which will readily crack passwords, retrieve files,...

A Good Way to Save Money with Fewer Hassles...
January 12, 1999... (A Data Communications Article) New voice-over-frame-relay (VOF) services could let your company realize unprecedented cost-savings in monthly phone bills. Voice-over-IP - VOF's main competition - does offer free calling, but big hassles...

Goose Your Network.
January 12, 1999... (A Data Communications Article) If Gigabit Ethernet will decimate your pocket book, "trunking" may be the smart solution to easing switch-to-server congestion on your network. Trunking is simply aggregating "several switch-to-server links...

E-Com's Backbone: Web-based EDI.
January 12, 1999... (A ZDNet Article) While some see EDI (electronic data interchange) as a legacy supply-chain application soon to be displaced by cheaper Web-based solutions, others believe that EDI's maturity and security coupled with the Internet's...

Integrating NT and Unix.
January 12, 1999... (A SunWorld Feature) Windows NT and Unix aren't exactly calling a truce, but clear steps have been taken on both sides to increase their interoperability given the undeniable fact of heterogeneous computing environments in the enterprise....

What's the Big Deal about USB?
January 12, 1999... (A Windows Magazine Article) We've all heard about the splendor of Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripherals, but what are the real benefits? 1. Convenience: USB devices provide a plug-and-play option that support "hot swapping," which...

The IT Investment Outlook for '99.
January 12, 1999... (An InformationWeek Survey) An InformationWeek survey of 300 IT executives shows that IT budgets will increase again in 1999, but not like in previous years. What are the main IT areas likely to get the biggest injections of corporate cash...

Demonstrate the Value of your IT Department.
January 12, 1999... (A McKinsey Quarterly Article) As the IT department's role within the organization continues to grow into a more of a strategic and core business function, the need for IT managers with business savvy continues to increase. A critical...

Benchmark your Department!
January 12, 1999... (An Information Week Resource) In order to measure and analyze department effectiveness, justify expenditures, and hone in on the critical areas for improvement, you must first get a baseline or starting position against which you can...

The Web Brings Life to Legacy Systems.
January 12, 1999... (A PC Week Labs Article) It's a fact that many big corporations still house a large percentage of their mission-critical apps and data on multiple legacy systems. The move to "webify" legacy data and applications - bringing the host's vast...

The Complete 1999 Network Product Directory.
January 12, 1999... (A Data Communications Resource) With corporate networks under constant pressure to grow and evolve, it's getting more and more difficult for IT managers to find the time to hunt down critical products and services. The 1999 Global...

Are You Euro-Ready?
January 12, 1999... (A Smart Reseller Story) Y2K isn't the only thing you should be worrying about. The Euro has finally arrived, and if you plan on doing any European business in the future, you'll need to update sooner or later. As of January 1, 1999...

SOFTWARE : Conversa Messenger Remote Messaging System.
January 12, 1999... A. Conversa Messenger Remote Messaging System (Conversational Computing Corp.) Conversational Computing's Conversa Messenger is a speech-enabled desktop messaging application that allows unified, remote and local access to your voice...

SOFTWARE : Market Analysis Made Easy With BusinessMap Pro 2.0.
January 12, 1999... B. Market Analysis Made Easy With BusinessMap Pro 2.0 (Environmental Systems Research Institute) Environmental Systems Research Institute makes database mapping software for sales projection and strategic planning both affordable and...

SOFTWARE : Aelita Releases Virtuosity 3.0.
January 12, 1999... C. Aelita Releases Virtuosity 3.0 (Aelita Software Group) Aelita Software Group has released Virtuosity 3.0, a time-saving "directory management solution for large-scale Windows NT networks." Features include comprehensive network...

SOFTWARE : Instinctive's eRoom 3.0 Offers Virtual Space.
January 12, 1999... D. Instinctive's eRoom 3.0 Offers Virtual Space (Instinctive Technology, Inc.) Award-winning eRoom 3.0 from Instinctive Technology enables management of distributed collaborative projects through the creation of a virtual Web project...

SOFTWARE: PowerQuest's ServerMagic 2.0.
January 12, 1999... E. PowerQuest's ServerMagic 2.0 (PowerQuest Corp.) ServerMagic 2.0 is an enterprise-level application that lets system's administrators upgrade a server's hard drive as well as expand, modify, move or copy a variety of partition types...

DATA WAREHOUSING : PowerCenter 1.5 and PowerMart 4.5 Offer Data Mart Solution.
January 12, 1999... A. PowerCenter 1.5 and PowerMart 4.5 Offer Data Mart Solution (Informatica Corp.) Informatica Corp. will be releasing a new version this week of its PowerCenter 1.5 multi-source data extraction and integration tool, as well as an update...

INTERNET/INTRANET : Internet Printing with HP DirectJet 500X Print Server.
January 12, 1999... A. Internet Printing with HP DirectJet 500X Print Server (Hewlett-Packard Corp.) Hewlett-Packard's HP JetDirect 500X print server offers a unique information sharing solution by enabling printing across the Internet, providing a higher...

INTERNET/INTRANET : Optika eMedia 1.0 Simplifies B2B Transactions.
January 12, 1999... B. Optika eMedia 1.0 Simplifies B2B Transactions (Optika, Inc.) Optika has created eMedia 1.0, an integrated extranet software solution, which helps administrators automate and eliminate paper in business-to-business supply-chain...

INTERNET/INTRANET : Internet Scanner 5.6 Network Security Software.
January 12, 1999... C. Internet Scanner 5.6 Network Security Software (Internet Security Systems) Internet Security Systems (ISS) has released an updated version of Internet Scanner network security scanning software. Internet Scanner 5.6 scans for...

YEAR 2000 TOOLS : Tracer 2000 Nabs Y2K Remediated Code.
January 12, 1999... A. Tracer 2000 Nabs Y2K Remediated Code (Fidelity Technology Solutions) Fidelity Technology Solutions has released Version 5.1 of its automated Y2K remediated code testing and analysis software, Tracer 2000. Tracer 2000 scans for...

PERIPHERALS : Sharp and Xerox Present Desktop Copier-Printers.
January 12, 1999... A. Sharp and Xerox Present Desktop Copier-Printers (Sharp Electronics Corp. and Xerox Corp.) Sharp's AL-1010 and Xerox's Document WorkCentre XE80 copier-printers unite the digital, glass-platen copying of a stand-alone with Scan...

PERIPHERALS : DVD-RAM Drive Has Arrived.
January 12, 1999... B. DVD-RAM Drive Has Arrived (LaCie) LaCie's SCSI DVD-RAM Drive could give all competitors a run for their money, offering 5.2 GB storage per double-sided DVD-RAM disc at an overall cost of less than one cent per megabyte. The DVD-RAM...

SECURITY : WatchGuard's Firebox II.
January 12, 1999... A. WatchGuard's Firebox II (WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.) Firebox II is a plug-and-play stand-alone network security appliance featuring easy configuration and enterprise-wide scalabilty. Other highlights include centralized...

LEISURE : Thinking About DVD?
January 12, 1999... Thinking about taking the DVD plunge? If so, it's definitely worth your while to get the ins-and-outs of buying a DVD player as well as a run-down of the latest-and-greatest products to hit the market. When buying a player, keep in mind the...

A Practical Approach for Aligning IT and Business.
January 26, 1999... (A CIO Article) Are you constantly hearing how important it is to align your IT department's goals and objectives with your company's business strategy, yet don't know how to go about it? Craig Goldman, former CIO at Chase Manhattan...

Build an Intranet without a Budget.
January 26, 1999... (CIO Magazine & Gartner Group) An intranet project can range in scope from a financially-backed high-end system to one built on "elbow grease" and pocket change. So if your budget is the one thing holding you back from having a company...

Disaster Recovery: Safe or Sorry?
January 26, 1999... (Network Computing and InformationWeek Articles) If you don't have a "business-resumption strategy", just spend a minute and think about what a natural disaster could do to your company. Even though you may never need to use them, investing...

IPv6 to Change the Face of the Internet.
January 26, 1999... (A Network Computing Feature) The latest revision to the Internet Protocol - IPv6 - is already established as the "blueprint" for the next generation of Internet development. Significant improvements of IPv6 over its predecessor, IPv4,...

Hackers: The Corporation Strikes Back.
January 26, 1999... (Network World Fusion Articles) If you feel that today's law enforcement authorities aren't effective in the fight against cybercrime, you're not alone. In frustration, more and more corporations are taking the law into their own hands and...

Cyberwalls: A New Integrated Security Solution.
January 26, 1999... (An Aberdeen Group Executive White Paper) Perimeter-based firewalls, deployed between the Internet and the enterprise, have resulted in security gaps and management nightmares over linked and shared networks. With the pressure to rapidly...

How to Get the Most out of Your Modem.
January 26, 1999... (A Windows Magazine Article) Is your browser's sluggish performance eating up precious time you could spend doing something else? Are you stuck with a 56K modem with no ISDN, T1 line, or cable modem upgrade in sight? Here are three cheap...

Mail and Messaging: Intel Server Reliability.
January 26, 1999... (An Aberdeen Group Executive White Paper) Intel servers make up over 75 percent of the mail and messaging servers currently installed, and the number is climbing. Curious about what factors your IT peers consider when buying a mail and...

Enterprise Customer Management.
January 26, 1999... (A Techguide Feature) The gain or loss of a single customer can translate into big bucks. As technology and its promise of instant accessibility have grown, so too have the expectations of customers, making the quality of customer...

Trends Affecting your Network's Backbone.
January 26, 1999... (A Network Computing Feature) With the growth of the new "connected" business model, your network backbone is without-a-doubt your organization's most critical capital investment. To help you formulate the best network design and...

Windows 2000: Begin Early Planning.
January 26, 1999... (Microsoft Corporation) While deploying Windows 2000 is not on anyone's short-term to-do-list, now is a good time to begin formulating a timeline for and a knowledge base of the newest features and how they will impact and be deployed...

IPv6 Transition Resources.
January 26, 1999... (A Bay Networks White Paper and a Network Computing Feature) Considering the sheer scope of the IPv4-to-IPv6 transition and the impact it will have on all aspects of your network infrastructure, you may want to consider developing some...

The Knowledge Management Library.
January 26, 1999... (@brint.com The Biz Tech Network) If you are involved with or investigating a knowledge management initiative, you will want to have the "WWW Virtual Library on Knowledge Management" as one of your bookmarks. This comprehensive...

A Comparison of "Portable Windows" Devices.
January 26, 1999... (A PC Magazine Comparison) Check out this PC Magazine review which compares four Windows CE devices and six mini-notebooks running Windows 98. If your users need less than the full power of a laptop, this review will help you compare the...

SOFTWARE : Visualize Business Data with Informix Visionary 1.0.
January 26, 1999... A. Visualize Business Data with Informix Visionary 1.0 (Informix Corp.) Informix has released Visionary 1.0, a "business visualizer" or portal that enables visual navigation and exploration of strategic data housed in corporate...

SOFTWARE : Oracle Announces Availability of Major Strategic Enterprise Management Components.
January 26, 1999... B. Oracle Announces Availability of Major Strategic Enterprise Management Components (Oracle Corp.) Oracle has unveiled Strategic Enterprise Management (SEM), an integrated system of four business-analysis applications, which aims to...

INTERNET : LiveCommerce 2.0 Simplifies Online Catalog Creation.
January 26, 1999... A. LiveCommerce 2.0 Simplifies Online Catalog Creation (Open Market, Inc.) Open Market has released version 2.0 of its online catalog creation and marketing solution, LiveCommerce. The LiveCommerce 2.0 package includes a dynamic...

INTERNET : Get Your e-COBOL Apps on the Web.
January 26, 1999... B. Get Your e-COBOL Apps on the Web (Micro Focus) Net Express 3.0 is an application development environment that lets programmers Web-enable business-critical applications written in COBOL, as well as re-host them to Windows NT and UNIX...

TOOLS/UTILITES : Diskeeper 4.0 Automatic Disk Defragmenter.
January 26, 1999... A. Diskeeper 4.0 Automatic Disk Defragmenter (Executive Software, Inc.) Executive Software has released an updated version of its "set it and forget it" Diskeeper disk defragmentation utility, bringing about significant improvements in...

TOOLS/UTILITES : Pre-test Your Database with PumpItUp 3.0.
January 26, 1999... B. Pre-test Your Database with PumpItUp 3.0 (The Client Server Factory) If you need to "stress test" your new database, TCSF's latest version of PumpItUp not only generates simulated data loads and data distributions to test database...

TOOLS/UTILITES : Norton 2000 Tackles Y2K on the Desktop.
January 26, 1999... C. Norton 2000 Tackles Y2K on the Desktop (Symantec Corp.) Unlike most Y2K checkers, which focus primarily on large systems and client-server environments, Norton 2000 Corporate Edition v.1 from Symantec specializes in finding Y2K...

SECURITY : CyberwallPlus Goes Anywhere.
January 26, 1999... A. CyberwallPlus Goes Anywhere (Network-1 Security Solutions) Network-1 Security Solutions is unveiling this week its suite of NT-based firewalls, CyberwallPlus, specifically designed for multi-protocol Internet, Intranet, Extranet, and...

SECURITY : Netscape Announces Netscape Directory Server 4.0 and Directory for Secure E-Commerce.
January 26, 1999... B. Netscape Announces Netscape Directory Server 4.0 and Directory for Secure E-Commerce (Netscape Communications Corp.) Netscape has announced Netscape Directory for Secure E-Commerce, an integrated e-commerce directory and security...

SECURITY : TrueFace NT Face Recognition Security.
January 26, 1999... C. TrueFace NT Face Recognition Security (Miros, Inc.) Miros has added to its family of face recognition security products with the release of TrueFace NT for NT personal computers. TrueFace relies on neural network technology, which...

SERVERS : MSS100 Universal Thin Server.
January 26, 1999... A. MSS100 Universal Thin Server (Lantronix, Inc.) Lantronix's MSS100 Universal Thin Server is a small device that enables the sharing and central management of location-bound RS-232C equipment over an Ethernet network. The MSS100 10/100...

WORKSTATIONS : SGI Offers High-End Workstations.
January 26, 1999... A. SGI Offers High-End Workstations (Silicon Graphics, Inc.) SGI has introduced two new visual workstations, the Silicon Graphics 320 and the Silicon Graphics 540. These high-end workstations are specifically designed for visual...

LEISURE : The Bud-Bowl...
January 26, 1999... If you want to see Internet technology put to use for a consumer event, or if you're just into football, have a look at the site Budweiser has put together for BudBowl 99. You will need plug-ins and a speedy connection for it to be truly...

LEISURE : A Better VCR...
January 26, 1999... In other news, here is a consumer technology that may be a sign of things to come as the technology revolution begins to invade our homes. Replay Networks has developed a recording device which will allow you to "pause" and "rewind" live TV...