Info-Tech Advisor Newsletter articles from June 1999

Info-Tech Advisor Newsletter archives from June 1999

CIO Starter Kit.
June 1, 1999... (CIO Magazine and InfoWorld Electric Articles) If you're not a CIO already, becoming one is likely on your career "to do" list. If you move ahead armed with one piece of information, remember that the first year of any management position...

Now You Can Post Your Opinion on Any Web Page!
June 1, 1999... (A Forbes Digital Tool Article) "If ever there was a motivation to keep customers happy, it's the prospect of having them scrawl their dissatisfaction on your store window." A startup called Third Voice has introduced a new software...

ROI - A Useful Measurement That Sometimes Doesn't Work.
June 1, 1999... (An InformationWeek Article) With tactical IT investments, a straightforward return on investment (ROI) calculation is often the best way to evaluate and ultimately "green light" a project. These "clear" ROI decisions are one thing, but...

Layer 4 Switching - The Key to Quality of Service.
June 1, 1999... (Data Communications Articles) Layer 4 switches work to ensure that high priority classes of traffic - such as revenue generating flows like customer transactions - get through first by assigning them more bandwidth and minimizing delays...

New Technology Will Keep Magnetic Hard Drives Alive...For Now.
June 1, 1999... (A PlanetIT Article and IBM and Quantum White Papers) The growth of hard disk capacity has surpassed that of microprocessors, doubling every 12 months. But as the number of magnetic bits that can be packed onto a disk increases, the actual...

Palm VII - The (Radio) Wave of the Future?
June 1, 1999... (PCMagazine Online, ComputerWorld, and Forbes Digital Tool Articles) 3Com has finally rolled out the latest version of its PDA (personal digital assistant), the Palm VII. So what's new? The biggest addition is a two-way wireless radio...

Single Sign-On - Not Just a Question of User Convenience.
June 1, 1999... (A PlanetIT Article) "It's estimated that the average employee of a large corporation must sign on to between five and eight different systems." Single sign-on (SSO) - the process of having a user authenticate their identify just once...

How to Optimize Customer Support Staff.
June 1, 1999... (A Customer Support Management Magazine Report) If you're in charge of a call center, you'll know that 60-70% of the call center budget is taken up by staff salaries and benefits. It's a financial imperative, therefore, that you maximize...

DSL - Is It the High-Speed Access You're Looking For?
June 1, 1999... (InteractiveWeek Online and HelloDirect.com Articles) DSL (digital subscriber line) is a technology that allows you to connect to the Internet at speeds up to 50 times as fast as a conventional modem while still using your existing copper...

Ten Tips to Make Your Pilot Projects SOAR...
June 1, 1999... (A CIO Magazine Article) A pilot project is the definitive method of testing any IT initiative, an "indispensable disasto-meter for any large-scale software or business process change." Use these ten insights to help make sure that...

The Best of Jini.
June 1, 1999... (Web Techniques, Canberra University, JavaWorld and Jini.org) Jini is a set of Java-based "services and protocols" that integrates devices on a network that use different platforms, allowing them to communicate with one another. This simple...

How-To Guide for Implementing an Intranet.
June 1, 1999... (An iorg.com Online Book) No technology can provide an exceptional return if it is not utilized properly. An intranet, for example, has fantastic potential yet nevertheless requires some complex and difficult changes in the way people both...

Planning to Upgrade or Migrate?
June 1, 1999... (SunWorld, PlanetIT, Network Computing, and InfoWorld Electric Articles) Managing IT at times can seem like an endless parade of product upgrades and migrations to new technologies. When diving into what can turn into monumental...

Application Performance Management Software.
June 1, 1999... (A NetworkMagazine.com Article) Application performance management (APM) software is a relatively new category of network tools that measure end-to-end network performance across one or more applications. The need for such tools is clear...

SOFTWARE : Crystal Reports Moves Data to Presentation.
June 1, 1999... A. Crystal Reports Moves Data to Presentation (Seagate Software) Seagate Software has released Crystal Reports 7.0, a database access and analysis tool that lets users "create presentation-quality reports from virtually any database."...

SOFTWARE : Manage E-Business from End-to-End with Optum SCE.
June 1, 1999... B. Manage E-Business from End-to-End with Optum SCE (Optum, Inc.) Optum Incorporated has introduced Optum SCE, a supply chain execution suite that is designed to allow businesses to monitor their logistics operations. Optum SCE helps...

SOFTWARE : Effectively Manage Assets with Argis 5.0.
June 1, 1999... C. Effectively Manage Assets with Argis 5.0 (Janus Technologies, Inc.) Argis 5.0 from Janus Technologies is a full-featured, scalable asset management solution that helps track acquisition, ownership and usage of IT assets through their...

SOFTWARE : Firehunter Updated and Enhanced.
June 1, 1999... D. Firehunter Updated and Enhanced (Hewlett Packard) Hewlett Packard has released Version 2.0 of Firehunter and Firehunter/PRO, a dynamic service-level agreement (SLA) monitoring package for Internet services that will help ensure...

INTERNET/INTRANET : Flash 4 Delivers Improved Web Site Interactivity.
June 1, 1999... A. Flash 4 Delivers Improved Web Site Interactivity (Macromedia, Inc.) The latest incarnation of Macromedia's Flash Web authoring software allows developers to deliver sound, graphics and animations that perform across multiple browsers...

NETWORKING : Manage your Network with Cisco Resource Manager Essentials.
June 1, 1999... A. Manage your Network with Cisco Resource Manager Essentials (Cisco Systems, Inc.) Cisco Systems has released a suite of network management tools for Cisco switches, servers, and routers that allows easy access to network information...

NETWORKING : Netscope Simplifies Network Management.
June 1, 1999... B. Netscope Simplifies Network Management (Apogee Networks, Inc.) Netscope, by Apogee Networks simplifies enterprise network management for use by lesser-experienced networking professionals by allowing network administrators customize...

SECURITY : Expert 4.0 Manages Network Security.
June 1, 1999... A. Expert 4.0 Manages Network Security (L-3 Network Security LLC) L-3 Network Security has released Expert 4.0, a software package that can assess which areas of business are at risk in the event of a systems attack or failure,...

SERVERS : Thin E-Mail Server for Mid-to Large Corporations.
June 1, 1999... A. Thin E-Mail Server for Mid-to Large Corporations (Mirapoint, Inc.) Mirapoint has introduced the M100, a new e-mail server that can be operational only minutes after unpacking. This single-purpose "appliance" has been specifically...

LEISURE : The Hollywood Stock Exchange.
June 1, 1999... If you're not completely absorbed with Internet stocks and you're looking for a hobby site, check out the Hollywood Stock Exchange (HSX). After registering at the site you are given $2,000,000 Hollywood dollars to begin your portfolio. The HSX...

A New Way to Boost Online Sales.
June 15, 1999... (An Inter@ctive Week Online Article) Millions in potential online revenue are lost each year because customers don't get the help they need when they need it. A recent survey illustrates this point - Net Effect Systems discovered "that...

Internet Guardians - Integrated Security with a Fast ROI.
June 15, 1999... (An Aberdeen White Paper) The age of e-commerce and the growing number of network access points have exposed enterprises to a whole new generation of security threats. As a result, IT managers spend a lot of time and money integrating,...

MPLS - Will It Revolutionize Networking as We Know It?
June 15, 1999... (A Techguide.com White Paper and a TechWeb Article) "MPLS is viewed by some as one of the most important network developments of the 1990s." Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a new technology standard from the Internet...

BizTalk Is More Than Just Talk.
June 15, 1999... (ENT Magazine and The Computer Paper Articles) BizTalk, announced in March, has shed its "vaporware" image and is now gelling as a very real business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce initiative with a lot of clout. Considering that it is a...

Mentoring Combats Costly Employee Turnover.
June 15, 1999... (Computerworld, RaganWeb, and InfoWorld Electric Articles) The shortage of skilled IT workers has made it difficult for most IT departments to hang onto their best employees. One way of combating high staff turnover is to encourage...

A LAN Roadmap - Where's it Taking You?
June 15, 1999... (A Business Communications Review Survey) LAN (local area network) switching and routing is undergoing a major architectural revolution, climbing to an unprecedented level of complexity and sophistication. Business Communications Review...

Protect Your Mobile Workforce - Internet Backup Services.
June 15, 1999... (A PlanetIT Article) The mobile workforce is exploding, and IT should be thinking about the vulnerability of the corporate data these intrepid employees are toting in hand. Connecting to the corporate intranet to perform data backups may...

The New Art of Driving Traffic to Your Site.
June 15, 1999... (A Forrester Report) Banner ads and buttons are the most popular online marketing gizmos, but the truth is that they simply do not work. That is what Forrester found during recent interviews with 47 marketing companies when asked about...

The Productivity Payoff...
June 15, 1999... (An IBM Think Leadership Article, An MIT Sloan School of Management Working Paper) Do computers result in productivity improvements? Technology's effect on improving productivity is vital to securing funding for IT-related projects. The...

Switching Processors Will Save You Money!
June 15, 1999... (Based on an Aberdeen Group White Paper) No doubt Intel would like business users to keep thinking of their Pentium processors as the only option in the workplace. After all, the Pentium III processor costs on average $550 more per user...

The One-Stop Network Buyer's Guide.
June 15, 1999... (A Network Buyer's Guide Publication) This one-stop Network Buyer's Guide has the networking and storage market covered - a collection of nine separate network product guides covering security, connectivity, systems, training, and more....

"Best Buy" Printers - Something for Everyone.
June 15, 1999... (Windows Magazine, Network Computing Online, PCWorld Magazine, and PC Magazine Online Articles) The press is full of printer reviews and buying advice these days, so we've gathered together the best and most comprehensive recent reviews to...

A New Linux Site Debuts.
June 15, 1999... (Network Computing Online and NetworkWorld Fusion Articles) Is there something to all the Linux hype, or is the controversial operating system (OS) just a flash in the pan? The fact is that Linux seems to have outlived its "fad" status and...

Advice for Managers in the Information Age.
June 15, 1999... ("Management Challenges for the 21st Century" by Peter F. Drucker) A new offering by the "father of modern management", Peter F. Drucker, is usually enough to make executives sit up and take notice. IT managers should be particularly...

SOFTWARE : Narus Offers a Clearer Picture on VoIP Usage.
June 15, 1999... A. Narus Offers a Clearer Picture on VoIP Usage (Narus, Inc.) Narus has released Billing Mediation; an application that will provide IT managers with reports detailing how their IP traffic is being utilized. Billing Mediation is...

SOFTWARE : Navaho Lock Encrypts Personal E-Mail.
June 15, 1999... B. Navaho Lock Encrypts Personal E-Mail (CyPOST Corp.) CyPOST has released Navaho Lock, a personal e-mail encryption package that allows up to 40-bit encryption (upgradable to 128-bit through a Microsoft site download). Navaho Lock...

NETWORKING : Novell Provides Server Redundancy for NetWare.
June 15, 1999... A. Novell Provides Server Redundancy for NetWare (Novell, Inc.) Novell has entered the server-clustering marketplace with StandbyServer, a software package that provides real-time data mirroring between servers. StandbyServer...

NETWORKING : NetInstall Eases Software Distribution & Configuration.
June 15, 1999... B. NetInstall Eases Software Distribution & Configuration (InstallShield Software Corp.) NetInstall, recently released by InstallShield, is a software distribution and configuration utility for enterprise computing. It provides a point...

INTERNET/INTRANET : XMetaL Reduces XML Learning Curve.
June 15, 1999... A. XMetaL Reduces XML Learning Curve (SoftQuad Software, Inc.) SoftQuad has released their latest Web authoring tool, XmetaL. It uses an interface similar to that of a word-processor to easily create content for technical publications,...

INTERNET/INTRANET : Integrate Web Operations with IT Infrastructure.
June 15, 1999... B. Integrate Web Operations with IT Infrastructure (Platinum Technology) Platinum Technology has released Raveler 2.0, their latest Web content-management application software. This latest release provides IT managers with status...

INTERNET/INTRANET : Protect Sensitive Transmissions with ISDN Encryption.
June 15, 1999... C. Protect Sensitive Transmissions with ISDN Encryption (DICA Technologies, Inc.) DICA Technologies has released a line of encryption products that encode and decode ISDN transmissions. The DICA 7800 and 9000 sit between the ISDN...

MESSAGING : Fax Over IP for Satellite Offices.
June 15, 1999... A. Fax Over IP for Satellite Offices (Ramp Networks, Inc.) Ramp Networks has launched the WebRamp 300Fx, the latest in their modem-sharing devices. The 300Fx is a satellite office solution for faxing documents over the Internet. ...

MESSAGING : GTE Offers Unified Messaging Services.
June 15, 1999... B. GTE Offers Unified Messaging Services (GTE Internetworking) GTE Internetworking has introduced Unified Messaging, providing subscribers with message consolidation for phone, faxes, e-mails, cellular and pagers. Almost everyone...

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS : Xedia Lowers the Bar of Expertise for VPN Deployment.
June 15, 1999... A. Xedia Lowers the Bar of Expertise for VPN Deployment (Xedia Corp.) Xedia has announced the release of Access Point QVPN Builder, a policy manager that enables administrators to define, configure and monitor a Virtual Private Network...

LEISURE : Home Sweet Home.
June 15, 1999... Have you ever wondered what your house looks like from space? Microsoft's TerraServer has over 950 gigabytes of satellite images of the earth on its database. Even though it doesn't include all areas of the globe, your hometown is probably...

Turn Intangibles into Hard Cash - And Get Your Projects Approved!
June 29, 1999... (A Harvard Computing Group Report, and Datamation and Economist Articles) Savvy managers know business decisions ultimately hinge on intangible factors. In the world of IT, benefits are often measured in soft terms (increased...

Branding Favorites - A Hidden IE Feature.
June 29, 1999... (Wired Magazine and ForeverWeb.com Articles) A little known feature in Internet Explorer (IE) 5.0 could help you improve traffic to your site. When someone bookmarks your site, you can ensure that your company logo appears next to your...

Going Mobile - How to Get Executive Buy-in.
June 29, 1999... (Mobile Computing Articles) It's become pretty clear to you that your company's mobile workforce is ready for a big technology injection. The amount of time wasted travelling to and from field offices to pick up files and the high manual...

Viruses and Worms - A 101 Clinic.
June 29, 1999... (USA Today, Stiller Research, and Beyond Computing Articles) Since the recent outbreak of Worm.ExploreZip, there's been a ton of hype and misinformation. We thought we'd take this opportunity to give you a quick intro to viruses and worms -...

Is Your Network Ready for Voice over IP?
June 29, 1999... (Business Communications Review Features, and Network Computing and Data Communications Articles) Voice over IP (VOIP) lets you send voice over the Internet or an intranet rather than a traditional circuit-switched network. VOIP used to be...

Guard Against your Employees?
June 29, 1999... (InformationWeek Online and InternetWeek Online Articles) In the digital economy, the most valuable assets of many firms are knowledge-based. Recent activity in the courts has highlighted the need to ensure your firm's intellectual property...

"Seals of Approval" - Build Trust for Web Success!
June 29, 1999... (Privacy Alliance and AT&T Papers) "Consumer concern over privacy is now the single biggest inhibitor to growth of the Internet." Users are notoriously squeamish about disclosing personal information over the Internet. If the success...

So Your Sales Force Is Automated - But Is It Effective?
June 29, 1999... (An Aberdeen White Paper) If your company has a salesforce, you've likely given some thought to implementing sales force automation (SFA) software. SFA has gained popularity with the rise of e-commerce as a means of using technology to...

Reduce your E-Mail Burden by Eliminating Spam.
June 29, 1999... (A Smart Computing Article) Spam - the junk mail of the nineties. Anyone with an e-mail account (which is just about everyone) knows what it is like to receive messages about chain letters, stock purchasing schemes, or any number of...

Service Pricing - Picking the Best Method...
June 29, 1999... (Datamation and The Professional Journal Articles) Value-based pricing is a pricing/payment method that's becoming more popular in the hiring of consultants and other service providers. The appeal of value-based pricing is that it...

An Ergonomic Strategy.
June 29, 1999... (OSHA, Compaq, IBM, and ErgoWeb Web Sites) The ergonomics movement - "the science of fitting the job to the worker" - has succeeded in reducing the number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) reported every year. But with the...

Calculate Call Center Costs.
June 29, 1999... (Cyntergy Web Site) A company called Cyntergy has come out with an online tool to help you make better call center design decisions. The Cyntergy Call Center Cost Calculator can either help you estimate how much a proposed call center will...

Video Servers Buyer's Guide.
June 29, 1999... (A Network Computing Online Buyer's Guide) With the emergence of video in the business, you'll need to consider whether your current setup can handle the extra demand that this traffic type can make on your network. If video apps are...

More Y2K Resources.
June 29, 1999... (An Advertising Law Resource Center Y2K Site and A Dr. Ed Yardeni's Economics Network Poll) Your Y2K compliance plan is coming together. But how do you stack up against other organizations? CIO Magazine, in conjunction with ISACA and...

IP Bandwidth Management Challenge.
June 29, 1999... (A Data Communications Article) You can always toss more bandwidth at your network to solve your performance problems, but when you're dealing with bursts of data and high-priority or time-sensitive traffic like voice and video, sometimes...

SOFTWARE : Web-based Recruitment Software Simplifies the Hiring Process.
June 29, 1999... A. Web-based Recruitment Software Simplifies the Hiring Process (IT Staffing, Ltd.) Here's a really cool software product to help companies hire the right candidates more quickly and easily than ever before. This could be of particular...

SOFTWARE : DocService Offers Bandwidth-Efficient Document Delivery.
June 29, 1999... B. DocService Offers Bandwidth-Efficient Document Delivery (Marimba, Inc.) With the explosion of growth in intranets, extranets and the Internet, more and more companies are relying on these media to send their documents. Marimba has...

HARDWARE : Handheld Drive Duplicator.
June 29, 1999... A. Handheld Drive Duplicator (Intelligent Computer Systems) The Image Masster Solo will appeal to computer pros who are constantly dealing with off-site PCs. The Solo from Intelligent Computer Systems (ICS) is a hand-held hard drive...

SERVERS : IP Telephony Server Enables Full Range of Internet Communications.
June 29, 1999... A. IP Telephony Server Enables Full Range of Internet Communications (Ultiverse Technologies, Inc.) If you are moving toward an Internet strategy for your corporate communications, but don't want to throw out your fax machines just yet,...

INTERNET/INTRANET : InterScan WebManager Controls your Web-Surfing Employees.
June 29, 1999... A. InterScan WebManager Controls your Web-Surfing Employees (Trend Micro) Want to do something about those employees who surf or play Web-based games on company time, but are afraid that you'll constrain your responsible employees?...

NETWORKING : Compaq Dives into Wireless with Card Aimed at Small and Midsize Businesses.
June 29, 1999... A. Compaq Dives into Wireless with Card Aimed at Small and Midsize Businesses (Compaq Computer Corporation) You know wireless is going mainstream when Compaq gets into the market. Compaq's price point is also big news - they are the...

SECURITY : RPK SecureMedia Performs On-the-Fly Encryption.
June 29, 1999... A. RPK SecureMedia Performs On-the-Fly Encryption (RPK Security, Inc.) If you have ever wanted to use the Internet as a communication tool but worried about security, this product is for you! RPK SecureMedia encrypts streaming video,...

Leisure : Trace Your Roots.
June 29, 1999... A lot of people have been bit by the genealogical bug and get a big kick out of digging up the roots of their family tree. If you want to know more about your roots - whether you're just curious or a full-out hobbyist - you'll want to take a...