We tried. We really tried. We had every intention of sticking to our knitting — reporting on a slate of enterprise computing topics, from blade servers to SOA deployment strategies.
But in a week when Steve Jobs rolled out the iPhone and a raft of Consumer Electronics Show product intros set our collective geek beanies a-spinning, we had no choice: This week, InfoWorld is embracing its consumer side.
Then again, maybe this consumer thing isn’t all that much of a stretch for us, given the similarity between end-users and enterprise users. Both have glommed on to the latest mobile devices and apps; both are moving toward high-speed delivery of data, from e-mail to video, through a single IP pipe; and both need major processing oomph for state-of-the-art apps.
Sadly for the enterprise, though, innovation has flowed primarily from the consumer side. Multiplayer games, slick cell phones, TiVo, the iPod, MySpace, YouTube, and other killer apps have redefined the state of technology.
I do, however, detect signs of life from the enterprise as it adapts consumer tech to its own ends. Some companies are tapping into social networks, rolling out wikis for Web 2.0-style collaboration, and experimenting with virtual worlds like SecondLife. Others are embracing streaming video, while continuing to seek the perfect all-in-one handheld device. And as the public Internet has become the de facto corporate network, the chasm between the boardroom and the family room has narrowed.
Yes, the enterprise is boarding the consumer train. Now all that’s left is to convince my boss that I need an iPhone. After all, I have work to do.
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive InfoWorld Resource Alerts
Recommend This
