New Technology Reviews!.: Management

iOS Users Get 50GB Free Storage On Box.net With A Limited Time Promotion [News]

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<img alt="" class="aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/e357587720h30_34.png.png" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/e357587720h30_34.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />iOS users, if you haven’t got your free 50GB from Box.net yet, hurry up and do so. A couple of weeks ago, Box.net announced that any iOS user that logs into the Box app from an iOS device will get 50GB of storage, for life. The promotion will only last 50 days, and about 14 of those have already passed, so not much time left for getting this hefty amount of free storage. 
Box.net is a cloud content management platform, similar to Dropbox, which lets you store, access and share content online and across devices. The company does offer a free option, which usually includes only 5GB of storage, with a 25MB limit on file size upload. 
Here is what you have to do to get a free 50GB with Box.net: 
<ul>
<li>Download the Box app for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and install it.</li>
<li>Log into your Box account from the app, or register for a new one from within the app.</li>
</ul>
<img alt="2011-10-26 22h29_32" border="0" data-mce-src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/7aab150df1h29_32.png.png" height="442" src="http://www.new-technology-news.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/7aab150df1h29_32.png.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="511" /> 
And that’s it. After logging in you should see a message informing you about your free 50GB. On top of the free storage, you will also get an increased file size limit for uploads: 100MB instead of 25MB. 
Will you create a Box.net account just because of this promotion? Or do you prefer other solutions and will not be tempted by this? 
Source: Box Blog 
<img alt="" data-mce-src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Makeuseof/~4/-SsRNz3qaZA" height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Makeuseof/~4/-SsRNz3qaZA" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="1" /> 
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iOS Users Get 50GB Free Storage On Box.net With A Limited Time Promotion [News]

iOS users, if you haven’t got your free 50GB from Box.net yet, hurry up and do so. A couple of weeks ago, Box.net announced that any iOS u...

Review: Toshiba 42HL833

<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="150" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshHL833straighton_2-200-200.jpg" width="200" /> There's something refreshingly straightforward about the Toshiba 42HL833. The £700 set might be devoid of online features or streaming services and its Freeview tuner is strictly standard-def, but you won't find a cheaper full HD, edge LED set of its size in Toshiba's current lineup. Affordable TVs that eschew fancy features in favour of decent pictures should find an audience in these economically straitened times and the 42HL833 sits just above the HD ready EL833 series in the manufacturer's expansive, budged-conscious new range. If the 42HL833's 42-inch screen size doesn't suit you, the 32-inch 32HL833 is also available, while anyone after a Freeview HD tuner will have to step up to the RL833 series, which also add a few online features to the mix. <img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" class="aligncenter" height="315" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshHL833straighton_1-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> The 42HL833 is all about value: there's no 3D, no online connectivity or DLNA PC compatibility and the build quality is rather plasticky. You won't find much in the way of video processing, either and the panel is only 50Hz with a conventional (non-scanning) backlight. The 42HL833 is not entirely devoid of useful features, however: its USB port can handle music, photo and video files and the container formats the set can parse include MPEG, MPEG2-TS, H.264, MPEG2-PS, AVI (XviD), MP4 and MKV (H.264, MPEG1, 2, 4). A D-Sub PC port enhances multimedia options further, while other connections include an acceptable two HDMIs, a digital audio output and a single Scart. If you are thinking of hanging a 42HL833 on a wall, be aware that many of its connections – including one of the HDMIs, the component video input and the tuner jack – face straight out of the TV's rear, rather than being positioned for side access. Trawling the 42HL833's menus for features uncovers more adjustments than you might expect to find on such an affordable TV. There's a separate backlight control alongside the usual contrast and brightness adjustments, a trio of settings for black/white level balance and an adjustable static gamma level, as well as separate DNR and MPEG NR processing options. Most startlingly, a 3D Colour Management system enables you to adjust – via a superbly simple interface – the hue, saturation and brightness of the red, green, blue, yellow, magenta and cyan colour components. The only other things of interest are a bass boost function and a pseudo-surround audio processing option, both of which need to be treated with extreme care, as they can make the set sound worse, rather than better. <img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" class="aligncenter" height="315" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshibaHL833angle1_1-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> The 42HL833 performs best with bright HD feeds. Hi-def coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament was amazingly detailed and sharp, with individual blades of grass or beads of perspiration clearly discernible. Even better, the clarity remains more or less unchecked during play, with balls and players moving around with little interference from motion trailing or resolution loss. This is surprising for a 50Hz TV and suggests an impressive native panel response for a budget set. The colour performance, meanwhile, is dynamic and engaging but also subtle when required; skin tones and the green of the courts are totally convincing, with smoothly blended tones and no striping or blotching to speak of and black level response is solid. Shifting down the gears to standard-definition feeds from the digital tuner, the 42HL833 still exceeds expectations - albeit by not quite as much. Most pleasing is the way the set retains its natural palette during the upscaling process, avoiding the unnatural sheen that tends to mar standard-def material on screens at the more affordable end of the market. Motion also remains decently smooth, though a little resolution loss is evident. Standard-def images are upscaled with respectable sharpness, though the 42HL833 doesn't entirely get a handle on source noise. The MPEG NR system can help tame some of the blockiness and shimmering that troubles standard-definition pictures, but it also creates a slightly processed, laggy look. The 42HL833 struggles with black levels when pushed hard by a high-contrast Blu-ray film. It is perfectly capable of combining bright image elements with dark ones within a single frame during normal footage, but frequently fails to extract enough light from really dark scenes, leaving them looking milky and short of shadow detail. A second problem concerns that classic edge LED woe of inconsistent backlight brightness. During dark scenes a slender ring of anomalous brightness runs around the edge of the screen, bulging sufficiently in places to become distracting. This problem is only problematic during the darkest scenes and its impact can be reduced by reining in the backlight and brightness settings, but it doesn't seem possible to remove the inconsistencies entirely and the issue increases dramatically at viewing angles wider than 30°. <img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" class="aligncenter" height="315" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshibaHL833angle1_2-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> Sound The 42HL833's speakers go a bit louder than those of most budget LCD TVs and can produce a soundstage on a scale appropriate to the 42-inch pictures. However, there's precious little audio finesse, with bass in short supply, a thin and echoey mid-range and harsh, poorly defined trebles. Value The 42HL833 is good value for a 42-inch LCD TV with edge LED lighting and will make a solid everyday set. However, its lack of any sort of online features or 3D options together with its backlight issues compromise its overall value. Ease of use The 42HL833's onscreen menus are logically organised and very cleanly presented and kick off with an attractive icon-based opening screen that provides a much more inviting starting point than Toshiba's usual boring, text-heavy system. The menu navigation system is intuitive and requires minimal brain engagement. The remote control is small, plasticky, and plain, but turns out to be a handy companion to the clear, uncomplicated menus, with responsive buttons and most of the main navigation buttons falling within easy reach. For the electronic programme guide, Toshiba has sensibly shifted away from its previous system that would change channel whenever you moved the cursor to a different station, slowing navigation down horrendously. The information presented in the EPG is also clearly legible displaying programme names in full. The 42HL833 does takes an age to switch display modes when you move from a standard-def to an HD channel (or vice versa), though and the automatic aspect ratio system doesn't always seem to work properly with some Sky broadcasts. <img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshHL833straighton_2-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> The 42HL833 is Toshiba's cheapest 42-inch full HD TV with an edge LED backlight. Neither the lack of online services nor the absence of 3D should stop the TV appealing to anyone after a decent, low-cost TV, while the flimsy build and average connectivity are about par for the price. It even has a few unexpected features, including playback of photo, music and video files from USB and a surprisingly comprehensive colour management facility. In many ways the 42HL833's picture performance is a winner. With HD sources in particular its combination of natural, warm colours, good detailing and surprisingly little motion noise make it a very enjoyable TV to watch with predominantly bright footage. It's a well above-average standard-definition performer, too, but does suffer from uninspiring black levels and obvious backlight consistency issues with more demanding material. We liked It's affordably priced for a 42-inch TV with edge LED lighting and its performance with bright pictures is enjoyable, thanks to natural colours, good sharpness and surprisingly little motion blur or resolution loss. The set's USB-driven multimedia abilities are a pleasing bonus, too. We disliked It's a pity, if hardly a surprise, that the 42HL833 doesn't offer 3D, online capability or a Freeview HD tuner and its mostly good picture quality breaks down during dark scenes, thanks to a lack of deep black colours, missing shadow details and a conspicuously inconsistent backlight. Final Verdict Casual viewers after a TV predominantly for watching standard-def broadcasts will be more than happy with the 42HL833. The 42HL833's backlight and black level issues probably rule it out as a serious movie machine, though.

Review: Toshiba 42HL833

There's something refreshingly straightforward about the Toshiba 42HL833. The £700 set might be devoid of online features or streaming s...

The Effects of Information Technology on Management

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In today's business climate, technology is advancing more rapidly than many organizations can keep up with. Frequently, a number of the larger corporations, and even small to medium-sized businesses as well, now hire technology consultants and highly educated technical staff to keep their organizations competitive and up to date with the latest technological changes and improved software and equipment that can make their businesses more efficient and productive. However, the advantages for these businesses that do stay informed and up to date with the latest technological changes is that they are able to increase revenues and profits at a faster pace and promulgate the overall success of the company. 
 
Technology is quickly becoming a key factor in any type of business, and the latest technological innovations are what are leading to not only increased sales and exposure, but also less costly methods of marketing and advertising and greatly increased productivity. In manufacturing, many processes that were once performed manually or machines that were operated by manpower are now being operated remotely and run by automated processes. With decreased opportunities for employment in manufacturing and less skilled trades, many workers are gaining an education and expanding their own personal skills to accommodate a changing business environment. 
 
In administrative functions, computers have offered the benefits of readily accessible databases of information and streamlined processes as well. Virtual offices and even telephone answering systems that operate as robotic receptionists have decreased the need for many positions here as well and offered businesses a more cost-effective approach to completing simpler office tasks. In terms of sales, the internet has helped open the doors for increased globalization and the ability to increase profits by reaching more people at one time. As a result, telemarketing and door to door sales calls have become not only unwelcomed by the general public, but also an outdated means of selling goods and services. 
 
While the overall benefit to the end consumer is lower prices, businesses still reap the rewards of these decreased costs of operation and also greater efficiency and organization. For management, the increased reliance on information technology creates a number of issues. In terms of human resources, today's human resources managers are searching for employees that are well trained with computers and know how to operate the latest technological equipment. In addition, a number of today's top firms are hiring employees that telecommute or work from a remote location, and managers are now frequently managing teams from in front of a computer. 
 
Another aspect of increased information technology that affects today's management is security. Hacking, phishing, and other online security threats can create real issues for any type of business, but today's managers have to be prepared to deal with these kinds of threats, teach the importance of security to employees, and know how to react when security has been breached.</div>

The Effects of Information Technology on Management

In today's business climate, technology is advancing more rapidly than many organizations can keep up with. Frequently, a number of the...

Associate Degree in Security Management

If you are interested in the field of computer sciences, the Internet and security, then obtaining an Associate Degree in Security Management may be ideal for you. Security management deals with the protection and maintenance of Web sites, private online data, Internet anti-virus programs and Web-based companies or businesses. Students who choose to enroll in a college degree training program will participate in specialized computer classes and Internet courses. This career education program will help prepare them for a career in the computer industry.   Online, internet and software security courses and computer science classes are an intensive and informative part of a certification training program. They focus on the network training classes and computer science courses that students must learn. These classes also include how to implement a complete security program, basic loss prevention ideas and concepts and assessing and protecting guarded information. Students will also learn the about the relationships between businesses and technology, and how significantly the Internet and computers impact the corporate world.   Your education will focus on the programming components in computer forensics that consist of hiding data, computer investigation studies, language encryption and tracking offenders. Students will develop a comprehension of running information technology systems while learning the details and specifics about security management.   This Associate's Degree program gives students an in-depth, accurate look at the computer security field. Each class in this agenda is intensive and extremely detailed, yet still a small component of a broader curriculum that incorporates relevant ethical and legal issues with hands-on tactics and techniques that are used in the modern field of security management.   Advancing technology has made the global transmission of information and data extremely quick and efficient. A company and business can communicate with its subsidiaries or branches in an instant due to efficient cyber communication. However, advancing technology has also resulted in a growing number of hackers, malicious software and computer viruses that can ruin a Web network or personal computer in a short period of time. Confidential data can now easily be hacked into, but those who specialize in computer security work very hard to prevent this.   These security breaches can happen at almost any level. Many people deal with e-mail hackers or spam. Certain viruses are transmitted by e-mails, that when opened, can cause a computer to shut down and cease operation almost immediately. Online security management will teach students how to counteract these offenses.   An Associate Degree in security management will teach students how to prevent these types of attacks. By pursuing an Associate Degree in computer security management, a student will: Deal efficiently with Internet security breaches, research what causes these online aggressions and warning signs that may be indicative of a future conflict Counteract hackers and malicious software that may cause harm to a network or individual computer Learn how viruses and malware run and operate, study potential threats that typically harm or threaten private data Work with security programs and anti-virus operations that fight firewall attacks and security breaches Study the basics of online security management and its importance in the business world

Associate Degree in Security Management

If you are interested in the field of computer sciences, the Internet and security, then obtaining an Associate Degree in Security Managem...

How to Evaluate a Vulnerability Management Program

The difficulty of evaluating a vulnerability management program is made a little easier when the evaluation is based around some basic principles. Web application Security is vital to any business so the vulnerability management programs job is to ensure that all security issues identified, evaluated and dealt with as efficiently as possible.Here are five elements that every management program should incorporate.Risk management strategies. Essentially, the program should be based on risk management because this approach provides a valuable guide by which decisions can be made an independent evaluations made about the risks. In other words, each threat, as it is uncovered, needs to be independently assessed before a decision is made to deploy patches. Information Technology Practices. In essence the vulnerability of management program should also be considered within the context of overall IT management and practices. This includes training, documentation and procedures, monitoring of systems and data recovery strategies. As you probably already know these activities are vital to ensure ongoing security so effective vulnerability management program should contain these elements. Patch deployment. Patches need to be deployed in a timely manner so that software can continue uninterrupted whilst at the same time being protected against malicious attacks. It's important to note however that not all patches are applicable in every situation and a decision needs to be made about which patches are relevant and which will optimise the system in ongoing sense. This means that patching should be prioritised and evaluated against the potential dangers of nonimplementation. Every asset needs to be considered on its merits and patches should be tracked and identified before deployment. Antivirus programs. It almost goes without saying that an effective vulnerability program should also contain effective antivirus and malware protection that remain permanently operational so as to provide continuous protection against viruses, worms and Trojans. Specialist advice should be obtained before deciding which software to use. It's also vital to ensure that the software is regularly updated and that someone in the management team assumes responsibility for ensuring this happens. Self testing. The vulnerability management program should provide for periodic self checks. This is an important way to measure quality assurance and also to ensure that the program is effective. During a self check system configurations can be monitored to ensure that there are no holes that need to be dealt with.Although these five steps are not meant to be a comprehensive overview of how to evaluate a vulnerability management program, they provide a framework for starting an evaluation. It is certain that any evaluation will need to involve a variety of staff and other internal resources but the costs involved should not compromise the evaluation process. By providing regular reports to management, it is much easier to stay on top of emerging problems and decisions about replacing equipment or software can be made in a much more logical and informed environment.This is the only way that Web application Security can be adequately maintained.	 	 		 			 				 					 						HackLabs is a Security Consulting Company specialising in Penetration Testing. We perform testing for our clients whom from all around the world. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.hacklabs.com" target="_new">Penetration Testing</a>.

How to Evaluate a Vulnerability Management Program

The difficulty of evaluating a vulnerability management program is made a little easier when the evaluation is based around some basic pr...

Security and Content Management Systems

Content Management Systems or CMS makes it easier to create and design Web sites. The beauty of using a CMS for your Web site is that even if you do not know how to write a single line of code or HTML, you can still create professional looking Web pages. With a CMS, you can also easily change the design of your site without affecting the content too much, making it far easier to apply changes to the whole site.Content management systems also allow for collaborative Web site design and maintenance, giving several users different levels of access so that they could change Web pages as necessary.CMS Security FlawsThe problem with most CMS packages is that it is peppered with security vulnerabilities that can bring serious problems to those who use it. A lot of hackers have been targeting these vulnerabilities in open source CMS like WordPress, PostNuke, Drupal and phpBB. Most try to gain unauthorized access to your system to create botnets for denial of service attacks or identity theft scams.A hacking incident involving AMD, a leading global chip manufacturer, illustrates the point. In 2006, AMD's customer service and support forums were hacked. The perpetrators then used the forums to distribute malware. Distributing malware is not the only thing hackers can gain access to but also they can use your high-speed network to their ends.Further, other CMS have the same problems. WordPress, arguably the best-known and widely used content management system has time and again fallen prey to security vulnerabilities. In 2009, IT security company Secunia reported the following security flaws found in WordPress systems:* System access * Privilege escalation * Denial of Service * Cross Site Scripting * Security BypassThe good news is that the people at WordPress.org are proactively looking for these vulnerabilities and patching them. But the fact that these security holes continue to crop up even as a new version of WordPress comes out highlights one important thing to remember when using CMS: you can not really on CMS vendors and providers to come up with a completely safe and secure content management platform. What is more, some providers do not even bother to come up with patches to plug known vulnerabilities!Keep Safe with a Web Application FirewallA <a href="http://www.applicure.com/solutions/web-application-firewall" rel="nofollow" target="_new">Web application firewall</a> can help you keep safe from attacks that are made possible by these security holes, better than network firewalls and other detection systems can. What is more, a Web application firewall could still be used even with proprietary CMS platforms because you do not need to change any part of the CMS' source code to use it. A Web application firewall can scrutinize all incoming data packets into your site and blocks malicious scripts, viruses and hacking attempts.	 	 		 			 				 					 						For more information about <a href="http://www.applicure.com/solutions/website-security" rel="nofollow" target="_new">security vulnerabilities</a>. For more information about hacking incident read here.

Security and Content Management Systems

Content Management Systems or CMS makes it easier to create and design Web sites. The beauty of using a CMS for your Web site is that eve...

Visitor Management System: Installation Operation Maintenance

Gone are the days of primitive visitor management! Electronic devices for the process are the need of the day. Areas with a large number of visitors adopt the services of this system to keep a track of the people checking in and out of the building. Schools use the system to prevent crime against children. Highly secured government offices install this device to control unauthorized access to sensitive data. Prison authorities are also resorting to the utilization of biometric visitor management solution. Friends and relatives who come to visit the inmates can be easily monitored with this tool. Its demand is increasing day-by-day, as more and more institutions opt for a programmed system.Visitor management system, a computer based application, manages a large number of visitors in an arena. Modern systems are advanced and technology-driven mechanics. It functions in combination with a high resolution web camera. It offers the facility to check appointments, increase the pace of security screening at multiple access points and determine the time spent by the visitor inside the premises. Installation, operation and maintenance of a biometric visitor management solution may worry the user to some extent.Merely purchasing a does not serve your purpose. It needs to be properly installed. Minimum hardware and software requirements need to be met as specified by the provider. LAN connectivity is a must at the site of installation. This software can be downloaded. However, the user needs to have an average technical know-how in order to install it. Software needs to be installed in the unit and a web camera needs to be connected to it. People not having a hold on technical matters usually go for biometric visitor management solution providers. Providers study the site and the access points. They carry out the necessary task for installation, letting the end user relax!Visitor management system is usually used in places where a large number of visitors come and go. It becomes difficult to keep a track of all the visitants by few employees. Biometric visitor management solutions generate a Photo ID of the first-time visitors in soft copy format. This is stored in the database to maintain records of all the people who visited the building. Some companies print the Photo ID for one-time or continuing use to speed the security screening process. Modern systems enable the operator to know the total visitors inside the premises. It also provides the facility of restricting troublesome visitors by sounding an alarm at the time of their visit. It can be combined with an access control for greater safety.Biometric visitor management solution providers let the users buy an annual maintenance contract. They provide support at the time of any damage or malfunction. UPS for uninterrupted power supply is advisable to prevent any injure to the application. Such systems require all the care and attention like other software! It should be protected from virus, worms and Trojan horses. Hacking of this system's database may have serious consequences. Maintaining this system calls for extra attention.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Face Recognition Solution provides complete solutions to <a href="http://www.facerecognitionsolution.com" target="_new">face recognition system</a>. Based on 'No Touch' technology, this application allows the operator to control the huge traffic in premises easily. Face Recognition Solution is a complete package for hassle-free <a href="http://www.facerecognitionsolution.com/visitor-management-solutions.html" target="_new">visitor management system</a>.

Visitor Management System: Installation Operation Maintenance

Gone are the days of primitive visitor management! Electronic devices for the process are the need of the day. Areas with a large number ...

Threat Management

Technological advancement has played a proactive role in the growth, expansion, and success of many business enterprises. The advent of Internet, which brought with it numerous other inventions, has helped a lot in revolutionizing the business world. Though there is no doubt regarding the fact that the adoption of Internet and its paraphernalia has brought in unlimited opportunities and benefits in the form of real time access, collaboration and integration for enterprises, it cannot be denied that it has also brought with it a whole lot of security issues.Types of ThreatsToday cybercrime is constantly evolving and the kind of threats that the enterprises face today is an indication towards that direction. The following are some of the threats that have increasingly become a cause of concern for the enterprises and organizations and these are viruses, Trojans, worms, spasm, spyware, risk ware, root kits, bots, phishing, external hacking, and insider attacks.Though all these cause extensive damage, organizations need to be wary of external hackers and insider attackers in particular. This is because recent statistics attribute the escalating cyber crime ratio to these two. The role of insiders in data breach was something that was not acknowledged until recently since the focus of organizations has been entirely on external hackers alone.External Attacks vs. Internal Attackswhile monetary gains seem to be the motive for fraudsters indulging in hacking, a considerable percentage of the internal attacks are the doing of disgruntled and unfaithful employees who do it in order to tarnish the image of the company that they work for. And in most cases internal sabotage is a success since those who indulge in it knows exactly where to look for the sensitive company data and how to accomplish the task unnoticed.Need of Effective Threat Management Strategyuntil now, organizations and enterprises have been depending solely on point solutions. But these were not at all effective in containing this growing menace. Hence, what is required is a proper threat management strategy that helps in recognizing and addressing security issues effectively so that the business remains unaffected.By effective threat management, what is meant is a comprehensive solution that executes various security functions such as firewalling, antivirus, invasion prevention, anti spam, anti spyware, load balancing, content filtering, anti VoIP, anti P2P, anti phishing, and so on to protect organizations and enterprises from potential threats.As per the latest research by the Ponemon Institute, the total cost of managing the consequences of data breach incidents rose from $6.65 million (2008) to $6.75 million (2009). That means organizations need to shell out $204 per record. However, more than the data breach costs, organizations are concerned about their reputation, which once lost, is difficult to be regained.Benefits of Effective Threat Management Continuity of Services Implementation of effective threat management helps organizations in identifying threats long before it can affect business thereby ensuring service continuity. Enhanced Operational Efficiency With effective threat management strategy in place, organizations can be assured of operational efficiency. Managing new applications or new offerings would never pose a problem for them. Low Costs Organizations can considerably reduce the cost of maintenance by implementing effective threat management measures. Risk Mitigation By implementing effective threat management strategies, organizations can not only predict possible security threats but also devise ways to counter it. Easy Configuration and Better Performance Implementation of the advanced threat management strategies ensures easy configuration and superb performance. Thus, the implementation of advanced threat management measures guarantees organizations maximum efficiency cost effectively.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Know more about - <a href="http://www.egestalt.com/threat-management.html" rel="nofollow" target="_new">threat management</a>

Threat Management

Technological advancement has played a proactive role in the growth, expansion, and success of many business enterprises. The advent of I...

Disaster Data Recovery Management - Practical With Regular Data Backup

Data loss is possible if someone hacks your computer, if it is infected by a virus or your hard disk crashes unexpectedly. Businesses suffer a lot of losses due to missing data because it happens quite unexpectedly. It could lead to many problems like losing clients, inability to pursue debtors, missing employee information and costs involved in re-building the data network. Every time you think of delaying the backup think of the consequences that you will have to suffer if you lose the data.If your business is heavily dependent on computing then you must have good data backup solutions at hand to ensure safety of your business information. What this will benefit you with is that you can restore the lost data in the event of a crash in a very short period of time. Apart from this by using the disaster data recovery management systems your chances of data loss are negligible because you have a comprehensive data backup program in place.The basic data recovery management procedures involve saving data on disks or external hard drives because the cost has become very negligible. The point is to have an effective data recovery management procedure in place because you do not want to have heavy costs and then not be able to use the data when it is restored. This means that you have to select what kind of data management services you would require which can be complete backup or intermediate and differential data backups.Requirements for a Good Data Recovery Program A sound disaster data recovery management program involves a well thought out recovery plan that matches your requirement. Identifying the most valuable data which is part of the business and working out a solution to save that critical data periodically.Look at the cost and time involved in saving the data and then the recovery of this data. Create an SOP for data retention policies and select key and valuable information to be transferred onto the disaster recovery storage device.This would ensure that you will not waste space, time and money to store unnecessary and useless data. You also need to take into consideration the kind of technology that you will utilize for backing up continuously and automatically to ensure real-time data flow and protection. The backup must also be tested regularly to ensure that it is functional and effective.Continuously Evolving Data Recovery ProgramsAny system that you implement must be tested regularly to see that the recovery time actually supplements your work procedures and you do not suffer massive business loss. Every loss of data and computer crash, virus attack must be recorded so that you have a timeline of how your systems were compromised. By this method you can actually take measures to improve on the data recovery solutions that you selected previously.While many people focus on backup, the essential purpose is often forgotten. This is mainly the ability of the data backup solution to recover the data that is backed up in a timely and usable form. If that is not achieved then the entire purpose of backing up your system regularly is defeated. The main focus should be on recovering the data in a timely manner and in a usable form so that you can continue business as usual.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Shehryaar Shaukat is currently pursuing his doctorate in computer sciences. He is also the co-CEO of <a href="http://www.outsourceddata.eu" target="_new">http://www.outsourceddata.eu</a> The organization provides data backup and disaster-data recovery management services at affordable rates along with complete web/graphics designing and web hosting services.

Disaster Data Recovery Management - Practical With Regular Data Backup

Data loss is possible if someone hacks your computer, if it is infected by a virus or your hard disk crashes unexpectedly. Businesses suf...

Network Management Services and the Benefits of Outsourcing Them

Network security involves securing networks that facilitate transactions between individuals and businesses both publicly and privately. Businesses that make use of networks to store and use their data need a sound network in place to ensure the security of the data they utilize. The amount of data stored by businesses is consistently growing and much of this data is very sensitive information. Many requirements must be met for a network to be secure and this takes time and expertise. A strong security strategy can make a huge difference in regards to how well a network is protected. This strategy involves identifying possible threats and implementing the right tools for both prevention and recovery. Network management services can provide this type of strategy and increase the level of comfort a business has with the technology used to store and protect their data.Managed IT services on the network include email and antiviral security. Email attachments containing harmful viruses are one of the most common ways business systems and data are breached. IT management can be implemented to reduce these types of threats as well as spam and other nuisances. Message tracking is often used to troubleshoot problems and to assist in auditing processes. Security threats are evaluated beforehand and preventative measures are used for any possible threats found. Email is not the only source for viruses. Regular internet browsing and searches can be dangerous and the right antiviral software and settings can prevent employees from obtaining viruses from these sites. Antivirus security measures are a must for business networks to remove the threats of viruses, spyware, and malware on data.What benefits does a business receive by employing network management services? One of the most important benefits is a safer network and reduction of problems caused by viruses and system attacks. Managed IT services can improve overall security by implementing a reliable network security plan. They test your system frequently to determine weaknesses within the entire IT infrastructure. This includes not only the network itself, but also all server and desktop environments. For companies that do not have networks already in place, these services can offer solutions to integrate a specific network layout into the current environment.Firewalls are a major component for managing network security and can block harmful incoming and outgoing internet traffic. The settings for firewalls are complicated and require time and testing to be set up correctly. These services supply the firewall and can set it up fairly easily due to the experience their staff has. Remote access is safer and more convenient. System security is greatly improved for handling extremely sensitive data such as social security numbers and banking information. Auditing is done on a regular basis to determine where improvements can be made. Simply having a network does not make your data secure. A network that is not secured leaves files and data at high risk for hacking. IT management can secure your network and keep all components up to date and well maintained. Without this type of service you might find your company struggling to keep customer data private and safe.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Many businesses choose <a href="http://www.network1consulting.com/" target="_new">managed IT services</a> because of the benefits they offer. <a href="http://www.network1consulting.com/" target="_new">IT management</a> provides the necessary protection and monitoring a business needs for pertinent information.

Network Management Services and the Benefits of Outsourcing Them

Network security involves securing networks that facilitate transactions between individuals and businesses both publicly and privately. ...

What Is Vulnerability Management?

Vulnerability management has been variably described as computer security management activity or web application security that can be as simple or as complex as you wish. From the simplistic view that a computer system can be secure by simply downloading frequent patches from Microsoft, to the more complex view taken by some organisations, that vulnerabilities need to be approached with a complex and systematic array of procedures.Whichever view you take, it is clear that in the modern marketplace computer networks should make it easier to communicate with customers and suppliers with security and safety. With this expectation in mind however threats from worms and viruses that pervade everyday computer activity mean that vulnerabilities in management software are exposed on almost daily basis. This fact alone indicates a need to take protective action as a defence against malicious attacks including the use of firewalls, intrusion detection systems and anti-virus software.In fact, layers of securities are a modern trend in a proactive approach to detecting intrusions and preventing attacks.These days, organisations can no longer relax their standards by adhering to a yearly or even quarterly audit of their systems. Vulnerabilities emerge every day and unless you have an appropriate management program that runs on a daily or weekly basis you are placing your system at risk.In summary, a typical vulnerability management system could consist of 6 steps.Early identification. This involves identifying every network asset including operating systems and any open services in use. Prioritising assets. Large organisations will find it easy to categorise various assets into business units or groups and rank them in order of priority. Assessment processes. When you have a risk profile established it is easy to focus on eliminating risks in the more important assets of your business operation. The more important the asset is, the greater the need to identify security vulnerabilities on a daily basis. Reporting. The production of regular reports can highlight problems before they emerge and paint a picture of overall trends so that remedial action can be taken. Remedial action. As indicated above once patterns have merged it is easy to prioritise and fix vulnerabilities as they are identified. The final phase involves verifying that all threats have been eliminated through follow-up audits.While this is not meant to be a definitive strategy, the steps outlined above can form the basis of an effective vulnerability management plan. But in any case the important thing to remember is that scanning technology has improved dramatically over the last 10 years and it is absolutely vital for you to get started but more importantly, to take action on the results.If you want to dip your toes in the water but are not prepared to outlay money for sophisticated software or outsource to a specialist service, there are plenty off open source systems you can start with. The important thing to remember is that automated systems will allow you to strengthen your Web application Security and give you peace of mind you're looking for.	 	 		 			 				 					 						HackLabs is a Security Consulting Company specialising in Penetration Testing. We perform testing for our clients whom from all around the world. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.hacklabs.com" target="_new">Penetration Testing</a>.

What Is Vulnerability Management?

Vulnerability management has been variably described as computer security management activity or web application security that can be as ...

Vulnerability Management - The Changing Nature of Attacks

Attacks on users of the Internet have been noted for many years by the press and other observers but only recently have the attacks become more frequent and more deadly. Since almost every business and organization of any size relies on an open and accessible internet to remain competitive, cyber attacks are becoming more universal.? Increased effectiveness, adaptability and aggressiveness of malicious and destructive cyber attacks.? Increased attacks through trusted sites and botnets (a recent study shows that most cyber attacks come from IP addresses in the United States and it has been estimated that up to one quarter of all personal computers and servers connected to the internet may be part of a botnet.).? An increase in simultaneous and coordinated attacks at all levels of the internet? Attacks on U.S. government networks, critical infrastructure and increased frequency of localized attacks.? Infrastructure attacks with wide ranging and potentially long term effect.? Convergence of attacks using wolf pack like tactics.All level of internet users are affected and networks are being subjected to daily breaches of security. It doesn't matter if you are a small company or part of a large organization unless preventative steps are taken, your network is increasingly vulnerable to attack.The nature of Cyber Attacks is becoming More DestructiveInitially, cyber attacks were more nuisance than danger. Hackers originally released malware in the form of viruses/worms and spyware usually for the thrill of bringing down a selected network or site. Disgruntled employees utilized hacking tools to disrupt the business of their former employers. Eventually criminal used penetration techniques to steal credit card and other passwords.But recently, cyber terrorism has emerged which, in addition to attacks on corporate networks, posed a direct threat to U.S. military and civilian agencies and critical infrastructure. Because of the problems with attributing the attacks to the actual source, this threat has become difficult to contain.Cybercrime is becoming more aggressive, organized and effective as a transnational/multinational business. High technology online skills and techniques are now available to all interested parties, including hostile nation states, criminal elements and individuals and groups that covertly represent terrorist groups.The development and spread of automated attack and botnet tools and their use by cybercriminals has overwhelmed many current methodologies used for vulnerability management and the tracking of and defense against cyber attacks. In addition, vulnerabilities of the U.S. critical infrastructure (power, water, transport and communications) tend to attract cyber criminals to extort money, or damage the U.S. economy in a way that eventually affects national security.The result of this dangerous trend is the risk of losing proprietary knowledge that gives our country its competitive and military edge, loss of command and control of military assets and denial of service attacks that can shut down military bases and critical infrastructure like the power grid and energy plants.The transnational nature of cyber terrorism is also thriving in a culture of ineffective regulation and suspicion over allowing domestic network access to potential adversaries. Multilateral treaties, until recently, have not addressed the problem.What is the Solution?There are a number of areas that need to be addressed:? AwarenessAwareness of the threat is critical in all aspects of the economy including media, government, and corporate and the real, changing nature of the threat is mandatory.? Development of TechnologyTechnology that is available, easy to use, and adaptable to new threats would contribute towards containment of many attacks? More Effective and Adaptive Vulnerability Management Tools and TechniquesVulnerability management is continuous process that is never completed. Easy to use software tools are required as well as a dedication of real resources and management commitment to address the problem. Constant monitoring and remediation is required.? Government ActionRecently the present administration has taken steps to streamline and focus energy of the cyber security problem in civilian, defense and intelligence agencies. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has received additional authority to fight cyber terrorism and the cyber functions of defense and intelligence have been merged under one command - Cyber Command.These steps are but necessary first steps and much more work is required.? International TreatiesThe United Nations has recently taken steps toward the drafting of an international cyber agreement with the United States and Russia agreeing to enter negotiations. Since the United Nations is notoriously slow, much more action is required.These steps form a template and outline for future action. The threat is real and growing and must be addressed.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Jon M. Stout is Chief Executive Officer of Aspiration Software LLC. Aspiration Software LLC is an Information Technology/Cyber Security services provider focused on the Intelligence Community (IC). For more information about <a href="http://aspirationsoftware.com/core-capabilities" target="_new">Cyber Security and Information Assurance</a> and Employment Opportunities in the Intelligence Community go to <a href="http://aspirationsoftware.com" target="_new">http://aspirationsoftware.com</a>

Vulnerability Management - The Changing Nature of Attacks

Attacks on users of the Internet have been noted for many years by the press and other observers but only recently have the attacks becom...

Associate Degree in Security Management

If you are interested in the field of computer sciences, the Internet and security, then obtaining an Associate Degree in Security Management may be ideal for you. Security management deals with the protection and maintenance of Web sites, private online data, Internet anti-virus programs and Web-based companies or businesses. Students who choose to enroll in a college degree training program will participate in specialized computer classes and Internet courses. This career education program will help prepare them for a career in the computer industry.Online, internet and software security courses and computer science classes are an intensive and informative part of a certification training program. They focus on the network training classes and computer science courses that students must learn. These classes also include how to implement a complete security program, basic loss prevention ideas and concepts and assessing and protecting guarded information. Students will also learn the about the relationships between businesses and technology, and how significantly the Internet and computers impact the corporate world.Your education will focus on the programming components in computer forensics that consist of hiding data, computer investigation studies, language encryption and tracking offenders. Students will develop a comprehension of running information technology systems while learning the details and specifics about security management.This Associate's Degree program gives students an in-depth, accurate look at the computer security field. Each class in this agenda is intensive and extremely detailed, yet still a small component of a broader curriculum that incorporates relevant ethical and legal issues with hands-on tactics and techniques that are used in the modern field of security management.Advancing technology has made the global transmission of information and data extremely quick and efficient. A company and business can communicate with its subsidiaries or branches in an instant due to efficient cyber communication. However, advancing technology has also resulted in a growing number of hackers, malicious software and computer viruses that can ruin a Web network or personal computer in a short period of time. Confidential data can now easily be hacked into, but those who specialize in computer security work very hard to prevent this.These security breaches can happen at almost any level. Many people deal with e-mail hackers or spam. Certain viruses are transmitted by e-mails, that when opened, can cause a computer to shut down and cease operation almost immediately. Online security management will teach students how to counteract these offenses.An Associate Degree in security management will teach students how to prevent these types of attacks. By pursuing an Associate Degree in computer security management, a student will: Deal efficiently with Internet security breaches, research what causes these online aggressions and warning signs that may be indicative of a future conflict Counteract hackers and malicious software that may cause harm to a network or individual computer Learn how viruses and malware run and operate, study potential threats that typically harm or threaten private data Work with security programs and anti-virus operations that fight firewall attacks and security breaches Study the basics of online security management and its importance in the business world 	 	 		 			 				 					 						If you wish to obtain an <a href="http://www.potomac.edu/degree-programs/associate-degree/security-management" target="_new">Associate's Degree</a> in Security Management, contact <a href="http://www.potomac.edu/" target="_new">Potomac College</a> today! An excellent career in security management can be yours.

Associate Degree in Security Management

If you are interested in the field of computer sciences, the Internet and security, then obtaining an Associate Degree in Security Manage...

Current Management Opportunities and Challenges in the Software Industry

During the past 30 years the world went through a very dynamic technological transformation. In retrospective, it can be stated without exaggeration that the emergence of electronic devices and the Internet have greatly impacted daily life as well as managerial practice to an unforeseen extent. The computerization of multiple business processes and the creation of large scale databases, among many other radical technological advances, have lead to enormous cost savings and quality improvements over the years. The interconnection of financial markets through electronic means and the worldwide adoption of the Internet have greatly reduced transaction and communication costs and brought nations and cultures closer to one another than ever imaginable. Computers are now fundamental tools in almost all businesses around the world and their application and adaptation to specific business problems in the form of software development is a practice that many companies perform on their own. In the past, such computerization and automation efforts were very costly and therefore only practiced by large corporations. Over the years, however, the software industry emerged to offer off-the-shelf solutions and services to smaller companies. Today, having survived the massive dotcom crash of the year 2000, software development businesses established themselves as strong players in the technology industry.The emergence of numerous computer standards and technologies has created many challenges and opportunities. One of the main opportunities provided by the software sector is relatively low entry barrier. Since the software business is not capital intensive, successful market entry largely depends on know-how and specific industry domain knowledge. Entrepreneurs with the right skills can relatively easily compete with large corporations and thereby pose a considerable threat to other, much larger organizations. Companies, on the other hand, need to find ways to reduce turnover and protect their intellectual property; hence, the strong knowledge dependence combined with the relatively short lifespan of computer technologies makes knowledge workers very important to the organization. Knowledge workers in this industry therefore enjoy stronger bargaining power and require a different management style and work environment than in other sectors, especially those industries that have higher market entry capital requirements. This relatively strong position of software personnel challenges human resource strategies in organizations and it also raises concerns about the protection of intellectual property.The relatively young industry is blessed with sheer endless new opportunities, such as the ability of companies to cooperate with other organizations around the globe without interruption and incur practically no communication costs. In addition, no import tariffs exist making the transfer of software across borders very efficient; however, the industry with its craft-like professions suffers from lack of standards and quality problems. The successful management of such dynamic organizations challenges today's managers as well as contemporary management science because traditional management styles, such as Weberian bureaucracies, seem to be unable to cope with unstable environments.Challenges in the Software IndustryMany studies indicate that present-day software development practices are highly inefficient and wasteful (Flitman, 2003). On average, projects are only 62% efficient, which translates to a waste of 37 %. The typical software development project has the following distribution of work effort: 12% planning, 10% specification, 42% quality control, 17% implementation, and 19% software building (2003). There are many possible interpretations of the nature of this distribution of resources. First, the extraordinarily high share of 42% for quality control purposes can indicate a lack of standards and standardized work practices. This large waste of effort may also be the result of inefficient planning and specification processes. Because the share of 19% for software building is a function of software complexity, hardware, and tools used, there is a chance to reduce it by carefully managing and standardizing internal work processes. The disappointing share of only 17% for implementation, however, should be alarming to business owners, since implementation activities are the main activity that results in revenue. The relatively low productivity level reported by Flitman (2003) seems to be also reflected in the fact that the average U.S. programmer produces approximately 7,700 lines of code per year, which translates to just 33 per workday (Slavova, 2000). Considering that a large software project, such as Microsoft Word, is reported by Microsoft to require 2 to 3 million lines of code, it becomes obvious how costly such projects can become and that productivity and quality management are major concerns to today's software businesses. The challenge for contemporary software managers is to find the root of the productivity problem and a remedy in the form of a management practice.A plethora of recent studies addresses software development productivity and quality concerns. Elliott, Dawson, and Edwards (2007) conclude that there is a lack of quality skills in current organizations. Furthermore, the researchers put partial blame on prevailing organizational cultures, which can lead to counterproductive work habits. Of the main problems identified, project documentation was found to be lacking because documents are deficient in detail and not updated frequent enough. Quality control in the form of software testing is not practiced as often and there seems to be a lack of quality assurance processes to ensure that software is built with quality in mind from the beginning. Organizational culture was found to be deficient in companies were workers tend to avoid confrontation and therefore avoid product tests altogether (2007).Since knowledge workers are the main drive in software organizations, creating a fruitful and efficient organizational culture constitutes a main challenge to today's managers. The relationship between organizational culture and quality and productivity in software businesses was recently investigated by Mathew (2007). Software organizations tend to be people-centered and their dependency on knowledge workers is also reflected by the enormous spending remuneration and benefits of more than 50% of revenue. As the industry matures and grows further, the challenge to organizations is that larger number of employees need to be managed which brings culture to the focus of management. Mathew (2007) found that the most important influence on productivity was achieved by creating an environment of mutual trust. Higher levels of trust lead to greater employee autonomy and empowerment, which strengthened the existing management view that trust and organizational effectiveness are highly related. Those companies with higher trust and empowerment levels benefitted from more intensive employee involvement and thereby achieved better quality products (2007).Product quality, however, depends on other factors as well that reach beyond the discussion of work processes. Relatively high employee turnover was found to have a detrimental effect on product quality and organizational culture (Hamid & Tarek, 1992). Constant turnover and succession increase project completion costs, cause considerable delays, and expose organization to higher risks because their development processes can be severely disrupted. While human resources strategies should help find ways to retain key personnel in the company, organizations need to nevertheless be prepared for turnovers and minimize their risks. One of the greatest risks for people-centered, knowledge worker organizations is the loss of knowledge when employees leave.Knowledge management has evolved into a relatively new discipline in the last two decades but is mostly practiced by large, global organizations only (Mehta, 2008). As corporations realized the importance of knowledge management activities to mitigate the risk of know-how loss within their organizations, they started employing chief knowledge officers and crews with the goal of collecting and organizing information. By building custom knowledge management platforms, companies can benefit from increased transfer, storage, and availability of critical business information. Such activities can help companies innovate and build knowledge capital over time (2008). The challenge remains, however, to set up such systems and to elicit employee support for knowledge management systems. In addition, these systems leave another critical question open. What happens when top performers take all the knowledge with them when they leave?Another crucial variable affecting software product and service quality is top management involvement. Projects in the software industry commonly fail due to one or a combination of the following three major causes: poor project planning, a weak business case, and lack of top management support and involvement (Zwikael, 2008). Software projects are similar to projects in other industries by focusing on timely project completion, budget, and compliance to specifications, the industry requires specific support processes from top management to facilitate projects. These processes are summarized in Table 1. Key support processes, such as the appropriate assignment of project managers and the existence of project success measurement, indicate that successful companies demonstrate a higher level of project progress control than others; however, Zwikael acknowledges that top managers rarely focus on these key processes and instead prefer to deal with those processes that are easier for them to work on personally.Table 1The ten most critical top management support processes in the software sector (Zwikael, 2008). Those processes marked with an asterisk (*) were found to be the most important.Support ProcessAppropriate project manager assignment *Refreshing project proceduresInvolvement of the project manager during initiation stageCommunication between the project manager and the organization *Existence of project success measurement *Supportive project organizational structureExistence of interactive interdepartmental project groups *Organizational projects resource planningProject management office involvementUse of standard project management software *Opportunities in the Software IndustryThe advent of low cost communication via the Internet and the diversification of the software industry into many different branches brought a multitude of new market opportunities. Some of the main opportunities are rooted in the low costs of communication, while others originated from the possibility of geographic diversification and international collaboration.One major opportunity which especially larger organizations seek to seize is geographic diversification in the form of globally distributed software development. Kotlarsky, Oshri, van Hillegersberg, and Kumar (2007) have researched this source of opportunities that is mainly practiced by multinational companies; however, an increasing number of small companies is also reported to be benefitting from dispersed software development across national boundaries. The study revealed that software companies can achieve significantly higher levels of productivity by creating reusable software components and reducing task interdependencies. By reducing interdependence, the produced modules are more likely to become useful in future projects on their own; furthermore, this reduction of intertwined computer code also has a positive effect on project teams. Teams in companies that globally distribute their developments benefit from increased autonomy and reduced communication requirements. The authors point out, however, that the prerequisites to distributing software development are not only good project planning but also the standardization of tools and development procedures. Without such prearrangements it may become almost impossible to manage and consolidate the various distributed team activities (2007). Especially for teams working across countries away from one another, it may pay off to deploy video or other Internet-based conferencing technologies and exploit huge savings potentials. But are these means of communication effective?In the last decade a new form of organization has emerged that has taken the most advantage of the Internet. Virtual organizations exist entirely in cyberspace and their team members communicate mostly, if not exclusively, via the Internet using webcams and messaging software. The challenge for managers in virtual organizations is to exploit the new technology but also to find ways to motivate and direct the workforce and work processes. A study by Andres (2002) compared virtual software development teams with face-to-face teams and identified several challenges and opportunities for virtual managers. Managing work from a different time zone can be problematic due to the lack of physical presence. Communication will need to be asynchronous or can only occur at work hours that overlap in both time zones. Virtual teams facilitate this process by using email and voice/text messaging but more importantly by reducing the interdependency of tasks. Andres (2002) suggested that these types of communication have lower "social presence" meaning that humans have a need and ability to feel the presence of others in the group. The problem with many computerized communication channels is that visual clues, utterances, body language clues and clues from the person's voice are missing. When placed on a social presence continuum, the various communication types rank as follows from the lowest to the highest: email, phone, video conferencing, and face-to-face meetings. Andres' comparison between development teams using video-conferencing versus face-to-face meetings revealed that the latter group was far more efficient and productive, even though the video-conferencing team benefitted from reduced travel costs and time.The study conducted in 2002, however, has several shortcomings. First, it is already seven years old and Internet costs have dropped and speeds have improved significantly since then. Considering the improvements in video quality and availability and computer speeds, this form of communication became more feasible recently. In addition, today's managers are just now starting to learn how to use these means of communication efficiently. For example, even though email technology has been around for two decades now, many managers still find that emails can create a lot of ambiguity. The challenge to future generations of managers will be to change their writing style to match the limitations of email and other text messaging technologies. Another important factor to consider is that written communication may be stored indefinitely and have legal consequences; hence, more often than not, managers may intentionally prefer to avoid such communication channels for political or legal reasons. The study by Andres (2002), however, resulted in a negative view of video conferencing probably because the technology was not yet matured and the team members were not yet comfortable with it.For video conferencing to work well, all participants need to be knowledgeable of the peculiar characteristics of that technology and adjust their communication style and speech accordingly. Regardless of meeting type, another important factor is preparation. What could be researched in conjunction with Andres' study in the future is the degree of preparation of the group. Do team members invest enough time in preparing questions and answers for their teammates before coming to the meeting? Video conferences may require more preparation than face-to-face meetings in some circumstances.Another opportunity for software businesses and challenge for managers worldwide is outsourcing. In the year 2007, $70 billion were spent globally for outsourced software development (Scott, 2007). Given the extreme shortage of IT skills in the U.S. and Europe, many companies take advantage of globalization by choosing international suppliers for their software development tasks. Outsourcing, however, requires elaborate coordination between the organization and its many supplier groups. The idea is that in total, coordination costs and problems are less costly than in-house development; however, this goal is not always achieved. While outsourcing, when it is deployed and coordinated correctly, can result in 24 hour development worldwide and thereby provide continuous services to the organization around the clock, it may result in the loss of intellectual property. While mechanic parts are patentable in most countries that support intellectual property rights, software is not patentable in most countries outside North America.In addition to the challenge of managing outsourcing, software organizations exploit technologies in various ways to save costs, for example by offering remote access, telecommuting, and service-oriented architectures (SOA) (Scott, 2007). Remote access and telecommuting has increased six-fold between 1997 and 2005 and resulted in $300 million annual savings due to a reduction of office space (2007). SOA is a similar concept and involves a software rental for customers. Instead of buying, installing, and maintaining software and servers, customers can rent a service online and reduce the total cost of ownership because these activities are no longer required on the customer side. Gradually the virtualization of the software business opens new horizons and provides further opportunities but it also presents managers with endless challenges.Some of the strengths and weaknesses of offshore and virtual team development were studied by Slavova (2000). In the year 2000, India and Ireland were the largest offshore software development locations. Offshore companies can offer up to 60% cost reduction, a faster completion of development tasks by distributing them around the globe, and specific domain knowledge which they acquired over the years providing similar services to other customers. The integration of work from external sources, however, constitutes a major hurdle. Furthermore, language and cultural issues can cause serious communication problems that put the project at risk, especially when misunderstandings cause misinterpretations of project specification documents. Slavova (2000) found that the most common remedy and strategy avoiding problems with offshore suppliers is to visit them frequently face-to-face; however, this tactic results in higher travel costs and disruptions of the managers' workflows and hence may offset the benefits gained for outsourcing altogether. Managers in the software business need therefore to balance the risks and opportunity potentials before engaging in outsourcing because for many companies this strategy failed to pay off in the end.A huge opportunity that emerged in the last decade is online innovation. The collective innovation effort of many individuals and companies is generally known as open-source on the Internet and it has lead to many advances in the computer technology, such as the free Linux operating system. At first businesses felt threatened by this wave of developments on the market because the businesses perceived that open-source solutions were in competition with their products. In many cases this was and still is in fact true; however, a couple of companies, including IBM, are exploiting this new way of innovation for their own and for a common benefit (Vujovic & Ulhøi, 2008). Because software companies operate in an increasingly instable environment, they struggle to create continuously new and better products. By exposing the computer code to the public on the Internet, companies can benefit from ideas submitted by the public, especially other companies. Furthermore, companies benefit from free bug finding and testing by external users but one of the primary reasons for "going open-source" is the quick adoption and spread of the company's technology at a relatively little or no cost. The spread of IBM's open-source technology, for example, is also free marketing for the company. But how can companies make money by offering something for free?The closed innovation model (the traditional model of providing software without revealing the software code) can be combined with open-source, so the company can charge for the product. In other cases, the company can reveal the technological platform on the Internet for free and then sell specialized tools which utilize the new platform. The big money savers are obviously the shared development, testing, and maintenance costs since many interested parties work on the same project.The knowledge-sharing model of open-source is nothing new, however. The philosophy and the benefits of open innovation models have been already realized in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Back then, open innovation was practiced in the UK iron andUS steel industry. The cooperation of many industry players ended the domination of proprietary technologies for which costly royalties were due (Vujovic & Ulhøi, 2008). Given the dynamic environment of the IT industry and the short lifespan of computer technologies, the adoption of open innovation models gained much more popularity. By analyzing the largest open-source players in the market, Vujovic and Ulhøi put together a list of supportive strategies, which is shown in Table 2. Several of these strategies are quite relevant from a top management perspective as well, such as deploying open-source to block a competitor and using the open model as a gateway for greater market share.Table 2Strategies for adopting the open-source approach (Vujovic & Ulhøi, 2008).Business StrategyObtaining higher market shareObtaining market powerBetter adoption of a product and thereby establishing standardsShifting competitive advantage to another architectural layerMaking the product more ubiquitousDelivering faster time-to-marketSpurring innovationComplementing a revenue core streamBlocking a competitorConclusionReviewing the rather recent emergence of the IT industry and the software industry in particular, several parallels can be drawn to management history. While Taylor's scientific management was a highlight in the evolution of management science (Wren, 2005), the software industry seems to be lagging behind such great advancement. Due to its high level of complexity, the software development discipline is still plagued with quality problems stemming from a lack of standardization. Similar to Taylor's efforts, managers need to analyze software development processes and develop industry-wide standards and measures. Once such measures and procedures exist, this will help make software projects much more predictable.Much of today's software industry practices would have been a déjà vu for Taylor, if he was still alive. In addition, the anomie and social disorganization concerns during the social person era apply today more dramatically than in the past. Mayo described in the 1940s how managers overemphasized on technical problems in the hope of raising efficiency ignoring the human social element (p. 296). The same situation is now evident to a larger degree in the computer industry. The rapid technological advances have created many opportunities and changed the work environment drastically. At the same time, however, management was unable to prepare for these dramatic shifts technology would bring to the workplace. At best, managers are simply reacting to technological advances because the consequences are mostly unpredictable given the complexity of human nature. For example, email brought several benefits such as low cost and simple asynchronous communication; however, many email messages are misunderstood because they are not written appropriately. Moreover, IT knowledge workers are struggling to keep up with the vast number of messages received per day as they constitute a severe disruption of the daily workflow.As knowledge workers are becoming more and more essential to an organization's survival and as organizations in this industry mature and require greater headcounts, the span of control is becoming an issue for managers to handle correctly. As discussed in Wren (2005), as the team size increases, the number of interrelations to be managed rises astronomically (p. 353). Managing larger teams poses a great problem because the sheer number of interrelations makes it also more difficult to develop trust within the team. Motivating large groups of knowledge workers can hence be tricky, especially because creative tasks can require a large degree of collaboration. Work design is hence a major hurdle for future managers to overcome. Much emphasis has been on hygiene factors and not on motivators of the workforce. Flexible hours, telecommuting, empowerment, and increased responsibility may help in the short-term but for the long-term management will need to find new strategies for retaining knowledge workers.Product quality remains a big issue. Deming's ideas are good but quality assurance in the software world is difficult to implement due to the lack of standards and measures. The open-source innovation model may provide some relief in this respect because the greater involvement of external developers can help improve overall quality. On the other hand, however, open-source projects are hard to manage for the same reason. Since open-source projects are self-directed and not owned by anyone in particular, those projects sometimes suffer from uncontrolled, tumorlike growth.Several of Deming's deadly sins (Wren, 2005, p. 463) apply directly to the software industry. Most products are made from scratch rather than from components and there is little standardization in software organizations. Since software developers have a tendency to see their job as a craft they defy standards and procedures. In addition, the rather complex environment with its dynamic requirements and the push for meeting deadlines make it easy for practitioners to lose sight of quality improvements through the preparation of organizational standards. High turnover and individual performance measures continue to be industry practice, even though many scientists, such as Deming, have argued for long that such measures are counterproductive.Future managers need to find ways to compensate for the high turnover, if they cannot find a way to avoid it. The division of labor might work well for the company but it is not well perceived by the workforce which tends to require constant challenge. Top performers disfavor mundane tasks and prefer to walk away with all their knowledge. IBM has successfully deployed job enlargement for some time to combat this phenomenon (Wren, 2005, p.332). Unfortunately, this strategy might not work for every company and it can only be used within certain boundaries of the organization. Given the developments of the last two decades, managers will need to confront the discipline of knowledge worker management and find a workable solution for their organization.The integration of management science with the advances in psychology and sociology may provide a route towards the solution of the knowledge worker management problem. It is crucial for managers to have an accurate understanding of the motivational drives for this particular group of the workforce. These employees enjoy higher income, greater flexibility and freedom, and greater bargain power. This puts them in a gray zone between the traditional, lower skilled employee and an owner in the company because knowledge workers create intellectual capital in the company. Because most of this capital is lost and remains with the employees when they decide to leave the organization, turnover can be much more damaging than with traditional workers. Managers can therefore not simply apply conventional strategies to this dissimilar group of employees; rather, they need to seek for more creative incentives for motivating and retaining knowledge workers.ReferencesAndres, H. P. (2002). A comparison of face-to-face and virtual software development teams. Team Performance Management, 8, 39-49. Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.Elliott, M., Dawson, R., Edwards, J. (2007). An analysis of software quality management at AWE plc. Software Quality Journal, 15, 347-364. Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.Flitman, A. (2003). Towards meaningful benchmarking of software development team productivity. Benchmarking, 10, 382-350. Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.Hamid, A., Tarek, K. (1992). Investigating the impacts of managerial turnover/succession on software project performance. Journal of Management Information Systems, 9, 127-145. Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.Kotlarsky, J., Oshri, I., van Hillegersberg, J., Kumar, K. 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Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.Vujovic, S., Ulhøi, J. P. (2008). Online innovation: the case of open source software development. European Journal of Innovation Management, 11, 142-157. Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.Wren, D.A. (2005). The history of management thought. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley PublishingZwikael, O. (2008). Top management involvement in project management; a cross country study of the software industry. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 1, 498-513. Retrieved March 15, 2009 from ProQuest.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Copyright 2009 by Savas Papadopoulos, FastNeuron Inc Savas Papadopoulos is a software business consultant with FastNeuron Inc <a href="http://www.fastneuron.com" target="_new">http://www.fastneuron.com</a> He can be reached at 410 571 5950 or via email: <a href="mailto:savas@fastneuron.com">savas@fastneuron.com</a>. 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Current Management Opportunities and Challenges in the Software Industry

During the past 30 years the world went through a very dynamic technological transformation. In retrospective, it can be stated without e...