(re) blog: dialogue with Redemtech

Data Vulnerability and Brand Risk Associated with IT Asset Management and Disposition

Redemtech’s practice advisory provides subject matter experts to support our customers and community. On February 23rd, at 10:30 EST, Jeff Kramer, Solutions Architect and Practice Advisor for Security, and Carol Baroudi, Practice Advisor for Sustainability, co-present virtual training around these critical risk topics.

What’s Powering Your Electronics (and everything else)? (UGLY REALITY #1)

Hidden behind America’s irreversible addiction to gadgetry and all things electronic lie ugly realities our frenzied lives effectively mask. When you turn on your computer, do you envision the coal mines?

Wyoming Coal Mines. Source: Wikipedia Common Photos

A is for Asset

The Bing dictionary offers the following definition:
as•set [ á sèt
1. somebody or something useful: somebody or something that is useful and contributes to the success of something

Looking Back...To Look Ahead

It's been an action-packed year, with riots, public protests, strikes, national scandals and, most notably, global economic turmoil. Technology leaders and IT asset managers--with the advent of cloud computing, big data and BYOD--are also living in tumultuous times.

Bringing Feng Shui Harmony to Our ITAM Efforts

Being the feng shui kind of gal that I am, I found the title of Carol Baroudi's blog, "Feng Shui..." particularly interesting. After reading the post--all of which I believe is completely valid--I remembered the gifts I had received during the holiday season and decided to evaluate whether or not I had adhered to the three rules she describes:

Feng Shui, Sustainability and the After Christmas Blues

The presents are open,
The gifts are unwrapped,
Oh goodness gracious,
Whadda we do with this, uh, stuff?

The Not-so-New Digital Divide and Really New Remedies

The November 27th New York Times Sunday Review article, “The New Digital Divide,” by Law Professor Susan Crawford, proclaims the “emerging division” that puts millions “at risk of being left behind.” Although I’m delighted for any and all attention being brought to the severe gulf that is today’s digital divide, the divide is not new. Even Dr. Crawford admits that the divide dates back to the mid 90’s when what we now call “the Web” began an unalterable change to how our society functions. In the early 90’s, technologies that had previously been under the governance of the Department of Defense, made their way into the public domain as “The Internet”.

First Take: CSR Opportunity in FCC Initiative

On November 9th, the Federal Communications Commission in collaboration with leading industry vendors announced Connect to Compete – a full-out frontal attack on the digital divide, aiming at enabling the digitally disadvantaged and putting Americans on par with our Asian counterparts. While American broadband connectivity hovers around the 66% mark, South Koreans and those in Singapore boast a 90% connectivity rate. The lack of money for connectivity – high speed access to the Internet – and for a working computer looms large for low-income families. While these families struggle to make ends meet, opportunity, education and services dangle just out of reach simply because they don’t have the means of accessing online resources.

FCC Connect to Compete Promises Progress without Pangs

I’m in a somewhat unique position. From the time I first started collaborating on The Internet For Dummies (1993) until now, I’ve watched as the world has adopted, adapted and transformed the very essence of human process and communication – so much so that now governments, businesses, schools, transportation and society at large are completely dependent on the Internet and its associated technologies. Twenty-five years ago when I would ask people in the grocery store if they were using the Internet, most asked, “The what?” Those were the days of landlines, telephone books, travel agents and encyclopedias.

How to Support and Manage Your Acorns

Not long ago, I wrote about what it’s like to take a mere concept of asset management to a fully realized IT Asset Management program, likening the process to nature’s journey from an acorn to a mighty oak tree. But there’s one major difference. While nature generally provides all the support any oak tree ever needs, your ITAM program will fail without plenty of ongoing management support.