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Showing posts from March, 2012

Using ERP Systems To Conquer Inefficiency in Your Business

Imagine this scenario: you finally realized your childhood dream of inventing and manufacturing your own line of bendy straws (we are labeling you as a “visionary”).   Within months, competition arises, but you believe you have the advantage of product design and costs.   Soon enough, you find out your competition is selling their product at 70% of your price.   No amount of cost cutting you can think of will allow competition with such a discount and your short reign as king or queen of the flexible-drinking-experience-augmentation market is over. Now you may not identify with straws but how about computers, furniture, or aerospace?   The truth is that competition in any industry will revolve around one central issue: costs.   These costs come in many forms but the one most often overlooked is efficiency costs.   My priority as a CIO or controller would be: how can I detect inefficiencies and more importantly, how do I fix them?   Both questions can be answered through the util

What Virtualization and Cloud Technology Have To Offer

The other day, I was having a telephone conversation with my father about cloud computing and how it can revolutionize the way business processes are implemented. My father, being a successful businessman for most of his life, was only vaguely familiar with what virtualization and cloud technology are and the benefits they have. I believe it goes without being said that cloud computing is the way of the future and if you aren’t comfortable with it upon entering a business setting, you will be left behind. Virtualization and cloud technology were recently listed as the #1 and #2 strategic technology trends way back in 2009 by technology research firm Gartner Inc. Based on that list; it appears that they were dead on looking at today’s current business environment and into the future. According to Wendy Perilli, a writer at Virtualization Journal, cloud computing, in its most simple definition,   is “the ability to acquire or deliver a resource on demand, configured however the user

Don't Worry - This Cloud Keeps Things Sunny

Straight Forward Analysis of Account Software in the Cloud After watching Apple's presentation of the iCloud services, I found myself marveling at the progression of a system I learned about in a computer science class. Cloud computing has moved from a distant IT concept to the newest addition to Apple’s ubiquitous ‘i’ brand.   Cloud technology refers to storing data, software and resources on remote servers which are then accessed as needed and it has been making waves in the business world for longer than you might think. Businesses are starting to realize en masse that ignoring the potentials of this phenomenon can prove costly. Though new to the consumer market, IT professionals have been throwing around the buzzword of cloud computing for years. The idea is nearly 50 years old, though only recently picking up speed for commercial enterprises. Following the example set by 80% of Fortune 500 companies, some companies have been flocking toward the technology while