Statement by GCE President Ray Muslimani About Vivek Kundra Resignation and His Role in Promoting Cloud Computing

"Vivek Kundra has been a trailblazer in the effort to modernize Federal information innovation. Kundra provided not only a vision nevertheless also the guidelines and a specific timeline needed for agencies to implement innovative technologies like cloud computing. GCE has provided Federal agencies with the type of cloud-based financial management solutions Kundra has championed, and taxpayers have benefitted tremendously because of it. I congratulate him for a job very then done and for creating the standard by which all future Federal CIOs will be measured."

For more than a decade, Global Computer Enterprises has delivered enterprise wide financial management solutions to the Federal government. GCE's cloud-computing based solution drives major operational efficiencies and ensures more effective compliance with Federal financial regulations. With significant expertise in Federal financial management, successful implementation and integration, and data migration, GCE offers the most innovative and expeditious solution for agencies seeking to streamline operations, increase compliance, and lower costs in their financial management systems. For more on GCE, visit www.gcefederal.com or email cloud@gcefederal.com.

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What datacentre managers really think about cloud

Quocirca recently completed a technology project for Oracle that solicited 919 datacentre managers' views on cloud computing.

When looking at how respondents viewed the building of private clouds, there was a marked match with where they were already. Those who already had a homogeneous environment - for instance, Intel-based Windows - were looking for a cloud platform that was homogeneous.

Those on a heterogeneous platform, just as a mix of Intel-based Windows and Linux, perhaps with Risc-based Unix, were looking for a cloud platform that could abstract from the hardware to provide a homogeneous cloud environment at the software level.

The US is in the vanguard because most cloud activity is from vendors based within the USA itself. Germany and Switzerland take an architectural approach to computing, and for many, cloud computing provides...

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5 unanswered questions about Chromebooks

May 13, 2011, 6:00 PM — Google is attempting to reinvent mobile computing with its Chromebook, but in spite of all of the features and analysis available to us, there are nevertheless some important questions but to be answered. We won't know about some important aspects of the Chrome OS laptops until we get our hands on one, and other questions are largely about the viability and reliability of laptops that are in every respect web-based. Here are five of the top unanswered questions.

Chromebooks can connect external devices just as cameras and headsets, nevertheless iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users are required by Apple to use iTunes--desktop software that can't be installed on a Chromebook. Will there be some sort of workaround for Apple users to connect their devices to a Chromebook? Otherwise, that pretty much rules out getting a Chromebook as your sole computer if you as well have an iDevice.

With such a massive endeavor, Google better have a plan. Remember the data glitch that caused emails to be deleted for thousands of Gmail users previously this year? Or, more recently, Amazon's cloud web services crash? We know that Google Apps will have offline capabilities, nevertheless users need better reliability assurances earlier adopting a computer designed for constant Internet connectivity.

Remote management tools are a must for IT admins, nevertheless it's after all unclear specifically what capabilities Google's Chromebook enterprise tools will have. Remote desktop control? Laptop tracking and reset? Group policy settings? Google's $28 per user subscription plan for businessescan be an affordable way for small businesses to provide laptops to its users, yet to actually satisfy enterprise users, Google needs to woo its IT decision makers.

The top complaints about Google's Nexus One smartphone were 3G connectivity flakiness and, as my colleague David Coursey put it, a "sort of benign neglect" of the Android ecosystem. Business users, Google announced, will get technical support, however what about everyone else? Who will Chromebooks users turn to for support with their Chrome OS laptops? And, importantly, what will the quality of that support be?

Tablet computers, including convertibles, have come of age. Now IT must devise a workable balance by ensuring security of mobile data without squashing worker productivity. This Mobility KnowledgeVault will walk you through four key factors to build a workable plan and highlights real-world examples of businesses that are succeeding at fulfilling the productivity promise of mobility.

From data encryption to secure printing, there are many challenges IT mangers at small and midsize businesses face to secure mobile devices. Check out the resources in this Mobility KnowledgeVault to help develop a master plan and read:Techniques to secure data on mobile devices5 things CIOs need to know about mobile printingThe definitive mobile security checklist

There are six major mobile operating systems in use now and each one offers its own set of security and management challenges. The resources in this Mobility KnowledgeVault will help you keep these devices secure on the corporate network with expert tips on management tools, endpoint security software, increasing application support and more.

A recent IDG survey of businesses with 100-500 employees reveals data security is the top barrier to supporting employees' mobile devices. . This KnowledgeVault highlights survey results and explores how IT leaders are dealing with issues from encrypting mobile data without impacting performance and remotely disabling devices, to dealing with the Apple App Store for iPad and iPhone apps.

ITworld Answers is a service that helps IT pros resolve innovation questions. Post a question, and let your peers in the ITworld community take a crack at solving it!

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What you need to know about business VoIP phone service

There is no denying the fact that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is rapidly emerging as the communication technology of the future for all sizes of business enterprises. VoIP basically is the ability to make telephone calls over the internet to either a receiving computer or a telephone.

VoIP technology, simply stated, uses something called packet switching where sound is converted into packets of data that are sent over the internet and reassembled at the receiving end by one's computer or telephone. If a high-speed internet connection is used, a conversation can take place that easily compares to a regular telephone call in sound quality.

With the passage of every year, VoIP continues to bring higher standards of quality and multiple features, and there is no doubt that VoIP will be a viable technology for business communication for many years to come.

Several VoIP service provider companies are realizing the potential that VoIP services offer business communications and are now offering VoIP business plans to consumers. One of the distinct advantages for businesses to buy a VoIP system is the fact that it costs significantly less than most standard telephone services.

Further, most VoIP plans will allow you to make unlimited long-distance telephone calls for incredibly inexpensive rates. Most VoIP subscription plans include extra features such as call waiting, call forwarding, three-way conferencing and voice mail as part of their standard package. Another noteworthy benefit is that many VoIP service providers will allow you to select a new area code and phone number for your VoIP calls.

In a nutshell, the biggest advantage of business VoIP service over traditional phone services is the complete integrated communications solution that it offers. With a business VoIP phone, it is possible for you to make inexpensive domestic as well as international voice calls. You can take advantage of both audio and video conferencing. You can have voice messages and fax messages sent to your email address. Outside of these, there are many other features extremely useful to increase productivity.

 

5 things you need to know about videoconferencing

2. One window shows all your applications. Companies are using unified communications platforms like Microsoft Lync and Avaya Flare as videoconferencing catchalls. These platforms consolidate all the windows workers have on their computer screens at any time, including videoconferences. They as well integrate social media, so employees can video chat with anyone from their social networks. The trade-off, experts say, is that users must abandon preferred chat customers and adapt to using UC for everything.

3. You can access video on the go. FaceTime on the iPhone 4 offers only one-on-one chat, and you may have to sacrifice quality with other free options, like Tango. Skype Mobile, which works with Wi-Fi and 3G, can handle multiple parties then and there, however the connection can be unreliable and not all smartphones support video calls. Until more sophisticated networks are introduced, such services are best suited for informal calls.

4. Free options offer limited quality. Free solutions like Skype and Google are not always suitable for the enterprise-you don't want to be fussing with the connection at an important board meeting. Many chat customers have video options, so for one-on-one conversations, free video chat may work fine. Nevertheless a recent Forrester report by analyst TJ Keitt says 72 per cent of workers however don't want desktop videoconferencing, adding that companies need a clear idea of what they will use video for: "Businesses distribute it with no sense of how it should be used."

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