10 Biz-Tech Trends For IT Leaders

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communication, recently announced its
eight business technology trends to help corporate and government information
tech­no­logy leaders do more with less.

Enterprise 2.0: Web 2.0 is quickly evolving into Enterprise 2.0 as
these rich capabilities are creating new business models for some companies and
empowering new strategies for others. The Enterprise 2.0 is expected to bring
enhanced collaboration, communications and sharing ideas. Organizations want
their employees to get their jobs done no matter where they are located. For
that reason, telework is becoming a strategic imperative. Companies would
continue to recognize the benefits of enabling mobile tele­workers or at-home
teleworkers to remain securely connected to corporate resources.

Doing more with less: More than ever, IT organizations are looking for
ways to do more with less. IT organizations are also looking for the right
technologies, such as sophisti­cated automated speech systems, to serve their
customers better.

Visual communications: Video would continue to play a starring role,
as companies make the most of their IP connections to create a culture of
colla­boration. So more online, phone and video etc collaboration would take
place, as companies increasingly embrace the cost-savings, productivity and
environmental benefits of virtual meetings versus business travel.

Unified communications integrated into business processes: Unified
communi­cations uses Internet protocol networks to integrate various systems,
media, devices and applications to help streamline business processes, and
accelerate decision-making. With UC now at the forefront of business
communications strategies, companies are making decisions about voice telephony
that would help them achieve greater collaboration and productivity.

Ready, set go IPv6: The number of IP-addressable devices and systems
is skyrocketing within enterprises and few organizations have current documented
data on what those assets are, how they are being used and which ones are most
critical to their operations. IPv6 will be a necessity for companies to achieve
mobility and scalability with increased efficiency and ultimately move their
businesses forward.

Getting SaaSy: The year 2009 would become a perfect platform for
software-as-a-service (SaaS) delivery. Serving content, applications and
security in a centralized online environment would become the rage.
Centralization would keep IT departments on top of their game in 2009.

360 Security: 360-degree security, mandatory on any IT checklist,
requires that the flow of data be protected in and out of the corporate network
and through the extended enterprise of widespread and mobile customers,
partners, suppliers and employees.

Eco-responsibility as sound business strategy: Companies would
evaluate eco-responsibility along with their technology investments as part of
an overall business strategy. A report from climate group mentioned about the
reduction of global carbon emissions by 15 percent by the year 2020.

Cutting through the compliance clutter: Com­pliance and regulatory
oversight are here to stay. Enterprises should be prepared to be strategic,
think innovative and act decisively.

DQC News Bureau