In today’s uber-connected computing environment, the concept of an air-gapped, locked down, and stand-alone data center running proprietary special use software is an anachronism. Even the most secure military data systems use some commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software and almost all IT environments are networked. Procurement and IT managers and officers look for the best hardware and software configurations needed to ...

Nearly every IT department uses some form of a systems management tool (SMT), but too many rely on their systems management software to perform IT asset management (ITAM) functions. SMT’s do the things they are designed for very well, but are not a substitute for a comprehensive ITAM or Software Assert Management (SAM) solution. By using flexible ITAM and SAM ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets Ltd. ITAK V10 I2 In April of 2012 Microsoft announced that support for Windows Server 2003 would end on April 14, 2015, and the only two supported server operating systems would be Windows Server 2008/R2 and Windows Server 2012.  Why is this a big deal, and why should IT managers care?  The US Department of Homeland ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets ITAK V8 I7 Trendy Targets In the beginning, as a famous book starts, there were PCs with Windows, and management saw them and was pleased.  PCs proliferated throughout business and society like rabbits, and the good people of the world used them to play, work and learn.  However, the dark side of society also saw a ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets Ltd. ITAK V7 I12 iPads. iPhones. Android tablets and smart phones. iOS. Windows 8.  Surface tablets and Windows phones. ARM chips. Combined, this group of products and technologies is being charged with the death of the traditional PC that’s been around in one form or another since 1982. But, is the PC really on death’s doorstep? ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets ITAK V7 I5 You or your company has installed firewalls, anti-virus software and network filters. You can relax and safely perform web-based research or market or pricing research, secure in the knowledge that your data is safe.  Don’t be so sure.  Your PC/laptop may be safe from viruses and malware, but your search data and even ...

By Edward Cartier, xAssets LLC. ITAK V7 I2 In 1968 John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote: You say you want a revolution Well, you know We all want to change the world You tell me that it’s evolution Well, you know We all want to change the world Back then Lennon and McCartney probably weren’t writing about changes in the ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets Ltd. ITAK Volume 6 Issue 2    Anyone who really believes that pad-computers (hereafter “pads” to save some ink and paper) won’t invade just about everyone’s IT infrastructure in the next year or so is woefully naïve.  Strong words?  Not really.  First, that’s not just my opinion.  The consensus of the research companies (the ones that ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets ITAK Volume 6 Issue 1 It seems hard to believe, but as of this writing pad-computing, as we know it, has only been with us for 10 months. True, some tablet devices were introduced years ago, only to suffer slow market acceptance and a very short product lifespan. Then, the iPad® came along in April of ...

By Ed Cartier, xAssets ITAK V5 I6 So, management finally relented and approved the budget for the acquisition of an ITAM solution. You published your RFP, did your due diligence and selected a vendor. The software is installed, your custom reports and customer specific fields are completed and you’re all set to go. What’s the first thing you’re gong to ...