The IT Analysts Make Their 2007 Predictions
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Human beings are forward-looking animals, which is probably why we have our eyes in the front of our heads. (Well, actually, we have our eyes in the front of our heads so we can see in 3-D, and the effect is that we are turned into forward-looking creatures.) As we enter the new year, it is probably a good idea to take a look at what some experts have to say about the IT ecosystem in general and what its prospects are for the year. READ MORE >

Top Mainframe Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) IBM and Advanced Micro Devices, partners in the development of advanced chip manufacturing processes, are promising products based on 45-nanometer chips by the middle of 2008. The ultra-small chip making processes open the gates to more features and higher performance. READ MORE >

(ComputerWorld) The intersection of information technology and business processes grabs the attention of a lot of executives. In many cases, it looks like a train wreck because technology is accelerating faster than the business side is ready to go. This article takes a look at five companies that have taken the wise approach of getting everybody on the right track from the get-go. READ MORE >

(SearchOpenSource) Here's an episode from reality IT that you won't find the IBM network. The drama unfolds as a grid computing environment running Linux on more than 120 Dell servers boots a mainframe off Data Center Island. The survivors say the Linux grid outperformed the mainframe by 70 percent and they reduced their hardware costs by 65 percent as part of the deal. READ MORE >

(ComputerWorld) Of course, one CIO's reality is another CIO's pipe dream. In this report, which was generated by the analyst firm Illuninata, you can read how IBM chooses to present things in a different light. In this case, the mainframe comes out the winner when multiple-application workloads are taken into account. The scenario here shows 30 Sun Solaris servers and 300 Linux servers taking the beating. READ MORE >

(EnterpriseSystems) Enterprise storage is one of those data center terms that most people think is clearly defined. It's etched in stone, right? Mainframe storage is enterprise storage. End of discussion. Well, there actually may be more to the story and some might even go so far as to say not all the chiseling involves the etching in stone. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

See our full calendar of events at
http://www.itjungle.com/big/big-calendar.html

February 5-9 -- San Francisco - The RSA Conference rolls out more than 220 sessions and 19 educational tracks with a focus on security. Keynote addresses include perspectives from the executives of top companies and an expo area featuring more than 300 vendors add to this highly respected event. LEARN MORE >

February 11-16, 2007 -- Tampa, Florida - SHARE User Events offer technical training tailored for enterprise-class IT professionals. The focus is on real-world solutions that meet business challenges. This event is an opportunity to influence future product development and preview current and future solutions from IBM and other leading technology providers. LEARN MORE >

April 23-27 -- Orlando, Florida - IBM system management products are the highlight of the Automated Operations Technical Council conference, where sessions are presented by representatives from IBM software development teams and their customers. The focus is on the mainframe environment, but extends out into the enterprise. The AOTC is a closed conference, with attendance by invitation only. Contact your IBM field representative for more details and an opportunity to attend. LEARN MORE >

May 6-10 -- San Jose, California - The International DB2 Users Group conference, known as IDUG 2007 North America, offers training and education on topics that include including DB2 for Linux, Unix, Windows; DB2 for z/OS; Informix; Java; Websphere; and XML. LEARN MORE >