How Big Blue Sees Small You
by Hesh Wiener

In September, IBM published its third biennial study of chief executive officer outlooks and attitudes. This study paid particular attention to the midmarket; companies with fewer than 1,000 employees and prime targets for the i platform. IBM found that midmarket CEOs have similar concerns and yearnings as their counterparts in larger organizations, but they expect greater change and often feel an even stronger urge to seek new opportunities. These attitudes are part of a growing trend among organizations of all sizes to envision a future with wide horizons, but this year's study might have defined a zenith of optimism. READ MORE >

Smart Business Boxes Launch in India, Not the U.S.
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Since 2000, the letter 'i' in the IBM midrange has stood for 'integration,' the key attribute, according to Big Blue, of its AS/400 and successor platforms. But in the modern IBM, the i stands for a lot of things, including international and, lately, India. And considering that the top brass have a love affair of sorts with India, it doesn't really come as a surprise that the company is launching its 'Blue Business' Smart Cube platform in that country first rather than here in the United States. READ MORE >

IBM Hitches Business Continuity Horse to Managed Backup and Recovery Wagon
by Dan Burger

The dependence of business on information technology has never been stronger. Planning and investment in one requires the same focus on the other. For some, that link between business and IT may feel a lot like handcuffs. Building a business demands the full focus of some organizations, and although IT may be recognized for providing competitive advantages, it can be a distraction that upper management prefers to turn over to someone else. IBM is happy to help. READ MORE >

As I See It: The Difference Maker
by Victor Rozek

It is difficult to find the silver lining in the daily litany of financial disasters and desperate, ineffective bailouts. Somber pronouncements of impending help notwithstanding, the economy has been crippled, and the greed of the few will impose suffering on the many. If, however, there is a ray of hope in which the IT community is entitled to bathe, it is the fact that IT professionals are--generally speaking--intelligent. READ MORE >