IT Spending Growth in 2010!

This year has been a year of cost cutting for businesses and this includes IT where the spending dropped a projected 8%. Goldman Sachs on Monday released a prediction of double digit IT spending growth in 2010! They are also predicting growth of about 15% in online advertising after a 4% decrease this year. This is a positive indicator for the business climate overall and even more significant swing for IT professionals. This 20% swing will put pressure on the industry to supply the products, services and technical professionals to meet the demand.

I have already seen an increase in interest and activity in the market. I think the inflection point will be October 22 when Microsoft releases Windows 7. After that, companies will begin technology refresh cycles at a faster rate as we move into 2010.

2010 looks like it will be a great year!

Source:
Google AP - Goldman Sachs
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gtH3V91COtoipptOBVJXnfZgT3SgD9ARUUT01

Virtualization Adoption Update

VMWare ESX Server continues to lead according to Centrify survey with 60% of the market. VMWare ESXi has 31%, Microsoft Hyper-V comes in at 26% and Citrix Xen Server at 18%. This is in line with what we have seen. There is definitely a continued trend to move toward virtualization and more often than in the past companies are considering Microsoft Hyper-V and Citrix Xen Server.

So what is delaying some companies from implementing a virtual production environment? There is an old adage that pioneers get arrows in their back but the pioneer days of virtualization were 3 -5 years ago and ended 2 years ago when we here at Nortec virtualized our entire infrastructure. The delay has been around cost of the software and the new hardware needed to implement the solution. Microsoft’s pressure on VMWare by bundling Hyper-V with Windows 2008 is solving the cost issue. As more and more businesses reach the point of needing a hardware refresh the hardware cost issue is being resolved as well. There are still of course a few old school hold outs but by in large this shift is happening and happening fast.

If you have not already virtualized your entire server infrastructure then now is time to put your plan together. It is a great time! There are several options and all are viable and make sense. Your design and choice of hypervisor will depend on your environment and what you are trying to accomplish.

Source: Centrify
http://www.centrify.com/news/release.asp?id=2009090101

Managing IT Professionals

I read “The Unspoken Truth About Managing Geeks” by Jeff Ello an article in CIO Magazine on managing IT Professionals. The article states that managing IT professionals is different than other groups because IT Pros are very logical and have little to no tolerance for non-logic. It is all about respect. The IT Pro needs to have respect for you and must show respect to them or the communication breaks down. The key to getting the respect is being logical and getting things done. You must not implement rules, process or decisions that do not make sense.

Mr. Ello states “While everyone would like to work for a nice person who is always right, IT pros will prefer a jerk who is always right over a nice person who is always wrong. Wrong creates unnecessary work, impossible situations and major failures. Wrong is evil, and it must be defeated. Capacity for technical reasoning trumps all other professional factors, period.”

In my experience I have seen the traits Mr. Ello describes in IT Pros. The challenge is that at the end of the day everyone is an individual and so any kind of stereotyping can be shot down. Does this mean we should not try to identify behavior that is typical for IT Pros? No – We can and this article does help identify some behaviors. I think adapting your approach to each individual will still be required. That is what you signed up for when you became a manger. Create an engaging relationship with each member of your team and have a passion for technology.

Article: “The Unspoken Truth About Managing Geeks” by Jeff Ello
http://www.cio.com/article/501697/The_Unspoken_Truth_About_Managing_Geeks?page=1

Quote of Day from "Who's Got Your Back":

Mr. Ferrazzi states the following about building your support network and following his methodology for success:

"... it requires dedication, discipline, and a willingness to push through your defenses and fears. Setting goals, then busting your butt to follow through with them, takes effort, self-reflection, honesty, and perseverance. But think about the alternative: Do you really want to look back from your old age at the dreams you almost but never quite went for, or the relationships you didn’t find the courage or time to develop? Or do you want to look back and say to yourself, ` Yes I did it’?”

- Keith Ferrazzi

“Who’s got your back” by Keith Ferrazzi

“Who’s got your back” is a book about building a support team – people you confide in for support on life’s challenges. When I first started reading the book I quickly grasped the concept of building a network. Mr. Ferrazzi gave several examples including weight watchers – essentially the entire weight watchers strategy is creating a support group to hold you accountable to your own goals.

I wondered after a chapter or so if there was really enough on building a personal support network for an entire book …. There is and Mr. Ferrazzi does an excellent job. After giving examples of how support groups have succeeded Mr. Ferrazzi explains why the support is important and how to create a support group.

My take away from “Who’s got your back” is five steps:

1. Inventory your current relationships and determine who supports you and who does not.

2. Build an engaging relationship with a few individuals that will; support you and allow you to support them; Are willing to open up in an engaging, trusting, confidential relationship.

3. Meet with those individuals at least once a month formally or casually.

4. Build the relationship to where you are comfortable discussing your goals and challenges.

5. Review your goals and hold each other accountable to them.

I have been a go it alone person and somewhat introverted so this is challenging for me. I have learned the value of support and have done some of this. I can refine my execution and have more and better relationships and Mr. Ferrazzi did a great job of outlining how to do this.