Something SaaS-y

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has become very popular of late. SaaS is a software delivery model where you use software programs on the internet and also store your files online. This means your information can now be stored on the internet which gives you access no matter where you are in the world. (All you need is an internet connection.)

SaaS is a software model that works well for business. As workers become more mobile, their use and consumption of software applications will change. SaaS is the only model that fulfills all the requirements of the mobile worker while simultaneously reducing total cost of ownership. By converting to a utility computing model, businesses are able to better control IT budgets and focus precious resources on enterprise specific functions. With SaaS businesses won't need to maintain file server data storage systems, software licenses and complex backup systems. Let the provider of your SaaS applications handle those costs.

For example, Google offers a variety of software applications that handle the standard business productivity suite (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.) called Google Documents. Here you can create, manipulate and share documents online. And because Google understands that you won't always have an internet connection, they have released a product called Google Gears which permits workers to access and manipulate their documents without an internet connection. Then, once they re-establish a connection, they can synchronize their changes online. With the advent of this service, Google Documents is now a viable alternative to the standard business productivity suite.

Many enterprise organizations are currently using a type of SaaS through keyserver systems or via application providers like Citrix. SaaS is nothing new, but it has become a new buzzword. I predict a significant move towards more SaaS deployments in enterprise environments, especially once they all provide for a model that permits usage of resources while offline.

Contact me to determine if you can save a significant amount of money by moving towards a SaaS environment for your business.

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Microsoft Live Mesh Explained

The blogosphere has been complete awash with bloggers trying to explain Microsoft's Live Mesh product. From the normal fear-mongering about Microsoft trying to consume the internet to overly technical explanations, the web is littered with bad information.

Microsoft Live Mesh will be a web enabled service that will allow you to connect and control all of your internet enabled devices. Now, you can share the data on your office PC with your smartphone and vice versa. Files can be stored online in your mesh folders and shared with trusted collaborators. Now you can finally synchronize all your devices to give you access to all your valuable information.

Amit Mital, the General Manager of the Live Mesh project writes:

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got two work laptops, a home PC, a SmartPhone, a Media Center, and a growing list of new devices. Unfortunately, at least initially, every new device I add makes my life a little harder not easier. There have been countless times where I’ve been in a situation where “that file is on my work machine” or “that photo is on my SmartPhone” or “I can’t access it because I’m offline."

-Source: Windows Live Dev Blog

To sum it up, Live Mesh keeps all your data synchronized across all your devices, it lets you share and work online and off from anywhere on anything. A limited developer beta will be open soon for 10,000 testers with a larger beta release hopefully in the fall.

If you want to know when Live Mesh is available for consumers, please sign up for updates from this blog.

Future of Online Video

Online video will continue to expand as the penetration of inexpensive digital video recording equipment grows. Further, multimedia marketing approaches will further expand the video space as more companies adopt video media to transmit their marketing message. The explosive growth of YouTube and other video sharing sites will continue to place upward pressure on the adopting of video media and will further corrode existing intellectual property standards as unenforceable.

Future Technology Predictions

Many of my customers are always asking for my thoughts on the future of information technology. They always ask me what is coming in the next twenty years. Forecasting technology twenty years ahead is nearly impossible. The last 100 years of scientific and technological development has been mostly based in the field of physics. Harnessing the electron as a medium for calculation ushered in the current digital age. As we approach the very finite size limits imposed by the circumference of the electron, a new technical revolution will emerge. With all the money being spent on health, it's obvious that the next major technological revolution will be based on biology.

I foresee substanital advances in harnessing biological processes in technology. For example, I foresee the printing of organs for transplant into patients. This capability is currently in it's infancy but will continue to expand in the coming years. Expect to see full organ manufacturing within 20 years. Also, I see the merger of biological systems with nanotechnology, such as bioengineered single cell organisms to function as nanoscale devices. Since we have reached many of natures limits, we will begin to harness nature to overcome those limits.

Even though the major advances will be in bioengineers, physics advances will continue and we will probably see the first true quantum computer in 15 years. Current quantum computers are not true quantum calculators. Prepare for significant changes in security authentication systems (RSA and such) to meet the demands of unparalleled codebreaking capabilities.

Look for a massive leap in broadband technology within the next 5-10 years. Based on current efforts to open up television broadcast whitespace for wireless broadband functions, eventually the FCC will get on the ball and open up massive investments in a national wireless cloud.

As such, computing will continue to become more of a utility. The next generation of computers will likely be simple internet appliances that connect users to services and applications in the cloud. The era of localized computing with applications and data stored locally is rapidly coming to a close. The future PC will simply be a dumb terminal capable of connecting either via wired or wireless internet connections and will probable cost less than US$200. Incidentally, these devices already exist, all I am predicting is near ubiquitous penetration. And no, I am not talking about internet enabled cell phones, though those will also continue to be popular after they come down in price.

Let me know what you think! Do you agree with my predictions? Am I too conservative? Too off the wall?

The Myth of a Windows Collapse

I rarely disagree with the brilliant minds at Gartner, but this time they are missing the point. Gartner research analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald argue that Windows is collapsing under it's own weight as it tries to support 20 years of applications. They are making this assumption because many users are opting out of Windows Vista. “Windows is too monolithic,” says Silver.

MacDonald argues that Windows should adopt multiple versions to support the demands of customers and hardware manufacturers. “One size doesn’t fit all,” says MacDonald. He believes that Microsoft should develop different versions of Windows specific to the device and/or the needs of the user. Essentially, he thinks Windows should be more like Linux.

They further argue that Windows is becoming too bloated because Windows Vista has a larger footprint and requires more resources than Windows XP, which requires more than Windows 98 and so on.

But this is nonsense. They are missing the two most important points:

1. The backwards compatibility of Windows is among it's biggest selling points! Because it can support legacy applications, customers will stay loyal to the Windows operating system. The moment Microsoft decides on a clean break, they risk losing customers.
   
2. Bloated operating systems are a boon to OEMs! If your old computer can't support the new operating system then you must upgrade, which makes OEMs happy. As hard drives get larger and processors get faster, larger operating systems are not necessarily a problem. Most consumers adopt new operating systems when they buy a new computer. We cannot ignore the financial significance of the relationship between Microsoft and the various OEMs. If they work together, they both benefit.

This is not to say they are totally wrong. Silver and MacDonald's arguments are valid amongst the technically literate crowd. However, the average computer user doesn't care about any of the technical issues involved. At the end of it all, the most important questions should not be ignored: Is it easy to use? Is it reasonably priced? Is it secure?

As long as Microsoft can keep providing "Yes" answers to those questions, Windows will have a long and fruitful life.

For more details on Gartner's argument: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8428&tag=nl.e550

Small Business / Technology Alignment

Business and technology alignment has become a Holy Grail for large corporations. Because these monsters are so large, anything they can do to make themselves more flexible, more responsive to their customers, is mandatory. Fortunately, as a small business you are agile and fast to respond. Chances are your top customers know how to get in touch with you at any time of the day. However, just because you do not suffer from the problems of these huge dinosaur businesses does not mean you cannot benefit from business / technology alignment.

Wikipedia states "…alignment can be defined as a state where technology supports, enables, and does not constrain the company’s current and evolving business strategies. It means that the IT function is in tune with the business thinking about competition, emerging threats and opportunities, and the business technology implications of each."[i] Therefore, for your business to achieve alignment means that your technology budgets must be spent to promote your overall business strategy.

Historically, the IT department has been isolated from business planning. Too often, technology budgets are spent on new hardware or on perceived solutions to problems. But without the "big picture" understanding of long-term corporate goals, the IT department was unable to develop real lasting solutions to address not just the problems of today but the real business needs of tomorrow.

But how do tech nerds talk to executive suits, and vice versa? How does a business owner communicate effectively with someone that speaks in tech-babble?

Well, the corporate giants solved this problem by inventing the position of the CIO. "Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a job title commonly given to the person in an enterprise responsible for the information technology and computer systems. As information technology and systems have become more important, the CIO has come to be viewed in many organizations as a key contributor in formulating strategic goals."[ii] So, the big companies just created a position that primarily amounts to a translator from Business-Speak to Tech-Babble.

A good CIO should learn and understand every facet of the business. He needs to know how orders are entered into the computer system and how they are fulfilled. He needs to anticipate the likely points of failure. He needs to know the daily flow of work in order to properly perform his job. But, most are just glorified computer techs that don't mind wearing suits.

Most CIO's solve every problem by throw buckets of company money at every perceived problem. The error in this approach is that the perceived problem may have deeper roots. Without a complete examination of the company and the day-to-day operations of the business, there is no way of knowing the full extents of any problem. So, while the CIO is happily throwing money at a superficial problem, the deep rooted cause of the problem remains unresolved. Then, after all the money is spent and the "solution" is implemented, the problems don't go away, they simply change symptoms.

A real CIO does not just treat the symptoms but researches every level of the company and finds the real cause of the problem. Once the problem is identified, then an appropriate solution can be designed that will cure the real problem. "CIOs are increasingly being counted on to help business leaders…make their companies more agile and customer-centric. Contributing to this trend is trust in technology and the IT department to aggressively transform the business."[iii] That is business / technology alignment. It's using computers and other information technology tools to resolve your real business problems and, at the same time, giving you the tools you need to run your business properly.

I realize that most small businesses can't hire a full time CIO. In these cases, you might call him The Computer Guy, or your Business Technology Consultant. Your Business Technology Consultant should be able to help you achieve alignment, but first she must take the time to understand your business and how you work. Alignment is about giving you the answers and information you need to make the right decisions to guide your company into the future. You set the strategy and your CIO decides the tactics. Alignment is all about teamwork and communication between you and your computer guy.



Citations -------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] Wikipedia, "Business Technology Management", 12 Nov 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Technology_Management; retrieved 27 Nov 2007

[ii] Wikipedia, "Chief Information Officer", 6 Nov 2007; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Information_Officer; retrieved 27 Nov 2007

[iii] Optimize Magazine, "Research Report: Defining the CIO". Publisher CMP Media LLC; 17 Aug 2007, retrieved 06 Dec 2007; http://www.definingcio.optimizemag.com/?cid=dd

Web 2.0: A Democracy of Ideas

Anything that expands the reach of your business into new markets and also provides additional avenues for customers to communicate with you are beneficial. The internet has opened a new range of opportunities for business and consumers to create an environment where value is more important than hype. More and more studies are proving that people are tired of Interruption Advertising. That means the traditional marketing methods are becoming less and less effective every day. So, to set to yourself apart from the herd, smart businesses will start to provide value before the sale. That means sharing expertise and ideas free of charge.

Ultimately, that is what Web 2.0 is all about. It is the empowerment of the consumer by developing communities where experts are established by the consensus of the group. It is the ultimate expression of the democracy of ideas. Good ideas and concepts will rise to the top.

So, what good ideas and concepts are you promoting? What is your business social networking strategy? How are you working with Web 2.0 technologies to expand your brand awareness?

Linked In: A Second Glance

I like LinkedIn. There are some features that annoy me. I don't like that video on the home page. Anything that slows me down is bad. Otherwise, I have steadily built a pretty diverse network of contacts online. As of today, I have 228 connections that link me to 4,613,500+ professionals!

That's cool. There are now 4 million new people I can reach out to. Incredible.

The world is genuinely getting smaller. I have had wonderful email conversations with people all over the globe. A brilliant young entrepreneur in India, a canny negotiator in Dubai, a brilliant scientist that gave me a great idea for a kid's party. It is amazing as I reach out and meet these wonderful and interesting people I get a chance to learn something new.

LinkedIn also has a Q&A section where people ask questions and people get to post answers. I love this area! I have sparked some interesting email conversations with my answers. I think it's great being able to reach out and speak to people about their concerns and issues. And before you think of it, I am not being a web shrink! I mean business issues and questions.

So, so far it's a cool experiment. I like it better than any of the other social networking sites. I am already on several others but I don't use them. LinkedIn is pretty neat.

Please join me.

View my online resume: Louis Rosas-Guyon