TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Business Intelligence
What is it?
Business intelligence encompasses the processes, tools and techniques
designed to harvest critical information from the large volumes of data
within the organization.
This is a long-established concept but what brings it into the foreground
as a 2012 trends is the increasing ease of the technology and the degree
to which analysis has left the central IT department and moved to the
control of revenue generating businesses.
The latest versions of Microsoft’s SharePoint and the success of
visualization technologies like Tableau enable the businesses demand for
analytical insights without the perceived delays associated with formal
development methodologies.
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Business Intelligence
Why is it Important?
Business intelligence traditionally affords management the
opportunity to gain additional insight into the performance of an
organization, and the use of that information to achieve corporate
goals.
The new technologies accelerate the businesses abilities to take
advantage of the vast amounts of data available
104 Flavours
Mix Your Own
Captures Significant
Business Intelligence
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Business Intelligence
Issues and Risks
While there are enormous advantages to businesses, there are some
control issues that need to be considered.
Probably the most important risks are associated with the quality of the
insights. Quality will depend on the integrity of the data and the relevance
and accuracy of the analysis. As it becomes easier to put together data
from multiple sources, the risks of inappropriate aggregations increases.
The lack of common data definitions will easily become an impediment.
While business units can now more easily create analyses, multiple
analyses may have the unfortunate side effect of increasing the need for
reconciliations or rationalizations.
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Business Intelligence
Issues and Risks
Two groups may even use the same data but create analyses that on the
surface look inconsistent. The ability to quickly rationalize differences will
be important in maintaining trust in the information presented.
Data loss and quality entropy become more likely as control of the data
moves into the hands of “end-users.” Typically the analysis means the
data is held closer to the business and beyond the reach of the central
controlled environments.
Clumsy analysis based on non-causal relationships that randomly appear
relevant may cause incorrect decisions
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Security
What is it?
Security encompasses the protection
mechanisms that protect an
organization’s IT systems and data
from unauthorized access, use,
disclosure, manipulation or
destruction, and enables organisations
to take advantage of new technologies
responsibly
Security touches on all the other trends
we are seeing such as cloud
computing, virtualization, mobility,
social networking, big data, legislative
compliance and IT Governance.
The security challenge today is how to
define and enact effective security in a
rapidly changing technical, business
and
user environment
© 2012-Robert G Parker
May 24, 2012
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Security
What is it Important?
Secure use of personally owned technology for business
purposes (i.e. Bring your own device
The usage and controls of personally owned devices and enterprise
owned devices tend to be very different
Enterprise owned devices are
configured and maintained to
perform business functions, are
connected to an enterprise
network and typically have
controls over their Internet and
email usage.
Personally owned devices
generally lack these kinds of
controls.
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Security
What is it Important?
In addition to being used for
business purposes, they enable
owners to connect to the
Internet directly or through a
home router and to use their
computers for entertainment
purposes, such as playing
games, watching videos,
shopping, and communicating
with friends through social
media.
Owners freely download and install application software and transfer files
between external sources.
These different usage patterns mean that personally owned devices tend to
be exposed to a different mix of computer threats than enterprise owned
devices.
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Security
What is it Important?
Security in mobile technology
New technologies such as smart phones, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots and
downloadable apps are becoming main stream. However, mobile
technology is relatively recent and there has not been time for security
to reach a satisfactory level of maturity.
Security threats with social engineering
Cybercriminals have long used social engineering to deceive users
into disclosing personal information or to install software that
performs malicious actions in addition to or instead of the software’s
desired functions or that exploits vulnerabilities in already installed
software
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Security
What is it Important?
Advanced persistent threats
This type of computer attack differs from the opportunistic attack for
financial, political or other gain that typifies most computer attacks.
Some term it to be cyber-espionage.
The objective of these attacks is to remain undetected in a system for
a lengthy period of time in order to steal an organization’s intellectual
property and use it themselves or hand it off to a competitor.
Such an attack related to the proposed acquisition of the Potash Corp.
of Saskatchewan by Australian company BHP Billiton Ltd. was
reported in the December 6, 2011 edition of the Globe and Mail.
The operators of these attacks are highly skilled, well organized and
well-funded, allegedly by foreign states.
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Security
What is it Important?
Economic constraints of security
The economic volatility of the
past four years has resulted in
budgetary restraint as
organizations cut back
expenditures and capital
investment in almost all areas.
Conversely, cybercriminals are
becoming increasingly
sophisticated and better funded
by organized crime elements or,
as recently reported in the media,
state funded.
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Green Computing
What is it?
The use of “green initiatives” to make technology more environmentally
friendly by reducing power consumption and encouraging responsible
disposal/recycling of technology equipment
Green computing or green IT, refers to environmentally sustainable
computing or IT
Green computing has been defined as the study and practice of
designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers,
and associated subsystems—such as monitors, printers, storage
devices, and networking and communications systems — efficiently and
effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment
The goals of green computing are to reduce the use of hazardous
materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product's lifetime, and
promote the effective recycling of the technology at the end of its useful
life
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Green Computing
Why is it Important?
Apart from the benefits of
consuming less electricity,
green computing will
establish the organization as
environmentally conscious.
With the growing trend for
companies to embrace
sustainable practices,
stakeholders will view
environmentally conscious
business decisions
favourably.
Green IT can be tied to brand
management
May 24, 2012
Business Positives of Adopting
Green IT
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Green Computing
Issues and Risks
Failure to establish appropriate systems may result in a lack of
environment information and a loss of carbon credits
The organization may incur more costs due to unfriendly environmental
practices which lead to inefficient use of resources
Carbon sensitive business partners may avoid the organization’s
products or services
Green computing initiatives will need to be sustainable in the long term
and will require appropriate data measurement and capture systems
Failure to address green computing could result in increased costs
through carbon taxes and other fines and penalties
May 24, 2012
© 2012-Robert G Parker
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