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Don’t Buy or Lease Your Infrastructure, Get a Subscription

Posted on by Adam Kovitz
In an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model, a third-party provider hosts hardware, software, servers, storage and other infrastructure components on behalf of its clients. For you, it means your organization will not own or lease the infrastructure, you pay for its use. Now, imagine extending that model to infrastructure in your own facilities, and include monitoring & management. Sound far fetched? It’s not!
The next time your business needs new computers, networking equipment or other technology, the traditional question you would ask yourself is should you buy it or lease it? Both options have their pros and cons. Ultimately, your method of acquisition will be based on several factors. Let’s look at some of the benefits & costs of the purchase and lease options for your on-premises equipment. Then, we’ll look at the new IaaS subscription model for your on-premises equipment.
Purchase Your Equipment
  • It’s easier than leasing. Buying equipment is easy. You decide what you need, then go out and buy it. While you may negotiate the price, there are typically no contracts to sign.
  • Your equipment is deductible. The IRS currently lets you deduct the full cost of newly purchased assets, such as computer equipment, starting in the first year. Of course, the IRS can (and has) changed that regulation (Section 179 Qualifying Property).
  • The initial outlay for needed equipment may be too much. Your business may have to tie up lines of credit or invest hefty funds to acquire the equipment you need. Those lines of credit and funds could be used for other functions that can help grow your business.
  • Eventually, you’re stuck with outdated equipment. Computer technology becomes outdated quickly. A growing business may need to refresh and invest in its technology every 18-36 months to remain competitive. You may be stuck with outdated equipment that you will be responsible to donate, sell or recycle.
Lease Your Equipment
  • Leasing keeps your equipment up-to-date. Computers and other tech equipment eventually become obsolete. With a lease, you pass the financial burden of obsolescence to the equipment leasing company.
  • You’ll have predictable monthly expenses. You have a predetermined monthly line item expense, which can help you budget more effectively. 
  • You’ll pay more in the long run. While leases rarely require a down payment, leasing is almost always more expensive than purchasing.

Another business decision you will make with a purchase or lease option is if/how you will manage the maintenance and support of the equipment. Even if the hardware is not obsolete over the life of the equipment, you will need to upgrade the firmware, apply security patches, update configurations, etc. to keep the performance of the equipment in top form. The cost of maintenance and support from the equipment vendor can cost 20% annually of the equipment purchase. In addition, you need to account for the cost of personal (staff or contracted) to keep your equipment supported.
Infrastructure as a Service now extends to on-premises implementation. Like a hosted IaaS model, you will not own or lease the equipment under contract. Your on-premises equipment (routers, firewalls, internet appliances, etc.) will be owned by the service provider. And, the all of the support responsibilities will be included in your subscription contract. 
On-Premises IaaS
    • You’ll have predictable monthly expenses. Like a lease, you will have a predetermined monthly cost, which can help you budget more effectively. In addition, this will include your maintenance and support costs.
    • You won’t be stuck with outdated equipment. Your contract will ensure all firmware, security patches, configuration settings, etc. will be current. In addition, you will get hardware upgrades as your current hardware reaches its end-of-life.
    • Completely monitored and managed. Your subscription will completely monitor, maintain and mange the equipment, including on-site service calls if needed. The vendor will likely know of service issues or upgrade needs before you will.
    • Cost. When you consider all of the actual expenses with the tradition purchase and leasing options, including the cost of manpower time and effort that can be reallocated to actually growing your business, on-premises IaaS can be a very efficient model
    On-premises IaaS is a solution worthy of your consideration. You will have many factors to consider when you need to acquire technology equipment. Now, you have another option to consider as to how you will acquire and implement that new equipment.
    For more information on this topic, contact Princeton Technology Advisors, LLC.
    I encourage you to leave a comment by clicking on “…comments” below…
    David Schuchman     Princeton Technology Advisors

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    Monthly Meeting

    Posted on by Adrienne Roman

    georgepace

    The Breakfast Club NJ Presents : “Digital Disruption- Part II, Your Career Curriculum” presented by George Pace.

    Saturday April 11th at 8:00am ET

    Synopsis:

    “Digital Disruption- Part II, Your Career Curriculum”

    Welcome to Part II of the Breakfast Clubs focus on “Digital Disruption”. In Part II, our Speaker George Pace will take us on a journey that will help answer the question
    What can I do to “Keep Pace” with Digital Disruption so that my skill sets remain current?
    The presentation which is entitled “Your Career Curriculum” will guide participants thru the following:

      • Examine various Digital Technologies by identifying the disruption they are causing – and the opportunities they are creating
      • Reviewing root causes as to why it’s hard to stay current
      • Introduce the concept of a “Career Horizon” and why it’s critical to evolving your career
      • Developing your own “Career Curriculum” – and identifying the Core and Elective Classes specific to you
      • Techniques and technologies you can leverage to begin implementing that curriculum

    About the speaker:

    This presentation will be conducted by George Pace, who has had a diverse career in IT spanning a wide range of disciplines and technologies. He continues to ‘Keep Pace’ with leading edge technologies such as Cloud Computing, Big Data and Social Media and is sharing his insights on his YouTube Channel. George holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Seton Hall University and an MBA from the Rutgers Business School–Newark and New Brunswick.

    Note:

    Make a point to go to the meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/The-Breakfast-Club-NJ/ and read George Pace’s comment. He suggests some preliminary reading and video viewing – great information! And please leave a positive comment!
    Please share this with other groups you may be in. Join us on Meetup.com at: http://www.meetup.com/The-Breakfast-Club-NJ/ to RSVP for the meeting.

    TBC meetings for 2015 are free (courtesy of one of our members), and free breakfast (bagels) to the first 50 attendees!!!

    Be sure to tell your friends and bring them along. Be a part of our growing network of Job Seekers, Hiring Managers, Recruiters, Career Coaches, and people who want to be able to help themselves and each other.

    Event Location:

    Days Hotel Conference Center
    195 Rt. 18 South, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
    732-828-6900

    Meeting Format:

    7:30 to 8:00 – Registration & Open Networking

    8:00 to 8:15 – Welcome and housekeeping

    8:15 to 9:15 – Presentation by the guest speaker – Limited to 60 minutes

    9:15 to 10:15 – Elevator Pitch – 30 Seconds about yourself, who you are, what you are looking for, target companies (3-4), how we can help you, how you can help others. Follow the rule of the Three B’s of Public Speaking: Be informative; Be brief; Be seated.

    10:15 until you choose to leave – Open Networking, follow up with people you are interested in meeting following their elevator pitch, exchange business cards, peruse the library, arrange follow up meetings, etc.

    The Breakfast Club NJ – 10 Points for Good Member Citizenship

      1) Attend meetings regularly to keep group strong and help pay back to others (meeting logistics on our website www.thebreakfastclubnj.com)

      2) Keep anti-virus on your machine up to date and run scan regularly

      3) Review messages and if request for assistance please help whenever possible

      4) Once you have received your invitation and joined our linked in group, connect to other members directly(questions see Gerry Peyton -gpeyton@ptd.net)

      5) Join groups Facebook group and connect to other members directly (questions see Adrienne Roman – adrienne1204@optonline.net)

      6) Join groups twitter account (questions see George Pace – keeppace@gmail.com)

      7) If you run across someone in transition invite them to join our group and sponsor them through process (details on our website www.thebreakfastclubnj.com)

      8) Sunday mornings listen to our radio show, “Your Career Is Calling”, at 8am ET either on radio at 107.7 or via internet 24/7 live or on demand at www.1077thebronc.com (as this is a call in show your calls help make it successful)

      9) If you are in transition put your elevator pitch in writing to group, ask for help with job search issues or connecting to people at target companies, regularly post job opportunities (from email you joined the group – send email to thebreakfastclubnj@yahoogroups.com)

      10) Help fellow members whenever possible

    1. Attend meetings regularly to keep group strong and help pay back to others (meeting logistics on our website www.thebreakfastclubnj.com)
    2. Keep anti-virus on your machine up to date and run scan regularly
    3. Review messages and if request for assistance please help whenever possible
    4. Once you have received your invitation and joined our linked in group, connect to other members directly(questions see Gerry Peyton -gpeyton@ptd.net)
    5. Join groups Facebook group and connect to other members directly (questions see Adrienne Roman – adrienne1204@optonline.net)
    6. Join groups twitter account (questions see George Pace – keeppace@gmail.com)
    7. If you run across someone in transition invite them to join our group and sponsor them through process (details on our website www.thebreakfastclubnj.com)
    8. Sunday mornings listen to our radio show, “Your Career Is Calling”, at 8am ET either on radio at 107.7 or via internet 24/7 live or on demand at www.1077thebronc.com (as this is a call in show your calls help make it successful)
    9. If you are in transition put your elevator pitch in writing to group, ask for help with job search issues or connecting to people at target companies, regularly post job opportunities (from email you joined the group – send email to thebreakfastclubnj@yahoogroups.com)
    10. Help fellow members whenever possible

    We look forward to seeing everyone let’s make this a great meeting for our members that are in transition and welcome those that have landed

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    The Carrot or the Stick

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz
    I know a certain Project Manager (PM) who we’ll refer to as “Bob.”

    Bob was a new employee. As a Project Management Professional (PMP), he believed he was ready for the position at an established organization. This organization was a medium-sized company between   3,000-5000 employees and had been in business since the early 20th century. Its’ clients and customers were loyal to the products the organization sold and the organization was adept at keeping the price of its products within range of a typical middle class family unit. This is what attracted Bob to this PM role.

    In the interview, Bob neglected to ask how the organization treated its associates in the IT department. But even if he did, he would have received the answer “no different from other organizations treat their IT associates.” This would be a bit of a stretch because in this organization, IT was seen as a necessary evil, even in the early 21st century. The other departments, especially sales, did not believe that IT brought “value” to the organization. So when Bob started with this new organization, he was presented with their version of a Project Management Office (PMO).


    Using the PMO as a stick

    The PMO was created by the organization to keep costs low and to maintain content control over the IT department. This PMO was set up with the most stringent rules that did not allow any deviation or process improvement. Whenever a PM submitted a document or put an artifact within its file share system, the leader of the PMO went over every single word, phrase, and task of that document. Project plans could not deviate from the template that the PMO had produced.  And every time there was a deviation of any kind, the PMO lead had a meeting with the offending PM. This meeting was not a constructive meeting in any way. This meeting was set up to demonstrate the errors of the PM and to suggest, in very strong terms, that the PM, even the new PM, had to follow the rules and instructions of the PMO. For example:

    • The PM had to use the prescribed MS Project template that was developed by the PMO even though each IT project had its own caveats.
    • The PM had to present certain artifacts during certain phases. Presenting them too early or too late resulted in the project being put on hold until the PM corrected this.
    • If the PM was brought in front of the PMO lead, the PM was not allowed to explain himself/herself regarding the deviation, no matter what the reason.  This meeting was set up to demonstrate the errors of the PM.

    If the PM made a similar error more than once, the PM was written up to Human Resources.  Bob eventually left this organization.

    • There was an introductory webinar for the PM defining the PMO and its methodology.
    • A new PM “shadowed” another PM upon starting. Even though the new PM had projects, the shadow PM provided guidance.
    •  The PMO lead had regular PMO meetings and one-on-ones with the PMs to provide guidance and ensure all PMs understood the PMO process.
    • New ideas from PMs to improve process were discussed in the group and if the idea provided added benefits or reduced time and costs, they were eventually introduced into the PMO.
    • How are PMs and other employees treated? 
    • What is the culture?
    •  Does the PMO allow any improvements?
    •  Does the PMO lead have regular meetings and one-on-ones?
    •  What is the organization’s belief towards IT?
    •  Is there growth for the PM?


    Using the PMO as a Carrot

    Once Bob left that organization, he joined a new one. This organization was the same size and also had loyal customers for the same reasons. This organization had an established PMO and used it to promote its IT projects. The big difference was the way the PMO was managed and how the PMs were treated in that PMO. For example:

    Conclusion

    Whenever a PM is taking on a new role, whether it is at a new organization or a new division in the same organization, I have tried to illustrate the types of PMOs that are in existence and the ones that are obviously preferable. 
    When PMs are interviewing for a PM position, the obvious questions about the PMO should be:

    If the PM can get positive answers to these questions, then the PM can distinguish how the PMO works with the PMs: with a carrot or with a stick. 

    I am open to discussion at any time on these blogs or anything else related to project management you would like to explore. If you would like to comment about this blog, please do so by posting on this blog or by responding in an email at Benny A. Recine. You may inspire a blog article. I look forward to your comments.

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    How to Find a Job in This Job Market

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz

    I want to preface this by stating that I have been a practicing career coach for over eight years, during which time I have helped almost 600 job seekers. Every case is unique because no two circumstances are alike, but ultimately there is a lot of commonality between job seekers. Finding a job, especially in […]

    The post How to Find a Job in This Job Market appeared first on Landing Expert Career Coaching.

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    Responsive Website Design: Can This Replace Mobile Apps?

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz

    Many business owners struggle with whether they should design a responsive website that works across devices or focus exclusively on building native mobile apps. Choosing between a responsive website or a native mobile app is more of a business call than that of technical capabilities. Since mobile app development may require a large investment, a responsive web design may be a terrific solution.
    Why Have a Mobile Presence
    Mobile access gives your business the opportunity to interact with customers in real time. In addition, it allows you to expand your customer base beyond traditional website users by providing on-demand access to valuable information wherever the user is located. An effective mobile presence can produce an engaged customer, which often translates into a paying customer.


    A Challenge with Native Mobile Apps

    Native mobile apps are software programs that are developed specifically for smaller, handheld devices, such as tablet computers or mobile phones. Properly developed, they present a user experience optimized for each viewing device. The challenge you may experience in choosing to build a mobile app is that it can become an expensive proposition for when you want to reach mobile users. That’s because mobile app development is platform specific, and the apps must be recreated for each desired platform.

    As of February 2015*, the most common mobile platforms in the US are Android (46.9%), iOS (42.6%), Windows Phone (2.7%) and all others (7.8%). In order to reach the maximum number of mobile users, you must plan to individually build each mobile app for multiple platforms. If, for example, you chose to only build one instance of a mobile app on the Android platform, you are missing 53.1% of the mobile market users.
    What is Responsive Web Design?
    Responsive web design is building a website suitable to work on a browser on most every device and every screen size, no matter how large or small, mobile or desktop. Responsive web design is focused around crafting websites to provide an intuitive and gratifying experience for everyone. Websites created with a responsive design adapt the layout to the viewing environment. 

    Unfortunately, most websites are not optimized for mobile and other devices with smaller screens. They are designed for large screen displays such desktop monitors. Mobile devices are often constrained by display size and require a different approach to how content is laid out on screen.

    There is a multitude of different screen sizes across desktops, laptops, tablets, 2-in-1’s, phones, game consoles, TVs, and wearables. The use of mobile devices to surf the web is growing at an almost astronomical pace. Since the screen sizes are different and always changing, it’s important that your website can adapt to any screen size, today or in the future.

    Click on the video image to see how a Responsive Web Design responds to size changes.

    The User Experience
    In order for a user to have a mobile app, they usually must download it and install it on their device one time. Typically, the installation includes placing an icon on the device’s interface used to start the mobile app.

    In order to access a responsively designed website, the user must start the web browser already installed on their device, and then enter the website’s URL (web address). It is easier and faster to start a mobile app by clicking the app’s icon. In addition, the information presented will be formatted specifically for the platform. However, once the user accesses the website via the browser, they can save the URL as a “favorite” so as not to have to reenter it each time they want to access the website. 

    If You Want an Effective Mobile Presence
    If your current website is not responsive, you will need to upgrade or replace your website to effectively accommodate mobile devices. Or, you will need to build native mobile apps for one or more mobile platforms. In general, the cost to build a mobile app for one or more platforms will far exceed the cost of upgrading your website to be of a responsive design.

    Deciding between a having responsive website or mobile app is a business decision where you will need to consider several factors (e.g. user experience, industry norms, your competition, etc.) in addition to the cost. When cost is a large factor in your decision, consider a responsive website design as a cost effective means to gain a strong mobile presence.

    For more information on this topic, contact Princeton Technology Advisors, LLC.
    *Netmarketshare
    I encourage you to leave a comment by clicking on “…comments” below…
    David Schuchman

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    Communication While in Transition

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz

    Disclaimer: My professional background is not in the field of communication, but I still have some opinions. Certainly, the cliché “It’s not what you know but whom you know” is often true. However, when people are in transition, I would add “but while in transition, who knows you is more important” because you are the […]

    The post Communication While in Transition appeared first on Landing Expert Career Coaching.

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    What Went Wrong with Your Last Presentation?

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz
    You are about to give the most important presentation of your career. If you convince the audience and gain their approval, you could change your business forever. You worked hard on the presentation and are well prepared. However, not long after you start to present to the audience, their eyes glaze over. They seem bored or distracted. Deep down, you know you’ve lost their attention. What went wrong with this presentation?

    Reflect Back on Your Performance

    While your memory is fresh, assess your talking points. You may discover glitches, such as a missing step in a process you outlined. Make a list of these flaws as soon as possible and promptly incorporate the changes into your slides and presentation.
    Did You Engage the Audience?
    You may see trouble spots regarding the audience’s reaction: Are people nodding, or nodding off? Are they taking notes, or engrossed in their phones? Try to recall specific weak moments, and develop specific fixes to sharpen your skills. For example, engage in a little Q&A with your audience. Questions arouse interest, pique curiosity, and involve audiences. Create tension or anticipation by posing a question and letting your audience think a moment before moving to the next slide with the answer.
    The Audience Doesn’t Seem to Like You
    Whether the vibe in the room feels wrong or the audience acts like they don’t respect you, you still need to get through the presentation. Afterwards, find out if there were external factors, such as a recent layoff announcement or other bad news that might be on people’s minds. Ahead of your next presentation, check with the meeting organizer to see if there are such events that you should know about before you start. If you have time before your presentation, speak with some of the attendees to help gauge their mood and show your interest in them.
    Did You get Interrupted or Heckled?
    These are people who want attention at that moment, want to prove you wrong, are insecure with the spotlight on you, or are just having a bad day. The audience is usually as frustrated by the hecklers as you. A good approach is to acknowledge them and their questions or comments. Then mention to them that it is either off track, or give them a short answer if the comment is relevant. If their interruptions continue, offer to meet with them after the presentation to answer any questions or concerns they may have. Keep in mind that if the meeting gets out of control because of a heckler, the attendees will blame the you for not keeping your presentation moving along.
    Speak With a Trusted Person in the Audience
    No matter how well you planned your presentation in advance, the actual delivery will often expose flaws, gaps, or other shortcomings, even for polished presenters. Feedback from a trusted attendee will help you identify minor problems with the delivery, like weak opening remarks or awkward attempts at humor.
    With a little attentiveness to the needs of your audience, you will effectively deliver the important information from your next presentation.
    I encourage you to leave a comment by clicking on “…comments” below…

    David Schuchman

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    March Meeting: Discussion Panel: “Digital Disruption – Part 1”, moderated by George Pace.

    Posted on by Adrienne Roman

    tbc20150314panel2

    The Breakfast Club NJ Presents a Discussion Panel: “Digital Disruption – Part 1”, moderated by George Pace.

    Saturday March 14th at 8:00am ET

    Synopsis:

    Please share this with other groups you may be in. Join us on Meetup.com at: http://www.meetup.com/The-Breakfast-Club-NJ/ to RSVP for the meeting.
    Slight venue change – March 14 ONLY – we are meeting in the Middlesex room (changed 3/12/2015)

    “Discussion Panel – Digital Disruption – Part 1”
    Defined as “the change that occurs when new digital technologies and business models affect the value proposition of existing goods and services”, Digital technologies such as Social Media, Big Data, Cloud and Mobile are not only disrupting business models – but the job market as well.
    As Digital is such a large (and at times complex) space, this month the Breakfast Club is proud to introduce a Panel Format that will walk the audience thru various aspects of Digital Disruption which include:

    • Defining Digital Disruption in today’s environment
    • Examples of where Digital has had an impact
    • New career opportunities – and careers that maybe threatened/impacted
    • What trends / direction should job seekers expect in the next 1-2 years
    • Suggested skill sets individuals should start focusing on

    The panel will consist of the following Breakfast Club members who are involved with various aspects of Digital:
    Our Moderator: George Pace, George is a Director – IT Infrastructure and Enterprise Architect at Prudential Financial Services where he is currently focusing on Cloud and DevOps Architecture. In his spare time helps people leverage the power of Social Media.

    About the panelists:

    Frank Kovacs – The BreakfastClub Founder and Global Head, Digital Business at Sutherland Global

    Haresh Keswani – Haresh is a business technology professional focused on Digital Transformation in Healthcare and Life Sciences segment. He has had consulting opportunities to work at big pharma like GSK, Johnson and Johnson, and Novartis wherein he has lead multitude of Digital Projects in areas of Commercial Operations – Sales and Marketing. At Pfizer he was one of Director’s responsible for Digital landscape globally from business case to execution. He has also implemented 360 View of Customer for GE with basic channels like email, chat, web, and customer service center a decade back.

    Rajeev Sachdeva – Information Technology executive with extensive strategy, execution and technology delivery experience in the Group Insurance and Financial Service space. Worked at marquee names like Lincoln Financial, Prudential, Morgan Stanley and Tata Consultancy Services.

    And to compliment this discussion – April’s The BreakfastClub NJ presentation will be entitled “Digital Disruption – Your Career Curriculum”

    TBC meetings for 2015 are free (courtesy of one of our members), and free breakfast (bagels) to the first 50 attendees!!!

    Be sure to tell your friends and bring them along. Be a part of our growing network of Job Seekers, Hiring Managers, Recruiters, Career Coaches, and people who want to be able to help themselves and each other.

    Event Location:

    Days Hotel Conference Center
    195 Rt. 18 South, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
    732-828-6900

    Meeting Format:

    7:30 to 8:00 – Registration & Open Networking

    8:00 to 8:15 – Welcome and housekeeping

    8:15 to 9:15 – Presentation by the guest speaker – Limited to 60 minutes

    9:15 to 10:15 – Elevator Pitch – 30 Seconds about yourself, who you are, what you are looking for, target companies (3-4), how we can help you, how you can help others. Follow the rule of the Three B’s of Public Speaking: Be informative; Be brief; Be seated.

    10:15 until you choose to leave – Open Networking, follow up with people you are interested in meeting following their elevator pitch, exchange business cards, peruse the library, arrange follow up meetings, etc.

    The Breakfast Club NJ – 10 Points for Good Member Citizenship

    1. Attend meetings regularly to keep group strong and help pay back to others (meeting logistics on our website www.thebreakfastclubnj.com)
    2. Keep anti-virus on your machine up to date and run scan regularly
    3. Review messages and if request for assistance please help whenever possible
    4. Join linked in group and connect to other members directly (questions see Gerry Peyton)
    5. Join Facebook and Google+ groups and connect to other members directly (questions see Adrienne Roman)
    6. Follow twitter account (questions see George Pace)
    7. If you run across someone in transition invite them to join our group and sponsor them through process (details on our website www.thebreakfastclubnj.com)
    8. Sunday mornings listen to our radio show, “Your Career Is Calling”, at 8am ET either on radio at 107.7 or via internet 24/7 live or on demand at www.1077thebronc.com (as this is a call in show your calls help make it successful)
    9. If you are in transition put your elevator pitch in writing to group, ask for help with job search issues or connecting to people at target companies, regularly post job opportunities (from email you joined the group – send email to thebreakfastclubnj@yahoogroups.com)
    10. Help fellow members whenever possible

    We look forward to seeing everyone let’s make this a great meeting for our members that are in transition and welcome those that have landed

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    Strategically Aligned Projects or Tech Projects: Which is More Exciting?

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz
    Sometimes, a Project Manager (PM) gets an opportunity to work on a new technology project, while other times it may be a project that has a straight line to a strategic initiative in the organization. Most times, there will not be a choice; the PM either works on technology projects or the PM works on strategically aligned projects. However, if a PM is torn between which of the two the PM should work on, a dilemma may present itself. Traditionally, when a PM works in an organization, there is an assumption that the PM would be working on technology projects. However, it should be noted that the Project Management Institute (PMI) began with mostly construction or engineering PMs, not technology PMs. So, there is no reason why a PM cannot handle a strategically aligned project. That said, which type of project would a PM be more comfortable with? Or a better question, which is more exciting for a PM to work on?

    Technology vs. Strategic

    Sometimes we do not see the forest for the trees. What I mean by that is the fact that a technology project can be a strategically aligned project. I have stated this in previous blogs and I will say it again: if the project cannot be traced to a organizational strategy, then you are not working on a project, that even when completed successfully, will have an impact on the organization. We PMs who work in technology get mired in the weeds and sometimes have a professional convulsion if our project  not a technology project, especially a new technology project. We PMs have to move beyond our belief systems regarding project management and think like executive management.  Maybe not so much like the CEO or President of the organization. However thinking like that would benefit us. Why not like the COO or the CFO? With security strikes like the hacking of Target, we definitely should be thinking like the CSO for our projects. If we cross that gap, we then can, as they say, think outside the box, and think like leaders, not just managers. Thinking strategically, whether we are on a technology project or not, means that we have to go beyond the “four walls” of our comfort zone, and begin thinking like the leaders and managers of the organization. This can be scary because we may see that the project we are working on does not fit the strategic future of the organization. That is a risk we all must take.

    Which Project Provides Greater Visibility?

    The answer is both, depending on the strategic importance of the project.  If we take a good hard look at the direction of our organization and read the organizational philosophy, as well as any related strategic statements, then we will see whether we are working on projects that align with those philosophies. I know that most of us PMs are over-worked as it is now. I know that we are “doing more with less.” I get all of that. However, if we PMs truly want to stay in the organization we are currently in, then we have to make the time to do that research. By the way, doing that research would not take a great deal of effort. I know that it may impact personal time, which we already have less of. But the fact remains that it is up to us to make that effort.

    Should a PM Try To Point His/Her Career Towards One Type Of Project?

    Yes. However, you have to sell to senior management that you can take on one of these projects and complete it successfully. That may take some time, but you will have to chart a course that reflects that. We all believe we can be the best PM on any project we start. We have to convey that confidence with visible results to senior management. If we just drop our chins and believe that we do not get the best pick of the projects because the odds are stacked against us, then we will convey an aura of defeatism that will be picked up by senior management and they will not award you with one of these projects.  A colleague of mine told me that you must always be positive,a although even when it is very difficult to be positive. I am asking you to do so and convey that positive aura about yourself.

    In conclusion, strategic and technical projects should not be separated because of any pre-conceived notions. These projects can and should be strategic and aligned with the corporate philosophy. And yours should be too.

    I am open to discussion at any time on these blogs or anything else related to project management you would like to explore. If you would like to comment about this blog, please do so by posting on this blog or by responding in an email at Benny A. Recine. You may inspire a blog article. I look forward to your comments.

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    Using the Cloud for Data Backups

    Posted on by Adam Kovitz
    There are two kinds of organizations in the world: Those that have lost critical data, and those that will. If you use technology long enough and neglect to back up your data, a single unfortunate incident can destroy your data and negatively impact your business. The solution is to back up everything that is important. Using an external hard drive or tape system can be an inconvenient or time-consuming task. That’s why more organizations are turning to managed cloud services for data backup.

    The reason you want to think about the cloud for your backup storage is because it offers tremendous protection and availability to protect your data. One of the biggest benefits of protecting data in the cloud is that the cloud is not in your own data center. It doesn’t take the resources of your data center. If something were to happen in your data center, you would still be able to fall back to this external resource.
    Another advantage to backing up your data to the cloud is that, with a proper service level agreement, you’ll have an actively managed, proven technology and expertise supported by your service provider. In addition to your in-house IT resources, which may be limited, you will have access to your service provider’s professional resources should you need to recover your data.
    Additional advantages of a cloud-based backup solution, which you may need to request and verify that your storage service provider offers, are:
    • Backups of backups: Your data is always stored off-site and is redundantly copied to other servers in different locations. If one location becomes unavailable, your data can be backed up or retrieved from elsewhere on the backup network without a service interruption.
    • Security: Data is encrypted by the backup service provider’s software program from your computer or network before it is sent to the cloud, so thieves on the internet cannot access it.
    • Virus protection: The backup service software detects any virus or infection before data is sent. If a virus is found, that file is not copied to the backup service. You will be notified that the corrupted file has not been deleted from your computer. In this case, you won’t lose any data, but that data won’t be backed up online.
    There are some caveats about using cloud based backup solutions. While these can often be mitigated via your backup and recovery strategies, you need to be aware they exist:
    • Cost: While usually less costly from a capital expense perspective, a cloud-based backup solution can be more expensive from an operating expense perspective as compared to on-site backups . Typically, you will pay a monthly or annual subscription based on the amount of data stored on the service provider’s servers as well as for their professional services.
      • Perform a business risk assessment. Also, do a cost-benefit analysis of your backup storage options. You may see that the risk mitigation benefit will exceed the cost.
    • Capacity: Cloud-based backups may not be best for large backups such as a large number of files, or very large files such as data bases. Since some internet providers limit the amount of data you can send and receive in a month. You may need to avoid large backups that cause you to exceed their stop-limits or trigger over-utilization charges.
      • Perform incremental backups. That is, instead of sending all of your data to the backup site on a scheduled basis. Send all of your data only once when you implement your solution. Then, only send the changes to the data on a scheduled basis. Make sure that your service provider can properly archive incremental changes, and restore your data at any point of time. While you typically do not have a need to recover large blocks of data, have a recovery strategy in place for when you need to do so.
    • Speed: It can take a long time to back up large backups online, even with a broadband connection.
        • The same Mitigation for “Capacity” applies here
        Considering your resources with the consequences of hardware malfunctions, human errors, software corruption and man-made or natural disasters can keep you from focusing on your many strategic initiatives. With a cloud data backup solution, you can gain the peace of mind that your data are protected and available for recovery when the time comes.


        I encourage you to leave a comment by clicking on “…comments” below…
        David Schuchman

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