05.02.12   NTTcom.tv Mark Lafferty, CDW Director of System Solutions Some of the top initiatives are those that help companies get more out of data centers as they continue to shrink in size. There are more computing demands being put on the IT folks who are running data centers. The trend in IT has been to try to do more with less. People who work in the data center are being asked to support more user applications and business demands. Learn more... 04.24.12   Virtualization Journal Is Cloud Computing a Green Giant? Cloud computing already has trimmed some businesses' IT costs. But a report found that it also could be the next big thing to help reduce their energy use, according to greenbiz.com. The fourth annual Energy Efficient IT Report - by technology products and services seller CDW - calls cloud computing a possible "game changer" that's playing a growing role in energy efficiency. Learn more... 04.17.12   Security Magazine Personal Information is Top Target of Cyber Attacks, Research Shows Customer, student, employee and patient information is most at risk for cyber attacks today, and defending that data is a top concern for IT professionals this year, according to the Data Loss Straw Poll. The poll by CDW LLC (CDW), found that one in four organizations has experienced a data loss in the last two years. Learn more... 04.05.12   GreenBiz.com Is Cloud Computing the Next Big Energy Saver? Cloud computing already has cut some businesses' IT costs. But a new report has found that it also could be the next big thing to help reduce their energy use. The fourth annual Energy Efficient IT Report -- by technology products and services seller CDW -- calls cloud computing a possible "game changer" that's playing a growing role in energy efficiency. Learn more... 04.03.12   VentureBeat On the offensive: How to take control of the BYOD trend A well-equipped mobile worker is no longer a "nice to have" or a luxury. It’s a business necessity. In an economic climate where success or failure is based on the productivity and efficiency of employees, BYOD (that stands for "bring your own device") programs are flourishing. In fact, the latest CDW IT Monitor survey found 76 percent of organizations now allow the use of personal mobile devices for work-related tasks. Learn more... 03.19.12   ITBusinessEdge Meet the New Normal: Mobility, Collaboration, Cloud, Unified Communications It is perfectly true to say that unified communications is as relevant a platform for wired and stationary employees as it is for those on the go. But, without a doubt, the explosion of mobility has driven UC to a higher plane and, together, they have changed the nature of work. Now that many workers have multiple devices, whether it is a laptop, smartphone or tablet, UC's mobile options are becoming a big benefit to organizations and workers alike. In fact, organizations report the most common UC solutions they deploy include smartphones (80% deployed) and mobile desktops (80% deployed), according to CDW's 2011 Unified Communications Tracking Poll. Learn more... 03.14.12   SmallBizTechnology.com Computing: Are Small Businesses Embracing The Technology? Almost two decades ago, the advent of Internet and Information Technology has revolutionized the world and now Cloud Computing has radically transformed the way companies conduct business. According to CDW's Cloud Computing Tracking Poll, 84% of organizations are using at least one cloud application and 76% of small business cloud users say they have reduced the cost of applications moved to the cloud, saving an average of 24% annually. Learn more... 02.29.12   Investor's Business Daily Prepare and Practice to Win at Videoconferencing Virtual meetings soon will be a workplace staple. So says a study conducted by technology firm CDW, which predicts 75% of businesses will rely on videoconferencing by the end of next year to cut travel costs, screen employees and serve clients. Technology portends high-definition meeting screens and huge images that seem like real life, the firm's report states. Learn more... 01.13.12   Processor Diagnose Server Performance Problems: Read the Signs to Determine What's Causing Trouble in Your Data Center Server lag frustrates everyone–your end users waiting for a Microsoft PowerPoint file to open, your C-level executives who want their email pushed to them instantaneously, and you, the data center manager who must listen to and solve these complaints. In today’s increasingly virtualized world, server performance problems are more common and problematic than ever before. Learn more... 12.1.11   Peer to Peer Server Virtualization for the Small Law Firm Law firms are managing more data than ever before. And, while network data volumes are growing, servers in many organizations operate inefficiently – well below maximum capacity. Small law firms, in particular, need ways to streamline IT and scale to meet growing needs, while managing IT costs. Many firms are turning to server virtualization for help. Learn more... 11.29.11   Network World As Cyberattacks Grow, Take Security Seriously No company wants to be the subject of the next headline about a cybersecurity attack or critical data loss. Losing business data or customer information takes a toll on your business' reputation and its pocketbook. While it is impossible to entirely avoid an attack, there are steps you can take to mitigate the effects. Learn more... 11.14.11   ComputerUser.com The Move from PBX to VoIP Telephone systems are critically important to any business, and refreshing your technology can be a daunting task. Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) considering an upgrade from a PBX to VoIP can breathe easy knowing that the benefits of this switch are clear – and, with proper planning, the implementation is nothing to be afraid of. Learn more... 09.19.11   SmallBusinessComputing.com Cloud Computing Tips for Small Business Cloud computing technology offers both time – and money-saving benefits, which makes it a great fit for small business. As cloud computing benefits become more tangible, more small businesses are moving to the cloud. Still, as with any technology, you don't want to jump in without proper preparation. Learn more... 09.07.11   Network World SAN/LAN Convergence Can Pay Dividends Today Today's workers want faster computing speeds and more storage, management wants it all under budget and IT professionals are scrambling to save money and improve productivity. The tools of choice to achieve these goals are typically virtualization, cloud computing and data center consolidation, but IT may be overlooking a simple but effective fix: storage area network (SAN) and local area network (LAN) convergence. Learn more... 08.31.11   ChannelInsider.com Businesses Gain Agility, Cut Costs with Server Virtualization: Report Small businesses are moving steadily toward more virtualized computing infrastructures, with server virtualization – running multiple, independent, virtual operating systems on a single server. According to a CDW survey, small businesses experience increases in productivity, agility and scalability of computing resources from server virtualization, with an attending boost in a company's return on its IT investments. Learn more... 07.24.11   Software Strategies Blog Predicting Cloud Computing Adoption From conservative, single digit adoption rates to hockey-stick projections of exceptional growth, analyst firms, venture capitalists and government ministries are weighing in on how they see cloud adoption progressing. While each of the adoption rate predictions vary significantly in terms of their methodologies and results, all rely on the assumption that SaaS applications including CRM will continue to gain momentum. Learn more... 06.30.11   SearchCloudComputing Building Out a Private Cloud, Chicago Style What would you do with a free high-speed network that piped together all your various data centers? Why, build a cloud, of course! The story of how the K-12 educational agency in Illinois drove a cloud computing project through the works is illustrative of how cloud-style service delivery requires deep-down, long-term changes to how IT departments function. Learn more... 06.25.11   The Cloud Times Educators Seek Sanctuary in the Cloud The global business drive to save money by doing more and more with less and less, is not just a corporate problem, but one felt in classrooms across the nation. In Illinois, school districts pooled their resources to create a non-profit cloud computing consortium they call IlliniCloud. IlliniCloud selected CDW to provide affordable access to virtual servers, online storage and network connectivity across the state. Learn more... 05.26.11   Channel Insider Businesses Cutting Costs with Cloud Computing: Survey CDW announced the results of its first Cloud Computing Tracking Poll, an assessment of current and future cloud computing use in business, government, healthcare and education. Among current cloud users, 84 percent of respondents cut application costs by moving to the cloud, saving an average of 21 percent annually on those specific application costs. Learn more... 04.25.11   InformationWeek 75% of Enterprises to Use Videoconferencing By 2013 Immersive telepresence technology that uses high-definition, life-sized images holds great appeal for collaboration, but is costly and a bandwidth hog. Even considering all the benefits of video conferencing – reduced travel expenditures, increased collaboration among employees and immediacy – only about half of all enterprises have actually installed the technology and only about another 25 percent plan to in the next two years. Learn more... 04.04.11   Speech Technology UC Implementation Doubles Year over Year Unified communications (UC) implementation rates doubled from 2010 to 2011, with 16 percent of organizations fully implemented, according to new data released by CDW. Respondents ranked increased employee productivity (53 percent) and reduced operating costs (48 percent) as the leading benefits of UC, noting that these results are most important to their organizations. Learn more... 03.15.11   SmallBusinessComputing 5 E-mail Security Tips to Protect Your Small Business E-mail has changed the way we communicate – for better and for worse. As businesses rely more and more on e-mail communication, small business networks become more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated malware programs, including computer viruses, worms, trojan horses and spyware. Ignore small business security at your peril. Learn more... 02.11.11   Processor Energy-Efficient Best Practices: Strategies to Streamline Power Consumption In a recent CDW study, two-thirds of respondents noted that understanding best practices in energy-efficient IT is critical to their profession, because it offers a path to improved computing performance in power-constrained environments. Numerous factors and strategies are involved in creating more efficiency, but experts believe that even little tweaks can make a big difference on overall consumption and operation. Learn more... 01.28.11   Processor A Clear View of Virtualization Virtualization is a buzzword that has been tossed around so liberally over the past few years that there seems to be this assumption that everybody knows its meaning. After all, some forms of it, such as virtual memory, have been around for close to 40 years. But despite virtualization’s seeming ubiquity, plenty of IT professionals still have only a fuzzy idea of what virtualization does, what advantages it offers and what complexities it brings. So consider the forthcoming information as a primer of sorts that can give you a better understanding of the concept and not make you feel as though you just walked into "The Matrix." Learn more... 01.10.11   Enterprise Systems Client Virtualization Technologies Show Positive ROI With more to do with fewer resources, IT is examining client virtualization to help it control its client infrastructure and keep users happy. A recent CDW straw poll provides analysis of the bottom line: A majority of enterprises are considering or implementing some form of client virtualization, but nearly all are bumping into "challenges" with implementation. Learn more ... 01.05.11   ServerWatch Virtualization Technology Moves Forward As New Year Begins Virtualization, along with cloud computing, had a banner 2010. In an economic climate that was brutal and unforgiving, both technologies chugged along with nary a derailment or serious argument as to their value. In fact, most IT companies attempted to get in on the action. Acquisitions, new products and updates swung heavily in this direction. Learn more ... 12.16.10   Small Business Computing 10 Tips for Planning a Wireless Network The increased prominence of wireless devices like laptops, smartphones and tablets in the workplace means that small business owners are taking a new look at wireless local area networks (WLAN) and the positive impact wireless networks can have on the bottom line. Learn more ... 12.08.10   Network World Ensuring Your Business's Safety: Best Practices for Protecting Your Business Large organizations possess the resources to proactively assess and avoid many threats, but countless small- and mid-sized businesses (SMB) are finding it increasingly difficult to protect their information assets. Unfortunately, conventional firewall/antivirus solutions are no longer sufficient to protect against all the threats. Effective security solutions must continually evolve to incorporate advanced technologies and security-conscious business practices. So what can be done to tighten the security around your business? Learn more ... 12.01.10   Unified Communications What We Learned, And How We Advanced, UC in 2010 The percentage of organizations that have prepared a business case for UC adoption increased from 55 percent in 2009 to 67 percent in 2010, according to CDW's 2010 Unified Communications Tracking Poll. Seems more organizations are becoming aware of the many benefits of UC, which CDW notes include reduced costs, increased productivity and improved decision-making – all of which are of heightened importance in tough economic times. Learn more... 11.16.10   IT Business Edge Green Makes a Comeback It looks like green is back among data professionals after a slight pullback last year, according to the latest report from CDW. The Energy Efficient IT Report found that IT managers plan to invest in energy-saving technologies in the coming year, ranging from LCD monitors, low-power silicon and other technologies. Learn more ... 11.08.10   Environmental Leader 75% of IT Departments Strive to Reduce Energy Use Seventy-five percent of U.S. organizations are working to reduce energy use in IT operations, from the desktop to the data center, according to a report from CDW. The survey also finds that two-thirds of respondents understand that best practices in energy efficient IT is critical to their profession. Learn more ... 10.28.10   CIO Update Vendor Lock-in Versus Best of Breed Vendor lock-in reached its zenith in the late 1990s and then began to fade as vendors gained a reputation for charging hefty support fees that continued to rise year over year for a customer base that, in many cases, had little option other than to keep paying. With mission-critical applications running on vendor-specific hardware and software, it was more expensive to migrate than to pay the fees. "The more complex your technology gets, the greater the tendency to standardize and migrate to fewer vendors," said Marc Barnett, senior manager for solutions and services marketing at CDW. Learn more ... 10.22.10   Processor Clearing Up Cloud Confusion Although a single, universally accepted definition of cloud computing is difficult to come by, it is generally understood that cloud computing solutions are typically provided by third-party providers, use infrastructure located outside the firewall and allow IT to access increased capabilities or system capacities without necessarily having to build, manage and maintain them in-house. Learn more ... 10.08.10   Processor Tips for a Successful Recovery: Coming Back from the Brink Whether they are due to natural causes, sabotage or equipment failures, data center disasters can have serious consequences for a business. In the midst of a crisis, it is difficult for administrators to focus on anything other than getting the data center back online and recovering any critical data. Implementing a recovery from a data center disaster is vital; whether that recovery is successful hinges on the readiness of a business to deal with an unthinkable disaster. Learn more ... 09.29.10   eWeek CDW Poll Finds Businesses Overconfident About Business Continuity A CDW poll of American businesses found that businesses may be overconfident in the resilience of their networks. The survey suggests that businesses do a good job of planning, but they are still not well-equipped to handle possible disruptions. Learn more ... 09.21.10   Network World Getting Videoconferencing Right Videoconferencing has gone mobile. Anyone who has seen the recent iPhone commercials can attest that you no longer need "an app for that" – it's built in. But while individual consumers now have videoconferencing at their fingertips, many small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are still relying on different modes of communication. Learn more ... 09.14.10   Small Business Computing Keep Your Small Business Mobile, Connected and Secure The ability to maintain a constant connection to crucial resources is vital to remaining profitable in any economy. Small businesses – with their limited resources – must be able to quickly and easily harness critical intelligence to keep abreast of opportunities and constantly changing business conditions. Learn more ... 09.10.10   ComputerUser Navigating Through Cloud Computing Almost every child has looked at a cloud and said, "That cloud looks like a _____." The filled-in blank often becomes the point of highly subjective argument. In much the same way, IT professionals continuously seek to fill in the blank with an understanding of "cloud computing," and we've learned that what you see in your cloud has a lot to do with what's important to your company. Learn more ... 09.01.10   SearchCIO.com Data Center Colocation: Lock in Prices Now, Experts Advise The recession has been good for data center colocation providers. The perfect storm, if you will. A scarcity of capital, the rise in high-power-density computing and a need for high-quality redundant data centers have boosted demand for colocation space, according to data center experts. Learn more ... 08.26.10   Eastern DataComm If UC Saves Money, Why is it So Hard to Implement? CDW's 2010 Unified Communications (UC) Tracking Poll found that securing economic resources is the most significant challenge in planning a UC solution. The adoption of video conferencing and other UC technologies are changing the business landscape as more companies turn to UC as a means to reduce spending. Learn more ... 08.13.10   Processor Face-to-Face Communications From Near or Far With clients across the country – or the world – and travel budgets still tight, videoconferencing can be a boon to an enterprise's bottom line. Because the systems work in conjunction with other data center resources, it is up to an IT manager to make sure the correct system is chosen and put into place. Learn more ... 08.13.10   Network World Don't Get Burned – Put Some SPF 50 on Your Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plan Your bags are packed, you checked them twice, yet at some point the thought will still cross your mind – "Am I forgetting something?" On vacation, forgetting your sunscreen may lead to a painful burn, but forgetting key components of an organization's business continuity/disaster recovery plan hurts a lot more. Overlooking even one item can weaken your entire network and mean significant losses in revenue and productivity. Learn more ... 08.01.10   Inc. Data Backup That Has Your Back While virtually every company has computer data that is essential to running their businesses, many do not take the proper precautions to protect that data from computer crashes, natural disasters and other disruptions. Moosa Matariyeh, CDW enterprise storage specialist, says that businesses need to be paying more attention to backing up their data, but they also need to be asking some important questions about the type of backup they are going to use, as well as what happens in the case of data loss. Learn more ... 07.29.10   Network World Not Just a Passing Fad: Improved Productivity Looks Good on Your Business Technology, like fashion, evolves constantly, but one thing that is always in fashion is saving money. Business professionals from small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are constantly looking for new ways IT can help reduce costs and increase productivity, hence the significant increases in the demand for products focusing on mobility, storage and communication. Learn more ... 07.25.10   eChannelLine Talking Virtualization to Government CDW-G's recent Government Virtualization Report indicates that the private sector has moved further, faster, with virtualization technology than its' government counterparts. Approximately 66 percent of Federal, state and local government agencies are implementing or have completed implementation of server virtualization, compared to 90 percent of business entities. Learn more ... 07.12.10   CIO Making Sense of Client Virtualization Not long ago server virtualization was IT's New World, inhabited by a relatively few courageous souls who dared to break the framework of one server per application and one application to server. The others stood faithfully by rooms filled to capacity with servers, cabling, cooling equipment and hotspots. Learn more ... 07.12.10   CIO Making Sense of Client Virtualization Not long ago server virtualization was IT's New World, inhabited by a relatively few courageous souls who dared to break the framework of one server per application and one application to server. The others stood faithfully by rooms filled to capacity with servers, cabling, cooling equipment and hotspots. Learn more ... 06.28.10   SPAMfighter Businesses Underestimate Botnet Threat CDW recently conducted a survey of 200 large- and medium-sized businesses' IT managers to analyze the threat that botnets pose. It also sought to determine what the managers thought about available safety procedures following recent publicized security breaches. The study's results indicate that the majority of IT managers do not regard botnets as the greatest IT threat in the future. Learn more ... 06.17.10   eChannelLine Botnet Danger Likely Underestimated by Companies Against a backdrop of widely published security breaches, CDW surveyed 200 IT managers within medium and large businesses to investigate their impressions of botnets and their views of available protective measures. Learn more ... 06.04.10   Environmental Leader Tax Incentives Needed to Drive Adoption of Low-Carbon Equipment in the U.S. CDW's study found that firms were emphasizing lower cost as a means of realizing short-term benefits to the bottom line, and overlooking long-term savings that come with more expensive but more energy-efficient computer equipment. Learn more ... 06.01.10   Security Poll Says Data Loss Is Corporate Enemy Number One Among all current IT threats, 37 percent of business IT security managers believe that data loss from internal threats, negligence and/or accidents (e.g., loss of devices) will be their next major security issue, says the IT Threat Prevention Straw Poll by CDW. In second place, 24 percent of respondents view evolved forms of current threats (e.g., breaches, viruses or worms) as their biggest threat, followed by malicious attacks or targeted intrusions (18 percent) and autonomous or untargeted robotic networks (botnets) at 14 percent. Learn more ... 05.24.10   Network World Energy Efficiency – The Hidden Treasure in Your IT Operations When does green technology move from feel-good marketing-speak to something more actionable? When it turns into the kind of green that feels good in your wallet. Learn more ... 05.21.10   Processor Windows 7 Implementation In Internet time, with Web apps seemingly continuously updated, last fall's release of Windows 7 seems eons ago. Although the new operating software is an undeniable hit with consumers – its rate of initial adoption is twice that of much-maligned Vista's – enterprises are inherently more cautious about jumping on Microsoft's bandwagon. Learn more ... 05.13.10   Small Business Computing 8 Ways IT Improves Small Business Resiliency Famed fitness expert John Basedow preaches, "Turn obstacles into opportunities, transform problems into possibilities." Striving to make your small business more resilient is just that: an obstacle that ultimately can be an opportunity to prosper. Learn more ... 04.29.10 CDW Celebrates Decade of Participation in Corporate Challenge in a Big Way Even in the throng of participants that spill out of Chicago's downtown office buildings and disembark from the area's public transit systems each year to fill up the emerald swaths of Grant Park for the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge®, it's easy to spot members of the CDW team. In recent years, they've been the ones wearing bright, solid blue T-shirts and smiles. Learn more ... 04.28.10 Environmental Leader Networking Providers Tout the Virtues of Virtualization Companies are catching on to the benefits of virtualization. About 35 percent of IT managers used storage virtualization last year, up from 27 percent in 2008, according to the 2009 Energy Efficient IT Report from CDW. Learn more ... 04.19.10 TMCnet.com Businesses Plan to Invest in Unified Communications, IAUG Study Shows A new survey indicates that companies are intending to make investments in business communications solutions in the next year. Learn more ... 04.09.10 Processor UC Adoption Rates Up The number of enterprises preparing a strategic plan to adopt unified communications is on the rise, up 12 percent in the past year, according to the latest CDW Unified Communications Tracking Poll. CDW defines unified communications (UC), as "the convergence of enterprise voice, video and data services and software applications to achieve greater collaboration among individuals or groups and improve business processes." Learn more ... 04.07.10 Network World 6 Tips to Better Small Business Server Virtualization DLT, SuperDLT, LTO, 3480, 3490e, 3590, 3570, TK50, 4mm-DDS, 8mm, AIT, QIC, and 9-track, these are a few of my favorite things. Not exactly how the old song goes, but rest assured that what you have on your old data tapes – regardless of the format – has more staying power and value than your old audio cassettes. Learn more ... 03.25.10 SmallBusinessComputing.com 6 Tips to Better Small Business Server Virtualization In this article, we focus on server virtualization, which eliminates the conventional, one application per server model and allows businesses to run multiple, virtual servers on a single physical machine. Learn more ... 03.23.10 The Arizona Republic Tech Company will Hire 70 in Chandler This year, CDW will be hiring 70 salespeople for the Chandler, AZ office. The Chandler site handles all of CDW's business west of the Mississippi River. Learn more ... 03.16.10 Network World Planning For Windows 7 Migration Early user feedback on the quality and performance of Windows 7 is generally positive, and research suggests that adoption plans may be affected more by the recession than by the merits of the product. Learn more ... 03.03.10 Unified Communications Edge Podcast: Tough Year, but UC Still Looks Good In its second annual tracking poll of IT folks involved in unified communications, CDW finds that the category remains strong. Learn more ... 01.14.10 About.com Server Virtualization: A Definition What Exactly Is Server Virtualization, and Why All the Hype? Server virtualization is the idea of taking a physical server and, with the help of virtualization software, partitioning the server, or dividing it up, so that it appears as several "virtual servers," each of which can run their own copy of an operating system. Learn more ... 01.14.10 eChannelLine Server Virtualization Market Maturing, But Some Opportunities Remain CDW has released its' Server Virtualization Life Cycle Report, examining the maturity of the server virtualization market in medium and large businesses, as well as the results of implementation and the barriers to larger scale migration. And there are a few surprises, both on the positive and negative sides. Learn more ... 01.05.10 ComputerUser Lose Your Data, Lose Your Business – Can You Survive the Unexpected? Disasters, by definition, strike with little or no warning. Whether it's an extended power outage, a devastating storm, or some other unforeseen disruption, the most nerve-wracking part of owning a business is the unknown. But the good news is we can prepare effectively to weather even the worst of storms. Learn more ... 12.01.09 IT Business Edge 2010 Expected to Bring Careful Growth in IT Spending Though there have been signs of life in IT markets, everyone's asking when enterprise spending will return – or if it will. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told an audience in South Korea that it might not due to greater efficiencies forced upon companies in this economic downturn. Generally there's the desire to spend less, but for greater impact. Learn more ... 11.05.09 USA Today Windows 7 Sales Start Strong, But PC Lift Unclear Consumers snapped up copies of Microsoft Corp.'s new Windows 7 operating system during its first week on store shelves, though it's too soon to tell to what extent the software will ignite sales of new personal computers. Learn more ... 10.29.09 The Glass Hammer Voice of Experience: Ann Ziegler, Chief Financial Officer of CDW Audacious proclamations are the hallmark of the many of the successful among us. "You've got to raise your hand," says CDW's Ann Ziegler, the corporation's CFO. No surprise, then, that Ziegler, who is an attorney – not a CPA or Finance MBA – told her boss at Sara Lee – "I want to be the corporate CFO" – and has come to realize that goal. Learn more ... 10.27.09 eWeek.com CDW Study Finds IT Spending to Expand, Hiring is Flat CDW sees a significant rise in hardware and software purchasing in the next six months for corporate and government sectors. The hardware and software reseller's study showed most companies are keeping their staffing at the same levels. A recent Gartner study on technology spending was not as optimistic. Learn more ... 10.04.09 ComputerUser What a Clothes Dryer and a Server Rack Have in Common Running server technology at 208V is a step towards energy efficiency and increased ROI. With prices for many everyday goods on the rise, small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) are always looking for ways to cut costs and increase their return on investment (ROI). Even if "going green" hasn't earned a spot on the IT staff's priority list, there's an easy solution to cutting power and cooling costs – and it's no further away than the electrical outlets in your server room. Learn more ... 09.14.09 Security Products On the Bleeding Edge In role reversal, federal agencies leading adoption of biometric technology. Federal agencies typically adopt proven, field-tested technologies. Private organizations, on the other hand, are more likely to adopt emerging technologies. So-called lead adopters, officials are cognizant of the risks inherent in new technology adoption, but they are willing to accept those risks in exchange for the very real business benefits, such as cost savings and process efficiencies. Learn more ... 09.04.09 Network World The Great Co-location Debate As many small and medium-sized businesses move to the cloud, is it a smart move to bypass data center co-location? With cloud computing growing in popularity, SMBs are questioning whether it is more practical to co-locate their data centers or completely bypass that option and head into the cloud? Learn more ... 08.27.09 Processor Is The Turnaround On Its Way? Clouds have darkened over the U.S. economy of late, and they are not the clouds we normally discuss (those related to cloud computing). Instead, employment rates continue to drop, the housing market is troubled in many areas, and companies are struggling to find new ways to increase revenues. And yet, not every economic indicator predicts doom and gloom. Since late June, the Dow Jones has actually made a rebound, and tech companies such as Google are doing just fine. Learn more ... 08.27.09 IT Today The Business Survivability Question: Is Your Data Safe? Today's workforce requires immediate access to information, applications, coworkers and customers. Both large and small enterprises are increasingly online, mobile and Web 2.0-driven. These advancements illustrate that IT is no longer just a business tool; it is business. Learn more ... 08.07.09 Processor Optimize Virtual Environments Server consolidation and virtualization offer a path to eliminate server sprawl and gain more bang for your hardware buck. As a result, most analyst estimates show that virtualization is now past the early adopter stage and is being broadly adopted by enterprises of all sizes. Learn more ... 07.29.09 Network World What Shape Is Your Cloud? Part 1 Almost every child has looked at a cloud and said, "That cloud looks like a _____." The filled-in blank often becomes the point of highly subjective argument. In much the same way, IT professionals continuously seek to fill in the blank with an understanding of "cloud computing" and we've learned that what you see in your cloud has a lot to do with what's important to your company. However, the general concept of "the cloud" does not have to lack a defined shape or be complicated. Learn more ... 07.20.09 CMO 2.0 Conversations CMO 2.0 Conversation with Mark Gambill, CMO at CDW I just had another great CMO 2.0 Conversation – this time with Mark Gambill, the CMO at CDW. As usual we started by having Mark provide some context about his company and his focus there. In this case the company is an $8B provider of software, hardware and services to a variety of industries that has more than 400,000 customers. Learn more ... 07.02.09 bMighty.com Small Businesses Hold Back On Tech Spending If you're a small business desperately trying to hold the line on your IT budget, you're not alone. A new CDW survey reveals that fewer SMBs expect technology budgets to improve in the next 6 months. Learn more ... 06.29.09 SearchSecurity.com How to Secure USB Thumb Drives SMB users might be comfortable using USB memory sticks, or thumb drives, as a way to transport and back up their data, but experts warn IT professionals to exercise extreme caution with the ubiquitous flash technology. Learn more ... 06.26.09 CFO Leadership in Finance: CDW’s Ann Ziegler Major changes began at CDW well before the market meltdown of last fall. Formerly listed on Nasdaq, the seller of computer hardware, software, and services went private in October 2007, after the credit crunch had begun but nearly a year before the economic crisis exploded last September. The company, which reported revenue of $8.1 billion in 2008, was bought by the Chicago private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners for $7.3 billion. Learn more ... 06.19.09 Processor Track Down Data Center Hot Spots Some organizations waste large amounts of money pumping cold air into spaces inefficiently. Sometimes it is wrongly channeled and fails to arrive at the areas that really need it. In other instances, it is consumed by equipment lower in the rack so that upper servers have a tendency to overheat. Learn more ... 05.08.09 Enterprise Storage Forum Ten Ways to Save on Data Storage Costs Data storage has been a major and growing part of IT budgets for many years, so it's not surprising that cost-cutters have been taking a hard look at storage costs in the worst economic downturn in more than 50 years. Learn more ... 04.16.09 SuccessFactors.com Managing, Mentoring and Retaining High Tech Employees Tess Reinhard, Director of Organizational Capability for CDW, discusses methods to maximize the productivity and engagement of technology employees. Learn more ... 04.02.09 ComputerUser Disaster Recovery Planning: Your Company’s Business Insurance Protecting ourselves from the worst is human nature. Look no further than the various forms of insurance and protection we purchase for our cars, homes and health, as well as the constant struggle to safeguard our personal information each day, and you’ll see this is true. Learn more ... 03.09.09 bMighty.com How to Buy Computer Hardware for Your Business Many small and mid-size businesses are struggling, but they still need to invest in hardware. The challenge is knowing what you need and getting good bang for the buck. BMighty talked to some experts about when to upgrade your equipment and what to consider during the purchasing process. Learn more ... 03.06.09 Network World Is Your Business Playing Russian Roulette With System Availability? Every year, I hear dozens of horror stories from customers about server and network outages and the resulting loss of data and productivity. Learn more ... 02.25.09 Network World VPN Security - Do You Know Where Your Keys Are? Demand for mobile and remote access to small- and midsized business networks has increased dramatically. Even the most basic VPN technologies are so accessible and affordable that there is no good reason for failing to utilize Learn more ...