IT alignment: The good and the bad

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: STEVE TAYLOR AND JIM METZLER ON WIDE
AREA NETWORKING
08/23/05
Today's focus: IT alignment: The good and the bad

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Survey finds encouraging numbers of IT groups aligned with the
  business
* Links related to Wide Area Networking
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponosred by Arbor Networks
Special Report: Internal Intrusion Prevention: Providing
Network Security Inside the Perimeter

In order to meet the demands of today's enterprise IT
infrastructures, enterprises must deploy the right solution for
mitigating threats that target internal resources. This paper
discusses the requirements for enterprise-wide network security
- to monitor, analyze, and react to threats across the network
in real-time.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110816
_______________________________________________________________
SPLIT-ANALYSIS WIRELESS SECURITY

Wireless security tools perform security analysis in sensors
scattered throughout a wireless LAN or in a central server, but
both options have drawbacks. A blended approach to wireless
security lets sensors and servers share the job of analysis.
Find out how split-analysis could boost wireless security on
your network. Click here:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110728
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: IT alignment: The good and the bad

By Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

Today, we will use the results of the recent Webtorials survey
we discussed in the last newsletter to identify the degree to
which the IT organization is aligned with the company's business
units, as well as the degree to which IT organizations plan and
fund IT holistically across all components of the IT function.

Over the last few years, one of the recurring mantras in the IT
industry has been the need to align the IT function with the
company's business units. With that in mind, we asked the survey
respondents to indicate their agreement with the statement that:
"Our company has aligned its IT organization with its business
units." Twenty-one percent of the 149 IT professionals surveyed
strongly agreed with that statement.

That result was very encouraging. However, we also asked the
survey respondents to indicate their agreement with the
statement that: "Our company has aligned its IT infrastructure
organization (networks, servers, security) with the applications
organization." In this case, only 14% of the respondents
strongly agreed with that statement. We also asked the survey
respondents to indicate their agreement with the statement that:
"IT initiatives at our company are planned and funded
holistically across all of the IT disciplines." Only 8% of the
respondents strongly agreed with that statement.

It is disappointing to see the lack of alignment between a
company's infrastructure and applications organizations. It is
even more disappointing to see how few companies plan and fund
IT holistically. The next WAN newsletter will look at whether or
not companies troubleshoot IT holistically.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Cisco preparing management play
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan5619>

2. VoIP security threats: Fact or fiction?
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan3747>

3. Questions surround smartphone security
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan5620>

4. CLECs play a new tune
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan5621>

5. Google goes berserk
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan5394>

Today's most-forwarded story:

Cisco preparing management play
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan5622>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates
and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed
information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter,
connect to Webtorials <http://www.webtorials.com/>, the premier
site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and
market research. Taylor can be reached at
<mailto:taylor@webtorials.com>

Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler &
Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging
technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine
product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and
services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure.
He can be reached at <mailto:jim@ashtonmetzler.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponosred by Arbor Networks
Special Report: Internal Intrusion Prevention: Providing
Network Security Inside the Perimeter

In order to meet the demands of today's enterprise IT
infrastructures, enterprises must deploy the right solution for
mitigating threats that target internal resources. This paper
discusses the requirements for enterprise-wide network security
- to monitor, analyze, and react to threats across the network
in real-time.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110815
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the WAN newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/frame/index.html
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE
WIRELESS LANS BUYER'S GUIDE: THE GOODS ON 185 PRODUCTS

We've compiled the largest buyer's guide ever on wireless LAN
equipment. Whether you're looking for an access point, PC Card
or trying to decide between 802.11a, b or g, take a look at the
information that vendors have provided us. We've got the goods
on 185 products. Click here for more:
<http://www.networkworld.com/bg/wlan/index.jsp>
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