There's barely enough money left to visit to trade shows, says reader

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: STEVE TAYLOR AND JIM METZLER ON WIDE
AREA NETWORKING
08/09/05
Today's focus: There's barely enough money left to visit to
trade shows, says reader

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Rounding out our reader discussion of the future of user
  groups
* Links related to Wide Area Networking
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by HP ProCurve
Network World Executive Guide: Getting Wireless Right
Wireless LANs move beyond data to voice and video

The WAN alphabet is constantly growing, as standards setting
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security is getting easier to accomplish. Get a
behind-the-scenes look at what cutting-edge users are doing and
the latest information on wireless security trends.
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_______________________________________________________________
GARTNER'S SECURITY HYPE-O-METER

What is hype and has it influenced your network security
efforts? At a recent Gartner security summit, analysts described
what they say are "The Five Most Overhyped Security Threats,"
risks that have been overblown and shouldn't be scaring everyone
as much as they seem to be. For more, click here:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=109862
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: There's barely enough money left to visit to
trade shows, says reader

By Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

For the past three newsletters, we've been sharing comments from
readers about the future of user groups. This time, we'd like to
close out with a response that we feel did a great job of
summarizing the user's role today. Interestingly, this response
came from someone within the industry - not an end-user per se.

The reader wrote: "Industry forums were (and would be today as
well) definitely important and valuable. So too were trade
conferences such as N+I, for those of us who truly took the time
and effort to attend the roundtables and seminars, as well as
engage in meaningful discussions with exhibitors.

"It boils down to money and the two balancing laws of our
industry. Everyone knows and lives the first one; 'Faster,
Better, Cheaper', but I remain consistently amazed by how little
attention gets paid to the second; 'There Is No Free Lunch.' As
an example, we tend to laugh and marvel at the fact that a T-1
port only a few years ago was priced at thousands per month,
while that same circuit today sells for five hundred or less. We
all should also know that the underlying cost for that circuit
has not been reduced by anywhere even approaching that same
ratio. The funding for forums and the like comes directly from
the gross profit derived by carriers and equipment
manufacturers. What little margin is left in our business is
scarcely enough to keep the lights on these days. My job
description used to include mandates to participate in industry
forums. That mandate and funding is now long gone, and it has
been over three years since I have been able to attend a
significant trade conference.

"You might think that we could do some of this in virtual
format. Theoretically yes, but the problem here is that
resources have also been cut to levels where there is little to
no time for anything but keeping the machine running.

"I'm not sure where all of this is leading us, but the two laws
are so out of balance currently that survival is the one and
only agenda item that matters in our industry today. Sad as that
is, it is nonetheless true and I can't see this changing any
time soon."

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Questions dog Cisco routers
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan4668>

2. First family of Windows Vista viruses unleashed
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan4669>

3. Anti-spyware firm warns of massive ID theft ring
<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/080505-id-theft.html?t5>

4. Crashing the 'Net
<http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2005/080805buzz.html?t5>

5. Cisco vulnerability posted to Internet
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan4428>
_______________________________________________________________
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 sponsored by HP ProCurve
Network World Executive Guide: Getting Wireless Right
Wireless LANs move beyond data to voice and video

The WAN alphabet is constantly growing, as standards setting
bodies develop new protocols and technologies that will
transform wireless networks. Today, most everyone agrees that
with these new standards and new tools, airtight wireless
security is getting easier to accomplish. Get a
behind-the-scenes look at what cutting-edge users are doing and
the latest information on wireless security trends.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=109937
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the WAN newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/frame/index.html
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FEATURED READER RESOURCE
HARD WORK, GOOD PAY

According to Network World's 2005 Salary Survey, network
professionals are enjoying substantial increases in pay,
especially at the highest- and lowest-tier job titles. But are
those increases coming with higher titles, more work or both?
Find out if compensation alone is keeping network professionals
happy in their careers - or is something else? Click here:
<http://www.networkworld.com/you/2005/072505-salary-survey.html>
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