Events

1. 

   Changing the Economics of IT

   May 21, 2013
   Ruth's Chris Steak House, 2010 Renaissance Park Place, Cary, NC 27513 - View Map
   Space is Extremely Limited. Please Reserve Your Spot Today!

   CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

   With more than $1 trillion spent every year on server, network, and storage resources, IT is the single biggest sunk cost in most modern enterprises. Advancements in computing, storage and networking have established the technical foundation for changing the way we acquire, utilize, and leverage IT resources, but we are only feeling the early tremors of this tectonic shift.

   This shift is far more than just cloud technology; it’s the application of financial and economic principles and methodologies to IT infrastructure across environments, whether the IT infrastructure is physical or virtual, public or private.

   Join Alphanumeric Systems, Inc. — a business services company with more than 30 years of IT expertise — and 6fusion — a disrupter that is standardizing the economic measurement of IT infrastructure — for a steak lunch May 21, and learn how you can optimize spend and infrastructure efficiency in your organization with a combination of innovative technology and expert services. This enables you to answer important questions such as:

   Are you operating efficiently?

   How do you compare to the industry?

   What are your workload types and are they matched with the right IT infrastructure?

   Where are your opportunities to drive 30-40% cost savings?

   Agenda:

   11:30 a.m.: Arrival and Registration

   11:45 a.m.: Introduction

   Noon: Lunch Served, Alphanumeric Presentation: "Business-Driven IT"

   12:30 p.m.: 6fusion Presentation: "Changing the Economics of IT"

   1:00 p.m.: Q&A and Next Steps, Raffle Prizes

   CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

   Presenters:

   

   6fusion: Rob Bissett, Senior Vice President of Product Management

   Rob is the unifying force behind 6fusion’s product strategy and vision, setting the tactical plans and leading market execution on new products and services. An accomplished channel veteran and certified product manager, Rob worked for N-able Technologies and was instrumental in the development of their Managed Services Platform and MSP practice prior to joining 6fusion in 2010. He has also worked in various roles in Network and Systems Management, Internet Services and IT Management.

   
   

   
   

   

   Alphanumeric: Terry E. Thompson, Enterprise Account Manager

   Terry is an expert in IT Managed Services and Cloud Computing solutions with more than 17 years experience in the IT industry. In his career, Terry has worked with some of the largest companies in the US and delivered solutions that solved business problems locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Dedicated to helping businesses derive maximum value from technology solutions, Terry seeks and welcomes dialogue about how the impact of technology improves our business — and our lives.

   More representatives and subject matter experts from Alphanumeric and 6fusion will be in attendance to answer any questions you might have.

   CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW!

New Model of Physician Employment – Accenture Outlook

New Model of Physician Employment – Accenture Outlook

Let's Bring Enthusiasm Back in 2013!!!!!!

Employees expect managers to create a work environment that is positive, yet most of us as leaders and managers fail to do so on a daily basis according to a Harvard Management Update.

I visited a website this holiday season that effectively speaks to 8 de-motivators often driven by non-attentive managers, effectively confiscating employee enthusiasm right out of the company.

Most business leaders would agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said; “nothing great was ever created without enthusiasm” yet after employees have worked for a company 6 months their enthusiasm has likely been confiscated according to Harvard.

Let's bring enthusiasm back in 2013! 

Check out the 8 de-motivators listed on the website by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) to review some of the excellent details they have on the subject.

Look for your self, very… interesting, if I must say so... 

The 8 de-motivators (to avoid) are just below:

1.   Public criticism

2.   Failing to provide praise

3.   Not following up

4.   Give unachievable goals or deadlines

5.   Not explaining your actions or sharing company data

6.   Implied threats

7.   Not honoring creative thinking and problem solving

8.   Micromanagement; perhaps the worst de-motivator

I would love to hear your thoughts on this article as well as the importance of enthusiasm to the success of your business.

Getting a Grasp on Enterprise Cloud Backup

Cloud Backup has become an attractive option for organizations both public and private seeking to lower cost, improve data protection and fewer headaches.

Traditional on-premises solutions are becoming less attractive based on what we see at ASI. According to Taneja Group a leading analysis and consulting firm, 47 percent of storage professionals say they will move to cloud backup over the next 24 months.

Virtually all of the people reading this article already know that success with cloud backup and storage projects require careful planning, first-rate vendor evaluation, and discipline of execution.

We also encourage current clients to not only look at Tier 1 players, such as HP, EMC, NetApp, Seagate and others, but to look beyond to companies like NexGen Storage, Pure Storage, and Nimble Storage to name a few.

Many of our customers have and are considering moving data protection to a private, public, or hybrid cloud. Some have managed to get through the complex soup of data protection/cloud backup options just fine. However, such a change can prove to be complicated, time-consuming, and error prone leading to additional expense and humiliation.

Many options are in fact attractive but will vendor solutions deliver a lower cost, improve data protection, and offer fewer headaches? More importantly careful planning, vendor evaluation, and discipline of execution must be addressed to help remove some of the major risk involved with enterprise cloud backup.

Terry E Thompson

Enterprise VAR decision "stuck in the middle" is not an option

Enterprise VAR decision "stuck in the middle" is not an option

In many businesses I have had the opportunity to work with and work for there is seldom one ideal strategic position. Often the latent struggle is should one be a cost leader or a value leader? Should we buy from a cost leader or a value leader?
In many businesses the solutions or services sold are “experienced goods” meaning the quality of the solutions and services can be assessed only after the customer has purchased and used it for a while. In many ways companies are “stuck on the middle” to coin a phrase from Michael Porter, meaning when a company pursues elements of cost leadership and value leadership at the same time and in the process fails to achieve either a cost advantage nor a value advantage. The "stuck in the middle", typically leads to much less profitability because of a generic strategy than competitors who have set a clear direction.
Leaders who decide not to be “stuck on the middle” will deliver better profitability to their organizations by answering two important questions.
1. Do we need a cost leader or value leader solution for the current project?
2. Should we buy from a cost leader or value leader when investing in technology?
Stuck on the middle is not an option, look at the successful companies of today Wal-Mart, Mercedes Benz, Apple Computer, or Sears. You tell me which company is a cost leader or value leader, and who is stuck in the middle.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

by William Earnest Henley 1849-1903

Warren Buffett MBA Talk - Part 1