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Rearchitecting IT: Simplify. Simplify
6/26/2006
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced the US availability of Windows Live OneCare, an all-in-one, automatic, selfupdating PC maintenance, support, and security service—a move designed to safeguard Windows-based enterprises and steal market share from Symantec. With this vendor showdown in mind, Elgan expects CIOs to gain the upper hand as they negotiate security software licensing fees.
A Painful History Lesson
SOMETIMES, YOU’VE GOT TO LOOK BACK before you can move forward. That’s especially true in the world of IT, where history lessons can help CIOs avoid repeating problems from years past.
Consider the following scenarios: During the 1980s and early 1990s, many universities embraced a mix of system software from Microsoft, Apple, Novell, IBM, and now-defunct companies such as Banyan Systems and Digital Equipment. Atop these systems, many universities deployed a range of databases from Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, Sybase, and the former Informix (acquired by IBM in 2001). Universities funneled all of that data through network plumbing supplied by Cisco Systems and dozens of rivals.
The net result? Many universities’ IT infrastructures earned failing grades during the 1990s and early 2000s. Decentralized decision-making frequently led to incompatible systems, security lapses, and cost overruns for unexpected integration projects.
“It was common to hear about a medical school and a business school within the same university having completely incompatible voice or data systems,” laments Edward Golod, president of Revenue Accelerators, New York-based technology sales consultants. “Typically, by the time a university discovered the compatibility issues, the IT budget was already spent.”
The turning point came in 2002, as government regulations written for the corporate sector increasingly influenced university operations. Sarbanes-Oxley, for instance, is a government mandate that strives to ensure businesses deliver accurate and trustworthy financial results. The regulation—written to prevent repeats of the financial scandals at Enron, WorldCom, and other major organizations—includes guidance for managing and securing IT systems.
Many university trustees (including current and former business executives) quickly realized that they needed to follow corporate America’s lead. “Academia couldn’t proceed with a ‘business as usual’ attitude,” says Golod. “[Institutions] had to simplify and safeguard their IT systems in order to ensure peace of mind among trustees, and effective information flow across their campuses.”
Impressive Outcomes
University administrators and technologists who focus on simplifying IT infrastructures won’t be disappointed, for the benefits are profound: With fewer applications and network platforms to support, IT staffs can increasingly focus on innovation rather than maintenance issues. A particularly pleasant byproduct: Innovation in the classroom often leads to high praise from students and parents alike. For instance, 90 percent of Alaska parents of school-age children say they would encourage their kids to attend the University of Alaska, according to McDowell Group, an AK-based market research firm. For University of Alaska CIO Smith, a few more IT victories will surely win over the remaining 10 percent.
Joseph C. Panettieri is editorial director of Nine Lives Media, and has covered the business of IT since 1992.
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