A primary function of IT architecture is managing change. This change happens at varying rates in and between levels of abstraction (think of wind moving at different speeds at different altitudes). So we can think of “horizontal” change — change in time within a particular level — as well as “vertical change” — the relationship between one level and another. A robust IT architecture maximizes the potential for improvements in all levels while minimizing the negative impact of change between levels.

Sometimes IT architecture emerges through acquisition. In the old days, vendors imposed architecture that was bundled with their software development products. (Why would anyone have otherwise considered something like systems application architecture [SAA]?) As many IT shops moved toward packaged software (e.g., SAP), they inherited the architecture expressed in their applications purchases. In doing this, they traded off vertical Read more …

It is back. And it is angry.

And it is called virtualization. And it has people afraid. But not me.

Think of it. All CPU cycles completely fungible. Imagine the possibilities.

Got 500 idle desktops running Microsoft Vista? Assign the CPU and I/O resources to your core ERP system. Need to bring up seven servers with a full middleware stack (web server, app server, message-oriented middleware server). No problem. Virtualize it. Have an Oracle database that you’d like to virtualize across different physical servers? Sure! Just don’t tell Oracle. Need to quickly relocate services from one data center to another. Piece of cake.

And you can do all this while being environmentally friendly. Imaging removing 5,000 PCs and replacing them with low energy thin client devices. After all, 5,000 PCs are mostly idle. It’s better to think about them as Read more …

I’ve been thinking about the software-plus-service model, where a vendor offers online (hosted) software components that integrate with the vendor’s software installed onsite at the end-user organization (i.e., the customer). Microsoft is pushing this approach in response to on-demand offerings from Google and other providers. More recently, SAP AG has jumped on the software-plus-service bandwagon as it has backed off its on-demand-only efforts. In some ways, this “hybrid” model makes sense. In other ways, it seems like it could be the worst of both worlds.In the case of SAP, the idea that some ERP components should remain onsite with the customer seems to make sense because of the security and reliability concerns I have with the on-demand-only model used for crucial enterprise applications. For example, if your hosted ERP application goes down or becomes unavailable for almost any length of Read more …

Cutter Fellow Steve Andriole has stirred up a storm of controversy with his latest Business Technology Trends E-Mail Advisor! What’s your take on his 10 rules?

I’ve posted the Advisor below. Do you agree with Steve? Do you disagree? Let us know what you think and what your rules would be!

10 New Rules

Here are 10 rules I’d like to propose we all follow, starting immediately:

CIOs should come from the business, not the technology ranks: technology-rooted CIOs will never really understand the importance of business as the technology driver. When prospective CIOs start talking about network latency and virtualization, it’s time to get the hook out; go with the professional talking about up-selling and cross-selling every time. Business technology professionals should be grown in business technology farms, the way we grow shrimp, salmon, and lobster. These Read more …