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The Role Of IT In Early Adoption

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Innovation is the key to so many success stories.  From the earliest fossil record showing crude tools made of stone, to the 21st century CEO picking up an iPad and calling it a business expense.  Innovators find ways to get the job done better than the men before them.

This idea comes to mind more than ever while the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show takes place.  Already there have been announcements made about how company’s like RIM, Intel, and Microsoft will be addressing the future.  New pieces of hardware and software will be coming out, and plenty of media attention is indicating that anyone not riding the wave of the future, will be swept away and forgotten.

 

That’s when it’s a good idea to take a step back.  Take a deep breath.  Shake your head a bit, and consider the following question:  How do these new technologies benefit my business?

The term “Early Adopter” was coined by a very smart man named Everett M. Rogers.  In his book “Diffusion of Innovations” he was able to describe what he called the five stages of the adoption process.

 

Knowledge:  The point where you are made aware of a new technology or innovation.  At this point, you know little about it besides the fact that it exists.  It is the billboard on the highway declaring all your problems solved.

Persuasion: The process of gathering information about this new wonder.  This is where having a professional voice to assist you is invaluable.  They can help you to examine your company’s needs, and answer the appropriate questions.  What results can you expect from this innovation?  What will it take to implement it?  Is it a necessary adoption for my business to run competitively?

The Decision:  Pretty straightforward.  Yes or no, and it all comes down to you, the boss.  Ultimately, you (or the shareholders you are representing) decide what is best for the future of  your company.

Implementation:  Here again is where you will need to rely on your team to get things done smoothly and efficiently.  Whether it’s a new printer in the lobby, or a chain wide user interface update, you want to keep the business up and running.  New training may need to take place.  Schedules may need to be adjusted to allow for maintenance.  These sorts of things will need to be communicated clearly to all involved.  You also don’t want to destroy what was working before.  In the case of a large scale change, you may wish to update only small pieces at a time, and evaluate the results as you go.

Confirmation: At the fifth and final stage, you conclude your decision.  Is this innovation right for you?  If yes, then congratulations!  Your business will run better with this latest enhancement.  If no, then congratulations!  You can continue to run your business successfully without it.  Time to move on.

So where does your IT department fit into this?

If you were to ask them, they might tell you to include them in all 5 steps.  I would encourage you to include them in at least 3, if not 4 of these steps.

 

  • Step 1: Knowledge –               Your team should keep you up to date on the latest and  greatest.
  • Step 2: Persuasion –               Your team should keep themselves up to date on the latest and greatest.
  • Step 4: Implementation –          Your team should have a keen understanding of how best to implement the innovation.
  • Step 5: Confirmation –             Your team should be a great source of information for you as you make your final decision.

It can be a little daunting to make a decision regarding technology in the business world, especially when things seem to change so quickly.  With the right team at your back however, you can make the right decisions that much easier, and find yourself at the head of the pack.

Smartphone Wars – How To Pick Sides

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A question I get a lot is which mobile phone I would recommend to my clients. This may seem strange at first that someone would ask their IT consultant, but considering how integral it can be to one’s business and overall communications, it’s a legitimate question to ask.

I read daily that Google’s Android mobile is growing in market share in leaps and bounds, surpassing the iPhone and even the BlackBerry. But is it the best mobile device for you or your business?

Google and Apple are now the market leaders of smartphones, but they have very different business models. Apple, adhering to its own policy of controlling the user experience from start to finish, has a restricted marketplace that requires that applications pass through a testing process before being available for purchase through iTunes. On the other hand, Android allows a user to run anything developed for it, no matter the source. And therein lies the problem. Without a strict QA process, malicious software easily infiltrates Android devices, to the point where 63% of malware discovered last quarter was on Android devices. Android’s other major issue is a phenomenon the industry refers to as “hardware fragmentation”. A more detailed description of the problem and how it applies to Android devices is available here -> http://bit.ly/tVI9gh. That being said, Google’s Android phones are great for the tech-savvy who love the ability to do whatever they want – much like the kind of user who chooses Linux over Windows or OS X. The cameras on current-generation Android smartphones are also noticeably superior to those on the iPhone or BlackBerry.

The old standard of BlackBerry for the business place  has lost a lot of traction due to RIM’s failure to keep up with the market for apps, and the notoriously painful BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) which, among other things, links the devices to Microsoft Exchange server to deliver email and offer other security options like remote wipe (allowing you to completely erase the device of all personal information and content in the event of a lost or stolen phone). The iPhone has this remote wipe feature out of the box with current firmware, and the Google Android phones have the feature available via third-party applications – but both without the need of expensive or clunky middleware. Then there was not one but two major BlackBerry services outages that affected the entire world this year for considerable periods. As a form of apology, the company offered customers free stuff, but it may be too little too late for many. The advantages of the BlackBerry though are not to be understated. They have put a lot of effort into the security of the devices, attaining security ratings that no others yet enjoy. The tactile keyboard is great, and BlackBerry messenger (BBM) alone is enough of a reason for some to sign right up. Their application pool is growing but is nothing compared to Android or iPhone.

The iPhone itself has a problems of its own. Complaints of shortened battery life plagued the 4s for a long time after launch (reported to be fixed with latest updates). The iPhone 4 similarly had antenna problems that Apple downplayed initially. And there is always the issue of screens cracking when dropped (though this isn’t typically a problem for those of us who have protective cases). As mentioned above, the iPhone app marketplace is strictly controlled, which for the very tech-savvy consider too restrictive. And the hardware itself is not user-serviceable, so is not an attractive option for tinkerers. Contrasting that is a massive marketplace of applications, tools and games, an active developer community, a company that is serious about streamlined experiences, and the intangible “cool factor” that goes along with Apple products.

Honorable mention goes to the Windows 7 phone, Microsoft’s relatively new entry into the smartphone market. Reviews are pretty good, but market share is quite low. Microsoft has had a rocky past when it comes to mobile devices. Time will tell whether their device will stick around.

Personally, I own an iPhone 4. I came from the BlackBerry world initially, frankly because the company I worked for required one. When my contract ran out I immediately chose the iPhone 4 because at the time, it was light years ahead of their competition with its high-resolution retina display. Since then, more advanced and faster competing phones have come available but I actually enjoy the fact that I don’t have to tinker with my phone to make things work. Past unpleasant experiences with both BlackBerry and Android have soured them for me, but I can certainly see the draw.

In my dealings with clients and even mobile solutions providers and other IT consulting firms, I frequently hear them express frustration with Android and BlackBerry and wishing they (or their clients) could “just get an iPhone”. That being said, personal preference rules, and company policy rules above all when selecting a phone. Weigh your options and see which feature set will best fit your needs and select your smartphone accordingly.

There’s not really a wrong answer, but it has a large impact as a piece of the overall IT infrastructure picture.

Manage Passwords The Easy Way

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Like most people, I have signed up for a vast array of internet services. Let’s start from the beginning, imagining you are a “new to the internet” user (if such a thing exists anymore).

When you sign up for internet service, you are given credentials to login to your online console where you can pay bills, check email, order new services, etc.

From there you may decide not to use the email address you were provided by your ISP (in case you decide one day to change providers), so you sign up for a free Hotmail, Yahoo, or Gmail account. Then your friends tell you about Facebook. “You have got to get on Facebook” they say. And so you do.

Then you discover all the things the internet has to offer. eBay. Amazon. Twitter. Netflix. Flickr. LinkedIn. PayPal. YouTube. Dropbox.

And if you’re anything like me, over the last few years you’ve accumulated multiple accounts of each. I personally have three Gmail accounts, two Hotmail accounts, and two Yahoo accounts – and that’s just E-mail. Making things worse, as a Google Apps user, I needed to make an additional Google account to access their new Google+ network (which has angered a large mob of angry *paying* Google Apps fanatics).

In light of all this, I’d absolutely love to have the same password for everything, but there are two major problems with that. One is that having the same password for everything is a security faux-pas (one should theoretically have a different password for each service so that if one password is compromised, you need not replace all of them). The other is that many services (such as banks and other sensitive areas) require passwords within specific parameters, for example “password must be a minimum of 8 characters with at least one uppercase, two symbols and one number”. Unless your initial password happens to coincide with the strictest of parameters, you’re forced to imagine a new password.

So how does one manage all of this? How do you escape from password hell?

There are innumerable options between all platforms, but the one piece of software I can recommend without hesitation is AgileBits 1Password. The key selling points for me are as follows:

  1. It’s multi-platform including mobile. Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android.
  2. It’s pretty, especially for Mac. Never underestimate the impact aesthetics has usability.
  3. There are browser plugins. These will automatically detect a login form being filled out and will prompt you to save the credentials for storage (and later automated use)
  4. Flexible licenses. Have more than one computer? Purchase a family license which covers both Mac and PC and includes 5 licenses.
  5. It syncs! 1Password leverages Dropbox to synchronize the password vault between all devices. You are not required (as with some other programs) to manually copy the database or create each record individually.
  6. Password generator. Can’t think of a new password? Select the parameters you need and let the password generator do the thinking. Since you’ll be saving the password in the software anyway, it doesn’t have to be memorable.
  7. AgileBits appears to be a Canadian company. Not really a selling point per-se, but worth noting. We make good stuff.

There are other password management tools out there, one worthy of notable mention is the open source program KeePass, which bears some resemblance to the Windows version of 1Password. The major advantage of KeePass is that it is free, whereas 1Password starts at around $40, depending on what license option you pick. But if you want a streamlined program that integrates seamlessly securely, I can highly recommend 1Password to anyone.

And before you ask, no. This is not a sponsored blog post.

What Does An IT Consultant Do?

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I Am An IT Consultant

No matter how long I’ve known someone, there always seems to be some confusion about what it is I do as an IT consultant. The top impressions people have are that I fix or sell computers and that is not inaccurate. I do fix computers, and I do sell computers. But this is misleading and it is the very least of what I do.

In old corporate structure, a Computer Technician (aka Computer Consultant) and a Systems Analyst are two very different people. The systems analyst could be compared to a General where the computer technician acts as a foot soldier in the trenches at the front lines of battle. The Analyst has a very high-level view of issues that a business may have with their technology, or they are sometimes given a set of guidelines or a road-map that a company may have for advancing their IT infrastructure.

For example, say a large-scale enterprise has several departments using Windows workstations and servers, but they intend to convert their design department to Apple workstations running OS X. In the old days (and in some larger companies, even now), the Systems Analyst would collect information such as a list of software requirements, research potential pitfalls or issues with compatibility between now heterogeneous systems, evaluate software, and a plethora of other prep work… before sending a Technician to do the real work based on the Analyst’s report or instructions.

The Systems Analyst will often also be the liaison between the client (or end users) and the technicians. It’s an unfortunate truth that many extremely talented technicians lack certain social skills.

Systems Analyst+Computer Technician+Project Manager=IT Consultant

In the modern model, the more valuable assets to a company are both Systems Analyst AND Computer Technician. This is exactly the role of the IT Consultant. Not just the high-level administrative tasks, but performing the actual work, and being able to interact with the client. But without the high-level view of a qualified Systems Analyst, many technicians will blindly muck about with computers and while successfully making them work, perhaps not considering the other systems involved or the benefits of doing things another way.

I’ve had a history in corporate, small business, and contracted IT, and in my journey I’ve developed a set of core work values, some of which I’ll list below.

  1. Working with an IT Consultant should feel collaborative. Your success is my success.
  2. Records and documentation are of primary importance. If it’s not documented, it doesn’t exist. If your “computer guy” (whether that be an employee or a consultant) is hit by a bus today, how much do you know about your own systems? However, proper documentation takes time to complete and should not be expected to be done for free.
  3. Research is part of the business. No single human can know everything all the time. Except for very rare cases (where it is established and agreed upon in advance), I do all work-related research on my time. I don’t believe you should have to pay me based on how fast or slow I learn how to perform a task.
  4. Use experts. Being aware of #3, I have a vast pool of experts who I can call on or refer to when dealing with a problem outside my competency. In this way, a good IT consultant is also like a general contractor, knowing when to bring in outside help.
  5. In cases where I am asked to fix a problem, if I am unable to fix it, I will not ask to be paid for my time (except in some cases a nominal diagnostics fee to determine whether it is fixable).

My reasoning for #4 is about ethics. I’ve seen some so-called professionals misrepresent themselves as experts in systems they have no business touching. If I take on a project, I am stating that I believe I have the qualifications for it. You should not be asked to pay for my hubris.

But I digress.

Defining specifically what I do is an impossible task, because it varies so greatly. 90% of the time, am I configuring someone’s email, repairing a computer, or installing a printer? Probably yes. But the other 10% is what I live for. Configuring an Active Directory domain for a new enterprise. Designing and implementing a network or offsite backup solution. Creating a Virtual Private Network for a multi-site office. Migrating a corporation’s email service to the “Cloud“. The question of what I do becomes more a matter of what I am capable of doing. For more information, please visit my previous post: “Why Hire An IT Consultant“.

Backup or Archive? Know The Difference!

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A topic that sometimes comes up in conversation is that of backups. I can’t stress enough the importance of backups. Storage is cheap and there are lots of tools that make it ridiculously simple to enable, so there’s really no excuse not to.

A device that comes to mind is Apple’s Time Capsule. Integrated into recent version of OS X is the Time Machine utility which automatically creates differential backups at regular intervals, and as the hard disk fills up, it automatically removes older backups to make room. Sounds great, right?

What may not be evident is that there is a small but important difference between a “Backup” and an “Archive”.

In general terms, a backup utility or service will provide short-term protection in the event of a catastrophic hard drive failure. A recent backup means you can simply restore to the most recent state or at the very least recover just the important files. What this backup does not do is keep files forever. As noted previously, backup utilities will typically delete the oldest backup to make room for the newest. So let’s say you have a backup of a file you just created. Now, if you were to delete that file, it still exists on the backup drive – until perhaps six months from now when it runs out of room, and deletes it. Now because that file wasn’t on your computer for the last six months to be backed up, it is no longer there to recover.

That’s where a proper archive comes in. You can do this yourself by manually copying files to a disk outside the scope of the backup utility, or by simply making a backup and stowing it away in a safe or a safety deposit box. That data will go nowhere. There are also cloud-based storage services that can be configured to keep at least one version of every file every stored – forever (or for a specific period).

Knowing the difference between the two concepts can save you a lot of headaches, especially small businesses that rely on these handy tools.

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