http://www.i-structure.comCFO Updates from Infocrossing Inc.Copyright © 2010 Infocrossing Inc. All rights reserved.en-US Six Ways to Get More and Spend Less in IT: Reducing Capital Expenditures in Your Data Center December 8, 2008 - For a growing business, every penny spent is an investment for the future. With potentially high upfront costs for equipment and specialized software, your data center may be one of the major sources of capital expenditures in your company. Though these expenses are creating future benefits, in an economy where everyone is trying to cut costs where they can, it can be harder to look past the present to that future. What follows are suggestions for cutting some of these ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/114.aspx03/03/2009 Don’t make any assumptions Although some experts espouse that the offshore IT market cannot deliver what it promises, the reality could not be further from the truth. To be sure, every market has its share of failures. But today’s offshore IT market has matured to the point that there are many offshore IT companies effectively supplying key services at high value. According to Andy Rowsell-Jones and Chuck Tucker at Gartner, offshore IT services are particularly appealing because “apparent cost, quality, flexible scale, and time-zone advantages appear more compelling than domestic alternatives.” The stereotype of poor service from offshore providers exists because, ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/226.aspx10/19/2009 Annual percent change of gross domestic product (GDP) or gross national product (GNP) represents economy growth in general which refers to growth of potential output and national income, e.g. how rich countries can advance their economies and how poor countries can catch up with rich ones. There is currently a good correlation between a society’s wealth and its consumption pattern. As countries industrialize they require more energy, which increases their GNP and the wealth of the population who in turn use more energy, e.g. cars, air-conditioning etc. Fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, together with uranium are the main primary energy ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/204.aspx10/19/2009 The U.S. economy may be in its worst financial slump since the 1930s but consult any CIO and s/he will tell you that the data center industry is experiencing its greatest growth period ever. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), demand for data storage and processing has become so popular that it has more than doubled the amount of energy used nationally for this purpose over the past five years. As a matter of fact, data centers alone account for 1.5% of our total energy usage. With this growth trend set to continue, the EPA estimates that the country’s electricity ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/115.aspx10/19/2009 Cloudy Concept Those already familiar with cloud computing know that conceptually it simply refers to users running applications or storing data on remote servers throughout the Internet. This means that the end user can access these services over the Internet without having any understanding of (or control over) the underlying infrastructure. Unfortunately, the cloud metaphor also suggests the way that these systems can cloud, or obscure, the actual architecture of the system. After all, how many people use Google Docs, Paypal, Hotmail, or Facebook every day without having any idea what is happening beyond their own computer screen? But should you ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/140.aspx10/19/2009 The effects of switching accounting languages extend far beyond the finance department.  Chances are most companies have heard the buzz around the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the possible financial benefits and complications resulting from its use. If not, they soon will. December 8, 2008 - The SEC has recently proposed a roadmap for moving all U.S. companies to the financial accounting system by 2016. Over 100 countries worldwide already use IFRS and current migration plans are designed to bring U.S companies in-line with our foreign counterparts. Benefits of the conversion include greater visibility, better resource allocation, more efficient ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/141.aspx10/19/2009 What is Cloud Computing? Many companies have provided remote access to vital enterprise applications for years. But the speed and popularity of the current shift of enterprise solutions towards remote connectivity with cloud computing is different. It is about leveraging remote access technologies to cut costs and risks associated with enterprise IT, while continuing to drive value and innovation. In many cases, this means storing and processing information on several computers throughout the country, or even the world. You may already know that cloud computing is commonly known as a way to avoid large capital expenditures while gaining greater control over ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/236.aspx10/19/2009 Financial services organizations propel economic growth. Never before has this been more clear than in the last 12 months, as we have witnessed the global economy react to the difficulties faced by this industry. In fact, U.S. financial services exports represent one-sixth of the world market. For these companies, getting back on track and improving margins is critical to their success, as well as all of Wall Street. In Gartner’s 2007 survey, executives reported that their top objectives were to improve business services, control enterprise cost structure, and retain customers. These issues combined with an ever-tightening regulatory environment and human resource ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/238.aspx10/19/2009 Regulatory compliance is already a huge CFO headache. Often expensive and contrived, every company supports teams of people and huge banks of costly information technology. With Sarbanes-Oxley requirements, The Patriot Act, and other government regulations requiring more accountability, compliance is only going to get more complicated. Increasingly, stakeholders and government agencies require more accurate, up-to-the-second financial information. The cost of ignoring the changing face of regulation compliance is high. Organizations that fail to show their compliance are subject to penalties, including fees, monitoring, audits, and more. Additionally, executives holding personal responsibility for meeting regulatory deadlines can face personal fines, even ...http://www.i-structure.com/page/239.aspx03/23/2010