Storage is cheap…not free

A customer asked a consultant, “How much storage is needed for that management solution?” The consultant responded, “Storage is cheap…the solution will collect performance information, error logs, and other information and store it in the database….” This is a common statement. However, it suggests that the enterprise management solution will not do any good. A good enterprise management solution helps to reduce resources. If the client purchased and allocated storage to each department based on an annual budget, there are no resources for new storage requirements. While storage may be cheap, it is not free. An Enterprise Management solution must provide clear requirements to do some good.

Dashboards for outsourcers
Is the dashboard (enterprise management software) important when one chooses to take a taxi, bus, or hired car? Absolutely! Just because one chooses to outsource a business objective (get Mr. Jones to work each day by 8 am), the operator requires the same information (speed, fuel levels, temperature, etc) to ensure timely completion of the objective. It is imperative that the business looking to outsource ensure that the chosen provider has the ability to maintain service levels. It does the business no good to outsource the business process and arrive late for work. To do some good, the provider must meet service level objectives.

Sometimes stuff does not allow one to do some good. Today CA, Inc, formerly Computer Associates and a leading enterprise management software company, struggles to do some good as it focuses on cutting costs and legal challenges caused during Mr. Kumar’s reign as CEO. During Mr. Kumar’s tenure, CA did more good as an enterprise management software company than it does today. Mr. Kumar did some good. Unfortunately, other stuff got in the way.

What does it mean to do some good?
What does it mean to do some good? When thinking of the automobile and the check engine light or gas gauge, it means that one does not need to get out of the car to know that there is an alarm. When thinking of enterprise management software, one expects similar alarms. I recently read that Congress required National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop a rule requiring all new motor vehicles to include a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) [read more at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/vrtc/ca/tpms.htm ]. This site also includes information on the development of an automotive icon for the system. It would appear that Congress is helping the automotive industry do some good. Would you agree? Has enterprise management software received any help from Congress? Does Sarbanes Oxley list software requirements for compliance? Should software vendors determine – without congressional help – what is good for Sarbanes Oxley compliance? Is this good for you?