Ask The Secret CIO

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Ask The Secret CIO

By Herbert W. Lovelace
Issue date: March 11, 1997

Your letters to my print column and this E-mail forum ask some serious questions about managing information technology in today's world. Since today's world is essentially absurd, my serious responses may sometimes sound a little whimsical, and my occasional whimsical ones, serious. In any case, if you want to participate, write to me at secret@cmp.com . I'll respond to those letters that I can. I reserve the right to edit for size and content. Just sign your E-mail the way you want it to appear online.

Hi Herb:

Our CEO handed our support team a box full of 8" floppies from a DEC-dedicated "word processor" from c.1985. He wants the data converted and saved. Our only defense is to gather support data with general guidelines on saving old "stuff." We want to make him comfortable with "decision support" advice. We want to dump. Where would we go to get information on corporate guidelines on archiving?

Thanks!

Lynne J.

Dear Lynne:

Corporate guidelines on archiving are available from your audit firm. They will provide advice on how long you should keep records for IRS purposes. Another source of information is your own legal department. It will help you decide which records to keep and which to trash.

Now that I've told you where to get the information about guidelines on archiving, keep in mind who is askin g to have the data converted and saved. The CEO of a company is like the proverbial 800-pound gorilla. Where does an 800-pound gorilla sit? Anywhere he wants to.

I suspect that the boss is not asking for your advice on how long to save the stuff. For all you know, it may contain the letters and reports that helped him get his present job and thus may be of more sentimental value to him than the decision-support staff.

Herb:

I manage a Chicago Division of a $100 million technology services firm. I am seeing rapid growth in my staff (all of whom are on our payroll, rather than subcontractors). Some 95% of the engagements we sell are supplemental staffing of programmer analysts and PC technical analysts. What is your perspective on the demand for information technology services over the next five years?

Thanks,

Rob

Dear Rob:

Most companies today are leery about additions to permanent staff unless they view the hires as strategic to their own core business lines. As a result, managers are increasingly using contract services, as you are seeing. Given the agony of downsizing that corporations have gone through in the past few years, there is no indication that these same companies are overly anxious to build up their internal staffs where they can avoid it. So, from that standpoint your business should see no decrease in the size of the pie available to it.

Now, how big is the pie? More and more, companies are turning to information technology as a tool to discriminate them from their rivals. Federal Express changed the rules of competition with technology just as surely as did American Airlines with their Sabre system. There is no indication that the use of technology is going to do anything but grow.

Given both of these situations, you are in a good field. But keep in mind that when others see the potential of the services business, they will enter the arena, competition for the available contracts will heighten, and margins may shrink.

Dear Herbert:

I can't believe I'm actually writing this, but since you seem to be half "Dear Abby" and half John Dvorak, I'll bite.

My situation is that I really like Linux. I've been using it for several months and am hooked. My problem is that I need to make a living, too, and can't figure how to with Linux. I have several NT certifications and am employed with a small consulting firm doing our network installations and maintenance, but these are all in NT or Novell. If I'd spent my time studying more NT tests instead of the Linux, I'd probably have two more tests done and be much closer to being an MCSE and that means more money. Yet I'd give up the NT in a minute if I thought I could make a living with the Linux somehow. I am not a programmer and it seems unlikely with my situation that I'll be able to become one soon. I have a mortgage, car payment, couple of kids, etc.

What do think about this Linux thing?

Dear GT:

I'm okay on understanding your Linux dilemma, it's the half Dear Abby and half John Dvorak that I am pondering. That would be fascinating to behold. Anyway, on to operating systems.

People who like Linux are very passionate about it. I get a copy of the Linux Newsletter which is part information, part fan club, and part revival meeting. I can understand the enthusiasm, but that is not your question.

I remember about a decade ago an associate of mine with a major company was really into Unix. He kept telling the rest of us that someday Unix would eliminate all of the COBOL and FORTRAN in the universe and we were just too thick to see it. We all watched the burning light in his eyes, smiled, and went back to cranking out the systems that kept our companies running. He maintained his fervor for Unix, ran into some problems in his own company as an early adopter, and saw his job as Director of IS (this was in days before we were called CIOs) disappear. He had a hard time for a few years and is now back working as a mid-level manager. The last time I s aw him he was happy, but a little more subdued than one might expect.

The issue for you, as you have explained your situation, is not whether Linux will be a barn burner, but rather, if so, will it happen fast enough to keep you making those mortgage payments. Unfortunately, given the investment in client-server technology based on Unix and the rush of NT with Microsoft pushing it, it is hard to imagine a person straying from the path shown by your market research unless that person is independently wealthy or inordinately evangelistic.

Dear Mr. Lovelace,

I am an officer in the U.S. Navy approaching the end of my 20-year career in the submarine force. I am seriously considering IS as the field for my second career. I am presently enrolled in a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems at Strayer College in the Washington, D.C., area. I am an engineer and manager by trade. My computer experience consists of extensive use of word processing, spreadsheets (including writing macros), presentation software, and some HTML. If you were starting from my position, what would you do to make yourself more valuable and employable to a CIO? Thank you for your time.

Ronald

Dear Ronald,

It seems to me that you have a great start on a second career in information systems after your military career. You are doing the right things from a perspective of training. Next, you need to do a little soul-searching and networking to find your niche in the commercial information systems world. In addition to following the trade magazines--which you are obviously doing-- you can do this best by talking to people who are out there. I would suggest joining some professional organizations in the Washington area. Give a call to the Society for Information Management (their headquarters is in Chicago, but they have a Capital-area chapter) and try to hook up with some of their members. Ask some of your friends for introductions to people in the field and begin to network. Don't be afraid to make cold calls on the telephone to some of the CIO's who work for large companies or government agencies seeking advice. I think you'll find them very friendly people.

Dear Secret CIO,

I am responsible for sales-force automation requirements for a multibillion dollar international company. We have designed, developed, and implemented a large client-sever account and opportunity-management system (I use the word implemented loosely based on actual acceptance/usage by the salesforce). After years of getting the client-server architecture right, our U.S. salesforce has gone virtual (mostly working from home with laptops and standard phone lines with 28.8 modems). We are being told by our salesforce that they must be mobile (detached client-server) in order to use the application. Our tests have shown that there is very little performance degradation (average package size between 2 to 3 Kbps) using a 28.8 modem in place of the office 10-Mbyte Ethernet LAN. Still, the salesforce believe s that there is a need to be detached and management is concerned that the savings from going virtual (closing sales offices) will be consumed by increased communication costs. Most other countries (excluding Germany and Switzerland) do not see a pressing need to work offline.

To make a rather long and heavily debated story short, we are about to spend millions of dollars on an outside SFA package that supports detached client-server. Obviously there are other reasons for and benefits to buying versus building, but detached client-server is a major factor. My concern is that the industry is moving full circle back to a thin client using applets and the Internet. The salesforce loves the Internet (probably driving 85% of connect time and communication costs) and does not seem to mind the slow response time. I do not want to be on the bleeding edge any more than I have to, but I also do not want to spend millions on detached client-server technology when the industry may come full circle with the Internet .

I have been running this race on an oval track and I very behind. Any words of advice?

Best Regards, GM

Dear GM:

I think it is important to focus on what are the questions and issues before concerning yourself about the future of the industry's technology. Technology is rarely as important to salespeople as whether something helps them make a sale.

First, let's look at what the facts are: The major account and opportunity-management system you have implemented has been poorly accepted. The salesforce feels they must be mobile to use the application and they love the Internet even though it is slow. You say that there are obviously other reasons for buying rather than building, but you haven't said anything about them. Is it possible that you are not spending enough time on the applications' value analysis in your concern about whether thin clients are the way to go? Think about spending a lot of time with the key users and understanding their concerns, especially why they are not thrilled with the existing client-server application, and you'll make the right decision.

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