Friday, December 30, 2011

The IS Support 2012 Technology Wish List

Our 2012 Wish List


2011 was another booming year for technology.  As we usher in a brand new year, there are a few things that the people at IS Support would like to see change in the technology world that would make our lives easier, efficient and we've listed them in our blog.

1.  Electronic Receipts.

It's hard enough to keep track of anything paper, especially important receipts.  If online shopping has this down, why are so few retailers churning out small pieces of paper that winds up lost, trashed or in the bottom of a laundry bin.



Kudos to Office Depot, Wal-Mart and Lowe's for beginning to embrace the concept but for most retailers, a paper receipt just isn't there when you need it the most.

2.  No More Patent Wars.

How much have the Apple iOS and the Google Android battle cost?  Countless other intellectual property and patent lawsuits costs at least $3 million each.  In the past, such lawsuits are settled by cross-licensing, shipping delays and royalty payments which all need to be arranged by courts and lawyers.  Keep this in mind for 2012 and let's make some progress on these battles.

3.  Digital Wallets.

Google and Paypal have introduced effective e-pay products, but what would really be useful in day-to-day living is a digital wallet that really works.  Imagine this concept on vending machines, transportation, retailers or parking meters; it would also be effective at building loyalty programs!


4.  Check Scanning Apps

Yes, there are some banks that have this feature...but not enough.  The ability to scan checks and deposit them over the Internet without visiting an ATM or bank branch would be even more convenient.  However, many banks are lagging.  They should embrace this green concept that can take banking into the 21st century.

 5.  No Subscription Fees.

Not many things are more frustrating than putting down several hundred dollars for major purchases such as a door lock, or web thermostat and then pay a subscription fee to use it.  There are more effective ways at using our dollars.

6.  Modernize Airplanes and FAA Policies.

Hey, we all know that it's important to turn off your phones and electronics during take-off and landing.  Does anyone know exactly why?  There is probably a good reason, but why can pilots suddenly use iPads in the cockpit but passengers can't listen to their iPods?  That doesn't make much sense -- and neither does the lack of electrical outlets and WiFi on planes.  It's almost 2012, airplanes!


Now that we've revealed our list, share some things that you would like to see from the technology world for the New Year!

If you ever need to contact us regarding your technology for 2012, give us a call at 866-370-7142 or visit our website here.  


From everyone at IS Support, we wish all a Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Houston Texans and Cloud Computing: Playoff Edition



2011 Houston Texans: AFC South Champions


A couple of months ago, we decided it would be fun to use our hometown Houston Texans football team to use a fun (but very poor) analogy to how cloud computing works and how the Texans could use cloud computing principles to help their season.  We drafted a blog post, thought it might be funny, and posted it here.

It was a hit!  So now that the Texans have clinched their first ever playoff berth and an AFC South title, we thought it would be fitting to see how well they followed our advice, and tips they can use going into the playoffs with the IS Blog's edition of "Houston Texans and Cloud Computing: Playoff Edition."  Congrats to the Houston Texans, 2011 AFC South Champions!

1.  Reduced Costs

Since cloud computing reduces overall IT costs, with a pay-as-you-go scale, we suggested that the Texans use their salary space wisely.  While some high paid players have disappointed, Houston's rushing game is led by running backs Arian Foster ($525,000) and Ben Tate ($405,000).  They're probably due for a raise, but this year, there might not be a better bang for the buck and the duo has played a major factor in Houston's offense.

2. Disaster Recovery


When we last talked about the Texans and the cloud, we stressed the importance of disaster recovery.  It is much more secure to have critical data in the cloud, rather than an on-site server where hurricanes and fires can wreck a business and cause loss of important information and business productivity.


On the field, the Texans were facing the loss of star linebacker Mario Williams for the season and receiver Andre Johnson was hurt.  Since then, thing haven't gotten any better with both starting quarterback Matt Schaub AND his backup Matt Leinart hurt for the year.  It seems as though the Texans took our advice to heart.  Not only did they have serviceable back up plans for Williams and Johnson (Connor Barwin has stepped up his game to a Pro-Bowl level at LB; tight ends Joel Dressen and Owen Daniels also picked up their play)  but the story of the year might be T.J. Yates.

The rookie QB has only gone undefeated in three starts, including leading the team to a come-from-behind victory in Cincinnati last Sunday, throwing a TD pass with two seconds left to clinch the Texans first playoff berth ever!  Now that's what we call a great disaster recovery game plan.

3. Remote Access and Mobility

The business environment has changed; it is imperative now that employees and clients have access to information and files away from the traditional desktop.  Cloud computing allows the mobility for today's worker to be effective and efficient away by accessing what they need from home, away from the office, and even mobile phones.

In October, we suggested that the Texans could use better mobility since they were currently just 14-29 as a road team under coach Gary Kubiak.  Since then?  The Texans have only won four straight games away from Reliant Stadium and with their only other road game left against winless rival Indianapolis, the Texans could very well make it five in a row and claim that for the 2011 season, they were able to "get the job done" away from home.

All things aside though, we should give credit where credit is due.  It's been a great football season in Houston this year.  And we're not suggesting that the Houston Texans read the IS Blog or Coach Kubiak listened to our advice when we posted the first "Houston Texans and Cloud Computing" blog.  But is it a coincidence that when we posted that blog in October, the Texans have won six straight?  We're just saying....

And as always, if your business is interested in making cloud principles work for your company like the Texans, give one of our professional consultants a call or e-mail us at info@issupport.com.  You can also visit our website anytime of the day!


Congratulations from IS Support to our hometown Houston Texans, 2011 AFC South Champions!  

Friday, December 9, 2011

GUEST BLOG: "A Look Back to 2011 On Cloud Computing

A great blog post by Rick Blaisedell from Enterprise CIO, takes a look back on the year of Cloud Computing! [check out the original post here]


"Here we are, at that time of the year when we look back and analyze how things went, decide what should be improved and hoping for the best in the following year. Looking back to 2011, from a professional perspective, I find it easy to say that this was a good year for cloud computing. Let’s take a look to the highlights of 2011:
  • I decided to begin with the news that, in my opinion, set the tone for the whole year: the Gartner study which proclaimed cloud computing as a Top Technology Priority for CIOs in 2011. This subject it’s further analyzed in one of my first articles: Why is Cloud Computing a Safe Bet for the Future?
  • From the same Cloud.com survey, in 2011 Chief Technical Officers indicated scalability (71%) as the most popular reason for adopting cloud computing, followed by elasticity (61%), or the need to adjust to fluctuations in resource demands (61%).  In my article Evolution and Revolution with Cisco Data Centre Fabric. Í have talked about how Cisco rose to these challenges.
  • This year, cloud computing technology offered us a sneak peak at the changes it produces for the IT world. Software development in Cloud is making the platforms more customizable, the need for IT support staff is reduced and new skills and specialties are in high demand. One of the highpoints of the year was the Chromebook being released in May 2011, the first computer that operates entirely in the cloud.
  • The fears concerning security issues were the biggest challenge in 2011, especially because of the lack of trust companies have on an organization hosting their data. But I believe, this obstacle will be overcome and little by little, we will see IT professionals becoming more trustful concerning outsourcing data as they gain knowledge about cloud computing technology. The proof? Even if the biggest management challenge for cloud computing users was security (36%), most IT professionals prefer to deploy their infrastructure using virtualization (77%).
  • Last, but not least, in 2011, a very important benefit of cloud computing began to get noticed. In a world that should be more eco-friendly, cloud computing proves great green credentials. So besides asking about financial advantages, we should also ask Why is Cloud Computing Green?
I hope this article offers you a broad look on how the cloud computing market developed in 2011 and demonstrates the gains and the obstacles that still need to be overcome.  There are many other insights to add, so please feel free to comment on what you thought was important for cloud computing this past year."

~ Rick Blaisedell

A guest blog from Enterprise CIO Forum.