Here are some articles that have piqued my interest lately: The Wall Street Journal posted an article about CIOs starting to jump off the IBM bandwagon. The story goes that CIOs would traditionally go with IBM because it was a safe bet, i.e. you couldn’t get fired for hiring IBM. But a slow entry into cloud computing, some negative media coverage recently, and dissatisfaction with licensing fees is causing some CIOs to look elsewhere for equipment.
Here’s the thing. Some companies may want to move to another system but there are a lot of things holding them back.
Reliability. IBM Power Systems are workhorses with a long-life. There’s a reason why so many customers still call their equipment AS/400 or iSeries instead of IBM i. They are still using servers purchased years, even decades ago, when that’s what the power systems were called.
Customizations. Over the years, companies tend to customize their applications to better serve core business. When thinking about moving to another type of equipment, these customizations can be a nightmare to untangle.
Cost. In today’s economy, it’s hard to justify discarding equipment that still gets the job done. Of course, larger companies with different IT challenges might find a bigger ROI in making a switch. But there are a lot of small and midsize businesses that keep rolling along with the same IBM Power System they purchased many years ago.
Utilization. Because IBM has been around so long, there are years of trial, error, and experience that have gone into creating software that best utilizes output. As someone who was part of the birth of the AS/400, and a software developer for nearly two decades, I can tell you that there is a big benefit in knowing equipment inside out.
Since that article was written, IBM has accelerated its entry into the cloud market through acquisition and product development. Read more here.
I think I chose the wrong job
I came across a slideshow on CIO.com about CIO paychecks that makes me reconsider whether it was smart to start my own company. : ) With paychecks upwards of a million dollars, it is profitable to be a CIO these days. The other side of the coin is that it is stressful. There are many pressures on IT infrastructure to handle big data, BYOD, and information security. Cloud migration is a looming decision for many companies.
One thing is certain. While all these big decisions are sorted out, core business goes on. And IT departments must keep pace with the everyday tasks of maximizing output and managing a smooth workflow of jobs.
Why I actually like my job better than a CIO
Now that I have thought about the stresses faced by CIOs I am back to liking MY job. Because maximizing output of IBM Power Systems is all about DE-stressing.
Workflow. Spool file software helps our clients quickly and efficiently create PDFs and Excel reports that can be emailed out of what used to be green bar paper.
Savings. Forms Software helps our clients create invoices and statements that save huge amounts of money for their companies by eliminating pre-printed forms. It also allows employees to focus on more important tasks.
Automation and Notification. Some of our clients process thousands of reports a week. Notification software allows them to get a real-time heads up with a text message or email that lets them know about error messages that are slowing or stopping workflow. Sentries can be set to notify users about power outages, out-of-paper, and a server nearing capacity. Talk about de-stressing! Our notification software can be called the IT-good night’s sleep solution.
Support. Bad support raises blood pressure. Good support gets things done. Great support creates a positive energy all its own. It is an absolute passion of mine to make sure that every customer feels like they are getting premium customer service. It is why we keep our customer support in Atlanta and why we answer our phones live.
All in all, I am glad to be exactly where I am, knowing that we are helping IT departments play a significant role in moving forward on core business goals by maximizing output. But the million dollar check would have been nice.
No need to stress over a software decision. Try it out first with our 15 day trials. Our software is designed to increase productivity and workflow for your IBM Power System. See for yourself!
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