Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
larger perspective in order to reap the greatest benefits for the organiza-
tion overall. A few of the arguments that may be encountered include
the following.
Root. In information technology circles, position and status are
often conveyed to the administrator who has ultimate access rights.
By having a root administrative account, these individuals proudly
proclaim that they are trusted enough or responsible enough to have
this access—and they often fight fervently to get or keep this type of
account and to avoid anyone else having a higher level of administra-
tive access.
Silos. Consolidation of information is a driving force in many
efforts to reduce administrative requirements, hardware costs,
licensing fees, and data exposure. This is counter to the traditional
structure, in which individual business units maintained their own
technologies, data, backups, and administrative controls in indepen-
dent silos with total autonomy. Regulatory mandates and cost con-
trols are driving consolidation efforts, posing a threat to the legacy
of autonomy and control.
Big iron. Traditionally, large enterprises relied on large, dedicated
systems. These “big iron” mainframes still have a place in the enter-
prise, but they are being challenged by technologies that rely on
decentralized nodes or grids of interconnected lower-capacity sys-
tems to generate the same level of operational capability. Although
Beowulf-style superclusters made from off-the-shelf personal com-
puting hardware have provided greater computing power than all
but the largest dedicated supercomputers, those who are used to the
“big iron” style of computer hardware and software often find it
difficult to trust applications and platforms that are based on small-
computer models.
Platform. Perhaps the most hotly debated topic in any informa-
tion technology environment—the choice of a particular operat-
ing system or programming language as the standard—can turn
even the most mild-mannered geeks into a hostile angry mob. Even
the manner in which programs are written can set off a blizzard
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