Infrastructure

A new Ethernet-based network storage protocol, designed for the transfer of SCSI (small computer system interface) data and commands over networks, is being positioned as a lower-cost alternative for localized storage area network (SAN) implementations.

Collaborative computing is about information and the ability to access it without limitations. One limitation that persisted was that of the wired world.

Instant messaging, long considered the PC equivalent of cellphone text messaging, is moving into the corporate world and IT managers had better be ready for it, says IBM Corp. subsidiary Lotus Software Group's vice president for messaging solutions Ken Bisconti.

The client/server architecture that ushered in the ERP industry is about to be left behind for good.

Wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 802.11a are hot network topics, but more than 90 per cent of LANs are still hardwired. While the different cable types in LANs are fairly standard and unchanging, companies are using new technologies to make the most of their wiring infrastructures.