How to create a better office environment with furniture, supplies, and products

The latest copy of eWeek magazine has a great article, IT Budget Agenda 2008. I know it sounds dull and maybe not entirely related to your position (not mine either) BUT it was an interesting read. The best part was the priority shift roundup for 2008. It’s smart to take note because as initiatives take shape office structure and businesses change with them – if your place of business is on top of what the IT pros say matter your business will likely see more success. Hint; if you’re lower on the office ladder suggest these issues as important at the next staff meeting.

Some of the noted leading priorities for 2008:

• Green IT: No shock here. Green is hot; no doubt and according to eWeek, “doing good is being smart.” Consumers and other businesses want to do business with companies that care for others as much as themselves.
• Downloading employees: More companies are trying to preserve the knowledge and opinions of employees. Whether by wiki, blogs, tagging or bookmarking systems it’s important to maintain these employee data pools.
• Centralized data centers: Some things stay the same. When it comes to streamlining companies are still mighty interested. Virtualization is at the top of the list and also high up are blade servers and wide-area file services (WAFS).
• Secure desktops: No longer are simple security software programs enough. The major players will be planning and looking for better ways (nodal security) to secure a company besides firewall and other basics. The new plan is to go above and beyond by working from the inside out.   

Noted dying priorities for 2008:

• Windows Vista: no one is interested. Sorry.
• VOIP: the interest is there but most companies don’t care enough to commit.
• Servers: eWeek relates, “Servers will see a downturn in investment… [as] dollars flow towards virtualization technologies.”
• Outsourcing: So last year. Just kidding. It’s still going on; just not as it has been previously.
• Disaster recovery: that may sound like bad news but the good news is that this is only dropping out of sight because companies already have sound disaster policy in action. Good.

The original article of course had much more info. I looked for the article, IT Budget Agenda 2008, at the eWeek website but didn’t see it – I get the print edition. That’s too bad because it was a great article – maybe watch the eWeek website for it. They could post it later. In any case there’s usually something cool to read there so it’s not all bad news if you visit.