Diamonds might be forever, but IT is not. Technologies and products that were once hot are now as dated as Joan Collins’ shoulder pads, Red Symons’ Skyhooks make-up or Warwick Capper’s footy shorts. While the aforementioned treasures may be lost to us forever, it is possible to plan for the end of life (EOL) of your IT kit. Stephen Withers explains. [ + ]

We all recall the commotion surrounding the Y2K bug at the turn of the last century. Now, many vendors are using the concept of BYOD (bring your own devices) to scare organisations into buying new products. What many IT managers don’t realise is that they may already have the tools to control this influx of wireless devices. [ + ]

Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are becoming the preferred target of cybercriminals, since they are less likely to have strong security in place. Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor, AVG Australia and New Zealand, provides some tips for SMBs looking to reduce their chances of being compromised by cybercriminals. [ + ]

There’s a lot riding on your choice of cloud provider - pick the wrong one and you could end up a headline in the next data breach news story. However, picking between these providers can be confusing. [ + ]

Data integration software vendor Informatica has appointed Franco Flore as Channel Sales Manager for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Flore will be responsible for Informatica’s channel program in ANZ and will manage the local implementation of the company’s INFORM Partner Program for the channel. [ + ]

VSS Monitoring has announced that it has earned the 2012 Global Competitive Strategy Leadership Award in the infrastructure packet broker market from Frost & Sullivan. VSS Monitoring was recognised with this independent, third-party award due to its leading technical innovation, differentiated product offerings, extensive customer base and ROI/cost savings. [ + ]

AT&T has appointed Peter Thomson as General Manager for its New Zealand operations. Thomson has also been appointed Sales Manager for Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. [ + ]

All too often, IT workers are handed a messy and mysterious IT system devised by someone else, a system with no rational structure, little documentation and no explanation of how it got so bad. Conway’s Law can help explain how the system got to that point and help to avoid making similar mistakes in the future. Justin Butcher, Analyst at IBRS, explains. [ + ]

Vendors claim cloud storage offers a range of benefits to organisations, including cost savings and increased flexibility. But with things like security breaches, data sovereignty and the US Patriot Act breeding doubt in customers’ minds, the future of cloud storage is not certain. [ + ]

Ten years ago, the concept of subscribing to a service was a novel approach in the software industry. Now, with the increasing popularity of software as a service, the subscription model has become mainstream, giving rise to the subscription economy. Merri Mack explains the concepts behind the subscription economy and explores some of its ramifications. [ + ]

Hosting your data in the cloud offers several benefits for organisations, including easier file sharing among employees, easy remote backup, and, in some cases, cost savings. But with the US Patriot Act, the DMCA, and similar, storing your data with an offshore company may allow foreign entities to rifle through said data - without your knowledge. Carlo Minassian, Founder & CEO of earthwave, explains how the physical location of your data affects your privacy. [ + ]

The Australian and Communications Media Authority (ACMA) today agreed to register the revised Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code, which ACMA says will give telco customers greater protection on issues such as bill shock, confusing mobile plans and poor complaints handling. [ + ]

With all the talk of consumer social networking tools in the enterprise, it’s easy to forget that there’s a whole world of social networking software designed specifically for use within the enterprise. Andrew Collins explains the difference between consumer and enterprise social networking software. [ + ]

SharePoint’s ability to function as a data repository and a collaboration platform has made it popular with many organisations. As with any database of company data, security is paramount. Kane Lightowler*, Regional Director, Imperva Australia & New Zealand, provides five tips for securing corporate data in SharePoint. [ + ]

Lexmark International today announced it has joined the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP) as a founding member. As a member of ANZRP, Lexmark will be compliant with the federal government’s new National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, due to begin in July 2012. [ + ]