David Markus
News and interviews on David Markus including trends, features, blogs and community conversations from an Australian business perspective.
What is the right solution for data backup in an SME?Thursday, 04 February 2010
The bottom line is this – if you have data, there is a risk that you will lose it. And that loss may be catastrophic for your business. Hence, the need for backup. ...
We have a scalability problem in our IT department. Help!
Thursday, 28 January 2010
We have a scalability problem in our IT department. When the GFC hit us, we scaled back. Now we're growing again, we need an extra half a person before we break our IT guy. But, we can't cost justify a FTE. Should we get a part-time IT guy? ...
How should we go about selecting the right technologies?
Thursday, 21 January 2010
My business is a little behind in making use of productivity tools, and while we don't want to be cutting edge, we do want to be efficient. How should we go about selecting the right technologies out of everything that's available? ...
IT people keep talking to me about compliance, but is my business big enough to warrant it?
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Compliance in the SME sector is an interesting issue because so many small businesses aren't regulated. ...
Welcome to the new decade. What are the next 10 years going to mean for IT?
Thursday, 07 January 2010
What a huge decade we have just had for IT, which started with lots of promise and a huge sharemarket bubble, followed by a tech wreck that took out all sorts of dotcom companies – good and bad. Many survived and made a fortune, while others withered and died. ...
We have the smartest people in our company working on our IT, do we need help?
Thursday, 17 December 2009
I come across many businesses where the best minds in the business are working on IT. This is great if you run an IT company but is probably reducing your billable hours or reducing your sales if you are not. ...
How can we protect our information from loss (or even theft)?
Thursday, 10 December 2009
I come across many businesses that are confused about how best to protect their information. The bottom line is this – if you have data, there is a risk that you will lose it. And that loss may be catastrophic for your business. ...
If I knew then what I know now
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
One of the big problems with starting a business is that you don't know what you don't know - if only you could go ask your future, highly successful self for some start-up advice. ...
What should we be doing with IT to get ready for Christmas?
Thursday, 19 November 2009
There always needs to be an IT plan for the end of the year. So much to do, and so hard to get the IT guy to be there. ...
How can I create an environment that will allow me to attract and retain good IT people?
Thursday, 12 November 2009
As the economy warms up IT people are going to get mobile again. If they have been clinging to a job for security they will soon move for opportunity, so it is an important time to create the right environment. What is a computer tech's utopia? ...
Microsoft warns SMEs on security of cloud computing
Monday, 09 November 2009
Businesses considering moving their data to a cloud computing company should be aware of privacy issues and differing jurisdiction when accessing data in different countries, software giant Microsoft has warned. ...
What IT gear should I be planning to purchase before year end to make the most of the 50% tax break?
Thursday, 22 October 2009
This is really important to every small business that uses computers. I wrote about this back in April when it applied to all businesses but now the key message is to the smaller businesses out there. ...
What should my IT staff be able to do in an SME?
Thursday, 15 October 2009
I run a medium-sized business with 30 staff. What is a reasonable expectation of what my IT person should be able to do? ...
How do we get our IT systems ready for new starters?
Thursday, 01 October 2009
As the economy recovers, we are hiring again. How do we get our IT systems ready for new starters? ...
Our new computers are coming with Windows 7, is that okay?
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Whatever happened to consumer choice? We are now seeing hardware manufacturers, keen to see a compelling reason for change in the marketplace, putting Windows 7 on their new PC offerings. But we do not yet know if this is the operating system that we are all ...
Should I get my custom application developed overseas?
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Wind the clock back 30 years and ask: "Will the existing manufacturers move their factories off-shore?" ...
I want to outsource my IT, but can't find the right people. Help!
Thursday, 27 August 2009
I am a business manager. I have an IT manager and a technician who report to me but I want to outsource. The business is no longer being supported by the technology we have and we need to span the void to let the company grow, but all the people that come to ...
Our computers are aging. How do I convince the boss to replace them?
Thursday, 20 August 2009
This seems to be a common problem in all levels of business. When we replace computers all we see is expense and problems and we forget about the formula we have all heard that says we should upgrade our technology every three or four years. ...
My wife’s business is expanding to eight or nine staff - are we ready for managed services?
Thursday, 13 August 2009
This will depend on your preference for IT functionality. The strategic approach to this is to contemplate the balance between functionality, quality of service and cost. ...
I am buying new computers so how should I license my software for them?
Thursday, 06 August 2009
The simple answer to this question is: send me your list of requirements and I will send you the answers. Note that is plural, as each software product you consider has multiple possibilities for licensing. Not to mention that for each type of application there ...
