Technology

Lee Kirkby on
Technology 

Portable USB devices can pose a network security risk

Most PC users are familiar with the small USB memory sticks which make it convenient to transport files from one PC to another. Even some of the newer printers and multi-function devices incorporate tools to permit the creation of hard copy directly from USB drives. Disk-based products like iPods provide very large storage capacities easily equivalent to the hard drives that were on basic desktop computers a couple of years ago.

For network administrators and security conscious owners these cheap, convenient and easy to use devices create the potential for real headaches in maintaining data integrity and protecting the network from outside threats. Unlike the floppy of old, these devices have the ability to hold large executable programs and permit the migration of very large data chunks, both potential security problems. They can inadvertently be the means for viruses and other malware to be introduced to the company network bypassing the usual checkpoints of routers and firewalls. Their size and convenience can be the undoing of a well-managed network if someone chooses to off load key data or if a malware threat piggybacks onto a file being uploaded. Since all computers being sold today include several USB ports for easy connection of peripherals the access to the network is also made very easy.

One company has done some work to try to help administrators determine the level of the threat to their operations and has also developed a software package that can help in administering the use of USB based devices. If you want to check your PC or network they offer a free scan tool on their website which can run over the web and give you a report on what is found. The site is http://www.endpointscan.com/ and it will load a small Active X Control file (it is secured) on your PC and then you can choose to scan a PC or a group of PC’s. The results give an interesting profile of your environment and can help you decide if you have a risk to manage. Naturally, they hope that you will opt to buy the full security package which they sell to manage the USB interface on your PC’s but running the free, no obligation scan can at least give you an idea of what is happening in your systems.

(L. Lee Kirkby is Vice President of Leppert Business Systems Inc., a Burlington based company specializing in assisting companies with better managing their important business documents.)

How Search Engine Optimization works—Part 3

Blogs — The new age internet marketing tool

Blogs are an excellent example of sites that can be strategically used to increase the popularity of a corporate site. Using a product like Blogger, recently acquired by Google, individuals can create Blog content that is relevant to a specific subject, while building links back to the corporate site. Google indexes changes to Blogger Blogs within hours and because a corporate website is linked to the Blog site and the article published (hopefully), it too is re-indexed; increasing its popularity and over time search engine ranking. Not to complicate the issue, there are search engines for ranking search engines. Technorati, a search engine vehicle dedicated to Blogs, has a tool that allows Blog publishers to ping the Technorati search engine every time they publish to their Blog. Because of the dynamic nature of Technorati, Google has dedicated spiders that index it, thereby creating a mechanism to increase indexing at a much faster pace than traditional websites.

Companies and organizations need to encourage links back to their corporate website and each other’s Blogs. Setting up RSS feeds to all of the above would make it easier for visitors to be notified of changes, special offers, promotions and encourage more frequent website visits, thus increasing the Blogs popularity, which in turn, increases its relevance, thus increasing the relevance of the corporate site.

In a similar fashion, by adding relevant content to social networking sites (SNS), both traditional and not so traditional, there is opportunity to increase both popularity and relevance. This can be achieved by posting non-active, active and interactive mechanisms on SNS’s. Because each of these sites has their own search engine tagging solution, which are fed by the person posting the article, video clip or photos, it gives companies a chance to create their own meta tags which will eventually be indexed by the larger search engines like Google and Yahoo. Even if no one actually views a blog, watches a video or participates in an interactive site option on a SNS, the fact that they have been indexed and linked back directly or indirectly to the corporate site increases the corporate site’s relevance and popularity.

A company or organizations’ partners and employees should be set up on specific sites — sites that people can use to set up internet bookmarks. This is important because Google indexes certain sites that are bookmarked regularly. By creating a network of users, all book marking intertwines with other websites and Blogs that all link back to the corporate site that will ultimately increase the organic ranking of the corporate site.

The ultimate goal is to increase the organic ranking in order to decrease the dependency on pay-per-click advertising. Eventually, an organization can reduce its SEM (Search Engine Marketing) budget and use that money for other more efficient marketing programs. It is believed that organic links from search engines produce higher click-through rates than pay-per-click ads, ultimately increasing traffic to a corporate site and increasing downloads that can be turned into generating revenue. It is important from a business perspective to remember that blogs can be vital tools for businesses to expand reach, not just provide an open public internet forum.

The internet moves at a different time-space continuum than the rest of the world and SEO and SEM are no exception. Truthfully, there are many things a company can do to increase website traffic without spending excessive amounts of money. Ask your web site or internet expert and let them drive your business on the internet highway.

(JSY INNovations provides practical and tactical marketing solutions that create identity, build awareness and increase positioning by providing a unique service that addresses the fine balance of web site/internet optimization with marketing for small to medium sized businesses.

Contact: Julie Sutton-Yardley, JSY INNovations Phone: 905-633-8508, or visit: http://Hospitality-Marketing.blogspot.com or Carl Bachellier, MRBACH PC, Phone: 905 659-4669, or visit http://carlbach.blogspot.com)

Talent crunch threatens tech industry

Deloitte survey: Canadian IT companies must rethink strategies

TORONTO — Canada’s technology and telecommunications companies are faced with unprecedented growth opportunities, at the same time a talent crisis threatens to jeopardize their success, according to new research conducted by Deloitte, with support from the Information Technology Association of Canada.

‘TechTalent,’ a survey of 60 Canadian technology and telecommunications organizations, reveals that developing and retaining talent is cited as the most critical people issue facing technology and telecommunications organizations today. But, alarmingly, only 10 percent of companies surveyed have talent strategies in place (33% cite themselves as unprepared, 52 percent are still in the process of preparing).

“Canadian technology companies are poised for great success over the next few years, but must overcome a talent crisis to stay ahead,” says Richard Lee, Human Capital Practice Leader with Deloitte. “The key to fuelling growth and performance will be effective talent management — knowing how to find, retain and develop the best talent, skills and leadership.”

The findings reveal the majority (54%) of companies expect their workforce to grow by at least six percent annually (25% expecting double-digit growth). At the same time, the retirement of Baby Boomers, declining birth rates and increased labour mobility all contribute to why 95 percent of respondents cite the talent shortage as a fundamental business challenge facing their organizations today. In particular, leadership talent will be at a premium as an ageing workforce results in the loss of ‘knowledge workers’ – those with leadership positions housing significant knowledge (70% of respondents anticipate a shortage of senior executives and senior leaders over the next three to five years). Developing leadership talent is cited as the most critical talent issue (67%), followed by retention of key talent (48%).

The problem goes beyond a lack of workers — to a lack of workers with the right skills. As the talent pool shrinks, finding critical skills to drive performance and growth will be paramount to success. The research findings reveal research and development skills are the most difficult to find in today’s marketplace. In addition, 90 percent expect to be challenged to find technically skilled talent over the next three to five years, and 60 percent expect to face a high or moderate shortage of innovative and creative talent. To help reduce the skills-shortage burden, almost 80 percent of respondents feel employers and educational institutions need to work together to ensure new graduates are better prepared for work in the technology and telecommunications sectors.

Despite acknowledging these talent challenges, the vast majority of Canadian technology and telecommunications companies are confident of finding the right talent. Sixty-eight percent of respondents believe the skills they need to enable future growth are readily available in the labour market. However, the survey findings indicate that industry leaders might not have a clear picture of the talent they need. The majority of respondents (54%) note that demographic changes and pending skills shortages are discussed infrequently at a senior level. Nearly a third (32%) of participants said their organization has not yet defined a list of critical skills for future growth, while another 32 percent have only just started to do so — but have yet to complete the analysis.

High tech industry urges minister to adopt measures for ‘Competitive Fast Track’

OTTAWA — Leaders representing Canada’s high technology sector recently shared views with federal Industry Minister Maxime Bernier about measures to accelerate Canada’s competitiveness.

Tamas Koplyay, Research Director for the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA), Program Chair, Partnership Conference Series, OCRI, and Advanced Technology Professor at the University of Quebec, organized the delegation. Delegation leaders included Jeffrey Dale, President and CEO, Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI); Antoine Paquin, Partner, Rho Canada; Silvia Ponce, Professeure agregee, Service de l’enseignment de la gestion des operations et de la logistique, HEC Montreal; John Reid, President, Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA), and Michael Turner, Advisor, System Strategies, Wesley Clover.

“Our purpose in sharing our views with Minister Bernier is to get Canada moving as fast as it can,” said Professor Koplyay. “Our panel brings real-world expertise to bear on issues relating to research, exports, commercialization, infrastructure, purchasing and skills shortages.”

CATA has assembled its priorities in an action agenda called the “Innovation Nation Platform,” containing key planks and themes affecting the growth of Canada’s advanced technology sectors. Canada’s leading global entrepreneur, Terry Matthews, Chair of March Networks, is the national spokesperson for Innovation Nation. Reid quoted his spokesperson’s view that “The market is the world.

“If Canada is to become an Innovation Nation, we’ve got to do a better job of supporting, growing and retaining our high tech companies and the people that power them.”

Matthews is joined in the Innovation Nation movement by CEOs such as Mike Zafirovski, CEO, Nortel; Lionel Hurtubise, past CEO and Chair, Ericsson Canada Inc., Dennis Melnbardis, Lead Partner, Communications & High Tech, Canadian Practice, Accenture, and Michael J. Kelly, Dean of the School of Business Management, University of Ottawa.

The Innovation Nation has launched programs to create a National Brand for Canada, backed by programs to nurture companies into commercialization, such as the Canadian Innovation Centre; develop Canada’s export Supply Chains, respond to the Flat World of global competition through the removal of trade barriers; improve the Research Tax Credit program; attract best talent; foster executive leadership, adopt best practices for national security, and speed the adoption of ICT by small an mid-sized businesses. To review CATA’s action agenda for the industry, please go to: http://cata.ca/Media_and_Events/Press_Releases/cata_pr01100701.html

A leading innovation in the export field has been the partner program called “Commonwealth Advantage,” headed by The Honourable Sinclair Stevens, former Industry Minister. The Commonwealth Advantage is pushing Canadian business matchmaking among the 53 Commonwealth countries that represent one-third of the world’s population.

Michael Turner noted that federal and provincial procurement practices are making it hard for Canadian technology companies to do business in foreign markets.  Too often, overly strict non-operational requirements such as onerous experience requirements are used to attempt to reduce procurement risks. Poorly developed evaluation criteria ignore longer-term costs or benefits, leading to a ‘lowest price at any cost’ mentality.

Tourism Sarnia-Lambton and Local Businesses launch “GOBORDER”

SARNIA – Businesses are working together to provide a local solution for a bi-national issue. Tourism Sarnia-Lambton and local businesses have launched “GOBORDER,” a campaign to deal with impending I.D. requirements for all cross border travel into the United States.

As early as January 2008, Canadian and U.S. citizens may need a Passport or Nexus card to travel via land or water into the United States. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), these new documentation requirements could be implemented as late as June 2009. However, the U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security are working to implement them as soon as possible. Indications are that a January 2008 implementation date is likely.

This U.S. policy change will have a dramatic impact on cross border travel between Ontario and Michigan. Only 20 percent of Americans and 40 percent of Canadians reportedly hold a valid Nexus Card or Passport. TNS Canadian Facts and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) also reported that 32 percent of Americans and 29 percent of Canadians believe that a passport is already required to travel across the border.

To counter this problem, Tourism Sarnia-Lambton (TSL) and local business partners, have launched a GO BORDER marketing campaign to correct misunderstandings, educate travelers on the ID requirements, and provide incentives for travellers to get a Nexus Card or Passport immediately. Key sponsors of the effort include TSL, The Blue Water Bridge Authority, Blue Water Bridge Duty Free Shop Inc., OLG Casino Point Edward and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

The centerpiece of the marketing campaign is the GO BORDER website (www.goborder.com). Site visitors will find that it clearly and simply describes all the relevant details about the impending I.D. requirements. It outlines why getting a Nexus Card may be the best choice for many travelers who regularly cross the Blue Water Bridge. Nexus is like a VIP card that allows the holder to use a dedicated express lane. The application process for Nexus is less complex and children under 18 years can obtain a free Nexus Card.

The GOBORDER website (www.goborder.com) also includes a Show and Save section, listing many local merchants who offer special sales incentives and discounts to anyone who presents a valid Nexus Card or Passport. The site is being advertised extensively via handouts to all passenger vehicles crossing the Blue Water Bridge from both directions as well as print and billboard advertising from suburban Detroit to Port Huron.

Michael Lawley of TSL notes, “GOBORDER simply and precisely tells you everything you need to know about applying for a Nexus Card or Passport, why you should get one now to avoid a last minute rush. In addition, the cumulative value of the merchant discounts can more than cover the cost of purchasing a passport or Nexus card. GOBORDER is a win/win solution for everyone.”