Some organizations have realized substantial improvements in processing data and information by switching from centralized mainframe computing to decentralized personal computers linked by local and wide area networks. The ability of software applications to locate and correlate relevant data in a data warehouse permits organizations to discover unknown fiscal or physical resource relationships and thus provide appropriate assistance where there had been none.

However, along with the potential to improve lives and organizations, IT projects can become risky, costly, unproductive mistakes. As we have described in numerous reports and testimonies, enterprise IT projects too frequently incur cost overruns and schedule slippages while contributing little to mission-related outcomes.

Proper Information Technology Management requires the enterprise to focus more on the results achieved through IT investments while concurrently streamlining the IT acquisition process. This act also introduces more rigor and structure into how departments select and manage IT projects. Among other things, the head of each department should be required to implement a process for maximizing the value of the companies IT investments and assessing and managing the risks of its IT acquisitions.

The benefits of a well designed Information Technology Management Solution (ITAMS) are not only realized in gained efficiency, productivity, and project outcomes. It is also realized in the proper accounting of enterprise equipment reducing unnecessary write offs and reinvestment toward already acquired equipment.

Following an established Information Technology Investment Management (ITIM) framework enhances guidance by identifying critical processes for successful IT investment and organizing these processes into a framework of increasingly mature stages. This shift reflects both the maturation of the thinking in the area of IT investment management and the feedback received from organizations based upon their experiences creating their IT investment mechanisms and processes. Such a maturity framework can be used to analyze an organization's IT

For more information or to learn how you can implement a solid ITAMS program contact Todd Whitehurst at 817-793-9579

This integration helps companies that need on-premise functionality for deep industry and process-centric CRM and fast, easy-to-use on-demand CRM for remote offices and mobile sales and marketing professionals.

Based on Oracle's standards-based Oracle Application Integration Architecture and Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle CRM On Demand Integration to Siebel CRM reduces integration risk and helps solve the data silo problem through prebuilt integration between on-premise and on-demand CRM.

Oracle CRM On Demand Integration to Siebel CRM enables customers to use fewer IT resources than custom integrations because it is prebuilt and designed for rapid deployment.

Customers can immediately begin supporting multiple Oracle CRM On Demand instances with the choice of on-demand, on-premise or both integrated together.

"The debut of Oracle CRM On Demand Integration to Siebel CRM is an industry-defining step, allowing organizations to quickly and effectively realize the benefits of an integrated CRM system," said Oracle Senior Vice President of CRM Anthony Lye. "The deep functionality of on-premise CRM and the rapid deployment and ease-of-use capabilities of on-demand CRM are now powerfully combined for organizations to extract even further value from their Oracle investments."

With a single customer view, Oracle CRM On Demand Integration to Siebel CRM provides organizations using Siebel CRM with the flexibility to easily integrate features of on-demand CRM to quickly add new sales users for new divisions, geographies or product lines.

As business requirements evolve, organizations can synchronize customer data in real time, administer integration at the transaction level and leverage Siebel CRM data quality management tools.

Exchange Server is an e-mail-based collaborative communications server for businesses that enables you to send and receive electronic mail and other forms of interactive communication through computer networks. Designed to interoperate with Microsoft Outlook on Windows desktops, Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA) on web browsers, or Microsoft Outlook Mobile Access (OMA) for web-browser enabled mobile devices, Exchange Server offers integrated collaborative messaging features that extend e-mail to include scheduling, contact management, folder sharing, and task management functionality. Cached Exchange Mode enables work regardless of network availability or speed, and compression capabilities optimize existing bandwidth.

Further, Hosted Exchange Server enables Service Providers to deliver multiple tiers or service levels of business-class e-mail, from basic POP3 access and simplified webmail, through completely integrated IMAP, MAPI and mobile (ActiveSync) solutions that contain all of the benefits of advanced information sharing features to get more done and anywhere access capabilities.

Basic Features:

  Business-Class Messaging

Coupled with Microsoft Outlook, Hosted Exchange provides valuable messaging features that go beyond simple e-mail that allow business users to take control of their inbox. This functionality includes:

• Contact management, event and calendar management, resource scheduling and administration, task management and shared folders (see below for details)
• Delegate access to allow others to check designated components like e-mail, tasks lists and calendars
• Server and client-side rules and spam filtering to manage the flow of incoming messages
• Multi-colored flagging to mark messages for follow-up, prioritization, searching and categorization
• Recovery of sent messages
• Ability to delete and replace an unread message
• Out-of-office automatic reply

 Enhanced Security

Exchange was designed for optimal security and privacy, with a variety of features at both the server and mailbox level. Exchange Server 2003 uses Kerberos authentication, a network security protocol that provides mutual authentication for a network connection.  Additional security protocol support includes Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME), enabling users to digitally sign and encrypt e-mails and attachments or to access their mailboxes securely, without a VPN connection, when working outside company firewalls.  Anti-spam features include support of real-time Safe and Block lists and both server-side and client-side message filtering in Outlook to help reduce the amount of unsolicited junk e-mail messages.

 Public Folders

Public folders are a shared resource, available offline and online, for instantaneous storage of digital content and communications.  Any user with access privileges can retrieve and contribute information from a public folder while working in Outlook.  Rather than e-mailing file attachments back and forth, they can be stored in a common location for sharing and discussion.

 Shared Calendars

Exchange Server includes rich features for personal, group, and resource scheduling that integrates with e-mail, contacts, and tasks.  Users can share their calendar information with others and view multiple calendars simultaneously to send meeting requests for shared open times.  Recipients can decline or propose a different time, or accept and have the meeting automatically entered in their calendars.  Schedules for shared resources like conference rooms and projectors may also be incorporated.

 Shared Contacts

Contacts in the company directory (Global Address List or GAL) are centrally maintained for sharing throughout the organization and can be downloaded to Outlook and synchronized for access from Outlook Web Access (OWA) and Outlook Mobile Access (OMA).  Distribution lists also can be centrally shared and maintained to facilitate communication to groups such as departments or customer lists.

 Shared Task Management

A task list provides the ability to create and assign tasks and can be integrated with e-mail notification and scheduling for basic project management and personal time management. Users can track progress as a task moves from active to complete to overdue, while managing status through various criteria like the person responsible and the category.

 Customized Forms

Design and publish forms for common organizational functions that require basic routing and communication, including time-sheets, expense reports and vacation requests. Custom forms will be available to all users, including remote and mobile employees.

 Anytime, Anywhere Access

In addition to Outlook, Exchange Server enables a large number of clients for mailbox connectivity, including web browsers through OWA (Outlook Web Access) and Windows-mobile devices through OMA (Outlook Mobile Access), providing flexibility and productivity for information workers regardless of location.

Important Links

Microsoft Exchange site:

www.microsoft.com/exchange/

Microsoft Outlook site:

www.microsoft.com/outlook/

Are you maximizing the tools available that can make you a more productive mobile executive?

Hosted Microsoft Exchange offers mobile communication benefits far beyond sending and receiving e-mail at remote locations.  Frequent travelers can read, compose and act upon messages and attachments no matter where they are – from client site to airport to coffee shop – while maintaining a single mailbox:

·    Stay in touch and synchronized no matter which Outlook client you use – the regular desktop version on your own PC, Outlook Web Access (OWA) from any computer with a web browser and Internet connection, or Outlook Mobile Access (OMA) from your web-browser enabled mobile device.

·    Grant other people, such as administrative assistants, access to your mailbox on your behalf when you have to be away from the office.

·    Set up ‘rules’ for processing messages, like auto-responses and automatic filing, to help you prioritize and manage limited e-mail time while traveling.

And like every other aspect of your hosted service, all the technical functions are administered for you. So if your laptop is lost or stolen during travel, you can count on a back-up of your inbox, ready to be restored for you by your hosting provider.

As the person chartered with making e-mail – arguably the most critical, widely-used application in any company – work continuously while meeting user demands and keeping costs contained, you face a real dilemma.  How do you offer the tools needed to keep pace and do it with little or no staff, budget, or time?

Consider Hosted Microsoft Exchange.  You can have a flexible, enterprise-class solution to address your worker productivity and information sharing requirements. Your end users gain all the features and functionality of Exchange, while your technical specifications are met:

• Rapid deployment
• Timely server upgrades and security patches
• Microsoft license management and compliance
• Enterprise-class data center for optimal security and performance
• Service Level guarantees
• Zero up-front capital investment
• Low, predictable costs

So consider Hosted Microsoft Exchange and enjoy a little operational freedom, without sacrificing the performance and functionality you require.

&Key Features of Microsoft Exchange 2003 with Microsoft Outlook 2003