Dubai forum tackles need to align ITC infra with business strategies
CIO and ITC professionals gathered in Dubai cite important role of IT heads and CIOs in aligning IT architecture with business strategy.
The need to integrate information technology with business strategies in order to attain effective ICT infrastructure management that will optimize cost and boost performance was underscored during a forum among CIO and ITC professionals in Dubai recently, the TradeArabia News Services reported.
The day-long forum, sponsored by Etisalat and attended by ITC practitioners in the region, was designed to discuss the role of infrastructure outsourcing as a means to enhance operational efficiencies aside from exploring ways to expand business opportunities through effective ICT management.
TradeArabia News Services said the forum was also held to explore the emerging trends in infrastructure management.
In his talk, Abdulla Hashim, Etisalat vice president for enterprise solutions, cited the important role of IT heads and CIOs in aligning the internal IT architecture with the business strategy of a company.
“Radical enablement of business using IT is challenging and this is especially true, when you consider the fast pace and increasing complexity of technology growth,” Hashim said. He noted that “IT departments can be transformed from being just a technical support group into a real enabler for change in their company.”
Angus MacCormick, Cisco senior director for strategic customers and advanced technologies, dwelt on current key industry trends such as the “Empowered User,” “Real-Time Information” and the “Borderless Enterprise.”
MacCornick said “Empowered Users” leads to grass roots innovation and personalization while in “Real Time Information,” the data will have to be virtual, secure and integrated.
He added “Borderless Enterprise” will provide “immediate responses to changing conditions and business anytime by taking advantage of information captured in the network, to have proactive, collaborative decision-making.” He later explained the growth of the IP network into the next new platform, supporting communications-centric applications.
Another resource person, David Small, vice president for managed service and channels of EMEA – Juniper, expounded on the implications of internet threats, its various forms and multiple points of attack.
In his talk, Small introduced the concept of Unified Threat Management (UTM) which he described as a combination of threat detection mechanisms designed to mitigate complex attacks on various fronts.
