Managing IT in a Downturn : A Pocket Guide

Cut IT costs without compromising on reliability or hitting essential servicesThe recession is forcing companies to tighten the purse-strings, which means there are pressures to slash the IT budget. If you are looking to make cuts in IT, how do you do this without undermining the "e;lights on"e; services on which your company relies?In this book, well-known IT journalist Stewart Mitchell gives you practical, hard-hitting advice on the best ways to make your money go further. The book shows a solid grasp of the issues surrounding IT for business, and is written in a jargon-free style that will be easy for you to follow.One option you have in the downturn is to choose innovative solutions. Mitchell offers you a cool appraisal of the advantages and disadvantages of Open Source Software in helping you to cut costs. The book also considers whether cloud computing is the right answer if you are looking to economise on server management and administration.Benefits to business include:Cut unnecessary expenses Are you spending thousands on licences and maintenance for software that you never use? By identifying software that is lying idle and stripping out waste, you could save your company as much as 00!Freeze capital expenditure If your company frequently replaces its old PCs, this can put an unnecessary strain on budgets. By expanding the period between PC refreshes and pushing back new purchases, you will be making more use of what you already have and saving your business a fortune!Negotiate a better deal It's not just your business that has to stay lean and mean in the recession: competition is fierce for your suppliers as well. Aim to renegotiate contracts with suppliers to cut a better deal for your business and drive down costs.Cut your phone bill by 50 per cent The recession has highlighted the advantages of IP telephony (VoIP) as a means to reduce the cost of making phone calls. By switching the voice and data needs of your business over to a dedicated Internet circuit, you could save as much as 50 per cent on the cost of making calls.Find out how to make the most of your IT resources on a shrinking budget.