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February 13

Catwalk Consulting Celebrates 10 Years in Business

It's hard to believe that on February 22, 2008 Catwalk Consulting will be celebrating 10 years in business. There have been many changes during that time. It is also amazing how fast the 10 years went by. It has been an exciting time with many ups and downs. For me it has been a tremendous learning experience.

They say it takes a village and even in business it takes a village. I am amazed at the talented committed people I have met over the years. My involvement in organizations such as the Womens President's Organization (WPO) and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) have really helped me to learn and develop my entrepreneurial skills. The people I have met through these organizations have helped me to grow and develop. They have challenged me and helped me to achieve things I never believed were possible. I feel honored to be surrounded by people who want to help me to succeed. I thank you all.

In 2002 Catwalk Consulting became an IBM Business Partner. The relationship with IBM has also been very helpful in the growth and success of Catwalk. In 2003 we launched www.catwalkconference.com which is our hosted web conferencing solution which allows companies to meet online using the Internet. The base technology for this product is IBM's Lotus Sametime product.

Many thanks to all of our customers. Without them there wouldn't be a business. We appreciate their continued support and business.

Thanks to all who contribute to the success of our organization. Without their dedication and talent there wouldn't be a Catwalk Consulting.

I am often asked why own a business and be an entrepreneur my answer is why not.

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January 23

IBM Releases Lotus Notes/Domino 8 Software

IBM recently released Lotus Notes/Domino 8. When you mention Lotus Notes people tend to think about the old Lotus 1-2-3 product and they don't think about it very favorably. What people don't realize is how much you can do with Lotus Notes/Domino. It is a framework for advanced messaging and collaboration tools. You can integrate business applications. You can even take forms and reports and easily make them accessible via the web.

I have met with many companies that are having issues with Microsoft Exchange. Lotus Notes/Domino is a secure stable environment that provides email, calender, document management capabilities and then can provide instant messaging to allow people to easily communicate and collaborate.

If you are interested in seeing a demo or have additional questions contact Catwalk Consulting.

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October 29

Middleware Solves Integration Headaches

The term "middleware" seems to be a buzzword lately. As with so many buzzwords, it's easy to hear it thrown around without understanding what it means. But understanding what middleware is can help your business in some practical ways.

Middleware is a general term for a type of computer software that enables different types of systems to communicate with each other. It sits on top of your system - or in the middle, so the speak - and allows information to flow back and forth between programs that otherwise may not be able to "talk" with each other.

A good way to think about middleware is as a business integration tool.

Say that your company is looking to merge with another company, but you discover that your IT systems are incompatible. Or imagine that you build an appealing website, but end up losing customers because your IT department can't properly integrate the site with your back-end order systems. To avoid outcomes like these, you need a solution that helps you connect existing systems intelligently - and quickly - throughout your supply chain. This is exactly what middleware does.

Webopedia points out that middleware is sometimes called plumbing because it connects two sides of an application and passes data between them.¹

Here are six areas in which middleware can make your business run more smoothly:

Web exploitation
Mergers and acquisitions
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Supply chain management
Straight-through processing

¹www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/m iddleware.html

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July 16

An Ounce of Prevention - Avoiding Disaster

Does your business rely on computers in its day-to-day operations? If so, ask yourself this important question: If you were to have a major computer-related loss, could your business operate and remain profitable while awaiting replacement of equipment and restoration of data?

For most of us, the answer to this critical question is some form of NO. Therefore, it is crucial that you adopt loss control procedures to help safeguard your vital computer data and equipment. Here are some recommendations.

7 Golden Rules of Safe Computing

1. Back up on a regular basis. Why? Because you have files you can’t afford to lose. You may ask – How often should I back up my files? The answer is how much time do you want to spend re-entering data. If you have done a significant amount of work – take a backup. As a guideline once a week is sufficient. Critical projects should be backed up any time large changes are made but typically not more than once a day. It’s easy and it will help you to avoid frustration and hours of lost work will be restored in minutes.
IBM Tivoli Continuous Data Protection is a great product to use for backups. It is easy to use and can be setup to backup files as they are updated or to be backed up once a day. You decide how often and which files to update. It's also very easy to restore files. If you can't restore the files there isn't much point in backing them up.
2. Buy an anti-virus scanner and update it on a regular basis. Two common packages are Norton Anti-virus and MacAfee Virus Scan. But remember that buying the software is only the first step. Since new viruses are born everyday you must make sure to get the most current updates to your anti-virus software. The software manufacturers make updates available via the Internet and most will perform an update automatically if your software is configured to do so. However, don’t simply rely on the automatic function. Be sure to check that this occurs and do it manually if need be.
3. Don’t run any software before scanning it first with your virus scanner. That’s right - even packaged software can have a virus that will wreak havoc on your computer.
4. Be very suspicious when someone sends you files you didn’t ask for. The most common way of spreading viruses is by trading disks or programs with others, e-mail attachments and downloading files from the Internet.
5. Be careful opening any files you exchange with other people. Remember a combination of anti-virus programs and backups should make an infection only an inconvenience. Make backups, scan files and software and stay away from pirated software. There is never a need to reformat your hard disk to get rid of a virus. Restore from backups – programs are infected not data.
6. Consider Firewalls. A firewall is a program that sets up an invisible boundary between your system and the Internet. In today’s world of DSN and cable modems your PC is very vulnerable. A firewall can alert you to unauthorized attempts to access your files from outside your organization.
7. Don’t get paranoid. Very often users will do more damage with panicked recovery attempts than a virus or Trojan horse would have.

By following the above suggestions you will have your ounce of prevention to avoid disaster.

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May 31

Are you doing business Internationally?

I recently attended an event for small business owners. A panel discussion was being held and was moderated by Marilyn Johnson, Vice President of Market Development for IBM. She started the presentation by asking the audience a question. She asked, "How many of you in the audience are doing business internationally?" A couple of hands in the audience were raised. She then ased the audience, "How many of you in the audience have a website?" All hands shot up almost in unison. She then said, "Hello, what does the www in your domain names stand for? World Wide Web!".

What so many of us don't realize is that if you have a website on the Internet you are available to anyone anywhere in the world. We are all global companies. We need to start thinking about that and using it to the benefit of our companies.

There is a great article that was just posted entitled, "How Big is Your Global Sphere?", it is written by Laurel Delaney from Global Trade Source Ltd. It talks about some of the tools available to get the word out about our company's. We need to realize that the Internet and technology provides a level playing field for our businesses. You can't necessarily tell the size of the company by reviewing their website.

These days the only way to compete successfully is to differentiate your company from the others. The Internet is an effective and inexpensive way to to that.

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April 05

The Dynamics of the Virtual Workplace

Technologies such as web conferencing and on- demand workplaces have enhanced the growing trend of virtual workforces, bringing greater flexibility to today’s businesses. Employees gain the freedom to work from many different places at many different times. Teams connect and work together despite geographical boundaries. Online workrooms improve workflow and streamline review processes.

While all of this affords workers and employees increased flexibility and efficiency, it brings with it a new set of questions. What are the dynamics of a virtual team? Do they differ from on-site teams? How do you keep team members motivated and accountable? What is the best way to manage virtual employees?

Experts agree that there are several key aspects to keeping virtual teams running smoothly and keeping virtual employees happy. Here are a few to keep in mind.

Communication
The very same applications that enable instant and effortless communication (email, IM, chat rooms) require us to be especially mindful of how we communicate when working virtually. The need and desire for face-to-face interactions will never go away completely, no matter how advanced technology becomes. But the beauty of using technology is having more choices.

While working in the world of cyberspace can be liberating, it can also be isolating. When using virtual teams and employees, managers need to be especially mindful of staying in touch with everyone and giving praise when praise is due, perhaps in some sort of virtual public recognition.

Accountability
There may be no "I" in TEAM, but there are definitely individuals in a virtual team. A Harvard Management Communication Letter quotes Psychologist Tom McDonald from an article in Successful Meetings. McDonald emphasizes the need for accountability in virtual teams and notes that "...virtual teamwork starts with a high emphasis on individual responsibility, rather than on group thinking." According to McDonald, "Team members are very clear about what their individual jobs are, and, frankly, want to be left alone to do them. Achievement is uppermost in their minds. They take their jobs seriously and expect each team member to do the same."*

Trust
Employees need to trust that other team members will hold up their end of the bargain and complete project tasks on time. They also must trust that the company has their best interest in mind. Companies can help to foster this trust by enacting good communication and team building techniques. According to Darleen DeRosa, a Philadelphia-based senior organizational consultant with Right Management Consultants, companies should invest in team building, compensate for the lack of human contact, and find appropriate ways to support team spirit, trust and productivity.**

Companies tend to place a lot of importance on traditional team building activities. In order to effectively use off-site employees, companies must translate these efforts to help virtual teams bond.

Technology is never an answer in and of itself. Effective use of technology means factoring in the human component. Here are some helpful resources to help you do just that:

*Making Work-at-Home Work for Everyone, on Harvard Business School Working Knowledge (http://hbswk. hbs.edu/item. jhtml?id=3221&t=organizations)

**Team Building for Virtual Workplace, by Mike Dempster, in Business Edge (http://www.businessedge .ca/article.cf m/newsID/10076.cfm)

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January 17

Window's Vista - The New View of Microsoft

Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows Vista, is scheduled for general release in early 2007. The release has been delayed several times and has missed the holiday season buying binge. Rumors about free upgrade vouchers have surfaced, but currently remain just that – rumors. Either way, if you're planning to buy a PC before Vista is released, here's what you need to know if you want to upgrade.

First, let's take a look at the different versions of Vista that will be available.

Windows Vista will come in five editions, each designed to fit the needs of different user groups:

Windows Vista Business for organizations of all sizes;
Windows Vista Enterprise for large global organizations with highly complex IT infrastructures;
Windows Vista Home Basic for basic home users;
Windows Vista Home Premium for more advanced home users; and
Windows Vista Ultimate for users who want the system's best business, mobility, and home entertainment features.

Vista will also offer two different user interface options: a basic experience for entry-level systems, and a more visually dynamic experience called Windows Aero. Computers running Windows Vista Home Basic or those without the hardware needed to run Windows Aero will use the basic user interface. According to Microsoft, Windows Aero is the "best-designed, highest-performing desktop experience. Using Aero requires a PC with a compatible graphics adapter and running a Premium or Business edition of Windows Vista."

If you’re planning to buy a new PC before the launch of Vista, Microsoft offers some tips on making sure you can use Vista when it arrives. Look for the "Windows Vista Capable" or "Premium Ready PC" designation.

A Windows Vista Capable PC includes the following minimum features:

a modern processor (at least 800MHz);
512 MB of system memory; and
graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.

If you want to be able to use Windows Aero, you’ll need to choose a Windows Vista Capable PC that is designated Premium Ready or a PC that meets or exceeds these Premium Ready requirements: