A big change or shift is happening right before our eyes in the hi-tech sector (software, hardware, networking, mobile etc). Some see it, some don't and some choose to ignore it. But if you take a moment, step back and take a quick look at what is happening in the high tech sector - I think some of you might be quite surprised. Why? Because there are some real disruptive forces converging... and maturing all at once which I believe will dramatically change how software is purchased, delivered,...

I have been asked a lot recently "Why is IGLOO Software offering free online communities?" and "What's the catch?"

My thinking behind free online business communities is quite simple:

1. Customers want to "try before they buy" when looking for a software solution
2. We want to showcase to the market that IGLOO Software is a great social software business alternative to Microsoft SharePoint, Lotus Connections or Jive Software
3. Many small vendors like IGLOO Software do not get a fair shake from some of the...

Of the four areas of SaaS security, the concept of pure Data Security is perhaps the hardest to define. In fact all four blogs in this series were about some aspect of keeping your data secure in a SaaS model, but when I think of "data", I think of two quite different concepts:

1. The actual bits and bytes that exist somewhere on your SaaS vendors servers (these bits and bytes can be transmitted, processed and displayed for the application's purposes).
2. The thoughts, ideas and concepts that make up...

To get this article started, I think we need to define what a network is.  To put it simply, the network in a SaaS offering is the infrastructure by which the web browser communicates with the web application. A simple example is connecting to Facebook... where Internet Explorer is the web browser and Facebook is the application.  Most networks include physical components like routers, firewalls, switches and even the actual wires. It also includes the "language" of communication like TCP/IP, HT...

I recently participated in a panel session focused on the business value of social software with a group of experts from Facebook, Artez Interactive, MGImedia and Twist Image. The purpose of the session was to discuss the ways in which organizations are using social media tools like Twitter, Linked-in and Facebook as business tools - and debate whether they are working... or not.

The session was moderated by Noel Hulsman, Globe and Mail Small Business Editor. When you get a moment, I strongly...

In part 1 of this series, I discussed the importance of physical security related to SaaS-based applications. The focus was primarily on the data centre, processes and compliance. 

Part 2 of this series deals with application security. Before I discuss the security aspects of an application over the web (better known as a SaaS application), let me first describe what I'm referring to as the "application".  Generally speaking, an application is the part of the service that you can see and...

With more and more organizations, institutions and corporations looking to social networking as a tool to help improve collaboration and knowledge sharing... BIG concerns have emerged around security, privacy and compliance - both corporate and regulatory. These concerns have become even more important when dealing with companies that offer their solutions using a software as a service model or more commonly known in the industry as SaaS.

In this four part series, I will discuss some of the...

Although in early stages with regard to B2B customer adoption, social media presents new opportunities to connect with customers and prospects, build trust and brand loyalty, and create more tailored messages/campaigns to increase your marketing return on investment and stakeholder relevancy.

1. We covered many of the trends, adoption rates and overall effectiveness of social media marketing in our recent webinar on July 9: MROI - Finding the Business Value in Social Marketing.

According to Aberdeen...

Considering the limited availability of tools that exist to support innovation management, I find this statistic very compelling.

To gain competitive advantage, organizations are striving to capitalize on "continuous innovation" and the tools that support innovation. Many executives that I speak with share the vision that innovation needs to be captured and managed within an organization.

So, execution is key when it comes to inspiring continuous innovation. But how do you build and implement...

By leveraging social software tools when dealing with teams, managers can quickly and easily set up team spaces to help team members meet deadlines, deliver results and develop best practices along the way.

What follows are more basic tips on how to use social software to help you foster high performance teams (continued from my previous blog).

5.    Encourage collaborative leadership models within your organization. Advocacy within your organization is as important as advocacy beyond the...