Tips

Tips

• Understanding Salesforce App Cloud licensing

  Salesforce App Cloud opens important doors to building new functionality into Salesforce. But it's important to read the fine print on licensing options.  Continue Reading

• Go for gold with VDI image management

  VDI golden images allow IT to deliver multiple virtual desktops based off a single base image. This setup simplifies desktop management in a lot of ways but also complicates updates.  Continue Reading

• Eight factors when choosing mobile application development tools

  When it comes to picking out a mobile app development tool it is important to keep lifecycle management, integration, internal expertise and more in mind.  Continue Reading

• Voice gateways provide powerful connectivity options

  Voice gateways connect VoIP networks to telecom providers and analog phones, while also providing backup call support. But these sensitive devices need proper security.  Continue Reading

• Consumers still waiting for Godot on personalized marketing?

  Personalized messaging can be an invaluable tool for marketers. Unfortunately, these marketing campaigns aren't living up to their potential, according to consumers.  Continue Reading

• When single sign-on technology is a good fit for VDI

  As more VDI shops deliver virtual desktops separately from applications, single sign-on provides a way for IT to reduce users' burdens when it comes to multiple logins and remembering passwords.  Continue Reading

• Productivity suite smack down: Office 365 vs. Office 2016

  Microsoft's Office 2016 for the desktop might seem like the de facto option for delivering productivity apps to users, but its cloud-based cousin Office 365 offers more flexibility.  Continue Reading

• How Salesforce1 app promotes mobility in sales and service

  The Salesforce1 app has brought new productivity and efficiency to mobile workers' tasks by allowing them to update and access customer account records and enabling on-site sales.  Continue Reading

• Building data visualization with SAP Fiori tools

  Some BI developers will get by fine with features such as the Fiori Launchpad and Overview pages. Here's what's built into Fiori now, and what's on the horizon.  Continue Reading

• Can Salesforce Wave answer data integration challenges?

  Like other products, Salesforce Wave promises to make it easy to stitch together data silos. Is data integration as easy as it sounds? An expert offers some insight.  Continue Reading

• Mobile marketing strategy isn't a bolt-on to existing strategy

  Too often, companies falter in their marketing strategies by tacking mobility onto what they already do. Instead, you should create 'mobile moments.'  Continue Reading

• Compare Citrix, VMware and Microsoft remote display protocol options

  As desktop and app virtualization technologies advance, the top vendors' remote display protocols are keeping pace. Citrix HDX, Microsoft RemoteFX, VMware Blast and Teradici PCoIP protocol can all support modern end-user computing.  Continue Reading

• Manufacturing execution systems now key in digitized world

  MES technology links plant systems to business applications. As more devices go digital over the Internet, it's positioned to be the control center for digital manufacturing.  Continue Reading

• Choosing between Microsoft Office 2016 versions

  Choosing between Office 2016 versions may seem like a simple choice, but don't jump to conclusions: Consider functionality, operational consistency and cost.  Continue Reading

• Eight keys to supply chain sustainability

  Figuring out how to create a comprehensive and compelling supply chain sustainability initiative can be overwhelming. Here's guidance on getting it right.  Continue Reading

• Why VDI is perfect for managing remote employees

  Organizations trying to support remote employees should look to VDI, which puts users in a controlled environment and makes it easier to provide support, manage licenses and ensure security.  Continue Reading

• How to set up a Chromebook remote desktop

  It's easier than you think to set up a Google Chromebook remote desktop, thanks to low-cost devices that make for great VDI thin clients.  Continue Reading

• How Citrix USB redirection supports stylus peripherals

  A new feature in XenDesktop and XenApp makes it easier for stylus users, artists and engineers to link USB peripheral devices to their virtual desktops and applications, even when they're far away from the office.  Continue Reading

• How to embed video with SharePoint Media Web Part

  Adding audio or video to a SharePoint page isn't rocket science -- but there are some tricks to make it easier. An expert explains.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to mobile application design

  Mobile application design isn't always easy. An effective design keeps user experience at the forefront of the design process. Without that, an enterprise mobile app could fail.  Continue Reading

• Four ways to put Sysinternals Process Explorer to work

  IT admins can use Process Explorer in Sysinternals to find suspicious software, inspect process and object privileges, and more.  Continue Reading

• Implementing modern practices in an ABAP development shop

  You don't have to wait for SAP to provide modern tools for automated testing, continuous integration and other key processes. Try these five steps first.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Office Trust Center settings that help stop malware

  The Trust Center in Microsoft's Office suite has some important and useful settings to prevent users from opening files infected with malware and viruses, but admins need to know about and enable them.  Continue Reading

• Top five Android device management security challenges

  Fragmentation and BYOD user behavior complicate Android device management, but new tools can help IT administrators improve application and data security.  Continue Reading

• How VMware App Volumes works

  VMware App Volumes offers IT admins a way to deliver persistent applications from a nonpersistent virtual desktop pool. Learn exactly how this technology works.  Continue Reading

• Examining the pros and cons of Microsoft Power BI tools

  Power BI is a suite of business intelligence tools that targets user-friendly analysis and reporting. But what are users getting for their money, and how is it potentially useful?  Continue Reading

• Handling unwieldy data with Salesforce Wave Analytics

  With sales teams struggling to access and consume data, Salesforce Wave Analytics promises ease of use and accessibility.  Continue Reading

• Despite cloud-based CRM success, data silo issues remain

  While cloud-based CRM tools are making inroads in bridging data silos, smaller, niche tools are becoming more necessary to solve data management challenges.  Continue Reading

• CRM marketplace could undergo new competition

  While the CRM market has long been dominated by a small cohort of established providers, new niche players could shake up the landscape.  Continue Reading

• Despite spruce-up, is the Salesforce Lightning UI fully baked?

  Salesforce Lightning UI was updated this fall, enabling even greater ease of use, but pain points still exist in the platform.  Continue Reading

• VMware App Volumes and ThinApp are better together

  VMware has two app virtualization tools, but organizations don't need to choose one or the other. Using App Volumes and ThinApp together gives IT departments plenty of app delivery options.  Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of using an HTML5 browser as a VDI client

  Although HTML5 clients don't provide enough security for some organizations, they're one of the easiest and most widely available options for delivering remote desktops to employees.  Continue Reading

• How Microsoft UE-V syncs physical and virtual desktop settings

  Users expect the same experience whether they're on a virtual desktop at home or their work PC in the office. Microsoft UE-V syncs users' settings, so they're up to date in all their Windows sessions.  Continue Reading

• Windows 8 GPO settings to configure search, indexing options

  Windows 8 and 8.1 GPOs can help with many tasks, including creating Start screen layouts that adhere to corporate policies, as well as configuring search and indexing settings.  Continue Reading

• Manufacturers: Use a warehouse for product customization

  Leveraging warehouses for product customization, or late personalization, adds flexibility, shortens delivery lead time and helps better meet customer expectations.  Continue Reading

• Wearable technologies still need to hit their enterprise stride

  Wearable technologies represent a $7 billion industry, but they haven’t yet made their stake in the ground for knowledge workers.  Continue Reading

• Challenges of combining structured and unstructured data

  Business intelligence tools can turn company data into valuable insights, but unstructured data is often a missing component. It doesn't have to be.  Continue Reading

• Three essentials for an effective mobile app strategy

  With mobile apps invading the enterprise, it's time to develop a strategy using a set of universal app development tools.  Continue Reading

• Ten most useful Windows Sysinternals utilities

  Sysinternals utilities such as Autoruns and TCPView can target specific problem areas in a Microsoft Windows environment, including performance issues.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise video metrics a must to measure success

  Increasingly, companies have turned to video for customer service, product demos and branding. But they need to measure success with enterprise video metrics.  Continue Reading

• How to virtualize apps with VMware ThinApp, step by step

  It's fairly easy to virtualize apps with VMware ThinApp, you just need to know a few basic steps, including setting up a VM, taking snapshots and using the Setup Capture utility to run scans.  Continue Reading

• What to expect from Macs in the enterprise

  For enterprise IT, Apple's Mac OS can pose a few problems, including compatibility, applications, support, networking and other issues. But if you know what could be coming your way, you can get the training and tools to manage Macs.  Continue Reading

• CRM documentation paves way to successful release management

  As companies use a CRM system in the wild, they need to be able to make tweaks, and those changes need to be well-documented.  Continue Reading

• Sales management software helps teams get a jump on leads

  As customers become more knowledgeable about products, sales reps can't just rely on the gift of gab. Today they need sales management software that help target people who are ready to bite.  Continue Reading

• Let their powers combine: Use Intune, RemoteApp combo for virtual app delivery

  Microsoft Intune, App-V and RemoteApp all let you deliver apps to mobile devices, but no one approach is perfect. A combination of Intune and RemoteApp for virtual app delivery can work well.  Continue Reading

• Weighing pros and cons of mobile application management

  Rather than focusing on gaining access to users' devices, MAM puts the power squarely in IT's hands to protect mobile applications on any device.  Continue Reading

• Enhancing customer engagement strategy through a mobile experience

  Consumers use mobile devices constantly. Marketers can capitalize on this by developing a rich, engaging mobile experience to drive sales.  Continue Reading

• Five tips for managing guest wireless network access

  With the proliferation of mobile devices, guest access to enterprise networks is more common. IT can maintain security with tools such as identity management and per-session security keys.  Continue Reading

• Desktop management tools and best practices

  Desktop management tools are the key to making sure things in your fleet are running smoothly. Systems such as Desktop Central and Client Management Suite cover the big five of desktop management.  Continue Reading

• The importance of desktop inventory management tools

  Desktop inventory management tools help keep track of how many endpoints are in use and who's using them. That basic information can help with sundry other management tasks, such as budgeting and responses to security breaches.  Continue Reading

• Comparing three options for VDI endpoints

  There are a few ways admins can provide users with the hardware that makes it possible to access their virtual desktops. Get to know the three major options.  Continue Reading

• Design redundancy into VoIP communication systems

  Implementing redundancy at the VoIP and network infrastructure levels is an integral part of VoIP communication, ensuring call and business continuity.  Continue Reading

• Five techniques for getting a robust VoIP infrastructure

  A VoIP expert stresses the importance of a separate voice VLAN setup, quality-of-service enablement and edge routers for a robust VoIP infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• Setting standards for in-house app development and delivery

  As with anything, mobile application development goes best when IT comes in with a well-thought-out plan. Learn how to optimize your app dev and delivery process.  Continue Reading

• Has Microsoft cloud strategy evolved?

  Microsoft is trying to lead customers to the cloud with hybrid offerings, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM. But will that succeed?  Continue Reading

• What a desktop assessment can do for you

  Is every physical desktop a candidate for virtualization? A desktop assessment can help make this determination before a major VDI investment is made.  Continue Reading

• Get to know Android for Work profiles and productivity features

  Now that Android for Work is out, we dig into the features of the program’s work profiles and productivity apps.  Continue Reading

• CRM skills training essential for system management

  The right CRM training is crucial to the management and development of a CRM system. Make sure your staff has the right CRM skills to survive.  Continue Reading

• Procurement and finance: Be partners, not enemies

  Finance and procurement must be partners, working together to contribute to a company's goals, including operational and financial performance objectives  Continue Reading

• VDI hardware evaluation checklist

  Picking the right hardware for your VDI deployment is critical, but it doesn't have to be difficult. To start, check to see if your VDI software vendor has a list of compatible components.  Continue Reading

• Salesforce vs. Microsoft Dynamics: Why I choose Salesforce

  While Salesforce can be more costly than Microsoft Dynamics, ease of use and a healthy ecosystem of support can make it a persuasive choice.  Continue Reading

• Improving data quality with better CRM system design

  If your CRM system isn't designed for ease of data entry, it can undermine data analysis and decision making. Here's how to promote cleaner data.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP ERP forecasting help predict material consumption?

  To help you prepare realistic sales, production and procurement plans, try leveraging SAP ERP forecasting to calculate your materials needs.  Continue Reading

• Tighten Windows 8.1 security in five simple steps

  Microsoft has improved Windows 8.1 security, but no OS is free of vulnerabilities. Some basic settings can further protect Windows 8.x systems.  Continue Reading

• Want to get into mobile marketing? Know your customer

  In this book excerpt, author and industry watcher Chuck Martin shows how customers' mobile behaviors should dictate companies' marketing strategies.  Continue Reading

• Apple Device Enrollment Program streamlines deployment, MDM

  The Apple Device Enrollment Program allows IT pros to automate deployment, and they can also preset mandatory MDM configurations out of the box.  Continue Reading

• Are marketing automation tools the greatest asset in the sales arsenal?

  The more your sales reps know about prospects, the faster they can close deals. Here's why marketing automation tools deliver real sales intelligence.  Continue Reading

• Tablets and smartphones can be thin clients, too

  The experience of using a mobile device as a thin client has improved and it's no longer out of the question, but some pain points remain, such as connectivity and text entry.  Continue Reading

• Customer data integration needs strategy to derive meaning

  Your approach to customer data integration needs to be guided by another strategy to determine which information is relevant.  Continue Reading

• Four utilities can verify Group Policy object settings

  Client-side extensions could cause a Group Policy object to fail. Fortunately, there are a few different ways to track down Windows GPO settings.  Continue Reading

• Manufacturing operations management merges ERP and MES

  As integrated manufacturing systems evolve, a new term -- manufacturing operations management -- signifies the merger of ERP and MES.  Continue Reading

• Why mobile user authentication is more important than ever

  Encrypting data is a good first step, but if you don't properly authenticate users, sensitive information can still fall into the wrong hands.  Continue Reading

• Using predictive analytics methods to answer business questions

  Need to know where to put your next store? Or whether or not a promotional campaign will work? Predictive analytics methods may be the answer.  Continue Reading

• Calculating VoIP bandwidth needs for SIP trunk services

  Part three of our series, SIP Trunking Explained, looks at the amount of VoIP bandwidth you'll need to avoid latency for SIP trunk services via a dedicated line or an Internet connection.  Continue Reading

• Tracking too many KPIs is counterproductive

  Don't overdo KPIs -- a handful should be enough to capture the essence. Any more than that dilutes the user's attention, drawing focus away from key measurements.  Continue Reading

• The difference between Citrix Workspace Suite and Workspace Services

  Citrix's Workspace Services and the Workspace Suite aren't one in the same. The Suite is a bundle of products and Workspace Services is a delivery platform and control plane.  Continue Reading

• Top tools for user profile management

  You can manage profiles with Active Directory or the tools built into your VDI software, but third-party options from AppSense, RES software and Liquidware Labs offer more features and can reduce storage needs.  Continue Reading

• Rooted Android device risks include network access, data theft

  Rooting an Android smartphone or tablet makes the device more vulnerable to malicious apps that could wreak havoc on a corporate network. MDM alone can't stop the threat.  Continue Reading

• Zero client buying guide

  There are lots of client options to choose from for VDI. Get the details on four of the most popular zero clients and how they can meet your needs in this buying guide.  Continue Reading

• What is the SAP HANA XS Engine and how does it work?

  Ethan Jewett explains how the SAP HANA XS Engine is used to run lightweight applications on the SAP in-memory database platform.  Continue Reading

• Google Glass at Work could make some jobs easier

  With Glass for Work, Google aims to overcome the challenges the "smart glasses" have faced in the consumer marketplace. The new focus on enterprise could help field workers, manufacturers and engineers get more done hands-free.  Continue Reading

• Using tools to back up and restore bootable USB device images

  Do you have more install or diagnostic environment images to manage than physical UFDs? Learn how to back up and restore bootable USB device images.  Continue Reading

• Office Telemetry reports on Office 2013 docs and apps

  If IT administrators need information on document and application usage, they can use Office Telemetry, an Office 2013 feature that gathers such data.  Continue Reading

• How Box integration works with other enterprise apps

  To get the most out of Box, use its APIs to integrate your enterprise applications with its cloud storage platform.  Continue Reading

• Save WIM file space with WIMBoot in Windows 8.1 update

  With Windows 8.1 Update 1, it's possible to boot desktops directly from a WIM file. Follow these steps to create WIMBoot images and save disk space.  Continue Reading

• Components, features and use cases for XenDesktop 7.5

  XenDesktop 7.5 comes with XenApp, hybrid cloud integration and HDX enhancements, as well as an improved experience for workers who use mobile devices to access desktops and apps. But is there room for upgrades in products such as Profile Management?  Continue Reading

• How to build visual workflows in SharePoint

  Editing workflows in SharePoint has become more intuitive, with Visio integration that makes it easier to alter the structure of business processes.  Continue Reading

• How to perform a Windows XP upgrade to Windows 8.1

  As organizations must now implement a Windows XP upgrade to Windows 8.1, they should understand that Windows 8 and 8.1 aren't identical and use the Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant.  Continue Reading

• Mobile thin client basics

  Companies with regulated information can still give road warriors secure access to virtual desktops via mobile thin clients.  Continue Reading

• For missing GPO settings, check the Winlogon component

  If a Windows system isn't applying certain Group Policy settings, you may need to check Winlogon and common client-side extensions.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between a DaaS provider and a DaaS platform?

  Some DaaS providers also have DaaS platforms, but the terms aren't synonymous. The platform is what makes DaaS run; the provider supplies it to you.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshoot problems remotely with desktop shadowing

  Desktop shadowing tools come standard in Windows Server and Windows OSes, but you'll have to use different techniques for RDSH and VDI users.  Continue Reading

• Comparing mobile OS security features

  Security features and methods vary across the different mobile operating systems, so you should get to know who offers what.  Continue Reading

• Five alternatives to Microsoft for mobile office applications

  There are plenty of alternatives to Microsoft Office out there. Check out other mobile office apps that help you view and edit docs.  Continue Reading

• How log monitoring tools prepare VDI environments for audits

  Log monitoring tools allow you to troubleshoot VDI problems, but they also make sure that you're ready for an audit whenever one may crop up.  Continue Reading

• The right way to do old-PC-to-thin-client conversions

  Turning old PCs to thin clients can help keep the Capex associated with VDI down, but a bad conversion can spell support troubles for IT.  Continue Reading

• Breaking down VMware GPU virtualization options: Soft 3D, vSGA and vDGA

  VMware GPU virtualization options Soft 3D, vSGA and vDGA have different uses and benefits, but they all help companies reap performance rewards.  Continue Reading

• For technology change management, engage employees early and often

  A communication consultant shares proven tips for ensuring ERP project success.  Continue Reading

• Why remote connectivity problems happen and how to fix them

  Remote connectivity problems such as latency and bouncing have easy fixes that just take careful planning when you're setting up your VDI deployment.  Continue Reading

• App delivery techniques: Virtualization and Web-based apps

  Web-based apps and mobile desktop virtualization are gaining traction as valid mobile app delivery techniques, but each option has specific use cases.  Continue Reading