It feels like the last few weeks have been busier than any during my tenure at PowerTech. Numerous services engagements are running concurrently—some product related, some operating system security—as well as preparations for at least four different conferences (WMCPA, NEUGC, COMMON, and Help/Systems’ own Solutions Summit). We’re also putting the final touches to some product updates and preparing the 2012 State of IBM i Security Study.

More than 120 servers contributed data to this year’s study and, unfortunately, many of them exhibited the same security vulnerabilities found in prior years. While awareness of security is undeniably on the rise, many organizations are still failing to put the necessary safeguards in place to reduce the risk of a data breach. While the average cost of a breach might be down from prior years, it is still not a situation you want to find yourself in. Stay tuned for the formal release—and more insight into the findings—in the next few weeks.

Next week, I’ll be out in the Boston area visiting customers and then teaching four security sessions at the Northeast User Groups Conference, a technical conference hosted by the power systems users groups of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. If you’re signed up to attend, please stop by the Help/Systems booth and say “Hi!”

I haven’t been to Boston for almost twenty years. The last time was for a Daly & Wolcott conference (now Infor). I still remember how beautiful the city was and how strangely self-conscious I was to be a British citizen—what with the “whites of their eyes” and all that. I’m really excited to be back in “Beantown” and I’ll try to return with some new photographs to share with you.

I was made aware this week that my blog was #8 on Alex Woodie’s “Best i Blog Bets: A Top 10 List.” I’m honored to have made the cut, as did Tom Huntington, my colleague here at Help/Systems. He slid in at #7, so we won’t be speaking any time soon! Just kidding Tom; after all, you’ve spent waaaay more years in the industry than me ☺ I love ya, Mr. Robot!

If you’d like information on the solution modules that comprise the PowerTech portfolio, please contact me at robin.tatam@powertech.com.

Cheers!

- rt

After several years of increases, the renowned Ponemon Institute recently announced a decrease in the per-record cost of a data breach, down from $214 to $194. The reversal is not entirely unexpected as Dr. Larry Ponemon predicted the likelihood of an eventual decrease. Although too early to see if this will be the new trend, the cost reduction may be partly attributable to less shock-value coming from a breach. At some point, breaches are happening with such frequency that we’re becoming numb to it. Personally, I know that I’m no longer surprised by the obligatory “your data might have been compromised” letter or news headlines, and can believe that some of the legal costs and remediation costs might be reduced slightly. However, in the long run, these reductions might be outpaced by the seeming increase in the frequency and size of the breaches.

No company wishes to join the increasingly less-exclusive “we’ve been breached” club and so it remains critical that the response to events be swift and decisive. Controls need to be deployed to ensure that unauthorized activities are detected in time to be able to minimize their impact, as well as create an audit trail for forensic analysis.

To help companies understand some of the methodologies they can use for securing IBM Power Systems servers running IBM i, I recently attended a regional user group conference in beautiful Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The WMPCA group is a very active group from Milwaukee and this is the 28th year that the group has hosted the annual conference. Featured speakers included COMMON’s president, Pete Massiello, development guru Jon Paris, Susan Gantner, and Aaron Bartell. And, of course, I was on hand to teach a session on how to audit an IBM i server.

My photo this week is of the gaming room at the Baker House, a spectacular inn and restaurant on the banks of Lake Geneva. Built in 1885 as a summer mansion, the renovated inn boasts sumptuous accommodations and an incredible display of original features such as the floors, fireplaces, and woodwork.

If you’d like information on the solution modules that comprise the PowerTech portfolio, please contact me at robin.tatam@powertech.com.

Cheers!

- rt

After my recent blog entries about how ridiculously mild the winter has been in Minnesota this year, you might be forgiven for thinking that today’s images are how I spend my day in our offices in Eden Prairie. While it is supposed to surpass 70 degrees this week, my pictures are from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where I spent a few quiet days last week recharging my batteries. I got to enjoy hot sun, crashing surf, and the amazing sight of pods of whales returning north along the Pacific coastline.

Although it’s hard to believe that almost a third of 2012 has already passed, it’s never too late to kick off your security initiative (okay, after a breach might be a tad too late!). Instead, consider partnering with PowerTech to streamline your IBM i security tasks so that you also have free time to practice: “Dos Corona, por favor!” After being badgered by timeshare salespeople masquerading as hotel concierges, shuttle bus drivers, and activity organizers, I can personally guarantee that there will be nothing but ethical representation from all of the PowerTech sales team!

On another note, I turned 42 years old this week. It’s amazing that I actually feel more career energy than I did when I was 24. I have never been a serial jobseeker, but I know that I’ve found a company that I’m proud to stand and say that I represent. Sure, Help/Systems has quirks, like all companies, but I’m more excited to work than I have ever been in my 23-year IBM i career. I’m able to witness firsthand how our products actually help people improve what they do. From the amazing automation products in the “Robot” line, to the data querying power of SEQUEL, (and, of course, the security functions found in the PowerTech products), it’s easy to invest your heart when there’s belief in both what you are selling and the company that you are selling it for.

I’m sure you have questions about security. Everyone on the IBM i platform has questions, especially when they discover the server is shipped and (typically) installed in an open configuration. Modern regulations may force some to assess the situation, but data protection affects every organization. Even if you don’t have disclosure concerns, I imagine you have applications that need to be working and available to your users. Without configuring IBM i security controls, and deploying trusted tools designed to leverage and extend those functions, you might find yourself trapped by an incoming tide!

If you’d like information on the solution modules that comprise the PowerTech portfolio, please contact me at robin.tatam@powertech.com.

- rt

After one of the mildest winters I can remember, we finally got a quick shot of Mother Nature last week. Freezing rain under a blanket of several inches of snow reminded us of how Minnesota can embrace the winter season with style. Of course, it didn’t last long as weathercasters correctly predicted incoming temperatures above 50 degrees!

At the office, we’re busy planning for the Help/Systems Solutions Summit user conference scheduled for September 18–20 in Minneapolis. There’ll be a security track through the conference, including numerous PowerTech sessions hosted by key personnel. In addition, we’re also expecting to roll out certifications to allow you to test your understanding of the PowerTech products, just as many of you have done previously with Help/Systems’ Robot certification program. If you’d like to be able to brag about your success at achieving a PowerTech certification, don’t forget to bring your #2 pencil!

After a brief hiatus, we’re also working on scheduling more of our popular webinars. They’re not going to be as frequent as in the last couple of years as we’re planning more live “appearances,” but we want to continue to deliver the security message. We are also contemplating some on-demand webinars and e-training classes as we see demand for those growing—especially in international markets. Let me know if you have any security topics you’re interested in hearing about.

If you’d like information on the solution modules that comprise the PowerTech portfolio, please contact me at robin.tatam@powertech.com.

Cheers!

- rt