Buying Decisions

Customer experience CX management

• Ensure a good customer experience with CEM software

  CEM software helps companies track, measure and manage the customer experience. Read on to learn just how it differs from CRM software and what a good CEM system should include.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Christine Campbell, The Alpha Content Company

• Maximize and manage customer experience with CEM tools

  CEM software provides the technological support necessary to successfully manage the customer experience. Discover the extensive benefits the right platform can provide.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Christine Campbell, The Alpha Content Company

• Make marketing automation software choices to fit business needs

  Examine what core features leading marketing automation software vendors -- including Adobe, HubSpot and Oracle -- and CRM vendors -- including Microsoft, Salesforce and SAP -- offer.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Scott Robinson, New Era Technology

• A martech stack is vital for successful marketing operations

  When building a marketing tech stack, project stakeholders should consider what tools the organization needs, the level of automation it's trying to achieve and the overall budget.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Scott Robinson, New Era Technology

• Symantec Web Security Service vs. Zscaler Internet Access

  Learn how cloud-based secure web gateway products Symantec Web Security Service and Zscaler Internet Access compare when it comes to features, benefits, pricing and support.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Kevin Beaver, Principle Logic, LLC

• VoIP systems deliver advanced telephony and UC features

  Learn what 10 leading on-premises, SaaS and hybrid VoIP platforms offer in terms of features, unified communication functionality, phone hardware compatibility and technical support.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• 6 questions to ask before evaluating secure web gateways

  Learn which six questions can help an organization identify its web security and business needs and its readiness to implement a secure web gateway.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kevin Beaver, Principle Logic, LLC

• Find the right tool using this antimalware software comparison

  Compare endpoint antimalware software products for organizations based on features, level of protection and vendor offerings.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Ed Tittel

• VoIP platforms offer a wide range of benefits to the enterprise

  Companies can choose from one of three VoIP architectures -- on-premises, SaaS VoIP or hybrid cloud. Learn what features and functionality each deployment model offers.  Continue Reading

  By

  • Andrew Froelich

• Amazon EC2 to S3: A guide to AWS products

  The AWS product list is as vast as it is confusing. Here's what you need to know about the most vital AWS products, up to and including Amazon EC2, along with pricing information.  Continue Reading

  By

  • Alexandria Hubbard

• Compare offerings from 8 leading cloud and hybrid VoIP vendors

  Learn how organizations can select the enterprise VoIP vendor that offers the platform with the best mix of functionality, interoperability, reliability and ongoing support.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• How 5 leading on-premises and hybrid VoIP platforms compare

  Learn how four use case scenarios can help organizations differentiate between the leading on-premises and hybrid VoIP systems so they can select the best platform for their needs.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• Explore Hadoop distributions to manage big data

  Discover the uses of Hadoop distributions and the first steps in evaluating these products, as well as how the merger of rivals Cloudera and Hortonworks affects the market.  Continue Reading

  

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  • David Loshin, Knowledge Integrity Inc.

• Explore multifactor authentication products in-depth

  Discover some of the best multifactor authentication products currently on the market based on target industry and main features to help you make a final buying decision.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Linda Rosencrance

• 6 questions to ask before choosing a SaaS or hybrid cloud VoIP system

  Before choosing a SaaS or hybrid cloud VoIP vendor, it's important for organizations to create a list of must-have features that can be used to narrow down their selection criteria.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• Evaluate load testing tool features and vendors

  Application load testing products come in a variety of forms and their features vary. Read through these specs to find the tool that's right for you.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Amy Reichert

• Compare the top multifactor authentication vendors

  What makes a multifactor authentication tool right for an enterprise? This article compares four of the leading multifactor authentication vendors and reviews their products.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • David Strom

• Compare the top vendors of thin client systems

  Explore some of the top thin client systems currently on the market -- based on industry, cost and data usage -- to help you make the right buying decision.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Ed Hardy

• 5 considerations for selecting an on-premises VoIP platform

  Although cloud-based VoIP is popular, organizations are consistently choosing on-premises VoIP systems, as they offer sites more control over their communications environment.  Continue Reading

  

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  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• Three examples of multifactor authentication use cases

  When evaluating the business case for multifactor authentication, an organization must first identify how these three operational scenarios apply to a potential implementation.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • David Strom

• Purchasing multifactor authentication tools: What to consider

  Find out what you need to know before investing in a multifactor authentication tool, including the drawbacks and the benefits.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • David Strom

• Exploring multifactor authentication benefits and technology

  Take a look at multifactor authentication benefits and methods, as well as how the technologies have evolved from key fobs to smartphones, mobile devices and the cloud.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • David Strom

• What to look for in application load testing tools

  Load testing tools help ensure an app is ready for prime time. But, with so many tools on the market, buyers must closely examine the products' features and their own environments.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Amy Reichert

• Enterprise VoIP platforms provide UC functionality in a single system

  The shift toward mobile workforces has dramatically changed how VoIP is deployed. Learn about three popular VoIP deployment models and use case scenarios and how VoIP is only a single component in a much larger unified communications strategy.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• Build your business case for thin client hardware

  Take an in-depth look at thin clients, including the benefits, drawbacks and use cases, to determine if these endpoints can cut costs and protect data.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Ed Hardy

• Discover thin client hardware and learn the benefits it offers

  Thin clients can help many organizations, especially when it comes to storing information in one space. Learn about the different thin client designs, as well as their cost-saving benefits.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Ed Hardy

• Assess priorities before purchasing a marketing automation platform

  The promise of marketing automation is exciting, but the proliferation of tools can be intimidating. Learn how to dispel the confusion when buying a marketing automation product.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Scott Robinson, New Era Technology

• A tour through the PPM software marketplace

  Finding the right PPM software is vital to project success. Here's a close look at the market leaders.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Application load testing is critical for business success

  Load testing tools help ensure apps can withstand normal amounts of user traffic, as well as spikes and other conditions. Learn how these tools work and their business benefits.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Amy Reichert

• Discover the best cloud ERP software for your company

  Explore the leading cloud ERP software and vendors currently on the market to make this complex decision-making process just a little bit easier.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Linda Rosencrance

• Which is the best ECM application for your business?

  Examine the top commercial and open source ECM software to help you determine which product is best for your organization.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

• Product roundup: Features of top SIEM software on the market

  Explore the top SIEM software and vendors currently on the market to make your decision-making process just a little bit easier.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Cloud ERP system selection: How to evaluate your company needs

  This article can help you evaluate your business needs and make sure you're getting the right cloud ERP system for your organization.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Adam Boyce

• How to choose the right CDN service for your organization

  Organizations that distribute web content to users worldwide are turning to CDN services to provide fast, secure delivery of their content.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Amy Novotny, Senior Managing Editor

• The key features of project and portfolio management software

  Cloud or on premises? Does it have the proper collaboration features? How about mobile access? When buying PPM software, these are just some of the questions businesses should ask.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Cloud bound: Does your business need a cloud ERP system?

  There are several factors -- including business size and cost -- that organizations should carefully consider when determining whether a cloud ERP system is the right choice.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Adam Boyce

• Choosing cloud ERP vendors: Know what you need before going in

  Before deciding which cloud ERP vendors and cloud ERP software to evaluate, it's important for a business to determine its unique business needs and situation.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Adam Boyce

• Five ways ECM software can benefit your organization

  Think your business needs content management tools? Here are five use cases illustrating how ECM software addresses common compliance and management challenges that companies face.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

• Marketing automation tools make personalization possible

  Marketing automation software can be a game-changer for sales and marketing departments, as it helps simplify campaign management and gauge the performance of marketing efforts.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Scott Robinson, New Era Technology

• Benefits of PPM software include reduced failure rates

  PPM software provides organizations a greater insight into projects, enabling decision-makers to better manage and prioritize projects, as well as allocate resources.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Content management tools address digital content challenges

  With the digital content explosion and increasing mandates come the need to manage all those files. ECM tools do just that and more, ever evolving to meet changing business needs.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

• How to select a CDN provider that addresses your specialized needs

  Leading CDN services offer a wide range of traffic management functionality, including application load balancing, and provide a variety of network security services.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kevin Tolly, The Tolly Group

• Comparing SAP ERP ROI to Oracle, Microsoft and Infor

  Considering Oracle, Microsoft, Infor or SAP ERP software? We examine these ERP vendors on how well each delivers ERP ROI with their unique implementation methods and strategies.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Mary E. Shacklett, Transworld Data

• Comparing content delivery offerings from 10 leading CDN providers

  It may seem that all CDN services have similar functionality for optimizing traditional apps and video. But before you select a CDN, learn how the offerings compare and differ.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kevin Tolly, The Tolly Group

• Buy the right help desk tools to track and resolve incidents

  Help desk management tools help admins manage, track and resolve problems. Learn about the leading products and the reporting, communication and support features they offer.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Gary Olsen

• What are PPM tools and how do they help the enterprise?

  PPM tools provide a holistic view of enterprise project health, enabling C-level execs and project managers to prioritize, organize and optimize projects for maximum ROI.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Seven criteria for evaluating today's leading SIEM tools

  Using criteria and comparison, expert Karen Scarfone examines the best SIEM software on the market to help you determine which one is right for your organization.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Karen Scarfone, Scarfone Cybersecurity

• Exploring the SAP ERP system lineup

  With its five main ERP products, SAP cast a wide net in the ERP market. Here's a rundown of SAP ERP software offerings, including its stalwart on-prem ERP and next-gen S/4HANA.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Mary E. Shacklett, Transworld Data

• How to make a wise machine learning platforms comparison

  What data sources does it support? Is it easy to use? Does it have automation features? These are just a few questions to ask when making a machine learning platforms comparison.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Assess, manage AWS costs with third-party tools

  An ecosystem of third-party products augment AWS' vast portfolio of cloud services, including cost management tools. Dig into these vendor tools to find a fit for your organization.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kurt Marko, MarkoInsights

• Assess IT help desk software options based on these features

  Explore communication channels, ticket management, agent management, knowledge base options and reporting capabilities when evaluating prospective help desk management software.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Gary Olsen

• Hyper-converged product comparison: What leading HCI vendors offer

  Before you purchase a hyper-converged infrastructure system, use the criteria and factors examined here to evaluate 10 leading HCI products.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Scott D. Lowe, ActualTech Media

• What do businesses do with the top machine learning platforms?

  Take a deep dive into machine learning, including decision trees, clustering, reinforced learning, neural networks, as well as supervised and unsupervised machine learning.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• SIEM evaluation criteria: Choosing the right SIEM products

  Establishing solid SIEM evaluation criteria and applying them to an organization's business needs goes far when selecting the right SIEM products. Here are the questions to ask.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Karen Scarfone, Scarfone Cybersecurity

• Hyper-converged products offer big benefits to IT environments

  Hyper-converged technology offers benefits such as scalability to help reduce the storage footprint, and enables organizations to pick the hardware and configuration to best suit their needs.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Scott D. Lowe, ActualTech Media

• Assess technology and products from top SD-WAN vendors

  SD-WAN products and services offer a variety of features and deployment options. Learn how top SD-WAN vendors stack up when it comes to addressing your key considerations.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Lee Doyle, Doyle Research

• SIEM benefits include efficient incident response, compliance

  SIEM tools enable centralized reporting, which is just one of the many SIEM benefits. Others include real-time incident response, as well as insight for compliance reporting.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Karen Scarfone, Scarfone Cybersecurity

• Key considerations when buying AWS cost management tools

  Third-party management tools can keep costs down in AWS environments, particularly in a multi-cloud strategy. Learn how to evaluate these tools and the features that they offer.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kurt Marko, MarkoInsights

• Compare leading on-premises and cloud-managed WLAN products

  In order for your organization to select the WLAN architecture that will best meet its needs, you must compare product types, deployment options and capabilities.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• AWS cost management tools wrangle unwieldy expenses

  It can be a challenge to manage AWS costs, and native tools might not effectively address it. Learn how third-party vendors can help.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kurt Marko, MarkoInsights

• A comprehensive guide to SIEM products

  Expert Karen Scarfone examines security information and event management systems and explains why SIEM systems and SIEM products are crucial for enterprise security.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Karen Scarfone, Scarfone Cybersecurity

• Leading SD-WAN providers offer varying capabilities

  By examining how leading SD-WAN providers address technology, market reach, partnerships and long-term viability, you can select an SD-WAN product to fit your organization's needs.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Lee Doyle, Doyle Research

• Resolve problems right with a help desk management system

  Help desk management tools keep employees working after problems and outages occur. Discover the extensive benefits the right platform can provide.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Gary Olsen

• Assess the pros and cons of leading PaaS tools

  Unsure which PaaS provider will best meet your development needs? Dive in to this roundup of common vendor options and the features they offer to simplify that decision.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Zachary Flower, Freelance web developer and writer

• A look at the leading data discovery software and vendors

  Explore the data discovery software market, including the products and vendors helping enterprises glean insights using data visualization and self-service BI.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• How to deploy and administer help desk management software

  Help desk tools help IT manage the submission, status and resolution of employee help desk tickets. Read on to learn about common help desk challenges and the latest trends.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Gary Olsen

• Explore enterprise accounting software benefits and products

  Explore enterprise accounting software vendors and products for growing and complex businesses -- products which fill the large gap between full-on ERP and SMB accounting software.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Choosing the right data discovery platform for the enterprise

  Obviously, cost and scalability factor into data discovery platform buying decisions, but other features, like visualizations and data support, should carry significant weight.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Evaluate PaaS vendors based on these two types of features

  To determine whether a PaaS provider will meet their needs, buyers should look closely at what the vendor offers for development tools, automation, collaboration and more.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Zachary Flower, Freelance web developer and writer

• Explore the leading user profile management tools in-depth

  Profile management tools help admins keep tabs on users using cloud, migration and app virtualization. Discover the leading vendors with this in-depth overview of their products.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • James Rankin

• Understanding data discovery tools in the enterprise

  Data discovery tools, aided by the data discovery process, visualize and contextualize data for business users. They are essential for informed business decision-making.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• Weigh the benefits of PaaS providers against lock-in risks

  The right PaaS environment enables developers to focus on what they care about most: building a successful application. But it also brings new risks -- particularly around lock-in.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Zachary Flower, Freelance web developer and writer

• Key considerations before evaluating SD-WAN vendors

  Before selecting an SD-WAN technology, organizations must understand what problems they need to solve and assess which implementation option is best suited to their WAN and business requirements.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Lee Doyle, Doyle Research

• Select a data backup appliance with robust functionality

  Many leading appliance-based data backup systems include functions such as backup, archiving, disaster recovery and replication, and they can be used for test/development and analytics.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Chris Evans

• Find the right user profile management software

  Determine the right profile management platform for your company and take a close look at personalization, recovery, cloud, UEM and migration features.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • James Rankin

• A look at the leading artificial intelligence infrastructure products

  The artificial intelligence infrastructure market is young and varied, with enterprise AI vendors offering everything from cloud services to powerful, and expensive, hardware.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Bob Violino

• SD-WAN technology eases network operational challenges

  Services from SD-WAN vendors provide numerous benefits to organizations worldwide that rely on communications to their branch or remote offices.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Lee Doyle, Doyle Research

• What's the big deal with application integration architecture?

  Learn how enterprise architecture, componentization, evolving development processes and the cloud have changed application integration architecture in today's modern enterprise.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Tom Nolle, Andover Intel

• Get the most out of your data, reap the benefits of BI tools

  The business intelligence software market is large, vibrant and evolving. Learn the ins and outs to make sense of the options and experience the business benefits of BI tools.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Rick Sherman, Athena Solutions

• Exploring the leading appliance-based data backup systems

  Learn how leading integrated backup appliance systems address key considerations, including capacity and performance, and what operational benefits they offer.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Chris Evans

• Top application delivery controllers offer range of options

  The leading vendors in the application delivery controller market offer a broad range of physical and virtual appliances, with varying throughput levels and diverse function sets. Which product is right for you?  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kevin Tolly, The Tolly Group

• Understand the benefits of user profile management software

  Profile management tools can be valuable assets to address failure recovery, migration support, KPI improvement, as well as profile corruption, so long as they fit your environment.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • James Rankin

• An up-close and in-depth look at APM software vendors

  Read this in-depth roundup on some of the top APM tools in today's market and what they can provide for root cause analysis, infrastructure monitoring and AI.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Zachary Flower, Freelance web developer and writer

• Survey the desktop and application virtualization market

  Organizations want the flexibility to deliver virtual desktops and applications from the same platform. Learn about the products that can do both for your enterprise.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Robert Sheldon

• Leading hybrid storage arrays offer flexibility, scalability

  By examining how leading hybrid storage systems address scalability, system management and company size, your organization can select the array that will best meet its needs.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Logan G. Harbaugh, Independent consultant

• User profile management software in the modern enterprise

  Profile management tools help admins keep track of important details about users, like their bookmarks, browser histories, wallpapers, documents and more.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • James Rankin

• Buy the right APM software with these key features in mind

  Compare and evaluate what notable vendors in the APM market offer in terms of monitoring, reporting and analysis capabilities, as well as emerging AI functionalities.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Zachary Flower, Freelance web developer and writer

• The on-premises vs. cloud-managed WLAN architecture debate

  Although on-premises WLANs and cloud WLANs both offer significant advantages, determining which approach will provide the best return depends on several factors.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Andrew Froehlich, West Gate Networks

• Comparing the best HR software and HCM system options

  Get the right HCM system for your needs by examining the best HR software tools. The HCM system market is large and vibrant, catering to companies large, small and in between.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Mary E. Shacklett, Transworld Data

• A comparison of leading application delivery controllers

  You can simplify the process of buying an ADC device by examining how leading vendors address key considerations, including platform options, security and server load balancing.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kevin Tolly, The Tolly Group

• Hybrid storage array vendors offer simplicity, ease of use

  Although hybrid arrays are similar in functionality from one system to another, subtle differences in features can make one array more appropriate for a given application.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Logan G. Harbaugh, Independent consultant

• Criteria for vetting appliance-based data backup systems

  Knowing the right questions to ask when vetting data backup appliance vendors can help ensure you select the product that will provide the most comprehensive data protection.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Chris Evans

• Compare top desktop and application virtualization products

  Each company has different desktop and app virtualization needs. Buyers must compare what vendors offer for mobility and data governance to make the right purchase.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Robert Sheldon

• Collect and analyze performance data with APM software

  Admins must ensure that their applications are performing as expected. APM tools provide the necessary functions to discover and address possibly critical performance issues.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Zachary Flower, Freelance web developer and writer

• Determining HRM software system requirements and features

  Take a look at your company, both where it is and where it's headed. Your present and future HR needs should determine your HCM system and inform the HR software RFP process.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Mary E. Shacklett, Transworld Data

• How to choose the best HR software for your company

  Human resource management tools vary greatly, serving companies of all shapes and sizes. The best HR software for any company is very specific to the company's needs and potential.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Mary E. Shacklett, Transworld Data

• Data backup appliance offers simplicity and efficiency

  Learn how an integrated backup appliance can help sites with scalability issues or no dedicated backup team streamline the design and implementation of their backup architecture.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Chris Evans

• Considerations for buying an application delivery controller

  Before you buy an ADC device, learn which features you should look for and what questions you should ask prospective application delivery controller vendors.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Kevin Tolly, The Tolly Group

• The key features in an app, desktop virtualization product

  Desktop and app virtualization tools help admins deliver services to users regardless of where they work and what devices they work on. Learn how to make a smart buying decision.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Robert Sheldon

• Does your company need new human resource management tools?

  Finding the best human resource management tools starts with identifying your company's present and future needs, before exploring HR software features and benefits.  Continue Reading

  

  By

  • Mary E. Shacklett, Transworld Data