The poll consulted the chief information officers of 225
different firms and found that disaster recovery services, network
security and back-up software were areas most likely to see
increased spending in the second half of the year.
The survey also established that Microsoft is most likely to
reap the benefits of any increases in spending. CIO’s stated that
they would be most likely to increase spending in relation to
Windows 2000 for the desktop, Microsoft Office for business
applications and Windows 2000 for servers.
The publication of the results coincides with Microsoft’s
announcement of a new security initiative. The new protection
programme encompasses two phases “Get Secure” and “Stay Secure” and
aims to soothe fears over possible security breaches in Microsoft
software. The initiative targets concerns related to Microsoft’s
Internet Information Server (IIS) which were raised after the
recent Code Red and Nimda worms.
The initiative will include virus related product support, an
online security tool kit and a new version of IIS which can be
tailored to meet customer’s individual needs.
The move has been greeted as a small but positive step in
restoring faith in internet security. Harris Miller, president of
the Information Technology Association of America stated,
“User education, understanding best security
practices, improvements in software development, rigorous
enforcement of federal laws and prosecution of offenders are key
elements in a co-ordinated and comprehensive strategy to protect
our computer systems and networks. It is gratifying to see
Microsoft step up and offer serious outreach programs to address
this national and global challenge.”
