Goal-setting is vital to business success, but it is not without its challenges. Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a popular framework for aligning teams and driving results. Despite knowing about OKR practices, companies still commonly fall into traps that derail...
Infrastructure
Gain Greater Control Over Windows Disk Defragmentation with Defraggler
This week we have a look at an alternative to Windows Disk Defragmenter. Piriform has a number of Windows utility offerings, among which is Defraggler. Defraggler has the following capabilities, a number of which are not available with the Windows default utility. 1....
Reduce Technical Debt and Streamline Your Jira Backlog with Atlassian Compass
Have you ever found your team sacrificing long-term stability for short-term speed? This is unfortunately a common practice as businesses try to keep up with new technologies and emerging competitors. This practice leads to “technical debt” otherwise known as the...
Understanding Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO): A Guide to Effective Disaster Recovery Planning
Businesses are becoming more reliant on technology than ever before, meaning that disruptions such as system failures, data breaches, or natural disasters are more impactful to operations. Additionally, these can lead to a loss of revenue and customer trust. Disaster...
The Pitfalls of Outdated Tools in Managing Global Teams
The dynamics of product development have shifted dramatically in the past 5 years. Teams are no longer confined to a single location or even a single time zone. Instead, they span continents, collaborating across borders to bring products to market faster than ever...
Top Data Center Power Planning Considerations
Our Infrastructure Management Services include data center migration planning and deployment. Recently, I moved two different companies to new facilities. Both had drastically different IT needs. One was heavier on infrastructure and server room. The other was not...
Modernizing Legacy Systems for Better Collaboration and a Better Product
The digital landscape is constantly changing, leaving businesses scrambling to adapt to new technologies and processes. Tools once used as the backbone for these businesses are now outdated. Legacy systems are a perfect example of this. Although they used to be...
Engineering, Manufacturing, Service and Sustainability Glossary of Terms
When working in the engineering and manufacturing fields, it is common to encounter unfamiliar terms. In this glossary, we define important terms that describe processes and components in the engineering, manufacturing, service, and sustainability industries. General...
3 Options for Network Installation and Application Management
It seems like every week there’s another article about “Network Installation Services” – even if we don’t realize it. I believe Apple really hit the nail on the head with their iPhone App Store, as evidenced by the copy-cat implementations in the WebOS App Catalog,...
Upgrading from ClearCase/ClearQuest 7.0 to 7.1
As an IT engineering expert for SPK and associates, a California based IT services company, I write blog posts on topics such as Software Configuration Management and other Engineering Applications. This week I’d like to blog about my experiences in upgrading...
How to Build a Corporate Web Infrastructure
As an IT professional, one question I’ve heard more than once is: “Why do I need you – I can setup a computer, a web server, a database, etc”. My answer varies based on the audience but essentially comes down to: if you are entrusted with a company’s...
Which software configuration management (SCM) system is right for you?
At SPK and Associates we are often asked for direction with respect to versioning control systems. The management of software and related artifacts is core to your development process and a key factor in determining the operational productivity of your...











