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• Gartner: Enterprise IT spending to hit $2.5 trillion in 2011

  Worldwide enterprise IT spending will rise from $2.38 trillion this year to $2.46 trillion in 2011, a 3.1 per cent increase, the research firm Gartner said Monday.

• Tech hiring up almost 50 per cent since 2009, Dice says

  The number of available full-time tech jobs has increased 46 per cent in the past year, and contractors' hourly rates are rising as companies seek ways to overcome the ongoing IT skills shortage, according to a monthly report from Dice.

• BlueCat beefs up IPv6 support

  BlueCat Networks has enhanced its IP address management software to aid network operators in the transition to IPv6, the long-anticipated upgrade to the Internet's main communications protocol.

• Finding lost IT with RFID

  LAS VEGAS -- Vendors are increasingly trying to sell users on the idea that they need to stick RFID tags on IT equipment to keep track of it. Users are interested in this technology because they would much rather automate inventory tracking then go server-to-server with a bar code scanner and clipboard.

• Symantec now manages Apple iOS and Google Android smartphones

  Symantec today announced that its mobile device management software now supports Apple iOS and Google Android, via Microsoft's Enterprise ActiveSync protocol, which both platforms support. The release is part of an expanded push by the security vendor to eventually deal with the wide range of mobility threats.

• Why promoting from within pays off

  Whether your IT organization is five or 5,000 people, it's tempting, in today's market, to search outside talent for a superstar ready to contribute on day one. Yet the fear that such hires will flee when the economy turns around has companies hedging their bets by investing in their current employees.

• IT spending continues to rise

  Over half of IT leaders plan to ramp up budgets in the coming year, with only 16 percent planning cuts. So says the latest CIO Economic Impact Survey, which polled over 250 IT leaders about their spending plans and business outlook at the end of the summer. The survey also indicates 64 percent plan to increase IT capital spending in the next year, up 8 percent from April.

• Facebook outage caused by database glitch

  Facebook went offline for the second time in two days yesterday. The Thursday outage -- which lasted more than two hours for some users -- is a tale of a database control gone awry and illustrates the need for effective testing and change control procedures.

• Iran confirms massive Stuxnet infection of industrial systems

  Officials in Iran have confirmed that the Stuxnet worm infected at least 30,000 Windows PCs in the country, multiple Iranian news services reported on Saturday.

• Red Hat tops list of hottest IT security certifications

  Interest in IT security certifications is booming, as more U.S. companies tighten up the protection surrounding their critical network infrastructure and as a growing number of employees view security expertise as recession proof.

• IBM to acquire OpenPages

  IBM is acquiring OpenPages, a privately-held company that makes software designed to help companies simplify risk management and corporate compliance activities. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

• 10 steps to easier access management

  NEW YORK -- A CISO who spent two years organizing identity and access management for the 15,000 users on his network boiled the whole experience down into a 10-step process he presented at the Security Standard Conference this week.

• Making smart IT decisions: Simple steps small businesses should take for smart IT investments

  According to a recent report from Forrester Research, IT spending in the United States is expected to ramp up in the second half of the year with an estimated 19 per cent increase in computer equipment spending, 11 per cent growth in software spending, seven per cent hike in communications equipment spending, and six per cent uptick in consulting services. As the overall IT industry starts to show signs of growth, small businesses -- often the last to display confidence -- are exhibiting cautious optimism as many anticipate increased IT investments in the next six months.

• Smartphone support challenges enterprise IT teams

  Smartphones are among employees' favorite playthings, but keeping workplace toys like the iPhone in good order is a real job in the enterprise, and those that do it say it's tough to find suitable security and management software.

• CIO role needs revision in govt shared services model

  The role and responsibilities of the CIO must change in order for the public sector to create a successful shared services model.