Three Technologies Every Business Should Explore
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Enterprise Resource Planning

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is changing how companies do business, view resources and deal with supply and demand chains.

The premise of ERP implementation is to reengineer the business process, streamline distribution channels and reduce costs by effectively applying corporate resources. Previously left to very large companies, ERP is increasingly being implemented in the middle marketplace as costs have been driven down and software companies have come to address the needs of smaller businesses. Keeping an eye on such industry leaders as Baan, PeapleSoft and SAP can provide a measuring stick for deciding if ERP is right for your business. For additional information, visit www.softwarejobs.com/ERPNEWS.

Virtual Private Networks

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) are created by a remote workstation using the Internet to make a secure connection to a host server anywhere in the world.

Recent developments in tunneling protocols and secure routers allow a secure, "private" connection to be made from a remote computer through an Internet service provider to the main network. Such an arrangement facilitates communications between corporate offices, salespeople and remote locations without the expense of creating a wide area network. The technology is most useful for companies utilizing remote or "virtual" offices. Many major corporations use VPN technologies to encourage telecommuting by their employees and to provide "on-the-road" executives with access to corporate data. A website with additional information and links can be found at www.vpninsider.com.

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