Policy-based classification of data is where the rubber meets the road in a data management or intelligent archiving strategy.  Getting it done without user participation is the problem.  Evidence suggests that users won't cooperate with anything less than a senior management mandate enforced with draconian zeal, and most organizations lack the disciplinary culture of, say, ancient Sparta.

A solution might be to classify data invisibly based on user role -- already a technique widely used in information security and system access control.  Trusted Edge is pioneering this space.

Microsoft tells us that there are 37 ways to code a function in C# and only about 7 are secure.  Lack of attention to this point has created a lot of holes in common operating system and application software that can be readily exploited by the hacker community.  That means that most of the money being spent on locking the front door with passwords and IDs is being wasted.  Intruders and insiders can access systems and apps without triggering any security alarms at all.

The solution is better software, but the industry is reluctant to fix the holes before releasing products for sale.  Our software report cards will underscore the need for security QA. 

VMware?  Hyper-V?  Zen?  In the final analysis, the real impact of the current server virtualization phenom may have little if anything to do with host consolidation.  Challenges with virtualizing machines in x86 are refocusing attention on the need for improved management and end to end conceptualization of systems, including software, server, network and storage.

From where we're sitting, it's a good thing.