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We find industry experts to argue opposing views of a hot topic. Read through both points of view, vote for who you think got it most right, and weigh in with your own opinion, whether it is in agreement with one of the pros or introduces an angle you think they missed.

Additional Debates

Is broadband stimulus really needed?

Proponents say government funding of broadband build out will help the US stay relevant in this online world, and ultimately benefit small business and translate into jobs.  Critics say the private sector is doing just fine, thank you, and that the monies could be put to better use.

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  • The future of end user computing: Two visions

    Personal computing as we know it is changing as hordes of workers arrive with their favorite new tech tools and demand access to corporate resources.  We ask two companies likely to play key roles in the flexible new world of end user computing – VMware and Citrix -- to spell out the future as they see it.  Who do you think is better positioned to deliver on the promise? Cast your vote.

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  • Are we winning the cyber security war?

    In the cat and mouse game that is enterprise security, it is hard to determine who has the upper hand, so we put the question to two experts.  Give their arguments a read, vote on the position you most agree with and add your thoughts in the forum below.

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  • IPS: Best of breed or integrated solution?

    The age old question about whether to go with best-of-breed products or integrated solutions is particularly salient when it comes to intrusion-prevention systems. Security is an area where you need the best possible point product, the best of breed folks argue. But the evolved threats require a more holistic view that can only be achieved by taking more factors into account, the integrated solution suppliers counter. Who is right? You decide.

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  • Should you share breach information?

    When companies suffer a security breach today they face that core dilemma: Tell the world and hope the honesty helps others, or keep it under wraps to avoid tarnishing the brand and duck possible lawsuits? One thing is clear from the arguments below: It is time for the government to take the guesswork out of the equation.

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  • Is a tablet a PC?

    Given the success of the iPad, you would think the world had discovered something new. But is a tablet really that different than a PC? Aren’t all the functions virtually the same? Or do tablets, with their new shape and touch interface, really represent a departure from the PC as we know it?View Debate »go to comments

  • Enterprise WAN connectivity: MPLS VPN vs. Public Internet

    MPLS is the Cadillac of enterprise WAN services, having earned its stripes as the link option of choice because of its reliability, flexibility and controls.  But upstarts are saying that, with a little ingenuity, they can use Internet pipes to achieve the same ends at a better price.  

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  • Hosted productivity suites: Google Apps or Microsoft Office 365?

    Microsoft and Google agree that hosted productivity suites offer unique benefits for evolving business needs. Of course the two behemoths traveled very different paths to reach this conclusion, and bring different strengths to their respective offerings. Which one is right you? View Debate »go to comments

  • Layered security defenses: What layer is most critical, network or endpoint?

    There is little argument that a defense in depth model is the best way to safeguard the enterprise, but which layer is most critical? Some would say the application layer will ultimately emerge as the Holy Grail, and that may prove true down the pike (a future debate?), but here we examine two of the more common approaches, the network layer vs. the endpoint.

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  • Desktop virtualization: niche solution, or new desktop standard?

    Desktop virtualization promises to simplify management, increase efficiency and improve security, but it doesn’t come cheap and requires a big rethink. Will the latter forever relegate desktop virtualization to a few corners of the enterprise, or will the allure of the former convince corporations it is time to start from scratch?

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  • Apple iPad or Blackberry PlayBook for the enterprise?

    The iPad has taken the world by storm, but RIM hopes to parlay its dominant Blackberry enterprise presence into a meaningful tablet advantage with the new PlayBook. Which tablet wins?

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  • IPv6: jump in, or just put a toe in the water?

    Now that we've officially run out of IPv4 Internet address blocks, the calls to migrate to IPv6 are getting louder and more desperate, especially among ISPs who say companies that dally risk losing network visibility. Not so fast, say proponents of a more measured approach to migration. Get it wrong and you risk more than that.

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  • Net neutrality, needed or not?

    Network neutrality regulation is necessary, proponents say, to ensure that ISPs treat all traffic in a neutral fashion and don't try to enrich themselves by meddling with the bits. Poppycock, naysayers respond. Service providers have always behaved and there is no reason to introduce regulations that could slow down this critical engine of commerce.

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  • Cloud providers will be better at security than you can ever be

    Cloud service providers, the theory goes, will be able to provide better security than enterprises can muster because their scale will enable them to hire the best experts and employ the latest technology. But others say if you’re really concerned you’ll keep it in house, that cloud represents a fundamental risk.

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  • Who is doing a better job, Jobs or Schmidt?

    Apple and Google are two of the hottest companies in Silicon Valley, but who is doing a better job of positioning their company for the future, Apple's Steve Jobs or Google's Eric Schmidt?

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  • Smartphones or laptops for mobile workers?

    Smartphones are essentially computers, capable of accessing the core corporate resources mobile workers need on the go, but laptops are still best for heavy lifting. So which platform is best for mobile workers?

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  • UC platform: Use Microsoft or go the open route?

    Unified communications requires integrating multiple tools, and there are many ways to skin a cat. But is it better to come at the opportunity using integrated tools from Microsoft or try to stitch something together using open tools?

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  • App acceleration: Managed service or roll your own?

    There no longer seems to be much argument about the need to optimize the performance of applications over wide area networks – the business requires service level guarantees and you’re going to save money in the process. A win/win. The only question now is, do you buy and install the optimization gear yourself or put the responsibility in the lap of a service provider?

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  • Virtual desktops: Use client-side or server-side hypervisors?

    With so much progress made virtualizing servers, many observers say it's time to turn our attention to the desktop. But is it better to use client-side or server-side hypervisors?

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  • Who has the better virtualization platform – VMware or Microsoft?

    VMware is the kingpin of virtualization, but the game is changing fast and Microsoft is baking the technology into the very core of many products. Which company has the best approach?

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  • Social network sites: Block or not?

    Surveys show most companies don't let employees access social network sites such as Facebook, ostensibly for risk reasons, but probably also because they fear a productivity drain. But proponents say allowing access benefits corporations in everything from market intelligence to recruiting. What's more, the next generation of workers will require it.

    Top 10 social networking threats

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  • Tech Debate: Cloud: Public or private?

    For those that see value in adopting cloud computing, the next question is private or public? A private cloud, built using your resources in your data center, leaves you in control but also means you shoulder the management overhead. Public cloud services relieve you of that management burden but at the expense of some control. A hybrid approach might make it possible to realize the best of both worlds, but you'll still have to pick private or public as the base for operations. What is the best approach?

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  • Outsourcing IT management. Is the time right?

    Outsourcing some IT management functions can save money and free up resources to focus on more strategic initiatives, proponents say. But it is easy to get it wrong, detractors warn, in which case it will cost you more than you could have ever hoped to save, and you won't want to let any strategic stuff go.

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  • Cloud: Ready or not?

    Detractors say there are still too many questions about security, about data privacy, about performance and the stability of some of the players. Proponents say if you pick your partners carefully, you can't beat low upfront costs, speed of deployment, and the fact that you can scale up and down as needed with little penalty.

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