InfoXchange
The Newsletter of the ICCA Greater Boston Chapter
July/August 2006             Volume 2, Issue 4
IN THIS ISSUE
Announcements

From the Board - Why should you attend our September meeting?

Main Article - Portable Devices Carry Risks Along with Data

Mentor's Corner - Toolkit for Consultants: SOX Summary

Who Are We?
From the Editor:
We would like to encourage anyone to submit articles to the new ICCA Greater Boston Chapter newsletter. If you know of anyone interested in free publicity, ask them to write an article of any size or topic pertinent to our organization for submission in the next issue of our newsletter. The good news is the smaller the article, the better, since long articles are hard to read on-line.

We are very open to ideas and suggestions regarding article topics in all sections of the newsletter, including:

Local or Chapter Announcements;
Articles;
Member-to-Member Spotlights;
Member-to-Member News;
Mentor's Corner.
Submit ideas or articles to:
Kim Reddington
Director of Communications
newsletter@
icca-boston.org
Next Deadline:
August 21, 2006 for the Sept/Oct Issue

Announcements

The ICCA Greater Boston Chapter will not be holding any meetings in the summer. Hopefully, everyone has some great vacations planned to look forward to after working hard all year. We have a special meeting planned for you on September 12, so make sure you mark your calendars. Details on this meeting can be found in our 'From the Board' article below.

From the Board

Why should you attend our September meeting?

By Norman Daoust, Immediate Past President of ICCA-GBC

Let us count the ways:
  1. The location is more convenient than that of our regular meetings if you're in Boston or the south shore.
  2. The price is right: there's no charge.
  3. The venue will be vibrant: the Hynes Convention Center will be filled with software developers and expert speakers from around the country.
  4. It's the best educational opportunity in New England that evening.
  5. You'll have the opportunity to network with your colleagues from around the country.
  6. Free lunch (ok, it's supper). The food is free at the Expo that opens at 5 p.m.
  7. You can see the latest and greatest in software development tools at the Expo that opens at 5 p.m.
  8. You want to hear our nationally recognized speaker.
  9. You need to know about the meeting topic.
  10. You know it'll be more enjoyable than sitting home and watching television.
  11. You don't want to miss the opportunity of the year.
  12. You can't afford not to attend!
Our September meeting will be collocated with the Software Development Best Practices conference at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Visit www.sdexpo.com/2006/sdbp/overview.htm for conference details. Our meeting will be Tues Sept 12 and more details will follow as plans are finalized. Register with the special ICCA code of 6EICAA for a free Expo Pass and extension of the $500 Super Early Bird discount on the VIP Pass until the week of the event. We'll post further details including the speaker and topic on our chapter web site in the near future.

Portable Devices Carry Risks Along with Data

By Vin Damico, Founder and President of DAMICON, LLC

The news stories and resulting public attention around the Research in Motion versus NTP patent dispute show how dependent we have become on portable computing devices. There was widespread fear that RIM would have to shut down its email service leaving millions of customers stranded. Luckily, the companies have settled out of court so we can all sleep better at night. Or can we?

Having your mobile communication service shut down is not the main thing you should be worried about. Damage, loss and theft of mobile devices are far more common and complex.

The cost of replacing a lost or destroyed mobile phone, PDA or laptop PC is often far less than the value of the information it contains. In addition, privacy laws and federal regulations may result in serious consequences and fines when client information is mishandled.

Today's consulting world is a mobile one. The days of sitting behind a desk all day are gone for most of us, as are the days of the tightly defined network defense perimeter. We need the ability to go anywhere and access anything. The possible loss of mobile devices is an acceptable risk.

Click here to find some things you can do to mitigate the risks.

Mentor's Corner

Toolkit for Consultants: SOX Summary

By C. Thomas Tyler, Chief Technology Officer of The Go To Group, Inc.

Today's article is a summary of a particular piece of legislation that affects many IT organizations, and creates opportunities for some consultants. At the very least, awareness of it might help you project the image of a savvy consultant, all up-to-speed on issues that may affect your clients' business. And, depending on what industry you or your clients are in, this legislation may have a more direct impact on you.

How SOX Got Started

The legislation I speak (write) of is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Remember Enron, Tyco, and other corporate scandals that rocked the American financial scene, not long after 9/11? A few nasty people, for which the technical term is schmuckazoids, attempted to defraud investors with the use of creative accounting techniques. The government's response was the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, often referred to as "SOX".

SOX is aimed at improving public confidence in the American stock market system. The Act promotes a higher degree of transparency in the processes that produce financial reports for public companies, and sets up a policing mechanism to ensure those standards are adhered to.

SOX and the IT Industry

The relevant news for ICCA is Section 404 of the Act, titled "Management Assessment Of Internal Controls." Section 404 effectively expands the scope of financial report auditing to include IT systems and processes that produce financial reports. The Act requires that top management of public companies attest to the effectiveness of those systems and processes which produce financial reports. The systems and processes are collectively referred to as "internal controls".

To determine the effectiveness of internal controls, financial reporting auditors are more technically savvy about the management and operation of IT systems than ever before. They ask tough questions.

Click here to read more on how SOX may affect your and your clients.

Who are we?

Founded in 1976, the Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA) is a national not-for-profit organization of independent computer consulting firms sharing the highest ethical and professional standards.

The ICCA Greater Boston Chapter Mission Statement:
The Greater Boston Chapter of the ICCA supports and encourages the growth of individuals and small firms in the business of computer consulting through education, networking, advocacy, and the exchange of ideas and knowledge among peers.

The ICCA offers great services and benefits to its members including business and health insurance, marketing programs, a National Conference, standard form consulting and subcontracting contracts, and many discount programs. For additional information regarding the ICCA or to search the National Membership Directory, visit the national website http://www.icca.org or the Greater Boston Chapter website http://www.icca-boston.org

Board Members

President - Vin D'Amico - president@icca-boston.org
Vice President - Mike Spanos - vicepresident@icca-boston.org
Treasurer - James Connell - treasurer@icca-boston.org
Secretary - Peter Dwyer - secretary@icca-boston.org
Director of Communications - Kim Reddington - newsletter@icca-boston.org
Director and Web Committee Chair- Bob Goodearl - pr@icca-boston.org
Immediate Past President - Norman Daoust - pastpresident@icca-boston.org

Legal Stuff

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Publisher: Greater Boston Chapter of the Independent Computer Consultants Association, http://www.icca-boston.org Copyright 2005, Greater Boston Chapter of the Independent Computer Consultants Association This newsletter may be distributed without charge as long as it's distributed in its entirety. Individual sections and portions may be distributed with permission.