Virtually anonymous

Doug Dineley is the quintessential inside guy. Though you may not know it, if you’ve been reading InfoWorld for any length of time, you’ve benefited from the fruits of his labor.

As executive editor of the InfoWorld Test Center, Dineley oversees the reviews for every piece of hardware and software we cover, from initial product selection all the way to publication. His knowledge of IT technologies, vendors, and products is encyclopedic, almost scary in its scope; his editing prowess is equally profound. But to readers, he’s anonymous — no blog, no weekly column, no personal platform to share his perspective on the issues facing IT.

Well, it’s time to blow his cover. And what better time than now, just in advance of our first ever Virtualization Executive Forum, which will take place in New York from Sept. 25-26?

As content chair for the conference, Dineley devised the program, fine-tuned the sessions, wrangled the speakers and panelists, and sweated every detail. “Virtualization can solve many problems for IT — server consolidation being just the start,” Dineley says. “The conference will show IT execs how some of their leading-edge peers are using virtualization to transform their infrastructures, how their IT organizations deliver the goods, and what it takes to get there.”

For a taste of what Doug and our all-star cast of keynoters, panelists, and session leaders have planned, take a look this week’s virtualization package. This dive into both desktop and server virtualization draws on real-world accounts, focusing on down-to-earth benefits and gotchas. Intrigued by what you’ve read? I encourage you to register for the forum. I hope to see many of you there.

On a more somber note, today marks the fifth anniversary of 9/11/2001, a date emblazoned in our collective consciousness. For those who wish to delve into the ways in which 9/11 has altered the practice and direction of IT, we have assembled a special report online. More important is the series of forums we have opened within our online community, IT Exec-Connect, for readers to reflect on the events and aftermath. Feel free to contribute, if the spirit moves you.