When it comes to IT standards, the ITIL (formerly an acronym for Information Technology Infrastructure Library) framework is different from regulatory standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and HIPAA. While those standards require organizations to demonstrate compliance or risk harsh consequences such as fines, the ITIL framework is a voluntary set of best practices for organizations to follow to ensure that they’re aligning their IT services with the needs of the business. It’s both nonprescriptive and nonproprietary.

ITIL 4, the first major update of the framework since 2007, largely emphasizes the same values and priorities as previous versions. However, ITIL 4 was designed to keep up with recent trends in software development and IT operations. Here are four of the most significant changes to the ITIL framework.

Often, when I’m working with clients on their digital signage deployments, they seem to lose interest a bit after we’ve discussed the hardware and I’ve moved on to professional services. Perhaps because digital displays share superficial similarities with the televisions and computer monitors we all have in our homes, many business leaders assume that their staff can handle the installation, configuration and management of these solutions on their own.

But, as a quick web search for the phrase “video wall collapse” will reveal, there’s plenty that can go wrong.

While regulatory compliance is nothing new to cybersecurity professionals, many organizations still have concerns about their compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation and the rollout of the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Many of the same security controls that organizations measure to demonstrate compliance with regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and HIPAA, or even security due diligence, will serve those organizations well as they seek to establish programs that are GDPR and CCPA compliant.

Let’s take a look at some simple things that you can do to either shore up your existing privacy program or establish a new one.

Today’s unmanned aircraft systems — better known as drones — can be programmed to accomplish a slew of important jobs. In fact, drones are poised to radically improve many public safety applications, from fire departments using drones with sensors to locate people trapped by fire, to rescue teams sending drones to locate lost hikers in our vast national parks — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Drones themselves are already highly sophisticated and largely commodity technologies. What makes a drone application special are the sensors, software, flight services and data analytics that users bring to bear.

When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, there are two realities: There’s the fantasy about how perfect everything is going to be, and then there’s how it actually turns out.

Although there are real benefits when two organizations combine forces to increase market share and complement each other’s strengths, there are also many challenges that are often overlooked when bringing together the culture, systems and assets of two companies, especially regarding IT infrastructure and environments.

Follow these tips to navigate three of the most common roadblocks to making your fantasy version of M&A a reality.

Retailers are looking for technology solutions that can meet a particular need, whether it’s improving the customer experience, enhancing productivity or increasing revenue. I was excited to see some of the latest entries in the field in January at the National Retail Federation’s annual convention.

Retailers, vendors and industry experts at the event demonstrated an array of solutions and shared their perspectives on how technology will affect the industry this year. Here are four takeaways from Retail’s Big Show.