The top 100 IT projects of 2009

If it ever was a question, 2009 put an end to any doubts about the resiliency of IT.

Navigating severe budget cuts, unanticipated reorganizations, and quickly evaporating revenue opportunities across most markets in the wake of financial turmoil, IT retrenched, pushed ahead, and launched new endeavors to advance company prospects despite the near historic odds stacked against it. And it is in this spirit that we at InfoWorld salute those who continue to drive IT forward.

[ For tips on how to make your IT operations more successful, see "16 ways IT can do less with less" and "20 more IT mistakes to avoid" ]

Every year, the InfoWorld 100 Awards celebrate 100 IT organizations that have implemented and integrated technologies in innovative ways in pursuit of concrete business goals. These 100 real-world projects stand as proof that striking a new path in IT can reap deep organizational rewards. This year has been no exception -- especially in light of widespread layoffs and limited resources.

For some, resiliency has meant moving forward with long-range initiatives aimed at overhauling essential operations. Shifts toward SOA, end-to-end ERP implementations, projects geared at extending the value of IT to the shop floor -- each demonstrates the value of IT when it comes to modernizing business.

For others, retrenchment has spurred efficiency initiatives, with server virtualization, datacenter automation, and green IT projects streamlining operations while ensuring IT is making headway against the permanent energy crisis.

For still others, financial uncertainty has meant doubling down on existing assets, with initiatives geared toward collaboration, knowledge management, and customer relations leading the way.

Open source made further inroads at some organizations, while others brought essential business operations in-house or launched projects aimed at leveraging the potential of cloud computing. Overall, the variety of projects highlighted as part of the InfoWorld 100 Awards testifies to the fact that today’s IT underlies every facet of business, and that those leading the charge are doing far more than keeping the lights on -- they're redefining their organizations.

View the winners of the 2009 InfoWorld 100 Awards

More InfoWorld awards2009 InfoWorld Technology of the Year Awards2009 InfoWorld Bossies: Best of Open Source Software2009 CTO 25 Awards2009 Green 15 Awards

Accenture www.accenture.com Unified Collaboration Initiative Project lead: Frank B. Modruson, CIO Project description: Accenture developed Accenture Client Exchange, a communications and collaboration platform that provides employees and clients presence, secure IM, voice and videoconferencing, virtual desktop sharing, and network-enabled phone functionality based on technology from Microsoft and Cisco. Industry: Services

Activision Blizzard www.activision.com WAN-Optimized Development Initiative Project lead: Thomas Fenady, Senior Director of IT Project description: Activision Blizzard increased the efficiency of its worldwide development efforts by revamping its network and moving away from MPLS (multiprotocol label switching) and DS3s (Digital Signal 3) in favor of WAN optimization technology from Riverbed. Industry: Entertainment

ADP www.adp.com Client Service Initiative Project lead: Jeff Mullins, Vice President, Field Automation Engineering Project description: ADP developed Workspace Manager, a unified customer service agent desktop built on Microsoft .Net and integrating Web, Java, Win32, mainframe, and legacy applications within a single user interface, while supporting the development of new composite application interfaces and eliminating the need for client service agents to individually log into 17 Citrix Presentation Server infrastructures. Industry: Services

ADP Dealer Services www.adpdealerservices.com Mobile Field Service Initiative Project lead: Doug Karlson, Vice President and General Manager, Field Services Engineering Project description: ADP Dealer Services launched a mobile field service initiative centered around technology from Antenna Software to provide its field engineers access to legacy data and the company’s Clarify CRM app. Industry: Services

Advance Auto Parts www.advanceautoparts.com Energy Management Initiative Project lead: James Curry, Energy and Systems Manager Project description: Advance Auto Parts launched an energy management initiative, integrating technology from Teletrol Systems into its IT infrastructure at more than 500 of its 3,300 auto parts stores, reducing its per-store energy consumption by as much as 30 percent. Industry: Retail

Aflac www.aflac.com Distributed Call Center Support Initiative Project lead: Dominic Cols, Senior Project Manager Project description: Aflac developed a .Net-based rich-client call center application, integrating the IVR-initiated system to several information systems via an SOA. Industry: Insurance

Alvarado Independent School District www.alvaradoisd.net Disaster Recovery Consortium Project lead: Kyle Berger, Executive Director of Technology Services Project description: Alvarado overhauled its educational network, installing LCD projects and Smart Board technology in classrooms, equipping students with hosted electronic portfolios, and establishing a Compellent SAN-based disaster-recovery consortium for allocating backup space to both Alvarado and neighboring school districts. Industry: Education

AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group www.absg.com Rapid Call Center Integration Project lead: Greg Glaser, Program Manager for CRM solutions Project description: AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group overhauled its call center operations, replacing six legacy systems in eight business units with a new platform based on technology from Salesforce and Cast Iron. Industry: Pharmaceuticals

Apptix www.apptix.com Unified Hosted Services Delivery Platform Project lead: John Kersse, CTO Project description: Apptix consolidated numerous service delivery platforms accumulated via acquisitions into a unified provisioning, billing, and management platform for all its hosted services. Industry: Service provider

Arrow Electronics www.arrow.com ERP Initiative Project lead: Ash Brooks, Vice President of IT, Enterprise Computing Solutions Project description: Arrow launched an Oracle-based ERP initiative within its Enterprise Computing Solutions business unit, implementing 34 modules, including functionality for CRM, lead management, finance, order processing, and SCM, integrating the SOA platform with several internal warehouse management and export compliance systems, as well as external partner interfaces via EDI and RosettaNet. Industry: Retail

Aspect www.aspect.com Unified Communications Initiative Project lead: Jamie Ryan, Senior VP of IT/CIO Project description: Aspect completed an enterprise-wide Microsoft OCS-based unified communications implementation, integrating voice, voice mail, audioconferencing, Web conferencing, IM, and presence technologies online. Industry: Manufacturing

AT&T www.att.com Knowledge Management Initiative Project lead: Pam Parisian, Senior Vice President, Consumer IT Project description: AT&T developed the Atlas Knowledge Management system for call center representatives, replacing several regional KMSes with a unified, AJAX-derived Web app, based on a flexible in-house built architecture and third-party search. Industry: Service provider

Avnet www.avnet.com Supply Chain Automation and Inventory Management Project lead: Bob Pischke, Vice President of IT Applications Project description: Avnet overhauled its supply chain and inventory management operations, integrating seven systems, including BI, quoting, and ERP, into its Software AG-based SOA. Industry: Distribution

Batesville Casket www.batesville.com Quality Improvement Initiative Project lead: Robert Shane, Programmer/Analyst Project description: Batesville Casket automated its metal fabrication operations, integrating its ERP and manufacturing systems and implementing touch screens and scanning technology to reduce human intervention with manufacturing equipment. Industry: Manufacturing

BMC Software www.bmc.com Datacenter Process Automation Project lead: Mahendra Durai, Vice President, Infrastructure & Operations Project description: BMC Software automated its server rebooting and certification processes, integrating automated system alerts generated by monitoring tools with Run Book Automation scripts employed to manage and remediate server degradation and outages. Industry: Technology

Booz Allen Hamilton www.boozallen.com Enterprise 2.0 Implementation Project lead: Walton Smith, Sr. Associate Project description: Booz Allen Hamilton developed an enterprise 2.0 platform, integrating open source, commercial packaged, and custom-developed applications, including Confluence, B2evolution, Scuttle, and Simple Machines, to serve more than 23,000 employees. Industry: Services

Central Iowa Power Cooperative www.cipco.net Smart Metering Initiative Project lead: Don Chaon, Manager of Data Systems Project description: CIPCO rolled out a smart metering system to 13 rural electric cooperatives based on technology from Wilson, Sierra Wireless, and Verizon Wireless. Industry: Utilities

Chapdelaine & Co. www.chapdelaine.com SOA Initiative Project lead: Ken Torres, CIO Project description: Chapdelaine built an SOA infrastructure for its trading data exchange based on WSO2 middleware. Industry: Financial services

Choctaw Casinos www.choctawcasinos.com Large-Scale Video Surveillance Initiative Project lead: Jason Pritchard, Integration Manager Project description: Choctaw Casinos completed a large-scale video surveillance project tapping cameras from Axis Communications, video management software from Genetec, and Pivot3 severless clustered storage. Industry: Entertainment

Cisco Systems www.cisco.com Operational Security Oversight Dashboard Project lead: Michael Machado, Manager of Security Engineering and Operations, Cisco Collaboration Software Group (WebEx) Project description: Cisco built a RedSeal software-based security oversight dashboard to continuously analyze the configurations of its Cisco Collaboration Cloud firewalls and routers, as well as the results of daily vulnerability scans, identifying patching priorities, validating the enforcement of corporate network security polices, and ensuring compliance with PCI and other regulations. Industry: Technology

City of Richland www.ci.richland.wa.us Enterprise Content Management Initiative Project lead: Jon Amundson, Assistant City Manager Project description: The City of Richland, Wash., streamlined its operations, launching an ECM initiative in partnership with ImageSource, integrating technology from Oracle, Abbyy, Cardiff, and Ilinx to automate workflow and transitioning the city away from paper-based processes. Industry: Government

Clearent www.clearent.com Cloud-Based Development Project Project lead: Mark Peck, Senior Vice President of Technical Operations Project description: Clearant built a .Net-based credit card payment processing system tapping high-performance cloud-based services from Appistry. Industry: Financial services

Cleveland Indians www.indians.com Video Capture and Archiving Platform Project lead: Whitney Kuszmaul, Network Manager Project description: The Cleveland Indians established an advanced video capture and archiving platform to serve at-bat video clips of nearly 2,600 games per year via touch-screen systems, expanding the system to its spring training facility, while upgrading its datacenter and adding a disaster recovery site, leveraging technology from Microsoft, VMware, CommVault, and NetApp. Industry: Entertainment

Cognizant www.cognizant.com Web 2.0 Collaboration Platform Project lead: Sukumar Rajagopal, Senior Vice President/Chief Knowledge Officer Project description: Cognizant developed a Web 2.0-based collaboration and knowledge management platform based on Microsoft SharePoint, combining structured and unstructured data in the form of blogs and wikis to service more than 5,000 projects among its 64,000-plus employees, clients, and business partners. Industry: Services

Con-way www.con-way.com Freight Network Rationalization Using Network Simulation Tool Project lead: Jackie Barretta, VP/CIO Project description: Con-way developed a Web-based simulation tool for analyzing the effects of proposed changes to its existing linehaul network, based on C++, PL/SQL, and Access. Industry: Transportation

ConvergEx www.bnyconvergex.com Complex Event Processing for Trading Intelligence Project lead: Joseph Weisbord, Managing Director Project description: ConvergEx launched a complex event processing initiative for its financial trading operations centered around technology from StreamBase. Industry: Financial services

Credit Solutions www.creditsolutions.com Enterprise CRM Project Project lead: David Janecek, Vice President of IT Project description: Credit Solutions developed a customized CRM solution using .Net technologies such as DevExpress, Plinqo, and ASP.Net, as well as Cisco VoIP integration, SQL Server, and Faxcore. Industry: Financial services

Cricket Communications www.mycricket.com Datacenter Infrastructure Initiative Project lead: Doug Bird, VP of IT Operations and Security Project description: Cricket Communications overhauled its datacenter infrasctructure to provide high-speed switching, 10Gbps throughput, and disaster recovery, tapping technology from Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and F5. Industry: Service provider

Culpeper County of Virginia web.culpepercounty.gov Cybersecurity Initiative Project lead: Todd Frazier, Systems Administrator Project description: Culpeper County shored up its Net-based and wireless operations, integrating technology from ForeScout, Panda, McAfee, and Cisco into its security infrastructure. Industry: Government

CUNA Mutual Group www.cunamutual.com Voice Signature Initiative Project lead: Rick Roy, CIO Project description: CUNA Mutual launched a voice signature initiative, developing the Web services necessary to integrate in-house data with third-party voice signature technology, as well as a wide array of legacy apps, such as sales and marketing, order fulfillment, and policy administration. Industry: Insurancey

Data Center Inc. (DCI) datacenterinc.com Storage Consolidation and Server Virtualization Initiative Project lead: Robert Ross, CSO/VP of Network and Technical Services Project description: DCI partnered with ISG Technology to implement a consolidated virtual server infrastructure based on technology from NetApp, Sun, Oracle, and VMware. Industry: Financial services

Dell Computer www.dell.com Multsite Virtualized Training Solution Project lead: Scott Purcell, Technical Training Advisor Project description: Dell created a virtualized learning infrastructure to provide enterprise Linux OS training to students at geographically remote sites, tapping technology from Red Hat, Dell, and EMC. Industry: Technology

Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles www.dkslaw.com Infrastructure Overhaul and Disaster Recovery Project lead: Don Champagne, Director of Administration Project description: Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles revamped its IT infrastructure, transitioning its Microsoft-based operations from a single server location to collocation with disaster recovery technology provided by Neverfail. Industry: Legal

Direct Energy www.directenergy.com Billing Platform Project lead: Joe Abidaoud, Director Project description: Direct Energy launched Project Gibraltar, a semi-SOA-based billing platform developed using agile methodologies, Tibco enterprise middleware, and .Net. Industry: Utilities

East Grand Rapids Public Schools www.egrps.org Secure Networks and Campus Access Project Project lead: Jeff Crawford, Manager of Networking and Security Project description: East Grand Rapids Public Schools built out its campus network, tapping Cisco technology for WLAN and firewall funcationality, Avenda for network access control, and Enterasys switches to support a blended Apple, Novell, Linux, Windows, and OS2 server environment. Industry: Education

El Centro Regional Medical Center www.ecrmc.org Operations Overhaul Project lead: John Gaede, Director of IS Management Project description: El Centro Regional Medical Center has launched a campaign to overhaul its operations, complete with a secure Aerohive wireless network, hands-free voice communication from Vocera, RFID tracking, and Symbian devices and tablet PCs in advance of a campus-wide electronic health records implementation. Industry: Health care

EMC www.emc.com Datacenter Efficiency Project Project lead: David Scheffler, Director IT Data Center Operations; Paul Divittorio, Director of Enterprise Systems and Application Hosting; Sadasiva Prathab, Director of Global Information Infrastructure Services Project description: EMC launched a power- and resources-efficiency effort across its six datacenters, increasing its use of server virtualization and tapping hot and cold aisles, hot air ceiling plenums, and cabinet filler panel management to decrease overall energy expenditures and carbon emissions. Industry: Technology

Emerson Electric www.emerson.com Product Lifecycle Management Initiative Project lead: Steve Rhodes, PLM Project Manager Project description: Emerson Electric launched a global product lifecycle management initiative centered around technology from Siemens. Industry: Technology

Federal Health Architecture, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Department of Health and Human Services www.connectopensource.org Open Source Health Information Exchange Gateway Project lead: Vish Sankaran, Program Director Project description: Twenty federal agencies combined efforts to build the Connect health information exchange gateway, tapping open source infrastructure technologies such as the Glassfish application server, Open ESB, and NetBeans. Industry: Government

FedEx Services www.fedex.com Multichannel Shipment Visibility Initiative Project lead: Arnie Matson and Kelly Pringle, Manager of IT Project description: FedEx extended its shipment tracking system to include real-time visibility via the Web, desktop, and the iPhone using Adobe Flex and AIR, as well as native Objective-C for the iPhone. Industry: Distribution

Fiserv www.fiserv.com Datacenter Consolidation Project Project lead: Jim Walker, Senior Technology Analyst Project description: Fiserv consolidated its datacenter operations in the wake of its iTech acquisition, migrating iTech’s virtualized server environment to Fiserv’s existing virtualized datacenter. Industry: Services

The George Washington University www.iss.gwu.edu University Wireless Internet Deployment Project lead: Dave Steinour, Interim CIO Project description: George Washington University launched a wireless campaign across its three campuses, deploying more than 2,000 wireless access portals to support 28,000 users. Industry: Education

Globant www.globant.comTalent Information and Management System Project lead: Nestor Nocetti, VP Innovation Labs Project description: Globant developed Glow, an SOA-based talent information and management system built on an array of open source technologies, including Java, Spring, Lucerne, PostgresSQL, Jasper Reports, JFreeChart, Apache Axis, and JSP and DWR. Industry: Services

Goodwin Procter www.goodwinprocter.com Electronic Records Initiative Project lead: Andrew Kawa, Senior IT Manager Project description: Goodwin Proctor launched Closing Binders Online, an electronic records initiative based on .Net, Adobe PDF files, and Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal to consolidate business documents in a centralized repository accessible through a corporate knowledge management and collaboration portal. Industry: Legal

GreenBank www.greenbankusa.com Storage Initiative Project lead: Jason O’Dell, AVP/IT Manager Project description: GreenBank transitioned its backup operations from a tape-based system to a disk-based system tapping technology from ExaGrid and CommVault. Industry: Financial services

Halifax Health Systems www.halifaxhealth.org Wireless Infrastructure Initiative Project lead: Tripp Sills, Network Architect Project description: Halifax Health equipped its state-of-the-art medical extension facility with wireless telephony, EMR-enabled mobile medical carts, bedside bar code scanning, remote video interpreting, and 802.11n wireless, integrating technology from Motion C5, Siemens, Vocera, Nortal, and Meru Networks. Industry: Health care

Harvard Medical School hms.harvard.edu High-Performance Computing Initiative Project lead: Marcos Athanasoulis, Director of IT Project description: Harvard Medical School built an internal compute cloud to ensure compute resource availability to 500-plus researchers around the world, tapping Platform LSF, IBM hardware, Isilon and EMC storage, and biomedical software solutions such as MatLab and SAS. Industry: Education

Hay Group www.haygroup.com Private Cloud Initiative Project lead: Tuan Ngo, Director, Worldwide Network Operations Group Project description: Hay Group migrated its EMC VMware-based virtualized operations to a vSphere-based private cloud that virtualizes and centralizes all of the company’s Exchange, SharePoint, and SharePoint Server systems across 85 offices in 47 countries. Industry: Services

HD Supply www.hdsupply.com Open Source VoIP Initiative Project lead: Nigel Saldanha, Vice President and CTO Project description: HD Supply developed an Asterisk-based open source VoIP system for a newly established disaster-recovery warm site. Industry: Distribution

HealthTrans www.healthtrans.com Data Warehouse Initiative Project lead: Duane Green, Vice President, Systems Operations Project description: HealthTrans built a 100TB data warehouse for managing pharmacy benefit programs, centered on technology from Sybase. Industry: Health care

Hovnanian Enterprises www.khov.com Integrated ERP and CRM Initiative Project lead: Lori Fraticelli, Director of Development Project description: Hovnanian consolidated 20 separate legacy ERP and CRM applications into an Oracle-based system running on virtualized Hewlett-Packard servers. Industry: Construction

International Game Technology www.igt.com Automated Manufacturing Operation Project lead: Richard Hardcastle, Business Process and Implementation Manager Project description: International Game Technology automated its manufacturing operations, extending existing SAP systems to manufacturing via an interactive AES layer, tapping RFID and bar code technology, as well as xDDI functionality from Acsis. Industry: Manufacturing

Interstate Transport www.interstate-transport.com Emergency Response Logistics Initiative Project lead: Nathaniel Engelsen, CIO Project description: Working with the Florida Department of Emergency Management, Interstate Transport developed an emergency resources tracking system, using .Net, IVR, and Web portals to integrate the system with legacy inventory, GIS, and management suites. Industry: Transportation

iQor www.iqor.com Biometric-Enabled ERP System Project lead: Vikas Kapoor, CEO Project description: iQor overhauled its call center operations with TeQ21, a biometric-enabled ERP system that integrates VoIP, human resources management, compliance management, and network and data management, as well as thin client technology from Hewlett-Packard and biometrics from DigitalPersona. Industry: Services

Johnson & Johnson www.jnj.com Social Media Employee Collaboration Platform Project lead: Ryan Mazeffa, IT Manager, Web Services, IT Services Project description: Johnson & Johnson developed a corporate collaboration platform based on technology from Adobe, Microsoft, and Photon Infotech and integrated the platform into a .Net-based SOA layer to leverage existing open source investments, such as OpenFire, Red5, and Drupal. Industry: Pharmaceuticals

Juniper Networks www.juniper.net Web 2.0 Initiative Project lead: Michele Goins, CIO Project description: Juniper overhauled its Web presence with Juniper.net 2.0, a 45-server Web infrastructure based on Interwoven content management, Autonomy integrated search, and Akamai content delivery. Industry: Technology

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. kmbs.konicaminolta.us CRM Initiative Pr