People started to pay attention to the environmental impact of products instead of just the capital cost. People still need to figure out that comparing the environmental costs of switches is irrelevant because the bulk of the power and cooling required in a data center is devoured by storage subsystems. It now costs more to run my PC for two years than to buy it initially.

IT folks have come to the realization that their companies don't value them and they either have to upgrade their business skills or face inevitable outsourcing to low-cost talent -- no matter how dumb that may be for the business strategically. There are a million open IT jobs and a million skilled folks not being hired. As long as IT skills are considered tactical, the business will keep trying to lower the cost and outsource them.

The Data Center Operations Manager became the most important job in IT -- replacing the CIO.

People realized they can keep a lot more stuff online on disk-based systems because of massive economic cost reductions and a host of space-efficient technologies. Finding information of value became a heck of a lot easier in 2006 and will be a continued hot area for 2007. Keep everything online forever, baby.

HP is beating Dell in PCs -- watching Dell respond in 2007 will be a big deal.