The OpenWater Blog

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application management software
Can Your Online Application Management Software Do This?

All application management software is not created equal. The core of any submission management system is its ability to do two things: Collect applications or other submissions from users Store […]

email data
Divorce Your Association’s Data From Email

As we embark into our third decade of the 21st century, it strikes me that we still rely so heavily on email.  One could argue that it’s an outdated method […]

Zero to Hero: IT Management Solutions That Save the Day

“And the meek shall inherit the earth,” Geddy Lee croons at the outset of Rush’s epic concept album, 2112.  The 20-minute rock symphony (in seven glorious movements) explores a future […]

data security of outdated systems
Why Data Security is Prime and Outdated Systems are the Enemy

Software has a short life cycle.  In the fast-paced world of technology, the cascade of updates, upgrades, and innovation drive continuous change in software solutions.  Outdated systems gradually stop receiving […]

five nines of system uptime
The Five Nines of System Uptime (and Five Ways to Boost Yours)

100% system uptime, like a perfect circle, is more of a theoretical concept than a physical reality in system architecture.  For this reason, we traditionally measure system uptime by the […]

user databases
The Human Touch: Maintaining User Databases in the Automation Age

If you’ve ever run multiple environments across DEV, UAT, and PROD, you know firsthand how complex maintaining your user databases can be.  Perhaps you need to make updates behind the […]

cloud tech brings us closer to the singularity
Cloud Tech Brings Us Closer to The Singularity

Not long ago, I ran across a Big Think article about a newly proposed ontology called “idealism.”  Bernardo Kastrup essentially suggests that panpsychism (the notion that everything in the universe […]

software solutions
Save Your Association With These 4 Software Solutions

If you’ve ever directed the IT department for an association or nonprofit, you know that budgets can be tight.  Fundraising is a continuous initiative in the nonprofit sector. Nonetheless, information […]

membership data
10 Ways to Protect Your Membership Data

Your members are trusting you with sensitive information.  Any database with user profiles, contact information, or membership data can be vulnerable to database security issues.  From serious financial breaches to […]

member database
The APIs Your Member Database Needs to Succeed

Membership associations need to push and pull data between a wide variety of software systems.  The core of the operation is probably your Association Management System (AMS)—but it can’t stand […]