the new big thing at RIMS this year seemed to be weather; the prediction of it (both long and short term forecasting), and the closely related business of disaster recovery. There were several vendors marketing sophisticated technology that ostensibly enables users to predict the date time and precise location of tornado touchdowns, along with the precise path and extent of destruction and list of addresses that will be affected (well, I may be exagerating just a touch).

Just in case an insurer hadn't taken advantage of that new technology, there were several disaster recovery firms pitching their incredible ability to make disaster damage disappear overnight. Perhaps they should market themselves to parents of teenagers for those inevitable parents-out-of-town-party cleanups. Now that would be a test...

If it is any consolation, there were dozens of security firms at the 2002 RIMS: they've all but disappeared from the show floor, perhaps due to the lack of unfortunate events in 03, 04, 05...