Computing articles from April 2008

Computing archives from April 2008

When the going gets tough, it is time to get agile.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Dave Robertson, Perforce Software When the going gets tough, it is time to get agile BCS view: To survive the credit crunch IT departments must adapt, says Dave Robertson z The US sub-prime mortgage crisis has resulted in...

Safe from harm.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Linda More Safe from harm In the first of our four-part weekly guide to security, Linda More looks at the precautions companies should take to protect their valuable data z Until recently, little attention has been...

Five startups that could change your approach to security.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Linda More Five startups that could change your approach to security Veracode z New software carries a risk of software flaws from coding mistakes or malicious code. Using binary code analysis, Veracode checks the security...

Five security technologies to look for in the next three years.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Linda More Five security technologies to look for in the next three years Quantum cryptography z Quantum mechanics could hold the key to ensuring safe communications through the provision of a secure key for encrypted data....

Security chiefs need to influence.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Penn Security chiefs need to influence Protecting your organisation is about understanding the business and winning over executives, says Jonathan Penn z As industry watchers, analysts identify and understand...

Five best practice tips for successful security.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Linda More Five best practice tips for successful security IT security projects are moving away from purely infrastructure-oriented technology implementations to focus on process and people. Success only occurs when: z The...

Motorola divides into two after profit fall.(Financial report)
April 3, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Motorola divides into two after profit fall Mobile handset division may struggle to find a buyer when spun off, writes Martin Courtney z Mobile giant Motorola is to split into two separate companies next...

IT sharing thrives in Northern Ireland.(Northern Ireland Civil Service)
April 3, 2008... IT sharing thrives in Northern Ireland Janie Davies z The Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) is migrating a seventh government department into its IT Assist shared services centre, which aims to generate [pounds sterling]14m in...

China cracks down on insider cyber hacking.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Tom Young China cracks down on insider cyber hacking Four hackers sentenced for larceny, but foreign sites remain targets Tom Young z An internal crackdown on hacking activities in China has prompted speculation that...

Concerns over child welfare IT continue.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Concerns over child welfare IT continue Social workers are increasingly worried over recent software delays, writes Janie Davies z The implementation of information sharing technology is a critical part of...

We will all become more touchy-feely.(Nintendo Company Ltd.)
April 3, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels We will all become more touchy-feely The reign of the mouse could be at an end as motion-sensing devices become more popular and easy to use, says Mark Samuels z The information age is about evolution and...

Social networking joins up BT.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Social networking joins up BT Telecoms giant uses collaboration tools to boost team working Neon Kelly z BT is using social networking and collaboration tools to unite its global workforce and help ease the...

Festival is ready for ticket rush.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Festival is ready for ticket rush Neon Kelly z The company selling tickets for this year's Glastonbury festival is preparing for one of its busiest days of the year, when the box office for the event opens on...

Red Cross ensures IT stability.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Red Cross ensures IT stability Charity gets faster data recovery as part of new business continuity plan Angelica Mari z The British Red Cross has updated its business continuity systems to ensure that...

Virgin offers mobile e-tickets.(Virgin Trains)(Brief article)
April 3, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Virgin offers mobile e-tickets Angelica Mari z Virgin Trains has started the second part of its e-ticketing project A- mobile phone tickets. From March, the train operator has carried out trials of the...

Tube Lines drives down power use.(Brief article)
April 3, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Tube Lines drives down power use Tom Young z Tube Lines is undertaking a green IT project to help reduce its CO2 emissions by 5,000 tonnes by the end of 2008. The firm, which maintains the Jubilee, Piccadilly...

Home Office delay on hacking law continues.
April 3, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Home Office delay on hacking law continues Tom Young z The government has further delayed the introduction of crucial legislation to criminalise new forms of hacking activities. Laws to amend the 18-year-old...

No one can afford to get IT so wrong.
April 3, 2008... Byline: computing No one can afford to get IT so wrong z By the time you read this, British Airways may or may not have cleared its baggage backlog and started getting flights away on time A- or at all A- after the disastrous opening...

IT frozen out in Birds Eye deal.(Unilever Group)
April 3, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari IT frozen out in Birds Eye deal Food manufacturer was left with "effectively no IT" after acquisition Angelica Mari z Birds Eye Iglo Group (BEIG) has been forced to build a new IT infrastructure...

Do you have what it takes to be a winner?
April 10, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels Do you have what it takes to be a winner? z Computing this week launches its Awards for Excellence for 2008. For the 16th annual event of the most prestigious awards in UK IT, we want to recognise the skills,...

Verifying identities and authentication.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Verifying identities and authentication z ICI global information security director Paul Simmonds is in favour of using non-perimeter-based security, such as ScanSafe technology, because it does not inhibit...

Security made simple.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Security made simple In the second of our four-part weekly guide to security, Lisa Kelly talks to IT leaders taking a best practice approach to security z Paul Simmonds, ICI global information...

Case study: Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Case study: Devon and Cornwall Constabulary z Devon and Cornwall Constabulary is using technology to accurately track IP addresses for better allocation of resources in the fight against cyber crime. "The...

Case study: Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Case study: Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust z Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust learned its security lesson the hard way. After its network was infected with the Sasser worm in 2004, the trust realised the need for...

Forward thinking at BT.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Forward thinking at BT As BT continues a transformation that aims to improve customer relations, chief information officer Al-Noor Ramji is looking ahead to what employees and customers can expect from the...

CV: Al-Noor Ramji.(Brief biography)(Brief article)
April 10, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney CV: Al-Noor Ramji z Al-Noor Ramji was appointed chief executive (CEO) of BT Exact and group chief information officer (CIO) of BT in May 2004. From 1 July 2007, he also became CEO of BT Design, the division...

Key project: 21CN.(21st Century Network)(Brief article)
April 10, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Key project: 21CN z Although BT's 21st Century Network (21CN) project was conceived before his arrival at the company in 2004, Ramji has been instrumental in its implementation. 21CN represents a...

Dell job cuts prompt market downturn fears.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Dell job cuts prompt market downturn fears Cost-cutting exercises at IT supplier may be a sign of lean times ahead for the PC industry Martin Courtney z Dell's decision to close its manufacturing plant...

Green IT plans start to take root.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Robert Saxby Green IT plans start to take root The programmes put in place by the IT industry to reduce carbon emissions are taking effect, says Robert Saxby z Green IT is an all-too-common catchphrase. But amid all the...

Cost fears hinder smart meter rollout.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Cost fears hinder smart meter rollout Janie Davies z The government has again delayed a decision on the future of smart meters, amid concerns that a nationwide rollout will cost up to four times more than...

Government signs up to Facebook.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Government signs up to Facebook Tom Young z The government is planning to use social networking sites such as Facebook to interact with the public as part of a new communication plan. The move comes as part...

Sinking our teeth into yet more gloom.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels Sinking our teeth into yet more gloom The investment money is running out while the downturn is speeding up A- and UK IT is being left to grow stale, says Mark Samuels z Whatever happened to the innovative...

How to survive.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Tom Young and Angelica Mari How to survive the down turn The approaching economic downturn will hit IT hard. Those who fare the best will be the ones who plan ahead Tom Young & Angelica Mari z The global...

RSCi?1/2s IT Much Ado About Something.(Royal Shakespeare Company)
April 10, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly RSC's IT Much Ado About Something Performance group uses IPTV technology to enhance staff involvement with productions Neon Kelly z The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is using an IPTV network to relay live...

Shared IT is set to support frontline services.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Shared IT is set to support frontline services Janie Davies z Local authorities will soon start to share frontline services such as education and recycling, according to David Myers, the Home Office director...

E-crime unit funding revealed.(Serious Organised Crime Agency)
April 10, 2008... Byline: Tom Young E-crime unit funding revealed Soca unit has too many roles to perform on such a small budget Tom Young z The Serious Organised Crime Agency's (Soca's) e-crime unit has less staff and half the budget of its...

Faster payments plan gets off to slow start.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Faster payments plan gets off to slow start Banking industry aims to deliver project in stages Angelica Mari z Rollout of the banking industry's [pounds sterling]300m faster payments (FP)...

More councils miss key child welfare IT deadline.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies More councils miss key child welfare IT deadline Janie Davies z Delays to the Integrated Children's System (ICS) at the heart of the government's Every Child Matters policy are worse than first feared, and...

Government trials mobile tickets.(Brief article)
April 10, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Government trials mobile tickets Angelica Mari z The Department for Transport (DfT) is to start the first major government-backed trial of near-field communications (NFC) to enable mobile phone ticketing on...

Child welfare: iti?1/2s time to get IT right.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Computing Child welfare: it's time to get IT right z Rumblings of discontent about new child welfare IT systems are becoming public, in a depressingly familiar process that threatens to turn into another problem for...

UBS scraps i?1/21bn outsourcing.
April 10, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari UBS scraps [pounds sterling]1bn outsourcing Troubled investment bank will keep its HR and training in-house Angelica Mari z Investment bank UBS has scrapped plans for a business process outsourcing deal...

Case study: Ricoh Europe.
April 17, 2008... Byline: James Mortleman Case study: Ricoh Europe z Like a growing number of companies, information security management no longer sits within the IT function of camera and printer manufacturer Ricoh Europe. "In fact, I report to...

Security skills demand by sector.
April 17, 2008... Byline: James Mortleman Security skills demand by sector z Paul Williams, chairman of global IT governance forum Isaca's strategic advisory group, says there will be a growing demand for security skills in the public sector as...

Top security skills.
April 17, 2008... Byline: James Mortleman Top security skills Business and soft skills z Paul Williams, chairman of global IT governance forum Isaca's strategic advisory group, says the key challenges for security leaders are communication and...

CASE STUDY.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney CASE STUDY EasyJet z EasyJet's head of application architecture Paul Curtis is a member of the Windows Live Special Interest Group and an active member of the Microsoft Architecture Council. He has...

What the experts say about Windows Server 2008.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney What the experts say about Windows Server 2008 z We started using VMware at the end of last year when we bought new IBM servers, and have now started to use it much more seriously. If a Microsoft product is fit...

CASE STUDY.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney CASE STUDY John Lewis Partnership z As a member of Microsoft's rapid deployment programme, the John Lewis Partnership has been piloting Windows Server 2008 during the past few months. The company...

Windows Server: the verdict.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Windows Server: the verdict Following the launch of Microsoft Windows 2008, Martin Courtney looks at its impact and asks if all the promises of big benefits made by chief executive Steve Ballmer have...

The right combination.
April 17, 2008... Byline: James Mortleman The right combination In the third part of our definitive guide to security, James Mortleman looks at how today's security professional needs to combine traditional technical ability with...

Fighting for the rights of exploited temporary workers.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Andrew Miller Fighting for the rights of exploited temporary workers BCS view: MP Andrew Miller explains how his bill to protect vulnerable agency workers will affect IT contractors z Once a year backbench MPs are ...

Mobile renovation for the nation.(Southern Housing Group )
April 17, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Mobile renovation for the nation Lisa Kelly looks at how thin client technology is set to revolutionise the way housing association staff work Southern Housing Group (SHG) is undertaking a pilot of mobile...

On the trail to a successful audit.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Dalim Basu On the trail to a successful audit IT audits should be treated as a chance to improve your business practice and evaluate processes, says Dalim Basu z What do you think of IT auditing and what it can achieve for...

Making best use of Gartneri?1/2s reports.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Dalim Basu Making best use of Gartner's reports IT chiefs should be careful about relying on research to justify their IT spending in the face of a potential recession, says Mark Samuels z An IT leader said to me recently...

Telecoms managers in the dark over 21CN.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Telecoms managers in the dark over 21CN Communications specialists have little idea of what BT's next-generation network can deliver martin courtney z UK telecoms managers are either unaware of BT's...

Intrusive web ads fuel privacy row.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Intrusive web ads fuel privacy row Tom Young z In the 100 or so years since consumer products pioneer Lord Leverhulme made his famous remark that "half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, I just don't...

Confusion reigns on software patents.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Confusion reigns on software patents Neon Kelly z A row is brewing over the lack of consistency surrounding the protection of software rights, and it needs to be resolved if the UK is to stay in step with...

View from the staff room.(Letter to the editor)
April 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies View from the staff room z What Computing readers say about BSF With BSF the local education authority is not a service provider, it is a service dictator. It will waste more...

The biggest school project ever undertaken.(Brief article)
April 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies The biggest school project ever undertaken z Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the biggest ever school infrastructure investment programme. Launched in 2004, and worth [pounds sterling]45bn, it aims to...

BT seeks agility.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Case study: BT z BT's use of the agile methodology for software development began in 2001, driven by individuals within project teams looking for better delivery methods. The arrival of chief information...

WHSmith gets a clearer voice.
April 17, 2008... WHSmith gets a clearer voice Angelica Mari z Retailer WHSmith is using a voice-based technology system to improve accuracy and speed up warehouse processes. The packaged service A- supplied by VoiteQ A- includes a wearable...

Case study: Amnesty International.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Case study: Amnesty International z Eighteen months ago Amnesty International began to replace traditional software development for the delivery of some core IT projects with the agile methodology. The...

New rule for emergency mobile priority.(Brief article)
April 17, 2008... Byline: Tom Young New rule for emergency mobile priority TOM YOUNG z Police commanders will in future decide who has priority for mobile phone network access in the event of a disaster such as the 7/7 London bombings. Under...

Police single sign-on delayed.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Police single sign-on delayed Forces face two-year wait for unified access to national systems Tom Young z Police officers will not have a single digital identity for secure access to national IT systems...

Software breaks free from its bonds.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Software breaks free from its bonds angelica mari z Agile software development is entering the mainstream with large firms such as broadcasting group BSkyB and book publisher Scholastic UK using it to deliver...

How Building Schools for the Future will affect IT suppliers.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies How Building Schools for the Future will affect IT suppliers z To be approved under Becta's list of approved, EU-compliant suppliers, companies must tender to be accepted onto a framework agreement. z...

Must do better: i?1/245bn schools plan fails to impress.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Must do better: [pounds sterling]45bn schools plan fails to impress Janie Davies reports on the controversial scheme for UK schools, and how IT provision is affected z Building Schools for the Future (BSF)...

Co-op signs Xerox deal to turn letters to email z Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) has signed a i?1/212m contract with Xerox to scan inbound correspondence into email to the appropriate recipient. The system will process 10,000 inbound insurance and ret.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Co-op signs Xerox deal to turn letters to email z Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) has signed a [pounds sterling]12m contract with Xerox to scan inbound correspondence into email to the appropriate...

Stay on your toes to win web fight.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Computing Stay on your toes to win web fight z What does your long-term internet strategy look like? Do you even have one? If you don't, it is hardly surprising, when the online world remains in such a state of constant and...

Virgin changes platform to improve integration.(Virgin Trains)
April 17, 2008... Virgin changes platform to improve integration Angelica Mari z Virgin Trains will not upgrade an existing SAP implementation because cost and unwanted functionality have made it unviable. The firm has ditched the previous system in...

Schools fear being frozen out.
April 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Schools fear being frozen out Managers worry they are losing control of IT in favour of suppliers Janie Davies z The planned [pounds sterling]4.5bn schools IT revamp today faces a barrage of criticism. ...

New technology brings new risks.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Jon Collins New technology brings new risks Jon Collins takes a look at the security threat that the latest technologies can pose to an organisation z The future of IT security seems like a straightforward discussion A-...

The keep out of jail free card.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Jon Fell and John Skelton The keep out of jail free card In the fourth and final part of our definitive guide to security, Jon Fell and John Skelton study the legal implications of keeping data safe from e-criminals,...

Does your IT project have the e-X-cellence factor?
April 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels Does your IT project have the e-X-cellence factor? You have to be in IT to win it: we want your nominations for the Computing Awards for Excellence Project of the Year z This year's Computing Awards for...

How to develop your influence.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Penn How to develop your influence There are three steps chief information security officers must follow to gain success, says Jonathan Penn z Many security chiefs cannot take the lead for the business because...

The buck stops with the boss on security.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels The buck stops with the boss on security With the threat of porridge if customer data falls into the wrong hands, opinion is divided on who takes the blame, says Mark Samuels z "The risk of going to jail...

Do you know where your data is?
April 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Surguy Do you know where your data is? Mark Surguy introduces our special report on data protection by looking at the legal implications and technology requirements It is often said that technology is the...

Your data protection will rely on co-operation.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Bryan Glick Your data protection will rely on co-operation Organisations must increasingly take proactive measures to guard data. Bryan Glick reports from a Computing web seminar discussing how IT and legal teams need...

Teamwork is the key to success.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Alessandro Moretti Teamwork is the key to success IT and legal teams must work together in better ways to ensure effective risk management of growing amounts of information. Here two experts from both sides of the camp give...

A relational approach aids understanding.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Paul Gilbert A relational approach aids understanding The legal view: Paul Gilbert z Eight years ago, when I was a practising lawyer, the issues around data protection and discovery were less dramatic than they are...

IBM is a bright spark amid gloomy results.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney IBM is a bright spark amid gloomy results A positive first quarter for the company sees overall revenue rising 11 per cent year on year martin courtney z IBM bucked the recent trend for disappointing...

Fast makes switch to mediator role.
April 24, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Fast makes switch to mediator role Tom Young z Software industry pressure group the Federation against Software Theft (Fast) is undergoing a fundamental change in strategy A- reflecting wider changes in business...

Reasons to be cheerful.
April 24, 2008... Byline: janie davies z Intel believes it will buck the global downward economic trend with predictions of solid second-quarter revenue of between $9bn ([pounds sterling]4.6bn) and $9.6bn ([pounds sterling]4.8bn) and a gross margin of about...

Intel keeps a firm hand on the tiller.(Interview)
April 24, 2008... Byline: janie davies Intel keeps a firm hand on the tiller Despite the feared economic downturn, the chip vendor predicts solid financial results and is confident it can weather the storm Janie Davies z Computing spoke to...

What is the real state of UK IT?
April 24, 2008... Byline: Computing What is the real state of UK IT? z The IT sector is under the financial microscope like never before, as City types scrutinise every vendor's quarterly results and every major company's technology budgets for signs...