Computing articles from January 2008

Computing archives from January 2008

Top tips for network management.
January 7, 2008... Byline: Will Cappelli Top tips for network management Will Cappelli, research vice president, Gartner z Network management projects are all too often undertaken as an afterthought. A new infrastructure layer is implemented,...

Best practice: Securely virtualising your datacentre workloads.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Linda More Best practice: Securely virtualising your datacentre workloads Brian Gammage, vice president and fellow, Gartner Virtualising server workloads in your datacentre without implementing security best...

Centre of power.(virtualization (Computing) and security measures used by data centers)
January 10, 2008... Byline: Linda More Centre of power In the first of a four-part weekly guide to datacentres, Linda More looks at the changing role of the datacentre and the advantages it offers to businesses z Not so long ago...

Five companies to look out for.(energy conservation by datacentres)(HVAC equipment used for cooling computers)
January 10, 2008... Byline: Linda More Five companies to look out for The Green Grid z A consortium of IT companies and professionals seeking to improve energy efficiency in datacentres. Promoting the adoption of energy-efficient standards,...

Datacentre technologies for the future.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Linda More Datacentre technologies for the future Datacentre in a box z Tomorrow's datacentres are more likely to be delivered completely configured on the back of a lorry. Customised shipping containers, stuffed full...

Changing the economic balance of data security.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Richard Stone Changing the economic balance of data security BCS view: We need to protect victims of data loss with transparent policies, says Richard Stone z The loss of CDs containing the personal data of 25 million UK...

Doni?1/2t blame it on the database.(maintaining access control on private databases)
January 10, 2008... Byline: Bryan Glick Don't blame it on the database Technology was not at fault for the data loss fiasco A- the debate must focus on securing our electronic identity, says Bryan Glick z The national media has, unsurprisingly,...

Accenture talks down credit crunch gloom.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Accenture talks down credit crunch gloom Quarterly revenue and profit were both up 19 per cent at the IT services company Tom Young z Accenture's revenue for its first fiscal quarter was 19 per cent up on...

The future is turning green.(information technology services industry manages computing by saving environment)
January 10, 2008... Byline: Nick Kirkland The future is turning green Environmentally-friendly computing is set to become second nature, predicts Nick Kirkland z The past 12 months have seen a host of leading firms take on the challenge of...

US looks to military to take on cyber threats.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Tom Young US looks to military to take on cyber threats Command centre to be offensive and defensive Tom Young z The US Air Force (USAF) is setting up a command centre to be responsible for conducting offensive and...

The technology year ahead.(forecast of information technology services industry providing service)
January 10, 2008... Byline: Bryan Glick The technology year ahead The next 12 months will be challenging for all those in computing Bryan Glick z Last year ended with technology in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, thanks to a string of...

WiFi goes out to Islington estates.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies WiFi goes out to Islington estates Janie Davies z Islington Borough Council is extending its wireless network to provide free high-speed internet access to 10,000 inner London local authority houses. The...

Northern IT salaries on the up.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Northern IT salaries on the up But pay rates still only 69 per cent of average London-based wage Janie Davies z IT wages are growing 30 per cent faster in the North, according to research. Salaries...

CBE for services to computing.(Stephen Furber received award for resaerch on computer mimic of human brain)(University of Manchester)
January 10, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly CBE for services to computing Professor who worked on the BBC Micro and Arm chip is honoured Neon Kelly z The man who helped to develop the BBC computer and the Arm microprocessor has been awarded a CBE in...

Local government not keen on shared services.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Local government not keen on shared services Janie Davies z Local authorities are lukewarm about central government plans to develop shared administration systems to cut costs. Shared services are integral...

E-ticketing to speed up Eurostar boarding.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari E-ticketing to speed up Eurostar boarding Angelica Mari z Eurostar is introducing print-at-home and mobile-enabled barcode tickets to speed up boarding on its international trains. The gates at the...

Business IT defences at risk.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Business IT defences at risk Law changes put ethical hackers at disadvantage, warn security experts Tom Young z UK businesses' ability to protect themselves against cyber attacks is under threat from legal...

Act will penalise the good guys.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Computing Act will penalise the good guys z The last opportunity for mitigating the unintended consequences of incoming cyber crime laws has been squandered. When the Police and Justice Act goes through in April, it will in...

Case study: Baillie Gifford.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Case study: Baillie Gifford z Baillie Gifford, an independent investment management business based in Scotland, has recently had its corporate carbon footprint measured. The firm is keen to reduce power costs...

Key business process.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Key business process z Preparation for Domino's Pizza's new datacentre in two to three years is already under way and Jane Kimberlin, Domino's IT director, says forward planning is crucial to success in tandem with...

Case study: Cardiff Council.(making use of Storage area networks, Network attached storage and multiple servers)
January 17, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Case study: Cardiff Council z Cardiff Council is the largest council in Wales, employing about 18,000 staff and providing services to more than 320,000 residents, with data volumes that reflect the organisation's...

Topping up data needs.(Domino's Pizza Inc upgrades it's datacentre)
January 17, 2008... Byline: Lisa Kelly Topping up data needs In the second of a four-part weekly guide to datacentres, Lisa Kelly looks at best practice in business z Domino's Pizza's datacentre is as crammed as the toppings on one of the company's...

Microsoft deal heralds further consolidation.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Microsoft deal heralds further consolidation Purchase of Fast Search and Transfer to strengthen large suppliers' hold on enterprise search market Martin Courtney z Microsoft's planned acquisition of...

Telehealth systems to be rolled out.(National Health Service to use remote access software)(Brief article)
January 17, 2008... Byline: Sarah Arnott Telehealth systems to be rolled out Sarah Arnott z The prime minister wants 100,000 NHS patients to be using remote access technologies to manage chronic health conditions at home within "a few years". In...

Fraud is real and security a must.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels Fraud is real and security a must The HM Revenue & Customs debacle proved that we are all just one step away from data loss and its exploitation, says Mark Samuels z Security should have been a key priority for...

DIY blood tests will take the pressure off.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies DIY blood tests will take the pressure off Janie Davies z Health service patients in Sunderland will be the first in the UK to use a web-based, do-it-yourself blood testing service based on interactive...

Majestic web upgrade rejects user content trend.(Majestic Wine Warehouses Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Majestic web upgrade rejects user content trend Angelica Mari z Majestic Wine is upgrading its web site, but steering clear of Web 2.0 and user-generated content in favour of emphasising its own expertise....

The day the online music died...
January 17, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly The day the online music died... Internet radio site fails to agree royalties deal, reports Neon Kelly z Online radio site Pandora closed its UK operations last week after failure to negotiate a deal with...

Norwich Union gives customers web-based policy documents.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Norwich Union gives customers web-based policy documents Tom Young z Norwich Union customers will be able to store policy documents online from next month as part of the insurer's plans to make the most of a...

Banking deadline extended.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Banking deadline extended Lack of consumer pressure over single payment scheme leads banks to concentrate efforts elsewhere Tom Young z A key deadline in establishing Europe's borderless banking market has...

How to empower the techies.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Myles Downey How to empower the techies The IT profession is particularly suited to applying a coaching approach to leadership, says Myles Downey z The benefits of taking a coaching approach as a leader and manager have...

Government aims to bridge digital divide.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Government aims to bridge digital divide Low-income families to be provided with PCs Neon Kelly z The government is to spend [pounds sterling]30m over the next three years to bring broadband access to...

Seasonal ups and downs.(trends in sales and earnings)(Marks and Spencer PLC)(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd.)(Domino's Pizza Inc.)(Brief article)
January 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Seasonal ups and downs Marks & Spencer: Web transactions via M&S Direct were up 78 per cent thanks to a site relaunch earlier in the year. Overall sales were down 2.2 per cent. Sainsbury's: Overall sales in...

i?1/290m more for Chinooks to fly.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Parliamentary reporter [pounds sterling]90m more for Chinooks to fly Choppers grounded for eight years because of avionics software issues Parliamentary reporter z The government is to spend another [pounds...

Npower smart meter trial to begin this spring.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Npower smart meter trial to begin this spring Janie Davies z Npower is to start an 18-month trial of real-time gas and electricity metering technology in 5,000 homes this spring. Participating customers...

Sentence passed on prison IT plan.(National Offender Management Service a database management service for prisons)(Brief article)
January 17, 2008... Byline: Parliamentary reporter Sentence passed on prison IT plan Parliamentary reporter z The Home Office has abandoned plans to link the prison and probation services through the National Offender Management System...

Systems developers at top of firmsi?1/2 wishlists.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Systems developers at top of firms' wishlists Janie Davies z Systems developer roles are the jobs in greatest demand, with vacancies in 2007 up 36 per cent to 46,000, according to research by sector skills...

Boom time for online sales.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Boom time for online sales Retailers report disappointing results on the high street but rapid growth on the web Angelica Mari z Online sales are reaching new peaks, providing retailers with a...

This time, IT could save the economy.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Computing This time, IT could save the economy z The doom-mongers are dusting off their sandwich boards. Northern Rock is being propped up by the taxpayer. Oil is at $100 a barrel. And how long global economic stability...

The benefits of shared services.(United Kingdom. Home Office uses the technique of Shared services (Management))
January 24, 2008... Byline: David Myers The benefits of shared services The Home Office aims to be an example of shared services provision, says David Myers z My objective at the Home Office is to create a single platform for the delivery of shared...

Virtually skilled.(data centers to provide service by using virtualization )
January 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Mortleman Virtually skilled In the third of a four-part weekly guide to datacentres, Jim Mortleman looks at the in-demand skills for datacentre managers z Datacentres are shrinking. Consolidation and...

Which types of organisation will need datacentre skills?
January 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Mortleman Which types of organisation will need datacentre skills? z Demand for datacentre skills will vary according to the type and size of the organisation that requires them. Many of the big banks and financial...

Case study: University of Plymouth.(overview and information technology used)(Organization overview)
January 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Mortleman Case study: University of Plymouth z Like many academic institutions, the University of Plymouth has had to become more business-like to maximise its intake of students and its financial resources. A...

Top datacentre skills during the next three years.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Mortleman Top datacentre skills during the next three years Virtualisation project management Alan Rodger, research analyst at Butler Group, believes virtualisation will be the number one in-demand skill in the...

Why personal data loss must not be tolerated.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Mike Howse EMEA MD Protegrity Why personal data loss must not be tolerated BCS view: Mike Howse says it is time for those let down by data loss incidents to take a stand z In the recent HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) data...

Facebook is not all it was cracked up to be.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels Facebook is not all it was cracked up to be My experiment proves that social networking sites are a waste of time, which does not bode well for their future, says Mark Samuels z Nagged by colleagues and...

Oracle to buy BEA Systems in $8.5bn deal.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Oracle to buy BEA Systems in $8.5bn deal Software giant aims to shake up the middleware market with latest purchase, reports Janie Davies z If Oracle's long-anticipated bid for middleware software supplier BEA...

More conflict for Microsoft.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Tom Young More conflict for Microsoft Tom Young z The European Commission is to conduct another competition investigation into Microsoft after more complaints from the software giant's rivals. But, despite the...

UK IT mergers at a five-year low.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly UK IT mergers at a five-year low Neon Kelly z Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the UK technology sector fell by 21 per cent to 482 last year, the lowest level since 2002. The number of global deals...

Rise in consumer technology creates tough choice for CIOs.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Rise in consumer technology creates tough choice for CIOs Shareholders and customers are battling for precedence in IT spending, says Angelica Mari z Chief information officers (CIOs) are facing a...

High-speed broadband in need of regulations.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly High-speed broadband in need of regulations Infrastructure firms wary of multibillion-pound investment required NEON KELLY z Telecoms watchdogs will play a key role in ensuring the swift rollout of...

Police address the growing threat of e-crime.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Police address the growing threat of e-crime Tom Young z Electronic crime is to have its own business unit within the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) for the first time. At the last estimate,...

Get online to get off the road.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Get online to get off the road Janie Davies z Widespread use of electronic council services could help meet the government's carbon emissions targets. Processing transactions online rather than on paper,...

Europe takes outsourcing lead.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Europe takes outsourcing lead Increase in contracts across Europe has seen the market overtake the US as global leader for the first time Tom Young z Europe has overtaken the Americas as the world's biggest...

Hacked bank unifies defences.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Hacked bank unifies defences Sumitomo Mitsui takes integrated view of cyber and physical threats Tom Young z The bank subjected to the UK's largest ever robbery attempt will be the first in this country...

Investment in media technology sector slumps.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Investment in media technology sector slumps Neon Kelly z Venture capital (VC) investment in Europe's next-generation media technology sector took a nosedive at the end of last year, plummeting 52 per cent in...

Masters to plug the skills gap.(information technology services industry focuses on their employees to gain higher knowledge about IT so as to flourish)
January 24, 2008... Byline: Janie Davies Masters to plug the skills gap Work-based qualification aims to give entrants the experience of jobs being lost to offshoring Janie Davies z Universities and employers are teaming up to offer a Masters...

IT piracy costing UK billions.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Tom Young IT piracy costing UK billions Tom Young z Cutting the use of pirated software by just 10 per cent would contribute an extra [pounds sterling]4.5bn to the UK economy and create more than 13,000 jobs,...

Business must see IT as everyday task.
January 24, 2008... Byline: Computing Business must see IT as everyday task z It does not seem that long ago that the major complaint was of IT directors rarely having a seat on the company board. Technology is no longer an optional extra, was...

Traffic control.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Dino Wilkinson Traffic control In the last of our four-part weekly guide to datacentres, Dino Wilkinson examines some of the major concerns for technology leaders handling cross-border information flows z...

A hub of activity.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Tony Lock A hub of activity Over the next 12 months the datacentre will be a focus for some major IT projects, says Tony Lock z Working life in the datacentre has never been so simple A- and so complex. Recent...

Get the balance right for NHS IT.(National Health Service Information Technology)(Viewpoint essay)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Bryan Glick Get the balance right for NHS IT For all its faults, the National Programme for IT may be changing attitudes for the better, says Bryan Glick z Think about all the stress of putting your latest IT change plans...

The UK must react to Chinese R&D threat.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Mark Samuels The UK must react to Chinese R&D threat China may not have matched expectations in global sourcing, but its commitment to research cannot be overlooked, says Mark Samuels z Sometimes the figures just don't...

How organisations are using Second Life.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Karen Price How organisations are using Second Life z "Virtualisation is a huge area for Procter and Gamble, and we mix the virtual and real worlds a lot. For example, designing a new Hugo Boss perfume bottle uses a fraction...

Virtual skills for the real world.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Karen Price Virtual skills for the real world We have only just begun to explore the huge potential of virtual environments and the advantages they hold for teaching, says Karen Price Virtual world environments such as...

Uniting employers and students through virtual worlds.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Karen Price Uniting employers and students through virtual worlds z e-Skills UK held a pilot event in Second Life on 28 November last year, uniting companies, universities and students who are taking the employer-backed...

Complexity is the biggest challenge.(Interview)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Complexity is the biggest challenge CA chief executive John Swainson talks to Tom Young about his business, the market and the future z John Swainson took over Computer Associates (CA) in November 2004,...

Microsoft sets sights on PC virtualisation.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Martin Courtney Microsoft sets sights on PC virtualisation Software giant's latest acquisition puts it in direct competition with VMware, reports Martin Courtney z Microsoft's acquisition of Calista Technologies may bring...

Improved IT support for MPs and staff.(Member of Parliaments)(Brief article)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Parliamentary reporter Improved IT support for MPs and staff Parliamentary reporter z Technology services for MPs are to be stepped up following criticism of the IT support in the Palace of Westminster. In response to...

Battle ahead for outsourcers.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Battle ahead for outsourcers Fast-growing Indian suppliers could suffer as Western customers look for money-saving deals Tom Young z Indian suppliers are expected to double their share of the UK IT...

Biometric access for airport staff.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari Biometric access for airport staff Angelica Mari z Manchester Airport is using biometric technology to improve security by regulating staff access to restricted areas. In the first scheme of its kind in...

Two UK companies make the top technology pioneers list at Davos 2008.(Imaginatik and Garlik)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Two UK companies make the top technology pioneers list at Davos 2008 z Imaginatik's software is designed to help businesses solve problems and generate ideas through wide-scale internal discussions. The...

Technology collaboration will be the driving force behind business.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Neon Kelly Technology collaboration will be the driving force behind business The World Economic Forum showcases a future of shared working practices Neon Kelly z User-centric technologies, crowd-sourcing,...

PayPal slashes fraud attacks.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Tom Young PayPal slashes fraud attacks Internet payment firm reduces phishing with layers of defences Tom Young z The proportion of worldwide phishing scams targeting PayPal has dropped from three-quarters to less than...

UK government clashes with EU over data plans.(Brief article)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Parliamentary reporter UK government clashes with EU over data plans Parliamentary reporter z The government is gearing up for a battle with other European Union (EU) states over Brussels' plans to restrict the use of...

Businesses expect data losses every five years.(Brief article)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Businesses expect data losses every five years Tom Young z A major loss of customer information is expected once every five years, according to 59 per cent of businesses. The average incident exposes the data...

Galileo routes i?1/214bn to UK economy.(Brief article)
January 31, 2008... Byline: Tom Young Galileo routes [pounds sterling]14bn to UK economy Tom Young z The UK will continue with its financial commitment to the EU's multibillion-pound satellite project despite the lack of a formal cost benefit...

IT could add i?1/235bn to UK plc.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Angelica Mari IT could add [pounds sterling]35bn to UK plc Angelica Mari z Further investment in business technology could boost the UK economy by [pounds sterling]35bn, according to the latest research from sector skills...

35 billion reasons to support IT skills.
January 31, 2008... Byline: Computing 35 billion reasons to support IT skills z In some ways, it comes as little surprise that better use of technology by business could add a massive [pounds sterling]35bn to the UK economy. The sector itself already...