Computing articles from July 2007

Computing archives from July 2007

Business case.
July 5, 2007... Byline: John Malachy Business case z Many firms struggle to control their telecommunications bills as workers grow accustomed to using mobiles to make calls in the office. z They need a system that allows them to cut costs by...

Getting portable.(fixed mobile convergence)
July 5, 2007... Byline: John Malachy Getting portable John Malachy reports on the latest moves to help businesses replace traditional desktop phones with fixed-mobile convergence This year's 3GSM mobile industry showcase in Barcelona saw...

Keeping contact.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Linda More Keeping contact Business continuity and voice communication strategies should go hand in hand, reports Linda More Today the security focus is often firmly fixed on data systems -- but many companies...

Case Study.(Case study)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Linda More Case Study KBC Peel Hunt z Telephone services are crucial to London-based investment bank KBC Peel Hunt. Providing corporate advisory and stockbroking services to more than 120 companies with a market...

A shift in priority.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Sally Whittle A shift in priority Utility computing allows you to buy only the services you need, when you need them. But it needs time to catch on, reports Sally Whittle It has been almost five years since the Harvard...

Case study.(Case study)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Sally Whittle Case study Amazon Web Services z Next time you're searching for a book, CD or DVD on Amazon.com, you could also add an hour's use of Amazon's servers to your shopping basket. In 2006, the online retailer...

Case study.(Case study)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Sally Whittle Case study Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council z Three years ago, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council realised that its server requirements had doubled in a year from 20 to 40 servers. What's more, it...

Meet our 12 excellent awards judges.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Meet our 12 excellent awards judges z The entries are already coming in for this year's Computing Awards for Excellence --and we can now announce the prestigious line-up of judges who will decide the winners. ...

Oracle foresees a year of more acquisitions.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Oracle foresees a year of more acquisitions An impressive rise in profit because of takeovers encourages the software giant, reports Dave Friedlos z Oracle says it will continue to acquire companies in the...

Green initiatives just a PR exercise.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Green initiatives just a PR exercise Industry giants' green campaigns offer little in the way of new environmental benefits, says Tom Young z The spate of technology companies instigating green marketing...

Advantage programme.(Brief article)
July 5, 2007... Advantage programme Free access to 2,000 white papers and analyst reports z Time for you to stop searching, and start finding -- securing business advantage starts right here. KnowledgeStorm.co.uk, in partnership with Computing, is...

Service delivery relies on the people, not the product.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Peter Wheatcroft Service delivery relies on the people, not the product Employing Version 3 of technology standard ITIL will not by itself guarantee success, says Peter Wheatcroft z The latest release of ITIL, launched on 5...

Cost control key to outsourcing deals.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Cost control key to outsourcing deals BBC's errors highlight the challenges, reports Tom Young z Predicting the financial benefits of an outsourcing deal is a challenge for any organisation, as the BBC found to...

CIOs must embrace skills from the outset.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams CIOs must embrace skills from the outset The need for CIOs to possess business and leadership skills as well as technical knowledge should be tackled from graduate level, reports Lara Williams z The role...

Beware technology becoming a drag.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Beware technology becoming a drag Too many overhyped and overpriced products could threaten the business benefits presented by consumer-led technology, says Bryan Glick z For many people this is a momentous...

Data analysis cuts queues at hospital's A&E.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Data analysis cuts queues at hospital's A&E Lisa Kelly z Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust has reduced accident and emergency (A&E) attendance at a local hospital by six per cent through better analysis of...

New powers for data watchdog.(Information Commissioner's Office)(Brief article)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Tom Young New powers for data watchdog Tom Young z The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) could be given powers to proactively assess data protection for the first time. The forthcoming Statistics and Registration...

Network Rail looks to IT to improve track record.(Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Network Rail looks to IT to improve track record Asset management system signals intent to improve service Dave Friedlos z Network Rail is putting in place a new IT strategy to support its...

Automation strategy gathers pace as purchasing moves online.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Automation strategy gathers pace as purchasing moves online Dave Friedlos z Network Rail is overhauling its enterprise resource planning (ERP) and document management systems to assist in its goal of...

IT projects arriving on time.(Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos IT projects arriving on time Network Rail has embarked on several new technology initiatives to improve efficiency, reduce costs and deliver a better network: z The rail operator is set to complete the...

Skills and innovation department created.(Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Skills and innovation department created Government recognises the need to develop skills for the future Lara Williams z Skills and innovation were given high priority in the new Cabinet announced by...

backbytes.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes Backbytes 3.0 revolution arrives z We receive little mail from the analyst community, what with their focus on fact and research and everything, but we welcome to our pages the helpful opinion...

Wimbledon gets IP overhaul.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Wimbledon gets IP overhaul New network is first stage of a project to upgrade facilities Lisa Kelly z The Wimbledon Championships has upgraded its IP network to support new services as part of a wider...

Heathrow joins trial of RFID scheme.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Heathrow joins trial of RFID scheme Dave Friedlos z Heathrow will become the largest European airport to track passenger baggage using radio frequency identification (RFID) when trials begin in September. ...

Building energy to be recorded.(Brief article)
July 5, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Building energy to be recorded Tom Young z The government is to compile a database of information on the energy efficiency of commercial and public buildings in the UK. The online system will be populated by...

IT adds value to UK economy.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams IT adds value to UK economy Software development has become investment rather than a cost to UK Lara Williams z The first official measurement of the value of in-house software development has added...

Health experts support NHS electronic records.
July 5, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Health experts support NHS electronic records Tom Young z The benefits of NHS electronic patient records (EPRs) will outweigh potential privacy concerns, health experts told MPs last week. The first pilot of...

The numbers add up for value of IT.
July 5, 2007... The numbers add up for value of IT z Economic statistics are a complex business, and not something that would typically feature among the priorities of many IT managers. But for once, the regular update of the UK's national accounts...

Don't be afraid to be an IT innovator.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Mark Samuels Don't be afraid to be an IT innovator Managers have the opportunity to design interesting and creative IT projects if they are prepared to take a few risks, says Mark Samuels z You IT managers are a...

IT skills crisis requires a joint effort.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams IT skills crisis requires a joint effort Universities and employers must work together to ensure the needs of the IT market are met, says Lara Williams z The marriage between IT and business saw some initial...

China catching up in the outsourcing race.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos China catching up in the outsourcing race India remains leading offshore IT destination, but is under increasing threat, reports Dave Friedlos z Chinese cities will overtake their Indian rivals as the top...

Mission possible: the job of improving public services.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Margaret Moran MP Mission possible: the job of improving public services Government is working hard to address the challenges of delivering joined-up services, says Margaret Moran MP z The Transformational Government agenda...

NHS studies RFID operation.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos NHS studies RFID operation Trust to use electronic tagging system to keep track of equipment Dave Friedlos z A London NHS trust is planning to use radio frequency identification (RFID) to track surgical...

How the technology will improve patient safety.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos How the technology will improve patient safety Dave Friedlos z Radio frequency identification (RFID) could bring significant benefits to the NHS, say experts. RFID is increasingly popular in the NHS for...

Data centre is plain sailing.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Data centre is plain sailing Lisa Kelly z Cruise firm Royal Caribbean has installed a data centre that uses virtualisation technology to improve its green credentials. The company previously operated in two...

VoIP plan grows at Forestry Commission.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly VoIP plan grows at Forestry Commission Lisa Kelly z The Forestry Commission is upgrading its communications network to provide voice over IP (VoIP) to its workforce and enable greener business practices. ...

IT initiatives at heart of HSBC's green resolution.(HSBC Bank PLC)
July 12, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams IT initiatives at heart of HSBC's green resolution Bank's [pounds sterling]45m global environmental programme targets seven per cent cut in power consumption Lara Williams z As environmental...

backbytes.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes An application for grumpy landlord z Our occasional contributor Antony Hawkins at the University of Sheffield adds fuel to the debate on glass half-fullness/half-emptiness after Ian Sewell decided...

Brown praises online petitions.(Gordon Brown )(Brief article)
July 12, 2007... Byline: Parliamentary reporter Brown praises online petitions Parliamentary Reporter z Gordon Brown wants to make more use of web petitions for the public to influence Parliament. In a green paper on constitutional reform,...

Tube Lines on upgrade journey.(London Underground Ltd.)
July 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Tube Lines on upgrade journey Maintenance company invests in flexible IT infrastructure Dave Friedlos z The company responsible for maintaining the busiest lines on the London Underground is updating its...

HSBC plans a green future.
July 12, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams HSBC plans a green future Bank reveals details of energy-saving IT strategy Lara Williams z Global banking giant HSBC has for the first time revealed details of its ambitious green IT strategy. The...

Health service review puts NHS IT on waiting list.(National Health Service)
July 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Health service review puts NHS IT on waiting list Dave Friedlos z Health sector IT managers will have to wait to find out if the government's review of the NHS will affect the [pounds sterling]12bn National...

IT skills targeted by government.(Brief article)
July 12, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams IT skills targeted by government Lara Williams z The government wants IT employers to work more closely with the sector skills body e-Skills UK to improve the UK's IT capabilities. Speaking at the...

Going green is the best way forward.
July 12, 2007... Going green is the best way forward z Thanks to last Saturday's Live Earth concerts promoting environmentalism, green issues have been high in the public consciousness this week. But the campaign has attracted equal amounts of...

What the experts say about IT skills.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Karen Price What the experts say about IT skills z The professional development of the existing IT workforce is just as important as the training of new entrants to the industry. To allow people to stay up-to-date with the...

A change of direction.(information technology professionals and their career)
July 19, 2007... Byline: Karen Price A change of direction The UK's technology industry is growing at a fast rate and businesses must improve and develop IT skills to survive in the global economy, says Karen Price Technology is now at the...

Most in-demand skill sets.(Brief article)
July 19, 2007... Byline: Simon La Fosse Most in-demand skill sets There are four key skill sets that are most in-demand for technology leaders. Despite management fashions and a changing technology landscape, these skill sets will continue to remain at...

Put yourself in the frame.(information technology professionals and their career)
July 19, 2007... Byline: Simon La Fosse Put yourself in the frame IT professionals looking to enhance their career prospects can improve their chances by adopting a few simple strategies, says Simon La Fosse When it comes to the most...

CASE STUDY: RM.(innovative method of recruiting information technology professionals)
July 19, 2007... Byline: James Mortleman CASE STUDY RM z Leading educational software and systems supplier RM has come up with an innovative way to attract the best IT talent into the organisation -- by giving them a virtual world to explore and a...

Recruiting campaign.(managing recruitment services )
July 19, 2007... Byline: James Mortleman Recruiting campaign James Mortleman looks at how companies trying to fill vacancies can get the most from their recruitment consultants For many IT professionals and organisations, recruitment...

Nice work if you can get it.
July 19, 2007... Byline: James Mortleman Nice work if you can get it z Working in public sector IT might not be as rewarding financially as a private sector role, but it can be far more rewarding in terms of quality of work and work-life balance. ...

CASE STUDY: Government IT Profession.(Case study)
July 19, 2007... Byline: James Mortleman CASE STUDY Government IT Profession z With the advent of joined-up government and shared services, the IT skills strategy to support the government's transformational agenda is today co-ordinated centrally...

Public sector IT is making waves.(demand for information technology professionals)
July 19, 2007... Byline: James Mortleman Public sector IT is making waves James Mortleman looks at how the public sector IT transformation is having an impact on the demand for workers The past few years have seen the biggest shake-up...

Public sector must embrace IT innovation.
July 19, 2007... Byline: David Varney Public sector must embrace IT innovation The interaction between government services and citizens is in desperate need of improvement, says David Varney z Public services absorb 20 per cent of the UK...

Computacenter gives downbeat performance.(acquired Digica)(Brief article)
July 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Computacenter gives downbeat performance IT services firm delivers disappointing results six months after acquiring Digica, reports Dave Friedlos z Increasing competition from large outsourcing companies and...

Virtualisation setting new standards.(Column)
July 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Virtualisation setting new standards Firms are broadening their virtualisation outlook to save on costs, says Dave Friedlos z Financial services group Standard Life is testing desktop virtualisation...

Better to be safe than sorry.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Mark Samuels Better to be safe than sorry IT managers must start looking after sensitive data properly or face the consequences, says Mark Samuels z Computing features editor Chris Slinn recently received an envelope of...

Stop holding out for a hero -- become one.(information technology professionals and their career)
July 19, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Stop holding out for a hero -- become one The IT industry is suffering from a lack of role models. But every IT leader has the opportunity to inspire, says Bryan Glick z Who inspired you to become what...

Charity fights against overzealous spam filters.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Charity fights against overzealous spam filters Lisa Kelly z Charity Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) has overcome some unique spam filtering problems by switching suppliers. The international development...

Remote access helps disabled.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Remote access helps disabled Lisa Kelly z Charity AbilityNet has doubled the number of disabled people it can help by introducing remote access technology. The charity adapts computers for use by disabled...

Payments plan a work in progress.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Payments plan a work in progress Lara Williams z The November launch date for the UK banking industry plan to speed up payment processing has been delayed because it failed to meet its testing schedule. ...

backbytes.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes Verifying our Volvo venturer z Exciting news. Stop the presses. Hold the back page. The golden Volvo has an owner. 'The car in question certainly belonged to someone who used to work at...

Shared services plan for London boroughs.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Shared services plan for London boroughs Authorities given the opportunity to use GLA web site infrastructure Dave Friedlos z The Greater London Authority (GLA) is planning to offer its newly-procured...

BA looks to the future as innovation becomes a priority.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly BA looks to the future as innovation becomes a priority CIO Paul Coby says IT is integral to BA keeping up with changing times Lisa Kelly z British Airways chief information officer (CIO) Paul Coby is...

Heathrow's Terminal 5 checks in early as IT systems are tested ahead of official opening.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Heathrow's Terminal 5 checks in early as IT systems are tested ahead of official opening Dave Friedlos z Airport operator BAA and British Airways have begun joint testing of Heathrow Terminal 5 (T5)...

Brewer samples collaboration.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Neon Kelly Brewer samples collaboration Staff at SABMiller to communicate via internal wikis, blogs and instant messaging Neon Kelly z International brewer SABMiller has implemented collaboration software to improve...

Travelex combats card fraud.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Travelex combats card fraud Dave Friedlos z Foreign exchange specialist Travelex has introduced a new system to reduce fraud on its Cash Passport product, a pre-paid card that stores foreign ...

BA leads travel revolution.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos BA leads travel revolution Airline sees integrated systems as key to new passenger experience Dave Friedlos z British Airways (BA) wants to integrate its IT systems with other travel organisations to...

IT migration to give Revenue staff single view of data.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams IT migration to give Revenue staff single view of data Lara Williams z HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is to replace 12 geographical databases and give staff access to a single customer view of all pay, tax,...

Joined-up IT comes closer to reality.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Computing Joined-up IT comes closer to reality z The phrase 'joined-up government' is already on its way to becoming a Blair-era political clichA[c], which would be ironic as the public sector starts to take meaningful steps...

AstraZeneca to outsource IT.
July 19, 2007... Byline: Tom Young AstraZeneca to outsource IT Tom Young z AstraZeneca has signed a seven-year, $1.4bn ([pounds sterling]700m) strategic outsourcing agreement with IBM to provide IT infrastructure services to its operations in...

Epos provides information on-demand.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Mark Samuels Epos provides information on-demand z Luxury retailer Harrods is a busy business. About 950 tills are open on a peak trading day, dealing with about 1.4 million different catalogue items. IT director David...

Making it big.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Mark Samuels Making it big Mark Samuels speaks to Harrods' IT director about how the retailer's infrastructure has evolved and the plans for future developments David Llamas, IT director at Harrods, has...

Case Study.(Case study)
July 26, 2007... Byline: Linda More Case Study Betfair z Betfair is one of the largest online gaming companies in the world, with more than a million registered users. It provides online sports betting, casino, poker and exchange-based games and...

What the experts say about cardholder-not-present fraud.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Linda More What the experts say about cardholder-not-present fraud z We believe the way forward is by putting in an extra layer of security and making sure that all card payments are 3D Secure. To do this requires the education...

The new fraud squad.(combating credit card fraud)(Column)
July 26, 2007... Byline: Linda More The new fraud squad Linda More reports on the fast-growing problem of cardholder-not-present fraud and examines the techniques companies have devised to keep one step ahead of fraudsters Costing [pounds...

Crime pays if you outsource it.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Mark Kobayashi-Hillary We outsource everything from crime reporting to selling books about small wizards, says Mark Kobayashi-Hillary z I bought a new bicycle last week, and the first time I rode it into central London, someone...

Look before you leap into Web 2.0.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Look before you leap into Web 2.0 Business giants are keen to become involved in Web 2.0 technology, but they shouldn't lose sight of security issues, says Dave Friedlos z At the risk of being called a...

Consumer data is not being protected.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Consumer data is not being protected Big business breaching the Data Protection Act is unacceptable, writes Tom Young z The Information Commissioner's annual report this month highlighted that many companies...

E-voting trial fails to answer technology questions.(Column)
July 26, 2007... Byline: David Evans E-voting trial fails to answer technology questions On one side voter apathy; on the other, security concerns. Will e-voting gain the public's trust, asks David Evans z While being terribly low tech, the...

SAP sales growth fuels battle for domination.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos SAP sales growth fuels battle for domination Oracle faces greater competition, following SAP's increase in software sales, reports Dave Friedlos z SAP has increased its second quarter sales above expectations,...

Country survey goes digital.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Country survey goes digital Lisa Kelly z The latest study of the changing nature of the UK countryside will use digital mapping and business intelligence (BI) software to produce the most accurate record yet of...

Virgin Trains on track for upgrade.(Brief article)
July 26, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Virgin Trains on track for upgrade Dave Friedlos z Virgin Trains is overhauling its finance and procurement systems to improve purchasing across its West Coast and CrossCountry rail franchises. The...

BA to pilot electronic freight.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos BA to pilot electronic freight Dave Friedlos z British Airways' (BA's) freight division is to launch the world's first trial to replace paper documents with electronic processes for transportation of air...