Computing articles from March 2007

Computing archives from March 2007

Rise of the Ethernet.
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy Rise of the Ethernet More organisations are opting for Ethernet links thanks to their higher speed and flexibility. John Malachy reports Ethernet appears to have become the network transmission technology...

CASE STUDY.(Eton College contracts with Integrated Data Systems (San Francisco, California) and Extreme Networks Inc.)
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy CASE STUDY Eton College z Public school Eton College recently contracted UK systems integrator Data Integration and Extreme Networks to install and manage a campus-wide gigabit Ethernet network connecting 400...

CASE STUDY.(Luton Borough Council contracts with ntl:Telewest)
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy CASE STUDY Luton Borough Council z Last year Luton Borough Council completed a deal with ntl:Telewest, which has been running a wide area network (Wan) infrastructure to the council since 1999, to...

What the experts say.(city councils and ethernet)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy What the experts say z The trend is clear: Ethernet is growing in the access space to the detriment and displacement of Sonet/synchronous digital hierarchy, as service providers continue to look...

Taking stock.(London Stock Exchange PLC's Robin Paine improved information technology infrastructure)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Taking stock The chief technology officer at the London Stock Exchange faces the unenviable challenge of improving an IT infrastructure that has never failed. Lara Williams reports The role of chief...

What the experts say.
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy What the experts say z We have not yet seen organisations make effective use of collaboration software as one entity -- seamlessly using email, instant messaging (IM), voice over IP (VoIP) and discussion groups...

Case study.
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malachy Case study Reuters Communication & Collaboration Services z Reuters Communication & Collaboration Services (RCCS), a division of global media giant Reuters, is devoted to bringing new ways of communicating and...

Instant access.(instant messaging)
March 1, 2007... Byline: John Malacahy Instant access Interoperability and security remain issues for instant messaging, but for how much longer? John Malachy reports A report published by analyst Gartner in November predicted that...

Software sales boost HP.
March 1, 2007... Byline: dave friedlos Software sales boost HP Company enjoys increased profits of 11 per cent, reports Dave Friedlos z HP has continued its impressive growth and increased profits by 11 per cent to $25.1bn ([pounds...

Reusing discarded IT equipment must become the priority.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Rod Haddrell Reusing discarded IT equipment must become the priority Forthcoming recycling legislation presents fresh problems for businesses, says Rod Haddrell z One of the guiding principles of the European Waste...

We should welcome overseas IT staff.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Emma Nash We should welcome overseas IT staff The skills shortage in UK IT is worsening, so we must learn to accept the need for quality workers coming from abroad, says Emma Nash z The number of foreign IT workers...

metrics.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics UK banks experience phishing attacks 1 UK financial institutions were subjected to more phishing attacks in January as strikes against US firms dropped to 66 per cent of targeted brands worldwide,...

financial world.(Hewlett-Packard Co., Capita Group PLC and Network Appliance Inc. sales)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world HP z HP has posted strong first-quarter results, up 11 per cent to $25.1bn ([pounds sterling]12.8bn), driven by an 81 per cent increase in software sales following last year's acquisition of...

Oyster proposals stay on track.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Oyster proposals stay on track But technical issues need resolving before smartcards are used on overground trains, reports Dave Friedlos z Passengers on some mainline trains will be able to use their London...

CBI calls for greater focus on web security.(Central Bureau of Investigations)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young CBI calls for greater focus on web security Internet security regulations on liability needs clarification, says Tom Young z Employers' body the CBI is calling for a national strategy to clarify where...

Life sciences linked in real time.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Life sciences linked in real time Dave Friedlos z Life-sciences industry body Merseybio is using social networking tools to enable real-time collaboration between global organisations. The company...

A&L automates account switching.(Alliance & Leicester PLC)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams A&L automates account switching Bank uses BI system to cut operational costs by two-thirds Lara Williams z UK bank Alliance & Leicester (A&L) has reduced operational processing costs by 66 per cent in six...

Digital transcription cuts police red tape.(Lancashire Constabulary )(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Digital transcription cuts police red tape Tom Young z Lancashire Constabulary is using a digital transcription system to reduce paperwork and improve its audit trails. Officers can now file reports direct...

Pay-as-you-go ... in 30 seconds.(railroads installing smart card readers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Pay-as-you-go ... in 30 seconds z Train operators accepted an offer from London Mayor Ken Livingstone last month to fund the installation of smartcard readers, station equipment and back-office systems, but...

Barriers to adoption.(railroads and technology)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Barriers to adoption Train companies have outlined a number of technical issues that need to be overcome for widespread adoption of Oyster pay-as-you-go technology to go ahead. 1Just 70 of the 260...

feedback.(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... feedback Not as green as we like to think OReusing hardware in developing countries is not as green as you might think (Vista upgrades trigger surge of e-waste, 22 February). Your report contains the suggestion that by doubling the...

Automated lip reading to help tackle crime.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Automated lip reading to help tackle crime Lisa Kelly z The University of East Anglia (UEA) is leading a project to develop lip-reading systems with crime-fighting potential. UEA hopes to develop a system...

ITV unites programme data.
March 1, 2007... Byline: David Friedlos ITV unites programme data Single view of costs helps broadcaster assess performance Dave Friedlos z ITV has reduced the time it takes to assess the profitability of its drama programmes from two months...

talking point.(National Health Service and information technology )(computers consume more energy and affecting the environment)
March 1, 2007... talking point On health service IT review MPs to hold NHS IT inquiry, 15 February z Perhaps the government review should examine the experience of health trusts, looking for best practice that can be replicated elsewhere in the...

Energy supplier improves content management.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Energy supplier improves content management Lisa Kelly z Energy supplier Npower is using content management software to improve information and services for business and consumer customers across its various web...

IT validated as economy fillip.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott IT validated as economy fillip z Subtle changes to the way the government measures economic productivity do not, at first glance, appear to set the world alight. But last week's announcement from the Office of...

Comic Relief lifts e-donations.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Comic Relief lifts e-donations The charity will now be able to process 20,000 donations per second Lara Williams z Comic Relief 2007 has expanded its online payment processing systems and increased...

online.
March 1, 2007... online Computing.co.uk's most popular stories this week Online firms must build customer trust z The UK's online economy is in danger of stagnating if businesses do not build more confidence in their customers,...

Backbytes.(Satellite navigation system fails to deliver)(Beijing Times online services)(technical term for the sentence case)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes SatNaff system fails to deliver z Philip Humphries also has SatNav problems because of his house's location. His house is in the countryside -- he works for East Lindsey Borough Council -- and...

Firms fail to monitor outsourcing benefits.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Firms fail to monitor outsourcing benefits Three-quarters of firms lack the ability to measure the success of contracts Lisa Kelly z Many businesses do not understand the value of their outsourcing...

bulletin.
March 1, 2007... bulletin IT leaders reject innovation investment z Some 61 per cent of chief information officers and IT directors are reluctant to invest in new technologies, according to research by Fujitsu Siemens Computers. Some 37...

London and Tokyo exchange assets.(London Stock Exchange PLC, Tokyo Stock Exchange)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams London and Tokyo exchange assets Lara Williams z The London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) have formed a business alliance that will involve sharing IT assets and collaboration on...

Travel agent pools customer info.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Travel agent pools customer info Dave Friedlos z Adventure travel agent Abercrombie & Kent is installing customer relationship management (CRM) software to improve its view of customer data. The company...

Economic indicators credit IT.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Economic indicators credit IT Changes to government metrics will reflect knowledge ecomony Sarah Arnott z The government has reclassified software spending to bring the UK's economic indicators closer in...

Employers play down IT degrees.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Employers play down IT degrees Lara Williams z Fifty-nine per cent of employers do not regard IT degrees as essential qualifications for entering the IT industry, according to research published by sector...

Police limit e-crime probes.
March 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Police limit e-crime probes Lower-value incidents overlooked by local forces, say businesses Tom Young z Local police are imposing a threshold value below which e-crimes are not investigated, according to UK...

Further testing delays rail system arrival time.(Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Further testing delays rail system arrival time Dave Friedlos z Network Rail has again delayed trials of the troubled GSM-Railway (GSM-R) communication system. Tests of the secure voice and data...

Radio waves.(radio frequency identification initiative by European Commission)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Pamela Whitby Radio waves The controversial decision by the EC to harmonise RFID tagging will have a significant impact for all IT suppliers and users, reports Pamela Whitby A technology that could help to...

Case study: Tube Lines.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Pamela Whitby CASE STUDY Tube Lines z Imagine relying on a paper-based system to manage the maintenance of 207 miles of rail track, 251 trains, 100 stations, 227 escalators, 71 lifts and 2,395 buildings. That was the...

Improved safety or another excuse for Big Brother?(European Commission's Intelligent Car System)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Pamela Whitby Improved safety or another excuse for Big Brother? z Tell the world you have a technology that will save lives and you then have a very successful press campaign. That was the idea when the European...

What the experts say.(about radio frequency identification equipment)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Pamela Whitby What the experts say z RFID is the beginning of a new digital revolution, where the whole physical environment will be one big internet. Many physical objects will be tagged with RFID, while many personalised...

A spiral of success.(HSBC Bank PLC's information management)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams A spiral of success Reducing operating costs by just one per cent frees up millions of pounds for innovation at HSBC. Lara Williams reports on how the banking giant's research leads to efficiencies in...

Banking advances.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Banking advances z Retail banks are increasingly automating routine transactions to create a better customer experience and to help focus branch staff attention on advising on more complex products. z RFID...

financial world.(Company overview)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos financial world Atos Origin z IT services organisation Atos Origin has posted annual sales of A[currency]5.4bn ([pounds sterling]3.6bn), an organic growth of just 1.5 per cent. A one-off impairment charge of...

Metrics.(Gartner survey of information technology workers on the trends in information technology)(Forrester Research's study on financial services' IT departments)(Ovum study on information technology outsourcing)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young metrics Managers expect IT improvements 1About 30 per cent of respondents to a Gartner survey of IT managers believe the environment is already a business issue and expect IT to contribute to improving the...

Advantage programme.
March 8, 2007... Advantage programme Get educated on logistics and the supply chain z Book your place now for IT & Logistics UK, incorporating Softworld Supply Chain, the UK's leading exhibition for the supply chain and logistics industry, The...

Vets test out mobile technology.(The Royal Veterinary College)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Vets test out mobile technology Lisa Kelly z The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is using mobile technology to aid learning when students are away from the classroom treating surgery cases. Students at the...

Safety systems ... in 30 seconds.(European Rail Traffic Management System)(Global System for Mobile Communications)(Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Safety systems ... in 30 seconds z Delays in the rollout of GSM-Railway (GSM-R), a secure voice and data communication system, could hold up the installation of the European Rail Traffic Management System...

Feedback.(Letter to the editor)
March 8, 2007... feedback Stick with XP for top performance OTimothy Gilson suggests that an easy way to avoid an upgrade to Vista and a glut of redundant hardware is to move to Linux (Vista upgrades trigger surge of e-waste, 22 February, Letters, 1...

Talking point.(regulations on information management)(investments in innovative technology)(customer relationship management)
March 8, 2007... talking point On the need for compliance Laws need to be enforced, 22 February z There may be less stringent enforcement of regulations in the UK than in the US, but with finance directive Mifid looming, increased scrutiny on...

Lack of funding threatens British Library project.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Parliamentary reporter Lack of funding threatens British Library project Parliamentary reporter z Plans to cut government funding by between five and seven per cent are threatening the British Library's digitisation...

Time to stand by IT plans.(for public sector)(information technology)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Time to stand by IT plans z That the first phase of the national system for sharing police intelligence has foundered is not good news: not for police forces, nor the IT industry, nor the British public. But...

Qualifications devalued, warns IDC.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Qualifications devalued, warns IDC Tom Young z Businesses view IT security qualifications as less relevant because there are so many of them, according to research published by analyst IDC. The report says...

UK slates proposed EIT centre.(European Institute of Technology)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott UK slates proposed EIT centre Businesses hold key to improving European technology status Sarah Arnott z UK opposition to European Commission plans for a research centre to rival the Massachusetts...

Online.(InterContinental Hotels Group PLC outsourced payment program)(spam and malware increase)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... online Computing.co.uk's most popular stories this week Spam levels continue to increase z For the fifth consecutive month Spam levels have risen with 77.8 per cent of all emails sent in February being junk mail, says...

Leadership flaws add to IT project failures.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Leadership flaws add to IT project failures More detailed business monitoring is essential Lara Williams z A lack of governance and an increasingly fast rate of technology change are contributing to high...

Network Rail timetables key outsourcing move.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Network Rail timetables key outsourcing move Dave Friedlos z Network Rail is to outsource significant parts of its IT infrastructure in a multimillion-pound deal. The organisation will retain control only...

bulletin.
March 8, 2007... bulletin Welsh Assembly to launch e-crime unit z A dedicated unit is to be created within the Welsh Assembly's Department of Enterprise Innovation and Networks to help highlight, track and reduce the impact of e-crime on business. The...

backbytes.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Tim Phillips backbytes The dog ate my homework z An online site selling excuses is a prime opportunity to take people's money and give them nothing in return. Nothing except excuses why they didn't give them what they paid...

Data sharing improves agency care.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Data sharing improves agency care Lara Williams z Regional Development Agency (RDA) Yorkshire Forward is introducing a single database to simplify its support provided to small businesses through government...

Voca and Link to join forces.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Voca and Link to join forces Merging companies to keep core technology platforms separate Lara Williams z Payment services provider Voca and banking network operator Link have announced plans to merge,...

Check out our new-look site.(computing.co.uk)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Check out our new-look site z Our web site, computing.co.uk, relaunches today with a new, easy-to-use design and extra content to make it your essential guide to business technology. A key part of the relaunch...

Budget threat to police plans.(Cross-Regional Information Sharing Project)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott Budget threat to police plans Cutbacks could force a rewrite of national database scheme for sharing intelligence information Sarah Arnott z The future of a major element of the Impact national...

The noose tightens on software pirates.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young The noose tightens on software pirates Firms must be more responsible as the law gets tougher, reports Tom Young z A mobile phone engineer was last week fined [pounds sterling]3,400 for illegally sharing software...

How ERTMS works.(European Rail Traffic Management System)(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos How ERTMS works ERTMS is a European computerised safety and interoperability system designed to reduce the risk of accidents and increase capacity. 1Transponders will be positioned at regular...

Safety system stuck in sidings.(Department for Transport of United Kingdom planning to install European Rail Traffic Management System)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Safety system stuck in sidings Technology behind rail safety system is proving more complex than expected, reports Dave Friedlos z Confusion surrounds the schedule for rollout of a computerised safety system...

Honda revs up with complete IT refresh.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Dave Friedlos Honda revs up with complete IT refresh F1 race team ensures infrastructure in place in time for new season Dave Friedlos z The Honda Racing Formula One (F1) team is replacing its entire IT...

UK told to hurry integration with EU crime system.(Brief article)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Parliamentary reporter UK told to hurry integration with EU crime system Parliamentary reporter z The UK's delay in joining an EU immigration and crime system could damage attempts to fight cross-border law-breaking,...

Shortage of CRM skills will create project failures.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly Shortage of CRM skills will create project failures Lisa Kelly z By the end of next year a quarter of customer relationship management (CRM) projects will be postponed or cancelled because of a shortage of...

Humberside force adds biometrics to police armoury.
March 8, 2007... Byline: Tom Young Humberside force adds biometrics to police armoury Tom Young z Humberside Police has introduced biometric USB sticks to allow information to be securely moved outside the force network. The sticks...

E-petitions should fire political debate.(public political participation)
March 8, 2007... Byline: Sarah Arnott E-petitions should fire political debate Engaging the public's political opinions via the internet will work only if it forms part of a properly-constructed dialogue, says Sarah Arnott z The prime...

Keep the customer satisfied.(small and medium size enterprises)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Keep the customer satisfied A Computing web seminar looked at how small firms can attract and build custom. Bryan Glick reports Putting customers at the heart of your business is essential for all companies...

Public relations.
March 15, 2007... Byline: Paul Cooper Public relations The onus is on businesses to make technology a viable option for consumers, says Paul Cooper Good news -- the public, of all ages, is very willing to adopt customer service technology,...

CASE STUDY.(NetStore PLC investing customer relationship management software)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Lisa Kelly CASE STUDY Netstore Lisa Kelly z Netstore, a provider of managed IT services, decided to invest in a customer relationship management (CRM) system to help grow the business. 'Growth by acquisition is...

Technology is bearing fruit.(for Innocent)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick Technology is bearing fruit Does anyone know anyone rich? That email signalled the start of the Innocent success story. Bryan Glick reports Drinks manufacturer Innocent made its first sale in April 1999...

What the experts say.(customer service and technology)(Brief article)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Paul Cooper What the experts say z The more technology becomes reliable, the more customer perceptions about its value to them will be enhanced, and the more they will be prepared to use it. Customers are very willing to...

What the experts say on CRM.
March 15, 2007... Byline: Bryan Glick What the experts say on CRM z The significant thing now is that you can now communicate with the world for free. I used to work in advertising 10 years ago, and if you want to make an advert, you would have to spend...

Services industry positions UK as leading player in global arena.
March 15, 2007... Byline: Richard Sykes Services industry positions UK as leading player in global arena Growth in offshoring presents new challenges to UK IT, say Richard Sykes and Mark Kobayashi-Hillary, right z Here is a quiz question for you....

Virgin off to a flying start.
March 15, 2007... Byline: Lara Williams Virgin off to a flying start Real-time information improves Virgin Retail's supply chain efficiencies and customer service, writes Lara Williams Aeroplanes are not the only things to fly under the Virgin...

Case study: Eversheds.
March 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Case study Eversheds z Three years ago City law firm Eversheds launched a project to consolidate its nine client databases, which were mostly region-specific and running on different platforms. Eversheds...

Case study: Humberside Police.(to renengineer their intelligence databases)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Case study Humberside police z When Humberside police decided to re-engineer its criminal intelligence databases, which include information about offenders, victims and vehicles, it knew it had to get the data...

What the experts say about data management.(Discussion)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas What the experts say about data management z Before we had the process in place, data was coming to us from external sources and we would just load it into the system. We now have 420,000 companies on our database...

Information overdrive.
March 15, 2007... Byline: Kim Thomas Information overdrive Ensuring databases are accurate is fundamental for any organisation to be able to work effectively, writes Kim Thomas Information is the lifeblood of the modern organisation. Critical...

What the experts say about SOA.(service oriented architecture)(Discussion)(Brief article)
March 15, 2007... Byline: Gary Flood What the experts say about SOA z SOA development needs to be much more effective. Effectiveness is possible, but it requires a focus on global thinking, architecture simplification, performance optimisation,...