Computer Weekly articles from January 2006

Computer Weekly archives from January 2006

awards The shortlist for the Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Awardshighlights the most progressive employers across all vertical sectors Did your firm make the shortlist?
January 17, 2006... Computer Weekly's Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Awards recognise those organisations which have placed themselves at the forefront of best practice in the workplace. The judges kept in mind three main criteria during the selection of the...

ERP system chips in to expansion plan.(Enterprise resource planning)(Naturally Best uses Tropos enterprise planning system of SSI)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Potato supplier Naturally Best is installing a [pounds sterling]300,000 Tropos enterprise planning system from SSI to help manage its expansion during 2006. The system will provide real-time information to suppliers and customers of...

government IT Revenue IT sends out fines to innocent firms.(Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... merge the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise, and make 12,500 staff cuts and [pounds sterling]507m of efficiency savings by early 2008. Computer Weekly last year highlighted the temporary inability of HMRC's systems and processes to...

outsourcing Housing Corp terminates [pounds sterling]17m Elonex IT contract.(Housing Corporation of United Kingdom ends its contract with Elonex and signs with NetStore PLC.)
January 17, 2006... Application service provider project at heart of IT modernisation planl Responsibility for project handed over to sub-contractor Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk The Housing Corporation has terminated a [pounds sterling]17m...

careers clinic January is often a time for people to review their careers and think about new directions. Life coach Steve Errey answers some common questions Making the right career moves in 2006.(Column)
January 17, 2006... Time to move on? I have been in the same job for some years now. I feel comfortable in it, and it allows me time outside of work to do the things I enjoy, but I feel I am capable of doing more, and that my skills are underused. I know I...

SMARt projects More patients treated as doctors cut time spent travelling to meetings Video conferencing system allows cancer experts to spend more time with patients.(Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire Cancer Network uses video conferencing facilities supplied by Audio Visual Machines and Polycom Inc.)
January 17, 2006... Will Hadfield will.hadfield@rbi.co.uk The Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire (SWSH) Cancer Network is using video conferencing to enable senior medical staff to spend more time with patients. The network, which is the centre of...

compliance Oracle ERP apps to aid regulatory compliance.(enterprise resource planning)(Oracle Internal Controls Manager 5.0 and Financial Consolidation Hub 2.0)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Oracle is developing two products for its E-Business suite designed to help companies comply with regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley. The applications are part of Oracle E-Business Suite 11i....

employment Government becomes UK's largest employer of freelance IT workers.(survey by Giant Group)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk The proportion of IT contractors working in the public sector has doubled to 27% over the past two years, a survey by contractor services firm Giant Group has found. The results mean the...

storage EMC buys data grid software capability.(of Acxiom Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk EMC has strengthened its information lifecycle management strategy with the acquisition of grid software from information management supplier Acxiom. The data storage provider also plans to work with...

service oriented architecture Next step for SOA management as Mercury takes over Systinet.(Mercury Interactive Corp. acquires Systinet Corp.)
January 17, 2006... Users need better control to demonstrate business value of SOAsl Analyst highlights link between IT management and SOA execution Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Mercury, a provider of business technology optimisation software,...

systems CA to add self-healing capabilities.(Computer Associates International Inc. plans enhance Unicenter systems management products)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk CA plans to add self-healing capabilities to its Unicenter systems management products, following its acquisition of Control-F1, a firm that develops IT support software that can automatically...

enterprise software Firms failing to fully exploit ERP systems.(survey of the usage of Enterprise Resource Planning)(survey of pan-European companies by PMP Research)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk Few companies are making full use of their enterprise resource planning systems, despite the high cost of the software and the length of time an implementation can take, research has revealed. ...

case study Standard Life builds VPN.
January 17, 2006... Secure link will enable staff to access applications remotely via a browserl Access control system restricts data according to user, location and device Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk Financial services company Standard Life...

security US finances open source bug work.(Department of Homeland Security finances Stanford University and Coverity for testing bugs in open source software)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The US Department of Homeland Security is paying out [pounds sterling]730,000 to hunt for bugs in open source software and develop an open source code scanner to help prevent future errors. ...

opinion Ian Watmore, former government CIO and newly appointed head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, considers the challenges of delivering citizen-centred reforms E-government: from strategy to delivery.(Column)
January 17, 2006... Many commentators have welcomed our Transformational Government strategy published in November, but warned of the challenges in delivering it. When the job of leading the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit was advertised late last year, it...

public sector Aberdeen installs Novell e-mail system.(Aberdeen City Council)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Aberdeen City Council has introduced an e-mail and collaborative working system from Novell for 3,500 employees. The council went to full European tender for the contract and received bids...

case study AgustaWestland boosts network availability.
January 17, 2006... Christian Annesley christian.annesley@rbi.co.uk Helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland has installed a network comprising three Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprises platforms running over a fibre infrastructure in a bid to ensure it does not...

case study Store card provider implements Oracle 10g system to ensure around-the-clock service.(PrePay Technologies)
January 17, 2006... Downtime elimination a key goal for PrePay l Cluster databases offer high availabilityl Data is mirrored at a disaster recovery site Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk PrePay Technologies, which runs prepaid debit card, gift card...

case study Lettings group looks to hosted messaging for franchise support.(Belvoir Letting Agents used Microsoft Hosted Exchange from Cobweb Inc.)
January 17, 2006... Hosted messaging will be deployed to 92 offices l System will boost head office's comms control l Staff get 24x7 access via PC or mobile browser Christian Annesley christian.annesley@rbi.co.uk Belvoir Letting Agents, one of the...

software Move to XP before Vista, say analysts.(Microsoft Windows XP)(Microsoft Windows Vista operating system)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Firms that have skipped releases of Microsoft Windows to wait for the Vista operating system, which is due out this year, should migrate to Windows XP to avoid potential problems with application...

government it Socitm welcomes Watmore move.(Ian Watmore is promoted to the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit)(society of information technology management)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Computer Weekly reporter computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Angela Waite, president of local government IT directors organisation Socitm, last week welcomed the promotion of govern- ment CIO Ian Watmore to head of the Prime Minister's Delivery...

Financial reporting software lets oil firm drill down into management data.(JKX Oil & Gas PLC. uses Cartesis Inc.'s financial software)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... JKX Oil & Gas, an energy exploration group headquartered in London, has begun using financial and management reporting software from Cartesis to give the group's boardroom decision-makers more sophisticated and timely reports covering...

systems Free Oracle database with Sun kit.(Sun offer)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Sun is to offer users of its high-end Ultrasparc servers 12 months free subscription to Oracle's flagship database, in a bid to encourage users to upgrade to the latest Sun hardware. Oracle said...

financial services SMEs miss Bacstel switch deadline.(Small and medium sized companies)(Bacstel-IP payments processing system)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Christian Annesley christian.annesley@rbi.co.uk Thousands of businesses have yet to migrate to the Bacstel-IP payments processing system, despite the old Bacs system being switched off on 1 January, clearing house Voca has revealed....

security Security institute plans Feb launch.(Institute for Information Security Professionals)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk The UK's first professional body for IT security staff, the Institute for Information Security Professionals, is gearing up for a formal launch at the end of February. The institute aims to...

case study Labatt rolls out datawarehouse to boost performance measurement.(Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. uses Kalido datawarehouse system )
January 17, 2006... Intelligence system cuts time taken to introduce business metricsl System can show how individual roles affect overall performance Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Labatt Breweries has rolled out a Kalido business intelligence...

Emergency fix to system as department presses ahead with drive for online filing of returns Revenue red-faced as IT system wrongly fines 10,000 companies.(Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs of United Kingdom)
January 17, 2006... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk HM Revenue and Customs has apologised to 10,000 firms after fining them at least [pounds sterling]400 each by mistake because of a basic flaw in the design of automatic systems that issue penalty...

my take Peter Leahy, head of IT at Endsleigh Insurance Services, guides you through this week's issue.(Government information technology services)(Column)
January 17, 2006... What next for Watmore? It is my sincere hope for Ian Watmore than he gets the unequivocal backing of the prime minister to make the hard decisions that await him in his new role. As head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, he will know that...

Best Places to Work finalists.(Computer Weekly Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Awards)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... The shortlist of the leading candidates for the Computer Weekly Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Awards is revealed today. Public and private sector organisations from across the board of UK employers have competed for a place on the...

security Don't take bait, Barclays warns users.(Barclays Bank PLC.)(F.Secure software is used to prevent phishing e-mail )(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Barclays Bank has warned of a sophisticated new phishing e-mail which takes users to a fake Barclays site requesting security details, as well as opening the bank's real site in a separate...

news.(Andrew Pinder appointed for British Educational Communications and Technology Agency)(Salesforce.com Inc. service discontinuation)(Haas and Mills Group Inc. signed a contract with Tiscali A/S)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2006... IN BRIEF Salesforce.com suffers CRM service outage Salesforce.com, which offers hosted customer relationship management systems, has confirmed that its European subscribers faced an outage earlier this month. The outage, which hit...

news.(BT Global Services used CyberGuard Corp.'s firewall)(Walsall Council did not given outsourcing deal to Fujitsu Ltd.)(investigation of accounting of employee stock options of International Business Machines Corp. by Securities and Exchange Commission )
January 17, 2006... IN BRIEF Walsall U-turn on outsourcing mega deal Walsall Council has dropped a proposed outsourcing deal with Fujitsu, which in December 2004 was named preferred bidder for the [pounds sterling]500m contract. Council leader Tom Ansell...

all change at network rail.(Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd. information management department)
January 17, 2006... Network Rail's director of information management has one of the most challenging roles in corporate IT. Joe van Valkenburgh oversees an annual technology budget of [pounds sterling]138m and has the power to veto any IT project in the company....

awards The shortlist for the Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Awardshighlights the most progressive employers across all vertical sectors Did your firm make the shortlist?
January 17, 2006... The shortlist awards The shortlist for the Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Awardshighlights the most progressive employers across all vertical sectors Did your firm make the shortlist? Computer Weekly's Best Places to Work in IT...

Crime prevention requires a non-academic approach Inside the hacker's mind.(Column)
January 17, 2006... Much of my working life has involved support for the development of standards and criteria. Unfortunately, the way that these important tools are used is not always constructive. Much the same applies to dependence on qualifications. ...

British computer society RFID tagging used to fight back against counterfeit drug problem.(radio frequency identification equipment)
January 17, 2006... USpharmaceutical firms use tagging systemsl Retailers can check authenticity of productsl Systems likely to be adopted in the UK Roger Lewis computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly using radio...

INSIDE the bcs Event offers expert advice on using scenarios.
January 17, 2006... Justin Richards computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk The BCS Requirements Engineering Specialist Group is running a day of events on scenarios on 9 February. The morning includes tutorials by Ian Alexander, creator of the Scenario Plus...

hot skills Demand for open source desktop systems is rising slowly Low costs appeal but lack of apps holds back desktop Linux take-up.
January 17, 2006... Nick Langley computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk What is it? Desktop Linux is simply the Linux operating system with a desktop graphical user interface. Linux can be scaled from the desktop to the largest enterprise system, and it has done...

Revenue IT still has a hill to climb.(Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs of UK online tax collection methods are not successful)
January 17, 2006... HM Revenue and Customs was coy late last year about listing its IT-related achievements. Aware that its chairman David Varney and chief information officer Steve Lamey had enjoyed some success with IT-enabled reforms, we had asked its officials...

a The benefits of staff development.
January 24, 2006... No employer would be considered a good employer if they did not strive to bring on those who work there and maximise the individual potential of every member of staff. Among those shortlisted for this year's Best Place to Work in IT Awards...

Managing complexity is the main event.(service oriented architecture technology)
January 24, 2006... Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk The latest generation of service oriented architecture (SOA) technology could help IT departments meet demands for business process monitoring systems that can combine information in real time. ...

Data infrastructure Business data follows where blog feeds lead.
January 24, 2006... An important bit of the business data infrastructure is now being decided in the "blogosphere" - that amorphous cloud of interlinked personal weblogs that mainly seems to consist either of geeks or teenagers writing about their personal lives....

The multifunction printer comes of age.
January 24, 2006... Eric Doyle computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Convergence is not just happening with networks and mobile devices, it is making its presence felt in printer technology. Printers have merged with scanners and communications technology to...

case study Henkel rolls out e-recruitment across Europe.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Henkel, a manufacturing company whose brands include Persil, is rolling out electronic recruitment software from Jobpartners across Europe in a move designed to shorten the time it takes to hire...

Rfid Doubts over returns hinder RFID take-up.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Few Western European manufacturing, retail, wholesale, and logistics companies piloted or were planning to pilot radio frequency identification technology in 2005. Research by analyst firm IDC has...

CONTRACTS.(Gamestec Leisure Ltd. contracts with British Telecommunications PLC)(3i Group PLC contracts with Colt Corp.)(Booths contract with Voiteq)
January 24, 2006... Gamestec Leisure signs BT for five-year deal Gamestec Leisure, which operates gaming and amusement machines, has signed a five-year deal worth [pounds sterling]10m with BT for an enhanced managed broadband network. The deal will see more...

SMARt projects Network allows teachers to pool resources and schedule work Service continuity is key as Leeds Learning Network takes the managed service route.(Leeds City Council contracts with Synetrix)
January 24, 2006... Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Continuity of services was a key factor when Leeds Learning Network, a filtered internet service provider for more than 400 schools, libraries and learning centres around Leeds, decided to use a...

security Data security failings.(survey on corporation for their data security management)(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Businesses across Europe are failing to secure their critical business data, despite its importance to the business, a survey of 150 IT directors has revealed. The research, covering...

nhs it Doctors still frustrated by lack of system choice under national programme for IT.
January 24, 2006... Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Users of the most popular GP system are becoming increasingly frustrated with continuing uncertainty over their future upgrade path and maintenance under the [pounds sterling]6.2bn national...

collaboration software Tool helps users share bookmarks.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk A tool that allows staff to share their web browser bookmarks has been developed by NetInfo. The tool, called Notorious, is designed to help organisations where competitive or regulatory...

mobile computing Dual-core processors and better batteries in new laptop generation.
January 24, 2006... Laptops that support latest wireless standardsdebut at Las Vegas showl Dual-core chips, power efficiencies and new screens demonstrated Arif Mohamed computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Several notebook technology innovations were unveiled at...

pay Pay growth stabilising, says study.(for information technology workers)(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Pay rates for IT professionals stabilised last year after seven months of fluctuating growth, the latest iProfile/Atsco quarterly skills survey has revealed. The average salary for permanent...

in brief.(Taxware International Inc. contracts with Oracle Corp.)(Google Inc. new service to view homepage on mobile phones)(serial ATA usage)(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Taxware integrates with Oracle's PeopleSoft Tax software provider Taxware has achieved Oracle-validated integration between its products and Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise 8.9 financial management platform. Taxware, a provider of global...

networks Foundry switches to provide VoIP support.(Foundry Networks Inc.'s network switches)(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Foundry Networks has unveiled two 10 Gigabit Ethernet application acceleration switches to support voice over IP and other web applications. The ServerIronGT switches will be available next...

e-mail Mozilla adds phishing controls to free e-mail.(Mozilla introduces Thunderbird 1.5)(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Mozilla has launched Thunderbird 1.5, the latest version of its free e-mail client, which includes spam and phishing controls plus support for RSS (Really Simple Syndication). Mozilla said version...

software HP and IBM boost retail IT with infrastructure management drive.
January 24, 2006... HPlaunches retail software package and maintenance servicel IBM Bladecenter system consolidates in-store infrastructure Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk Options for retail IT managers broadened last week as Hewlett-Packard and...

skills Degrees provided out-of-date technology skills, say graduates.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Will Hadfield will.hadfield@rbi.co.uk Nearly half of last year's graduates believe that university degrees failed to provide them with up-to-date IT skills, according to a survey of visitors to Graduate-Jobs.com, a jobs site for...

wireless First draft for 802.11n due to be approved.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk The IEEE standards committee is expected to adopt a first draft of the 802.11n specification this week. The 802.11n specification is designed to improve the bandwidth of wireless networks, supporting...

skills MS .net set to be most wanted skill in 2006.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Will Hadfield will.hadfield@rbi.co.uk Knowledge of Microsoft .net development will be the most desired IT skill in 2006, according to a survey of 296 large employers by training company QA. More than 100 companies said .net...

case study GAP eyes [pounds sterling]3m profit leap from rentals software.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Plant hire company will use rental management system to support growthl System forecast to boost firm's operating profitability by [pounds sterling]3.4m Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Construction plant hire firm GAP Group...

in brief.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Draft General Public Licence update released The Free Software Foundation has released the first draft of the General Public Licence version 3, as the first move to update the GPL's patent and digital rights management provisions, which...

working in the public sector Government employers facing a shortage of IT contractors with security clearance.
January 24, 2006... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Public sector employers are experiencing shortages of IT contractors with the security clearance needed to work on sensitive networking projects. Demand for IT contractors with security...

Merseyside fire service gets hosted financials system.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority has signed a five-year contract with Netstore to deliver a managed finance and payroll system. Netstore will provide the fire service with the latest version of the eFinancials finance application from...

outsourcing Price flexibility key to Gap's [pounds sterling]650m IBM deal.
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Clothing retailer Gap has signed a 10-year, [pounds sterling]650m IT outsourcing deal with IBM. Gap, which operates more than 3,000 stores worldwide, is hiring IBM to streamline its IT operations...

software licensing Views sought on EU patent system.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas antony.savvas@rbi.co.uk The European Commission has launched a consultation on the introduction of a European-wide software patenting system, months after the proposal was rejected by the European Parliament. Charlie...

RFID Wal-Mart tests RFID data integration system.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Retailer Wal-Mart is testing a system to integrate data taken from radio frequency identification tags with automated electronic data interchange information. Wal-Mart is already a retail...

N BRIEF.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... I DSG signs co-sourcing contract with HCL DSG International, which runs Dixons, Currys, PC World and The Link, has signed a multi-million pound co-sourcing contract with IT services provider HCL Technologies. HCL will provide system...

ID cards Government departments stalling on ID cards.
January 24, 2006... Bill Goodwin bill.goodwin@rbi.co.uk Government departments have not bought into the Home Office's [pounds sterling]5.8bn ID card scheme. Despite three and a half years of marketing by the Home Office and Downing Street, no other...

lotusphere conference Collaboration systems are key to Lotus future.
January 24, 2006... Cliff Saran cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Delegates at the annual Lotusphere conference in Orlando this week face important questions about the future direction of the IBM-owned Lotus Notes and Domino e-mail platforms. Microsoft Exchange...

security Patch back-up systems, users warned.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Companies are being urged to patch their data back-up systems against a number of security vulnerabilities in EMC and Veritas products. EMC has issued three patches for flaws in its...

service oriented architecture Harrods develops SOA to provide a single view of customer details.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... March launch for single view after migration of legacy systems to SAPl Retailer expects SOA to reduce time to complete new IT projects Will Hadfield will.hadfield@rbi.co.uk Harrods is developing a service oriented architecture to...

Will your team rise to the challenge?
January 24, 2006... Care International is calling on IT departments to sign up for its annual Vanco Adventure Challenge, which will take place on 15-16 July. The two-day event pits the IT world's outdoor enthusiasts against each other in a tough challenge that...

Downtime.
January 24, 2006... Be hip and get in with the IT out crowd IT is finally having its day in the sitcom sun with Channel 4's latest Friday night offering, called The IT Crowd. Predictably enough, the show - which broadcasts on Channel 4 on 3 February and...

case study US clothing firm trials BI system in the UK.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... European test of demand planning system allows US scalabilityl Pace of sales growth dictated demand for business intelligence Will Hadfield will.hadfield@rbi.co.uk US-based clothing manufacturer Russell Corporation is using the UK...

Mobile Blackberry US dispute hots up.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk A US company has stepped up its threats to shut down the network used in the US for Blackberry's push e-mail system. NTP is suing Blackberry maker Research In Motion for alleged patent...

call centres Barclays five-second cut adds up to [pounds sterling]1m savings.
January 24, 2006... Bank uses performance management system at its four contact centresl Five-second cut in call handling time equates to [pounds sterling]1m over five years Christian Annesley christian.annesley@rbi.co.uk Barclays has improved the...

software MS changes support cycle.(Microsoft Corp.)(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Antony Savvas computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk Microsoft has changed the timing of its product support lifecycle so that it coincides with the release of its monthly security bulletin. The company said it made the switch to simplify the...

government it Government puts cost of online tax credits identity theft at [pounds sterling]2.7m.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Lindsay Clark lindsay.clark@rbi.co.uk Identity thieves stole [pounds sterling]2.7m from the online tax credits system, the government admitted last week. In a statement to parliament, paymaster general Dawn Primarolo said the...

Financial services Bank tracks costs by activity tool.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Christian Annesley christian.annesley@rbi.co.uk Allied Irish Banks (AIB) has introduced an activity-based management tool in its money transmission and lending operation in order to gain a better insight into businesses processes...

Government It Prime minister comes under fire over government IT programmes.
January 24, 2006... Questions raised about three-year delay on police intelligence systeml MPs press Blair to say whether technology behind ID cards will work Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk The prime minister faced questions in the House of...

Security Police urge action on web attacks.(Brief article)
January 24, 2006... Arif Mohamed arif.mohamed@rbi.co.uk The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) has advised businesses to ensure they have the technology in place to counter attacks on their websites. The warning came after high-profile distributed...

security Oracle fixes 82 flaws in database software and application suites.
January 24, 2006... Patches released as part of Oracle's scheduled quarterly security updatel Fixes included for PeopleSoft and JDEdwards product range Cliff Saran and Antony Savvas cliff.saran@rbi.co.uk Oracle has released patches addressing 82...

news.
January 24, 2006... IN BRIEF N Ireland Water Service awards [pounds sterling]70m contract Northern Ireland Water Service has awarded a seven-year, [pounds sterling]70m contract to the Xansa-led Crystal Alliance to provide a customer billing and contacts...

Lords back CW on ID card secrecy.
January 24, 2006... Tony Collins tony.collins@rbi.co.uk Repeated refusals by the government to publish the results of Gateway reviews into the ID cards scheme were criticised during a parliamentary debate last week. The Earl of Northesk, a...