IT Week (UK) articles from August 2007

IT Week (UK) archives from August 2007

Sage joins mid-market.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Sage joins mid-market Martin Veitch Sage is continuing its quest to branch out from accounting with the launch of Sage 200. The release is aimed at the mid-sized business audience that has recently become a...

VMware Fusion touches down.(Brief article)
August 6, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch VMware Fusion touches down VMware will today release its long-awaited Fusion product that lets Macs run Windows apps without losing the Apple look and feel. In beta since December, Fusion supports dual-core...

EHS symptoms found to be genuine.(Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity)
August 6, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey EHS symptoms found to be genuine New report on electromagnetic hypersensitivity finds real symptoms but no link to phone signals The report on peopleA-s susceptibility to mobile phone radiation by Professor...

HPA's Windows Mobile handset offers advanced voice features to corporates.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson HPA-s Windows Mobile handset offers advanced voice features to corporates The business-oriented Voice Messenger boasts support for VoIP, Wi-Fi and SIP HPA-s iPaq 514 Voice Messenger is a business smartphone...

Crossing the language barrier.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Crossing the language barrier Martin Veitch The internet has made it possible for even small organisations to have a global reach. However, translating from one language to another remains one of the biggest...

HDTV shows the way for online comms.
August 6, 2007... Byline: James Woudhuysen HDTV shows the way for online comms Directed at entertainment, high-definition TV could also prove the turning point for video conferencing At a conference of the Westminster eForum, an all-party...

Cisco targets datacentre management.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Dave BAiley Cisco targets datacentre management Network giant lays out roadmap of the products it hopes will increase its market share Network giant Cisco recently announced its plans for next-generation datacentres at the...

Mixed response to green awards.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Mixed response to green awards Phil Muncaster E-commerce industry body The Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) recently launched its first annual Online Green Awards (OLGAs) with the aim of encouraging...

Staff should clock in when they log on.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney Staff should clock in when they log on Just because workers are able to keep in touch with the office 24/7, they should not feel obliged to do so According to a recent survey, Britain is turning into a...

Even best practice has best before date.(Viewpoint essay)
August 6, 2007... Byline: Alistair Dabbs Even best practice has best before date Firms must keep reviewing their good practice policy because it may become an outdated hindrance In Woody AllenA-s 1973 comedy sci-fi film The Sleeper, there is a...

UWB pulls plug on laptop cables.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson UWB pulls plug on laptop cables Daniel Robinson Laptop users could soon have a more convenient way to dock with desktop peripherals, thanks to ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communications. The technology...

Firms want a greater degree of relevance.
August 6, 2007... Firms want a greater degree of relevance n The governmentA-s move to give employers a greater say in driving improved high-end skills is both timely and essential (Government unveils skills master plan, 19 July, www.itweek.co.uk/2194550)....

New roaming tariffs arrive.
August 6, 2007... Byline: David Neal New roaming tariffs arrive David Neal The deadline for mobile operators to start informing their customers of cheaper roaming charges passed last week. When the EU ended its investigation into mobile roaming...

Intel backs SSI blades standard.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Intel backs SSI blades standard Daniel Robinson Intel is backing an industry-standard specification that could ultimately cut the cost of blade servers by enabling IT departments to mix and match kit from...

Trend floats first SaaS offering.(Trend Micro Inc's Software as a Service)
August 6, 2007... Byline: David Neal Trend floats first SaaS offering David Neal & Daniel Robinson Trend Micro has released a platform for delivering email security as an online service, and hinted that a similar service for managing all web...

GPL3 to dominate LinuxWorld.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch GPL3 to dominate LinuxWorld Martin Veitch An open-source competitor to Microsoft Project and discussion of the GPL3 are among the expected highlights of LinuxWorld, which kicks off today in San Francisco. ...

Linux support spreading.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Madeline Bennett Linux support spreading Linux looks set to continue its growth in the enterprise market, helped by increasing interest from firms such as telecoms giant Cable & Wireless (C&W). A[logical not]IA-m a huge...

Mobile WiMax trial precedes sale.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney Mobile WiMax trial precedes sale Martin Courtney Faster, more reliable mobile broadband services based on WiMax technology could be available next year, depending on licence allocation. But OfcomA-s...

Flattening blades.
August 6, 2007... Flattening blades A new effort to create a level playing field for makers of blade servers is welcome but it is unlikely to have much enterprise sway in the near future. Intel is part of a 40-strong group of server technology providers...

Firms call for clarity on ID cards.
August 6, 2007... Byline: James Murray Firms call for clarity on ID cards James Murray Experts have urged the new minister in charge of the governmentA-s identity card project, Meg Hillier, to provide more information on the features and cost of...

What the minister for ID must do.
August 13, 2007... Byline: James Murray What the minister for ID must do Meg Hillier needs to dispel the current uncertainty over the future of the Home OfficeA-s identity card project I must admit I feel a bit sorry for Meg Hillier MP, the new Home...

Deal expands the scope of BPM.
August 13, 2007... Byline: James Murray Deal expands the scope of BPM James Murray Business process management (BPM) vendor MetastormA-s acquisition this month of analytics software specialist Proforma provides an intriguing insight into the future...

Energy efficiency is a right turn-off.
August 13, 2007... Byline: James Murray Energy efficiency is a right turn-off Sumir Karayi of 1E says firms can save significant sums by switching off systems at night BusinessGreen: How big a problem are PCs that are left on overnight? Sumir...

Benefits of thin clients may not convince.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Benefits of thin clients may not convince Thin clients need to offer more than power savings if firms are to ditch the flexibility and capabilities of PCs HPA-s recent acquisition of thin client firm Neoware...

Support for mobile apps widens.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Support for mobile apps widens Daniel Robinson Mobile applications are a tricky area for businesses because of the variety of device formats and platforms available. Symbian, however, believes its platform...

Vastness of internet demands a sharp filtering tool for web content security.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Vastness of internet demands a sharp filtering tool for web content security Eamonn Doyle of web filtering specialist Bloxx explains why URL blocking is redundant IT Week: As managing director of web...

Firms neglecting to report fraud.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Firms neglecting to report fraud Phil Muncaster A recent survey by online information provider 192.com Business Services found that 70 percent of online retailers do not report fraud losses or attempted...

Energy costs encourage DC conversion.
August 13, 2007... Energy costs encourage DC conversion Rising utility prices could justify the initial expense of converting datacentres to run on DC The concept of using a direct current (DC) rather than an alternating current (AC) power source in...

Businesses have to face up to Facebook.
August 13, 2007... Byline: David Neal Businesses have to face up to Facebook Firms must find a way to wean their workforce off social networking sites without provoking a backlash I have recently discovered Facebook, the social networking site that...

Hosted SAM launched.
August 13, 2007... Hosted SAM launched James Murray Microsoft services specialist Teksys has bolstered its software asset management (SAM) portfolio with the launch of a new on-demand service. Based on Centennial SoftwareA-s Discovery SAM suite, the...

Sybase mobilises apps.
August 13, 2007... Sybase mobilises apps Martin Veitch Sybase continued its quest to mobilise data by announcing plans for a new architecture to simplify connectivity at its TechWave annual conference in Las Vegas last week. The firmA-s new mobility...

Experts call for green tax breaks.
August 13, 2007... Experts call for green tax breaks James Murray The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a major report calling for a range of new standards, tax breaks and energy supplier incentives to improve the energy efficiency...

Rectifying the inefficiencies of AC power.(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... Rectifying the inefficiencies of AC power More firms will switch on to DCA-s greater efficiency and reliability, predicts Ed Ansett of EYP Mission Critical Facilities A[logical not]A DC system is, in theory, more reliable because there...

PC giants ready Linux kit.
August 13, 2007... PC giants ready Linux kit Martin Veitch IT buyers seeking Linux clients are about to get more options after Lenovo and Dell announcements at last weekA-s LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco. The big news for business PC buyers...

F5 to buy file virtualisation firm.(F5 Networks and Acopia Networks)(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... F5 to buy file virtualisation firm Martin Courtney F5 Networks last week agreed to acquire file virtualisation specialist Acopia Networks in a $210m cash deal that is expected to close on 14 September. Acopia has around 20,000...

IBM bolsters data archiving.
August 13, 2007... IBM bolsters data archiving IBM has continued its software spending spree with plans to acquire data discovery and archiving specialist Princeton Softech. The deal, which represents IBMA-s 22nd data management acquisition since it...

Web 2.0 under enterprise spotlight.
August 13, 2007... Web 2.0 under enterprise spotlight Phil Muncaster The pros and cons of Web 2.0 technologies were again highlighted last week as IBM showed off its latest developments, while security vendor Websense launched a new threat prevention...

XenSource touts VMware ESX alternative.
August 13, 2007... XenSource touts VMware ESX alternative Martin Veitch XenSource will today ramp up its challenge to VMwareA-s ESX Server with an update to its XenEnterprise virtualisation software, just as its larger rival looks set to reap the...

Lords call for e-crime shake-up.(House of Lords Science and Technology Committee )(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... Lords call for e-crime shake-up David Neal and Madeline Bennett A new report from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee could lead to UK businesses getting access to a central web-based system for reporting e-crime, but...

Support for mobile apps widens.
August 13, 2007... Support for mobile apps widens Recent advances should make it easier to develop mobile apps for multiple platforms Mobile applications are a tricky area for businesses because of the variety of device formats and platforms available....

Virtual licensing may vex vendors.(Brief article)
August 13, 2007... Virtual licensing may vex vendors Oracle has admitted it is A[logical not]too complicatedA[R] to develop a licensing model that accounts for software running on virtual servers. Oracle president Charles Phillips last week said...

A state of emergency for VoIP.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Bill Pechey A state of emergency for VoIP Moves to compel VoIP operators to provide location information to 999 services may cause headaches for IT chiefs Voice over IP (VoIP) services are growing at a rapid rate and users...

Handheld fills niche for wireless PDA.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Handheld fills niche for wireless PDA HTC's P6300 keeps to the Pocket PC device format and has built-in GPRS and Wi-Fi HTC's P6300 is a fairly conventional wireless handheld that combines both cellular and...

When cool tools get the cold shoulder.
August 20, 2007... When cool tools get the cold shoulder Why do firms wait for technologies to acquire a veneer of corporate respectability before using them? Nothing grieves me more than when a perfectly good technology, for whatever reason, becomes...

Trial may cause storage tribulations.
August 20, 2007... Trial may cause storage tribulations The case of Columbia vs Bunnell may herald onerous data retention requirements for IT managers The US case of Columbia Pictures versus Justin Bunnell raises an important issue for organisations that...

SCM brings developers under control.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch SCM brings developers under control Christopher Seiwald explains why interest in software configuration management is growing Software configuration management (SCM) is a topic rooted deep in the world of...

Time for mobile WiMax to prove itself.
August 20, 2007... Time for mobile WiMax to prove itself UK trials should help to dispel doubts about the high-speed wireless technology's viability The first trials of mobile WiMax technology in the UK are set to begin, but service providers are not yet...

Mobile web heads for the mainstream.(Interview)
August 20, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Mobile web heads for the mainstream James Pearce of dotMobi explains how the registry plans to get more web content moving IT Week: As vice president of technology at the .mobi top-level domain registry...

More e-merchants to harness UGC.(User-generated Content )
August 20, 2007... More e-merchants to harness UGC User-generated ratings and reviews can boost sales and strengthen customer loyalty Online retailers are becoming increasingly aware of the power of user-generated content (UGC) to boost sales and...

Report divides internet stakeholders.(Report)
August 20, 2007... Report divides internet stakeholders Has the Lords e-crime report exposed a gulf between users and the internet industry? A new report from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee could lead to a major overhaul of internet...

WAN optimisation leader ups its game.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey WAN optimisation leader ups its game Riverbed hopes to see off pressure from Juniper by adding a mobile solution to its portfolio The battle for supremacy in the WAN optimisation market continues to intensify,...

Lordsi?1/2 criticisms are harsh but fair.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Tim Anderson Lords' criticisms are harsh but fair The recent House of Lords report on internet security is right to challenge the IT industry's poor record The House of Lords Personal Internet Security report warns that the...

Opnet planning refresh.(Brief article)
August 20, 2007... Byline: James Murray and Dave Bailey Opnet planning refresh James Murray Application performance specialist Opnet Technologies has revealed plans for a major update that will provide firms with continuous performance monitoring....

Commerce Server update.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Commerce Server update Martin Veitch Microsoft has revealed details of the next version of its Commerce Server platform, including tools to allow integration with social networks. The software giant said...

Novell boosts end point security.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Novell boosts end point security Dave Bailey Enterprise software vendor Novell has announced the acquisition of end point security specialist Senforce Technologies. The move should mean improved capabilities...

ID cards enter procurement phase.
August 20, 2007... Byline: James Murray ID cards enter procurement phase James Murray The government has confirmed that it remains on track to deliver the first ID cards by 2009 after it finally began the procurement process for the [pounds...

Visa relaxes PCI stance.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Visa relaxes PCI stance Phil Muncaster Credit card provider Visa has offered an olive branch to firms struggling to meet stringent Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), saying it will not...

UK offers best access to training.
August 20, 2007... Byline: James Murray UK offers best access to training James Murray Contrary to popular belief, UK IT professionals have greater access to training than their European cousins, according to new research from IT skills body...

Format grudge match goes into extra time.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Format grudge match goes into extra time Martin Veitch Ongoing uncertainty over which file format will prevail is likely to drive some firms to support both the Microsoft-backed Office Open XML, and the Sun...

EC mulls new telecoms body.
August 20, 2007... Byline: dave Bailey EC mulls new telecoms body Reports that Brussels is planning to create a European-wide telecoms authority have raised hopes that firms can look forward to cheaper mobile phone calls and more services through...

Oracle sparks VM licensing debate.
August 20, 2007... Byline: James Murray Oracle sparks VM licensing debate James Murray Oracle's recent revelation that it will find it "too complicated" to develop a licensing model that accounts for software running on virtual servers has prompted...

VMware buoys tech market.(Brief article)
August 20, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch VMware buoys tech market Virtualisation pioneer VMware helped restore confidence in technology stocks last week with a stock market debut that exceeded already-high expectations. VMware listed on Tuesday for...

Citrix enters virtualisation fray.
August 20, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Citrix enters virtualisation fray Martin Veitch Citrix is to acquire XenSource in a deal that will reshape the fast-changing virtualisation sector. Market leader VMware garnered headlines last week when...