IT Week (UK) articles from February 2007

IT Week (UK) archives from February 2007

Alfresco takes on SharePoint.(Alfresco Software developing Microsoft Office Sharepoint 2.1 for Microsoft Corp.)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Alfresco takes on SharePoint Open-source enterprise content management (ECM) startup Alfresco Software is edging deeper into the Microsoft world with its version 2.1 release, to be formally announced this week....

Vista migrations may take years.(Microsoft Windows Vista)
February 2, 2007... Byline: IT Week staff Vista migrations may take years daniel robinson and martin veitch Businesses should expect a migration to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system to take up to three years, according to Dell. The...

HPC advances towards mainstream.
February 2, 2007... Byline: IT Week staff HPC advances towards mainstream IT Week staff IT giants including Sun and Microsoft last week unveiled technologies and initiatives that should help to push high-performance computing (HPC) into more...

Online and offline must work together.(Carol Meyers of Unica Corp.)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Online and offline must work together Marketing strategies should reflect how web and high street interrelate, says Carol Meyers IT Week: As vice-president of marketing for analytics and CRM specialist...

Anyone can be a web master.(Lawrence Flynn of Mediasurface PLC)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Anyone can be a web master The more people who can create and manage web content, the better, says Lawrence Flynn IT Week: As chief executive of web content management (WCM) specialist Mediasurface, can you...

E-shoppers punish web weakness.
February 5, 2007... E-shoppers punish web weakness Phil Muncaster Online retailers will be punished by consumers if they do not maintain high-performance web sites that are well integrated with offline channels, according to new research by web monitoring...

E-marketing insight is key.
February 5, 2007... E-marketing insight is key n Spending on e-marketing activities will largely be wasted unless firms employ specialists who can make sense of the results, according to Conrad Bennett, technical services director of web analytics specialist...

Sony launches Vaio UMPC in UK.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Sony launches Vaio UMPC in UK Daniel Robinson Sony will ship in the UK this month a new Vaio ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) weighing a mere 480g and running Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system. The...

Crackdown on underlicensing.
February 5, 2007... Byline: James Murray Crackdown on underlicensing James Murray Microsoft toughened up its stance on under-licensed organisations last week, announcing it will adopt a more formal process for reporting mid-market firms guilty of...

Don't leave your wireless wide open.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Don't leave your wireless wide open Wireless networks will remain vulnerable to hackers unless people employ strong encryption methods Since receiving a letter turning me down for a credit card I hadn't...

Too many feeds have bloated RSS.(Rich Site Summary )(Column)
February 5, 2007... Too many feeds have bloated RSS A lack of standardisation and "feature creep" have left RSS formats in a chaotic state and users unable to control content A few years ago, I wrote about my new-found enthusiasm for RSS feeds and...

Open framework aids app creation.
February 5, 2007... Open framework aids app creation Darryl Taft Borland is taking a new approach to software delivery with a managed business process called Open Application Lifecycle Management (Open ALM). The first fruit of this strategy is Gauntlet, a...

Benefits of the web should be taken as Red.(Hu Jintao, president of China, views on internet)
February 5, 2007... Benefits of the web should be taken as Red It is time for our government to take the internet as seriously as the Chinese Communist Party does Hu Jintao, the president of China, recently made his first statement regarding the internet....

e-Warehouse offers SaaS.
February 5, 2007... e-Warehouse offers SaaS n Helpdesk software specialist e-Warehouse became the latest vendor to offer software as a service (SaaS) late last month, with the launch of a new hosted IT incident management service. The company said Oxygen...

Adobe and Microsoft's blending battle.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Tim Anderson Adobe and Microsoft's blending battle Adobe's Flex and Microsoft's Windows Presentation Foundation are vying to fuse desktop richness with the web Adobe and Microsoft are engaged in a technology war....

Atlas shoulders global threats.(Active Threat Level Analysis System from Arbor Networks )(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Atlas shoulders global threats Dave Bailey Arbor Networks will launch its Active Threat Level Analysis System (Atlas) initiative at the RSA Conference in San Francisco today, with the aim of "taking threat management to the next...

Too much security can be a bad thing.
February 5, 2007... Too much security can be a bad thing Efforts to build solid security into software prior to release could have some unwelcome consequences According to at least one expert, Microsoft's newly launched Windows Vista is full of security...

Tool helps to fix Wi-Fi woes.
February 5, 2007... Tool helps to fix Wi-Fi woes n Wireless network assurance vendor AirMagnet has introduced Laptop Analyzer 7.0 Pro, a software package for troubleshooting wireless security and performance issues. Version 7.0 has a new user interface...

HP extends blade PCs to customers worldwide.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson HP extends blade PCs to customers worldwide Daniel Robinson HP has announced global availability of its Consolidated Client Infrastructure (CCI), enabling customers in the UK and elsewhere to cut IT support...

Adobe plans to make PDF an ISO format IT week staff n Adobe has announced plans to have its PDF file format published as an open standard by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). The company, which developed the PDF format and sells.(International Organisation for Standardisation)(portable document format)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Adobe plans to make PDF an ISO format IT week staff n Adobe has announced plans to have its PDF file format published as an open standard by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). ...

Scheme ensures staff do their home work properly.(Computing Technology Industry Association's certification scheme)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Scheme ensures staff do their home work properly James Murray IT trade group CompTIA last week launched a new certification scheme designed to validate the skills of IT professionals and technicians that install and manage digital home...

Tool to manage firms' security.(Security Explorer 6.0 from ScriptLogic Corp.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Tool to manage firms' security ScriptLogic has released an updated version of its tool designed to help IT staff manage security settings on Windows PCs and servers across an entire corporate network. Security Explorer 6.0, available...

Symantec expands its portfolio.
February 5, 2007... Symantec expands its portfolio Dave Bailey and Martin Courtney Symantec last week extended its reach into IT management by agreeing to acquire of remote control specialist Altiris. The security vendor also launched an update to its...

Spending on software grows n Firms will spend 14 percent more on new software projects in 2007 compared with last year, according to a new report from analyst Forrester Research. Application integration was identified as the top software project for thi.
February 5, 2007... Spending on software grows n Firms will spend 14 percent more on new software projects in 2007 compared with last year, according to a new report from analyst Forrester Research. Application integration was identified as the top software...

Open XML raises hackles.
February 5, 2007... Open XML raises hackles Madeline Bennett Microsoft's attempt to get Office Open XML fast-tracked as a document format standard has suffered a set- back, with two open standards bodies teaming up to demand more time to consider the...

Pic agencies portray copyright's ugly side.
February 5, 2007... Pic agencies portray copyright's ugly side A legal dispute over a stock photo shows the copyright system is no longer fit for purpose n I'm not going to talk about Vista, so relax. I'm going to talk about Corbis -- a company founded by...

Bot armies fire off spam.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Bot armies fire off spam Phil Muncaster Rising botnet activity threatens to overwhelm enterprise IT security and communications managers, according to new research by secure email specialists Postini and...

Vendors criticised at BI summit.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Vendors criticised at BI summit Phil Muncaster Vendors bore the brunt of some harsh criticism at last week's annual Gartner BI summit in London. In his opening keynote, Gartner research vice-president...

Brown and Gates map out school e-skills drive.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Brown and Gates map out school e-skills drive Martin Veitch The government and Microsoft plan to change the face of learning to equip the UK with the skills it needs to compete in the knowledge economy. ...

Low-cost phones to get push email.
February 5, 2007... Low-cost phones to get push email Wireless developer Synchronica plans to merge its two device management tools and revamp its middleware server to support push delivery of email to low-cost phones. Synchronica said it will merge...

Dell's founder back at the helm.
February 5, 2007... Dell's founder back at the helm n Dell has bowed to market pressure by announcing the departure of chief executive Kevin Rollins, replacing him with founder and ex-CEO Michael Dell. "There is no better person in the world to run Dell...

Virtualisation tailored for SMEs.
February 5, 2007... Virtualisation tailored for SMEs Martin Courtney VMware will today release a scaled-down version of its VMware Server virtualisation product. The package boasts a simple user interface for IT professionals unfamiliar with...

Oracle to cut through apps licensing tangle.
February 5, 2007... Oracle to cut through apps licensing tangle James Murray Oracle unveiled a major update to its applications portfolio last week, launching five upgraded suites and outlining plans to simplify its much-criticised licensing model. ...

Dell's second act.
February 5, 2007... Dell's second act Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, as The Who once sneered, but at least Michael Dell's return as chief executive of his namesake company will be welcomed by most supporters of the firm. Dell had a near-spotless...

Rush to Vista may trample environment.
February 12, 2007... Byline: James Murray Rush to Vista may trample environment Widespread adoption of Vista could lead to mountains of e-waste, and we'll have only ourselves to blame Almost three months on from the initial business launch of Vista,...

New bill fails to take e-crime seriously.
February 12, 2007... Byline: David Neal New bill fails to take e-crime seriously The government's patchwork approach to e-crime legislation leaves much to be desired Experts have criticised the government for taking a disjointed approach to e-crime...

Easy steps to end the legwork.
February 12, 2007... Easy steps to end the legwork Automated desktop management systems enable support staff to respond quickly to changing system requirements without having to set foot in user departments Desktop management can be a real pain. Not...

Support costs retreat as chipsets advance.
February 12, 2007... Support costs retreat as chipsets advance Daniel Belton, vPro product development director at Intel, on how new advances in out-of-band management technology should help firms to cut the cost of PC ownership The major issues in...

Outsourcing can offer something for all.
February 12, 2007... Outsourcing can offer something for all Gary Woodward, CEO of Pasporte, explains how outsourcing can work for the midmarket IT Week: IT outsourcing is often associated with large corporate accounts. Is there really demand from the...

Wireless specs come together.(Proxim MeshMax)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Wireless specs come together n Carriers and ISPs got a new "all-in-one" option for deploying wireless broadband today, when Proxim announced a multi-radio system called MeshMax. MeshMax combines Wi-Fi mesh...

Can firms afford to ignore NAC?(network access control)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Can firms afford to ignore NAC? Some may dismiss network access control as overkill, but the case for adoption gets stronger by the day Anybody recognise this famous quote? "We shall not fail or falter; we...

UTM tailored for mid-sized firms.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey UTM tailored for mid-sized firms Dave Bailey Network managers considering installing unified threat management (UTM) appliances got a new option last week following the launch by security vendor Check Point of...

NAC targets rogue users.(network access control)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey NAC targets rogue users The need for firms to enforce security rules is driving uptake Earlier this year, antivirus specialist Sophos acquired US network access control (NAC) vendor Endforce. The move follows...

A welcome edition?(Microsoft Windows Vista)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson A welcome edition? Vista's multiple versions give IT managers a tough choice With the full availability of Windows Vista, IT departments are likely to feel pressure from staff to upgrade sooner rather than...

Safer web searches for firms.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Safer web searches for firms Phil Muncaster Web security services specialist ScanSafe last week launched a new enterprise tool designed to help IT managers enforce acceptable usage policies (AUPs) and keep...

Wireless standard rivalry hots up.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Wireless standard rivalry hots up A planned national WiMax network in the US suggests that speedier 3G services from mobile carriers will face serious competition Business use of wireless technology is...

E-skills solution needs the right mix.(Government Leaders Forum )
February 12, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch and Madeline Bennett E-skills solution needs the right mix by Martin Veitch and Madeline Bennett The need for improved ICT skills has been making headlines again recently with Bill Gates, Gordon Brown and even...

How best to bring access under control.(Paul O'Kelly of Extreme Networks Inc.)(Interview)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey How best to bring access under control Extreme's Paul O'Kelly discusses the technology and deployment options facing adopters IT Week: As the system engineer manager at Extreme Networks, why do you think...

Treo update adds support for HSDPA IT WEEK STAFF n Palm has announced general availability of its Treo 750 smartphone in Europe, and said it has upgraded the device to support 3G networks with the high-speed HSDPA data service. The handset has been avail.
February 12, 2007... Byline: daniel robinson Treo update adds support for HSDPA IT WEEK STAFF n Palm has announced general availability of its Treo 750 smartphone in Europe, and said it has upgraded the device to support 3G networks with the...

Dell releases rugged laptop PC into the wild.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Dell releases rugged laptop PC into the wild Daniel Robinson Dell has introduced its first ruggedised laptop, aimed at users working out in the field or in other harsh environments. The model meets military...

Fast launches ad platform n Enterprise search specialist Fast last week launched a contextual advertising and monetisation platform to provide online firms with an alternative to third-party advertising services. Fast AdMomentum provides online retailers,.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Fast launches ad platform n Enterprise search specialist Fast last week launched a contextual advertising and monetisation platform to provide online firms with an alternative to third-party advertising services....

SaaS could be Dell's saviour.
February 12, 2007... SaaS could be Dell's saviour Dell is the server vendor best equipped to cater for the hardware needs of software-as-a-service providers The news that Michael Dell is back the helm at Dell following the departure of chief executive...

Say goodbye to the clever domain name.
February 12, 2007... Say goodbye to the clever domain name The speed and accuracy of search engines have rendered easy-to-guess web addresses unnecessary Sometimes, when I am taking a break from staring blankly out of my window, I look about the office and...

Words won't bridge the e-skills gap.
February 12, 2007... Words won't bridge the e-skills gap Gordon Brown talks a good talk on sharpening the UK's ICT skills but it is not clear what he will do My poor brain is still reeling after returning from Edinburgh late last month and I can't even...

Kit ensures security rules are obeyed.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Kit ensures security rules are obeyed ForeScout's NAC appliance stops unauthorised systems trying to access the network ForeScout's CounterAct 6.0 appliance is an out-of-band network access control (NAC) device...

Admin staff lose their PC chains.
February 12, 2007... Admin staff lose their PC chains By investing in desktop systems with integrated management tools companies should be able to free up their support staff to work on more pressing business issues In our recent IT Week web seminar on...

CSR gives boost to VoIP mobiles.
February 12, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson CSR gives boost to VoIP mobiles Daniel Robinson Chip maker CSR is hoping to make voice-over-IP (VoIP) a common feature in mobile phones with the release of a reference design to simplify the addition of a...

Google slides into presentation apps.
February 12, 2007... Google slides into presentation apps Martin Veitch Google appears to be extending its online applications push into presentations software in a move that will give its users a new option for web-based tools. The program,...

Vista rollout looks set for a long haul.(Microsoft Windows Vista)
February 12, 2007... Vista rollout looks set for a long haul Most businesses will delay upgrading to the new OS until compliant software is more readily available Well, after a long wait and lots of publicity Vista finally shipped. Having spent the past...

Tories warn off ID card bidders.
February 12, 2007... Tories warn off ID card bidders The Conservative Party last week warned IT vendors likely to bid for work on the ID cards project that the scheme would definitely be scrapped under a Tory government. Shadow home secretary David Davis...

With friends like these, who needs enemies?
February 12, 2007... With friends like these, who needs enemies? If mobile chip firm Qualcomm really wants to be loved, it's going a funny way about it n By the time you get to see this, I'll probably be in Barcelona. It's the cellular show for people who...

Divisive documents.
February 12, 2007... Divisive documents Vested interests are piled up behind the two specifications vying for the top spot in XML document standardisation. ODF carries the weight of expectation of all those who hate Microsoft and believe that the future...

Citrix monitors virtual apps.
February 12, 2007... Citrix monitors virtual apps Martin Courtney The latest version of Citrix Presentation Server will be released today, adding Windows application streaming capabilities, health and performance monitoring, and enhancements that minimise...

Hosted app simplifies BPM.
February 12, 2007... Hosted app simplifies BPM James Murray Lombardi will extend its business process management (BPM) software platform today with the launch of Blueprint, a major new hosted suite designed to deliver process management and modelling...

Handsets to get update capability.
February 12, 2007... Handsets to get update capability Mobile phones will be easier to update with bug fixes or new capabilities following the release of vRapid Mobile from Red Bend software, which enables built-in code to be updated in a similar way to PC...

Lords ruling dashes hopes for clear patent guidelines.
February 12, 2007... Lords ruling dashes hopes for clear patent guidelines James Murray The confusion surrounding the UK's position on software patents is set to continue, after the House of Lords last week ruled that businessman Neal Macrossan could not...

Vendors unveil security wares.
February 12, 2007... Vendors unveil security wares IT Week staff Last week's RSA show in San Francisco saw an avalanche of new product releases from vendors keen to bolster corporate defences against spam, spyware, phishing attacks, rootkits, keystroke...

Windows Mobile 6 to debut at 3GSM.
February 12, 2007... Windows Mobile 6 to debut at 3GSM Daniel Robinson and Phil Muncaster Microsoft will launch a new version of its Windows Mobile handset platform at this week's 3GSM World Congress 2007 in Barcelona, while the exhibition itself is...

Differences in distributed data.(Dan Warmenhoven of Network Appliance Inc.)(Interview)
February 19, 2007... Differences in distributed data There is more than one route to better storage, says NetApp chief Dan Warmenhoven IT Week: How does NetApp intend to make up ground on more established rivals in the SAN market? Dan Warmenhoven: The...

Will data warehouses be left trailing?(Charles Nicholls of SeeWhy Software)(Interview)
February 19, 2007... Byline: James Murray Will data warehouses be left trailing? Charles Nicholls, founder of UK start-up SeeWhy Software, explains the world of BI 2.0 IT Week: SeeWhy has been very vocal about the need for a new approach to business...

Seeking out corporate threats.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Seeking out corporate threats Companies need to actively protect their brand and logo online, says Michael Wheatley IT Week: As chief executive of internet monitoring and fraud prevention specialist...

A problem shared is a problem halved.(Robert Shaw of International Telecommunication Union)(Interview)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster A problem shared is a problem halved International collaboration is vital to combat cybercrime and spam, argues Robert Shaw IT Week: What is the role of the ITU's strategy and policy unit? Robert Shaw:...

Laptop shows benefits of built-in 3G.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Laptop shows benefits of built-in 3G Mobile workers can stay connected virtually anywhere with the light yet powerful nc6400 The HP Compaq nc6400 is a mid-sized laptop with an impressive array of...

Domain market shakeout looms.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Domain market shakeout looms Phil Muncaster The UK internet domain name market will see greater regulation and consolidation over the next five years, causing firms to re-evaluate their service expectations,...

Ilog updates support for SOA.(service-oriented architecture)(introduces JRules )
February 19, 2007... Ilog updates support for SOA Martin Courtney Enterprise software specialist Ilog last week launched the latest version of its JRules system for supporting service-oriented architecture (SOA) environments. The release follows a new...

Low-cost load balancer ships Dave Bailey n Barracuda Networks Load Balancer launches in the UK tomorrow and is touted as a low-cost alternative to similar products from Cisco, Citrix and F5. "If you can't afford some of the bigger, expensive load balance.
February 19, 2007... Low-cost load balancer ships Dave Bailey n Barracuda Networks Load Balancer launches in the UK tomorrow and is touted as a low-cost alternative to similar products from Cisco, Citrix and F5. "If you can't afford some of the...

Don't be duped by dedupe.(Sepaton DeltaStor. data de-duplication device)
February 19, 2007... Don't be duped by dedupe It is impossible to know how many terabytes of data you can fit into a Tardis unless you actually try it Firms should never promise anything unless they are certain they can deliver, but you have to question...

Printer yields -- an inconvenient truth.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Alistair Dabbs Printer yields -- an inconvenient truth Standards for comparing page yields are often sidelined, lest they reveal the scale of vendors' fibs You may have heard of the clichA[c] about there being lies, damned...

Vendors unveil latest handsets.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Vendors unveil latest handsets Daniel Robinson Businesses have a wider choice of mobile handsets following a wave of new devices announced at the 3GSM World Congress 2007 in Barcelona. The first handsets...

Innovative IT enables business to soar.(report from Amadeus on the air travel)
February 19, 2007... Innovative IT enables business to soar A report into the future of air travel highlights how IT can increase customer loyalty by raising service levels Behind every successful company there is a successful IT shop serving the needs of...

Is Yahoo Pipes all it's cracked up to be?(feed aggregators)
February 19, 2007... Byline: Tim Anderson Is Yahoo Pipes all it's cracked up to be? Without a business model, the Yahoo Pipes interactive feed aggregator and manipulator will remain just a pilot Web 2.0 guru Tim O'Reilly can barely contain his...

Private mobile networks get faster.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Private mobile networks get faster Dave Bailey TeleWare subsidiary Private Mobile Networks (PMN) used the 3GSM show in Barcelona last week to launch an enhanced General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) add-on to its...

IBM desktop tools run on Linux, PC and Mac.
February 19, 2007... Byline: daniel robinson IBM desktop tools run on Linux, PC and Mac Daniel Robinson IBM is offering businesses a set of cross-platform productivity and collaboration tools along with consultancy services to aid deployment. The move...

New switches made for VoIP Dave Bailey n Netgear has launched new gigabit switches for SMEs using applications such as VoIP and video. The GS724TS and the GS748TS have 24 and 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, and also have four shared Small Form-factor Pluggabl.
February 19, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey New switches made for VoIP Dave Bailey n Netgear has launched new gigabit switches for SMEs using applications such as VoIP and video. The GS724TS and the GS748TS have 24 and 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, and also...