IT Week (UK) articles from July 2005

IT Week (UK) archives from July 2005

Symantec closes in on Veritas.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Martin Veitch. Symantec is likely to close its merger with Veritas this week after shareholders approved what might be the biggest software combination ever. Although the deal was valued at $13.5bn when the companies announced...

Celeron chips gain 64bit.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Daniel Robinson. Intel last week introduced Celeron processors with EM64T 64bit extensions for value PCs, a move that means 64bit capabilities are now available across the firm's entire desktop and server processor lines. The...

Microsoft posts Win2000 bulk fix.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Just before Microsoft's mainstream support for Windows 2000 expired last week, the software giant issued an Update Rollup of over 50 security patches and fixes for the popular operating system. The update means there will be no Windows 2000...

Sun branches into SOA market.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Martin Veitch. Sun Microsystems dug into its cash pile again last week, agreeing to buy SeeBeyond Technology in a move that takes it into integration software and paves the way for it to deliver service-oriented architectures...

Comment - Playing data hide and seek.(Column)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Neil Barrett. It is increasingly difficult to protect data, but there are ways around even the most intelligent devices. A few years ago, my job routinely took me to some of the most secure establishments in the UK; places...

Comment - From desktops to dashboards.(Column)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Lem Bingley. Flexible working means IT chiefs must manage IT in the homes of staff. Will IT in the car be next? For a while now, the worlds of IT and motoring have been on a collision course. I use the term with intent. On...

Enterprise Week - Software to speed server compliance.(Opsware Server Automation System enhanced)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth. Automated server management specialist Opsware announced a new version of its Server Automation System (SAS) software last week. The update adds significant features to help server configurations comply with...

Enterprise Week - Open-source spam filter advances.(ASSP enhanced)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth. Open-source spam filter ASSP has been upgraded with a much improved administration interface, Sender Policy Framework (SPF) support, SMTP session limits, IP connection limits and a much better statistics page for...

Enterprise Week - Startups to compete with ERP incumbents.(enterprise resource planning)
July 4, 2005... Byline: James Murray. A raft of new software companies could shake up business applications over the next five years, prompting many IT buyers to reassess their relationships with their current enterprise resource planning (ERP) suppliers,...

Enterprise Week - Device speeds WAN apps. Swan Labs NetCelera 400 Review by Roger Howorth.(wide area network)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 4, 2005... The NetCelera 400 can cut WAN traffic but is not cheap Swan Labs' NetCelera WAN application accelerator can speed up just about any type of TCP-based application, including web and voice over IP (VoIP)-based software. The NetCelera 200...

Enterprise Week - Comment - Flaw law needed to tackle hackers.(regulation of computer crimes)(Column)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth. Analysis of the Witty worm shows hacker stereotypes are wrong, highlighting the need for tougher measures to fight software flaws. Laws in California and a few other US states force firms to publicise security...

Internet Week - E-trade credit card rules change.(standards of Payment Card Industry Group)
July 4, 2005... Byline: David Neal. E-traders with sites in the UK will have to follow new rules set out by the Payment Card Industry group last week if they want to accept credit cards. The PCI Data Security Standard was introduced on 30 June, and if...

Internet Week - E-trade body acts to assure good delivery.(services of Interactive Media in Retail Group)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: David Neal. The Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) last week launched a new scheme to help online retailers offer customers more convenient delivery options and reassure them that systems are secure. The scheme includes an...

Internet Week - Comment - Why plug-ins may be on the way out.
July 4, 2005... Byline: Tim Anderson. Google's decision to create rich interactive applications without Flash or Java has been inspirational. Shares in Google topped $300 last week, and its stock market valuation now exceeds that of any other media...

Client Week - Future ARM chips to cut size of Java applets.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Daniel Robinson. Chip design company ARM has unveiled new technology to boost performance of Java applications in future mobile devices. The Jazelle Runtime Compiler Target (Jazelle RCT) is a set of hardware features that enable...

Client Week - Disk crypto tool secures laptop data.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Daniel Robinson. UK security firm BeCrypt has updated its Disk Protect drive encryption tool for Windows desktop and laptop systems. The new version offers single-sign-on, secure hibernation, encryption of removable media, and...

Client Week - Comment - Mobile kit requires self-starters. Daniel Robinson.(Column)
July 4, 2005... Employees need a quick and easy system to configure mobile devices for their corporate systems. While firms' interest in smartphones is said to be growing, some barriers to widespread adoption remain. For IT administrators, managing small...

Client Week - Biometrics keep portables safe. Biometric technology Interview by James Murray.(Interview)
July 4, 2005... Upek president Alan Kramer argues that fingerprint access can lower security costs. IT Week: As Upek's founder, how do you describe its security products? Alan Kramer: We aim to take complexity out of biometric fingerprint technology...

Network Week - BT takes Ethernet to its heart.
July 4, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. BT last week announced it will launch three new Ethernet services nationally this summer. But the firm's chief technology officer, Matt Bross, played down talk of competition between Ethernet and IP/MPLS services,...

Network Week - All-in-one appliance to connect branch offices.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. Firms wanting to connect many branch offices securely and reliably, and reduce the need for IT expertise to manage the processes, were given a new option when NetDevices launched its SG-8 Unified Services Gateway (USG)...

Network Week - System speeds HTTP transfer and Oracle DB.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Martin Courtney. Cacheing and compression specialist NetScaler last week introduced a new compression product that it says can boost the performance of any HTTP-based web page by a factor of five, and multiply the speed of Oracle...

Network Week - Comment - Performance gains without any pain?(product information of Cisco Systems Inc.)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Martin Courtney. Cisco's new AON technology may well improve network efficiency, but will it also add complexity? Most network managers are likely to cast at least a casually interested eye over any technology that promises to...

Network Week - Extreme WLAN finds voice.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. Extreme last week launched a new WLAN system that it said offers simple, secure, scalable deployment of voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) infrastructure. Extreme's new WLAN switches, Summit Wireless Mobility (WM) 100 and...

Management Week - Calls grow for outsourcing checks.(safety and security measures)
July 4, 2005... Byline: James Murray. UK firms must improve risk assessment and security measures when moving IT and business processes offshore, say experts, to combat growing fears that call centre staff could steal account details of UK citizens and...

Management Week - Cognos strengthens its BPM tools and services.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: James Murray. Business intelligence (BI) software specialist Cognos last week beefed up its credentials as a provider of business performance management (BPM) systems by launching a series of new BPM services and by extending its...

Management Week - BMC suite bolsters ID management.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Phil Muncaster. Systems management software vendor BMC last week continued its push into broader IT and business service tools with the launch of a new identity management suite. The software is designed to help firms comply with...

Management Week - Comment - Reckless card game makes us all losers.(science and technology policy of United Kingdom)(Column)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Ken Young. The government must raise standards for IT management instead of contributing to further disasters. If you have ever had the builders in, or taken a taxi in a third world country, you know that estimating costs is...

Management Week - Industry urged to support skills drive. IT skills Report by James Murray.(planning of E-skills UK)
July 4, 2005... Collaboration between the public and private sectors is needed to close the IT skills gap. The subject of IT skills shortages was back in the news last month as government-backed body E-skills UK launched a Sector Skills Agreement (SSA)...

Giants swing into SOA deployment mode.(service-oriented architecture)(information management of computer industry)
July 4, 2005... Byline: Martin Courtney. Leading vendors last week stepped up their efforts to promote service-oriented architectures (SOAs), as HP rolled out global consulting centres, IBM outlined partner schemes and Sun bought its way into the market....

Matching SOX still necessary.(Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)(management of regulatory compliance)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The decision by a US jury last week to find former HealthSouth chief Richard Scrushy not guilty of breaching the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) corporate governance law does not mean UK firms can relax efforts to comply with such rules, experts have...

Will firms foot bill for ID checks?(identity)(science and technology policy of United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: James Murray. Firms could end up footing a substantial part of the bill for the UK's identity card scheme, it emerged last week. After the government won the latest Commons vote on its controversial plan, the Home Office confirmed...

AMD suit ensures Intel keeps IT clean.
July 4, 2005... An antitrust suit filed by Intel's old rival stirs the pot of an ancient enmity but the competitive market is already working to the advantage of buyers. Intel and AMD have long regarded each other with the gimlet eye of Judy spotting...

Security must defy borders.(beliefs of Paul Kurtz of Cyber Security Industry Alliance)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The head of a security alliance has urged governments to encourage the use of common security management standards and co-ordinate laws across international borders. Paul Kurtz, executive director of the Cyber Security Industry Alliance,...

Smartphone risks overlooked.
July 4, 2005... Users fail to understand the data security risks posed by smartphones and firms are neglecting to apply basic security policies to them, according to a survey. A poll of over 2,800 IT professionals conducted by research firm Quocirca...

Ruling highlights dangers of P2P.(peer to peer)(MGM Studios v. Grokster Ltd. 380 F.3d 1154)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: David Neal. The US Supreme Court last week ruled that peer-to-peer (P2P) software distributors can be sued if their systems are used to illegally transmit copyright material. Following the ruling, experts said that companies with...

AMD takes Intel to court.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... The long-running feud between the two biggest makers of PC processors re-ignited last week as AMD filed suit against Intel for monopolistic behaviour. AMD said that if its antitrust suit succeeds, buyers will benefit from more innovation,...

Server tools hog TechEd limelight.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... TechEd, Microsoft's annual European technical education conference for software developers, begins in Amsterdam tomorrow. This year's event will highlight the firm's mainstream server tools. Microsoft recently announced plans to deliver...

Outsourcing may be a mixed blessing.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2005... Byline: James Murray. The merits of outsourcing came under scrutiny last week following the release of mixed reports on the benefits of moving work to third-parties. The Centre for Economic and Business Research and IT services firm...

Web lags high street in ID theft prevention.(Column)
July 11, 2005... The high street is a much harder place for ID fraudsters to ply their trade thanks to chip-and-PIN, but the internet still offers rich pickings. The paranoia about identity theft is all too clear on the high street, where it has led to the...

GoodLink gains Lotus support.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Good Technology will today announce it is expanding its GoodLink mobile email solution to support Lotus Domino groupware servers and Windows Mobile smartphones. It is also adding a facility to ensure client devices are protected by authorised...

New Corel boss pledges loyalty.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Corel's new chief wants to repay the loyalty of WordPerfect users by focusing on service and support. "We have a lot of work to do here in Europe," said David Dobson, the incoming chief executive who has joined after two decades at IBM....

Data freedom comes at a price.(Freedom of Information Act)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Martin Veitch. Six months after the rules took effect, requests for data under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act are still proving a pesky challenge for IT departments. The act kicked in on New Year's Day, sparking a rush of...

Home working grows despite security woes.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Phil Muncaster. A new survey released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last week revealed a major change in the work-life balance of UK employees, but fears persist over the security risks posed by mobile workers. ...

Laws require security backing.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Two cases ending in courts this week will test national e-crime laws. Christopher Smith was arrested last week at Minneapolis St. Paul airport and faces allegations that he sent over one billion emails to AOL members, offering them...

Waste rule puts onus on IT chiefs.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: James Murray. Firms will need to keep accurate records of how they dispose of IT equipment or they could face prosecution under new hazardous waste regulations that come into force this weekend. Experts said firms should invest in...

State IT projects lashed.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Martin Veitch. A government spending watchdog has criticised IT budgeting at the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), calling for it to cooperate more with government departments to prevent IT failures. In his report issued...

Firms urged to unify security.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... A new IT security report criticises the widespread use of multiple separate security tools, and recommends firms develop unified security management infrastructures. The report, issued last week by analyst firm Butler Group, suggests...

Microsoft CRM tool skips a beat.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth and Martin Veitch. Microsoft unveiled the next version of its customer relationship management (CRM) app last week, cancelling plans for a version 2.0 of the product and skipping straight to CRM 3.0, along with a...

Comment - Data gatherers make it hard to say no. The battle for civil liberties is being lost on the phone and at superstores every day of the week.(Column)
July 11, 2005... Byline: George Gardiner. A Sunday visit to a well-known computer store led to the usual battle between me and the checkout person as to whether or not I had to reveal my address in order to buy the goods. I was told I should provide the...

Comment - In IT, expect the unexpected. Those who argue that the days of major innovations are over obviously don't know their IT history.(Column)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Jim Rapoza. What is the future of information technology? If you listen to many of the prominent voices speaking about IT today, the future doesn't seem too promising. The way these people see it, there will be few, if any, big...

Microsoft showcases next-gen apps.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth and Iain Thomson. At its TechEd conference in Amsterdam last week, Microsoft detailed a wide range of new enterprise system developments. Among the firm's near-term releases, SQL Server 2005, due to ship on 7...

Voice ID solution verifies users.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Identity authentication specialist 192.com Business Services last week launched a voice-based identity verification scheme that it said will provide financial institutions with a cost-effective alternative to two-factor authentication systems....

Euro MPs reject IT patent directive.
July 11, 2005... Byline: James Murray. The European Parliament last week voted overwhelmingly to reject legislation that critics said would have led to the introduction of US-style software patents across the EU. Anti-patent campaigners - including many...

Special Report: Service-Oriented Architecture - The SOA vision becomes a reality. In the first of a two-part report, IT Week examines why firms are developing service-oriented architectures.
July 11, 2005... The term service-oriented architecture (SOA) is not new. For several years, technology commentators have envisioned a future where business processes will be aligned with IT infrastructures and where data can flow between applications...

Special Report: Service-Oriented Architecture - Dealing with an age of uncertainty. SOA systems are ready for prime time, but ignore vendors' spin, says Steve Craggs.(Interview)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Interview by Martin Veitch. Steve Craggs of the Integration Consortium, a group of vendors and end-user corporations and organisations, says, "I wrote my first paper on SOA in 1996 - (the model is) not new but it used to be quite...

Enterprise Week - Hackers exploit backup tool flaw.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth. Internet security organisation the Cert Coordination Center last week warned that hackers are exploiting flaws in Veritas Backup Exec software. Cert said firms should check their firewall configurations to ensure...

Enterprise Week - Comment - Intel gears up for management role. IT chiefs will benefit from the chip giant's increasing focus on systems management technology.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Martin Banks. Intel employees use a lot of the technology their company produces, and therefore know a thing or two about how Intel systems should be used. So when Bill Sayles, Intel's director and general manager for enterprise...

Enterprise Week - HDS kit offers virtualisation.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Storage giant Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) will today launch a product designed to give firms with fewer than 500 staff the enhanced storage management and lower cost of ownership associated with virtualisation tools. Jonathan Grantham,...

Internet Week - Networks face surge in phishing.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Paul Roberts. The number of phishing attacks increased by over 200 percent in May, according to figures released by IBM. The firm's monthly Global Business Security Index report suggests that networks of compromised computers...

Internet Week - Security vendors adapt defences as threats shift.
July 11, 2005... Byline: David Neal. TrendMicro last week introduced a new version of its Interscan web security suite, offering protection against spyware, phishing attacks, viruses, and what the firm calls "grayware" - an umbrella term applied to a wide...

Internet Week - US keeps root domain name responsibility.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Phil Muncaster. The US government has announced it will retain control of the internet's vital root zone file, which lists authorised top-level domains, banishing speculation that responsibility for the Domain Name System (DNS)...

Internet Week - Comment - P2P exposes corporate secrets. Madonna has an important question for companies that fail to police peer-to-peer technology.
July 11, 2005... Byline: David Neal. Viewers of the Live 8 concerts may have become aware that Madonna has what my Nan would call a "potty mouth". But, Madonna, Madge, or Ma'am, as she probably likes to be called, has been known for her ability to make...

Internet Week - Security Interview - Online crime gets more organised. Sal Viveros of security firm McAfee explains how threats and defences are evolving.(Interview)
July 11, 2005... Byline: David Neal. IT Week: As a security consultant at McAfee, how do you think the dangers to firms have changed? Sal Viveros: Threats are a lot more sophisticated now; there is actually some money behind them. Before, attacks would...

Client Week - Sun unveils mobile Sparc workstations.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: IT Week staff. Sun Microsystems is shipping its first mobile workstations based on UltraSparc processors. The laptop systems deliver all the performance and functionality of a Sun Blade workstation in a mobile unit, according to...

Client Week - Mini Tablet targets wider market.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Daniel Robinson. Motion Computing last week introduced a lightweight miniature Tablet PC, which the firm believes will attract more companies to the platform than the previous bulkier systems. The Motion LS800 weighs a kilogram...

Client Week - Lenovo adds ClearCube blade PCs to its portfolio.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Daniel Robinson. Lenovo will today announce a global partnership with ClearCube Technology under which the PC maker will sell ClearCube's blade clients alongside its own products as an alternative to conventional desktop systems....

Client Week - Libretto U100 laptop review - Toshiba shrinks in size. The Libretto crams a full laptop spec into an A5 case.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Daniel Robinson. Toshiba's Libretto U100 is one of the smallest and lightest laptops IT Week has seen. This may make it attractive for mobile staff who need a highly portable PC client, but the Libretto's screen and small keyboard...

Client Week - Comment - Has pod-slurping moved to mobiles? The danger of data theft via USB devices is finally being taken seriously, but firms must now stay ahead and protect mobile handsets.(Column)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Alistair Dabbs. Last year, I wrote about the impending security nightmare that was likely to be caused by the large number of portable storage devices in users' hands. Six months of industry ignorance later, some helpful soul...

Network Week - C&W suite aids remote working.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. Comms vendor Cable & Wireless will today announce a set of software communications tools so off-site employees can set up a "virtual office" on their PC or laptop systems. The package, called Intelligent Working,...

Network Week - Cardiff becomes 21CN migration guinea pig.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. BT last week announced that voice, broadband and Ethernet services around Cardiff, Bridgend and Pontypridd will be the first to migrate to its 21st Century Network (21CN), and the transition is scheduled for the second...

Network Week - London to trial 24Mbit/s broadband Dave Bailey.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... New internet service provider Be has announced it intends to trial 24Mbit/s broadband connectivity in London, through BT's unbundled local loop, with services due to start in "a few months". The firm said it will be the first to use French...

Network Week - Comment - When Microsoft's push comes to shove. Microsoft may have been slow to challenge mobile email leader RIM, but it has some advantages.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Alan Stevens. Microsoft's recent announcement that it will add "direct-push" technology to its Exchange-based mobile email system has been widely welcomed. But the acclaim is not universal and some argue that it won't really be a...

Network Week - Portable unit guards remote staff. ZyWall P1 Personal Internet Security Appliance Review.
July 11, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. Launched in May, Zyxel's ZyWall P1 Personal Internet Security Appliance is a highly portable hardware firewall and virtual private network (VPN) device, which may appeal to firms supporting home workers or mobile...

Network Week - Switch technology Interview - Ethernet power to gain strength. PowerDsine's chief executive explains why use of Power over Ethernet is set to grow.(Interview)
July 11, 2005... Byline: Dave Bailey. PowerDsine is a hardware vendor specialising in Power over Ethernet (PoE) chipsets and so-called mid-span devices used to PoE-enable existing switches. IT Week: As chief executive of PowerDsine, when do you think...

Management Week - Micromuse buys into compliance.
July 11, 2005... Byline: James Murray and Phil Muncaster. Business service management (BSM) specialist Micromuse is to beef up its software range to help firms comply with regulations following its acquisition of security management company GuardedNet....

Management Week - IT offshorer goes to China.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2005... Indian IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced plans to launch an IT outsourcing operation in China. Experts predict China will become a popular provider of IT offshoring services for UK firms within the next five years....

Management Week - Comment - At last, the telly phone. Animated images on handsets promise to change the way businesses look at mobile phones.
July 11, 2005... Byline: James Woudhuysen. In May 1960, Sony brought out its TV8-301, the world's first portable television, with 8in screen and black-and-white image. It became known as "Kennedy's dog", because JFK kept a set near him. In July 2005, quite...

Dealing with an age of uncertainty.
July 11, 2005... Dealing with an age of uncertainty SOA systems are ready for prime time, but ignore vendors' spin, says Steve Craggs Steve Craggs of the Integration Consortium, a group of vendors and end-user corporations and organisations, says, "I...

Compliance hampers IT security.(Brief Article)
July 18, 2005... Byline: Phil Muncaster. Many firms may be ignoring weaknesses in their IT as they concentrate spending and resources on systems to comply with regulations, according to a report issued last week by the Information Security Forum (ISF). ...

Microsoft revises licences.(Brief Article)
July 18, 2005... Byline: Martin Veitch. Microsoft has introduced new software licences designed to harmonise terms between countries. At its annual Worldwide Partner Conference in Minneapolis last week the software giant announced that from October its...

Polycom makes video chat simpler.(Brief Article)
July 18, 2005... Byline: Phil Muncaster. Video conferencing specialist Polycom has updated its video chat systems for office and home workers, in a bid to reduce costs and improve usability. The company will this month issue three new video systems in...

Comment - Why crowds make good software.(Column)
July 18, 2005... Byline: Les Hatton. Theories on how the power of groups can be used to solve problems show why open source works I've been reading an excellent book this week called The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many are Smarter than the Few by James...

Comment - Second thoughts on outsourcing.(Column)
July 18, 2005... Byline: Tony Westbrook. What is the difference between those firms that benefit from outsourcing and those that do not? The outsourcing debate has been stood on its head in recent weeks. For years, the cry has been that to outsource is...

Enterprise Week - Intel readies dual-core server chip.
July 18, 2005... Byline: Roger Howorth. Intel has announced more details of its forthcoming dual-core server chips and has released benchmarks for its forthcoming dual-core Itanium processor. Currently the firm offers only two dual-core chips, designed for...