IT Week (UK) articles from June 2006

IT Week (UK) archives from June 2006

Grid computing starts to make waves.
June 5, 2006... Byline: James Murray Grid computing starts to make waves Better middleware is making it easier to integrate applications with grid environments Advocates of grid computing have denied the technology is failing to spark customer...

Business intelligence gains 64bit boost.
June 5, 2006... Byline: James Murray Business intelligence gains 64bit boost QlikTech's managing director says a new generation of hardware is transforming BI IT Week: Some critics say Business Intelligence (BI) tools have been overhyped. As a BI...

Has Microsoft turned over a new leaf?
June 5, 2006... Byline: Martin Banks Has Microsoft turned over a new leaf? Microsoft's new pricing and Java interoperability seems to recognise customers' need for flexibility In the past, Microsoft has tried to persuade everyone to stick to the...

Sata devices make SANs easier.
June 5, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth Sata devices make SANs easier Roger Howorth European tape drive maker Tandberg is set to launch a new range of iSCSI-based disk storage devices this autumn. Kjell Ayvind Aasene, Tandberg director of...

Flaw detected in Symantec antivirus tools Roger Howorth n IT manager's have complained about the huge amount of work needed to patch Symantec systems, after news that firms must update desktop antivirus tools to remove a serious flaw in Symantec's corpor.(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth Flaw detected in Symantec antivirus tools Roger Howorth n IT manager's have complained about the huge amount of work needed to patch Symantec systems, after news that firms must update desktop antivirus tools...

Large IT vendors have a blind spot.
June 5, 2006... Byline: Kelvyn Taylor Large IT vendors have a blind spot Britain's small firms are the backbone of the economy so why are vendors ignoring them? With the latest round of buzzword bingo well under way on the back of Everything 2.0,...

EC moves to quell fears over patents.
June 5, 2006... Byline: James Murray EC moves to quell fears over patents James Murray n The European Commission (EC) has denied that software will be patentable under upcoming Community Patent legislation. Anti-patent campaigners had feared...

UK companies wary of offshoring.
June 5, 2006... Byline: Madeline Bennett and James Murray UK companies wary of offshoring Madeline Bennett and James Murray IT offshoring is an unattractive option for the vast majority of UK companies, according to a report released late last...

Traffic monitor scores on clarity.(Paessler GmbH launches bandwidth and protocol monitor software 'PRTG Traffic Grapher 5.3')
June 5, 2006... Traffic monitor scores on clarity Paessler's bandwidth and protocol monitor can help firms keep key apps healthy Launched in April, version 5.3 of Paessler's PRTG Traffic Grapher is an easy-to-use bandwidth and network protocol monitor...

Thin client fits into wall port to save space.(Jade Systems Corp.)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Thin client fits into wall port to save space it week staff n Jade Integration is shipping a thin client terminal designed to fit into a network wall port, leaving only the user's display, keyboard and...

Get ready for user-generated content.
June 5, 2006... Get ready for user-generated content Some businesses will see the new type of content as an opportunity, but few can afford to ignore it No business wants its customers to shout about product defects or any problems they are having....

PGP extends encryption platform to file servers.
June 5, 2006... Byline: James Murray PGP extends encryption platform to file servers James Murray Data encryption specialist PGP will today extend its encryption platform by announcing a new product to automatically encrypt all files saved to...

Ubuntu unveils corporate Linux.(Ubuntu 6.06 Long Term Support)
June 5, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Ubuntu unveils corporate Linux Daniel Robinson The Ubuntu open-source project has released a version of its Linux distribution that it said is ready for business use. The new code will be supported for...

Firms struggle to prevent unauthorised IT changes.(Touchpaper survey report)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Byline: James Murray Firms struggle to prevent unauthorised IT changes James Murray Over two-thirds of IT directors struggle to keep track of changes to the IT environment, and this is increasing the risk of system failures and...

Power-saving desktops promise to reduce bills.(Fujitsu Siemens Computers introduced Esprimo E5615 and Esprimo P5615)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Power-saving desktops promise to reduce bills Daniel Robinson Fujitsu Siemens Computers has launched two energy-saving desktop systems that cut electricity consumption by up to 23 percent, according to the...

Ofcom reign ends on a high note.(Stephen Carter quits from Office of Communications)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Ofcom reign ends on a high note Martin Veitch Stephen Carter will receive a good send-off when his reign as Ofcom chief executive ends in a few months, although some hope his successor will be more supportive of telecoms firms. ...

Device pinpoints suspect activity.(Securify Inc. introduces Securify Monitor )(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Device pinpoints suspect activity Network security vendor Securify last week released a new version of its flagship security appliance. The Securify Monitor captures network traffic and decodes the data up to the application layer. ...

Vodafone seeks fresh start.(company earnings)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Vodafone seeks fresh start IT Week staff As widely predicted, Vodafone last week announced a huge loss for the year. Now the firm is pondering a new strategy including broadband fixed-line services and heavier investment in developing...

Can firms afford to delay upgrades?(increased prices of copper and silver effecting network hardware industry)
June 5, 2006... Can firms afford to delay upgrades? The rising price of copper is making the cost of network upgrades increasingly hard to swallow Flashes of lightning, deafening cracks of thunder, rain gushing down -- yep, it must be a May bank...

Rival camps eye broadband riches.
June 5, 2006... Rival camps eye broadband riches Netgear chief Patrick Lo discusses broadband developments, 802.11n and 10GbE pricing IT Week: As chief executive of network kit vendor Netgear, how do you see wireless LANs developing? Patrick Lo:...

Vietnam touts for IT work.(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Vietnam touts for IT work James Murray Vietnam is rapidly emerging as a viable offshore IT development location, offering lower prices, less staff turnover and greater stability than rival Indian sites, according to IT recruitment and...

Do not hurry to the hosted party.(says Marc Benioff of Salesforce.com Inc.)
June 5, 2006... Do not hurry to the hosted party Hosted applications are undoubtedly the future, but is the time right to embrace them? Speaking at last week's Appforce conference in San Francisco, Salesforce.com chief executive Marc Benioff...

Google simplifies enterprise search.(says Arvind Desikan)(Interview)
June 5, 2006... Google simplifies enterprise search Arvind Desikan explains how Google's search strategy caters to all corporate tastes IT Week: As product manager for Google in Europe, can you explain what your company brings to enterprise search...

Enron stresses need for archiving.
June 5, 2006... Enron stresses need for archiving Martin Veitch The recent "guilty" verdict on Enron executives is likely to hammer home the message that corporate governance policies are critical and the archiving of corporate communications is an...

Tech mergers fuel boom.
June 5, 2006... Tech mergers fuel boom Madeline Bennett The IT industry is likely to experience another boom in the near future, driven by growing interest in converged technologies and more mergers and acquisitions, according to a new report from...

UK faces wait for Microsoft security.
June 5, 2006... UK faces wait for Microsoft security Microsoft last week launched its long-awaited client security subscription service in the US but UK users will need to wait for 12 months or more for a local equivalent to arrive. Microsoft's...

Easier image deployment.(Phoenix Technologies Ltd. introduced ImageCast 6.0)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Easier image deployment Daniel Robinson Phoenix Technologies will this week ship ImageCast 6, a tool to help administrators deploy disk images to PCs and laptops. ImageCast 6 for Enterprises supports image deployment to individual...

Domain-name disputes increase.(internet services)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Domain-name disputes increase Phil Muncaster Firms must sharpen up domain-name management and registration practices to avoid becoming embroiled in the growing number of domain disputes, lawyers warned last week. The World...

Firms blind to business benefits of voice over IP.
June 5, 2006... Firms blind to business benefits of voice over IP Phil Muncaster Many of the business benefits of voice over IP (VoIP) are being ignored because the success of Skype has overhyped the potential cost savings of the technology, according...

Executives must curb their wanderlust.
June 5, 2006... Executives must curb their wanderlust Any company that is serious about protecting the environment should embrace video conferencing It appears that prime ministerial wannabe David "call me Dave" Cameron has finally realised what the...

Dot-com firms learn security lessons.
June 5, 2006... Dot-com firms learn security lessons Good defences can be an important selling point to attract customers and ensure their loyalty In the aftermath of the internet bubble, what does an online company need to survive and profit? Gone...

Treasury opposes plan to tax email and texts.(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Treasury opposes plan to tax email and texts James Murray The Treasury has confirmed that it will oppose any attempt by the European Union (EU) to tax emails and text messages, after it was revealed last week that the EU is...

Telco unifies business services.
June 5, 2006... Telco unifies business services Dave Bailey France Telecom last week announced a rebranding of all its business operations as Orange Business Services, bringing its fixed and mobile operations together. The move puts pressure on...

Security devices bolster branch office defences.(Crossbeam Systems Inc. introduced unified threat management devices C12 and C25)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Security devices bolster branch office defences Dave Bailey Network security vendor Crossbeam Systems will today launch two new unified threat management (UTM) devices. The move will extend its C-series range with models able to...

Suite models and controls net changes.(AlterPoint Inc. and Skybox Security offering joint packages)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Suite models and controls net changes it week staff n Network management software vendor AlterPoint and pioneering security risk management (SRM) vendor Skybox Security last week announced they will offer a joint package to give firms...

SAP extends SOA portfolio.(service-oriented architecture)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... SAP extends SOA portfolio Madeline Bennett At its European user event in Paris last week, SAP strengthened its service-oriented architecture (SOA) portfolio, unveiling an appliance that will let firms tap into hundreds of pre-loaded...

EU rejects flight data deal.
June 5, 2006... EU rejects flight data deal David Neal A European court last week ruled that an agreement between the US and EU states to share airline passenger data will have to be rewritten. Some observers fear the ruling could lead to weaker data...

IT giants offer diverse strategies.
June 5, 2006... IT giants offer diverse strategies Martin Veitch Sun Microsystems last week began a restructuring effort as other IT giants revealed plans to improve their fortunes. Sun announced that it would lay off up to 5,000 staff over the...

Module simplifies software changes.(BMC Software Inc. introduced business service management tools)(BMC Closed-Loop Client Management suite)(Unified Service Level Manager)(BMC Service Impact Manager)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Module simplifies software changes BMC Software will tomorrow launch three new integrated IT service desk modules to make it easier for firms to deploy business service management (BSM) tools and gain a better view of IT infrastructure. ...

Slim BlackBerry means business.(Research in Motion Ltd. and O2 Ltd. introduced BlackBerry 7130g )(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Slim BlackBerry means business n RIM and O2 have introduced a new BlackBerry handset, styled more like a standard phone but still providing access to push email and web browsing. The BlackBerry 7130g builds on the design of the 7100x,...

Red Hat makes Linux development easier.(introduced 108.redhat.com portal and Dogtail testing software)
June 5, 2006... Red Hat makes Linux development easier Roger Howorth in Nashville At its user event in Nashville last week, open-source giant Red Hat wooed developers by unveiling a web-based collaboration portal and a software project to help firms...

EC shows leadership on security.(European Commission)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... EC shows leadership on security Phil Muncaster As part of a new Europe-wide IT security initiative, the European Commission (EC) is urging the public sector and industry to step up efforts to protect their equipment from attacks and to...

Stores run tests on PIN protector.(PED Cradle designed by Warwick University)(PIN-entry device)(personal identification numbers)
June 5, 2006... Stores run tests on PIN protector Phil Muncaster A new device to prevent "shoulder-surfing" criminals from spotting shoppers' PINs is being tested in stores and could help to reduce card fraud and boost consumer confidence in chip and...

Free security software for Barclays customers.
June 5, 2006... Free security software for Barclays customers Phil Muncaster Barclays Bank has become the first financial institution to offer free internet security software to its customers, after it announced an agreement with F-Secure to provide...

Tool measures effectiveness of keywords.(Omniture launched internet software for effectiveness of keywords)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Tool measures effectiveness of keywords it week staff n Web analytics firm Omniture has launched a new tool to give firms a better understanding of keyword campaigns and so help them optimise their search marketing strategies. ...

French MEP denies plan to tax emails.(Alain Lamassoure, Member of the European Parliament)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: James Murray French MEP denies plan to tax emails it week staff n Alain Lamassoure, the French MEP at the centre of recent reports about a potential EU-wide tax on text messages and emails, has issued a statement...

The future of printing is green.
June 12, 2006... Byline: Phil Muncaster The future of printing is green Ricoh's environmental manager says new devices can cut energy bills and paper use IT Week: As environmental manager at printer vendor Ricoh UK, do you really believe that...

BlackBerry adopts slimmer format.
June 12, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson BlackBerry adopts slimmer format The BlackBerry 7130g from O2 provides push access to email in a phone-sized device The BlackBerry 7130g is a new model in RIM's range of wireless email devices, but is...

Phones must keep the focus on voice.
June 12, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Phones must keep the focus on voice Mobile devices should not neglect voice communication as they acquire other messaging options In all the excitement over push email, mobile web browsing, instant...

Email snoops face legal jeopardy.
June 12, 2006... Byline: James Murray Email snoops face legal jeopardy James Murray Many UK organisations are likely to be breaching privacy laws, according to a recent survey, which found over a third of large firms employ staff to read and...

Comptia refreshes A+ certificate for IT staff.(Computing Technology Industry Association)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: James Murray Comptia refreshes A+ certificate for IT staff James Murray IT trade association Comptia will today announce a major revamp of its A+ certification for IT professionals to place greater emphasis on information...

Helpdesk support tool for basics via internet.(LapLink.com Inc. introduced RemoteAssist)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Danirl Robinson Helpdesk support tool for basics via internet Daniel Robinson Laplink has announced it will release a remote support tool for helpdesks that is easier and cheaper than rival products. RemoteAssist, set...

AMD advances on a broad front.(Advanced Micro Devices Inc.)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Martin Veitch AMD advances on a broad front Martin Veitch Chipmaker AMD is pushing further into the enterprise with plans for quad-core products, better power efficiency, improved manufacturing and technology licensing....

Easier control for datacentres.(Opsware Automation System 6.0)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Easier control for datacentres n Systems management specialist Opsware will today upgrade its datacentre automation suite with better application management capabilities and improved support for regulatory compliance. Opsware...

HP's docking station also offers storage.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson HP's docking station also offers storage Daniel Robinson n HP has released further details of the advanced docking station add-on for its business laptops, which serves as a backup device and network...

Sun posts user reviews online.
June 12, 2006... Sun posts user reviews online Martin Veitch Sun Microsystems is to post user reviews of its products in a move that mimics a popular community-building tactic of online retailers. The IT giant expects the service to start small,...

Data loss shows danger of mobile kit.
June 12, 2006... Data loss shows danger of mobile kit David Neal Firms have been reminded of the need to protect data on mobile devices and elsewhere after an auditor from Ernst & Young (E&Y) lost a laptop containing highly sensitive client...

in brief Opera updates mobile browser n Opera has released a new version of its web browser for Java-enabled mobile phones. The free Opera Mobile Mini 2.0 software offers improved access to web mail and mobile news, as well as download functions. An advan.
June 12, 2006... in brief Opera updates mobile browser n Opera has released a new version of its web browser for Java-enabled mobile phones. The free Opera Mobile Mini 2.0 software offers improved access to web mail and mobile news, as well as download...

Council web sites aid ID fraudsters.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Council web sites aid ID fraudsters Local councils are posting information on their web sites that could provide fraudsters with all the details they need to carry out identity theft, according to fraud prevention body Cifas. The...

Sharing delivers results.
June 12, 2006... Sharing delivers results Phil Muncaster Enterprises that refuse to embrace collaborative technologies may be less competitive, according to research released last week by Microsoft and communications specialist Verizon. ...

Asset tracker gains detail.
June 12, 2006... Asset tracker gains detail Daniel Robinson Centennial Software has updated its asset discovery tool with features to make it easier for organisations to get a clear overview of the hardware and software running on their LAN. ...

An ugly side to the beautiful game.
June 12, 2006... An ugly side to the beautiful game Corporate networks will need tight defences and strength in depth if they are to survive the World Cup Do you think that the worst thing about the World Cup is that Wayne Rooney has broken a little...

On-demand applications race heats up.
June 12, 2006... On-demand applications race heats up The hosted software leaders are adopting various strategies as they jostle for position Business IT watchers have obsessed over Salesforce.com and others in the software-as-a-service sector over the...

Funding rows slow SOA growth.
June 12, 2006... Funding rows slow SOA growth James Murray Firms' adoption of service-oriented architecture (SOA) is being hampered by the reluctance of department managers to fully fund initiatives if the benefits will be shared by other departments,...

Software makes it easier to administer encryption.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Software makes it easier to administer encryption Daniel Robinson Data Encryption Systems has released a management tool for its DESlock+ file and email encryption software, to enable IT administrators to pre-configure user settings...

Google hosts spreadsheets.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Google hosts spreadsheets David Neal Google last week revealed the latest addition to its range of hosted office applications, an online spreadsheet tool available under a limited beta programme. Google said that the spreadsheet...

O2 plans for more iMode content.(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... O2 plans for more iMode content Phil Muncaster O2 is considering opening up the specifications for its iMode mobile portal to more third-party content providers, which could lead to more mobile internet apps and services being offered....

Is Dell plotting a fresh course?
June 12, 2006... Is Dell plotting a fresh course? There are clear signs that one of the most predictable IT juggernauts may be changing gears Michael Dell is keen on describing his management style as collaborative, with both he and CEO Kevin Rollins...

How best to settle software licence abuses.
June 12, 2006... How best to settle software licence abuses The process of assessing damages for copyright infringement is often manipulated by the accused The use of unlicensed software in the UK is a major issue, though the actual loss to the...

Vista raises spectre of lock-in.(Microsoft Windows Vista)
June 12, 2006... Vista raises spectre of lock-in Roger Howorth in Nashville The Information Rights Management (IRM) features in Windows Vista could lock firms into using Microsoft Office for years to come, according to Cory Doctorow, a key contributor...

How altruism could reshape IT.
June 12, 2006... How altruism could reshape IT The One Laptop Per Child project will have a huge impact, and not just on the developing world I recently I had the extraordinary experience of hearing MIT professor and project leader Nicholas Negroponte...

10GbE crosstalk silenced.(introduced by Brand-Rex)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... 10GbE crosstalk silenced Dave Bailey Network cabling firm Brand-Rex has announced 10GPlus, an improved design for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) cables to reduce cable diameter and address one of the major concerns with 10GbE copper...

Is the time right to embrace 802.11n?
June 12, 2006... Is the time right to embrace 802.11n? The draft standard was voted down last month but that did not prevent vendors promoting new kit they claimed would be compatible It's dA[c]jA vu time, again. At least it is for those tracking...

Dell servers lead Intel's push for performance.
June 12, 2006... Dell servers lead Intel's push for performance Martin Veitch in Monaco Dell is leading Intel's fightback on performance and power consumption, by rolling out the latest generation of Dell PowerEdge servers with Intel's new dual-core...

VMware revamp broadens appeal.
June 12, 2006... VMware revamp broadens appeal Roger Howorth in Boston Server virtualisation specialist VMware has announced a major upgrade to its ESX Server and VirtualCenter product suites, plus a major cut in prices that will make the tools easier...

BT cuts prices for ISPs.(British Telecommunications PLC, Internet service providers)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... BT cuts prices for ISPs Dave Bailey Broadband prices may fall again after BT's Openreach offshoot last week announced lower charges for service providers to transfer customers from BT's wholesale broadband services to Openreach's...

NetApp backs HPC clusters.(Network Appliance Inc., high-performance computing )(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... NetApp backs HPC clusters Network Appliance will today launch its Data Ontap GX operating system, a disk-based storage offering for high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. The software runs on the vendor's FAS3050 and FAS6070 disk...

RFID wireless tags face hurdles.
June 12, 2006... RFID wireless tags face hurdles Privacy concerns and high costs may delay the widespread adoption of RFID technology I'm at a GoCordless.com seminar in London on RFID wireless tags, and I'm warming to the Clark-Kent-without-the-tie...

Windows gears up for HPC role.
June 12, 2006... Windows gears up for HPC role n Microsoft has released Windows Compute Cluster Edition 2003 to manufacturing, in a bid to create a cheap and easy way to perform high-performance computing [HPC] tasks. The release will support such...

IP network growing pains.
June 12, 2006... IP network growing pains Martin Courtney Telecoms carriers' next-generation networks (NGNs) currently under construction cannot guarantee either interoperability or quality of voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls across national boundaries,...

Microsoft puts more muscle into BI.
June 12, 2006... Microsoft puts more muscle into BI Madeline Bennett Microsoft last week bulked up its business intelligence (BI) portfolio by launching PerformancePoint Server (PPS) 2007 to offer large enterprises a complete performance management...

Big businesses expand mobile IT.
June 12, 2006... Big businesses expand mobile IT Dave Bailey A survey of large companies has found most plan to increase investment in mobile systems over the next three years, and a third predict they will need fewer offices and less space. The firms...

Suite checks compliance in real time.
June 12, 2006... Suite checks compliance in real time IT Week staff n Network security vendor Sourcefire last week announced what it described as the industry's first automated network compliance system. Sourcefire's Real-time Network...

Peakflow X appliance blocks zero-day threats.
June 12, 2006... Peakflow X appliance blocks zero-day threats Dave Bailey Version 3.6 of Arbor Networks' Peakflow X security appliance offers improvements for real-time monitoring and better protection against previously unseen or "zero-day" threats....