IT Week (UK) articles from June 2007

IT Week (UK) archives from June 2007

Itil version 3 changes welcomed.
June 4, 2007... Byline: James Murray Itil version 3 changes welcomed James Murray Version 3 of the popular Itil IT service management guidelines will be launched tomorrow. It is widely predicted that the latest best-practice framework will...

Web 2.0 is not everyone's idea of fun.(online social networks)
June 4, 2007... Byline: James Murray Web 2.0 is not everyone's idea of fun For business bosses, the productivity gains of the web revolution are offset by hours wasted surfing I have a confession to make: I don't get YouTube. People say that...

Handle virtualisation with care.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Handle virtualisation with care Consolidating PCs as virtual desktops has potential benefits, but are there also pitfalls? ClearCube Technology's move last month to offer VMware's ESX Server pre-installed...

Time for IT kit to show its true colours.
June 4, 2007... Time for IT kit to show its true colours Why are storage vendors so nervous about revealing their OEM partners' identities? I've been conducting detailed research into the storage hardware industry over the past few months, and I want...

Pastures new for Linux apps.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Pastures new for Linux apps Daniel Robinson n US firm Lina is aiming to broaden adoption of open-source software by enabling applications to run on multiple platforms through a virtualisation layer. ...

Wires can provide a safer feeling.(wireless communications)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Wires can provide a safer feeling Fears about wireless networks will not halt Wi-Fi rollouts, but HomePlug products offer an alternative Despite the growing debate about its safety, Wi-Fi will continue to...

Yoggie ships security on a stick.(Yoggie Security Systems will introduce Yoggie Pico Pro and Personal devices)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Yoggie ships security on a stick Dave Bailey Yoggie Security Systems has managed to cram a dedicated security appliance onto a USB stick. Designed primarily to protect roaming laptops, the device contains a...

EC reins in mobile operators.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey EC reins in mobile operators Madeline Bennett and Dave Bailey Travellers in Europe will benefit from reduced mobile rates this summer after the European Parliament approved a proposal to cap roaming charges....

LANDesk 9 to monitor VMs.(virtual machines)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney LANDesk 9 to monitor VMs n Systems management firm LANDesk is developing tools to help IT departments keep track of virtual machines and is looking to include them in version 9.0 of its product suite due this...

Red Hat OS falls short of target.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney Red Hat OS falls short of target Martin Courtney Users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.0, which was released in March, have complained of problems with the operating system's ability to migrate live virtual...

IT failings shouldn't be a bar to ID cards.(identification)(Column)
June 4, 2007... Byline: George Gardiner IT failings shouldn't be a bar to ID cards Technological challenges are distracting us from the real issue: do we actually need a national ID scheme? My column of 7 May (Wanted: an ID scheme we can trust,...

Avaya unifies branch links.(Distributed Office device)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Avaya unifies branch links Telecoms specialist Avaya has announced Distributed Office, a Session Initiation Protocol-based communications package that targets enterprises with large-scale branch office facilities....

IT chiefs daunted by Vista.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson IT chiefs daunted by Vista Daniel Robinson The promise of better security is attracting organisations to Microsoft's Windows Vista, but deployment difficulties are slowing migration plans, recent reports...

Employees turn against travel.
June 4, 2007... Byline: James Murray Employees turn against travel James Murray Workers are pushing for environmentally friendly technologies that avoid business trips, such as web conferences and online broadcasts, according to experts. ...

Business chiefs challenge CIOs.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Business chiefs challenge CIOs Next week's Forrester IT Forum in Edinburgh will feature keynotes and workshops exploring the growing influence of the business organisation in IT decision making. Forrester...

Software tallies carbon output.
June 4, 2007... Byline: James Murray Software tallies carbon output James Murray Firms keen on improving their green credentials could benefit from two new software packages designed to give a clearer view of their carbon footprint. Expense...

Palm unveils smartphone sidekick.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Palm unveils smartphone sidekick Daniel Robinson Palm has announced a new mobile device that is designed as a companion to a smartphone. The Foleo has a large screen and full-size qwerty keyboard, and can...

VeriSign service protects Wi-Fi.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey VeriSign service protects Wi-Fi Firms looking to improve security for their wireless networks could benefit from VeriSign's latest Managed Security Service. VeriSign Wireless Intrusion Prevention Service,...

Hardware giant offers virtualisation advice.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney Hardware giant offers virtualisation advice Martin Courtney Dell has launched server and storage virtualisation consultancy services for European customers, and aims to offer Vista migration support in the...

New tools build richer web apps.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster New tools build richer web apps n Web developers were given new tools to create compelling internet applications last week after Adobe Systems and Google both made major announcements. Adobe launched a new...

Palm's Foleo folly.(smart phone)(Brief article)(Column)
June 4, 2007... Byline: IT Week staff Palm's Foleo folly Smartphones will eventually replace laptops as the mobile client device of choice, or so many pundits in the industry would have us believe. The only problem is that most smartphones have...

Yahoo unveils new ad platform.(Panama, internet advertising software)
June 4, 2007... Yahoo unveils new ad platform Phil Muncaster Search specialist Yahoo last week launched a completely new version of its search advertising platform. The refresh is designed to be more user-friendly and relevant for marketers, enabling...

GelSprinter offers speedy colour prints.(Ricoh GelSprinter Aficio GX3000 color printer)(Product/service evaluation)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson GelSprinter offers speedy colour prints Ricoh's gel-based printer is a low-cost choice for producing colour business documents Ricoh's GelSprinter Aficio GX3000 is a colour desktop printer with a novel...

Product churn keeps tech prices high.(computer peripherals)(Column)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Alistair Dabbs Product churn keeps tech prices high Buyer choice is being harmed by vendors chasing new technologies that carry a premium price tag My television broke down last week. But as I discovered, the drawback of...

iPhone US release date announced.(by Apple Inc.)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson iPhone US release date announced IT Week staff n Apple is to launch its iPhone handset on 29 June, according to adverts the company has posted online and aired on US television. The new handset could pose...

Midmarket firms lack IT plans.
June 11, 2007... Byline: James Murray Midmarket firms lack IT plans James Murray Nearly one-third of UK firms with between 100 and 250 staff admit to having no IT strategy, according to a new survey released last week. The survey of 170...

Will an e-waste crisis be made in China?
June 11, 2007... Byline: James Woudhuysen Will an e-waste crisis be made in China? Western efforts to cut e-waste are laudable, but ecological benefits will be limited unless China follows suit It's 2012. The Kyoto Protocol on climate change is...

Rich internet tools multiply.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Rich internet tools multiply Phil Muncaster Google and Adobe unveiled new and updated products last month that will provide developers with more options for creating rich and interactive internet...

When retailers get rattled by supply chain failings.
June 11, 2007... When retailers get rattled by supply chain failings New tags will help retailers to weed out the weakest links in their supply chains n It's a clichA[c] of our trade that if computers stopped functioning, everybody's life would be a...

IBM boxes clever for smaller businesses.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Martin Banks IBM boxes clever for smaller businesses The vendor's pre-packaged blades should make it easier for small firms to beef up their IT infrastructures It looks as though IBM is going to start throwing blade server...

LogMeIn adds support for Macs.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson LogMeIn adds support for Macs Daniel Robinson LogMeIn has added Mac support to its namesake remote access service, allowing users with Mac systems to remotely operate their computer via a web browser. It...

Lenovo unveils Tablet PC in new ultraportable line.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Lenovo unveils Tablet PC in new ultraportable line Daniel Robinson Lenovo has announced a new range of ThinkPad ultraportables with longer battery life and improved wireless performance over previous...

HomePlug devices come of age.(powerline networks)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Bill Pechey HomePlug devices come of age Powerline telecommunications are providing a viable alternative to Ethernet cabling I t's time for another look at Powerline telecommunications (PLT). This is a generic term for...

HomePlug does the trick.(Letter to the editor)
June 11, 2007... HomePlug does the trick n I would like to echo Alan Stevens' recommendation of HomePlug Ethernet (Wires can provide a safer feeling, 4 June, www.itweek.co.uk/ 2191327). My ADSL link has always been problematic, needing to be reset...

Microsoft unveils 2008 roadmap.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney Microsoft unveils 2008 roadmap Martin Courtney Microsoft has confirmed that the next versions of its SQL Server database and Visual Studio development tool will both be available by mid-2008, after...

Iona claims SOA edge.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney Iona claims SOA edge n Iona Technologies will today release Artix 5, the latest version of its advanced SOA infrastructure suite, which it said specialises in low-level technical orchestration and cuts server...

Microsoft adds to comms range.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Microsoft adds to comms range Dave Bailey Microsoft used last week's annual TechEd conference in Orlando to reveal more details of its forthcoming Office Live Meeting 2007 (OLM 2007) web conferencing package....

PDF tool keeps data safe.(Workshare Technology introduced Workshare Professional 5.0 for portable document format security)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster PDF tool keeps data safe Phil Muncaster Data security specialist Workshare has released a major upgrade to its document security solution. The firm hopes its "leak-proof" PDF capabilities, and tight...

Sun hones blade servers.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Sun hones blade servers Martin Veitch Sun is to tackle the blade server market again with the release of the Sun Blade 6000, a 10U system capable of housing 10 blades based on any combination of Sparc, AMD...

C&W bolsters video meetings.
June 11, 2007... Byline: James Murray C&W bolsters video meetings Cable & Wireless has released a new managed conferencing and collaboration solution that offers high-definition, life-size video and is interoperable with a range of video technologies....

Citrix plots disaster response.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Citrix plots disaster response Martin Veitch A Citrix and IBM service to raise the bar in business-continuity processes is to go into beta-testing with customers this month. The announcement came as...

Staff policies key to mobile security.(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Staff policies key to mobile security n Organisations need policies covering all staff from the top level down to the shop floor to enforce mobile security, while workers need training to be more aware of...

Microsoft touts developer blueprint.
June 11, 2007... Byline: it week staff Microsoft touts developer blueprint Martin Courtney Microsoft unveiled its Dynamic IT development strategy at the TechEd developer conference in Orlando last week, extending the earlier Dynamic Systems...

Virtualisation to cut cost of hosted services.
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Virtualisation to cut cost of hosted services Dave Bailey Virtualisation continued its push into the enterprise with pioneer VMware today announcing a raft of products and services, including a desktop...

Fortinet takes security to next level.(FortiGate 3810A and 3016B)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Fortinet takes security to next level Dave Bailey Network security vendor Fortinet last week released two unified threat management (UTM) systems aimed at large enterprises and managed security service...

Users must be taught to put safety first.(mobile security)(Discussion)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Users must be taught to put safety first Mobile security should form part of an overall data-protection policy that has staff education at its core Mobile security is a big concern among organisations at the...

When benefits are hard to identify.(trends in authentication systems)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Martin Courtney When benefits are hard to identify Biometric identity and access management systems can be very clever, but are they always useful? It is hard to imagine what the paintings of French artist Henri Matisse...

BBC's Panorama panders to the ignorant.(British Broadcasting Corp.'s current affairs programme)(Column)
June 18, 2007... BBC's Panorama panders to the ignorant The current affairs programme's recent Wi-Fi "exposA[c]" was scare-mongering drivel of the crassest kind Many readers may be feeling that they need to wear tin-foil hats following the recent BBC...

Google returns poor results for privacy.
June 18, 2007... Byline: David Neal Google returns poor results for privacy The search giant needs to improve its privacy policy if it wants to be trusted with more than search data According to Privacy International, Google is to privacy what net...

Service should come before content.(television broadcasting services)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Service should come before content Broadband providers are neglecting customer service in their rush to lure users with entertaining content Virgin Media's announcement last week that it will launch a new...

Tool streams virtual apps on-demand.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Tool streams virtual apps on-demand Daniel Robinson Symantec has released an update to its Altiris Software Virtualisation Solution (SVS) that adds Windows Vista support and allows applications to be...

Think strategic or prepare for your P45.
June 18, 2007... Byline: James Murray Think strategic or prepare for your P45 n It is rather worrying to hear that nearly one-third of midsize companies in the UK do not have a clear corporate IT strategy (Midmarket firms lack IT plans, 11 June, www....

Apple unveils Leopard OS and latest Safari browser.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Apple unveils Leopard OS and latest Safari browser Daniel Robinson Apple used its developer conference in San Francisco to unveil a version of its Safari web browser for Windows PCs and to demonstrate a...

Symantec unites storage elements.
June 18, 2007... Symantec unites storage elements Martin Courtney in Las Vegas Symantec last week unveiled Veritas NetBackup 6.5, an upgrade to its storage application that will form the basis of a new unified approach to storage management. ...

The mobile data business is a world of deception.
June 18, 2007... The mobile data business is a world of deception The harsh reality is that mobile data is a luxury that many users cannot afford n Honestly, I do try to avoid writing the same column twice, but it's harder than you think. This...

Firms ramp up content security.(OfficeScan 8.0 from Trend Micro Inc. (Tokyo, Japan))
June 18, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Firms ramp up content security Phil Muncaster Content security and antivirus specialist Trend Micro last week launched a new version of its enterprise desktop solution featuring new web reputation technology...

Service takes risk out of IM.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Service takes risk out of IM n Unified communications specialist Presence Networks has launched a managed service that provides enterprises with a secure transport gateway for real-time unified communications....

Microsoft posts critical patch.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Microsoft posts critical patch n Microsoft's June patch bundle includes a fix for a serious vulnerability in the Windows Secure Channel (Schannel) security package. Schannel runs the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)...

IBM revives Informix DB.
June 18, 2007... IBM revives Informix DB n IBM will in July release the first major upgrade of the veteran Informix database for over two years. Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) 11, codenamed Cheetah, is touted as bringing high-availability and disaster...

AIR brings rich web apps to PCs.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch AIR brings rich web apps to PCs Martin Veitch Adobe has released a free beta version of Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR), marking a critical stage in its project to bring rich web applications to the desktop....

Service aims to cut printer costs.(Ricoh Europe B.V. introduced Ricoh @Remote service)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Service aims to cut printer costs Printer and document management specialist Ricoh has launched a web-based service to help IT chiefs maximise efficiencies, reduce costs and improve productivity by remotely...

Bluetooth goes low-power for small devices.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Bluetooth goes low-power for small devices Daniel Robinson n Bluetooth is being extended to include the WiBree specification, a low-power radio communications standard designed for small devices....

Microsoft move lifts MDM.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Microsoft move lifts MDM Martin Veitch Microsoft's recent agreement to acquire Stratature is likely to help the nascent market for master data management (MDM) to grow up, according to experts. On 8...

Blades clear multi-screen hurdle.(ClearCube Technology Inc.'s multi-screen kit)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Blades clear multi-screen hurdle Daniel Robinson ClearCube Technology has unveiled new hardware that overcomes the distance limitations when using multiple displays with PC blade workstations. Workers can...

Knowledge economy needs support.
June 18, 2007... Knowledge economy needs support James Murray The growth of the UK's knowledge economy is in danger of stalling without greater support from government and a more concerted effort to address IT skills shortages, according to a major new...

Firms to get early taste of SAP's A1S.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch Firms to get early taste of SAP's A1S SAP is gearing up for the release of its much-discussed A1S service, with up to 20 customers due to go live this year. A1S is SAP's attempt to appeal to small and...

Travel site to help firms offset CO2.
June 18, 2007... Byline: James Murray Travel site to help firms offset CO2 Spend and expense management software specialist Concur Technologies has revealed plans to make it easier for firms to limit the environmental impact of corporate journeys...

Symantec upgrades AV protection.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Symantec upgrades AV protection Phil Muncaster Security specialist Symantec last week released a beta version of a major update to its client antivirus solution, featuring improved firewall, intrusion...

WWF bears down on IT power consumption.
June 18, 2007... Byline: James Murray WWF bears down on IT power consumption James Murray The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) has thrown its weight behind a major new initiative calling on IT manufacturers, retailers and customers, including...

IBM to acquire Telelogic.
June 18, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch IBM to acquire Telelogic Martin Veitch IBM has agreed a deal to buy Telelogic in a $745m deal that gives it access to application lifecycle management tools that span the testing, building and governing of...

Yahoo bent on mobile domination.(Website overview)
June 18, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Yahoo bent on mobile domination Phil Muncaster Yahoo plans to dominate the mobile internet space, and sees no place for Microsoft in its future. Those were the main messages from Yahoo UK managing director...

IBM seeks SMBs to join its S club.
June 18, 2007... Byline: James Murray IBM seeks SMBs to join its S club n IBM last week stepped up its drive into the small business server market with the launch of its BladeCenter S management system for running small-scale blade environments. ...

Firms wait for the price to be right.
June 25, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Firms wait for the price to be right 10GBase-T uptake will rise as power and cabling costs fall, says Force10's Steve Garrison IT Week: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' 10GBase-T 802.3an...

Firms slow to accelerate to gigabit speeds.
June 25, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Firms slow to accelerate to gigabit speeds The cost of replacing old kit with Gigabit Ethernet equipment is still prohibitive for many companies There are more than 10 vendors in the UK selling gigabit,...

E-marketers face Web 2.0 challenge.
June 25, 2007... Byline: phil muncaster E-marketers face Web 2.0 challenge Phil Muncaster Online marketing activities must be based on robust and responsive technology, and draw on data and metrics that are shared by all stake-holders, according...

Mobile web gathers momentum.
June 25, 2007... Mobile web gathers momentum Increased standardisation and advances in technology mean the mobile web is finally poised to take off The mobile web has had more abortive starts than my old Nissan Sunny, God rest its soul. Time and again...

Load balancer for Web 2.0.(Barracuda Networks's Load Balancer 640 network management system)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Load balancer for Web 2.0 n Security appliance vendor Barracuda Networks last week released Barracuda Load Balancer 640, a new high-performance load-balancing system that it hopes will undercut the competition. ...

Virtualisation goes over users' heads.
June 25, 2007... Byline: Kelvyn Taylor Virtualisation goes over users' heads Vendors need to come up with a simple way to explain the benefits of this promising technology Most discussions about virtualisation tend to focus on its wider impact on...

Is there a market for 100Gbit/s yet?
June 25, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Is there a market for 100Gbit/s yet? Level 3 Communications' Jack Waters thinks 100Gbit/s can mirror the success of 10Gbit/s IT Week: As one of the world's largest WAN service providers, does Level 3...

Contact centre suite extended.(Exony enhancing Virtualised Integration Manager software)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... Byline: James Murray Contact centre suite extended n Contact centre software specialist Exony is to extend the functionality of its Virtualised Integration Manager (VIM) contact centre management suite through the addition of a new...

Firms missing out on IAM benefits.(identity and access management regulations)
June 25, 2007... Byline: James Murray Firms missing out on IAM benefits James Murray Despite the absence of stringent regulatory demands such as the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act, there are numerous reasons for European firms to adopt identity and...

B2B e-merchants must raise their game.
June 25, 2007... B2B e-merchants must raise their game The leading web sites for office products epitomise the general lack of imagination in B2B e-commerce In the literature of innovation, 3M's Post-it notes are regularly cited as an example of a...

Mobile browser shows pages in full.
June 25, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Mobile browser shows pages in full Daniel Robinson Opera Software has released a beta of its latest Opera Mini browser for mobile phones, adding the ability to show the entire web page in miniature and let...

Nokia caters for business.
June 25, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Nokia caters for business n Nokia has introduced a handful of new mid-range phones designed for ease of use. For business users, the most appealing model is the Nokia 6121 Classic, a 3G smartphone with a...