IT Week (UK) articles from June 2008

IT Week (UK) archives from June 2008

Frank Modruson is CIO at consultancy firm Accenture, overseeing a global IT team of 3,500 staff.
June 2, 2008... Frank Modruson is CIO at consultancy firm Accenture, overseeing a global IT team of 3,500 staff What does your job entail? I oversee the delivery of all business applications and the IT infrastructure that enables Accenture's workforce...

E-recruitment is just the job.
June 2, 2008... E-recruitment is just the job The University of Kent has replaced a slow, labour-intensive paper-based hiring process with an off-the-peg web package David Neal The University of Kent calls itself the UK's European university, as...

Mobile operators should bury the hatchet.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Mobile operators should bury the hatchet Carriers should stop trying to outdo one another with dubious claims and start working together A few weeks ago I attended a mobile broadband event for journalists and...

Innovators must follow Franki?1/2s example.(Frank Sinatra)
June 2, 2008... Innovators must follow Frank's example Sinatra's My Way might be a hammy song, but it's the right policy in R&D To the flagship conference on innovation held by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta)....

When technology projects go wrong.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Gareth Morgan When technology projects go wrong IT chiefs should explore every avenue before going for the nuclear option of legal action Gareth Morgan There is a train of thought that suggests that business leaders...

Thin clients set to ride the virtualisation wave.
June 2, 2008... Thin clients set to ride the virtualisation wave Igel's Stephen Yeo explains why thin clients are the ideal platform for corporate desktop virtualisation Daniel Robinson Many enterprise vendors are banking on desktop virtualisation...

IT buyers stand to gain from switch rivalry.
June 2, 2008... IT buyers stand to gain from switch rivalry Juniper is determined to give firms a viable alternative to Cisco in the high-end switch market Dave Bailey At its annual press summit in Lisbon last month, network vendor Juniper...

Dongles of despair.
June 2, 2008... Dongles of despair Coverage and speed may have improved, but mobile data services can still be infuriating Is it really only five years since I threatened to write a Telefonica virus? Apparently so. I still tremble at the thought...

Cisco revs up mobility with services engine.(Cisco 3350 Mobility Services Engine)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Cisco revs up mobility with services engine Dave Bailey Network equipment maker Cisco has unveiled a new mobility appliance that is designed to smooth the corporate path to unified collaboration. The Cisco...

Better services deals in the offing.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall Better services deals in the offing Rosalie Marshall Delegates at the Gartner Outsourcing and IT Services Summit taking place in London this week will be told to expect more for less when it comes to...

Sarin to stand down as Vodafone chief.
June 2, 2008... Byline: Gareth Morgan Sarin to stand down as Vodafone chief CEO to quit despite 14 per cent jump in sales Gareth Morgan Vodafone has confirmed that its chief executive, Arun Sarin, is to stand down in July after five years at...

Mini laptops are light on the wallet.
June 9, 2008... Mini laptops are light on the wallet The days when ultra-portable meant ultra-expensive are over thanks to new compact laptops from Asus and HP. But which system is best suited to the demands of business users? Daniel Robinson ...

Microsoft aims to offer best of both worlds.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Tim Anderson Microsoft aims to offer best of both worlds Microsoft is hoping to counter the challenge from online services by offering companies a platform that melds the ubiquity and flexibility of the cloud with...

Iti?1/2s time for e-business to get moving.
June 9, 2008... It's time for e-business to get moving Experts believe the mobile internet has matured sufficiently to offer new opportunites in areas such as e-trade, social networking and collaboration Phil Muncaster At the Thinking Digital IT...

Mark Moreland is operations director for health insurer Exeter Friendly Society, with a team of 90.
June 9, 2008... Mark Moreland is operations director for health insurer Exeter Friendly Society, with a team of 90 What does your job entail? I'm responsible for the smooth running of day-to-day operations for what is a highly...

Dark side of the internet.(Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob)(Book review)
June 9, 2008... Dark side of the internet Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob Author: Lee Siegel Publisher: Serpent's Tail ISBN: 978-1846686979 David Neal IT Week receives many books these days, most of...

Apple in rude health thanks to un-PC attitudes.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Kelvyn Taylor Apple in rude health thanks to un-PC attitudes Apple's first quarter results suggest Windows users are increasingly willing to try on the Mac for size It's been almost three years since I wrote a column...

Uefa tackles online challenges.
June 9, 2008... Uefa tackles online challenges David Neal Andy Pattison, project manager for the Uefa Euro2008 web site, is used to working in high-pressure situations. One of his past assignments included working for the World Health Organisation's...

EMC sets great store by virtualisation.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall EMC sets great store by virtualisation The vendor is to extend de-dupe and virtual provisioning across its portfolio Rosalie Marshall Last month's EMC user conference in Las Vegas saw the launch of...

Is the truth out there?
June 9, 2008... Is the truth out there? Business blogs that revel in revealing the unalloyed truth are not as easy to find as they once were "What is coming to be known as social software and specifically weblogging is about to change all this," wrote...

Update aids creative process.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Update aids creative process Dave Bailey CorelDraw Graphics Suite X4 is the latest update to Corel's groundbreaking graphics package, adding over 50 new features. However, in our opinion this version seems less compelling than its...

Making IT scandals public could save time.
June 9, 2008... Making IT scandals public could save time Daytime chat shows have the right idea when it comes to airing dirty laundry The following is all about the benefits of being frank and open about things, so I'd like to kick off by revealing...

Microsoft moves to unify ERP.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Phil Muncaster Microsoft moves to unify ERP Phil Muncaster Microsoft has edged towards building a common platform for its various enterprise resource planning (ERP) products with the release of an updated version of its...

APC goes public on efficiency standards.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Gareth Morgan APC goes public on efficiency standards Measurements available on all products Gareth Morgan Datacentre equipment maker APC has published energy efficiency measurements for its complete product range,...

AMD throws down the gauntlet with latest chips.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson AMD throws down the gauntlet with latest chips Supplier aims to challenge Intel with new chips for laptops, servers and workstations Daniel Robinson AMD last week lifted the hood on its latest...

HP adds real-time BI to data warehouse.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey & Rosalie Marshall HP adds real-time BI to data warehouse Dave Bailey and Rosalie Marshall HP has updated its data warehousing appliance, Neoview, aimed at increasing its ability to deliver real-time...

Disk duo tout drives.
June 9, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Disk duo tout drives Both Seagate and Western Digital aim to increase performance and capacity Dave Bailey Hard disk manufacturers Seagate and Western Digital (WD) have introduced new drives aimed at...

Do minis suit mobile staff?
June 9, 2008... Do minis suit mobile staff? The latest generation of miniature laptops seem to have struck a chord with many computer users, whether as employees or consumers, and it is not difficult to see why. Anyone who has carried a laptop on a...

Apple expected to take the wraps off 3G iPhone.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Phil Muncaster Apple expected to take the wraps off 3G iPhone Phil Muncaster Apple chief executive Steve Jobs is set to unveil the second-generation iPhone at the firm's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco...

More vendors jump on mini bandwagon.
June 9, 2008... More vendors jump on mini bandwagon Daniel Robinson Momentum behind mini laptops is building, with several vendors promising new models over the next few months. But some experts still question whether such compact systems are suited...

Running out of puff.
June 16, 2008... Running out of puff Hype can sometimes presage significant advances, but more often it is used to hide impending failure Five years ago, Bernadette Mulcahy was strategic product manager for Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) technology...

Mobile apps made easy.(Aeromark)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson Mobile apps made easy UK-based Aeromark aims to make mobility simpler and more affordable by offering applications as a managed service Daniel Robinson Mobile applications have never quite reached the...

Need to know: 802.11n wireless.
June 16, 2008... Need to know: 802.11n wireless z What is 802.11n? The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11n standard is the latest in a series of wireless technology specifications, which includes the current 802.11a/ b/g...

Is remote working just an idle fantasy?
June 16, 2008... Is remote working just an idle fantasy? Economic factors and management attitudes are conspiring against teleworking Some recent research suggests that remote working is in decline in the UK, and blames the deteriorating economic...

Why firms must combat female aversion to IT.
June 16, 2008... Why firms must combat female aversion to IT Women and the IT sector are losing out through their failure to appreciate what each can do for the other David Neal A new report commissioned by The Council of Professors and Heads of...

Ged Bell is head of IT at Dundee City Council, where he manages a team of 96 staff.
June 16, 2008... Ged Bell is head of IT at Dundee City Council, where he manages a team of 96 staff What does your job entail? I am responsible for IT strategy development, implementation and management across all areas of Dundee City...

Monitor brings large WANs under control.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Monitor brings large WANs under control Network Instruments' Link Analyst breaks down large WANs into more manageable chunks Dave Bailey Network Instruments' Link Analyst 5.1 is a network monitoring system...

Firms must offload routine tasks.
June 16, 2008... Firms must offload routine tasks The head of KPMG's technology practice discusses the growing importance of offshoring and questions the impact of Web 2.0 Tudor Aw is head of the growing technology practice at professional services...

Have IT chiefs got their priorities wrong?
June 16, 2008... Have IT chiefs got their priorities wrong? The issue of consumer influence on IT purchasing should be higher up the CIO agenda Last month, IT Week celebrated its 10th anniversary and to mark the occasion we carried out some research...

McAfee targets virtual security.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey McAfee targets virtual security Dave Bailey Enterprise security vendor McAfee last week announced three new additions to its general-purpose VirusScan Enterprise range, aimed at protecting specific...

Sun integration suite aims to boost IT agility.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall Sun integration suite aims to boost IT agility Java Caps 6 is first of its kind, says firm Rosalie Marshall Sun Microsystems has released a new version of its Java Composite Application Platform Suite...

Apple iPhone gains business credibility.
June 16, 2008... Apple iPhone gains business credibility Daniel Robinson Apple's much-anticipated update of its iPhone mobile device has added enterprise-friendly features that may increase its appeal to corporate users. But experts are sceptical that...

HP launches raft of new business laptops.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson HP launches raft of new business laptops Daniel Robinson HP last week unveiled an array of PCs offering everything from corporate laptops to ultra-slim consumer notebooks and touch-screen PCs. The most...

Storage kit gears up for demanding apps.(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Storage kit gears up for demanding apps Dave Bailey Storage specialist NetApp is pushing new mid-range storage systems and storage acceleration hardware designed to improve the performance of business-critical,...

E-crime chiefs promise end to fraud i?1/2muddlei?1/2.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Phil Muncaster E-crime chiefs promise end to fraud "muddle" Senior officers say new initiatives will help them take the fight to computer criminals Phil Muncaster Senior computer crime officers last week moved to...

W3C initiative aims to improve e-government.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Phil Muncaster & Gareth Morgan W3C initiative aims to improve e-government Citizens let down by online services Phil Muncaster and Gareth Morgan International standards organisation the World Wide Web Consortium...

VM patching advances.(virtual machines )(Brief article)
June 16, 2008... VM patching advances Virtualisation enables enterprises to consolidate kit onto fewer systems, thereby saving capital costs on hardware and software licences. This is obviously an attractive proposition, especially given the worsening...

Advances simplify virtual deployments.
June 16, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson & Dave Bailey Advances simplify virtual deployments Daniel Robinson and Dave Bailey Virtualisation firms are gearing up for the imminent release of Microsoft's Hyper-V hypervisor with a raft of products...

Offshore code-checker passes value test.
June 23, 2008... Offshore code-checker passes value test Diplomacy is key to successful offshore application testing, argues AppLabs' chief executive Gareth Morgan Amid the hype and hullabaloo that have accompanied the meteoric rise of Indian...

NECi?1/2s Versa competes with mini-laptops.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson NEC's Versa competes with mini-laptops The Versa S9100's decent battery life and low weight make it a good choice for road warriors Daniel Robinson NEC's Versa S9100 is a lightweight ultraportable...

Into the age of collaboration.(Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything)(Book review)
June 23, 2008... Into the age of collaboration Web 2.0 technologies are changing the rules of commerce Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything Authors: Don Tapscott and Anthony D Williams Publisher: Atlantic Books ISBN:...

Adobe pushes Acrobat into multimedia.
June 23, 2008... Adobe pushes Acrobat into multimedia Flash integration, easy collaboration, and hooks into web-based services make Acrobat 9 a must-have upgrade Tim Anderson Adobe's Acrobat 9, now in beta but set for full release in July,...

Council speeds its way to convergence.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Council speeds its way to convergence Faced with a looming deadline, Oldham Council needed a telecoms provider that could accomplish a swift migration to IP telephony Dave Bailey Oldham Council...

Let a little passion drive procurement.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Alistair Dabbs Let a little passion drive procurement Following your gut instinct might be the best route when buying IT equipment Have you heard of the zCover iSAglove Armband Set? No? Well, it's a strap that attaches an...

Users areni?1/2t buying it.
June 23, 2008... Users aren't buying it Much to Microsoft's annoyance, IT leaders are increasingly resistant to its powers of persuasion "Don't buy Vista," says the Microsoft advert, "unless you're really, really serious about security." You won't...

Rubbish technology Sneak was saddened to learn last week that a government pilot scheme that could have heralded a new golden age of rubbish-based taxes has been binned. The trial in south Norfolk involved equipping 12 refuse lorries with scanning equipm.
June 23, 2008... Rubbish technology Sneak was saddened to learn last week that a government pilot scheme that could have heralded a new golden age of rubbish-based taxes has been binned. The trial in south Norfolk involved equipping 12 refuse lorries...

Balancing mobility with security is a fine art.
June 23, 2008... Balancing mobility with security is a fine art IT managers must keep their eye on risks as mobile devices become widespread Dave Bailey One of the biggest issues IT managers face when rolling out mobile kit such as laptops and...

Never mind Houston i?1/2 we doni?1/2t have a problem.
June 23, 2008... Never mind Houston A- we don't have a problem Thanks to Asus and RM, IT chiefs can look forward to an easier life as tech-savvy users enter the workplace The other day, I attended a breakfast briefing at a rather posh London restaurant...

Videoconferencing options increase.(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Videoconferencing options increase Dave Bailey Videoconferencing vendors Tandberg and Polycom last week showcased new products aimed at improving enterprise communications. The E20 Video VoIP Phone from...

Nokia aids work/life balance.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson Nokia aids work/life balance Continued from page 1 "You can have a completely different second home screen for personal use, so you can hide business emails and notifiers outside of office hours," said...

Compact storage kit shrinks energy bills.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Gareth Morgan Compact storage kit shrinks energy bills Dell says 2.5in SAS drives use less power Gareth Morgan Dell has released a new external storage enclosure based on small form factor disk drives, which it said...

Who best to drive the web?(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Who best to drive the web? When the great and the good gathered in South Korea last week for an OECD event on the future of the internet, there was a distinct feeling that the real action was not taking place in the main hall. The...

Industry and governments gear up to meet new web challenges.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey & Gareth Morgan Industry and governments gear up to meet new web challenges Dave Bailey and Gareth Morgan The future of the internet was at the fore last week as VeriSign opened two new European centres...

Firefox 3 is unleashed.(Brief article)
June 23, 2008... Byline: Dave Bailey Firefox 3 is unleashed Dave Bailey Mozilla last week released the latest version of its open-source browser, Firefox 3. In development for nearly three years, the browser update supports Linux, Mac OS X...

Intel Nehalem promises power gains.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson Intel Nehalem promises power gains Forthcoming architecture designed to offer greater efficiency and performance Daniel Robinson Chip giant Intel has disclosed more details on its forthcoming Nehalem...

InstallFree eases app rollouts.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Daniel Robinson InstallFree eases app rollouts Daniel Robinson InstallFree has announced the UK release of its application virtualisation technology, which aims to ease deployment of applications to Windows desktops. ...

HP to offer on-demand datacentre admin tools.
June 23, 2008... Byline: Rosalie Marshall HP to offer on-demand datacentre admin tools HP SaaS will be available from July Rosalie Marshall HP is to start offering components of its systems management portfolio as an on-demand service from...

Poor governance undermines SOA.(service-oriented architecture)
June 23, 2008... Poor governance undermines SOA Rosalie Marshall Many service-oriented architecture (SOA) initiatives are in danger of going off the rails because project leaders have failed to address fundamental governance issues, experts have...