IT Week (UK) articles from May 2006

IT Week (UK) archives from May 2006

Web site speed proves key to customer loyalty.
May 1, 2006... Web site speed proves key to customer loyalty David Neal TelecityRedbus, a newly merged large datacentre operator, last week released research to show what consumers want from web sites -- and how firms can increase brand loyalty...

The web is no place for gentle wooing.(survey on websites)
May 1, 2006... The web is no place for gentle wooing E-trade is like speed dating: sites need to make the best impression they can, in the fastest time possible It turns out my great grandfather wasn't a big fan of long conversations with the ladies,...

VM backups made easy.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth VM backups made easy EsxRanger Pro can back up virtual machines on the fly Vizioncore EsxRanger Pro is a Windows application for making backups of virtual machines (VMs) hosted on VMware's high-end ESX Server...

Itanium's support is ebbing away.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Martin Banks Itanium's support is ebbing away IBM's decision to stop making Itanium-based servers raises significant doubts about the 64bit processor's long-term future So IBM is to stop making servers based on...

Google sets off Mayday alert at rivals.
May 1, 2006... Google sets off Mayday alert at rivals The search giant's incredible growth is generating consternation among its online competitors Have you ever had that moment when you wondered if everything you ever knew was wrong? Google's...

Programmers send the wrong message.
May 1, 2006... Programmers send the wrong message Examples of idiotic error alerts suggest that programmers need better communication skills As I have written at length over the years, the systematic production of computer programs without defects is...

Googling for business.
May 1, 2006... Googling for business Google's push into corporate search systems promise to revolutionise information retrieval Some people say Google's push for a slice of the squillion-dollar enterprise search business isn't revolutionary, it's...

Chiefs reconsider the price of power.(data centers energy efficiency management)
May 1, 2006... Chiefs reconsider the price of power Spiralling electricity costs mean IT must hold sway over facilities management Of all the unexpected twists and turns of IT in the past few years, the increasing expense of electricity as a...

E-learning is the future: discuss.
May 1, 2006... E-learning is the future: discuss Professor Paul Leng of the University of Liverpool argues that discussion is the bedrock of learning, and that discourse often works better online than in a physical classroom First let me clear...

Measuring the benefits.
May 1, 2006... Measuring the benefits E-learning consultant Wassila Naamani Mehanna gained a doctorate by dissecting the merits of online learning systems, and argues they are a powerful route to education How much learning can we have in an...

Online learning in action.
May 1, 2006... Online learning in action Freelance consultant and author Mark Kobayashi-Hillary shares his experience of gaining an MBA online, discussing the pros and cons of the e-learning approach I have been through the entire Liverpool...

BT staff log on for enlightenment.
May 1, 2006... BT staff log on for enlightenment The telecoms giant and its employees are reaping the benefits of online training schemes BT has both cut the cost and improved the delivery of its in-house training thanks to e-learning technology....

HP dual-core kit targets power users IT Week staff n HP has expanded its work station range with two new personal workstations and two mobile workstation models, all based on dual-core Intel processors. The new systems are designed to offer cutting-edge.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson HP dual-core kit targets power users IT Week staff n HP has expanded its workstation range with two new personal workstations and two mobile workstation models, all based on dual-core Intel processors. The...

IBM enhances high-end servers.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth IBM enhances high-end servers Roger Howorth IBM last week announced three new high-end x86 based servers, plus some new tools to help firms convert older servers to run as virtual machines. The computing...

Hosted service aims to reduce PC admin costs.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Hosted service aims to reduce PC admin costs Daniel Robinson Reseller DeskForce has officially introduced the Everdream hosted desktop management service in the UK, offering PC management as an on-demand...

HyperTransport specs rev up to almost 42GB/s.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth HyperTransport specs rev up to almost 42GB/s Roger Howorth The HyperTransport (HT) Consortium has released the specifications for version 3 of its high-speed interface, which is used to connect CPUs to the...

Group policy updates take the fast lane it week staff n Active Directory tool specialist Special Operations Software last week announced Specops Gpupdate, a free group policy update tool to help IT managers working with large Microsoft Active Directory (.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth Group policy updates take the fast lane it week staff n Active Directory tool specialist Special Operations Software last week announced Specops Gpupdate, a free group policy update tool to help IT managers...

What makes IPTV such a big deal?(International Telecommunication Union standardisation bureau meeting)(television over internet protocol)(Column)
May 1, 2006... What makes IPTV such a big deal? Cheaper high-speed network access is just one of the likely benefits from the move towards IPTV Earlier this month, the head of the International Telecommunication Union standardisation bureau (ITU-T)...

Will Windows Vista drive PC upgrades?
May 1, 2006... Will Windows Vista drive PC upgrades? PC manufacturers hoping that Microsoft's long-awaited Windows update will spark an upgrade rush may be disappointed Firms with a volume licence will be the first customers to get their hands on...

How to get more from e-education.
May 1, 2006... How to get more from e-education IT Week recently hosted a web seminar examining the merits of e-learning, sponsored by Laureate Online Education. On the panel were online MBA graduate Mark Kobayashi-Hillary, online educator Paul Leng,...

Systems reduce internal threats.(Marshal Software introduced WebMarshal 2006)(Websense Inc. introduced Web Security Suite 6.2)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Systems reduce internal threats Phil Muncaster A number of web security vendors launched new enterprise products at this year's Infosecurity Europe event in London last week, promising to help companies reduce the risk of internal...

Opera adds web apps to new browser.
May 1, 2006... Opera adds web apps to new browser Phil Muncaster n Opera Software last week announced a major new upgrade to its web browser, promising better performance, usability and productivity for users. Opera 9, currently in beta,...

Firms shun ID management at their peril.(identity management)(says Ron Moritz of CA Inc.)(Interview)
May 1, 2006... Firms shun ID management at their peril CA's Ron Moritz says the need for smaller firms to install access controls is growing IT Week: As chief security strategist at CA, do you think companies generally have adequate system access...

Appliances bolster access control.(Secure Computing Corp. introduced Safeword SecureWire appliances)(Sentinel was introduced by Enterasys Networks)
May 1, 2006... Appliances bolster access control Dave Bailey Secure Computing (SC) unveiled a range of dedicated appliances at Infosec 2006 last week to help firms converge identity and access management. SC's Safeword SecureWire appliances come...

EMC apps help firms to troubleshoot SANs.
May 1, 2006... EMC apps help firms to troubleshoot SANs Dave Bailey EMC last week released two new Smarts applications designed to help IT managers troubleshoot storage area networks (SANs) and identify and model application behaviour. The two...

LAN analyser checks user satisfaction.
May 1, 2006... LAN analyser checks user satisfaction IT WEEK STAFF n Network analysis firm WildPackets last week released version 4.0 of its OmniAnalysis Enterprise packet analysis software. The new release introduces Enhanced Application...

McNealy steps down as Sun CEO.
May 1, 2006... McNealy steps down as Sun CEO Martin Veitch Sun Microsystems started a new chapter in its history after chief executive Scott McNealy called time on his 22-year reign last week. The change is likely to lead to a leaner company with...

StorageWorks boosts data compression on ILM suite.
May 1, 2006... StorageWorks boosts data compression on ILM suite Martin Courtney HP has updated its StorageWorks information lifecycle management (ILM) product suite to make more efficient use of capacity, simplify data migration and speed up...

Comms bid talk grows.(speculations about Vodafone Group PLC)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Comms bid talk grows Martin Veitch Vodafone, Tiscali and Bulldog last week dampened speculation about a merger but other combinations are likely as competition in the broadband sector intensifies. The Sunday Telegraph last week...

Insiders and SOAs spell danger.(service-oriented architectures)(says Stuart Okin of Accenture PLC)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Insiders and SOAs spell danger Phil Muncaster at Infosecurity Internal threats and service-oriented architectures (SOAs) will be the biggest security concerns for IT managers now and into the future, according to experts at last week's...

Firms demand safe VoIP.
May 1, 2006... Firms demand safe VoIP Martin Courtney at Infosecurity Security fears are preventing many organisations from deploying voice over IP (VoIP), and the message to vendors is clear -- provide products with better security. Speaking at...

Analyser boosts web defences.(Corporate Guardian 5.0 introduced by SmoothWall)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Analyser boosts web defences SmoothWall has upgraded its Corporate Guardian internet security product, designed to let managers control web use more effectively. Corporate Guardian 5 features enhanced content analysis technology to...

Move to allay SSL doubts.
May 1, 2006... Move to allay SSL doubts Phil Muncaster at Infosecurity A new standard for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates for encryption is coming soon, designed to combat phishing attacks and raise public confidence in e-commerce. ...

Private GSM networks to cut mobile costs.
May 1, 2006... Private GSM networks to cut mobile costs Martin Courtney UK service providers will be able to build private, internal GSM networks for firms, after Ofcom issues licences for the Guard Band wireless frequency later this week. The...

Microsoft previews Office 2007.
May 1, 2006... Microsoft previews Office 2007 Daniel Robinson Microsoft has detailed more of the collaboration capabilities coming in its Office 2007 system, including greater access to data from Windows Mobile handsets, integrated search...

Crime expert is government CIO.
May 1, 2006... Crime expert is government CIO n John Suffolk, the current director general of Criminal Justice IT (CJIT), is to be the new government CIO. An IT veteran of 25 years, including a stint as IT director at the Britannia Building Society,...

Tesco reviews web range as online sales near [pounds sterling]1bn.
May 1, 2006... Tesco reviews web range as online sales near [pounds sterling]1bn Madeline Bennett Tesco looks set to dominate the web just as it does the high street, after making almost [pounds sterling]1bn of online sales in the past year. ...

IT chiefs cling to outsourcing role.
May 1, 2006... IT chiefs cling to outsourcing role James Murray and Madeline Bennett Most IT directors have rejected the idea of a dedicated board-level executive to control outsourcing relationships, despite growing calls for business executives to...

IPass backs Nokia range.
May 1, 2006... IPass backs Nokia range Daniel Robinson Network access provider iPass is adding support for Nokia's Communicator devices -- a move that will enable easy access to thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide for staff using these handsets....

Ballmer defends Microsoft record.
May 1, 2006... Ballmer defends Microsoft record Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has defended his company's broad-ranging raids on new markets, and said such moves help it to attract, inspire and keep staff. Some critics have recently taken...

Oracle supports acquired applications beyond 2013.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Oracle supports acquired applications beyond 2013 James Murray Oracle announced last week that it will continue to develop and support its existing JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, Siebel and Oracle applications beyond the 2013 deadline it...

Vendor moves to assure BI data quality.(business intelligence)(Upstream Technologies, Hyperion Software Corp., contract)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Byline: James Murray Vendor moves to assure BI data quality James Murray n Hyperion is the latest business intelligence (BI) vendor to make a move to strengthen data quality, after it last week agreed to acquire data assurance...

Service helps IT bosses identify skills shortages.
May 1, 2006... Byline: James Murray Service helps IT bosses identify skills shortages James Murray The British Computer Society (BCS) continued its efforts to improve the professionalism of IT staff last week by launching a new browser-based...

Microsoft scans for more pirates.
May 1, 2006... Byline: Martin Veitch Microsoft scans for more pirates Martin Veitch Microsoft and the Business Software Alliance (BSA) took separate measures last week to curb counterfeit software. Microsoft announced it is expanding its...

ERP and CRM package for mid-market.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth ERP and CRM package for mid-market it week staff n Sage last Thursday launched its Sage 1000 suite of integrated customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. ...

Jury stays out on new e-crime regime.(internet security)
May 8, 2006... Byline: Phil Muncaster and Martin Courtney Jury stays out on new e-crime regime Will restructured law-enforcement agencies be effective at fighting computer crime? At the Infosec IT security show last month, several speakers voiced...

Will IT ever feature on The Apprentice?(attitude towards IT)
May 8, 2006... Byline: Kelvyn Taylor Will IT ever feature on The Apprentice? The absence of techies among Alan Sugar's candidates speaks volumes about the general public's dismissive attitude to IT In the US, Donald Trump's fifth...

Suite brings OS defences under control.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth Suite brings OS defences under control BEC 5.1 can manage the security of a variety of operating systems from a single console The BigFix Enterprise Console (BEC) 5.1 is a configuration and patch management...

F-Secure's antivirus for Symbian 9 IT Week staff n F-Secure has extended its Mobile Antivirus tool to cover handsets based on the Symbian OS 9 platform, which includes forthcoming enterprise phones from Nokia. The firm said it is among the first security.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson F-Secure's antivirus for Symbian 9 IT Week staff n F-Secure has extended its Mobile Antivirus tool to cover handsets based on the Symbian OS 9 platform, which includes forthcoming enterprise phones from...

Sites may stutter if money talks.(US legislators allowed telecoms to charge websites)
May 8, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth Sites may stutter if money talks Moves in the US to let telcos charge extra for high-speed web links may slow down some sites US legislators are currently considering a move that would allow telecoms...

Security suffers a double-whammy.(National Hi-Tech Crime Unit was axed)(Column)
May 8, 2006... Security suffers a double-whammy Changes to the law and the axing of the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit spell trouble for managers Turning up on the last day of the Infosecurity 2006 show I was impressed by the number of smaller vendors...

IBM pushes down the price of mainframes.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth IBM pushes down the price of mainframes Roger Howorth IBM has revamped its mainframe offerings and added a new low-end system designed to lure customers that previously considered mainframes too expensive....

EMC disk storage moves up a gear.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Roger Howorth EMC disk storage moves up a gear Roger Howorth EMC will today announce the third generation of its Clariion CX family of Fibre Channel disk storage systems. The new Clariion CX3 series is available in...

Patent win may hit mobile email.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Patent win may hit mobile email Daniel Robinson Mobile email firm Visto has won a court battle against rival Seven Networks over patents for push email technology. This development could have implications...

Minnow takes on broadband's big fish.
May 8, 2006... Minnow takes on broadband's big fish Boris Ivanovich, co-founder of ISP Be, details its plans to roll out cheap, fast broadband IT Week: As a new ISP, how is Be building its business in the UK? Boris Ivanovich: We're focusing on...

Maxdata touts stability of new AMD-based PCs.
May 8, 2006... Byline: Daniel Robinson Maxdata touts stability of new AMD-based PCs Daniel Robinson European PC maker Maxdata has introduced AMD-based desktop PCs with a guaranteed 12 month stability period for corporate customers. The move...

Get the measure of site performance.(WebTrend's Conrad Bennett)(Interview)
May 8, 2006... Get the measure of site performance WebTrend's Conrad Bennett says analytics tools can help firms build better web sites IT Week: As technical services director for web analytics firm WebTrends, how have you seen the market change over...

How fair is the .eu registration process?
May 8, 2006... How fair is the .eu registration process? Critics accuse some firms of gaming the system to put competitors at a disadvantage Eurid, the registry for the .eu domain, has recently been hit by allegations that its application process was...

Chasing the green pound.
May 8, 2006... Chasing the green pound Will plans for eco-friendly homes fitted with high-tech energy meters be a money-spinner for IT firms? On BP's web site, a "carbon footprint calculator" supplies information on all aspects of household energy...

What the modernists did for IT.
May 8, 2006... What the modernists did for IT Who is the better guide to the benefits of IT: Kazimir Malevich or the people behind Buzz Lightyear? There are currently two excellent exhibitions in London touching on the role of technology in the...

Bookworms see the big picture.(books for computing)(Column)
May 8, 2006... Bookworms see the big picture Classic texts on computing and other fields can give IT managers a more inspired view of their work I was fascinated to watch a programme recently about the books that have influenced people -- and it made...

Web sites need to raise their game.
May 8, 2006... Web sites need to raise their game Phil Muncaster Web designers must change their working practices and respond to users' heightened expectations to make the most of Web 2.0 technologies and produce more attractive, usable web sites...

Company sites fail access test.(survey of websites by Nomensa)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Company sites fail access test n Three-quarters of the largest UK firms break web site accessibility rules on their home pages, according to a new survey. The research, conducted by web site design firm Nomensa, found that 75 out...

Google makes rod for its own back.
May 8, 2006... Google makes rod for its own back The search giant may come to regret complaining that Microsoft has an illegal search advantage The New York Times reports that Google is lobbying anti-trust authorities in the EU and in Washington over...

Cheap Wi-Fi to rival 3G services.
May 8, 2006... Cheap Wi-Fi to rival 3G services Dave Bailey Mobile operators planning to launch faster 3G technology this summer may face competition from wireless internet service provider (ISP) The Cloud. It has announced its UltraWiFi service...

Analyser is updated for 10GbE traffic.(Network General Europe enhanced network and application management systems)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Analyser is updated for 10GbE traffic IT Week staff n Network General last week announced new features for its network and application management systems, including the general availability of InfiniStream hardware coupled with Sniffer...

Cisco modules boost 7200 Series routers.
May 8, 2006... Cisco modules boost 7200 Series routers Dave Bailey Cisco has announced three new hardware modules to upgrade its 7200 Series routers and extend their life at companies needing more bandwidth or processing power, to support new voice...

Lawson bulks up for mid-market.
May 8, 2006... Lawson bulks up for mid-market James Murray Eleven months after announcing their plans to merge, mid-market enterprise resource planning (ERP) software vendors Lawson and Intentia last week finally began operating as one company. ...

Cheaper web conferencing.(InterWise Ltd. introduced Interwise Connect 7.0)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Cheaper web conferencing Phil Muncaster Web conferencing vendor Interwise has launched a new product designed to save enterprises money and increase productivity by integrating voice, web and video onto a single platform. ...

IBM acquisition aids compliance.
May 8, 2006... IBM acquisition aids compliance IBM has acquired software development tracking specialist BuildForge, and will use the technology to help firms ensure projects comply with regulations and policies. BuildForge offers an application that...

Treasury allays PC tax fear.
May 8, 2006... Treasury allays PC tax fear Martin Veitch The Treasury has dampened speculation that companies and staff could be taxed on the use of work computers for personal purposes in the wake of the scrapping of the Home Computing Initiative...

Sun plans ID-smart storage kit.
May 8, 2006... Sun plans ID-smart storage kit Martin Veitch Sun Microsystems is moving deeper into storage under its new chief executive. The company, now under the leadership of Jonathan Schwartz after Scott McNealy stood down as chief...

Content monitoring tool aids policy enforcement.(Chronicle Solutions updated NetReplay appliance)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Content monitoring tool aids policy enforcement Phil Muncaster Content monitoring specialist Chronicle Solutions last week updated its flagship NetReplay appliance, which is designed to help firms comply with regulations, and identify...

Businesses urged to blog.
May 8, 2006... Businesses urged to blog David Neal Firms have good business reasons to use blogs to interact with their customers, even if the medium has some drawbacks, according to Loic Le Meur, executive vice-president and general manager at...

Duet meshes Microsoft and SAP.
May 8, 2006... Duet meshes Microsoft and SAP Martin Veitch SAP and Microsoft will next month release Duet, their jointly-developed software to link their respective enterprise and desktop programs. Announced a year ago under the Mendocino...

BlackBerry server now provides a trial option.
May 8, 2006... BlackBerry server now provides a trial option Daniel Robinson Research In Motion (RIM) has introduced a version of its BlackBerry server product aimed at smaller businesses and customers outside of its core enterprise market. The move...

OFT investigates online retailing.
May 8, 2006... OFT investigates online retailing The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to carry out a study of online shopping, in response to the increasing popularity of e-commerce. According to the OFT, about 130,000 UK firms are currently selling...

Business Objects cleans up BI data.
May 8, 2006... Business Objects cleans up BI data James Murray Business intelligence (BI) giant Business Objects undertook a major product refresh at its European user conference in Cannes last week, unveiling new tools to improve its appeal to the...

Internet World highlights Web 2.0 and marketing.
May 8, 2006... Internet World highlights Web 2.0 and marketing Phil Muncaster The Internet World event kicks off in London tomorrow, with support from major organisations including the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Internet Service...

NetApp rivals top-end EMC.
May 8, 2006... NetApp rivals top-end EMC Roger Howorth Storage giant Network Appliance will today announce new high-end disk systems, designed to compete against the best offerings from EMC and Hitachi Data Systems. The new FAS6000 series is...

Microsoft builds ad role.
May 8, 2006... Microsoft builds ad role IT Week staff Microsoft last week detailed its strategy to loosen Google's stranglehold on web advertising placed by search criteria. At a Seattle conference for advertisers, Microsoft showed off its new...

Skype teams up for speakerphone.
May 8, 2006... Skype teams up for speakerphone Collaborative communications vendor Polycom and internet telephony specialist Skype have announced they are working together to deliver integrated communications systems for firms using Skype. The first...

Teamwork and wireless take centre stage.
May 8, 2006... Teamwork and wireless take centre stage Dave Bailey Wireless, voice and improved collaboration systems were key themes at last week's Interop conference in Last Vegas. Cisco chief John Chambers opened the event with a speech...

Nokia readies email phone.
May 8, 2006... Nokia readies email phone n Nokia will this month release its E61 handset, designed for firms requiring mobile email access. The E61, the first of Nokia's business-focused E series, has a qwerty keypad for messaging, a large display,...