IT Week (UK) articles from May 2007

IT Week (UK) archives from May 2007

IBM acquires data migrator.
May 2, 2007... IBM acquires data migrator n IBM says it has agreed to acquire privately held host-based data migration software provider Softek Storage Solutions for an undisclosed sum. Softek uses its patented Transparent Data Migration Facility...

IBM should ease off the hard stuff.
May 7, 2007... IBM should ease off the hard stuff IBM should allow z/OS to run on cheaper machines and then profit from providing system support The servers based on IBM's Power6 processor architecture are going to be delayed. A launch was scheduled...

Ultra-mobile punches above its weight.
May 7, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Ultra-mobile punches above its weight Sony's Vista-based UX1 boasts a full PC spec, but battery life and usability could be better Sony's Vaio UX1 crams a full PC specification into a handheld unit weighing...

Offshoring fortunes fluctuating.
May 7, 2007... Byline: James Murray Offshoring fortunes fluctuating James Murray UK firms working with Indian IT outsourcers are being urged to assess the risk posed by currency fluctuations after the recent appreciation of the rupee against the...

Red Hat builds a solid platform for VMs.(Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.0 for virtual machines)
May 7, 2007... Red Hat builds a solid platform for VMs Red Hat's latest Linux implementation delivers enhanced virtualisation and security Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 is a fully-supported open-source server operating system that is suitable for...

Will XP's demise trigger Vista stampede?
May 7, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Will XP's demise trigger Vista stampede? Firms should prepare to upgrade from the soon-to-be-retired Windows XP, but there is no need for panic From the beginning of 2008, hardware vendors will no longer be...

Has the outsourcing bubble burst?
May 7, 2007... Byline: James Murray Has the outsourcing bubble burst? After a decade of runaway growth, the global IT outsourcing market is finally pausing for breath For the best part of a decade the IT outsourcing bandwagon has maintained...

BT builds tilt control into laptop PCs.
May 7, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson BT builds tilt control into laptop PCs it week staff n BT has unveiled an adapter that enables users to operate a laptop computer by tilting or moving it, similar to the controllers of the Nintendo Wii game...

Draft products may give firms a chill.
May 7, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Draft products may give firms a chill The 802.11n Wi-Fi spec is still months from ratification, and pre-emptive products may yet trip up buyers Like the mills of god, the IEEE 802.11n ratification process...

Wanted: an ID scheme we can trust.
May 7, 2007... Wanted: an ID scheme we can trust A national ID scheme would go a long way to preventing online fraud, but it would need to be properly policed Recent reports of yet another credit card cloning scandal, this time involving compromised...

Cisco upgrades Catalyst switches.(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Cisco upgrades Catalyst switches Dave Bailey Cisco has announced an upgrade to its Catalyst 6500 Series switches that aims to boost the quality and security of interactive, multimedia applications such as video...

Intel wants more from less.
May 7, 2007... Intel wants more from less The chip firm is exploiting advances in virtualisation and networking to slash datacentre costs Like many multinational firms, Intel has embarked on a datacentre consolidation programme designed to reduce...

Ricoh uses gel printers to attack inkjet market.
May 7, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Ricoh uses gel printers to attack inkjet market Daniel Robinson Ricoh has introduced a range of desktop printers that use a gel-based colour system instead of inkjet technology. This lets the devices output...

A rude awakening in the bank manager's office.
May 7, 2007... A rude awakening in the bank manager's office The financial sector's reputation for being at IT's cutting edge may be undeserved n I wish to apologise for something I wrote a while ago that disparaged public-sector IT. Let me...

Network General adds VMs to monitoring mix.
May 7, 2007... Network General adds VMs to monitoring mix Dave Bailey Management software specialist Network General will today launch three upgrades that aim to ease the monitoring and analysis of network and application performance. The...

Firms urged to shore up their Wi-Fi defences.
May 7, 2007... Firms urged to shore up their Wi-Fi defences IT week staff n IT security testing and consultancy service vendor NTA Monitor has warned that corporate networks could still be haemorrhaging critical business data. The warning follows...

Office 2003 to get security fixes.
May 7, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Office 2003 to get security fixes Daniel Robinson Microsoft is to give Office 2003 some of the security features introduced in the latest Office 2007 applications, according to reports, in a move to bring...

Firms failing on email archiving.
May 7, 2007... Firms failing on email archiving IT Week staff Only 14 percent of all corporate email accounts are being backed up and archived for future access, according to a report published last week, leaving firms open to potential...

Expand gives Notes oomph.(Compass Platform from Expand Networks)(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... Expand gives Notes oomph n Wide area network optimisation and acceleration specialist Expand Networks has conducted tests that show it can boost the performance of Lotus Notes and other messaging platforms by up to 1,000 percent. To...

Tibco makes real-time BI play.(TIBCO Software Inc. acquired Spotfire Inc.)
May 7, 2007... Tibco makes real-time BI play Martin Veitch Tibco Software is to acquire business intelligence (BI) firm Spotfire in a $195m deal that extends the middleware giant's reach beyond integration. The purchase will complement Tibco's...

Group to offer green tips.(Green Technology Initiative)(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... Group to offer green tips James Murray Leading IT, media and energy firms joined forces last week to announce the launch of the Green Technology Initiative (GTI), a new scheme designed to provide IT chiefs with information and advice...

E-traders risk penalties.
May 7, 2007... E-traders risk penalties Phil Muncaster Online merchants need to act now to avoid missing a 30 June deadline to adopt the MasterCard SecureCode payment authentication system, payments processing provider CyberSource has warned. A...

Dell to bundle Ubuntu Linux.
May 7, 2007... Dell to bundle Ubuntu Linux Dell has confirmed it will soon ship systems with the latest version of Ubuntu Linux pre-installed, ending weeks of speculation that the PC maker would respond to requests from its customers for a desktop Linux...

Admit data loss, firms told.(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... Admit data loss, firms told Madeline Bennett Most UK residents would want to be informed if their personal data was lost or stolen after a corporate security breach, the latest E-Communications Household Survey from the European...

Sites score poorly for usability.
May 7, 2007... Sites score poorly for usability Phil Muncaster Many online businesses are still not exploiting new technologies and Web 2.0 strategies to make their sites more user-friendly and generate greater revenue, according to experts speaking...

Tougher privacy rules on the cards.
May 7, 2007... Tougher privacy rules on the cards Madeline Bennett Companies could soon face pressure to improve their data protection practices after both the UK's privacy watchdog and the European Commission (EC) last week announced proposals to...

IFS pledges mobile apps.(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... IFS pledges mobile apps James Murray ERP vendor IFS has pledged to expand its support for mobile workforces by improving how its business apps run on handheld devices. IFS's UK managing director, Paul Massey, told IT Week that the...

Sun enlightens Java developers.
May 7, 2007... Sun enlightens Java developers The JavaOne developer conference kicks off tomorrow, with over 15,000 attendees expected to descend on the San Francisco show. Delegates will get an update on Sun's progress with its open Java Development...

Giant details new tools.
May 7, 2007... Giant details new tools Martin Veitch and Phil Muncaster Microsoft unveiled more details of its security, systems management and web development strategies last week, including a July shipping date for Forefront Client Security and...

Itil 3 to tackle issues beyond IT.(IT Infrastructure Library)(Discussion)
May 7, 2007... Itil 3 to tackle issues beyond IT Phil Muncaster The next version of the IT Infrastructure Library (Itil) best practice framework will reflect how IT has become a more business-focused discipline over the past few years, according to...

Oracle simplifies pricing for ECM.(enterprise content management )
May 7, 2007... Oracle simplifies pricing for ECM Oracle has launched its first enterprise content management (ECM) product since its acquisition of Stellent in December last year. Universal Content Management (UCM) 10g is based on Stellent...

Sun grid open to EU customers.
May 7, 2007... Sun grid open to EU customers n Sun has finally extended its grid computing offering to European customers, providing an on-demand, pay-per-use computing infrastructure for $1 per CPU-hour. Network.com, which runs on Solaris 10, is...

RIM unveils compact BlackBerry.(Research in Motion Ltd. introduced BlackBerry Curve )(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... RIM unveils compact BlackBerry Daniel Robinson Research In Motion (RIM) has added a new model to its BlackBerry handheld line-up. The BlackBerry Curve is the smallest RIM handset to feature a full qwerty keyboard, but as with most of...

Scheme to aid entry into IT management.
May 7, 2007... Scheme to aid entry into IT management James Murray IT training body E-skills UK has revealed it is working on a scheme to help IT graduates acquire the mid-tier skills they would have traditionally gained in roles that are now moving...

Itil means business.(IT Infrastructure Library)(Brief article)
May 7, 2007... Itil means business Progress in updating the IT Infrastructure Library (Itil) framework for service management will be welcomed by many IT managers. There is likely to be broad support for efforts to improve the Itil certification process,...

HP refreshes its laptop line-up.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson HP refreshes its laptop line-up Daniel Robinson HP has overhauled its laptop brands in a refresh that also introduces its first models based on Intel's Santa Rosa technology and the Centrino Pro platform....

BI adapts to need for speed.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Martin Veitch BI adapts to need for speed Martin Veitch The business intelligence (BI) software landscape is set to change again as mergers and acquisitions, combined with changes in enterprise demands, force a rethink in...

The future will be upwardly mobile.
May 14, 2007... The future will be upwardly mobile Three new mobile technologies could transform the manner in which consumers bank and shop Now, I'm the least techno-savvy person I know. All right, apart from my elderly relatives and a guy I saw on...

It takes two to tangle with Google.
May 14, 2007... It takes two to tangle with Google Smarting from having lost out to Google, Microsoft is stepping up its assiduous courtship of Yahoo I have spent much of the past three weeks watching daytime television alone. The unexpected...

How my iMindMap left me lost.
May 14, 2007... How my iMindMap left me lost Why do tools that are supposed to make you more organised seem to have the opposite effect? The inventor of "mind mapping", Tony Buzan, was on the publicity road last week to promote iMindMap, a software...

Fluke pumps up software.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Fluke pumps up software n Fluke Networks has released new versions of software it acquired with Crannog Software and Visual Networks. Crannog's NetFlow Tracker has been upgraded to version 3.0, while Visual...

Wi-Fi health risks are clouded by static.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Wi-Fi health risks are clouded by static Finding statistics to prove the health dangers of wireless networks will not be an easy task A few years ago there were widespread concerns about microwave radiation...

Web 2.0 creeps into businesses.
May 14, 2007... Web 2.0 creeps into businesses Martin Veitch Stories of merger talks between Microsoft and Yahoo have made the headlines over the past 10 days but broader combinations are likely to play an even bigger role in reshaping the internet...

Sun has built it, but will they come?
May 14, 2007... Sun has built it, but will they come? The vendor's expectations for its Network.com utility computing service are at odds with market reality Sun's Network.com utility computing service reminds me of Canary Wharf when it was first...

Speed boost for de-dupe kit.
May 14, 2007... Speed boost for de-dupe kit n Backup specialist Data Domain last week introduced a new de-duplication appliance designed to strip repeated content from branch office backups. The DD580 has been updated with a faster dual-core Intel...

Host offers fast, reliable storage.
May 14, 2007... Host offers fast, reliable storage Martin Courtney Hosting firm Ultraspeed last week launched a service that uses so-called diskless server technology to reduce server downtime for mission-critical tasks. The diskless server...

Internet alchemy: a fast scoop is now pure gold.
May 14, 2007... Internet alchemy: a fast scoop is now pure gold News has become a natural resource, so prospectors must dig up stories quickly n Mention natural resources and most people think of oil, gas, iron, and so on. I think that news can now be...

Packeteer delivers to branches.
May 14, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Packeteer delivers to branches Dave Bailey WAN optimisation specialist Packeteer last week launched a range of appliances designed to provide branch office staff with improved access to productivity...

E-science creates another dimension.
May 14, 2007... E-science creates another dimension Remote teamworking is set to have a growing role in scientific research and experimentation The January issue of the august Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication contains no fewer than 11...

Shared services caution.
May 14, 2007... Shared services caution Madeline Bennett The government's push towards shared services could make it more difficult for local councils to offer citizens personalised, community-based services, the newly-appointed president of...

Smartphones to get VPN.
May 14, 2007... Smartphones to get VPN Daniel Robinson Aventail is preparing to ship the first SSL VPN for Windows Mobile smartphones, designed to let workers securely access company email and applications, while administrators can apply a set of...

Ubuntu and Intel joining forces.
May 14, 2007... Ubuntu and Intel joining forces Open-source specialist Ubuntu is teaming up with chip giant Intel to develop a mobile version of the Ubuntu Linux platform. Matt Zimmerman, Ubuntu's chief technology officer and chairman of its technical...

Intel officially launches Centrino Pro platform.
May 14, 2007... Intel officially launches Centrino Pro platform Daniel Robinson Intel last week launched Centrino Pro for business buyers. The laptop platform offers new management capabilities, improved performance and support for new wireless...

Sun brews up new Java blend.
May 14, 2007... Sun brews up new Java blend Phil Muncaster in San Francisco At its JavaOne developer conference in San Francisco last week, Sun Microsystems launched a new family of products designed to help content creators build rich internet...

Colubris sets out its 802.11n stall.
May 14, 2007... Colubris sets out its 802.11n stall Wireless LAN vendor Colubris will today unveil the first version of its intelligent enterprise-class 802.11n access point (AP). The vendor said its MultiService Access Point 625 (MAP-625) offers...

Report warns of IT atrophy in UK.
May 14, 2007... Report warns of IT atrophy in UK Martin Veitch A forum set up by the DTI is calling for major changes to beef up the UK's digital economy and computing skills. The Information Age Partnership's i2010 Working Group last week published a...

Microsoft outlines its BI ambitions.
May 14, 2007... Microsoft outlines its BI ambitions Martin Veitch At its first business intelligence (BI) conference in Seattle last week, Microsoft outlined plans to extend its software empire to encompass BI via the next release of SQL Server,...

Innovation nation.
May 14, 2007... Innovation nation The prospect of another working group report on the UK knowledge economy rarely does much to put fire in the belly, but last week's Delivering i2010 document contained more spark than most. Among its more radical...

Fast to change sales tactics?
May 14, 2007... Fast to change sales tactics? n Controversial anti-piracy firm the Federation Against Software Theft (Fast) may be about to turn over a new leaf after it was acquired last week by compliance software and services specialist Computer...

Red Hat plans virtual appliances for Intel PCs.
May 14, 2007... Red Hat plans virtual appliances for Intel PCs IT Week staff Red Hat is building a software platform to support virtual appliances optimised for Intel vPro desktop PCs. Separately, VMware plans to extend interest in virtualisation at...

AMD gears up for mobile push.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson AMD gears up for mobile push Daniel Robinson AMD has revealed details of its next-generation laptop platform that is designed to cope with increasing performance demands from users without compromising on...

When user interfaces fall to the dark side.(Column)
May 21, 2007... When user interfaces fall to the dark side Some UIs are so obfuscatory that mind tricks are needed for users to complete basic operations Just what is it about interfaces that brings out the dark side of programmers? I ask this having...

Lombardi BPM suite upgraded.
May 21, 2007... Byline: James Murray Lombardi BPM suite upgraded n Business Process Management (BPM) software specialist Lombardi last week unveiled a major update to its flagship Teamworks suite featuring enhanced workforce organisation and modelling...

Leaders needed to save energy.
May 21, 2007... Leaders needed to save energy James Murray While IT chiefs are taking the issue of global warming increasingly seriously, most firms do not have a clearly defined energy strategy, according to a major new study from global...

Business apps need a friendlier face.
May 21, 2007... Business apps need a friendlier face Poorly designed software is driving frustrated business users into the arms of consumer alternatives A couple of weeks ago, before taking a few days off to attend a friend's wedding, I tried to...

Why it pays to take a DIY approach to mobile comms.
May 21, 2007... Why it pays to take a DIY approach to mobile comms There is a strong case for firms to source and configure their own mobile phones n You are the IT director of a large corporation. You have to review your outsourcing. "A list, please,...

Latest BlackBerry has Curve appeal.
May 21, 2007... Latest BlackBerry has Curve appeal RIM's new BlackBerry offers all the business essentials in a slim and light format The BlackBerry Curve from Research In Motion (RIM) expands the BlackBerry family with an easy-to-carry, compact...

HP suite boosts security and admin for handhelds.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson HP suite boosts security and admin for handhelds Daniel Robinson HP has launched a suite for managing smartphones and handhelds. The tool will support HP iPaq models but is standards-based so will also work...

Keep an eye on video phones.(UHI Millennium Institute used Tandberg Data ASA's video conferencing )
May 21, 2007... Byline: Bill Pechey Keep an eye on video phones If domestic desktop video systems take off, will firms be able to cope with user demand for office versions? I'm always on the lookout for success stories about the use of video...

Clearswift applies tougher filter.(Mimesweeper appliance)
May 21, 2007... Clearswift applies tougher filter Phil Muncaster Clearswift has launched major upgrades to its web content security appliance and software offerings, with the aim of giving IT administrators greater powers to screen content to ensure...

Fortify cleans up Ajax apps.
May 21, 2007... Fortify cleans up Ajax apps n Software security specialist Fortify Software has updated its Secure Coding Rulepacks to help protect companies from new threats such as JavaScript hijacking and vulnerabilities in Web 2.0 applications. ...

Why rich internet applications matter.
May 21, 2007... Why rich internet applications matter Internet broadcasting and superior design potential will drive adoption of rich internet applications Suddenly, everyone is doing rich internet applications (RIAs). Adobe has championed this cause...

Centrino Pro powers new Acer laptops.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Centrino Pro powers new Acer laptops IT Week staff n Acer has announced new lines of its TravelMate laptops aimed at business buyers, including some models based on Intel's new Centrino Pro enterprise...

Portable unit tracks down traffic trouble.(Network Instruments GigaStor)(Brief article)
May 21, 2007... Portable unit tracks down traffic trouble IT Week staff n Network management and troubleshooting firm Network Instruments (NI) has launched a portable version of its high-end appliance, the GigaStor. The all-in-one system, which weighs...

Load balancer runs on Windows.
May 21, 2007... Load balancer runs on Windows Dave Bailey Web site managers and network admins looking for a network load balancing system that is easy to set up, simple to manage, highly expandable and runs on Windows systems, could be tempted by...

Force10 adapts high-end kit for mid-sized firms.
May 21, 2007... Force10 adapts high-end kit for mid-sized firms Dave Bailey Switch vendor Force10 Networks will announce its C-Series family of switches today, a move that repurposes its high-end technology, currently used in large datacentres, for...

Citrix enhances helpdesk suite.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Daniel Robinson Citrix enhances helpdesk suite Daniel Robinson Citrix Online has released version 8 of its GoToAssist remote control tool for IT helpdesks, which the firm said can increase support agent productivity. ...

Project tool gets facelift.(Mindjet is releasing MindManager 7.0)(Brief article)
May 21, 2007... Byline: James Murray Project tool gets facelift James Murray Project management software specialist Mindjet has announced a major update to its MindManager integrated workflow, resource and task management suite. The upgrade is...

Wi-Fi body to test 802.11n.
May 21, 2007... Byline: Dave Bailey Wi-Fi body to test 802.11n Dave Bailey Wireless technology trade group the Wi-Fi Alliance has begun certifying wireless hardware that conforms to the Draft 2.0 IEEE 802.11n standard, reversing an earlier...

Tandberg touts video comms.(Movi system from Tandberg Data ASA)(Brief article)
May 21, 2007... Tandberg touts video comms Firms looking to provide staff with video communications technology could be interested in Tandberg's Movi system, which is designed to work on any PC. Movi uses a server-based appliance to manage multiple...

Service to certify emails.
May 21, 2007... Service to certify emails Phil Muncaster Trusted email specialist Goodmail Systems launched its flagship CertifiedEmail services in Europe last week, aimed at businesses worried about their mails being wrongly branded as spam or their...

Search module lifts BI usability.(Business intelligence)(Information Builders Inc.'s WebFocus 7.6.1)
May 21, 2007... Byline: James Murray Search module lifts BI usability James Murray Business intelligence (BI) software specialist Information Builders is tomorrow expected to announce a series of enhancements to its flagship WebFocus BI suite at...

Projects leaders face flak.(IT business services research)(Brief article)
May 21, 2007... Byline: Phil Muncaster Projects leaders face flak Phil Muncaster A lack of leadership and business skills among project managers is jeopardising IT projects, according to experts debating new research at a roundtable sponsored by...

Acquisitions stoke ERP rivalry.
May 21, 2007... Acquisitions stoke ERP rivalry Martin Veitch SAP and Oracle last week showed off their latest moves to lure enterprise resource planning (ERP) buyers to their respective camps. At its Sapphire conference in Vienna, SAP announced it...