In Depth

In Depth

Enterprise software

• Overcoming the infrastructure and connectivity challenges of cloud gaming

  The cloud gaming market has a number of infrastructure challenges to overcome to reach its potential, and the supplier community is intent on helping it address them  Continue Reading

• Fly by data: How service models drive data collaboration in aerospace

  Rolls-Royce has added collaborative data sharing to its fundamental business model shift to servitisation  Continue Reading

• McLaren COO Jonathan Neale on finding racing margins in IoT sensor data

  Jonathan Neale, chief operating officer for the McLaren racing team, speaks about finding marginal advantages through sensor data analytics  Continue Reading

• How Halfords is using tech to rev up its customer service

  Live chat, virtual contact centres and a new unifying web platform are set to enhance Halfords’ customer service proposition in the year ahead  Continue Reading

• How diversity spurs creativity in software development

  Diversity of all kinds – gender and ethnicity, but also intellectual diversity and neuro-diversity – can boost creativity in software development  Continue Reading

• Deliver quality software at speed with CI/CD

  Continuous integration and delivery promises a remarkable acceleration in software development, but some basics need to be in place to ensure success  Continue Reading

• How software can support public involvement with democracy

  Iceland, Scotland and Sweden have experimented with using online software to involve citizens more deeply in democratic processes. The key seems to be encouraging enlightened debate  Continue Reading

• Reskilling the UK in the face of AI growth

  The government has introduced the National Retraining Scheme alongside funding to tackle the UK’s growing tech skills gap, but will it be enough in the wake of artificial intelligence adoption?  Continue Reading

• Building enterprise-grade AI: Sberbank and AI Telekom

  Machine learning and artificial intelligence are growing beyond adolescence to prove business value. Practical applications at Sberbank and AI Telekom suggest getting machine learning data in one place, where data scientists can experiment  Continue Reading

• How to buy hyper-converged infrastructure

  Simplicity, high availability, scalability and reduced cost are among the benefits of hyper-converged infrastructure. We survey the benefits, pitfalls and the key suppliers  Continue Reading

• Using CI/CD to turn ideas into software – quickly

  Computer Weekly looks at the tooling and cultural changes needed to make CI/CD work  Continue Reading

• Changes in the CI/CD pipeline

  Continuous integration/continuous delivery is responsible for pushing out a set of “isolated changes” to an existing application. We look at how big these changes can be  Continue Reading

• Content management systems play role in digital transformation efforts

  Companies can stoke their digital growth by the use of content management systems, making digital transformation more than just a boring cliché  Continue Reading

• Gartner: What to consider before adopting low-code development

  Low-code tooling offers many benefits but cost, security, product selection and application should be carefully considered  Continue Reading

• Figeac Aero manages growth with DataCore software-defined storage

  Global roll-out sees DataCore software-defined storage deployed on Huawei hardware to HQ and 14 worldwide sites as aero parts maker copes with acquisition and expansion  Continue Reading

• Beyond the database: Digging deeper into Oracle’s cloud strategy and its bid to conquer AWS

  Oracle has plenty of ground to catch up on in the cloud infrastructure space if it is serious about going toe-to-toe with Amazon, so how does it plan to close the gap?  Continue Reading

• Low-code maturity boosts efficiency and helps user acceptance

  Low-code development is finding new maturity in enterprise application development, and organisations of all kinds are taking advantage of the trends  Continue Reading

• Low-code and no-code development platforms

  We get the lowdown on the latest low-code development tools and find out how they can help business people and traditional developers alike  Continue Reading

• Continuous Performance Management begins to gain ground

  Continuous Performance Management software is inching into companies as the annual appraisal continues to show its age and lack of business value  Continue Reading

• Satellite firm SES saves millions with cloud project management tools

  Discover how satellite firm SES modernised project management with a cloud-based system from Precursive, based on live data and tailored in its reporting to different managerial roles  Continue Reading

• How companies can do the right thing with online reviews

  TripAdvisor and Amazon have had to learn how to manage online reviews in ways that other companies can learn from  Continue Reading

• Alternative databases set for mainstream adoption?

  The rise of non-relational databases has been a feature of the data management landscape in the wake of big data – but to complement or replace relational?  Continue Reading

• How Sporting Group tackles the Rugby World Cup

  Sporting Group has readied its system monitoring to ensure the technology is able to cope with the huge demand for bets during the Rugby World Cup final  Continue Reading

• Are AI applications failing to live up to hype in enterprise adoption?

  Artificial intelligence has been baked into enterprise applications in recent years and often given special names, such as Einstein, Leonardo and Coleman. But has the hype delivered?  Continue Reading

• Search beyond search engines

  All-purpose search engines can have drawbacks for professional searchers. Technologies are emerging to take consultants, journalists, academics and others beyond search engines  Continue Reading

• McAfee’s push for secure cloud adoption

  Organisations must do more to secure their cloud environments as malicious actors increasingly focus their attention on exploiting cloud vulnerabilities, says McAfee  Continue Reading

• Integrating security with robotic process automation

  RPA’s power is that it can mimic human behaviour. Enterprises must secure robotic automation with this principle in mind to avoid security failures  Continue Reading

• Putting blockchain technology to good use

  Experts share their views on the best and most effective ways information security professionals can use blockchain technology  Continue Reading

• Storage and DevOps: What is required for agile development?

  DevOps brings continuous and agile application. Storage has to fit in and make itself just as responsive to development that does away with the inertia of stifling hierarchies  Continue Reading

• Top five cloud storage pitfalls

  Cloud storage offers apparent simplicity, but unexpected costs, complexity, data movement and integration challenges can arise. We look at how to avoid common cloud storage pitfalls  Continue Reading

• Inside blockchain and its various applications

  We explore the technology around blockchain shaping how businesses use data  Continue Reading

• Blockchain: hype vs reality

  Blockchain technology presents a number of complex challenges that must be overcome before it can truly deliver on its promises  Continue Reading

• Cutting the cord: Negotiating cloud contracts with problematic customers

  How accountable should cloud firms be for the actions of the customers that use their platforms, and how much thought should they give to aligning themselves with problematic brands before hosting them?  Continue Reading

• Scale-out NAS hits the spot for large datasets, AI and machine learning

  Despite the rise of cloud and object storage, scale-out NAS is a key choice for the big datasets increasingly prevalent in artificial intelligence and machine learning scenarios  Continue Reading

• On-premise object storage: Key products and use cases

  We run the rule over on-premise object storage, key use cases and suppliers, take a closer look at an organisation that has deployed object storage, and assess cloud compatibility  Continue Reading

• French national research centre insources with Rubrik backup

  France’s national research organisation wanted to insource IT back from Atos and built its private cloud on VMware across two locations with Rubrik appliances for backup  Continue Reading

• Medtech startup Andiamo uses AI and 3D printing to make orthotic manufacturing more efficient

  Shortcomings in the traditional manufacturing process for orthotics mean patients can end up waiting a long time for the devices they need, but medtech startup Andiamo claims to have found a remedy  Continue Reading

• How to unlock the true value of data

  With a robust data architecture in place, a firm’s data science team can turn raw data into business insight  Continue Reading

• How to deploy NVMe flash storage for artificial intelligence

  We run the rule over NVMe flash as a storage choice for AI applications and the key decision points in form factor and hardware specification  Continue Reading

• Financial services and cloud: Delivering digital transformation in a highly regulated industry

  The financial services community has gone from being one of the least likely sectors to adopt cloud to becoming one of its keenest users, as regulator attitudes to using the technology have become more accommodating  Continue Reading

• APAC buyer’s guide to human capital management software

  More Asia-Pacific organisations are turning to HCM software to recruit, engage and retain a new breed of employees who increasingly expect personalised services from HR teams  Continue Reading

• First Bus blends Infor asset management with SAP core ERP

  When First Bus decided to upgrade its asset management and maintenance systems, it avoided senior management’s first choice, SAP, which provides its main business systems, and plumped for Infor  Continue Reading

• A tale of two smart cities: Manchester and Australia’s Casey

  How local government needs to focus on immediate returns, not pie in the sky, for a smart city agenda  Continue Reading

• The next stage in football’s digital revolution is ready for the new season

  Technology is playing an increasing role in football, as the Premier League adopts video assistant referees for the first time and clubs turn to data to capture more of their fans’ attention  Continue Reading

• Better payroll automation is next frontier for HR software

  Traditionally, companies have treated payroll as a cost centre, and so it has lagged behind the likes of talent management. But if you don’t pay the talent on time, you will pay a price  Continue Reading

• The pitfalls of hyper-converged infrastructure and how to avoid them

  Hyper-converged infrastructure can be an easy win when it comes to datacentre infrastructure upgrades, but there are pitfalls. We discuss how best you can sidestep them  Continue Reading

• How tech leads local government innovation in Vienna, Helsinki and Belfast

  Digital leaders in the cities of Vienna, Helsinki and Belfast are innovating new services to help citizens and local economies  Continue Reading

• Choose tools to prevent communication overload

  Social media platforms can improve collaboration, but organisations need to be careful not to swamp staff with messages  Continue Reading

• APAC IoT adoption improves amid challenges

  More enterprises across the region are using the internet of things to track fleet vehicles and improve operations, but technology integration and security concerns are still holding back widespread adoption  Continue Reading

• Universities use data analytics to tackle student mental health

  UK universities turn to data analytics software to tackle student mental health. Are there duty of care lessons for other sectors?  Continue Reading

• Public cloud: A key component in a disaster recovery plan

  The key things to consider when creating a disaster recovery plan that uses public cloud: DIY vs DRaaS, native cloud tools vs third party, and how low can you go with RPO and RTO?  Continue Reading

• Forward-thinking companies are listening to employees

  Technologies and programmes amplifying employees’ voices gain interest among companies keen to keep staff loyal and motivated  Continue Reading

• Facebook’s privacy game – how Zuckerberg backtracked on promises to protect personal data

  Facebook promised its users privacy then quietly abandoned its promises in pursuit of profits. Now it faces antitrust regulation  Continue Reading

• Rise of the machines: How AI is changing unified communications

  Artificial intelligence is now moving into live UC environments at scale. We look at the impact it will have and what lies ahead  Continue Reading

• The changing face of enterprise collaboration

  Enterprises are turning to social platforms to optimise communication among their workforces. Computer Weekly looks at some examples  Continue Reading

• Exploring UCaaS: The main benefits for enterprises

  Getting unified communications-as-a-service right can mean more agility, higher productivity, and cost control  Continue Reading

• Employee activism: How staff revolts are shaking up the IT recruitment landscape

  As staff at tech giants Microsoft, Google and Amazon continue to speak out about pressing social issues, pressure is growing on firms to better align themselves with their employees on ethics  Continue Reading

• Cloud snapshots and backups: How to protect data in the cloud

  You often need more data protection than native cloud services will give. But should you choose backup or snapshots? And what about third-party backup in the cloud?  Continue Reading

• Unstructured data compliance: Obstacles and solutions

  Stored unstructured data could be a black hole full of unknown risk. We look at the key dangers to compliance in unstructured data and some ways of mitigating the risks  Continue Reading

• Microsoft’s road to multicloud support

  From Microsoft’s perspective, multicloud is more about portability than resiliency  Continue Reading

• AI storage: Machine learning, deep learning and storage needs

  Artificial intelligence workloads impact storage, with NVMe flash needed for GPU processing at the highest levels of performance – and there are other choices right through the AI data lifecycle  Continue Reading

• Interview: Rackspace EMEA CTO on why it pays to put people at the heart of IT transformation

  Rackspace EMEA CTO Lee James opens up about how taking a people-first approach to digital transformation raises staff morale and engagement levels while helping the managed cloud provider win new business  Continue Reading

• Oracle and The World Bee Project expand partnership following trials

  Trials of ‘smart hive’ technology have enabled The World Bee Project to collect billions of data points about the health and activity of honey bees, for scientific research and conservation efforts  Continue Reading

• Convenience, digitisation and the impact on the physical store

  Digital technologies and the need for convenience have changed the way consumers shop, but what will this mean for the purpose and size of physical stores?  Continue Reading

• How retail store technology is filling the ‘imagination gap’

  Retailers are using in-store technology to reduce the time between shoppers’ consideration phase and purchase, but how is it engaging them and triggering conversions?  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage and its main cost components

  We run through the main items charged for by the big cloud storage providers, such as capacity, storage type, transactions, data egress, networks and data protection  Continue Reading

• Making multicloud work: Is it really worth it?

  Enterprise interest in multicloud deployments is on the rise, but with so many moving parts to take care of, will the benefits end up being too hard-fought to make it viable for most enterprises?  Continue Reading

• Cutting employees some Slack: The rise of messaging apps in retail

  Slack’s 2019 stock market debut raises the profile of enterprise collaboration software, but what options do retailers have in this space and how are they using the technology?  Continue Reading

• Sainsbury’s Bank moves data to AWS cloud with Teradata UDA

  Bank decided on a fundamental shift to AWS cloud, using Teradata’s Unified Data Architecture, after it was divested from Lloyds in 2013. Here’s how it built from a new ground zero.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft’s modern desktop management

  How cloud services make the critical business of keeping Windows 10 patched and up to date easier for administrators  Continue Reading

• SAN vs NAS vs hyper-converged for virtual machine storage

  The pros and cons of file and block access storage arrays vs the new breed of all-in-one server/storage architecture for storage of virtual machine systems and data  Continue Reading

• Skills, digital and the manufacturing sector

  Manufacturing still accounts for a large amount of the UK economy, and when it comes to the fourth industrial revolution, the UK has aspirations to be a world leader – but does it have the digital know-how to back it up?  Continue Reading

• Norway’s autonomous ships point to new horizons

  Norway is a pioneer in the autonomisation of shipping, which conveys environmental benefits as well as efficiency gains – but human mariners are likely to stay on board for a while yet  Continue Reading

• Serving up managed desktops

  Microsoft is dropping its table d’hôte-like Windows 7 menu in favour of a more tapas-style offering, in the form of Windows 10. This will mean big changes for sysadmins  Continue Reading

• Winning ways with Windows 10 updates

  We look at how IT leaders can effectively manage the major changes Windows 10 imposes on businesses  Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage vs NAS/SAN: What are the options?

  We look at the pros and cons of software-defined storage and weigh up when it’s a better option than buying NAS and SAN pre-built hardware shared storage arrays  Continue Reading

• APAC buyer’s guide to NVMe storage

  NVMe storage is becoming popular among Asia-Pacific enterprises that want to reduce latency and speed up application performance  Continue Reading

• Cloud’s low-hanging fruit: Backup, tiering and data sharing

  Native cloud operations can have a steep on-ramp in terms of enterprise IT readiness, but some things are relatively easy to port to a tier of storage in the cloud  Continue Reading

• XaaS models are reshaping the future of outsourcing

  The outsourcing sector is suffering reputational damage after some high-profile failures, just as companies are turning to the "as-a-service" model instead. Can the two approaches co-exist?  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage 101: Specifying for cloud storage

  We run through key questions to ask when specifying cloud storage, such as disk type, performance, availability and the possible hidden cost of getting data out of the cloud  Continue Reading

• How DataOps helps organisations make better decisions

  DataOps is helping organisations to accelerate the time it takes to derive value from the data they collect  Continue Reading

• Retail technology, sports sponsorship and a global marketing opportunity

  Sports sponsorship remains a focus area for B2B software companies and retail technology businesses looking to impress the C-suite  Continue Reading

• Competitive threats: What the growth in new public sector cloud frameworks means for G-Cloud

  Public sector IT buyers may soon find themselves spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding where to procure their cloud services, thanks to the emergence of several new frameworks, but where does that leave G-Cloud?  Continue Reading

• Silicon Valley startups look to plug gaps in data value chain

  A group of California-based startups and early-stage data management companies are promising CIOs ways to plug gaps in the data-to-insight value chain  Continue Reading

• How modern business intelligence shapes up to big data

  Business intelligence and analytics strategies have evolved in recent years in the face of big data. Here, we get a supplier CEO perspective, some analyst counsel, and testimony from Nationwide, Schroders and King  Continue Reading

• How to find a much sought-after data scientist

  Every organisation seems to be hunting for a data scientist, but securing the right people with the right skills is a challenge  Continue Reading

• Futuristic logistics: retailers focused on rapid delivery

  From Asos Instant to Ocado Zoom, and a host of new services in between, rapid delivery is gaining traction in UK retail in an attempt to meet customer demand  Continue Reading

• Choosing the right kind of hybrid cloud management

  We look at the various factors businesses should consider when looking to solve their cloud management problems  Continue Reading

• Is it too soon for AI in the education landscape?

  This year saw education secretary Damian Hinds call for more tech in schools to help reduce teacher workload, but are schools ready, and how do we fix the pressing issues faced by UK education?  Continue Reading

• Counting the costs of IaaS and SaaS

  Cost management is a priority for organisations seeking to use infrastructure and software as a service  Continue Reading

• Steering a safe course through hybrid cloud

  We look at why hybrid cloud can create a tricky infrastructure to manage  Continue Reading

• Can work allocation algorithms play fair?

  Allocating work by algorithm might have advantages for workers as well as employers. Can it be done fairly and with respect for “human capital”?  Continue Reading

• Inside the AI developer’s toolbox

  With so much artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning in development, we look at the kit programmers might find useful in their AI toolbox  Continue Reading

• West Midlands Police turns to predictive analytics

  Force is developing a system to identify potential perpetrators of violent crime and aims to target resources – but how viable is the system and what are the challenges?  Continue Reading

• The nightmare driving test: How to make sure self-driving cars are safe

  Simulating realistic environments using deep learning to enable self-driving cars to learn the rules of the road will prove more useful than any amount of real-world practice. We find out why, and meet the people doing something about it  Continue Reading

• Compute strategies for AI applications

  Devising compute strategies for AI applications can be challenging. Find out about the hardware, network and software frameworks available  Continue Reading

• NetSuite CEO Evan Goldberg: Oracle ownership is symbiotic

  Evan Goldberg, chief executive officer and founder of NetSuite, talks about the company’s narrative, from cloud applications pioneer to its acquisition by Oracle  Continue Reading

• A cloud compliance checklist for the GDPR age

  The cloud is supposed to make things simpler, but when it comes to compliance, things can get complex. Here is a look at the essential elements of a cloud compliance strategy  Continue Reading

• Tableau CEO Adam Selipsky talks strategy

  Tableau’s CEO, Adam Selipsky, talks strategy and business intelligence trends with Computer Weekly. He asserts enterprise relevance for Tableau, predicts BI tools consolidation and a ubiquitous user base for analytics  Continue Reading

• Where next for AI? Understanding business use cases

  IT leaders share their views on artificial intelligence and how to take advantage of the technology to benefit their businesses  Continue Reading