In Depth

In Depth

• Delay of US visa programme will slow biometrics industry

  The US Department of State wants to delay requiring biometric visas by two years for those travelling to the US. The move will...  Continue Reading

• Edge gains momentum as Swisscom plans mobile broadband

  Swisscom Mobile will use Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (Edge) technology in its nationwide mobile broadband network....  Continue Reading

• BCS' Hall joins PM's advice panel

  BCS president Wendy Hall has been appointed to the Council for Science and Technology by Tony Blair.  Continue Reading

• BCS backs professional register for expert witnesses in forensics

  The prospect of IT staff in certain fields having to be professionally registered has come another step nearer with proposals for...  Continue Reading

• Bridging the gap between security and developers

  A lack of common understanding between IT security professionals and application developers is causing security flaws to be built...  Continue Reading

• Service-oriented architecture key to adaptive enterprise, says Meta

  Analysts have warned that suppliers are painting a rosy view of the 'adaptive, on-demand or N1' enterprise.  Continue Reading

• Probability software can analyse risk

  The systematic analysis of risks and their consequences was born out of the insurance industry. These measures work well in the...  Continue Reading

• Get support for disaster recovery by combining it with the business

  Disaster recovery is still a difficult item to sell to the board. The main problem is that all the possible disasters appear to...  Continue Reading

• IBM-Candle deal helps On Demand

  With its acquisition of long-time business partner, Candle, IBM believes it is taking an important step in moving its collection...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Peer-to-peer pressure

  Phishers are now exploiting peer-to-peer networks, warns Simon Moores.  Continue Reading

• Break SLAs down to minimise risk

  A tiered approach means that firms need not confuse the IT specification with expected supplier service levels  Continue Reading

• DoCoMo moots Hutchison 3G investment

  NTT DoCoMo is discussing strategic plans for its investment in UK mobile operator Hutchison 3G and its Hong Kong parent,...  Continue Reading

• Working together

  New web-based tools are giving collaborative working within organisations a new impetus, Mark Vernon looks at those in the...  Continue Reading

• Beat the storage standardisation problem

  Problems with standardisation in storage networking are leading businesses to abandon cross-platform IP initiatives to...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Innovate for satisfaction

  Manage relationships to succeed in outsourcing, says Robert Morgan  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Any time, any place, anywhere

  Simon Moores has detected a mood of fatalism among virus-hit businesses  Continue Reading

• Are you storing up trouble for the future?

  Until firms can decide which data to store, for what reason and for how long, IT managers will face difficulties in implementing...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Build a solid knowledge base

  Skills continuity should form the heart of any disaster recovery plan, says Colin Beveridge  Continue Reading

• No need for top-level domain extension for mobile content

  A group of vendors is petitioning for a new top-level domain (TLD) extension to streamline mobile access to the Internet. But the...  Continue Reading

• European Microsoft ruling will have little impact on customers

  The European Commission (EC) ruled that Microsoft must offer Windows without its media player and facilitate workgroup server...  Continue Reading

• Intel’s new CPU numbering will be mostly ignored

  Intel’s new numbering for central processing units (CPUs) aims to differentiate value-added features, but will be meaningless to...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Local Language Program has promise, but gaps remain

  Microsoft’s Local Language Program initiative will provide native language support for Windows XP and Office 2003 user...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft talks up ERP and CRM products

  Douglas Burgum, a senior vice president at Microsoft and president of the Business Solutions division, was on hand at last week's...  Continue Reading

• Be flexible with your system plans

  A number of factors can be used to assess and mitigate risk in the design, development, implementation and post-implementation...  Continue Reading

• Survey reveals that spending and strategy will be the focus for 2004

  The challenges of aligning the IT department to business strategy and responding to change and financial pressure on budgets are...  Continue Reading

• Top 10 issues for network managers in 2004

  With the networking architecture poised to change once again, network managers must examine the top issues in networks this year...  Continue Reading

• Corporates serious about open source on desktops

  It is only in the past six months or so that corporates have moved towards the large-scale implementation of open source software...  Continue Reading

• Industry says Brown should have done more to bolster UK's IT skills

  Gordon Brown missed an opportunity to introduce a training framework to update the skills of the UK's IT workforce in the Budget...  Continue Reading

• The resurgence of network management

  Steve Broadhead, director of Broadband-Testing Labs, evaluates two products that offer a simple way of monitoring networks and...  Continue Reading

• BCS and NHS back career path body for health IT

  The NHS and the British Computer Society are funding a new professional body that aims to boost the standards of professionalism...  Continue Reading

• Service-oriented architectures will deliver eventually, but don't hold your breath

  Service-oriented architectures promise a lot, but few have succeeded so far.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Office evolves in the face of competition from Linux

  In the SSL/CW list of IT skills, MS Office is number 8  Continue Reading

• Low-cost 10 Gigabit Ethernet targets business

  In an attempt to widen the appeal of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and make it cost-effective for enterprise users to upgrade, Foundry...  Continue Reading

• Council halves costs and doubles storage by implementing iSCSI

  Fareham Borough Council is one of the first local authorities inthe UK to adopt cut-price iSCSI networking technology for...  Continue Reading

• Imperial teams sweep into the final

  Three of the four teams from Imperial College have won places in the final of the 20th annual BCS Programming Competition, which...  Continue Reading

• What should I tell the board about viruses?

  I have been asked to brief the board about our vulnerability to viruses, how the business could be affected and what we are doing to protect ourselves. What areas should I cover, and how much detail should I go into?  Continue Reading

• Finance firm overcomes supplier impasse

  Communications problems are bad for any company, but for a financial services firm they can be business-critical.  Continue Reading

• Ford reaps the benefits of IT-led initiative to cater for disabilities

  Disability initiatives by Ford's UK IT department have been adopted by the company across Europe, bring increased sales, better...  Continue Reading

• EU Microsoft ruling could have greater effect than in US, say observers

  Legal analysts, industry insiders and parties involved in the five-year-long European Union antitrust case against Microsoft...  Continue Reading

• Keep finance in focus when demerging IT

  When breaking down IT systems in a demerger, IT directors need to focus on the financial implications as well as ensuring a...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Nothing is what it appears to be

  What you see is what you'll get isn't always the case when buying from an online auction site, so how can we ensure that users...  Continue Reading

• Are web services worth a second look?

  IT managers have not been using web services, despite the supplier hype, but XML service-oriented architectures could give the...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Don't throw out the baby

  NHS could lose vital resources as it forces changes, says Jean Roberts  Continue Reading

• EU antitrust ruling won’t affect Microsoft or Its customers

  The long-running European antitrust action against Microsoft is nearly over. But any “victory” claimed by the European Commission...  Continue Reading

• Get ready for European ‘Sarbanes-Oxley’ audit rules

  Corporations must ensure that they have business process management procedures, including audit trails and document management,...  Continue Reading

• PayPal’s consumer rights settlement should spur more openness

  PayPal has agreed to fully disclose online consumers’ credit rights in a settlement with the New York Attorney General’s office....  Continue Reading

• CeBIT round-up

  News of products and services from the show in Hannover.  Continue Reading

• Fine skills in outsourcing

  When organisations outsource IT, they traditionally retain a small in-house team of technical staff to manage the contract. But,...  Continue Reading

• Cheap San for SMEs

  DataCore has developed a cut-price storage area networking system for small and medium-sized enterprises that allows them to use...  Continue Reading

• Firewall updated to block XML attacks

  Firewall supplier Teros has modified its Secure Application Gateway to block attacks via XML-based web services  Continue Reading

• Too much of the budget is being blown on monitoring hardware

  Infrastructure management tools are failing to spot a high proportion of IT problems, a study by analyst firm Forrester Research...  Continue Reading

• Is the national programme for NHS IT set to be 'the biggest gamble in the world'?

  The private concerns of clinicians and IT professionals about the national programme are not being addressed, despite the front...  Continue Reading

• Data spine to be tested this month

  A representative of the Capital Care Consortium, the BT-led consortium which has been appointed the local service provider for...  Continue Reading

• The public and private faces of the programme

  The public and private faces of the national programme are in conflict - and the public face is winning. The side that perceives...  Continue Reading

• Performanance Solutions unveils IPFX products

  Converged applications developer Performance Solutions has launched its computer telephony integration (CTI) solution called...  Continue Reading

• Tif members to discuss end of support for NT 4.0

  User group the Corporate IT Forum, Tif, is holding a workshop in London today entitled "Withdrawal of Security Patch Support for...  Continue Reading

• Matching service can help you use your IT skills to help good causes

  IT professionals wanting to volunteer their expertise to local charities and communities needing IT help now have a national...  Continue Reading

• Three weeks to get awards entries in

  IT teams have three weeks left to enter the business achievement section of the BCS IT Professional Awards, run in association...  Continue Reading

• Expert shows dark side of the web and warns users are weakest link

  Becoming a computer criminal or exposing an organisation to risk - maliciously or inadvertently - is as easy as making a few...  Continue Reading

• Computer clubs for girls attempt to address gender imbalance in IT

  A national programme to encourage more young women to consider careers in the IT profession will be rolled out this year as part...  Continue Reading

• Notes users can spread their skills

  In the SSL/CW list of IT skills, Lotus Notes is number 49  Continue Reading

• How can I stop a runaway project failing?

  One of our IT projects seems to be spinning out of control. The project manager, however, denies the existence of the problems....  Continue Reading

• Evaluate your strengths before moving into management

  The decision whether to aim for managerial roles or remain as a technical specialist is one faced by many ambitious IT...  Continue Reading

• Staff rate job satisfaction over pay

  IT professionals are moving to the public sector, driven by the promise of work which is more interesting and satisfying than...  Continue Reading

• Staff may have to finance own training as offshoring increases

  Workers will increasingly have to finance their own training if government, unions and the IT industry do not address the...  Continue Reading

• IT industry has some fun for charity

  Put Sunday 27 June in your diary for a relaxed charity walk in the City of London with your family, friends and a group of...  Continue Reading

• Spring events cover a full range of IT concerns

  As the IT industry continues its recovery, the busy start to the year continues into the second quarter with an equally hectic...  Continue Reading

• Royal Mail security chief outlines the challenges facing corporate IT

  David Lacey, chairman of the Jericho Forum, provided an insight into the thinking behind the new blue-chip user organisation at...  Continue Reading

• Basic principles for datwarehouse success

  Break projects down and involve users from all parts of the business  Continue Reading

• Hackers still exploiting MyDoom as users find patching increasingly unmanageable

  Symantec's latest internet security report, based on data gathered from its Deepsite sensor technology, has found that hackers...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft takes the long view on Longhorn

  Microsoft has been fuzzy on the expected ship date for the next major version of the Windows operating system, codenamed...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Gordon Brown's other budget

  Colin Beveridge hopes the chancellor did his sums before opting for Civil Service cost cuts  Continue Reading

• Gartner Symposium: IT must build for business growth

  Hot topics from the Gartner Symposium in Barcelona  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Cyberspace, the final frontier

  Simon Moores is still waiting for politicians to take the threat of cyber attack seriously.  Continue Reading

• Return of the bright idea

  Old IT concepts never die, they just get rebranded. Danny Bradbury looks at seven technologies that were hyped as the next big...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Laptops let in the worms

  Virus problem is likely to get worse, says Jay Heiser.  Continue Reading

• Making Windows more secure

  Microsoft's commitment to improving the overall security of its operating system  Continue Reading

• Suppliers woo users with new technology to boost productivity

  Many suppliers at CeBIT will be showcasing integration products - from combining voice and data, to easing the exchange of...  Continue Reading

• Achieving the goal of CIO

  What exactly does a chief information officer do?Paul Burfitt, global CIO at AstraZeneca, analysed the various aspects of his job...  Continue Reading

• Analyst claims additional security layers in Windows add to risk

  Microsoft is planning a series of security improvements to Windows, yet each layer of software protection it adds increases the...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft delays release of SQL Server ‘Yukon’ again

  After long delays, Microsoft has confirmed another slip of its next release of SQL Server. Enterprises should plan for additional...  Continue Reading

• Target’s move highlights smartcards’ struggle in US market

  Target will end a three-year-old smartcard programme because many consumers ignored its customer loyalty features. This decision...  Continue Reading

• Malaysia’s new low-cost PC project shows promise

  A new project to bring low-cost PCs and productivity software to Malaysians should prove successful — if adequate distribution...  Continue Reading

• MCI’s denial-of-service response offer may start a trend

  A new service-level agreement (SLA) from MCI aims to fight denial-of-service attacks. The offering isn’t perfect, but it should...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: It could be you

  Don't let the phishers get their hooks into you, says Simon Moores  Continue Reading

• Drive for compliance will push financial firms to spend £4.5bn on services this year

  Business and regulatory pressures will drive investment in IT.  Continue Reading

• Take a fresh look at hosted e-mail services

  Mailbox hosting has had little appeal in business, but services for e-mail security, disaster recovery and archiving could fit...  Continue Reading

• Thought for the day: Red tape and taxes are killing IT

  British IT badly needs a boost, says Simon Moores  Continue Reading

• Should you be including hybrid 64-bit servers in your IT strategy?

  A raft of new hardware is starting to appear that promises 64-bit computing on a 32-bit PC platform, but analysts have warned...  Continue Reading

• Simple steps to match the firm's needs

  Book extract: IT departments should follow this business "bill of rights" to match the needs of the firm.  Continue Reading

• Creative thinking makes top team

  The IT manager at Mastercare Service says a passion for IT is worth more than qualifications in a creative department  Continue Reading

• Does your service organisation pass the 'moment of truth' test?

  Good helpdesk support is imperative for business success  Continue Reading

• Debenhams IT chief joins Energis

  Martin Wyke, former IS director at retail chain Debenhams, has been appointed IT director at telecoms provider Energis.  Continue Reading

• SQL is still most in-demand skill

  In the CW/SSL list of IT skills demand, SQL is number 1  Continue Reading

• First get a strategy, then manage suppliers

  What is the difference between a sourcing strategy and good supplier management?  Continue Reading

• Manager says GCHQ IT move is on target

  After four years a massive programme by Government Communications Headquarters to move 4,500 staff and IT from 50 buildings to a...  Continue Reading

• Last call for Tif awards

  IT professionals have only a few days left to register to enter the Corporate IT Forum (Tif) awards, which are open to non-Tif...  Continue Reading

• Hacker course offers insights into the mind and method of bad guys

  IT professionals are being offered an insight into the world of computer hackers on the UK's first hands-on ethical hacking...  Continue Reading

• If you want to be spotted by headhunters, raise your profile outside the organisation

  A recovery in the IT jobs market is likely to see the resurgence of headhunting and increased career options for IT staff who...  Continue Reading

• What price can you put on peace of mind?

  Measuring the return on security spending is difficult because the benefits are so intangible, so return to total cost of...  Continue Reading