In Depth

In Depth

• Why are so few electric vehicles used for online shopping deliveries?

  UK retailers appear to be in the electric vehicle slow lane when it comes to online shopping deliveries, but changes are imminent  Continue Reading

• Trust and openness vital to get benefits from supply chain automation

  Supply chain automation is benefiting from new technological developments, such as blockchain, 5G and machine learning – as companies such as Maersk, Opel and Nestlé are proving  Continue Reading

• Shell CTO Yuri Sebregts talks about using AI to amplify the human impact of its workforce

  Digital transformation is a multi-decade process for Shell, with artificial intelligence presenting the oil and gas giant with new opportunities to ramp up the productivity of its workforce, its CTO explains  Continue Reading

• Prepare now for quantum computers, QKD and post-quantum encryption

  The predicted processing power of quantum computers is likely to make existing encryption algorithms obsolete. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a possible solution - we investigate whether QKD is viable  Continue Reading

• OpenStack storage update 2018: After Rocky

  Snapshots and container storage support are among recently added functionality in the open source private cloud platform, but vendor driver support for OpenStack is not universal  Continue Reading

• Intelligent automation and the WAN: Is SD-WAN moving mainstream?

  Take-up of software-defined networking in corporates is slower than expected. Where have we reached on the journey to software-controlled networks – and SD-WAN in particular – becoming the norm?  Continue Reading

• Colocation and the hyperscalers: What the cloud giants want in a datacentre partner

  The colocation market is booming on the back of the growing demand from the hyperscale cloud giants for readily available datacentre capacity, but why are some operators more successful than others when it comes to landing their business?  Continue Reading

• Mobile-first strategy rings true for jeweller

  Mobile has played a key role in how London jeweller Taylor & Hart has changed the rules for buying a ring  Continue Reading

• Dividing lines: EU bid to curb server energy use has the European datacentre community split

  An EU-backed push to curb European datacentre energy use has proven to be a divisive issue, as debate rages over the usefulness of using idle energy to determine the overall efficiency of servers  Continue Reading

• Gig for victory: Addressing the stigma of the gig economy

  As companies continue apace with digital transformation, the need for ad hoc tech workers is growing. But traditional contracting is giving way to the looser idea of ‘gigging’ – and not just for low-level roles  Continue Reading

• Doorstep challenge: How retailers are innovating on delivery and fulfilment

  Every retailer selling online in 2018 needs great shipping options for customers who have got used to an expanding list of choices. How are some retailers developing the proposition, and where does technology fit into the equation?  Continue Reading

• How is Google taking on Microsoft Office in retail?

  Carrefour represents a big-name contract win for Google’s G Suite, but will Microsoft Office still be dominant across retail?  Continue Reading

• Leading companies embrace DevOps to improve agility and flexibility

  DevOps is an approach to improving the efficiency of software development roll-outs, but while the benefits are clear, companies face a number of challenges along the way  Continue Reading

• Flash storage in the cloud from the big cloud providers

  We survey the big three cloud providers – AWS, Azure and Google – and find a range of mostly block storage flash storage options with performance choices available  Continue Reading

• What are the current SD-WAN options for enterprises?

  Software-defined wide area networking is well on its way to being a multi-billion dollar market. We assess the current state of the market and look at some of the options for enterprise CIOs and network managers  Continue Reading

• Employers turn to wearable technology to help staff manage work-life balance

  Companies are realising that there are sound business reasons for ensuring their employees get enough sleep and exercise, so they are turning to wearable technology to help their staff stay healthy, despite the pressures of work  Continue Reading

• Blockchain delivers value with food sourcing system

  Blockchain systems for food and drink are proving their value with tuna fishing, fresh food supply, and ecologically sound food sourcing  Continue Reading

• How the big five storage array makers tier data to the cloud

  We look at the big five storage array makers' efforts to connect on-premise hardware with cloud storage and find automated tiering, on-ramps, and backup and archive capability  Continue Reading

• Outcomes-based security is the way forward

  Every security technology is effective for a limited time, but understanding data assets and their value to attackers is key to effective cyber defence, according to an industry veteran of 20 years’ experience  Continue Reading

• The use cases, challenges and benefits behind retail AI

  Retailers have been collecting customer data for years, and with AI technology now available to help them use it effectively, they’re jumping at the chance – but what challenges lie ahead?  Continue Reading

• Storage 101: Self-encrypting drives' benefits and limitations

  Self-encrypting drives are a cost-effective way to ensure compliance in certain situations. We look at self-encrypting drives, what they’re good for and their limitations  Continue Reading

• A guide to choosing and using all-flash array storage

  We take a look at the considerations when devising an all-flash array storage strategy, and what enterprises can do to get the most out of the technology  Continue Reading

• Match cache and storage tiers to app needs with new storage media

  How to match cache and storage tier needs to the dizzying array of solid state media now available, including flash, QLC/TLC, NVMe, storage-class memory, NVMDimm and MRAM  Continue Reading

• DevOps and containers: How to get connected

  We look at how to apply a DevOps approach to a container-based microservices architecture  Continue Reading

• When networks collide: how M&A brings infrastructure together

  Enterprise IT runs on networking, so fixing up the network should be a priority issue during mergers and acquisitions – but that’s not always the case. Find out how the pros manage it  Continue Reading

• Fighting fit: The ODI on courting startups to use open data to get the UK moving

  The Open Data Institute is aiming to change the fact that millions of people in the UK are inactive, and is using open data and startups to help engage citizens to exercise.  Continue Reading

• Virtual storage appliances in the cloud from the big five

  We survey the big five storage hardware makers’ cloud offerings. Virtual storage appliances available range from storage and backup/data protection to nothing at all  Continue Reading

• Nigel Shadbolt on why the UK is well placed to lead on the ethics of AI

  Nigel Shadbolt, principal of Jesus College, Oxford and co-founder of the Open Data Institute, underscores the ethics of artificial intelligence, and says it will shape the naked ape as tools always have  Continue Reading

• National Archives races to create electronic archive of EU law before Brexit

  The National Archives faces challenges converting the EU's enormous library of laws into a publicly accessible UK archive ahead of Brexit. The Archives’ digital director, John Sheridan, explains how  Continue Reading

• Tips on reducing unnecessary cloud service costs

  As IT departments prepare their 2019 budgets, we assess how to avoid paying too much for cloud services  Continue Reading

• Inside DevOps, containers and enterprise security

  Global corporates are waking up to containers and orchestrated containerisation for software development that is fast and safe. Computer Weekly looks at the best approach to ensure security is not compromised along the way  Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud a key milestone on the road to cloud storage

  The cloud seems to lend itself to use as a storage location. There are lots of bumps in the road, however, and hybrid cloud should be a key medium-term aim for organisations  Continue Reading

• Sustainability and the smartphone: How to give your old device a second life

  Find out what happens to your smartphone after you’re finished with it and why you should commit to the circular economy  Continue Reading

• Servitisation: What it is and how it can transform companies

  The idea that every product-based company needs to put service first is a radical shift in how businesses organise themselves. Is it more than rhetoric?  Continue Reading

• The value of unified endpoint management

  Given the diversity of devices people can use for work, IT needs to look at how it can unify device security  Continue Reading

• How to make sense of desktop as a service

  Does it make sense to move the desktop to the cloud? We look at DaaS and VDI  Continue Reading

• Interview: Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley: 'Scared silly' by Brexit

  Renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Shirley talks robots teaching children, and why Brexit has her “scared silly”  Continue Reading

• An IT operating model for the digital age

  Enterprises need to form cross-functional teams and give them the mandate to work together towards a single goal  Continue Reading

• Future tech cannot be ‘defined by a particular population’, says CA executive

  As new technologies are developed, companies could take the opportunity to hire more diversely to ensure offerings cater to a wider demographic  Continue Reading

• Has collaboration software wrought perilous communication overload?

  A new generation of collaborative software, such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, could prove a knowledge management boon. But does it have a dark side of communication overload?  Continue Reading

• PCs shape up for the digital workplace

  The digital workplace demands increasing functionality, mobility and connectivity. We look at how desktop IT is changing  Continue Reading

• Spotlight on the Digital Career Institute, Berlin

  Digital Career Institute is teaching refugees and unemployed people to do web development in Germany  Continue Reading

• Container storage: Docker in flash, HCI and software-defined

  We look at what flash array, hyper-converged infrastructure and software-defined storage makers are doing to provide persistent storage for container-based deployments  Continue Reading

• CW500: Getting the most out of the internet of things

  The IoT brings huge opportunities, but how can organisations take full advantage, and where lies the best potential? The latest CW500 Club looked at how to create the right environment for success  Continue Reading

• An insider’s look into the dark web

  A principal research scientist at Sophos offers a glimpse into the abysses of the dark web in a bid to uncover what cyber crooks are up to  Continue Reading

• Data protection for containers: Why and how to do Docker backup

  Containers such as those from Docker are agile, lightweight and can be short-lived, but they and their data often need to be protected. We look at the key options available  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery as a service: what you need to know 

  Technological advances make disaster recovery as a service possible, but Computer Weekly investigates whether it is practical option for all businesses  Continue Reading

• Streamline infrastructure management through robotic automation

  Robotic automation is changing the infrastructure management game, helping IT departments make fewer mistakes and boost their productivity  Continue Reading

• Matching disaster recovery to cyber threats

  While it is important to take steps to prevent cyber attacks, they can still happen. That is why disaster recovery practices are equally critical  Continue Reading

• Is the UK’s computing curriculum too focused on coding?

  The government introduced its computing curriculum in 2014 to give young people the digital skills they need for the future, but is it fit for purpose?  Continue Reading

• Guinness World Records bets on Office 365 and AWS to boost business expansion

  Rob Howe, director of IT at Guinness World Records, opens up about how cloud is supporting the organisation’s ongoing push to diversify its business  Continue Reading

• An exciting time to be in cyber security innovation

  Cyber security innovation has received a £1.35m shot in the arm from the UK government with the opening of a new innovation centre in London. Computer Weekly looks at why now is a good time to be working and innovating in this industry  Continue Reading

• Cyber crime: why business should report it as soon as possible

  Cyber crime is affecting a growing number of businesses, yet few are reporting it. Computer Weekly lifts the veil on cyber crime reporting, looking at the who, what, when, where, how and why  Continue Reading

• Enhance efficiency by automating IT services

  We look at the role of artificial intelligence and chatbots in IT service management  Continue Reading

• DevOps done right: Securing grassroots support for a top-down DevOps enterprise push

  As more and more enterprises rush to join the DevOps movement, practitioners share details of how they secured grassroots support for their senior leadership team's top-down agile adoption mandates  Continue Reading

• Cloud HCI survey: Cloud functionality in hyper-converged infrastructure

  We look at how you can use hyper-converged infrastructure to build private clouds and link up with public cloud services to develop hybrid and multi-cloud working  Continue Reading

• Why AI must move beyond pattern-matching

  Artificial intelligence and deep learning have revolutionised applications such as computer vision, but more complex problems require a different approach  Continue Reading

• How APAC enterprises and telcos are preparing for 5G

  From Singapore to Tokyo, enterprises and mobile operators across Asia have been readying themselves for the next big leap in mobile connectivity that promises to speed up business operations and improve lives  Continue Reading

• Containers and storage: Array suppliers’ container capabilities

  We look at what the big five storage array makers – Dell EMC, Hitachi, HPE, IBM and NetApp – are doing to provide persistent storage for container-based deployments  Continue Reading

• Let automation take away the tedium

  Computer Weekly looks at how far the suppliers of systems management tools and associated products have progressed with automation  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage: Amazon vs Azure vs Google vs IBM Softlayer

  Computer Weekly looks at the biggest four cloud storage providers, how they stand in the market, the products they offer, and which offers the widest range of products and features  Continue Reading

• Manufacturers, technology and the fourth industrial revolution

  A look at some of the innovations and technology investment focus areas for today’s manufacturing industry  Continue Reading

• How the internet of things and edge data impact data storage

  Remote device data poses challenges for the datacentre, but edge processing, analytics and the cloud can help businesses profit from the promise of the internet of things  Continue Reading

• Adapting to the rise of the holistic application

  A containerised, componentised and compartmentalised approach to software presents CIOs with the challenge of managing a more complex environment  Continue Reading

• Assessing the hyperscale squeeze on G-Cloud's SMEs

  The latest government spend data suggests public sector IT buyers are increasingly using G-Cloud to procure services from the hyperscale cloud community, prompting concerns about the impact this might have on the SME-friendly framework  Continue Reading

• Need for speed: designing a modern campus LAN

  Just like datacentres before them, campus LANs are increasingly being defined by virtualisation and software-based controls. Next to this shift, the hardware also continues to improve as network owners look to keep pace with user demand  Continue Reading

• Ethical AI requires collaboration and framework development

  Countries and companies are attending to the ethics of artificial intelligence technology use. Such efforts need to be collectively determined to result in solid frameworks  Continue Reading

• NVMe over Fabrics brings benefits of NVMe to shared storage

  NVMe over Fabrics – with NVMe carried over Fibre Channel, Ethernet, Infiniband and other protocols – could revolutionise shared storage. We look at how the market is shaping up  Continue Reading

• DevOps done right: How to break down the IT department silos without alienating developers

  Enterprise DevOps adoption rests on securing buy-in at all levels of the company, but developer support is not a given, particularly when it means taking on responsibilities outside their traditional roles  Continue Reading

• Making sense of Microsoft’s cloud developer platform

  We assess how Microsoft is aligning its development tools to support Linux and open source, in light of its acquisition of GitHub  Continue Reading

• IPsoft’s digital worker is part of a shift in human productivity

  IPsoft used its annual user summit to allow customers to update themselves on the career of its cognitive digital agent Amelia  Continue Reading

• Is DevOps the best approach to software development?

  A DevOps model builds on an agile approach to software development, but a different approach to tooling is needed  Continue Reading

• Intel Optane DIMM aims at persistent storage on the motherboard

  Intel to make 3D Xpoint flash available to applications in a tier below RAM and above storage, with in-memory databases, analytics and high performance computing set to benefit  Continue Reading

• How Australia is keeping pace with ICS threats

  Besides bridging the security gap between IT and operational technology teams, Australia is driving efforts to bolster the security of IoT devices  Continue Reading

• Beyond Docker and Kubernetes: The container ecosystem continues to evolve

  Enterprise interest in container technologies is on the rise, and organisations need to get clued up on who does what and how it can benefit them  Continue Reading

• Canada’s tech sector is targeting Europe – does it have what it takes to compete?

  Following its free-trade agreement with the EU – and the contrast with its noisy neighbour – Canada is promoting its tech sector to European IT buyers. We take a look at what CIOs can expect  Continue Reading

• Application security more important than ever

  Applications have an increasingly crucial role in our lives, yet they are also a real security threat, with hackers always finding new ways to bypass security defences. Computer Weekly looks at how organisations are responding to the challenge  Continue Reading

• Cloud NAS offers file access across on-site and in-cloud

  We run the rule over cloud NAS products that allow customers to build single-namespace file systems, including between in-house datacentres and public cloud storage  Continue Reading

• Lessons from GE’s flight to digital platforms

  Examining the challenges industrial giant GE  has encountered on its digital journey and the lessons learned for CIOs heading in the same direction  Continue Reading

• WD-40 oils sales and finance processes in Europe with Epicor

  WD-40 has automated its business processes with Epicor ERP, finding the system’s service-oriented architecture good for providing flexibility in the company’s business growth  Continue Reading

• Cyber resilience key to securing industrial control systems

  Operators of industrial control systems can build greater cyber resilience by getting IT and operational technology teams to work more closely together and improving the visibility of their infrastructure, among other security measures  Continue Reading

• Storage 101: The final flash generation? QLC vs MLC, TLC, SLC

  QLC flash products have arrived in the market, but with a limited performance profile, has NAND flash come up against the realities of the physics that make it possible?  Continue Reading

• AI elevates predictive maintenance for Kone and ThyssenKrupp

  Kone and ThyssenKrupp are using artificial intelligence to improve predictive maintenance of their lifts and escalators  Continue Reading

• Why Kubernetes is emerging as a critical enabler of multi-cloud

  The buzz around containers is showing no signs of stopping, with Kubernetes fast emerging as the technology of choice for enterprises looking to build multi-cloud environments  Continue Reading

• How artificial intelligence is fuelling engine maintenance innovation at Rolls-Royce

  The engine maker has established an innovation centre to enable the company to deliver analytics and artificial intelligence-powered services to airlines using Rolls-Royce engines  Continue Reading

• Application and device security under the spotlight

  The security of internet-connected devices and associated applications has become a significant concern, prompting suggestions legislation may be required, while the UK government’s recent Secure by Design review suggests several solutions, ...  Continue Reading

• Amazon, Toys R Us and a tale of two technology approaches

  Many factors contributed to the collapse of Toys R Us, but did a partnership with Amazon at the turn of the millennium play a part in its eventual demise?  Continue Reading

• Digital identity: Is the puzzle about to be solved?

  Solving the digital identity problem is key to the future of the digital economy as a whole – but how close are we? Computer Weekly looks at what is happening with Gov.uk Verify, private sector involvement, and lessons the UK could learn from other ...  Continue Reading

• Injecting entrepreneurship into enterprise IT

  What should CIOs do to ensure that IT plays a leading role in the digital future of their organisations  Continue Reading

• Flash vs 3D Xpoint vs storage-class memory: Which ones go where?

  New media provide a range of options to speed workloads, from “old-fashioned” flash to storage class- and persistent memory. We help you exploit the storage performance hierarchy  Continue Reading

• GDPR compliance: Addressing the overlooked in enterprise IT infrastructures

  As the GDPR compliance deadline approaches, enterprises need to ensure they have looked beyond the headline-grabbing aspects of the regulation so they do not fall foul of the incoming data protection regulations  Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage: Startups bring innovation to SDS

  We survey the startup suppliers pioneering new approaches to software-defined storage, including block, file and object, and VM and container-oriented approaches  Continue Reading

• Object storage is inching into Australian enterprises

  Even as Aussie firms such as Bauer Media and Redbubble are lapping up object storage, others are facing visibility and analytics issues with the technology  Continue Reading

• Mergers and acquisitions: Bringing together separate IT departments

  Bringing together the assets of two separate companies can be a fraught business, particularly when it comes to merging IT departments  Continue Reading

• Brexit is coming, but is the government technologically ready?

  Brexit requires huge IT and technology changes across government, but as departments seem to be struggling to get to grips with the workload, Computer Weekly looks at how preparations are going  Continue Reading

• UK technology recruitment: Turn on the talent

  The hottest tech skills will always be in short supply and UK businesses increasingly struggle to find competent people to fill digital roles. But do companies’ approach to recruitment need to change?  Continue Reading

• CW500: The advent of AI

  For better or worse, artificial intelligence is one of the most talked-about technologies today, and it is here to stay. The latest CW500 Club investigated what AI actually is and the opportunities it can offer  Continue Reading

• Chatbots demonstrate unexpected range of uses, from mental health to education

  Chatbots, software that uses normal language to communicate with people through text or voice, are proving their value in a surprising variety of ways – from accountancy support to mental health  Continue Reading

• Currency of data separates leaders from laggards

  With customer data growing in ever-evolving volumes, we look at how companies are using data analytics to stay in control  Continue Reading

• Enterprise accessibility: How Cray is using HPC to open up AI use cases from the datacentre

  Enterprises interest in HPC is reportedly being fuelled by the rising demand for artificial intelligence-based applications and services, and Cray is one of a number of providers looking to cash in  Continue Reading