In Depth

In Depth

• Top five IT finance and asset management issues

  CIOs and anyone involved in IT procurement should assess the benefits of leasing and alternative financing over making capital purchases for new IT equipment, software and services. Cliff Saran looks at the options.  Continue Reading

• Case study: A total IT managed service

  Scorpio was growing rapidly with its turnover increasing five-fold over nine years. It could see quite clearly that its existing IT infrastructure and systems were not sufficient to keep pace with its growth and knew that something must be done.  Continue Reading

• Hornbill Supportworks ITSM Enterprise in action

  Hornbill's Supportworks ITSM Enterprise has grown from being an IT helpdesk application into an ITSM (IT service management) and business process management (BPM) platform that adheres to the rigorous ITIL v3 management framework. Arif Mohamed looks...  Continue Reading

• The business value of balancing openness with security to manage risk

  The risks to businesses of using social media is a hot topic, but it is indicative of a much broader challenge that is facing not only business, but also government, publishers and regulators, in how to balance openness and collaboration with ...  Continue Reading

• Natural Disaster Recovery Planning from Christchurch Earthquakes

  What do you do when the office is destroyed. We spoke to a number of companies in Christchurch about how they got up and running after the recent earthquakes.  Continue Reading

• Trends in cloud computing technologies

  In this guide to trends in cloud computing technologies, you'll see just how popular cloud has become and how UK organisations are using it to save money and even improve security.  Continue Reading

• Five types of tape for backup or archive

  There are plenty of tape formats to choose from when you are looking for a backup or archival medium. Here are five of the most common formats to consider.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Robell Control Systems gets to grips with Buffalo

  At the heart of any business is an important data set including email databases, customer records, HR forms, contact lists and more. Without access to this data a company will experience undue delays and disruptions to important progress. For SMBs ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Pitney Bowes Uses AMP to Mobilise Procurement over SAP for Field Service Engineers

  Pitney Bowes recognised an opportunity to improve efficiency and reduce costs by eliminating its manual servicing processes. Previously, the company’s customer contact agents allocated jobs to field service engineers over the phone while the ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Stroud College Secures Campus Network and Saves Time with CounterACT

  Stroud College’s IT team evaluated several diff erent vendors’ NAC products - including Cisco and Bradford Networks – as well as an open-source NAC solution. None of these solutions met all of the campus’s needs.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Giving SMEs tailored solutions to their growing IT needs

  Most businesses these days rely heavily on IT systems that are robust, reliable and secure. This is just as true for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as it is for larger firms. In a case study from IT services firm Cloud 9, we examine the ways ...  Continue Reading

• Enterprise MLC: How flash vendors are boosting MLC write endurance

  Enterprise MLC: Flash vendors are boosting MLC write endurance to level read/write wear, improve error correction and combat flash’s inherent tendency to write amplification.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Combining PCI DSS Compliance with Unprecedented IT System Analysis Capabilities

  Like it does with most organisations who must comply, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) triggered a review of how Ventura, one of the UK’s largest customer management outsourcers, handled its log and event data. Since ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Devolved Use

  North Warwickshire & Hinckley College is one of the largest providers of education and training in the Midlands. The College is based on two main campuses in Nuneaton and Hinckley and has outreach centres throughout North Warwickshire, offering a ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Nissan Saves €10 million on LEAF Battery Production

  In 2010 Nissan launched the world’s first mass produced electric car available from a major manufacturer, the LEAF (Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car).  Continue Reading

• Case study: Claranet simplifies hosting infrastructure

  The first issue to confront Five’s Digital Media Group was the unwieldy nature of the company’s web-hosting infrastructure. It discovered that different departments had been charged with launching websites, which meant that Five had employed many ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: You’re so Vane

  Based in Nottingham UK and with facilities across Europe, Asia and the US, RomaxWIND offers its clients with design services, technical consultancy and simulation technology for the development of wind turbine drivetrain systems.  Continue Reading

• Case study: SQS mitigates the risks of migrating to a cloud based platform

  VITAR Software wanted to target more SMEs and needed a solution that provided all the benefits of their existing system, but in a way that would be cost effective and quick to get up and running.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Telstra International helps WWF enhance its green credentials

  WWF-UK is part of the international WWF network (formerly the World Wide Fund for Nature). It is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, working across more than 90 countries to address global threats to people and nature....  Continue Reading

• Case study: WD40 loosens rusty IT to support remote working across Europe

  WD-40’s multi-purpose product is a much loved brand with a long history of success. The company’s unique Water Displacement (WD) formula was first developed in 1953 and, 57 years later, the product is still used in thousands of ways across the world...  Continue Reading

• Fleet management challenges solved with Kiwi ingenuity

  When you're running a fleet of trucks, the right technology can save you some serious money and pain.  Continue Reading

• Clarion Events Extends the Life of its System i and JD Edwards environment with Magic Software

  Clarion Events is one of the UK's leading exhibition and event organisers. For over 30 years Clarion Events has been creating and developing stimulating and effective exhibitions, conferences and seated events in the UK, EMEA, Asia and America. ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Shipbroking company utilises Telstra International’s Asia expertise

  Howe Robinson & Co. Ltd (Howe Robinson) is one of the world’s largest shipbroking companies, providing dry-cargo and containership broking services to ship owners, charterers and ship buyers and sellers across the globe. Headquartered in London, ...  Continue Reading

• Schiavello drops Symantec, picks up CommVault

  Difficulties backing up remote offices has seen business furniture company Shciavello discard Symantec software in favour of CommVault.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Informed, appropriate and cost-effective commissioning decisions

  The NHS is facing the most radical set of reforms since its inception in 1948. The white paper ‘Liberating the NHS’ outlines unprecedented plans to transform healthcare in the UK. GPs will be handed around £80 billion of the NHS budget to commission...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Magasin du Nord

  Magasin du Nord operates six department stores in Denmark, located in Aarhus, Copenhagen, Fields on Amager, Lyngby, Odense and Rodovre. Established in 1868 and employing 1,200 people, the company primarily offers clothing, home furnishings, ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Visibility enables Walsall to be better eQIPPed

  In 2008, the Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust began working with McKesson to develop and implement HEV with the objective of improving resource efficiency and bed utilisation, to reduce costs and improve the quality of patient care – outcomes that ...  Continue Reading

• Looking a little closer at the winners of the SC Magazine Awards

  2011 marks the third year SC Magazine has incorporated a number of technology awards into the AusCERT gala conference and presentation. Awards receive nominations from across the industry and a panel of thirteen highly experienced security ...  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery: Risk assessment and business impact analysis

  Disaster recovery: Risk assessment and business impact analysis are key stages in disaster recovery planning, but where do they fit into the DR planning process?  Continue Reading

• Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre invests in business critical infrastructure from Maindec

  Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow (SECC), Scotland’s premier national venue for events, concerts and conferences, employed the services of IT solutions and support specialists Maindec in 2000 to ensure the smooth-running of ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Newport City Homes maximizes staff productivity

  As a registered social landlord, Newport City Homes provides housing to those in need in Newport, working with the public through its Neighbourhood Offices and the Resident Service Center.  Continue Reading

• IT infrastructure must expand exponentially to unlock productivity potential

  Cloud services providers and internet companies such as Google and Amazon are already benefiting from economies of scale, standardisation and automation.  Continue Reading

• iPad apps for CIOs

  The iPad has already infiltrated your organisation. And while that may introduce some management headaches for the IT department, there are lots of really useful apps for CIOs.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Bentley Motors - when heritage meets technology

  The recently launched Bentley Mulsanne is Bentley’s all-new flagship grand tourer. DS PLM solutions including CATIA, ENOVIA, DELMIA and 3DVIA have been deployed to allow Bentley to exploit 3D visualisation and simulation techniques across the core ...  Continue Reading

• Unified storage systems cut costs and management pain for UK users

  Unified storage systems combine support for Fibre Channel, iSCSI, NFS and CIFS protocols in the same hardware to cut down cost and management overheads for UK users.  Continue Reading

• Block vs file for Hyper-V and VMware storage: Which is better?

  Is block- or file-based storage better for Hyper-V and VMware virtual server environments? The answer depends on the precise needs of your virtual server environment.  Continue Reading

• The MCITP certification path to career success

  Although not a substitute for proven work-experience, Microsoft’s MCITP certification endorses one’s technical knowledge and could improve job prospects.  Continue Reading

• Innovation, collaboration and performance: Use new leadership to align IT with business results

  The pioneers of management practices still widely used today - such as Frederick Taylor, Henry Ford or Alfred Sloan - were all born in the 19th century. Their theories and inventions - from workflow optimisation, functional specialisation and ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: De Vere on cloud nine with Claranet’s managed application hosting & networks

  A number of strategic acquisitions and brand mergers form what is today known as the De Vere Group. With acquisitions however, come a plethora of IT challenges – and De Vere was no exception. Jo Stanford, Group IT Director, commented: “Initial Style...  Continue Reading

• Case study: East Sussex County Council re-define IT service delivery to schools with CentraStage

  The Schools ICT Services division of East Sussex Local Authority supports 194 schools. During 2009, East Sussex Local Authority began a strategic review of all ICT Services including those provided to schools. An extensive consultation process with ...  Continue Reading

• LogRhythm Combines GCSx and CoCo Compliance with Improved Reporting and Enhanced Network Analysis

  The introduction of the Government Connect Secure Extranet (GCSx) and Code of Connection (CoCo) initiatives in the U.K. signalled the need for Cardiff County Council to reevaluate how it handled its log data. Since installing a log data management, ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Severn Trent Services Group

  For many firms, regular rehearsals of their business continuity plans are rarely, if ever undertaken – leaving them ill prepared should the time come when they need to invoke them.  Continue Reading

• Case study: C2C ArchiveOne Cloud DR Gets the Job Done at Employment Hamilton

  With copious amounts of personal data required as part of the job application process, Employment Hamilton is committed to ensuring all of this information is protected against unauthorized access, disclosure or misuse. All appropriate security ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: ICT on demand

  Belvoir High School had been part of the Leicestershire 3 tier system of schooling until the local authority reviewed its educational provision in the Melton Mowbray area.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Success Story - The Listening Company

  The Listening Company is a rapidly expanding customer communications outsourcer with sites across the UK. The company provides bespoke “Intelligent Customer Management Solutions” to blue-chip clients, household names from industry sectors including ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Melton Borough Council gets backs to business with ICM

  Dealing with the immediate aftermath of a fire is a daunting and stressful time for any business or organisation.When you have nearly 50,000 customers relying on you daily for essential services and provision the potential is even worse. For Melton ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Co-operative Food

  Last year, The Co-operative Group spent more than £1.5 billion to acquire supermarket rival Somerfield. In the words of The Co-operative’s Group Chief Executive, Peter Marks, the acquisition propelled the Group “from the second division back into ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: MacGregor Cranes thinks PLM with ENOVIA V6

  MacGregor Cranes produces a wide variety of cranes, some of which can lift up to 450 tons. “We propose both standard cranes with predefined configurations and tailormade cranes based on customer specifications,” said Leif Sundin, Applications and ...  Continue Reading

• Buyer's Guide: HP's Intelligent Resilient Framework (IRF) put to the test

  In the world of datacentres and large-scale enterprise networks there has always been some form of perceived trade-off between performance and resilience. Building in resilience is absolutely essential of course, but it has historically affected ...  Continue Reading

• Buyer's Guide: Network optimisation for cloud computing

  Forrester has identified a new architecture called the user experience network (uXn) which connects users to services that are relevant to the moment, aggregated at the point of use, and originate from multiple locations.  Continue Reading

• Centralised log management provides security and long-term log storage for Astrium Satellites

  “Security is paramount to our organisation,” says Gareth Davis, Network and Telecom Manager, UK.  Continue Reading

• Dedupe technology: A natural partner to backup

  See how three UK IT organisations are saving money and storage capacity with data deduplication for backup.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Backing up Avon's IT infrastructure

  You need to know that your company’s IT infrastructure is as well supported and backed-up as possible.  Continue Reading

• Upgrade Ethernet to fabric for cloud computing

  The latest thinking on datacentre design recommends that businesses deploy virtualisation, where virtual machines can be started (or spawned) and stopped dynamically. As Cliff Saran discovers, this can have a huge impact on the network.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Bury Council upgrades to CTI Group’s Proteus Enterprise call accounting solution

  Bury Council required a robust call accounting solution that could monitor, report and analyse the approximately seven million phone calls that its telecoms network handles on an annual basis over 3,000 extensions in more than 30 locations.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Toshiba provides JLT Mobile with ruggedized hard drives

  JLT provides computing solutions for business operations in demanding industrial environments. It is critical that JLT offers heavy duty computing solutions that can withstand extreme temperature changes, high humidity and strong levels of vibration...  Continue Reading

• Security Zone: Antivirus testing standards at a crossroads

  Security Zone: Testing standards at a crossroads - do changes in the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organisation reflect better practice in antivirus testing?  Continue Reading

• Case study: Dim simplifies IT Service Management with PS’Soft SaaS solution

  The Challenge: To implement an online service desk solution that could be accessed anywhere, anytime.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Armari Installs LSI™ 6Gb/s SATA+SAS RAID Controller Cards

  As a leading specialist manufacturer and integrator of high-performance computer systems and solutions for video, Armari prides itself on delivering best-in-class products to universities, commercial companies, architects, animators, filmmakers, and...  Continue Reading

• Patient confidentiality policy for UK electronic health records

  While electronic health records could provide valuable information in an emergency, they present patient confidentiality concerns. This Royal Holloway thesis examines the issue.  Continue Reading

• Ministry of Defence security: IT information assurance in the MoD

  The MoD should update its information assurance policy, argues Paul Shanes and Chez Ciechanowicz in this Royal Hollo2way MSc thesis article.  Continue Reading

• The appeal of Citrix licensing: Hypervisors and per-server licenses

  While Citrix chooses to license its XenServer technology on a per-server basis, VMware, its main competitor, opts for the counting-CPU-sockets approach.  Continue Reading

• Innovative Tech goes to School

  Technical innovation isn't limited to the R&D department at Deakin University. Its IT department delivers cutting edge technology to its staff and students.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Abu Dhabi Police

  As part of a programme of modernisation, His Highness Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Interior, commissioned worldwide research to find the most suitable solution to establish best practice for police communications. As a ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Oracle turns to BDNA Technopedia and BDNA Discover

  As the world’s leading provider of integrated business software and hardware solutions, Oracle provides IT leaders around the world the tools they need to solve business problems. Oracle itself has more than 110,000 employees and an IT ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: LogRhythm Brings Time Savings

  When Commidea first became Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant in 2004, technology restrictions meant that it had to install two separate systems to meet the stipulated log data requirements.  Continue Reading

• Case Study: Amnesty moves to private cloud with Claranet for Web 2.0 flexibility

  Amnesty International has migrated its web hosting to a private cloud-based infrastructure, provided by Claranet, to support the flexibility it requires as it grows its websites and engages in social media activities. Cliff Saran interviews the head...  Continue Reading

• Introducing Web 2.0 Collaboration to your business

  Bringing Web 2.0 technologies into the business can introduce lots of challenges. But the issues are rarely technical and it's the CIO that needs to find a path to success  Continue Reading

• Case study: The Lowry Says LogLogic is Just the Ticket for PCI Compliance

  PCI compliance is critical to businesses that conduct large volumes of credit card transactions online, such as The Lowry’s Quaytickets. PCI compliance helps these companies establish best practices that keep customer credit card information safe ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: The Police Service of Northern Ireland manages performance more transparently

  Like all UK police forces, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) works to a policing plan which specifies a wide range of operational targets. The service wanted to find a way to monitor its performance and assess risks more accurately, ...  Continue Reading

• iPads in the warehouse

  While the iPad is seen as a consumer tool by many, it's finding a place as a serious logistics tool in some warehouses.  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: What should businesses do to ensure their IT defences resist APTs?

  Security threat reports are increasing, identifying targeted and advanced, persistent threats (APTs) as top priorities for all organisations of all sizes and sectors. The reality of APTs has recently been demonstrated by the successful theft of ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: A need for better information management

  As one of the largest managers of financial assets in the UK, this InterSystems client has worked hard to build a reputation for financial security and investment success for over 150 years. However, they recognise that longevity alone is no ...  Continue Reading

• How to choose the right cloud service provider to avoid network problems

  The early stirrings of cloud computing are beginning to take place, with mixed results. Totally contained cloud services, such as salesforce.com, Concur and Transversal show how full-service functions held in the cloud can facilitate a business's ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Global Radio gains insight into advertising sales and scheduling

  Global Radio wanted to gain insight into the way it schedules advertising ‘spots’ across more than 80 radio stations throughout the UK. Analysing advertising revenues from different brands, stations and transmitters would for the first time allow ...  Continue Reading

• Compromising emanations: Tactics for electronic surveillance detection

  In this article, Royal Holloway MSc student Paul Frankland and Prof. Keith Martin examine how compromising emanations can reveal confidential data.  Continue Reading

• Hypervisor security: New techniques for securing virtual machines

  Learn about virtual monitoring and introspection in this article from Royal Holloway MSc student Fotios Tsifountidis and lecturer Geraint Price.  Continue Reading

• Quantum cryptography tutorial: Is quantum key distribution realistic?

  In this Royal Holloway MSc thesis, Sheila Cobourne and Dr. Carlos Cid explore the viability of quantum key distribution for enterprise use.  Continue Reading

• Expect weighty issues when installing Atmos

  A new user of EMC’s Atmos cloud storage product had weighty problems – literally and figuratively – when implementing its new systems.  Continue Reading

• Linux certification in India: A guide

  Linux deployments in data centers are fueling the need for skilled Linux administrators. A look at some Linux certification courses available in India.  Continue Reading

• 2011 Royal Holloway information security thesis series

  This series of articles from recent MSc graduates of the Royal Holloway University of London grapples with a variety of information security topics.  Continue Reading

• Freedom of choice

  CIOs are facing a torrent of users bringing their own gear to the office. But the enlightened manager needn't fight the inevitable.  Continue Reading

• Entry-level SAN survey: A full-featured SAN for less than $10,000?

  Entry-level SAN survey: Can you buy an entry-level SAN with enterprise-class features for less than $10,000? Many vendors say you can; we find out what you’ll get for your money.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Customizations in Sugar Professional Open the Doors to Success at UEM Land Group

  UEM Land Group, with headquarters in Malaysia, is the master developer and primary landowner in the regional city of Nusajaya, located in the Iskandar Malaysian Development region. The company was acquired in 2001, and in 2003 it experienced a ...  Continue Reading

• Backup appliance: Backup software and hardware in one box

  A backup appliance provides the backup app, processing power and disk to give all you need for SMB or branch office backup pre-packaged into one easy-to-manage box.  Continue Reading

• VMware backup solutions evolve to make use of VMware APIs

  VMware backup solutions have evolved to do virtual machine backup via VMware APIs and include support for data deduplication, snapshots, granular recovery and cloud as a target.  Continue Reading

• Case study: Lanner PRISM and West Mercia Police

  Spread across three predominantly rural counties, West Mercia is the fourth largest police force geographically in England and Wales. The force employs 2,345 police officers, 277 community support officers, 1,878 police staff and 241 members of the ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Mia Energia Shortens Sales Cycles and Accelerates Business with Sugar Professional

  Mia Energia provides solutions and systems for the production of energy, using alternatives to fossil fuels such as solar energy. It manages all phases of design and implementation of complex projects on a national and international scale. The ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Oxfordshire Council County and Kofax

  Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) is one of the largest local authorities in the UK. It has over 21,000 employees and offers a diverse range of services. Over 14,000 staff are employed by schools in the region, with another 7,500 employees working ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: 3Dconnexion Bridges the Gaps with Sugar Professional

  3Dconnexion employed a wide variety of different systems to manage and map out its various sales and other go-to-market processes across its global operations. However, the proliferation of these systems was beginning to wear on 3Dconnexion’s ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Avis Scandinavia

  Customers of Avis Rental Car are always on the go, which requires the company to constantly update and revitalize its ability to communicate and service its consumers. Such was the case for Avis Scandinavia, the leading car rental company of the ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Loomis UK Cashes In with SugarCRM

  Loomis transports valuables in armored vehicles equipped with modern surveillance systems for its customers in Europe and the US. The company’s roots trace back to 1852, when the gold rush was at its peak in California–a time when customers also ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Shear Flexibility

  On-premise versus on-demand. It’s an offering’s battle that has taken place since the ASP model first took root within the CRM industry over ten years ago. Since then, customers have traditionally been forced to split their decisions between the ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Clifford Chance Builds a Comprehensive Search Infrastructure with Decisiv Search

  Clifford Chance, a global law firm with 6,000 lawyers and business services staff in 29 offices in 20 countries, recently undertook a survey of its partners and lawyers to find out how the firm was performing from a knowledge management (KM) ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Xerox works with Manchester City Council to reduce print costs by 30%

  Manchester City Council (MCC) had an existing fleet of more than 550 copier or multifunction devices (MFDs), 3,500 desktop printers and 800 fax machines.  Continue Reading

• How can IT drive change

  Driving change in a business is part and parcel of the IT department's charter. So how does a former CTO who's made the leap to CEO drive change?  Continue Reading

• Case study: Examples and Results from the Hotel, Online, Retail, and Consumer Products Industries

  A popular lodging company, with several thousand locations around the world, needed to improve the conversion rate for booking rooms on its own Web site vs. on online travel agency sites. Web-savvy customers, searching for the best deals, were ...  Continue Reading

• Case study: ReadSoft gets a clean bill of health from UK’s Health Protection Agency

  In the event of people being exposed to communicable diseases or toxic chemicals, it’s vital that information is gathered quickly to reduce or eliminate further risk. The recent Alexander Litvinenko/Polonium-210 incident in the UK is a case in point...  Continue Reading

• Case study: Caplin Systems Moves To SugarCRM From Salesforce.com

  Caplin Systems Ltd. provides unique technology that enables banks to deliver trading services to their clients’ screens. Given the complex nature of its web-based product, and the competitive nature of the financial industry, Caplin Systems relies ...  Continue Reading

• CIO challenges

  The outgoing CEO of the AIIA, Ian Birks has had the ear of policy makers and other influencers. He has a unique insight to the world CIOs will be facing over the next few years.  Continue Reading