In Depth

In Depth

• Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Architecture Track (LV 2006)

  More than 70% of the attendees of Storage Decisions say they are setting up or evaluating a tiered storage architecture. Featured in this track are Tiered Storage School sessions along with other sessions that can help any manager set up or ...  Continue Reading

• Do you run a green machine?

  The IT industry has only recently embarked upon the learning curve of green computing. Helen Beckett looks at what suppliers and users are doing to help meet the green challenge  Continue Reading

• Inside MSRC: Visual Studio flaw, tool extensions explained

  Christopher Budd of the Microsoft Security Response Center sheds detail about a flaw in Visual Studio 2005 and explains that support for Software Update Services 1.0 will be extended.  Continue Reading

• Infrastructure security: Remote access DMZ

  An excerpt from Chapter 7: Infrastructure security from "How to Cheat at Managing Information Security," by Mark Osborne.  Continue Reading

• Opening the door to interoperability

  Should open source developers feel uneasy about the recent deal struck by Microsoft and Novell to make their operating systems work with each other?  Continue Reading

• Storage IPOs, brilliant or brainless

  Just when we thought the fast and loose spending of the dot-com bubble was well behind us, a few recent storage company IPOs remind us that we really haven't gotten a lot smarter.  Continue Reading

• Keep watch beyond the perimeter

  Wireless connectivity, mobile workers and network convergence make security a moving target, but too many users still ignore the basics of good practice  Continue Reading

• Storage Decisions Session Downloads: Engineering Track (LV 2006)

  Managers need to engineer the most flexible and complete storage network. This track looks at SAN and NAS issues, distance demands, remote offices and how to build out systems.  Continue Reading

• Storage Decisions Session Downloads (NYC 2006)

  Take a look at the sessions that floored at the Storage Decisions conference in New York City, September 27-29, 2006.  Continue Reading

• The BCS IT Awards: Who won and how

  Click on the links to find out who emerged triumphant at the British Computer Society's BCS IT Professional Awards.  Continue Reading

• BCS Awards 2006: Winners and medallists

  The BCS IT Professional Awards 2006 winners and medallists  Continue Reading

• Aussie scientists try the vest of both worlds

  Why Zen-like patience should be a prerequisite for all helpdesk positions.  Continue Reading

• DPM's diary: 12 December 2006

  Weekly round up of events at Bodcaster City Council  Continue Reading

• Zero-day tracker a hit, but IT shops need better strategy

  This week in Security Blog Log: Reaction to eEye's new zero-day tracker is positive, but some experts say it won't help unless IT shops have a layered defense to start with.  Continue Reading

• MySpace, YouTube successes open door to Web 2.0 dangers

  Web 2.0, and Ajax in particular, are introducing new threats to life on the Web. Many people are rushing to add interactive features to their Web applications using Ajax, but as columnist Mike Cobb explains, security has often been overlooked.  Continue Reading

• How to manage a universe of data

  In the following two case studies we look at how to effectively track and store vast amounts of data to enable both long-term storage and instant retrieval  Continue Reading

• Step-by-Step Guide: Finding and removing a rootkit

  It's difficult -- but not impossible -- to be totally sure that your system is 100% rootkit free, says Windows security expert Kevin Beaver. In this step-by-step guide, Beaver shows you how to strengthen your Windows systems against the rootkit ...  Continue Reading

• IT head plans systems to keep data on track for £6bn London rail link

  Effective communication and measurement are key to staying on top of a growing project, Michael Pincher, head of IT for the CrossRail project, told a recent meeting of BCS IT ­directors group Elite.  Continue Reading

• VoIP Learning Guide

  This guide explains what VoIP is, how it's used, and how it fits into the enterprise. Check back often for updates and new additions.  Continue Reading

• Work together to avert shortage of IT graduates, urges BCS president

  Employers and the IT profession need to find ways of encouraging more people to take up computer science at university if the country is to avoid a crippling skills shortage within four years, the British Computer Society has warned.  Continue Reading

• Expand your outsourcing horizons

  The business process outsourcing market is rapidly expanding into new areas, and it is smaller businesses that potentially stand to benefit the most  Continue Reading

• Peterborough uses reporting tool to boost productivity of housing staff

  Peterborough City Council has been able to cut the workforce in its housing department by 30% after using new IT systems to find out where its employees were being unproductive.  Continue Reading

• Scope out your ID risks and goals

  To be successful, an identity management initiative needs clear planning to prioritise for quick wins while ensuring that longer-term business objectives are met  Continue Reading

• H&M targets staff productivity gain with Europe-wide scheduling tool

  Retailer H&M has embarked on a two-year roll-out of an employee-scheduling system designed to improve its use of staff resources and maximise time spent by staff on the shop floor.  Continue Reading

• Best Places winner sends IT team back to school

  Property services firm Telereal is building strong cultural links inside and outside the company after winning a Computer Weekly Best Places to Work in IT award.  Continue Reading

• Building an on-demand future

  SMB Focus: Today's breed of hosted applications can offer smaller companies fixed costs, reduced complexity and guaranteed compliance. Arif Mohamed reports  Continue Reading

• Is the age of innovation over for IT?

  The Big Question is an initiative between Computer Weekly and recruitment consultancy PSD. Each week we put the Big Question to top IT professionals to get their take on a current talking point.  Continue Reading

• DPM's diary: 5 December 2006

  Weekly roundup of events at Bodcaster City Council  Continue Reading

• Business turns VoIP talk into action

  Computer Weekly's survey of IT leaders reveals that adoption of voice over IP and tablet PCs is gathering pace as CIOs seek more adaptable technologies  Continue Reading

• Blogs give readers the inside story

  Computer Weekly's three new blogs from leading IT commentators and practitioners offer IT professionals an interactive and informative forum  Continue Reading

• Act on foreign spy risk, firms urged

  Foreign governments attempting to gain inside information pose a real threat to UK businesses, and a different risk management approach must be adopted  Continue Reading

• Construction industry builds up project management with collaboration systems

  Business Focus is a weekly column providing at-a-glance statistics and commentary on spending priorities and trends in particular sectors. This week we look at the construction industry.  Continue Reading

• New Epos system prepares Wyevale for Easter blitz

  Wyevale Garden Centres has started trialling a chip and Pin-ready electronic point of sale system to see how it handles a planned increase in promotions.  Continue Reading

• IT organisations gear up for milestone year in 2007

  This year Computer Weekly and the National Computing Centre celebrated their 40th anniversaries, and the Parliamentary IT Committee marked its 25th year.  Continue Reading

• Philadelphia freedom - securely

  Bernard Donnelly, vice president of quality assurance for the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, discusses how and why his organisation transitioned to a wireless trading system the measures taken to keep the wireless system running securely.  Continue Reading

• Mobile Platforms: Palm OS -- not the best for the multitasker

  A team of experts weigh the good and bad of each mobile platform to help you choose the one that's right for your company.  Continue Reading

• How do I get a project management role?

  Expert advice for readers' career problems  Continue Reading

• Mobile platforms: Symbian, that 'European operating system'

  A team of experts weigh the good and bad of each mobile platform to help you choose the one that's right for your company.  Continue Reading

• SearchSecurity.com highlights November 2006

  A round up of the key security stories from November  Continue Reading

• Identifying the right outsourcing strategy

  For far too long, the issue of outsourcing versus insourcing has had the proportions of a religious debate between often fanatical supporters and opponents of both.  Continue Reading

• Oracle should heed report touting SQL Server security

  A prominent security researcher sheds light on Oracle's security lapses, but how will the vendor respond? As Dennis Fisher explains, Oracle should look internally.  Continue Reading

• Like it or not, IT is at the heart of the change business

  An essential part of change management is not just managing the implementation of new technology, but managing the impact of that implementation. Moreover, the impact can be wide ranging and very different for the various people affected.  Continue Reading

• Firefighters go mobile to speed risk data collection

  Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has begun using mobile computing to improve the collection of fire risk information from households, following a successful pilot.  Continue Reading

• Data migration hits sales after DVD firms merge

  DVD rental company Lovefilm suffered significant disruption to its customer services and a knock-on loss of sales when it consolidated onto a single platform following its merger with Video Island earlier this year, Computer Weekly has learned.  Continue Reading

• Dover overhauls Lan for expansion

  Dover Harbour Board has overhauled its local area network infrastructure to support the port's expansion.  Continue Reading

• Inside track from Computer Weekly bloggers

  Computer Weekly has launched three new blogs to bring readers incisive comment and views from leading commentators and IT practitioners.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory security school: Set up and configuration

  An Active Directory security lesson.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory security school: Maintenance and testing

  This is lesson three of our Active Directory security school.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory security school: Management

  Lesson two of the Active Directory security school.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory Security School

  An improperly configured Active Directory can render the rest of your security measures useless. So how can you protect yourself from a hacker with their eyes on your AD? How can you recover from such an attack? Find the answers to all of your AD ...  Continue Reading

• Accelerating data to iWarp speed

  Network performance: iWarp aims to bring together traditional Ethernet technology and remote direct memory access to overcome bottlenecks in handling TCP/IP traffic  Continue Reading

• Recordless email: magical or menacing?

  A new startup promises recordless email. Is this a stroke of genius that will reward the company with billions of Internet bucks, or is it the end of the world as we know it?  Continue Reading

• Managed and hosted VoIP: muddling through

  For companies looking for an alternative to a premise-based phone system, there are plenty available, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Get a clearer understanding of exactly what's available so you can ask the right questions to get the ...  Continue Reading

• DPM's diary: 29 November 2006

  The weekly round up of events at Bodcaster City Council.  Continue Reading

• Vista: Do you need it?

  Windows Vista is the next release of Microsoft’s XP desktop operating system. Released on 30 November, it holds out the prospect of increased end-user productivity, tighter control over security and a brand-new graphical user interface, and IT ...  Continue Reading

• Travelling with your laptop

  A Day-to-Day Networking guide including a quick networking technical tip, and a calendar that lets you know what's happening in the networking industry.  Continue Reading

• Sandvik seeks global standard with ERP roll-out

  Sandvik Mining and Construction has completed the first stage of an overhaul of its enterprise resource planning systems to enable it to standardise its business processes across 40 countries and keep track of many of its products after sale.  Continue Reading

• Document-level system boosts O2's data safety

  Mobile phone operator O2 has deployed rights management software to protect confidential documents and e-mails sent by board executives and other senior managers handling sensitive financial and business information.  Continue Reading

• Yorkshire Water upgrades comms network

  Yorkshire Water is investing heavily in the latest managed IP communications network to improve the resiliency of its network, boost IT customer services to 2,500 employees and enable a more proactive approach to tackling problems when they arise.  Continue Reading

• The end of the web as we know it?

  Vint Cerf, chairman of Icann and co-creator of the TCP/IP standard, talks about the future of the internet and warns against creating a two-tier web system  Continue Reading

• Discarded hard drives can be dangerous

  A treasure trove of sensitive information can end up in the wrong hands if old hard drives aren't properly disposed of, one security expert warns.  Continue Reading

• Security is automatic for Travelodge

  Hotel chain Travelodge has saved more than 20 staff days a year after investing in systems to automatically monitor its compliance with security standards for online credit card sales.  Continue Reading

• BEA portal speeds mortgage process

  Law firm Goldsmith Williams has re-engineered its business processes and exploited a service oriented architecture to cut the average time taken to complete mortgage application conveyancing from 18 days to six.  Continue Reading

• Converged IPnet puts it all under one roof

  Northamptonshire Enterprise, a group of economic development agencies, has implemented a converged IP network to connect its office-based and remote users and allow a centralised IT department to manage several business-critical applications from ...  Continue Reading

• Council reaps cost and workflow benefits of record sharing roll-out

  Smart projects: North Warwickshire improves data sharing across key departments  Continue Reading

• A speedy lift-off in Oxfam's quest for faster data back-up

  Oxfam has solved a thorny data storage problem caused by a bottleneck in its IT system by implementing database back-up optimisation software.  Continue Reading

• IT salary survey

  The SSL/Computer Weekly quarterly salary surveys analyse advertisements for IT professionals on the web and in the trade press and the quality national dailies and Sunday newspapers  Continue Reading

• Offshoring transforms the market

  Harvey Nash group development director Paul Smith reports that his company is seeing boom conditions in its outsourcing business, with annual growth rates of about 40%.  Continue Reading

• DPM's diary: 21 November

  Weekly round up of events at Bodcaster City Council.  Continue Reading

• Cross the transformation chasm

  All too often there is a huge gap between what we know and what we do in practice.  Continue Reading

• Virtue and vice cross the virtual line

  Web frontiers: Despite incidents where destructive web fantasies crossed into real life, virtual reality sites have much to teach us about communications and commerce  Continue Reading

• Access is key to effective archiving

  The amount of information that is held throughout the company network has been growing ever since computers were introduced to the workplace.  Continue Reading

• Identity management for SOA era

  In the first article in this series I highlighted a broad range of business and technology trends which demand identity management.  Continue Reading

• Linux drives a mainframe revival

  Linux may not be everyone’s idea of a mainframe operating system, but for a growing number of large and medium-sized businesses the synergy between Linux and big iron is the solution to a significant problem.  Continue Reading

• Alliance & Leicester banks on IT to level playing field with bigger rivals

  After a flurry of high-profile contract signings, Alliance & Leicester has told Computer Weekly it has now embarked on a period of IT-driven transformation to strengthen its ability to roll out new online services and technologies to customers in ...  Continue Reading

• Is the SANS Top 20 still useful?

  This week in Security Blog Log: Some experts ponder whether the SANS Institute's Top 20 vulnerability list is as valuable than it once was. Others weigh in on the VoIP threat.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Kernel Patch Protection should be lauded not criticised

  Microsoft Vista's Kernel Patch Protection feature, designed to prevent malicious people from accessing the kernel, deserves praise, but the software giant's actions bear watching.  Continue Reading

• Purely business for today's hackers

  The blunderbuss tactics of amateur hackers have given way to targeted professional attacks that aim to covertly siphon a firm's data for as long as possible  Continue Reading

• IT chief gets set for cost and timing challenges of London Olympics

  Installing technology for the Olympic Games, London’s largest construction project, is a challenge of timing and cost, Pascal Wattiaux, director of technology at the London organising committee for the games, told a recent BCS Elite event.  Continue Reading

• What is best way to develop J2EE skills?

  Expert advice for readers' career problems  Continue Reading

• The reality of convergence

  Michael Voellinger discusses the obstacles to making convergence another access point to the larger network.  Continue Reading

• Cisco’s cultural revolution puts staff in the front line

  Cisco has begun a drive to bolster its defences against hackers by training its 55,000 employees to take personal responsibility for the secure use of the company’s IT systems.  Continue Reading

• IT cost cuts fund change at Barnsley

  Barnsley Council has begun work on the first of a series of business transformation projects that it plans to fund from back-office efficiencies created by an outsourcing deal.  Continue Reading

• Downtime: One-note lovesong

  The wacky world of IT  Continue Reading

• DPM's diary: 14 November 2006

  Weekly round up of events at Bodcaster City Council  Continue Reading

• Skills focus

  A growing number of companies are achieving efficiencies and retraining staff by using skills frameworks like the Skills Framework for the Information Age to manage their IT workforce better.  Continue Reading

• Business rules software gives lens firm clear view

  Opthalmic lens maker Essilor has embarked on a five-year project to roll-out business rules software to enable it to better manage its customer base and evolving product ranges for markets across Europe.  Continue Reading

• Security Blog Log: Sailing a sea of spam

  This week, bloggers struggle to purge their bloated inboxes. Their experiences lend weight to recent studies showing a breathtaking spike in spam.  Continue Reading

• Internet at a crossroads

  Decisions about the openness of the internet and the technology behind it will affect all web users  Continue Reading

• Test of getting the measure of IT

  Computer Weekly’s survey of IT leaders underlines that demonstrating the value of IT holds the key to fruitful relations between IT and the board  Continue Reading

• UK's top IT leaders to judge awards

  A wide range of IT industry leaders will judge Computer Weekly’s Best Places to Work in IT Awards.  Continue Reading

• Hardware: It's how you use it that matters

  Social factors rather than technical advances are likely to dictate what technologies will take prominence in years to come. Martin Banks examines how future hardware developments will intertwine with what users actually want  Continue Reading

• Council looks to boost use of leisure facilities with .net booking system

  East Riding of Yorkshire Council has developed its own application to let local residents book its leisure facilities after finding that software suppliers could not supply an application with the functionality required.  Continue Reading

• Data protection -- The next generation

  Data protection is changing; it used to be backing up your data to tape; it could be as often as once an hour, once a day, once a week or even once a month. To many IT managers, that is still the meaning of data protection.  Continue Reading

• Network security: Altered attitudes

  It is vital to educate staff on good security practice, to establish clear and workable policies, and ensure effective access control to corporate information. We look at how to do it  Continue Reading

• Network security: Evolving your defences

  New ways of working bring new security threats, but measures to defeat them must apply to everyone throughout the organisation  Continue Reading

• DPM's diary: 7 November 2006

  Weekly round up of events at Bodcaster City Council  Continue Reading

• Business buy-in smoothes Chubb's wider BI roll-out

  Insurance firm Chubb Group is poised to roll out a single view of its business reporting systems to its Latin America offices following a successful deployment in Europe.  Continue Reading

• Online fault mapping means no shocks for electricity customers

  Utility firm Central Networks has launched a live network map on its website to improve the transparency of operations to its 4.9 million customers.  Continue Reading

• Food wholesalers spend heavily on IT

  Business Focus is a weekly column providing at-a-glance statistics and commentary on spending priorities and trends in particular sectors. This week we look at food and drink wholesalers.  Continue Reading