In Depth

In Depth

• Feeling the cosmic pull of Active Directory

  Organisations are starting to feel the gravitational pull of Active Directory as it begins to gain strength in the market after...  Continue Reading

• Business scandals put IT on the spot

  As business leaders are indicted in the US for massive frauds that brought down seemingly indestructible companies, Nick Huber...  Continue Reading

• Customer-targeting IT turns round Boots Wellbeing site

  After dropping its digital TV channel last year Boots Wellbeing worked hard to rescue its online marketing effort. Its successful...  Continue Reading

• Selling the IT vision

  Empowering its 37,000 employees with the tools to do their jobs well is the main aim of Reed Elsevier's vice-president of...  Continue Reading

• Could you go far in a small firm?

  They may not offer the benefits and structured career path of big corporates, but small companies still have plenty to offer...  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Becoming a project manager

  I have two years' development experience. My problem is that I have become quite knowledgeable in many areas but not really an...  Continue Reading

• Making the switch from contractor to employee

  The market for IT contractors is at its lowest ebb, with less jobs on offer and significantly lower rates of pay than the heady days of Y2K. Permanent jobs have rarely been so attractive, but just how difficult is it for a contractor to make the ...  Continue Reading

• BCS trumpets success of its end-user qualification

  More than 500,000 people in the UK have now registered for the European computer driving licence (ECDL), run by the BCS. The...  Continue Reading

• Learning the hard way

  Online learning promises to improve the learning experience and reduce costs. Ovum research director Richard Holway examines the...  Continue Reading

• Tech talk:Business PCs, cheap as chips

  Competition in the processor market is forcing down the cost of business-capable PCs.  Continue Reading

• Getting wired: The blooming of the blog

  Weblogs are attracting mainstream attention and may have useful business applications.  Continue Reading

• Are our civil liberties now under attack?

  UK campaigners claim the Government has reacted to the terrorist attacks of last September with an unprecedented attack on civil...  Continue Reading

• Interview: Ask yourself what your vulnerabilities are, say Bush officials

  Richard Clarke and Howard Schmidt have a unique challenge. President George W Bush has charged them with securing the US...  Continue Reading

• Are your business continuity plans up to scratch?

  The 11 September terrorist attacks sent company directors and IT professionals around the world reaching for their business...  Continue Reading

• What have we learned? IT directors speak out

  Since last year's terrorist attack in the US, IT directors in Britain have seen business continuity and disaster recovery issues...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft puts spotlight on 64-bit Windows

  Microsoft has spelled out its plans for 64-bit computing at its Windows .net server conference in Seattle, USA, this week.  Continue Reading

• Amateur hackers expose insecure wireless LANs

  The insecure nature of wireless security has been highlighted by a global demonstration illustrating the ease with which such...  Continue Reading

• Data quality for business intelligence

  When selecting a tool for data migration and cleansing what are the core characteristics and extended features of an intelligent...  Continue Reading

• IBM and Microsoft bring out more Web services proposed standards

  The latest proposals enhance Web services functionality but more work is needed before users can start builiding real world Web...  Continue Reading

• When 999 won't work, get texting

  SMS has made it easier for hard-of-hearing people to contact the emergency services, writes Karl Cushing  Continue Reading

• Check out the supplier before taking the outsourcing plunge

  Pressure to save cash is leading companies to take on outsourcing contracts that make little allowance for a future need to...  Continue Reading

• How Renault mastered the art of online car sales

  Since the relaunch of its Web site 16 months ago, Renault has seen Web sales leads hit 900 a week, with 50% of enquiries...  Continue Reading

• Prospects in the public arena

  While career options are drying up in business, the public sector is experiencing an IT boom. Mike Cross finds out what pitfalls...  Continue Reading

• Ten steps to successful IT support

  Noel Bruton introduces his new book, picking out key pointers for helpdesk managers  Continue Reading

• Managing the climb

  When IT professionals move from a technical role into management it can be a huge culture shock. David Mascord looks at how to...  Continue Reading

• Untidy, scruffy, rude people don't get jobs

  A quarter of all job seekers fail at interview because they are untidy, scruffy or don't know how to behave, according to a...  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Which language should I learn?

  I have five years' experience in NT administration and support. I am considering training to broaden my skill set. I have no...  Continue Reading

• Hot skills: C rides high despite age

  So deeply is C embedded in the infrastructure of computing, could it ever be phased out? asks Nick Langley  Continue Reading

• Time to turn the spotlight on our many professionals

  IT has in many ways "got away with murder" through poor delivery and many employers are now thinking hard about their IT...  Continue Reading

• Getting wired: Icann has lift-off with its aviation industry domain

  The .aero roll-out is an important trial for business-specific addresses  Continue Reading

• How to fail your job interview

  One in four job applicants fail at interviews because of their appearance on the day.  Continue Reading

• Database clustering

  Clustering is a useful technique for ensuring servers remain running during an IT failure and suppliers are now building...  Continue Reading

• Wait for security before building Web services

  Before building sophisticated Web services users should wait for the Web Services Security specification to be finalised,...  Continue Reading

• Enterprise content management - a missed opportunity

  Ovum analyst Chris Harris-Jones investigates how content and database technologies can be combined to provide total content and...  Continue Reading

• MPLS developers must get the basics right

  MPLS developers are trying to run before they can walk, says Ovum research director Iain Stevenson. They must first get the...  Continue Reading

• Five networking technologies to watch

  In the fast-paced world of networking, technology is constantly evolving to meet demands from business for greater bandwidth....  Continue Reading

• Service drives change in network management

  Guaranteeing a high quality of service is the imperative behind new approaches to network management. But should you hire more...  Continue Reading

• IT's shame at top of mucky e-mail league

  Most companies think of IT staff as their enforcers when it comes to stopping Internet and e-mail abuse, but a new survey has...  Continue Reading

• Council shows girls IT staff are not just glorified typists

  Adaughters at work day is being run by Leeds Council's IT department to encourage girls to consider IT careers and help increase...  Continue Reading

• Where is the business plan for NHS windfall?

  The NHS' national IT strategy seems to be ailing after just five months. Jon Hoeksma reports on the fears for Labour's election...  Continue Reading

• IT chiefs must win over the health service tribes

  In the last budget the chancellor Gordon Brown pledged a huge cash injection - ring-fenced to protect it from being subsumed into...  Continue Reading

• Net phones: the cat's whiskers

  The RSPCA's decision to replace its ageing telephone system with one based on Internet Protocol has already paid off. Karl...  Continue Reading

• Cybernetics: The Cyborg

  Earlier this year Kevin Warwick became the first human to plug his nervous system in to the Internet. Nathalie Towner caught up...  Continue Reading

• High-tech solution cuts truancy

  A school in Morecambe has used call automation to slash truancy rates by two-thirds, writes Karl Cushing  Continue Reading

• Inside track: How to pick a winner

  Leadership, integrity and partnership are the watchwords for success.  Continue Reading

• When do Tupe rules apply?

  I have recently made staff redundant from a business analyst firm in the UK. Their jobs have been taken by an outsourced company...  Continue Reading

• R/3 Enterprise: SAP delivers a more modular ERP system

  For most users, the new functionality in R/3 Enterprise alone does not make a compelling case for upgrading  Continue Reading

• Firms benefit from whistleblowing

  Have you ever wondered why corporate crime, fraud and abuse on a major scale can take place, when the employees of the...  Continue Reading

• Knowledge management benchmark measures

  How can businesses ascertain whether knowledge management is being used effectively within the business?  Continue Reading

• Michael Dell spells out strategy for market defiance

  Dell Computer issued a number of major announcements last week. The company revealed profits of more than $500m (£328m) for the...  Continue Reading

• 5 Minute Interview: Ian Tait, Anite Public Sector

  Ian Tait, managing director, Anite Public Sector  Continue Reading

• Fixing security on wireless networks

  Security problems have become a limiting factor in the deployment of WLAN networks. Graham Titterington describes the problem and...  Continue Reading

• Intel extends Landesk network management suite to mobiles

  Intel has extended its Landesk 6 management suite to mobile devices with the addition of a module based on XcelleNet's Afaria,...  Continue Reading

• Getting Wired: The wizards of Ogg versus MP3

  RealNetworks' Helix project spreads support for the Ogg Vorbis compression standard.  Continue Reading

• Keep an eye on your site

  A proper analysis of who visits your Web site will help to justify the cost of maintaining it and improve advertising sales. Web...  Continue Reading

• Evening inspiration

  With many new courses due to start next month, Roisin Woolnough looks at what evening classes can offer IT professionals  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Finding a business-oriented role

  I have three years' experience in technical support at a large international company, but my employer has decided to move its IT...  Continue Reading

• Days of the workplace smoker are numbered

  Smokers who are able to enjoy their habit at work could be puffing on borrowed time if the results of a recent study lead to a...  Continue Reading

• IT jobs downturn will not last long

  Concern over the downturn in IT job opportunities in Europe is unlikely to last long, according to research by BCS fellow Matthew...  Continue Reading

• Basic programming mistakes expose company Web sites

  A security firm found shocking lapses in security in Web servers that exposed clients of major Internet service providers to the...  Continue Reading

• Poor planning at root of CSA project delays

  The costly delay to CSA reform is further proof that government IT projects need to be tackled in smaller, more manageable...  Continue Reading

• The big six

  The technology on which the internet is built, IPv4, is cracking under the strain of exploding demand for web utility. Now IPv6...  Continue Reading

• Gartner: Microsoft digital certificate flaw makes Explorer prime target

  Analyst group Gartner has warned that a security flaw in Internet Explorer could expose personal information, undermine...  Continue Reading

• EAI: the link between legacy and the new economy for retail

  How successful enterprise application integration can help retailers link their older IT systems to the Web.  Continue Reading

• Protecting Web site content

  Enterprises need to manage a growing number of issues as Web sites become ever more complex.  Continue Reading

• McNealy: We will be powerful in the open source community

  Sun chief executive officer Scott McNealy talks candidly about his company's adoption of a Linux strategy and his commitment to...  Continue Reading

• Can BA weather the storm?

  Facing massive losses, pressure from low-cost competitors and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US last year, British...  Continue Reading

• Galleries and museums face a tough challenge to get online

  Museum visitor numbers may be booming but the deadline for participation in Culture Online is looming. James Rogers examines the...  Continue Reading

• The umpire's decision is final

  IT contract disputes range from questions of fraud to complaints that a particular behaviour is "just not cricket". Arbitration...  Continue Reading

• Are your spreadsheets running wild?

  End-users love them, yet their over-use can cause nightmares for IT. Julia Vowler looks at ways to keep spreadsheets under...  Continue Reading

• Hamster spoof wins jargon prize

  Last month we asked you to tell us the management jargon that makes your skin crawl for a chance to attend a David Taylor...  Continue Reading

• Data protection guideline sparks Big Brother fears

  The third part of the Data Protection Code of Practice, which deals specifically with monitoring of communications in the...  Continue Reading

• Job hunting by word of mouth

  Landing a new job is increasingly dependent on who you know. David Mascord offers some tips on how to mix with the right people  Continue Reading

• Linuxworld: How Amazon saved millions with Linux

  Amazon, the online retail pioneer, surprised the IT world last year when it announced that it had saved 25% of its IT costs in a...  Continue Reading

• Your shirt is louder than you think

  When you fall out of bed in the morning and pull on your clothes you probably don't consider the effect they will have on the...  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Are there jobs for one-year ITers?

  In 2000 I took out a career development loan and obtained a diploma in C programming. A few months later I got a job as a...  Continue Reading

• Coder takes IT skills to Commonwealth Games

  Software engineer Paul Durrand has recently returned to work after spending three weeks working as an unpaid IT volunteer for the...  Continue Reading

• BCS backs online service to get more women into IT

  A new online service to encourage the recruitment and career progression of women in IT has been launched with backing from the...  Continue Reading

• Get security straight first at HQ

  The concept of the "extended enterprise" - where your systems are connected to suppliers, partners and distributors - is an...  Continue Reading

• Sun focuses application strategy with LAMP initiative

  Sun Microsystems' announcement of a new, entry-level Linux server this week is the opening salvo in an aggressive effort to...  Continue Reading

• Linuxworld: Assessing the commercial reality

  The Linux operating system has seen dramatic growth in the past year as users try to stretch their tight budgets.  Continue Reading

• Researchers focus on Net attacks with network telescope

  Researchers looking for more accurate information about Internet threats such as worms and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks are...  Continue Reading

• Open Windows angers developers

  Microsoft's attempt to reveal hidden programming features within Windows has received a resounding gong from developers who...  Continue Reading

• Life on the front line - the reality of end-user IT in 2002

  What are the realities of current end-user attitudes to technology adoption in the European IT industry?  Continue Reading

• Active Directory: prepare to pay more for Windows 2000 management

  Running costs for Windows 2000 Active Directory installation are set to increase as users experience management issues with the...  Continue Reading

• UK in moves to improve special relationship in IT

  Florida governor Jeb Bush's recent trade mission to the UK aimed to forge stronger technology links between the state of Florida...  Continue Reading

• Keeping an eye on metadata

  Metadata can ease data overload, making it an area business should be watching closely  Continue Reading

• Get a taste for unusual combinations

  IT directors attending the forum aboard the cruise ship Aurora earlier this year applied the principles of fusion cooking to IT....  Continue Reading

• Reality and Royal London lift the trophies in Cardiff

  Nathalie Towner reports from the 2002 Computastars UK final  Continue Reading

• Next Move: Should I do a Java apprenticeship?

  Since graduating three years ago I have been working in IT support. I find the work unfulfilling and want to get into software...  Continue Reading

• Sleep with 150 top IT chiefs

  On 20 September more than 150 IT executives will sleep rough in London to raise money for children's charity NCH, writes Nathalie...  Continue Reading

• Do left-handers make good IT professionals?

  Winston Churchill, Fidel Castro, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Pele all have one thing in common - the dominant use of...  Continue Reading

• Government underestimates need for IT managers in NHS

  The Government could be underestimating the need for highly qualified and experienced IT management at local level to make its...  Continue Reading

• Technology can now 'talk the talk'

  Voice recognition is already used in call centres and is set to become an indispensable remote working tool  Continue Reading

• .net benefits?

  Microsoft has shipped its latest Windows Server operating system. But, asks Danny Bradbury, does it solve enough of Windows...  Continue Reading

• Smart projects:VPN boosts care for disabled

  Charity Leonard Cheshire is using a virtual private network to improve its services, writes Karl Cushing.  Continue Reading

• Securing the ethereal Ethernet

  Wireless networking is taking the IT world by storm, but security technologies are struggling to keep up  Continue Reading

• Air traffic chief briefs staff against leakers

  The chief operating officer of National Air Traffic Services, has recorded a message to staff denigrating those who leak...  Continue Reading

• IT staff on a high

  Antony Adshead reports from this year's Vanco Three Peaks Challenge  Continue Reading

• Will eBay become ePay?

  Regular readers of this column will have noted that there are three companies whose names keep cropping up: Amazon, Google and...  Continue Reading