Reports
Powerline: High margin and versatile
Author: TP-LINK and PCR
The increasing popularity of smart devices and internet-enabled products has in turn created a healthy market for networking products.
An Introduction to Virtualization
Author: CompTIA
Virtualization has become a critical component of many corporate IT strategies and is a foundational technology in cloud computing. However, CompTIA research finds that although firms are moving rapidly into the cloud, there is less adoption and familiarity with virtualization.
Read moreThe Basics of IPv6
Author: CompTIA
The growth of the internet over the past 20 years has been beyond any expectations that might have been held at its conception. Billions of devices are already connected to the internet, with many more expected to connect as smart devices flourish.
Read moreThe impact of inventory-as-a-service
Author:
Over the past 25 years Agilitas has develop its IT services in line with market demands and technology advancements, through forging close relationships with customers and industry peers.
Continuing with this theme, the firm commissioned some research around inventory-as-a-service and compiled this report to share the findings.
In this whitepaper, you will learn about:
– The management of IT spares inventory
– The challenges facing IT services providers today
– Which direction the market is heading in
Read Agilitas’ report in full to find out why the need to explore a high performance, efficient and cost-effective inventory-as-a-service solution is now ... Read more
What you need to know about providing database support
Author:
In this case study, WellData explains how its database support services helped a channel partner whose client was having problems with their database.
In this report you will learn about:
– Dealing with a major system failure
– Recovering a main baseline backup
– Applying differential backups and transaction logs
Read WellData’s full Database Support case study by hitting the download button below. Read more
Outsourcing a robust data backup solution
Author:
Prior to looking into online backup, Pinnacle was using external USB hard drives to store their data. This presented a number of challenges to the organisation, which has offices in three separate locations and required a solution that was both efficient and robust.
Pinnacle first met with Redstor in early 2014 when IT Manager Marc Holt began looking for a new answer to the organisation’s current USB hard drive backup solution.
Check out this case study to find out how Redstor outsourced a robust backup solution to help Pinnacle overcome its data issues.
Image source: Shutterstock ...
Read moreThe importance of future-proofing your IT environment
Author:
IT decision makers must ensure they are future-proofing their IT environments with efficient, flexible and reliable services.
In this report, Faction describes how it enables companies to no longer have to build or manage their own cloud environments – freeing them up to focus on core initiatives.
In this case study you will learn about:
– Giving customers full control of their cloud services
– Migrating an entire data infrastructure to the cloud, along with a full implementation of a virtual desktop solution
– Eliminating costly tasks like maintenance contracts, buying new equipment, outfitting a data centre with reliable systems ... Read more
Outsourcing IT to reduce costs
Author:
In this case study, WellData describes how it helped one client who required on-going support for a ’business critical’ system but did not wish to engage a team of in-house DBA staff as the costs were prohibitive.
In this case study, you’ll learn about:
– Remote DBA support
– Migrating systems through physical data centres
Read WellData’s article in full by hitting the download button below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreHow moving to private hosted cloud can improve service and cut costs
Author:
When global business services provider Subex migrated from a traditional colocation environment to Faction’s hosted private cloud computing platform, the company got more than it bargained for. Not only did Subex improve system performance, but it also achieved 20 per cent cost savings right out of the gate.
In this case study you’ll learn about:
– How the private hosted cloud can lower infrastructure and maintenance costs
– Reducing processing time by leveraging the horsepower of Faction’s enterprise cloud infrastructure
– Increasing a company’s footprint without capital expenditure
Check out Faction’s Subex case study in full by hitting the download ... Read more
Why finding a good partnership with a cloud service provider is critical
Author:
The move to public cloud is evolving beyond mere attention to cost to focus more on service optimisation and cloud service provider partnership.
In fact, EMA has documented some instances where blindly “moving to the cloud” has caused more disruption than value. On the other hand, in many environments public cloud investments have become an essential foundation for optimising resources based on need and demand, and have even provided superior levels of service performance and availability when compared to in-house data centres.
Finding a good partnership with a cloud service provider is therefore critical.
The two case studies in this ... Read more
A brief history of Windows: From Microsoft?s first ever OS to Windows 10
Author:
Cloud4 Computers takes a look at Microsoft’s Windows operating system through the ages – from the first ever Windows 1 Series, right up to the recently launched Windows 10.
The first version of Windows was launched in 1985 and even 30 years later in 2015, the operating system is still being modernised with the latest trends in appearance and features.
The first ever OS, Windows 1 Series, was described as a ‘unique software that was specifically designed for the serious PC users’.
Check out Cloud4 Computers’ brief history of Windows in full to read about the various features each OS ... Read more
How dangerous is the ?culture of convenience? to your IT network?
Author:
This paper explores how the corporate IT department has allowed (or been forced to permit) a dangerous ‘culture of convenience’ to permeate through its systems at the expense of data security.
It reimagines and realigns the relationship between user authentication, security, convenience and the user experience, and offers advice to businesses on risk-based and adaptive authentication techniques that can quickly and cost effectively reduce their risk of exposure.
In this white paper, you will learn about:
– Why a strong alphanumeric password may be no more secure than a weak one
– The impact of ‘cart before the horse’ security ... Read more
Moving from private to public cloud
Author:
Facing continued growth, design firm K&A’s IT department set out to establish a robust infrastructure that ensured efficiency and protected the workloads associated with its clients’ multi-billion dollar projects.
To meet its IT requirements, K&A turned towards iland as its cloud provider.
In this white paper you’ll learn about:
– Management of cloud resources
– Rapidly scaling up a businesses
– Minimising costs
Read iland’s Private to Public Cloud case study in full but hitting the download button below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreThe key to successful continuous delivery
Author:
Continuous delivery allows you to get new features and capabilities to market quickly and reliably – both highly desirable outcomes. But to achieve these outcomes, you need processes and controls that make sure your continuous delivery reaches its full potential.
In this white paper you will learn about:
– How leading practitioners are successfully accelerating and improving releases
– Maintaining a system of record
– The importance of version management
Read Perforce’s Continuous Delivery in Practice whitepaper in full by hitting the download button below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreWhen is an IT problem not an IT problem?
Author:
Some years ago, WellData acquired a client in the manufacturing sector that was having problems with its data centre.
The problem was that almost every fortnight, in the early hours of Monday morning. All the data centre circuit breakers would trip-out and no one knew why.
In this case study you’ll learn about:
– The rare occasion when a tech issue can’t be solved by an IT support company
– Keeping a data centre running throughout these issues
Read WellData’s full case study to find out how the ‘IT problem’ was finally solved by hitting the download button below.
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Read moreFaction case study: When a company outgrows its IT infrastructure
Author:
When international members-only buyers club DirectBuy outgrew its IT infrastructure, the firm looked towards Faction’s enterprise-class IaaS cloud service.
What you’ll learn in this case study:
– Planning, building and migrating an entire production environment in the cloud in 60 days
– Migrating to a 100 per cent cloud operation
– The numerous benefits DirectBuy has experienced by placing its production workloads in the cloud
Read the full case study now by hitting the ‘download’ button below. Read more
How the cloud helps start-ups forget about IT
Author:
A startup with ambitious plans to grow quickly, All Things Code needed IT resources it could scale rapidly and easily while maintaining a high level of performance.
The young software development organisation turned to iland for a cloud infrastructure environment that would allow it to focus on core business activities and grow alongside the organisation’s expansion plans.
In this case study you will learn:
– Why the cloud is ideal for start-ups who need an IT environment that can grow quickly
– The biggest benefits of using a cloud service such as iland
– How cloud frees IT staff to ... Read more
Why you need to know who is in charge of your cloud
Author:
With enterprises losing as much as $1.7 trillion globally through data loss and unplanned downtime, EMC found in its latest Global Data Protection Index that 43 per cent of respondents believed automatic backup to the cloud helped them the most when managing the availability of applications, systems and data.
In this white paper, you will learn:
– Why it’s important to understand who is in charge – and who ‘owns’ data protection, especially in the cloud.
– Why you need an appropriate data protection solution in place for all your crucial data – no matter where it is or how ... Read more
The problem with alternative payments
Author:
The payments industry seems to be in a constant state of “innovation”. New payment methods and technology claim to be disruptive. Yet, innovation in payments is not so much an overused term, but rather, it is an inaccurate term.
In this white paper, learn about:
– The different types of alternative payments
– Payment security issues that service providers face
– The top 7 attributes of a payment system
Check out Onpex’s ‘Simplicity, transparency, Automation’ white paper by clicking the ‘download’ button. Read more
Do you need more staff or more efficient staff?
Author:
Today, it has never been easier for consumers to change their supplier or service provider, meaning how a business interacts with its customers and their problems is fast becoming of greater significance.
Staff on the frontline are the face of your company, and customer service staff in particular have the important role of putting things right when they go wrong.
In this white paper you will learn about:
– Embracing technology for an efficiency drive
– How to implement short-term actions for long-term prosperity
– Identifying ways to make staff more efficient
Find out more about why simply hiring more ... Read more
The ultimate cloud security guide for SMEs
Author:
Small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) are an important driver for innovation and growth in the EU. SMEs also stand to gain the most from cloud computing, because it is complicated and costly for them to set-up and run ICT in the traditional way.
In this white paper you will learn about:
– The 11 features of cloud computing that present opportunities for SMEs
– The 11 security risks SMEs should take into account when adopting cloud computing
– The 12 most important security questions SMES could use to better understand cloud service security
Find out everything an SME could ... Read more
5 vital signs that a cloud pro is actually a cloud poser
Author:
It’s easy for IT vendors to claim they offer cloud-based services and applications. “Unfortunately, the cloud has created a group of ‘cloud posers’ which are inexperienced software developers who make outrageous (and false) claims about the performance of the cloud-based applications they manage,” believes Autotask’s director of technology and infrastructure, Jason Lehr.
In this infographic, Autotask aims to help businesses figure out the difference between a cloud poser and a cloud pro.
“Cloud posers make promises they can’t keep regarding outages, security, and standards compliance. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” adds Lehr.
Learn the ... Read more
WellData case study: Implementing a ?small? software upgrade
Author:
Can you do a small upgrade? We are a little behind but it won’t take long, will it?
These were the questions put to WellData when the IT support company looked at the software a new housing association client was using.
In this case study, learn about:
- Developing a high-level step plan
- Performing a switchover in double quick time
- Making the final switchover an event-free exercise
Read more about WellData’s Housing Association Case Study by clicking the download button below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreNetworking challenges: Supporting a 20,000-strong university community
Author:
The University of Hull has over 2,000 members of staff and 18,000 students. This considerable community of people requires instant and fast access to online resources and tools placing great demands upon the University’s core ICT network. This case study details how Accumuli worked with the University to come up with a solution for managing this challenge effectively.
In this case study, learn about:
- De-risking a network environment and enabling customers to become independently capable of managing the solution
- Gaining network visibility and management information
- Protecting the network with DNS firewalling
Check out Accumuli’s University of Hull ... Read more
Helping councils take the first steps towards public cloud services
Author:
Until recently. Peterborough City Council’s 1,400 staff members have used a rigid file sharing structure across a storage area network to manage its services. But the council wanted its staff to be able to take advantage of the benefits of modern working practises, that’s where content management and collaboration platform provider Box came in.
Highlights from this case study include:
- Reducing data centre space to save on cost and maintenance
- Creating an environment for faster interaction between the community and council
- Allowing users to manage their own files on a self-service basis so they no longer rely ... Read more
Everything you need to know about ransomware: From whether you should pay up to wearable tech threats
Author:
Never before in the history of human kind have people across the world been subjected to extortion on a massive scale as they are today.
In recent years, personal use of computers and the internet has exploded and with this massive growth cybercriminals have emerged to feed off this burgeoning market, targeting innocent users with a wide range of malware.
In this white paper you will learn about:
- The different types of ransomware and their origins
- How ransomware has evolved over the years
- Systems impacted by ransomware
- Whether to pay or not to pay
- Emerging ... Read more
How to support councils developing a remote working scheme
Author:
Following updated CESG guidance on BYOD policies, UK reseller Armadillo Managed Services saw an opportunity to help CenSuS (Central Sussex) to become the first UK public sector organisation to enable newly elected members and local council employees to work securely from home, using their own PCs and macs, without the council ICT team having to allocate resource to set up and maintaining VPNs.
Highlights from this white paper includes:
- Reducing computing hardware costs for councils
- Understanding IT administrator and end-user needs
- Information about the updated CESG guidance
Image source: Shutterstock
Read Armadillo Manage Services’ case study on ... Read more
Smartwatch security: How safe is your enterprise data?
Author:
Consumers are purchasing smartwatches to pair with their mobile devices to track health information, but also to access corporate email, calendar, contacts, and corporate apps. This can present a risk to enterprise data leading to possible data loss, but to what extent?
Highlights form this white paper include:
- A detailed analysis of four of the most popular smartwaches
- A smartwatch best practice guide for the enterprise
- MobileIron’s thoughts on the advancement of smartwatches and their security
Find out what security risks smartwatches pose to your enterprise by downloading MobileIron’s white paper below. Read more
WellData case study: Supporting a council?s IT requirements
Author:
In this case study WellData details how it overcome a number of issues while transferring a council’s data and systems to a new location.
Highlights from this case study include:
- Implementing a ‘big-bang’ transfer method
- Anticipating the various issues that this method can cause
- Maintaining applications, systems and infrastructure on an on-going basis
Download WellData’s ‘Council IT Support’ case study below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreHow wireless solutions help hospitals improve care while reducing costs
Author:
In this case study, Zebra Technology looks at how its wireless solutions are being used by the staff at Reggio Emilia hospital.
This case study looks at:
- The scalability of the Zebra Technologies system
- The issues surrounding the use of BYOD in hospitals
- How to make cost savings on call using VoWLAN
Download Zebra Technologies’ case study on the benefits of wireless solutions in hospitals below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read more5 steps to help desk success
Author:
Chances are good that the operations at your help desk are a bit chaotic. This is especially true if you have not implemented an effective dispatch strategy.
Download ConnectWise’s white paper now to read the firm’s five essential steps to establishing a best-in-class dispatch system and find out how the viability of your help desk is affected by the success of your dispatch function.
Highlights from this white paper include:
- Why you should assign a dedicated dispatcher
- Being aware of skills and certifications
- The importance of communication
Image source: Shutterstock ...
Read moreWindows 10: Everything an enterprise needs to know about Microsoft's new OS
Author:
The release of Windows 10 offers more than just new enterprise features – it is a major OS overhaul that accelerates the evolution of Windows from a PC-centric to a modern enterprise architecture.
With Windows 10, enterprise IT can truly begin to shift from a security-focused legacy infrastructure to a modern enterprise architecture that prioritises a highly productive, secure, and unified user experience across multiple devices.
Highlights from this white paper include:
- A guide to the Windows 10 device lifecycle
- Information about Microsoft’s advanced security and data loss protection
- A detailed look at Windows 10’s unified application ... Read more
Intel?s guide to conference room collaboration
Author:
In this white paper, Intel discusses solving conferencing shortcomings with next-generation collaboration technology.
Highlights from this whitepaper include:
- How to improve the conference room experience
- Overcoming connectivity challenges
- Using technology to drive workplace transformation
Check out Intel’s whitepaper by clicking the download button below.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreA guide to preserving a cyber-crime scene
Author:
Threats to cybersecurity and cyber-attacks respect no boundaries. For that reason ENISA in the last couple of years has helped to bridge the gap between the CERT- and the law enforcement communities.
This report is a continuation of the work of ENISA in this field, and aims at providing a guide for first responders in the area of gathering of evidence related to a cybercrime.
This guide by ENISA aims at explaining the principles of sound evidence gathering and tries to raise the right questions to be asked by first responders before starting to work. Read more
How your office will look in 2025
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Research from PwC earlier this year showed that 77 per cent of office workers believe that smart technology will make them more efficient and productive and 46 per cent believe their company should invest in smart technology.
Partnering with The Future Laboratory and industry leaders at MIT, Google and IBM, the first part of Samsung’s Smarter Futures report, dubbed the ‘Work Life’ section, covers a variety of themes, looking at how office computers will do our admin for us, how managers will harness Big Data to build the perfect teams and how workers will be able to access a screen ... Read more
Verismic case study: The benefits of a cloud management suite
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In this case study, Verismic details how UK-based managed services provider Plan B overcame the task of managing the IT environment for an oil and gas shipping and logistics firm.
After extensive research, Plan B chose Verismic’s Cloud Management Suite (CMS), which uses a unique agent-less tool that provides management over systems based on a network or connected via Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Deployed and operated entirely from the cloud, the tool requires no server installation or configuration.
Find out how Verismic’s CMS has benefited Plan B by downloading the full case study below. Read more
How and why pirated software is on the rise
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The illegal reproduction and distribution of copyrighted material on the web is extensive and growing rapidly.
Arxan and iThreat Cyber Group (ICG) analysed data collected by ICG over the past 3.5 years that looked at the distribution of pirated software and digital assets on the Dark Web (i.e., the portion of content on the World Wide Web that is not indexed by standard search engines) and indexed sites that are focused on distributing pirated releases.
Thousands of sites were analysed, including more than 50 that are solely in the business of distributing pirated releases.
Image source: Shutterstock ...
Read moreHow financial services are gaining competitive advantage through intelligent communications
Author:
Enterprise mobility, increased regulation, eroded customer trust levels and the need to improve customer experience are forcing financial services institutions (FSIs) to look for alternatives that enable a shift away from fragmented communication infrastructures towards a well-integrated communications and collaboration stack.
This is of utmost importance for FSIs who are battling against multiple cases of wrong-doing, increased regulatory and political pressures, meaning they can no longer hope to compete by providing ‘good enough’ communication infrastructures and customer experience capabilities. Moreover, persistent time and budget constraints further reduce the number of options available for supporting this transformation.
The views expressed in ... Read more
WellData case study: The art of database recovery
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Not all database disasters are down to equipment and power failures, which is why recovery modes are so important.
It may be easier than you think for businesses to get into a situation where they will be in desperate need of database recovery services.
In this case study IT support company WellData details how it helped a client who had been entering the wrong month’s data into the accounts system.
Image source: Shuttertstock
Read moreCisco case study: How the SAP HANA integrated system can reduce maintenance costs
Author:
As analytic and business application systems grow ever more sophisticated, and their operational platform requirements become more complex, enterprise IT is turning to integrated systems to reduce the complexity, risk, and cost of managing datacenter infrastructure for such applications.
SAP has responded to this market need by developing SAP HANA, a comprehensive in-memory data management–based software system that is delivered on platforms built to SAP specifications by select system partners.
As one of those partners, Cisco offers an SAP HANA integrated system built on the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) along with the associated Cisco networking technologies.
In this report, ... Read more
The Smart Home: A good practice guide
Author:
Smart homes can be considered a sub-category of the Internet of Things (IoT), which has recently been identified as an emerging digital battlefield for information security.
Smart homes are also an emergent technology, which has reached a level of technological development suitable for entry onto the market and are therefore a relevant subject for an emergent threat landscape. The popularity and affordability of smart homes has been increasing in recent years due to reductions in costs and integration with mobile phones and tablets.
Converged media devices are likely to be some of the first consumer smart home devices introduced to ... Read more
What is Continuous Delivery and how can it benefit you?
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Whether it’s New York Stock Exchange or Netflix, Samsung or Salesforce.com, companies of all kinds have embraced the design practice known as Continuous Delivery.
Continuous Delivery is a development discipline in which software can be released to production at any time. It’s about building a development and release pipeline where early feedback, automated build and test, and incremental deployments into production can dramatically speed up release cycles. Indeed, you accelerate your time to market – providing a continuous flow of “release candidates” for business acceptance – without sacrificing quality.
In this white paper, Perforce discusses five factors that distinguish companies ... Read more
The future of cloud services
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Many resellers are either already offering cloud services, or starting to realise the opportunities within this sector.
While it might be a no-brainer to get involved in the cloud, what will the market look like in the future?
In this white paper Arrow aims to uncover how cloud services are set to evolve in the near future, so you can better plan your cloud services strategy.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreThe evolution of the fileless click-fraud malware Poweliks
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Trojan.Poweliks is a fileless threat that first caught the attention of researchers when it moved from being a file-based threat, known at that time as Wowliks, to a registry-based threat in 2014.
As a fileless threat, Poweliks does not exist as a file on a disk, but instead it resides solely in the registry. This means that it cannot be deleted from the compromised computer in the traditional sense.
In this white paper, Symantec discusses the technical aspects of Poweliks, its use of the zero-day exploit, and its economic model.
Image source: Shutterstock
Read moreHow to boost collaboration and productivity regardless of where your employees are
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Whether looking to bring larger teams together with interactive collaboration, using intuitive solutions for smaller work sessions, or deploying touch-enabled mobile PCs to create virtual meeting rooms, understanding the types of collaboration needed for your business is the first step in implementing the right solution.
In this paper, Intel looks at the different ways in which a rich client computing platform based on the latest Intel Core vPro processors can modernise the way work gets done, regardless of whether employees are in or outside the office.
By clicking the "Download Now" button, you affirm that you are at least 18 ...
Read moreHow to conquer the biggest issues of supply chain visibility
Author:
Numerous supply chain management and logistics studies conducted in recent years by market research firms reveal a common thread: Supply chain visibility is the topic that respondents regularly cite as a high or very high priority.
And it’s no wonder, since visibility brings benefits that include enhanced quality of services, which in turn boosts customer satisfaction. Visibility also helps soften the impact of disruptions, keeping down transport and handling costs. But studies also reveal again and again that many businesses have not yet achieved good supply chain visibility.
The obvious conclusion is that businesses are not really making headway on ... Read more
What you need to know about Intel Core vPRO processors
Author:
Having a wireless workplace can benefit companies in a variety of ways, from increasing productivity to enabling easier collaboration between colleagues and devices.
Intel’s 5th gen Core vPro processors come with a number of features including remote management, wireless docking and wireless displays.
If you’re wondering if Core vPro processor-based devices are right for your workplace or if you should be shouting about them to your clients, then you’ll find this infographic detailing the benefits of this technology really handy.
By clicking the "Download Now" button, you affirm that you are at least 18 years of age or older. By ...
Read moreAre you ready for the future workplace?
Author:
The world is changing dramatically in ways that will have a significant impact on everyday life. By 2025, the explosion in world population and automobile ownership, as well as urbanisation trends, will make physical travel even more complex and time-consuming. In contrast, technology will continue to shrink, disappearing into the fabric of our lives, eventually becoming so small that it will be embedded in our clothes and environment.
Yet even while technology increasingly disappears, the influence it has on each of us will increase dramatically, fostered by cloud computing and massively expanded use of personal data.
This paper by Intel ... Read more
10 tips for integrating live video into your communication strategy
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The demand for online video has changed. Perhaps you want a higher level of engagement, more customers – or the increased ability to integrate socially and go viral. If so, live streaming video may be the answer. Already, live streaming has become popular with executives, who are the largest fans and were the earliest adopters of this technology.
In fact, C-level executives are using online video at more than triple the adoption rate of associate-level employees, according to a report titled “Executive Visions on Video in the Workplace” published by Wainhouse Research. The report surveyed 1,007 U.S. executives during the ... Read more
How Heartbleed, ShellShock and more have changed the security landscape
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If there is one thing that can be said about the threat landscape, and Internet security as a whole, it is that the only constant is change. This can clearly be seen in 2014: a year with far-reaching vulnerabilities, faster attacks, files held for ransom, and far more malicious code than in previous years.
Vulnerabilities have always been a big part of the security picture, where operating system and browser-related patches have been critical in keeping systems secure. However, the discovery of vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed, ShellShock, and Poodle, and their wide-spread prevalence across a number of operating systems, brought ... Read more
Everything you need to know about wireless infrastructure implementation
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Intel IT is enabling business transformation on Intel campuses around the world by standardising on Wi-Fi for LAN access. Its exclusive use of a wireless infrastructure helps to improve employee mobility, job satisfaction, and productivity – as well as deliver LAN access in new construction faster and at lower cost.
Intel’s transition to a wireless infrastructure began with wireless LAN (WLAN) to provide on-premises mobility to employees with mobile business PCs. Over time, this infrastructure’s importance increased as more wireless devices entered the enterprise, including employee-owned devices, smartphones, PC-based softphones, and wireless displays.
Today at Intel, the wireless office is ... Read more
How to evolve your business to support new ways of working
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The very nature of the workplace is changing fast. Work is getting done from multiple locations, on a range of mobile devices, wherever people are.
The competitive landscape is evolving at an equally rapid pace. On the one hand, businesses are facing intensifying pressure by competitors who have been able to achieve parity in terms of service, technology, and price. And on the other, even the most firmly established companies are facing pressure to keep up with innovative new business models driven by mobility and cloud.
There is now industry consensus behind the social, mobile, analytics, and cloud (SMAC) paradigm ... Read more
Top 10 tech priorities throughout 2015 and beyond
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CompTIA has released its International Technology Adoption & Workforce Trends study for 2015.
The report covers a whole host of issues that will affect businesses throughout this year and beyond, and looks at how workforces and workplaces are set to evolve and change in the near future.
CompTIA’s study includes the top ten technology priorities for businesses right now, as well as a look at expectations for business conditions, IT spending, the global IT industry size, adoption of cloud computing, and reasons for cybersecurity concerns.
Also included is an in-depth look into workforce trends, the state of IT skills caps, ... Read more
The ultimate guide to modern collaborative technologies
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In business today, work is becoming less about a place people go and more about what they do. The latest innovations in technology have helped to create a distributed workforce, from ubiquitous Internet connectivity and cloud to a range of new devices. And that workforce now has the flexibility to work whenever they want, from wherever they can.
By embracing this new way of working, organisations can modernise how work gets done and change the way that workers turn information into action. Improving the collaboration experience for all employees, whether in or outside of the office, is an integral part ... Read more
How to reduce costs and win more business using automation
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IT service providers have entered a new era – one that is rich with opportunity but also in flux, according to Forrester Research. To be competitive, they are replacing Professional Services Management (PSA) solutions with IT Business Management solutions – essentially, moving away from point solutions and toward end-to-end management platforms that ‘link MSP data with business intelligence dashboards’.
Autotask is at the forefront with its Smart IT approach, which combines productivity-enhancing automation, improvement-focused insight, and measurement and reporting.
In this white paper, Autotask details 10 ways you can automate your business to help reduce costs, win more business and ... Read more
The most important IT business trends in 2015
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IT and IT’s ability to successfully adopt significant new technologies is critical to long-term business success.
The new measures of IT performance are not just availability, reliability and uptime – but also business productivity, growth and profitability. However, barriers and challenges, including, for some, business leadership, continue to stall adoption and therefore business impact.
In its IT trends Report 2015, Solarwinds looks at the current state of significant new technology adoption, barriers to adoption and needs of IT pros tasked with delivering business impact. Read more
Mobilise your content or risk getting left behind
Author:
In Good Technology’s Mobile Index Report for Q1 2015, the firm discovered that mobile apps have continued to see strong growth, and businesses are increasingly mobilising their content to enable mobile document-based workflows.
The report also found that for the second quarter in a row, secure browser led all app categories representing 21% of all apps deployed by organisations, reflecting the growing demand for secure access to the corporate intranet.
With all this in mind, it is clear that mobilising content and having secure remote access is fast becoming a necessity for today’s businesses, rather than just a added bonus.
... Read more
What are Small Cells and how can they make you money?
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With the rollout of LTE and other next-gen wireless services, coupled with the growing number of wireless users, carriers are approaching the limits of available spectrum, particularly in urban areas where data traffic is often most concentrated.
As a result, these carriers are increasingly moving towards Small Cells to increase network capacity, expand the edges of the network to include areas where service was previously unavailable or unreliable, provide superior indoor and outdoor wireless coverage, and make better use of the spectrum.
Whether it’s providing better coverage for your mobile workers, ensuring your website remains aesthetically pleasing and accessible, or ... Read more
Soonr case study: Saving man hours and increasing remote accessibility
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As a data intelligence and management service with five multi-employee locations, remote employees, and sales staff that travels to service clients, AcquireWeb needed centralised access to resources without interruption.
The firm started working with Soonr to resolve its data access challenges and move beyond storing data locally. This case study details how Soonr’s Workplace Solution has helped AcquireWeb increase employee productivity, introduce remote accessibility to critical business documents, and increase profitability due to savings in man hours. Read more
The ultimate guide to remote working
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87 per cent of British businesses are now allowing employees to work away from the office. And since June 2014, every UK government employee has the right to ask for flexible working, including working from home. But while the trend is fairly plain, is remote working right for your business?
To help you evaluate the pros and cons, Twine has researched the facts, analysed the case studies, and spoken to numerous businesses to get their take on remote working.
Highlights from this white paper include:
- Advice on increasing staff happiness and productivity
- Cost savings and best practice tips
... Read more
Soonr case study: Saving money on file sharing costs
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Collaborating with a range of strategic partners, including governments, businesses, trade bodies and more, charity WRAP generates volumes of documents and large files that must be securely shared, efficiently managed and effectively protected.
As WRAP identified key criteria for a new file sharing solution, security, ease of use and access control came top of the list. As a highly mobile organisation, the solution also needed to support mobile device use.
In the case study, Soonr looks at how the WRAP has managed to save 60 per cent on file sharing costs using Soonr Workplace.
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Read moreHow to implement a visibility strategy
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Numerous supply chain management and logistics studies conducted in recent years by market research firms reveal a common thread: Supply chain visibility is the topic that respondents regularly cite as a high or very high priority. And it’s no wonder, since visibility brings benefits that include enhanced quality of services, which in turn boosts customer satisfaction. Visibility also helps soften the impact of disruptions, keeping down transport and handling costs.
But studies also reveal again and again that many businesses have not yet achieved good supply chain visibility. The obvious conclusion is that businesses are not really making headway on ... Read more
10 steps to maximising your incentive investment
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In the world of B2B enterprises, successful incentive programmes are key to obtaining the partnerships of valuable resellers, as well as reaching sales goals. Channel marketers are devoting a record portion of their time and budgets creating and maintaining effective incentive programmes, however, cultivating strong business relationships is more difficult than ever.
As the number of valuable resellers grows, and their needs expand, companies are running several incentive programmes to drive the specific productive behaviours among partners. But budgets aren’t increasing, so the challenge is to make your investment in these programmes work harder.
Conversely, from the perspective of your ... Read more
The advantages of remote desktops and their benefits to mobile workers
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We call our personal computing interface a “desktop” but the truth is that many of us are connecting to an interface that looks like a desktop PC but is actually hosted remotely.
Advantages of remote desktop include reduced tech support costs, power savings, and improved security. This growth has spurred innovation and diversity in the category. There are remote desktops that run as virtual machines on powerful servers in a data centre.
Certain workloads, such as routine office tasks, are well-served for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), which uses virtual machine VM-based desktops on standard rack-mounted servers.
in this report, AMD ... Read more
Overcoming the challenges of deploying 4G LTE everywhere
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As mobile wireless continues to make the transition to data and video-dominated broadband, unprecedented demands are being placed on operator networks. And as employees continue to work remotely, it’s worth bearing in mind that there are still some restrictions, especially while on the move.
That obstacle may be changing soon, as Radio Frequency Systems has produced this white paper highlighting and reviewing the design challenges for LTE applications, summarising the results of a comprehensive measurement campaign focused on in-tunnel LTE performance. Read more
What UK businesses really think about BYOD
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As the industry continues to see an increase in personal devices in the workplace, have you ever wondered what UK businesses really think about BYOD?
Vanson Bourne thought it was about time someone asked senior IT personnel in 100 UK businesses a number of BYOD-related questions. Highlights from the survey include almost half saying their senior management are sceptical about BYOD strategies, and 71 per cent believing that employees will be more productive when using BYOD.
Read all the results by hitting the ‘download’ button below. Read more
The future of unified communications and collaboration
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There’s nothing new about unified communications and collaboration (UCC). Yet, many organisations are still challenged by different UCC technologies, even a decade after the first IP-based PBX. Recent developments have caused IT decision-makers to formulate – often for the first time – comprehensive UCC strategies, and to invest in them substantially.
Smartphones, the bring your own device (BYOD) trend and strained budgets are compelling IT divisions to act. Meanwhile, advances in enterprise video technologies and services, and the adoption of social media for business use provide more collaboration options for employees... and more headaches for IT.
In this report, Dimension ... Read more
The state of mobility in the workplace
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Workplace mobility is today’s business paradigm. Employees are now working in the office, on the road, at home and in the field, and their business content needs to be accessible and editable from any location in order to remain productive. But in with the mix of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and corporate issued devices in the workplace, it’s more complex than ever to share files, sync devices and keep content current, while still keeping business data secure. This continues to be compounded by the growing prevalence of larger files including photos, videos and presentations.
Soonr’s second annual Mobility in ... Read more
Should you outsource infrastructure?
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The question, “Should I outsource?” is probably one of the oldest inquiries ever made in the history of the IT profession. Today, though, the question of outsourcing has evolved dramatically, especially for infrastructure. In addition to basic cloud, there are hosted private clouds, public clouds, and hybrids. Plus, there are even new ways for IT to function as an organisation. IT can be a service broker for business units, a clearinghouse for information, and so forth.
The fundamental questions about outsourcing, however, have never changed: Will this make business sense? What are the investments, expenses, and payoffs? This paper addresses ... Read more
Preventing data leaks in unified communications
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Unified communications benefits organisations by improving productivity and making information more actionable and readily available, but this in turn exposes the data to misuse.
As with every new technology, the task is not to deny its use but to find ways to control and enforce its proper use. Security and the retention of intellectual property are major concerns for security and compliance administrators.
This paper discusses the compliance and data loss risks associated with deploying a unified communications platform, and its prevention.
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Read moreHow we were affected by financial Trojans in 2014
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Financial institutions have been fighting malware targeting online banking for over a decade. Attackers have evolved their techniques over the years to try and circumvent new security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA) or mobile banking. Financial institutions had to adapt their security policies to protect online transactions from fraud conducted by cybercriminals using sophisticated banking Trojans.
This report is an update to the 2014 edition and examines nine of the most common and sophisticated financial Trojans. These Trojans compromised 4.1 million users’ computers and target user accounts of many financial institutions.
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Read moreHow to reduce IT costs with crowdsourcing
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It’s generally accepted industry knowledge that software represents 30 percent or more of total enterprises IT spend. Consequently, ensuring the most efficient use of software licenses has a significant impact on IT costs. That is a major driver of the emerging discipline of software license optimisation and vendors have responded with software license optimisation solutions.
In this white paper, Flexera Software looks at how integrating the capabilities of a software license optimisation solution with those of an enterprise app store can result in an environment that not only enables business users to quickly and easily access the applications they need ... Read more
3 myths about big data
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Talk to any business, and they’ve probably discussed the topic of big data and what it means for their organisation.Perhaps they’ve even made an investment in big data with the promise of insight. But today, few organisations are realising the promised value of big data.
Qlik believes that’s because most businesses are thinking about it all wrong. It this white paper, the firm looks at the 3 big myths surrounding big data: 1. It’s all about size, 2. You need a data scientist, 3. You need a system like Hadoop. Read more
Think your UK business is prepared for a data breach? Think again
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The data breach landscape in the UK has changed beyond all recognition over the last few years. More than four in ten Britons (42%) have been affected in some way by a breach, and their levels of concern are growing.
Cybercrime has become increasingly complex and sophisticated, and unprecedented levels of personally identifiable information are being traded illegally on the dark web. More than 110 million pieces of information were traded in 2014 alone, a 300% increase since 2012.
In this white paper, Experian looks at how well UK organisations are equipped to cope with the ever changing UK data ... Read more
8 steps to developing secure products
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Developing secure products in an agile environment can be challenging. Application vulnerabilities and coding issues are typically time-consuming to find, document, and fix with traditional testing tools. Short agile sprints don’t lend themselves to these long processes; however, there are ways to effectively integrate secure development with agile methods.
Veracode has adopted secure agile processes in its own effort to develop secure products with rapid delivery cycles.
As Veracode moves towards a completely agile development process, the firm has discovered – and documented in the white paper – eight patterns that lead to successful secure agile development. Read more
What you need to know about Ramnit malware
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Ramnit is a worm that spreads through removable drives by infecting files. The worm (W32. Ramnit) was first discovered in early 2010 and later that year, a second variant of Ramnit (W32.Ramnit.B) was identified. Since then, Ramnit’s operators have made considerable upgrades to the threat, including implementing the use of modules, which was borrowed from the leaked source code of the Zeus banking Trojan (Trojan.Zbot) in May 2011.
Currently, Ramnit’s operators are primarily focused on information-stealing tactics, targeting data such as passwords and online banking login credentials. They also install remote access tools on affected computers in order to maintain ... Read more
A file sharing buyer's guide for corporate IT
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When it comes to file sharing, IT managers all have their nightmares about something going awry. It’s a safe bet that the bad dream goes something like this: random end users using unsecured file sharing services to access and share sensitive company documents, especially on unprotected networks while on the road. And the real possibility that these documents get into the wrong hands.
In this buyer’s guide Soonr outlines the top features you need to consider when selecting the secure, business-grade file sharing solution your business, and its users, requires. Read more
How much is malware containment costing you?
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The recent Target, Home Depot, JPMorgan Chase and Sony Pictures Entertainment breaches are examples of how destructive malware can be to an organisation’s reputation and financial stability. Moreover, the severity and frequency of malware attacks has increased significantly in the past year.
Ponemon Institute conducted the following research to understand how much money organisations are wasting in their efforts to prevent malware driven threats and other malicious programs from stealing high value and confidential data.
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Read moreWhy managed endpoint security is a must-have for MSPs
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Cybercrime is on the rise for one simple reason: it seems to pay. The recent outbreak of Cryptolocker is a case in point, nabbing about $30 million in ransom in 100 days. Like most viruses, Cryptolocker gets installed through unwanted attachments or emails or visits to dubious websites. Once installed, information on all computers is encrypted and the owner is greeted with a ransom message warning that their files will be lost without payment within 72 hours.
An MSP confronted by this catastrophic scenario is immediately thrown into damage control. Do they recommend wiping the hard drive and losing their ... Read more
Privacy and data protection by design
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Privacy and data protection constitute core values of individuals and of democratic societies. This has been acknowledged by the European Convention on Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that enshrine privacy as a fundamental right.
With the progress in the field of information and communication technologies, and especially due to the decrease in calculation and storage costs, new challenges to privacy and data protection have emerged.
There have been decades of debate on how those values – and legal obligations – can be embedded into systems, preferably from the very beginning of the design process.
In this ... Read more
5 steps to securing the enterprise in 2015
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As the security landscape has changed, so has the role of the chief information security officer. Previously a technical role, it has become more business focused. Now it reports to the board, using a business risk management perspective. Security has become a business enabler.
Accordingly, CISOs must take a proactive, pragmatic, business focused approach to security. This paper sets out five major areas of focus for the pragmatic CISO.
In this white paper, Dell SecureWorks outlines five pragmatic steps to securing the enterprise throughout 2015. Read more
Everything you need to know about Symantec Backup Exec 2014
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It is more important than ever these days for businesses to make sure they can backup, recover and protect their entire infrastructure, whether it is built upon virtual, physical, or a combination of both.
In this FAQ, Symantec details everything you need to know about its Backup Exec 2014 software, designed to back up local and remote data to virtually any storage device, including tape, disk and cloud.
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Read moreUsing the 'Pain Chain' to sell IT
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In a sales conversation, IT service providers can use the ‘Pain Chain’ to help determine the source of pain and discuss, with the right people, how to eliminate or mitigate its effects.
As you go through this process with your client, you’re likely to find that the undesired results are simply a symptom of a larger problem that a quick surface analysis won’t uncover. You have to dig deep beneath the symptomatic problem to uncover the root problem.
By understanding these connections and where they create interdependence, you can do a better job selling your solution and demonstrating its value ... Read more
The benefits of finding the right cloud partner
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The technology marketplace is crowded and highly competitive with a multitude of companies fighting it out for a share of customers’ IT budgets. While it is true that no single supplier can perfectly deliver and meet all IT needs of an organisation, it is still possible for vendors to offer a comprehensive portfolio of products and services, especially in conjunction with partners.
When it comes to the newer technologies, especially those that are cloud related, working with a partner that knows the space and has the resources and expertise to deliver these solutions is a definite benefit to IT suppliers.
... Read more
4 steps to improving cloud security
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There are a number of ways that organisations can improve their level of comfort in working with a cloud services provider, whether for hybrid cloud, Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, or other types of deployments.
But just focusing on your cloud supplier and its certifications won’t be enough to ensure your comfort and protection. There are many examples of companies doing the utmost in due diligence and certification compliance, yet they still suffer from attacks and data breaches with serious consequences.
What does it take to ensure a collaborative and strategic approach to security governance, risk management, ... Read more
What every SME should know about the cloud
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Cloud computing has been the hot tech topic for a while now, as well as the subject of controversy and debate. It’s been portrayed as a solution that can streamline work processes and consolidate overheads but it can also put your company data at risk.
As cloud moves into the business big leagues, organisations around the world are gaining valuable insight into its potential benefits, as well as the practical challenges of adopting the technology.
This report aims to explain the applications of the cloud, how it can be used to add real value to your business, and what you ... Read more
Verizon case study: Reinventing the public cloud
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Large, global enterprises want to take advantage of the agility, flexibility and compelling economics of the public cloud, but the performance and reliability are not up to par for their needs.
To fulfill this need, Verizon spent over two years identifying and developing software using AMD’s SeaMicro SM15000. The new services redefine the benchmarks for public cloud computing and storage performance and security.
Designed specifically for enterprise customers, the new services allow companies to use the same policies and procedures across the enterprise network and the public cloud. The close collaboration has resulted in cloud computing services with unheralded performance ... Read more
Overcoming the challenges of cloud-based application security
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Business trends driven by mobile, cloud, social media and Big Data technologies are dramatically changing the way global organisations deliver innovation. Time-to-market is as important as ever, exposing some information security approaches as woefully deficient.
Many enterprises are not adequately protecting the software that runs their business. Ad-hoc application security programs and regimens have led to inconsistent policies across organisational business units and software development teams. Traditional on premise solutions have proven difficult for IT staff to correctly configure. The result: enterprises end up with a fragmented approach to application-layer security. Millions are spent on one-off or manual testing and ... Read more
The manager?s guide to flexible working arrangements
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In our global economy, companies are multinational, with workers are distributed around the world, relying on mobile devices to do their work; and flexible work arrangements are becoming more commonplace.
Going to work no longer necessarily means going to an office, which often allows people added flexibility to their workdays. With this evolution, however, also comes challenges that, when not considered beforehand, can fragment business processes, stall or break down effective communication between workers, limit collaboration and innovation, slow down the flow of business in a real-time world, and – in general – cause negative performance effects.
In this report, ... Read more
The manager
Author:
In our global economy, companies are multinational, with workers are distributed around the world, relying on mobile devices to do their work; and flexible work arrangements are becoming more commonplace.
Going to work no longer necessarily means going to an office, which often allows people added flexibility to their workdays. With this evolution, however, also comes challenges that, when not considered beforehand, can fragment business processes, stall or break down effective communication between workers, limit collaboration and innovation, slow down the flow of business in a real-time world, and Read more
How to capture new business in the cloud backup and security sector
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In this white paper, Intronis looks at how VARs and MSPs can capture new business and quickly become a crucial part of their new clients’ operations by using its cloud and local backup products.
Highlights from this white paper include:
- The six objectives you need to follow to be successful in the retail vertical
- Concerns and opportunities related to Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)
- The solution provider's role and accountability
Check out Intronis' white paper by clicking the download button below.
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Read moreNetsolus case study: From MSP to cloud services provider
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Cloud computing is making access to infrastructure and applications much more affordable for all businesses. It eliminates implementation costs and the complexity and capital costs of acquiring, installing and maintaining systems and applications. In short, the cloud is becoming the primary platform for business. This is especially true for small and mid-sized companies.
In this case study, Egenera looks at the opportunities that cloud has presented for MSPs such as Netsolus. Read more
Netsolus case study: From MSP to cloud services provider
Author:
Cloud computing is making access to infrastructure and applications much more affordable for all businesses. It eliminates implementation costs and the complexity and capital costs of acquiring, installing and maintaining systems and applications. In short, the cloud is becoming the primary platform for business. This is especially true for small and mid-sized companies.
In this case study, Egenera looks at the opportunities that cloud has presented for MSPs such as Netsolus. Read more
A guide to creating and implementing a successful cloud strategy
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The cloud decision may be the easy part. For most businesses, the benefits promised by cloud computing, including agility, process optimisation, speed to market and cost reduction, warrant a closer look, if not a test drive. At least at the decision table, curiosity and hope in the potential for transformation are winning out over caution.
The next steps pose the challenge. Before migration starts, cloud options must be researched, a realistic business case must be built, a project plan must be developed and implemented, and success metrics need to be established. Faced with an ever-growing and fragmented provider market and ... Read more
Everything you need to know about translation management systems
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Computer-aided translations with the help of translation memory technology deliver numerous advantages. Nevertheless, many enterprises have not yet or only partially come in touch with such systems. For this reason, they are often still unaware of the functions and actual savings potential.
This white paper explains the basic functionality and modes of operation as well as the central modules of a translation management system.
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Read more5 ways to capitalise on cloud opportunities
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As the number of cloud services and offerings continue to increase, more and more small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are taking notice. This change in the technology model has given large vendors access to the SMB market – a space they traditionally avoided. As a result, many managed service providers (MSPs) are nervous about the effects cloud computing will have on their business.
As your clients’ trusted advisor, MSPs can step in and take control of the modern office and act as the doorway to all things IT. As the relationship manager between the big cloud companies and your clients, ... Read more
How to choose the right cloud MSP for your organisation
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The age of cloud computing is gaining momentum. It is being driven by internet giants such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
Of course the cloud presents an attractive option to businesses everywhere. As one industry analyst points out, “Cloud computing comes into focus only when you think about what IT always needs: a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software.” In these lean economic times, the cloud breathes new life into companies who might not have been able to afford to upgrade or add new ... Read more
Philips Cloud Base: What Virtual Desktop Infrastructure can provide for businesses
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With IT taking centre stage in initiatives to drive business agility, challenges are growing for IT managers, who have to balance the expectations of the business with the constraints of ever tighter budgets for hardware and software, while preserving security for valuable business intelligence and confidential client data.
Many organisations are therefore considering Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions as a way to manage IT hardware and software more effectively, and to store data and information securely with less administrative effort. This case study looks at how Philips Cloud Base is helping businesses to achieve this. Read more
ProfitBricks case study: Customising cloud computing with Supermicro and AMD
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While cloud computing offers enormous potential, the ProfitBricks teams was well aware when the firm was founded in 2009 that the services offered by the first-generation cloud providers that came before it were nowhere near reaching that potential. Even the most successful cloud providers were slow, expensive and difficult to use.
In this case study, AMD looks at how ProfitBricks has achieved its objective of uniquely providing cloud services with dedicated, custom-server capacities by launching on Supermicro servers featuring multicore AMD Opteron processors. Read more
10 reasons to move your contact centre operations to the cloud
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Moving your contact centre to the cloud, though deceptively easy to do, could feel like a big step. In this eBook, Five9 examines the idea thoroughly, and present the 10 reasons you need to move your contact centre operations to the cloud, today.
This piece covers questions, issues and information around subjects such as integration and customisation, as well as cloud security and business scaling. Read more
Using IT service management software to improve 8 key business processes
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In this age of high tech solutions, increasing automation and pervasive access to the internet, it is extremely surprising to see how many IT Solution Providers (SPs) – including MSPs, VARS, retail technology providers, system integrators, IT consultants, VoIP solution providers and ISVs – continue to rely on spreadsheets, whiteboards and manual or homegrown solutions to run their businesses.
The pressure on SPs – to do more, know more and work more efficiently with fewer mistakes – continues to rise as new hardware and software technologies are introduced at an accelerating pace. In the absence of efficient, purpose-built systems to ... Read more
How cloud platforms are changing the dynamics of innovation
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No matter what industry you’re in, innovation has become the new battleground; the place where market share is won and lost and new leaders rise out of the pack.
In a digital world, technology ought to play a hugely-important role in the innovation process.
In this piece, Rackspace illustrates how the cloud is empowering enterprise innovators – both inside the IT team and across the business – to do new things, capture new customers, create or disrupt markets and tap into major new profit streams. Read more
How cloud connectors enable new infrastructure strategies for SMEs
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As SMEs strive to do more with less – more productivity, more expertise, more security with less money, less influence and less control – they need an infrastructure foundation that provides the maximum flexibility and agility to answer customer demands, satisfy employee needs and respond to competitive pressures.
This paper looks at the current trends in the cloud marketplace, the infrastructure approaches available to date – along with exploding some of the barrier myths – and explains why the Hybrid Cloud offers SMEs the most practical and cost-effective solution to take their ICT – and their business – to the ... Read more
Is the future of networking software defined?
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Software-defined networking (SDN) has become a much-hyped and misunderstood technology shift, with many vendors delivering a real glimpse of what the promise of SDN holds. Others however, are riding the bandwagon and are ‘SDN washing’ their existing products.
If SDN has you baffled, don’t feel bad about it. According to Network World, only 10% of 450 IT practitioners who attended a recent event raised their hands when asked if they understood it.
In this paper, Dimension Data offers a vendor-independent and pragmatic view of the emerging technology, the impact its likely to have and opportunities it will create, as well ... Read more
The radical new world of outsourcing for technology-related services
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In this 2014/15 survey, KPMG has collected data from closed to 2,100 contracts held by over 450 clients of outsourcing service providers.
The report collates responses from Client organisations across EMEA, ASPAC and the Americas regions, and covers all commercial sectors, including both central and local government. It comprises senior buyers and key outsourcing decision makers, such as CXOs and their direct reports.
This survey introduces the firm’s key findings when it comes to technology outsourcing, including the state of flux in the market, the myths that surround cloud technologies, and how, why and what businesses outsource. Read more
No more tiers: A guide Imation?s single box storage solution
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Companies are faced with a wave of complexity in trying to make sense of tiered storage, with complex storage infrastructures, storage management and regulatory compliance requirements.
The complexities of the traditional storage infrastructure along with its management and cost combine to make an unforgiving challenge for IT. Administrators must be able to budget for massive storage capacity growth and plan for multiple layers of infrastructure.
In this white paper, Imation introduces its Nexsan Assureon Secure Disk Archive, which leverages a new approach to storage consolidation and automated management.
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Read moreEnsuring the security of third-party applications
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Most enterprises today do not build all the applications they use. In fact, the majority of a typical enterprise’s application portfolio is developed by outside vendors. But how can you ensure the security of these outsourced or “third-party” applications?
Simply assuming these apps are safe is no longer an option. In today’s environment, securing the application supply chain has become a priority. Fortunately, enterprises can look to the experiences of previous supply chain initiatives, and don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
In this white paper, Veracode explores seven principles or “habits” of supply chain transformation that can be applied to ... Read more
Unlocking the benefits of unified communications
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Keeping employees connected to people and information anytime, anywhere is as important as ever, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.
In this white paper, Cisco takes a look at how businesses can help employees reach the resources they need by turning to unified communications, covering the advantages of a virtual private network, the new benefits unified communications bring, and some of the solutions available from Cisco.
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Read moreHow MSPs and VARs can turn mobile into money with the right services
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In this thought leadership piece, AVG’s Luke Walling discusses how offering the right services can drive revenue in the mobile device management segment.
This piece covers the types of managed services that solution providers can consider bundling with their mobile products, the important of device security, and how managed service providers and value-added resellers can help businesses overcome some of the challenges they face when it comes to mobility.
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Read moreHow AMD is accelerating energy-efficiency tech
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AMD products have a strong record of steadily improving power efficiency and increasing performance, and the company is pursuing an ambitious plan to accelerate these advances.
Although AMD is driving energy-efficiency gains in servers, discrete graphics, and the other markets it serves, this paper focuses on the energy-efficiency technology in the mobile-computing segment, which consists of chips for notebook and tablet computers.
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Read moreCDS case study: Adapting to the changing high-tech landscape
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In this case study, N-able looks at how CDS Office Technologies has managed to stay ahead of both the technology curve and the IT services delivery curve, as well as manage services that meet regional market needs and tap into the growth of managed services market opportunities.
As a large IT services provider with seven locations and 8,000 customers, this piece details how CDS is using N-able’s N-central RMM and MSP service automation platform to streamline processes and get its customers converted to managed services.
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Read more5 qualities every technology leader should have
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So you’ve started your own technology business and as your company grows you think to yourself, “Am I capable of leading this organisation to long-term success?” That idea can be a daunting one.
In this guide, ConnectWise covers the five qualities every technology leader should embrace to inspire employees and customers to follow them into the future.
Covering topics such as harnessing passion and commitment, determining your vision and building relationships, this piece offers advice on how to stay passionate and how to become an influence to all the members of your company. Read more
A guide to selecting the right service management software
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When thinking about the future and your five-year business plan it is essential to be clear about what your needs are now, and what they will be in a few years time.
You don’t want to make a change now only to realise a couple of years down the line that you disregarded a really important feature or element of your software needs.
In this white paper, Access explains what issues need to be raised and what decisions need to be made when selecting the right service management software for your growing business.
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Read more5 steps to selling managed services to small businesses
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Small businesses, just like their enterprise counterparts, must have the ability to recover data and keep their business running in the event of a disaster.
Growth in the backup, disaster recovery (BDR) and business continuity space will be led by adoption. With nearly 4.5 million small businesses in the U.S. alone, this represents a significant market segment; a segment that Managed Services Providers (MSPs) should target to grow their business and create new recurring revenue streams.
To break into the small business market, Datto has outlined five simple steps that will break the previous barrier to market, for MSPs to ... Read more
Is your IT infrastructure ready for mobility?
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IT departments have been unable to stop the proliferation and use of consumer devices in their enterprise environment, and tablets are the latest technology to challenge the corporate network.
We’re already seeing consumers adopting tablets at an exponential rate. It’s only a matter of time before these consumers (who are also employees) drive the onslaught of tablets into the workplace.
The presence of these consumer mobile devices in the corporate arena will only increase as more manufacturers bring their own tablets to market, driving greater competition, causing prices to drop, and the refinement of the technology to deliver high end-user ... Read more
How to make the right B2B purchasing decisions
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The B2B purchase decision making process has undergone significant change in recent times, with power shifting to the buyer.
Opportunities to influence the buyer have been removed due to a reduction of the vendor’s importance as a source of information, and as a result the diminishing importance of the salesperson.
Consequently, at a time when it has never been more important to understand the needs of the buyer and position a brand to effectively influence their purchase decisions, many businesses are finding it harder than ever to achieve this.
This white paper by GfK details a number of factors that ... Read more
Transitioning your business model into managed services
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As demand for external technology services increases, managed services present an attractive opportunity for IT resellers and solution providers who are looking to grow their business.
Industry surveys, however, indicate that many have yet to make the transition to offering full, managed services. For many, the investment in infrastructure, training and accreditation appears to be too much of a hurdle. Alongside this, the move to a regular, but potentially lower revenue stream can present its own challenges.
In this paper, Alvea Services outlines some of the key issues for IT resellers, both established and those just starting out, when considering ... Read more
NetNames case study: Reimagining the data centre
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Companies invest millions and sometimes billions to develop and nurture a global brand. These brands are established over many years, and damage to an established brand can be catastrophic.
Cyber-squatters, phishing attacks, digital piracy and counterfeit goods are having an increasing impact on company revenues. In addition, the mass usage of social media allows negative sentiment to spread rapidly among mass audiences.
In this case study, AMD looks at how NetNames has reimagined the data centre to better help companies overcome their brand protection problems in the ever-expanding universe that is the internet.
Image source: Shutterstock.com ...
Read moreA guide to mobilising your enterprise
Author:
As you develop your mobile strategy you must take into account various use cases and the technologies applicable to each of them.
With so many vendors selling mobility solutions, it can be difficult to know where to start when planning to mobilise your enterprise.
In this detailed buyer’s guide Citrix outlines the various aspects that need to be taken into account when businesses develop their mobile strategy. Read more
10 tips for effectively implementing automation technology
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Today, administrators are being asked to do more with less, so automating manual tasks is critical to success. But in complex environments, automation must be approached with care, since a single automated change can bring the infrastructure — and the business — to a screeching halt.
In this white paper, Dell Software provides 10 important tips that will help virtualisation administrators effectively implement automation technology while still maintaining control over their environments. Read more
Why larger displays equal increased employee productivity
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Whatever the job, the chances are it involves working at a computer. However, despite its many benefits, desktop technology often falls short of delivering on its promise of clean desks and efficient working.
Evidence is mounting that display size makes a huge difference. Small-sized displays can – and do – present a challenge to knowledge-worker productivity, with users more likely to have a forest of sticky notes attached to the sides of their screen, scrawled reminders on a notepad, and sundry documents stacking up in any free space.
In this white paper, MMD details how its larger Philips displays can ... Read more
6 B2B trends that will affect businesses this year
Author:
The very landscape of technology in business is changing, with organisations of all sizes beginning to understand the value that can be derived from data and a connected workforce.
This year and beyond, the presence of a robust IT and data strategy will play a more central role in supporting businesses’ goals, bringing with it increased scrutiny from the business leaders whose views matter most.
Offering and delivering the right solution has never been more critical. GfK present six trends helping to shape this transformation. Read more
Everything you need to know about transitioning to subscription-based business models
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Channel experts are urging solution providers to adopt subscription-based business models or risk losing ground to competitors.
Gartner, for example, says that “to capture future growth and be positioned on the right side of the fast-shifting IT services marketplace, IT service providers of every type need to bridge their legacy offerings and new delivery paradigms.”
But actually making that transition can be challenging, particularly if the current approach appears to be working. This paper takes a deeper look at some fundamental changes in the market that make business model change essential to solution provider survival. Read more
How e-signatures can speed up your hiring process
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Collecting ink signatures can slow down the hiring process, but IT has the power to solve the problem leveraging efficient SaaS solutions.
Using an e-signature solution, instead of ink signatures, can deliver huge gains in productivity. It empowers the HR department to accelerate the negotiation, new hire, and on-boarding processes to quickly secure the talent the organisation needs.
In this white paper Adobe discusses these benefits in more detail. Read more
Compute cores: The new era of computing
Author:
Over the past 40 years the mechanisms used to advance microprocessor performance and capabilities have evolved greatly, from executing a single instruction at a time on a single processor to executing many parallel instructions on many symmetric cores.
Most recently, a microprocessor capability might have been determined by its operating frequency and/or the number of CPU cores. With the continued integration of different processor cores, accelerators, and other processing elements, the traditional labeling has become less representative of a processor’s capability. Now with the introduction of single chip heterogeneous computing, a new measure of identification and comparison is required. To ... Read more
CompTIA's 2014 industry outlook
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CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook 2014 provides an overview of the size, shape and growth factors of the information technology (IT) industry.
The study consists of three sections, which can be viewed independently or together as chapters of a comprehensive report.
Section 1: IT Industry and Workforce Overview
Section 2: IT Industry Growth Projections
Section 3: Technology and Channel Trends
You can view this white paper by hitting the download button below. Read more
iPad & Tablets 2011
Author: Mobile Entertainment
In 2010, Apple did it again, re-skinning an old technology with an exquisite user interface inside a delightful hardware package. iPad kickstarted the tablet market. Now some observers say 70m tablets could ship this year. So what are the prospects for content publishers and brands? How will the hardware evolve? This ME report, filled with stats, graphs and links, will be your guide through this exciting new space...
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Mobile Payments 2011
Author: Mobile Entertainment
Mobile payments used to mean one thing – using the phone bill to pay for mobile content like ringtones or games. But in the last 18 months it's been transformed. Giant companies like PayPal are using the handset as a channel for transactions, while online merchants offer a 'pay by mobile' option for their digital goods. This ME report provides a clear and comprehensive overview of one of mobile's hottest topics...
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MCV Buyers Factfile
Author: MCV
MCV’s Buyers Factfile, compiled by PCR sister site MCV, is a unique guide to the stores and people that are responsible for shaping and presenting the UK video game industry on the High Street and online.
Read moreMobile Payment and Crediting
Author: OpenMarket
M-commerce is big business in the UK with approximately 18.8 million mobile consumers now purchasing physical goods and services online via their mobile phones.
Read morePropel London: Digital Salary Survey
Author: Propel London
This 2011 report, from specilist digital recruitment agency Propel London, reveals all the average salaries for the key roles in the digital, agency and mobile spaces.
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