365squared selected by Smart Axiata to provide A2P SMS monetization and control services

Malta, 28 November 2016: Smart Axiata Co., Ltd. (Smart), the leading mobile telecommunications operator in Cambodia, has partnered with 365squared, an international managed services provider specialized in revenue assurance and managed solutions, to remove the effects of spam for Smart’s subscribers and monetize its application-to-person (A2P) SMS traffic through the 365secure service. This service was successfully deployed for Smart in Cambodia in October 2016 to help deliver a better service for more than 8 million Smart subscribers and provide new revenue opportunities.

Fraudulent SMS messages delivered through grey routes damage mobile network operators’ (MNOs) reputation by delivering spam messages to end user subscribers. The innovative 365secure service monitors and filters SMS traffic from any source on a 24/7 basis.

365secure ensures that Smart has peace of mind that SMS traffic is under control, subscribers are fully protected and that monetization of SMS traffic terminating on the network is guaranteed.

“The addition of Smart to our client portfolio is proof that 365squared’s managed solutions guarantee mobile network operators monetization of SMS traffic terminating on the network,” commented Tonio Ellul, CEO, 365squared. “This partnership highlights our strong organic growth as a key player in the market, especially in Asia. We are very excited to be working with Smart.”

Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Axiata said: “Spam messages are disliked by everyone. The partnership with 365squared stands on our desire to strengthen customer relationships based on trust. By filtering intrusive and uninvited messages we provide to our customers peace of mind and therewith step up our customer experience efforts further.”

The fully comprehensive 24/7 managed service provided by 365squared ensures that Smart subscribers are fully protected from unwanted spam and potential security threatening application-to-person (A2P) messages. The 365secure service also provides Smart with detailed traffic analytics and reporting thanks to the proprietary 365analytics software.

Scholarship to help train the next generation of tech leaders in Ireland

November 28, 2016 – LIMERICK, IRELAND: WP Engine, a company that powers amazing digital experiences for websites and applications built on the WordPress platform, today announced that it will be offering a four-year scholarship at the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) beginning this upcoming academic year to support an undergraduate student who is passionate about technology.

WP Engine will offer the “WP Engine Future Technology Leaders” scholarship to a student pursuing a degree in any field related to technology. The scholarship will be part of LIT’s Leaders@LIT student scholarship fund, which aims to widen participation in higher education by alleviating the financial burdens experienced by students so they can fully concentrate on their education. Students can apply for the scholarship through [email protected].

Following the recent opening of its new Technical Support & Innovation Centre in Limerick, which is expected to create 100 jobs over three years, WP Engine’s commitment to the Leaders@LIT student scholarship programme is another example of the company’s investment in the region to meet current and future opportunities in technology through education and talent development.

“Just as WP Engine believes the Web should be universally accessible so too should opportunities for higher education,” said April Downing, Chief Financial Officer of WP Engine. “As a company, one of our core values is a commitment to giving back to our communities. With this scholarship, we are making an investment to inspire and help students at LIT excel in their studies and become future leaders in computing and technology by breaking down the financial barriers that prevent them from entering these fields.”

President of LIT, Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “This programme puts Higher Education within the reach of students with the ability and ambition to undertake it, but whose financial circumstances preclude them. This represents a really important part of our ethic to be able to make 3rd level education accessible to all.

“I would like to recognise the support being given by WP Engine so soon after its investment in Limerick. For a company to start to impact so positively so early is really fantastic. It is beneficial for the company, the scholar and society here in Limerick.

“One of the unique aspects of the Leaders@LIT programme is that it matches donors like WP engine directly with the students they support. I hope that as time goes on, WP Engine will see the fruits of its support through the success of the scholar supported by it.

“A number of months ago, LIT set out its ambition to increase the value of the Leaders@LIT fund to €1 million in order to reach the maximum number of students and schools. I thank WP Engine for helping us along the way, and I know that this donation will prove hugely worthwhile.”

talent.io plans to take on the failing IT recruitment market, bringing innovative companies direct to thousands of skilled developers

London, UK; 28th November 2016 – Tech startup talent.io is taking on the traditional IT recruitment market with a platform that will change the way technical teams are headhunted and hired by organisations in the UK. The new breed of recruitment company is already disrupting the market in Central Europe and now plans to shake up the UK market.

talent.io is a selective recruitment platform that brings together innovative firms with talented developers, while eliminating the cumbersome recruitment process. Each week, it handpicks the best candidates (around 10%) from a pool of weekly sign ups – based on their skills and availability – and companies use the platform to interact with them during a two-week session. They connect with the developers that best suit their needs and send job descriptions including salary range as well as request interviews. If candidates are interested, both sides meet and the process goes on, with talent.io staff on hand to provide salary negotiation advice and more.

John Hazelton, Country Manager UK at talent.io, said: “Our platform is designed to take the pain out of hiring people. No more middlemen, no more time wasting and no more irrelevant candidates. We are human-centric too; we are not a sales team focused on getting our numbers up and we don’t use algorithms to select candidates. talent.io is made up of engineering industry experts who put the customer service back into recruitment. We bring quality job offers to quality developers because we truly understand their needs and wants. Traditional recruitment agencies are very focused on client care and focus very little on the candidates. This model is failing the IT industry, and we are seeing a big shift towards our model.”

talent.io arrives in the UK following a successful launch in France last year and six months after launching in Germany. The platform has proved so successful that, just three months after its beta launch, talent.io raised $2.2 million (£1.5 million) from venture capitalists Alven Capital, Elaia Partners and Ventech, as well as a few business angels. Since then, over 1,000 companies including Adobe, Ubisoft and AXA have used the platform to save time in hiring the best talent. In fact, 60% of developers contacted by these firms agreed to an interview. Nearly a third of the recruitments were made in less than two weeks, and 42% in less than four weeks.

Now the company plans to replicate the platform’s success in the booming UK tech industry, and has ambitions to take market share away from traditional IT recruitment agencies. Big brands including TransferWise, notonthehighstreet.com and Arcadia Group are signed up for the launch, ready to connect with a fresh batch of developers looking for jobs with salaries of £35k to £100k.

TransferWise plans to nearly double its tech team by the end of 2017, and the company’s internal recruiter Anna Roe hopes talent.io will address the company’s own recruitment challenges. “We have big ambitions to grow our team but we struggle to find talented engineers with a combination of technical and product skills. Getting a blend of skills is crucial for us. We want to hire people who care about solving customer problems rather than just building something just because. I would like to see more honesty in the recruitment industry, and for candidates to be open about their good and bad points.”

Within the next 12 months, talent.io has forecast that it will sign up over 1,000 companies – and it looks attainable as investments in the digital sector thrive despite the impending Brexit. Global investment firms have pledged to continue their support for the UK’s tech sector, with many citing London as an important hub for future growth. PitchBook data sourced by London & Partners found that, in the last five years, London’s technology sector received more venture capital investment than any other major European city.

Jonathan Azoulay, Founder of talent.io, said: “Despite the uncertain economy that lies ahead, London remains the number one tech ecosystem in Europe, and it’s been given a boost after Apple, Google and Facebook recently announced plans to hire more staff in the UK. As more companies follow suit, and new startups launch, we will see a huge increase in demand for developers. Our platform brings them all together in one place and makes recruiting easy. It also enables the mobility of technical teams between the UK, France and Germany as, for some organisations, hiring on home soil is no longer enough. talent.io is a direct and scalable service for selective recruitment, and we believe it will be a game changer in the industry.”

CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT 2017 to Showcase Growing Ecosystem of Innovations for Asia’s Smart Cities

Emerging technologies to feature at New Startup Alley, Cyber Security Zone and bigger AR/VR segment

SINGAPORE, 28 November 2016 – As Asia continues down the path of digital transformation and its cities get increasingly connected, CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT 2017 will add brand new feature zones to address the growing need for data security and the budding startup culture in the region. In addition, the event will also see a bigger augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) segment as the show grows to occupy the whole of Marina Bay Sands for the first time.

With the Cybersecurity Market Report predicting worldwide spending on cyber security to top US$1 trillion for the five-year period from 2017 to 2021, Asia seeing a record US$23.4 billion in startup funding in the second quarter of 2016[1], and worldwide revenues for the AR and VR market expected to reach US$162 billion in 2020[2], the new zones are timely additions to the event that will be held from 23 - 25 May 2017, at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Key trending technologies and network infrastructure that are the pillars of smart cities, businesses and lifestyles, such as borderless broadband, Internet of Things, cloud and data-centric solutions, satellite communications and enterprise mobility, will continue to be featured prominently at CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT 2017.

“As cities and their populations become smarter and more connected, the amount of data they produce also increases. As reported by Cisco Systems' latest Visual Networking Index, the Asia Pacific region will drive 45 per cent of the world's mobile data traffic by 2020, and global IP traffic will increase nearly threefold over the next five years with the number of devices connected to IP networks exceeding three times the global population during this same period,” said Victor Wong, Project Director for Communications Events at organiser Singapore Exhibition Services. “CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT will provide first-hand access to the latest in constantly evolving technology and new disruptive innovations needed to ensure the sustainable growth of smart city ecosystems and the security of data that flows through them.”

Innovations at CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT 2017
Exhibiting at NXT@CommunicAsia – the event’s showcase of transformative technology, is CryptoGuard, a Swedish developer of content protection. The company, which has experienced substantial growth in recent years, will be demonstrating its DRM platform and new OTT solution CryptoLITE™ as well as its proven advanced CAS platform.

“We are expanding our markets with a strong focus in Asia, and having recently established a sales and support office in New Delhi, India, exhibiting at CommunicAsia seemed inevitable in our progress,” said Hannu Vunnel, Marketing Director at CryptoGuard. “We are looking forward to further strengthening our position in the Asian market, and at CommunicAsia2017, CryptoGuard hopes to be recognised by major players as a leading innovator for content security.”

In today’s volatile business climate, there is a pressing need for digital transformation across vertical industries. The event puts a big focus on technology to enable smarter businesses, and allow visitors to learn about and source solutions that are aimed at improving efficiencies and revenue.

Also returning to CommunicAsia for the third time is Aarenet AG, which provides encrypted WebRTC audio and video conferencing in HD quality for telecom service providers. The company will be introducing its enhanced Cloud PBX solutions including a Cloud Contact Centre, and a host of other enhancements to existing products and services.

“Aarenet AG first exhibited at CommunicAsia2015, where we received great success in business development activities for our company,” said Bao Vo, Regional Director at Aarenet AG. “We strongly believe that CommunicAsia is the premier infocomm tradeshow in the Asia Pacific region due to its excellent infrastructure in Singapore, its modern facilities, and the fact that the event attracts patrons from almost all carriers and telecom service providers regionally. We are looking forward to exhibit at CommunicAsia2017 and the new prospects it will bring.”

SatComm, which boasts Asia’s largest gathering of more than 160 satellite communications companies, is another integral part of the event. Taking place on Level 1 of the Marina Bay Sands, SatComm will showcase satellite solutions that will enable upcoming technologies such as 4K and IoT to support smart city developments.

CommunicAsia2017 Summit
With the heightened pressure and push for seamless integration of technology, analytics and connectivity, the CommunicAsia2017 Summit is set to augment and ultimately revolutionise today’s entire ecosystem. Taking place throughout the event, the Summit will cover topics such as the Internet of Things, Security of Things, Smart Cities, Digital Talent Analytics, and Broadband.

As usual, BroadcastAsia2017 will run alongside CommunicAsia2017, but at the refurbished Suntec Singapore. This change in location will allow both shows to grow and accommodate even more exhibitors and technology. Regular shuttle buses will be available to transport visitors to and from both shows.

[1] https://www.techinasia.com/talk/asia-sees-record-high-234b-startup-funding-q2
[2] http://www.zdnet.com/article/virtual-and-augmented-reality-systems-poised-for-growth-spurt/

FutureDay.co is a young and growing startup company which incubates and accelerates startup businesses based anywhere in the world, remotely from Gibraltar.

A thriving startup scene generally exists in and around hubs like San Francisco, London or Berlin - as they have access to talent, capital and resources, which in many areas are simply unavailable. The company aims to solve this problem by offering startups a remote incubation opportunity, effectively becoming the Silicon Valley of the world. The group feels Gibraltar’s pro business environment, low tax, experienced service sector and familiar legal system would allow startups to flourish. For the small but popular and fast growing local economy this could offer a unique opportunity to de-risk Gibraltar from any potential Brexit crisis. Future Day could potentially create or preserve thousands of local jobs by scaling the company to provide resources to startup businesses from around the world.

Future Day will offer an experience similar to KickStarter which would allow startups to post their business plan and receive feedback from a community of mentors, investors and other entrepreneurs. The startup would then receive a ranking which indicates the community confidence in the startup. Successful candidates would be invited to join the incubation and funding program. All startups whether they are a local restaurant or internet based business can join. To learn more or to register your startup, visit FutureDay.co.

The remote startup incubator was founded by Alex Biet and a group of professionals based in Gibraltar. The group has 9 founding members, who are working to build the online startup platform. The group has received huge local support from Gibraltar and has already registered significant interest from over 10 countries, including Seattle, USA.

Future Day is happy to announce they've launched their first revenue generating business which is currently turning over £10,000 in monthly revenue, creating interactive online ads for online gaming companies. Other startups in the current programme include a mobile virtual assistant based on artificial intelligence technology, a social network for productivity, an e-commerce platform to help buyers make informed purchase decisions and a platform for bringing vinyl records to the collector's doorstep. Future Day expects the above businesses to be revenue generating within 6 months.

Future Day provides a unique solution as it incorporates a social aspect which helps startup businesses get feedback and validation before they launch. The group implements rigorous financial controls, which protects investors and prevents mismanagement of funds by having a deployment of capital in a very controlled manner. Future Day is currently in talks with a wide range of investors. The group plans to raise £100 million in capital over the next year.

Future Day is organising a private Demo Day event and Launch Party on December 1st, at the Sunborn Super Yacht Hotel in Gibraltar. The event will be opened by Gibraltar's Former Chief Minister and presently Minister of Economic Development and Inward Investment, The Hon. Joe Bossano.

For more information & developments visit FutureDay.co.

Blakewater Solicitors attributes a decade of success to Eclipse’s Proclaim Practice Management Software solution

Established in January 2007, Blackburn-based Blakewater Solicitors has rapidly evolved over the years from a leading specialist conveyancing practice into a broader firm, now offering sharia finance, immigration, personal injury and probate services.

Blakewater Solicitors has been recognised nationally for its efficient and professional service and has become one of the leading market providers for property transactions in the North of England. The flexible, expert and tailored service has allowed the firm to thrive in today’s global marketplace, boasting an expansive client base in 55 cities across 33 countries.

Having won several national and international accolades, and a Lexel and CQS Law Society accredited practice with Investor in People Gold; the firm has most recently been shortlisted for the Modern Law Conveyancing Awards 2016.

Blakewater Solicitors has taken the bold move to open a second office in Bradford, West Yorkshire, despite the current legal landscape and stiff competition. The firm is confident that the quality of its legal work and client care will set it apart.

Abdul Hafeez Darr, Director at Blakewater Solicitors, speaks to Eclipse about his choice in legal software and why he’s been an Eclipse client for nearly a decade.

What was your initial reason behind implementing a practice management system?
Before I founded Blakewater Solicitors, I worked for one of the ‘Magic Circle’ law firms in London so therefore knew of the benefits to legal software, including the huge savings it could bring if used correctly.

When I established Blakewater Solicitors with my business partner, I knew a full practice management system was a necessary requirement, and we were actually one of the first firms in the North West to implement a legal software solution, and broke the mould with regards to investing in IT so heavily for a new start-up.

Why did you choose Eclipse over other providers?
Our initial selection process was extremely extensive. We looked at 5 different legal software providers and saw a range of in-depth demonstrations, as well as a number of meetings with each provider, and agreed Proclaim was the best solution on the market. Unfortunately, my business partner selected another provider – based purely on costs – and quickly realised, after 2 weeks, the system was not fit for purpose – especially in comparison to Proclaim.

Essentially, I see Eclipse and its Proclaim solution as the ‘Apple’ of the legal software sector. It provides a huge return on investment, and a quality, centralised case management system, providing us with the confidence to know it’s entirely futureproof. Additionally, third parties have Eclipse at the top of their lists for integrations, so I can feel safe in the knowledge that our legal software is always going to be top of the range.

Blakewater Solicitors has expanded substantially since 2007 – how has Proclaim helped with this?
To put it simply, it provides us with massive efficiency gains.

For a firm of our size, we’re taking on double the work that we could without Proclaim, and even better, we’re achieving this seamlessly without the need for a full team of support staff.

Proclaim’s workflow is so easy to tweak as and when we need to, and the process of uploading letters and editing linked actions means our junior staff can open cases, input details, send out documentation and file all correspondence. Ultimately this is saving us huge amounts in both time and money. Taking this further, we don’t have the worry of needing everyone in the office at all times – our solicitors are able to work remotely, or from home, as everything is accessible and centralised.

As an Eclipse client for nearly 10 years, what are some of the benefits you’ve seen?
Firstly, the support that’s on offer. It’s excellent and there’s no other way to describe it! Anytime I’ve needed to call, no matter who I speak to, they’re always extremely friendly and approachable. I find a lot of support teams in other businesses can make you feel stupid, or like you’re wasting their time when asking questions. With Eclipse, even if it’s a simple problem, they’re willing to log on remotely and show me, rather than just explain. The whole team are always happy to help and have a fantastic attitude.

Secondly, the integrations that are available. We’re currently using the MoJ portal and LRBG integrations and have found these in particular have reduced our time in half, not to mention streamline our processes across the personal injury and conveyancing departments.

How are you using FileView to enhance your service?
FileView is a fantastic selling point for us. Not only is it a great tool for estate agents and referrers, it’s also extremely useful for our clients, enabling them to securely log in as and when they want to for case updates.

As an example, we have clients in 55 cities across 33 countries worldwide so time zones often don’t allow for us to speak with them at a convenient time. A high number of our overseas clients, particularly in Hong Kong and Singapore, are conveyancing clients looking to buy and sell property in London – they’re often very tech-savvy and extremely demanding. One of the first questions we get asked is how we can ensure they’re kept updated on their case when they are the other side of the world. FileView provides the perfect solution, and has enabled us to reach clients that we otherwise would’ve had to turn away.

How well does Proclaim suit your on-going needs as a business?
As a Proclaim user and Eclipse client of nearly a decade, I can say it suits Blakewater Solicitors perfectly!

We’re always looking at new methods to improve our systems and procedures, which of course Proclaim plays a huge part in. Thankfully, its usability means we can easily tweak the system whenever we need to for business and/or client requirements. As part of this, we’re currently looking to implement Eclipse’s SecureDocs tool for our personal injury department as it would significantly improve our turnaround times and complement our existing system very well.

Furthermore, Eclipse is the market-leading provider so we’re quietly confident that any of our future technology will always be supported – whether that’s a new third party integration, or entirely new case type.

To put it simply, Proclaim has been – and will continue to be – fundamental to our success.

For further information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

Vormetric Live Data Transformation from Thales Wins 2016 Computing Security Excellence Award for Security Innovation of the Year

Vormetric Live Data Transformation solution recognised for innovation, functionality and originality

LONDON, England, November 25, 2016 – Thales, a leader in critical information systems, cybersecurity and data protection, has announced that its Vormetric Live Data Transformation was named Security Innovation of the Year in the Computing Security Excellence Awards, following a ceremony in London. Judged by an independent panel, the awards celebrate the achievements of the IT industry's best security companies, solutions, products and personalities. This category was highly competitive, with the judges looking for products and services that can demonstrate something truly new and innovative.

With cyber threats and compliance requirements increasing in tandem, it is important that encryption can be deployed and managed with minimal impact on business processes and user experience. However, when very large data sets are involved, initial encryption deployments can reduce data availability and require lengthy maintenance windows. Compounding matters further, maintaining data security compliance often requires routine encryption key rotation even after initial deployments have been successfully completed. When large data sets have been encrypted, significant processing time and long periods of planned downtime may be required to support the rekeying of data. These realities have often forced security and IT teams to make tough trade-offs, fundamentally having to choose between security and availability.

“The use of encryption is critical to securing data at rest, but trying to encrypt very large databases or millions of files can span hours and even days, which can be a non-starter for applications that can’t afford long maintenance windows,” said Louise Bulman, Vice President of U.K. and Ireland Sales for Thales. “Our Vormetric Live Data Transformation is a real game-changer. For the first time, the operational impact of protecting data is effectively zero – organisations can be confident that their data, wherever it resides, is secured, without worrying about the disruption traditionally associated with encryption. As such, we are very proud to have been recognised in this category at the Computing Security Excellence Awards.”

With Vormetric Live Data Transformation from Thales, encryption is delivered with minimal disruption, effort, and cost. The solution’s transparent approach enables security organisations to implement encryption without changing application, networking, or storage architectures. Launched earlier this year, the product offers patented capabilities that deliver breakthroughs in resiliency and efficiency, while also highlighting Thales’ drive to continue offering organizations the most innovative, easy to deploy and operate data security solutions available.

“With this solution, businesses can ensure data protection while continuing to operate without interruption – no matter how many files are involved or how large their databases are,” continued Bulman. “Our Vormetric Live Data Transformation product offers significant improvements in security and data availability, while reducing the operational costs typically associated with encryption. We thank the judges for recognising our ongoing commitment to data encryption and protection.”

IBM mainframe shops crave modern alternatives to the classic ‘green screen’ mainframe interface, suggests new poll

Over half say web and mobile access to more applications would help them maximize use of their mainframe systems

71% of IBM mainframe customers questioned in a new poll said the growing shortage of IT staff with mainframe experience makes it more important than ever to provide user-friendly alternatives to the platform’s classic ‘green screen’ 3270 interface. 54% state that being able to deliver web and mobile access to more applications – something not possible through a standard 3270 interface – would help their businesses get the most out of the z/OS platform. However, costs and a lack of resources are an obstacle.

The survey, conducted by Macro 4, a division of UNICOM® Global, asked 48 attendees at this year’s GSE UK Conference for IBM mainframe users about the way their organizations provide access to mainframe applications. Key findings are presented in an infographic: ‘Macro 4 GSE survey results’.

“The 3270 interface has been an effective and enduring way of accessing mainframe applications for many years,” said Keith Banham, Mainframe R&D Manager at Macro 4. “But one of its drawbacks is its reliance on text commands and function keys for navigating through applications – which can make it seem old-fashioned and cumbersome to modern users. The other major shortcoming is its lack of support for web and mobile, which is a real obstacle to wider access. Currently most people who rely on a 3270 interface are tied to a PC running a terminal emulator for accessing their mainframe applications. This is a huge turn-off given the mobile and home working revolution.”

When asked about the disadvantages of the traditional 3270 interface, over half (51%) of the survey sample cited the inability of the traditional mainframe interface to support web or mobile access. 29% complained about it needing additional terminal emulation software installed on the user’s device in order to provide access to applications. 60% noted that the classic 3270 interface looks less appealing than more modern interfaces and 44% pointed to it requiring more staff training.

“To make the z/OS platform more accessible, many companies have invested in developing their own customized web and mobile interfaces, but this can get expensive if they have to create a new interface from scratch for every application they have on the mainframe,” explained Banham. “Half of those we polled said they had mainframe applications they’d like to web enable, but haven’t done so because of the cost and resources it would involve.”

One emerging solution to the accessibility issue is mainframe session management software that has been web enabled to provide a mobile-friendly browser interface to any application a user is authorized to access.

Most mainframe customers already provide their users with a session manager to improve user experience and increase productivity. Its main function has been to save users who work with multiple mainframe applications from having to log in to each one individually. After signing in to the session manager users can access all their applications securely from a single menu, switching from one to the other and even copying and pasting information between them.

“A web-enabled session manager such as Tubes from Macro 4 allows users to access their applications securely from any device with a browser – whether it’s a laptop, tablet or smartphone,” explained Banham. “This is a huge step forward because at a single stroke you can open up all your applications to web and mobile users, without costly web development or compromising on security.”

This new generation of session manager pioneered by Macro 4 makes web access available as an optional feature alongside 3270 access for users who still want it, according to Banham: “3270 applications accessed through the Tubes session manager have the same ‘look and feel’ as before but they now work in a browser and respond to a touchscreen or mouse. Any function keys appear as buttons at the bottom of the screen, and are touchscreen enabled so the application can be used without a computer keyboard.”

“If you want to go further, you also have an option to update the interface for individual applications, by adding graphics and dropdown menus, for example,” added Banham.

72% of the companies surveyed agreed that using a web- or mobile-enabled session manager was a fast and easy way of providing web access to mainframe applications.

“Most mainframe shops are implementing modernization strategies to help ensure that the mainframe stays relevant to today’s IT and business users. Providing web and mobile access is critical and companies are finding new and innovative ways of tackling this challenge. Web-enabled session management is an important part of the picture,” said Banham.

Macro 4 ran the survey of 48 IBM mainframe users in November 2016 at the GSE UK Conference held by Guide Share Europe (GSE), the premier IBM User Group in Europe. An infographic that highlights the main findings can be viewed here: http://macro4.com/files/2714/7997/8163/macro-4-gse-survey-results.jpg. 

Former Head of Claims and Performance at Dyson to develop new Quiet Mark product categories and industries across global markets

November 24, 2016: Quiet Mark, the universal symbol and system of support for consumers and industry, to help transform the aural environment for the benefit of all, today announces the appointment of Toby Saville to the role of Chief Technical Officer.

In this senior position, Toby will be responsible for maximising the efficiency of Quiet Mark’s testing programme, working closely with testing and assessment partners Anderson Acoustics, Head Acoustics Germany and Good Housekeeping Institute.
   
Liaising with the technical directors of global brands, Toby will also help Quiet Mark to assess an expanding breadth of product categories from diverse industries. With his vast experience in product development, he will assist Quiet Mark in discovering pioneering quiet technology, products and solutions to unwanted noise.

While working at Dyson, Toby was responsible for developing a range of product categories and has a deep awareness of the challenges of limiting noise when producing high-performing products. He is attracted to the idea of contradicting the premise that anything useful generates noise. He is also impressed by Quiet Mark’s altruistic motivation to make lives better by reducing unwanted noise.

Toby says, “Having worked with Quiet Mark since it began, as a partner of Dyson, I have seen first-hand how consumers welcome the scheme, and value having independent information to help them make the right product purchase.

“I am impressed with Quiet Mark’s cutting-edge measurement of noise levels and sound quality, and also its integrity. Its drive to lead manufacturers to ‘up their game’ on acoustics by constantly raising the bar of consumer expectation is incredible.”

Quiet Mark’s founder and MD, Poppy Szkiler, had Toby on her radar for some time. His many years of experience in product development and R&D environments at Dyson made him a fantastic candidate to lead Quiet Mark’s technical operations.

Poppy says, “We are absolutely delighted Toby has joined us. He brings vast experience of working with engineers and technical experts to design test methods, specify and build new test environments, and evolve international test standards. He also has a detailed scientific mind, all of which makes him the ideal leader to take the reins of our testing programme, working with our acoustic experts at Anderson Acoustics.

“Quiet Mark’s value to manufacturers is becoming increasingly evident, with products bearing the mark showing significant sales uplift. With enquiries flooding in from an array of global industries, Toby is joining at a time of growth and expansion. I am confident that he will be very successful in developing our acoustic assessment capability and fielding the queue of new product categories looking to achieve a Quiet Mark.”

By Ian Kilpatrick, Executive Vice President Cyber-Security, Nuvias Group and Chairman Wick Hill Group

In 2016, we are subject to near constant headlines detailing the latest big data breach or hacking scandal. Many of us probably think we have a pretty good handle on the different types of security risks that can threaten our businesses. But the reality may be a little different.

The introduction of new technologies, the growth of cloud computing and changing employee working practices have all opened the door to a raft of new security vulnerabilities – often without us realising it.

The security perimeter that was once in place no longer exists; Bring your own Device (BYOD), remote working or working across multiple sites, combined with an increasing reliance on cloud-based applications such as Office 365 and Salesforce, and public cloud services like Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure, have contributed to a de-centralised environment where company data and applications can be freely accessed from almost any device, on any network.

Without knowing it, many organisations have repeatedly punched holes into their once-secure perimeter, potentially leaving themselves not only vulnerable but fully open to attack.

However, because these changes have happened over time, in some cases several years, many firms have missed, or have under-prioritised the potential risks they face. This in some instances has led to complacency regarding legacy security systems – if something has always worked, and was secure in the past why mess with it? But of course, this doesn’t take into account the new wave of attacks coming from outside the weakened perimeter.

Firewall technology
One of a number of areas that this applies to is firewall technology, which has had to evolve to counter this next generation of security threats. The firewall that has done a perfectly good job over the past five years, may not be enough to protect your business in the future.

For example, firewalls deployed across a multi-site environment today, should be able to offer extra features such as the ability to optimise and protect business-critical traffic from being swamped by less important network activities. So, ideally your active firewall should feature product capabilities like compression, data-deduplication or application-based prioritisation and bandwidth guarantees.

Meanwhile, businesses are facing an unprecedented wave of ransomware attacks. These generally come in through email, but you could also have computers “calling home” to the Command & Control (C&C) server to install stealthware. With the right firewall – often described as next generation – in place, these activities can be detected and curbed.

In addition to the protection on the perimeter, you can deploy more firewalls internally to create zones. Zone-ing or segmentation makes it harder for malware and attackers to cross network boundaries.

Often it makes sense to allow for direct access to cloud applications from each branch office location, effectively moving away from the traditional centralised access approach. Allowing internet access from branch locations may now mean deploying firewalls at these locations. The practical challenges here are threefold:
1. Does the deployed, ‘smaller’ firewall device at each branch provide all the security controls needed and is it still affordable? Must-haves would be next-generation firewall features such as app control, user awareness, integrated IPS, the ability to intercept SSL, and advanced threat and malware detection.
2. Can these devices be effectively managed from a central user interface? This is important, because it means that only one security policy needs to be defined and maintained across all the deployed firewalls, even though enforcement now takes place in multiple physical locations.
3. What does the associated operational cost look like? Firewall devices need to be trouble-shot, logs need to be managed, updates applied etc.

Next Generation Firewalls
As with all things IT, Next Generation Firewalls (NGFW) are subject to more hype than reality. While many are fully featured, some are overmarketed versions of older technology and despite there being plenty of choice, there can be a blurring around the capabilities and performance on offer.

The customer should start by determining their needs, as they differ by organisational type, size, performance requirements, security concerns and of course compliance requirements. While there is a wide variation of prices in NGFW, often they are not matched directly to capability – which is why needs precedes budget considerations.

At the risk of creating a boring feature list, some of the elements to consider and prioritise for Next Generation Firewalls include application firewalling (using deep packet inspection), intrusion prevention, encrypted traffic inspection TLS/SSl, website filtering, bandwidth management, and third party identity management integration (LDAP, Radius active directory, etc.)

Other features can include antivirus, sandbox filtering, logging and auditing tools, network access control, DDoS protection and of course cloud capabilities.

Clearly different organisations will have a divergent range of needs driven by their own size, performance and security requirements. With the significant range of solutions on offer, the challenge can often be selection, particularly with the significant number of new suppliers entering the market with innovative offerings. However, these can often create more cloud than light in this area, plus there’s a real risk that if they have a genuinely innovative solution, they will be acquired by a bigger player.

Budget and management capabilities are also key elements in this equation. Given that a firewall often is deployed for considerably more than three years it’s crucial to make the right decision to protect your environment, not only against today’s threats but also those that will be the centre of attacks in the future.

Having been around security for more than 40 years, my own suggestion is that the conservative approach of going with a well-established player that can and will continue to invest in threat defences and upgrades is the best route. There are many organisations that fit this bill, including Barracuda Networks, Check Point and WatchGuard Technologies to name a few. Subject to the size and potential cost of your deployment, putting one or more suppliers through a full POC (proof of concept) ahead of the decision can be a very effective investment to protect your organisation in a radically changed risk environment from three years ago, and one which will continue to change at potentially an even faster rate.

• Leading Vendors, Solution and Service Providers to meet in London in September 2017

[London, 24 November 2016] IT Europa and Angel Business Communications announced today that they will jointly be staging the sixth annual Managed Services & Hosting Summit-UK on 20 September 2017. The event will bring leading hardware and software vendors, hosting providers, telecommunications companies, mobile operators and web services providers involved in managed services and hosting together with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and resellers, integrators and service providers migrating to, or developing their own managed services portfolio and sales of hosted solutions.
   
All indicators are pointing to the continued rapid growth of managed services, with the world market for Cloud-based Managed Services predicted to grow at an annual rate of almost 20% through to 2020, according to recent research by Technavio, but the impact of new technologies and changing buyer behaviour in the face of evolving requirements is creating challenges for both vendors and MSPs alike. Under the theme of the Creating Value with Managed Services, the Managed Services and Hosting Summit-UK 2017 will provide insights into how the market is changing and what it will take for MSPs to succeed as it evolves. Specific areas addressed will include the emergence and impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) and M2M, the growing importance of security, trends in service delivery and how to create value both within an MSP and for its customers.

The Managed Services & Hosting Summit-UK 2017 is a management-level event designed to help channel organisations identify opportunities arising from the increasing demand for managed and hosted services and to develop and strengthen partnerships aimed at supporting sales. Building on the success of previous managed services and hosting events, the summit will feature a high-level conference programme exploring the impact of new business models and the changing role of information technology within modern businesses. These conference sessions will be augmented by breakout sessions within which leading vendors and service providers will provide further insight into the opportunities for channel organisations looking to expand their managed services portfolios.
 
Throughout the day there will also be many opportunities for both sponsors and delegates to meet fellow participants within the Summit exhibition and networking area.

“Advances in technology, economic pressures and evolving business models are combining to fundamentally change the role of IT within businesses and the role of MSPs and other channels in delivering it,” says Alan Norman, Managing Director of IT Europa. “This is creating huge opportunities, but to compete successfully in creating value for their customers, MSPs will need to adapt and evolve to ride the latest waves of technological advance.”

“The Managed Services & Hosting Summit is the UK’s leading managed services event for the channel and provides a unique opportunity for vendors, VARs, integrators and service providers to come together to address the issues and opportunities arising from the surge in customer demand for managed services and hosted delivery models,” says Jason Holloway, Director of IT Publishing at Angel Business Communications.

The Managed Services and Hosting Summit-UK 2017 will take place at 155 Bishopsgate, London, on 20 September 2017. MSPs, resellers and integrators wishing to attend the convention and vendors, distributors or service providers interested in sponsorship opportunities can find further information at: www.mshsummit.com 

For those focussed more internationally, the Managed Services and Hosting Summit-Europe 2017 will take place at the Amsterdam Hilton on 25 April 2017. MSPs, resellers and integrators wishing to attend the convention and vendors, distributors or service providers interested in sponsorship opportunities can find further information at: www.mshsummit.com/amsterdam

Research reveals worrying digital security gap among UK organisations, over half lacking a digital brand protection programme while a third lacking a cyber threat management programme
 
Growing digital engagement with customers across web, mobile apps and social media threatens security of organisations and their customers

London, UK, 24 November, 2016 – New research from RiskIQ on the state of digital risk management in large, UK organisations reveals that while 82 percent of C-Suite and senior managers admit they are concerned about the vulnerability of their web sites, mobile applications and social media accounts to cyber attack and impersonation, over half (57 percent) do not have a digital brand protection programme or team in place and over a third (34 percent) are missing a dedicated cyber threat management programme to protect them. As a result, organisations are missing the opportunity to detect cyber threats in the early stages where mitigation would greatly reduce the negative impact to the business and its customers.

Organisations continue to invest in web, mobile and social to engage with customers. This introduces new security risks that sit outside the corporate firewall, including threat actors compromising vulnerable web assets and duping users by impersonating business brands. Aligned with the heightened cyber threat, 82 percent of those surveyed cited that the security of digital channels is a boardroom concern and 90 percent agree that their organisation is equally or more at risk from cyber security attacks and digital brand impersonation compared to just five years ago.

The survey results indicate high confidence among the C-Suite and senior managers in protecting a business’ digital presence despite lack of controls being applied to do so, and with minimal organisational responsibility evident. Although 88 percent would rate themselves as having good to excellent knowledge of cyber security, one quarter either don’t know or don’t currently monitor their digital channels. This is with the understanding that 68 percent feel that their organisation is more at risk from cyber security attacks today compared to five years ago.

Such concerns are having a direct impact on business progress, with 85 percent of those surveyed stating that cyber security and brand protection concerns are affecting the rollout of new digital initiatives.

Ben Harknett, VP EMEA, RiskIQ comments, “Our research shows that while organisations are advancing their use of digital channels, security is once again playing catch up. This lag results in increased digital risk which could impact the success of those channels. Digital Risk Monitoring and External Threat Management needs to be considered by all organisations in the defence of their digital channels.”

Notes to editor
The Digital Risk Management survey, conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of RiskIQ during November, surveyed 250 C-suite and senior managers from UK companies with greater than 500 employees. Additional survey findings include:

• Top cyber security and brand concerns include: brand and reputational damage (51 percent), exposure to customer data (58 percent) and phishing and malware attacks (40 percent)
• 85 percent of respondents stated that digital engagement is playing a more important role in their organisation than five years ago
• 66 percent have a cyber threat management team, and 44 percent have a digital brand management team in place
• 39 percent feel both cyber security and brand protection concerns are affecting the rollout of new digital initiatives; 32 percent say only cyber security; 13 percent say only brand protection
• 62 percent said their organisation is more at risk from digital brand impersonation

Download the research infographic at –
http://www.riskiq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/digital-security-gap-infographic-2016.pdf

My Home Move Goes Live on LexisOne™ Enterprise Resource Planning Solution for Legal

LexisOne will enable My Home Move’s multi-site and multi-entity operation to operate seamlessly

LONDON, U.K. – 24 November 2016 – My Home Move Ltd, the UK’s largest provider of mover conveyancing services, is live on LexisOne™, the enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for legal from LexisNexis Enterprise Solutions, which is powered by Microsoft Dynamics® AX. In this first six-month phase of deployment, LexisOne has replaced the incumbent aging financial system. Over time, LexisOne will provide My Home Move with a common data platform across its business, creating a seamless environment throughout the organisation. The process efficiencies delivered by LexisOne will directly translate into superior levels of service for all of their customers.

My Home Move is now able to institute common best practice finance methodologies to manage its multi-site and multi-entity operation, and will deploy additional functionality through an incremental release strategy. Ultimately, with all the core data residing in LexisOne, the system will deliver a ‘single, authoritative version of truth’. Both data quality and speed of reporting will significantly improve due to the extensive capabilities offered by the solution.

“LexisOne is a strategic investment for us,” Paul Tennant, IT Director at My Home Move, commented. “The achievement of our ambitious growth plan is to a large extent reliant on the delivery of exceptional customer care underpinned by innovative technology and unrivalled expertise. LexisOne is the technology platform that will support the realisation of this goal for the long term – it is scalable, robust and highly customisable to our way of working. It will deliver process efficiencies that only an ERP system can enable.”

My Home Move chose enterprise-grade ERP system, LexisOne, as it is built on the industry standard, future-proof Microsoft Dynamics AX platform. My Home Move is committed to Microsoft technology for its IT infrastructure, and the organisation already has staff in-house ready to maximise the use of the solution. As the business grows, recruitment of new staff to manage the technology (including .NET developers) will be relatively straightforward due to the vast pool of personnel with Microsoft expertise available in the industry.

“We are delighted with the smooth and rapid roll-out of the first phase of LexisOne at My Home Move. This success reflects the collaborative approach of our two organisations,” Andy Sparkes, General Manager at LexisNexis Enterprise Solutions, said. “Due to the fast changing global environment, organisations require standard best practice processes to manage business; alongside reliable visibility of commercial performance in real-time. Only an ERP-led business management approach can truly facilitate this.”

LexisOne is an ERP solution for legal, which goes beyond traditional practice management. LexisOne helps firms proactively manage costs, prepare and track matter budgets, improve control, make informed decisions and optimise resources to deliver greater value to clients. Powered by Microsoft Dynamics AX, LexisOne harmonises financial, human resources, productivity and performance management to provide the insight, flexibility and scalability that firms need to rapidly adapt in an ever-changing world.

HUBER+SUHNER, leading international manufacturer of components and systems for optical and electrical connectivity products, is set to display its innovative RADOX® portfolio and rail connectivity solutions at this year’s InnoRail exhibition in India.

HUBER+SUHNER’s booth at InnoRail focuses on solutions for Connected Mobility – the notion that HUBER+SUHNER brings communications and railway together by providing instrumental components required to enable broadband network connections on board, from train-to-ground and trackside. As such, it will be displaying a wide range of products, which allow operators and passengers to run their increasingly demanding applications seamlessly.

“As rail systems are becoming ever more sophisticated, passenger comfort and entertainment are key drivers in increasing rail attractiveness,” said Makarand Belsare, Vice President – Transportation at HUBER+SUHNER India. “The worlds of communications and railway must be brought together, and HUBER+SUHNER are able to provide the appropriate Connected Mobility solutions to keep up with the rising demands. We look forward to showing why we are rail connectivity leaders at InnoRail and showcasing our products to professionals in the region.”

HUBER+SUHNER’s revolutionary portfolio of customised RADOX® cables and components are specially designed for demanding applications, where movements combined with enhanced fire performance is required. The electron-beam cross-linked insulation materials are used over the entire range of products, creating extremely robust products for harsh environmental conditions.

Also on display will be HUBER+SUHNER’s state-of-the-art SENCITY® Omni-S MIMO, a configurable multiband antenna for WiFi MIMO, Cellular/LTE and GNSS. Specially designed to install Internet in trains, the Omni-S antenna supports various wireless bands such as 4G and LTE and can be used as a 4x4 WiFi MIMO multi-port antenna.

By showcasing these innovations, HUBER+SUHNER will ultimately demonstrate a complete solution at InnoRail India which the rail industry can use to fully equip itself for the future.

Exhibition visitors can see the HUBER+SUHNER vision for future railway connections at booth number 29A at InnoRail 2016, India, 1-3 December.