< PreviousVersa Networks and Infinigate partner to bring unified SASE to EMEA enterprises Versa Networks and Infinigate have announced a partnership agreement to deliver Unified SASE to enterprises across the EMEA region. The partnership is an extension on the relationship Versa Networks had established with Nuvias, now an integral part of the Infinigate Group. Versa’s full product suite which provides end- to-end solutions that both simplify and secure the modern network is available now from Infinigate to enterprises and partners, including resellers, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Value Added Resellers (VARs), across Europe and the Middle East. Available in the cloud, on-premise, or a combination of both, Versa brings together solutions that solve the security and networking concerns plaguing organisations and MSPs. Versa Unified SASE securely and reliably connects home workers, branch workers and users to applications, while decreasing latency, reducing complexity, and enhancing visibility across the entire network. By extending the prior Nuvias relationship across Europe and the Middle East, the partnership with Infinigate signifies Versa Network’s continued commitment and investment within the region. Martin MacKay, chief revenue officer at Versa Networks, said: “Organisations are continuing to seek ways in which they can build agile and secure networks and we’re seeing increasing demand across the region for a SASE solution that enables organisations to ensure the security of its users, applications, and workloads – anywhere, anytime. Infinigate’s market reach and cybersecurity expertise is unrivalled, and we share a common vision and business goals. By working together, we can now make the possibilities and promises of SASE a reality for enterprises in Europe and the Middle East.” For Infinigate, Versa brings a portfolio of SASE, Secure SD-WAN, and SSE solutions that specifically targets the enterprise market and complements its extensive vendor portfolio by opening new revenue streams for partners. Helping partners navigate the complex SASE market, Infinigate will provide hands-on support to identify and deliver solutions that address customer demands and requirements. The latest advancements in customer premises equipment (CPE) solutions set to enhance the connected home experience for millions of people will be showcased at the upcoming 2023 prpl Summit. Taking place on Monday 23 October in Paris, France, the summit will feature speakers from across the industry, keynotes from operators and industry stakeholders and innovative application demonstrations. With over 200 industry leaders from across the world expected to be in attendance, attendees will hear how the prpl Foundation and other industry titans are accelerating the deployment of innovative applications and services, while transforming CPE ecosystems. Key discussions held over the course of the day will be led by industry titans including Orange, Verizon, DISH Networks, AT&T and MaxLinear. Topics will include open-source applications, security, carrier-grade software design, carrier-grade hardware platforms with next-gen chips, critical carrier and mobile communications, as well as consumer applications. Held in the Orange headquarters by the banks of the River Seine in Les Moulineaux, this year’s summit will present a unique opportunity for collaboration, networking, and development, with more than 200 industry leaders from across the world expected to be in attendance. Attendees of the summit will be able to hear from, and network with, experts involved in the creation of the prplWare carrier- grade open-source suite, including prplOS, prplMesh, prpl lifecycle management (LCM), and prplSecurity. “This year’s summit will showcase how the prpl Foundation and other major industry players are accelerating the deployment of innovative applications and services while transforming CPE ecosystems” said prpl Foundation president Dr Len Dauphinee, VP and chief technology officer Broadband Group at MaxLinear. “Through our members, attendees will be able to gain key insight into the developments and applications of the future. We are delighted to welcome Orange as the first official sponsor of the event and would like to thank them for generously hosting the Summit this year.” The summit will feature an operators roundtable to discuss the deployment of prpl’s next-gen application-delivery platform, alongside a standards organisations roundtable featuring partners collaborating with the prpl Foundation. prpl Summit 2023 NEWS IN BRIEF 10Savox Communications launches IMPW, wireless intercom system for critical missions Savox Communications, a leading provider of mission-critical hearing protection and communication solutions, is launching a game-changing intercom system, which will bring a situational sixth sense into team operations: the Savox IMPW. The Savox IMPW is an intercom system with wireless capability, designed to withstand the harshest conditions in both civilian and combat missions, ensuring uninterrupted communications. The new Savox IMPW system incorporates the Savox IMP system, the Savox WIM (Wireless Interface Module) and a specific number of Savox WPCU’s (Wireless Personal Communication Units). Natural and near-lag-free audio makes it easy for troops to maintain, acquire more, and share situational awareness within the group or with others, both within the vehicle or vessel and in its immediate vicinity. The Savox IMPW wireless intercom system ensures smooth cooperation between the team and the supporting vehicle in all situations, facilitating the execution of critical missions. The operating device carried by the users (WPCU) enables wireless communication with the vehicle's crew, dismounted persons from the vehicle, and radios connected to the vehicle's intercom system. The users can also connect personal radios to their operating device, enabling control of numerous different situations. The user can effortlessly switch and connect to a required radio or voice channel, enabling them to maintain complete focus on their primary task. To safeguard the troops, the system operates at low power making it hard to be detected. Complete radio silence is achieved by simply turning off the base station, without the need to turn off user devices. The wireless connection is strongly protected and encrypted, making eavesdropping very challenging, if not virtually impossible. > Key benefits of the Savox IMPW wireless intercom system: > Wireless range up to 300m LOS > Maximum users per base station: 10 > AES-256 Encryption > Full-Duplex and PTT mode > Less than 50ms latency Savox Communications launches IMPW, wireless intercom system for critical missions CENTIEL supports Sure’s data centres Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) supplier CENTIEL has completed a project to deploy its award-winning fourth generation, three-phase, modular UPS system CumulusPower TM in three of Sure’s Tier III data centres on Guernsey. Louis McGarry, Centiel sales and marketing manager said: “As an organisation, Sure requires the highest level of uptime and is also committed to reducing energy usage throughout its facilities. CumulusPower TM was selected to replace a number of legacy UPS, providing a more efficient solution now that Sure is on a zero-carbon path.” The upgrade to legacy equipment in data halls 4, 5 and 8 this year to CumulusPower TM has seen the whole facility convert to the latest technology, which offers significantly higher resilience and availability (nine-nines 99.9999999% which equates to milliseconds per year) than previously, in addition to achieving significant energy savings, costs and reducing carbon footprint. Due to the true modular nature of CumulusPower it is highly efficient, meaning it runs at 97% efficiency compared with 80% for the previous UPS. Due to the location of the Channel Islands, trained engineers usually need to fly to the sslands to complete necessary maintenance work. CumulusPower’s modules can be ‘hot/safe swapped’ in a running load therefore Centiel has also trained Sure’s engineers in first level response. Sure’s team can now complete basic monitoring, diagnostics and maintenance of the UPS. Simon Roger, Sure's facilities manager, said: “CumulusPower is unique in the market because it enables UPS modules to be swapped safely by our trained team without switching the UPS off. This safe-hot-swap functionality means even if we need to replace a module and send it for repair, we do not experience any downtime, ensuring maximum availability for our clients.” NEWS IN BRIEF 11FEATURES 12The increase in the volume of data that is being exposed by breaches means there has never been a more critical time to adopt a data loss prevention (DLP) approach. While the breaches that make headlines often happen to large, globally-known organisations, a study by Intel found that 70% of data loss incidents in smaller, commercial organisations still warranted public disclosure. For companies, the risk of a breach is not just to the security of sensitive data, or to their brand reputation but the double whammy of regulatory fines and negative commercial impact. A report by IBM published in July shows that the average cost of a data breach in the UK in 2022 was £3.8 million. Minimising the risk of a data breach is a challenge that network teams wrestle with on a daily basis, and as always, the best approach is prevention. By adopting a set of strategies which combine both processes and security tools, companies can put up barriers that halt unauthorised access to data, stopping it from falling into the wrong hands or being lost through human error. Of course, data security should be the concern for everyone working in an organisation and for DLP to be successful, a company-wide approach led from the top is essential. Of the security tools that will form part of the programme, strong encryption is key to ensuring data cannot be leaked, however, if there are any weaknesses in implementation, these will be detected by cyber criminals, so attention to detail is paramount for success. Best practices for implementing data loss prevention 1. Assessment To get the most out of a DLP approach, it’s best to start with an assessment of the data that the compa- ny holds. Some data will be more critical than other data and this should be given priority in terms of en- suring it is protected. It helps to classify data according Tiago Gomes, flash business manager, Kingston Technology www.kingston.com/ unitedkingdom/en Data loss prevention – the vanguard in the data security battle FEATURES 13to context, and the classification could be associated with the source app, the data store, or even by who created it. This will make it easier to track. 2. C-suite buy-in While responsibility for implementing DLP lies mainly with CISOs and the network team, the CFO and CEO will need to sign off the budget for the programme. This means presenting a strong case of the benefits for individual business units, the efficient use of assets and resources, and the ability to address pain points and minimise risk. Senior advocacy will help with the smooth implementation of DLP policies and encour- age support from department heads. 3. Objectives Companies should understand what their objectives are for DLP. These might extend beyond simply pre- vention, to ensuring regulatory compliance, protecting an IP, or achieving improved data visibility. Identifying what matters most makes deployment of DLP more efficient and, in the long term, more effective. 4 Approach Defining the approach is essential. If a company takes a project approach, for example, it can start by focusing on data of a specific type. Discovering and automating the classification of the most sensitive or critical data is a good place to start. However, whatever classification of data is chosen first, it must be applied across all departments to ensure consistency. 5 Training Internal guidance can help to cut the risk of accidental data loss by employees. Advanced DLP solutions will provide user prompting which notifies employees that use of certain data will contravene company or regu- latory policy, or, alerts them if their activity is deemed risky. This might include attempting to forward busi- ness emails outside the corporate network perimeter or uploading critical files to unauthorised cloud services. 6 Monitoring To that end, companies should be aiming to gain an understanding of how the data in their organisation is being used. Monitoring data in motion will help to identify risky behaviour, particularly in relation to sensitive files. In the hybrid working environment, data is at risk during transit or when it is used on un- protected endpoints. A DLP programme will account for this increase in risk. 7 Setting KPIs Metrics are important for gauging the success of any strategic programme, and DLP KPIs should be agreed in advance and have the support of the entire organisation. Assessing the KPIs will allow for improvements to be made, and to determine the value that DLP is bringing to the organisation. 8. Tools Preventing data loss means investing in the right tools, and one of the best ways to do this, without compromising existing workflows, is through hardware- encrypted hard drives. These are available in different models, designed to suit organisations of all sizes and are invaluable in shoring up defences and bolstering DLP programmes. Data loss prevention is evolving in line with the explosion in data and the expansion of attack surfaces and now incorporates managed services, cloud storage and functionality, behaviour analysis, insider threats, and advanced threat protection. As work habits change and companies expand their hybrid work environments, regulations are being updated to reflect new risks. This means that the need for personal information protection and compliance, IP protection and data visibility – the three tenets of a data loss prevention programme – becomes more acute. A level of commitment is needed to ensure that DLP is successful, and it will require constant re-tuning as business processes or changes to data evolve. Maintaining the programme will depend on continuous delivery improvements and timely measurement. If the DLP can be shown to have successfully combatted a data loss risk or helped to resolve a cyber incident, this will be valuable proof that its deployment was worthwhile. For companies, the risk of a breach is not just to the security of sensitive data, or to their brand reputation but the double whammy of regulatory fines and negative commercial impact. A report by IBM published in July shows that the average cost of a data breach in the UK in 2022 was £3.8 million. FEATURES 14FEATURES 15Enabling organisations to enter new markets with confidence Jean-Philippe Avelange, CIO, Experero https://www.expereo.com The role of the CIO has changed considerably over the last decade. Issues that were once categorised as ‘IT concerns’ such as network security, connectivity and hybrid set-ups have now become business critical. Perhaps due to the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical environment, and surely because of an increasingly complex security landscape, organisations that operate globally face many more risks than previously. Meanwhile, business issues traditionally assigned to the CEO, such as the pursuit of global expansion, have now become a key responsibility for CIOs, who are expected to take a seat at the table. CIOs play a critical role in successful global expansion, ensuring the business and its people stay connected, securely, anywhere around the world. We recently surveyed over 650 CIOs from global enterprises with annual revenues exceeding $500 million. Our findings uncovered that 46% of IT leaders have imminent plans for global growth within the next year. So, what does this mean for the future role of CIOs? To start with, it signifies a shift from CIOs being predominantly technology stewards to becoming strategic enablers of business growth. Indeed, the entire notion of IT as a support function is being challenged and instead giving way to a more strategic and visionary role. With this desire for business growth naturally comes new challenges, from data security and compliance, unpredictable downtime and unnecessary complexity, to disjointed communication and siloed teams. It is now the responsibility of the CIO to wield technology solutions in order to mitigate the risks associated with global expansion. Addressing the challenges of global growth According to our Enterprise Horizons report, almost half (47%) of global CIOs agree that establishing and managing global connectivity stands as the single most critical factor in ensuring the success of these expansion endeavours. Connectivity, once perceived as mere infrastructure, has evidently now become a linchpin for achieving strategic business objectives. Notably, 42% of boards view global connectivity as a strategic asset, integral to driving growth. This shift in perception is significant. It signifies that connectivity is no longer confined to the realm of technical implementation; it's now a vital component of strategic decision-making at the highest levels of the organisation. However, identifying connectivity as a priority is only the first step towards successful expansion – much more significant is ensuring its effective implementation. Our same survey reveals that 37% of CIOs consider establishing effective connectivity in new regions as a significant challenge within their role, while an equal Effective global expansion is about ensuring that new leaps seamlessly integrate and connect FEATURES 16FEATURES 17percentage find it to be a substantial organisational hurdle. Additionally, 35% believe that their organisations' ambitions are constrained by legacy connectivity. This is not a surprise, when a business expands internationally, resources may be strained and teams may face unexpected outages or network disruptions, while more local infrastructure issues and communication challenges can also lead to misunderstandings, delays and reduced collaboration. On top of this, as organisations expand globally, they can encounter diverse data privacy regulations and security threats. Mitigating the risks There are, however, ways to mitigate risks to global expansion. Advanced connectivity solutions, such as SD-WAN, can offer redundancy and failover capabilities to ensure uninterrupted operations and enable seamless real-time communication and collaboration tools, bridging geographical gaps. Similarly, connectivity solutions can establish secure, compliant data channels, mitigating risks associated with data breaches and regulatory non-compliance. Of course, as every region has its own unique opportunities and challenges when it comes to expansion, highly regulated markets pose one set of challenges while highly deregulated markets present another. While CIOs broadly agreed that Latin America and the Caribbean are challenging markets to grow the business, that doesn’t make Europe, Asia and North America easy. For a CIO looking to expand into these markets it is vital to harbour and develop local knowledge and intelligence that combat these risks and benefit not only the business internally but also provide invaluable insights to customers and stakeholders. Indeed 42% of CIOs we spoke to were actively pushing for investments into local knowledge to address issues presented by growth. Other challenge areas, such as talent sourcing and retention are more complicated to overcome though, especially when (as 38% of respondents stated) managing a team which is scattered across markets. To address this, our research shows that CIOs are increasingly turning inward first to upskill the existing workforce on new technologies rather than looking outside of the organisation, with 46% pushing for upskilling teams compared to only 36% prioritising recruiting. As such, growth can therefore be accelerated when an upskilling strategy is combined with regional expertise. Besides growing and upskilling the workforce, CIOs are trying to reduce the risk growth brings in overloading teams, by automating manual and repetitive tasks. These new technologies can not only make expansion less of a strain on employees – but they can also simplify the process altogether. On top of this, solutions that offer a single management platform allow CIOs instant and real-time oversight into the progress of the business network wherever it is in the world, simplifying and reducing the risk of potentially chaotic or siloed growth. As such it’s clear that effective global expansion isn't solely about opening new offices or moving into new markets; it's about ensuring that these new leaps seamlessly integrate and connect with the rest of the organisation. Staying connected is the key While challenges such as skills and resource retention, geopolitical complexities, regulation, and legacy systems all demand attention, connectivity remains the unifying thread. It underscores the need for CIOs to be forward- thinking and adaptable, capable of navigating the complex terrain of global expansion. Looking to the future, as organisations seek growth opportunities in new regions, CIOs – and their ability to establish effective connectivity – will play a crucial role. When businesses harness connectivity to optimise communication and collaboration, they can bridge the geographical divide and foster a cohesive global workforce. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also promotes a sense of unity among employees spread across the world. Our research shows that CIOs are increasingly turning inward first to upskill the existing workforce on new technologies rather than looking outside of the organisation , with 46% pushing for upskilling teams compared to only 36% prioritising recruiting FEATURES 18FEATURES 19Next >