Sustainability and our day-to-day healthcare are becoming increasingly intertwined. Innovations in AI, digital infrastructure, and data security are determining the quality of our healthcare service. Pascal Holt, Director of Marketing at Iceotope asks, how is it changing?
Ed Ansett, Founder and Chairman of i3 Solutions Group looks at a new white paper that presents the case for taking a Whole Life Carbon approach when assessing data centre carbon impact
Andy Connor, EMEA Channel Director, Subzero Engineering, outlines the edge explosion and examines the crucial role of the modular, micro data centre in delivering digital transformation.
Andrea Babbs, UK General Manager, VIPRE, explains how a combination of technology and the human workforce can be stronger together when it comes to a layered security approach.
Highly effective SaaS applications have enabled massive growth in remote working, bringing businesses new agility and employment flexibility. But with large numbers of employees working remotely on extended networks, Daniel Blackwell, Product Manager – Network and Security at Pulsant looks at the significant set of security challenges that have arisen.
Naman Shrivastava at Global Market Insights looks at the rising necessity for establishing strong and efficient communication infrastructures within an enterprise, meaning the global industrial ethernet industry is slated to witness notable expansion in the forthcoming years. READ MORE…
The sector has a long history of creative, independent minds. Alex Breary, Head of Marketing, Custodian Data Centres looks at why this level of creativity should not be limited by access to data and application availability, the need for on-demand servers and storage, or the need for superfast, low-latency connectivity.
Rob McKernan, SVP Secure Power Europe, Schneider Electric – The digital transformation is in full flight, and data centres are at the heart of this transformation. It is predicted that by the year 2025, we will be witnessing an astonishing five-fold growth in the generation of global data.
What Do IT Leaders Need to Consider When Evaluating On-premise and cloud Data Security?
Alan Hayward, Sales and Marketing Manager at SEH Technology looks at why many organisations are now contemplating the move to cloud applications to better achieve their business goals in the longer term. READ MORE…
Jean-François Allard, Director, EMEA Utilities & Communications, Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division looks at why fibre optic networks will rely on advanced GIS technology.
Fabian Libeau, VP sales EMEA at Axonius looks at why cybersecurity asset management is a foundation stone of any security program and fundamental when regulations need to be met.
Changes in the way enterprises function are only made possible by the effectiveness of today’s ever-expanding range of well-known business applications and collaboration tools. Daniel Blackwell, Pulsant discusses.
Rasheed Mohamad, EVP Global Operations, Business Technology and Quality, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise says there are measures that can be put in place to ensure businesses are prepared for future supply issues.
In the wake of the global pandemic, Giancarlo Giacomello, Aruba Enterprise’s Data Centre lead Technical Project Manager, speaks to us about the current colocation market trends, the importance of power and density to customers and why now it’s colocation’s time to shine.
Last year internet users experienced multiple network outages due to increased reliance on the online space. Connectivity problems are predicted to continue throughout 2022, however, employing currently dormant IP resources could help mitigate the problem.
Effective risk management. means identifying which cyber security events would have the greatest impact on the organisation and prioritising defence measures accordingly. Ryan Weeks, CISO at Datto looks at how to achieve this level of protection.
R&M share some insights from its annual research into developments in Data Centre and Local Area Networks.
Alex Smith, Technical Director, Flexicon explains some of the common myths around fire protection performance and the variety of differing standards in place.
Across all sectors, taking responsibility for your environmental impact has become an undeniable business imperative. David Watkins, Solutions Director for Virtus Data Centres says sustainability now sits at the top of the data centre industry’s agenda.
Critical to driving network uptime and business continuity, Alan Stewart-Brown, VP EMEA, Opengear discusses the various approaches to delivering network resiliency.
Lenley Hensarling, Chief Strategy Officer, Aerospike, looks at four real-time data management strategies organisations must embrace to remain competitive in 2022
Alex Lane, Revenue Growth Manager at zsah discusses why it is crucial to implement DevOps into your business not only to survive but to thrive.
John Hall, Managing Director – Colocation, Proximity Data Centres looks at why regional edge colocation data centres are key to reducing latency, backhaul costs and bandwidth bottlenecks.
Among the many different threats that face organisations, ransomware is growing in number and force, with attackers taking advantage of employees working outside the corporate network to infiltrate networks. Dave Waterson, CEO, SentryBay discusses.
As an impact of the pandemic, and the operational and IT weaknesses that were brought into sharp relief as a result, digital transformation of legacy systems and processes is now seen as a critical and urgent requirement.
Companies have comprehensively bought into the need for a solid backup strategy to protect their data in a world where a breach can simply never be off the cards. Jon Fielding, Managing Director EMEA, Apricorn looks at the options for backup strategies.
Billy Durie, Global Sector Head for Data Centres at Aggreko, discusses the importance of incorporating decentralised energy solutions on-site, both to secure current supply and future-proof against legislative changes.
Sascha Giese, Head Geek, SolarWinds asks, two years into the pandemic, what does the future of network management look like?
As the post-pandemic business landscape begins to take shape, Amy Young, Sales Director at Custodian Data Centres looks at why it’s critical for MSPs and ISPs to choose the right data centre partner to support growth.
The data centre industry is not alone in its determination to adjust, adapt and thrive following the challenges posed by the pandemic, the energy crisis and the digital skills gap. The latest DC Byte research revealed that not only is the data centre market showing signs of continued core expansion but there is also strong growth in new markets outside of Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin.
Over the past year, there was a lot of attention related to several new Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation announcements from multiple network operators. Brian Lavallée, Senior Director, Portfolio Marketing, Ciena explores the subject further.
By Laura Vallis, Editor, Networks Europe Magazine and friends The…
We asked Dave Sterlace, ABB’s Global Head of Data Centre Technology, to explain how colocation data centre operators can scale up quickly, sustainably, efficiently and cost-effectively using a “pay as you grow” strategy.
In 2022, organisations will begin to discover the value of viewing their networks holistically and as multi-layered. The increasing shift to online means that networks will need to be more capable than ever before and tomorrow’s networks are only as strong as their layers.
The energy impact of data centres is undeniable but so is the need for these facilities to handle the world’s ever-increasing data demands. What can’t be ignored is the energy efficiency trends that have developed in parallel. Matthew Margetts – Director of Sales and Marketing at Smarter Technologies looks at what can be done to improve data centre energy efficiency and sustainability.
Arcserve has announced the appointment of Brannon Lacey as its CEO. A 20-year veteran of the technology industry, Lacey brings extensive experience and success in building high-performance global software, cloud, cyber security and infrastructure organisations.
Peter Ruffley, Chairman at Zizo discusses how we can best use AI and what its role is within the data centre.
Gordon Johnson, Senior CFD Engineer at Subzero Engineering looks at why he believes containment has a vital role to play in addressing the fact that edge data centres need to provide a highly efficient, resilient, dynamic, scalable and sustainable environment for critical IT applications.
Head geeks of SolarWinds offer their predictions for the IT industry going into 2022 and beyond.
The compounding benefits of sustainable network management
Magnus Bjornsson, CEO of Men&Mice discusses why sustainable networking is the answer for any network manager interested in the effortless transfer of data, seamless migration between platforms and uninterrupted service as they onboard a recent company acquisition. Read more…
Small Businesses: The Future of the New Normal
Rob Hancock, Head of Platform, Giacom explains why SMBs are the future of the new normal and what the channel can do to enable and equip this growing sector more effectively. READ MORE…
Future-Proofing the Data Centre
For today’s operators, future-proofing the data centre covers a broad spectrum of requirements. Rowland Kinch, CEO at Custodian Data Centres discusses how the continued pace of change and scale in the industry means that data centre providers are having to think forward to stay in the race. READ MORE…
The nightmare before Christmas
Scary backup stories are not just for Hallowe’en. Richard Root, Digital Marketing Specialist, ATTO Technology suggests we gather around the spooky glow of our computer monitors and read these three real-life, backup horror stories! READ MORE…
In the limelight: green data centre operations
It’s no surprise that going “green” is top of the agenda for many data centre providers. Fabrizio Garrone, Aruba representative on the Board of Directors of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact takes a closer look at how the sector is minimising its environmental impact. READ MORE…
Three ways to future-proof your data centre
The amount of data created and consumed every day continues to grow rapidly, and all eyes must be on future expansion plans to ensure they are ready to capitalise on this demand. Dave Sterlace, Head of Technology at ABB Global Data Center Solutions, takes a look at three key trends which will be instrumental in delivering the data centres of the future. READ MORE…
Aggreko Launches Greener Upgrades in Support of Sustainable Data Centre Construction
Aggreko has reaffirmed its commitment to more sustainable data centre construction with the launch of its Greener Upgrades. READ MORE…
Why IoT and Smart City Technology Will Make It Possible to Sustain Growth
IoT has the potential to address many of the challenges of urban growth with smart city solutions. For all its potential, building and maintaining smart cities is not without its own challenges. Xavier Dupont, Senior Director Product Line, at Lantronix, highlights what these challenges are and how to overcome them. READ MORE…
Data Centres Must Prepare for Construction Supply Chain Fall-out
The construction industry’s well-documented supply struggles should serve as a reminder to data centre operators to ensure schedules of new facilities are adapted to avoid costly disruption, according to Aggreko. READ MORE…
Developments, Opportunities and Challenges for Cabling and Network Solutions
Michiel Panders, R&M General Manager Europe excl. DACH looks at why it’s more important than ever to make informed decisions about solutions that bring fibre closer to workplaces and end-users and increase the bandwidth of WiFi access points. READ MORE…
Eight Trends in Cloud Computing to Look Out For in 2022
As 2022 approaches, Amir Hashmi, Founder and CEO of zsah, a managed IT and cloud solutions provider lists eight trends expected to continue into the new year. READ MORE…
TREs and the IoT: Enabling a Trusted Connected Future
Trusted Connectivity Alliance (TCA) and IoT Security Foundation share a common vision: to secure the IoT and drive sustained growth through trusted connectivity. In this article, Claus Dietze, Chair of the TCA Board, explains how Tamper Resistant Elements (TRE) can help the IoT achieve its potential. READ MORE…
In the data centre, the focus has long been on cabling solutions supporting ultra-high densities and faster data transmission. In the LAN and intelligent buildings, it is all about network convergence, deploying a unified cabling system. Dominic Ross, Technical Manager UK & Ireland, Siemon looks at the environments that fall in between.
Developments in IoT technology have enabled smart buildings to take connectivity to the next level. Kelly Allen, Director Nokia Alliance EMEA, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise looks at how linking with existing building management systems can further support the goal of ensuring time, cost and energy efficiency.
Peter Ruffley, CEO, Zizo, explains how edge IoT and analytics can provide a powerful mechanism for translating complex data sources into a streamlined, lower cost platform with faster return on investment and higher value.
Song Toh, Vice President – Global Network Services, Tata Communications looks at how we’ll see organisations looking at spinning up their digital infrastructure, making it agile, secure and – most importantly – future-ready for any unforeseen circumstances, such as the pandemic.
Aniket Khosla, Vice President Product Management with Spirent, examines the current state of play when it comes to next-generation Ethernet connectivity.
Efficiency and waste remain two of the largest challenges for greenhouses, leading to the development of robots to improve operations. However, this presents challenges that require the latest computing technologies, explains Martin Frederiksen, Managing Director of Recab UK.
Matthias Gerber, Market Manager Office Cabling, Reichle & De Massari, looks at the use of SPE in building automation, supporting the extended reach implementation of small sensors and the miniaturisation of networking equipment.
Matthew Hawkridge, Chief Technology Officer at Ovarro, explains why secure RTUs can mitigate threats against critical national infrastructure.
The Pervasiveness of Data and Data-Centric Security Strategy
Adam Strange, Global Marketing Director at Titus, by HelpSystems, illustrates the pitfalls of information security architecture and explains how shifting to data-centric strategies will protect data at file level throughout its entire life cycle. READ MORE…
Alan Stewart-Brown, VP EMEA, Opengear explores why businesses that have done well through the lockdowns have been successful because of the growth in demand for their services. However, ongoing success depends on overcoming the technology challenges Covid-19 raised.
Ross Duke, Technical Director, MLL Telecom looks at the fact that enterprise organisations in the public and private sectors increasingly require managed network providers capable of offering not only network design, consultancy and monitoring, but also the technical knowledge and skills necessary for managing emerging and future technologies. The implementation of SD-WAN is a prime example.
Data Centre Transformation: Empowering a Culture of Sustainability
Sustainability has become one of the key market differentiators within the data centre sector with many providers making great strides in their sustainability ambitions, but what other actions can the sector take to slow the effects of carbon emissions? Rob McKernan, Senior Vice President, Secure Power Europe Region, Schneider Electric investigates. READ MORE….
James Bristow, SVP EMEA, Cradlepoint takes a look at how the global pandemic accelerated a network transformation that had been emerging for a long time: the transition from wired networks to wireless WANs.
On one hand, the race to net zero carbon emissions is intensifying and the industry is making strides in lowering energy usage, while on the other hand, we are seeing a rapid digital acceleration, the vast proliferation of smart devices and an upward surge in data demand.
Supporting hybrid learning: the key lies in advanced IT monitoring
As universities look to deliver a seamless digital experience to their students, their IT teams must make use of transformational AIOps in IT monitoring to maintain organisational performance and secure the hybrid learning experience of students. Article by Daniela Streng, VP & GM EMEA at LogicMonitor. READ MORE…
Fibre Optics for the Climate
Robert Merki, CTO, R&M believes that when it comes to protecting our atmosphere, fibre optics for your broadband is a good choice. READ MORE…
Backup generators are vital to ensure 100% uptime and reliability for data centres. But not all generators are created equal. Markku Vainamo, ABB Global Product Manager for Generators, outlines the most important technical factors to consider when specifying a generator for a data centre.
A safe pair of hands – why experience is critical in choosing a post-Covid data centre provider
How do businesses go about choosing a data centre partner? Darren Watkins, Managing Director for VIRTUS Data Centres asks what should they prioritise? And is experience a key priority? READ MORE…
How Your Network Became “The Bermuda Triangle” and How You Can Fix It
When COVID-19 hit, virtually all users left on-premises overnight to work from home. Networking teams immediately had to solve a whole new world of problems – from connectivity, to performance, to security – within what Hansang Bae, Field CTO at Netskope calls a ‘Network Bermuda Triangle of Uncertainty’. READ MORE…
Demystifying safety for UPS Li-ion battery systems
Gareth Hackett, Saft’s expert in large-format lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, explains how to specify Li-ion batteries in mission-critical UPS systems for data centres that provide safety as well as performance. READ MORE…
The wheelbarrow effect: cloud security under pressure
While the ‘wheelbarrow effect’ is likely to exist for as long as digital transformation accelerates, Ryan Sheldrake, Field CTO EMEA, Lacework believes it is key that teams remember that moving non-cloud-native applications into the cloud environment will only open the door to more risk. READ MORE…
Knowledge gaps around SASE may hinder business progress
The shift to remote working saw a rise in platforms to facilitate virtual operations and, in response, businesses began adopting technology solutions to strengthen their cybersecurity stance and improve network performance. Michael Wood, CMO at Versa Networks, looks at one of these solutions – the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). READ MORE…
Liquid Cooling Sustainability Gains – Energy Efficiency and Data Centre Waste Heat Recovery
David Craig, CEO of Iceotope explains how implementing and capitalising on the sustainable data centre can help to stimulate economic growth while causing the least amount of harm to the planet. READ MORE…
Legacy Data Centre Modernisation is Key for Sustainability
As the industry focuses on becoming more sustainable, Andy Connor, Channel Director, EMEA, Subzero Engineering, believes beginning with legacy facility modernisation holds the key to its success. READ MORE…
Edging closer to 5G with edge data centres
To match the performance expectations of 5G applications, the network needs both centralised large-scale data centres and small de-centralised edge data centres (EDCs), located much closer to end-user devices. Andreas Sila, VP Market Management, Data Center, HUBER+SUHNER investigates the options. READ MORE…
Trends that will shape the data centres of the future
Data centres are vital to the continuity of daily operations in businesses. Alan Hayward, Sales & Marketing Director at SEH Technology believes that now is the time for the data centre sector to take the lead when it comes to tackling climate change. READ MORE…
Deceptive email attacks are on the rise – the workforce is the key to fighting them
Lior Kohavi, Chief Strategy Officer & EVP Advanced Solutions, Cyren takes a look at how to defend against malicious email attacks. Read more…
Cloud connectivity: why most UK business leaders have turned to NaaS
With cloud technology playing such a vital role, organisations must now turn their focus on optimising their investments in the cloud. Eric Troyer, CMO at Megaport says that to do so many organisations are looking to Network as a Service (NaaS) providers for their expertise in cloud connectivity. READ MORE…
Checking-in on remote assets
Philippe Aretz, Channel Sales Director at Ovarro, explains why the deployment of remote telemetry units (RTUs) and SCADA systems have been essential to support the roll-out of mobile communications and broadcasting mediums, especially those in remote locations. READ MORE…
A three-step strategy to drive data centre performance and sustainability
There’s never been a better time to find a balance between data centre performance and reliability. Andy Connor, Channel Director, Subzero Engineering, EMEA investigates innovative engineering from hyperscalers taking data centre performance to entirely new levels. READ MORE…
Re-imagine optical networks with a smarter approach
Optical networks need to dynamically respond to changing demands and unpredictable traffic requirements. Jürgen Hatheier, CTO for EMEA at Ciena believes a smarter approach to leverage predictive analytics is needed to change the way optical networks are built, operated and monetised. READ MORE…
Delivering business continuity through resilient and reliable SD-WAN connectivity
Covid-19 significantly accelerated the shift to digital platforms and, as a result, Ollie Wallington, Head of Business Development at Wireless Logic says businesses are considering SD-WAN to help manage an increasingly distributed workforce. READ MORE…
Hitting ‘Pause’ On Digital Transformation At Your Organisation Will Only Delay Success
Before Covid-19 threw the world into disarray, many IT professionals were under immense pressure to increase the speed to deliver digital transformation. However, Simon Reynolds, Associate Director, Coeus Consulting believes that in many cases, progress since then has remained slow. READ MORE…
Scalability is the key to smart city growth
Phil Beecher, President at Wi-SUN Alliance, looks at how smart cities are evolving and incorporating new ideas and applications for today and in the future. READ MORE…
The evolution of mission-critical digital servicing models
Prevention of data centre and edge computing downtime is far better than a reactive cure. Wendy Torell, Senior Research Analyst, Schneider Electric Data Centre Science Centre asks what steps can operators take in the quest to mitigate downtime? READ MORE…
Digital Devices Are the Backbone of Every Organisation – Are You Managing Them Properly?
Nadav Avni, Marketing Director at Radix Technologies discusses why digital devices are the backbone of every organisation, exploring the benefits of Mobile Device Management (MDM). READ MORE…
The edge is a fluid concept
Traditional IT requirements with edge environments are already creating barriers to efficient and effective long-term deployment. David Craig, CEO, Iceotope looks at the fluid future. READ MORE…
Creating Reliable 5G Connectivity through Effective Fibre Cleaning
As 5G connectivity rolls out, network providers must ensure fibre is installed and maintained correctly with all connections kept perfectly clean for optimal performance and reliability. Jay Tourigny, Senior Vice President, MicroCare, LLC looks at cleaning procedures to guarantee optimal network operation. READ MORE…
IT and The Channel: Taking the Leap Towards a Sustainable Future
Many organisations are ramping up their commitment to environmental considerations. Ian Mills, Director of Business Operations at Nuvias believes that by working closely with vendors, we can redefine best practices and set higher standards within the technology supply chain. READ MORE…
Trends in Structured Cabling
Matthias Gerber, Market Manager LAN Cabling Reichle & De-Massari takes a look at a number of trends in today’s structured cabling market. READ MORE…
Glide Group acquires fibre network
Glide Group has announced that it has acquired 100% of the shares of Concept Solutions People (CSP). READ MORE…
Achieving sustainability in a digitally connected world
Sustainability is the buzzword of our generation. Alan Hayward, SEH Technology looks at how organisations are aligning their long term business strategy and green efforts. READ MORE…
We need to plan now for long-term offsite working
Duncan Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Enreach UK, believes that proper investment in ensuring the quality of service, as well as quality of life, will be critical to long term remote working success. READ MORE…
Four Cost-Effective Steps to Greater Cyber-Resilience, both On and Off-Site
Jon Fielding, managing director EMEA, Apricorn believes that cyber-resilience can be developed in just four steps. READ MORE…
Fire, flood, malware, or acts of God – if your data is gone, it’s gone
Users of data centres, cloud and SaaS providers believe that their data is secure and will come back online quickly in the event of a disaster. However, Stephen Young, Director of AssureStor, says many of these only provide a ‘best endeavours’ service if data is lost, and that’s frequently hidden away in their Ts & Cs. READ MORE…
What is the future of liquid cooling?
Nigel Gore, Global Offerings, High Density and Liquid Cooling at Vertiv looks at liquid cooling innovations for the data centre. READ MORE…
Edge to core to cloud: striking the right data storage balance
The evolution of cloud computing combined with spiralling data volumes, has led to the advent of edge computing. Stephane Cardot, Director Pre-Sales EMEA at Quantum, believes that centralising data can enable businesses to get the most out of their increasing data volumes. READ MORE…
The IIoT journey starts with remote telemetry
The first rule of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is that communications will fail. Craig Abbot, sales manager for the Asia region at Ovarro, explains why remote telemetry units (RTU) are vital for minimising congestion in intelligent power, utility, broadcast and transport applications. READ MORE….
Successfully implementing Edge solutions
Industry analysts are predicting significant growth in edge computing. Carsten Ludwig, Market Manager, Reichle & De-Massari looks at the edge infrastructures that extend and support centralised structures with computing power at the edge of the network. READ MORE…
Data security in the new business world
In the rush to implement collaboration tools for business continuity throughout the pandemic, cybersecurity has been pushed further down the list of priorities, potentially putting organisational data at significant risk. Andrea Babbs at VIPRE Security Limited looks at data security in the new business world. READ MORE…
The smart FM know-how: five steps towards environmental compliance in your facility
Matthew Margetts, Director of Sales and Marketing at Smarter Technologies asks how can smart technology make implementing and demonstrating environmental compliance easier? READ MORE…
Security, Sustainability & Efficiency: AI’s Impact in Data Centres
Oliver Goodman, Head of Engineering at Telehouse breaks down the three main areas where AI can be most impactful within data centres. READ MORE…
Market demand comes with cost and sustainability pressures. Darren Watkins, managing director for VIRTUS Data Centres believes time and investment must be spent on research and development of every aspect of the data centre to optimise its efficiency and performance. READ MORE…
Nigel Gore, Global Offerings, High Density and Liquid Cooling at Vertiv looks at liquid cooling innovations for the data centre.
Daniel Warelow, Product Manager, Giacom and Kelvin Murray, Senior Threat Researcher, Webroot explain how to be cyber resilient in the face of malware in the year ahead. READ MORE…
While the pandemic continues to change the way we work, how can IT teams at corporates protect their networks this year? Rich Turner, SVP EMEA, CyberArk takes a look at methods to protect your corporate network. READ MORE…
Investment in the ‘edge’ enables ISPs to create operational and infrastructure efficiencies. Darren Anstee, CTO for Security at NETSCOUT considers that with the DDoS landscape more volatile than ever, ISPs will need a new chapter in their security strategy for 2021. READ MORE…
Brian Johnson, ABB Data Centre Segment Head looks at how colocation and multi-tenant data centres are the future when it comes to speed and efficiency. READ MORE…
Faisal Akram, Director of Business Development, Kao Data believes that as we plan for the year ahead there will be greater changes within the sector, many of which will be influenced by the innovation of hyperscale providers, high-performance computing (HPC) technologies and by the OCP-Ready colocation data centres supporting them. READ MORE…
The need for network resilience has become even greater during the Covid-19 pandemic. Alan Stewart Brown, VP Sales of EMEA, @Opengear looks at how today’s MSPs need to ensure uptime using a proven solution that guarantees reliability. READ MORE…
Dahwood Ahmed, Senior Country Manager UK&I at Extreme Networks takes a look at fabric networking and how it can deliver by optimising network performance, streamlining processes, and reducing the risk of human error across multiple data centres. READ MORE…
Brian Atkinson, GM and VP EMEA at @Five9 investigates how the contact centre industry is evolving and why the technical capabilities of cloud-based architecture needs to be considered to ensure continuity and security. READ MORE…
Increased use of internet services, broader application of IoT devices, and COVID-related shift to remote work are accelerating the transition to the new era of the Internet, suggests Vincentas Grinius, CEO at IPXO. However, the current network architecture is falling behind the imposed expectations to support new-age integrations. READ MORE…
Data is a business’s greatest asset, as it fuels opportunities, innovation and growth, and as a result, we have seen an increase in hybrid cloud networks. Alan Hayward, Sales and Marketing Manager at SEH Technology says there are a few things businesses should consider when implementing hybrid cloud networks. READ MORE…
As lockdown measures are eased, what will the future working environment look like for office workers? Nick Sacke, Head of IoT and Products at Comms365 believes connectivity and collaboration hold the key.
Converging technologies of IoT and building automation are creating smart spaces that make workplaces safer, healthier and happier. Graham Martin, Chairman & CEO, EnOcean Alliance takes a look at a “hyperaware” smart building – an instrumented structure in which applications are mindful of the contextual status of the environment, occupants, energy requirements, service needs, security and safety.
Today, more than ever, grid operators need partnership from their largest energy users. This requires businesses to embrace a degree of innovation in their energy use that can be used to support network security, stability, and sustainability without having a negative impact on their business. Andrew Toher, Head of Customer Insights, Enel X UK looks at decarbonization in the data centre.
04 Jan: Rethinking recycling: How businesses can adopt in-office paper recycling to make real change
In 2015, a group of scientific researchers from Yale made an interesting discovery. By using new and improved methods of detecting tree density, they calculated that previous estimates of tree numbers on earth were highly inaccurate. Instead of 400 billion trees, or 50 trees for every human being, they calculated that the planet is actually home to over three trillion trees, which is 422 per human head.
Solidatus has achieved its first placement on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for metadata management as one of 17 market leaders in its field.
Solidatus is the only new entrant in the field to be added to this year’s Gartner Magic Quadrant, and is one of the youngest companies to attain placement in the Quadrant’s history.
As more organisations turn to cloud, and IT spending is being allocated, or reallocated to fund cloud-related initiatives, managing cloud spend shouldn’t be a pressing problem. Misha Cetrone, VP Cloud Product at Megaport finds the cloud brings many great benefits and advises to plan ahead, think about the hidden costs, budget for connectivity, and relax.
New wireless technologies are seen as being foundational to transforming enterprises and industries – and not as an evolution of existing technologies. An article by Didier Willems, Project Design & Support Department Manager, Nexans Cabling Solutions.
Digital transformation is changing every industry, buildings and industrial plants are being redefined by their data infrastructure. This article by Thomas Walsh, Vice President Enterprise at Panduit looks at how the IP Network is becoming the 4th utility and is critical to the success of a smart building and the organisation that occupies it.
This article from Mike Riemer, Global Chief Security Architect for Pulse Secure, covers Zero Trust security and how it has recently reached new heights of significance with a series of endorsements from corporate giants and government bodies alike. This move signals further validation in the wide-scale adoption of the Zero Trust model.
Alan Hayward, Sales & Marketing Manager at SEH Technology takes a look at network security and how technological growths in Artificial Intelligence can aid the start of smarter cybersecurity.
David Watkins, solutions director for VIRTUS Data Centres takes a look at the “cradle to grave” green strategy, where environmental ambitions are built into every step of data centre construction and maintenance.
High Performance Computing (HPC) can enable humans to understand the world around us, from atomic behaviour to how the universe is expanding. Martin Galle, Director FAE at Supermicro looks today’s HPC environments that use hundreds to thousands of individual servers, connected by a high speed and low latency networking fabric. Universities and research labs worldwide continue to invest in and create very high-end HPC systems to solve and understand the most complex challenges humankind faces today.
As we look ahead to 2021, changes to the way we live, work and socialise are set to continue. Brian Johnson, Global Data Centre Leader, ABB says that by adopting a focused approach, and investing in the most effective technologies, data centre operators can make the most of the opportunities this new ‘decade of data’ will bring and make every watt count.
Improving security isn’t something companies can compromise on. Adrian Rowley, Senior Director Sales Engineering EMEA, Gigamon looks to find ways to integrate people, process and technology in a unified approach to security to protect their networks in today’s climate.
The interest in adding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to business models is fast gaining momentum as organisations look to find patterns within their data that can deliver greater business and customer intelligence, and predict future trends. As Gartner highlights, the number of enterprises implementing AI tripled in the past year. However, with Gartner also claiming that more than 30% of data centres that don’t deploy AI and machine learning won’t be operationally and economically feasible by 2020, Peter Ruffley, Chairman at Zizo, discusses how we can best use AI and what its role is within the data centre.
Supermicro Green Data Centre Report: https://www.supermicro.com/en/white-paper/datacenter-report In today’s data-driven economy,…
Organisations have been rapidly growing their remote-access networks and moving much of their operations into a virtual world. Tom Caldwell, Statseeker CTO, discusses how many are responding to these new challenges in unprecedented times.
In logistics, the term ‘last mile’ refers to a short distance that needs to be spanned in order to reach a final destination. When laying out or expanding fibre networks, the last mile is generally the most time-consuming, costly part. Of course, there are many variables to take into account, and often different types of cabling are used in different zones in a project. To avoid overspending and working with exaggerated specifications, Hermann Christen, Market Development Manager, R&M suggests it’s definitely worth consulting with an expert.
James Madden, ABB’s Data Centre Sales Leader for North Europe, answers questions about how the supply chain is supporting operators to enhance efficiency, resilience and flexibility.
No one expected this year to be as testing as it has been and few organisations were prepared for the financial difficulties, IT issues and security threats created by this new norm. With companies expecting 50% of their staff back in the office by September, the flexible approach to working from home is set to complicate networks further. The road ahead is challenging to say the least, says Ollie Sheridan, Security Principal at Gigamon, but, with network visibility as the cornerstone of their cyber-strategy, organisations can to optimise investments, adapt agilely and ensure protection in the next phase of the pandemic and beyond.
The global public health pandemic is putting the world under…
There is no doubt that data is one of the world’s most valuable commodities today. Across the world’s business hubs, data centre demand has been driven by the rapid adoption of cloud services and the emergence of digitally transformative business models born out of the Internet of Things (IoT). With sustainability now at the forefront of many people’s minds, it would be great to think that the data centres of the future will impact the planet far less than they do now. Philip Bridge, President, Ontrack thinks that remains to be seen.
There is growing recognition of the power for IP-based networks to transform the built environment.
IP-based building networks and connected services are helping to enhance the ‘data view’ of buildings and also enabling the creation of new personalised experiences for the users of a building. Indeed, these IoT-enabled services are increasingly seen as a must-have to boost occupant satisfaction and maximise property values. Mike Hook, Executive Director, LMG takes a look at the full potential of the IP approach.
This year has seen one of the worst financial crises since the Wall Street Crash. The economy has seen a rough start to 2020, thanks to COVID-19 causing mass disruption for manufacturers globally. The electronics sector, much like all major industries, has been substantially affected by the virus in all divisions including events, manufacturing, supply chain and staffing. With COVID-19 grinding spending and production to a halt, official data shows that China’s economy suffered a sharp decline of 6.8% in the first quarter of 2020, according to Business Leader. However, from this date onwards, the global economy looks as if it is starting to bounce back – along with the electronics industry.
For those unaware, the United Kingdom held a referendum vote on its relationship to the EU back in 2016. The United Kingdom leaving the European Union on Jan. 31, 2020, ten months after its initial scheduled departure has caused a major geopolitical shift. This caused many UK companies to panic buy their stock to prevent access taxes and border gridlocks. However, with Covid-19 circulating the globe, the organisations who stockpiled ahead of Brexit may be in favour. Amy Leary, Marketing Manager at eBOM.com considers whether stockpiling was an intuitively good idea.
Digitalisation has opened the door for collaboration across the telecoms industry, so partner management is now a key tool for sustaining a winning and powerful partner ecosystem. We look at how a partner management system, combined with Blockchain, can address potential challenges and help communications service providers (CSPs) maximise their partnering opportunities.
10 Aug: Reducing the risk of infectious virus in the indoor air using high efficiency air filtration
With Covid-19 infecting thousands of people since it was discovered in Wuhan, China in December last year, whole countries have been placed in lockdown in a bid to control the spread of this virus. However, this virus is by no means the only threat to human health.
This begs an important question – what can you do to protect yourself from these infections (not to mention other biological contaminants that pose health risks for building occupants such as smoke, mite, bacteria, house dust and pollen)?
Unlike with many other risks, we have no choice about breathing. But while most of us don’t have the power to make the air cleaner, there are some things individuals can do to reduce the effect of these infectious particulates in the air.
It’s no secret that the internet is critical to how we live and work and the current pandemic has certainly reinforced this message. Networks need to be well prepared to handle more demand and surges in traffic to continue to deploy scalable, adaptable technologies. Jamie Jefferies, VP and GM of EMEA at Ciena sees how this challenging time has shown how critically dependent we all have become on the network.
The challenge of this decade will be how to prepare for the unknown. The convergence of increased data usage and reliance on digital technology calls upon organisations of the future to be resilient in both their critical infrastructure and their calibre of leadership.
The Resilience Imperative, a report by Sungard Availability Services examines some of the greatest threats to organisational resilience today and their effect on business leaders within the UK and Ireland. Cyber-attacks (53%) within the UK and network failure (56%) within Ireland were the top crises leaders surveyed and believed were most likely to threaten their organisation in 2019. For organisations surveyed the financial impact of downtime equated on average to £1,105,000 a year.
Whilst data centre owners and operators have always sought to mitigate the risks of downtime highlighting the financial impact or reputational damage, increasingly the potential risk to life and the extent to which digital communication underpins the way we live and work is undeniable. The question is not are technology leaders prepared, the question is how prepared?
With the lives of so many workers being turned upside down from increased remote working and school closures, one of the big questions for businesses is how to stay productive and safe. This can be a challenge if old business continuity plans (BCP) haven’t kept pace with available technologies.
Unfortunately, attackers are now leveraging fear and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus spread to try to extract money and critical information from organisations and individuals. As a case in point, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of attackers posing as WHO representatives phishing for donations or corporate information and user credentials. The tactic often includes malware-riddled attachments and links urgently imploring the user open the file or click the link.
Some teams use virtual private networks (VPN) to help stay securely connected to their corporate network and applications. Other teammates may use corporate applications that are deployed to public clouds or that are SaaS-based. It is now a major challenge for businesses to ensure everyone is connected, productive and – crucially – able to access vital applications which, today, can be located in any location and across a multitude of devices.
Remote working comes with its risks, mainly in the form of cybersecurity threats. Cyber hackers are on the hunt for network vulnerabilities and opportunities to exploit valuable data, which not only puts employees’ own privacy at risk, but could result in company security breaches too.
Most employees are able to work from their home, where they can secure their Wi-Fi, but others may use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. This could create opportunities to breach the network, track internet traffic and potentially collect confidential data. It’s also important for businesses to consider the personal devices that their employees are using at home. These will often lack the same level of security tools built into corporate machines, increasing the risk of malware finding its way onto devices, leading to information or data leaks.
SD-WAN has rapidly become the standard in enterprise deployments. especially as deployments have moved to the edge. An SD-WAN network can manage multiple types of connections, from LTE to broadband to multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) links. This means that traffic can be routed over the most cost-effective services, such as broadband. Services that require high quality, such as video or voice, or high security, with sensitive information, can still be routed over remaining MPLS lines, although many enterprises are freeing themselves of MPLS entirely. Because of this flexibility, SD-WANs can dramatically lessen the cost and minimise the complexity of traditional WANs.
Given the growing prevalence of SD-WAN in corporate infrastructures and the move to home working driven by the current pandemic, keeping these key networks up and running and providing secure remote access to them is increasingly critical.
Lighting may only consume a fraction of the energy used in data centres but its impact and cost savings go far beyond lighting costs. In addition to saving energy, money and maintenance efforts, LEDs can offer data centres a simple solution that maximises safety and efficiency for staff.
LED lighting has an extremely long life, low carbon emissions and excellent light quality yet, despite all of these positives, data centres have traditionally been slow to adopt it, perhaps because it is estimated that lighting only comprises 3-5 per cent of a facility’s energy load. Lighting may be only a small portion of energy use within data centres but it can have a significant impact on minimising costs and energy used.
Graeme Shaw, Technical Application Manager at Zumtobel Group, explains the benefits of LED lighting in a data centre and the key specification considerations.
When deploying IT infrastructure to support an enterprise organisation, there are several factors to consider. All of the decisions are based on the specific needs of the business; its type, the customers it services and the applications it needs to support. For many, the first decision however, is whether to own or outsource?
Do the needs of the business require predominantly commercial applications, which can be delivered via the cloud? Or does the organisation depend so crucially on local IT assets for performance, data sovereignty or application speed, that it is more preferable to keep their resources on premise?
As always, cost, mission criticality and performance are the ultimate factors determining the decision, but if it is decided that control of its own IT assets is essential, then an organisation’s task will become focused on designing and building a data centre tailored to meet these demands. In most cases this leaves one final question. How does one deploy the most resilient, secure and operationally efficient data centre solution, in the most cost-effective way?
With the rapid switch to remote working, many IT departments are struggling to support staff that are now seeing their home networks become an extension of the corporate intranet. Home broadband and WI-FI is no longer just for Netflix, gaming, and social media but now an essential work resource that is competing for bandwidth against other activities in the locked-down home. Although SaaS and cloud-based technologies can help, each displaced user needs a uniformed and managed method that allows secure and reliable remote access – while organisations need to ensure that remote working doesn’t become a security gap for exploitation by cyber criminals.
The immediate response from IT departments to a massive surge in remote working is to deploy additional VPN capacity. Although this provides a more secure tunnel from homeworkers across the internet to corporate resources; VPN does not solve any performance issues.
However, raw bandwidth is not the only issue. Not only are devices treated equally but so is all the application traffic. This means a critical Zoom-based conference call with an important client will have the same delivery priority as another user sending data packets for an online gaming session or streaming cat videos from Facebook.
Not all that long ago, systems used for different network-based services in buildings would employ a wide variety of protocols and cabling types, often from different manufacturers. Today, however, organisations are increasingly relying on converged infrastructure to consolidate systems, centralise IT resources and boost resource utilisation, and reduce costs.
Increasingly, integrated pools of computers, storage and networking resources are shared across multiple applications using policy-driven processes. By pre-integrating technology components, merging IT resources and automating IT processes, huge efficiency advantages and lower costs can be realised. IoT (Internet of Things) with built-in intelligence and increasing AI integration is rapidly changing Building Automation Systems, helping save energy, increase sustainability, reduce the chance of human error, and enable faster response times and easy customisation. Sensors ensure optimal use of heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation systems. With IoT, highly granular building data from previously separate systems can easily be collected and compared. Advanced analytics and reporting are making buildings more manageable, flexible and future-ready, whilst ensuring ongoing improvement.
New technologies are helping manage healthcare costs and boost effectiveness and efficiency. As more digital solutions are introduced, bandwidth demands will continue to soar. IoT is an important driver for this, along with innovations such as remote diagnostics and consulting and telemedicine.
More healthcare applications and devices are converging and migrating to IP-based Ethernet networks. These provide an integrated monitoring and control platform supporting data, WAP, VOIP, IPTV, security, video, communications servers, Picture Archiving and Communication Systems, and Hospital / Radiology Information Systems as well as other applications and devices, from ECGs to VPNs.
However, these innovations add very little value if the network can’t keep up with demand for (symmetrical) bandwidth, uptime and latency. In addition to increasing data volumes, healthcare facilities everywhere are facing challenges in the areas of limited budgets. That requires smart decisions.
Performance, availability and efficiency in IT infrastructure often seem to be a contradiction in terms. Data centre availability crucially requires a secure power supply, which begins with the feed-in and distribution. Whether core, cloud or edge data centre – the current market drivers require three attributes from data centre infrastructures: to be smarter, more efficient and more secure.
In the expanding world of networked IT, it is estimated that by 2025 there will be up to 75 billion end devices (source: Statista), generating vast amounts of data. According to an IDC study, within five years the global data volume will be 175 Zettabytes (175 x 1021). Operators, managers and designers of data centres face enormous challenges when designing or modernising their IT infrastructure.
Chris Landry, VP of telecommunications at Capgemini Communications Service Providers…
Todd Kiehn, VP of product management, GTT, shares how global internet service providers have been collaborating to scale the internet’s capacity to meet surging demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, the internet has become even more vital as a means to help people stay connected. It allows us all to overcome physical distances, share information instantaneously and continue to collaborate. Across the world, the internet is enabling critical applications that help us adapt to life in the home environment including teleworking, distance learning, telemedicine, video chat, streaming and remote gaming.
While online usage rates have seen exponential growth at times over the past decades, nothing compares with how much more we’re interacting online during this global pandemic. At GTT, we have seen a surge of roughly 30 percent in total traffic across our internet network since the outbreak of the pandemic. This growth rate is typically experienced over the course of an entire year, rather than a few weeks.
Network operators are well equipped to manage dramatic increases in traffic, but to understand how this works on a global scale, it’s useful to understand how the global internet works.
The IT hardware industry’s history is littered with attempts to tweak traditional kit and claim it as a fit-for-purpose new solution for emerging requirements.
Recent news from notable IT server manufacturers appear to signal a fast to market solution for high-performance computing at the edge, however, are these solutions what they appear to be?
David Craig, CEO, Iceotope, believes that many of these new solutions are not the innovations that edge compute requires. If the latest and possibly the largest generator of data over the next decade is to be a benefit there’s more inside the box than reconfigured servers.
David gives us his opinion on what he believes is big IT firms repackaging rack systems and claiming they are Edge optimised.
As businesses grow and become more diverse, so do their networks. Most administrators are used to thinking about their networks in terms of tiers, sitting neatly in their individual compartments: access is different to branch, which is different to campus, which is different to the data centre. While it can be easier to focus on one area at a time, the reality is that networks consist of numerous connectivity options which occupy multiple teams across the entire business. In order to manage this effectively, businesses need to treat their networks as a holistic entity.
Looking at the network holistically—both as it exists, and as it’s likely to evolve—is a complicated, but very important, process. Companies will inevitably experience periods of organic growth, which may necessitate the acquisition of new equipment, as well as periods of unexpected growth, such as with mergers and acquisitions (M&As).
Data centres have evolved from a few servers sitting in the closet of an office building to 50+ MW dedicated facilities. But data centres today are not just larger, more power-hungry commercial facilities, they are part of the fabric of our digital lives.
As the demands for efficiency and capacity increase for data centres, Ciarán Flanagan from ABB discusses the role digital solutions have to play in ensuring their sustainable future.
It’s no secret that the data centre industry has a significant environmental impact. In response to ever-increasing demand from end-users and content providers, the world’s data centres use more than 400 terawatts of energy every year – more than Britain’s total electricity consumption. Indeed, at three percent of the global electricity supply and accounting for about two percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, data centres have a large carbon footprint.
On the surface, the issue looks set to get worse. The reliance on data centres is only going to grow as internet penetration rates increase across the world in locations where internet freedom is only just becoming widespread.
David Watkins, Solutions Director for VIRTUS Data Centres looks at how we can green the data centre further.
The majority’s perception is that a UPS protects a critical load from power outages. However, it also provides protection against other supply anomalies such as dips, surges, spikes and brown-outs, to provide clean continuous power to that all important critical load. It is a bit like an insurance policy. If at the end of the year there are no problems, then you may think your investment in a UPS has been wasted. However, one small interruption to that critical load (even 20ms!) could cost you thousands of pounds in business interruption, lost revenue, and potentially most damaging of all: customer confidence.
Mike Elms, Managing Director at CENTIEL UK Ltd finds the common misconceptions around UPS systems that may cause that insurance policy not to pay out when needed.
Many aspects of daily life have been able to continue while respecting all-important social distancing, thanks in part to the ability to stay connected with family and friends, remain up to date with the latest news and government advice, or work remotely from home. But whilst things are changing constantly, getting everyone and everything connected can still be a challenge. Here we look at some of the examples of where the flexibility of fixed wireless access (FWA) can help to overcome the barriers caused by COVID-19.
At times of crisis, keeping networks up and running and providing remote access is increasingly important to organisations. Large numbers of workers need to work from home but still need to be able to access the corporate network in order to keep the business going. At the current time there is a higher premium than ever on secure remote access and network resilience – as business continuity becomes even more vital.
Global independent supplier of high-speed cabling and fibre optic transceivers ProLabs, has successfully demonstrated its connectivity solutions to the renowned University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH-IOL). This is the latest development in the partnership between ProLabs and the UNH-IOL.
Businesses fundamentally work with their customers on the basis of trust and loyalty, but in the event of a data-loss disaster, these relationships can be compromised. Although many organisations have disaster recovery operations in place, data can still be at risk if these systems are not foolproof.
With cloud and digital transformation initiatives now commonplace across enterprises today, organisations are increasingly looking at rearchitecting their wide area networks (WANs) to align to their changing business requirements.
Proliferation of 5G, IoT, Wi-Fi 6 and other technologies will change the network landscape drastically. Soon, more than 28 billion networked devices will be relying on failsafe digitalised systems and functions. As market segments merge, separation between public, data centre and local area networks may all but disappear.
The difficulty – or ease – of data centre cable management is closely related to data centre design. If cable management isn’t factored in during the design phase, things can soon become very complicated.