Category: News

Cloud Industry Forum teams up with AnalystX

Posted on November 24, 2023 by - News

The Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) has partnered strategically with the secure health collaboration platform AnalystX – a key community within NHS England’s FutureNHS (FNHS).

The AnalystX workspace was created on 17 March 2020, just before the lockdown, to connect health & care professionals with data sources, analytics, and expertise to work together in virtual teams. It has become a place for collaboration and a thriving community for data-driven decision-making beyond typical organisational and geographic boundaries, connecting and empowering the data and analytics community.

As part of the partnership, Cloud Industry Forum will connect its members to this ecosystem to support the analytical community on products, techniques, knowledge, and frameworks. This will help learn and align the skills required to do more with less.

Capita scores 10 year pension contract

Posted on November 23, 2023 by - News

KR9984 Milan, Italy – August 10, 2017: Capita
logo on the website homepage.

Despite a security breach in March which exposed pension data Capita has secured a £239 million 10-year managing the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS).

The contract, effective from September 2025, involves modernising pension administration systems through “enhanced system design and digital innovation,” according to Capita.

The company also plans to integrate generative AI to offer personalised and engaging digital channels for pension holders as they prepare for retirement.

Capita said it will enhance the overall customer experience, providing intuitive interactions for  clients and pension members while supporting a data-driven approach for scheme employers.

In addition to overseeing the CSPS, Capita will manage pensions payroll admin services related to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme and the Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme, along with associated finance and accounting services.

HP promises AI PCs next year

Posted on November 23, 2023 by - News

Maker of expensive printer ink, HP CEO Enrique Lores said the company’s first AI PCs will arrive in the second half of 2024.

Lores claimed that the new PCs will be a “catalyst for market expansion” and deliver “stronger AI capabilities” than upcoming computers.

HP said that PCs will lead to growth in the market, but it will take “some time” for customers to adopt computers with AI acceleration.

Intel CEO Pat [kicking] Gelsinger has said that the chipmaker’s forthcoming Core Ultra processors, code-named Meteor Lake, will “usher in the age of the AI PC” due to their AI acceleration capabilities.

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Zoom sees a five per cent revenue increase.

Posted on November 22, 2023 by - News

Video chat firm  Zoom has reported a five per cent year-on-year revenue increase in its third quarter.

The increase was due to a 20 per cent spike in enterprise revenue and the vendor claims it came from an increase in its big-ticket clients.

The number of customers contributing more than $100,000 in the preceding 12 months increased by a third.

With approximately 209,300 enterprise customers, a 14 per cent year-on-year increase, and a trailing 12-month net dollar expansion rate of 117 per cent, Zoom continues to fortify its market position.

Kiteworks merges with Maytech.

Posted on November 22, 2023 by - News

Kiteworks, which delivers data privacy and compliance for sensitive content communications through its Private Content Network, has merged with data file transfer outfit Maytech.

The move solidifies Kiteworks’ leadership in the UK market while extending additional sensitive content communication offerings in the Kiteworks platform to Maytech by combining both organisations’ technological strengths and customer reach.

The companies claim the move fosters innovation by combining technological expertise and shared resources. It also strengthens Kiteworks’ commitment to the managed file transfer (MFT) market, a core offering in the Maytech technology portfolio.

Netcall’s CEO steps down in leadership change

Posted on November 21, 2023 by - News

Netcall CEO Henrik Bang is stepping down to become non-executive chair of the board as part of the AI and customer software provider’s leadership changes.

Bang led Netcall as it transformed from a niche company to a cloud business with a digital platform.

The board said that while appointing the CEO as chair deviates from its governance guidelines, Bang’s deep knowledge makes him ideal for the role.

Under the rest of the management shake-up, Richard Hughes is joining Netcall as CFO on 27 November 2023, and Nigel Halkes will join the company as non-executive director on 1 December 2023.

Microsoft poaches key Open AI staff.

Posted on November 21, 2023 by - News

Software King of the World Microsoft has swept in to poach key OpenAI staff in the wake of the firing of Sam Altman.

For those not in the know, the Board fired Altman for needing to be consistently candid in his communications with the board and hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.

The job was passed to chief technology officer Mira Murati, at least for now.

However, Microsoft was furious, having invested $13 billion in the company and needing it for its bold new AI plans.  Microsoft’s response was to hire Altman and any staff who wanted to come with him to form a new AI research division.

More Welsh expansion for Flotek

Posted on November 20, 2023 by - News

Welsh MSP Flotek has successfully acquired Ikona IT Solutions, a Cardiff-based IT and telecoms support company.

Flotek has been buying like crazy over the last 18 months — this deal is its ninth acquisition.

Previous acquisitions include Gower Business Systems, Cloud9ine, Liberty Solutions (Swansea) Limited, Saecom in South Wales, and England-based businesses Mazing Tree, FlexiNet, ECS Solutions, and Toolk-IT.

The strategic move adds another Cardiff business to Flotek’s portfolio, aligning with their plans for accelerated growth in the capital.

IoT numbers on the up.

Posted on November 20, 2023 by - News

Number crunchers at Juniper Research have predicted that there will be more than 490 million low-power IoT roaming connections by 2028, growing from 90 million in 2023.

Low-power networks, such as NB-IoT (Narrowband-IoT) and LTE-M (Long-term Evolution for Machines), connect devices and sensors over cellular networks to remotely monitor environments in industries including smart cities, agriculture and manufacturing.

Over the next five years, this substantial 560 per cent growth will be driven by increased bilateral roaming agreements that cater specifically to these low-power devices.

The report warns that operators still need to prepare to capitalise on this market shift and the significant roaming revenue that is arising.

Check Point inks global deal with Westcon-Comstor

Posted on November 17, 2023 by - News

Israeli security outfit Check Point is increasing its support for MSSPs by signing a global deal with Westcon-Comstor.

The security vendor enhanced its MSSP Partner Programme with simplified onboarding, access to pay-as-you-go finance models, and increased training and support.

Check Point head of global SMB sales Shahar Divon said that MSSPs have a big opportunity to capitalise on the demand for their services, but they face challenges in a rapidly changing world.

“At the operational level, these teams spend too much time handling hundreds of alerts daily, tying up resources that could be better spent on more urgent requests,” he added. “That is where our MSSP Partner Programme can deliver real value, not only for those that have security as a practice, but also MSPs that are looking for ways to protect their customers.”

SonicWall snaps up Solutions Granted

Posted on November 17, 2023 by - News

Security outfit SonicWall has acquired managed security service provider (MSSP), Solutions Granted (SGI).

The acquisition expands Milpitas SonicWall’s portfolio to include US-based security operations centre services (SOCaaS) and managed detection and response (MDR).

No one is saying how much the deal cost.

SonicWall president and CEO, Bob VanKirk said that offering MDR and managed services was important to IT teams. The collaboration aims to provide cost-effective threat defence solutions and a comprehensive portfolio for managing security.

SoftwareOne sees growth this quarter

Posted on November 16, 2023 by - News

Cloudy services giant SoftwareOne has reported an 8.4 per cent year-on-year revenue growth in the third quarter of 2023.

The company’s adjusted EBITDA registered a 14.1 per cent year-on-year increase with a margin of 20.5 per cent.

SoftwareOne claims that one of the key reasons for its resilient performance has been the success of its operational excellence programme, which delivered bucketloads of cost savings.

In EMEA, the company demonstrated resilience with a 9.6 per cent year-on-year revenue increase to CHF136.7m.

This growth was driven by robust momentum in key markets such as the UK, Netherlands, and Spain.

In APAC, SoftwareOne sustained a robust revenue surge, witnessing a 19.8 per cent year-on-year.

However, in NORAM, cautious client spending and extended sales cycles led to a disappointing 4.7 per cent year-on-year growth.

Bridgestone takes a bite out of Avayler

Posted on November 16, 2023 by - News

Bridgestone has acquired a five per cent stake in its automotive Software as a service (SaaS) business, Avayler, valuing the company launched in July 2021 at more than $60 million.

The Commercial Agreement will allow Bridgestone to use Avayler’s products in retail stores and mobile applications.

Halfords developed the Avayler SaaS solution in-house to manage automotive services across its expansive garage network and an increasing number of mobile vans.

The company said that the Avayler platform has no direct equivalent today. As well as streamlining customer bookings – online, over the phone, and in-store – and job execution inside the garage, its mobile capability uses algorithms to instantly calculate the available customer time slots according to the nearest van location and parts availability.

Kaseya explains what keeps MSPs up at night

Posted on November 15, 2023 by - News

Security outfit Kaseya released its third annual Datto Global State of the MSP: Trends and Forecasts for 2024 Report, which surveyed 1,575 MSPs worldwide about what keeps them up at night.

The survey provides an in-depth look at the current state of the MSP market, demonstrating the critical role MSPs play in the overall success of small and mid-size businesses, how the landscape has evolved and what the industry can expect in the coming year.

Kaseya’s SVP of Product Marketing, Holly Pateman said that MSPs have been the unsung heroes of tech, this year’s survey results.

“With revenues and competition on the rise, and a focus on the need for a superior customer experience, MSPs have a front row seat to what makes their customers successful. As a result, these MSPs have a clear view into what keeps a major cornerstone of our economy – small and midsize businesses – running.”

TD SYNNEX runs on totally renewable electricity

Posted on November 15, 2023 by - News

The British distributor TD SYNNEX has said that all its UK locations are running on renewably sourced electricity.

The outfit’s Bracknell offices confirmed it has switched to a green energy tariff from National Grid.

TD SYNNEX UK was already getting 90 per cent of its power from renewable sources at its warehouse facility at Magna Park, Lutterworth, and offices in Basingstoke and Warrington.

TD SYNNEX  director of environment and quality compliance, Kevin Wragg, said: “We had set a target to get all our UK operations onto renewable electricity by the end of 2023, and we’re pleased to have achieved that goal.