As businesses clamber over one another in order to capitalise on the opportunities afforded to them by cloud, many seemingly fail to determine whether they are actually prepared to undergo such a major transition in their IT infrastructure.

By making this mistake of moving over to the cloud while blindfolded, businesses are almost certain to come across unforeseen obstacles and risks that could slow down the migration process, or worse still, halt the process altogether.

To prevent this from happening, businesses must take a minute to sit down and consider what their ultimate aspirational goal is as part of their move to the cloud. Some might be looking to go through a total migration, whereas others might simply want to adopt a stronger cloud-first mentality among its employees.

Once this has been identified, they can undertake a ‘cloud readiness assessment’, which takes this aspirational goal and then works backwards to determine the ideal plan of action. It also considers the changes that will be improved as part of this move to the cloud and the impact that is likely to be felt across all areas of the business. The end result will determine whether you’re truly ready to begin your cloud journey, or if there’s still work required.

Cloud readiness assessments are generally split into three categories.

Technology

This initial step involves working closely with your chosen cloud provider and looking at infrastructure, applications and workflow to determine the overall cost and the benefits of the cloud migration. Once complete, you will be left with a cost model that provides far greater transparency on what can be moved and where it can be moved to, as well as anything that should not be migrated at all.

For example, if a business is keen to move to the cloud but is still relying on outdated applications for its daily operations, it is often not worth migrating to the cloud until these applications have been updated accordingly — something that can often involve a considerable amount of time and money.

People

There’s no denying the long-term benefits of cloud migration — increased agility and ease of operation being just a couple — but it is often met with short-term resistance and scepticism from members of staff who are concerned about the changes in workflows and services. Therefore, a successful migration requires strong, persuasive sponsorship.

With a cloud readiness assessment, businesses can clearly identify the current strengths of staff members and the skills or training that might be required for all staff to feel competent and satisfied with a cloud infrastructure. It accommodates every member of staff as they make their way along the journey to migration.

Process

While the fully-implemented cloud solution will no doubt simplify your businesses’ IT infrastructure, the operations and processes involved in getting there are likely to be more complex than anticipated. This is particularly true for hybrid cloud environments, where you are responsible for tangible assets, as well as something that is remote, including third-party companies who provider some of this management and monitoring as well.

Conclusion

For any business looking to migrate to the cloud, they should work closely with their cloud provider of choice on undergoing a cloud readiness assessment. By managing expectations and phasing the migration journey over a number of different stages to make it as smooth as possible, businesses will be able to enjoy a cloud-based solution without any unexpected headaches along the way.

Stuart Nielsen-Marsh

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Tags: Business Management, Cloud Computing, Technology

When the public internet was born, it was designed as a way to get users to their online destination —essentially bringing them from point A to B. Over the last few years though, the web has evolved into the Internet of Me – with 83% of consumers expecting a more personalised online experience that is focused on customising the internet around them based on their interests and needs. So now, instead of bringing consumers from A to B, it’s more about bringing point B to them. A few examples of these personalised experiences include,

• Google auto-fill searches that can determine, based on the user’s prior search history, what they’re more likely to be looking for before they even finish typing out their question.
• Netflix and YouTube recommendations that point to movies or videos based on their previous viewing history.
• Facebook and Twitter algorithms that populate their news feed with stories that are pre-determined to be more relevant to them, based on their location, posts, likes and so on.

But, What Does This Mean for the Network?

Personalisation isn’t just limited to the Internet of Me, though. The “Network of Me” takes this concept and transplants it into a more networking-driven, business-critical context for the whole enterprise. Consider how much of your company’s relationships and basic functions rely on steady network connections with SaaS and cloud partners. Now consider how many of these requirements are being brought right to you.

Things like automatic scaling for bandwidth requirements, and automatic failover in the event of an outage, may already be becoming a reality. But, what about automatic connections to enterprises and SaaS/cloud providers that you need to partner with?

These connections need to be part of your digital ecosystem, so that your enterprise is intuitively and intelligently not only seeking out new partners, but doing so in a way that limits the heavy lifting on your end.

For example: Are you beginning a new project with a Japanese firm? You’ll need 25GBps of network capacity to their Tokyo data center, and your interconnection platform should bring it to you. This should be done directly, and on a personal level, one that isn’t shared or clogged by the masses on the public internet. Or maybe you’re finding operations in Germany winding down; your interconnection app should make it simple for you to shift some of that bandwidth to a more demanding connection in Canada that’s ramping up.

It’s essential that your organisation builds its own unique IT ecosystem, with a flexible, capable and personalised network infrastructure to match. The mass-market, public internet options are much too tailored to a “one-size-fits-most” approach; they don’t and can’t anticipate the more personalised direct connections that a centralised, Network of Me-driven platform can.

The future of enterprise network infrastructure needs to provide a completely personalised and transparent networking experience, where you know exactly what you’re getting in terms of performance, security and reliability, and have the control to adjust that experience further to your needs. The Network of Me puts your organisation’s networking needs front and centre, replacing the old journey of point A to B with the new, more intuitive method of bringing B to A.

Paul Gampe

Latest Posts:

Tags: Big Data, Business, Business Management

Whether due to hardware or software failure, or physical disaster, no business is immune to the malfunctions that can bring about extended downtime.

A solid backup and disaster recovery plan should, therefore, underpin all IT-related facets of every organisation, and the more time and effort a business can dedicate towards these vital lifelines, the better operations will cope should the worst happen.

Below, we explore ways this essential aspect of modern business can be supported to optimise the resilience of your organisation.

Implement proper training

Ensure that systems already in place are regularly tested throughout the company’s departments so that all personnel involved are confident in DR procedures when they are called upon. Disaster recovery specialists will play a key role in getting your training up and running.

Anticipate downtime

It may sound pessimistic, but planning for the worst is the pathway to best survival in the face of downtime, particularly in the case of cyber attacks. Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) providers can grant firms the protection they need.

Reputable providers, such as Dell EMC, offer user-friendly, automated disaster recovery solutions that simplify the data recovery process using cloud technology, for immediate and robust restoration of business operations.

Using DRaaS, businesses can ride out disaster recovery and bring critical systems back online in the shortest time possible, and may avoid any negative repercussions on operations.

Monitor spending

Typically, most organisations will not be able to present a flawless backup and disaster recovery strategy, despite having a range of tools and capabilities.

Architectures usually slip because they are too expensive to constantly maintain and optimise. Exercise pragmatism when judging how your solutions will integrate with business operations; if limitations exist then articulate these to any prospective vendors who will be able to advise you on the best protection solution for your situation and requirements.

Downtime strategy

If disaster strikes and critical communications fail for any amount of time, business continuity can be significantly disrupted.

A clearly communicated and practised action plan rolled out to all employees will go a long way towards staying in touch should the worst happen, both internally and with customers or staff who may be off-site or working remotely.

Retain records of personal mobile phone and landline numbers, together with home addresses will enable resources to be made available to relevant employees when and where needed.

A secure future

Through technologies such as Dell EMC Recoverpoint, companies can access sustained data protection for full operational and disaster recovery, bringing vital element of resilience to operations.

Dell

Latest Posts:

Tags: Business, Digital Transformation

Changing your business for the better through technology is a great end goal. IT-led transformation, of course, costs money and any investment in systems and services needs a strong business case. Budget constraints, however, should not curtail your ability to refresh your systems and services.

A failure to commit to technology upgrades could mean agile competitors leave your business behind. The great news for business decision makers is that an outlay on new IT resources does not have to break the bank. You can pay for IT on your own terms and still produce a big return on investment.

What we will demonstrate is that great partners offer a range of payment structure models to help your organisations finance new IT. What you will discover is that you can afford to feel optimistic about affordable IT solutions. The basic fact is that a future-ready business model does not cost the Earth.

Why should business decision makers invest in new IT?

Your business has systems and services that work. You might be operating in a cost-constrained environment, such as the public sector, where an outlay on new capital is tough to justify. In such circumstances, it might seem as if the best idea is to sweat your existing assets.

While some balance of old and new is always sensible, an over-reliance an old kit is likely to lead to issues in the long term. Organisations – even those that are under severe cost pressure – must to continue to invest.

Organisations that fail to invest in IT updates risk losing a competitive edge. Smart CEOs already recognise that technology underlies all modern business operations. Gartner’s 2016 CEO survey shows half of global bosses expect their industries to be substantially transformed by digital technology.

How can you build a business case for an IT update?

There is, however, a considerable challenge. While board room executives now recognise the significance of digital disruption, they do not necessarily see the value in buying new information technology. IDC research suggests 60 per cent of IT managers believe that their budgets will either decrease or stay the same.

A recent survey from recruitment specialist Harvey Nash and consultant KPMG suggests that a large proportion of the CIO role, much of the role is still rooted in cost management. The global research suggests about a third (37 per cent) of CEOs are most interested in using IT as a cost-saving tool.

Business decision makers looking to secure funding for new IT investments most demonstrate how technology upgrades can be completed efficiently and cost effectively. By using innovative payment plans, including leasing, your business can control the total cost of ownership and make itself future-ready.

How can new payment models help me source new IT now?

The key for business decision makers is to recognise that an IT upgrade does not need to involve a huge upheaval and massive upfront cost. Value is the imperative. Business decision makers must pay for IT in their own terms across the entire technology lifecycle, from acquisition, to deployment and onto maintenance and eventual refresh.

An operating lease, for example, allows you to update technology regularly, when your business is ready and at a reduced total cost. Remember that in many cases, it no longer makes good business sense to own technology – leasing two generations of x86 servers over six years, for example, costs 32 per cent less than buying one server and keeping it for six years.

OpenScale payment solutions will allow you reduce the total cost of ownership, turning attractive projects into affordable investments. Look for a partner that allows you to develop financing solutions that allow your business to defer payments to align with refresh plans and expected financial returns.

Modern businesses must be agile, but this sense of flexibility is more than just a commitment to digital technology. Your commitment to agility should extend to every aspect of the business, including IT payment models. By taking a more agile approach to financing, your organisation can afford to source new IT now.

To find out how Dell Financial Services (DFS) can unlock your business’ potential, click here.

References:

Gartner CEO research: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3287617

Harvey Nash research: http://www.hnkpmgciosurvey.com

http://datasystemsltd.co.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/DFS-EMEA-Why-Finance-for-Enterprise-Solutions-English.pdf

http://dell.dfs.eguide.customer.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/#p=12

Mark Samuels

Latest Posts:

Tags: Future Ready Enterprise

If you’re out-of-office, you might be out-of-contact – that is the major concern for business decision makers who are fearful about their ability to track and trace the achievements of team members who work remotely.

Yet it doesn’t have to be that way, even for businesses that rely on remote workers who spend 30 hours or more away from the office in a working week. Trust is absolutely crucial to maintaining a strong and efficient team.

The key to building effective relationships with disparate staff is a mix of strong mobility solutions and great business practices. Senior executives who implement a secure link with out-of-office employees can actually help foster a more productive and collaborate workforce.

1. They know how to get the job done

Working on your own can be a tough activity. Employees must enjoy the peace and quiet of their own company. The hardest part of working remotely for most people will be getting used to the lack of chat around the water cooler.

But working remotely can actually boost performance. Employees are undisturbed by office chatter and the catalogue of meetings that seem to fill modern business diaries. With a secure enterprise mobility solution, your workers stay connected and can actually increase their productivity.

2. They can work anywhere

Remote workers cover a broad spectrum of roles, from permanent sales professionals and consultants to contractors covering specific tasks, such as data processing. In many cases, these remote workers have built a career around working away from the office.

Executives who give remote staff the right tools will find they have a group of workers who don’t have to be tied to a desk to contribute to the business. Dell research suggests the primary devices for remote workers are the notebook (62 per cent) and the smartphone (51 per cent), so make sure staff  is equipped.

3. They are able to work securely

Some executives are concerned that employees who work beyond the firewall are more likely to place enterprise security at risk. There is a fear that employees who work remotely are more likely to be at risk of malware or phishing due to poor connections, or even slipshod work methods.

It is time for bosses to banish their concerns. Modern mobile security solutions provide a high level of connectivity, even for workers who connect to enterprise systems from the field. Encryption is the watchword for remote workers using business data and every IT manager should ensure that data is transferred safely.

4. They can be trusted to handle sensitive data

Remote workers often need access to sensitive data to get their work done. Research suggests 52 per cent of information workers have access to sensitive information, such as contact details and credit card data.

Executives can feel more confident if they work with a technology partner that provides secure and compliant access across all operating systems and devices. If you know your employees can connect to crucial data securely from any location, then you are more likely to trust remote workers to get on with their tasks.

5. They can achieve great results with great support

Remote workers do not need to feel alone. Secure connectivity solutions now exist to help workers to collaborate with colleagues at all times. Make the most of the cloud and establish key measures, like a secure virtual private network and single sign-on, to ensure authenticated users have access to key tools.

Dell research suggests eighty-three per cent of organisations expect the number of remote workers to increase in the coming year. Let your remote staff know that trusted support is available when technical issues occur.

To find out more about enabling your remote staff, click here.

Dell research:

• http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160310005126/en/Dell-Survey-Reveals-Challenges-Providing-Unified-Communications

Mark Samuels

Latest Posts:

Tags: Mobility, Technology

When it comes to data, a lot of businesses believe the bigger the better, but this is not always the case. Over the past couple of years, the concept of Big Data has been a hot topic, but many firms do not fully understand what Big Data is and how – and indeed if – it can benefit their business.

Firms across the financial services sector are currently dealing with the data challenges associated with the implementation of Solvency II, for example.  As a result, many of these businesses are struggling to manage the vast amount of data included in this new computation, which is already pushing the boundaries of their systems and staff.

The truth is that very few of these businesses actually have access to, let alone the ability to understand true Big Data, which is so large that it cannot be held by normal databases, or calibrated using desktop programs such as Excel. As such, for some of these firms, it may be better to start by looking at the information sitting right under their noses – Little Data.

Little vs large

Before worrying about Big Data, it’s vital that firms get their Little Data working correctly; otherwise there will be issues when it comes to working with sets that are even the slightest bit larger. Understanding how Little Data impacts a business – and knowing how to handle it effectively – will go a long way for companies looking to maximise their business intelligence.

Many businesses face problems when it comes to analysing and getting results from the data they have within their systems, however. In part, this is because so many are still using spreadsheets for this purpose. This approach is likely to create a number of obstacles, as spreadsheets are simply not flexible or complex enough to compute large amounts of complex information.

According to research from Accountagility, over 80% of CFOs and Financial Directors reported a fault when using this tool for data analysis. As such, businesses should focus on fixing the errors within their Little Data to ensure that their basic procedures, such as month end and financial reporting, are creating an impact and providing a benefit to the organisation, before attempting to tackle Big Data head-on.

Managing up

In order for a company to identify how it can best use and manage its data, it needs to consider the key objectives it would like to solve. Agreeing on these objectives beforehand will go a long way to helping a business to map out its goals and better understand what data will allow it to achieve.

Creating objectives will also make it easier for executive board members to make important decisions for the company, as they will have evidence to support their choices. In order to obtain these benefits, however, companies must ensure that their planning tool is agile, as the information being assessed will change on a regular basis.

The problem is that spreadsheets are typically not flexible enough to deal with the constant fluctuations of data, such as currency exchange rates, so organisations must consider other options in order to make the most of the business intelligence hidden within their data. Having a tool that can cope with these constantly changing demands is vital for even the smallest levels of Little Data.

The future of data

When it comes to data, big is not always beautiful. The majority of businesses will never have access to – or the need for – Big Data and if they do, they won’t necessarily have the tools to process it.

Therefore it is far more beneficial for a firm to concentrate on what Little Data can do for the business. This approach will enable companies to forward plan more effectively and achieve a much higher quality level of analysis, rather than simply hopping on the Big Data bandwagon.

Robert Gothan

Latest Posts:

Tags: Big Data, Business

As IT has changed and become more fluid with its needs and deliverables, the workforce has also needed to change and adapt to this new fluid model.  What was traditional in the brick and mortar office building has given way to remote employee’s and data everywhere models. This presents a difficult question, where will we be in the next five years? When you combine a remote workforce with the digital transformation of business, the risks to both the company and its workforce become clear.  Companies are starting to focu
that the workforce is becoming more remote and on the go. The scale of this change can be very traumatic for even the most progressive of companies.

Sure there are technical challenges for creating a more mobile workforce and increasing the level of adoption in IoT, Big Data and cloud based resources – but the true challenge is the balance between portability, security and convenience. With the next generation of IT professional now emerging, they are built on the portable life style. They are used to this on demand 24/7 access from their device and they are bringing that same expectation and mentality to the workplace. This means the business has a choice, they can embrace this new workforce and its non-traditional demands or try to stop it and go back to more classic operating environment.

As history, has shown, it’s almost impossible to stop forward progress, so today’s company should not be looking to limit or stop these changes unless they want to find themselves out of business. The goal today and in the future, is finding the right solutions that are flexible enough to enable this new focus on portability and data everywhere models while still addressing the concerns that come with it in this the digital age.

As the traditional items that have protected our businesses in the past continue to slowly fade away the push will be for newer technologies and focus to protect, secure and retain company data on the go.  Flexible end points for users that can connect to data and applications on the go will not be a need but a must. The users will simply expect the data and applications they work with to be available on all platforms with the same level of functionality. Transparent security controls that enable end users to access data and not restrict them will be needed. The focus will turn to enabling the users instead of restricting them, this is a fundamental shift for business and business decision makers needs to realise this.

Explore the latest technology trends and insights to keep you ahead of the curve. Click here to find out more about building the workforce of tomorrow, today.

Clive Longbottom

Latest Posts:

Tags: Future Ready, Workforce Transformation

The time is fast approaching when industry experts cast their eyes over the IT industry and attempt to work out which technologies will have the biggest impact on businesses through 2017.

We attempt to help CIOs and their business peers make sense of the five key technology trends affecting organisations during the next 12 months.

1. Great devices to support cloud at the core of the enterprise

While the technology industry is focused on leading-edge developments, such as automation and the Internet of Things, many CIOs still struggle to make the most of existing IT. The cloud might have been around for almost a decade but many CIOs are only now showing how on-demand IT is boosting business productivity.

IT decision makers will continue their good work through 2017, running new business projects on scalable, on-demand platforms. Mobile devices will be key to helping business make the most of new services. Forrester research suggests 70 per cent of employees use smart phones for work and 40 per cent rely on tablets. Look for devices with enhanced security and collaboration capabilities.

2. From big data to cognitive analytics – the move towards actionable insight

CIOs view big data as an over-hyped concept, but they also recognise the power of data to help create new business models. As with the cloud, organisations are finally making the most of big data investments, a trend that will pick up pace through 2017, especially as more things continue to connect to the network.

The rise of yet another trend – cognitive analytics – will help the enterprise make these smarter decisions. The International Institute for Analytics says cognitive analytics is set to become the next buzz phrase. Access to the right data at the right time – whether that is through the latest mobile devices or high-powered PCs – helps employees improve productivity and performance.

3. Here come the robots… But first make way for agents and touchscreens

CIOs will be more than aware of the growing trend for automation in both the IT department and across the rest of the business. Automation has a direct impact on productivity, allowing employees to push routine and repetitive tasks to computers or robots. Next year will see machine-learning move to the next level.

Gartner says CIOs should explore how they can use autonomous agents to augment human activity and free people for more productive and valuable work. Touchscreen technology will provide a key route into this more productive era. Super-thin touchscreen PCs continue to evolve and the latest developments from the best business computer providers will create a new level of responsiveness.

4. New investments in business PCs will produce big benefits

Employees looking to make the most of new working practices will need powerful tools to help them work in the most productive manner. Mobility will remain a key focus for IT decision makers, who must find ways to allow their staff to access analytical data securely from any location.

An investment in mobile solutions must be backed up with a commensurate commitment to desktop computing. As a previous Tech Page One article has demonstrated, research from Principled Technologies suggests modern PCs produce 145 per cent better system performance than legacy kit. By using new features, such as the latest processors to self-encrypting hard drives and from touchscreen displays to ISV-certified workstations, your firm will stay ahead.

5. Software-defined everything becomes a business reality

Software-defined refers to the abstraction of the control layer from hardware. It is an approach that allows firms to make the most of their existing IT assets and to help the business boost productivity. Software-defined systems have already had a big impact on data centres and networks.

Expect 2017 to be the year when software-defined approaches improve productivity across the enterprise. Software defined security, for example, is climbing Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies. The analyst also expects software-defined storage to mature through the next 12 months. Such developments mean your workforce will stay connected and secure, whether employees access information from mobile devices or powerful PCs.

Find out how the right desktop can boost productivity for your business.

References:

Gartner on automation: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3143521

Tech Page One on desktop productivity: business-uk-en/right-desktop-can-lead-productivity-2/

Gartner’s Hype Cycle: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3114217

Mark Samuels

Latest Posts:

Tags: Business, Productivity