Data centres are changing for the better – and not a moment too soon. All companies must undergo signi€cant digital transformation to support new business models, build smarter products and deliver high-quality customer experiences. A modern data centre will provide the foundation to help your organisation embrace change. A modern data centre, built on a converged infrastructure, will allow your business to embrace agility and innovation and to boost performance and productivity.

Mark Samuels

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Tags: Converged Infrastructure, Technology

A business that embraces digital transformation is one that is best-placed to embrace the future with confidence. However, successful transformation is no easy task. CIOs must help their organisations build a solid foundation for change – and the IT infrastructure is the key platform from which to build transformation. Here, we look at the 10 IT innovations – both in terms of hardware and in some other key connected areas – that will change business infrastructures for the better.

Mark Samuels

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Tags: Future Ready Enterprise

Server virtualisation has been invigorating business operations for over a decade, enabling firms to leverage increased storage, avoid I/O congestion and IT increase security.  

Below, we outline some of the main plus points of a technology that has the power to revolutionise enterprise throughout the globe to stimulate stable and lasting growth.

Efficiency boost

Improving efficiencies are the raison d’être to server-side virtualisation, whereby resources, processor cycles and RAM are streamlined and used more intelligently. As fewer or no physical servers need be purchased to take over from older models, knock-on benefits include savings on energy and climate control expenses.

The streamlining granted by virtual machines (VMs) snowballs as they permit increased use off appliances. However, as VMs are easy to create, ‘VM sprawl’ is a very real danger which can turn virtualisation management into a nightmare. With this in mind, it is advisable to seek the guidance of an industry specialist to help implement a virtualisation infrastructure best suited to your business requirements.

Bolster security

A company’s capacity to recover quickly from disaster is of fundamental importance. The whole process is made far easier through creating duplicates of VM file images, as opposed to using a variety of servers.

Furthermore, just a small amount of hardware is needed to platform virtualisation, making it a viable way to scale for firms on tighter budgets. This has benefits in the event of disaster; several servers can be set up in alternative locations, shifted to different places as necessary and loaded with the latest virtual machines to get critical applications up and running in the quickest time possible.

Optimised business up-time

General business disruption and downtime can be minimised through live migration, a server virtualisation feature which makes business continuity more robust.

Through live migration, virtual machines can be shifted fluidly between servers without having to be turned off. The process works through disk and memory alignment through two physical servers, while the origin VM and destination VM are stopped and started simultaneously.

Eco-friendly IT

The positive impact of virtualisation technologies carries into its green credentials. While VMs are not without environmental impact, the use of fewer servers and less storage resources brings down energy and cooling power demands.

Fewer servers being used means there will be fewer units to dispose of, once hardware is no longer needed.

A future-proof solution

Collaboration and communication are now critical to all business operations, and companies now expect optimal performance, scalability and reliability as standard through all applications.

On-premises virtualisation deployments are increasingly being chosen, as they bring the flexibility of cloud computing options, and at the same cost, but with a greater element of privacy and data security.

By choosing to go with an industry leader such as Dell EMC, enterprises can tap into efficient and low-cost solutions tailored to organisational requirements that will bring a crucial competitive edge in today’s business world.

Dell

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Tags: Business, Digital Transformation

Migrating operating system (OS) is never straightforward, particularly when it comes to the server. Such is the scale of change that IT managers can often avoid upgrades, due to fears of rising complexities and costs. However, technology chiefs must be proactive. There are five key elements that IT managers should consider during an OS server migration to a new platform, such as Microsoft Windows Server 2016.

Mark Samuels

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Tags: Big Data, Business

Enterprise mobility management (EMM) is core to the strident response which businesses must bring to the demands of digital transformation.

In the modern era, business data security, staff productivity and team innovation each play a key role in pushing growth; EMM puts an umbrella over these facets and much more, creating an intelligent and transparent climate in which business solutions can flourish.

Below, we break down some of the key benefits of EMM and how they empower firms to achieve more in the short- and long-term.

Motivation, empowerment and productivity

Whether employees bring their own device into the workplace or rely on firms’ provisioning of hardware, the mobility this grants is a mutually beneficial dynamic which nourishes all facets of the forwardly aspirational organisation.

Enterprise mobility management has become the glue securing this very effective culture in place; a cohesion that makes team suppler when it comes to tackling business challenges as they arise.  Security is the focus-word here – the confidence to innovate with electronic dexterity in real time stems directly from EMM solutions available from global IT experts.

Rapid-fire data & the mobile hot-desk

A solid enterprise mobility management strategy supports device swap-and-share, whereby staff can switch consoles seamlessly to collaborate on projects, or tap into demonstrations to aid customer service.

With such lucid knowledge- and resource-transfer, working practices flow better and customer experience stands to be remarkably enhanced. Subsequently, more accurate data harvests enable more precise action and real-time responses, strengthening the productivity arc in the long-term.

Optimised efficiencies and improved bottom line

Ready-made knowledge is a major benefit of bring your own device (BYOD) and related cultures that EMM underpins. In instances whereby employees new and current are introduced to new procedures or software, required training costs and logistics are minimised if the person being taught is already familiar with how their device operates.

In addition to this decisive advantage, BYOD users’ intimate knowledge of the workings of their own systems lends itself to bug identification and reporting, enabling processes to be fine-tuned.

Cyber protection and corporate data integrity

Effective EMM can be used to mobilise and reinforce IT security awareness courses, enhancing employees’ appreciation and behaviours regarding computer diligence.

If staff find ways to get through cyber-walls and system guide-throughs, then EMM monitors can integrate management measures to tie up loopholes and ensure proper practice is adhered to at all times, without compromising the smooth running of applications.

Better management, optimised efficiency

It does not take very long for a newly-implemented enterprise mobility management strategy to start affecting tangible improvements, most notably in the form of improved efficiency. But it also works to sustain business in subtler, climactic ways that take time to bear fruit; smarter businesses have happier employees, healthier cultures and grow strong on the knock-on positives these factors produce.

To harness the full power of enterprise mobility management, speak with Dell EMC and discover how new IT solutions can dovetail with your existing computer infrastructures to invigorate mobility – both human and electronic – in a safe and secure way.

Dell

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Tags: Business, Digital Transformation

It is now a case of sink or swim: lone-wolf entrepreneurs, SMEs and multi-nationals alike need to prepare for the rising tide of digital transformation.

For some organisations, the transition is easy and instinctive, for others, keeping up with the super-fast demands of an always-on world has struck a death knell.

Business leaders need to be aware of what’s going on, and knowledge must start with an understanding of the changes digital technology will bring to the global enterprise ecosystem.

Below we look in more depth at some of these key changes.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

When all you want is a person to talk with to help resolve a problem, the last thing you want to hear is the voice of a robot giving staccato instructions about which button to choose for options that don’t really correspond to the issues you’re facing.

Step up chatbot, a landmark development in digital enterprise that’s revolutionising standards in customer services. Driven by AI, chatbots can now deal effectively with a myriad of customer complaints, and will only draw a manager into the equation for questions that require discretionary or creative responses.

Brands’ relationships with consumers are improving thanks to chatbots and other e-advisers, which in turn is helping to push up customer confidence in digital technology.

Smart service

The instant gratification perpetuated by modern business means that people are beginning to perceive immediate as industry norms for delivery speed. Social media puts the culture in sharpest focus, as users are able to publicise their responses to a product and enter into a live public discussion with a company to get an issue sorted out.

Firms have to be agile and responsive to deal with this kind of exposure; the effectiveness of a brand’s on-demand, customisable solutions will depend on the extent to which a company has embraced digital transformation.

On the corporate side of the fence, the same culture is visible in the pay-as-you-use nature of IT deployment, whereby computer systems can be acquired through globally-reputable providers. Firms can now securely adapt their requirements and business models to shifting market terrains.

Data driven

A consequence of the on-demand culture is that the data harvesting has now become big and constant. Whether good or bad, it’s happening and the companies getting ahead are those that are capable of using data to streamline their processes and make faster, smarter decisions.

Leading IT experts offer bespoke storage solutions that marry capacity with resilience and top-level security, enabling corporates to transform data centres with cutting edge architectures that optimise performance to deliver better business outcomes. These storage solutions afford inherent scalability, enabling organisations to store, manage and protect all facets of their digital presence.

Internet of Things

On the edge of data retrieval sits the Internet of Things, a network of all things smart whose growth has been enabled by a fall in the cost of sensor technology and visionary improvement in how it can be integrated into everyday items.

In an urban context, infrastructural components such lampposts, street signs and waste bins can be installed with technology that reacts with internal and external state changes. Dynamics such as footfall, traffic weight and refuse levels can be monitored, with devices then able to alert central computers that can recommend an appropriate action.

Such technologies will be able to drive new levels of environmental understanding to open new market opportunities, while powering insight and service to new levels.

Intelligent preparation for a smarter future

As enterprise hurtles towards digital horizons, businesses with any aspiration to stay ahead of the competition need to adapt to an environment defined by accuracy and insight at high speed.

When consulting with leading cloud infrastructure providers, leaders can optimise in-house computer resources to unite applications and networks to end users, creating a workplace that can meet all digital challenges with equally dynamic responses.

Dell

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Tags: Business, Digital Transformation

Many industrial and commercial environments can present harsh working conditions which demand equally tough computing power and processes.

From manufacturing-intense surroundings to warehouses and research laboratories, workplaces of a more extreme nature benefit when operated by computer systems that deliver varying degrees of industrialisation to enhance performance.

At the same time, business leaders need to know that their PCs can remain resilient and secure while balancing heavy-weight application optimisation.

Below, we go into more detail as to why only industrial PCs are able to give you the results you need in business’s most unforgiving surroundings.

Optimised performance quality

Rugged computers enable teams to improve decision-making processes, build efficiencies across procedures and push the boundary when it comes to product quality. These attributes are essential when considering a typical harsh environment, such as a factory floor, which can often lack the advanced technology necessary to overcome slumps in the chain of operations.

Enterprise productivity

Many industrially-natured firms can struggle to meet productivity demands, when existing hardware structures fail to keep up with technological advances.

Industrial computers are engineered with Ethernet technology which helps to unify disparate departments and tessellate business applications. Also providing multiple systems solutions, Industrial Ethernet can be used to construct distributed networks with copper or fibre optic media; production and productivity stand to be enhanced as a result.

Systemic integrity through automation

Industrial-grade computer hardware is a fast track to more accurate data being processed at faster rates, to give cutting-edge insight in real time. Integrated automation provides a healthy procedure base-layer for increased production volumes and profitability.

As more system mechanics depend on automated machinery, not only is human error taken out of the equation, but fewer employees are needed to complete tasks. Teams can streamline as a result, bringing costs and safety observations down, which leads to a healthier financial report.

Maximised uptime

If time is money, then data takes the maxim to the Nth degree in our modern age. Today, analysis speeds and response times can win or lose valuable custom to the detriment or benefit of a firm’s competitive grip on the marketplace. In such an info-addicted environment, uptime is of fundamental importance.

Only industrial-grade computers can give bosses the confidence they need of optimised efficiency and performance in the most testing of surroundings; models such as the Embedded Box 3000 from Dell EMC are constructed to fit into constricted spaces, designed to MIL-STD810G and can run comfortably from 0-50 degrees Celsius.

A buttress for business

If your firm operates in a hazardous environment in which critical applications uptime and maximum resilience are essential, then industrial PCs are for you.

With a global IT leader such as Dell EMC on your team, you can tap into Dell OEM solutions to get all the technology you need to meet business requirements head on in any environment.

Dell

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Tags: Business, Digital Transformation

Why does Windows 10 win when it comes to enterprise mobility? Let’s step back and look at the bigger picture first.

We know that today, mobility is not just a trend but is rapidly becoming the de facto manner in which employees, managers, and consumers alike prefer to access their data. Yes, the desktop will remain important for the performance of complex tasks or those needing lots of screen real estate, but for day-to-day web browsing, email and access to corporate data, the phone, tablet or laptop can pretty much do it all.

Mobile data security

Today, users prefer to buy and use their own devices for both work and personal use – the BYOD phenomenon. This means that personal and company data co-exist on the same device, with all the potential for security breaches and leakage of corporate data that this implies.

However, Windows 10, which don’t forget runs on phones, tablets and PCs alike, offers the best set of security features around mobile enterprise data than any OS that Microsoft has released.

First and perhaps foremost, Windows 10 allows corporate and personal data to be separated. This means that all data tagged as belonging to the company can be automatically encrypted, so if the device is lost or stolen, the data can’t be accessed by unauthorised individuals. Data can be prevented from being accessed and/or copied without the right corporate profile, so reducing the risk of unauthorised devices accessing that information, and reducing the risk of malware copying that data to a miscreant’s server halfway across the world. VPN access can also be restricted by the IT security team to a given set of applications, which will then ensure that only authorised applications access the network that connecting the device to corporate data storage.

Security is not the only fruit

It’s not just about security however, as Windows 10 offers features such as native support for touchscreens, which are both becoming ubiquitous and make data access more intuitive. Windows 10 also allows IT to manage the update process for every Windows device.

Built-in battery saving technology allows users to go further and longer without access to external power, a boon for those out in the field, while file history acts as an effective instant restore, so that users are less likely to lose data and then ask the helpdesk to find it again.

Even the ability of Microsoft Edge to cast to DLNA and Miracast devices will mean that a presentation can be simply thrown wirelessly to a projector without the time-consuming – and frankly amateurish-looking – attempts to get a presentation going that can otherwise result.

Windows 10 triumphant in the enterprise

Windows 10 runs across multiple platforms, is much more secure than ever before, and provides a host of features to make working while mobile easier, simpler and more productive. The combination of better security added to its other, must-have features make Windows 10 a shoo-in for the enterprise.

Manek Dubash

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Tags: Mobility, Technology