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Consulting, Internet Technology, Software development process, System Development Life Cycle, Tatvasoft

Effective Software Development – Best Practices

A software development company should always be on the lookout for methods to develop software in the most effective manner. This is because as the competition grows, a software service provider could fall behind in the race, if it does not stay updated with current trends, technologies and best practices. An effective software solutions firm is curious, inquisitive and pragmatic. It should have the willingness to learn and even unlearn different process flows, required to provide high quality services for its clients. It should also be able to choose the right tools, technologies, techniques and methods.

It is recommended that a developer should put into practice – a set of proven and effective guidelines to ensure project success. When carrying out project work, the first step is adopting a comprehensive but practical approach that will maximize chances of a successful end result.

System maintenance is a significant requirement. A software system undergoes various changes once it is delivered to a client, thus your programs should be flexible enough to inculcate the necessary changes required swiftly.

One of the hallmarks of a great IT workforce is that, it should be curious, inquisitive and pragmatic. Curiosity – for learning new technologies, an eagerness to grasp efficient techniques is paramount. Inquisitive refers to investigating and questioning every insight that the team comes across, during various stages of a software development cycle. Pragmatism involves choosing the best fit technologies, tools, techniques and methods.

Every company has its own phases of development. The typical phases of developing software includes analysis of software needs, design, identification of the software required, programming, detailed specs of the exact requirements, testing and maintenance. Developers should keep in mind that this kind of development is nothing like producing cars. When a car is ready, the one who buys it does not go back to the manufacturer and ask to add another wheel or to put engine somewhere else. Building expensive projects is not the same as simple web app building with two pages. Hardware has a specification that one has to code against.

For any project done by the company, it is necessary to have in place and practice a set of proven and effective guidelines to ascertain the success of the work and delivery of expected results. The in-house manager has a vital role in making certain that each phase of the project, is executed, as planned. The project manager has the responsibility to consider the possible risks that is involved and ways to resolve or avoid them as well as establishing and maintaining momentum all throughout the project. Although the life cycle could have a lot of versions, each version carries its own advantages and disadvantages, and all of them have the same steps needed to be more effective. It undergoes a feasibility check before being given the go-ahead. If this proceeds, a proper plan is prepared, along with budget estimates for all the development stages. After the project’s feasibility is tested, system requirements are gathered. Business analysts do a complete analysis and study of business requirements of a company and the trends in the market. Starting from interface to data design, every program is discussed to keep the software in a high level design. The requirement analysis and design phase is considered the most vital part of the SDLC. Any flaw during this phase could prove very costly for further life cycle stages.

The code generation and implementation phase in software building involves the code translation of a well-thought design. Programs desired are built using a conventional programming language and with the aid of programming tools such as Interpreters, Compilers and Debuggers. The code is generated with the use of different high level programming languages that include Pascal, C++, C, Java and more. Besides the requirement analysis, testing is another important stage of SDLC that will decide the functionality and effectiveness of the product. This stage reveals errors and bugs of the system. System testing includes integrating testing to check if the interfaces between modules are in proper working condition. Software system maintenance is an unavoidable need. This development must be flexible in order to inculcate the changes needed with time and the changing business requirements.

Summary

 Software development is a highly qualitative and business critical aspect of any project that business enterprises handle. There are various stages through a development cycle that design, test and validate the effectiveness of a software application in business processes. This article is published by Tatvasoft, a leading software development firm in the UK that specializes in designing variety of software and web applications for a wide variety of clients.

Biztalk, BizTalk 2013, Microsoft, Microsoft BizTalk Server, SQL, Tools

BizTalk Hosting Sever Provides Interesting Business Solutions

Advancement of IT technology brings many development options for the developers. And thus allows a wide range of software development services for IT companies which proves to be a perfect platform for the development purpose which also provides great result for the developers. For this purpose, it is one of the ideal solutions for the developer, but before we discuss this, we’d like to give you a brief introduction on BizTalk.

What is BizTalk?

In simple terms, it is a highly effective development platform. It is a hosting server used to help to manage various techniques managing on different systems return smooth interaction. Its multi-platform plugs are personalized to link with techniques or programs in business. It is generally known for its program incorporation features as it’s very simple but very useful. It able to provides complete solution for developing programs and techniques as well as assisting linked techniques.

What is great about BizTalk?

One good thing about this sever, that it comes up with something new with every new versions. And that is what Microsoft done with their recent update of BizTalk 2013. With every new version it scales up and out and is designed to meet the needs of even the most demanding enterprises, but it work well equally well with both large and medium-sized organizations.

How any organization takes the advantages of BizTalk?

This software helps many companies to integrate and develop business processes, applications and services across the enterprise. It is possible to prepare workflow application applications to automate business processes across the enterprise, and to exchange information with line of different business systems.

BizTalk, with SQL and Visual Studio, provides any organization proper foundation of a powerful, flexible and easily accessible universal messaging center that allows data management and transfer from unequal systems and databases under well-defined rules. It also has several free adaptors that allow for direct data links with the most of the popular database. However, it is currently available with ERP, EDI and some finance systems.

What this software can do for your organization?

That is very important question, but expert developers frequently work with a variety of developing options by using transformation maps, Implementing Maps and any many other options for organization. Today big IT development companies run on varied different platforms that enable employees of one company to communicate with each another very easily. Thus with help of professional developers the performance of entire enterprise increased significantly.

This server delivered fascinating solutions to customers. Professional software developers clearly understand the value of interaction between various levels in the same organization. And that is why perhaps the demand for Biztalk development companies has increased significantly and with the latest version It allows more option for the developers, so chances are bright that it is becomes even more popular in nearest future.

Summary:

BizTalk is one of the newer software for the developer Biztalk is highly effective development platform. It is Microsoft developed hosting server used to help to manage various techniques managing on different systems return smooth interaction. Its multi-platform plugs are personalized to link with techniques or programs in business. To know more about BizTalk Development, please visit Tatvasoft

Advertising, Business Processes, Collaboration, Content marketing, Customer Relationship Management, Document Management, Social, Software as a service, Workflow

Use a Shared Technology Platform to Reorganize your Digital Media Activities

“Digital marketing” is now a familiar term across age groups spending time on online and mobile interfaces. The digital media space can no longer be ignored and companies in varying fields, from pharmaceutical to telecom have started to take it seriously, and invest in it for the long term.

Large companies would need a strong presence in the digital arena. This means that many stakeholders would be involved in handling different kinds of digital media. For example, one agency might be in charge of the website creation and social media content, while another might handle email campaigns and banner ads. Add the technology service provider to this mix, and you could be headed for confusion. It is prudent to address this situation before it gets out of hand.

To implement a collaborative platform for one of its clients in business information services, HCL Tech used the following main 7 components:

Shared Technology Platform

The platform that was implemented had to be common across all the digital agencies and the technology service provider. It would form the foundation of the solution, and had to be capable enough to handle all the common assets, activities and reporting mechanisms.

Common Understanding of Objectives

The big picture is very important in such a collaborative scenario, and each digital agency and technology provider should have an idea of the objective to be achieved. This would help them understand the importance of their individual responsibilities clearly.

Definition of Roles

When multiple stakeholders are involved, the interfaces between them play an important role. This means that a single point of contact should be defined in each digital agency, as well as at the technology service provider and at the client’s end. The team structure within each team should also be uniformly and clearly defined, including special role definitions such as BIS digitization services.

Clear Definition of Responsibilities

In most situations, the final accountability might lie with the client’s business team, but it is important to define a responsibility matrix for all the stakeholders involved. This would help to identify the points of success, as well as to pinpoint any issues at an early stage.

Training Requirements

It is essential that the service provider provides the required training about the platform to the digital agencies, and also is available for guidance after the participants have started using it. Some of the aspects to be covered by the training include features of the platform, storage and access of digital assets, managing information, workflows and reporting mechanisms.

What are Workflows?

A common platform is effective only if used in a collaborative and uniform manner by all the stakeholders. The creation and review of workflows need to be performed by the end users of the platform from the client’s team, but in close discussion with the digital agencies.

Why are Reporting Mechanisms Important?

Reporting is an important step for tracking progress, and requires a common template to be established for use by all agencies.

Why are Reporting Mechanisms Important?

Reporting is an important step for tracking progress, and requires a common template to be established for use by all agencies.

Opting for a shared technology platform at an early stage of digital marketing would improve efficiency and brand image. It would also ensure that your digital marketing campaigns reach the required audience within an optimal period of time.

To know more about the topic please refer to the whitepaper written by HCL Technologies

Customer Relationship Management, Education, Facebook, Social media, SRM University, Twitter

How 360° Student Relationship Management Could Benefit Your Educational Institution

If you run a higher educational institution, your student is your customer. Surprising as it may sound, consider this: the focus of most initiatives in your institute needs to be the student. Starting from attracting them to join your institute, to the way their association with you is managed, you could achieve desired results if you plan your strategy keeping the student in the spotlight.

IT can play an essential role in helping you manage student relations. A Student Relationship Management (SRM) framework can help you forge a better connection with your students, keep you aware of any reasons that could cause dissatisfaction or churning and provides mechanisms to address such situations at the earliest.

Challenges to be addressed by an SRM Solution

Some of the challenges faced by higher educational institutions are:

  • Improving student enrolment and retention

  • Encouraging a lifelong learning process, including alumni engagement

  • Bringing about pricing optimization for education companies to make higher education affordable for the student yet profitable for the provider

  • Motivating the creation of educational products and services

  • Building and maintaining the brand image across all channels of publicity

  • Engaging and retaining staff

Other than the students, it is the faculty who play a very important role in establishing the reputation of an institution, which, in turn, attracts the required students. An efficient 360° SRM system would consider the goals of all the stakeholders and incorporate them in a student-centric manner.

SRM Systems Incorporate Changing Roles and Experiences

All the stakeholders, including students, faculty and administrative personnel go through a range of experiences in association with the institution.Beginning from when they enter the institute as strangers to the sense of belonging them cultivate over time; they would need to be treated differently according to their changing role. A seasoned vendor such as HCL Tech would ensure that these changing roles and functions are also a part of the provided system. This means that any situations that require intervention, such as a dissatisfied student who may be thinking of leaving the institution, would definitely have an addressing mechanism. If the design accounts for all such cases, hardly any scenario would remain truly “unexpected”.

SRM Solutions Harness Social Media

The management bodies of educational institutions would definitely be aware of the reach of social media among students. You can now harness the might of this medium in a positive manner. A service provider like HCL Tech could help you with using a popular platform like Facebook or Twitter to actively engage with an existing and prospective student population. For example, a Facebook page could be a medium used by the institution for such interaction. Social media apps used along with pattern recognition mechanisms may also be used.

Choosing HCL Tech to implement your 360° Student Relationship Management System is an important step, as it ensures that you receive a comprehensive, modern and efficient solution. All the building blocks including the data layer, CRM services, data analytics and social ecosystem, including mobile apps, would beput in place for you. All you need to do is to build on them further and operate them efficiently to ensure the success of your institution’s student relations strategy.

To know more about the topic please read the whitepaper presented by HCL Technologies.

Cloud Security Alliance, HCL Technologies, Open Source, Scalability, Standards

6 Cloud Computing Standards to Watch Out For

Of the numerous platforms available, cloud computing is slowly becoming the next big wave to hit industries and computing professionals around the globe, after Android applications. The cloud computing platform is one of the only ways in which that companies can reach new levels within their industry. One of the growing trends in the world is the rise in open-source cloud computing. Although very handy and easily available, there are factors that one needs to consider before implementing it across the company. We discuss the various problems associated with cloud computing compliance issues.

Plugging the holes in the cloud while you can

Open source cloud has rapidly increased as a mode of communication and storage for most companies around the world. Yet, due to the fact they are open source, there are certain regulatory factors that need come into the purview. Although, open source cloud computing is a conducive and a viable option compared to existing facilities, there are several factors that should be taken care of while on the cloud.

Standards-to-watch-for

  1. How secure is your cloud: One of the primary organisations that is ensuring the compliance to security issues is met, is the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). The latter is a global coalition that represents businesses, apart from industry and subject matter experts. This organization is the reason why most companies are ensuring that they achieve the best practices within their cloud, across the world.
  2. Is the cloud compliant: When placing workloads on the cloud, make sure that you have conducted certain risk assessments before you go on the cloud. Cloud security compliance standards, once implemented is one of the factors that deals with virtualization issues.
  3. Does it have a license? Per user, device and enterprise licensing models for the cloud are essentially factors that impact companies. Licensing issues are also present in the open-source cloud models and they need to address at the outset. There may issues to be dealt with such as proprietary licenses, and other traditional licenses.
  4. Is It Interoperable? Portability within your cloud should be the reason that you are sticking to the cloud. Transferring data from one cloud to another should be the reason that you have selected the convenience provided by the cloud. This will bring forth other important factors to the purview which involves certain standards such as those laid down by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE.
  5. How Scalable is your cloud: The faster you can connect and transfer data on your server, the faster it can upload workloads and store other data. Ensure that you cloud is scalable and brings you the convenience of uploading heavy workload without changing too much in the service contract.
  6. Evaluate the performance: Your SLA with the cloud should involve factors that allow you the convenience of business continuity and disaster recovery. This will help you measure the performance of the cloud in those critical moments.

It’s vital to have some levels of compliance in any technological advancement to enhance your business prospects. HCL Technologies is one of the technological giants that adhere to the cloud computing standards which is the reason it is in the forefront while delivering innovative SAP Solutions for its clients be it on the cloud, on premise, or through a hybrid approach.

To know more about cloud computing standards and services please visit HCL Technologies.

Cloud & IT Management, Content Management, Customer Relationship Management, Gartner, HCL Technologies, Information technology management, Internet Technology, Tools

4 Reasons to Improve Your Infrastructure Management On-The-Cloud

Infrastructure-as-a-service or IaaS is slowly yet steadily improving as the longest solutions towards successful integration of services and its management. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management systems are perhaps the quickest systems to adapt to legacy systems particularly on the cloud. Companies have not left any stone unturned when it came to adopting to the cloud, particularly towards adopting legacy systems. Not only have companies upgraded their spending potential for adapting to the cloud but it has also seen the adoption of cloud-based platforms as the leading trend with towards profit maximization and corporate sustainability.

Are companies inclined to spend more in IaaS?

According to a recent Gartner study, public cloud services are likely improve over the years which indirectly means that the global spending in infrastructure management is likely to grow. The growth rate or the CAGR will sustain at 17.7% over the years till the year 2016. Here’s what they predict about the investments in IaaS or infrastructure-as-a-service.

cloud-spending

At a sustained CAGR of 41.3% till 2016, the investments in IaaS is likely to be the fastest growing segments in the world. As companies want to reach to a wider audience, there is no doubt that companies want to achieve a competitive advantage before their competitors. 

Geographically too, companies across the world are increasing their IT spending towards cloud computing to enhance their company’s performance.

cloud-spending-2

Essentially, companies in Northern America, and Western Europe are the most eager or have already captured the benefits of cloud computing with an integrated infrastructure management. 

So, what is the direct advantage of having a cloud computing for integrated infrastructure management? Let’s take a look at the 4 critical advantages of having an integrated infrastructure management on the cloud:

  1. The lower your TCO, the better: When it comes to facilitating lower total cost of operations or achieving the best of cost savings, one of the critical ways of achieving either of these objectives is by going on the cloud. Not only have companies reduced their costs towards IT management services but they have avoided costs involved in severe challenges for managing various IT environments, while adapting to the cloud.
  2. Ability to concentrate on core businesses: Freeing up your time for core businesses is another critical way to facilitate enhanced business strategies. By implementing infrastructure management on the cloud, your strategic IT resources can concentrate on core IT strategies that facilitate business growth.
  3. Respond better to business needs: Enhance your flexibility and further your responsiveness to indulge into what your customers and niche clients want. Enhance your IT infrastructure with the availability of reliable and easily available services on the cloud.
  4. Improve the standards of service levels: Increase the level of security, stability, and IT infrastructure availability. With greater synergy between existing and newer technologies for infrastructure management, there are chances that one can make the entire IT infrastructure more accountable.

In other words, by implementing the best of IT integrated infrastructure strategies, one is virtually capable of indulging in cost savings, heightened competitive advantage, and greater accountability.

To know more about infrastructure management please visit HCL Technologies

Business Processes, HCL Technologies, Manufacturing, Supply chain, Supply Chain Management, Tools

Achieving Business Transformation by Aligning i-SCM with a Robust IT Strategy

Can adapting to the new best practices actually help you gain the business benefits that you are looking for? With the implementation of tools such as the Intelligent Supply Chain Management (iSCM), there are possibilities of ensuring the realization of business goals that reduce the risk of time and costs, overrunning. So, when it comes to the iSCM approach, there are several ways in which companies can succeed with its implementation:

i-SCM

How does iSCM impact overall business benefits?

As a business owner, there may be several instances when meeting customer demands, overcoming uncertainties and reducing costs for manufacturing is virtually impossible. The inclusion of better practices such as the iSCM would help improve the overall situation such as improving real-time visibility of supply chain extensions and the manufacturing operations. Regardless, of the time and effort taken to implement these management system, one can see that it is possible to implement seamless synchrony between the demand and its actual fulfillment. All this will be immediately implementable with the help of real-time analytics and rapid decision-making.

Facilitating your own iSCM solutions can only be done with the help of external advisors such as technological consultants like HCL Tech amongst others offer the following solutions:

  • Offering an opportunity assessment within the iSCM solutions offerings

  • Touchstone, an HCL Tech trademark offers KPI measurement and better benchmarking solution

  • iVision, an HCL Tech trademark offers solutions towards supply chain visibility and collaboration

How can functionalities improve the solution?

Here’s a look at the way in which functionalities can improve the following:

  • Capturing customer demand with the ability to accurately forecast demands

  • Incorporating operations such as collaborative supply chain planning and execution

  • Ensuring supply chain operations are monitored in real-time and highlighting bottlenecks with the supply chain impact

  • Creating visibility on end-to-end supply chain data and its processes

  • Collaborating with the various stakeholders through various communication platforms such as e-mail, text, portal alerts and other forms

  • Improving visibility of partners involved across multi-tiers of supply chain and cloud platforms

What remains to be seen, is whether the implementation of the iSCM systems will improve the overall business performance in the form of successfully integrating with business goals with the expected outcome of the performance.

To know more about the article you can read the case study written by experts at HCL Technologies.

Business Processes, Human-Computer Interaction, Tools, User experience, User interface

Implementing Better UI Experience in the Logistics Domain

How does an enhanced user interface (UI) impact user experience? When it comes to eliminating inconsistencies from a UI, there are only a few applications that can successfully do that. One of the critical aspects of any logistics application is to ensure that there is seamless front and back office synergy, and by simplifying the integration of various technological aspects of the logistics process, you can reduce on time and money for a unique strategy implementation.

Is improving the UI experience always so expensive?

There are ways in which one can built a responsive UI that is adaptable on several devices. One can also control the cost of UI development. Eliminating UI inconsistencies can enable better collaboration between internal and external applications. Several global logistics players have a similar requirement to improve the overall user experience. With the help of technological experts in the field of UI strategy implementation, one can jump-start the process cost effectively. Here’s how some players have improved their logistics UI experience with HCL’s Tech approach:

LogisticsUI2

 

  • Enhance usability by improving the overall UI experience

  • Optimize the use of common UI controls, standards, templates, tools, code generators, and other sample applications

  • Optimize the design and development of the overall process

  • Derive a quality code by adhering to best practices

  • Devise a strategy to optimize applications for various platforms such as the mobile, desktop, and other UI centric applications

  • Develop a framework for updating and governing the overall platform

By improving the UI (whether at the client side or internal), one can derive several business benefits. In other words, it’s possible to achieve a great overall experience with the help of technological consultants in the field.

To know more about the article you can read the case study written by experts at HCL Technologies.HCL Technologies.

 

 

HTC One, IPhone 5, Mobile, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Sony Xperia Z, Xperia

Best Mobile Phones for Online Gaming

Gaming forms a big part of the mobile phone industry, and it seems quite useful to answer the question of ‘what is the best mobile phone 2013’ by looking at which handset is the best for games. This slant brings into question processing power, storage, screen size, and app availability, so then, which is the best mobile phone for games in 2013. If you want to make up your own mind, you can play some of the most popular casino games on sites such as online casino UK and see for yourself.

A few contenders spring immediately to mind: the iPhone5, HTC One, Samsung Galaxy 4, Galaxy Note 2, Lumia 920 and the Sony Xperia Z.

Sony have really launched themselves back to prominence with the Xperia range and the gaming credentials of the Xperia Z are very good indeed. For starters there’s a super crisp 5inch HD screen, so visibility is well catered for. Then there’s the 1.5GHz quadcore processor to make sure the phone loads up apps quickly and doesn’t lag when they’re running.

The HTC One is very much a critic’s choice when it comes to games (and most other things). The 4.7inch screen is nicely placed in a market that tends towards overly big or overly small. It has a 1.7GHz quadcore processor and it can come with 32GB storage capacity. Anyone who loves an array of games, apps and media should err towards larger storage, and 32GB seems like a good marker.

The Galaxy Note 2 is a spectacular multimedia device, primed as much for films and personal organisation as it is games. This means the screen size is particularly generous at 5.5inches. You can also get 64GB of memory with the potential to double it on what is a real tablet/smartphone hybrid.

Then the likes of the Lumia 920, iPhone5 and Samsung Galaxy S4 all need to be considered on their relative merits. The iPhone5 and Galaxy S4 are the two accepted industry giants and they benefit from huge amounts of games from their respective Android and Apple stores, but then Windows 8 phones such as the Lumia 920 are really taking off as well.

Sin categoría

Data Security Concerns With Cloud Technology

Cloud computing in the 21st century promises to be what electricity was in the 20th century; cheap, plentiful and always available to compute resources to fulfill your every need. With any new technological advance however, there are always risks which could be exploited by those with malicious intent.

If you’re fortunate enough to have the resources within your organization to build and operate your internal private cloud, most of these risks would have been mitigated already as you still retain an element of control. Many other businesses are not in this position however, especially those in the small and medium sized sector, who are shredding documents to move to the cloud.

All of the security concerns we’ll be discussing below are not deal-breakers as such; the benefits of the cloud far outweigh any data security risks entailed in the transition to utility computing. As a decision maker, however, it is important to think about these issues before securely shredding everything and embarking on cloud migration, and finding out from prospective cloud providers how they will safeguard your data operations should be a key deciding factor on choosing your public cloud provider.

Data storage
Data should be securely encrypted when on your cloud provider’s servers, and also when in use and being processed by the cloud service. Forrester, a leading technology market research company, warns that few providers are currently able to guarantee data security and protection whilst it is being used within the application, and also what they do with the data after processing is complete.

Data transfer
Communications over the internet must be secured in any cloud transaction. On a browser, look for the “https” URL header when you connect to your cloud provider. In addition, always ensure traffic is authenticated and encrypted using industry standard protocols, developed specifically to secure internetworking, such as the Internet Security Protocol (IPSec).

Secure APIs
Also be aware of the software interfaces or application programming interfaces (APIs) that are employed in cloud services. The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), an industry trade group, recommends learning about how your cloud provider integrates security throughout its offering, spanning activities such as monitoring and alerting services, data authentication and access control techniques.

Access control and data separation
You no longer have any personnel controls over people that have access to your data stored on the cloud provider’s servers. Make sure you consider the sensitivity of such data first to make sure that it is appropriate for release into the cloud. Gartner, a leading technology research and advisory company, also suggests asking for profiles of people who manage your data and the level of access they have.