Monthly Archives: August 2016

AI, Artificial intelligence, News & Analysis

AI is getting there but still confusing…

Robotic hand, accessing on laptop, the virtual world of information. Concept of artificial intelligence and replacement of humans by machines.Research from Narrative Science claims confusion over the definition of artificial intelligence is holding it back, although 62% of enterprise respondents believe it will be place by 2018, reports Telecoms.com.

Although this is an encouraging statistic, the report also highlights there is confusion over the definition of the technology itself. 62% of those who contributed to the survey said they were not using AI currently, however later in the survey 88% of the same people were then found to be products or solutions which are under pinned by AI technology. 20% of the respondents highlighted AI wouldn’t be implemented in their organization until there was more clarity on what the technology is, where it fits into the IT function and what the benefits are.

These statistics more than anything else highlight confusion, and ignorance to the artificial intelligence technology which is already present in their day-to-day lives. AI isn’t new, in science fiction movies or in real life. From Siri on Apple devices to Amazon’s recommended purchases or Facebook’s content recommendations, AI has been drip feed into the real-world of technology with few people realizing its impact. The functions mentioned are AI at one of its simplest versions, though IBM has been making progress with its Watson offering moving into more complex arenas, such as medical diagnosis, building management and weather modelling systems.

But what is the real potential of artificial intelligence? According to the report, predictive analytics is the most prominent use-case. 38% of the respondents believe prediction on activity relating to machines, customers or business health is the most relevant use-case. This is one of the more obvious use-cases as there is a direct link to the bottom line, recouping the investment made in the technologies. Whether this is repairs on leased equipment, understanding which customers are most likely to churn or understanding external factors which may impact the supply/demand dynamic, these are all use-cases which impact the bottom line.

These use-cases can also be linked back to the growth of big data and the desire to become more competitive by being more intelligent. The more information a company has access to, the more well-informed decisions become and the risk undertaken is reduced. Dependent on who you speak to the industry is either very good or very bad at using data. The number is almost certainly in the middle, as there is only so many man hours which can be contributed towards the analysis of this data, and data scientists are in-demand.

With the introduction of IoT, increased efficiency in collection and more effective real-time solutions, the tidal wave of information available to an organization will continue to grow. For the investment in data collection, storage and management to be realized, an artificially intelligent solution to comprehend the information and turn it into insight is an alternative, as a human could not stay awake long enough to do the same level of work. To ensure ROI and avoid drowning in the swell of information, artificial intelligence could be critical.

Another area which received attention during the report was automation. This would appear to be low on the agenda currently, though 25% of the respondents felt this was the most important use-case moving forward. One of the myths which have been swirling around artificial intelligence since the release of Terminator is the idea AI will eventually remove the requirement for humans. It’s all very doom and gloom, however AI offers companies the opportunity to take the more mundane, simplistic and repetitive tasks away from employees, to ensure they can focus more time on what would be considered more valuable and critical to the success of the business.

While there still needs to be a focus around what artificial intelligence actually is and what can be achieved through the implementation of such next gen technologies, progress is beginning to be seen. Should cloud computing and 5G be the driving forces towards IoT, to ensure the time and investment is not a waste, assistance from AI driven solutions would appear to be crucial. An AI solution will not (or at least in the near future) make business critical decisions, though the promise of big data is to provide a suitable level of information to ensure businesses are making informed decisions. AI could be the link between information and insight.

European Commission, News & Analysis, OTT, Policy and Regulation, regulation

Europe looks to set new rules for OTT in September

EuropeThe European Commission is set to release new rules in September, which will aim to tighten up how OTT’s such as WhatsApp and Skype are regulated in the European markets, according to the Financial Times.

How Over-the-top players are regulated has been a point of contention within the European markets in recent years, as it does fall into a grey area currently. Although telcos are under guidance from the European Commission regarding SMS and traditional voice calling, these rules do not directly address the services offered by the OTT’s, such as Facebook’s WhatsApp, which has been stealing business off the telcos. According to the FT, this grey area will be addressed in September, when the commission will release new rules focusing on how OTT’s comply with security requests from the state, and also how customer data can be monetized.

According to the reports, the commission will make an initial announcement in September, before providing more clarity in a separate review of the EU’s “ePrivacy” law later in the year. This is one of a number of moves across the industry to redefine regulation in light of how quickly technology has advanced over the last few years. French authorities for example, will decide in September whether Google, Viber and Skype should be registered as a telecoms provider, a move which has the potential for widespread ripples.

The reports will come as good news to various players in the telco industry, who have not been happy with the light-touch regulation which is in place for the OTT’s. Back in 2014, Spanish giant Telefónica complained there wasn’t a level playing field, as the OTT’s do not have to comply with the EU’s regulation on issues such as user rights, antitrust, security, net neutrality or Significant Market Power (SMP) obligations. The complaint, which is largely a fair one, was built on the idea that if OTT’s offer similar, or almost identical, services, they should be held accountable to the same rules.

These complaints were furthered last year, as a group of European operators, including Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and KPN, wrote to the President of the European Commission urging changes to the regulatory landscape to enable the telcos to better compete with the new waves of OTT’s. While the telcos have been held accountable to strict regulation in recent years to ensure competition and a fair deal to the consumer, the growth in popularity for OTT’s has proved to be a tough time for the industry.

Only recently Ofcom released its Communications Market Report 2016 which added weight to the claims OTT’s are becoming increasingly popular across various demographics. The report claims the number of people who are now using instant messaging services such as WhatsApp is up from 28% to 43% in the UK. This surge in popularity has seemingly come at the expense of more traditional means of communication, such as SMS and email, which demonstrated a decline of eight and seven percentage points respectively. These stats highlight the growth of the OTT’s is likely to continue, as well as the plight of the operators.

While it has not been confirmed whether the regulations will be changed in the near future, a problem which could be faced by the European Commission may focus around investments in network infrastructure. Over recent months there have been a number of mergers which have been rejected by the European Commission, most notably O2 and Three in the UK, with the reasoning relating to competition.

Should the level of competition drop in any markets, the need for telcos to continue investment in their own infrastructures to remain competitive would also drop. This is a concern of the European Commission, though the growth of OTT’s could inadvertently have the same impact. OTT’s are certainly providing cheaper services to the consumer, though the result is a decrease in revenues for the telcos which could impact the investments which are made elsewhere within an operators business.

The report from the FT remains officially unconfirmed for the moment, though it should not be seen as a surprise should it be true. The issue over OTT regulation has been bubbling away for some time, and considering the telecommunications industry is one of the heavier hitters in terms of lobbying, pressure would have likely been exerting on the commission for some time.

Although the European Commission would not confirm the rumours, it did offer us a statement:

“The Commission is indeed working on an update of EU telecoms rules under its Digital Single Market strategy. The upcoming reform of the EU telecoms framework should incentivise and leverage more private investment in next generation networks, provide regulatory predictability and the right conditions for all operators to invest,” said Nathalie Vandystadt, Spokesperson for the Digital Single Market at the European Commission.

“The Commission has been looking into the growing importance of online players that provide similar or equivalent services to traditional communication services. The Commission is looking into to what extent people can consider OTT services like WhatsApp and Skype to be functional substitutes for services provided by traditional telecoms operators, and is considering whether scope of the current EU rules needs to be adapted, to ensure adequate levels of consumer protection and ensure that regulation does not distort competition. This does not necessarily mean treating all communications services the same for all purposes. We will present our reform of the EU telecoms framework in September.”

Uncategorized

How hybrid cloud will enable streams of data to flow freely

(c)iStock.com/CARVALHO_BRASIL

The world of business is changing. Disruptive shifts in power are forcing everyone to question the established status quo. In particular, savvy chief executives are tasking IT organizations to help create compelling customer experiences, support new business models and adopt agile operational processes.

That’s why the vast majority of IT and business leaders are joining forces on the organizations’ most pressing commercial needs and wants. They seek an open and flexible business technology foundation that’s an enabler, rather than an inhibitor, to meaningful and substantive workflow progress.

Forward-thinking executives believe cloud services can empower them to achieve their strategic business outcomes. Moreover, they want their whole leadership team to collaborate across the business, developing a comprehensive IT strategy that utilises existing infrastructure investments and the elasticity of cloud services.

Innovation: Opportunities vs challenges

Meanwhile, CIOs are still compelled to manage the legacy IT infrastructure, while supporting new demands for flexible systems that enable digital innovation. Leading organisations are already blending traditional IT and cloud infrastructures to achieve better business outcomes.

They’re planning to adopt more new technology, such as cloud-enabled video services, enterprise mobility apps, social business, IoT and big data analytics. They’re very busy efficiently supporting current business objectives with existing infrastructure, and yet they must ensure that IT drives strategic value for the company.

What’s more, they’re using hybrid cloud to springboard to next generation activities that allow them to capture new markets. But there are many others that are still assessing their immediate needs, while considering all the options. Embracing cloud is a work-in-progress. The journey begins with an understanding of the basics.

Cloud services: Enabler of disruption

Cloud is now viewed as an impetus for innovation and collaboration. CEOs identify business technology as the number-one factor they see impacting the success of their organization. For these forward-thinking leaders, technology isn’t just part of the infrastructure needed to implement a business strategy. It’s what makes entirely new disruptive strategies possible.

And without that technology in place to spark continual innovation, CEOs fear being left behind. As a result, CIOs foresee a huge shift in their own roles and responsibilities, as they evolve from an IT service provider to a business innovation enabler.

Often, the private versus public cloud question is not viewed as an either/or decision. Informed organizations are frequently opting to utilise both platforms – what’s typically called an Open Hybrid Cloud services environment.

Hybrid cloud: Pathway to the future

Hybrid cloud computing dramatically increases your ability to create, deploy and integrate new digital services quickly – allowing your organization to keep pace with a shifting economic landscape and increasingly competitive marketplace.

We define hybrid cloud as the secure consumption and integration of services from two or more sources, including private cloud, public cloud and/or traditional IT infrastructure.

A hybrid cloud allows access to data, applications and services where they are most optimally placed – whether on a public cloud, private cloud or on-premise within an existing IT infrastructure, such as the traditional enterprise data center.

A hybrid cloud approach typically encompasses a wide range of choices including service providers, delivery configurations and billing models. It’s designed with the flexibility to change and integrate environments, data storage and services as needed.

Once implemented, a hybrid cloud offers many benefits, including the ability to compose, orchestrate and manage diverse IT workloads, thereby exploiting the portability of stored data assets and associated software applications.

Hybrid storage: Data in motion and at rest

The growing adoption of cloud computing is having a corresponding impact on IT storage evolution. Today’s digital business imperatives rely upon easy access to data insights. Next generation enterprise storage solutions support the need to capture, manage and perform real-time analysis on exponentially expanding pools of unstructured data.

That being said, most current enterprise IT environments already include some combination of on-premise block, file and object storage technologies. Over time, utilisation of the diverse mix of storage platforms can become sub-optimal.

Data is grouped into three common categories: frequently accessed data (hot data), infrequently accessed data (warm data), and rarely accessed data (cold data) that’s stored on slow, less-expensive storage. As hot data cools down and is accessed less frequently, it can be dynamically moved to the optimal storage platform(s).

An adaptive, modular hybrid cloud storage model can increase your flexibility and enable you to choose from all the best-fit solutions. So, how do you deploy a storage model that supports the fluid movement of data? Russ Kennedy describes an evolved approach to proactively securing and moving data to the most appropriate platform, in his insightful editorial entitled “Hybrid cloud storage: Past, present and future.”

Uncategorized

Hybrid Cloud Will Enable Streams of Data to Flow Freely | @CloudExpo #Cloud #BigData

The world of business is changing. Disruptive shifts in power are forcing everyone to question the established status quo. In particular, savvy chief executives are tasking IT organizations to help create compelling customer experiences, support new business models and adopt agile operational processes.
That’s why the vast majority of IT and business leaders are joining forces on the organizations’ most pressing commercial needs and wants. They seek an open and flexible business technology foundation that’s an enabler, rather than an inhibitor, to meaningful and substantive workflow progress.

read more

Uncategorized

Research suggests “tactical rather than strategic” cloud adoption in ASEAN

(c)iStock.com/NickILitov

Small to medium businesses in ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) are certainly on the cloud bandwagon – but it’s a stretch to say they are confident about its capabilities.

That was the overall finding from research conducted by Data & Storage Asean and commissioned by Barracuda Networks. The survey, which polled 130 IT professionals from small businesses in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, found 73% of respondents argued their data was safer under their own control rather than in the cloud. A similar percentage (71%) said they would not be likely to adopt a cloud-first strategy.

Where there was near certainty in some aspects, there was indecision in others. 42%, a majority, said they believe cloud providers adequately protect and secure their data, compared to 26% for no and 36% for ‘don’t know’, while more than two thirds (68%) say they had no defined preference over the type of cloud they were looking to implement. For those who did know what they wanted, backup and DR (9%) was the most popular.

Despite this, in terms of security backup and DR was perceived as the major concern, cited by 28% of respondents. Security in general (26%) had similar figures, while more than a quarter of respondents said they were unsure.

The survey results may indicate a certain lack of cloud maturity in south east Asia, although the most recent figures from the Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA) found Singapore to be the second most cloud-enabled major Asia Pacific nation, only behind Hong Kong. Indonesia (#11), Malaysia (#8), and the Philippines (#9) fared less well out of the 14 countries analysed.

“Our key conclusion is that IT professionals from SME companies around ASEAN have made first steps into cloud, but are doing so in [a] tactical rather than [a] strategic manner,” the report notes. “There is still uncertainty about which cloud use case to adopt, and also a significant uncertainty around data security and protection as IT is moved to cloud.

“We see a need for more education and guidance to help assist SMEs in this region truly harness the full potential of incorporating cloud into their IT strategy,” the researchers added.

You can read the full report here.

Uncategorized

Real-Time Collaboration Makes Cloud Services Essential | @CloudExpo #Cloud #DigitalTransformation

The enterprise is enjoying a period of rapid technological innovation driven by real-time collaboration on a grand scale. New tools have brought the ability to work from anywhere, on any device, and at any time. Centralized offices and individually assigned desks are giving way to a distributed, mobile workforce. Digital workspaces offer enormous benefits for the enterprise and for workers, but there are also challenges ahead.

read more

Microsoft, News

Rackspace and Microsoft Azure

Despite rumors of an impending acquisition, Rackspace has recently announced expansion of its Rackspace Managed Security services to Microsoft Azure and developments in its OpenStack technology.

 

Rackspace’s main focus is providing services that offer support for applications not only on its own cloud but third party clouds as well. The service launched in September of 2015 and has been exclusive to Amazon Web Service, Rackspace Dedicated Hosting, and Rackspace Managed VMware.

azure

Rackspace Managed Security for Microsoft Azure will allow those utilizing Azure services to benefit from added security services provided by Rackspace. Rackspace’s technology allows them to not only detect advanced cyber threats, but take action against said threats, setting them apart from their competition.

 

In addition to expanding to Microsoft, Rackspace also made some announcements pertaining to its Openstack private cloud services, which was created with NASA in 2010. OpenStack Clouds have now reached one billion server hours of operation.  

 

Comments:

Brannon Lacey, general manager of Rackspace Managed Security: “In today’s cybersecurity landscape, organizations are no longer asking if they should have a security solution in place, but rather whether they should do it themselves or partner with a trusted managed security service provider. We are proud to extend this security solution to Azure, as it represents the continued growth of our Managed Security capabilities and aligns with the overall Rackspace mission to provide the best expertise and service across the world’s leading clouds.”

The post Rackspace and Microsoft Azure appeared first on Cloud News Daily.

Uncategorized

Private Practice: Encryption Exposed | @CloudExpo #Cloud #Security #Encryption

In September 2014, Apple made encryption default with the introduction of the iPhone 6. Then, in February 2016, a Los Angeles judge issued an order to Apple to help break into the encrypted iPhone belonging to a terrorist involved in a mass shooting.
Apple had used some of the strongest encryption technologies and practices to protect its users and their data. The encryption technology did not discriminate between lawful and unlawful users. While there were many sides to this issue, it surfaced many important debates on security, privacy, and civil rights.

read more

Miscellaneous IT, Tech New Recap

Tech News Recap for the Week of 8/8/2016

Were you busy this week? Here’s a tech news recap of articles you may have missed for the week of 8/8/2016!

A point-of-sale cash register system sold by Oracle appears to have been hacked by Russians. The latest study from Ponemon Institute says that IT Managers are finding more confidence in tracking shadow IT in enterprises but that security and governance still lags. The Internet of Things market could top $3 trillion by 2025. U.S. mobile carriers added more cars than phones to their networks in the second quarter of the year. Worldwide public cloud services spending is forecasted to reach $195 billion by 2020. Macy’s is focusing on digital transformation, Boeing is using Microsoft Azure to make commercial flights more efficient, and more top news you may have missed this week!

Remember, to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news throughout the week, follow @GreenPagesIT on Twitter.

Tech News Recap

 

Did you miss our webinar about the current landscape of the hyper-converged market? Download here!

 

By Ben Stephenson, Emerging Media Specialist

 

Uncategorized

How the humble database can help prevent insurance fraud

(c)iStock.com/FabioBalbi

Fraud is a challenge businesses struggle to find remedy for. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently stated that last year saw nearly six million fraud and cyber crimes take place in 2015, in the UK. What is more, these crimes impact everyone in some way. Take insurance fraud for instance; personal premiums may rise as insurance providers seek to recover the money lost. Ultimately, this is a problem which needs tackling from the ground up.

In 2014, insurers found 150,000 fraudulent claims which cost over £1.3 billion. This has led to companies, who have a vested interest in defeating fraud, to invest £200 million to identify and prevent fraud. That would be £200 million well spent if it indeed reduced the risk but it’s hard to tell if it is.

Investing in digital technologies is key to securing the future of the insurance industry. Digitisation has rapidly transformed the landscape for consumers in how they can look for, and acquire, policies. Customers are no longer going to their high street brokers. The impact of less footfall was illustrated by Swinton who plans to close 130 of its high street branches within the next 12 months. High street brokers are being replaced by online price comparison and brokerage websites that can give you the best deals, for your particular circumstances, in real-time.

This sheer number of information requests and transactions online, coupled with the needs to satisfy customer demands in real-time, has significantly increased the risk of online fraud. Unfortunately, the means to detect these risks are still relatively archaic. KPMG found that most companies rely on old-fashioned tips rather than technology to overcome fraud. The question is, why is technology, which can help monitor behavioural patterns, overlooked when trying to combat this?

Something which has intrigued all data driven businesses is the thought of data analytics on an industrial scale. Data analytics is touted as a viable means for brokers to detect fraud by examining the swathes of data insurers have.

The de facto post-incident response in insurance is erroneous, relying on post-breach investigation and hours of legwork by “field agents”. Detecting it whilst it is happening, or better still, predicting incidents based on behavioural analytics, is a little more enticing and it is possible. A real-time look at validation data is the holy grail of detecting fraud, not just on new policies but renewals as well. To do this, a robust database infrastructure is needed to handle the queries of not only prospective clients but brokers too.

Backend technologies which make up the underlying infrastructure are able to provide this sort of capability. By building specialist applications and using them to aggregate data of individuals trying to take out policies, especially analysing past and current customer behaviour, would make it possible to detect and root out those who are trying to defraud the organisation, before they strike.

To do this with efficiency, it is important to have the database, which serves and receives the data, functioning in good order. One which is robust and scalable, capable of handling billions of queries coming from prospective customers on a price comparison website and the brokers who need to confirm or deny application success. Management of the database is also critical; if it isn’t properly monitored and implemented with a view of handling large quantities of data, downtime and revenue loss, due to unidentified fraud, can almost be guaranteed.

Technology might not be the only solution, it might take a combination of tactics to help reduce the risk from the 150,000 fraudulent claims which were uncovered within the last year, with probably several thousands more still hidden. The astronomical growth of data, and the ability to analyse it, will definitely play a part in the future success of the insurance industry.

The smart bet for insurers to move forward is by having a strong database foundation, one that can handle transactions at scale and continue fighting hard against the new world of cyber fraudsters.