Tricky charts and visually deceptive graphs often make a case for the impact IT performance has on business. The debate isn’t around the obvious; of course, IT performance metrics like website load time influence business metrics such as conversions and revenue. Rather, this presentation will explore various data analysis concepts to understand how, and how not to, assert such correlations.
In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Leo Vasiliou, Director of Web Performance Engineering at Catchpoint Systems, will review data analysis basics, and then move into some data-to-actionable information concepts. Afterward, YOU decide whether to use your newfound knowledge for good or evil.
Cloud Adoption in 2017 | @CloudExpo #AI #Docker #DigitalTransformation
The IT industry is positioned to experience major technology shifts within the next few years as a result of the rise of cloud adoption. According to Gartner, more than $1 trillion in IT spending will be affected by the shift to the cloud by 2020 – making cloud computing “one of the most disruptive forces of IT spending since the early days of the digital age.” As enterprises prepare for, or continue to run on, the cloud, it is important for them to have a strong grasp of the cloud adoption process and the requirements for ongoing management of cloud environments. Here are five major trends that will shake up the industry in 2017.
WineSOFT to Exhibit at @CloudExpo New York | #Cloud #DataCenter
SYS-CON Events announced today that WineSOFT will exhibit at SYS-CON’s 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
Based in Seoul and Irvine, WineSOFT is an innovative software house focusing on internet infrastructure solutions. The venture started as a bootstrap start-up in 2010 by focusing on making the internet faster and more powerful. WineSOFT’s knowledge is based on the expertise of TCP/IP, VPN, SSL, peer-to-peer, mobile browser, and live streaming solutions.
Why flexibility in cloud services is key to ERP success in today’s age
(c)iStock.com/mmac72
In the fast-moving digital world, being able to quickly adapt to disruptive business processes and changing business needs is key to success and survival. While organisations might be able to adapt their strategy and culture, they also need their business systems to adapt to these new processes and requirements. The need for flexibility and near real-time response to changing business processes is especially essential for an organisation’s core ERP system.
Here are five reasons why ERP needs to be flexible.
Hybrid cloud configurations
Today companies should be prepared to extend their core ERP systems with a variety of cloud-based services to take advantage of best-of-breed and supplemental capabilities. They also may want to support a two-tier ERP model in which companies run more than one ERP system, often a primary one at headquarters and additional cloud ERP services at subsidiaries. Companies should have the flexibility to create efficient, seamless workflows across multiple ERP systems, add-on services, and different applications, including CRM, WMS, and PLM – regardless of whether they reside on-premises or in the cloud.
Changing business models
Companies shouldn’t have to limit the way products and services are offered because their under pinning system is inflexible. For example, with the growing demand for subscription services, insurance companies are providing insurance coverage for young drivers by the day and jet engine manufactures are sell air time instead of the engines themselves. An inflexible ERP system that can’t support dynamic business practices such as new revenue models and depreciation methods can be a serious inhibitor to positive changes. No company wants to be limited to outdated business models because of its ERP system.
Mobile ERP
The ability to perform day-to-day business functions on the go, including approving purchase requests, signing contracts, and viewing inventory levels boosts efficiency considerably. Mobile ERP applications benefit everyone from sales people to warehouse workers to CEOs who want immediate access to financial reports. Enterprises must be prepared to mobilize relevant ERP data and processes, update data based on real-time transactions and support offline use cases.
Secure ERP data
Weak ERP security can lead to a loss of assets and compromise data privacy. Securing ERP data also needs to take into account the possibility of integrating with public clouds and tools. In order for sensitive data to be protected, ERP systems need consistent secure integrations to back end and reporting systems.
IoT data tsunami
Companies wanting to leverage data from IoT systems for predictive maintenance, predictive analytics, and optimized manufacturing, could be flooded with huge volumes of data coming from sensors. ERP systems can connect the device data with business data and must be able to process, analyse and show all this data in real-time. Elasticity with the ability to scale up quickly will become essential as more and more ERP business processes are data driven.
Given ERP size and complexities, and the introduction of new technologies as part of digital transformation, there is always the need to modify and expand ERP systems. Planning ahead to include the necessary flexibility, and using solutions that are fully interoperable is the best way to be prepared for new data, security and reporting requirements that come with digital transformation.
Why flexibility in cloud services is key to ERP success in today’s age
(c)iStock.com/mmac72
In the fast-moving digital world, being able to quickly adapt to disruptive business processes and changing business needs is key to success and survival. While organisations might be able to adapt their strategy and culture, they also need their business systems to adapt to these new processes and requirements. The need for flexibility and near real-time response to changing business processes is especially essential for an organisation’s core ERP system.
Here are five reasons why ERP needs to be flexible.
Hybrid cloud configurations
Today companies should be prepared to extend their core ERP systems with a variety of cloud-based services to take advantage of best-of-breed and supplemental capabilities. They also may want to support a two-tier ERP model in which companies run more than one ERP system, often a primary one at headquarters and additional cloud ERP services at subsidiaries. Companies should have the flexibility to create efficient, seamless workflows across multiple ERP systems, add-on services, and different applications, including CRM, WMS, and PLM – regardless of whether they reside on-premises or in the cloud.
Changing business models
Companies shouldn’t have to limit the way products and services are offered because their under pinning system is inflexible. For example, with the growing demand for subscription services, insurance companies are providing insurance coverage for young drivers by the day and jet engine manufactures are sell air time instead of the engines themselves. An inflexible ERP system that can’t support dynamic business practices such as new revenue models and depreciation methods can be a serious inhibitor to positive changes. No company wants to be limited to outdated business models because of its ERP system.
Mobile ERP
The ability to perform day-to-day business functions on the go, including approving purchase requests, signing contracts, and viewing inventory levels boosts efficiency considerably. Mobile ERP applications benefit everyone from sales people to warehouse workers to CEOs who want immediate access to financial reports. Enterprises must be prepared to mobilize relevant ERP data and processes, update data based on real-time transactions and support offline use cases.
Secure ERP data
Weak ERP security can lead to a loss of assets and compromise data privacy. Securing ERP data also needs to take into account the possibility of integrating with public clouds and tools. In order for sensitive data to be protected, ERP systems need consistent secure integrations to back end and reporting systems.
IoT data tsunami
Companies wanting to leverage data from IoT systems for predictive maintenance, predictive analytics, and optimized manufacturing, could be flooded with huge volumes of data coming from sensors. ERP systems can connect the device data with business data and must be able to process, analyse and show all this data in real-time. Elasticity with the ability to scale up quickly will become essential as more and more ERP business processes are data driven.
Given ERP size and complexities, and the introduction of new technologies as part of digital transformation, there is always the need to modify and expand ERP systems. Planning ahead to include the necessary flexibility, and using solutions that are fully interoperable is the best way to be prepared for new data, security and reporting requirements that come with digital transformation.
[session] Successful Cloud Operations By @VMware | @CloudExpo #API #Cloud
Building a cross-cloud operational model can be a daunting task. Per-cloud silos are not the answer, but neither is a fully generic abstraction plane that strips out capabilities unique to a particular provider.
In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Chris Wolf, VP & Chief Technology Officer, Global Field & Industry at VMware, will discuss how successful organizations approach cloud operations and management, with insights into where operations should be centralized and when it’s best to decentralize.
Fox Films Chooses Mandic Cloud
The Brazilian office of Fox Films has chosen a local cloud services provider called Mandic Cloud Solutions for providing cloud storage and backup services.
Fox Films Brazil was looking for a reliable service provider that would help with supporting the complete financial and operational structure of the company, and in the process improve its internal and external operations. Furthermore, Fox Films wanted a provider whose services can be used both by its affiliates and partners located within and outside of South America.
Mandic Cloud Solutions was the perfect partner for Fox Films, and both the companies entered into an agreement about a month ago. Over the last month, Mandic’s infrastructure was implemented, and it became operational within just a few weeks. Since the system was setup, Fox Films has seen enormous benefits.
According to its IT coordinator, Arlem Silva, there is a 70 percent improvement in stability and security. To top it, employees and partners find the system easy to use, so training was not a lengthy process. As an example, he says, that earlier it took 30 minutes to generate a report, and now, the same can be done in ten minutes. That’s the kind of time and resources that Fox Films can save with this new system.
In addition, Fox Films Brazil can now safely and quickly access all the information they want from Fox’s headquarters in London, and so can its partners. Fox Films Brazil can report all financial transactions to London as it happens, thanks to an agile and flexible system. This also means there’s greater transparency in its operations than before, and this is sure to improve the morale of the top brass, as well as all the stakeholders who’re interested in knowing the nitty-gritty details of operations.
Besides these advantages, Fox Films can now rest assured that its operations is on a safe and stable system. A salient feature of Mandic Cloud is its disaster recovery plan, that taps into human and computational resources to support a business in the best way possible. This translates to no downtimes, and a smooth backup system that will automatically kick in when the primary node fails. In fact, the transition will be so seamless that no one would see or feel any impact. Such a sound infrastructure is one of the reasons for Fox to choose Mandic.
If you’re wondering what Mandic Cloud Solutions is, let’s turn back a few years. It had established itself as Brazil’s main enterprise email service provider, but when the cloud wave began, it reinvented itself as a cloud services firm. The company’s website claims that it has more than 20 years experience in the IT industry. It was the first one to experiment email in the cloud, and claims much credit for revolutionizing Internet in the country. Such innovative approaches attracted foreign partners, with Riverwood Capital and Intel Capital being its important capital investors.
These developments are a positive sign for Brazil’s cloud business, as it can put homegrown cloud companies on the international map.
The post Fox Films Chooses Mandic Cloud appeared first on Cloud News Daily.
Cloud and IT skills gap comes to the fore again in new research
(c)iStock.com/ymgerman
The cloud and IT skills gap has been a long-suffering gripe for many organisations; and a new research study from Robert Half Technology shows the problem is by no means resolved yet.
According to the study, which was based on interviews with more than 100 CIOs and IT executives across the UK, three quarters (74%) of CIOs and IT directors polled admitted they frequently encountered IT professionals who were not up to the task. Yet only two in five (38%) say they use standardised skills testing before making job offers.
Anyone reading this who has ever spent the occasional lunchtime browsing LinkedIn will have undoubtedly seen memes around how qualifications are not a barrier to success in the workplace. With that in mind, the number of CIOs and IT directors who see certifications as a measurement of skill is at 61%. A similar number (60%) focus on years on experience, while more than half (53%) ask for examples of previous work in their job testing.
Evidently, the gap is clear to see. “The rate of technological change combined with the digital evolution of business today is exacerbating the current IT skills shortage in the UK,” said Neil Owen, director of Robert Half Technology. “The pace of hiring to support business growth, digital transformation and IT security challenges, while using the latest software and systems to meet best practice standards is seeing IT professionals continually needing to upskill.
“To cope, many businesses are needing to reassess their hiring requirements, considering the ‘need to have’ and ‘nice to have’ skill sets alongside cultural fit,” added Owen. “Finding high-potential candidates who can be trained and mentored to company specifications will be a key strategy for surviving – and thriving – in the technology war for talent.”
Writing for this publication earlier this month, Antonella Corno argued the need for certifiable cloud skills. “With cloud skills and the certifications, IT professionals can demonstrate that they can help an IT department drive cloud deployments in a consistent and centralised manner,” she wrote. “They become more valuable to any organisations because they know how to help to bring about desired business outcomes, such as greater business agility and lower IT architecture spending.”
Cloud and IT skills gap comes to the fore again in new research
(c)iStock.com/ymgerman
The cloud and IT skills gap has been a long-suffering gripe for many organisations; and a new research study from Robert Half Technology shows the problem is by no means resolved yet.
According to the study, which was based on interviews with more than 100 CIOs and IT executives across the UK, three quarters (74%) of CIOs and IT directors polled admitted they frequently encountered IT professionals who were not up to the task. Yet only two in five (38%) say they use standardised skills testing before making job offers.
Anyone reading this who has ever spent the occasional lunchtime browsing LinkedIn will have undoubtedly seen memes around how qualifications are not a barrier to success in the workplace. With that in mind, the number of CIOs and IT directors who see certifications as a measurement of skill is at 61%. A similar number (60%) focus on years on experience, while more than half (53%) ask for examples of previous work in their job testing.
Evidently, the gap is clear to see. “The rate of technological change combined with the digital evolution of business today is exacerbating the current IT skills shortage in the UK,” said Neil Owen, director of Robert Half Technology. “The pace of hiring to support business growth, digital transformation and IT security challenges, while using the latest software and systems to meet best practice standards is seeing IT professionals continually needing to upskill.
“To cope, many businesses are needing to reassess their hiring requirements, considering the ‘need to have’ and ‘nice to have’ skill sets alongside cultural fit,” added Owen. “Finding high-potential candidates who can be trained and mentored to company specifications will be a key strategy for surviving – and thriving – in the technology war for talent.”
Writing for this publication earlier this month, Antonella Corno argued the need for certifiable cloud skills. “With cloud skills and the certifications, IT professionals can demonstrate that they can help an IT department drive cloud deployments in a consistent and centralised manner,” she wrote. “They become more valuable to any organisations because they know how to help to bring about desired business outcomes, such as greater business agility and lower IT architecture spending.”
How serverless, cognitive computing, and blockchain will influence cloud this year
(c)iStock.com/baona
As the sun rises on 2017, a highlight of this New Year will be the gathering strength of the cloud. If the big question posed by businesses and their CIOs in 2016 was whether they should migrate to the cloud; in 2017 the question will be what is the best way to get there.
A recent IBM survey of more than 1,000 C-suite executives from 18 industries found that almost every company we surveyed is using cloud, but only in pockets of their business. 78% of respondents say their cloud initiatives are coordinated or fully integrated, compared to just 34% in 2012. At the same time, nearly half of workloads – or 45% – are expected to remain on-premises with dedicated servers.
As businesses continue to benefit from integrating their on-premises infrastructure with the cloud, they are also increasing their investments in new workloads on public clouds. Clearly, the cloud – and especially hybrid cloud – is becoming a platform for innovation. With that backdrop, here are five emerging or accelerating trends that we see happening for cloud in 2017:
The rise of cognitive computing will be driven by the cloud
An increasing number of the things we depend on in our daily and work lives resides in the growing ocean of data that surrounds us. An indisputable truism of the digital age is that data is growing faster than our ability to make sense of it.
In fact, 80% of the world’s data is essentially “dark” – collected and stored by computers – but invisible and unusable by humans. Cognitive systems, delivered via the cloud are lifting the veil on this so-called “dark data.”
Servers, storage and software are now being built for a hybrid cloud world that is rapidly moving towards cognitive solutions made possible by computer systems that can understand, learn and reason. In 2017, cognitive solutions delivered via the cloud will continue to drive new experiences and transform whole industries — from financial services and retail to healthcare and airlines.
Blockchain is bringing truth and trust to the digital age via the cloud
One of the most exciting technological breakthroughs in recent years is the advent of blockchain, the first peer-to-peer, global platform for business and personal transactions.
Blockchain is a trusted distributed ledger secured by advanced cryptography, making it the most secure and fail-safe system ever developed for the digital age. Only a closed circle of participants have access, and each party can only view the information they are authorised to see within a transaction.
More and more companies and organizations are choosing blockchain on the cloud. This trend will continue in 2017. In fact, it is estimated that applying blockchain to global supply chains could generate more than $100 billion in annual efficiencies. The best systems are built to scale, broadly accessible and consumable as APIs or solutions on the cloud.
Serverless cloud computing is eliminating complexity and cost for app development
Serverless computing is now making the physical and virtual servers developers use to run apps completely invisible.
This technology, delivered on the cloud, is beginning to unleash game-changing competitive advantages for organisations, large and small. In 2017 more businesses will take advantage of its many benefits, including reduced development time and lower cost.
Cloud will become an enabler of security
In 2016 we frequently saw news of a major IT security breach that adversely affected businesses, governments or citizens. And even as more of us are moving to the cloud, security concerns still loom as a big inhibitor to adoption. While the threat is real, major cloud providers are taking extraordinary steps to build in security protections.
In 2017, new cognitive capabilities will accelerate the transformation of the cloud’s perceived security vulnerabilities into a strength. Built upon security intelligence, cognitive solutions generate not just answers, but hypotheses, evidence-based reasoning and recommendations for improved decision making. As a result, cognitive security will help address current skills gap, accelerate responses and help reduce the cost and complexity of dealing with cybercrime.
Culture transformation is driving the journey to the cloud
As more and more organisations adopt the cloud, the journey will require a transformation of more than just the technology. Developers, startups and organisations must embrace a culture change that prioritizes the user experience, and values collaboration, the freedom to experiment and a laser sharp business focus.
In 2017, we will see more IT companies creating actual physical spaces – innovation centres or garages – where talent is attracted and nurtured and small teams can gather to learn new skills and collaborate on breakthrough innovations.
As the New Year begins, cloud platforms will accelerate innovation and the key role of information technology in the transformation of business and society.