In Depth

In Depth

• Cloud bursting: What is it, what workloads, what technologies?

  We look at cloud bursting, its benefits and how to deploy it, as well as the limitations in terms of suitable workloads, the technologies needed and the skills to make it happen  Continue Reading

• IT sustainability strategies: Why enterprises need to start with the datacentre when going green

  Enterprises are under pressure to curb their carbon emissions and become more environmentally friendly entities on multiple fronts, including in the datacentre  Continue Reading

• Online marketplace momentum ushers in new era for retailers

  Superdrug is the latest in a growing list of retailers to launch its own online marketplace, joining B&Q, Boots and others in driving a new era for UK retail  Continue Reading

• Morrisons joins the fast-growing retail media movement

  More retailers are becoming publishers as they realise the potential of their online assets, helping to fuel a new fast-growth segment of digital marketing – and Morrisons is no exception  Continue Reading

• Forrester: How to expand your API strategy

  Digital bonding is a mechanism for bridging enterprise boundaries by using application programming interfaces  Continue Reading

• Clickwork and labour exploitation in the digital economy

  Often ignored or assumed to be work conducted by machines rather than people, Computer Weekly explores the hidden human impact of the ‘clickwork’ that underpins the global digital economy  Continue Reading

• Air gaps for backup and how they help against ransomware

  The air gap is a basic of backups and storage. We look at what’s meant by an air gap, the rise of the logical air gap, and its place in the fight against ransomware  Continue Reading

• Hybrid working: Preventing damage to company culture

  The hybrid working model is still a work in progress, and most employers are at an early stage in learning and finding their way towards achieving its benefits  Continue Reading

• Providers unconcerned about Ofcom probe into hyperscaler influence on cloud market

  Should we be more worried about the growing dominance of the three big cloud providers – AWS, Azure and Google?  Continue Reading

• NFS vs SMB vs CIFS: File storage protocols defined

  We take a close look at NFS and SMB – the key file storage access protocols – and weigh up their pros, cons and suitability to differing datacentre environments  Continue Reading

• How to design a data architecture for business success

  To gain business value from data, enterprises need to get their data architecture right – and the right business leadership and culture is critical to that  Continue Reading

• Edge storage: What it is and the technologies it uses

  Storage is moving from the datacentre to the edge. We define edge storage, look at the characteristics of edge computing that shape it and the technologies it requires  Continue Reading

• Key ingredients for a successful API recipe

  We look at how application programming interfaces can provide connectivity to drive internal and external business processes  Continue Reading

• Dutch PhD project aims to automate discovery and deciphering of steganography

  Meike Kombrink, a PhD student in the Netherlands, is focused on detecting hidden messages on the internet  Continue Reading

• What cloud users need to know: Ensuring greater end point engagement for improved cloud delivery

  Although early-adopter worries about cloud may have dissipated, the end-user experience can still leave much to be desired  Continue Reading

• Carbon copies: How to stop data retention from killing the planet

  Our society has a serious digital hoarding problem, which is coming at a cost to the environment. But what can be done to address it?  Continue Reading

• AIOps for storage: Potential huge benefits, but lots of lock-in

  Applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to storage can help to predict bottlenecks, diagnose I/O issues and recommend upgrades, but suppliers’ products are largely limited to their own hardware  Continue Reading

• How the pandemic accelerated tech adoption in hospitality

  The pandemic led to technology adoption across several sectors, with hospitality being no exception  Continue Reading

• Putting artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads in the cloud

  We look at the pros and cons of putting artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in the cloud  Continue Reading

• AI Sweden connects the dots to keep the country competitive

  How and why a centre dedicated to accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence technology has been created in Sweden  Continue Reading

• RPA’s day has come – the intelligent evolution of a productivity bot

  By trying to emulate humans for tasks such as data entry, robotic process automation has found a niche home in many an enterprise back office  Continue Reading

• How Sweden goes about innovating

  A country of only 10 million people, Sweden is holding its own in the international community when it comes to innovation – and it’s no accident  Continue Reading

• How water conservation and management floats on cloud

  From the cloud comes our water supply – an essential building block and life support system increasingly underpinned by IT infrastructure  Continue Reading

• New connectivity options driven by low Earth orbit satellites

  Huge reductions in the cost of building and launching satellites has led to an explosion of interest in space-borne projects and services  Continue Reading

• Cloud bursting: What it is and what it’s good for

  We look at cloud bursting, which allows organisations to meet demand by bursting compute and storage to the cloud  Continue Reading

• Unstructured vs semi-structured data: Order from chaos

  We look at alternatives to relational databases that have emerged to help bring some structure to unstructured data and gain valuable insight by making it semi-structured  Continue Reading

• Peeking into the metaverse: Taking a look at VR headsets and AR smart glasses

  Extended – augmented and virtual – reality is capturing the imagination of media and investors alike. Use cases abound, and market opportunities proliferate as more and more companies discover applications that might help their operations or serve ...  Continue Reading

• Burning up: Mitigation should sustain datacentre operations during extreme heat

  July’s temperature spike put headline heat on regional operations at Google and Oracle. Datacentre operators must side-step similar mistakes to avoid climate change-related collapse in future  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage TCO: Key pitfalls and how to avoid them

  Cloud’s flexibility is part of the attraction, but it can also lead to costs that spiral. We look at key elements in cloud TCO and how to intelligently make use of the cloud  Continue Reading

• When network performance is the name of the Games

  Major sporting events are now major IT and networking events. For Aruba, being in charge of networking for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games meant 20 simultaneous major projects - how did it go?  Continue Reading

• Bfloat16: What it is and how it impacts storage

  Bfloat16 is an emerging way to handle very large numbers, developed by Google for its machine and neural learning and prediction. We look at what it means for IT and storage  Continue Reading

• Data classification: What it is and why you need it

  To be compliant, to ensure data is optimally protected, that it is available, that it can be analysed and that it is stored most cost-effectively – these are reasons why data classification is vital to organisations  Continue Reading

• Huawei sets out its stall for a data-rich world

  Businesses need to harness data effectively while keeping carbon emissions down. We see how Huawei is setting out to cope with the strains put on organisations, while mitigating the environmental impact  Continue Reading

• How can IT leaders tackle a toxic team environment?

  What can IT leaders do if they inherit a toxic team environment to ensure their team starts to function effectively again?  Continue Reading

• Global broadband reaches for the stars to connect the Earth

  Despite fears of recession, especially in major economies, there is one thing that people can’t seem to have enough of: high-speed connectivity  Continue Reading

• APAC organisations warm to cloud networking

  Organisations in Asia-Pacific are getting up to speed with cloud networking services, even as they grapple with the challenges of managing a hybrid cloud environment  Continue Reading

• Icelandic datacentres may lead the way to green IT

  Iceland may soon become even more attractive to companies wanting to minimise their carbon footprint while using high-performance computing services  Continue Reading

• IoT hits top gear with Extreme E in battling climate change

  All-electric car racing series teams with Vodafone Business to combat growing threat from global warning, through long-life IoT solar-powered sensors connected to a mesh network to warn of environment dangers  Continue Reading

• Mapping out the rise in checkout-free shopping

  There has been a boom in the number of checkout-free stores globally, but will that growth continue and which retailers are interested?  Continue Reading

• Luxembourg taps into innovation for better government tech

  With a diverse population and a digital inclusion and open innovation strategy, Luxembourg has developed a way of using technology to improve government services  Continue Reading

• Unstructured data storage – on-prem vs cloud vs hybrid

  We look at storage for unstructured data on-premise, in the cloud and across multiple locations. There are advantages to a hybrid approach, but there can be hidden costs, too  Continue Reading

• Employee experience joins CX for total enterprise view

  Total experience is emerging to join up employee and customer experience for organisations intent on being holistic and progressive  Continue Reading

• Holding the line in the world of hybrid work

  The role of line managers is evolving and changing as the shift towards hybrid working increases, and it would appear the secret to success in a hybrid context is to treat all staff members as if they were working remotely, even if they are based in...  Continue Reading

• What to look for when taking out a cyber insurance policy

  We look at the steps organisations need to take when buying cyber insurance  Continue Reading

• Ransomware and backup: Overcoming the challenges

  Ransomware attacks that exfiltrate data don’t nullify the value of backups to restore from, but the challenges – such as not restoring corrupted data – require careful planning  Continue Reading

• Retailers choose from menu of mobile apps to help reduce food waste

  Supermarkets, convenience stores and coffee shops are among the retailers connecting with mobile apps and tech firms to drive down the wastage of food  Continue Reading

• Embedded analytics emerges to offer new level of business intelligence

  Analytics suppliers are increasingly offering embedded analytics – based inside applications, often real-time, and driven by APIs – as a way to get to the next level of business intelligence  Continue Reading

• Cyber insurance: Tips for keeping the right level of cover

  Transferring risk to an insurer doesn’t mean you are risk-free – so what is not included in your cyber insurance cover?  Continue Reading

• Pandemic turns e-commerce doubters into believers

  Notable UK retail e-commerce avoiders Primark, B&M and Poundland are now online players. But what are their respective digital approaches?  Continue Reading

• Accountability in algorithmic injustice

  Computer Weekly looks at the growing number of injustices involving algorithms and automated decision-making, and what can be done to hold governments and companies accountable for the failures of computer systems they deploy  Continue Reading

• Olympique de Marseille scores with Orange 5G

  Robust communications in football stadiums is key to delivering optimal fan experiences and leading French team Olympique de Marseille has achieved connectivity in consumer and enterprise 5G  Continue Reading

• How IoT and digital twins could help CIOs meet ESG pledges

  Many local authorities have set ambitious net-zero targets. Can IoT technology, allied to digital twinning, help CIOs hit them?  Continue Reading

• Cyber insurance: What does a CISO need to know?

  We look at how the market for cyber insurance is evolving and how IT security chiefs can avoid buying the wrong level of cover  Continue Reading

• File, block and object: Storage fundamentals in the cloud era

  We look at the three basic ways that storage accesses data – via file, block and object – as well as the ways in which the rise of the cloud and distributed systems have brought changes to them  Continue Reading

• Tech sector efforts to root out forced labour are failing

  Digitally mapping supply chains to identify forced labour and slavery is no longer a technology problem for the IT sector, but a lack of government enforcement and corporate inaction are major barriers to effective change  Continue Reading

• Legislation and certification of XR applications: challenges to adoption and diffusion

  Virtual and augmented reality may be changing the game, but such cutting-edge applications run ahead of many regulatory issues. How can the metaverse avoid uncertainties that could slow the adoption of XR and related enabling technologies?  Continue Reading

• Backup maintenance: Five key points to consider

  Effective backups need to ensure all data is protected, and to track media and software changes. We look at five key things to consider  Continue Reading

• Composability set to be next big thing for digital experience platforms

  Digital experience platforms are the latest word in increasing customer loyalty by engaging across all channels. Gaining real-time views of customers while managing data compliantly is critical  Continue Reading

• CEA-Leti and the Silicon Valleys of Grenoble, France

  At the intersection of three valleys in the French Alps lies the city of Grenoble, a hotbed of microelectronics, where much of the innovation is fuelled by CEA-Leti  Continue Reading

• The cyber security impact of Operation Russia by Anonymous

  The campaign against the Russian government by Anonymous surprised many with the depth and scale of the cyber attacks. What can we learn from this online war?  Continue Reading

• How to track greenhouse gas emissions

  Companies from a range of sectors, as well as public authorities, are using software and data analytics to track greenhouse gas emissions, partly to meet new regulatory demands  Continue Reading

• Secure everything, not just the weakest link

  The rise in cyber attacks on supply chains has expanded the role of IT security chiefs and the complexity of keeping organisations secure  Continue Reading

• Global file systems: Hybrid cloud and follow-the-sun access

  We look at global distributed file systems that put enterprise data under a single file access namespace so that enterprises and branch offices can get to data from anywhere  Continue Reading

• What the world can learn from Saudi Arabia’s fight against industrial control system attacks

  Iran learned from attacks on its infrastructure and unleashed similar malware on Saudi Arabia. The world has now gained valuable lessons from the Saudi response  Continue Reading

• Challenges of securing a software supply chain

  The US president has issued an executive order to improve cyber security, which has ramifications across the software development supply chain  Continue Reading

• Data gravity: What is it and how to manage it

  Data gravity can attract increasing amounts of data, and brings with it onerous management overheads. We look at how to mitigate data gravity in datacentre and cloud  Continue Reading

• What the EU’s content-filtering rules could mean for UK tech

  EU proposals to clamp down on child sexual abuse material will have a material impact on the UK’s technology sector  Continue Reading

• Looking ahead: How to create a multi-year datacentre capacity plan

  Datacentres and cloud providers without a crystal ball can make educated guesses on future requirements to right-size resources and infrastructure  Continue Reading

• Retail’s IT talent search intensifies

  Retailers from different sectors are on the hunt to fill similar IT job roles, but are all finding different ways to source the sought-after talent  Continue Reading

• Unified file and object storage: Three suppliers and their approaches

  We look at unified file and object storage products from NetApp, Pure Storage and Scality, the differences, the workloads aimed at, and how unified they actually are  Continue Reading

• Tech’s ongoing mental health crisis

  The pandemic shone a light on the impact long hours and high pressure can have on the mental health of technology workers – an issue that is at risk of continuing long after Covid  Continue Reading

• AWS and startups: Using accelerator programmes to help enterprises address their pain points

  The early days of Amazon Web Services saw its public cloud technologies keenly adopted by the startup community. Now the company is continuing its support for this customer sector by rolling out its accelerator programmes  Continue Reading

• Cloud-to-cloud backup: When native cloud protection is not enough

  There is a certain amount of protection built into cloud services, but it has its limits and full data protection requires that cloud data is secured with cloud-to-cloud backup  Continue Reading

• Swedish entrepreneurs capture the world’s attention with eye-tracking technology

  A growing number of killer apps are driving the uptake of eye-tracking systems – and Sweden is positioned to play a leading role  Continue Reading

• A new design for the new world of work

  Widespread forecasts at the height of the pandemic about the death of the office have largely failed to come to pass, but its role is definitely changing as part of a wider, but as yet still mainly experimental, shift to hybrid working  Continue Reading

• Kubernetes backup products and 10 key players

  We look at 10 key players in Kubernetes backup, why they are needed, what they offer and why you need to watch out for duplication between application teams and the IT department  Continue Reading

• APAC buyer’s guide to backup and recovery software

  In this buyer’s guide, learn more about the market for backup and recovery software and key data protection capabilities to look for  Continue Reading

• IT departments need holistic circular economies to fight climate change

  With sustainability moving up the boardroom agenda, IT managers should revamp procurement strategies to align with the principles of the circular economy, but what does this mean for managing the IT lifecycle?  Continue Reading

• Four obstacles to hybrid cloud storage – and possible solutions

  We look at obstacles to hybrid cloud storage, such as complexity, a need for object storage, application suitability, and cost, with potential ways to mitigate the problems  Continue Reading

• The state of Australia’s national broadband network

  Australia’s national broadband network promises to improve broadband connectivity across the country but has been plagued by pricing issues. Here’s a look at where it is today and what lies ahead  Continue Reading

• Attack of the clones: the rise of identity theft on social media

  The proliferation of social media has resulted in the rise of identity theft on these platforms, with accounts copied for fraudulent or malicious purposes. What can be done to mitigate it?  Continue Reading

• Macs in the enterprise – what you need to know

  A guide to managing Apple Mac hardware and operating systems in the enterprise  Continue Reading

• Hydrogen’s promise: How fuel cells might power lower-carbon datacentres

  Could UK datacentre operators soon adopt emerging hydrogen technologies to reach expanding energy and emissions requirements?  Continue Reading

• Tech companies join UK four-day work week trial

  Computer Weekly speaks with tech companies taking part in the UK’s upcoming four-day work week trial, which will measure the impact of shorter working weeks on productivity, wellbeing and the environment  Continue Reading

• The rise of the always-on mobile user and implications for customer service and retention 

  The way we use our mobile phones and the level of service we expect have drastically changed. With mobile connectivity fundamental to businesses, problems are magnified for users and customer service teams alike  Continue Reading

• Evolution of unified comms services

  Post-pandemic ways of working are forcing organisations to rethink their comms – we look at the growth in cloud-based services to support hybrid working  Continue Reading

• The limits and risks of backup as ransomware protection

  Backups can provide a sound means of recovery from ransomware infection, but they are not 100% certain to foil attackers. We look at the limits and risks of depending on backups  Continue Reading

• CPaaS – a technology for the future

  There is a received wisdom that as businesses flock towards the cloud, they are looking for a single platform on which to manage all their communication needs, leading to boom times ahead for communications platform as a service  Continue Reading

• How to retain cyber talent in the Great Resignation

  The cyber security industry is experiencing alarming rates of resignations, leaving organisations vulnerable to cyber attacks. How can we better retain cyber talent?  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery is an essential service for EDF with Phenix-IT

  EDF has built disaster recovery tracking, planning and testing software on a six-month upgrade cycle based on governance, risk and compliance functionality in Mega’s Hopex platform  Continue Reading

• Will AWS pledge to extend life of servers inspire other cloud firms to follow suit?

  Amazon’s recent announcement to extend the useful life of its datacentre equipment has been deemed a positive decision for the cloud computing giant, but will other companies adopt this cost-saving and sustainability strategy?  Continue Reading

• Next generation of collaboration and communication services

  Future comms systems may look and feel rather different from what exists today – we look at the journey for communications services  Continue Reading

• Electric vehicle transition comes with uneven costs

  Governments, car makers and tech companies are promoting electric vehicles, but are they considering the uneven social and environmental costs from extracting the critical minerals needed to make batteries?  Continue Reading

• The importance of mid-band 5G for European economic growth

  The roll-out of 5G networks promises to revolutionise the role of high bandwidth wireless connectivity, but underestimating the role of mid-band spectrum could needlessly restrict its benefits  Continue Reading

• Growing prospects for edge datacentres

  Although the value that edge datacentres provide is not in question, for many companies, the journey to adoption is far from fixed  Continue Reading

• Interview: LF Energy on using open source to ready energy systems for phasing out fossil fuels

  With the climate crisis putting increasing pressure on countries to decarbonise their economies, the founder of open source championing LF Energy talks about digitising power networks to be ready for renewables  Continue Reading

• Snapshots vs backup: Use both for optimum RPOs

  We look at snapshots and backup, the key difference, their pros and cons and how best to use the two approaches in an integrated data protection strategy for optimal RPO  Continue Reading

• Positive benefits in the new experience economy

  While creating a positive employee experience (EX) has been on the agenda of companies for years, the concept – and that of the experience economy in general – has come of age in the Covid-defined working arena  Continue Reading

• Refugee support group works with tech startup on reporting system

  Computer Weekly speaks to a refugee support group about its ongoing collaboration with an academic tech startup to develop a digital human rights reporting system for refugees  Continue Reading

• How algorithmic automation could manage workers ethically

  Managing workers by algorithm and automated process has generated ethical problems aplenty. Can such means be pressed into the service for a more ethical mode of worker management? We find out  Continue Reading