How do you keep track of canine genetic information, breeding data and a quarter of a billion communications records, all spread across different systems? That’s the challenge being grappled with by Guide Dogs for the Blind, a charity organisation dedicated to helping improve the lives of people who are blind or partially sighted. Like many organisations, Guide Dogs is in the process of unifying its data assets in order to make them as efficient and valuable as possible, and in this week’s episo...
Oct 16, 2020•24 min
As tech continues to dominate our lives, more and more people are looking to software development as a career choice, and an increasing number are entering the workforce as self-taught coders. Tools like Codecademy and FreeCodeCamp have allowed more people than ever to pick up skills in JavaScript and Python, as well as more esoteric languages like C++, Ruby and R. But with so many different flavours to choose from, how can aspiring coders identify which programming languages are worth their tim...
Oct 09, 2020•28 min
For some IT leaders, operating across multiple public cloud platforms is a conscious strategic decision that they’ve made - but sometimes it’s something that can happen completely by accident, either through pressing business imperative or via shadow IT. So what happens when you unexpectedly find yourself in a multi-cloud world without a plan in place to manage it? It’s a problem that many CIOs are grappling with, particularly in light of the current crisis, and in this episode of the IT Pro Pod...
Oct 02, 2020•24 min
COVID-19 has been challenging for every sector, but the technology industry has been particularly pivotal during this crisis. The adoption of SaaS tools and cloud collaboration platforms has enabled businesses to transition relatively seamlessly to working from home - something which would have been almost unthinkable ten years ago. However, there have also been some distinctly less successful moments, such as the government’s faltering approach to developing a track-and-trace app in order to tr...
Sep 25, 2020•29 min
If you ever need proof that we’re living in the future, just look at virtual reality; a technology that was considered science fiction less than two decades ago is now available to all for a comparatively affordable price. Despite its rapid development, however, it has yet to find its place outside of niche gaming and tech enthusiast communities. Manufacturers like Lenovo and HTC have tried to bring VR into the business world, but enthusiasm is still seemingly limited. While applications like tr...
Sep 18, 2020•27 min
When it comes to data breaches, one of the most common warnings is that in addition to the potential fines, business disruption and data loss that can occur as the result of a successful hack, the damage to a victim’s reputation can be as bad, if not worse. The commonly-accepted wisdom is that, should you leave yourself open to a cyber attack, customers and partners alike will lose trust in your ability to safeguard their data, and will abandon you in droves. However, there are numerous examples...
Sep 11, 2020•29 min
Unsurprisingly, the issue of Brexit has been somewhat pushed out of the public consciousness by the ongoing coronavirus crisis - but that doesn’t mean it’s gone away. In less than four months, the transition period will end, and on 31 December, Britain will officially leave the EU. This will have wide-reaching implications in a number of areas, but there are still significant questions to be answered around how it will affect the IT security of UK companies. Issues like the availability of secur...
Sep 04, 2020•23 min
While you may not be familiar with the tech industry’s latest acronym, DARQ, you’ve probably heard of its constituent components: distributed ledger, artificial intelligence, extended reality and quantum computing technology. Three of those four could be set to have a significant impact on the future of security, with possibilities including unbreakable encryption algorithms, AI-enhanced cyber attacks and much more. In this week’s episode of the IT Pro Podcast, we’re joined by RSA CTO Dr. Zulfik...
Aug 28, 2020•31 min
AI is increasingly creeping into modern business, as organisations seek to improve efficiencies and speed up their processes. It’s very easy to get this wrong, however, as the UK government recently found out. An AI algorithm designed to issue students’ final grades for A-Levels and GSCEs has caused uproar over the last few weeks as complaints of unfair and inconsistent results led to widespread protests. The Department for Education was eventually forced to backtrack, announcing that the algori...
Aug 21, 2020•21 min
Many people jokingly (and some non-so-jokingly) refer to the dangers posed by so-called ‘killer robots’. The truth is, these people are right - we are at risk from dangerous AI. It just might not come in the form you’d expect. Businesses have been increasingly turning to AI to automate tedious, manual tasks and make them more efficient, but it turns out that hackers have been doing the same thing too. New developments in AI are allowing cyber criminals to launch larger, faster and more effective...
Aug 14, 2020•26 min
The perils of running a startup are often talked about, whether it’s trying to secure funding, marshalling the tech you need or establishing your go-to-market strategy - but no company can remain a startup forever. Eventually, every startup needs to try and grow beyond its current stage, undertaking the difficult journey to scale its operation without falling apart at the seams. In many ways, the scale-up stage is the ‘tricky second album’ of corporate operations, and is fraught with new and dis...
Aug 07, 2020•25 min
Once-in-a-lifetime events are, as the name would suggest, very few and far between. Those that are completely unforeseen are even fewer. Unlike the 2008 economic crisis or the dot-com bubble before it, the COVID-19 pandemic is one of those occasions when everyone was taken by surprise and the economic and social implications have already been significant, with more aftershocks predicted. For businesses, this is an extremely tough time and it’s hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel, partic...
Jul 31, 2020•31 min
Security is an unusual field; while it’s one of the fastest-moving areas of IT in some ways, in other aspects it hasn’t changed in decades. For example, phishing, business email compromise and physical infiltration tactics have remained largely unchanged over the years. That might seem odd, compared to the rate of change in other areas, but it’s because these techniques rely on exploiting fundamental quirks of human nature – quirks that allow hackers to manipulate us for their own ends. But what...
Jul 24, 2020•37 min
COVID-19 is creating a new normal for all of us; not only have face masks and social distancing suddenly become front-of-mind concerns, many businesses are grappling with remote working - and all of the challenges it brings - for the first time. For IT professionals, even familiar challenges have taken on added levels of complexity. In the domain of cyber security, access management and passwords have become a major focus, particularly as use of cloud and SaaS tools balloon and with many users w...
Jul 20, 2020•33 min
Hacking is one of the glitzier parts of IT, and Hollywood frequently bombards us with images of black-clad hackers hunched malevolently over glowing screens. Sadly, real-world hacking isn’t quite as glamorous as it’s often made out to be - but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fascinating and lively career. In this week’s episode, we sit down with professional pen-tester and Cyberis director Gemma Moore to find out what the life of a hacker for hire is really like, the common security holes that intr...
Jul 17, 2020•32 min
How do you weather a storm like coronavirus when you’ve got a small staff, minimal cashflow and a fledgling business? That’s the question being faced by many of Britain’s startups, as they batten down the hatches and try to ride out the current turbulence. This week, we speak to Andrew Roughan, managing director of Plexal - a London-based startup hub - about why startups are well-positioned to cope with the crisis, how co-working spaces can safely reopen and why the government needs to provide m...
Jul 10, 2020•37 min
It’s no secret that there’s a recession looming on the horizon as a result of COVID-19, and increasing numbers of people are finding themselves out of work. There may be an up-side to this seemingly bleak scenario, however: It could be the perfect environment for creating an unprecedented startup boom. As part of this discussion, we dig into the historical links between economic turbulence and startup success, how the tech tools used to deal with coronavirus can accelerate new businesses, and wh...
Jul 03, 2020•29 min
Since lockdowns came into effect, businesses across the country have been scrambling to institute remote working infrastructure to support employees - but while speed has understandably been a focus, security should not be neglected. In this IT Pro Podcast Special Edition, brought to you in association with RSA Security, we look at how businesses can use the current situation as an opportunity to establish a culture of safe, secure and sustainable remote working within their organisation. We spo...
Jun 29, 2020•43 min
We’ve heard a lot about cloud computing, edge computing and various other kinds of computing, but confidential computing is less well known. As an emerging encryption model, it promises to offer greater protection to data as it's being used, supplementing at-rest and in-transit encryption. Protecting against attacks like memory dumps and malicious root user compromise, the development of confidential computing is being spearheaded by the Confidential Computing Consortium, an open-source industry...
Jun 26, 2020•22 min
As the final day of IT Pro Live dawns, we turn our gaze to the future, exploring how businesses can build a resilient technology stack that will last them into the next decade, as well as looking at some of the emerging technologies and methodologies which could transform business in years to come. Register: https://live.itpro.com/itprolive2020/en/page/tickets Watch: https://live.itpro.com/itprolive2020/en/page/agenda...
Jun 26, 2020•9 min
As we move on to day four of IT Pro Live, our focus turns to the topic of innovation - a goal often strived for, but frequently stymied by the need to keep regular business operations ticking over at the same time. We'll hear from data experts, IT practitioners and even the founder of Raspberry Pi about how they're keeping innovation alive while still meeting the needs of the business. To register for your tickets, head to https://live.itpro.com/itprolive2020/en/page/tickets , and head to https:...
Jun 25, 2020•13 min
Day three of our special IT Pro Live bonus miniseries focuses on security. Featuring speakers such as ex-hacker Greg van der Gaast, RSA Security CTO Zulfikar Ramzan and digital propaganda expert Dr. Samuel Woolley, day three of IT Pro Live is packed to the gills with all of the security insights you need to keep your business safe. Head to live.itpro.com to get your free tickets.
Jun 24, 2020•12 min
For the second day of IT Pro Live, we're talking all about cloud - including panels on building a minimum viable product, a Q&A with Salesforce on customer engagement amid COVID-19, and a keynote from OpenUK's Amanda Brock. Head to live.itpro.com to sign up for your free ticket.
Jun 23, 2020•10 min
In the first of five special bonus mini-episodes, we give you a sneak peek about what's coming up during day one of our first ever virtual conference. To register for your free ticket, head to live.itpro.com
Jun 22, 2020•6 min
For the last few years, vendors and analysts alike have been touting the transformational benefits of 5G, proclaiming that it will unlock new innovations like smart cities and autonomous cars. Here in the present, however, these benefits haven’t quite materialised. Not only that, but many are now vehemently opposed to 5G, claiming (among other things) that it’s linked to the spread of COVID-19, even going so far as to vandalise cell towers. To get the truth on what 5G actually offers, and when w...
Jun 19, 2020•29 min
Whether it’s the new oil, the new gold, or the new depleted uranium, most businesses agree that data is becoming more and more critical to continued success. Organisations across the world are investing in their data competency, and throughout this process, the office of the CDO has been thrust to the fore. But what exactly does a CDO do? What impact can they have on business? And how much of a priority should it be for businesses to appoint one? To answer these questions, and more, we talked to...
Jun 12, 2020•25 min
When it comes to gender gaps, most people are familiar with the problem of recruiting women into technology, science, engineering and manufacturing roles, to say nothing of pay disparity and lack of representation at senior management levels. A less well known problem, however, is the gender data gap. Biased data sets fed into artificial intelligence and machine learning systems can disadvantage women in areas ranging from recruitment to healthcare and even financial services. This week, we’re j...
Jun 05, 2020•33 min
Despite initial hype, GDPR hasn’t been as much of a tectonic shift as some predicted. So, with two years of enforcement now behind it, what kind of impact has the regulation had? Has it succeeded in changing companies’ behaviours? Is it fit for purpose in a world of remote working and quarantines? In this episode, we talk to barrister and data protection expert Dyann Heward-Mills to find out more about how businesses have adapted to the rules, and whether or not they’ve made a lasting impression...
May 29, 2020•37 min
In this week’s episode of the IT Pro Podcast, we’re taking a deep dive into some of the most interesting announcements from Microsoft Build 2020, digging into what they mean both for Microsoft’s customers and for its overall strategy. For more information on everything Microsoft revealed made at its virtual show, check out our guide to every Build 2020 announcement. For more information on everything we've talked about this week, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-Build ....
May 22, 2020•30 min
The trend towards remote working has been building up steam for some time now, but it’s been vastly accelerated by the worldwide lockdowns enacted to control coronavirus. As many workers dig in for several more months of working from home, we examine the toll it’s taking on our mental health and how staff and businesses can help support each other. We discuss everything from the importance of a properly-equipped workspace and the tools necessary for proper collaboration, to the under-appreciated...
May 15, 2020•30 min
