SECURITY University of Dundee implements touchless access control from HID PAGE 15 SECURITY · CLOUD · ICT · SOFTWARE · HARDWARE PRINT · AV MANAGED.IT SECURITY · CLOUD · ICT · SOFTWARE · HARDWARE · PRINT · AV www.managedITmag.co.uk THE IT SERVICES MAGAZINE & NEWS SITE FOR IT MANAGERS, IT DIRECTORS & CTOS THE IT SERVICES MAGAZINE & NEWS SITE FOR IT MANAGERS, IT DIRECTORS & CTOS IN PRINT AND ONLINE MANAGED.IT SECURITY · CLOUD · ICT · SOFTWARE · HARDWARE · PRINT · AV www.managedITmag.co.uk IN PRINT AND ONLINE IN PRINT AND ONLINE www.managedITmag.co.uk SECURITY · CLOUD · ICT · SOFTWARE · HARDWARE PRINT · AV IN PRINT AND ONLINE Issue 67 · 2024 DATA PROTECTION What’s helping Keepit stand out in a crowded cloud backup and recovery market PAGE 34 EMAIL The number one DMARC implementation error and how to avoid it PAGE 24 Prevention before cure Introducing IGEL’s Preventative Security Model See page 31
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3 www.managedITmag.co.uk Read Managed.IT online... www.managedITmag.co.uk ISSN 2055-3099 (Print) ISSN 2055-3102 (Online) 04 News Is time up for the 40-hour week? 08 Apps MiXR app a tonic for sales at Stonegate Group 10 Innovations New technology for the modern workplace 12 Unified Communications Gamma strengthens Cisco partnership with launch of Horizon with Webex 14 5G Dave Stonehouse of NG Bailey IT Services outlines the benefits of Private 5G Networks 15 Security University of Dundee saves time and effort with touchless access control from HID 16 Marketing Louis Mahrra urges marketers to address digital marketing’s ‘significant’ carbon footprint 18 Cloud Harold Groothedde explains how to ensure success with FinOps 20 Personal Productivity James Mistry, CTO of SenseOn, outlines the six things he depends on at work 23 Contact Centre How Calabrio is helping UK Power Networks support vulnerable customers and call centre agents 24 Email The number one mistake organisations make when implementing the DMARC email security protocol 26 Printers New printers for busy enterprises, shared workspaces and the home office 28 Interview Paula O’Brien, Board Director of Sales at Ricoh UK, explains why Ricoh is about much more than print 30 60 Seconds with… Jamie Akhtar, Co-founder and CEO of CyberSmart 31 End User Computing What is IGEL’s Preventative Security Model and why does it matter? 34 Data Protection ManagedIT talks to Jerry Mumford about Keepit’s growing presence in the UK Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 • [email protected] Publishing Director, Social Media and Web Editor: Neil Trim 01732 759725 • [email protected] Advertising Director: Ethan White 01732 759725 • [email protected] Advertising Executive: Jeff Root 01732 759725 • [email protected] Designer: Brian Cloke 07484 288189 MANAGED.IT is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 7 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 No part of MANAGED.IT can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. © 2024 Kingswood Media Ltd. The paper used in this magazine is obtained from manufacturers who operate within internationally recognized standards and which is sourced from sustainable, properly managed forestation. CONTENTS Managed.IT GET YOUR FREE COPY To make sure you get every issue FREE, as soon as it is published, just visit www.managedITmag.co.uk, click the ‘FREE Registration’ button and add your details to our mailing list. @manageditmag facebook.com/BinfoMag If you no longer wish to receive Managed.IT magazine please email your details to [email protected] SECURITY · CLOUD · ICT · SOFTWARE · HARDWARE PRINT · AV IN PRINT AND ONLINE www.managedITmag.co.uk THE IT SERVICES MAGAZINE & NEWS SITE FOR IT MANAGERS, IT DIRECTORS & CTOS ISSUE 67 · 2024
4 01732 759725 NEWS Flexible workspaces are most popular office conversion Flexible workspaces top the list of the most popular office conversions, according to a survey of 250 UK office landlords commissioned by workspace provider infinitSpace. Faced with low occupancy rates, many office landlords are looking to upgrade their portfolios to meet changing demand, with flexible or coworking spaces shown to be the most popular conversion, cited by 11%, followed by hospitality (10%), retail outlets (8%) and residential property (7%). In the last two years, 23% of respondents have converted at least some of the office space in their buildings into flexible/coworking spaces, and 22% plan to do so in the next two years. When questioned about their motivations for converting to a flexible NEWSRemote working perk Rippl has become the first employee recognition and benefits platform to include a remote working perk in the form of access to a national network of professional workspaces. The partnership with Reef, a remote working subscription service, will enable Rippl customers to give employees access to conveniently located, laptopfriendly co-working spaces, helping them to maintain a clear separation between their work and home lives. Rippl CEO Chris Brown said: “We’re thrilled to be the first recognition and benefits platform to offer a remote working perk. We’re a remote working company ourselves, so understand the needs of employees first-hand. By partnering with Reef, we’re providing our customers with a way to support the evolving needs of their workforce whilst enhancing employee well-being and productivity.” https://rippl.work/ Is working from home killing workplace culture? With most people working from home for at least some of the working week, could workplace culture be at risk? New research by the Global Payroll Association suggests it might be. In its survey of UK office workers, 78% said that remote working has damaged the social aspects of work. These were seen as important by 81% of respondents, with 61% adding that socialising outside work hours helps foster a good working environment. Of the 1,006 survey respondents, 31% identified as hybrid workers, with set days for working from home and office; 21% identified as flexible workers, free to work from home when they need to; 19% are full-time home workers; and 29% work entirely from the office. More than one third (37%) believe they are more productive when working at home; 37% say a balance between home and office working is best for productivity; and 26% say they are most productive when working in the office. More than half (56%) say they work longer hours when at home, perhaps to make up for spending more time on non-work activities (e.g. watching TV or napping), cited by 67%, and on personal tasks and errands, cited by 70%. Commenting on the survey findings, Melanie Pizzey, CEO and Founder of the Global Payroll Association, said: “Allowing people to work from home is clearly a positive for many employees, but it’s clear that the social element of the workplace is starting to become extinct and this is extremely important, both when it comes to internal bonding within the workforce, as well as nurturing those all important external relationships that can be so important in getting deals over the line.” Time’s up for 40-hour week With 46% of UK companies saying that productivity has become a notable problem in the last year, directly impacting their company performance and revenue, could the traditional 40hour work week be the problem? Three quarters (76%) of UK professionals surveyed by talent solutions firm Robert Walters believe so, pointing out that it no longer meets their needs; 51% say that switching to a four-day week could boost productivity and engagement; and over one third (38%) say more flexible working practices is the answer. Not surprisingly, 84% of professionals expect the 40-hour work week to change significantly over the next 20 years through greater flexibility (cited by 40%) and small incremental changes (cited by 25%). Just under one fifth (19%) are predicting a complete overhaul. One quarter (28%) of UK employers said they would consider extending the working week to more than 40 hours if they thought it would boost productivity and business performance. Four fifths (82%) of professionals said they would leave if their employer tried to do so. Lucy Bisset, Director of Robert Walters North, said: “The conventional 40-hour work week, which has remained largely unchanged for over a century, is facing an uncertain future. The key thing for employers to do now is to test what works best for their employees in a way which means everyone can maximise their week without missing out on valuable hours of work.” www.robertwalters.com Lucy Bisset
www.managedITmag.co.uk 5 NEWS continued... workspace, 57% of landlords said it was to align with current market trends. Other reasons are to keep pace with competitors (54%), to enhance the value of their property (43%), to maximise revenue from empty or underutilised space (40%) and to futureproof assets (35%). www.infinitspace.com … Office building operators missing out on quick wins Traditional office building operators are struggling to adapt to the changing demands of tenants, with 99% of asset managers saying it is harder to make money from commercial buildings post-pandemic and 18% working hard to maintain occupancy rates, claims a new report from workplace access, experience and analytics platform Accessia. Adapt To Survive: The Coworking Revolution, based on a survey of 200 UK asset managers, shows that many property managers are struggling to adapt to the rapidly changing needs of SMEs caused by hybrid working and economic challenges. While the report finds that 44% of building operators would like to offer leases of five or more years, a significant portion of SMEs would prefer shorter, more flexible leases of around one to two years. In response, 33% of operators are now considering offering flexible contracts as a means of earning extra revenue. Accessia warns that as they transition towards a flex space model many operators are doing so with their eyes closed, pointing out that 84% are failing to gather data on things like meeting room usage to understand how their spaces are being used. Mark Loney, CEO of Accessia, said: “Tenant churn, low occupancy rates, rising costs, falling revenue and sustainability targets are all formidable challenges for building operators. The rise of the flex space model has compounded their problems, making the fight for tenants more competitive than ever. “Operators are being forced to adopt a flexible approach themselves just to compete, but the concept is still in its infancy and the path from struggling traditional office building to profitable coworking-style flex space is not well trodden.” He added: “To make this transition a success, operators need to use everything they have to optimise their offerings. As a workplace access, experience and analytics platform, we at Accessia know what kind of data is available to building operators and just how valuable it can be for informed decision-making. It’s a little alarming, then, that 84% are leaving these insights on the table by not collecting or analysing such data. At best, they’re missing quick wins to boost revenue. At worst, they’re stumbling towards a flex-space model with their eyes closed, which is a big mistake in what is an unbelievably competitive market.” www.accessia.com … iplicit outflanks the opposition The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset – recently named England’s top visitor attraction by global insight agency BVA BRDC – has chosen iplicit’s award-winning cloud accounting software to run its finances. The registered charity, which tells the story of the tank from the mud of the Somme to the deserts of Iraq, Millwall FC makes new signing to boost performance Millwall FC is aiming to streamline its financial operations after appointing Eureka Solutions as the club’s Official Business Management Software Supplier. Headquartered near Glasgow, Eureka Solutions is an expert in business software solutions such as Oracle NetSuite, Sage, iplicit and its own system integration platform Besyncly. Its broad client base already includes Luton Town, Derby County and Heart of Midlothian football clubs, Juddmonte and the R&A, as well as the St Andrews Links Trust, which earlier this year reported record earnings of £43.8m. Eureka Solutions will implement Oracle NetSuite ERP to transform Millwall’s ability to track and manage every aspect of its financial performance, including revenue streams such as season ticket sales, hospitality packages, catering and sponsorship, which in many organisations are still managed in separate systems. Emma Parker, Chief Finance Officer at the Championship club, said: “A lot of our analysis is done on spreadsheets because we haven’t had a proper system in place, which makes reporting very clunky. We also spend far too much time producing reports that become outdated by the time of presentation due to the fast-paced industry we are in. I wanted an end-to-end system that could take care of invoice processing, expense processing and real-time reporting, and NetSuite will be able to do this.” She added: “I report regularly to our board of directors on the financial status of the club. Rather than creating a presentation using six‑week‑old data, I will be able to provide a dashboard showing the things they need to know, such as how many shirts or beers we sold at the weekend. The ability to provide up-to-date financials on key elements of the club will let us direct resources to areas that most need attention.”
6 01732 759725 NEWS is home to 300 military machines including Little Willie, the world’s oldest surviving tank. Head of Finance Paul Dolan said: “We have been a Sage 50 user for over 20 years but wanted to modernise our accounting systems and reporting. We carried out an extensive appraisal of accounting systems and found iplicit to be the best in terms of functionality and cost. The fact that a number of the team are based nearby in Poole is a real bonus.” Named Best Mid-Market and Enterprise Software at the Accounting Excellence Awards and Enterprise Accounting/ERP System of the Year at the AccountingWEB Best Products Awards, iplicit boasts several features useful to nonprofits such as flexible financial reporting for different stakeholders, the ability to track grants and funds and the automated application of partial VAT. www.iplicit.com … Opportunistic hackers looking for ‘open windows’ Ben Owen, intelligence expert and star of the TV show Hunted, says that businesses are in an ‘arms race’ with hackers and need to make sure they use advanced technology like AI to bolster their defences. The former spy issued his warning at BT’s Secure Tomorrow cybersecurity festival where BT was showing quantum secure communications and AI cyber defence capabilities that it says will help businesses stay one step ahead of hackers. These include BT’s security platform Eagle-i, which uses AI to predict, detect and neutralise cyberattacks, and machine learning to help improve its knowledge of threats. Owen said: “Businesses are connecting more devices and adopting new AI tools every day; but hackers are using the same tech to break their defences. It’s an AI arms race that companies can’t afford to lose.” BT says that it now logs 2,000 signals of potential cyber-attacks every second, equating to 200 million per day, and that the number of new malicious IP scanners carrying out digital surveillance of UK organisations recorded across BT’s networks grew by more than 1200% in the 12 months from July 2023 to July 2024. Tris Morgan, Managing Director – Security at BT, said: “Today, every business is a digital business, and our data shows that every 90 seconds hackers are checking connected devices to find a way in – like opportunistic burglars looking for an open window. Tools like AI provide new routes of attack, but they can also be the first line of defence. At BT, we’re constantly evolving our network security to stay one step ahead and protect more than a million businesses, day in, day out.” www.bt.com/about The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset Ben Owen continued...
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8 01732 759725 APPS Bottoms app! Pub giant, the Stonegate Group, surpasses 1 million downloads of its MiXR app Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has exceeded one million downloads of its MiXR app, since launching it in November 2023, and hit 6 million daily impressions. Over the same period, the owner of the Be At One, Slug & Lettuce and Popworld brands has created the industry’s largest retail screen network, with more than 2,600 complementary MiXR screens in all 500-plus Stonegate Managed bars, pubs and venues. The MiXR app allows users to discover nearby Stonegate venues; access exclusive deals from suppliers such as Diageo, Heineken, Asahi and Coca-Cola; skip queues; and redeem points for rewards. When they download the MiXR app and register, users are offered a free drink and perks from selected partner brands that they can claim at any Stonegate Group venue. Since launch, over 500,000 drinks have been sampled through the app and £1.8 million worth of points redeemed. MiXR screens The MiXR app is complemented by more than 2,600 MiXR screens in 500-plus Stonegate Managed venues across the country, giving brands a dynamic touchpoint through which to engage with customers and promote their products at point of sale. Almost three quarters (72%) of guests, who spend an average of 72 minutes per visit, claim their drinks orders have been influenced by content on MiXR screens. Stonegate Group CEO David McDowall said: “MiXR is revolutionising the way our venues connect with guests, offering a personalised experience that keeps people returning to our pubs, bars and venues. Reaching 1 million app downloads and more than 2,600 digital screen installations in under a year is a significant achievement that underscores MiXR’s role as a powerful retail media network. Our platform offers endemic and non‑endemic brands a unique opportunity to engage with highly targeted audiences in vibrant social settings, delivering real value and measurable results.” Effective engagement As examples of MiXR’s success in promoting brands and driving sales, Stonegate Group cites campaigns with brands like Asahi during EURO 2024 that generated over 110 million combined impressions and a 13% average sales uplift in participating venues, with 58 million MiXR reward points distributed via the app, encouraging repeat visits throughout the tournament. Earlier in the year, a St. Patrick’s Day promotion, offering double points for every pint of Guinness purchased over the St. Patrick’s weekend (March 15-17), led to a 23% volume increase and 23,000 new app downloads. Stonegate Group says that one of the strengths of the MiXR platform is its rich demographic insights, which enable brands to create highly targeted campaigns that resonate with their desired audiences, maximising engagement and driving conversions. Future developments Jessica Cooke, Director of Media and Loyalty at Stonegate Group, says that data-led targeting will remain a key focus for the Group as it continues to develop the platform. “We are committed to improving, innovating and investing wisely in MiXR to increase our capabilities even further. Our goal is to continue to grow the UK’s biggest digital retail media network, uniquely placed as a media owner to offer the benefits of first-party, dataled targeting with our powerful reach and scale as the UK’s largest on‑trade retailer.” Developments in the pipeline include the introduction of a bespoke student area within the app, which, in partnership with UniDays, will allow targeted campaigns through university email verification; enhanced segmentation, with clearer campaign presentation and site‑level promotional activity; and a web ordering platform, fully integrated with MiXR membership for seamless points allocation, discounts and reward redemptions. As Stonegate looks to expand MiXR’s reach and capabilities within and beyond the hospitality sector, supplier partners can look forward to ever more innovative and effective ways to connect directly with consumers.
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10 01732 759725 INNOVATIONS WHAT’S NEW Cutting edge printer Brother has launched its first A4 inkjet device with a built-in guillotine that enables users to create A5 output without the need for pre-cut paper or post-print processing by automatically cutting paper in half as part of the printing process. Brother has launched the DCP-J1800DW following research showing that 46% of inkjet printer users cut A4 paper in half before or after printing. In addition to its A4 to A5 cutting feature, the DCP-J1800DW offers print, copy and scan functionality, a 6.8cm LCD touchscreen, wireless connectivity and support for the Brother Mobile Connect app. Terry Caulfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Brother UK, said: “Our latest model offers users the best of A4 and A5 compatibility, providing complete flexibility to create the bespoke craft and business materials they require. Its compact size makes it an ideal model for a home office, fitting easily on a desk while providing low running costs for home users.” www.brother.co.uk/compact-home-inkjet Net benefit Fishy Filaments, developer of a chemical-free recycling system that transforms end-of-life fishing nets into high-value materials for 3D printing and injection moulding, has raised more than £185,000 from 351 investors in its third Crowdcube funding campaign – almost double its target of £100,000. The Newlyn, Cornwallbased company will use the funds to launch the first commercially available 100% recycled carbon fibre reinforced nylon 6 powder for use in SLS 3D printers. Developed with Alpha Powders, this has a potential per kilo price more than five times greater than current products, transforming the economics of Fishy Filaments and advancing its aim to export recycling plants to fishing communities around the world for the local recycling of nylon nets. To this end, Fishy Filaments has developed a prototype plant that can be delivered in a 40ft shipping container and requires only water and power to operate. https://fishyfilaments.com Record hackathon Computer remanufacturer Circular Computing has helped set a Guiness world record for the largest in-person generative AI hackathon after 1,130 coders took part in a team coding event at ExCeL London on July 19. Held on the eve of the London E-Prix, the Google Cloud x Formula E AI Hackathon challenged teams equipped with second-life Circular Computing laptops and Google Cloud AI tools (Vertex AI and Gemini 1.5) to tackle a variety of challenges, including designing an AI system to improve on-track safety and creating a tool to compare the sustainability of an Formula E car to that of any other vehicle. https://circularcomputing.com Boom box Conferencing manufacturer Boom Collaboration is meeting growing demand for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and plug-andplay conferencing with the launch of a new docking station that reduces cable clutter and offers easy connectivity for mobile devices, in-room PCs, video cameras and up to three 4K displays. Boasting a single cable, the Boom ZYGO provides three HDMI 2.0 ports; three DP 1.2 ports; a 1GbE LAN port; and six USB ports (2x USB-C and 4x USB-A) for connecting and charging devices. https://boom.co Signal boost The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex is giving staff, patients and visitors assured 4G connectivity across its site, regardless of the network they use, after deploying a Freshwave 4G distributed antenna system (DAS) managed service within its 15 buildings. Hospitals often have thick walls and floors made from concrete or steel and a large array of complex machinery, all of which can weaken or interfere with mobile signals coming in from outside, creating connectivity dead spots. An in-building DAS that connects securely into leading mobile networks enhances the mobile signal indoors and provides guaranteed quality of service so that people can move around buildings without fear of dropped connections. www.freshwavegroup.com
www.managedITmag.co.uk 11 INNOVATIONS New generation card printer HID has launched a faster, more precise, reliable and secure ID card printer based on the company’s HDP5000 printer series and proven retransfer technology. HID’s seventh generation retransfer technology offers better print quality, brightness and durability than direct to card printers by printing onto a laminate film which, as part of a two-stage printing process, is then bonded to the card. The HID FARGO HDP5000e is suitable for applications in universities, mediumto-large businesses, healthcare facilities and government agencies, from producing vibrant photo ID cards to multi-functional, high-security ID badges. www.hidglobal.com All needs catered for Kramer offers a complete range of Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTRs) for huddle rooms, small meeting rooms, medium-sized meeting rooms and boardrooms, plus all the components necessary for a seamless meeting room experience. These include everything from video bars, speakers, DSPs and cameras to touchscreen controllers, switches and cable management. Solutions are fully tested and all components are guaranteed to work together. Mike McHale, Country Manager for UK & Ireland, said: “We can support our customers with total Microsoft-certified solutions for projects of any scale – from education teaching spaces to large corporate roll-outs of boardrooms and meeting areas.” www.kramerav.com Eye-catching display PPDS, exclusive provider of Philips Professional Displays, has extended its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, with the installation of Europe’s largest indoor dvLED wall at the Formula 1 giant’s MK-7 events venue in Milton Keynes. The curved, 46.25-metre-wide wall provides an eye-catching focal point to the main auditorium and a striking backdrop to the horseshoe-shaped array of F1 cars displayed in front of it. These include winning models from Red Bull Racing’s 19-year history in F1, from its debut in 2005 to the present day. www.ppds.com Environmental monitoring Intelligent lighting solutions company Helvar is helping customers optimise building performance, sustainability and wellbeing by integrating an environmental sensing solution into office lighting systems. Helvar Senses takes advantage of the existing lighting infrastructure, one of the densest sensor networks already in a building, to enable building operators to monitor air quality, temperature, humidity, noise levels and lighting in one unified system. Helvar says that as well as being simpler to manage and maintain than deploying standalone sensors, this approach enables organisations to adjust environmental conditions in line with need. For example, integrating Helvar Systems with HVAC systems makes it easier to optimise energy use by aligning air quality with occupancy patterns. helvar.com/senses/ Talking on the moon Astronauts on the Artemis III lunar mission, planned for 2026, will be able to capture real-time HD video and communicate with mission controllers on Earth while they roam across the lunar surface thanks to advanced 4G/LTE communications integrated into their spacesuits by Nokia and Axiom Space. Nokia’s Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS) has two elements – a network-in-a-box that combines the radio, base station and core network elements of a terrestrial cellular network into one unit and device modules integrated into spacesuits. Both the network and device modules have been engineered to withstand extreme environmental conditions on the lunar surface and the dynamic stress of spaceflight. www.axiomspace.com; www.nokia.com Laser sharp images Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe is launching the first LCD laser installation projector under the Sharp brand. Combining very high brightness (20KLm) with a compact, silent and energyefficient design, the Sharp A201U is suitable for corporate auditoriums, universities, museums and immersive projection mapping applications. USPs include the widest LCD projector colour space in the industry (almost DC-P3) and, uniquely among LCD projectors, use of an RB laser light source. In addition to its vivid reds, excellent colour performance and WUXGA resolution, the A201U features an IP5X-rated, sealed, filterless optical engine that protects against even the finest dust particles for long-lasting image brightness. www.sharpnecdisplays.eu
12 01732 759725 UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS Gamma strengthens Cisco partnership with launch of Horizon with Webex Users of Gamma’s Horizon cloud phone system can look forward to an even better communication and collaboration experience following the launch of Horizon with Webex. Leveraging its long relationship with Cisco and before that BroadSoft (acquired by Cisco in 2018), Gamma is layering the Cisco Webex client over the BroadSoft platform used by Gamma Horizon, effectively bringing together Gamma’s experience in connectivity and voice services with Cisco’s technological expertise. Horizon with Webex will replace all versions of Horizon Collaborate, the previous client developed by Gamma, giving users a single point of contact for all their communication and collaboration needs. “Bringing the Webex client over the BroadSoft platform means people can continue to leverage the investment they’ve made in Gamma Horizon but start to benefit from the investment Cisco is making in its platform, in things like AI, in noise reduction, in collaboration capability, in video,” explained Gamma Chief Marketing and Product Officer Chris Wade. Gamma plans to migrate all Horizon users onto Horizon with Webex and, following a number of pilots, has already developed tools and guidance to help customers through that process. “What we’ve seen in the first instance is that that move was far from painless, and in certain use cases was quite painful, but we’ve been able to learn from that experience and develop tooling to support that migration so that everybody should have a much richer experience and a much smoother experience in moving from one to the other. Over time we’ll obviously turn those old services off,” said Wade. There is no timescale for doing this, but Wade is confident that the benefits of the new client will motivate users to make the switch sooner rather than later. “Initial feedback from those who’ve been part of our early adopter program has been very positive, and that gives us reason to be relatively bullish, but you never really know until you run a reasonable volume of people through that migration experience how good, bad or indifferent it is going to be. At this stage, this is not an aggressive, forced migration or an aggressive, forced end of life. It’s very much about demonstrating the additional value and encouraging people to move. It’s much more carrot than stick.” User benefits So what are some of the benefits of Horizon with Webex and how impactful will they really be? “First, there’s the generalpurpose case of people wanting to expand their use of the platform, for example being able to take their telephone number with them on a mobile or laptop. That’s a general thing, and the overall experience of that is better. The video experience is better. The IM is better,” said Wade. “Then, there are specific use cases concerning things people may not particularly think about today, like audio processing. If you’re on a call with someone in a busy train station, it can be difficult to separate what’s being said from the background noise. The audio processing in Webex enables both ends of that call to benefit from AI processing to make the call clearer. That may sound a bit abstract and techie, but if you’re a small business and you’re trying to take down details over the phone, it’s easy to get an email address wrong. Suddenly, you’ve not just missed the business, you’ve created a bad experience for that customer. The technology in Horizon with Webex will level up everyone’s ability to have productive conversations. “Then, there are benefits for specific industries, like professional services where you might bill in 15-minute increments. After a half-hour phone call, you might take 30 minutes to write up your notes, document actions and distribute them. AI and some of the SKUs in the Webex client can transcribe that conversation and summarise action points automatically, saving time that can be spent on billable work. Only by working with one of the global hyperscalers are we able to deliver that sort of capability through to every organisation in the UK,” explained Wade. He added: “We want to make sure that we are moving ahead of the market, and we can’t do that with self-developed platforms. We made that decision some time ago, and Cisco has the attributes you want from a partner – it’s global, partner-centric and has sensible commercials and good products.” www.gammagroup.co Chris Wade EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD GAMMA 2024 IN PRINT AND ONLINE More carrot than stick
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14 01732 759725 CONNECTIVITY The benefits of 5G private networks Dave Stonehouse, Technical Director at NG Bailey IT Services, explains how Private 5G Networks can release the untapped potential of the Internet of Things The power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to increase productivity and drive growth has been discussed for years. However, connectivity challenges mean that to date only a few organisations have realised its potential. That could be about to change with the increased availability of 5G connectivity and the efforts of companies like NG Bailey IT Services, Nokia and Infinigate to accelerate the adoption and deployment of 5G private wireless networks within key sectors. Businesses that heed their call can look forward to the following benefits: 1 Speed A 5G network allows gigabit speeds for data transfer with incredibly low latency of sub 5 milliseconds, giving users access to live data from across their private network faster than ever before. This makes it ideal for data‑sensitive applications in telemetry‑dependent environments. In an industrial or manufacturing setting, for example, it allows an operations team to monitor full process automation and interface into control and SCADA management solutions, enabling them to see anomalies and act on this information to avoid more serious issues such as breakdowns or accidents. 2 Connectivity In combination with 5G’s speed advantage, guaranteed connectivity and latency enable control and commands to be deployed reliably across hard to access or remote areas of a site, connecting all manner of telemetry, sensors, remote vehicle/handheld devices and IoT devices without the need for cabling. 3 Flexibility In the past, businesses would need to use wired local area networks (LANs) to unlock high-speed connections. Equipment was hardwired in place and any change to the layout would usually require new cabling and infrastructure. With a Private Wireless 5G network, all devices connect wirelessly using SIM Cards, giving businesses the ability to adapt their environment far more quickly and simply, especially now that Apple and Android systems have been configured to allow connections to Private Wireless 5G Networks. 4 Scale One of the most common complaints about WiFi networks are blackspots that no signal can reach. While a WiFi network extends just 150 to 300 feet from its broadcast point, needing boosters to extend further, a Private Wireless 5G network can cover thousands of square feet, making it a game-changer for businesses spread across large sites. Moreover, unlike WiFi spectrums, 5G is broadcast on an uncontended frequency and is owned and licensed on the basis that no one else can broadcast into that space. The addition of scale to guaranteed connectivity and manoeuvrability could be the key that enables Private Wireless 5G networks to unlock full automation across larger sites, potentially revolutionising the way ports, warehouses, industrial facilities, distribution facilities and stadiums operate, for example by allowing the utilisation of robots and drones across a full site without fear of network drop-off due to distance or another user launching a WiFi hotspot, both of which can cause bandwidth contention, interrupted/inconsistent service and accidents. 5 Cyber Security In a world of hacks, ransomware and cyber security breaches, a Private Wireless 5G network has significant digital security benefits as it’s a closed network controlled and managed by the issuing of network-specific SIM cards or eSIMs that act as keys to the network. Unlike a mobile phone, which uses a SIM card with a 5G frequency to connect via a service provider to the world wide web, the networks we create are designed to connect only to specific devices via specific SIM cards/eSIMs. 6 Freeing up bandwidth The first five benefits relate directly to the way Private Wireless 5G networks operate. The sixth, often overlooked, is the impact that moving traffic from an existing network onto a Private Wireless 5G network can have. Consider, for example, a hospital WiFi network that is used by patients and staff and for the connectivity of medical devices, comms equipment, hospital records and patient entertainment systems. We are currently looking at use cases for installing a Private Wireless 5G network to connect specific areas of a hospital’s digital infrastructure to improve internal connectivity and free up the WiFi network for other users. The opportunities offered by Private Wireless 5G are almost endless. Talk to an expert about your aims and you may be surprised at the impact it can have on your productivity and your business growth. www.ngbailey.com/services Dave Stonehouse
www.managedITmag.co.uk 15 SECURITY Smart access control The University of Dundee has selected HID access control solutions to give staff and students touchless entry to buildings The University of Dundee is updating access control at its city centre campus to give staff and students touchless entry to buildings using a smartphone instead of a plastic RFID card. The public research university renowned for its academic excellence in dentistry, medicine, science and engineering and life sciences is installing HID Mobile Access and HID Signo readers throughout its buildings to enable staff and students to access buildings with a smartphone. In a two-year, staged rollout implemented by specialist security installer Scottish Communications Group, the University will install mobile-ready HID Signo readers in around 40 buildings and purchase 10,000 HID Mobile Access licences giving members of the academic community the option to use an Apple or Android smartphone for entry into its facilities. HID Signo readers, with native Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity, will integrate with the University’s existing AEOS access control software from Nedap and support the continued use of plastic RFID cards already in circulation. Historically, the University has used plastic RFID cards for access control. However, the process of printing and issuing cards was laborious and time-consuming, especially during peak times like Freshers Week, when some 2,500 to 3,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students are enrolled. The need for thorough identity checks could take up to 10 minutes per card. Shifting to HID Mobile Access, which utilises cloud-based HID Origo management software integrated with the AEOS system, simplifies licensing, allocation of credentials, setting of building access rights and validation or cancellation of IDs, all of which is now done wirelessly, virtually and remotely. “Once registered by Student Services in AEOS, a student simply gets an email to their phone, they tap on a link, the app automatically uploads and a mobile credential is granted,” explained Paul Brady, HID’s End User Business Manager for Physical Access Control Solutions. “Not only does this improve the overall student experience because it’s substantially quicker and more efficient, but it’s far more sustainable as you’re not issuing PVC cards anymore.” Dual system In time, the University would like to switch to mobile access for all 16,000 students and 3,300 staff. However, Colin Stebbing, Head of Precinct Services, says that for the time being it will continue to operate a dual system. “We recognise that some visitors and staff still want to use a physical pass and not all employees have a university issued mobile credential. HID Signo readers allow us to run both credential types in tandem, with HID Mobile Access giving us the option to scale up to include digital wallets from Apple and Google, as well as integrate with digital campus cards should we decide to go down this route in the future,” he said. Stebbing adds that the new system will also help the University meet changing requirements including forthcoming legislation like Martyn’s Law. “Ensuring the University is ready for this was important given that we have a duty to protect and ensure everyone is safe. The HID solution enables us to lock down buildings immediately and has built-in functionality which we can leverage over time, meaning we’ve invested in ‘future proof’ equipment which will last us long‑term.” Scottish Communications Group is currently installing HID Signo readers in the University’s main buildings including its new £40 million Innovation Hub, which includes flexible laboratory, meeting and office space for commercial organisations. It is also supplying Motorola MOTORTRBO Ion smart radios to the University’s security staff. The radios will be configured to run HID Mobile Access so they can open doors fitted with HID Signo readers. Because these smart radios also link to the University’s CCTV, alarm systems and CriticalArc Safezone App, security staff will only have to carry one device to fulfil their duties. www.hidglobal.com University of Dundee Geddes Quadrangle, University of Dundee
16 01732 759725 MARKETING Time to address the hidden cost of digital marketing Louise Mahrra, Marketing Director of CloudInteract, explains how marketers can reduce the carbon footprint of digital marketing As marketers, we’re no strangers to optimising our campaigns for better performance and engagement. We segment our audiences, personalise our messaging and ensure our content reaches the right people at the right time. As focused as we are on driving efficiency, there’s one aspect of our efforts that tends to get overlooked – the environmental impact of the energy used by servers, data centres and devices to deliver and view marketing messages. The carbon footprint of digital marketing may not be as visible as that of physical products, but it is substantial nonetheless. Sending one email generates roughly 4g of CO2, which seems negligible until you multiply it by the millions of emails in mass marketing campaigns. Video content is particularly energy-intensive. High-definition streaming requires a huge amount of bandwidth, driving up emissions every time a user watches or replays a video. Data centres, where websites, emails and cloud-based software are housed, are notorious for their energy consumption. In fact, the ICT sector, which includes all online activity, accounts for around 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, similar to the aviation industry. Yet, according to a recent study by WARC, 59% of businesses are either unaware of their digital emissions or not taking action to address them. As marketers, we have a responsibility to recognise the issue and take steps to reduce our environmental impact – not least because consumers are increasingly looking to align themselves with sustainable brands and governmental regulations around emissions are likely to tighten. Companies that act now will be better positioned for the future. First steps So, what can marketers do to reduce their digital carbon footprint without compromising the effectiveness of campaigns? Here are six steps that can help make a real difference. 1 Focus on targeted, humanised campaigns One of the biggest contributors to digital waste is broad, impersonal mass marketing. Sending blanket emails or serving irrelevant ads result in wasted energy and missed opportunities for connection. By making better use of data, marketers can create personalised, targeted campaigns that speak directly to the needs and preferences of individuals. Gaining an in-depth understanding of your audience will also enable you to deliver more timely, relevant content that feels more personal. When people receive information that speaks to them, whether that’s an offer they need in the moment or a message that aligns with their values, engagement increases and digital waste decreases. 2 Optimise email marketing with personalisation Email marketing offers a prime opportunity to adopt a more personalised approach. Rather than bombarding an audience with frequent, irrelevant emails, brands can focus on understanding who wants to hear from them and what kind of content they find valuable. By carefully segmenting your audience and delivering only relevant, timely information, you avoid wasting energy on mass emails to uninterested recipients and enhance engagement levels. 3 Sustainable website practices A brand’s website is another area where emissions can be cut and the user experience improved. Compressed images, minimal code and faster load times reduce the strain on servers and the power required to deliver content. Regularly reviewing and removing outdated content that’s no longer driving value but still taking up server space is another way to cut down on emissions. Choosing a green web hosting provider that uses renewable energy sources or offsets carbon emissions can also reduce digital marketing’s environmental impact. 4 Leverage local, in-person events While digital marketing has the advantage of reaching a vast Louise Mahrra
www.managedITmag.co.uk 17 MARKETING audience, people today are increasingly seeking more intimate, personalised experiences. Instead of hosting large-scale events where attendees can feel lost, brands can create smaller, more focused engagements, such as roundtables or workshops, where participants from the same industry or with shared challenges or goals can connect with peers and suppliers, hold meaningful conversations and learn something valuable. Organising local events easily accessible by public transport also helps minimise long‑distance travel and large‑scale production efforts. 5 Sustainable data usage Another key aspect of reducing emissions is data management. By storing and using only the data you need, you reduce the energy required for storage and processing. Minimising unnecessary tracking, cookies and third-party scripts on your website also helps, as these slow down sites and increase energy consumption. Practising data minimalism not only reduces emissions but aligns with increasing consumer demands for privacy and data responsibility. In addition, regular data cleansing for email marketing can have a significant impact. Reviewing bouncebacks, removing inactive contacts and eliminating ‘dead’ emails from your lists will reduce the amount of data that needs to be stored and processed and improve email marketing efficiency, as only those who actively engage with your content will receive communications. This cuts down on digital waste and increases campaign relevancy and engagement. 6 Optimising video and content usage Video content is one of the most energy-intensive forms of media due to the bandwidth required for streaming, but it’s also a powerful tool for engagement. There’s currently a shift in how people consume video, away from highly polished, overly scripted videos towards personal content, often created with a handheld device, that’s a little rough around the edges but created by real people consumers can relate to. These types of video tend to be lighter on resources and are often more impactful because they resonate with viewers’ desire for authenticity. By focusing on shorter, real-time videos that are directly relevant to their audience, brands can reduce energy consumption and create more engaging, humanised content. Why humanising marketing is key All these steps represent a more human, personalised approach to marketing. The days of mass campaigns and generic, onesize-fits-all messages are fading. Instead, consumers want brands to speak directly to them and offer real value. By humanising marketing and focusing on inthe-moment personalisation, brands can deliver the right message at the right time without overwhelming audiences with irrelevant content. A supermarket app that sends offers based on past purchasing behaviour in real-time when a customer enters the store is far more efficient than sending a mass email blast after the fact. This approach reduces digital waste, enhances the customer experience and builds stronger relationships – all while helping to lower emissions. As marketers, we have a significant opportunity – and responsibility – to reduce the environmental impact of our digital activities. By becoming more aware of our digital emissions and taking actionable steps to reduce them, we can make a tangible difference for the planet while continuing to engage and delight our audiences. More than half (59%) of businesses might not yet be looking at this issue, but those who act now can shrink their carbon footprint and build more authentic, sustainable relationships with their customers. The future of marketing isn’t just digital – it’s sustainable, personal and human. You must earn the right to be heard In over 25 years of crafting stories and experiences, I’ve always believed people must be at the heart of everything we do, and that is truer now than ever. The world has changed; people’s time is more valuable and they’ve become much more selective when it comes to the content they engage with. They’re tired of endless, generic messaging, especially when it’s locked behind gates and calls for their attention without offering real value in return. The next time you’re preparing to share insights with your audience, ask yourself these three questions: 1 Have you done your research upfront and actually talked to your customer? 2 Does your content offer something truly unique, something that no one else is giving them? 3 Why are you doing this? Is it just to generate leads, or are you genuinely trying to build trust and deliver value? If you want to build a long-lasting relationship with your audience, whether they’re customers or prospects, you need to earn the right to be heard. You can’t expect them to engage simply because you’ve put something out there. They have to want what you’re sharing, and that means delivering relevant, personalised content that speaks directly to their needs and values. If they like what you have to say, they’ll come back for more. But don’t lose potential lifelong customers just because your salespeople are too quick to count someone as a ‘lead’ based on a brief interaction. Building a meaningful relationship takes time. Let your audience set the pace. Be there when they need you, and focus on becoming someone they trust, rather than someone who’s only interested in closing the next sale. In the end, relevance and authenticity will win out. Earn people’s attention, build their trust, and they’ll keep coming back for more – not because they have to, but because they want to.
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