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ERP & SAP Job Descriptions

SAP S/4HANA Overview

What is this new iteration of SAP’s ERP all about? How does it differ from its predecessor, ECC6? Here's an overview of SAP S/4HANA.

S/4HANA represents one of today’s most buoyant areas of enterprise IT. Investing time in developing your S/4 expertise can lead to a very successful and reliable career. But what is this new iteration of SAP’s ERP all about? How does it differ from its predecessor, ECC6? Time for a quick overview of SAP S/4HANA. 

S/4HANA is short for “Simplified For HANA (Hi-Performance Analytical Appliance).” While ECC6 objective is to run on a variety of databases from vendors such as Oracle or IBM, S/4HANA; as its name suggests; can only operate on SAP HANA. Launched in 2015, SAP’s in-memory database allows for increase data access speed and greater live data analysis capabilities. This is a key advantage in the era of the connected enterprise and data insights. Additionally, a different column-based data organisation allows for the reduction of the number of databases needed to integrate all the information. This allows to streamline and speed up data analysis. 

But let’s dive into the details of this overview of SAP S/4HANA.

SAP S/4HANA vs ECC6: A New UX 

Additionally, S/4HANA comes with significant updates. Among the most immediately noticeable changes is the system’s reliance on the SAP Fiori 3 UX. The new user experience streamlines day-to-day use of the platform for both developers and end-users. 

Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of SAP

Module updates and data integration 

Another big change introduced by S/4HANA comes in terms of module and component organisation.  

Firstly, data from what were two separate modules; Financial Accounting (FI) and Controlling (CO); is now integrated into a single pool of information: the Universal Journal. The new arrangement allows users and business managers to make better and faster decisions from a more holistic financial and management perspective.  

By integrating all accounting-relevant information from various components into a single, universal journal, S/4HANA speeds up data processes by eliminating redundancies and data reconciliation. The result is a data insights ecosystem that puts less strain on the system and has a reduced memory footprint. 

Embedded analytics and Machine Learning 

Additionally, a built-in data analytics module further supports this integrated data processing approach. Embedded Analytics leverages SAP ABAP Core Data Services technology to create Virtual Data Models out of operational data and provide real-time operational reporting. In other words, everything that business users need to operate from a smart business cockpit packed with data insights and forward-looking tools.  

Furthermore, embedded Machine Learning capabilities push these predictive tools to a new level, allowing companies to build smart applications like predictive pricing and maintenance. 

Greenfield vs. Brownfield implementation

First of all, it is important to note that not all S/4HANA migration projects work in the same way, and therefore, the expertise you will require and obtain will depend on the type of project you are involved in. 

A greenfield implementation refers to the process of adopting S/4HANA and designing its ERP system from scratch. This approach parts from the business and operational needs of the system to then come up with the technical infrastructure that will make it possible. Greenfield projects can be applied when an organization has no previous ERP system or processes in place, as well as when it wants to design a completely new one.

Conversely, brownfield implementations part from already present processes or systems and convert them to the S/4HANA platform. This process involves the revision of the entire previous ecosystem and then the optimisation of existing processes. Companies who are already working with SAP’s previous suite (ECC6 and want to upgrade to S/4HANA, often apply it.

Blueprinting

Preparation is fundamental. A successful migration to S/4HANA is dependent on the proper outlining of a series of key processes. Since the ERP suite has a one source of truth approach, these involve integrating all relevant data into the same data pools. The processes will be approached differently in greenfield and brownfield migrations.

For example, all accounting-related data will be entered once into the Universal Journal. A similar process will be carried out to unify all partner-related information into the Business Partner data pool.  A thorough mapping and configuration of New Asset Accounting will be required to migrate to S/4HANA finance, etc.

The team in charge of the migration will need to make an inventory of all preexisting data sets and figure out a way of adapting them to the S/4HANA ecosystem. These processes involve a lot of data cleaning and reconciliation and can take a lot of time. However, companies must ensure they put enough focus on this step, as it will serve as the backbone on which to build a next-generation ERP and a truly intelligent digital enterprise.

This overview of SAP S/4HANA piqued your interest? Want to make the most of S/4HANA’s career potential? Check out also our comprehensive S/4HANA Careers Guide.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

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Press review Tech Magazine

Weekly News: Robots take the streets

Weekly News: Robots take the streets
IT News

Robots take the streets; Contact tracing apps are here; The cloud’s about to burst; News from the frontlines… Discover Weekly Tech & IT News.

Robots take the streets & make their first en-masse appearance

A news article on pizza-delivering robots. Amazon and its flashy drones. That friendly robot shaking your hand at an industry conference. 

Robots had long appeared ready to make the jump to public life. But it took a pandemic to finally start turning the hype into reality. That is, of course, aside from industrial automation. 

As humans fled streets and public buildings seeking refuge from the virus, robots started pitching in and even replacing them. Grocery delivery, temperature screening, sanitation, information — you name it. 

However convenient robots might be, their growing presence has some people worried. One can understand why when learning about Singapore’s park-patrolling, robotic dogs, which kindly remind you of your social distancing obligations whenever you get to close to another person.

Here’s The Guardian’s look at that and other examples of this rise of the machines.

Contact tracing apps are here

After much debate and speculation around the viability and safety of relying on mobile apps to carry out large-scale contact tracing, the use of these apps is spreading. 

Germany launched this week its own version, which is based on the platform created by the Apple-Google partnership. Switzerland, Ireland and Austria are conducting testing, while Japan is expected to announce a Microsoft-powered solution later this week. 

Unfortunately, not everything is going well for all those in these arena. After starting testing in the Isle of Wight, the U.K. has gone quiet about its NHS-developed app. Experts in the matter point at the lack of adoption and Bluetooth problems as the most likely culprits behind the authorities’ silence.  

Meanwhile, Norway has put on hold its centralized app after a privacy watchdog denounced its unnecessary use of users’ GPS.

Contact tracing apps are here

The cloud’s about to burst

We recently discussed the cloud’s key role in a post-COVID business world. New developments and information keep highlighting the surge in cloud adoption. 

A new study by O’Reilly Media published this week revealed that over 88% of businesses are on the cloud, with most of them expecting to grow their usage in the upcoming months. Furthermore, a staggering 25% of respondents said their companies plan to move all their applications to the cloud in the near future. 

Beyond these headline findings, the survey confirms the popularity of the multi-cloud and of microservices. Amazon AWS reigns supreme, followed by Microsoft Azure. 

Just this week, Microsoft provided more details on how the increase in cloud demand is affecting its infrastructure, forcing the company to expand Azure capacity and implement smarter workload distribution.

Discover our article: Data security : Is your cloud data secure?

The cloud's about to burst

News from the frontlines…

A look at what how technology can help in the fight against the virus.  

AI can be used in a number of ways to limit the spread of infections, carry out faster diagnostics and provide better patient treatment. From optimizing the use of human resources at the hospital level to the triage of patients, here’s what AI can do.     

Amazon revealed a new AI-powered monitoring tool to help its warehouse employees maintain social distancing. The system, which gives live feedback via TV screens, has been met with backlash by workers and the public alike.

Discover our article about AI for recruitment: How AI will allow recruiters to focus on people

News from the frontlines...

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Job Descriptions Web Developer

React.js Developer : Job Description

React.js Developer
React.js is a JavaScript code library. React.js Developer is mainly responsible for front-end web application development.

Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive React.js Dev job description to attract top talent.

In the field of web development, there is a diversity of jobs depending on the programming language or environment concerned web developer, full-stack developer, swift developer, node.js developer… The React.js Developer is among these different specializations.

React.js is a JavaScript code library used for creating user interfaces. React.js developers are mainly responsible for front-end web application development.

Discover the 10 of the Best SAP Experts in Germany to Follow Online

What is the role of a React.js Developer?

User interface development

Firstly, the main mission of the developer React.js lies in front-end development. Using the JavaScript library allows coders to quickly develop user interfaces. React.js is generally used for creating projects that require a certain aestheticism. Easier to read and write than PHP and offering good performance; React.js quickly won over the developers community and its adoption keeps on growing within the industry.

Unit testing

Further, performing unit tests makes it possible to verify that the developed application works perfectly and does not have any problem with its code linking.

In addition, it is a guarantee of quality that the developer must not neglect in their activities to perfectly meet the expectations of the client or project.

Writing technical documents

To avoid misunderstandings and to better cater to the end user’s needs, React.js developers may also be required to write technical documents.

Required skills of the React.js Developer

Mastery of languages

These developers must, of course, master the React environment.

For instance, being familiar with other languages ​​such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and a number of APIs… Technical tools and frameworks related to web development are also great complementary assets.

Curiosity

Moreover, the developer must be curious about the advances in web environments and cutting-edge technologies. In order to apply the latest innovations to the design of interfaces.

Adaptability

The web environment is constantly evolving with new tools and languages. This requires developers to be also able to easily adapt to the changing ecosystem to remain at the forefront of development.

Within the industry

React.js was created in 2013 by Facebook to manage the network’s news feed. Instagram, Netflix, Airbnb or even WhatsApp use this library.

React appeals to developers because of its quick interface creation capabilities and ease of use.

Salary of the React.js Developer

The average daily rate of a React.js Developer fluctuates between €350 and €500.

Training of the React.js Developer

To become a React.js Developer, it is recommended to follow a computer engineering training specializing in web development. More specifically in React.js

Discover all the web development programming skills and professions

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Growing your career: permanent & freelance IT Consultants

The Ultimate S/4HANA Careers Guide

The Ultimate S/4HANA Careers Guide
Looking for the definitive S/4HANA careers guide? Here's everything you need to know about pursuing a career in the new incarnation of SAP's ERP

Looking for the definitive S/4HANA careers guide? Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about pursuing a career in the new incarnation of SAP’s ERP; S/4HANA.

The clock is ticking for companies across the globe to migrate to SAP’s next-generation ERP suite. With the German company discontinuing official support for its currently most used ERP (ECC6) in 2030; those businesses working with the legacy software must now go through the lengthy and resource-intensive process. And that is great news for you. 

​​Although S/4 is the future of SAP ERP and organisations adopting SAP for the first time are jumping directly into the newer platform; expertise in S/4 remains elusive as many companies are still waiting to carry out the migration.

Whether you are interested in learning more about S/4HANA or you would like to expand your expertise, these are golden days for SAP specialists. The generational change in both the workforce and SAP’s ERP offers an unparalleled opportunity for consultants and in-house talent alike. Take advantage of it. Develop your S/4 expertise with this S/4HANA careers guide. The rewards will be plentiful.

Discover more about what is ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

About S/4HANA 

S/4HANA careers guide: About S/4HANA

Any S/4HANA careers guide should start by clarifying exactly what S/4HANA is.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are all-encompassing software toolsets with capabilities extending across most business functions and departments. From accounting and human resources to procurement and supply chain management, ERP software allows organisations to easily plan and execute operations from a single platform. The speed, efficiency and cohesiveness derived from its use have made ERP a staple of business management. As well as one of the most profitable specialisations in the IT world.

S/4HANA is SAP’s response to the enterprise’s move to the cloud and its need for faster data processing. Half of all business data is estimated to be already in the cloud. More and more companies are taking business-critical applications off-premises, and few applications are more critical than ERP systems. At the same time, the modern enterprise requires data insights and operational efficiency that were simply out of reach for legacy ERP software. 

Labelled as SAP’s next-generation ERP, S/4HANA will effectively replace the ubiquitous ECC6 suite. When official support for the latter is discontinued in 2030.

Migration to S/4Hana

The migration to S/4HANA, has many steps and can accommodate several approaches. Companies moving into the new ecosystem can do so by building on top of already existing systems or by starting anew (brownfield vs. greenfield implementation). Regardless of the chosen approach, however, you can be sure of one thing: all projects start with the blueprinting

Here you can get an overview of SAP S/4HANA and its differences with ECC6 here.

Why now is the time to get into S/4HANA 

S/4HANA careers guide: Why now is the time to get into S/4HANA

As a world-leading ERP provider, SAP provides a comprehensive catalogue of solutions that only experts can implement and help run smoothly. Accordingly, there is a constant stream of demand for IT professionals with SAP skills. What’s more: demand outweighs supply in some areas of expertise. Chief among these is S/4HANA.

According to a report by Resulting IT, only 8% of organisations using ECC have made the transition to the new iteration of SAP’s software suite. That is alarming, especially considering that the report estimates the current product set has over 400 million lines of code and many companies have invested millions customizing it. These will have to be re-written when moving to S/4HANA. But that’s just the beginning of the story.

When it comes to S/4HANA, the difficulties in finding talent that is well-versed in the new environment multiply. There is a generalised lack of experience in the live or near go-live stages of the transition. Although 48% of SAP specialists declare having been involved in S/4 projects. A significant portion of these are solutions architects. And therefore only have experience in the early blueprinting stages of the project. 

Couple that with the fact that; just in the UK alone; 40% of SAP experts plan to retire within the next 10 years, and we are looking at the perfect storm. 

Learn more about why the global S/4HANA migration is a golden opportunity for IT professionals.

The different roles within S/4HANA 

S/4HANA careers guide: The different roles within S/4HANA

The expertise that you will develop and need will vary depending on the type of projects you take.

Additionally, and just as with ECC6, there are two main categories of S/4HANA expert profiles: functional and technical. These two categories often overlap with one another, and the best specialists have a combination of the two. 

Go beyond this S/4HANA careers guide and learn more about all the different roles within S/4HANA.

Developing your S/4HANA expertise

S/4HANA careers guide: Developing your S/4HANA expertise

At the theoretical level, the best way to go about honing your S/4HANA skills is to resort to SAP’s official learning portal, SAP Training. There you can find a myriad of courses and certifications that will help you master the various tools in S/4.  

While the courses are free, you must pay a fee to obtain the official certification. But we highly recommend you do so, since they are a great measurement of how prepared you are and validate your expertise in front of the SAP community. They will look great on your CV 

The courses and certifications are a good option for newcomers to the SAP ecosystem. But also for seasoned professionals looking to upskill and add new S/4HANA capabilities to their toolset.  

Here’s how and why you should pursue SAP S/4HANA certifications.

Finding your career path in S/4HANA 

No matter how good your S/4HANA careers guide is, and in addition to learning the basics and getting certified, you must get real-world experience working with S/4HANA. The way to go about it will depend on how many S/4 projects you have previously collaborated with, as well as your knowledge of ERP systems and business domains.

To those who are completely new to S/4HANA, it can be challenging to get a job in a field that requires previous experience. But you can get around this barrier.

Be ready to take a pay cut in exchange for a role in S/4HANA projects, even if it is through positions that are more junior than those you would normally pursue. Think of it as an investment in your future. Make sure to highlight the suitable skills that you already possess, like ERP expertise or knowledge in and business.  

S/4HANA careers guide: Finding your career path in S/4HANA

The importance of attending events

You should also keep an eye open for any relevant industry and networking events. Attending will give you a better feel for what it is like to work in S/4 and will provide you with actionable tips on how to build your career. You can even often find companies looking for new talent among attendees. 

Re-orient your CV to highlight your S/4 focus and skills. Present yourself not as an IT expert with S/4 know-how, but as an expert in S/4HANA. Try to get involved in a wider variety of projects that allow you to build deeper and more comprehensive expertise. Again, industry events are highly recommended to stay up-to-date with current trends and best practices and network with other professionals. Keep learning. Stay tuned regarding software updates, new certifications.

There is always room for improvement. Once you have some S/4HANA experience on your back, focus on becoming a true expert in the technology. 

Looking for career inspiration? Here’s an example of the career path of an SAP consultant.

Freelancing or in-house 

S/4HANA careers guide: Freelancing or in-house

In addition to cultivating your S/4HANA skills, you must define a career strategy. What’s the best way of becoming a highly coveted expert? There is not a simple answer to this question. Especially since the rapid evolution of the talent market has blurred the traditional line between permanent contracts and freelancing. 

Permanent position & Freelancing paths

A permanent position offers you greater stability and social protections. Giving you access to more economic benefits, like unemployment and certain contract regulations. It also lets you enjoy the totality of a company’s corporate benefits, whether it’s paid tuition or a gym membership. Something you wouldn’t have access to as an independent employee. This can be decisive in newer fields like S/4HANA, since you might be able to benefit from free training and career development programs.

On the other hand, freelancing makes it easier for you to develop a wider range of skills by working on different projects. This broader experience is very attractive to employers. At the same time, businesses are more likely to hire freelancers for S/4HANA projects, as there is a shortage of skilled workers and S/4 implementations often have a specific duration.

Independent workers must deal with limited social protections, fluctuating activity and internal red tape. However, the average daily rate of SAP freelancers is well above the average rate of salaried employees in most countries. They also express high levels of job satisfaction, with 4-out-of-5 freelancers claiming to be happy with their lifestyle.

Conclusion

Depending on the stage of your life cycle you find yourself in, you’ll tend to favour one option over the other, and that’s totally fine. Both paths are complementary and have their perks and disadvantages. Additionally, the relative novelty of S/4HANA is a key factor to consider when making your decision.  

Here are some questions you should ask yourself before becoming a freelance S/4HANA consultant.

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Press review Tech Magazine

Weekly News: Artificial Stupidity and Racial Bias

Weekly News: Artificial Stupidity and Racial Bias
Artificial Stupidity and Racial Bias: discover our Weekly News about Tech & IT.

Artificial Stupidity and Racial Bias: discover our Weekly News about Tech & IT.

Artificial Stupidity and Racial Bias

Microsoft’s AI news editor confuses mixed-race singers

Last week, The Guardian revealed Microsoft’s plans to fire the human editors in charge of its MSN.com news portal. Their replacement? A new artificial intelligence software. 

Unfortunately for the company, the decision took less than a week to backfire. Instead of delivering proof of Microsoft’s AI prowess, the move served as the perfect example of the dangers of AI’s racial bias.

In the midst of a global call for racial equality, Microsoft’s robot editor sparked public outrage when it illustrated a news story about racism with the picture of the wrong mixed-race member of the band Little Mix.

Lots to think about here.  

Oops

Microsoft’s demise might have provided the perfect opportunity for IBM to score major PR points against one of its main competitors.

The company had earlier announced it was halting its facial recognition initiatives, citing concerns around racial profiling and surveillance by law enforcement agencies. 

Unfortunately for IBM, only hours later, its cloud platform suffered a serious global outage, bringing down customer websites and other services. 

Back to square one.

Don’t neglect cyber security

Japanese car maker Honda was hit by a cyber attack that impacted worldwide operations. 

The attack, thought by security experts to have been caused by Ekans (or Snake) ransomware, spread quickly throughout the company’s network, allegedly affecting production, sales and development. 

Cyber attacks are on the rise since the start of the pandemic, highlighting the importance of having a proper risk management strategy in place. 

Worried about cyber security? Take these 10 simple steps to protect your organisation.

News from the frontlines…

Technology is playing an important role in the fight against the virus.  

The U.K.’s health secretary, Matt Hancock, praised tech’s COVID-19 response during his talk at CogX, an annual global leadership summit focused on artificial intelligence. Hancock declared tech the backbone of the country’s testing program and discussed its upcoming contact tracing app.     

A new study commissioned by Kaspersky Labs revealed how technology is helping people overcome loneliness by keeping them connected through the pandemic.

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Cybersecurity Tech Magazine

10 Essential Steps to Ensure Cybersecurity

The U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) proposes a series of cybersecurity guidelines for IT leaders and security experts to protect their company
Cyber Security guide

As businesses around the world begin preparations for the return to the office, a shadow still looms over IT departments: cybersecurity.

At the beginning and height of the pandemic, the surge in remote work and a new wave of malware attacks put extra strain on network and infrastructure security. Now, with some employees staying at home while others go back on-site, these challenges remain a priority.

In 2012, the U.K.’s National CyberSecurity Centre (NCSC) debuted a series of cybersecurity guidelines that are now used by most companies in the FTSE350. It is never a bad idea for IT leaders and security experts to consider these 10 proposed steps when assessing their company’s overall security measures.

Define risk management strategy for cybersecurity

First things first — Make a full inventory of all business-critical assets and infrastructure. Then, make sure you get the full picture of your strengths and weaknesses. Once that is done, IT and senior management should decide together what level of risk can be assumed and outline a comprehensive security strategy. All concerned stakeholders, from staff to partners and suppliers, must be made then aware of said policy.     

Secure configuration

Then, no one sets out on a journey without first doing a thorough check-up of the vessel. Make sure all your systems and tools are configured properly and that the latest updates are installed. Disable unnecessary functionalities and fix any issues that might compromise your ecosystem.  

Network security

The IT network of today’s businesses is vast, intricated and somewhat obscure. It combines different physical locations with cloud services and remote workers and collaborators. In this context, you must think of any and all vulnerable points of entry and put processes like VPNs in place to minimise risks.

Malware protection

Also, invest in the malware prevention tools, paying special attention to the functionalities offered in relation to your current and future needs. These tools can come in the form of both software solutions and policies regarding the exchange of information.  

Defining user privileges

Not all employees and users need access to everything in your network. So, split your users into levels and assign different privileges to each of these groups, limiting access to the most sensitive information to a few users. Moreover, it is a simple step that can save you a lot of trouble if an attack gets through, effectively serving as a firewall around the more critical parts of your network.

Incident management

In addition, outline and implement a clear process for identifying and managing incidents whenever they appear. When doing so, keep in mind response time and inter-departmental collaboration to ensure a smooth and efficient response.

User education and awarenes with cybersecurity

Then, put in place security awareness programs and carry out training when necessary. Human error is still the first cause behind enterprise data breaches. Therefore, simple-to-avoid malware tactics like phishing can be effectively managed by promoting a security-conscious culture across your stakeholders.

Home and mobile working

Also, COVID-19 has made it more evident than ever that work extends beyond the office doors. Your employee training and awareness programs should include recommendations on how to work remotely in a safe manner. Make sure you complement this approach with the proper software and network security tools like the aforementioned VPN.

Removable media controls

This is another area in which education and awareness play a big role. Removable devices such as USB sticks and hard drives are a great conduit for malware to spread. They also complicate the safeguarding of any information that is exported out of the system. Awareness initiatives in this area should be accompanied by specific software tools and policies, like limiting what information can be exported and by who.

Monitoring

Finally, remember to stay alert. None of the above steps will suffice unless you establish a comprehensive and ongoing surveillance system. Set up all the monitoring software that you will need to protect your network and train your IT staff to spot any irregularities early on.  

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Press review Tech Magazine

Weekly News: We’re Okay with Surveillance Tech Now

Weekly News: We're Okay with Surveillance Tech Now
We're okay with surveillance tech now. Just a few months ago, criticism was mounting in the U.K. around the facial recognition technology being tested by London’s Metropolitan Police to safeguard the city streets.

Just a few months ago, criticism was mounting in the U.K. around the facial recognition technology being tested by London’s Metropolitan Police to safeguard the city streets.  

Then came COVID-19 and our focus and priorities changed. But as many non-essential stores get ready to re-open in mid-June, the general public is again facing the dilemma of adopting monitoring tech.  

Only this time is a more contested dilemma.  

A recent Intu survey revealed that 60% of shoppers actively encourage stores to implement surveillance technologies that help make shopping safer. The proposed measures include temperature scans at entry points and CCTV to control crowds.  

It’s not facial recognition. But we’re getting there. No wonder security experts are concerned that surveillance might be here to stay.

Switching focus to cyber viruses

One thing can’t be denied about the global response to the pandemic: we weren’t ready for it although we had been told to expect it.  

To help avoid future catastrophic mistakes, the World Economic Forum has issued a call to action for businesses and institutions to prepare for the cyber pandemic we know will come.  

In today’s interconnected world, a global cyberattack with a behaviour similar to COVID-19 (highly infectious and with high rates of asymptomatic infections) could lead to major cyber outages costing $50 billion per day.  

WannaCry and other large-scale breaches were the wake-up call, just like SARS and MERS foretold the current crisis. Let’s do something about it this time.

Building a solid AI foundation

Many are the companies looking to jump on the bandwagon of the AI boom. Sometimes even too quickly.  

Stephanie Overby at The Enterprisers Project shares some counterintuitive tips on how to implement artificial intelligence into business processes. Building a solid foundation is the crux of proper AI adoption.  

Key points include taking time to evaluate current needs, as well as investing in talent and skills before tools.

Discover 5 Online Courses to Get You Up-To-Speed with AI

News from the frontlines…

This is what the tech world is doing to help fight the pandemic:  

Biotech entrepreneurs are proposing another approach to mass testing: biosensors. Different sensor technologies currently under development could be advantageous over existing testing methods like the PCR test, providing faster and more accurate results. At a privacy cost, of course.      

Also, a new wristband helps avoid blood clots in patients that remain immobilised for long periods of time due to COVID-19.    

—

? ? ?

Finally, tech has always been about connecting people. But how about connecting people and animals? Folks in Palo Alto have created a website through which you can feed a flock of happy chickens in real time.   And don’t worry – it’s animal safe, solar-powered and you can even donate money to a pet rescue organisation.

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Horizon 2050

Nadia – Chapter II

Nadia's Story
The story of Nadia, a quantum security expert in 2050 London. Follow the chapter I of the story of Nadia on Mission Control Center.

Follow the story of Nadia, a quantum security expert in 2050 London

Nadia, a story by Miquel Morales.

—

Jumping in now? Catch up with previous chapters.

Chapter II

“You did great today, Nadia.” Ziza seemed quite enthusiastic. Perhaps too much.

“I guess? I just hope this goes through. Could really use the commission this month,” said Nadia as she entered the elevator. A few weeks ago, she had timed how long it took for the lift to reach the ground floor. Fifty-eight floors in barely thirty seconds. Now that was fast.

In the streets, the morning fog had turned into evening fog. Waves of commuters struggled against the tide to find their way home. Nadia avoided the constant stream of electric scooters and made her way down the street and into the subway station. As always, the train car was packed. Nadia tried to maintain the balance without touching anything or anyone. It was like surfing, but cheaper. As programmed, Ziza went on to cover the news of the day. Apparently two members of the same family won the Mars shuttle lottery. What were the odds?

“Incoming message,” said Ziza halfway through the report. 

“Shoot.”

It was a message from Tom. Short and sweet, as he liked to say – Get some sleep. We start first thing tomorrow.

Nadia was ecstatic. She decided to stop by the bakery right beneath her apartment and get a big box of pastries to bring with her to the office the next day. She fought the urge to grab one of them as during the way up. They were freshly baked, and the warmth of the box felt nice on her cold hands.     

But as she reached the top of the stairs, Nadia saw that the door to her apartment was half open. She rushed down the hall, expecting to find everything upside down like it happened when burglars entered her parents’ house last year. To her surprise, everything was exactly like she had left it that morning. Well, everything but a small envelope that was resting in the middle of the living room floor.

Nadia opened it and found an old thumb drive. She remembered her Computer History teacher telling them about these early 21st-century storage devices. To think that people would carry those around all the time… And only for a few GBs worth of storage.

Intrigued, Nadia closed the apartment’s door and examined the drive. Maurice at the office was good at these things. He had all sorts of gadgets and spare parts, but Nadia couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Should she call the police? Nah. Nothing got stolen, and it was not worth all that time and paperwork. Wait…

She took the old laptop that her dad had given her to decorate her new flat. It had belonged to her grandfather, apparently. It took her a while, but she finally managed to detach one of the laptop’s USB ports and connect it to her home computer. She inserted the thumb drive. With a sudden bang, a power surge left the room in the dark. Of course.

“Ziza, status report. What happened?”

“Hello, Nadia.” But to her surprise, it wasn’t Ziza’s voice. It was that of a young woman.

“Who… who are you?”

“You can call me EVE.”

Nadia took a long sip of coffee and let her gaze go from one person to the other around the conference table. A strange bunch. Even in their formal business attires, she could tell how different they were from one another. Two men and two women, their ages ranging from the early thirties to the mid-fifties. She tried to come up with a background story for each one of them as Tom from sales walked them through the proposal. Raindrops kept hitting the glass wall behind them. It was an unusually foggy autumn day. Nadia could barely see the building across the street.

“I keep telling you: there’s something weird about this guy. It’s as if… Hey – Nadia. For real?” Tom’s hand was suddenly going up and down in front of her face.

“Sorry, what?”

Nadia came back to her surroundings and tried to recall anything of her colleague’s speech. Not a chance. She swallowed the rice in her mouth and smiled at Tom. He was sitting on the opposite side of the cafeteria table. His bald head and shaven face contrasted with the overly sized red glasses he was wearing. He had a different colour for every day of the week. Or so Nadia liked to think.    

“Never mind, don’t bother.”

“Look, Tom. I’m sorry. I know I’ve been a bit off these past few days,” said Nadia. The dining hall was rather empty that day. Perhaps one of the office floors was having a birthday celebration or something. Hmmm — pizza.

“Seriously, it was nothing,” said Tom. “But Nadia; I’m a little worried about you. Ever since we signed on RayStar you have been acting all down and so not like you. I thought that this is what you wanted, to work on a big account, you know – have an impact.”

“By quietly shielding a major corporation from dozens of cyberattacks every day? Yeah, right. Big game changer over here. Hey, I’m going to save the world!” Nadia had raised her voice and was now speaking to the whole room, her arms held high above her in a gesture of victory.

A few heads turned, shook in disbelief and then went back to their plates. Tom sighed and got up.

“Play tough if you want. Sarcasm won’t hide whatever is wrong. Especially not from you.” Tom reached for the interior pocket of his bright blue blazer and took out a black plastic card. “There’s this place in Shoreditch. A friend of Hao is throwing a party there tomorrow night. Drop by, would you? You could use a break. Use this to get in.”

Tom left the card on the table and walked off, adjusting his glasses with the index finger. Ugh. That had been hard. She loved Tom. He and his boyfriend were just so nice to her. When was the last time she had seen Hao anyway? Nadia picked up the card and flipped it. There were some words carved into the plastic: The Blue Dragon. 4 Chance St, Shoreditch, London.

“Let me guess; I am not allowed to go,” said Nadia to the silent partner in her ear.

“I did not say that,” responded the female voice. Nadia felt the frustration mounting up and took a long, deep breath.

“So, I can barely talk to anyone, but I’m allowed to go to a party?”

“Even I have feelings, Nadia,” said EVE laughing. “You have been so good these past weeks. Plus, we don’t want them to get suspicious. I sensed distress in your friend’s voice. Well-intended, nosey people can cause a lot of problems.”

“Well, aren’t you nice?” Nadia did nothing to disguise her disdain. She didn’t even know who she was talking to — an AI or a real person. Nadia grabbed her bag and started making her way back to the holovisor room.

“Oh, and Nadia. Don’t say anything you might regret at the party. We wouldn’t want your sister to get hurt, would we?”

A chill went down Nadia’s spine as she rested her chin on the biometric scan that guarded the RayStar project holovisors. The doors opened with a soft beep. Nadia walked in.

To be continued…

Read the next chapter: Nadia – Chapter III

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IT Decision-makers Tips & errors to avoid

History of Cloud Computing: The Past, Present and Future

History of Cloud Computing: The Past, Present and Future
Discover the history of cloud computing, where exactly is the cloud right now, and where is it headed with Mission Control Center by Mindquest

Discover the history of cloud computing. Cloud’s current momentum can often make younger generations believe this technology is a thing of the 21st century. In fact, sharing computing resources is an idea that dates back to the 1950s, when the same mainframe computers were accessed by all company employees via locally connected dumb terminals.

But it was not until 1969 that computer scientists lead by J.C.R. Licklider premiered ARPANET, the world’s first network connecting computers across vast distances. The system enabled communication and time-sharing of computing resources between different educational and military institutions. It later evolved into a network of networks — The Internet.

Licklider had a vision: an ‘intergalactic computer network’ that, beyond keeping everyone connected, would allow us to access data and applications regardless of location. More than half a century later, his vision is closer than ever to becoming a reality. About 59% of the global population has now access to the Internet, while cloud computing has gone from buzzword to the lifeblood of today’s enterprise.

The technology has indeed proved itself indispensable to digital transformation – cloud has been a decisive factor in the business world’s ability to withstand the COVID-19 crisis, supporting the sudden shift to remote work and helping companies quickly deploy and scale up IT infrastructure.   

But what is the history of cloud computing ? Where exactly is the cloud right now, and where is it headed?

History of cloud computing: The various pathways to cloud

Current cloud offerings vary depending on how they approach data storage and application management. Also, there are three types of deployments: public, private and hybrid.

Public cloud offerings lease cloud infrastructure and solutions to multiple customers who all share the same network, with every customer’s data siloed from the rest. On the other hand, private cloud is used by a single organisation, whether the user owns it or leases it from a provider.

Then, private clouds tend to be tailor-made to the meet needs of the specific company.

Finally, the hybrid cloud combines both approaches. Companies pursue the hybrid approach for its versatility, which allows them to mix and match resources and IT skills to obtain the best of both worlds.

A new global study by data virtualisation company Denodo identifies hybrid cloud as the most widespread deployment path.

Hybrid configurations account for 42% of all deployments. Public cloud takes second place with an 18% share – head-to-head with private cloud, which accounts for 17% of enterprise configurations.

Two-thirds of respondents (66%) use the cloud for analytics and business intelligence, while 42% of companies leverage the technology for logical data warehousing. Data science is the focus of 41% of respondents. 

Everything as a Service

Public cloud offerings have evolved well beyond data management and storage. They now focus on providing different services and can be further classified depending on the nature of these services. The most widespread are:

  • Software as a service (SaaS) solutions, which involve providers offering customers online access to applications they host
  • Platform as a service (PaaS) offerings, in which a third-party vendor provides hardware and software tools for companies to build applications, etc.
  • Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) solutions, which comprise all those services involving the lease of virtualized computing resources like storage

The multi-cloud

Similarly with hybrid cloud, combining a variety of cloud services from different providers can help companies achieve the cloud ecosystem that best fits their needs. This strategy is known as multi-cloud.

 The multi-cloud approach is rapidly gaining popularity among businesses, especially the bigger ones, and it is projected to soon become the industry standard. However, the use of different architectures and software among cloud providers can lead to cybersecurity, compatibility and operational issues. So that, cloud users are currently pushing for industry-wide standardisation to tackle this problem.

What’s next for the history and future of cloud computing

With at least 50% of the world’s business already circulating through the cloud, the technology’s role in the enterprise will only keep on growing. Furthermore, it’s convergence with emerging technologies like IoT and AI is opening a whole new realm of possibilities.

Chief amongst these is cloud edge. The approach combines edge computing – the processing and storage of IoT data closer to the device – and cloud to reduce latency, increase security and allow for greater flexibility. This is made possible by not having to send all data collected to a distant data centre for processing, but rather processing it on-site and only sharing the resulting insights.  

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DSI challenges IT Decision-makers

3 Reasons to Call on IT Freelancers in this Crisis Period

3 Reasons to Call on IT Freelancers in this Crisis Period

A few weeks ago, Syntec Numérique and Tech in France made a diagnosis of the impact of the crisis on the digital sector. It made 75 recommendations aimed at reviving IT activity after the health crisis caused by COVID-19. Among these proposals, there was supporting “the development of self-employment” by facilitating collaboration between companies and freelancers. Enter IT freelancers.

“It is necessary to reinvent professional practices thanks to digital technology, to encourage new working methods throughout the economy, support the development of self-employment, support new professional uses,” can be read on the Syntec Numérique website. 

This plebiscite for the use of independent consultants is not new. Even less in the IT sector. But it is currently being reinforced by the crisis. 

And for good reason. In addition to the many advantages of recruiting freelance in normal times, the use of IT consultants is particularly advantageous in the period of instability that we are currently experiencing. 

Focus on these three reasons to use the services of an IT freelancer during this period of health and economic crisis. 

Favour IT freelancers to better juggle uncertainty 

In these troubled times, you and your teams may need more agility than ever. 

The COVID-19 crisis has forced organizations to be flexible and pragmatic in order to maintain their operations. The world has become volatile, complex and extremely uncertain. And this trend should continue. 

In this context, companies that succeed have a strong capacity for adaptation. 

This adaptability is often based on the ability to work in project mode and to mobilise the best skills on key projects. 

With this in mind, if you are looking for IT talent to join your team, it may be better to turn to a freelancer rather than to a permanent employee. This type of contract is less engaging and less risky if the situation of the company were to deteriorate.

Another argument in favour of freelancers: they generally demonstrate greater autonomy and capacity for adaptation. They are used to evolve in changing and fast environments. In addition, most IT freelancers have already carried out telework assignments. Many of them have mastered and often appreciate this way of working. 

Mobilise the skills of an IT expert to manage current emergencies 

The confinement and all the consequences of the pandemic have put IT departments to the test: remote work, boom in security threats, over-demand on servers… The demands on IT support teams have increased tenfold, and most of the adjustments and projects are a matter of urgency. 

Faced with this situation, IT departments must be increasingly responsive. And the level of challenge is high: it is the continuity of business activities that is at stake. 

Here again, calling on one or more specialised, independent consultants in their area of expertise can be beneficial. They can intervene very quickly by bringing in cutting-edge skills and thus allow you to provide an effective solution to a given problem. 

The use of IT freelancers makes it possible to absorb a temporary work overload on tasks for which it is necessary to acquire strong skills very quickly. 

Signing a contract with a freelancer has the advantage of having few administrative constraints. Plus, you are able to do so within very short deadlines. 

IT freelancers to accelerate strategic projects 

The individuals and organisations that are most resilient to crises are those who are best prepared and best suited. 

In terms of IT, it is the same story. The transformation of organisations requires transformative technological projects and the implementation of new IT architectures. Always adapted to the needs of the company in this changing context. 

The teams working on these projects is therefore essential. Hence the need to make sure you are mobilising the right skills. 

Calling on an experienced specialist on a niche topic can help you avoid certain errors and really speed up your work. That is crucial in this period of crisis. The possibility of leveraging these experts over well-defined periods gives you much greater budgetary and project management flexibility than if you had to incorporate these skills into your existing teams. 

Because of the contractual relationship with their clients, IT freelancers often have pressure to perform well. This makes them commit to higher levels of quality compared to a regular employee. 

Of course, your decision to use this or that profile, internally or externally, must be part of a global talent strategy. But more than ever, this strategy for managing your talent must be done with a view to agility and pragmatism — a fundamental in times of crisis.