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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ââsuch 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 âŹ350 and âŹ500.
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
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.
ââAlthough 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 SAPâs 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.
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 SAPâs response to the enterpriseâs 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 SAPâs 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
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. Whatâs 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 SAPâs 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 thatâs 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.
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
At the theoretical level, the best way to go about honing your S/4HANA skills is to resort to SAPâs 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.
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.
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.
In addition to cultivating your S/4HANA skills, you must define a career strategy. Whatâs 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 companyâs corporate benefits, whether itâs paid tuition or a gym membership. Something you wouldnât 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, youâll tend to favour one option over the other, and thatâs 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
First things first â 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. Â Â Â Â
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. Â
Network security
The IT network of
todayâs 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. Â
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.
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 Londonâs 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 Londonâs 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.
Itâs not facial recognition. But weâre getting there. No wonder security experts are concerned that surveillance might be here to stay.
Switching focus to cyber viruses
One thing canât be denied about the global
response to the pandemic: we werenât 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 todayâs 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. Letâs 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.
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 donât worry â
it’s animal safe, solar-powered and you can even donate money to a pet rescue
organisation.
âYou did great today, Nadia.â
Ziza seemed quite enthusiastic. Perhaps too much.
âI guess? I just hope
this goes through. Could really use the commission this month,â 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?
âIncoming message,â said
Ziza halfway through the report.
âShoot.â
It was a message from
Tom. Short and sweet, as he liked to say â 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 parentsâ 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 apartmentâs 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 couldnât 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 laptopâs 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.
âZiza, status report.
What happened?â
âHello, Nadia.â But to
her surprise, it wasnât Zizaâs voice. It was that of a young woman.
âWho… who are you?â
âYou can call me EVE.â
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.
âI keep telling you:
thereâs something weird about this guy. Itâs as if… Hey â Nadia. For real?â
Tomâs hand was suddenly going up and down in front of her face.
âSorry, what?â
Nadia came back to her
surroundings and tried to recall anything of her colleagueâs 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.
âNever mind, donât bother.â
âLook, Tom. Iâm sorry. I
know Iâve been a bit off these past few days,â 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.
âSeriously, it was
nothing,â said Tom. âBut Nadia; Iâm 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 â have an
impact.â
âBy quietly shielding a
major corporation from dozens of cyberattacks every day? Yeah, right. Big game
changer over here. Hey, Iâm going to save the world!â 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.
âPlay tough if you want. Sarcasm wonât hide whatever is wrong. Especially not from you.â Tom reached for the interior pocket of his bright blue blazer and took out a black plastic card. âThereâs 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.â
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.
âLet me guess; I am not
allowed to go,â said Nadia to the silent partner in her ear.
âI did not say that,â
responded the female voice. Nadia felt the frustration mounting up and took a
long, deep breath.
âSo, I can barely talk to anyone, but Iâm allowed to go to a party?â
âEven I have feelings, Nadia,â said EVE laughing. âYou have been so good these past weeks. Plus, we donât want them to get suspicious. I sensed distress in your friendâs voice. Well-intended, nosey people can cause a lot of problems.â
âWell, arenât you nice?â Nadia did nothing to disguise her disdain. She didnât 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.
âOh, and Nadia. Donât say
anything you might regret at the party. We wouldnât want your sister to get hurt,
would we?â
A chill went down Nadiaâs
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.
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. Cloudâs 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 worldâs 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 âintergalactic computer networkâ 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 todayâs enterprise.
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 customerâs 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 â 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.
Whatâs next for the history and future of cloud computing
With at least 50% of the worldâs business already circulating through the cloud, the technologyâs role in the enterprise will only keep on growing. Furthermore, itâs 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 â the processing and storage of IoT data closer to the device â 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.
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.
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.
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 â head-to-head
with private cloud, which accounts for 17% of enterprise configurations.
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.
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 applications are the focus of 41% of respondents.
Choosing the right AI stack
Research firm IDC released two new
reports that shed some light on how to choose the best AI
infrastructure stacks for your company.
IDC thinks it is a good idea for
organisations to invest in full stacks from a single vendor, as it can help
speed up deployment and promote the universal adoption of AI.
That is, of course, as long as every element in the package is thoroughly vetted to ensure proper performance and the compatibility of all elements across the board.
The company defines an interoperable framework, called the AI Plane (AIP), to help companies evaluate the myriad of AI offerings out there and choose the right one.
News from the frontlines…
One more week means one less week until
things start looking normal again. This is what the tech world is doing to help
in the fight against COVID-19…
Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York are using AI to identify COVID-19 in patients. The research, published recently in Nature Magazine, describes how the scientists are leveraging AI analysis of CT scans and clinical data to quickly detect potential infections.
Wearables like smart wristbands and watches are being used to stem outbreaks of the virus in adult care homes. The system allows staff to track contact among elders within the centre, helping curb the virus spread by isolating those infected.
