Cyber Security for the UK
Leading UK academics and other related authorities have put out a call for increased interest in the field of ‘cyber security’. This is of course in reference to online security specialists, with a deep understanding of security systems and how they are bypassed. The Cyber Security Challenge has been set up in an active effort to find new talent in this area, pitting contestants against each other to assess their abilities.
This outcry for new talent comes as a response to growing fears surrounding the safety of UK networks. The Minister of Security, Baroness Neville-Jones, says that the entirety of the nation’s interests in cyberspace are held by a small group of highly skilled public and private sector security professionals. With growth in this particular area of security seeing little growth, it is important to spark an interest to ensure the safety of UK networks long into the future. The primary challenge will involve looking for flaws in a dummy site setup for the scheme, taking around two hours to complete.
The irony in developing such a highly tuned skill suited to catch and prevent cybercrime is that most (if not all) professionals entering the field have a history of illegal activity behind them. Many of the world’s most prolific hackers end up working for Government security sectors, or in private cyber security firms. Some feel this is akin to rewarding a criminal with worthy employment, so equating to a breach of justice. The UK are currently adopting a different approach, hoping to capitalise on the skill of such skilled online criminals in boosting national defences against cyber-attacks.
Netwise Hosting take online security just as seriously as those involved with this new project. We work closely with skilled security consultants with the view to build a secure and robust network on which clients feel more than happy to store their information. We pride our network on being one of the safest in this industry, with no expense spared in providing front line security to all machines housed within our private facility.
Outsourcing Your IT Requirements
Outsourcing is a method of business operation undertaken by many of the most successful company's in the world today. In fact, some organisations employ a 100% outsourcing policy. Nike are one such brand - effectively meaning Nike do not actually make any shoes or clothing. All production is outsourced to factories across the globe. Even aspects of design are outsourced. Nike own the famous 'swoosh', and so also own the rights to any material containing their brand identity. This is a highly efficient form of operation, as Nike do not have to worry about the ownership and/or operation of any production facilities.
Of course this form of 100% outsourcing does not benefit all businesses, particularly those with a keen interest in the provision of services. McDonalds, for example, outsource much of there food production to localised farms and processing plants. However, products are manufactured to strict guidelines, with McDonalds then taking control of every further aspect of operation from logistics and preparation right through to sales.
It is highly unlikely that McDonalds would be as large and successful as they are today without reliance on farmers and farming experts to produce the livestock required to fulfill the demand created by its customers. Without outsourcing such areas of production, McDonalds would have to invest billions of dollars in its own farms, as well as the training and resources required to run said farms. It is far more efficient to outsource this aspect of their supply chain to those businesses already proving a success in the field. Even if you are not a fan of McDonalds as a brand, and/or its products, you should well appreciate how effectively they make use of outsourcing in their own success.
How does this translate to the rest of the business world? Well, its very important to look at the benefits gained from outsourcing certain operations. Although handing away total control can seem daunting, it can have enormous cost-saving prowess, as well as the ability to build a better product/service on the back of another parties expertise.
Almost every firm today utilises some form of information technology, be that a single computer right up to entire comms' rooms full of servers. Yet the truth of the matter is that many business do not have the required knowledge to make the most of this technology. This will often lead to the formation of an IT department within the organisation, which drastically increases staff costs and can make the running of this technology spiral into an expensive financial blackhole.
Many businesses now outsource all of their IT needs, generally with a central IT firm who manage the needs of a number of businesses. This works to a certain degree, but with the technology still housed on the businesses own premised, lead times on remedies can be unacceptable. Distancing the technology from those in posession of the right knowledge regarding how it is operated can prove inefficient.
An entire IT outsourcing plan is likely the best option, especially in todays world of high-speed online connectivity. Dedicated servers and colocation services allow firms to move their business-critical technology out to experts with all the tools and knowledge required to ensure it is running smoothly 24x7. It has never been easier to make this switch, with many affordable solutions on offer here in the UK; with the ever progressing speed of the internet meaning remote access from your business is just as simple as having the machines in-house.
Netwise Hosting offer a range of highly competitive dedicated server packages, colocation services and online backup solutions, perfect for starting your technology outsourcing strategy today. Work with a member of the Netwise Hosting team for a truely tailored solution, and enjoy complete peace of mind - concentrating your efforts on more important core activities. Contact us for a free comprehensive information pack.
CRM Software and Your Business
CRM (customer relationship management) software gives an added element of organisation over the handling of client-based activities. This includes sales, support, marketing and orders. It can also extend into areas such as warehouse and stock management. Although many companies already have support systems in place, as well as ordering and billing platforms, control over sales and marketing elements are often a manual affair with little or no direct organisation/structure.
As a sales control mechanism, CRM software is a powerful and highly adaptable tool in chasing leads and maintaining solid links with key clients. Before CRM solutions came into play, it would be down to the business in question to manage new sales and leads manually, with no real structure given to the process. This manual approach to the process also lacked any form of tracking and graphical representation, vital in keeping a balanced overview of the current situation.
So when it comes down to employing the use of such a solution, where do you begin? Well firstly its important to identify what you are looking for from a CRM software platform. As such, this type of software can be split into two groups, online and offline. Offline solutions can still be accessed across the net in some cases, but they are not truely hosted solutions.
Online Solution
An online solution is hosted on a webserver through an HTTP daemon, utilising some form of database. Many CRM vendors will offer this as a standalone platform for installation on your own machine. There are however a number of vendors that offer hosted solutions through their own system. This is ideal for those users without servers suited to such an application.
SalesNexus offer such a solution, which rivals the industry standard ACT! software. This solution is hosted online and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, ideal for highly mobile businesses. CenterBase can be hosted on your own servers for added flexibility, with a similar feature set.
Offline Solution
ACT! is by far the most popular CRM platform worldwide. Developed by Sage, the global leader in business related software, this is perhaps the most complete blanket solution for all your CRM needs. It does cost considerably more money than an online solution however, and does not offer such a degree of mobile flexibility. Still, it is without doubt the industry standard solution, giving businesses extremely effective control over all CRM-based activities. Users of ACT! also enjoy the benefits of Sage Support.
With all points considered, it doesn't really make a sizable difference to your CRM program as to what solution you choose to employ for use in your business. Most CRM solutions on the market offer a competitive set of features, meaning the choice really is with the user.