What would your reaction be to someone who told you that “The Cloud” is so secure you don’t need to do anything else to protect your data? I would hope that your reaction would be somewhere between the RCA Dog head tilt and Dramatic Chipmunk. But from anecdotes I’ve been hearing, this gem of very questionable advice is becoming increasingly common.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/29/cloud-security-policy/
Friday, September 29, 2017
Businesses May Soon Get to Tweet Longer Messages — with Testing of #280characters
Just as you’re finally mastering the art of squeezing your business’s message into a 140-character tweet, Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) goes ahead and changes it, sending the Twittersphere into disarray!
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/280-character-tweets.html
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/280-character-tweets.html
Your Android lock screen pattern isn’t as safe as a PIN code
What’s safer? Using a numeric PIN code to unlock your Android smartphone or relying on a finger squiggle?
Newly-released research suggests that, at least when someone close by could be looking over your shoulder, you might be safer with an old-fashioned PIN.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/28/android-lock-screen-pattern-isnt-safe-pin-code/
Redefining Next Generation Firewalls
When the first firewalls were developed and deployed, their primary role was to act as sentinels monitoring traffic moving into, and sometimes out of the network. These devices would look at packets, network addresses, and ports to determine if data should be allowed through or blocked. A good analogy is airline travel. In the first few iterations of the firewall, data was simply checked to see if it had a ticket, and if its credentials were in order it were allowed to board the plane.
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/28/redefining-next-generation-firewalls
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/28/redefining-next-generation-firewalls
Money-making machine: Monero-mining malware
While the world is holding its breath, wondering where notorious cybercriminal groups like Lazarus or Telebots will strike next with another destructive malware such as WannaCryptor or Petya, there are many other, less aggressive, much stealthier and often very profitable operations going on.
One such operation has been going on since at least May 2017, with attackers infecting unpatched Windows webservers with a malicious cryptocurrency miner. The goal: use the servers’ computing power to mine Monero (XMR), one of the newer cryptocurrency alternatives to Bitcoin.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/28/monero-money-mining-malware/
Dell EMC Expands Commitment to Microsoft Customers with Converged Infrastructure Advancements
MICROSOFT IGNITE, ORLANDO, FL, SEPT. 27, 2017 -
Dell EMC announces broadened support of Microsoft data center environments with substantial updates across the Dell EMC XC Series, Dell EMC Cloud for Microsoft Azure Stack and Dell EMC Ready Bundle for Microsoft SQL Server. Addressing key IT transformation opportunities and use cases from hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) to hybrid cloud and data analysis, these updated solutions demonstrate Dell EMC’s continued commitment to innovate and spur successes for customers operating in Microsoft environments.
https://www.emc.com/about/news/press/2017/20170927-01.htm?CMP=RSS-news
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Zeus is Still the Base of Many Current Trojans
In 2007, no one expected ZeuS to have such a brutal impact on the digital world. But two years later, Zbot, another of the names it is known by, became a milestone in the history of cybersecurity. With more than 3.6 million infected computers in 2009, ZeuS compromised more than 74,000 FTP accounts on such important networks as those of NASA, ABC, Oracle, Cisco, Amazon, and Bank of America. It also managed to steal and block information from the United States Department of Transportation, among other government agencies. Its impact was extreme, and the measures to combat it hard and complex. To this day, ZeuS is still posing a threat.
http://www.pandasecurity.com/mediacenter/panda-security/zeus-trojan/
http://www.pandasecurity.com/mediacenter/panda-security/zeus-trojan/
Today’s Best Practices for Protecting the Distributed Network
In the new digital economy, businesses that are able to adapt will be the most competitive and successful. This will require adopting new technologies, networking systems, and strategies. But many of the emerging technologies and strategies that are being deployed across our networks come with a set of unknowns that are having a huge impact on security. The reason is that traditional approaches to security were never really designed to protect dynamic, borderless, and hyper-connected environments.
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/27/today-s-best-practices-for-protecting-the-distributed-network
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/27/today-s-best-practices-for-protecting-the-distributed-network
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Small Businesses Can Now Schedule Videos from a Smartphone with the YouTube Studio App
The YouTube Creator Studio for mobile is getting an upgrade … and a new name.
The mobile app is now called YouTube Studio. The video-sharing company cut part of the name and added some new features creators have been asking for. Small businesses and entrepreneurs that make (or plan to make) YouTube videos will love that you can now schedule posts right from your smartphone.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/youtube-studio-app.html
Benefits of Using CASBs in Financial Services
The cloud and cloud-based applications have revolutionized business operations across industries. The proven business benefits of cloud adoption have made multi-cloud environments the preferred method for data storage and computing, with 81 percent of organizations indicating they have adopted a hybrid cloud solution.
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/26/benefits-of-using-casbs-in-financial-services
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/26/benefits-of-using-casbs-in-financial-services
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
IBM Services and Retail Analytics to Support Walgreens Field Service Nationwide
IBM Services and Retail Analytics to Support Walgreens Field Service Nationwide
IBM to help provide service automation and field service support for more than 8,100 Walgreens pharmacy locations
ARMONK, NY - 22 Sep 2017: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new agreement with Walgreens, one of the country’s largest drugstore chains, to deploy IBM retail analytics at more than 8,100 locations nationwide to help improve the efficiency of field service support for these locations.
IBM Cloud also will be used to determine the level of support that will likely be needed at each Walgreens location based on service request history. In the future, this information may enable better anticipation and coordination when dispatching field technicians, so they arrive at the right time to resolve an issue. These data-driven insights may help to identify the most frequent service calls at a given location and bundle those requests into one service call to minimize repeated instances of system downtime.
C-suite executives and key stakeholders in all industries are increasingly recognizing the value of cultivating insights through data, as they often create opportunities for enhanced IT efficiency and overall business growth. These tools are also changing the way IT professionals approach IT support in the field by shifting to more proactive, predictive solutions that isolate the root cause of a disruption to eliminate repeated problems and free up valuable time for IT professionals to focus their skills and attention on higher value initiatives.
“Extending our multivendor services capabilities to support Walgreens stores sets an exciting new benchmark in an evolving retail industry, but it does not stop there,” says Martin Jetter, Senior Vice President, IBM Global Technology Services. “As a cloud services integrator, IBM is always driven by the desire to think differently about the way we manage our clients’ services and underlying infrastructure in any business, and we are well suited to help them achieve the results they are looking for.”
About IBM Global Technology Services
IBM Global Technology Services offers end-to-end IT consulting and business services supported by an unparalleled global delivery network that is transforming its business to lead in an era of Cognitive and Cloud. As a cloud services integrator, GTS is managing the services and underlying infrastructure in an integrated and unified way with unique multivendor services capabilities to match any environment. It is modernizing clients’ IT environments to help them meet the increasingly complex customer demands. GTS provides clients with innovative technology solutions that help them to improve their business processes and in turn, profitability.
Cisco Completes Acquisition of Springpath
SEPTEMBER 22, 2017
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Cisco announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Springpath, Inc., a Sunnyvale-based leader in hyperconvergence software. Springpath has developed a distributed file system purpose-built for hyperconvergence that enables server-based storage systems. The acquisition allows Cisco to continue to deliver next-generation data center innovation to its customers, and aligns with its overall transition to providing more software-centric solutions.
Cisco's acquisition of Springpath is the culmination of the long-standing strategic relationship between the two companies, having worked together since 2016 to launch and deliver HyperFlex, the industry's first fully integrated hyperconverged infrastructure system.
The acquisition will allow Cisco to continue to grow its computing business, enabling more customers to realize the benefits of simple and economic software-defined infrastructure. As part of Cisco, it will serve as a meaningful addition to Cisco's data center portfolio and will help Cisco provide simplicity and agility to its data center customers.
Cisco acquired Springpath for $320 million in cash and assumed equity awards, plus additional retention-based incentives.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984. Our people, products and partners help society securely connect and seize tomorrow's digital opportunity today. Discover more at thenetwork.cisco.com and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the acquisition allowing Cisco to continue to deliver next-generation data center innovation to its customers, aligning with its overall transition to providing more software-centric solutions, and allowing Cisco to continue to grow its computing business, enabling more customers to realize the benefits of simple and economic software-defined infrastructure, the expected benefits to Cisco and its customers from completing the acquisition, and plans regarding Springpath personnel. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due a variety of factors, including, among other things, the potential impact on the business of Springpath due to the uncertainty about the acquisition, the retention of employees of Springpath and the ability of Cisco to successfully integrate Springpath and to achieve expected benefits, business and economic conditions and growth trends in the networking industry, customer markets and various geographic regions, global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment and other risk factors set forth in Cisco's most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based on limited information currently available to Cisco, which is subject to change, and Cisco will not necessarily update the information.
Mi-IDEA, the place to bee - Cisco and Manchester Science Partnerships open a hive of their own in the heart of the city’s innovation district
SEPTEMBER 22, 2017
Manchester, UK, 22nd September – In the city that takes the bee as its symbol, we’ve been building our own hive of innovation. Today, Cisco and Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) announce the opening of Mi-IDEA, a new post-accelerator centre in the heart of Manchester’s innovation district. The centre aims to help digital tech start-ups flourish and be a catalyst for co-innovation between businesses, academia and the government in the North of England.
Focused on developing the next generation of entrepreneurs and encouraging businesses to accelerate their digital thinking, Mi-IDEA gives start-ups the space and support to grow – on their terms. Without restrictions and without equity, the post-accelerator offers a carefully crafted programme with access to opportunities for new business, partnerships, product development, finance and talent.
Located in the Bright Building, a new 70,000 sq ft development, in Manchester Science Park which also opens today, the Mi-IDEA partnership combines Cisco’s unrivalled tech heritage, global reach and the ability to develop new solutions at pace, with MSP’s deep experience of fostering co-innovation in Manchester and bringing partners together to affect real change.
Mi-IDEA is already home to six innovative start-ups including Hark, the IoT data capture, monitor and analysis pioneer and Wattl, a video platform, providing a unique and novel way to discover new content. A smart building in itself, the facility is also a centre of operations for CityVerve, the UK’s Internet of Things smart city demonstrator, as well as the home of the Cisco UK and Ireland Innovation team.
As part of a global network of Cisco innovation centres, which includesIDEALondon, Mi-IDEA offers its residents the opportunity to network with other start-ups, connect to investors, and collaborate with potential customers focused on digital acceleration, in the UK and around the world.
Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister said “Greater Manchester is home to world-class digital innovators and entrepreneurs and I am delighted to have been at the opening of its latest success story, Mi-IDEA and the Bright Building, which will focus on supporting collaborative innovation in Greater Manchester and across the Northern Powerhouse. The Government understands just how important digital and creative sectors are to ensuring the North, and the UK more widely, remains a global powerhouse of digital economic activity."
Scot Gardner, Chief Executive of Cisco UK & Ireland added “Innovation is fundamental to the future of any digital economy, but it cannot prosper in isolation. Mi-IDEA is a hive of co-innovation, fostering collaboration between industry, government and academia; we’re excited for what it will bring to Manchester and look forward to seeing the start-ups at the centre flourish as we expand our relationship with MSP in this new venture.”
Rowena Burns, Chief Executive, Manchester Science Partnerships said, “We are proud and delighted to launch both our stunning new Bright Building and Mi-IDEA, which we are sure will be a fantastic engine for growth in Manchester’s digital sector. Our partnership with Cisco will give these exciting young, entrepreneurial businesses a fantastic chance of success thanks to the brilliant technology here and the supportive and collaborative community they will find in both the Bright Building and across MSP’s campuses.”
Inspired by the powerful combination of innovation and IoT, at the launch of Mi-IDEA, Cisco is supporting the bees with backpacks initiative. Putting trackable RFID backpacks on bees, Cisco is working with Data61|CSIRO to build on the established project in Sydney, Australia and join the Global Initiative for Honey bee Health (GIHH).
In conjunction with local organisations in Manchester, the programme will use innovative technology to conduct research into bee habitats, pollination and sustainability in the UK. You can also read more about The Connected Bee initiative here.
Today’s announcement is the latest example of Cisco’s commitment to support digitisation in the UK. Cisco’s digitisation strategy is a long-term partnership with government, industry and academia to deliver real outcomes faster and more effectively for the country. It is part of Cisco’s global commitment to accelerating digitisation of countries around the world. For further examples, please visit the Cisco Newsroom.
Notes to Editor:
In addition to Hark and Wattl, the start-ups based at the Mi-IDEA centre include:
About Mi-IDEA
Mi-IDEA is a post-accelerator, based in the heart of Manchester Science Park and run by Cisco and Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP). Mi-IDEA stands for Manchester-Inspired Innovation Digital Enterprise Alliance. Our mission is to help Manchester start-ups to flourish and scale, and to be a catalyst for co-innovation with business, academia and government.
Mi-IDEA develops start-ups with a minimum viable product in sectors including digital healthcare, Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, digital creative and other disruptive technologies.
The innovation centre plays a vital role in the development of the digital economy in the North of England and is a key node in the National Virtual Incubator.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984. Our people, products, and partners help society securely connect and seize tomorrow’s digital opportunity today. Discover more at newsroom.cisco.com and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.
About MSP
Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) is a Manchester based public-private partnership and the UK's leading science and technology park operator. MSP owns and operates 3m sq ft of office and laboratory space on its three main campuses – Manchester Science Park, Citylabs, and Alderley Park.
We provide the right environments for innovation to flourish - supporting the growth of companies in the life sciences, digital technology and advanced engineering sectors, ranging in size from start-ups to European HQs and international centres of R&D excellence.
Our network of innovators, scientists, investors and entrepreneurs enables businesses and people to transform ideas into commercial reality.
MSP's shareholders are Bruntwood Ltd, The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester, Cheshire East and Salford City Councils.
@TweetsByMSP
Olympus Delivers High-Speed IT Service Management with BMC Remedyforce
SYDNEY, September 25, 2017 – BMC, a global leader in IT solutions for the digital enterprise, today announced that Olympus Australia, a leading manufacturer of professional opto-digital products, including cameras, medical and life sciences equipment, has chosen BMC’s Remedyforce solution to transform the delivery of IT services.
http://newsroom.bmc.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=253321&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2302723
http://newsroom.bmc.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=253321&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2302723
Monday, September 25, 2017
Flashstock Becomes Shutterstock Custom, Helps Small Businesses Create Branded Visual Content
Flashstock has been re-branded to Shutterstock Custom, which is fitting, because the new platform was designed to empower businesses to scale high-quality branded content. Using Flashstock’s propriety technology, it transforms the visual identity of a company into a creative brief for new campaigns.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/shutterstock-custom-small-business.html
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/shutterstock-custom-small-business.html
Animoto and HubSpot Partnering to Bolster Small Business Marketing
Small businesses using the online marketing and sales platform HubSpot (NYSE:HUBS) now can use Animoto’s new Marketing Video Builder to create simple videos for internal and external purposes.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/partnership-between-animoto-and-hubspot.html
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/partnership-between-animoto-and-hubspot.html
Microsoft Announces New Skype for Business Pricing Models
The 2017 pricing for Skype for Business was just updated, and if you are a small businesses you will have more options.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/new-skype-for-business-pricing-models.html
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/new-skype-for-business-pricing-models.html
Fortinet a Signature Sponsor at Oracle OpenWorld 2017
The need for real-time access to critical data is driving today’s digital transformation. The volume of data being generated, the proliferation of data mining applications, and consumer expectations about access to information are all increasing the value of data and making effective data management and orchestration increasingly critical.
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/25/fortinet-a-signature-sponsor-at-oracle-openworld-2017
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/25/fortinet-a-signature-sponsor-at-oracle-openworld-2017
Bankbot trojan returns to Google Play with new tricks
The dangerous Android banking trojan that we first informed about in the beginning of this year has found its way to Google Play again, now stealthier than ever.
Dubbed BankBot, the banking trojan has been evolving throughout the year, resurfacing in different versions both on and outside Google Play. The variant we discovered on Google Play on September 4, is the first one to successfully combine the recent steps of BankBot’s evolution: improved code obfuscation, a sophisticated payload dropping functionality, and a cunning infection mechanism abusing Android’s Accessibility Service.
HPE Chooses Mellanox Spectrum™ To Power StoreFabric M-series Switches
http://ir.mellanox.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1041514
Security and privacy on the new iOS 11
As you may have heard, Apple unveiled several new products this September, including the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, as well as the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, the new iOS 11.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/25/security-privacy-new-ios-11/
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/25/security-privacy-new-ios-11/
Spammed-out emails threaten websites with DDoS attack on September 30th
Websites are being told that they have until September 30th to pay extortionists $720 worth of Bitcoin, or else suffer a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/25/email-ddos-threat/
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2017/09/25/email-ddos-threat/
Dark Fiber, Lit Fiber or Copper Cable: Which is Right for Your Small Business? (Infograhic)
Businesses need to stay connected no matter what. But when it comes to choosing a network, many small businesses don’t know which options are available. And even if they do, most of them are not sure which option is best for them.
For businesses, it’s therefore important to first know there are three routes to choose from when deciding on a network. These are dark fiber, lit fiber and copper telecommunications (also known as cable).
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/fiber-networking-options-small-business.html
80 Percent of Small Businesses Use Facebook for Marketing, New Survey Says
About 80 percent of small business owners use Facebook for marketing, according to a recent study. That makes the iconic social media platform the most popular tool for small business marketers in the digital world and beyond. It’s more popular than other social channels like Twitter and LinkedIn, online advertising networks like AdWords, and traditional advertising methods like newspapers and radio.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/top-social-media-sites-for-marketing-small-business.html
Learn About Social Media Algorithms, Augmented Reality and More Changing Business Trends
The tools, platforms and methods you use to grow your business are constantly changing. So you need to keep up with all the latest updates and trends. Members of the online small business community have some great insights about these changing tools and trends, ranging from social media algorithms to augmented reality. Read on for some helpful tips.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/learn-social-media-algorithms-augmented-reality-changing-business-trends.html
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/learn-social-media-algorithms-augmented-reality-changing-business-trends.html
In the News: Salesforce Launches AI Fund, Apple Brings AR to iPhone
Startups that use artificial intelligence (AI) technology got some welcome news this week — Salesforce just launched a brand new venture fund to encourage AI innovation in startups. Additionally, any small business can now work on creating augmented reality (AR) experiences using the new iOS 11.
Learn about these updates and more below in this week’s Small Business Trends news and information roundup.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/news-salesforce-launches-ai-fund-ar-experiences-coming-iphone.html
Gartner Peer Insights for Enterprise Firewalls: See What Government Leaders are Saying About Fortinet
Government entities provide critical services that ensure stability across the nation for organizations and the population, such as transportation systems, water, energy, and healthcare. In order to provide these services, respond to queries, and react to an ever-changing global landscape effectively and efficiently, government organizations must rely on IT systems and computer networks.
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/22/gartner-peer-insights-for-enterprise-firewalls-see-what-government-leaders-are-saying-about-fortinet
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/22/gartner-peer-insights-for-enterprise-firewalls-see-what-government-leaders-are-saying-about-fortinet
4 Reasons Your Small Business Should Archive Text Messages (Infographic)
It may be tempting to delete all the text messages you’ve received in bulk to free up some space on your mobile device. But as a small business owner, you should think twice before hitting the delete button.
According to a new data-based infographic created by software company, TeleMessage, businesses should consider archiving text messages instead.
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/businesses-should-archive-text-messages.html
Wondering How to Make Your PPC Rock? Read This
PPC — it’s a staple for most small and medium-sized businesses, in one form or another. And it’s no wonder: In their latest Economic Impact report, Google reports that “businesses generally make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on AdWords.”
The entire process is getting smarter, too. Google’s 2017 AdWords product roadmap heavily features AI and machine learning, which they say is “critical to helping marketers analyze countless signals in real time and reach consumers with more useful ads at the right moments.”
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/ppc-tips-for-small-businesses.html
Locky Unleashes Multiple Spam Waves with a New Variant “ykcol“
While FortiGuard Labs was preparing for another presentation on our Locky research at the Black Alps cyber security conference this coming November in Switzerland, Fortinet’s Kadena Threat Intelligence System (KTIS)1 caught another Locky variant using a new extension – “ykcol” or “locky” spelled backwards.
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/22/locky-unleashes-multiple-spam-waves-with-a-new-variant-ykcol
https://blog.fortinet.com/2017/09/22/locky-unleashes-multiple-spam-waves-with-a-new-variant-ykcol
Cisco Introduces Transformational Systems Management Platform and Strategy for UCS and HyperFlex
A New Era of Systems Management for the New Era of Computing
SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
SAN JOSE, Calif. – September 21, 2017 – Cisco today unveiled Cisco Intersight,™ a management and automation platform for Cisco Unified Computing System™ (Cisco UCS®) and Cisco HyperFlex™ Systems, marking the start of a multi-year strategic program to provide customers with clear IT advantages that support their competitive business goals. Cisco Intersight simplifies data center operations by delivering systems management as-a-service, alleviating the need to maintain islands of on-premise management infrastructure. Complete system lifecycle management is delivered by Cisco Intersight through machine learning, analytics and automation.
Today, most IT organizations are adopting a multicloud strategy, and as a result customers need a scalable and consistent management environment across their data centers, private clouds and public clouds deployments. Customers also seek consistent management and policy enforcement across bare metal server environments, converged infrastructure and hyperconverged infrastructure. Cisco Intersight will deliver the unique ability to connect and manage all of these comprehensively.
Application architectures are also transforming with scale-out and multi-site deployment models, delivered by containers and micro-services. In addition, DevOps accelerates the rate of application development and continuous feature delivery. Cisco Intersight addresses these challenges, helping IT staff optimize operations while enjoying a more intuitive user experience.
According to Gartner, “The growing large quantity of configuration data points and connections aggregated from data center deployments, edge, cloud and IoT will increase IT ops complexity, countering trends in software-defined simplicity.”1
Cisco has invested years of research and development into software innovations to bridge these gaps. With the cost of an unplanned data center outage estimated at thousands of dollars per minute, and the extraordinary costs of corporate security breaches, often due to human error, IT leaders welcome new advances in intelligent automation. Customers are already participating in an engineering preview of the Intersight platform, connecting thousands of UCS and HyperFlex systems for testing and feedback.
It’s about the Management, not the Machines
“Organizations that move to cloud-based systems management platforms will find that service delivery quality is significantly improved, the overall risk to the business goes down, and IT staff productivity is increased,” said Matt Eastwood, Senior Vice President, IDC. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) –infused cloud-based management tools can offer deep insights into the state of the infrastructure, identify troubles before they become major issues, and enable quicker ‘root cause’ identification and analysis of issues.”
Intersight is designed to deliver a new, higher level of simplicity and intelligence that is intuitive from the start and continues to learn and evolve over time:
- Pervasive Simplicity: Cisco Intersight features a dynamic user interface that can be customized by user role. As a cloud-based service, new functionality is delivered via portal updates without burdening customers with upgrades, and the experience scales seamlessly as customers directly connect new systems for management. The platform is designed to constantly learn to help make daily IT operations easier. Analytics combined with tight integration with the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) constantly improve the assistance provided through the recommendation engine.
- Expertise: tight Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) integration and insights from Cisco and the UCS Community provide recommendations and best practices.
- Continuous Optimization: The ability for the Intersight platform to provide actionable intelligence will grow stronger over time from the power of cloud-based machine learning. It can learn from the collective experience of the UCS user community, as well as the best practices of Cisco experts and peers. This will enable better predictive analytics and resource utilization to be provided through the recommendation engine.
- Agile Delivery: IT can rapidly respond to business demands and frequent changes while maintaining the policy enforcement designed to implement safe and reliable business services Cisco Intersight is API-driven and Cisco UCS and HyperFlex are fully programmable systems, supporting development and operations tool chains for continuous integration and delivery.
- Constant Protection: The Cisco Intersight service adheres to the stringent security standards of Cisco InfoSec, and helps enable secure communication between the Cisco Intersight SaaS platform and managed endpoints, allowing applications to be deployed and updated securely.
Cisco Intersight will be available in Q4 2017 and is integrated and designed to coexist with existing UCS and HyperFlex management tools, so customers can adopt Cisco Intersight as they desire without added complexity. Cisco Intersight will be available in an on-premise deployment model in the future. Cisco Intersight is built on an extensible architecture with OData standards-based RESTful APIs and connector framework simplifying third party software and hardware integrations.
- The Cisco Intersight Base Edition will be available at no charge. It includes global health monitoring and inventory, a customizable dashboard, the HyperFlex Installer to quickly deploy clusters, and the ability to context-launch the UCS Manager, IMC and HyperFlex Connect element managers.
- The Cisco Intersight Essentials Edition includes all the functionality of the Base edition as well as policy-based configuration with service profiles, firmware management with scheduled updates, Hardware Compatibility Listing (HCL) compliance checks and upgrade recommendations, and other features.
Bringing Next Generation Systems Management to Over 60,000 UCS, HyperFlex and Converged Infrastructure Customers
Cisco recently announced fifth generation UCS Servers with the high-performance UCS M5 series and an accompanying release of UCS Manager that provides connector support to Cisco Intersight. UCS M5 systems are also now available in Cisco’s hyperconverged infrastructure solution with the new Cisco HyperFlex M5 nodes, including HyperFlex Edge, with Cisco Intersight providing cloud-based cluster deployment capability in the Base Edition. Cisco leads the industry with the most comprehensive portfolio of converged infrastructure solutions; Cisco Intersight creates opportunities for deeper partner integrations and even greater operational simplicity.
As customers include Cisco UCS, HyperFlex and Intersight in their IT modernization initiatives, Cisco offers a comprehensive lifecycle of data center services from advisory through optimization, managed technical and learning services to improve cost-efficiency and reduce risk. Cisco’s portfolio of services leverages global expertise, proven processes, and innovative methodologies to help customers accelerate and simplify operations.
Additional Resources
- Learn more about: Cisco Intersight
- Read IDC Report: Considerations for Adoption of AI-Driven, Cloud-Based Systems Management Platforms
- Read Cisco Blog: Introducing Cisco Intersight
- Attend Cisco Intersight live webcast Sept 26th 10:00 A.M. PT: Register here
- Learn: How to Get Started with Intersight
- View: Infographic on Cloud-based System Management
- Learn more about: Cisco Unified Computing System and Cisco HyperFlex
1 Gartner, New Generations of Integrated Systems Will Apply AI and Emerge as Self-Organizing Systems of Intelligence, Aug 2017
About Cisco Unified Computing System™ (Cisco UCS®)
Generic servers run generic businesses but digital transformation demands more: it requires critical applications to be delivered with industry-leading performance, availability, and security. Cisco created a revolutionary computing architecture designed for IT innovation and business acceleration. Cisco UCS isn’t just a server, it’s a radically simplified solution for advanced application performance, increased operational velocity, and superior economics
About Cisco HyperFlex Systems™
Cisco HyperFlex Systems deliver complete hyperconvergence, combining compute, storage, and networking resources into a simplified, easy-to-use platform. The HX Data Platform engineered with Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS) delivers a Dynamic Data Fabric™ with the industry-leading performance customers need to simplify more applications in their data centers. Cisco HyperFlex Systems deliver the agility, scalability, and pay-as-you-grow economics of the cloud, but with the benefits of on-premises infrastructure. Cisco HyperFlex. Simplify More.
About Cisco
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China Construction Bank (Asia) and IBM Developing Hong Kong’s First Bancassurance Powered by Blockchain
China Construction Bank (Asia) and IBM Developing Hong Kong’s First Bancassurance Powered by Blockchain
New Blockchain Solution to Streamline Transaction Processing and Enhance Service Delivery and Customer Experience
HONG KONG - 20 Sep 2017: China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited (“CCB (Asia)”) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the development of the first blockchain-enabled bancassurance project in Hong Kong. Built on the IBM Blockchain Platform, the solution is designed to streamline CCB (Asia)’s bancassurance process and greatly enhance customer experience and the quality of services delivered through faster transaction processing time and increased transparency.
By working with IBM, CCB (Asia) and all parties on the blockchain now have a shared view of required policy data in real-time, reducing the need for time-consuming status checks which can delay processing time. This is accomplished through a shared, immutable ledger used for recording transactions. It helps establish accountability and transparency among network participants, enabling CCB (Asia) and its partner insurers to deliver the services more efficiently.
Mr. Guo Zhipeng, Deputy Chief Executive of CCB (Asia) said, “As one of the most active global financial hubs, Hong Kong plays a key role in embracing fintech to drive further development of its banking and finance industries. CCB (Asia) is dedicated to offering a wide array of banking products and services to customers, and we strive to leverage new technologies to bring more products, more choices and better experience to our customers. After the successful launch of this blockchain-enabled bancassurance project, we plan to extend our experience to other insurance partners in order to optimise our overall bancassurance business.”
“Blockchain enables businesses to transact with less friction and more trust. Working with local clients and partners across the insurance industry ecosystem, IBM helps businesses digitize transactions, bring a fundamental change in time and cost,” said Mr. Francis Ngai, general manager at IBM Hong Kong. “In working with CCB (Asia) and the partner insurers, we have seen how the technology is disrupting traditional business processes. This work sets a standard for local banking and financial institutions in the future.”
The solution is now under testing with insurance providers and their clients and is expected to be available in the third quarter of this year. The IBM Blockchain Platform which underpins the project is the first enterprise-ready blockchain service based on the Linux Foundation's Hyperledger Fabric version 1.0. Hyperledger is an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies.
About China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited
China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited (“CCB (Asia)”) is the retail and commercial business platform of China Construction Bank Corporation in Hong Kong. As of August 31, 2017, CCB (Asia) has 50 branches in Hong Kong and offers a wide array of banking products and services to customers, including consumer banking services, commercial banking services, corporate banking services, private banking services and cross-border financial services, etc.
For more information about CCB (Asia), please visit www.asia.ccb.com.
About IBM
IBM is the leader in open-source blockchain solutions built for the enterprise. As an early member of Hyperledger, an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies, IBM is dedicated to supporting the development of openly-governed blockchains. IBM has worked with more than 400 clients across financial services, supply chains, IoT, risk management, digital rights management and healthcare to implement blockchain applications. For more information about IBM Blockchain, visitwww.ibm.com/blockchain.
For more information about IBM Hong Kong, please visit www.ibm.com/hk and the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IBMHongKong.
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