Embracing and De-Risking Digital Transformation

Issue 3
Embracing and
DE-RISKING
digital transformation
Mark Samuels talks
to CIOs addressing
leadership challenges
and discovering
new opportunities
Page 17
REINVENTING
DESKTOP
COMPUTING
Sandra Vogel
Page 15
TAKING THE
COLLABORATIVE
TECH APPROACH
Rob Bamforth
Page 20
PROCUREMENT:
CAPTURING
INNOVATION
Peter Smith
Page 29
OUR INNOVATION
OUR COMMITMENT
OUR INTEGRITY
THE VALUE IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
YOUR TECHNOLOGY PARTNER

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Reg No. 16
Welcome
Peter Robbins
Managing Director, Probrand Group
urther to lots of very positive feedback and

engagement from our partners, customers and
broader readership, I am delighted to welcome you to
Issue 3, one year on from the launch of our first edition.
The last twelve months have seen significant developments
in business, the IT market, technology and Government all
of which are transforming the way we live, work and interact
with each other.
Throughout this edition we review new technologies which
are helping organisations to manage change in a positive
way. Our Product section (p6-15) takes a look at several
devices, such as desktops and printers, which have
adapted to accommodate these new ways of working.
In line with the consumerisation of IT, we have also seen
the employees contribution to the IT estate extend beyond
BYOD in the last year with the age of user generated apps
in business kicking in. Quocircas Rob Bamforth elaborates
on this mass participation and crowd-sourced technology
on page 20.
For businesses, this trend has meant bespoke apps are
now more accessible than ever before and our cover article
(p17) looks at how disruptive innovation like this is being
seized upon by businesses and IT leaders alike. We also
examine how these developments are helping to drive the
growth of smart cities (p30) and changing attitudes towards
digital transformation in the public sector (p34).
Many of these innovations have been fuelled by the
continued growth of third platform technologies cloud,
mobile, big data and social media. These technology
mega trends have become a concurrent layer influencing
all businesses.
This development is still being met with trepidation by some,

however, with many wondering if cloud solutions are a threat
to internal jobs. This is certainly not the case. There will
always be a case for a degree of on-premise infrastructure
but we need to consider all those services that businesses
have dreamed about implementing, yet couldnt due to
budget constraints. Well, with cloud, the deployment is
now done for you and the costs are spread. Moreover,
businesses can get productivity software on-tap, while ITs
job has been elevated to that of a consultant or project
manager delivering huge business impact and the plaudits
that come with that. Our Infrastructure section (p42-46)
explores several current trends and how organisations are
facilitating these solutions.
With the rising dollar rate impacting on our ability to buy IT
products in recent months, its essential that procurement
professionals make budgets go further this year.
In this edition, Gary Price offers advice on the best ways to
absorb the impact of fluctuating currency (p22). We also
reveal surprising research that shows some buyers are
paying up to 920% mark-up on IT (p24) and Spend Matters
Editor, Peter Smith talks innovation in procurement (p29).
On that point, our innovative IT Index marketplace is now
live and delivering personalised catalogues and pricing to IT
buyers by sector. Weve also rolled out our award-winning
KnowledgeKube aPaaS, using Microsoft Azure to deploy to
a global customer base.
Now is a great time to be passionate about technology!
I hope you find that this edition shares that passion.
Peter Robbins
Managing Director, Probrand Group
Contents
News
05
Technology research in brief
Driving
Innovation
Products
30
06
Tracking the IT product market
32
Whats on the CIOs agenda?
08
Should analyst predictions affect
34
Changing attitudes to digital
Realising the potential of smart

cities and urban communities
buyer behaviour?
innovation in the public sector
10
Mobile computing devices
12
The future of office printing
Security
13
Dont get swept along by hype
36
14
Windows 10
15
A desktop for modern times
Business
Transformation
17
The era of disruptive innovation
20
Crowdthinking
Supply Chain
22
The savvy buyer
24
Know your margins
26
Benchmarking helps South

Staffordshire College
Never be too paranoid with

network security
38
How to train employees in

cyber security
40
Security reviewed in
numbers and words
Infrastructure
42
Is it time to rethink your tape

backup strategy?
43
Mitigating risk when migrating to

the cloud
44
Infrastructure reviewed in
numbers and words
Procurement
46
28
Probrand Group
What next for public sector ICT

after the General Election?
29
Innovation in Procurement
Cutting the cord
48 What we offer
Contact us:
0121 605 1000
enquiries@probrand.co.uk
Probrand Group Magazine provides
news, views, analysis and information
on pivotal subjects relevant to IT,
procurement and business leaders
looking to thrive with technology.
Please get in touch and share your
views on any of the subjects tackled
or any you would like to read about.
www.probrand.co.uk
News
Technology research in brief

Third of small businesses
believe BYOD poses no risk
Four fifths of businesses

see healthy ROI from IoT
Research by Kaspersky Lab has found that a third of

small business owners believe bring your own device
(BYOD) poses no risk to their company.
More than 80% of companies have boosted revenues as a

result of investments in the Internet of Things (IoT), a survey
from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has revealed.
The report said that, although BYOD is now a widelyaccepted business practice, more than four fifths of
SMEs have no interest in managing information security
on mobile devices.
The study, which surveyed 795 executives from large

multinationals, found that those who have invested in IoT
have seen an average revenue increase of 15.6%. Natarajan
Chandrasekaran, CEO and MD of TCS, said: The age of
IoT is well underway. The question is, whether businesses
are ready to realise the full potential of this technology.
Konstantin Voronkov, Kaspersky Labs head of

endpoint product management, said: The loss of
important corporate data via personal devices is a
common occurrence, and a negligent attitude towards
the security of mobile devices could pose a serious risk
to a companys business.
UK cloud adoption rate

reaches 84%
Well over four fifths of UK businesses have now
adopted some form of cloud service, according to
the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF).
The industry bodys survey of senior IT and business
decision makers in both the public and private
sector found there had been an 8% increase in
cloud adoption since last June. Alex Hilton, CEO of
CIF, said: Cloud computing has come a long way
in just a few short years. Cloud has moved from
the edge of the IT estate to its centre, and it is now
largely regarded as just another way that we do IT.
Wearables move from consumer

niche to enterprise tool
Smart watches and other wearable devices could soon find a
welcome home in enterprise, according to 451 Research.
The analyst said the release of the Apple Watch had opened the
flood gates in regards to wearable adoption. Now that the river
is running, its less about where it will end and more about where
- and when - to start. We expect wearable technology to deliver
a key interface and input into the Industrial Internet of Things
(IIoT), said Ryan Martin, IoT and wearable technologies analyst
at 451.
IT spending on the up
as leaders look to boost
revenues
The number of IT leaders planning to increase
spending has risen sharply this year, according to
new research from tech publication CIO.
The poll of top IT executives found that more than
three fifths (61%) plan to boost new or discretionary
spending - up from just under half (47%) last
year. Adam Dennison, senior VP at CIO, said:
Emerging technologies are the key to enterprise
innovation. Emerging tech vendors should take this
cue to showcase how their agile and innovative
technology solutions can help businesses succeed.
Probrand Group Magazine
05
Products
Tracking the
IT product
market
Dominic Ashford, of
leading market research
company GfK, takes a
look at the IT product
market to review the latest
trends and forecast the
future of product buying.
by Dominic Ashford
he latest market figures show that businesses

are continuing to invest in areas that facilitate
the storage, transmission and manipulation of
data. Investments in several key product areas, such as
software, networking and storage, resulted in a healthy
business-to-business market in the third quarter of
2015. As a result, the value of sales increased by 20%
compared to the same quarter of last year. In this buoyant
market, vendors have also been able to re-engage with
the market in areas previously seen as challenging.
Storage
Being able to access data rapidly and securely is absolutely key
in the modern age as organisations look to facilitate increased
remote working and bring-your-own-device policies. This has led
to high growth in two of the key areas within the storage segment,
namely Solid State Drives (SSD) and Network-Attached Storage
(NAS).
The importance of businesses having rapid access to data was
demonstrated during the third quarter by significant growth in the
value of the B2B SSD market which increased 35% between Q3
2014 and Q3 2015. Similarly, the value of NAS in Q3 2015 was
7% higher than in the third quarter of 2014.
The average price of NAS devices sold in the B2B channel also
increased by 35% year-on-year which shows that companies are
investing in more high-end solutions. Manufacturers, distributors
and resellers will be looking to push this product area as it
represents an opportunity for growth.
Conversely, the price of SSD is declining, with a fall of -8% Q3 to
Q3. With higher capacities now more established for this market,
pricing will be key for this storage segment as the market matures.
06
Demand for all-in-one

desktops grew by
25%
Computing and Printing

Mobile computing (such as laptops) has grown 24% year-on-year,
driven by the preloading of Windows 10 on devices. Although there
have been some areas of decline in the overall computing channel
with desktop computing and tablets continuing to decline in value
in 2015. Similarly, the sales value of print hardware declined by
10% over the same time. This suggests that these markets are
being impacted by lengthening replacement cycles, as well as the
growth of managed services and the cloud.
Overall decline in
desktop computing,
mobile computing,
laptops and tablets
However, vendors are rising to the challenges they face in this

market and developing new product areas which are seeing
growth. For example, sales of All-In-One desktops (where the
chassis and the monitor are one unit) grew in value by 25% yearon-year. The growth of this form factor is likely driven by aesthetic
or space considerations from businesses and shows there is still
an appetite in the market for the right products. Furthermore,
in recent months traditional computing has returned to
growth in retail channels suggesting that hardware may
also follow suit for B2B overall.
Networking
The growth for networking reflects the ongoing need
businesses have to process significant amounts of data.
This can be seen from the fact that in Q3 2014, large
enterprise switches (above eight ports) accounted for
44% of the value of B2B networking and by Q3 2015 this
had grown to 28%. The average price that these switches
were sold at increased by 47% over the same time
period, demonstrating that businesses are investing in
more comprehensive networking solutions and are
prepared to pay a premium for them.
Price that switches

were sold at
increased by
47%
07
Products
by Gary Price,
Probrand product and
category manager
n the first ever edition of the Probrand Magazine,

published a year ago, analysts Gfk forecast that tablet
computers sales would stop growing and remain static
over the next 12 months. Until that point we had witnessed
an unfaltering rapid increase in this device market since the
iPad hit the shelves in 2010.
The test of time proved Gfk partially right - sales did stop
growing, but where they got it wrong was that sales actually
fell into decline. Nonetheless, the analyst was right to cast
the spotlight on this market and identify the problems it was
facing. It said that productivity and the fact that working on
tablets is a large step change would put the brakes on sales.
In truth the tablet market has become saturated. Most people
who want a tablet now have one, and with the products
lasting longer than was previously predicted, fewer than
expected tablets are being replaced. But the productivity
problem was a factor. The increased popularity of
convertible devices, such as the Lenovo Yoga and HPs
Revolve, which can flip between being a notepad and a
tablet has also emphasised this issue.
On the whole, analysts do a good job in highlighting these
types of issues and identifying trends in the IT market. For
any IT buyer, it is well worth listening to what they have to
say. Although what they say should form part of a larger
conversation.
Buyers also need to talk and listen to the vendors and
understand how product specifications are changing to better
meet the needs of individuals within an organisation.
When Lenovo first brought out the Yoga, the product was
hampered by its weight - the glass screen was just too
heavy. This may seem a small thing but the consequence
was that it made the device awkward to handle in tablet
mode. Tablets still held the advantage as the ultimate
portable computing device. The next generation Yoga,
however, was much lighter and more appropriate for mobile
workers. This resulted in a sharp increase in popularity and in
other manufacturers following suit to create lighter products.
It is only by reviewing the specifications and by talking
to vendors and their channel partners that we begin to
understand how the features of a device will be practically
applied when in business use. The analysts will cast the
spotlight but it is up to the IT buyer to examine the details.
And ask the question, is it really better to stick with what
we currently deploy or would we be better served by
new designs and the latest technological advances?
08
Should analyst
predictions
affect buyer
behaviour?
Gary Price discusses
the value of predictions
in the buying process.
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Products
Choosing
the right
mobile
computing
device
ith an ever-expanding range of mobile computing products, choosing

the right device in an evolving market can be a real challenge.
All these products offer exciting new features which sound compelling
but, instead of becoming too focused on the latest innovations, IT buyers should
be concentrating on the end user. What are their urgent requirements - portability,
connectivity, raw computing power? When using their device, how much will they
really need to move around? Do they need to hook up devices, such as projectors
and monitors? Is there a need for lots of storage or just access to cloud services?
To help IT buyers make purchasing decisions, weve taken a look at four of the
main mobile computing categories and assessed their pros and cons.
BUSINESS NOTEBOOK
Packed with power and performance this computing device could be
viewed as the ideal desktop replacement. They are suitable for the
occasional mobile user who may take their laptop to a meeting room or
occasionally visit a customer off-site. Specifically designed to be a great
all-rounder, they should be able to cope with whatever the user throws
at it. It should take connectivity issues in its stride and accommodate
projectors, printers and other peripherals.
Top ve tips
Make sure there are enough USB

ports and appropriate connection
cables for peripheral devices.
Optical drives are increasingly being

removed from these devices, so if burning
or reading files on disc is necessary, make
sure the notebook has this capability.
Cutting down on size may

compromise keyboard ergonomics its best to test typing before buying.
If the end user is always on the

move youll need to ensure suitable
Wi-Fi connectivity.
Make certain the notebook can

easily connect to other devices.
While Intel has a set limit for

thickness, weight isnt regulated.
Make sure the ultrabook is as light
as possible.
How much moving around is needed? If this is more than

occasional it might be worth looking at a lightweight alternative.
Dont overestimate how much storage is needed, especially if your

company uses cloud storage services.
Top ve tips
If the end user is not going to be
on the move that much a standard
business notebook could provide
the same functionality for less.
Dont underestimate computing power

requirements. Upgrading later may be costly or
even impossible.
10
Coined by Intel in 2011, the term

ultrabook describes high-end
notebooks that have removed bulk
without compromising battery life. Using
low-power Intel Core processors, these
devices have axed optical drives and
utilised solid-state drives within a unibody
chassis to reduce size. The laptop of
choice for those who want power and
portability, they are best suited to the
worker who spends most of their time
on the move. An expensive option, they
often use premium materials to create a
sleek design suited to those who value
style in their tech.
ULTRABOOK
CONVERTIBLE ULTRABOOK
Offering the best of both worlds, the convertible allows
users to change their notebook into a tablet and adapt
to working needs. Benefitting from the weight savings
and increased battery life of the ultrabook, this 2-in-1
has added versatility. It is ideal for anyone who wants
to sit and work but also needs to stand up and deliver
presentations.
Top ve tips
Depending on price, users could find compromises

are made, often in regards to the ability to fully twist
and rotate the screen, hide or protect the keyboard
and with the weight.
Make sure the power and storage requirements are

enough - it can be difficult or impossible to upgrade
after purchase.
Is the OS tailored for tablet or notebook mode? This

has previously impacted usability when switching although the release of Windows 10 should provide
greater comfort in both forms.
If typing is a priority, make sure the keyboard

ergonomics have not been compromised.
If the primary use will be in tablet mode, the

extra weight of the keyboard could prove an
inconvenience. Would a tablet be better?
TABLET
This highly portable device takes its inspiration
from the smartphone market by utilising
touchscreens. Originally designed for the
consumer market, the lack of a physical
keyboard may well compromise productivity but
manufacturers have bolstered security and the
ability to pair with peripheral devices to add more
business functionality.
Top ve tips
Decide on whether you need 4G connectivity

(and research price plans) before the
purchase, as this wont be an add-on option
later.
Consider storage carefully. Cloud services

are an option but, in the event of connectivity
issues, how much storage is required?
Although Bluetooth keyboards can be

purchased separately, if there is a lot of
typing to be done would a convertible
ultrabook be better?
File management, access to VPNs and

critical business applications are often
limited - consider whether these will be
required regularly.
Unlike the notebook equivalents, the screen

will always be exposed. Buying a case is an
option as are other peripheral accessories,
but they come at additional cost.
Daniel Barham, HP mobility business development manager

Mobile technology is transforming the world around us. It is transforming not only our personal, but also professional lives.
One third of the worlds working population is mobile today. Mobility is as transformative for businesses as the internet was in
the 90s. At HP, we see this as an evolution that will forever alter the way we operate, the way we do business and even the
way we interact as a society. Mobility is a New Style of IT that is changing the world we live in and moulding the future.
Mobility should be a tool for your organisation, not a BYOD nuisance. With true business mobility, retailers can enhance their
customers experience and close sales. Healthcare providers can give patients higher-quality care without constraints and
manufacturing organisations can empower their employees with rugged water, dust and drop-resistant devices. HP is enabling
high-performance, businessgrade mobile computing that is secure and manageable across Windows or Android
environments. Supported by a full complement of accessories and services these devices are allowing business to
untether workflows, get work done anywhere and interact with customers in a whole new way.
11
Products
The future of
office printing
by Sandra Vogel,
freelance technology
journalist
Sandra Vogel takes a look

at the evolution of printers
into multifunction devices
he paperless office thats been just around the

corner since computers arrived on our desks in
the 1980s has long been talked about but has
never fully materialised. Instead, as our working habits
have evolved, printers have kept pace, and they are
now providing increasingly sophisticated and integrated
services.
The growing popularity of mobile working, combined
with the increasing ease of working on screen rather
than paper, has meant more and more information is
digitised. Andy Johnson, product and solutions manager
at Brother UK, says digital natives are actually using
around 50% less paper than the generation before them.
As working from tablets, laptops and even handsets
increases, Steve Mitchell, group product marketing
manager at Kyocera, says what is now required is, the
increased use of safe and secure storage and retrieval
systems, including the use of cloud.
12
Connected Devices
Driving business growth
As a consequence printers have evolved into

Multifunction Devices (MFDs) which both scan, print
and connect to services like Dropbox, Google Drive
and the corporate cloud. Kyoceras Cloud Connect, for
example, built around the companys HyPAS (Hybrid
Platform for Advanced Solutions) platform, enables
corporate wide, geographically agnostic access to
information direct from the printer.
All this evolution puts modern MFDs at the heart of the

business. Indeed some see their future as a driver for
business growth.
Wireless access to MFDs, already common, are

destined to become even more widespread and varied
as NFC, Wi-Fi Direct, Apples AirPrint and Google Cloud
Print sit well with the growing preference for Bring Your
Own Device (BYOD) policies in many organisations.
He gives some examples: Customer on-boarding and

enrolment processes will be more streamlined, with MFDs
automatically verifying the data and extracting the relevant
information and feeding it into different business channels
for further processing.
Web connected printers are also a natural fit. Brothers

Andy Johnson notes that Printers that offer web
connect features are time efficient, allowing users to
print directly from cloud-based services such as Google
and removing the need to log onto a desktop device.
Thornhill adds that MFDs are now helping to speed

up workflow within organisations and are
allowing employees to spend more time
focusing on their core responsibilities.
Francis Thornhill, product marketing manager at Canon,

believes that during the next two or three years we will
see, the development of automated processes and
workflows that put the combination of device and software
at the heart of an organisations connected system.
Dont get
swept along
by the hype
Nicol Lettieri,
Linx product manager,
explains whats really
important when
buying tablets
for education
ablet computers are increasingly becoming

standard equipment within the classroom.
Research by the British Educational Suppliers
Association (BESA) has revealed three quarters of
secondary schools are now providing pupils with access
to these devices.
People are, however, starting to realise that they can

get the same for less, and as they share their reviews
on sites likes Amazon, attitudes are changing. This has
to be a key consideration, as schools can now buy
three of these lower priced tablets for the price of one
premium product without sacrificing any features.
The same report claimed, however, that many schools

have faced issues integrating tablets fully with
connectivity seen as a key issue.
3. Connectivity
There are of course huge advantages to deploying

tablets price, portability and ease of use being just a
few. But when schools and colleges buy in bulk they
need to ensure their tablet of choice fits easily with their
current infrastructure.
To ensure tablets are used to their full potential there are
a few important practical considerations:
1. The operating system

This is not always the first consideration. After all, the
operating systems used by premium priced tablets have
never conformed to the standard Windows environment,
common across educational institutions and the world of
business in general.
Yet the emergence of Windows tablets has changed this
and removed a crucial stumbling block to tablet use.
Windows 10 allows seamless movement and a familiarity
between all forms of computing smartphone, tablet
and PC.
With a device like the Linx 10, for example, you also get
a full OS not a mobile version. This means users can
download any software they like and they dont have to
wait until theres an app for that.
When using a tablet in an educational setting, there is

a huge advantage if the device can easily connect to
a projector or a larger screen. If students want to give
a presentation or collaborate in numbers, connection
has to be quick and easy. For this, the device needs
sufficient USB and HDMI ports, which is often not the
case.
When buying a tablet youll also want to check that
any accessories such as keyboards and cases are
reasonably priced and dont end up chewing a hole in
the IT budget.
4. Infrastructure
It is important when deploying any device that it fits
within your existing infrastructure. If you are storing
data with a cloud service, is it straightforward to do
this with the new device? Can the device connect to
shared facilities, such as the print service, and join a
domain without complications? These are all major
considerations that should not be neglected as they
can make a huge difference to functionality and the
ability to get the most out of a tablet computer.
2. Price
Most people are aware of the premium tablet brands
due to the huge amounts they invest in marketing. These
products are often deliberately over-priced to create a
sense of exclusivity. For schools and colleges, working
within a budget, they cannot afford to be swept along
with the hype especially when the only difference to a
lower priced brand may be the resolution of the camera.
13
Products
Windows 10
Good news for business users
ou dont need to be eagle eyed to spot an
irrelevant to users who wanted to work from the
unusual step change in the naming of Windows
desktop. Well users will now be able to run their
latest operating system (OS). What has happened
Windows store apps in both modes.
to Windows 9?
This should make those apps a lot more relevant to
It has been suggested the skip straight from Windows 8 to
desktop users, said Mark. Well also see Microsoft
Windows 10 is all down to a little-known piece of code in
introduce a new virtual desktop feature which will
legacy applications used to detect whether the computer
allow you to have multiple desktops run on one
is on Windows 95 or Windows 98, which could create
screen that you can switch between as easily as
compatibility issues. Others speculate it could have been
youd switch between different applications.
Microsofts significant presence in Japan that put them

off using the number nine - a figure widely regarded to be
unlucky in Japanese culture.
Whatever the reason, Windows new OS has made a
serious jump not just in the number but in re-engaging with
business customers - following criticism its predecessor
was too consumer focused.
Microsoft is taking a dramatically different tack here and
very much wanting to re-engage with those business
customers, listening to customer feedback far more than
they were doing with Windows 8, said Mark Lomas,
Icomm IT consultant.
One of the biggest headlines which followed the launch
has been Microsofts decision to bring back the muchloved Start menu, with its familiar and popular programs list
and shortcuts to the most recent applications.
Another major development is Microsofts
focus on creating a more responsive OS
that adapts to different devices. Hybrid
computer users, for example, will notice
the system switch more fluidly between a
full screen tablet UI and the desktop with
the Start menu.
Its certainly a big step forwards for users
who have a hybrid laptop where you can
flip, re-attach or detach a keyboard. It
will allow them to flip between these two
modes of tablet and desktop much more
easily than in Windows 8, Mark said.
Microsoft has also tackled criticism that
store apps in Windows 8 were largely
14 Probrand
ProbrandGroup
GroupMagazine
Magazine
So with all these improvements in place, should

businesses be looking to upgrade to Windows 10
immediately?
Mark says: We never advise anybody to upgrade
straight away. Certainly in our experience its always
better to let other people take a look at the bugs first.
There is a difference with Windows 8 though, where
there was a lot of fear and a lot of unpredictability
around the OS. There is significantly less of that wall
to get over when youre moving to Windows 10.
Its going to have the Start menu, its going to have
the desktop, its going to work exactly the way
businesses need it to work without that learning
curve that would be a barrier to adoption
for staff and users within a business.
A desktop for
by Sandra Vogel,
modern times
journalist
As computing devices become

increasingly tailored to different
ways of working, Sandra Vogel
investigates how this is impacting
on traditional desktop computing.
nalysts agree that sales of

traditional desktop computers
are in decline. GfK identified
a 9.2% fall in the value of the market
during 2014, and it expects this
decline to continue as the demand for
mobile computing continues. Despite
a fall from grace for these formerly
ubiquitous machines, it seems
manufacturers are not planning on
giving up on the desktop anytime
soon - nor do they intend to leave all
innovation to the mobile market.
A complex
computing
landscape
Computer makers are aware of the
complexity of the modern business
computing landscape, and their own
financial imperative is pushing them
to produce products that are closer
suited to market requirements. In
order to give business what it wants,
product developers are focusing on
making their machines more niche.
For example, Graham Thomas, lead
technologist at Lenovo UK & Ireland
says, Lenovo is making desktops
smaller and smaller. They can be used
to drive pit walls in Formula 1 and be
fitted into the boot of a police car.
At the other end of the scale, HPs
unusually named creation, Sprout,
has incorporated 3D scanning and a
second interactive display where the
keyboard normally sits. The advertising
blurb says Sprout is a revolutionary
all-in-one computer and 3D scanner
that makes it easy to go from thought
to expression in an instant.
Covering the basics

For all the excitement of products like
Sprout, most office-based workers have
relatively basic computing needs built
around writing documents, accessing
spreadsheets and using the web. And with
the proliferation of private and public cloud
solutions, desktop computers are perhaps
more powerful than necessary for everyday
tasks.
Mini PCs have become an option for those
seeking a traditional desktop PC type
arrangement. Mini PCs come in tiny cases
but have SSD storage or hard drives, good
internal specifications, wireless connectivity
and plenty of ports for wired connections.
Theyre very portable, so personal storage
can also be moved from desk to desk with
ease. However, these mini PCs can be
relatively expensive and may still offer more
power than many of us need.
Stick computing
As an alternative, Lenovo recently unveiled
ideacentre Stick 300, to be priced at
$129 at its US launch later this year. With
security features and the ability to convert
any display into a PC, Lenovos Gareth
Thomas feels the Stick is particularly suited
to campus style environments. Many
users only need to work at their destination
and dont need a mobile device that allows
them to work on the move, he says.
Lenovo is not alone in the stick approach.
Dells director of client solutions Jamil
Nathoo says, We have seen high interest
in our computer on a stick offering,
because it delivers extreme mobility with
enterprise-level security, manageability and
reliability all at a low cost.
As such, the ideal office environment of
the future could be one leverages the
cloud and allows all workers to
move around work spaces with
their computer on a keyring.
15
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Business Transformation
living in an era of
de-risking
digital
transformation
by Mark Samuels,
journalist
With digital continuing to shake up traditional industries, Mark

Samuels talks to the CIOs who are addressing leadership challenges
and discovering new opportunities with disruptive innovation.
isruptive is the latest buzz phrase to take the IT

industry by storm. The theory suggests that a
confluence of factors - including rapid economic
change and the rise of digital technology - has created the
perfect storm for new market entrants and new markets to
develop. But embracing and de-risking this transformation
are key.
Entrepreneurial individuals and businesses can now use a
mixture of cloud, mobile, big data and social technology
to challenge long-established firms, sectors and ways
of working. Such is the scale of change that 2015 could
potentially be seen as the year of disruptive innovation.
IDC suggests Europe is at a tipping point in terms of digital
transformation. The researcher says markets in all sectors
are being disrupted by digital technology and a range of
innovative accelerators, such as the Internet of Things,
advanced robotics and wearable computing.
Global trend lab VINT also says 2015 is the year of disruption,
suggesting customer behaviours are changing and that
companies must transform their approach in order to survive.
IT leaders, as the executives responsible for technology
implementation, must take note and respond accordingly.
How is disruptive innovation

impacting on organisations
and CIOs?
Former CIO turned digital advisor Ian Cox is an expert on
disruptive innovation. Working as a consultant for Axin, he
helps executives at some of Europes largest private and
public sector organisations to cope with change. Cox, who
has collated some of his best practice experiences in the
book Disrupt IT, says disruption usually happens in industries
that have not seen any major change in business models,
products and services for prolonged periods.
The incumbents have probably enjoyed many years of

strong revenues and profits, with little or no incentive
to innovate beyond incremental improvements in their
offerings, he says. Their main focus is on growing
their business by selling more of what they already do
and, as a result, they are unlikely to think about doing
things differently, or doing different things. They have
become comfortable and are reluctant to do anything
that threatens their current revenue streams.
But then a company - often a new entrant to the
market - takes a different perspective and uses
this alternative approach to create a new offering.
This could be by finding new ways to meet existing
customer needs or identifying additional needs that are
not currently being met, says Cox. And usually these
new entrants use technology to enable their business
models.
As research from the BCS - the Chartered Institute for
IT - suggests, the businesses that have responded best
to disruptive innovation are those that have embraced
digital technologies to offer new services and products
to their customers. Online letting specialist Airbnb, for
example, has redefined the accommodation rental
sector. Uber has created similar levels of disruption in
the transportation sector, creating a technology giant
that has been valued as much as $50bn.
If customers prefer this new way of meeting their
needs, and start to switch their business in significant
volumes, then the market is being disrupted by new
innovation, says Cox, referring to the rise of new
models. At this point, the existing players that are
willing to make major changes are likely to survive.
Those that are unwilling to make the necessary
changes, or who cannot react quickly enough,
face an uncertain future.
Continued
17
Continued
Cox says the application and impact of digital will vary

across industries and organisations, but one thing is
certain: technology will be key. Without technology there
can be no digital business models, products or services.
CIOs should, therefore, play a leading role in every
business.
Disruptive innovation
is seen with both fear
and excitement from
established and new
entrants respectively
The CIO is the obvious choice to lead digital initiatives,

says Cox. The CIO and the IT function occupy a unique
position within the organisation; no other role or function
has the same end-to-end view of the business, allowing
them to gain an unparalleled understanding of people,
processes and technology issues.
How is disruptive
innovation affecting the
role of the IT leader?
There is, however, a problem. While CIOs should be playing
a key role in digital initiatives, organisations are sometimes
turning to other c-suite chiefs for leadership. Disruptive
innovation has been such a game-changing phenomenon
that many firms have chosen to appoint a new executive to
deal with the trials and tribulations of transformation.
The role of chief digital officer (CDO) started being hyped
three or four years ago. Gartner suggested the CDO would
prove to be the most exciting strategic role in the decade
ahead, predicting 25% of organisations would have a CDO
by 2015. The rise of the CDO is a direct threat to the role of
the traditional IT leader.
CIOs, as the guardians of information within the business,
should be leading digital transformation. Yet many IT
leaders still struggle to dedicate enough resources to
creative solutions to business challenges and, instead,
spend too much time on day-to-day operational concerns.
Research from IT leadership network CIO Connect
suggests two thirds of c-suite executives believe CIOs lack
the right attitude to innovation and tend to stay in their
comfort zone.
IT leaders must move from the data centre to the front
end, finding ways to engage with executive peers and
to use digital technology to meet fast-evolving customer
requirements. CIOs who fail to rise to the challenge of
disruptive innovation will find themselves side-lined by other
c-suite specialists, such as the head of marketing or the
chief digital officer.
Former Tullow Oil CIO Andrew Marks says disruptive
innovation is seen with both fear and excitement from
established and new entrants respectively. He says that
18
while new players have always sought to take market share

from established businesses, the speed and relatively low
cost of entry today is what has changed the landscape. For
CIOs, the change is unsettling.
Not long ago, the capital cost of setting up a business of
any size with an associated supply chain, manufacturing
capability and marketing team was something that
prevented many firms from starting, he says. Now, all
services can be purchased on an as-needs basis and
low production costs from a highly competitive central
European and Far East supplier base enables reduced risk.
Marks says digitally enabled firms optimise their use of
services and draw on limited in-house staff, whether IT,
front office or back office. Rather than relying on legacy
investments in technology, fleet-of-foot digital businesses
are able to start afresh, work on-demand and avoid the
creation of an IT cost base.
For CIOs who are used to managing the traditional
technology team, digital disruption requires a considerable
adjustment. A fresh mind-set - truly combining readily
available tools, rather than the need to build ones own or to
install a major tool-kit - has created the disruptive force and
opportunity not previously seen, says Marks.
How can CIOs meet

the challenge of digital
transformation with
confidence?
Richard Norris, head of IT and business change
at Reliance Mutual Insurance Society Limited , is
one CIO who is meeting the challenge of digital
transformation head on. He implemented a
digital innovation group about three months ago.
Drawing people from across the business, the
learning group of six experts has been given a
remit to go out and analyse all-things-digital that
are disrupting and transforming the sector.
So far, the group has reported back on key
technologies, such as wearables and digital
marketing. Their objective is to analyse how
disruptive innovations can be used to transform
the way Reliance takes products and services to
market.
Norris believes three main types of disruptive
innovation that are affecting the business:
hardware, which will continue to evolve as people
plug more things into the internet; distribution, in
terms of selling products and services in a novel
way; and data, where firms analyse information
and change customer service.
The challenge for CIOs now is to find those
opportunities and to make the most of them,
he says. The problem is taking that innovative
idea and forming it into something concrete,
especially in the insurance sector, which tends to
be a slow-moving super tanker.
He says examples of disruptive innovation

are clearer when it comes to distribution.
Finance firms, says Norris, have an
opportunity to sell insurance downstream
of another purchase. One example
includes the opportunity to add insurance
as a secondary add-on item after the
acquisitions of a high-end fire or
burglar alarm.
Insurance isnt an exciting purchase,
says Norris. But you might want to buy
an alarm system for your home and, if
thats monitored properly and you get
insurance thrown in at the same time,
then that purchase starts to become
quite an interesting offering. Thats where
the biggest disruption, and therefore
transformation, will come from in the
marketplace.
He expects similar developments in other
areas of finance. Motor insurance, for
example, will be affected by developments
in telematics and the ability of companies
to collect data, analyse information and
produce tailored products. For CIOs, the
message is clear - disruptive technologies
will affect every business.
Even if your sector or organisation has yet
to be touched by digital transformation,
it soon will be. IT leaders need to help
their organisations survive and then thrive.
Everybody in the marketplace must think
about digital developments and how to
start creating new products,
says Norris.
The challenge
for CIOs now
is to find those
opportunities
and to make the
most of them
19
Crowdthinking
- mass participation not

thought-less leadership
From BYOD to the citizen developer, Rob Bamforth, principal

analyst at Quocirca, looks at how organisations are taking an
increasingly collaborative approach to business technology.
by Rob Bamforth
Get involved might be one of the

most popular taglines for charities
and voluntary organisations,
but it also sums up many things that
are happening in many aspects of
daily work life. As citizen journalists
are encouraged to contribute usergenerated content, employees are
increasingly being permitted to
contribute technology choices within
their organisation - look at bring your
own device (BYOD), for example.
Technology innovation has driven
this, with smart portable devices and
universally accessible and affordable
data networks - fixed and mobile
internet. For a younger generation
brought up in this hyperconnected
reality, this is also leading to changing
attitudes in the workplace as well as
at home; ease of content creation,
free sharing and a more collaborative
approach is being stimulated. Much
of this new openness is highlighted in
Charles Leadbeaters seminal summary
of an evolving collaborative culture in
his book, We think.
For organisations and businesses
looking to disruptive technologies
that offer radical transformation and a step

change in cost savings or business growth,
the trend is also welcome. But there are fears
too, from increased risks, security issues and
a loss of control. These are well founded, but
should not present insurmountable obstacles
as long as organisations take a positive view
of change and build on the concepts of We
think and convert it into, We do.
People and place

The first thing to consider is people and how
fluid their interaction with technology has
become.
For many individuals, technology has blurred
the distinction between personal and work
activities. While this adds some challenges in
maintaining balance, the increase in personal
control and choice is significant. Individuals
have bought into using innovative and often
mobile technologies that not only entertain
and inform them, but are also the tools they
now expect for work. Far more personal
than the personal computer ever was,
and with so many opportunities for social
interaction and sharing, creating new services
and content is no longer the preserve of a
precious and precocious few, but is available
to anyone, anywhere.
Work activities increasingly need to spread
across multiple different technologies.
Individuals as consumers have become
comfortable and adept at using and blending
many different channels of communication;
many virtual which require the workplace to
offer a more innovative and unified blend of
voice, video, text and images; but some still
physical as people seamlessly switch their
attention between broadcast, interactive
online, mobile device and the physical world.
20
For some, these capabilities will be

supplied by the organisation on standard
build systems, but for many others,
personal choice, BYOD and the use of a
blend of owned and provided equipment,
applications and services will be the norm.
While this may initially require more effort
to establish, individuals are comfortable
with the concept of self-service and
even increasingly self-support for all the
technology tools at their disposal.
Process and
Participation
In many organisations, work is performed
by a network of participants in virtual
teams formed by employees, contractors,
and ever closer sharing of IT resources
and services with third party partners and
even customers. While initially presenting
a security challenge, this model of
working is becoming more straightforward
and secure, using a wide variety of
mechanisms, including in some cases
social media, to establish and authenticate
identities. Individuals can often self-enrol,
and based on their credentials be permitted
appropriate levels of access.
There is also an opportunity to radically
reshape the way in which these people
can then interact to the benefit of the
organisation. Processes that were
once inefficient and cumbersome can
be transformed into more streamlined
approach. This is not simply delivered by
introducing new systems or by a wholesale
re-engineering of business processes,
but by nurturing the social, consumer
and mobile behaviours that individuals
have adopted outside of the working
environment, and encouraging them to
align with the needs of the workplace.
This may require some adjustment and
streamlining of processes, but instead of
outsourcing the work, better results will
often be achieved by engaging with those
individuals directly affected in the line of
business or virtual team. This

takes participation to the next
level; not only self-choosing
and buying devices, but now
the individual can be at the core
of developing new processes,
systems and applications to help
them accomplish their tasks
effectively and efficiently - the
citizen developer.
To take advantage of this mass involvement to build a more collaborative
culture with innovative and ultimately effective processes, organisations need
to put certain measures in place:
Flatten hierarchies and break down organisational silos. Reduce the

barriers to participation and encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas and
development based on smaller, interconnected intra-organisational teams.
Remove complexity. Use tools that provide an excellent user experience

and that allow all to contribute, not just technical specialists. All too often
those most closely involved with a business process are the least involved
in building or choosing tools to make it more efficient - this is a mistake.
Share the effort and the rewards. Collaboration is not something that can
be forced, it needs the right seeds sown to attract and guide, not compel.
Clearly there is a need for some control. Key data needs to be protected
and safeguarded, but stringent methods are not required everywhere and
the approach needs to be proportionate to risk and consequence.
Self-determination in this context is not about the individual standing apart

from others, but freed from organisational constraints that limited their ability
to perform and excel. Many tools in the workplace have been adopted to
create uniformity, but all too often that reduces the results to a lower common
denominator. Creating an environment rich in personally selected tools that
foster communication, participation, sharing and collaboration is more likely
to generate innovation and the disruptive advances that organisations
are now chasing; not for a 10% improvement, but for 10x.
21
Supply Chain
by Gary Price,
Probrand product and
category manager
the savvy buyer

Absorbing the impact
of the rising dollar
This is not a market crash, Gartners John-David

Lovelock reassured the IT industry in June.
His comments came as the analyst predicted a 5.5%

decline in IT spending globally during 2015. Lovelock
explained that this decline was the result of the rising
strength of the US dollar which had dramatically affected
international market prices, impacting buyers in the UK.
At the end of June last year, 1 was worth $1.71. Just
one year later and its value had fallen by almost 10% to
$1.57. This increase in the dollar exchange rate has had
a significant impact on companies like IBM, which sees
revenues come largely from international markets.
IBMs 3.9bn revenues from the EMEA market were down by
a fifth as a result - but just 2% when adjusted for exchange
rates and divestiture. Its the same story for Oracle, whose
predicted growth of 6% in total revenue fell flat. But, as their
CEO, Safra Katz added, Once you normalise for exchange
rates, it was a very strong growth quarter.
As a result vendors gave early warnings back in January
that prices were tipped to increase, with HP quick to hit UK
resellers with a 6.5% hike and Dell and Lenovo following suit
with 5-10% rises to mitigate damage to their margins.
Although this is bad news for European buyers, its important
to remember that these fluctuations are an everyday factor
within the IT supply chain. It would be easy for an IT buyer to
look at a 10% price rise and think, six months ago we could
have purchased 10 items but we can now only afford 9 for
the same price. This may prompt them to consider cutting
back on spending and question whether they should follow
through on a deployment project?
It is essential for buyers to understand, however, that several
factors can impact on the trade price, the exchange rate
being just one. An increase in price can also often be offset
by other variants which affect costs.
For instance, a savvy buyer should consider a products life
cycle. Vendors know that when a new product is launched
customers will be willing to pay a premium for the latest and
greatest. But as the product moves into its transactional
cycle the price will adapt to market and channel demands.
22
In time it will be discounted to sell off before a replacement

model is released by the vendor. Buying later in the cycle will
clearly bring savings.
There are a multitude of factors that can also lower the trade
price, such as the discovery of new mineral deposits which
can lower raw material costs or heavy competition in the
market from rival products.
Buyers will undoubtedly get less return on investment if the
exchange rate drops, but this is where the importance of wise
procurement decisions comes in. It is important for IT buyers
to monitor the market, talk to vendors and channel partners
and understand the best time to buy. Knowledge of all the
factors impacting on price will then help procurers negotiate
better deals and absorb the shock of a dollar rate rise.
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4572/20082015/JG
Supply Chain
Know
your
margins
The KnowledgeBus IT margins benchmarking
2015 study has shown organisations are still
paying almost seven times the recommended
mark-up on product purchases.
ith the trade price for up to a fifth of all IT products

changing on a daily basis in the UK, staying on
top of the margins that suppliers are charging is
a challenge. Failure to do so, however, could deplete your
IT budget unnecessarily and divert funds away from key
projects.
The latest IT margins survey has revealed that the mark-up
charged can also, at times, be close to ten times the trade
price - indeed one organisation in the NHS was found to have
paid a 920% margin.
The study, which looked at IT spending across 20 sectors
including banking, retail and manufacturing, showed that our
public health provider was not the only organisation to pay
prices on IT products which were several times the trade
price listing. One charity was found to have paid 850%, while
a housing association forked out 711% and one company in
the FMCG sector purchased a product with a 506% mark-up.
When you consider that industry body Society of IT Managers
(SOCITM) recommendations that margins should never
exceed 3% of the trade price this may seem shocking.
Procurement professionals may even ask the question, how
could this happen? The answer is that on many occasions
these margins are attached to low profile purchases
or peripheral products. For procurement professionals
concerned with higher value and higher quantity orders, these
can often go unnoticed but the costs add up.
24
Al Nagar, head of benchmarking at KnowledgeBus, said: The size of some

of the margins is the concern. In all likelihood these will be products that fall
below the scrutiny radar - the one-off or low volume purchases, which may be
a distress item or spontaneous buy.
Scrutiny of spending on these items cannot be neglected, however, as they
often make up a larger than expected percentage of the budget - in some
cases as high as 25%.
The research showed, however, that organisations are largely getting better at
driving suppliers prices down. For example, despite paying one of the largest
mark-ups on a single IT purchase, the housing association sector has seen
the average margins paid for products fall from 36% in 2012, and 24% in
2013, to 20% last year. The average across all industries has also fallen from
24.8% in 2012, and 21.1% in 2013, to 19.6% in 2014.
This is still almost seven times the rate recommended by SOCITM, but
with as many as 1,946 products changing price every single day in the UK,
procurement professionals do face a battle to police supplier margins.
Achieving the best price on IT products can be difficult, with trade prices in a
constant state of flux, but its important to know that due to product lifecycles
prices do go down over time. Securing the optimum price requires careful
monitoring of the market situation and data analysis, said Nagar.
On the whole, IT managers and procurement teams are becoming more
vigilant but the research shows better value and savings could be achieved.
Although IT buyers often struggle with the complexities and volatility of
the supply chain, organisations can address these issues by deploying
benchmarking technology to monitor cost price and the margin.
Such tools enable organisations to adopt a cost plus approach, which
ties suppliers to an agreed price above the trade price. Benchmarking
technology not only allows procurement teams to police
their suppliers, they also help identify the best time to buy
through the analysis of historic and seasonal trends.
25
Supply Chain
Benchmarking helps
South Staffordshire College
achieve more with less
Case study
eing progressive when your budgets are

being cut is clearly a challenge. This was
the situation South Staffordshire College
found itself, however, when it was developing a
new digital by default campus last year.
The further education institution, which supports

more than 20,000 students, wanted to equip
its state of the art learning environment, which
features a 4D immersive laboratory, with the
latest high tech capabilities.
South Staffordshire is a pioneering college
and the pace of change is formidable. The
Chief Executive wants us to be in the vanguard
of development across all areas - the learner
experience, the campus buildings, said Jamie
Smith, director for strategy and infrastructure.
Unlike universities, which have been able to
address funding issues by increasing tuition
fees, the college did not have this option.
If you want to be this progressive when
budgets are contracting you need to be
innovative as there is pressure to deliver the best
possible return on every pound, said Smith.
To address this challenge, South Staffordshire
College deployed benchmarking tool
KnowledgeBus to evaluate every deal with
suppliers. An online tool that automatically
benchmarks purchases against daily trade guide
price and stock levels on over 150,000 live
products from more than 2,500 manufacturers,
it helped the college to monitor spending and
negotiate better deals for IT equipment.
Smith admits that he was initially cynical about
the difference a benchmarking tool could make
but he claims the technology has transformed
the procurement process.
26
He said: When we ran our historical data through this

application we found we had been paying average
margins of 30.9% - we now pay less than 3% and in some
cases, closer to cost plus 1.5%. It has been a no brainer.
KnowledgeBus paid for itself with the month.
Smith explained: We recently required seven laptops,
which would cost about 900 each from major suppliers.
We bought them for 420 each and made a saving of
almost 2,000 on that single purchase alone.
The campus, which opened last year, now allows students
to use their own laptops, tablets and smartphones to work
in collaborative spaces. Learning spaces have also been
created which enable mobiles to connect with projectors
wirelessly, to enable content to be uploaded in seconds.
Smith claims the benchmarking tools ability to forecast
seasonal price trends and variations has also had a
dramatic impact on how the college now makes ongoing
purchasing decisions.
We have fundamentally become more strategic, he said.
Powerful big data functionality allows us to view historical
stock and pricing levels to spot and analyse trends.
We have set alerts to provide early warnings on any
fluctuations, which can be dramatic. These insights have
led us to both delay and bring forward purchases.
81% of organisations pay

up to 920% margin on IT*
[4579/KBIT]
Compare. Negotiate. Save.
We managed to
reduce our IT spend
by approximately
10%.
KnowledgeBus enables IT buyers to quickly

benchmark purchases against daily trade
guide price and stock levels on over
150,000 products from more than 2,500
manufacturers.
Sage UK
Dave Banks, Senior IT
Procurement Coordinator
Measurable benefits from day one:

Save up to 24% on ICT budgets
and an hour per order
Identify fair price and spot
overcharging
Plot key market trends for more
strategic procurement
* Download IT Margins report
www.knowledgebus-it.co.uk
0121 605 2050
KnowledgeBus is a product
45-55 Camden Street,
Birmingham, B1 3BP
Procurement
What next for public

sector ICT after the
General Election?
any feel a creeping paralysis in central

government on ICT since the May results.
What a difference a Maude makes, it seems.
In May 2010, when the last government came to

power, no time at all was wasted in direction setting.
Francis Maudes moratorium on all government ICT
spending over 100m made it clear that huge expensive
outsourcing agreements were a thing of the past.
All the talk was about breaking up that oligopoly of big
suppliers with new, nimble SME suppliers.
Five years on, the process hasnt repeated itself. Maudes
replacement at the Cabinet Office, the former Energy
Minister, Matt Hancock, has not exactly been as active
on this front. Apart from a speech at a major digital
conference in late June, weve barely heard a dickie bird
from him.
But many observers are convinced this is just the quiet
before the storm - and a lot of chickens will soon be
coming home to roost. Biggest of all those chickens is
the same set of massive outsourcing projects Maude,
and many others, worried about, such as HMRCs Aspire
deal which is now ten years old and worth 11bn. Like
many similar deals, on paper this is set to wind down
within two years. The question is what will succeed it?
by Gary Flood,
journalist
UK government ICT:
at a crossroads
Most commentators are predicting a last-minute contract
extension for Aspire, simply due the potential cost of
transition. Thats not to say the market wants this to
happen - as Stuart Lauchlan, chair of the Think Cloud
For Government and co-founder of online publication
Diginomica, puts it: Ministers must hold their nerve as
these big, bad outsourcing deals wind down. None of us
expect the oligopoly to go quietly into the night.
Deals like Aspire arent the only issue waiting for Hancock
to look at post summer break. Many in the market are
puzzled over exactly what the plan is for what we all still
call G-Cloud, though the official term is now The Digital
Marketplace. Even though this approach is admired in
countries like Canada and India, which like the idea of a
commodity-type online store for the public sector, it still
hasnt really taken off.
The suggestion is that comfort with big outsourcing deals
in the higher levels of the civil service is the main blockage.
Concerns are now arising that the departure of Maude has
also led to a worrying slow down at the top. As eyes get
taken off balls, will the reform agenda wither and die?
Lauchlan is definitely worried it might. UK government
ICT stands at a crossroads, he told Probrand Magazine.
Smaller cloud services deals are the future, but our whole
G-cloud programme needs fresh love poured into it; as
other nations emulate the UK model, we seem bizarrely to
be losing interest in it. We must get back on track.
Id like a public endorsement from
Hancock emphasising its importance.
I fear I may be left waiting.
28
Innovation in
Procurement
Much Discussed,
Rarely Observed!
by Peter Smith,
Lead editor of Spend
Matters UK/ Europe
f you read procurement surveys, you will have

noticed one common factor in the last year or two.
Procurement innovation has risen up the priority list
consistently, according to the practitioners surveyed.
Now the first problem comes with the definition. We are
not talking about doing procurement in an innovative
manner, important though that is. Rather, the innovation
referred to is that provided by suppliers to help the buying
organisation achieve its objectives more successfully.
Our definition of procurement innovation is therefore
executing the procurement process in a manner that
leads to innovative ideas, solutions and proposals from
suppliers and potential suppliers.
Capturing innovation from the market is important
whatever is being bought, but innovation in the IT sector
can be transformational and provide serious competitive
advantages to the buyer of products or services.
Unfortunately, procurement innovation is more often
discussed than genuinely observed. Of course, firms do
constantly innovate, and transfer that to their customers
- that is just the nature of business, progress and life.
But often that seems to happen despite procurement
processes, rather than because of them!
That is because traditional procurement processes
often stifle or discourage innovation - whether thats
through tight specifications; an over-riding cost
reduction objective; detailed contracts focused on
precise deliverables; poor or non-existent change or
contract and supplier management processes. These
can unfortunately contribute to an environment where
suppliers see little benefit in developing or offering
innovation to many buyers.
Innovation can come from both existing suppliers and
from organisations that may not even be on the buyers
radar. But lets focus here on encouraging and capturing
innovation from current suppliers, and look at four key
success factors for achieving that.
1. A mechanism for the supplier to offer innovation.

What would your supplier do if they had an innovative idea?
To whom would they communicate it? If their only regular
contact is a day-to-day contract manager, to whom would
they bring the idea to get an appropriate discussion?
2. Mutual benefit from the innovation.
Would the supplier feel confident that they would benefit from
the innovation as well as the buyer? Is there a level of trust?
Often the innovator has choice as to which customers they
offer the innovation; why should it be you?
3. Responsiveness and action.
One of the biggest turn-offs for suppliers is finding that
nothing happens when they do suggest ideas. A supplier
innovation programme is launched, then the buyer does
nothing with the dozens or hundreds of ideas received. That
guarantees that nothing happens in the short term, and more
worryingly, suppliers will put that buyer bottom of the list for
future bright ideas.
4. Show commitment.
Show suppliers you are serious about innovation. Putting
energy into the process for capturing innovation is key. That
means senior support, a visible interest, and real resource
and effort.
Technology is making many historical procurement processes
more standardised and automated. Capturing innovation
from the supply market will increasingly be a key
differentiator for excellent procurement organisations.
So think about that now, if you havent already.
29
Driving Innovation
Realising the potential

of Smart Cities and
Urban Communities
by Roger Burke-Hamilton,
CS Transform
s consumers, weve been empowered

by the arrival of the internet and digital
technology. Weve witnessed firsthand how technology has revolutionised our
daily lives. For instance, we can now navigate
ourselves around cities using the phone
kept in our pocket and use the same mobile
technology to pay for a chocolate bar.
Turning potential
into progress
Life changing innovations such as these have

become the norm and as citizens we now
expect the same level of forward thinking from
city infrastructure and our interactions with
public authorities and services.
Getting these projects off the ground is the

important first step. The hype surrounding
smart cities may be focused on the Internet
of Things (IoT) and the sensors which can
supply endless streams of data, but the major
stumbling block will be how we process this
information and generate actionable insight.
Street lamps that are able to power electric

cars may seem like a far-fetched fantasy but the
technology has already been developed. We
are already seeing the deployment of recycling
bins which can tell councils when they are full
and ready for collection.
Powered by the Internet of Things (IoT), the
emergence of Smart Cities is promising to
redefine how public services are implemented
and managed throughout the UK. Not only
could these new and exciting initiatives help
local authorities save money, but they could
improve the quality of life for millions and make
our urban areas more sustainable.
A recent UK government study has estimated
that the commercial value of smart city
solutions and services could top $408bn
(261bn) per year by the end of the decade, so
theres a clear commercial imperative to move
the smart city movement forward. But how
will this happen? Who will take the lead role in
enabling smart cities - if anyone at all?
With public sector budgets being slashed, it
is unlikely that local authorities will have the
confidence to push this agenda through as a
major digital initiative - at least not at the speed
that the public wants to see progress.
30
What is more likely is that initiatives will

happen on a case by case basis. As
opportunities are identified and success
stories present themselves, confidence will
grow and further projects will emerge.
To make projects viable, public and private

organisations will need the ability to manage
information by creating tailored applications
quickly and cost effectively. The emergence of
no-code, and low-code, application platforms
has made this possible. These self-service
rapid application development platforms are
allowing public and private bodies to test
ideas and rapidly produce prototypes.
A movement towards an open data culture is
another important step. The ability to access,
protect, use and share a huge variety of
continuously growing and publicly available
data, which might relate to local housing, train
times or public events for example, will open
up the possibility of people and organisations
using that information in new ways. This
could very well deliver smart city solutions
which have not previously been conceived.
This confluence of IoT technology, rapid
application development platforms and the
ready availability of data is providing all the
necessary ingredients to allow us to realise
the potential of smart cities sooner
rather than later.
Innovative software platforms and applications

that help you work smarter...
Transformation
Redefined
Innovate
in your
environment
0121 605 2050
www.mercatosolutions.co.uk
[4579/MER/20150819]
Driving Innovation
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32 Probrand
ProbrandGroup
GroupMagazine
Magazine
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10010100001000011
Whats on the
CIOs agenda?
by Danny Bradbury,
journalist
Danny Bradbury asked IT leaders to

map their priorities for 2015-2016
IOs are constantly asked to do more with less. IT systems

become more complex, security risks multiply, and
enabling technologies evolve and diversify. How do they
prioritise whats important to them, and whats at the top of their
agenda this year? Probrand Magazine spoke to several CIOs to
get their views.
Typically, cost saving, compliance, automation simplicity and
driving competitive advantage have featured highly as CIO
priorities. These hardy perennials show no signs of changing, said
Paul Leonard, head of IT and business change at UK recycling
and resource management company William Tracey Group.
These priorities are still high on the list of the CIO, together with
consolidation and business partnering, he said.
Although some staple CIO priorities wont change, others are
affected by internal and external parameters, warns Carolyn
Brown, chief information officer in computing and information
services at Durham University. Agility is key - priorities and
measures will change, and IT often has to change or fail, she said.
Internal and external factors

Brown highlights internal factors including a change in leadership
priorities, emerging risks and board politics as potential drivers of
change.
There are also various external drivers that can alter IT priorities,
she said. The level of digital awareness among customers can
change what CIOs look at, as can the evolution of new service
delivery methods. New competition can also shift things around on
the CIOs radar.
Rorie Devine warns that economic conditions also factor into these
priorities. Devine was an interim CTO at Hailo, a smartphone app
for taxicab hailing, in 2014, and has also held led IT at gambling
exchange Betfair and online directory firm Yell.
My experience is that were in an effectiveness rather than
efficiency part of the economic cycle currently, so growth and
change is a higher relative priority than the bottom line, he said.
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10
From operations to strategy
At a more strategic level, its about reforming

relationships with the board, he said. CIOs must get
a mandate from the board to be more innovationfocused. This in turn requires them to win a seat in
the boardroom, and they can only do that by thinking
commercially, and delivering meaningful things to the
business.
That bridge building is one of the things on the agendas
of several CIOs that Probrand Magazine spoke to. What
does it look like in practice?
One way of building those links is to use IT staff, said
William Traceys Leonard. In 2015-16, CIOs should
enhance their IT teams skills, pushing them into the
business so they can partner with line of business
managers, and find ways to use smart technologies to
effect useful outcomes, he said.
Measure it to manage it
These bridge-building outcomes have to produce
measurable successes, which means that CIOs have
to keep an eye on business metrics at all times. This
is something that CIOs need to work on this year,
according to Mumby.
They dont link their IT outcomes to business
outcomes, and they should, he said. One of the best
CIOs he ever met ran a team of 250 IT employees using
around 200 key performance indicators, but these KPIs
were all condensed down into a single number that
made business sense: cost of IT per box shipped.
Mumby wasnt the only CIO to mention cloud computing.

It is a priority for many CIOs in 2015, explained Joanna
Poplawska. She is executive director of the Corporate IT
Forum, a community of IT executives that share real-life
experiences to help improve performance.
As both IaaS and SaaS solutions are maturing, many
CIOs are evaluating how they can deploy cloud solutions
in order to accelerate business capabilities, said
Poplawska.
Cloud is an enabling tool for change, along with mobile
and social technologies, said Devine. Im working
across a number of companies and I would say the
highest priority at the moment seems to be achieving
or maintaining a competitive position, he said. There
is a lot of focus on leveraging these platforms more
effectively than the competition.
Another priority for the CIOs that Poplowska speaks to is
business intelligence. BI is a well-established corporate
IT tool, but the rise of big data and specialised analytics
workflows is shining a light on it once again, especially
given ITs need to find added value for the business.
With ever increasing big data availability, CIOs are
looking at how this can be best harnessed within their
organisations to step-change analytic capabilities and
drive competitive advantage, she said.
Ultimately, all of these tools have to satisfy business
needs. Several CIOs underpinned this point, arguing that
the CIOs agenda was the business agenda. 15 years
ago, when technology was less accessible than it is now,
the IT department could enjoy the luxury of separation.
Today, post-dot com bust and financial crash, it has to
pull its weight just as hard as every other department in
the business. That means that while the CIO can focus
on specific technologies, their priorities
should feed into the CEOs.
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Its about being able to escape the tactical issues

of my PC doesnt work (even if it is the CEOs), by
building superb support structures which are efficient
and customer centric as opposed to cheap and
focused on ticket-filling, he said.
Technology tools
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Woe betide the CIO who is stuck in first gear then,

trapped in a fire-fighting role as they battle with
operational challenges. If theyre going to be more
change-driven, as Devine suggests, then its time to
escape those constraints. It is important for CIOs to
streamline their operations in 2015, said Alan Mumby,
head of the CIO group at executive search firm Odgers
Berndtson.
Thats a very clever measure as they were targeted with

achieving a declining percentage, which meant they had
to save when volumes rise and when volumes fall, said
Mumby. That is much harder, and introduces topics
such as charging by transaction across software and
hardware. Its very contemporary now with pay-as-you
go cloud-based solutions.
Probrand Group Magazine 33
Driving Innovation
Changing attitudes to
digital innovation
in the public sector
by Steve Vallis, business

systems consultant,
Mercato Solutions
ublic sector organisations have

found themselves in an unenviable
position in recent years. They have
been asked to improve the offering provided
to the general public, while coping with a
diminishing set of resources.
With budgets being cut, digital technology
has emerged as the most likely instrument
to improve service provision and meet fiscal
responsibilities. And although steps have
been taken to innovate in this area, progress
has not come as quickly as some would like.
Service users, employees and partners all now
expect the digital interactions that can make
their lives easier, and are commonly experienced
in the private sector. In July this year, however, the
Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancys
(CIPFA) president John Matheson warned that serious
change was needed to prevent the public sector from
becoming a digital laggard. He stressed that particular
attention needed to be paid to the diminishing levels of
public trust in government institutions.
He said: As public servants we must focus on
developing new ideas and innovative responses to meet
these challenges and mitigate risk Not at some point
in the future, but now.
There have been instances of public sector
organisations taking the leap in recent years, and
embracing digital innovation to improve user satisfaction
and slash costs.
GOV.UK is a prime example. Launched in 2012, this
central government project, designed to unify services,
has largely been hailed as a success in its aim to
consolidate hundreds of individual government websites.
34
From registering births, to paying

car tax to applying for student
finance, this initiative has transformed
many outdated legacy processes. But
despite its successes, there simply havent been
enough examples.
Recent research by application platform
KnowledgeKube revealed, however, that the
willingness to deliver change is there. In a survey
among local and government IT executives,
almost three fifths recognised that there is a need
to update existing legacy processes.
Despite this desire to innovate, the research
found that government executives face a series of
barriers when attempting to drive through digital
change within their organisation, with half of the
respondents citing red-tape culture and old
style leadership as key challenges. Two fifths
(42%) found the scale of the challenge to be too
daunting, while just over a quarter (26%) said the
perceived risk put them off.
These views may reflect the outcome of major
public sector digital projects which have come
under scrutiny in recent years. An example of this
lies in the ambitious care.data project which has
seen the NHS attempt to bring together all patient
medical records in the UK, with the aim of aiding
research and performance monitoring. In theory,
care.data will help prevent the spread of disease,
streamline processes and find more effective ways
to manage illness.
This is making digital transformation more accessible and

allowing organisations to quickly create solutions that
automate time-consuming tasks and replace outdated
paper-based systems, for things like expenses, overtime,
absences, and much more.
Big progress is actually being made in the public sector
in regards to looking into digital innovations - particularly
where everyday operations are involved.
In reality, concerns over privacy of patient data has

created a host of negative headlines, dampened
enthusiasm and damaged perception of the
project in the eyes of the public. Although the NHS
claims the venture is far from dead, the UKs Major
Projects Authority -responsible for overseeing all
of the governments big programmes - has given
care.data a red rating, meaning successful delivery
is likely to be unachievable.
There are barriers slowing down transformation and

holding the public sector back, but the technology is
now there to create the applications needed to speed up
processes and increase efficiency.
While these failings are a legitimate blow to the

reputation of digital innovation in the UK public
sector, they shouldnt be a reason not to innovate.
The emergence of no code, and low code, application

platforms are not only helping the public sector overcome
perceived risk issues they are also bridging an IT skills gap.
In reality, creating applications that can improve

the public sectors daily operations and processes
is now highly achievable. This is especially true
since the emergence of no-code application
platforms, like KnowledgeKube, which have
reduced the time, expense and risks involved.
By utilising these Rapid Application Development
(RAD) platforms, public sector bodies can now
build applications an estimated 70% quicker and
80% cheaper than traditional bespoke software
development approaches.
As these self-service platforms do all the heavy coding

work in the background, public sector organisations and
leaders do not need to focus on the technical aspects,
they can instead concentrate on identifying where there is
a need and then meet it.
As leaders in the public sector become increasingly aware

that the future lies in these emerging platform-based
technologies, they will become empowered to solve
problems and develop the applications necessary to
improve services.
Public organisations now have the opportunity to embrace

digital transformation and avoid becoming the laggards
feared by John Matheson.
35
Security
by Mark Lomas,
You can never be too

paranoid when it comes to
Icomm IT consultant
NETWORK SECURITY
Mark Lomas explores the
concept of deperimeterisation,
and the assumption that we
have already been hacked
ts almost five years ago since Deborah Plunkett, head of

the United States National Security Agency (NSA) boldly
claimed theres no such thing as secure any more.
She made this statement to explain why her organisations

work under the assumption that various parts of its systems
have already been compromised. Fast forward to the
present and we find that this operational stand point is now
common across the security professionals.
With the rise in bring your own device (BYOD) and the
ubiquity of mobile devices, the opportunities for potential
attacks by cybercriminals has grown dramatically. Relying
on the protection of the firewall to defend against these
external threats is simply not enough anymore.
This has led to an increase in deperimeterisation - this
theory implies that organisations need to look inside their
fortified boundary or perimeter which encompasses
firewalls, VPNs and intrusion detection systems.
Every device is now viewed as a potential threat that could
allow malware to slip past the firewall and into the network,
and cause significant damage to a companys infrastructure.
Every device is now

viewed as a potential
threat that could
allow malware to slip
past the firewall and
into the network
36 Probrand
ProbrandGroup
GroupMagazine
Magazine
Organisations cant just assume that laptops provided for

employees are safe because theyre joined to the company
domain and running certain security policies. Network
access control often isnt set up to apply to those internal
devices, but just because the employer has provided the
device it doesnt mean that the employee might not have
picked something up while outside the company network.
Theyve got to check for this possibility, and having
procedures in place to make sure that these devices pass
tests before being permitted back onto their network again
is a beneficial tactic. Its still vital to have that perimeter in
place to guard against inbound threats.
Organisations, however, need to check the firewalls are
also scanning outward traffic, content filtering the activity
of their own PCs and devices to see if they have been
already compromised and are being used to spread
malware on the internet.
A healthy dose of paranoia and an assumption that the
battle has already been lost isnt a bad approach to take. A
good strategy is to put in place regular scans and reviews
of the IT environment, breaking it down into component
parts, firewall, PC, patching and anti-virus software to see
how they are working as individual entities.
Too often we focus just on mitigating the external threats,
but when we look at the common sense practices that can
be employed from within the network, setting up internal
boundaries and limiting access to an as-needed basis is
also advisable.
If organisations can segment workers into distinct groups
or departments, then they can start to limit access of
certain resources to specific users. This ensures that if
there is any kind of breach the chances of this spreading
to other areas of the network is limited.
If organisations embrace all these tactics, they still wont
be doing enough to completely guarantee total protection
- but they never will. The only approach is to take every
opportunity to review and evaluate existing security
practices and look inside the perimeter
for ways that systems can be improved.
You can never be too paranoid.
Looking to get more

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www.icomm.co.uk
@icommtechno
[4579/ICOMM/20150820/JG]
Security
Why
Wont
They
Listen?
Training
employees
in cyber
security
neednt be
a Sisyphean
task, says
Danny
Bradbury
f youre tired of telling your employees

to change their passwords, remember
poor Sisyphus. This figure of Greek
mythology offended the Gods, and was
condemned to forever repeat the same
task: pushing a rock uphill, only to watch
it roll down again, before starting from the
beginning.
as you might, you just cant get them to

do what they should. Whats going on?
Cyber security training can be a bit like

that. Yes, some employees are diligent,
regularly changing passwords and
following security policies to the letter.
Over one in five of them didnt have

passwords or PINs on all of their devices.
Of those that did, 21% wrote them
down somewhere so that they wouldnt
forget them. And almost a quarter of
all respondents shared passwords with
friends, family, or fellow workers. While
35% of employees used their personal
devices to access company files, half of
those had viruses.
And then theres the guy that just faxes

sensitive medical records to some other
random guy. In Canada, British Columbias
privacy commissioner is investigating a
case where personal health records were
sent to incorrect fax numbers.
Or the guy who decides to appropriately
access his colleagues medical records,
as allegedly happened at Salford Royal
Hospital.
Just as with people who smoke, or eat too
much fatty food, some employees know
what they should be doing to protect their
companies against security threats, but
they dont do it. These are your Sisyphean
rocks. They make the same mistakes,
repeatedly, even after being told not to. Try
38
Take solace. Youre not alone. A survey

of 1,200 UK workers run by YouGov
found a stark disregard for basic security
practices, even though most (65%) said
that their employer had a cyber security
policy in place.
Less finger wagging,

more dialogue
One of the problems may be how were
approaching training. We often wag our
fingers at employees but it isnt working.
I continue to despair over some of the
online training packages that are given to
people, said John Lyons, chief executive
of the International Cyber Security
by Danny Bradbury,
journalist
Protection Alliance. They sit through hours of this stuff.

Its bought off the shelf, and its got very little to do with
the business theyre operating in.
This can be compounded by the trade-off between
security and inconvenience. When implemented blindly
by managers who dont understand the working
environment, security policies can be too difficult to follow
for staff who just want to get the job done. Consequently,
simply dictating policies to employees and threatening
discipline for transgressions can often simply drive such
activities underground.
Tim Holman, director of the international board for
the Information Systems Security Association, recalls
a security problem where his wife - a nurse - was
supposed to log in to a healthcare system using her own
account. Thats fine in practice, he said, but healthcare
environments are often frantic and stressful. Staff will
have a low tolerance for any policy that gets in their way.
They would share someones logon and leave it logged
on for the whole day, he recalls. They realised that
people just carried on doing it, and they had to take the
problem out of the users hands because it was a big
risk.
To solve the problem, managers had to combine process
and technology together, giving the staff smartcards for
faster two-factor authentication.
Your staff are selfish,

and thats ok
Instead of bullying them, we should be appealing to their
selfish side, said Wendy Goucher. Goucher runs her own
information security firm, Goucher Consulting, where she
works with clients to help them get the message across
about security awareness.
I encourage businesses to use an approach I have
developed that I call Selfish Security, she said. This
means that we try and make security messages relevant
to the individuals themselves, not just to their role.
What does that look like? Start by understanding
whats important to them. For most people, thats
pretty simple: friends, family, money. People will always
protect themselves, their precious information and their
family before they protect the business that pays them,
especially if it is a big, faceless organisation, Goucher
said.
Explaining to someone how to protect their online
banking information so that they dont get hacked will get
their interest. Giving them the lowdown on how to protect
their children from online stalkers is a better way to
promote online privacy than any finger-wagging lecture.
Goucher has seen first-hand examples of this. In one company she

worked with, staff kept throwing sensitive documents in the bin rather
than shredding them. Instead of circulating scary memos, managers
got smart: they had a shred it day, offering employees the chance
to bring in all their sensitive garbage from home, so that they could
dispose of it safely.
Two weeks later, managers checked the garbage bins. The amount of
sensitive material in it had plummeted. Employees saw some personal
benefit in the practice, so it became part of their routine at work.
Its all about habit, said Goucher. If you can get things so people are
doing the right thing by habit then they are much more likely to do it.
If the carrot doesnt work

Theres a final, crucial component to any security awareness and
training initiative: follow-through. Regularly testing employees
to measure their diligence will constantly remind them of their
responsibilities. Building this in to performance reviews cant hurt
either. There are testing services designed for this purpose, including
companies that will send fake phishing emails to all employees, and
monitor who opens them.
There isnt a silver bullet for this stuff. Experience has shown us
repeatedly that there will always be a strata of users who simply
dont get it. But at least by training properly and meeting employees
halfway, companies can minimise the bad behaviour. Then, the regular
testing will help to mop up the bad apples for disciplinary
action. After all, the carrot is a good tool to have in your
arsenal, but it will never entirely replace the stick.
39
Security
Security reviewed in
numbers and words:
Businesses today face an everevolving threat landscape and
cybercriminals are increasingly looking
at virtual environments as the next
frontier of sophisticated attacks.
-Mark Bermingham, virtualisation analyst at Kaspersky
We live in an interconnected world that we could

not have imagined even two decades ago. While it
brings almost limitless opportunities, there are also
threats. It is absolutely vital that the applications
and connections we use are as secure as possible.
1/4
of IT security
experts have little to
no understanding
of virtualisation
security options
- Kaspersky Lab
1/4
of UK businesses took
more than two weeks to
realise they had been the
target of an advanced
cyber-attack last year
- Intel
- Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy
80%
77%
of discussions taking
place in board meetings
are about cyber security
of people are interested in exploring

alternative security techniques for
their online accounts
- Veracode
- Accenture
The majority of UK businesses

experiencing security breaches in
2014 did not report them to anyone
Consumers are increasingly

frustrated with these traditional
(security) methods because
they are becoming less reliable
for protecting their personal
data such as email addresses,
mobile phone numbers and
purchasing history.
- Robin Murdoch, MD of Accentures
internet and social business
- PwC
While consumer-focused IoT devices

present minimal direct risk to the
enterprise, many of them connect back
to a vendors infrastructure via the
internet to store user data. In general,
people seriously underestimate how
easily attackers can move around inside
networks once they gain access.
- Craig Young, security researcher for Tripwire
40
1.7 trillion
The annual global cost of enterprise downtime

and data loss incidents - Vanson Bourne
$2.1 trillion
The cost that data breaches will increase to

globally by 2019 - Juniper Research
Tape vs
Cloud
Your guide to
data backup
Download now
www.icomm.co.uk/cloudbackup
[4579/TAPEVSCLOUD]
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
@icommtechno
Infrastructure
Is it time to rethink your

tape backup strategy?
or businesses wishing to safeguard their important data,

choosing the right backup option is a critical decision.
Organisations weighing up these data storage options will

usually consider two main factors - cost and security. When it
comes to choosing between tape and cloud backup options it is
often a case of choosing one over the other. Tape is cheap and,
with an estimated 50% of UK businesses continuing to use this
approach, it is clear many organisations still prefer this option.
Cloud services do offer more security, however, and it is also

worth noting that good cloud management tools can help
organisations manage costs more efficiently. This has to
be set against the common problems experienced with the
tape approach. These include:
Reliability
Magnetic media is extremely susceptible to corruption. The
data is usually saved to the magnetic media and accidents
can happen - exposure, a fingerprint, getting too close to
a magnetised area -and the data on the tape becomes
unusable. It is also unlikely you would realise there was a
problem until you try to restore and find your data isnt there.
Lengthy restore time

Some data backup systems slow down this process
because there is a need to re-catalogue data sets and
determine the correct tape where the data lies.
Capacity planning
Most organisations do not properly size the data backup
system when it is initially purchased. They dont anticipate
the growth in the amount of data that will be required to
backup. This results in an initial capital expenditure that
becomes quickly outdated and new investment is required.
Management
Keeping track of backups can be time consuming (therefore
costly) and prone to human error. A member of staff, often
without the correct training can be responsible for changing,
transporting offsite and storing critical backups.
Security
Tapes can easily be lost or stolen with unencrypted data
presenting a further risk to the business.
Backup window
With the ever increasing size of data sets, IT managers are
faced with decreasing backup windows in which to protect
critical data.
42
With many organisations having to confront the challenge

of rapid data growth, choosing the right backup option can
be crucial when protecting critical data. Rather
than stick with what has gone before it is worth
considering whether tape is really the best option.
Mitigating risk
when migrating
to the cloud
loud services have great potential to enhance

corporate IT capabilities and infrastructure.
Organisations can deploy new technologies quickly
and expand, or contract, usage without major capital expense.
Standing in the way of adoption, however, are ongoing
concerns over privacy and security of data. The high profile
hacking of numerous celebrity iCloud accounts last year has
only added to the suspicions that storing sensitive information
with a third party creates vulnerabilities. But are these concerns
justified when we are talking about enterprise level services?
We asked Mark Lomas, IT consultant at Icomm Technologies,
to address some of these concerns surrounding cloud
deployments for businesses.
What are the reasons why businesses

worry about cloud adoption, and are
these valid?
What tips can you give businesses looking

to mitigate risk when migrating to the
cloud?
Many will be concerned about the loss of control of their data,

along with worries about geographical location. Some of these
concerns may be entirely valid when specific compliancy
requirements must be met.For example, there could be
concerns about financial data being stored outside of the UK.
If data is stored outside of the UK then it exposes companies
to overseas data laws while they are still governed by EU
standards.
Evaluate data - what is actually being transferred to the cloud?

Having a full audit of that data will help when making ongoing
decisions about where data should live.
Do these concerns vary

from sector to sector?
These worries are the same for organisations across all
industries. That said, those that deal with data relating to
individuals - such as healthcare records, personal details, or
direct user data like payment card information - will certainly
have more considerations to bear in mind.
Taking that last point as an example, the payments industry
enforces strict compliancy requirements on any business
handling or storing payment card information, which certainly
has the ability to restrict what type of cloud services would be
an option for a business.
Assess the cloud provider - ensuring that security standards are

being met and, if possible, ensure there is the right of audit.
Ensure a strong IT policy is in place - no amount of hard work
will help if employees dont also use IT appropriately. Its an old
point but always ensure users are trained and stick to the policy.
Are there alternatives to the cloud that can

offer more security and compete on cost?
Some businesses will actually choose to use the cloud because
they have compliancy requirements to meet, but they may
choose a private cloud solution.
In these situations, their own equipment can be managed and
hosted by a cloud provider, allowing their compliancy needs to
be handled by an organisation experienced in this.
This is essentially very similar to continuing with an on-premise
arrangement, but with the added benefit that the business can
be targeted about exactly which specific areas
are outsourced.
43
Infrastructure
Infrastructure reviewed
in numbers and words:
24%
56%
79%
92%
With the increasing adoption of

virtualised computing infrastructure,
enterprises are finding it easier to
manage their work. They are able
to run multiple servers on the same
equipment, which reduces the
demand for additional servers.
have already connected an

Internet of Things device to
their networks - Tripwire
of IT professionals believe storage
will be the main driver behind data
centre expansions - Forrester
of European organisations
have deployed a virtualisation
solution - Spiceworks
- Faisal Ghaus, vice president of analyst Technavio
of organisations are planning

data centre expansion over the
next four years - Forrester
Cloud-based storage has been

a catalyst for major change in
the backup and recovery arena.
It provides several benefits
including scalability, flexibility,
accessibility, monitoring ease,
and affordable pricing.
- Amrita Choudhury, Ovums analyst
for infrastructure solutions
2/3
of Western
European SMBs
are using cloud
storage for
disaster recovery
- IDC
An important part of this evolution

is the relatively recent emergence of
hyperconverged systems. These systems
are helping to deliver many of the proven
benefits of integrated systems, including
reduced complexity, risk, and inefficiencies
into new environments with targeted
infrastructure needs or smaller budgets.
- Eric Sheppard, research director for storage systems at IDC
44
2 /3
of data centre computing

will be carried out in the
cloud by 2025
- Emerson
IDC says...
- Data centre capacity consumed by
IoT workloads will increase by nearly
750% between 2014 and 2019
- The hyperconverged infrastructure
market will grow by 116.2% in 2015
- The equipment market for the
802.11ac standard Wi-Fi grew
479.2% in the EMEA region in 2014
How good is your wireless?

The ultimate guide to
Wireless:
Getting it right!
[4579/EDEXCEL]
Wireless top tips from experts.
Download today
Receive FREE wireless site survey*
www.icomm.co.uk
* Terms and conditions apply
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
@icommtechno
Infrastructure
Cutting
the
cord
Now that 802.11ac is speeding up
wireless networking, do we still need
Ethernet? Danny Bradbury finds out.
by Danny Bradbury,
journalist
eve come a long way since we first cut the cord.

The first commercially useful Wi-Fi standards were
ratified in 1999, and enabled a generation of users
to roam around the office - but few of them did it all the time.
Often, people working in businesses still clung to wired Ethernet
as a way to connect devices that needed reliable, fast network
traffic. Now, with a new generation of Wi-Fi standard in play,
that may be changing.
Wi-Fi communication speeds were still slow at the beginning,
with 11Mbits/sec the norm. Speeds increased, but so did the
bandwidth requirements in the average office, as IP telephony
and video applications flourished. Wi-Fi worked, mostly, for
watching YouTube videos at lunch, but if you really wanted
to be sure that your VOIP call went through, wired
Ethernet was the way to go.
In late 2013, 802.11ac revolutionised the Wi-Fi
space. It operates on the 5GHz band, rather
than on the 2.4GHz spectrum that has
been so heavily used by prior Wi-Fi
standards like 802.11a, and
its high-speed predecessor
802.11n (which could
operate on both).
The other benefit of 802.11ac is that it uses wider

channels (windows of radio spectrum that access
points and clients can connect through). It uses 80MHz
compared to 802.11ns 40MHz, effectively doubling the
amount of data that can be pushed through a single
channel.
These enhancements are complemented by better
compression, and technology to prioritise traffic, which
will please users of low-latency applications such as IP
telephony. They push the theoretical limit of 802.11ac
to multiple Gigabits per second, but in practice, as
with all theoretical estimates targeting perfect physical
environments, the reality is far slower - around 400800Mbit/sec, say.
Still, this development has led Gartner to predict that by
2018, 40% of enterprises will specify Wi-Fi as the default
connection for non-mobile devices. Thats possible, as
long as youre happy with speeds like that to do the
desktop, but it will require some forethought and work.
Distance from the router is one consideration, said
Dr. Kevin Curran, senior member of the IEEE, which
defines these wireless standards. Higher-frequency
communications systems like 802.11ac have a shorter
reach, meaning that if a client device is too far from a
wireless ac router, it will fall back to 802.11n, removing
much of that benefit.
If youre right beside your router in the same room or
near, then Id recommend AC because itll be faster, he
said. But if youre on the edge of a large building then
youre unlikely to get the connection with 8022.11ac.
Its a distance thing, really. It depends how far away you
are.
In that sense, you cant just rip and replace wired
with wireless - you may have to redesign the LAN to
accommodate the various nooks and crannies of the
office.
The other issue is the uplink. Wi-Fi access points still
have to connect to the corporate network via an Ethernet
uplink. Using a wireless access point serving 802.11ac
devices as the sole connectivity hub will burden its uplink
with more bandwidth. That will require some rethinking
of the back-end network architecture, and potentially
some expensive upgrades, as Irwin Lazar, vice president
at analyst firm Nemertes Research, points out. And if
youre currently using deskphones powered via Ethernet,
removing that link will present some redesign issues.
By all means experiment with moving completely to
wireless operations, but be prepared for the hidden
complexities. It wont be an easy ride.
46 Probrand
ProbrandGroup
GroupMagazine
Magazine
What should you look for

in a wireless network?
odern businesses have become

reliant on wireless internet
connections for everyday tasks.
Whether staff are carrying out a virtual meeting,
remote working or using a BYOD device, there
is a growing requirement for Wi-Fi in business.
Accommodating all internet-connected devices
on the corporate wireless network is requiring
organisations to think differently.
An intelligent enterprise grade managed
wireless solution, with all the latest
enhancements, is now a must for any
organisation upgrading their existing solution.
Modern demands require wireless solutions that
can overcome challenges like interference and
high density working areas.
The latest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac, has been
designed to address a lot of these issues and
improve data capacity and connectivity speeds.
But while the latest mobile devices from the
likes of Apple and Microsoft are compatible, if
the network is on an older standard users will
not appreciate the benefits.
Board members may well have splashed out on
the latest tablet but they will not feel the benefits
if the infrastructure is behind the curve. To avoid
the wrath of an army of staff complaining about
connectivity issues and directors questioning
their investment in the latest device, IT teams
will need to get the wireless network up to date.
Here are three key things to consider when

improving wireless performance:
Think infrastructure
You dont build a house without any foundations, and improving
wireless connectivity requires the same thinking. The first step
needs to be an investment in the infrastructure that will support the
future estate of wireless devices. Before doing this, it is advisable
to conduct an onsite wireless survey to determine any likely
environmental interference, identify the best location for access
points and what the most suitable equipment will be.
Count on growth
Technology is moving so fast and users are increasingly connecting
with more than one device at any one time. Businesses regardless
of their size need to buy for tomorrow - not just today. Look for a
wireless system that offers the ability to scale up the number of users
and devices easily without having to replace the system altogether.
Remember buy cheap, buy twice

Cheapest isnt always best! Were all aware of the old saying
you get what you pay for - well, that certainly applies to wireless
networks. Many wireless solutions that appear cheap provide
limited performance and scalability issues. For an informed decision,
consider what the true total cost of ownership and return on
investment will be over a period of five years.
Probrand
ProbrandGroup
GroupMagazine
Magazine 47
Probrand Group
What we offer
The IT Index
50
Online marketplace for business
Managed Procurement Services

52
Strategic procurement
54
Benchmarking and procurement hub
56
Catalogue management
Icomm Technologies
Managed IT Services
58
Cloud backup
59
Cloud disaster recovery
60
Cloud anti-virus
61
Managed firewall
62
Managed remote access
Proactive IT Support
63
Software and hardware support
63
Fully managed support
IT Solutions
64
Server and desktop virtualisation
65
Storage area networks
66
Network infrastructure and wireless
67
Firewalls
68
Remote access and security
Mercato Solutions
69
Private Marketplaces - Global marketplace processes made easy
71
KnowledgeKube - Platform for creating apps quicker and cheaper
74
KnowledgeKube presales processes
76
KnowledgeKube trading portals
78
KnowledgeKube common processes
80
KnowledgeKube specialist processes
Contact us:
82
KnowledgeBus - Automated IT price and stock benchmarking
0121 605 1000

enquiries@probrand.co.uk
Over the next few pages
Probrand Group showcases
the depth and breadth of
products and services it
offers. If you would like to
explore anything further,
please get in touch.
48
www.probrand.co.uk
Company Overviews
Probrand Group - Your technology partner.
Probrand Group is a leading end-to-end provider of technology through three
multi-award winning businesses specialising in IT products, IT services and
software. Established professional brands dedicated to helping customers thrive with relevant and innovative technology.
With over 20 years of heritage, Probrand Group has a global outlook and now serves an extensive customer base of over
3,500 private and public sector organisations as a Crown Commercial Service framework supplier. The business prides
itself on investing in great people, putting value into relationships with its own innovation, commitment and integrity.
Since 1992, Probrand has grown from a small Value Added Reseller to a multi-award winning group. Three years of
growth spawned specialist IT services business, Icomm Technologies, in 2000, the launch of online marketplace
The IT Index in 2002 and innovative software business, Mercato Solutions in 2005. All three have sustained growth
and been acknowledged with numerous awards and listings. The pinnacle of which includes a Queens Award
for Enterprise Innovation.
The IT Index - IT Products.

Save time and money buying IT.
The IT Index is Europes largest IT marketplace
for business. It offers an award-winning personalised online experience
and a best practice approach that quickly gets IT buyers to the best
priced top branded products from almost every category. It helps buyers
save time and money through CIPS accredited procurement excellence.
The IT Index also offers managed procurement services to support
customer aspirations for more strategic procurement, including advice
on large scale solutions and tech refresh projects, benchmarking and
catalogue management.
Icomm Technologies - IT Services.

Get more from your IT.
Icomm Technologies provides managed IT
services, pro-active IT support and IT solutions,
offering decades of award-winning technical
service excellence to large organisations and SMEs alike. The business
retains a technical edge and is proud to employ a workforce of over 60%
technical professionals, operating out of Birmingham and Manchester.
A best-of-breed mindset helps customers get more from their IT.
Mercato Solutions - Software.

Transform the way you work.
Mercato Solutions is one of EMEAs fastest
growing and most innovative enterprise
application providers. The business helps a global client base
transform business processes with bespoke and branded software
platforms and applications that drive smarter working.
An award-winning portfolio consists of delivering Private Marketplaces
world-wide, KnowledgeKube for all users to create apps quicker and
cheaper, and KnowledgeBus for automated IT benchmarking.
49
Online Marketplace
Managed procurement services
Europes largest
IT marketplace
for business
EXPLORE over 150,000 products and services from 2,500 brands
BUY from live catalogues comparing and ranking best price with stock
SAVE time and money buying IT
A personalised buying experience

Easy and accurate purchasing.
Free login for personalised catalogues, preferential pricing,
frameworks and exclusive promotions from multiple suppliers
Unique self-service advisors support purchasing decisions by
quickly matching complex needs to relevant choices
Direct purchasing. No re-direct to 3rd party websites
Greater management control and visibility to help stamp out
off-policy rogue purchasing
Best practice procurement. Better Value.
It has saved over 15% of our consumables

budget, enabling the organisation to stretch
its IT budget. Savings made on individual
products range from 3 6% and as an
example we reduced our 120,000 bill for
inkjet, toner and fax cartridges by 20%.
Cheltenham Borough Council.
We are now saving 5 days a month which
we used to spend managing procurement
admin
Coffee Republic.
The IT Index has saved us in the region
of 30% on our IT budget. We can now get
more from our budget.
Bradford Grammar School.
Save up to a day a week previously spent manually managing

purchase information
Proven on average to save 10% on ICT budgets
Drive value in and cost out of your procurement processes
Accredited by finance, procurement and a Queens Award
50
Efficient one-stop-shop procurement

process coupled with customer service
excellence, both cashable and noncashable savings have been yielded.
Ashfield District Council.
Online Marketplace
Best priced products.

Shortest possible time.
Powerful product advisors
Intelligent digital tools add value by sign-posting and guiding
users to relevant products and services. Get what you want
faster.
Personal order pad

To compliment the marketplace, a growing portfolio
of managed services help customers buy with
confidence.
Strategic procurement
Save time by maintaining a list of regular purchase items

updated in real time with price and stock.
Dynamic personalised cataloguing

Gets you closer to suppliers who communicate only relevant
and preferential pricing direct to you. Get the best deals most
relevant to your sector and segment.
Rapid advanced search
An account managed service providing the advice

and guidance you need to buy the right ICT at the
right price.
Dedicated account management with back office
support from product and category specialists
Direct introduction to leading manufacturer
partnerships for large projects and maximum
value
Quick predictive search by product parameters; brand,

category, type, code, specification.
Automated comparison
Innovative marketplace technology compares prices every
time they change. Products ranked by best price with
stock. Eliminates time consuming ring rounds and manual
comparison. Drives mini-competition.
Single procurement dashboard

Purchasing done direct. View, manage, investigate and plan
with tailored information.
Framework approved
Automatically see preferential pricing. Order online at preagreed discounts. Get the best deals most relevant to your
segment. Digital by default.
Management tools
Control a role-driven environment offering ethical purchasing
of products at validated best value. Configure and display only
approved product catalogues for specific teams, departments,
sites or roles. Track, analyse, plan & forecast budgets. Improve
spend visibility and reduce rogue purchasing.
Field team and end user engagement for large

and complex projects
Benchmarking and Procurement Hub

Want to understand the margins of all your suppliers
and secure long term best value? Talk to us about
a full in-depth benchmarking and spend analysis
service to validate the margins you pay for ICT.
Then, buy via our Procurement Hub that delivers a
transparent cost plus agreement.
Catalogue management and integration

Service to manage and integrate your personalised
IT catalogue into your ERP. Streamline your
procurement workflow by selecting and buying
products within your ERP, using daily updated price
and stock data.
Talk to us 0800 26 26 29
Drive collaboration
Free login
Register today
www.theitindex.co.uk
0800 26 26 29
45-55 Camden Street, Birmingham, B1 3BP.
4579/THEITINDEX-BUSINESS-DPS/20150820/JG
Multiple logins per account. Share product catalogues across

organisations. Reduce duplication of effort.
51
Managed procurement service
Strategic
Procurement
Get the support you need to buy the right IT at the right price
Save time and money with dedicated account management backed by best practice
eprocurement technology and installation services
IT buying made easier

Specifying the right technology for the job can
be a challenge with so many options and brands.
So can navigating a highly volatile three-tiered
market where regular technology trends, price
and stock changes impact whether you achieve
sustained value.
Perhaps you operate in the public sector and
struggle to see preferential pricing. Maybe
youre looking for long term value from future
proofed technology that delivers low Total
Cost of Ownership? Or youre being hounded
by aggressive suppliers touting one-off, old or
irrelevant warehouse stock?
A professional account manager provides a
strategic approach to more timely procurement.
Access deep product guidance and enormous
buying power to consistently save you time and
money buying relevant IT.
Be more strategic
and save
Accredited Best Practice, Best Value
Market leading product portfolio. Impartial advice on over
150,000+ products from 2,500+ brands.
Save time. A simple and seamless experience from product
advice to delivery.
Save money. Longer term strategic partnership delivers
sustained value.
Best practice. CIPS accredited procurement excellence
fights for the best deals for you.
Best value. Queens Award winning software shortcuts and
validates price and stock within the supply chain.
52
More than just price.

Genuinely adding value.
Understanding your business for

more strategic long term savings
A dedicated resource
Ve n d o r a g n o s t i c ,
impartial support and
guidance
Access vendor and pre-sales

support on projects, tech
refresh and solutions
Understanding and
advice on specific ICT
needs and future plans
Strategic IT
procurement advice
Key to successful
IT deployment
Budget and
management reporting
Market insight
Preferential pricing
and support
Warranty and asset

management
Stock holding for your

business critical IT kit
To t a l v i s i b i l i t y o f t h e
IT supply chain
Bespoke catalogue set-up

and maintenance
Visibility of
preferential pricing
and strategic
discounts from
vendors
Queens Award winning

e-procurement
software
Over 750,000 product

lines daily compared
Hourly updates on
over 150,000 live
products from 2,500
brands
Let us manage and

deliver your IT
Contract management
Hardware, services,
support and
solutions
Product knowledge
Yo u r t r u s t e d a d v i s o r
on the best brands in
the business
Tr a i n e d b y v e n d o r
product specialists
Product roadmaps and New

Product Developments
Understanding of the latest

technologies, features and benefits
0800 26 26 29
4579/ITXSTRATEGICPROCUREMENT/JG
Deep understanding
of the modern IT
estate
53
Benchmarking &
Procurement Hub
Validate the margins you pay on IT
Buy via a transparent cost plus agreement
Getting the deals you think you are?

In the highly volatile IT market where price and stock
fluctuate daily, time pressured IT buyers struggle
to benchmark, validate and police what actually
represents best value. When you think you have a
trade price to benchmark against chances are it is
already out of date.
Equally, you dont have time to police all IT supplier
relationships and the varying margins they charge
across product portfolios, you just want to maximise
budgets on all IT purchases without the hassle of
trying to benchmark.
This managed service benchmarks IT purchases
using CIPS accredited technology and IT supply
chain data. It validates the margins you are paying
for IT. Then, use the fully auditable Procurement
Hub to buy at a guaranteed fixed and open margin.
Dedicated account management ensures you are
buying the right product for the job.
save time
save money
Lock-in open and transparent IT
procurement for sustained value
More informed purchasing decisions. IT margins validated
against trade guide price. Police all IT suppliers with a simple
spend analysis.
Long term savings. Eradicate daily need for manual
comparison and negotiation. Get the deals you expect, every
time.
Save money with open book pricing. Negotiate a
guaranteed margin for all purchases up front.
Be more strategic. Leverage market insight, buy the right
product at the right time.
54
More informed purchasing

Stock holding for your
business critical IT kit
Leverage market insight
Emerging technology
advice
Account Management
Guidance
Managed by you
or a dedicated team
Budget and management

reporting
Use established Mercato Solutions

software
Warranty and asset

management
Va l i d a t e o n e - o f f c h e c k s o r
entire catalogues
Compare against 150,000 live

products from 2,500 brands
Benchmarking
Visibility
Access over a terabyte of

historical ICT data
Conduct in-depth spend analysis on

historical purchases
Plot buying trends and
market movements
Agree open and fixed

margin on all ICT
Procurement Hub
Transaction
Flexible contract
terms
Option to integrate
into your ERP system
Automated RFQs
shorten buying cycle
0800 26 26 29
Proven to save significant time

and money amongst private
and public sector organisations
with an annual IT budget over
100,000. Also good for related
organisations looking to form
buying groups to maximise
the purchasing power of
collaborative procurement.
4579/ITXBENCHMARKING&PROCUREMENT/JG
Who will this suit?

Fully auditable
55
Catalogue
management
& integration
Drive efficiency into the procurement process
Unlock true ERP value with daily updated IT price and stock data
Unlock transactional value from

static internal systems
Buying IT demands current stock and pricing
data, yet ERP systems rarely deliver such
information, so how can buyers achieve best
value consistently?
Equally, time strapped IT buyers are challenged
with procurement administration. Unconnected
line-of-business software packages and
processes are used to fulfil the end-to-end
procurement workflow across multiple suppliers.
This equals duplication of effort, manual
comparison, double keying and frustrating
inefficiency for the busy procurer. Put simply,
admin time that could be better spent elsewhere.
Introducing a value added managed service
that defines, integrates and publishes your
personalised IT Index catalogue directly into
your ERP system. Get daily compared IT data
that delivers best price and current stock levels.
Then select and purchase using your internal
processes.
56
integrate &
save
Streamline procurement
Increase productivity
Save time and money. Reduce procurement admin and buy
using current price and stock data.
Be more agile. Quicken end-to-end transactional workflow.
Respond to IT price and stock movements fast.
Best practice. Queens Award winning software automates
price comparison and stock availability.
Maximise budgets. Get daily updated pricing exclusive to
you.
Integrating best price

and stock into your ERP.
IT supply chain data feeds
Daily price &

stock updates
+750
750,000 product lines
Integrate your
additional supplier feeds
X250
daily price & stock compared
150,000+ live products updated
2,500+ brands
Catalogue management
best
price & stock
Multiple data lines

Multiple catalogues
Product info & pricing
Current stock
Exclusive discounts
Schedule data updates
Choose file format for publishing
Fully
configured
for you
Published via
Web service
Why not publish catalogues

from other categories and
suppliers back into your IT index
profile? Use our award winning
comparison and eprocurement
technology to deliver value
into your broader purchasing
portfolio. Talk to us
XML
CSV
WORD
Any Format
E R P, w e b s i t e s , i n t r a n e t , f i n a n c e s y s t e m s
0800 26 26 29
4579/ITXCATALOGUEMANAGEMENT/JG
Other categories?
57
Cloud Backup
Managed IT services
Protect your organisation for less with fully automated data backups.
Scaleable and fit for your needs
Cloud based managed service
Fully automated protection for your business

from 35p per GB
Consultancy, backup and restore support included
24x7 access to your data
Unlimited and scalable data storage facility
Strong data security measures
Highest level of information

governance ISO:27001
Strong authentication at every log-in point
All files 256-bit encrypted from source.
Customer defined encryption key.
All data transmitted via 256-bit AES encryption
Storage in our own secure hosting facilities on
high end dedicated servers
Data integrity maintained via autonomic healing
and validation
Email reports sent to verify every backup
State-of-the-art enterprise level software

from Asigra
Monthly payment terms
Single users to multiple sites and remote locations

Store data, operating systems, exchange databases,
mailboxes, SQL data, applications
Local, national or international data access from one
simple internet interface
Flexible scheduling to match your organisation
Quick and easy recovery
Simply retrieve last data snap-shot via secure

internet connection
Data recovery in the same format as you stored it
Total compliance and assurance
Data stored in two data centres on UK soil

and jurisdiction
As used by global organisations
Compressed data. Compressed Cost. 35p per GB
Enterprise level quality without the cost
Data encrypted and compressed to reduce actual

storage space used
Cost saving passed on to the customer
Only pay for the exact storage you need, not an
empty vault
Tape/Disk Backup
Icomm Cloud Backup
Costly to install & maintain
Easy to install, fully automated
Complicated to operate
Intuitive, easy to use interface
Vulnerable & unsecure
Data stored off site, replicated & encrypted
Error prone & unreliable

(Gartner estimates 15% fail)
100% reliable automated process.

Errors flagged and resolved.
All data, every day
Backup only new or changed data
Difficult and time consuming to restore
Data instantly available via web client
Expensive limited capacity tapes
Totally scalable. Only pay for the storage you need
Cloud based backup and recovery from 35p per GB.

Talk to us about protecting your server structure as well.
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
Icomm Technologies Limited, 45-55 Camden Street, Birmingham, B1 3BP.
58
[4579/CLOUDBACKUPP58/20150128/JG]
Tape/Disk Backup vs Cloud Backup
Cloud Disaster Recovery

Too many businesses are not prepared to
deal with disasters
8 out of 10 have no disaster recovery plan

1 in 5 businesses suffer disruption each year
Most suffer the consequence
93% go bankrupt within a year of disaster
The quicker you are back to business, the greater the

chances of survival.
Get proactive with a cloud based Icomm managed service
Snapshot of your server structure and operating

systems taken
Files stored in the cloud
Cost-effective and quick-to-deploy
In the event of disaster, business continuesto have
access to its core systems as employees remote
access into your replica server environment in
the cloud
Managed IT services
One cost effective solution
High end DR solution without the high end cost

A managed Icomm service for peace of mind
Cloud flexibility offers scalable service and monthly cost
Annual DR Recovery test procedure, demonstrating to
you it works
Protecting your server structure
Complete imaging allows for rapid recovery

An environment to recover to giving you virtual
spare hardware
Remote access to enable users to work from home,
office or any internet enabled device
Back to business in hours not weeks (24x7 for
additional cost)
A Lite version offers minimum protection at lower cost
Full cloud provision offers total protection
Full service
Be safe and secure in the cloud
Lite service
Backup to storage vault in Birmingham

ISO 27001 information governance excellence to
protect your data
New Infrastructure
snapshot
taken
hosted on
VM platform
RESTORED
How it works
Included in Lite service
1.
2.
Snapshot of live server structure and OS taken

Image stored on NAS box on-premise for Business Continuity in the event of
hardware failure
3.
4.
5.
6.
Image stored on Icomms virtual servers

Disaster occurs
Latest image restored to secure cloud based private environment
Customer provides latest data backup to Icomm which is then loaded onto Icomm
servers
Business users access systems via remote internet access to Icomm for duration of
disaster
Icomm provides data backup from live system to customer to enable system to
revert back to local live operation
7.
8.
User at home
Disaster Recovery should not be an option,

it should be a necessity!
... from only 99 per month cost can no longer be an excuse.
[4401/CLOUDDRP59/20150128/LH]
Ask us about Cloud Backup to protect your data as well.
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
59
Cloud Antivirus
Managed IT services
Eradicate security threats automatically

Cloud based managed service
24/7 remote monitoring to ensure security risks and threats are

quickly eradicated
Automatic alerting and job booking means engineers fix issues rapidly
Security and patch reports emailed to you weekly
Installation
Included
Full Support
Included
Protection
Product Upgrades
Included
Increase Return On Investment
Be up to date and stay ahead of threats

Better manage and monitor remote user antivirus
Gain automated protection from viruses, trojans and spyware with
sophisticated scan engine
Central management system delivers best practice implementation
Enjoy full reporting of risks and threats resolved
Quicken computer processes
Lightweight scanning engine optimises computer speed

Daily out-of-hours virus scans remove traditional slow
down, improving user productivity
Free up to 21% of server resource by removing antivirus
management burden
Drive automatic computer shutdowns after scans
Unlock employee productivity with greater machine
and server availability
CD
Up to Date
Remote Users
Implementation
Reporting
Saves time and money
Fixed predictable cost so no more financial surprises

Flexible payment terms enable switch to manageable
operational expenditure
Reduce management costs
All Inclusive Pricing
Machines
Covered
Price per
Machine p.a.
1-9
79.99
10 - 19
64.99
20 - 29
49.99
30 - 39
44.99
40 - 49
39.99
50 - 100
35.99
100+
POA
Automated Antivirus protection

from 35.99 per year.
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
60
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Includes installation, support and upgrade costs.
Managed Firewall
Managed IT services
A market leading way of securing your network. Govern web traffic and application usage.
Gateway Security
Fully managed approach

Standard solution installed by Icomm and
tailored to your needs
Centralised, secure environment for end users
to focus on business
Protection at the perimeter of your infrastructure
Let Icomm improve web service delivery
Manage internal abuse of internet access

Protect against security threats
Prevent employees accessing inappropriate
sites and social networks
Improve service to users with a market
leading solution
Drive out cost
Drive down capex and manage operational costs

Release time for your IT staff to focus on
bigger issues
Reduce down time associated with viruses,
spam and malware
Managed Firewall at a glance

A solution that gives application visibility and control;
bandwidth management; and the highest throughput of
any firewall with all services enabled.
An approach that makes sense on the bottom line:
Application control and visibility Identify the

applications that are utilising your bandwidth:
Skype, Facebook and BitTorrent for example
see what was previously secret
Web filtering Log and control unwanted
applications and setup filtering policies against
specific user profiles. Prioritise role-based access
to systems or environments
Wireless access management Control,
maintain and optimise wireless access in your
environment. Automatically manage share of
bandwidth fairly amongst users and improve user
WiFi experience
SSL VPN and remote access (optional) improve
security with two stage tokenless authentication
and a secure tunnel for remote access if you
require it
Ask us about Wireless LANs and

remote access to unlock more
connected business.
256bit
SSL
Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Intrusion

Prevention, and Application Intelligence and
Control Service delivers intelligent, realtime network security protection against
sophisticated application layer and contentbased attacks, including viruses, spyware,
worms, and more. Configurable tools prevent
data leakage and enable visualisation of
network traffic.
Bandwidth management and control
Bandwidth resources prioritised to critical
inbound and outbound network traffic
and application usage to improve network
performance. Guaranteed minimum
bandwidth for priority traffic based on access
rules created in the Firewall.
Granular Control
Application Intelligence and Control provides
granular control and real-time visualisation
of applications to guarantee bandwidth
prioritisation, prevent data leakage, and
deliver more precise control over
network traffic.
Optional 24/7 support
Onsite hardware repair and replacement and
8+5 support included
Minor change requests taking less than one
hour included
Optional 247 service or round-the-clock
telephone and web based support
Content Filtering
Content Filtering Service blocks multiple
categories of objectionable Web content and
provides the ideal combination of control
and flexibility to ensure the highest levels of
productivity and protection.
Reporting
Access highly customisable, easy-to-read
reports. Graphical illustration of network
activity like bandwidth utilisation and
observed threats.
Automatic configuration backups
Configuration updates and backup managed
Icomm automatically
[4401/MANAGEDFIREWALLP61/20150128/LH]
Protect your business without thinking about it!
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
61
Managed Remote Access
Managed IT services
Unlock remote working without the capital expenditure.

A managed service with monthly payments
One centrally-managed client site installed gateway
that controls remote network access
Improve productivity for a low monthly cost
Best of breed remote access technology

SSL VPN delivers user-friendly, secure remote
access tunnel
Service includes install, support, monitoring
and reporting portal access
All for a monthly fee with no capital expenditure
Fast ROI by increasing user productivity

Sustainable long term budget savings from
remote access reduced cost of ownership
Validation of users with increased security
Improve business continuity options by
enabling remote working
Users gain remote access quickly and securely

Enable your business with minimal effort and cost!
1.
Standard solution tailored to your

individual needs
Centralised, secure environment to help end
users focus on business
Stop hackers and secure your data
High availability and easy-to-use
2.
3.
Simply click an Aventail icon and log-in to your

SSL VPN web page.
Users input everyday network password and
log-in details for remote access.
(Optional) Secure token based authentication to
enhance security.
2.
1.
Login
SSL VPN
****
Your everyday login details

Your PC
3.
Fully Managed SSL VPN your

secure tunnel
Monitoring
Dell SonicWall Aventail SSL VPN. A dedicated and

hardened security appliance that supports access from
most end point devices, including PCs, windows devices
and smart phones. A simple, cost effective way to give
mobile workers a complete in-office desktop experience.
Future proof The most future-proofed remote

access controller on the market
Secure Traffic fully encrypted between end
users web browser and the SSL VPN appliance
Ongoing assessment of performance

Includes backup of configuration
Support
Ongoing telephone and web based support, during
office hours
Option to extend to 24x7
Automatic upgrades to firmware when needed as new
threats arise
Reporting portal
Managed deployment
Enables customers to view staff usage and traffic
Hardware quickly installed amongst your existing

network infrastructure
Timed for least business disruption
Switch capex to opex

No capital costs, only monthly opex costs, with minimum
36 month commitment
Ask us about improving your wireless network and next generation

firewalls to protect you and your bandwidth?
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
62
Linked
Resources
[4401/MANAGEDREMOTEACCESSP62/20150128/LH]
The right proactive IT support for you
Proactive IT support
Get expert help from Icomm to support your IT estate.

Choose the right service for you.
Software and Hardware support
Comparison Matrix
You have a list of IT equipment you want supported

Annual or monthly payment
Each approach provides varying levels of proactive support

price matched to your needs based on Service Level
Agreements and objectives.
Benefits
Software and
Hardware Support
Fixed overhead for the year

If you have an issue just book a call
Make as many calls as you want
Multiple service level agreements to fit
different budgets
Annual or monthly payment plans
Features
Cost covers support for all software

and hardware
Also known as a break-fix contract
Can include parts and labour for repair
under agreement
Can cover peripheral hardware i.e. switches,
firewalls etc.
Has SLAs 2, 4, 8 hour next day and 24 hour
Upgradeable to Managed Service at any time
Fully managed support

Outsource your IT support or go a step further and
outsource all IT management to Icomm.
Benefits
Total proactivity; spots and fixes issues without

you even noticing
Less Hassle
Less Downtime
Increased Staff Productivity
Fixes, cuts and controls costs
Automates security and compliance
Reduces Total Cost of Ownership
Extends IT lifecycle by up to 50%
Transparency and flexibility of contract
On going contract review to match support to
your changing business needs
Features
Goes way beyond Hardware and

Software support.
Proprietary Software installed for 24/7 365
monitoring. Enables prediction and fix
before fail
Backup monitoring
Power, patch, asset management
AntiVirus checks
Seamless Remote Management
Management reports
Fully Managed
Support
Low initial cost

Fixed & Predictable Cost
Guaranteed Response 8 hour
Flexible
On & Off-Site Support
Technical Advisory Service
Dedicated Account Management
Value for Money
Unlimited Support
Optional 24/7 Cover
Loan Equipment
Favourable Payment Terms
Asset Tagging & Management
24/7 365 Monitoring
Back-up Monitoring
Preventive Maintenance
6 Weekly Optimisation
SMART Defrag
Automated Patch Management
Reduced Total Cost of Ownership
Improved Return on Investment
Exchange Monitoring
Monthly Management Reports
Bandwidth Usage Tracking
Licence Compliance Tracking
System Audits
Seamless Remote Management
Audited Remote Control
Power Management Optimisation
Application Deployment
Back-up & Disaster Recovery
Upgrade for Life Membership Program
Over 100 Years best Practices Experience
User Screen Monitoring
What People Say About Icomm

The fully managed support service has paid
for itself many times over.
Andrew Jones, S Jones Containers
We decide how and where our money is

spent and have seen real savings already on
previous contracts.
Paul Pearce, Sea Products International Ltd
Talk to us about a range of IT

services, including Cloud backup,
network and wireless LAN services.
[4401/ITSUPPORTP63/20150128/LH]
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
63
Virtualisation servers and desktops
IT solutions
Do more with less. Save time and money with a more agile IT infrastructure.
Optimise and future proof IT infrastructure
Turn one physical machine into many virtual machines

Host multiple Operating Systems and applications on one machine
Develop and test systems and applications without impacting production environment
Flexible and scaleable to your needs
Reduce operational and capital expenditure
Consolidate physical server, storage or desktop estate

Eliminate need to purchase more physical machines in future
Better utilise existing computer resources
Cut demands on power, cooling and space
Release management time to focus on key tasks
Unlock improvements to back-up and Disaster Recovery
Dynamically distribute work load across several virtual servers to improve performance
Multiple virtual machines equal high redundancy and multiple fail-over points
Virtualisation of servers is ideally supported by a centralised Storage Area Network to further
improve resilience whilst reducing ongoing costs and administration
Improve experience and delivery of end user services
Better utilise resources to be more robust and deliver applications and files faster
Maximise throughput, quicken response times
More efficient provision of services, more efficient work force
Get expert help from Icomm to virtualise your server and desktop estate
Server virtualisation turn one into many
End-to-end projects tailored to your needs
Consultancy
Detailed capacity and performance review to assess where
improvements can be made to your technology estate
Procurement
Installation
Migration of data and applications
Training and hand-over of management to in-house teams
Fully pro-active support to ensure smooth operation ongoing
Desktop virtualisation
Empower your staff through desktop virtualisation.
Run multiple desktop operating systems on a single
server and improve operational efficiency of flexible
computing resources, manpower and capabilities.
Talk to us about improving your storage as well.

We also offer a fully managed IT support service.
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
64
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Save money and space by investing in one

server that replicates multiple platforms. Todays
computing environments are becoming increasingly
complex, demanding greater resources to operate
and maintain. Moving resources to virtual platforms
allows IT departments to consolidate and better
utilise existing flexible computer resources and
delivery better end user services whilst optimising
staff time.
Storage Area Networks
IT solutions
Centralise storage for quick pay back and long term savings
Let Icomm implement a NetApp SAN to enhance your enterprise storage.
Your growing pains
Spiralling operational overheads

Lack of resource to manage IT estate
and data growth
Increased demand on limited data
centre space
Organisational risk due to poor
fail-over or backup processes
Little available time to keep up
with technology change
Limits on data accessibility
Protect capacity and investment with
efficiency tools
Reduce size of all types of data; primary,
secondary, file and block
Maximise storage capacity with unified tools;
I/O caching, volume cloning, deduplication,
compression etc
Protected capacity equals better performance
and protected investment
Quick and smart backup
Take high-speed, low impact snapshot

images of your data
Effortlessly manage frequent snapshots,
replication policies and movement to tape
in one console
Reduce backups by up to 98%
Implement a more efficient solution

From a traditional approach
DAS/NAS/SAN Silos
Servers
Protect business with improved recovery

and continuity
Apps
Storage
To a best practice virtualised approach
End-to-end projects tailored to your needs
Network
Easily configure multi site-to-site data

replication for added fail-over
Boot virtual machines from the SAN for quick
and easy replacement of faulty host servers
Facilitate quicker recovery time objectives
and improved business continuity
Reduce down-time by up to 50%
Consultancy
Procurement
Installation
Migration of data and applications
Training and hand-over of management
to in-house teams
Pro-active support for smooth
operation ongoing
Virtualisation
Servers
Apps
Network
Storage
Talk to us for guidance on and delivery of an integrated

virtualised server and storage environment.
[4401/STORAGEAREANETWORKSP65/20150128/LH]
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
65
Network infrastructure and Wireless LAN
IT solutions
Wireless that works!

Unlock business agility, reduce cost and complexity
Market leading technology. More reliable
and better coverage.
Get rid of standard WLAN issues

Unstable connections
Dropped packets
Pixelated video
Choppy voice
Poor coverage and capacity
Erratic performance
Dynamic Beamforming
Adapts Access Point signal steering for
the most reliable Wi-Fi.
More reliable and connected business
Smart Mesh networking
A high-end solution without the cost

and complexity
Release management to focus on more value
add activities
Robust, secure, scalable
Fits within any existing network architecture
Quick to deploy
Smarter wireless
Site survey, installation and configuration by Icomm of
a Ruckus WLAN provides a smarter solution with better
range and reliability.
Wide coverage
Enable 400+ clients per Access Points, so fewer
Access Points cover a wider area, reducing capital and
operational costs.
Cost effective
Robust wireless LAN at a fraction of the cost of
conventional alternatives. All the functionality of a highend system with fewer access points for lower CAPEX
and easier management for lower OPEX.
Fast install
Configuration and deployment in half the time of
conventional solutions. Easy to install, configure and
expand. Automatic client-side administration and
advanced security.
Secure, scalable, and simple-to-use platform
A smarter wireless LAN that self-optimises and is super
simple to manage. Provision guests in a snap, deliver
up to four times coverage and throughput. Dual band
functionality enables multiple device types.
No costly cabling
Simply plug access points into a power source and
connect without any requirement for Ethernet cabling.
Eliminate costly task of pulling Ethernet

cable wherever you want access points.
Dynamic user security

The latest link layer encryption and
authentication mechanisms but
delivered simply. From 802.1x support
to Dynamic Pre-Shared Keys.
Adaptive RF signal routing and

interference avoidance
WLAN-wide optimum signal path
selection and automatic interference
avoidance. Automatic Radio Frequency
coordination adapts to the constantlychanging Wi-Fi environment.
Cutting Edge Access Points

High-performance dual-band (meshed
or wired) that deliver high-performance
at range to new 802.11n and legacy
802.11a/b/g clients.
Network infrastructure
high performance and resilient
Icomm has decades of expertise in planning, building and
upgrading every aspect of wired and wireless network
infrastructure from industry standard cabling the backbone
of your connectivity, to configuration of network hardware
& software and high availability switching that delivers
services to end users. Enterprise level partnerships with high
performance providers ensures the very best advice and
solutions.
Ask us about remote access and

firewalls to leverage and protect
your wireless network.
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
66
[4401/NETWORKINFRASTRUCTUREWIRELESSP66/20150128/LH]
Firewalls
IT solutions
Protect against the most sophisticated web threats

Adopt a next generation Firewall
Cybercriminals are using the web to access

corporate networks
Sophos has identified that 85% of malware
comes from the web
Over 30,000 websites are infected every
single day
Cybercriminals leverage soft security targets;
social networks, smartphones, tablets and
BYOD environments
A firewall older than two years offers limited protection
Lacks interrogation of application usage and

traffic payload
Cannot identify and manage good traffic
from bad
Reduce costs and risk of down time from security threats
Protect at the perimeter, not within

your infrastructure
Manage internal abuse of internet access
Prevent employees accessing inappropriate
sites and social networks
Improve web service delivery and
user productivity
Welcome to next generation firewalls

A solution that gives application visibility and control;
bandwidth management; and the highest throughput
of any firewall with all services enabled.
Advanced threat protection Deep Packet

Inspection (DPI) of the entire packet payload
for intrusion prevention, malware detection,
gateway antivirus, traffic analytics, application
control and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
decryption. Deliver granular traffic inspection
to allow intelligent enforcement of
security policies.
Performance without sacrifice Network

traffic inspected with little impact on
throughput and application performance.
Enable DPI without buffering or
packet reassembly.
Productivity through application visibility and

web filtering Analyse, control and prioritise
real-time bandwidth and application usage.
Identify applications consuming bandwidth:
Skype, Facebook and BitTorrent for example.
Log and control unwanted applications. Setup
filtering policies against specific user profiles.
Prioritise role-based access to systems
or environments.
Features
Gateway Security
256bit
SSL
Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Intrusion

Prevention, and Application Intelligence and
Control Service delivers intelligent, realtime network security protection against
sophisticated application layer and contentbased attacks, including viruses, spyware,
worms, and more. Configurable tools prevent
data leakage and enable visualisation of
network traffic.
Comprehensive Anti-Spam
Comprehensive Anti-Spam Service blocks
spam phishing and virus-laden emails at
the gateway. With one click, the service
immediately starts blocking junk email and
saving valuable network bandwidth.
Granular Control
Application Intelligence provides granular
control and real-time visualisation of
applications to guarantee bandwidth
prioritisation, prevent data leakage, and
deliver more precise control over
network traffic.
Content Filtering
Content Filtering Service blocks multiple
categories of objectionable Web content and
provides the ideal combination of control
and flexibility to ensure the highest levels of
productivity and protection.
Reporting
Access highly customisable, easy-to-read
reports. Graphical illustration of network
activity like bandwidth utilisation and
observed threats.
Looking for a managed firewall

approach instead? Talk to us.
[4401/FIREWALLP67/20150128/LH]
Web services expose businesses to greater attack
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
67
Remote Access and Security
IT solutions
Work anywhere, anytime, efficiently and securely.
Combining best of breed remote access and a

choice of authentication technology
SSL VPN delivers user-friendly secure remote
access tunnel
Physical token and web-based two factor
authentication for everyone
Tokenless two factor authentication for
larger organisations
Fast ROI by unlocking and increasing remote

access productivity
Sustainable long term budget savings from
reduced cost of ownership
High availability and easy-to-use
Total validation of users with increased security
Improved business continuity by enabling
workforce to operate remotely
Users gain remote access quickly and securely

1.
2.
Dell SonicWall Aventail SSL VPN. A dedicated and hardened

security appliance that covers the most end point devices,
including windows and smart phones. A simple, cost effective
way to give mobile workers a complete in-office experience.
Improve productivity and reduce overheads
SSL VPN your secure tunnel
Simply click a remote access icon and log-in

to the SSL VPN web page, supplying everyday
standard network log-in details.
Users then input their authenticated user code
generated through two different channels for
truly strong authentication and security.
User authentication tailored to you

two options
1. Token-less authentication for larger organisations
Swivel Secure token-less multi-factor authentication offers
the reassurance of strong security without the cost and
management of physical tokens. As approved by UK
Governments national technical authority for Information
Assurance, CESG.
Why not ask us about wireless

networking and next generation
firewalls to protect you and your
bandwidth?
Future proof The most future-proofed remote

access controller on the market
Easy deployment No need for pre-installation
of specialist client side software
Secure Traffic fully encrypted between end
users web browser and the SSL VPN appliance
Less cost On average 73% cheaper than the

cost of buying, implementing, managing and
maintaining a token based system
Easy management save time with instant add
and remove of end users across any web
enabled devices
Scalability Single Swivel server can provide
authentication for all remote services,
VPNs, Websites, cloud and web applications
2. Tokens and web based authentication for every organisation

Cost effective, flexible and scaleable hardware tokens and
web-based two factor authentication from the worlds biggest
provider, Vasco. As used to meet tight tolerances of financial
institutions and online banking.
Scalability Physical tokens to fit all shapes, sizes,

environments and budgets
One Time Passwords generated at, not before,
point of user request for absolute security
Flexibility Option of cloud-based managed service
for single sign-in to multiple web-based applications
using dynamic passwords webmail, salesforce,
Office 365, Google Apps
0121 248 7931

www.icomm.co.uk
68
[4401/REMOTEACCESSANDSECURITYP68/20150128/LH]
One centrally-managed gateway to control remote access

to network resources
PRIVATE
MARKETPLACES
Global marketplace processes

made easy for manufacturers
and distributors
Implement compelling experiences via
an online private marketplace
Combine the award-winning and innovative bespoke technical skills
of Mercato Solutions with its ground-breaking development platform,
KnowledgeKube. Automate complex supply chain and pre-sales processes
and make them available on the internet to your customers, internally and
to your suppliers.
Transformation through agile development
Mercato Solutions specialises in data management, Business Intelligence
and the development of high performance productivity, line-ofbusiness and collaborative applications. A winning approach that helps
organisations work smarter.
Capture automate transform online
IT development capability and understanding of large-scale supply chain
challenges, create game-changing private market place solutions.
Use our digital platform, KnowledgeKube, to form part of your private
market place solution. It enables rapid creation of business applications
through its streamlined modular system. Bring system development closer
to, and more under the control of, the business.
Leverage our specialist knowledge of the rapidly changing IT supply
chain from manufacturers, vendors and resellers to after sales service.
Transferrable knowledge, proven to solve customer trading challenges.
The business case

Achieve cost savings greater than
implementation costs comfortably within the
first year by reducing headcount in customer
facing roles and enabling staff to be moved
into more value adding customer activities.
Shorten and strengthen supply chain

interaction and communication to
capture and drive emerging markets and
expand growth capabilities for up-selling
into local markets
Unlock deep Business Intelligence with a

360 degree view of business inside and
outside of the supply chain
Strengthen brand experience across your

supply chain
Reduce operational costs and generate

valuable business data that can be
distributed back into your eco-system
Radically shorten sales cycles and enable

users throughout the supply chain to
work smarter and with higher satisfaction
0121 605 2050
www.mercatosolutions.uk
Mercato Solutions Limited.

Birmingham, B1 3BP
69
PRIVATE
MARKETPLACES
Deep experience of the challenges you face

International solutions - Enabling a standard solution that can be
localised by customers to meet specific language, country and/or
regional requirements.
Global roll-outs - Managing and on-boarding customers, making
solutions attractive to continuously drive usage, eclipsing manual
support services previously provided to customers.
Dynamic web content - Presenting user, customer, role and context

specific web content for products, pricing and promotions.
Advanced search - Built to facilitate smart searching across multiple
data sources.
Productivity solutions - Configuring and delivering dynamic
smart questionnaires, complex rule-based configurators and guided
experiences that only offer selections that are compatible, will work well
together and, if appropriate, are available.
System integration - Real-time connection with ERP and CRM systems,
by enabling dynamic updating with your Oracle and SAP product
catalogues.
Deal registration and pricing solutions - Encompassing automation
of highly complex business and rule-driven authorisation processes.
Total flexibility - Open and alive to change, often with
no IT interventions.
A Mercato solution provides

more functionality, less risk,
time savings of 80% and
cost reductions of 75%
over traditional methods.
Deployment and support options
Customer hosted, outsourced provider hosted,

Mercato hosted solutions
Customer or Mercato maintained and supported
Highly experienced catalogue management

capability, providing round-the-clock services
and lower cost options for more manual tasks
Why Mercato?
World-wide credentials.
Implemented global solutions for some of

the worlds largest vendors
One of EMEAs fastest growing and

award-winning software businesses
UK Government nominated Made By

Britain World-beating manufacturer
Technology accreditations; The Institute

of Chartered Accountants, CIPS
ISO 27001 Information Governance
20 years of IT supply chain domain

experience on hand as a Probrand Group
Company
Best-in-class competencies in; agile

development of high performance
software applications; large scale data
management across a spectrum of
differing formats, quality and sources;
supply chain knowledge and process skills
to boost real-life end user productivity
0121 605 2050
www.mercatosolutions.uk
70
Mercato Solutions Limited.

Birmingham, B1 3BP
4401/20150128/MRKTPLACESADP69-P70/NH/LH
Seamless integration - Multiple data feeds, from multiple sources, in

multiple formats with a variety of update frequencies. We manage over
50 concurrent data feeds for customers. Helping everyone work from
more accurate and reliable data, directly delivering faster, more accurate,
higher net margin sales. Connecting many touch points of your indirect
worldwide supply chain.
Enterprise apps for less.

By you, or for you.
Create enterprise apps quicker and cheaper.

KnowledgeKube is the award-winning app platform for all users. Without having to write code,
create enterprise web and mobile apps quicker and cheaper than traditional development.
Either you create via a platform licence or we create your Cloud apps with our dedicated
implementation team.
Beat the IT skills shortage and enable all users to meet demand for globalised apps head-on.
Automate, innovate and transform with feature-rich apps that improve efficiency and
productivity at scale.
71
Deliver on your transformation priorities faster.

The simplicity of KnowledgeKube empowers all users, with or without an
IT background, to quickly create apps for any sector, role or process that
tackle organisational pains and opportunities.
Competitive
advantage
Cost reduction
Happy
customers
Inspiring
employees
Maximising data
Legacy
modernisation
Unprecedented ROI.
Low TCO. Results in days.
Create enterprise-grade applications quicker and cheaper
Enable all users to deliver apps in days or weeks rather than months
Quickly implement wide-spread solutions that deliver on the bottom line
Maximise systems, services and databases via true interoperability without writing code
Design once, instantly run and reuse apps across web and mobile
Unlock global scale with an elastic Cloud-based approach
Go create. Have it your way!

A solution that supports business and IT teams.
You
Create
Access the enterprise platform as an aPaaS solution coupled with training and support.
Empower all types of user to unlock and scale your in-house digital capability. Without
writing code, enable internal resources to quickly create, manage, deploy and distribute
unlimited business process apps.
We
We create and deploy your enterprise applications
SaaS
Ready to deploy apps
Create
Store
72
You create and build your internal digital capability
Private Cloud apps are created using our dedicated implementation team. Actively
participate in rapid application development and get business process apps quicker
and at less cost. Automate new and re-engineer existing processes one app at a time.
Buy from a library of ready-to-use business process apps proven to innovate specic
sector and role based processes. With minimal conguration, customise to your
business outcomes.
Flexible. Scalable. User-friendly.

A exible Cloud-based platform environment and user-friendly tools enable extensive conguration of data,
forms, expressions, workow and documents. Create apps by conguring models not writing code.
Data
Extract value and join the intelligent
economy
Collate, rationalise, add and extract value
from your existing data repositories. Easily
connect, extend and add value to existing
systems and data sources. Integrate data
in and out, to and from anywhere via an
intuitive user interface.
Forms
Simple. Flexible. Controlled
Where life begins. A sophisticated and
exible builder enables advanced forms
to be created and continuously improved.
Introduce data capture elds for free
text, drop downs, multiple selections and
even machine learning. Easily introduce
mandatory and optional decision making,
eld validation, look up lists and
help text narrative.
Globalisation
Deliver outside home markets
Support multiple cultures and markets in
dierent languages. Models, expressions
and document generation come fully
globalised with built in localisation tools.
Global scale
and results.
Expressions
Accurate decisions, faster.
Automate behaviour
Build and add advanced mathematical
rules that automate decision making and
intelligence directly into your applications.
Deliver personalisation, accuracy and
consistency into business processes for
better business outcomes.
Workow
Agile for faster outcomes
Make relevant things happen faster.
Congure multi-channel outputs with
absolute exibility - emails, calendar
updates, data processing and more.
Design rst class workows to
collaborate and manage complex
enterprise interactions.
Reports and Business Intelligence
Actionable insight delivered fast
Drive real-time reporting on your process
performance and status. Customise a
drag and drop dashboard out-of-the-box
for BI reporting on any element of your
process and outcomes. Continuously
improve processes and applications
based on insights you glean.
KnowledgeKube allowed us to produce

a proof of concept at a signicantly
lower cost, 90% quicker and importantly,
with deeper functionality than we
imagined. It really has been rapid app
development.
Very quickly we automated a custom

learning experience and Skills Award
Scheme. We have 80% more students
now doing the skills award as a
direct result.
Chet Gladkowski, GAPro Systems.
Documentation
Raise expectations
Branded and personalised role driven
documents rendered in multiple formats,
a given. Whatever the requirements,
generate high quality documents that
support entire data gathering and output
needs, however complex. Incorporate
form and expression data plus external
information. Render out through standard
oce applications. Distribute anywhere.
Extensibility
The freedom to innovate further
Maximise existing investment in systems,
libraries and custom code vital to
on-going operations. Create question
plugins, expression functions and custom
workow actions using Microsoft C#,
VB.NET or even managed C++ with a high
performance extensibility model.
With KnowledgeKube, the business

created a Proof of Concept 80% faster
than conventional development and
programming tools, importantly, it also
cost 60% less.
Andrew Krauze, Chairman of CCL Solutions

Group.
In less than a week we had built an
application and secured 90,000 of cloud
services quotes in minutes not hours of
manual technical pre-sales eort.
Remarkable. A KnowledgeKube team of

two built a working pre-sales portal from
scratch within 2 working days. Bespoke
development would have
taken months.
We have released thousands of sales

man hours globally with KnowledgeKube
pre-sales applications. These are more
feature rich and were created 77%
quicker and 87% cheaper than the
alternative development resource. More
consistent outputs and better processes
have transformed customer experience.
Blue chip tech giant
John Holm. Capita
We are able to market, manage and

oer well-articulated insurance cover
quicker, more accurately and with
minimal cost.
KnowledgeKube has delivered a

veterinary trading portal targeting 6,000
vets, faster and cheaper than
bespoke development.
KnowledgeKube enabled us to deliver

guided pre-sales experiences to over 150
countries in 27 languages to a user base
of over 25,000 companies.
Richard Riley. Small Heath School
Global Insurer
Trevor Roberts. Godiva
Birmingham, B1 3BP
Global Pharma Corp
@knowledgekube
Gareth Carr. Icomm Technologies
KnowledgeKube is set to help Capita

Insurance services and Cobalt become
a market-changer by driving risk out of
workow processes around
complex products.
Global hardware vendor
0121 605 2050
4275/KKPLATFORM3PP/MAG/20151105/JG
How?
73
Get closer to customers.

Qualify and respond to needs better.
Pre-sales
From simple surveys and configurators to

fully guided interactive buying experiences.
KnowledgeKube.
By you, or for you.
Apps to transform
pre-sales and
advisory services.
Pre-sales and qualification of needs
are difficult, expensive and often
manual processes, particularly where
detailed sales or product knowledge
are required or highly configurable
products and services are being
offered.
Transform your manual processes into
interactive digital applications that
enhance customer experience and
reduce reliance on specialist
sales expertise.
74
Unprecedented ROI. Low TCO. Instant results.

Deliver control, accuracy and efficiency into pre-sales estimates and
processes, improving sales conversions with more consistent customer
centric approaches
Remove manual intervention and lower the cost of winning new business.
Improve net profitability by infusing efficiency into your processes
Maximise sales and marketing ROI by improving long and complex sales
processes. Better qualify leads and increase conversions
Respond to market needs quickly to gain competitive advantage
Unlock your business potential by sharing pre-sales knowledge through
on-line experiences and generate more revenue at lower cost
KnowledgeKube is the app platform for all users. Create enterprise web and
mobile apps quicker and cheaper, without having to write code.
KnowledgeKube enabled
us to deliver guided presales experiences to over 150
countries in 27 languages to
a user base of over 25,000
companies.
It has been deployed by many leading businesses to deliver an unmatched presales solution.
Product and service configurators
Implement simple to use configurators for off the shelf products, or more
complex configure to order products and services, such as build, order and
manufacture of custom HGVs or bespoke IT hardware systems.
Global Hardware Vendor
We have built an on-line IT

support contract configurator
to enable inexperienced
sales resources to deliver
highly complex quotes more
quickly, and sometimes more
accurately, than experienced
sales people. Weve increased
new business and reduced
cost of sale dramatically.
Administer complex rules-based guided experiences, offering only customer

relevant selections, compatibility and stock availability.
Calculators
ROI and TCO calculations in customer proposals are a powerful sales tool, but
they are often difficult and time consuming to deliver. Create simple to highly
complex calculators. Provide customers with value added information. Trigger
workflow to automatically generate custom outputs along with fully personalised
and branded documentation.
Ian Callens. Icomm
Telemarketing and sales decision support

Script a sales team to cross-sell a relevant service or product with conviction.
Empower them with deep levels of knowledge. More accurately qualify and match
stakeholder needs and configure workflow to automatically generate outputs to
nurture ongoing contact. Capture opportunities and better qualify leads. Adjust
live questions and configure intuitive guidance to sharpen yield.
We have released thousands

of sales man hours globally
with KnowledgeKube presales applications. These are
more feature rich and were
created 77% quicker and 87%
cheaper than the alternative
development resource. More
consistent outputs and better
processes have transformed
customer experience.
Customer service
Better manage and accurately script contact centre advice provision with powerful
and intelligent decision support tools. Prompt users to capture information
quickly and respond appropriately. Unlock efficiency and scale. Empower
consistent diagnosis, troubleshooting and resolution such as clinical decision
support or new starter training.
Blue chip tech giant
Were able to respond rapidly

to keep premiums attractive,
driving automatic renewals.
Surveys and market research

Whether fact finding globally, profiling contacts locally or conducting needs
analysis, improve contact engagement quality. Auto-collate responses, process
and publish research quicker. Reduce survey build, publish and distribution times.
Create powerful smart questionnaires that provide instant feedback to users and
deliver rich outputs PDFs, standard Microsoft Office or SharePoint formats.
Birmingham, B1 3BP
@knowledgekube
0121 605 2050
4261/20151030/PRE-SALES/JG
Barrie Roberts. Godiva Insurance
75
Trading
Trade more profitably with stakeholders.

Sell more, faster.
Transactional vertical market portals
that unlock growth.
KnowledgeKube.
By you, or for you.
Apps that transform

the way you trade
Unlock profits with web and mobile apps
Many businesses share the modern

day problem of scaling marketing and
business development without having
huge investment budgets, a large
salesforce or with the capability to
train and up-skill staff.
Rapid ROI. Reduce time and cost of taking products and services to market.
Shorten the sales cycle. Sell more, faster and without the costs of scale.
Whether you operate in a large scale,

frequently changing market like IT or
insurance, or are looking to unlock
new sales fast in niche verticals like
dentistry or veterinary practice, quickly
build apps that make up a bespoke
trading portal. Self-manage ongoing
changes and configuration, unlock
new sales, maximise business flexibility
and increase your profit margins.
Gain competitive advantage. Quickly test new products and adjust

attributes live. From insurance ratings to broker, intermediary and /
or customer discounts. Accurately meet customer needs and beat the
competition by responding to market dynamics fast.
Improve customer experience and loyalty. Needs more accurately met
through a highly efficient own-branded experience from portal to personalised
documentation. A superior end user and customer journey.
Broaden sales reach and grow revenues. Empower non-technical
employees to up-sell complex products and services. Enable a receptionist to
quickly build and transact an accurate customer dental plan or enable a vet to
configure a complex well-being pet plan and amend an exclusive discount in a
live face to face consultation.
Sales with scale. Internet based portals enable access for multiple internal
or external users across sales and franchise networks or direct to customers.
Elastic cloud deployment instantly scales to meet demand globally if needed.
76
KnowledgeKube is set to
help Capita Insurance Services
and Cobalt become a marketchanger by driving risk out
of workflow processes of
complex products.
John Holm. Capita
Finally, vets are able to build

their own plans and pricing
structures live to be more
competitive and efficient in
meeting complex customer
needs, so increasing direct
debit recurring business.
Added value for veterinary
practices and added value
for us.
US pet well-being plan provider
Patients have different

care needs and allowances
to cater for variable price
services. Users now select the
social care they need within
their prescribed per head
budget. Weve connected
multiple providers to multiple
buyers based on budget
authorisation. It is delivering
a better service and
saving money.
Social Care provider
mobile apps quicker and cheaper, without having to write code. Either you
create or we create your trading portals, all supported by a rich set of back office
features that enable business users to modify, test and implement key trading
processes online.
Real-time product and service configuration by the business
Effortlessly build and manage a catalogue of offers. Introduce keywords,
expression results, rich text and images, hide and show single questions or
question groups. Add validation, look-ups, help text and endorsements or
dynamically calculate discounts, commissions, renewals and more.
Powerful question and rating engine
Questions refine customer needs, calculations and analytics validate and
streamline the process and journey. Only offer what is relevant to the user
or customer.
Give your users options
Give users and customers multiple, side-by-side product or service options such
as comparative insurance quotes or highlight gold, silver and bronze alternatives
based on a service plan.
Branded experience
Advanced content management tools enable full customisation of all branding,
look and feel.
Personalised documentation and communications
Automate branded and personalised outputs for emails and documents. Author
and render certificates, contracts, reports and more into multiple formats
including PDF and Word for distribution, print and download.
Role based access and functionality
Control user access to relevant actions and content from admin to sales, to
enable items such as differential pricing calculated by role.
Preview everything
Easily test and pilot fully featured user and customer experiences prior to
promoting into live environments.
Birmingham, B1 3BP
@knowledgekube
0121 605 2050
4261/20151030/TRADPORT/JG
Seamless integration
Connect, extend and write back to data sources, services and systems. Close the
sales loop, connect with CRM, finance and payment systems.
77
Unlock daily productivity

and efficiency gains.
From expenses claims to holiday requests
to more complex processes.
Common Processes
KnowledgeKube.
By you, or for you.
Apps to streamline
your common business
processes
Common or everyday business processes
are often the least efficient element of any
working day. These are often repetitive
manual processes or disjointed legacy
applications. Automating and improving
them unlocks time and cost savings,
allowing businesses to focus resource
elsewhere.
However, prototyping and delivering
solutions to these problems has
traditionally cost more than continuing to
complete the process manually, until now
KnowledgeKube has broken the mould
as a platform that enables all users to
develop their own business applications
that simplify common tasks at radically
reduced cost. Simple, flexible, efficient.
78
Web and mobile apps that transform

daily operations
Ever increasing ROI. The more you automate and improve, the
greater the ROI.
Tailored to you. Automate processes how you work.
KnowledgeKube is flexible, so applications can be tailored by you, by
your own people or by our implementation team.
Quick delivery quick ROI. Deployed from the cloud for instant use.
Streamlined configuration, changes made easily and in a controlled
environment, so timeline and costs are compressed.
Absolute scalability. KnowledgeKube has already proven its
scalability with applications that are in use world-wide in over 150
countries in 27 languages handling over $1bn of transactions per
month.
Rapid and simple integration. Easily integrate with your existing
data, services and systems to leverage your investments.
mobile apps quicker and cheaper, without having to write code.
By automating some of our

common manual business
processes we delivered
considerable time savings
for our advisors within a
short development time
frame and within days of
implementation.
The KnowledgeKube application portfolio is growing daily as more business uses

are identified and more business applications are created.
Every business area can benefit from automation of common and daily business
processes, including Management, Health & Safety, IT, HR, Finance, Compliance
and Sales & Marketing.
Central Government
service provider
Example common areas that can be transformed with KnowledgeKube
We developed a working
prototype with two
Implementation consultants
on site for two days, with
no other work involved
a process that would
previously have taken months.
Remarkable.
IT Director Global Insurer
Management processes
Flexible work tracking
Employee induction
Document management
Absence monitoring
Expense tracking
Performance management
Health & Safety management
Probationary reviews
Compliance procedures
Overtime reporting
Recruitment process management
Awards schemes and training

programmes
Fraud detection
Birmingham, B1 3BP
@knowledgekube
0121 605 2050
4261/20151030/CMNPRO/JG
Need more? Develop your own business applications with the KnowledgeKube
platform or get our implementation team to modify existing or create new
applications for you.
79
Specialist Processes
Specialist tasks made simple.

Organisation or role specific
processes transformed.
KnowledgeKube.
By you, or for you.
Transform and
differentiate with apps
for new ways of working
Business leaders often look to do things
differently from their peers; identifying
weakness in processes and implementing
new ways of working whilst continuously
improving and refining.
Are you looking to differentiate your
organisation or perhaps innovate
processes specific to you, your sector
or role?
KnowledgeKubes flexibility enables rapid
configuration of customised line-ofbusiness applications to your exacting
needs, digitising manual yet specialised
processes. Connect and extend existing
systems, services and data sources too.
Streamline your business processes

and increase productivity.
Unprecedented ROI. Low TCO. Instant results
Streamline and improve processes for better business
outcomes, save time, save money
Be more productive and release time to focus on more
strategic tasks
Maximise existing systems, services and data.
Connect and extend with minimum risk and expense
Let the business innovate and deliver. Empower your
IT department with a streamlined development platform;
enable control and governance to be retained whilst
relieving everyday development pressures.
4261/20151030/SPEC-PRO/JG
If you are looking to automate and

better control your procurement process,
implement a high performance in-store
advisory service, or improve a variety of
other specialist processes, KnowledgeKube
enterprise web and mobile apps can
change your game.
80
mobile apps quicker and cheaper, without having to write code. It enables even
the most complex and specialised processes to be automated and extended.
Empower users - Quickly and consistently deliver an interactive process that
equips and guides users based on their role in the enterprise and the information
they provide.
Automate intelligence and decision making - Be more process focussed.
Remove manual intervention by adding logic to your end user journeys.
Progressively present only those elements that are relevant to the role or task at
hand.
Any business or role can feel the benefit - From niche single role-based
processes through to the most complex global organisations, understanding and
intelligence can be delivered faster and with better quality assurance.
Integrate everywhere - Connect, extend or supplement enterprise level ERP
and CRM systems such as SAP, Oracle and Salesforce. Integrate with systems
and infrastructure provisioned in the cloud including BizTalk Services or custom
applications within Microsoft Azure data centres.
Birmingham, B1 3BP
@knowledgekube
0121 605 2050
4261/20151030/SPEC-PRO/JG
Enterprise procurement requisitioning and auction

application. Single system joining disparate data,
locations, processes, suppliers, customers and approvers.
Product catalogue updated daily to enable online
ordering from only approved supplier base. Integration
with customers Active Directory and ERP systems.
Purchasing and IT improved internal SLAs by 20% and
reduced admin costs of purchase orders by 70%.
81
@KnowledgeBus
0121 605 2050
81% of organisations pay

up to 920% margin on IT*
Compare. Negotiate. Save.

KnowledgeBus enables IT buyers to quickly benchmark purchases
against daily trade guide price and stock levels on over 150,000 products from
more than 2,500 manufacturers.
Access market knowledge to negotiate better deals and get more from
your IT procurement.
Save up to 24% on ICT budgets

and an hour per order
Identify fair price and spot overcharging
Plot key market trends for more
strategic procurement
We managed to reduce our IT

spend by approximately 10%.
Sage UK
Dave Banks, Senior IT
Procurement Coordinator
*Download full report at:

*KnowledgeBus IT Edition survey evaluated over 1,000 organisations with perceived supplier relationships of between cost +3-5%.
82
[4579/KNOWLEDGEBUS/20150821]
Measurable benefits from day one:
KnowledgeBus IT Edition is a product of Mercato Solutions.

Copyright Mercato Solutions Limited, All Rights Reserved.
Rapid Benchmarking
KnowledgeBus IT Edition facilitates rapid
benchmarking activity so you can
negotiate and validate better deals with
suppliers fast. It advises you of daily
updated specification, trade guide price
and stock levels on products held within
the UK IT supply chain. It will help you
save time and money.
Import lists
Upload one-off checks or
catalogues for automated
population with buy-price,
margin and stock.
Framework pricing
Cross check buy-prices with
your subscribed frameworks
and channel pricing to
validate point of best value.
Auto alerts
Set automatic notification of
price/stock/End Of Line
movements for your products
to stay ahead of suppliers.
Spend Analysis
Set periodic automated spend
analyses on existing lists or
interrogate new lists to police
overcharging.
Request For Quotations

Automated RFQs to shorten
the purchase process.
Exchange rates &

raw materials
Access and chart stats to
assess market patterns for
more strategic purchasing.
Management single view

Quickly unlock more from your budget with an intuitive tile based
dashboard that delivers deep levels of information in a single view.
Total Integration
Join-up your benchmarking workflow with third party solutions from
ERP to cloud apps and Microsoft Office.
Procurement Hub
Optional facility. Add a buy button. Validate prices then purchase at
guaranteed fixed margins.
Big Data
Drive informed procurement decisions with access to a terabyte of daily
updated ICT market Business Intelligence, covering 150,000+ live products
from 2,500+ manufacturers across every category. Analyse an archive of
data on over 600,000 products.
Collaboration
Reduce duplication of effort by sharing outputs, alerts, product lists and
related benchmark information across departments or a network of offices.
Benchmark on the go
Conduct mobile procurement activity on tablets, iPads and smartphones.
Benchmarking Services
Optional service. Let us deliver your spend analysis. Then use our deep
IT supply chain insight to coach purchasers on best practice and how to
achieve best value.
*KnowledgeBus IT Edition survey evaluated over 1,000 organisations

with perceived supplier relationships of between cost +3-5%.
0121 605 2050
[4579/KNOWLEDGEBUS/20150821]
83
Your technology partner

www.probrand.co.uk
0121 605 1000
Save time and money buying IT
Get more from your IT
Transform the way you work
IT Products
www.theITindex.co.uk
0800 26 26 29
IT Services
www.icomm.co.uk
0121 248 7931
Software
www.mercatosolutions.co.uk
0121 605 2050
Outstanding
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Embracing and De-Risking Digital Transformation

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Issue 3

THE VALUE IN EVERYTHING WE DO.

YOUR TECHNOLOGY PARTNER

0121 605 1000 | www.probrand.co.uk |

urther to lots of very positive feedback and

This development is still being met with trepidation by some,

Technology research in brief

Tracking the IT product market

Whats on the CIOs agenda?

Should analyst predictions affect

Changing attitudes to digital

Realising the potential of smart

innovation in the public sector

Mobile computing devices

The future of office printing

Dont get swept along by hype

A desktop for modern times

The era of disruptive innovation

The savvy buyer

Know your margins

Benchmarking helps South

Never be too paranoid with

How to train employees in

Is it time to rethink your tape

Mitigating risk when migrating to

What next for public sector ICT

Cutting the cord

Technology research in brief

Four fifths of businesses

Research by Kaspersky Lab has found that a third of

More than 80% of companies have boosted revenues as a

The study, which surveyed 795 executives from large

Konstantin Voronkov, Kaspersky Labs head of

UK cloud adoption rate

Wearables move from consumer

Probrand Group Magazine

he latest market figures show that businesses

Probrand Group Magazine

Demand for all-in-one

Computing and Printing

However, vendors are rising to the challenges they face in this

Price that switches

n the first ever edition of the Probrand Magazine,

Probrand Group Magazine

EXPLORE over 150,000 products

ith an ever-expanding range of mobile computing products, choosing

Make sure there are enough USB

Optical drives are increasingly being

Cutting down on size may

If the end user is always on the

Make certain the notebook can

While Intel has a set limit for

How much moving around is needed? If this is more than

Dont overestimate how much storage is needed, especially if your

Probrand Group Magazine

Dont underestimate computing power

Coined by Intel in 2011, the term

Depending on price, users could find compromises

Make sure the power and storage requirements are

Is the OS tailored for tablet or notebook mode? This

If typing is a priority, make sure the keyboard

If the primary use will be in tablet mode, the

Decide on whether you need 4G connectivity