Can’t wait to integrate ChatGPT into your business processes? …actually, here’s exactly why you should wait!

ChatGPT for business

You can’t escape it. It’s all over the news and social media about this sudden wave of improvements in LLM (Large Language Models) or as most people know them at the moment Chat-GPT! 

Every large tech firm is rushing to integrate these technologies into their products with Microsoft launching co-pilot and Bing with Chat-GPT integration. Google is launching AI lead improvements to Workspace and Facebook accidentally leaked the source code to their LLM. 🤦‍♂️

With all of this going on you would expect that these products are at least secure and pose no risk to the users, businesses or the general public. And while I am wholly in favour of improvement to AI and ML, we must consider the risks these LLM pose as they begin to become part of everyday life. 

What are you talking about?

I should start by covering what an LLM is. Well in the words of Nvidia “A large language model, or LLM, is a deep learning algorithm that can recognise, summarise, translate, predict and generate text and other content based on knowledge gained from massive datasets.” To most of us what this means is that a system can take input in human language, not machine code or programming language and can then complete these instructions. Now, this can be as simple as how do you bake a cake. Or you can ask it to write an application that will convert files to pdf and upload them to an FTP server based on the IP address x.x.x.x and write an output file for me to show completion, in C++. The LLM will then go away, compute the question against the information it has been “taught” and will then come back with an answer.

chatgpt plus

 There are a few things we should all be aware of with LLMs as they stand today, these limitations are present but not always obvious. 

  • LLMs are driven by the dataset they have and may have complete blind spots to events if they occur post the data set provided, i.e Chat GPT (GPT-3) is based on a data set from 2021. So if you ask it about the F1 teams for 2023, it will either throw an error or will simply give you information it “generates” from the information it has been fed.
  • LLMs can therefore “hallucinate” facts and give you a completely incorrect answer if it doesn’t know the facts or if the algorithm works itself into a situation where it believes it has the right information.
  • LLMs are power-hungry. They need huge amounts of computing power and data to train and operate the systems.
  • LLMs can be very biased and can often be tricked into providing answers by using leading questions making them unreliable.
  • The largest risk is that they can be coxed into creating toxic content and are prone to injections actions.

Therefore the biggest question remains what is the risk of introducing an LLM into your business workflow? 

With the way that LLMs work they learn from data sets. Therefore, the potential risk is that your business data inside applications like Outlook, Word, Teams or Google Workspace is being used to help develop the LLM and you don’t have direct control over where the data goes. Now, this is bound to be addressed over time but these companies will 100% need access to your data to move these models forward so limiting its scope will have an impact on how they develop and grow. Microsoft and Google will want to get as much data as possible. 

As such you need to be careful to read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy of any LLM you use. 

Other Risks

This one is scary, and it increases as more organisations introduce LLMs into the core workflow, is that queries stored online may be hacked, leaked, stolen or more likely accidentally made publicly accessible. Because of this, there is a huge risk of exposing potentially user-identifiable information or business-related information. 

We should be aware of the misuses risk that also comes from LLM with the chance they will be used to generate more convincing phishing emails, or even teach attackers better ways to convince users to enter into risky behaviour. 

openai

The final risk that we should be aware of is that the operator of the LLM is later acquired by a company that may be a direct rival to yours, or by an organisation with a different approach to privacy than when you signed up for the platform and therefore puts your business at risk. 

As such the NCSC recommends

  • not to include sensitive information in queries to public LLMs
  • not to submit queries to public LLMs that would lead to issues were they made public

At this point, Planet IT’s recommendation is not to integrate the new features from Microsoft and Google into your business workflow. Certainly not until proper security and data controls have been implemented by these companies and the risk of your business data being used as sample material to teach the LLMs is fully understood. These are emerging technologies, and as we continue to see change at Planet IT we are monitoring everything very carefully to understand how it will affect the security and data compliance of your business. 

More information from the NCSC can be found here : https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/chatgpt-and-large-language-models-whats-the-risk

If you want to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you with your security and understanding of LLM then please call 01235 433900 or you can email enquires@planet-it.net or if you would like to speak to me directly you can reach out to me via DM or at james.dell@planet-it.net.

IMPORTANT!!

This article was NOT written by ChatGPT. It was written by this ChapJPD (James Peter Dell)

Cloud Security Assessment Checklist: Protecting Your Business in the Cloud

cloud security checklist

Just because your data is in the cloud, that doesn’t mean it’s secure.
What???

I know many people believe that because they use Microsoft Azure, AWS or GCP, and big tech have their own security measures in place, that means you are safe, right? It doesn’t!!

In order to protect your sensitive information and comply with industry regulations, you need to perform a comprehensive security assessment of your cloud infrastructure.

Here is our recommended cloud security assessment checklist to help you ensure that your cloud environment is secure:

Access Management

Access management is one of the most critical components of cloud security. You need to ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive information and systems. This can be achieved through the implementation of strong authentication methods such as multi-factor authentication, the use of secure password policies and even better, biometric authentication.
Additionally, it’s important to regularly review and audit your access logs to detect any unauthorised access attempts.

MFA

Directory Service

Directory services play a crucial role in cloud security by providing centralised authentication and authorisation for your cloud environment. A robust directory service will allow you to manage user accounts, passwords, and permissions in a secure and scalable manner. Ensure that your directory service is properly configured and that it integrates seamlessly with your access management solution.

Data Loss Prevention and Backup Policies

Data loss prevention is critical in protecting your sensitive information in the cloud. Implement a comprehensive data loss prevention strategy that includes the use of encryption, data backups, and disaster recovery solutions. Ensure that your data backup policies are regularly tested and updated to ensure that your data can be recovered in the event of an unexpected outage or disaster.

Rely on a Security Team

This is key. A dedicated security team is essential for ensuring the security of your cloud environment. This team should be responsible for the implementation and management of your cloud security solutions, as well as for performing regular security assessments and audits. Whether in-house or outsourced, make sure that your security team has the necessary skills and experience to keep your cloud environment secure.

Encryption

Encryption is an essential component of cloud security. Encryption can protect your sensitive information from unauthorised access, even if it falls into the wrong hands. Ensure that your data is encrypted both at rest and in transit, and that your encryption keys are properly managed and protected.

security updates

Security Updates

Often overlooked, updates are critical for keeping your cloud environment secure. Regularly update your cloud infrastructure and security solutions to ensure that you are protected against the latest threats. Stay up-to-date with the latest security news and vulnerabilities to ensure that you are prepared for any potential security incidents.

Monitoring

Regularly monitor your cloud environment to detect any security incidents or threats. Ensure that you have the necessary tools and processes in place to quickly respond to any security incidents, and that your security team is properly trained and equipped to handle them.

In conclusion, the cloud is an essential component of modern business, but it also presents a unique set of security challenges. By following this cloud security assessment checklist, you can ensure that your cloud environment is secure and that your sensitive information is protected. Keep this checklist handy and regularly assess your cloud security to ensure that you are always protected.

Ignorance is not bliss. Why Are Some Businesses So Reluctant To Embrace The Cloud?

Why are businesses so reluctant to adopt the cloud?

Cloud computing is the future of business. I argue that it is very much the present too. The cloud benefits organisations to become more agile, efficient, and cost-effective.

But why are some companies still hesitant to join the party?

Is it the cost? Is it a lack of understanding?

Ok, Let’s call out the elephant in the room: security and privacy concerns.

Yes, security breaches make headlines, but the truth is that cloud providers have heavily invested in security measures.

This includes encryption, firewalls, and multi-factor authentication. However, many businesses are still sceptical about the effectiveness of these measures and worry that their data could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

So, I’m going to call the cloud providers out on this. Just because your data is stored on the cloud, and despite their valiant efforts, the reality is that you still need 3 party security solutions in place to safeguard your business data. But any responsible IT manager or business leader will appreciate this is a modern business need anyway.

Another reason for the reluctance to adopt cloud computing is privacy. Many businesses are concerned about the privacy of their data, particularly in light of recent privacy scandals. They worry that their confidential information could be accessed by unauthorised third parties, either by accident or through malicious intent.

But it’s not just security and privacy holding companies back. Many simply don’t understand the cloud. And that’s understandable. But ignorance is not bliss in the digital age. The businesses that seize the cloud advantage will leave their competition in the dust. Access to cutting-edge tech, scalability, and improved collaboration – the benefits of the cloud are too good to pass up.

So, to the companies still on the fence about cloud computing: don’t be left behind. Embrace the future and take your business to the next level.

Cloud computing is the answer to your digital needs – embrace it and thrive.

The future of Cyber Security for… BUSINESS LEADERS

the future of cybersecurity for business leaders

The future of cyber threats impacts both IT managers and business leaders, but with different priorities and approaches. While both groups recognise the importance of securing their organisation’s digital assets, they have different perspectives on the impact of these threats on their respective roles.

I have written 2 articles. Both on the topic of looking at the future of the cybersecurity landscape, but this post is from the BUSINESS LEADERS, OWNERS, MANAGING AND FINANCE DIRECTORS  point of view.

If you’d like to see my take on what IT MANAGER or IT DIRECTOR‘s need to be aware of, then CLICK HERE.

The Future of Cybersecurity.

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and persistent, posing a significant risk to businesses of all sizes. Business owners, managing directors, CEOs, and financial directors, be Aware! It is crucial to understand the future of cyber threats and take the necessary steps to protect their organisations from devastating cyber attacks.

  1. Cost of a Cyber Attack. A successful cyber attack can have devastating consequences for a business. This includes loss of sensitive information, damage to brand reputation, and financial losses. The cost of a cyber attack can run into hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds. In many cases, even force a business to close its doors permanently.
  2. Targeted Attacks. Businesses are increasingly becoming targets of cyber criminals who are looking to exploit vulnerabilities in their systems for financial gain. These targeted attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and businesses must be proactive in their approach to cybersecurity to stay ahead of the threat. The naive days of “Why would they want to hack us?” are long gone. Any business is a target. 
  3. Cloud Computing. The widespread adoption of cloud computing is changing the way businesses operate. It also presents new challenges in terms of cybersecurity. Businesses must ensure that their cloud environments are secure, and that sensitive data is protected from cyber threats.
  4. Human Error. Now this is a big one! Human error is a leading cause of cyber attacks. Your people are and are always likely to be your weakest link. It is crucial for business owners to educate their employees about the importance of cybersecurity and best practices for keeping their systems and data safe.

In conclusion,

The future of cyber threats and cybersecurity is uncertain, and businesses must take proactive steps to protect themselves. From the cost of a cyber attack to the risks posed by cloud computing and human error, it is crucial for business owners to understand the potential consequences and take the necessary steps to secure their organisations. By implementing robust security measures and staying informed about the latest threats and trends, businesses can mitigate their risk and protect themselves from the devastating consequences of a cyber attack.

The future of Cyber Security for… IT MANAGERS

the future of cybersecurity for it managers

The future of cyber threats impacts both IT managers and business leaders, but with different priorities and approaches. While both groups recognise the importance of securing their organisation’s digital assets, they have different perspectives on the impact of these threats on their respective roles.

I have written 2 articles. Both on the topic of looking at the future of the cybersecurity landscape, but this post is from the IT MANAGER or IT DIRECTOR‘s point of view.

If you’d like to see my take on what BUSINESS LEADERS, OWNERS, MANAGING AND FINANCE DIRECTORS need to be aware of, then CLICK HERE.

The Future of Cyber Threats for IT Managers

Cybersecurity has become a critical issue for companies and organisations of all sizes. Obviously, it is essential for IT managers to stay informed about the latest threats and trends in the field. In the coming years, the landscape of cybersecurity will continue to evolve, and IT managers must prepare to face new and emerging challenges.

Here are some of the key trends and predictions IT Managers and Directors need to know for the future of cyber threats.

  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). AI and ML technologies are becoming increasingly popular, and these technologies will also be used by cybercriminals to carry out attacks. AI-powered malware and bots will become more sophisticated and difficult to detect, making it crucial for IT managers to implement advanced security measures and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in AI and ML security.
  2. The Internet of Things (IoT). The widespread adoption of IoT devices will continue to grow, but the security of these devices is a major concern. Cybercriminals will target IoT devices to gain access to networks and sensitive data, and IT managers must take steps to secure these devices and ensure they are not vulnerable to attack.
  3. Cloud Computing. Cloud computing is becoming more prevalent, we know that. And as a result, cloud security will become a top priority for IT managers. Cloud-based systems and data are vulnerable to attack, and it will be crucial for IT managers to implement robust security measures to protect their cloud environments.
  4. Ransomware. Ransomware will continue to be a major threat, and the number of ransomware attacks is expected to increase. IT managers must take steps to protect their systems and data from ransomware attacks, and also have a plan in place for responding to and recovering from an attack.

In conclusion,

The future of cyber threats is uncertain, but IT managers can prepare themselves by staying informed and implementing the latest security measures. The use of AI, IoT devices, cloud computing, and ransomware will continue to present new challenges for IT managers, and it is crucial that they stay ahead of the curve to protect their organisations and data.

2022 – The Big Technology Winners & Losers

technology winners

As some of you might know, once December comes around, I sit down and take a lookahead at the at the technology that I believe will shape our year.

That article will be released the first week of January so watch this space…

Before that though, I always think it’s a bit of fun to look back at the last 12 months and see how right or wrong my predictions last year actually were.

In a change from previous years, 2022 technology landscape wasn’t as dominated by COVID-19. Instead, we were impacted by other unforeseen challenges such as the war in Ukraine, disaster mini-budgets and the loss of our head of state.

Because of this, some of our forecasts were slightly delayed, but overall, our predictions were pretty spot on. I won’t go into the detail again, but if you want to review our 2022 predictions, click here.

But now, using the powerful tool of hindsight, who exactly were the winners and losers of 2022?

 

Winners

 

Public Cloud

Once again, it has been a huge year for all things cloud technology. IaaS, SaaS, PaaS have, as predicted, accelerated to a new high, despite the critics in the market saying they are unaffordable.

Our customers have moved to the cloud in mass. The key for everyone has been looking at the workload and refining it to be cloud ready. If this is achieved, then workloads are streamlined, and the cloud is undoubtably a success.

The other interesting side effect of the success of public cloud is that the big server producers are all coming out with Hybrid cloud products. This is focused on keeping them in the game for a few more years, with products that allow easy workload migration to the cloud, cross scaling and targeted cloud leverage.

This will only continue in 2023, but my takeaway from it all is that the writing in now on the wall for the traditional server and storage world. HCI and owned equipment for servers is not far behind it.

cloud computing

 

Working From Home

The big companies of the world (mainly in finance) tried to tell us working from home was going to die off in 2022. Did they really believe people would flood back to the office?

This of course did not happen. WFH is here and it’s here to stay, with the focus for IT being on flexibility. The modern employee wants the chance to work where suits them. We are now able to tap into a globally connected market of extremely talented people who have previously been excluded from roles due to geographic location.

With Teams, Zoom, Slack and all the other tools at our fingertips, there is now no reason to not allow complete working flexibility and allow a better work life balance.

This is something that we at Planet IT have openly adopted. Without a doubt, this has seen an increase in people’s overall wellbeing and general approach to work has only gone from strength to strength.

Linux in the Mainstream

Stop right there! STOP!

Before all the IT people of the world lynch me and say “Linux has always been…..” or “Linux is the greatest operating system…..” I am in no way saying that Linux hasn’t been a very viable business operating system for the last 10 years.

Ubuntu as a distribution has been very user friendly and, for a while, even companies like Dell thought it was the future of the desktop consumer OS. Then ChromeOS came along and diverted their attention.

What I am saying is that in 2022, we saw the release of hardware running dedicated builds of Linux which are finally disrupting the market. One of these devices was the Valve Steam Deck, which was so popular this year that pre order took 11 months to fulfil.

However, the key for me is the story behind the hardware which is an operating system free from license costs. This overcomes some of the core challenges Linux has had in the past, compatibility. With this move and Apple’s move in opposite direction, 2023 looks set to be the year more business adopt the platform.

Let’s be honest, most cloud platforms are built around Linux anyway, so it only makes sense!

 

 

Losers

 

Private Datacenters

Déjà vu?

Last year, I said the coffin was ready and that we were about to hold the final goodbye for the private DC. I was pretty spot-on in fairness.

Even though a few hold outs tried to sell a revolutionary approach to private cloud, the final nail in the coffin was the energy crisis. Costs increased and private datacenters had to increase charges to customers. Meanwhile, AWS, Google and Microsoft simply swallowed most of the cost. This left most customers the choice between turning kit off or moving away.

There will always be a place for niche private datacenters for specific use cases, but for 95% of business’ the cloud is the future.

 

Meta

Having an extensional crisis about what the Metaverse is and what their products mean, Meta (previously Facebook) have struggled this year. Loosing revenue from adverts, losing ground to other platforms and heavily investing in Quest and the Metaverse which most people remain skeptical about anyway.

This shift has seen the company slip in its standing and become a bit of an outlier. This alongside a shift by Gen X and Y to TikTok and other faster social platforms is leaving Facebook and Instagram looking dated and doomed to be the next Bebo or MySpace (Sorry Tom!).

Many will say this is a good thing. The power in the hands of these super tech giants with everyone’s data makes governments and individuals nervous. So maybe a few of them shrinking may not upset too many.

P.S I won’t talk about Twitter in this section … because by the time you read anything I put about Twitter, Elon will have made huge changes, maybe renamed or deleted the platform and it will certainly be out of date! 🙂

SaaS Security

Surprised to see this in the technology loser section?

Security, is so important. It is even more important when you’re a company like Last Pass who recently suffered a data breach. They are the last in a long line of companies whose platforms have been compromised in 2022. Therefore, we cannot but think that maybe these big companies need to take platform or software security a little more seriously. This is a common trend and definitely hits my loser list because it shows how even the biggest companies can faulter.

Do better next year big tech, please!

 

The Lightning port

Why!!!??!

Its 2022! Why am I still talking about a micro connector that replaced a 30 pin USB 1 standard?

I will tell you why… because finally the EU has stood up to Apple and told them to get rid! 2022 will be the last year that a £1,400 device comes with a connector which cannot provide fast charging, cannot offer fast data transfer and is proprietary!

Long live USB C or well USB 3.2 or USB4 or Thunderbolt 3 or 4, whatever the standard, just use the same port for a couple of years. This will certainly allow me to cut down on the number of cables I hold onto!

lightening port

Conclusion

2022, like 2021, and 2020, was a year of change. Technology moves at a lightening pace (except, erm, the lightening port). We had some big winners, some little winners but overall, tech developments are moving quicker than ever. While Moore’s law may be starting to fail, the ability of technology companies to innovate is not.

Do you agree with our technology winners and losers list? What tech impressed you this year? Or what did you see crash and burn?

Comment on my post or DM me on LinkedIn, or email me directly on james.dell@planet-it.net if you would like to debate our choices or even talk about how the Planet experts can help you in 2023

 

The tech that should shape your business in 2022

technology trends

All the way back in January 2021, I wrote an article about what technology trends would shape your business in 2021. Looking back on those predictions, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that for many of our customers these technologies certainly did just that. If the pandemic continues to rear its ugly head some of what I said last year will still echo very true this year. You can read that article HERE.

However, the show must go on. For 2022 I am looking forward to what the new normal has become and how the technology we leverage every day can and must adapt to fit this need. Alongside this, I am exploring the tools, advancements and innovations that will change the way your business operates.

I always want to take these opportunities at the start of the year, to introduce or to develop your understanding of the technology trends we as a leading IT provider are seeing coming over the horizon. Ultimately these are what your business should and will be looking into and adopting to keep your business is safe, secure and able to compete in today’s busy market.

 

Cloud Services

Here we go again… Another year, another year of the cloud. I may have said this last year, and for that matter the last 2 years before that. Cloud Services, be that in the form of IaaS (Infrastructure as a service), PaaS (Platform as a Service) or SaaS (Software as a service), will change your business in 2022 regardless of if you want to let it.

The reason I say this is because we are no longer in an IT landscape where as a consumer you can choose how to run many of the platforms or software your business uses. Your ERP or MIS, most of these platforms are or have completely moved to SaaS or PaaS offering in 2022.

Take Sage for example, the development of this product as nearly completely killed-off on premise or as a standalone. The focus is on the delivery of the cloud hosted version. That may be with Sage directly or one of their key partners.

cloud technology trends

The bad news for IT managers who are cloud adverse or cloud sceptical?

Now is time to change your mind and move with the industry or risk getting left behind with systems and solutions that will only age and cause you greater issues down the road.

Continuing on the vain on SaaS, Microsoft continue to also drive services across to Microsoft 365 in favour of the cloud hosted, forever updated version of their tools vs the previous on premise products, I’m looking at your Endpoint Manager (Intune). This product is going from strength to strength. However it is doing so off the back of SCCM and ultimately galvanising the features from this well-established platform but developing them on Microsoft’s Cloud service. This leaves the on premise version to simply hook into the cloud and co-exist rather than get any substantial upgrades itself.

With businesses that implemented cloud services in 2020 and 2021, they saw an decrease in running costs of up to 50% and an increase in uptime and productivity up to 99.99%. This makes the cloud space one that from a CFO point of view cannot be ignored and from the position of the wider business can only make day to day IT services better.

If you take anything from this about Cloud service, let it be this; They are here to stay. They are the key focus for all software vendors and it’s a case of be onboard or be left behind.

 

A New World for Back-Up and DR

Building off of what I have said above about Cloud Services, the world of back-up and Disaster Recovery is also dramatically changing. This is twofold; you no longer have all your data sat locally on servers, storage and systems, which a local back up can collect and protect. Also, the fact that now, if your data is in a public cloud provider with a 99.99999% uptime guarantee, are you really going to move this data from them to a private datacentre or back to on-premise?

This change is making many businesses have to rip up their back up and DR strategies. For many IT Managers, Business Owners and Businesses, this is causing some hard conversations.

My take on the situation is simple.. Look at what you have now and where your business will be at the end of 2022. If your data is mostly moving to PaaS and SaaS solutions then you need to ensure that as data is moved that each of these providers or systems has a solid separate back up in place. Now for a platform like Microsoft Azure this does not need to be off platform but it needs to be in a different location. So with Azure we would look at Geo Redundancy or even multi-Geo Redundancy leveraging the technologies and services of Microsoft to back up your data to their other datacentres across the globe. If the system is 3rd party hosted like Sage, which I mentioned above, then you need a tool and a location which is away from this provider to store your data. For this I would always recommend looking at AWS, GCP or Microsoft Azure as the level of protection and guarantees you get from these providers is 10 fold that of a private or local storage solution.

If we look at wider IaaS and Infrastructure backup solutions and DR these also need to change. The first thing I will say on this is that tape back up’s are going the way of the dinosaur. (To be honest they should have gone a few years ago). While the logic of having a removable magnetic tape sounds like the right decision for all businesses. In the past few years we have seen that these devices don’t hold up in a DR situation and if they do, they are often too slow to react.

The best solution a business in 2022 can implement is to have an immutable back up in place. This is based on technology and tools that allow for near instant recovery. As we have seen time and time again businesses cannot support multi-hour or day outages in a disaster. Traditional back up technologies and techniques are beginning to leave business’s vulnerable to large periods of downtime in a true disaster situation.

If you are thinking about how your business should be protected in 2022, why not reach out to the team and we can talk you through in detail the cloud era back up approach to support your business.

human firewall

The Human Firewall

I said it last year and I will say it every year until I go blue in the face! We need to invest as much time into training our staff to ensure they can be safe and secure when using the systems and solutions that as a business we expect them to use. That is why in 2022 The Human Firewall continues to be one of the key areas of development we believe all business should be investing heavily into.

By this we mean training your staff to know what is safe and is not safe in the digital world and how to prevent risks to the business.

Now with this there has never been a one size fits all approach. There is however a logical approach which will prevent your business being open to risks that exist on your doorstep. We can teach our staff in 2022 to stop, deal with and report these problems. By doing this, then we increase the ability of a business to be robust and secure and remove the guesswork from the technology we need to ensure a business is safe. This coupled with MFA massively reduces the risk of account credentials being compromised.

For me as we enter 2022, the Year of the Human Firewall (2021) continues and I am now campaigning for the decade of the Human Firewall! So please go and train your staff and protect your business!

 

Silicone…. Oh Silicone

For some reason I have left the doom and gloom to last, but it has to be said that what ultimately will shape many businesses in 2022 is the continuing silicone and chip shortages. We are now 2 years into this problem and it is not getting better. We have all felt it. Consumer devices like the PS5 and Xbox Series X which where like gold dust for another Christmas. Servers and Laptops which are still being delayed by months at a time. We will all continue to feel the pain while the chip making industry rushes to fix the supply and demand issue.

As a cautionary tale for 2022, if your organisation is looking at a large refresh or even a big project this year which is time critical, think and act early when it comes to device purchasing.

We have seen wireless access points being delayed by 365 days from certain vendors in 2021. If your new office space or move is critical then this could cause you serious issues. Alongside this you have to think that every business will be in the same boat in 2022 so don’t be the one who gets caught out by lead times. I would also say don’t hold your breath for a new car any time soon as it seems the motor industry, with its love hate relationship with technology providers, has finally realised it’s not good to be at the bottom of the queue!

 

To stay ahead of the trend…

In conclusion 2022, like 2021 and 2020 before it is going to be a very different year to the 10’s that proceeded it. Cyber criminals and the threat landscape changing everyday, new vulnerabilities and risks appearing on a daily basis, for systems which are integrated in all of our lives and with potentially dramatic effect. However as business owners, technical professionals or employees we need to switch our approach and ensure we are using these changes to make our business ready for this continually changing landscape as we move forward. Think forward, think ahead and don’t get caught out by 2022 as I believe it will be a huge year for IT change.

 

If you want to talk to one of our experts about how we can help you in 2022 then please call 01235 433900 or you can email enquires@planet-it.net or if you would like to speak to me directly you can reach out to me via LinkedIn or at james.dell@planet-it.net.

2021 – The Big Technology Winners & Losers

2021 Best and Worst Technology

Just over a year ago, I sat down to write a technology review of 2020. We had just seen the single biggest transformation that had happened to global businesses in the last 20 years!

The digital acceleration forced upon businesses as COVID-19 hit and government lockdowns continued changed the way that businesses needed to operate. Those who had failed to invest in their IT systems very quickly came unstuck. Businesses looked at their IT teams and demanded their systems be brought up to date.

(If you missed it, you can still read last year’s article HERE)

Entering 2021, I knew it was going to be the year of the cloud, and it very much has proven to be. The global silicone shortages impacting chip production alone assured this. For many business the only choice has to been to go to public cloud and leave the traditional on-premise infrastructure behind. Because of this, and what has turned into a challenging year for different, but somewhat the same reasons as 2020, here is my list of the 2021 winners and losers…

Winners

 

Public Cloud

Both Microsoft and Amazon have this year continued to gather businesses in their ever growing datacenters. This proves that business are finally coming around to the fact that some things can be done better if you let the industry giants do it. I have long believed the future was public cloud. 2020 proved this point with 2021 then accelerating this at a rate that was far beyond anything we thought possible. Business who were steadfast against the cloud removed barriers to get into Microsoft, Amazons and Google’s systems.

Public cloud will in my option continue to be one of the biggest drivers in 2022, with many businesses having an approach of either on-premise with hybrid cloud or full public cloud in 2022. The focus on compliance and data security by the big three continues to make private cloud a challenge to uptake for many businesses as they struggle to complete with the tools and level of protection that Amazon, Microsoft and Google can invest in. Just remember, when moving to Public Cloud that it is a shared responsibility model!!!

Public Cloud

 

Intel

What a difference a year can make! 12 months ago Intel was a shell of its former glory and was looking like a Marvel hero at the end of Infinity War (*Spoolers the hero’s don’t do well in that movie).

With the desktop processor being stuck on an architecture which AMD and Apple had long since surpassed limited to core counts and feeling like it could be a tough 2021 for big blue. Well this all changed with the return of a titan in Pat Gelsinger, after his stint with VMware. Pat returned to put Intel back on the path that he had started them on some 8 years before and successfully accelerated the new chip design out the door.

Dubbed “Alder Lake” the new Intel desktop processor line-up moves away from the traditional design to mirror that of Apple with E and P Cores (Efficiency and Performance). The focus being that E cores can use less power and thus make your laptop battery run for longer. The P cores can be activated to drive the system forward when it needs to complete some heavy compute tasks. These processors were released under the 12-Generation banner and have received praise from across the technology landscape. Windows 11 has specifically taking advantage of the core design and then have shown an experience well above that of the AMD processor with their all power core design.

This has been a good year for Intel and with Pat back in charge, I think we are likely to see them continue to battle Team Red for years to come.

 

Microsoft Windows 11

Windows 10 will be the last operating system you ever need, said Microsoft in 2015.

Well, 6 years later we are all upgrading to Windows 11, a very well thought-out and great overhaul of the Windows operating system. We now have some of the best features of MacOS and Linux with the trusted platform of Windows 10 providing its core.

I am a massive advocate of Windows 11, even if the naming convention is getting a little stupid (but then they could have called it Windows 21 then we all would have been in a much worse place).

In my review of Windows 11 I warned that early upgrades for business can be risky and that Windows 11 offers some challenges. Well I am glad to say, 3 months on my daily driver still remains on Windows 11 and my home device has even been given the upgrade with no real issues to speak off.

I think Microsoft have placed Windows 11 in a great position to be the operating system for businesses and home users in 2022. Hopefully by the later part of 2022 most devices will have moved from Windows 10 and we will finally see the death of Windows 7 (well, a man can dream right?)

windows 11 launch

Losers

 

Private Datacenters

On the exact reverse of the rise of public cloud we continue to see the need for private data center hosting reduce.

Many businesses are asking the question; “what can you do better that AWS, GCP or Azure?”. In the past, this difference was a clear winning feature for private cloud, however as time moves on the realisation that what are ultimately smaller players in the hosting market aren’t able to compete with the uptime, security, financial protection and costs that public cloud offers.

While I still strongly believe there are use cases for private cloud, I think the salesman’s arguments of it being “safer” than the public cloud have all been proven to be subjective and businesses should ultimately choose the best solution for them.

Apple

Second year in a row for Apple in this category, and no it’s not Apple Hate!

Apple have been hit pretty hard this year by two factors: the chip shortages and then a lack of interest in the products in a year where many people upgraded midterm.

2020 has seen Apple’s shares drop quite heavily against the backdrop of a lack of device production and thus device sales. Hopefully for Apple this gives them a kick to invent something new or dramatically different in 2022. As the company that coined the phrase “Think Different” it’s about time they did exactly that.

Apple macbook

Onsite Infrastructure

The downturn of on premise infrastructure continued in 2021 with devices being hard to source due to the chip shortage. Add this to the move to the cloud and we can easily see the onsite infrastructure requirement drop down to a new low. However, we expect this to come back with a vengeance in 2022 as kit becomes available and business adjust to a hybrid approach.

Unfortunately for on premise infrastructure this is being held back considerably by the global supply issues and less so by peoples want for the technology.

 

There has been many more winners this year, with business firing on all cylinders in 2021. However, we have also seen that this year some of the losers have taken a much bigger hit than expected.

I think the major take away for 2022 is that the IT landscape was changed by 2020 in a major way. The needs and wants of business have adjusted and now, as IT professionals, we need to fit around the needs of 2022 and onwards and stop looking to legacy for the solutions.

Whatever 2022 brings I am excited to be at the forefront of matching our customers to the latest and greatest technical solutions.

Help us educate 200 of Oxford’s most vulnerable schoolchildren

Educate 200

The students of The Oxford Academy, an 11-18 secondary comprehensive located between the Blackbird Leys and Littlemore estates in Oxford, are incredible young people. With support and hard work, they will be the entrepreneurs, artists, athletes and leaders of Oxford in the future. Unfortunately, for many of them they come up against incredibly difficult economic circumstances.

The Oxford AcademyNearly half the students at The Oxford Academy are disadvantaged and therefore receive free school meals; many other families narrowly miss out on the criteria. This is more than double the average in most schools in Oxfordshire. Thirty per cent of children in Blackbird Leys, Littlemore, Rose Hill and parts of Cowley live in poverty (Indices of Deprivation 2019), making the areas in the top 20 per cent of the of the most deprived areas in Britain.

For the students at The Oxford Academy, a lack of access to technology is a barrier to learning and success. This is all the more apparent now during this time of national lockdown. Some children have to share a single device with 3 or 4 other siblings, or with their parents who are now trying to work from home, and some of them are trying to do everything on their phone.

This is particularly close to us here at Planet IT. Our Founders Sean & Gavin attended the school when they were growing up in Blackbird Leys.

We are asking you for your help!

Sean and Gavin

To educate the 200 most vulnerable children, ask yourself, do you have a working laptop that you can spare? If you donate it, we will wipe and restore it, ready for a young student to learn.

What’s more, for every 2 laptops donated, we will buy a brand new Dell Chromebook to donate to the Oxford Academy.

Every laptop gives one more schoolchild at the Oxford Academy the opportunity to learn, be digitally literate and successful.

If you don’t have a laptop to donate, you can still help or even buy a new Chromebook using the School Trust’s Just giving page,

Please remember to mention The Oxford Academy Educate 200 when donating, as for the value of every 2 machines donated or cash donated, we will provide 1 more!

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/RLTHomelearning

If you have a laptop to donate, please get in touch and be a part of offering pride, aspiration and opportunity to every member of our student community.

Call us on 01235 433900 to donate your laptop

Digital Acceleration for businesses. Why 2020 was just the start

Digital Acceleration

We all saw the scenes in March 2020 as lockdown across the U.K and most of Europe was announced. At a moment’s notice, businesses across the globe scrabbled to build vital communication and digital strategies that could support their business operations.

This for many included the mass roll out of new digital devices, communication tools, work place and data management tools and virtual telephony. At the time many businesses made these changes as a knee jerk reaction, simply to combat the “in the moment” problem. However, this dynamic shift in our approach to working, the working environment and our forms of communication has enabled leaders in business to accelerate IT strategies in a way they never would have been able to if 2020 had been “a normal year”. For many CIO, CTO’s and Technical Directors 2020 marked the beginning of a new chapter and the start of a very different IT landscape moving forward. 2021 is already beginning very much where last year left off we are seeing this continued trend of digital acceleration across the business landscape.

digital transformation Breaking through the red tape

Some businesses when asked about the effect of 2020 on their digital strategies have said they jumped through two years of red tape, internal approvals and cost benefit analysis in two days. This shows the systemic shift we saw almost overnight. This change has seen many business jump from traditional technologies (desktops / servers and onsite telephone systems) to cutting edge technologies emerging across the IT landscape with the likes of Public Cloud, Mix Media Devices and cloud telephony with unified communication.

This trend can easily be reflected in the numbers published by Microsoft in relation to the usage of their communication platform Microsoft Teams which jumped from 900 Million meetings held on the system per day in March 16th 2020 to 2.7 Billion per day by the end of March. That number is yet to drop and if anything will continue to rise as the pandemic runs in course and staff continue to be offered the flexibility of work space.

The Importance Of Being Ready

digital acceleration It is worth mentioning at this point for the business which unfortunately saw their trade days come to an end in 2020. Many had failed to adapt, grow and change before 2020 and where therefore unable to adapt in a way that enabled them to be flexible around the pandemic. For these business, the lack of development of IT systems lead to a perfect storm of spending requirements, insufficient time and a lack of business commitment to IT and digital development.

The importance all business must learn from the events of 2020 is that digital transformation in the modern age is imperative. A business without IT cannot function and the drive of CIO, CTO and Technical Directors has and will always remain in the development, expansion and overall success of a business. They above all others know how critical those systems are.

Unfortunately for many businesses, IT is often considered to be a “cost with little reward” which from last year we can see is ultimately the wrong way to approach the topic. IT is a business enabler and when used as such it can allow all business to overcome situations and circumstances which is never would otherwise be able to.

The right focus

As we move in 2021 with earnest, I am working with all of our customers to enable this continued business growth with the aim of removing the stigma around IT spending. The focus is on the benefits vs the cost rather than the costs vs doing nothing as was so clearly the case for many business in the years leading up to 2020.

If any business wants to strive and succeed in 2021 then the goal must be to continue the path of digital acceleration and put IT as a business focus for all. Remember, don’t just look at the short-term pains. It’s all about how we develop and implement strategies that protect businesses for many years to come.

If you want to discuss your business IT strategy or how Planet IT can help you to accelerate your growth using IT then please call 01235 433900 or you can reach out to me via DM or at james.dell@planet-it.net.

 

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