Bytes Magazine_Summer Autumn2011 by Bytes Software Services

In 45 days you could have a complete picture of your software estate The Bytes Software Asset Management 45 Day Trial • Reduce your license costs by up to 30%. • Understand what software & hardware is really installed on your network. • Fully managed trial, minimum input from you. • Fixed price, easy entry level.

Requires Little Input • We provide a fully-operational version of Snow License Manager to monitor a specified number of PCs. • You get access to a personalised SAM portal for the period to view your company’s live hardware inventory and license usage information. • Complete assistance to help you access and use the information available. Stage 1: Start-up Project briefing meeting; basic training; deployment of Snow agent. Stage 2: Progress meeting Discuss initial findings; identify areas of interest; provide additional training. Stage 3: Findings Key project findings; license savings available; input to business case for SAM.

Delivers Powerful Output You get a fast and detailed snapshot of the license situation in your organisation with reports showing: • License usage data. • License savings available for 45 day period. • License savings for 1 year across the entire business. • Details of the hardware monitored.

www.bytes.co.uk To take part in our Software Asset Management trial contact your Bytes account manager or speak to the Bytes SAM team on 020 8786 1500

summer/autumn 2011

welcome interviews

case studies

news desk

to bytes software services

information prior to starting your IT projects and as a reference to certain guidelines and rules surrounding the increasingly complex world of software and licensing.

software releases

this magazine will prove useful both as a source of

features

Welcome to the first edition of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bytesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. We hope that

regulars

industry news

At Bytes Software Services we have had a busy and successful few years. Last year we won THE Global Award from Microsoft for Best Licensing Reseller. It was gratifying and humbling to know that we beat off every other Gold Licensing Supplier (some 3,000 globally) to win this prestigious award. The award is testament to the great work we do with our customers and Microsoft to ensure that everyone gets the maximum benefit from their Microsoft products. Increasingly though, we are providing our customers with software from a whole myriad of software publishers including, Citrix, Oracle, Symantec, Sophos and IBM in an attempt to consolidate procurement and identify technology consolidation. As managing software assets becomes ever more important from a compliance and ease of administration perspective, Bytes can become a trusted partner, helping to mitigate risk and reduce the admin burden for organisations of all sizes. (See back page for further text about the vendors we work with and the Bytes Vendor Team specialists). We now have over 150 staff in the UK, all of whom are dedicated to software and software services. Our view is that to provide the best possible advice and guidance on a complex subject like software licensing, we should remain focused on just that one subject. We prefer to be experts in our field. So for non-licensing related solutions, we work with and recommend best of breed partners who can assist our customers with all they might need (see our Partner pages for further details). This focused strategy has paid off so far and allows us to concentrate on delivering the best possible service to our clients. Ultimately we want to help you to provide your organisations with great software and great value for money. Please let us know how we are doing!

Neil Murphy Managing Director

contact us Bytes Software Services, UK Head Office, 15-17 Chessington Road, Ewell, Surrey, KT17 1TS phone - 020 8786 1500 fax - 020 8393 6622

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 03

contents

cover bytes p10 Microsoft Select & Core CAL licensing Changes The latest Microsoft Select and Core CAL licensing offerings

interviews

contents news desk

p16 Take Control of your Desktop The end-to-end solution

p22

Clouds Are Taking Shape A closer look at Cloud, Office365 and Cobweb

p26

Social Networking for Business

Key questions answered by Websense

industry news

news bytes

regular bytes

News Bytes All the latest news from Vendors

p15

News, Views & Events All the news of forthcoming events

p45

Bytes Portal All your software estate available in one place

p62

Bytes Licensing Services Introducing our UK and Global Software Licensing Experts

p29 Meet the Manufacturers

Bytes SAM Services Here to help you manage the effiency of your Software estate

p36 Focus on Licensing

p64

Bytes Learning Services Finding the right training course for you

p40 Bytes Partnering

p66

Vendor awards A little pat on the back for ourselves

Welcome Neil Murphy introduces our first Bytes issue

p10 Microsoft Select & Core CAL licensing Changes The latest Microsoft Select and Core CAL licensing offerings Meet our Manufacturers at upcoming events

Navigating from OCS to Microsoft Lync 2010 How clients can benfit from our partnering outlook and approach

regulars

p59 Try before you buy

Take the opportunity to trail before you make that important purchase

p60 In the Hotseat

An interview with Shaun Frรถhlich from Microsoft UK

p67 Accreditations

Our Vendors and the Bytes Strategy team that looks after them

04 | summer/autumn 2011

software releases

p63

Bytes have helped Tesco make significant savings by effective and intelligent management of our licensing entitlements. They manage our global requirements, are able to keep us abreast of new and relevant licensing changes and apply these to our requirements ensuring we are always licensed in the best way possibleâ&#x20AC;?. James McNulty Head of Tesco Group IT Procurement

features

p16

Take Control of your Desktop The end-to-end solution

p22

Clouds Are Taking Shape A closer look at Cloud, Office365 and Cobweb

p26

Social Networking for Business

Key questions answered by Websense

p30 Keeping the Cloud Secure

Data governance - the real issue

p47 ThinApp

case study

Application Virtualisation made simple

p50 Avoidable costs of Downtime The financial impact of downtime

p52

Are you ready to Migrate? Consider the options before you move

p57

VMware Monitoring with Microsoft Manage your physical and virtual environment

case studies

feature bytes

p32

Mott MacDonald Delivering a global solution to a global business

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 05

news

bytes Catch up on all the latest news from the IT world from new product launches, latest software and licensing updates to business acquisitions. LANDesk delivers new release of Service Desk management suite LANDesk Software, a global leader in systems lifecycle management, endpoint security and IT service management recently announced LANDesk® Service Desk 7.4, a significant upgrade to the LANDesk IT Service Management solution. Available today, the new release helps organisations alleviate pressure on the IT service desk with a user-centric approach to service provisioning and support. “LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 is the next generation of our rich, mature and proven service management solution,” said Steve Daly, president and CEO of LANDesk Software. “This solution offers more out-of-the box capability than alternatives that require a piecemeal and costly approach to achieve this level of functionality and automation. It goes well beyond traditional ticketing and incident management, allowing IT departments to deliver real business value.”

The Attachmate Group Completes Acquisition of Novell The Attachmate Group announced the completion of the acquisition of Novell, Inc., a leader in intelligent workload management, under the terms of the definitive agreement disclosed on November 22, 2010. Novell will now operate as two separate business units under the Novell® and SUSE® brand names and join Attachmate® and NetIQ® as holdings of The Attachmate Group. The addition of Novell furthers the mission of The Attachmate Group and its ability to support customers’ strategic and tactical business requirements through innovative solutions, quality products, and exceptional service. The Attachmate Group product families now include complementary solutions that range across IT operations management; open source; end user computing and collaboration; host connectivity and legacy modernisation; security, identity and compliance management; virtualisation and cloud computing; and more.

06 | summer/autumn 2011

New Symantec NetBackup™ 7.1 Symantec is announcing Symantec NetBackup™ 7.1. Symantec NetBackup™ simplifies the protection of information driven enterprises by automating advanced technologies and standardising operations across applications, platforms, and virtual environments. Integrated deduplication, replication, and patent-pending virtual machine protection helps customers improve storage efficiency, infrastructure use, and recovery times through one console.

Becrypt achieves RSA Secured® Partner Program certification to provide CESG-approved full disk encryption with DISK Protect Baseline that is interoperable with RSA SecurID® Authentication Becrypt helps meet growing requirement for CESG approved data security solutions. Becrypt, a leading endpoint security specialist announced that Becrypt’s DISK Protect Baseline® data security solution has achieved interoperability certification with RSA SecurID® twofactor authentication. DISK Protect Baseline is CESG-approved by the UK Government for use with restricted and confidential data up to Impact Levels 3 and 4. This level covers virtually all data used within local government and the NHS and most of central government data. The Becrypt DISK Protect Baseline data security solution utilises RSA SecurID authentication for pre-boot authentication of a fully encrypted PC hard drive. By requiring users to insert their RSA SecurID SID hybrid tokens into the USB port on the PC at start up, organisations are enforcing strong authentication and ensuring compliance. An optional feature also locks the PC if the RSA SecurID SID 800 token is removed from the USB port.

Key Features Integrated Deduplication NetBackup now offers both client and target deduplication that can be deployed without additional servers. The new NetBackup deduplication client improves backup speeds by eliminating data at the source which means less data to move. For unique client demands, customers can choose to use target-side deduplication before writing data to disk. Simple and Comprehensive Virtual Machine Protection Simplify how you protect information in virtual environments by standardising all backups through NetBackup. New VMware® and Microsoft® Hyper-V features increase both backup and recovery speeds and can perform backups with minimal impact to other virtual machines allowing you to perform backups based on your own needs. Better Disaster Recovery with Global Data Protection Enable rapid recovery at alternate sites with both integrated and live replication features, including NetBackup catalog replication. Use NetBackup deduplication and replication to efficiently move up to 80% less data between different sites with optimised replication. For critical applications use NetBackup RealTime to recover. Free of charge upgrade: Available to existing customers with valid maintenance contracts contributing to the strength of the market.

The Enterprise Cloud Security Journey Begins with Trend Micro Trend Micro announced a new product designed specifically to provide enterprise-class data protection in the cloud. Trend Micro™ SecureCloud 1.1 is a hosted key-management and data-encryption solution designed to protect and control confidential information that you deploy into public and private cloud-computing environments. SecureCloud introduces a patented approach that overcomes traditional key management complexities with a hosted policy-based key-management service. This innovation gives your administrators peace of mind about data integrity by remotely authenticating servers when they request access to secure volumes. Efficient and user-friendly, SecureCloud helps ensure regulatory compliance, plus it provides you the freedom to move between cloud vendors without being tied to any one provider’s encryption system.

cont... BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 07

cont... from page 07

Citrix XenDesktop 5 Service Pack 1

Microsoft Core CAL Licensing Changes From 1st August 2011 Microsoft are including Lync Server Standard CAL and Forefront Enterprise Protection (FEP) into the Core CAL Suite. The main points to note are: • Existing customers will automatically gain the license entitlement to these products. • After 1st August 2011 there will be a pricing impact for renewals dependent on whether you have Core CAL &/or Pro Desktop. • New Core CAL customers can benefit from existing pricing prior to 1st August 2011. • Existing Core CAL customers reviewing ECAL suite should work with their Bytes Account Manager and Microsoft business manager to discuss the impact of purchases prior to 1st August. For full details on these changes and their possible impact on your business, please refer to the relevant article within this publication.

XenDesktop 5 Service Pack 1 follows the December 2010 XenDesktop 5 release with bug fixes and quality improvements for hosted VDI desktop deployments and adds recommended support for the new Microsoft Server 2008R2 SP1, Microsoft HyperV 2008R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 platforms. In addition, This release will provide support for XenServer 5.6 SP2 with IntelliCacheTM which can reduce the load on central storage by as much as 90%, increasing performance while reducing TCO. Finally, XenDesktop 5 SP1 provides support and administrative tools to automatically manage new XenDesktop licensing options. This Service Pack will also include new tools to ease the migration from XenDesktop 4 deployments and a setup wizard for leveraging Citrix Provisioning Services to provision server-hosted virtual desktops in a XenDesktop 5 deployment.

RES Software Ships Virtual Desktop Extender standalone reverse seamless now available Hot on the heels of receiving European and United States patent approval, RES Virtual Desktop Extender (VDX) is now available as a standalone product. VDX is a proven technology and is already used by a number of organisations. It enables enhanced interoperability with leading desktop virtualisation solutions, including Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop, VMware View and Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, in addition to niche profile management solutions like AppSense Environment Manager. As a result, customers using a diverse mix of technologies at varying lifecycles in their terminal server and virtual desktop deployments, can easily merge local applications into users’ virtual desktops. For more information visit www.reverseseamless.com

Free 30 day trial of Microsoft BPOS The Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite (BPOS) is a set of Microsoft hosted messaging and collaboration solutions including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and Microsoft Office Communications Online. These online services are designed to give your business streamlined communication with high availability, comprehensive security, and simplified IT management. BPOS is soon to be upgraded to Office 365 streamlining the offering to include Office Pro Plus, Exchange, Sharepoint and Lync. The seamlessness between off and on premise software, increased customisation and ﬂexibly all make the upgrade to Office 365 more desirable. To download your free 30 day trial visit http://www.bytes.co.uk/microsoft/office365/

08 | summer/autumn 2011

news

stop press Mimecast Joins BlackBerry Alliance Program with First Always-On Continuity Service for BlackBerry Email Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 launch The recently launched Adobe® Creative Suite® 5.5 software keeps users ahead of the rapid proliferation of mobile devices. Users can develop rich interactive apps for Android™, BlackBerry®, and iOS. Design engaging browser content in HTML5, and create immersive digital magazines. This is no ordinary update as Adobe has added a lot of new and exciting features to many of its applications, particularly for designing and developing for the burgeoning mobile industry. Also new is the subscription model Adobe has installed for people who just want to use CS5.5 on a temporary basis.

Diskeeper Corporation The creator of the well-known Diskeeper data performance software, has revealed the imminent release of Diskeeper 2011. Five key beneﬁts with new Diskeeper 2011 include: • Continually optimised read/write speeds with no resource conﬂicts. • I/O activity reduced an average of 40%. • Backups 30% faster. • Overall system stability increased 30%. • System longevity extended an average of 2½ additional years.

Mimecast has joined the BlackBerry® Alliance Program as a BlackBerry® Alliance Select Member. Mimecast joins a select group of technology and brand leaders, recognised for promoting the highest level of innovation and contributing to the strength of the market. The announcement follows the recent launch of Mimecast Services for BlackBerry® smartphones. The new service is the first to enable enterprise IT managers to provide uninterrupted email access to BlackBerry smartphone users in the event of a Microsoft Exchange outage or BlackBerry® Enterprise Server failure. Until now, businesses have been limited in their range of continuity choices for the BlackBerry® solution, relying on SaaS services that require the availability of BlackBerry Enterprise Server or server replication solutions. Mimecast has been providing continuity services to hundreds of thousands of email users around the world over the last seven years. Mimecast Services for BlackBerry is the first extension of the company’s existing range of email disaster recovery services to mobile devices. With Mimecast, users are able to send and receive email and access their personal archive through a variety of mail clients including Microsoft Outlook (desktop), Mimecast Personal Portal (web) and BlackBerry smartphones in the event of scheduled or unplanned mail server outages or connectivity failures.

Bytes Achieves Microsoft Gold Partner Certification for Software Asset Management. Bytes is one of the first UK LARs to be awarded the prestigious Microsoft Gold Partner certification for SAM. This level of accreditation demonstrates Microsoft’s recognition of the depth of experience, capability and competency that Bytes and its specialists have in this area. “We are a safe pair of hands, recognised by Microsoft and other software vendors as an organisation that can deliver against the high standards they set in helping customers to better understand what software they own, what they have installed, what they are using and how to improve the procurement and management of this valued asset.” Said Chris Hibbert, Bytes SAM General Manager.

Bytes Achieves Specialist Partner status for Endpoint Management Solutions Bytes are proud to announce that they have completed the EndPoint Management (Altiris) Specialisation. The Endpoint Management Specialisation provides qualified partners with recognition of their focused company commitment to selling Altiris Products and expertise in providing Altiris solutions and services to customers. Symantec Specialisations are designed for partners who are members of the Symantec Partner Program and who have proven expertise in a particular area of business. Specialisations have been developed to recognise that technical knowledge and expertise. Membership of a Specialisation provides access to tools and benefits which may not otherwise be available to partners, as well as making it easier for customers and other partners to identify those partners who have particular expertise and can meet/assist with their particular needs.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 09

licensing

focus

licen Following our recent 360° View of Microsoft Licensing event at St Martin’s Lane Hotel, London, I thought it would be beneficial to document the retirement of the Select volume licensing programme and its migration to Select Plus. This is a general top line view, for further information on how this may affect your business please call your Bytes account manager or the new business team on the number below.

Mandi Nicholson Bytes Sales Director

Select Plus replacing Select Agreement Select Plus vs Select ASPECT

SELECT PLUS

SELECT

Agreement - different format / naming convention

MBSA + Select + Registration Forms

MBSA + Select + Enrollments

Initial order requirements

Average annual minimum consumption

500 points per pool

Impact of insufficient consumption

Pool on hold

Pool terminated

Reinitiate pool after termination

Yes, place 500+ point purchase order or qualifying EA, EAS or CASA

Yes, but only through an amendment

Decentralised ordering

Any registration affiliate

Only affiliates that meet enrollment minimum (750 points)

Duration

Evergreen

3 years, optional 1-year or 3-year renewal

Headline Dates • After 30th June only Select Plus Agreements can be signed. - Select enrolments can continue to be created under live Select agreements. - Any Select e-Agreements created before 30th June have 30 days to acquire signature.

10 | summer/autumn 2011

• 1 or 3 year Select renewals. - Allowed only for V2009 contracts. - Not permitted for V2010 contracts (introduced Oct 2010). All select Agreements will be retired by October 2013.

sing Select Plus: Points and Price Levels Per Annum POINTS

LEVEL

500

4,000

10,000

25,000

Select Enrolments are replaced with Affiliate Registration Forms Select Plus Affiliate Registration Form • Business units, divisions or subsidiaries can acquire software under the Select Plus agreement by signing individual Affiliate Registration Forms. • Points and Pricing are aggregated across all affiliates. Select License Enrollments • Business units, divisions or subsidiaries can acquire software under the Select License agreement. • Enrolling affiliates must commit to ordering a minimum of 750 points over the three years.

Upward Re-Levellment *NEW* If a customer places an order which has enough points on to push them into the next price level, the new price level will be applied on THAT ORDER. Compliance Check, Points Surplus / Deficit *NEW* If a customer does not achieve the minimum requirement for their level but has exceeded their points requirement, any extra points will be rolled over to next year.

Annual Compliance Checks • Happens at agreement anniversary. • The price level changes one level for that pool the following year. • The price level can only descend a maximum of one level each year. • Level A customers must qualify for the 500 point annual minimum to continue purchasing in that pool. - If the customer does not meet the minimum, the pool is put on hold. - One or more pools can be placed on hold. - Once the 500 point minimum order is placed in the held Pool, the appropriate pricing level is applied based on the order and purchasing can resume for all affiliates. Mastering The Dates • Agreement Anniversary. - Any day of the month. - It’s the date the Master Agreement is processed and becomes effective. - It’s the date used for compliance checks and, therefore, downward re-levellments. • Affiliate Anniversary *NEW*. - Always the 1st of the month. - The month is selected by the Affiliate at time of registration. - If no month is specified on the registration form, it will be set to the month the Affiliate is set up. - All orders will eventually align and bill to this date. • Order Anniversary *NEW*. - Along with Upfront and Affiliate Anniversary, SA orders can also be split annually and billed on the Order Anniversary.

Select Plus - Key Changes to Remember • Less room for “optimistic” forecasting. - Look at your pre-June 30th options. • Less pain at renewal time due to evergreen agreements. - Only any expiring SA will need to be addressed. • Re-instatement of pools are automatic. - Was previously a paperwork exercise. • Existing agreements can be migrated across. - Have a look if this needs to happen for you. • Qualify for higher level at time of order placement. - Credit for purchases at time of procurement rather than annually. • Downward re-levelling only 1 tier at a time. - More in line with Select, less penalisation for customer who make bulk purchase year 1. • Surplus points can roll over. - No wastage of points. • SA pro-rated at beginning of agreement and available only in 25 – 36 month “chunks”. - 3 payment options. - Easier to manage.

cont... BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 11

focus

cont...

licen

from page 11

I recently held a Webinar on the Microsoft Core CAL Suite enhancements and thought I would document the highlights here for you to consider. There is an opportunity to benefit from existing pricing prior to 1st August 2011, which we are happy to discuss further for your organisation. Please contact your Bytes account manager or the new business team to discuss your licensing options.

Zena Jeffery Bytes Divisional Sales Director

Microsoft Core CAL Enhancements What is CAL? A CAL allows access to the services of a server.

A Standard CAL allows access to a limited set of Fundamental services of the server.

A Enterprise CAL allows access to more advanced services of the server. It “adds to” rather than includes the functionality of the Standard CAL.

Enterprise CAL

Standard CAL

Clients gets the basic functions.

What is Core CAL Suite? The Core CAL is suite of CAL’s comprising of: • Windows Server CAL (File server). • Exchange – (E-mail). • SharePoint (Collaboration). • System Center Configuration Manager (Software Distribution and Management Server).

12 | summer/autumn 2011

Standard CAL

Clients gets more functions

Clients gets the basic functions.

BOTH CALs are required to give clients access to all functions

It is important to note that these CAL’s can all be purchased individually without SA. If you are purchasing Core CAL under any volume licensing scheme it can only be purchased with SA.

sing Enhancements to the Core CAL Suite

New Core CAL pricing and use rights 1st August 2011 From a licensing perspective, Core CAL components are not available as standalone products under Enterprise Agreements. Consequently, Lync Server Standard CAL & Forefront Endpoint Protection were no longer available on Enterprise Agreement price lists from 1st June. • Pricing for Core CAL will increase. • Pricing for the ECAL step-up from Core CAL will decrease. • Pricing for full ECAL stack will remain unchanged. Estimated EA price changes for Core CAL SKU

% Change (Estimate)

Professional Desktop L&SA

+3%

Professional Desktop SA

+3%

Core CAL L&SA

+10%

Core CAL SA

+14%

ECAL Suite Step-up from Core CAL

-9%

Procurement Considerations: Select / Select Plus • Customers looking to renewal existing Core CAL SA or make new purchases of Core CAL prior to 31st July will benefit from current pricing. • Customers with existing Core CAL prior to 31st July will automatically get the two new components at no extra charge. • Select pricing is variable, Core CAL pricing after 1st August will increase and can change through-out the term of the Select / Select Plus contract. • Customers with Core CAL prior to 31st July will also be able to purchase step-up licenses to ECAL from 1st August at the reduced amount.

• Pricing below is sample Band A Select / Select Plus – based upon Core CAL purchases made before 1st August 2011 compared to those made after. Product

Type

Core CAL

L&SA 1000

Core CAL

Qty 1000

Unit £

3 Year Total

Aug Price Chge

Saving

£222.82

£222,820.00

10%

£22.282.00

£95.44

£95,440.00

14%

£13,361.50

Procurement Considerations: Enterprise or Enterprise Subscription • Customers looking to renew an existing or start a new EA and are looking at Professional Desktop and / or Core CAL before 31st July will benefit from current Core CAL pricing. • Customers with existing Core CAL prior to 31st July 2011 will automatically get the two new components at no extra charge. • EA pricing is fixed at the beginning of the agreement. • Customers with Core CAL prior to 31st July 2011 under an EA will be able to True-up additional users at the pre – 1st August 2011 price (until the agreement expires). • Pricing below is sample B and A EA Pricing based upon Pro Desktop & Core CAL purchases made before 1st August 2011 compared to those made after. Product

Type

Qty

Pro Desktop L&SA 1000

Core CAL

3 Year Total

Aug Price Chge

Saving

£664,320.00

£19,929.60

1000

£398.16

£398,160.00

£11,944.80

L&SA 1000

£177.48

£177,480.00

10%

£17,748.00

£85.32

£85,320.00

14%

£11,944.80

Pro Desktop SA Core CAL

Unit £ £664.32

1000

Core CAL Enhancements - Key Points to Consider • Lync Server Standard CAL and Forefront Enterprise Protection (FEP) will be part of Core CAL from 1st August 2011. • Existing customers will automatically gain the license entitlement to these products. • After 1st August 2011 there will be a pricing impact for renewals dependent on whether you have Core CAL &/or Pro Desktop. • New Core CAL customers can benefit from existing pricing pre 1st August 2011. • Existing Core CAL customers reviewing ECAL suite should work with their Bytes Account Manager and Microsoft business manager to discuss impact of purchases pre 1st August 2011.

further...

information on how these changes will affect your organisation please speak to your Bytes account manager or a member of the new business team on 020 8786 1500.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 13

Shrink your workload

with Microsoft Project 2010 As a project manager, you know that creating schedules and project plans takes time. However, you can now shrink your workload considerably with the powerful server and desktop features in Microsoft Project 2010. Even if you’re communicating plans to different audiences, it’s now easier to create schedules for all their needs.

The new and updated desktop features The innovative Timeline view gives you a clear view of tasks, milestones and phases. Expanded colour palettes and text effects highlight important dates to make deliverables stand out, helping you share your plans more efficiently. Desktop features such as the familiar and intuitive Ribbon put your essential tools and functions exactly where you need them, saving both time and effort. This helps to create schedules with the right level of detail, to ensure your projects are delivered on time, and to budget. When it comes to creating your project plans and communicating them to any number of different audiences, keep your workload to a minimum with Microsoft Project 2010. Excellent new server features Server features include tools to support project plans and portfolio management, enhanced visibility helps you quickly produce reports within the ﬂexible and powerful structure. Projects can also be updated and edited via the Internet, and integration with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 allows you to intuitively update tasks and timings to help you be more productive. To find out more about Microsoft Project 2010 and how it can benefit your business, speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500

14 | summer/autumn 2011

events

We have had a busy schedule of events recently, bringing you news and information on topics ranging from virtualisation and

views and events

storage to security Microsoft System Center, Bank London, March

and licensing and all points in between!

Desktop Virtualisation Kensington Roof Gardens, March

Where possible we have tried to host

Licensing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CoreCAL changes, webinar, April

events in landmark buildings too, so that

Microsoft Lync, Polycom EBC, London, April

we can add an extra dimension of interest for our guests.

Symantec Security, Kensington Roof Gardens, April

Recent venues have included the Kensington Roof Gardens, St Martins Lane Hotel and the world famous London Gherkin.

Microsoft 360Â°Licensing, St Martins Lane Hotel, London, May

Industry experts from many of our leading vendors as well as our own Bytes specialists have delivered informative presentations on a broad range of topics to ensure you are kept up to date with all the important industry developments. Please visit the events page of our website www.bytes.co.uk/events regularly for news of forthcoming activities.

Oracle Round Table The Gherkin, London, June SMART GOV 2011, ExCel, London, June Storage & Security in Virtualised Environments The Mint Leaf, London, June

if you...

would like to view the slides from any of the recent events listed, please visit www.bytes.co.uk/seminar_resources/index.php

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 15

virtualisation

How to Take Control of your

Desktops Written by Matt Gallick - Bytes BDM, Virtualisation Dan Metcalfe - Bytes BDM, Emerging Technologies and Matt Compton - Bytes Symantec Business Manager

16 | summer/autumn 2011

Whether you are migrating to Windows 7, reducing pressure on

your service desk, making savings on your hardware costs or are embracing consumerisation - our end-to-end solution for taking back control of your desktop lifecycle will help you make the right decisions for your Users and IT Administrators. Here is our 6 Step Plan for helping you to deliver maximum value from your Desktop Virtualisation project, ensuring better management, better end-user experience and a combination of choice and ﬂexibility.

6 Steps To Controlling Your Desktop 1. Discovery Phase - analysis of current PC estate. 2. Application Testing - check for compatibility issues. 3. Desktop Virtualisation - centralise the desktop. 4. User Personalisation - environment/profiles management. 5. Backup and Protect - secure critical user data. 6. Secure Virtual Desktops - anti-virus/malware protection.

Step One Discovery with Snow Discovery is a term that is used broadly within the IT industry and different vendors can mean something slightly different when referencing discovery. To successfully manage software assets in a virtual environment a customer does not just need to understand what software is deployed but also where it is deployed, how it was deployed, who is using the software and how often the user(s) are using the software. Without this information a customer is at risk on two fronts: 1. Deploying software that is not really needed – Ultimately this will result if procuring software licensing and associated maintenance that is unnecessary. 2. Being under licensed for software that is deployed and is not being used, therefore an unnecessary risk. The problem of tracking software is increased when applications are being virtualised. As well as tracking how the software is to be licensed, keeping a track of software and where it is in this dynamic involvement is a challenge that many customers have not considered. Snow Software’s License Manager can help customers track and manage software in all environments including virtualised. Key Considerations: • Identifying what is in use in the current environment. • Which software applications are installed. • Which software applications are actually licensed. • Who uses what applications and when. • Comprehensive reporting of software requirements.

Left to right: Dan Metcalfe Bytes BDM, Emerging Technologies Matt Compton Bytes Symantec Business Manager

cont... BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 17

cont... from page 17

Step Two Application testing with App-DNA

Step Three Desktop Virtualisation with Citrix

You cannot rely on manual application compatibility testing as you prepare for a major application migration or an application management project. A manual process costs too much, takes too long and is not accurate enough. We suggest you consider AppTitude from AppDNA, it will get your applications to your destination in half the time and cost, with dramatically less user disruption.

Today, individual desktops are hard-coded combinations of OS, applications, and user settings, and managed one-byone on an ongoing basis. Many IT organisations we speak to are looking at desktop virtualisation to upgrade their entire approach to desktop management. IT executives are looking for a better way to address the varying needs of enterprise users.

App-DNA™ AppTitude™ application compatibility software platform automates pre-migration application testing and intelligently remediates compatibility issues, so you can use application intelligence to migrate and manage your application portfolio. It is called Application Migration Optimization™ and it gets you to your destination platform – whether it’s Windows 7, application virtualisation, 64-bit or a combination – faster, at lower cost and with minimal disruption to users and the business.

How does desktop virtualisation help? Desktop virtualisation replaces this hard-coded approach with a more ﬂexible design in which one moving part doesn’t have to disrupt any of the other moving parts when changes are needed. That means the device, OS, applications, and user settings are all shielded from each other. These components can then be managed independently which eliminates redundant data, workload, and management processes. IT assembles desktops dynamically based on business roles, and delivers these resources in a way that matches the users’ requirements - whether that means hosting them in the datacenter or placing them to their device. Desktop Virtualisation – XenDesktop Citrix XenDesktop lets you deliver on-demand virtual desktop and applications anywhere your users work, to any type of device, bringing ﬂexibility and mobility to your workforce.

Testing with AppTitude is much more rigorous and much faster than manual testing and gives you a clear path forward. The simple traffic light dashboard shows you the applications that should migrate easily and which will need further testing or remediation. The Intelligent Remediation™ advice shows you what the problem is and what you can do about it, with auto-fixes where it makes sense. The Best Fit Analysis shows you which deployment options and delivery strategies will work best post your application compatibility project. Another great feature is the EffortCalculator™ which shows you how long your application migration program will take, how much it will cost and why – based on your real-world costs or their benchmarks from application compatibility analysis. Knowing this critical information before you even start migrating makes a huge difference to the entire program. Key Considerations: • Can the applications be deployed on Windows 7. • Will the applications run on a x64 platform. • Are the applications good candidates for application virtualisation. • Manual testing is very time consuming and cumbersome. • Need for an automated compatibility testing tool. • Need for clear reporting of possible issues.

18 | summer/autumn 2011

A solution for every Use Case Different types of workers across the enterprise need different types of desktops. Some require simplicity and standardisation, while others require high performance and personalisation. XenDesktop can meet these requirements in a single solution with their unique FlexCast™ delivery technology. With FlexCast™ you can deliver every type of virtual desktop - each specifically tailored to meet the performance, security and ﬂexibility requirements of each individual user.

Step Four User Virtualisation with AppSense Hosted Shared

Hosted VDI

Streamed VHD

Local VM

On-Demand Apps

Hosted Shared desktops provide a locked down, streamlined and standardised environment with a core set of applications, ideally suited for task workers where personalisation is not needed – or allowed. Supporting up to 500 users on a single server, this model offers a significant cost saving. Hosted VDI, typically needed by office workers, can be securely delivered over any network to any device. This option combines the benefits of central management with full user personalisation and can generally support up to 150 desktops per server. Streamed VHD provides centralised single-image management of the desktop. This approach offers an easy, low-cost way for customers to get started with desktop virtualisation by leveraging existing PC resources and keeping datacenter overhead to a minimum. It can also be ideal for government and university labs that use diskless PCs for maximum data security. Local VM desktops extend the benefits of centralised, singleinstance management to mobile workers that need to use their laptops ofﬂine. When they are able to connect to a suitable network, changes to the OS, apps and user data are automatically synchronised with the datacenter. On-Demand Apps allows any Windows® application to be centralised and managed in the datacenter, hosted either on multi-user terminal servers or virtual machines, and instantly delivered as a service to physical and virtual desktops. Optimised for each user device, network and location, applications are delivered via a high speed protocol for use while connected or streamed via Citrix application virtualisation or Microsoft App-V directly to the endpoint for use when ofﬂine. Key Considerations: • Centralised desktop and application delivery. • Categorise users into groups with similar needs. • Review analysis of applications and make design decisions. • Design desktop virtualisation solution to accurately address use cases. • Implement solution following best practise guidelines.

In the same way that delivery of operating systems and applications to the user requires an infrastructure, so too must the user environment. The AppSense Virtualised User Infrastructure (UVI) manages everything specific to a user. This user environment contains user-based corporate policy, personalisation settings, user rights management and user-introduced applications. Infrastructure management tools optimise the user environment whilst enterpriseclass reporting and auditing tools provide visibility into the user environment; ensuring users have the best working experience. The infrastructure delivers the user environment into virtual, physical and streamed desktops and applications - or combinations of those mechanisms - and also can apply the user environment across operating system versions (e.g. XP, Vista and Windows 7, Server 2008, 32/64 bit). For existing desktops, migration capabilities move employees into dynamically delivered standard desktops seamlessly.

Key Considerations: • Trade-offs between user customisation and corporate policy. • Performance management needs addressing in a centralised environment. • Application network access control and user rights management. • Provide personalised, standardised consistent user experience. • Allow for mobility between devices and application delivery mechanisms.

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Step Five Backup and Protection with Symantec

Symantec Backup Exec 2010 delivers reliable Windows server backup and recovery designed for a growing business. You can protect more data while you reduce storage and management costs through integrated deduplication and archiving technology. With this Windows server backup software, you can reduce business downtime, and ensure critical information on virtual or physical systems is always protected and restored in seconds.

Step Six Secure Virtual Desktops with McAfee

As the desktop evolves, security needs to be specifically designed for these new systems, rather than added only as an afterthought. In standard VDI deployments, traditional endpoint security software is installed within each guest. Unfortunately, this leads to endpoint security activities, such as scheduled scans, on-access scans of email attachments, and signature and product updates that happen simultaneously. These concurrent operations accumulate and can max out the CPU and memory, bog down the network and create I/O bottlenecks.

Optimising security for virtual environments The McAfee® Management for Optimised Virtual Environments (MOVE) platform, supporting Citrix XenDesktop, provides security management tailored to virtualised environments. Rather than running an endpoint security agent in each virtual machine (VM), MOVE Anti-virus (AV) delivers a virtual appliance that consolidates scanning processes and signature updates outside of the VMs, efficiently protecting all virtualised desktops. In McAfee and Citrix tests, implementing MOVE AV allows servers to run three times the number of virtual machines compared to traditional endpoint security implemented inside individual virtual machines. This higher VM density lowers the per-desktop cost of desktop virtualisation and allows VDI implementations to achieve the operational payoff required.

Key Considerations: • Centralised data lends itself to enhanced security. • Mechanisms are available to leverage virtual environment for backup and recovery. • Data is growing at an exponential rate and needs protecting. • Backup windows are reducing along with the need for constant access. • Need to have a comprehensive backup and recovery plan.

so there...

Key Considerations: • Corporate policy dictates use of anti-virus\malware software. • Updating and scanning can cause performance problems • Security interfaces exist which allow ofﬂoading of protection. • Scanning at the virtual level reduces resource usage and improves performance.

it is; our 6 step plan to desktop virtualisation and taking back control of your organisation’s desktop estate. If you would like to talk about this in more detail or specifically about any of the vendor offerings here, please feel free to contact either Matt Gallick, Dan Metcalfe or Matt Compton at tellmemore@bytes.co.uk.

20 | summer/autumn 2011

cloud

Clouds Are Taking Shape

With many types of Cloud Computing forming, we look at the much anticipated Microsoft Office365 and the Cobweb Cloud Computing Platform. Written by Richard Best, General Manager Partner & Cloud Services, Bytes Software Services Richard Best Bytes General Manager, Partner & Cloud Services

22 | summer/autumn 2011

From talking to our customers and listening to the current industry hype, seemingly the only thing the Cloud cannot deliver en masse is confidence. Unfortunately a shortage of confidence goes hand in hand with the bandwagoners jumping on the Cloud gravy train. But get past the noise, look carefully, and there are some great companies delivering valuable services through the Cloud. The Bytes Cloud Services team was established to do exactly that - help our customers to find valuable Cloud services easily. Leveraging our Partner Eco-System (see the Partner Eco-System article in this magazine if you haven’t already) we’ve put together a raft of Cloud offerings with complimentary services available from our Partners. Keeping confidence firmly in mind, we’ve made it a key part of our criteria that these offerings and services are tangible and are being delivered to customers with positive results.

That way we can be sure that we are helping our customers to deliver results to their organisations and not excuses. We are currently talking to a lot of organisations who have heard the hype and want to know how the Cloud can help them make gains. Planning is an essential first step when considering a move to the Cloud, in whatever form – private, public or hybrid and to assist with this we have a number of packaged service options from our consulting partners to help customers understand what can be achieved, relative to them and how they should go about it. One of our firm Cloud favourites at the moment is Storage. From a hybrid perspective, having the capability to de-duplicate and store data securely through a vehicle that can be scaled up or down as needed means that expensive on site solutions can be used for essential data rather than

clogged up with everything the organisation produces. It’s a great example of how a low commit, inexpensive Cloud service can co-exist with and extend the life of on-premise solutions. We believe that a move to the Cloud should be a smart choice, not a brave one and we are here to help. We have invited one of our Cloud partners, Content & Code, to cover the much anticipated release of Microsoft Office365 and our Cloud platform partner, Cobweb, to give an overview of what we believe is the best Cloud Computing Platform available today. However, if you would like to talk to us about how we can help your organisation take advantage of the Cloud, please get in touch with the team at cloud@bytes.co.uk

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Lewis Isaacs Microsoft Online Services Business Manager, Content & Code

Cloud Power? More like Cloud Value Where can solutions like Office 365 make a difference to what your organisation wants to achieve? Cloud Computing – a phenomenon that is driving monumental change in the way organisations run their IT operations. Pick up a recent copy of the Financial Times, Business Week, Bloomberg or the Observer, and you will undoubtedly come across an article about how ‘the Cloud’ will revolutionise the we way we work. Gartner predicts as early as 2012, 20% of businesses will own no IT assets, while IDC expects the global market for Cloud services to be worth $55b by 2014, an average yearly growth of 27% compared to 5% growth for traditional IT products, and have even stated that “selecting the right [Cloud] platform leader will be one of the most strategic decisions you’ll make for the next 20 years.” Microsoft is amongst the leaders in the field and is investing a great deal in it. Their recently launched Cloud Power campaign is hard to miss, with TV adverts running regularly and large print and outdoor ads displayed all over the country. It is based on the notion that Cloud can fundamentally change the way people do business and introduces Microsoft’s Cloud portfolio, which includes the soonto-be-released Office 365. The Suite offers Microsoft’s core business solutions delivered as a service, and consists of Exchange Online (email);

24 | summer/autumn 2011

SharePoint Online (collaboration and document management); Lync Online (secure instant messaging, presence, video conferencing and document collaboration); and Office Professional Plus & Web Apps (the ‘full fat’ locally-installed Office client and Office applications delivered through a browser). Office 365 will undoubtedly create a huge surge in organisations experimenting with the Cloud (the private beta was oversubscribed by about 30,000 organisations alone), particularly as many organisations are now reaching the crucial ‘refresh cycle’ in their IT estate. The pressure for organisations to at least consider a move to the Cloud is building rapidly. A senior IT professional in a large financial institution recently told me that internally they recently had to build a business case for the senior level of their business that justified why they would not be looking at Office 365. So what’s all this hype about? And more importantly, how exactly will moving to the Cloud add value to your organisation? Cloud computing will enable businesses to communicate and process information in a virtual world without physical interaction with a server. Benefits include: increased energy efficiency, by outsourcing the hard drive functions on individual machines to giant, centrally-located server farms; reduced CAPEX expenditure on hardware and software; pay-as-you-go pricing options which give you predictability and ﬂexibility for all or part of your organisation; and little or no upfront costs, as consumption is billed as a utility or subscription. Productivity gains are also realised with greater ﬂexibility and availability of shared information, enabling increased collaboration from anywhere in the world; and immediate access to a broad range of applications. Moreover, Cloud Computing offers the power of choice. Content and Code is experiencing a heavy demand from companies that need to operate programs which cannot be taken into the Cloud and therefore require their IT providers to offer a ‘hybrid’ solution which incorporates all the benefits of both on premise and Cloud Computing. We can now offer

them that ﬂexibility. Through our Cloud engagement process, which begins with a three day Discovery Workshop, we are able to clarify our clients’ business objectives, existing IT environment, skills, licensing and capability and in turn recommend whether Office 365 or a mix Office 365/on-premise IT (commonly called a ‘hybrid’ model) is most appropriate. Before embarking on a Cloud project, these are the top five steps I would recommend considering: 1) Clearly defined business goals. This is a critical factor in ensuring measurable benefits are derived out of a Cloud (or indeed any) IT solution. 2) Identify your legal and security information requirements. A move to the Cloud may involve changes to where your data is stored and its security. Being aware of these requirements will allow a vendor/ partner to identify whether a Cloud service is suitable. 3) Understand your existing environment and current capabilities. There are infrastructure requirements/ dependencies with certain Cloud services, such as bandwidth. Ensure you ask a Cloud vendor/ partner for the infrastructure/ IT dependencies of their Cloud service. 4) Ensure your project team has a senior sponsor. Cloud is a prominent topic in boardroom conversations these days, so ensure that you have a sponsor who can represent the project team at this level and drive the project if it encounters organisational hurdles. 5) Engage experience. Look to a Cloud partner who has experience in delivering Cloud services and works closely with the Cloud service provider directly. Use their experience to identify common project stumbling blocks and critical success factors. To find out more about beginning your Office365 journey, please contact the Cloud Team at Bytes Software Services

Easy Cloud Adoption powered by Cobweb Cobweb has been delivering software from the Cloud since the late nineties and remains the largest Cloud provider in Europe of Microsoft collaboration software in Microsoft Exchange including CDI, BlackBerry Enterprise Server, SharePoint, Office Communication Server, Email Archival and Dynamics CRM. This is combined with the provision of scalable and secure infrastructure and data management services from the Cobweb Cloud, which support business critical applications in a pay-as-you-go utility model. The service is underpinned with our unique hybrid Cloud layer for management, provisioning, transparent billing and our comprehensive professional services capability. Cobweb’s Cloud Services have proven to help customers reduce the cost and complexity of delivering software and infrastructure and is accelerating the adoption of a service based IT model.

We considered a number of global leading hosted email brands, including Cobweb’s Hosted Exchange. Ultimately it was our feeling that Cobweb was the preferred provider who could deliver against our technical requirements.

Key benefits of Cobweb Cloud Computing • Eliminate High Capital Expenditure and move to a fixed per-user-per-month cost model • Considerably reduce the risks associated with upgrading existing legacy software • Enhance the user experience, mobility and move towards unified communications • 24/7 x 365 Support with Guaranteed SLAs for enhanced business continuity • ISO Certified Data Security & Compliance Initial requirements range from the need to reduce and maintain hardware at predictable costs, to wanting to improve service performance and communication platforms across the business. Cobweb Cloud computing gives businesses the ability to centrally manage data, rapidly create and deploy new capabilities, whilst only ever paying for the services used. Messaging, collaboration and hosting are common entry points for businesses looking to transition to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.

The Cobweb approach has allowed us to deliver a costeffective, yet tailored email service to all outlets without any large upfront expenditure. Martyn Eddins IT Services Manager at Mitchells & Butlers

The Cobweb Cloud Computing Platform

ROI can be proved with these ‘mature’ hosted services, the use of Cloud computing for ‘Infrastructure-as-a-Service’ (IaaS) for both customer facing services and internal systems simply becomes the logical next phase.

we work...

with a number of highly accredited Service Providers who are delivering Cloud solutions to our Enterprise, Mid Market and SMB customers. No matter what stage of the journey you are at, the Bytes Cloud Services team can help you get the right result. Simply speak to your account manager or email us at cloud@bytes.co.uk

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security

Q&A Social Networking for business

Bytes Security specialist Alison Sears speaks to the team at Websense to get answers to some key questions around business and Social Networking.

customers and partners. In fact, a survey conducted by Websense reveals that the 1300 IT managers in large companies around the world found that 95% of businesses already allow access to some types of Web 2.0 in the workplace and 30% report feeling pressure from C-level executives to allow more access to Web 2.0 sites.

Q: What are the advantages of Social Networking especially from the enterprise point of view?

Q: How can companies leverage Web 2.0 networking tools?

A: When many people hear the term Web 2.0 they think it’s only about social networking, sharing personal updates on Twitter, or watching funny videos on YouTube. The reality is that many businesses have already discovered valuable uses for Web 2.0. Businesses that are still trying to block employee access to Web 2.0 sites are missing opportunities. However, they need to have the right security policies and technologies in place in order to allow safe use of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 can help improve collaboration and information exchange among employees. It can streamline communication and processes, provide market insights, allow businesses to interact directly with customers and key stakeholders, and can even be used for new ways to generate revenue.

A: Ways that businesses benefit from Web 2.0 include:

Use of Web 2.0, like social networking and Twitter is ubiquitous among consumers, but more and more businesses are now taking advantage of Web 2.0 sites in new ways to interact with their

Q: Can Web 2.0 help businesses?

Despite these risks, IT professionals can no longer simply block access to Web 2.0 since 62% of IT managers feel that Web 2.0 is necessary to their business, according to a Web2.0@work survey conducted by Websense, Inc.

• Improved collaboration and information exchange among employees • Streamlined communication and processes • Gain market insights and research by having a window into customers’ conversations • Interact directly with customers and key stakeholders, and get involved in their conversations • New ways to reach consumers to sell products and services, and generate revenue.

A: Yes, it helps. Below are just two examples of how businesses have successfully used Web 2.0. These show the benefits of Web 2.0 and prove that businesses can no longer simply say “No” to Web 2.0: • Dell says Twitter has produced $1 million in revenue over the past year and a half through sale alerts. People who sign up to follow Dell on Twitter receive messages when discounted products are available at the company’s Home Outlet Store. They can click over to purchase the product or forward the information to others.

Alison Sears Business Development Manger – Security

26 | summer/autumn 2011

• Kimberly-Clark Corp. has an online community for users and potential users of its Scott personal care products. In 2008, the consumer products company began taking steps to analyse the data compiled by the Web 2.0 application. Kimberly-Clark now links data compiled on its community site with customer profile information, helping it identify its most loyal customers and market products to specific segments (such as parents whose children are ready to move from Huggies nappies to Pull-Ups).

Foundation of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) say that employees at workplace spent on average an hour a day on sites like Orkut, Facebook, Myspace and Linkedin, leading to a loss in productivity of nearly 12.5%.

Q: What kind of security measures should be adopted to securely use social networking sites for business? A: IT managers can no longer simply say “No” and block Web 2.0. However, they need the right policies and security solutions in order to safely say “Yes.” Businesses need a secure Web gateway and data loss prevention (DLP) technology. They need real-time analysis and categorisation of specific Web content on a page so that they can block just the malicious or inappropriate content, not the entire page or site. They need the ability to detect dynamic threats “on the ﬂy” because Web 2.0 sites change constantly and can be compromised at any moment. Finally, they also need data loss prevention technology to prevent their intellectual property and confidential data from being accidentally or intentionally shared on a Web 2.0 site or used in ways that it should not. The right security solutions can allow IT to enable employee use of Web 2.0 without worry. The Websense Web Security Gateway provides real-time analysis and categorisation of specific Web content on a page which allows businesses to block just the inappropriate or malicious content, not the entire page or Web site. Only Websense, with the ThreatSeeker Network and the technology acquired from Defensio provides a Web 2.0 early threat outbreak detection and protection system by analysing content posted to Web 2.0, social networking and blogger networks as it’s posted that gives Websense customers protection from risks before they propagate. Q: What are the disadvantages? A: IT professionals appear overconfident in their security – There exists a dangerous security gap when it comes to Web 2.0 threats. They need to understand the unique risks associated with Web 2.0 and how to protect their networks and essential information Businesses must balance the benefits of Web 2.0 with the potential information security risks. Because sites like wikis, blogs, mashups and social networking sites allow user-generated content, anybody can easily embed data-stealing spyware or post spam comments and links to malicious sites or inappropriate content. Q: There is a perception that employees spend most of their time socialising rather than focusing on work. How can companies stop that while not putting a ban on social networking sites as such? A: Social media has both positive and potentially negative aspects for enterprises. A survey conducted by The Social Development

Productivity is only one issue affecting a company and yet this is often being allowed to overshadow other concerns such as having the right security. While it is important to have good productivity – blocking web 2.0 is not the answer. Companies need to stay competitive and attract the best employees and use the right tools for the job. With the right security and policy settings you can not only keep your company and its essential information safe, but you can empower your employees to use web 2.0 tools at the right times and for the right purposes. For example the marketing department may need to use facebook or twitter to promote the company and so have full access, while another department could be granted access to facebook for personal use during the lunch hour. This can all be managed easily with real-time security and a realistic internet access policy. The result is that employees are happy and productive, they can all do their jobs and more importantly the company is safe. Q: What are the challenges for companies adopting social networking platforms? A: Though many organisations already allow access to some types of Web 2.0, a dangerous security gap exists. The majority of respondents reported feeling confident in their organisation’s Web security, though they admit to not having the necessary security solutions to protect from all threat vectors. Additionally, a surprising number of respondents appear to be confused on what exactly constitutes Web 2.0 – and what they don’t know could put their organisations at risk. The Websense Web2.0@work survey revealed the following: • 80% of respondents reported feeling confident in their organisation’s Web security, despite the fact that the numbers show they are ill-equipped to protect from Web 2.0 security threats: - 68% do not have real-time analysis of Web content - 59% cannot prevent URL re-directs. - 53% do not have security solutions that stop spyware from sending information to bots. - 52% do not have solutions to detect embedded malicious code on trusted Web sites. - 45% do not have data loss prevention technology to prevent company confidential information from being uploaded to sites like blogs and wikis, hosted on unauthorised cloud computing sites, or leaked through spyware and phishing attacks. • There is even confusion among IT professionals about what constitutes Web 2.0: Only 17% of respondents correctly identified all the items in the survey that can be considered Web 2.0. • Only half correctly identified wikis, video uploading sites like YouTube and hosted software/cloud computing sites like GoogleDocs to be Web 2.0. • 47% of respondents report that users in their organisation try to bypass their Web security policies.

further info...

on this article or Websense, please contact your Bytes account manager or Alison Sears on 020 8786 1500.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 27

meet the

manufacturers We’ve listed a small selection of some of the events being run by our manufacturers in the next few months. These events offer a perfect opportunity to meet the experts and also to network and swap ideas with peers. If you would like details of any other manufacturer events not listed here, please speak to your Bytes account manager who will be happy to assist you.

Acronis Weekly Webinars Acronis runs regular weekly webinars on a range of topics. To view the schedule and register for events, visit: www.acronis.co.uk/pr/

On Demand eSeminars A good range of ‘how to’ presentations from Adobe, giving a broad overview of Adobe products and how to get the best out of them. www.adobe.com/uk/events/presentations.html#1

Citrix Synergy 2011 – October 26th-28th 2011, Barcelona Citrix Synergy 2011 covers the full scope of virtual computing, from desktops to datacenters, and offers the inspiration, learning and relationship building you need to leverage its full potential. To register visit: www.citrixsynergy.com/barcelona/venue/register.html

For the comprehensive catalogue sorted by topic visit: www-950.ibm.com/events/

LANDesk Mobility Management Seminar: 7th July 2011, Cabinet War Rooms, London Discussion on best practices and practical ways to discover and manage all of your devices. For more info/registration www.landesk.emeamarketing.net/lp/mobility_seminar/

VMware Forum 2011 – Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin & London – May-June 2011 The Forums are VMware’s ﬂagship end user events for virtualisation and cloud computing in the UK and Ireland. Designed both for current VMware customers and organisations starting their VMware virtualisation and cloud computing journey, these events offer delegates valuable insight into building and extending their virtualisation and cloud deployments. Hear how Trend Micro and VMware are partnering to revolutionise virtualised security: www.vmware.com/events

Cloud Circle Forum: 7th July, 15th September & 24th November at Victoria Park Plaza, London The Cloud Circle is the UK’s first independent Business and IT focused Cloud Computing Community. The Cloud Circle was founded to provide a free, dedicated on and ofﬂine information and networking resource for the drivers of and implementers of Cloud Computing. To register for either of these events and for more information on the Cloud Circle visit: www.thecloudcircle.com/user/register IT Directors Forum: 12th – 15th October aboard Aurora, Southampton Mimecast will be present aboard The IT Directors’ Autumn Forum this year. This is a senior level event specifically designed to address the increasing needs and demands of senior IT decision makers. The event helps shape delegates upcoming strategies by offering a blend of highly interactive first class conference sessions, senior level face-to-face meetings with innovative solution providers and extensive networking opportunities with other delegates both formally and informally. For more information: www.itdf.com/Home.html IP Expo: 19th – 20th October, Earls Court 2, London IP Expo is the biggest end-to-end IT infrastructure event in the UK. It receives visitors from both the private and public sectors and due to the quality of the keynote speakers and exhibitors, it’s of particular interest to those at board level, and those involved in IT strategy, management, implementation and infrastructure. To Register: www.ipexpo.co.uk/register

Vision: 4th - 6th October 2011- Barcelona Learn best practices and network with peers amongst over 150 technical experts from Symantec, their partners and customers offering 120 technical breakout sessions and nearly 50 technical hands-on labs to deep dive into solution roadmaps, strategic product development insights, and to preview the latest IT solutions. To find out more visit: www.symantec.com/vision IA11: Protecting the UK in Cyberspace – 28th – 29th June 2011 Park Plaza, London IA11 is the Government’s leadership event for Cyber Security and Information Assurance. This is your chance to review the emerging threats and take stock of your responsibilities. Also, to engage in debate and share experiences with senior colleagues from across government, industry and academia. To register go to www.cesg.gov.uk/events

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security

secure

keeping it

Andy Dancer Chief Technical Officer, EMEA, Trend Micro

Cloud security remains a headline issue for corporate IT departments, but have traditional vendors been taking the wrong approach? Trend Micro’s Andy Dancer says the real issue is around data governance. While commercial pressures to move IT resources to the Cloud mount, security still remains the number one stumbling block in the adoption of cloud services by corporates, particularly in the area of public cloud infrastructure. According to research last year by IDG Research Services, while nearly half of large companies had enterprise applications or business processes running in the Cloud or planned to begin migration in the next year, two thirds did not have a Cloud security strategy. Companies appear to be putting their head in the sand when it comes to data governance in the Cloud – with research from Gartner indicating that 40% of virtualisation projects take place without the involvement of the security team.

30 | summer/autumn 2011

With targeted attacks by cybercriminals on Cloud providers on the rise, the industry has been making moves to address Cloud security provision, including the forming of the Cloud Security Alliance and the signing of the Cloud Security Manifesto. Standards are being agreed and guidelines drawn up, and corporates are increasingly looking for greater disclosure from their Cloud partners. But could it be that traditional attempts to secure Cloud computing have been focused on the wrong area? By throwing all the responsibility on Cloud security vendors, the issues don’t actually go away – they just become someone else’s issues. The real problem for corporates looking to benefit from the Cloud is around data governance – it’s the corporate’s responsibility to look after

their own data and it’s ultimately their problem if sensitive data gets into the public domain. It’s an issue that has been and will continue to be highlighted time and again, as sensitive data falls into the wrong hands. If you don’t know what security measures have been put in place by your Cloud hosting partner then it’s impossible to say this will not happen. Corporates have attempted to protect themselves by mandating standards, and conducting audits, but while there are people involved in the process, there’s always the danger that data could be leaked form the inside. The obvious answer is to encrypt all the data that a corporate hands over for hosting to a Cloud service provider. The challenge then becomes about access

management, authenticating the identity and integrity of Cloud servers as they attempt to get at the data. What’s the problem? When resources move to the Cloud, the traditional segmentation that exists within a corporate environment disappears as services are grouped together in order to gain the efficiencies from sharing hardware resources. Highly sensitive data that would have been locked away in a secure environment now sits on the same box as less sensitive data that might only have been password protected. This new mishmash of services introduces new risks to the corporate. Firstly, the Chinese walls that previously existed between different departments like finance, personnel and marketing have disappeared, and these are essential for governance

Amazon EC2, the implications of pooling all this data are huge. In a sense, you are putting it all on a plate for the cybercriminals, because once they are inside this environment, they have access to all the data, untraceable to the source. And they don’t have to break through the firewall, they can just sign up and become a customer and attack it from the inside. Encrypting sensitive data not only protects it from other customers but also from rogue administrators trying to access it from within the Cloud service provider. But the actual encryption is not the problem - standard AES Encryption is a mature technology that’s been deployed successfully for many years. What you find is that as soon as you solve the data encryption challenge, you come onto another challenge around access management.

During the last 30 years, dramatic advances in technology - the development of the minicomputer, the rise of the personal computer, and the emergence of the Internet - have revolutionised the way information is created, stored, shared and used.

and compliance. The separation of duties that had been tied down and is mandated in standards like the PCI Data Security Standards and Sarbanes-Oxley is all thrown up into the air again in the Cloud. Secondly, previously external facing systems are now linked up to systems which would normally be internal. This means your corporate website is now running alongside your payroll system on effectively the same physical server - you’d never have done that historically but in the new world you do. And looking a little wider, where different companies are sharing Cloud infrastructure, data from one company is sitting alongside data from another. Finally, taking this into the public Cloud space, with a consumer service like

Who goes there? The challenge of authenticating servers is one that Trend Micro has been looking at for a number of years now. There’s no out-of-the-box answer because it’s not straightforward like user authentication. If you think about encryption for a laptop, as someone turns the laptop on, you would ask them to enter a pass phrase and that would unlock the disk and allow the operating system to boot up. The trouble in the Cloud computing world is everything’s much more dynamic. Overnight you’ve only got one web server, then in the morning when people start coming in, you want to spin up another three or four to deal with the load. User intervention is also a problem. When a user is on their laptop. they’ve got an interface, and you can collect

data from them. But when a machine’s spinning up out of a Cloud in the data centre or in the public Cloud, there isn’t a natural thing to get hold of. So what you need is a system that checks for two things – identity and integrity. First of all, is this really your machine, rather than someone else pretending to be your machine? Secondly, you need to know about the integrity of the system - is there a firewall in place, are the anti-virus signatures up to date, when did you last check that there wasn’t a piece of data-stealing malware on the machine that is going to steal the data as soon as you unlock it. If you check those two items before you release the keys to the box, then you can be pretty sure that you’re protecting the data. Introducing a key server brings the added advantage of achieving separation of duties. Either the Cloud service provider is looking after your servers and the security vendor is looking after your key, or you bring the keys back in house leaving only encrypted data in the hands of your outsourcer. So whose responsibility it is to secure data in the Cloud? Ultimately, the corporates will pay for it because it’s their data that needs to be protected and their responsibility. But there are a lot of smaller businesses looking for the benefits of Cloud deployment, and they’ll just look to the service providers, who in turn can offer it as a value-added service. The service providers really like the concept too because if a piece of sensitive data ends up in the public domain, they don’t want it coming back to them, with a company claiming they must have leaked it. The provider can say that even if they had leaked the data, there’s no way it could have come from them because it’s encrypted and they don’t have access to the encryption keys.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 31

case study

Manchester Civil Justice Centre The elegant court complex is an exemplar of an innovative and well-executed sustainable design. It is now officially our most-prolific award winner having scooped over 25 awards.

casestudy Global management,

engineering and development

consultancy, Mott Macdonald, engaged Bytes Software Services to get back on track to save 750 staff hours per year, improve security and proactively manage their software compliance.

About Mott MacDonald: Mott MacDonald’s uniquely diverse £1 billion global consultancy works across 12 core business areas. As one of the world’s largest employee owned companies with over 14,000 staff, they have principal offices in nearly 50 countries and projects in 140. Their breadth of skills, services and global reach across all markets makes them uniquely placed to bring their customers: • Holistic, innovative thinking • Global experience with local insight • World-expert practitioners • Multi-sector perspective

They use their experience and resources to help deliver projects on any scale, to shape and implement development policies and programmes, as well as advance sustainability.

32 | summer/autumn 2011

The Challenge: With over 14,000 employees spread over a global network covering 50 offices and projects in 140 countries, Mott MacDonald recognised the need for an effective Software Asset Management solution to enable them to keep control over their rapidly changing software portfolio. Their current processes and technologies to manage their global software deployment were not providing them with the visibility and control they wanted and they soon recognised that this was exposing them to compliance issues and inefficient software deployment and removal. Investment in an Altiris 6.5 system provided a partial solution towards achieving the levels of control they demanded. Configuration and maintenance issues were hampering the effectiveness of the investment and causing business interruption problems. The Bytes Solution: Following a successful tender process, Mott MacDonald engaged Bytes Software Services to provide a SAM solution that would maximise their investment in Altiris 6.5 and enable them to reach the levels of control over their software estate that they needed. The first step was to carry out an ‘Envisioning Workshop’ to provide a complete understanding of the SAM processes and technologies in place and agree an improvement plan for the business. The next step was to complete a full software and hardware audit and a review of all existing software policies, technologies and procedures. This information allowed us to assess the scope of the task and help prepare, prioritise and implement the right solution. Bytes then initialised the ‘Altiris Improvement Project’ building a solution around the current Altiris 6.5 investment with a view to upgrading to an Altiris 7 system in the future. We redesigned and reconfigured a global solution to provide Mott MacDonald with a robust software management system that they could trust and control.

Ryan Hardcastle Global Asset Manager

Given Bytes’ expertise and experience in working with Symantec products and especially the Altiris suite on a global scale, Bytes were able to design, configure and successfully implement a robust solution that now meets all of Mott MacDonald’s infrastructure management requirements. Bytes’ technical expertise is coupled with robust project management to ensure successful delivery within very tight timescales and within a fixed budget. The Benefits The enhancements and reconfiguration of the existing Altiris 6.5 system significantly improved all aspects of Mott MacDonald’s global software management. The benefits delivered range from the significant and measurable time/money savings achieved from the faster system start-up times of the 14000 global workforce, to improved security from an improved patch management process. The efficient management of patch deployment and smooth application package delivery also provided a significant reduction in technical support issues to their newly created global service desk. On a global scale the time and cost savings for this element alone represented a huge return on their Software Asset Management investment. Bytes Managed Service Following the successful implementation of the reconfigured Altiris 6.5 system, Bytes Software Services have been retained by Mott MacDonald to provide a full and ongoing Managed Service. This Bytes service ensures the SAM system is maintained and developed to continue to provide complete control, visibility and compliance over all aspects of the Mott MacDonald global software estate. Bytes & Symantec (Altiris) Bytes are a Symantec Platinum Partner and it’s this strategic relationship with them and our knowledge of the Altiris SAM solution that put us in a strong position to design an effective, secure and adaptable proposition to Mott MacDonald utilising their investment in Altiris 6.5.

customer profile Company: Mott MacDonald Industry: Engineering Country: 140 countries Revenues: £1bn + Employees: 14,000 Bytes Solutions Provided: • Symantec Altiris 6.5 • Symantec Service Desk 7 • Bytes Software Asset Management • Bytes Managed Service Key Benefits: • Significantly quicker PC start up times for over 14,000 employees • Improved patch management process which has reduced security risks within the business and individual clients • Software deployment, removal and upgrading in less than 2 hours • Time savings now used to add value to the business • Accurate inventories • Software compliance • Smooth operation of a Global Service Desk • Delegation of daily IT operations to regional teams • Significant cost savings moving forward as Mott MacDonald are now in a position to re-distribute existing under-utilised software licenses

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 33

licensing

Navigating from OCS to Microsoft Lync 2010

Following a very successful Bytes event recently at the Polycom Executive Briefing Centre (EBC) in London, I thought I would put together a quick article simply outlining the change from Microsoft OCS to Lync 2010. In short, Microsoft® Lync™ Server 2010 is the next generation of Microsoft® Office Communications Server 2007 R2.

36 | summer/autumn 2011

Adam Thorton Bytes Mid-Market Sales Manager

The main benefits include: • A single interface that unites voice communications, presence and instant messaging, and audio/video/web conferencing into a solution that can enhance and replace existing systems. • A familiar user experience accessible through Microsoft® Office, Microsoft SharePoint®, and Microsoft Exchange. • A single identity that connects users to contacts inside and outside of the organisation.

Enterprise CAL or the Plus CAL features, the user must be licensed with one Standard CAL and either one Enterprise CAL or one Plus CAL respectively and each CAL works with either the Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition of the Server. External Connector Licenses As with other Microsoft products licensed with CALs, External Connectors are also available. An External Connector licenses an unlimited number of clients to access

• A consistent experience across PC, phone, web, or mobile that gives users the option to connect from many devices. • Exceptional security and reliability that works with Active Directory® and Microsoft® Forefront®. • Interoperability with existing systems for smoother deployment and migration. • A rich platform for development, bringing unified communications into custom solutions ranging from business workﬂows to line-of-business applications. So what has changed and how is it now licensed?

New Branding (Fig. 1) The branding has changed from Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to Lync 2010 with the following 3 components; Lync 2010 for client, and Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition.

Fig. 1 Server/Client Access License (CAL) Model

New License Types (Fig. 2) Lync Server 2010 on-premise is licensed in the Server / Client Access License (CAL) model. There are three types of licenses: (1) server licenses, (2) client access licenses and (3) external connector licenses. Server Licenses A license must be assigned for each instance of the server software that is being used. Lync Server 2010 is sold in two editions:

Fig. 2

• Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition. • Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Edition. Client Access Licenses (CALs) To access Lync Server 2010 a Client Access License (CAL) is required. A CAL is not a software product; it is a license that gives a user the right to access the services of the server. There are three CALs for Lync 2010: • Lync Server 2010 Standard CAL. • Lync Server 2010 Enterprise CAL. • Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL. Enterprise CALs and Plus CALs are additive - they are sold as a supplement to the Standard CAL. This means that to enable Standard CAL features for a user, the user must be licensed with just the Standard CAL. To use either the

Fig. 3

cont... BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 37

cont... from page 37

a server product on a single physical server. The clients licensed by an External Connector may not be employees of the organisation that owns the server and onsite contractors are considered employees. An External Connector license is for a specific server: if an organisation makes a server product available to external clients on multiple servers (such as multiple servers in a Web farm), each server requires its own External Connector license.

Fig. 4

External Connectors are valuable for licensing products that serve an organisation’s customers or business partners, where it’s not practical for the organisation to purchase a CAL for every authorised user or device. For example, an organisation might use a Windows Server External Connector to license suppliers accessing the company’s extranet site. Fig. 3 shows the components of the previous OCS CALs and how this has changed with Lync 2010 with the Enterprise CAL now split into Conferencing and Voice with enhanced feature sets. As a result of this change, the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL and its associated features will not be included with the Enterprise CAL (ECAL) Suite. Some voice-specific features previously offered with the Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 R2 Enterprise CAL will be discontinued and only offered in the new Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL. It is worth noting that the overall cost for both Enterprise CAL and Plus CAL in Lync 2010 has not generally increased from the Enterprise CAL in OCS 2007 R2. Having two options simply allows ﬂexibility and a lower cost if only one is required.

Lync 2010 and the Microsoft Core CAL Agreement Lync Server Standard CAL and Forefront Enterprise Protection (FEP) will be part of the Microsoft Core CAL Agreement from 1st August 2011. Existing customers will

automatically gain the license entitlement to these products (Fig. 4). After 1st August, there will be a pricing impact for renewals of c.+10% dependent on whether you have Core CAL &/or Pro Desktop. New Core CAL Agreement customers can benefit from existing pricing if purchased or renewed prior to 1st August 2011. Existing Core CAL customers reviewing ECAL suite should work with their Bytes Account Manager and Microsoft business manager to discuss purchasing before the changes on 1st August 2011. Lync 2010 and the Microsoft Enterprise CAL Agreement Overall the cost for the step-up from Core CAL to Enterprise CAL will reduce by c.9% as Lync Server Standard CAL and Forefront Enterprise Protection (FEP) move from ECAL to Core CAL. There is also one other major aspect to be aware of regarding the eligibility of Plus CAL (Enterprise Voice). If your ECAL Agreement was signed BEFORE 1st October 2010 you WILL receive Plus CAL, however, if your agreement was signed AFTER 1st October 2010 you will need to purchase Plus CAL separately. Pricing The pricing will vary depending on your current Microsoft agreement. Instead of printing prices that may be mis-leading we would prefer to give you a tailored quote based on your specific requirements. Please give us a call and we will be happy to help.

at Bytes...

we have the largest dedicated Software Licensing Team in the UK. For further information on how best to license and purchase Microsoft Lync 2010, please contact your account manager or call 020 8786 1500.

38 | summer/autumn 2011

Complex data simplified

with Microsoft Visio 2010 Keeping on top of what’s happening in your organisation can sometimes be a complex process. And with additional data being created all the time, a new approach to making sense of information is more critical than ever.

Simple tools for managing complexity Create rich dashboards of information from across the organisation with Microsoft Visio 2010. It’s straightforward to produce and share simple representations from a variety of data resources so that complex decisions are easier to make. With all the features you need to make complex data simpler. Microsoft Visio 2010 provides a wealth of features designed to simplify complexity: • Connect with data sources to make diagrams dynamic and data-driven • Simplify complex diagrams to add clarity and ensure consistency across the organisation • Logical groupings of features in the Ribbon to find and access the tools you need quickly • Quickly create professional and appealing diagrams with the rich gallery of themes, Live Preview and a range of formatting tools • Create, monitor and model workﬂows with advanced templates that contain SharePoint rules and logic • Pre-drawn, modern and intelligent templates, alongside automatic features such as alignment and auto-size tools, help draw diagrams faster • Publish and share rich visual dashboards containing interactive Visio diagrams and other application services. Use your most current data to make informed decisions quickly by choosing Microsoft Visio 2010. If you would like further information about Microsoft Visio or to download a free trial, please speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 39

partners

Bytes

partner Maggie Perry Bytes Microsoft & Partner Business Manager

Bytes has been active in the Partnering space for many years. In 1997 we commissioned a dedicated team to drive sales of licensing and software services into a channel of Partners, effectively to become a seconded software services arm to their businesses.

We were introduced to Eurodata by our

Account Manager Nick Ward at Bytes via their Partner Eco-System. We found the experience of working with a company like Eurodata in tandem with our licensing supplier through a trusted framework like their Eco-System to be a very valuable one and something that we’ll definitely look to again in the future when the need arises. Annabelle Searl IT Administration Manager, Thomas Eggar, LLP

40 | summer/autumn 2011

14 years on our Partner Team goes from strength to strength, our singular focus on software services makes us an ideal Partner without any fear of competing on other products and propositions. Consequently FY10/11 has been a record year for this part of our business! In 2008 we evolved our Partner strategy to incorporate a new side to what we now describe as our Partner Eco-System. This new business sought to establish a group of Partner System Integrators (SI) whom we deemed to have a similar outlook and approach to quality and customer services. The purpose of this group was to enable us to offer our clients the highest calibre of capability in the deployment of the technologies made available through their licensing agreements, with the peace of mind that comes with a framework of established and trusted Partners. Today with a plethora of successful deployments and even more satisfied Customers under our belts, Bytes is building a strong reputation as an organisation that can not only bring sense, clarity and cost control to software licensing but also excellence in the delivery of solutions that will drive true benefit to Customers.

We’ve worked hard to find great Partners at the top of their game! We regularly liaise with Vendors and Customers alike, seeking recommendations for Partners who are time and time again delivering great work and also, critically, have an appreciation for the value that can come from balanced, effective partnerships. Ongoing, we have regular meetings with Partners to discuss current projects, and upcoming work to ensure the general rhythm of the relationship is maintained and that our clients experience is cohesive and seamless. We regularly collaborate on events to ensure that we continue to keep our collective Customers in the know and able to leverage new technologies and opportunities. If you haven’t already attended one of these events we’d highly recommend you do! If you’d like to know more about how our Partner Eco-System can help you unlock the true value in your licensing agreements, please read some of the pieces in this magazine written by our Partners or ask your Account Manager for more information about the spectrum of technologies that we can deliver and the Partners we engage with.

We regularly liaise with Vendors, Partners and Customers which puts us in a very good position to recommend a suitable partner for your project; whether it is Virtualisation, Unified Comms, Exchange, SharePoint, CRM or Cloud Services.

ring Platform Integration – Your Route to Efficiency Gains

In the current climate, just about every organisation is looking to reduce costs and complexity in their existing IT environment and one of the most successful ways of doing this is through effective integration of existing systems. Recently we have seen three common themes driving the need for a standard approach to the integration of systems - ERP and back-office consolidation, provision of timely and accurate data for Management Information and the need to support and govern system integration across multiple data centres and deployment models, to enable both the adoption of Cloud-based solutions and the ability to automate interactions with customers, suppliers & partners. ERP platforms rarely stand alone and generally provide back-office processing services across the full breadth of the business. As large organisations grow, the ERP footprint expands and often a ‘spaghetti’ of point-to-point integrations are developed to integrate operational systems with the back-office. This often results in a complex ERP infrastructure that’s expensive to support and maintain and is inﬂexible in its ability to change to support the needs of the business. We’ve worked with a number of companies where they’ve seen an opportunity to reduce cost by consolidating and standardising their back-office, but this is hampered by their ability to ‘unpick’ the ERP from the operational systems without having a significant impact on the business. An integration platform can offer the ability to isolate the operational systems from this change, as well as provide the means for standardising on back-office processing. We’ve recently completed an ERP consolidation project for a major retail and hospitality company, using a middleware solution to provide a platform for systems integration. The solution enabled the organisation to gain a better view and understanding of their workforce, providing savings of up to £10m over the next four years, and, with more effective, timely inventory management across their premises, they are able to achieve further savings of £5m per year.

key tips Platform Integration Key Tips to consider: • Think strategically but execute tactically. Make sure you’ve got a long term vision and roadmap for what you want to achieve, but grow and develop this within projects that are delivering to the needs of the business. • Implement incrementally and demonstrate value early to get the buy-in from your colleagues in the business. • Most importantly, make sure you have the necessary skills in place – either internally or externally. You need a broad experience in understanding the wider enterprise architecture, in-depth knowledge of SOA and middleware, and if you’re working with an external consultancy, ensure they have a proven track record and are focussed on designing the solution that’s right for you.

David Sanderson Vice President, Enterprise Integration Hitachi Consulting UK

The need for accurate, up-to-date, Management Information and the availability of near real time data that can be analysed in a timely manner is also driving wider platform integration. Another of our other customers is using their integration platform and BI strategy to identify fraudulent activity faster, and is now reaping a return on investment of £2m per annum. Likewise, better platform integration is helping customers to maximise the efficiency gains from the Cloud. Hitachi Consulting has helped a number of organisations better leverage the cloud through platform integration, including helping a budget airline to realise a business vision with the potential to save their business millions of pounds a year in efficiency gains and operational savings.

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A view on the Virtual Market Place The adoption of virtualisation as the de-facto standard platform for Wintel servers has completely changed the way that server infrastructure is now architected, deployed and managed. Initially, untrusted for production workloads, virtualisation proved its worth by powering ‘test and dev’ environments, quickly progressing to providing ﬂexible and cost effective disaster recovery platforms. Due to its tremendous success in these areas and fuelled by a wealth of features and capability, virtualisation is now considered as the first choice for production workloads, which is underpinned by the likes of VMware who are leading the charge. Their Data Centre reliable Hypervisor, ESX, is now in its 7th generation, offering the ability to support bigger workloads than ever before. The benefits of virtualisation are immense: • Rapid provisioning of servers. • Consistent operational environments / virtual hardware platform. • Highly available servers. • Accelerated retirement of legacy hardware. • Reduced physical server footprint - reduces data centre space, power and cooling costs. • Simplified backup, replication and disaster recovery. • Reduction in total cost of ownership. • Structured budget spend. • Reduces /controls server sprawl. But despite all of these benefits, the migration of existing server platforms to a virtual infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges businesses face today. In small to medium environments, the ability to migrate, either via Physical to Virtual “P2V”conversion or by reinstallation and data migration, has been reasonably successful. In more challenging environments, with greater complexity, we generally find that organisations have managed to migrate their simple server platforms, typically where the server/application ratio is 1:1. When applications are spread over a number of server hosts or have numerous interdependencies with other applications and resources, the typical migration methodologies start to become

42 | summer/autumn 2011

Andy Soanes Director of Service Management GlassHouse Technologies (UK)

challenging, leading the stalling of the migration project. The root cause of this is a lack of understanding of the Application Layer and its relationship with its underlying Server Infrastructure. A typical “P2V” of a standalone server converts the Servers OS, Application(s) and Data all in 1 simple step allowing for a migration to be planned relatively easily. In the event that migration fails for whatever reason, the roll back is as simple as turning the original server back on. Where you have an Application Spread over multiple hosts, it is essential to understand fully what each host is doing and the implications to the Application and Business if a server is taken ofﬂine for a migration. We have been engaged on many complex server migration projects and our experience has shown us that it is essential to assess your environment not only from the server platform and how it’s currently performing over a reasonable duration, but also it is necessary to fully understand the Application Layer and how that maps to its Server Platform Layer, Application Owners and Business Processes. With a full understanding of the Application and Server environment and the associated Business change management process it is possible to plan and execute highly complex server migration tasks in a de-risked way. By adopting this approach and utilising GlassHouse’s Impact Analysis for Virtual Environments it is possible to accelerate the migration of existing physical server environments into a virtual world and all of the benefits that is brings.

Collabora�ve Thinking

Applicable has been suppor�ng organisa�ons transi�oning to cloud, on-premise or hybrid email and collabora�on environments for more than 10 years. Our cer�ﬁed exper�se in Microso� and IBM technologies ensures we are the perfect partner to support customers in the planning and execu�on of email migra�ons and transi�ons.

We work with customers in the cri�cal planning phase and share our experience to minimise disrup�on and achieve maximum return on investment as quickly as possible. We guide you through the important decisions you need to make to ensure a successful migra�on whether that’s from one technology to another or a significant in-line upgrade. In our experience, customers consider migra�on and transi�ons for as variety of reasons: • When facing a natural break point such as a significant version upgrade, hardware replacement, or a change in requirements • Staff become hard to find or expensive • As part of a larger integrated collabora�on roadmap • When considering a move to a different service model, such as cloud or consolida�on • As part of a reducing TCO The careful planning of a migra�on project will ensure all business objec�ves are clearly defined and achievable within the agreed �meframes. Whether you’re considering migra�ng to a hosted, cloud or on-premise solu�on, the planning process is the most vital component to achieving a successful project. We work with world leading tool vendors to ensure your migra�on progresses smoothly with minimal disrup�on.

“User impact was the most important factor of our Exchange migra�on. The Quest migra�on so�ware ensured that the disrup�on to our users was as small as was technically achievable.” Louise Catley, Programme Manager, Punch Taverns Our partnership with Quest So�ware and use of their Migra�on So�ware tools ensures maximum fidelity and unrivalled automa�on during user transi�ons. The combina�on of our exper�se in both Microso� and IBM technologies, and the Quest So�ware tool set, delivers the most cost effec�ve transi�on, with a great user experience. Our focus on your business drivers combined with class leading skills, experience and tooling makes us the perfect fit for organisa�ons seeking a partner for a transi�on project. We leverage our 24 x 7 capability, allowing users to migrate users at any �me of day or night. Applicable does this to minimise user disrup�on and accelerate the transi�on, reducing the coexistence phase.

OFFER: Engage before 31.08.2011 and receive our Transi�on Planning Workshop for £3,500* *Usual price £5,000, oﬀer only available un�l 31.08.2011

WHY APPLICABLE Applicable works with world leading partners in the process of tangibly improving our customer’s performance through the deployment of global workforce collabora�on and messaging systems. These systems are developed and implemented by Applicable’s specialist professional services and enabled by our best in class ITSM opera�ons. • 11 years of delivering hosted and managed email, collabora�on and suppor�ng solu�ons to enterprise customers, in cloud, on-premise and hybrid • 50,000 enterprise and SME seats under management Microso� Gold Partner and IBM Premier Partner with long pedigree in both Domino and Exchange • Only Quest cloud kit provider in the UK • Long history of complex migra�ons • 24x7 Migra�on capability

“Our skills, experience and approach mean customers are conﬁdent of a successful transi�on project which meets user expecta�ons; on �me and within budget.” Alan Baldwin, Managing Director, Applicable

@Appl1cable

For more informa�on contact your Bytes account manager

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 43

Bytes portal

portal

The Bytes Portal brings together all elements of your software estate into one system. It enables you to manage and track the entire life cycle of your software assets from point of purchase to decommission. It has a unique and customisable intelligence, as well as real data/views that will help simplify the administration of your global software licensing estate. Below are some of the key functions of the Portal: On line Ordering The Bytes Portal gives you direct access to your current agreement information and pricing tailored to your specific contract parameters. Our product search facility helps you quickly find the items you need and create quotations, email these quotations to other people in your organisation and easily convert them to orders. The Portal offers customisable views and access rights so that components, for example the ability to place orders, can be included or excluded for specific users. Manage Contracts and Renewals The Portal offers a full contract management system which you can use to manage all the contracts and software licenses in your estate. You can upload your own data and documentation for any type of contract across your organisation. The Portal ďŹ&#x201A;ags contracts and licenses at 90, 60 and 30 days prior to renewal or expiry and can be configured to send reminder emails at these intervals. Discover and Manage Assets The Bytes asset management service provides you with the ability to actively manage your organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s software license and compliance positions.

Emma Magalhaes Bytes Portal Manager

I find the Bytes Portal extremely easy to use, I mainly create orders or convert quotes to an order and the process is faultless. When I request a quote for software the response is very quick and orders are always processed straightaway. I wish all portals were the same! Gayle Core - Specsavers This modular service is designed to deliver cost reductions by rationalising support and maintenance contracts and ensure cost avoidance through license re-harvesting and contract renewal management. Manage Learning Our online learning portal offers services ranging from simple online booking of a wide range of popular training courses from many training providers, to bespoke solutions developed for your organisation. You can publish and manage your own in house training programs and curriculums and monitor course registration, budget approval and attendance. Service Desk The Portal service desk helps you manage all of your communications with

Bytes sales, technical and administration teams. It enables you to log and monitor requests online which go directly to the relevant personal with Bytes. The Service Desk can be used as an auditable way of tracking how Bytes and your organisation are interacting and how we are delivering against Service Level Agreements (SLAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) and response times. Portal Development Services Our Portal development services enable secure seamless communication and navigation between your own back office systems and the Bytes Portal. Our in-house team have the skills to develop and support solutions to integrate with your systems.

learn more...

about the Bytes Portal or to set up a user account, please speak to your Bytes account manager who will arrange this for you.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 45

virtualisation

Application Virtualisation Made Simple

VMwareThinApp

Following on from some successful roll-outs of ThinApp within our customer base, I wanted to share a little more detail on the value that it can add to your desktop environment. This article gives a broad overview of the technology, it’s features and benefits and also the main uses for ThinApp including; Simplify Windows 7 Migration, Eliminate Application Conﬂicts, Augment Security Policies and several others. If you would like to discuss any of the points mentioned, please contact me at matt.gallick@bytes.co.uk

What Is ThinApp? ThinApp is an agentless application virtualisation solution that decouples applications from their underlying operating systems to eliminate application conﬂict and streamline application delivery and management.

How Does ThinApp Work? ThinApp virtualises applications by encapsulating application files and registry into a single ThinApp package that can be deployed, managed and updated independently from the underlying operating system (OS). The virtualised applications do not make any changes to the underlying OS and continue to behave the same across different configurations for compatibility, consistent end-user experiences, and ease of management.

How Is ThinApp Used? • Simplify Windows 7 migration - Migrate legacy applications such as Internet Explorer 6 to 32- and 64bit Windows 7 systems with ease by using ThinApp to eliminate costly recoding, regression testing and support costs.

Matt Gallick – Bytes BDM, Virtualisation.

• Increase mobility for end users - Deploy, maintain and update virtualised applications on USB sticks for ultimate portability. At a Glance Designed to eliminate application conﬂicts and streamline management, VMware ThinApp™ simplifies application virtualisation and reduces the cost and complexity of application delivery. As a key component of VMware View™, ThinApp adds application compatibility to virtual desktop environments and helps to reduce the management burden of desktop applications and images. Key Benefits • Simplify Windows 7 migrations. • Eliminate application conﬂicts. • Minimise costly recoding and regression testing. • Streamline application management. • Reduce IT support and helpdesk costs. • Strengthen endpoint security. • Increase workforce mobility. • Get integrated application assignment.

Sales & Executives

Partners & Contractors

VMware ThinApp

• Eliminate application conﬂicts - Isolate desktop applications from each other and from the underlying OS to avoid conﬂicts. • Consolidate application streaming servers - Enable multiple applications and “sandboxed” user-specific configuration data and settings to safely reside on the same server. • Reduce desktop storage costs - Leverage ThinApp as a component of VMware View to reduce desktop storage costs and streamline updates to endpoints. • Augment security policies - Deploy ThinApp packages on “locked-down” PCs and allow end users to run their favorite applications without compromising security.

Physical PC

Knowledge Workers

Blade PC Or Network Share

ACE or Standalone

Task Workers Call Centers

VDI or Thin Client

cont...

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Key Features What’s New in ThinApp 4.6 • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 support - ThinApp now offers complete support for virtualising Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (IE 6) that makes it easy to virtualize and deploy IE 6 application packages to 32- and 64-bit Windows 7 desktops.

• Three-step setup capture - Use a three-step process for pre and post-install system states to simplify application packaging and support applications that require a reboot during the installation process. Fast, Flexible Application Delivery

• ThinDirect - This new feature gives end users the ﬂexibility to seamlessly run IE 6 on Windows 7 desktops alongside newer browsers such as IE 8, and allows administrator to configure Web pages with IE 6 dependencies to ensure that URLs always open in the right browser.

• Application link - Configure relationships between virtualised applications, plug-ins, service packs, and even runtime environments such as Java and .NET.

• Relink - Upgrade existing ThinApp packages to the new ThinApp 4.6 format quickly and easily without the need for associated project files.

• Support for USB drives and thin clients - Deploy, maintain and update applications on USB storage drives and thin client terminals.

• ThinApp Converter - ThinApp works with VMware vSphere™, VMware ESX® and VMware Workstation images to convert silently installed applications into ThinApp packages through a command-line interface that allows for automation of application conversion and management.

• Microsoft Windows 7 support - Deploy legacy applications on 32- and 64-bit Windows 7 systems and streamline application migration by avoiding costly, timeconsuming recoding and regression testing.

Agentless Application Virtualisation • Agentless architecture - Designed for fast deployment and ease of management, ThinApp requires no agent code on target devices. • Complete application isolation - Package entire applications and their settings into a single executable that runs independently on any endpoint, allowing multiple versions or multiple applications to run on the same device without any conﬂict. • Built-in security - Application packages run only in user mode, so end users have the freedom and ﬂexibility to run their preferred applications on locked-down PCs without compromising security. Fast, Flexible Application Packaging

• Application sync - Automatically apply updates over the Web to applications on unmanaged PCs and devices.

Seamless Integration with Existing infrastructure • Zero-footprint architecture - Plug ThinApp directly into existing IT tools without the need to add dedicated hardware or backend databases. • Integration with management tools - ThinApp creates standard. MSI and EXE packages that can be delivered through existing tools from Microsoft, BMC, HP, CA, Novell, Symantec, LANDesk and others. • Support for Active Directory authentication - Add and remove ThinApp users from Active Directory groups, and prevent unauthorised users from executing ThinApp packages. • Integrated application assignment in VMware View Manager 4.5 - ThinApp packages can be assigned to individual desktops or pools of desktops in View Manager to allow for streamlined application deployment.

• Package once, deploy to many - Package an application once and deploy it to desktops (physical or virtual) running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7.

for more...

information or to purchase VMware products, call your Bytes account manager 020 8786 1500

48 | summer/autumn 2011

disaster recovery

The Avoidable

downtim Costs of

Organisations in the UK lose Over £2 billion a year by Failing to Manage their Business-Critical Systems The results of an independent report commissioned by CA Technologies* reveals that time taken to fix failed IT systems costs the average organisation in the UK £208,000 a year through lost revenue – or over £2 billion collectively.

How will you avoid the financial impact of downtime? Downtime and associated costs are avoidable – organisations can tackle them through a re-evaluation of their disaster recovery strategy. Having a disaster recovery plan to deliver total application availability does not have to cost a fortune. Ensure optimum data availability with CA ARCserve ARCserve gives you the control you need to maximise revenue generation. It enables you to: • Accelerate backup and recovery. • Minimise data loss and downtime. • Maximise availability of applications and data. • Speed up granular restore. • Increase business continuity.

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The survey was carried out across 1,808 organisations in 11 European countries. Across the 200 organisations questioned in the UK, each one suffers from an average of 27 hours of IT downtime a year, which equates to almost 300,000 hours across the UK. When business-critical systems are compromised, organisations in the UK estimate that their ability to generate revenue is reduced by 22%. CA Technologies believes that much of this considerable cost to business and the economy can be avoided through better data protection strategies that focus on the speed of data recovery. “The smooth running of IT is critical for many organisations in today’s fragile economic climate and any degradation in service not only impacts employee productivity, but can be very visible to customers too. With companies increasingly dependent on online services to generate revenue or provide an essential channel of customer communication, the financial impact of outages is becoming a critical issue. Fortunately, much of this cost is avoidable - organisations can tackle it through a re-evaluation of their disaster recovery strategy. Doing so could have a direct impact on their financial position and help them manage their emergence from the recession.” Chris Ross, VP, CA Technologies.

“ The smooth running of IT is critical for many organisations in today’s fragile economic climate and any degradation in service not only impacts employee productivity, but can be very visible to customers too”

trial the...

extra control you gain with ARCserve for FREE! Call Bytes today on 020 8786 1500 to arrange your FREE 30 day trial!

The report also reveals that post IT downtime (i.e. when IT systems are up and running), there is an additional delay of 11 hours per year at each organisation during which time data is still being recovered. Across the UK that’s another 120,000 hours when business operations aren’t fully operational. In this post-outage period when data recovery is taking place, company revenue generation is still hampered, down by an average of 16%. Other key findings from the survey included: • Three quarters (76%) of the organisations surveyed said that the IT systems and applications effected by IT outages were mission critical. • The departments most likely to suffer during downtime were operations (76%), finance (52%) and sales (39%). Read the full report at www.arcserve.com/gb *The survey was conducted by an independent research firm Coleman Parkes

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 51

email strategy

migr

are you ready to

Justin Pirie Cloud Strategist, Mimecast

“For the cloud, we’re all in,” remarked Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer in March last year. This quote is rapidly becoming part of IT folklore, but perhaps most importantly it highlighted Microsoft’s determination to shift from client server to the Cloud. Some might criticise it for being a little late, but there’s no denying that once the Redmond behemoth sets its big guns on a market, everyone else had better watch out.

52 | summer/autumn 2011

rate? Cloud computing, in essence, means outsourcing IT services to third party vendors who then deliver those services over the internet. It allows IT departments to focus resources on areas of high value for the business, while ofﬂoading commoditised but management-intensive or high risk applications – such as email – to Cloud vendors like Mimecast. It’s important to state up front that the cloud isn’t for everyone. Some companies like to keep all their IT on-site, perhaps because they believe an on-premise archive is more secure, or they have fears over the nascent nature of Cloud computing. Even so, the majority of IT departments today are under intense pressure to do more with less and Cloud computing has already shown it has the potential to deliver on that promise. UK businesses have already shown a great deal of enthusiasm for Cloud technology. In terms of email services, firms have migrated to Mimecast, because they get reduced cost and complexity, and are better equipped for eDiscovery. Spearheading Microsoft’s charge to the Cloud has been BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite), a fully hosted Cloud service where Microsoft pretty much does everything. It manages the Exchange server out of the data centre, archives your data and delivers the whole package over the internet. Outlook simply remains on your desktop. BPOS will soon be replaced by Office 365, which is based on Exchange 2010 and adds a whole host of new functionality on top of BPOS.

This provides a bit of a quandary for the IT director or CIO. For one thing, BPOS was announced only a few months after Microsoft had launched its best ever on-premise Exchange server, Exchange 2010, which offered significant performance advantages over Exchange 2007 and especially Exchange 2003. So even before BPOS burst onto the scene, users of Microsoft Exchange had a lot to think about.

And with BPOS, the situation got a little trickier. There’s often a sense with the Cloud it’s an all-or-nothing decision. With Microsoft announcing a fully hosted, Cloud-based, Exchangebased email service, many CIOs wondered – and continue to wonder – if they should leapfrog Exchange 2010 and go fully hosted, with BPOS or Office 365.

The truth is there’s no mad rush. If you are a Microsoft Exchange customer and you like the idea, over time, of embracing Cloud technology, then you can do it how you want to, when you want to. The adoption of Exchange 2010 is just beginning to quicken. According to Gartner, somewhere between 80% and 90% of Microsoft’s Exchange installed base worldwide is still on Exchange 2003 or Exchange 2007. Over the next twelve months or so, the signs are that there will be widespread migration from Exchange 2003/2007 to Exchange 2010. We believe that the adoption of Office 365 will be slow to start with, as companies wait for the technology to mature and begin to get comfortable with the idea of using Cloud services.

The first step for companies using older versions of Exchange is to get migration-ready. This means getting rid of the clutter of disparate applications that have built up over the years, including anti-spam, antivirus, redundancy, archiving, and consolidating them in the Cloud. This is where Mimecast comes in, and where we’ve helped numerous customers cut costs and streamline the management of their email services. Once your data is archived in the Cloud, and you have a guarantee of email availability in case of downtime, you are ready to migrate. Many CIOs are asking whether it’s possible to move to Office 365 if they initially choose to migrate to Exchange 2010. The answer is yes. At Mimecast right now, the majority of our conversations are about companies migrating to Exchange 2010, with their data safely archived with Mimecast. We believe that Exchange 2010 with a ‘Just Enough On-Site’ infrastructure (and the rest in the Cloud) is the perfect stopping off point for a future move to Office 365. Does that mean you have to put all your eggs in one basket with Microsoft? No. You may decide to keep your data archived with a third party provider, perhaps with more favourable SLAs or simply for the ‘insurance’ factor of keeping it separate. There is no doubt that an ecosystem of third party Cloud suppliers will emerge around Office 365 just as it has with Exchange. And the importance of that, in the end, is that nobody forces you to do anything. Assess the available options, and choose what’s best for you.

find out...

more about Mimecast or to get a copy of their Exchange Migration whitepaper, please contact your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 53

sam SAM

We Turn Inventory Data into Business Intelligence Every Day!

Software Asset Management (SAM) offers many benefits to a business both for financial control

Maria Singleton Bytes - SAM Licensing Practice Manager

and maintaining software licence compliance. Because of the complexities of tracking and

managing software and its associated licensing, we are finding many customers are unaware of the potential cost savings that can be realised from adopting Software Asset Management. The need for SAM historically has been “sold” to organisations from a compliance perspective, but nowadays there is a heavy emphasis on the costs incurred through over provision of software, in addition to the risk inherent in being under-licensed. Every day we talk to organisations who feel overwhelmed by the effort involved in initiating and operating a robust SAM process and supporting technologies. Critical to a successful SAM project is trustworthy data, which provides customers with the business intelligence to make strategic decisions about current and future IT investment that is streamlined and efficient. Our carefully selected strategic partner, Snow Software, delivers this trustworthy data via the Software Recognition Service (SRS) which is a fundamental component of the SAM solution. SRS simplifies administration, saves time and delivers

real-time trustworthy data from raw inventory data either from tools such as SCCM, Altiris and FrontRange or from Snow’s own inventory technology. The service analyses installed software in a customer’s environment and identifies software that requires a commercial licence, how the software is licensed, how often it is being used (if at all), if the software belongs to a suite of applications, such as Microsoft Office 2007 Standard or Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium. Upgrade and downgrade paths are also identified, making it possible to automate upgrades fully and maximise the rights that customers have to the latest technology as part of their licence agreements.

All of the installed software discovered is categorised based on their function according to the UN standard UNSPSC (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code) e.g. backup, security, CAD etc. This enables customers to consolidate and rationalise the types of software in use across their organisation thereby reducing the number of vendors and applications that have to be supported and at the same time, rationalise and consolidate the number of software licensing and maintenance contracts that have to be managed. Which, in most cases, results in cost savings not only on software licences, but related support and management costs too.

to discuss...

the SAM options available to you, please give me, or the Bytes SAM Team, a call on 020 8786 1500.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 55

management

VMware

monitoring with Microsoft® System Center

Protect your investments in Microsoft® System Center and manage your physical and virtual environment from one console with the Veeam nworks Management Pack™ for VMware. The nworks MP fully integrates with Microsoft System Center, providing a unified view of your physical servers, virtual servers and applications - and enabling you to use System Center Operations Manager as your single management interface. Situation In the rush to reap the benefits of virtualisation, many organisations have not integrated VMware into their standard IT practices and procedures. Instead, the new technology is being managed as a separate entity. While this might be acceptable in the short term, the limitations of this approach are becoming apparent. For example, organisations no longer have full

visibility of applications and services, and the network operations center (NOC) can’t provide 24x7 support for VMware like they do for the rest of the IT infrastructure. As a result, some organisations have put a moratorium on further virtualisation - a situation commonly referred to as “VM stall.” To get things moving again, organisations need a way to bring VMware into System Center. Some consider deploying a separate monitoring framework for VMware and then connecting it to System Center, but this approach undermines efforts to standardise on System Center and introduces unnecessary expense.

Veeam provides an incredibly easy way for enterprises to manage their VMware implementations via Microsoft System Center Operations Manager. Chuck Eames Senior Technical Consultant Convergent Computing

solution Developed in close collaboration with Microsoft, the Veeam nworks Management Pack provides scalable, fault-tolerant and agentless VMware infrastructure monitoring and management directly in Microsoft System Center, eliminating the need for a separate monitoring framework. Microsoft and Veeam Veeam is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, a member of the System Center Alliance, and 2010 Microsoft Partner of the Year finalist for Systems Management. The nworks MP is listed in the Microsoft Pinpoint catalog, signifying that it has passed Microsoft’s MP best practice analysis and guidelines. Technologies used • Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2. • Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 SP1. • Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 SP1. • Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2. Platforms Supported • vCenter Server 4.x Virtual Center 2.x • ESX 3.x and 4.x ESXi 3.5 and 4.x

cont... BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 57

cont...

Jeff Pardi Manager for Enterprise Data Services Albany International LLC

from page 57

Solution To protect investments and maintain the integrity of processes and policies built around System Center, a native System Center solution for VMware is needed - one that fully leverages System Center while bringing deep VMware domain expertise to the Operations Manager console. The nworks MP does both. Enterprise strength The nworks MP provides continuous monitoring of enterprise VMware environments. It features a centrally managed, distributed architecture for horizontal “no limits” scalability and automatic failover and load balancing for high availability. Optimised, userconfigurable data collection and publication methods and use of highly advanced features of Operations Manager deliver maximum information with minimal overhead. Complete integration The nworks MP integrates fully with both VMware and System Center. It enables all System Center functionality - alerts, topology diagrams, dashboards, reporting, auditing, notifications, responses and automation - for all VMware components. It provides a detailed VMware health model, including metrics such as memory pressure and disk IOPS that are only available from Veeam. The nworks MP also includes a comprehensive knowledge base that serves as your VMware “expert in a box.” While the nworks MP itself collects VMware data agentlessly, it also fully integrates data from Operations Manager agents running inside virtual machines - providing full end-to-end visibility of virtualised applications and services. The nworks MP is verified by VMware as VMware Ready and is listed in the Microsoft Pinpoint catalog.

58 | summer/autumn 2011

With the Veeam nworks MP, we have a finely tuned IT environment, resulting in fewer performancerelated issues. When an issue does arise, we receive an alert from the MP and resolve it quickly.

The nworks MP integrates VMware with Microsoft System Center, enabling comprehensive monitoring of heterogeneous virtual infrastructures that include both VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V™. The nworks MP brings VMware to the Operations Manager console, while the nworks PRO Pack (included with the nworks MP at no charge) automates performance optimisation for VMware using System Center Virtual Machine Manager.

Proven architecture The nworks MP has proven itself in nearly 700 enterprise deployments. It’s a scalable, reliable and mature solution that performs well with both VMware and System Center. Benefits Protect your investments in System Center • Preserve the integrity of your unified Operations Manager console. • Maintain compliance with established IT policies and practices. Manage everything from a single console • Enable a complete view of the entire IT infrastructure - physical and virtual. • Identify the root cause of any problem and escalate it to the correct team.

• Speed problem resolution, minimise user impact and meet SLAs. Eliminate additional monitoring frameworks • Avoid the expense of deploying, integrating and maintaining another monitoring framework. • Leverage your existing System Center expertise. • Empower operators to monitor VMware with the tool they already know.

tryBefore YOUbuy Offers a broad range of products on a trial basis, to view the current selection visit: www.adobe.com/uk/downloads/

For a 30 day evaluation of Becrypt software, register your interest here: https://www.becrypt.com/evaluationrequest

A comprehensive Trial centre, providing downloads of many Citrix products: www.citrix.com/site/SS/downloads/index.asp

Is offering a free 30-day trial on its SECURE Email and Web Gateways, visit: www.clearswift.com/act-now/evaluation

From trial downloads to cloud-hosted products, IBM developerWorks features software especially for developers: www.ibm.com/developerworks/downloads/

Trial versions of McAfee SaaS Endpoint Protection Suite & McAfee SaaS Total Protection + several others are available at: www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/downloads.aspx

To trial a broad selection of Microsoft software including Security Essentials and Internet explorer 9 visit: www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/default.aspx To download a free trial of Office365 go to: www.bytes.co.uk/microsoft/office365

Software vendors offer a huge range of products and solutions on a try before you buy basis, below is a small selection of some of the most popular:

A broad range of Oracle products available for educational and trial purposes are available free of charge at: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/indexes/ downloads/index.html

To register for a web demo or a free trial go to: http://snowsoftware.com/website1/1.0.1.0/11/2/

Put Sophos products to the test at: www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-trials.aspx

Offers a comprehensive range of trialware on its site, listed under the following business headings: Security, Information & Risk Compliance, Storage, Infrastructure Operations and Business Continuity. For full details: www.symantec.com/en/uk/business/products/ downloads/index.jsp

A good selection of Trend Micro products available to download here: http://downloadcenter.trendmicro.com/index. php?regs=uk

Download and evaluate VMware Desktop and Datacenter products from: https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/

Live and video online demos + evaluation products available at: http://www.websense.com/content/evaluations.aspx

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 59

interview

in the

hotseat Shaun Fröhlich

Partner Sales Director, Microsoft As a child what did you want to be when you grew up? A doctor (because I liked helping people and talking and that is what I thought doctors did!)

What was your first job? I can’t remember! I was a paperboy and I had a regular holiday job in “House of Holland”. I was meant to be working in the warehouse but usually ended up on the sales ﬂoor as the Manager liked to have the warehouse to himself! What was your first job in IT & what year? It was at Bytes in 1982. A colleague of mine from our prior employer, Hyline Reprographics liked the idea of setting up a computer consumables

60 | summer/autumn 2011

company. We figured there was a market selling ﬂoppy disks and listing paper as neither computer manufacturers nor stationery companies wanted to do that. When Hyline went out of business we set up Bytes - not knowing a thing about technology or business! What is your current job title? Partner Sales Director, Microsoft UK

In a nutshell what does your current job entail? Microsoft sells its technology and services exclusively* through a channel of 3rd party Partners such as LARs, Systems Integrators and independent software vendors. I am responsible for managing our partnerships and sales with a few hundred of the most significant UK Partners through a team of Partner Account Managers and Technologists. *>98%

What do you think was the single biggest & most beneficial inﬂuence on IT in the last 20 years and why? There are plenty of tempting options to cite and I think Microsoft has a good “shout” in many ways but to my mind the clear answer is the internet for the way it has extended the reach and functionality of just about every technology. From my kids on Facebook, to simply and ubiquitously connected email, to commerce and research – the internet has spread technology adoption across all generations, consumer & business.

What do you think will be the next ‘big thing’ in IT & why? What I’d like and what it will be are two different things. I’d like the day that we can have transporters to cut travel times and long car journeys but in this real world it has to be mobility or voice. In that 2-way shoot out I think voice and the integration of technologies that unify communications will prevail – just look at the Skype acquisition by Microsoft. I am clearly not the only one thinking that way.

What piece of technology could you not live without & why? I could live without all technology if I were to retire and live by the sea but whilst I am in the working world I’d rather not live without any of the key components, PC, phone, internet the lot. I know that is not answering your question but I need them all! If you could have lunch with three famous people past or present who would you choose & why? I’m not into that question and skip past it when reading other interviews like this BUT I had a little think and came up with a variation!

How cool would it be to answer some of the great mysteries? So I’d have lunch with George Mallory to find out if he was indeed the first man to summit Everest. There were reports at the time, 1924, that he was seen descending a route that guaranteed he would have had to summit first. When they found his body in 1999, none of the evidence damaged nor justified that theory. I’d also like to speak with the captain of the Marie Celeste to find out what really happened there and whether anyone actually survived. Finally, although it’s a bit gruesome – I’d like to find out the real identity of Jack the Ripper(!)

What is your favourite biscuit & why? A good old fashioned ginger nut – because you can get it out of the packet without destroying all the others, superior dunckability - it softens but won’t drop if you are quick and purposeful, it has a good ﬂavour hit with the lasting taste of ginger. Perfect!

What was the last book you read? “What the dog” saw by Malcolm Gladwell – mostly a good read but not as good as Blink & Outliers

....and what is your answer to the above question? Their fabulous friendly and passionate team, their incredible operational excellence and the longevity of the management.

What is your greatest achievement? That’s a horrible question! I am proud of some business achievements and I am also proud of certain yachting & charitable accomplishments as well. My highest priority is to be a good parent and I’d like to think I’m heading the right way – just don’t ask my kids! To tease apart one’s life and quote just one – well I can’t do that – unless you’d accept a cheesy statement like “doing everything I do with all my heart, always looking to learn and to keep smiling whatever the weather”.

If you were asking the questions for this piece, what single question would you ask? What do you most value about Bytes?

What are your hobbies? Sailing & racing, watching rugby with the Harlequins, eating, drinking and cooking too.

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 61

“Bytes have helped Tesco make signiﬁcant savings by effective and intelligent management of our licensing entitlements. They manage our global requirements, are able to keep us abreast of new and relevant licensing changes and apply these to our requirements ensuring we are always licensed in the best way possible”. James McNulty, Head of Tesco Group IT Procurement

BYTES SOFTWARE & LICENSING SERVICES UK and Global Software Licensing Experts Bytes Software Licensing Services With over 600 different vendors to choose from, and with over 20 years’ experience providing software solutions to businesses, Bytes is perfectly positioned to meet your software licensing needs. Amongst other benefits, Bytes utilise their purchasing power and strong relationships with software vendors to negotiate the best possible rates, whether it’s volume licensing or specialist software. But we’re not simply about maximising your procurement budget. All of our team are experts in software licensing which enables us to provide you a truly focussed level of software licensing knowledge and support. We provide information about current software enhancements and other announcements as they happen and can recommend the solutions from established and emerging technology vendors.

accurately predicted both now and years into the future. Bytes can make this a reality by analysing your IT infrastructure and comparing it to growing trends in the market, allowing us to recommend licensing agreements that are both cost-efficient and ﬂexible enough to grow with your business. Bytes International Licensing International companies with a global software requirement will benefit from our specialist knowledge of international licensing. We are highly experienced in handling the myriad of different approaches to managing ICT systems internationally, helping you to overcome the technological and cultural barriers to local adoption. In order to gain you the best price possible, we can also use the foreign exchange markets to purchase the software in the most cost-effective currency. The Bytes Portal Everything comes together through the Bytes Portal, including:

But of course, the key benefit to you is how much we can save you. By analysing and assessing your current software usage (see our TLC offer below) we can re-shape your license model to fit prevalent vendor discounting offers, and by using our intimate knowledge of vendor license agreements we can maximise the right deal for all parties. Imagine a situation in which your software requirements are

Mandi Nicholson Bytes Sales Director

62 | summer/autumn 2011

The Service Desk – a quick and easy communication channel into Bytes. Online Ordering – purchasing your software has never been easier, and the ﬂexible system is entirely tailored towards your company’s needs. Contract and Maintenance Management – existing licences are tracked with a traffic light system and warnings issued when the licence renewal dates are approaching. During each stage of the process the system feeds back information, which we can use to negotiate favourable rates for software renewals.

BYTES SAM SERVICES Software Asset Management isn’t just about compliance, it’s importance in large corporations for increasing performance and proﬁts is becoming clear. Software Asset Management has been a necessary consideration for large companies for the past ten years, and Bytes have been at the forefront of this industry since day one. Many companies claim to offer SAM, but very few prioritise it as a core service. We are a Microsoft Gold Partner for SAM and were instrumental in establishing the ISO19770 standard in 2007. For companies that are using, or looking to use a Software Asset Management company, Bytes have three packages that will ensure your company is maximising the efficiency of its software estate. Taking one package does not restrict you from utilising parts of another; in fact many of our clients will later pick and choose various products from within another service range because either their internal structure changes, or because they find they waste less time, resources and money by outsourcing some of their SAM requirements to us. 1. A Software License Review (SLR): The first package is a full software asset audit, which gives companies a clear picture of their current software portfolio status and a definitive account of software users. We can utilise your existing SAM software, such as Altiris, SCCM, LANdesk, to name but a few, or we can use our own system to conduct the review. Fundamentally this package is designed for customers that need to inventory their software assets either for compliancy reasons, or to ensure they are making full use of their software investment. In both instances it is imperative that a completely accurate picture is generated from the audit, and Bytes will provide you with exactly that.

2. Asset Management Platform (AMP): For a continual overview of your software portfolio, we can supply and implement one of the world’s most respected SAM platforms – Snow License Manager. Snow License Manager is fully ISO 19770 and ITIL compliant and comes highly recommend by us. This package principally involves supplying and implementing the software; however, we can also provide both technical support and assistance with system controls and data entry. 3. The Bytes Asset Management Service (AMS): For those who do not have the time or resources to manage their software portfolio, Bytes offer a fully managed SAM solution. From initial audit and installation of an Asset Management Platform, we can take total control over usage, licenses, vendor audits, procurement and end-of-life software. To augment this service we have created a bespoke online resource that allows you to monitor and control your software estate in real time. The Bytes Portal is easy to use, extremely practical and very cost-effective.

“ Throughout the SAM process, Bytes demonstrated a tremendous level of knowledge and provided us with an extraordinary service. They’ve proved their value to the ﬁrm and have earned their place as one of our trusted business partners”. Brian Lunnon, IT Manager, Martineau Johnson

Chris Hibbert Bytes SAM General Manager

SNOW LICENSE MANAGER OFFER! Bytes are currently offering a full 45 day trial of our favourite Asset Management Platform so you can assess for yourself just how good it is. To find out more on this offer, see the inside front cover

BYTES 020 8786 1500 | 63

BYTES LEARNING SERVICES Finding the right training course for you and your organisation just got easier!

In 2010 Bytes organised 2,786 courses across 400 companies, in both the UK and internationally. Our independent position, coupled with our extensive knowledge and close relationships with all major vendors, means that we can source the highest standard of courses covering all forms of software learning, management and personal development. We can cater for all requirements and budgets, utilising our buying power to offer our customers the best rates. Our Learning Solutions team was established in 2000 and continues to grow as the importance of software and management learning becomes recognised. Our experience, systems and partners, means that whatever the course you’re looking for, we’re confident we can find it for you in less time and at lower cost.

The range of training courses offered: • Vendor specific courses including Microsoft, Oracle, Unix, VMware, Adobe, Citrix, Symantec, Cisco, Juniper, Novell, IBM, Lotus and many more. • Management & Personal Development. • Information Technology Areas including Virtualisation, Infrastructure, Networking, IT security, PC Maintenance, Software Licensing. • Data & Telecommunications. • Project, Programme & Service Management including Prince2 and ITIL. • Desktop Applications from Adobe, Lotus, Microsoft to bespoke.

64 | summer/autumn 2011

Bytes have consistently provided us with an excellent service. It is invaluable for us to have a supplier with such impeccable professionalism” Brian Lunnon, IT Manager, Martineau Johnson

Bytes offer a range of learning services to meet our customer speciﬁc requirements: Bespoke training If you need something that’s not ‘off the shelf’, let us know what you are looking for and we can put together a training solution to fit. Whether it’s a mix of technologies and vendors or the need for tailored on-site or off-site courses we can help. eLearning The most cost and time effective method of on-line training available. Whether it’s standalone or as part of a blended training solution, eLearning courses can provide the most ﬂexible solution. All our eLearning courses are provided by our training solutions partner, Arc IT Training. Training Budget Services To help our customers maximise their training budgets, we offer a range of services designed to fit a variety of budgets and payment systems. Prepayment discounting and price freezing along with prepayment budget management are some of the payment methods offered.

Bytes Licensing Academy We offer two courses: ‘Licensing Essentials’ and ‘SAM Best Practice’. The Bytes Licensing Academy has been developed for our customers to help understand the complexities of software licensing and software asset management. These half day courses - vendor-specific or generic - are run by Bytes and they are for both the novice and experienced.

awards

Key achievements

accred

A small selection of the vendor awards that we have

awards won in the last few years.

• Microsoft Worldwide Partner of the Year for License Delivery 2010. • Adobe Channel Partner of the Year (Creative Suite) 2010. • Adobe Channel Partner of the Year (Corporate) 2010. • Oracle Technology General Partner of the Year 2009. • Microsoft Worldwide Partner of the Year for License Delivery, 2008. • Winner of Centennial Partner of the Year Award 2008. • Microsoft Worldwide Software Asset Management Partner of the year and UK Licensing Delivery Partner of the Year, 2007. • Bytes obtained the Acrobat Reseller of the Year award at the Adobe UK Channel Stars Awards 2007 event. Bytes are proud to announce that our very own Hayley Mooney recently won the award for Outstanding contribution at the Symantec UK and Ireland 2011 Channel Excellence Awards. The winners of the 2011 Channel Excellence Awards were chosen by a panel of judges from Symantec’s UK and Ireland channel team and were presented by Danny Dawes, Director, EMEA Managed Security Services, Symantec. The awards recognise Symantec partners in the UK and Ireland that successfully combine Symantec solutions with their own services to solve customers’ most complex business challenges.

66 | summer/autumn 2011

Our Vendor Strategy team is made up of a number of specialists who are dedicated to either specific Vendors or technology areas, and act as an overlay resource to the sales teams. They also manage all the “best of breed” vendors in terms of day-to-day contact, marketing, sales education etc. Our go to market strategy enables us to deliver the full end-to-end solution to you our clients, taking away the pain of having to have several suppliers for the different components of the solution. Our comprehensive vendor portfolio means that our highly experienced and trained licensing experts are able to present the best solution every time. The team is managed by Hayley Mooney and the other members are listed opposite. We have colour coded each so that you can see which vendor(s) they specialise in.

accreditations

Gold Partner

itations Gold Partner

Gold Partner

Bronze Partner

Authorised Licensing Centre (AL) & Elite Partner

Solution Provider

Various

Specialist Software Registered Partner

Red Hat Ready

Certified Partner

Platinum Partner

Silver Business Partner

Gold Partner

Premier Partner

Certified Partner

Expert Solutions Provider

Gold Partner

Business Partner

Large Account Reseller

Enterprise Partner

Silver Partner

Service Provider

Solutions Partner

Gold Certified Partner (Volume Licensing & Software Asset Management)

Silver Partner

Platinum Partner

Silver Partner

Gold Partner

Silver Solution Advisor

Partner

Approved Corporate Reseller

Gold Partner

Enterprise Partner

Partner

Authorised Reseller

Platinum Partner

Affinity One Partner

Business Partner

Gold Partner

To speak to a specialist, please call 020 8786 1500. Daniel Metcalfe Alison Sears Natasha Mungroo Matt Compton Maggie Perry Matt Gallick Sonal Parekh Nick Egginton

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