Exertis Future Business

How to benefit from an innovative collaboration between two leading brands

Take advantage of social media through engaging content

Winter issue 10.

GET THE MOST FROM B2B SOCIAL MEDIA

business

WE TAKE A LOOK AT XSTORAGE

FUTURE

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Copyright ©Exertis (UK) Ltd 2017

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12 TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR GDPR

FUTURE

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45

VR AND AR ARE A BUSINESS REALITY

VOICE IS STIMULATING GROWTH IN SMART TECH ADOPTION

CONTENTS 05 EXERTIS COMMENT Phil Brown introduces the winter edition of The Future Business.

06 MARKET STATS UPDATE We look at the current technology trends you should be aware of.

20 HYPERCONVERGED INFRASTRUCTURE: AN OPPORTUNITY Hyperconvergence is a hot topic in the industry. Why and what are the business benefits and opportunities for resellers?

A quick look at what’s happening in the technology market.

Audio is a key part of an AV installation but is often overlooked.

12 TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR GDPR

16 VR AND AR ARE A BUSINESS REALITY

VR and AR are heavily associated with the consumer market, but the use of both technologies in business is set to have an even greater impact in a wide range of industries.

How VPAs are helping to bring smart tech products into mainstream.

49 IT’S TIME TO PUT THE 'A' BACK INTO AV

08 NEWS IN BRIEF

Many aspects of GDPR compliance can be enabled or at least be made more cost-effective by technology solutions offered by our vendors.

45 VOICE IS STIMULATING GROWTH IN SMART TECH ADOPTION

®

53 WHAT DO INTEL 8TH GEN PROCESSORS OFFER BUSINESS? 24 HOW XSTORAGE CAN SAVE ENERGY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENVIRONMENT We take a look at how homeowners and businesses can benefit from an innovative collaboration between two leading brands.

28 FSB Why we all need to get GDPR ready.

34 HOT PICKS A range of best-selling products designed to make you more margin.

41 HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM B2B SOCIAL MEDIA

First part of a two-part discussion on how business can take advantage of social media through engaging content.

Intel® recently introduced its new processors for laptop and desktop to the market. What can business expect?

58 B2B MUST-HAVE ACCESSORIES

Our top 10 recommended accessory products for business.

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Publisher Exertis Editor Lucy Hall Design Sophie Hammond

WELCOME FROM EXERTIS Welcome to our bumper winter edition of Future Business. Every quarter has a different perspective. Not only do we have the traditional busy period of Christmas for the retail market, we had the pre-Christmas rush with Black Friday now seemingly a fixture in the UK calendar.

According to an article published by the UK Internet Bureau, one out of three people globally shop on Black Friday. Quite astonishing. But hopefully this year saw a great opportunity for a number of our customers and vendor partners. Certainly, we have been very active in working to bring some great deals to fruition.

Fortunately, with the broad technology range we provide, there are always opportunities in many areas.

It’s interesting how one technology can boost another and that’s certainly the case with the growth of Voice Personal Assistants which are helping to stimulate smart tech products by adding even more convenience to homeowners. You can find out more about this on page 45.

GDPR and Hyperconvergence. Two topics that are seldom out of the news. Whilst technology is only part of the solution towards GDPR compliancy, we do have a great selection of products and offerings from vendors that resellers can provide for their customers as we highlight on page 12. By the way, congratulations to our services team in enabling Exertis to complete the Cyber Essentials and IASME Governance certification.

Hyperconvergence infrastructure is certainly a growth market as companies look for efficiency gains and cost control. HCI is said to deliver that and greater simplicity and flexibility when compared with legacy systems. We feature this on page 20.

business. We take a look at some of the applications already out there on page 16. We are already active in this area working with resellers to bring solutions to market and we are also delighted to have been appointed as the worldwide distribution partner for the new Oculus for Business bundle.

New processors from Intel always impact the market. So what does Intel®’s 8th generation mean for business? Find out more on page 53. In terms of innovation, xStorage is an interesting product brought to the market by two leading brands in their respective markets. Energy and the automotive industries aren’t usually seen as environmentally friendly but that’s certainly the case in our article on page 24.

Our professional AV division, Exertis Medium recently added Audica to its portfolio, so it’s opportune to discuss the importance of audio to any installation. Find out more on page 49.

Social media has become an integral part of our lives and it’s widely used by consumer brands to generate business and garner feedback. However, businesses can also benefit by including it as part of an integrated marketing strategy. In the first of a two part article, we discuss which platforms are most suitable and how to get the most from them.

Of course, we have our regular news items, market stats and hot picks. So plenty to read and act upon.

Thank you for your continued support and on behalf of the Exertis teams, I wish you a happy Christmas and a profitable new year.

Equally, VR and AR are hot topics. Heavily associated with the consumer market, experts believe both technologies are set to have an even greater impact on

Phil Brown Sales and Commercial Director, IT and Enterprise

Website store.exertis.co.uk

Basingstoke Sales: 01256 707 070 Address: Ashwood Chineham Business Park Chineham Basingstoke Hampshire RG24 8EH To place an order please call 01256 707 070 between 9am – 6pm Monday to Friday

Burnley Sales: 01282 776 776 Address: Technology House, Magnesium Way, Hapton, Burnley, Lancashire, BB12 7BF To place an order please call 01282 776 776 between 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday

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BUSINESS TRENDS DRIVING DEMANDS PC SHIPMENTS

TO GROW TO

265M

IN 2018

[GARTNER]

WORLDWIDE MARKET FOR

HYPERCONVERGED SYSTEMS TO REACH

$3.9BN BY 2019

[GARTNER]

$568BN

22M! AMAZON ECHO SMART SPEAKERS TO BE SOLD [Forbes]

BY 2021

50% OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE

TOTAL IT SPENDING BY SMBS IN

2017 [IDC]

IN 2017

SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE WILL

RESIDE IN THE CLOUD

[IDC]

Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | Burnley: 01282 776 776 | store.exertis.co.uk

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NEWS IN BRIEF

BUSINESS

RANSOMWARE STILL ATTRACTED TO PUBLIC SECTOR….

Freedom of Information has revealed that 27% of local councils, 115 in total, fell victim to ransomware attacks according to data provided by Barracuda. Whilst none appeared to have paid for the release of their data due to having back-up in place, the statistic still highlights the need for adequate prevention and detection to be in place together with up to date software. ….and organisations still using unsupported Office versions According to a recent survey by Spiceworks in the US, Canada and UK, there are still too many companies taking the risk of running old versions of Microsoft Office. Support for Office 2007 stopped in October last year.

OPEN BANKING According to a report in the Sunday Times, HSBC, as part of its digital strategy, is working with a range of fintech firms to bring open banking for its customers which will enable the sharing of their financial data between banks.

Customers will be able to see accounts from different banks on a single screen using an app that will bring together information from across a user’s bank accounts. A trial is currently being carried out.

GDPR STILL REMAINS AN ISSUE FOR SMES SMBS TO MOVE AWAY FROM HARDWARE The amount SMBs spend on services and software is set to eclipse hardware spend in 2019, according to IDC. Research from the analyst claims that spending on software and services is set for stronger growth over the next four years, which will overtake the spending on hardware, currently the biggest area of technology investment for SMBs. According to IDC, business software will provide the biggest growth at 7.1% compared to hardware at just 1.8%.

UK UNCERTAINTY DAMPENS IT SPENDING According to Gartner, IT spending in EMEA will break the $1trillion mark but in 2018 instead of this year, mainly due to the dip in the UK market caused by weak currency and political uncertainty with Brexit. The analyst predicts a $1.02tn spend next year up by almost 5% against 2017.

According to a quarterly survey from Close Brothers that questions more than 900 SME owners and senior management across a range of sectors and regions in the UK and Republic of Ireland, many small to medium businesses are unclear what “personal data” really means.

Less than a third (31%) of SMEs answered “yes” to the question, “Are you clear what ‘personal data’ means in a business context?”, with 50% responding “sort of” and the remaining 19% saying “no” as reported in Computer Weekly. Under the new GDPR regulations, personal identifiers like an IP address fall under the definition of personal data. Less than half (48%) of respondents said they understood the new and extended rights that customers have when it comes to collecting and utilising their personal information.

Despite this, 58% of SMEs said they were confident that the permissions they currently have in place to contact customers will meet the requirements of the GDPR which comes into force in May next year. See our article on page 12 In another survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Egress Software Technologies, of 2,000 UK workers, nearly a quarter of respondents have intentionally shared confidential business information outside their organisation. The data is typically shared with competitors, or new and previous employers. Companies need to ensure employees are properly trained and follow a code of ethics and compliancy or risk potential breaches of the GDPR.

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RESELLER REWARDS

NEWS FROM EXERTIS: NEW TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR EXERTIS

The Exertis Premium Rewards scheme now has 275 active resellers enrolled in the programme. Now into its third quarter, resellers can earn points on purchases of devices running Windows Pro 10 with an RRP of £599 or over. The loyalty points can be redeemed and used against future computing purchases or credited against their Exertis account. At the end of each quarter Exertis sends an update to resellers on how many points they have accrued and the monetary value they equate to.

Full terms and conditions and how to register for the programme can be found at: http://info.exertis.co.uk/exertis-premium-rewards/

AUDICA PUMPS UP THE VOLUME IN AV

Exertis was awarded Emerging Technology Distributor of the Year at the 2017 CRN awards held recently in London. The award reflects our outstanding success in becoming the leading distributor of Smart Tech products in the UK and in recognising the opportunity for VR both in the consumer and business market.

With Smart Tech, we have assembled an enviable line-up of vendors that provide products across multiple categories – comfort, safety, monitoring and security, convenience, connected home and smart entertainment – and have developed new routes to market in the wholesale trade and DIY sector. In VR, we have capitalised on our expertise in the gaming market to provide VR products for PC, console and mobile. In addition, we have seen opportunities for applications in education, tourism and most notably in healthcare where we have helped deliver a significant use case for patients suffering with dementia.

ON YOUR BIKE FOR CHARITY With the support of its employees, directors and vendors, the Exertis annual charity cycle ride has raised £21,000 for the Naomi House and Jacksplace charity.

Eight Exertis directors and participants from NETGEAR and Fujitsu cycled around the Isle of Wight in a single day, covering almost 100 miles and over 6,000ft of ascent. Nick Foster, HR Director, put a slight twist to the event by running a very hilly half marathon from Cowes to Ventnor, in 2hrs 20mins.

Naomi House and Jacksplace are hospices for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. The hospices are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and deliver a range of services to help relieve families of the everyday pressures of looking after a child or young person with a life-limiting condition.

Exertis has extended its distribution agreement with Audica to include a range of products for its specialist Pro AV division, Exertis Medium.

Audica provides leading audio solutions for commercial background music, corporate AV and audio communications for a range of industry sectors that include retail outlets, restaurants, education classrooms, hotel public areas and guest rooms, meeting rooms, museums and visitor centres.

Chris Godsalve, Exertis Medium, AV and collaboration business manager, said, “Audica is a welcome addition to our portfolio providing our customers with a comprehensive range of professional audio products which combine leading edge design, flexibility and functionality for a multitude of AV solutions in a variety of industry applications. Naturally, audio is a key part of an AV installation and Audica fits our criteria of providing market leading vendors and products for our resellers.”

Exertis Medium will distribute Audica’s micro and median series of controllers, amplifiers and speakers to specialist AV resellers. Audica products continue to be available for customers of Exertis Unlimited for its Premium audio range.

MAKING THEIR MARK IN PRINT Exertis has made two new appointments in its print division. James Dacey has become the only Lexmark product manager in distribution in an internal move within the commercial print division. Dacey has been with Exertis for over 11 years, specialising in the print market.

Harriet Robbins has been appointed as product manager for OKI, Brother and HP following a three year stint at Midwich. Both appointments reflect the continued investment in our print business.

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APPS & WIDGETS MAKE PRINTING SIMPLE AGAIN Samsung’s Smart UX is a powerful printing ecosystem that’s as easy to use and as secure as your smartphone.

With access to Cloud services, downloadable apps, and customisable printing solutions, organisations of all sizes can benefit from greater control and visibility of their printing network, resulting in productivity boosts, cost efficiencies, reduced downtime and increased output.

Apps now available to download include: Dynamic Workflow

Send Anywhere for Print

Save time and simplify your working day!

Easily create your own workflows, with an intuitive drag-and-drop GUI and one-touch pre-sets.

Scan and share digital contents with other print or smart devices, such as PCs, phones or tablets, quickly and easily.

MFP Support Remote Call

Smart Colour Manager

Reduce time and costs associated with print fleet support and service.

Remotely connect, monitor, support and fix from anywhere.

Get colour output the way you want it!

Easily adjust colour settings or duplicate colours from other devices with quick colour profile creation and calibration.

CONTACT YOUR EXERTIS ACCOUNT MANAGER FOR MORE INFORMATION

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TECHNOLOGY

SOLUTIONS FOR GDPR PUTTING IT INTO PERSPECTIVE

Much has been written about the GDPR regulations that come into force next May. Indeed, rarely a week goes by without mention of it in the IT and security press. Earlier this year Exertis produced its own guide to GDPR (http:// bit.ly/ExertisGDPR). Since then there has been no lack of guidance, reports, research, expert advice and a fair degree of scare-mongering for companies to digest. No-one disputes the need for companies to work towards compliancy. Organisations that process personal data have a legal requirement to protect an individual's privacy and secure their data. Citizens will have the right to access the data that companies hold about them and organisations will need to ensure consent from consumers or in the case of B2B marketing have a legitimate interest to hold data from an existing customer relationship for the offering of similar products or services. However, irrespective consent is still best practice. Providing adequate safeguards, mitigating against data loss and implementing disaster recovery plans are key components that need to be addressed. Whilst no-one can guarantee complete information security, organisations need to reduce their risk of a possible data breach and ensure they have adequate plans in place to ensure business continuity.

According to the Information Commissioner’s Office, many of the GDPR’s main concepts and principles are much the same as those in the current Data Protection Act (DPA), so if companies are complying properly with the current law then most of their approach to compliance will remain valid under the GDPR. However, as they point out, there are new elements and significant enhancements, so organisations will have to do some things for the first time and some things differently. The ICO is a good source of information and their twelve steps to preparation for the GDPR are extremely useful: http:// bit.ly/2yRAzHa Determining how GDPR compliant or ready a business is, requires companies to look at their current processes and procedures, and ensure they have adequate cyber security protection and detection in place. Unfortunately, GDPR compliancy isn’t a technology issue alone.

Its impact is organisation wide (business process, legal, governance, people and training). Many aspects of the GDPR concern process and operational aspects of data protection, some of which can be enabled or at least be made more cost-effective by technology.

SIX PILLARS OF SECURITY Exertis has a dedicated security team in its enterprise division with an excellent portfolio of security vendors. It has developed a six pillar security proposition that can help resellers find solutions that can help companies with GDPR compliancy. Here we discuss the six points in general terms:

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1

Perimeter: Next generation firewall devices are required.

These devices are capable of detecting not only advanced but new threats and also scanning encrypted traffic which older firewalls may not be able to do. SonicWall’s next generation firewalls reduce the network’s exposure to cyber threat over not only wired but also wireless and mobile networks, mitigate the risk of data leaks and deliver the forensic insight required to prove compliance and execute appropriate remediation following a breach.

2

Endpoint: Securing devices that access data and network resources need to be protected by endpoint security software.

Endpoint encryption and application control are essential layers of endpoint security that prevent issues such as data leaks occurring. Endpoint encryption fully encrypts your enterprise data on endpoints and application control prevents the execution of unauthorised applications on endpoints.

Powerful multi-layered security and real-time information on network security are key features. ESET and Kaspersky Lab both provide market leading solutions.

3

Encryption: the GDPR isn’t prescriptive in terms of what technology to deploy although it advocates the pseudonymisation and encryption of personal data. With end-to-end encryption, companies both minimise the risk of exposure and, provided the data remains unintelligible, businesses will not have to notify the data subjects of the breach. Software that enables companies to safely encrypt hard drives, removable media, files and email, and allows the remote management of keys, settings and security policy is a key element of GDPR compliancy. ESET and Kaspersky Lab both provide suitable offerings.

4

E-mail Security: To implement “privacy by design” organisations must include email encryption and compliance capabilities to their e-mail security infrastructure. Email is the second largest vehicle for data leaks with 67% caused by internal offenders and the remainder by outside intruders, according to an Infowatch report. To comply with GDPR it is recommended that companies have a comprehensive multilayered approach with strong in- and out-bound protection; sandboxing and quarantining of any unknown email attachments to prevent breaches; strong email encryption and DLP, particularly for sensitive information and an email archiving system that enables personal data to be found and removed if necessary. SonicWall provides a good solution.

5

Secure Remote Access: The GDPR requires organisations to apply strict access controls to keep track of data and avoid breaches. Uncontrolled administrative access is a potential security threat both within an organisation and where access is granted to third parties. Strong, unique passwords that provide identity authentication, restricted access to information based on job roles and responsibilities, administrative control of authentication and authorisation - all these elements need to be enforced and regularly reviewed.

Centrify, One Identity and SonicWall provide secure access and automated privileged access management solutions.

6

Disaster Recovery: Irrespective of the detection and prevention measures in place, the GDPR still requires companies to have the ability to restore the availability and access to personal data in a timely manner in the event of a physical or technical incident. Not only does this make business sense, it also protects the integrity of the data. Regular back-ups and testing of the DR plan should also be documented and if outsourced the third party also needs to be GDPR compliant.

Both StorageCraft and Quest can help with DR.

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STORAGE AND DEVICE PROTECTION Of course, companies need to have reliable and secure storage in place in order to protect their sensitive information as well as the personal data of their customers. Many small and medium sized organisations use network attached storage (NAS) devices to store, backup and share data. Buffalo is an established leading manufacturer of NAS devices offering many secure features including secure set-up, data encryption, anti-theft, password, anti-virus and back-up. For those on the move, the Kingston DataTraveler Locker G3 drive secures personal data with hardware encryption and password protection with capacities from 8GB to 64GB. Available in standard, managed and anti-virus models, Kingston’s DataTraveler Vault Privacy 3.0 USB flash drive provides affordable business-grade security with 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption in XTS mode. It protects 100% of stored data and enforces complex password protection with minimum characteristics to prevent unauthorised access. For additional peace of mind, the drive locks down and reformats after 10 intrusion attempts. In addition, Corsair’s PADLOCK 3 USB 3.0 flash drive securely protects files from data theft with 256-bit AES hardware encryption and government security standards. It’s also water resistant and shockproof. For device protection, Kensington provides locking devices for even the thinnest of laptops (MicroSaver 2.0 Keyed laptop lock) as well as desktop and peripherals. Finally, Fellowes offers a 15.6” widescreen Privascreen Privacy filter that only allows information to be viewed straight-on.

For further information on products that can help towards GDPR compliancy, contact your Exertis account manager.

Sources and Acknowledgements: ICO, gov.uk., DMA, InfoSecurity, SonicWall, TechTarget.

™

The Securest NAS on the Market

The risk of cyberattacks, ransomware, and industrial espionage is on the rise, while at the same time EU regulations for the protection of personal data will reach a new level with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) coming into force as from May 2018. Organisations and companies need to have reliable and secure storage in place in order to protect their sensitive information as well as the personal data of their customers.

Many small and medium sized organisations use network attached storage (NAS) devices to store, backup and share data. Buffalo is an established leading manufacturer of NAS devices and security of its customers’ data is, and has always been, of the utmost priority. Buffalo NAS devices are secure in many ways.

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VR AND AR ARE A BUSINESS

REALITY

BUSINESS APPLICATIONS ARE WIDESPREAD

In the last issue of Future Business, we examined the differences between VR, AR and MR. Here we take a look at some of the applications for business and how Exertis has helped one reseller bring a VR application to market and make a real difference to people’s lives.

VR and AR are heavily associated with the consumer market, but the use of both technologies in business is set to have an even greater impact in a wide range of industries. Enterprise services will help lead the growth of the AR and VR markets, with IDC predicting the total revenues in the augmented and virtual reality markets will reach over $162bn by 2020, a staggering growth from the $5bn reported in 2016.

VR and AR have the ability to provide both a multi-sensory and intellectual engagement with the end user. With VR you can share and sell an experience with the end user remotely i.e. it can happen virtually, sharing relevant and useful information on a subject or product. Whilst VR is totally immersive, AR, on the other hand, requires interaction with reality. Some vertical industries will be better suited to one or other of the technologies.

VR typically requires a headset connected to a high-end PC, or a headset plus mobile device, however AR does not necessarily require any hardware beyond a tablet or smartphone. Some devices now coming to market such as the Microsoft Mixed Reality products integrate cameras which allow for both VR and AR applications, blurring the distinction further.

There are numerous extant use-cases for VR/AR in B2B. One industry which has been keen to engage with the category is education. AR, with its ability to combine the digital and physical, and VR, with its potential to completely immerse users in new environments, will bring new dimensions to teaching and learning. Tech-savvy children are ideal early-adopters of any new technology – 3D printing is a good example, where education is a key market. Therefore, it’s no surprise to see that it is being deployed in education. Interactive technologies have long since replaced the blackboard, chalk, books and pens, so VR/AR adds even greater learning opportunities tackling a range of subjects and providing unprecedented new activities such as virtual field trips around the globe. Educationalists agree that students learn in various different ways; sometimes it is easier to see and hear something directly than have it explained verbally and in the abstract. Some pupils prefer reading. Others need hands-on activities. Some require visuals and others need to be physically active in order to retain the lessons. Virtual and augmented reality enable students to explore, experience and collaborate on a topic as if they were actually present in that environment. In addition, the ability to present complex information in a more simple and fun way to students can help improve learning. These benefits are gradually being empirically validated such as in a recent, and well-publicised study from the University of Chicago. With new educational apps being developed all the time and prices falling for the necessary equipment, the opportunity for educational resellers is growing. As with education, organisations can also use VR/AR for their training programmes bringing an added practical dimension to a theoretical session, and companies such as Norway’s Attensi are already creating content for this purpose.

AR is already making an impact in the retail industry, providing an enhanced level of interaction between consumers and products by immersing them in a completely new environment either in-store or online. Indeed, there are some interesting developments with IKEA, for example, using AR technology to overlay products in the consumer’s home setting, so that they can see if it looks good or will fit in with pieces the consumer already owns. With a Dulux app, you can even digitally test out colours on your walls without having to

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physically paint. In some instances, retailers have rolled out consumerfacing applications that let them virtually try on clothing, makeup, and accessories. VR is also being used to redesign store layouts and get feedback before making any changes. It is even possible to now experience the origin of the Scotch whisky you are drinking with a VR tour from a London bar. The possibilities are endless.

The hospitality industry is also poised to revolutionise the way it engages with customers with the ability to show locations and rooms prior to booking. Potential guests may well be influenced to upgrade their rooms, book a spa or choose an activity close to their location. Travellers will take the opportunity to choose their destinations and activities prior to the trip. Some museums, such as The Natural History Museum, are using technologies like Hololens to place full-scale ships within confined spaces. Moreover, being able to book something directly from within a VR environment is an exciting prospect for the travel and tourism business illustrating how the virtual world can inspire a real-world action that leads to additional business. The same benefits can equally apply to the estate agency market.

VR/AR can also benefit manufacturing in the design process, developing prototypes that can be shared and worked on by engineers at different locations. The automotive industry has been quick to use the technology not only for design but also for enhancing the customer experience at the showroom. With a restricted range on-site, prospective buyers can see their choice of colour, extras and the feel and style of the car without the dealer having to stock a huge array of inventory. Jaguar e.q Land Rover has been one such manufacturer to experiment in this way. As with other industries, the possibilities in manufacturing are endless from helping in complex assembly process or repairing a machine. The ability to follow the latest technical drawing or even a video, hands-free, whilst working on a job improves efficiency and safety, and shows how augmented reality based maintenance and repair can be used by many engineers in a variety of situations. In the future, companies could use AR technology to supplement their employees’ existing knowledge with engineering expertise delivered via telepresence. Certainly, immersive technology will become more widespread in the manufacturing industry.

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Not surprisingly, VR/AR has also found its place in the healthcare industry. The immersive qualities of VR make it ideal for training doctors and surgeons on medical procedures by providing practitioners with incredibly high-definition 3D illustrations of specific organs or body parts, allowing them to work through or plan an operation before they get into theatre. AR can support procedures as they happen, enabling a surgeon to seek advice from a specialist on a certain procedure using a tablet to livestream what they are doing to a consultant at some remote location or providing other digital support. Moreover, AR can help surgeons carry out complicated surgery where precision is key to its success.

OCULUS FOR BUSINESS A study by Grand View Research recently predicted the VR/AR market for healthcare would be worth $5.1bn by 2025. Indeed, healthcare is a great example of where Exertis has worked with an SMB reseller, ImmersiCare, to provide groundbreaking implementation of virtual reality into the daily lives of patients living with dementia for its customer Quantum Care Homes, using it as a therapeutic engagement activity. As part of this groundbreaking project, Exertis has built both a commercial and technology solution which incorporates a website, marketing support (including a full brandingproposition), training, an out-of-the-box solution that contains all the necessary PC hardware (a VR-ready laptop), and an Oculus Rift VR headset. By providing a VR-ready solution, ImmersiCare can include their in-house developed software with 12 relaxing and immersive environments preinstalled in the package.

With content being developed all the time, VR and AR are real and immediate business opportunities for the channel.

Sources & Acknowledgements: BusinessWire, Augment, Forbes, Computerworld, Entrepreneur, Hotelier, VR Intelligence

POWERFUL IDE AS DESERVE P O W E R F U L W O R K S TAT I O N S .

If you’re considering virtual reality for training, marketing, prototyping or product development you need a VR ready system, like the Dell Precision Tower 7000 Series.

Featuring NVIDIA’s latest professional Quadro graphics, the Dell Precision Tower 7000 Series is fully ISV certified for demanding VR workflows. Eight front accessible hard drives coupled with up to 1TB of the latest 2400MHz DDR4 ECC memory with Dell Reliable Memory Technology Pro, gives outstanding performance for large VR datasets and scenes. Take it to the next level with the new Dell Precision Ultra Speed Drive SSD storage and get up to 4x faster than traditional SATA SSD Storage and incorporate liquid cooling for up to 38% better acoustics with your demanding workloads. Dell Precision Optimizer take the guesswork out of customising settings by automatically adjusting Intel® Hyper-Threading, number of CPU cores, graphics and power settings.

For more details contact Exertis today. © 2016 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Dell, the DELL logo and Dell Precision are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell Corporation Limited.

Registered in England. Reg. No. 02081369, Dell House, The Boulevard, Cain Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1LF. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, and NVIDIA® Quadro® are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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Contact your Exertis account manager today for more details. Š 2017 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries.

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HYPERCONVERGED INFRASTRUCTURE:

AN OPPORTUNITY As virtualisation becomes more prevalent in the data centre the legacy hardware systems used to deliver the underlying compute, storage and networking have moved on. Hyperconvergence has been heralded as a major breakthrough in data centre planning and design. Previously, those core elements of a data centre were all separate components requiring separate dedicated management. Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) with a software centric architecture, integrates compute, storage, networking and virtualisation resources into one single box system provided by a single vendor. Developed as an evolution of converged systems, where a vendor provided a pre-configured bundle of hardware and software, hyperconvergence delivers even greater simplicity and flexibility when compared with legacy systems. With converged infrastructure, the compute, storage and networking components can be separated, whilst with HCI these components are selfcontained, constructed around a single software platform composed of various nodes. When more resources are needed, it is easy to acquire more nodes that can be added to the technology stack, and adding drives, memory or CPUs, allows hyperconverged systems the flexibility to scale much more cost effectively than traditional architecture.

Hyperconvergence also makes it easier to store and manage data spread across private servers and the public cloud from a single appliance, critical for companies that use a “hybrid” approach to the cloud. Companies don’t have to choose between buying their computing power on-premise or through public cloud offerings.

While cloud computing has become popular, many experts consider a hybrid approach will prevail in the end, as companies look to keep their most important or sensitive data on servers they own and maintain. Naturally, there is always concern about the possibility of security breaches on the public cloud.

Companies of all sizes want the commercial and technical agility that the public cloud offers whilst ensuring any data that is core to their business remains on-premise, with anything on the periphery being pushed out to the public cloud. Impending GDPR regulations together with the possibility of heavy fines for any breach, may well influence companies to keep this data on-premise, particularly as they will remain liable even if the breach occurs at a third party.

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WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY? Gartner projects that hyperconvergence revenue will grow at a compounded annual rate of more than 60% in the next few years.

GROWTH OF HYPERCONVERGENCE IN BILLIONS

WHAT ARE THE BUSINESS BENEFITS? With IT budgets always at a premium, businesses need to continually look at efficiency gains and cost control. An IDC case study revealed that converged infrastructure is driving savings and efficiencies for companies of all sizes. Indeed, the report claimed a 70% improvement in the speed of infrastructure deployment together with a 78% saving on network hardware costs and 43% reduction in storage costs.

Hyperconverged infrastructure delivers simplicity and flexibility when compared with legacy systems that often require multiple management systems and are costly to scale.

More resources often demand more hardware which adds to the complexity of the infrastructure. Hyperconvergence lets companies scale up or down according to requirements, simply by adding new nodes. In addition, for IT departments, HCI allows its staff the opportunity of managing the infrastructure through a centralised platform by consolidating a number of separate functions and services into one piece of technology that can adjust workloads and resources from one place. Because there aren’t any multi-vendor integrations to consider, HCI can be rapidly deployed and refreshes easier to manage. Some IT departments have been able to downsize or their staff be deployed in more business-oriented projects as a result.

HCI can also make it easier to implement patches and updates, provide better protection of company data and provide for extensive back-up and data recovery which is increasingly important with the impending GDPR legislation.

According to the analyst, the worldwide market for hyperconverged systems could reach $2.5bn by the end of this year, and continue growing to $5.0bn by 2019. The analyst expects such systems to represent 15% of total storage spend by 2018 and projected to be the fastest growing segment of storage with a share of 32% by 2020.

Research consultants TBR reported that enterprises were increasingly moving away from cumbersome legacy SAN systems and deploying hyperconvergence focused on operations like analytics, back-up and recovery, and business centric workloads such as ERP. Equally, HCI has opportunities for small to medium sized business looking for cost-effective enterprise-level solutions. Those customers will have less resource to manage HCI internally and offer both deployment and managed service opportunities for resellers.

According to IDC’s worldwide Quarterly Converged Systems Tracker, Dell EMC has recently become the leader in infrastructure (HCI) sales.

The analyst maintained that Dell EMC’s share of the HCI segment grew to 29% in the second quarter of 2017, representing year-overyear growth of 149%.

In what is a growing market, resellers should work with their distribution and vendor partners on how to deliver HCI solutions, and start talking to their customers about the benefits.

Sources & Acknowledgements: IDC, Gartner, TBR, TechTarget, TechAdvisory .org, MarketWatch

HYPER CONVERGED goes

HYPER AFFORDABLE

COST EFFECTIVE SIMPLE

FLEXIBLE

Built Speci ically for the SME These StorMagic appliances are built using SvSAN software-de ined storage technology on commodity Dell x86 servers. SvSAN leverages the internal disc and actively mirrors data between hosts to enable highly available shared storage and/or hyperconverged infrastructure.

For more information contact your Exertis account manager today

Learn more

StorMagic.com/appliance

The Dawn of A ordable Storage and Hyperconvergence Hyperconvergence started out life as a well-intentioned solution to the modern-day challenges of IT infrastructure. Enabling organisations to move away from the traditional bulky 3 tier architectures of yesteryear and toward a more simple and scalable future.

But as with many technologies, this path was directed towards the data-centre where big ish pay big money for big solutions. So, while larger organisations reap the bene its of HCI, the technology is often out of reach for the smaller enterprise.

Why? Well that’s simple. The data-centre needs more from their technology than the typical SME. More features, performance, data, management etc and they are willing to pay a premium for it‌and they do.

Well now there is an HCI solution built speci ically for the SME! These StorMagic appliances are built using SvSAN software-de ined storage technology on commodity Dell x86 servers. SvSAN leverages the internal disk and actively mirrors data between hosts to enable highly available shared storage or hyperconverged infrastructure.

This enables SMEs to gain all the bene its of hyperconvergence without the hefty price tag.

Entry-level 2U solution with 2TB mirrored storage. Ideal for low to medium workload environments.

Mid-level 4U solution with 12TB mirrored storage. Ideal for medium to high workload environments

For more information contact your Exertis account manager today

Learn more

StorMagic.com/appliance

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HOW XSTORAGE CAN

SAVE ENERGY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE

ENVIRONMENT Whilst it might seem to be a tad incongruous, there is a connection between home and business energy storage and the car industry. As the latter drives towards electrification, the former can take advantage of lower battery costs and higher electricity costs to push both the home owner and business to an alternative means of energy storage.

Nissan and Eaton are at the forefront of an industry which is set to take off in the latter part of this decade. The xStorage solution combines Nissan’s expertise in vehicle design and reliable battery technology with Eaton’s leadership in power quality and electronics to provide a range of wall-mounted lithium batteries to power homes and businesses.

FOR THE HOME xStorage Home has been designed as a complete single unit system that provides everything needed to manage and store energy. When connected to a residential power supply or renewable energy sources such as solar panels, the unit can save consumers money on their electricity bills. It does this by charging up when renewable energy is available or energy is cheaper, usually at nighttime, and releasing the stored energy when demand and costs are high.

With more consumers wishing to embrace the use of clean energy, energy storage systems both promote the use of renewables in addition to extending the usage of existing solar panels beyond the daylight hours. As of May 2017, the UK was placed sixth internationally in terms of installed capacity of solar energy generating 12,318 megawatt of PV solar power. Growth in the use of solar panels is dependent on the continued reduction in the cost of PV panels, government incentives, and individuals and companies adopting a greener lifestyle. However, for existing solar panel owners, xStorage Home comes with solar panel inverters already integrated making it easy for the consumer to connect directly to the system and gain the benefits. There are an estimated 850,000 UK homes with solar panels. These owners can make the electricity they generate more valuable by storing it in the battery and using it later, taking advantage of low cost deals which charge consumers less if they avoid peak, high demand periods.

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xStorage also provides other environmental benefits contributing to reducing CO2 emissions with the decarbonisation of energy supply by storing, consuming or sending renewable energy back to the grid where conditions enable customers to do so. This can provide a potential revenue stream as users can sell stored energy back to the grid when demand is high. In addition, xStorage provides a second life for Nissan’s electric vehicle batteries by repurposing their use, thereby reducing waste and optimising the longevity of the batteries.

According to Green Tech Media, vehicles typically demand very high performance from their batteries and once the battery’s capacity declines to 70-80 per cent (after eight to twelve years usage) it needs to be swapped out. However, the battery can still handle a lot of charge and discharge at this point making it useful for storage in less intensive stationary settings. Eaton and Nissan have made xStorage affordable by utilising the additional value provided by these batteries. xStorage also acts as a back-up power source in the event of a power outage, adding to the benefits of the investment.

Installation, by qualified installers, is included in the cost of the unit, so homeowners have a safe and reliable system which has also been designed to fit aesthetically into a home environment. The system even has a smartphone app to allow consumers to move conveniently between energy sources (grid to battery).

The xStorage Home range is available in: • 4.2 kWh (second life batteries) • 6 kWh (new or used batteries) • 9.6 kWh (new batteries)

FOR BUSINESS For companies xStorage Buildings provides similar benefits as described for homeowners. It gives businesses an innovative, flexible solution for managing energy costs through intelligent energy storage by taking advantage of off-peak energy rates or by utilising the system as part of its own renewable energy programme.

Companies are being challenged by: • Rising electricity costs and complexity • More distributed energy resources • Greater adoption of demand response programs • Increasing complexity of building energy management systems xStorage Buildings selects the right power sources according to the load, the grid constraints and the availability of renewable energy.

It allows end users to store energy once produced so that it can be used on demand to power the business or to participate in demand response programmes sending energy back to the grid.

Businesses can operate a more sustainable workplace by controlling their energy costs and minimising supply risks by having backup power in place. Investing in energy storage can save businesses operational expenditure, generate additional revenues and improve resilience to power outages. xStorage enables companies to better manage their own power source whilst alleviating demand from the grid, particularly at peak times. With an increasing population using more devices requiring more electricity, smart technology can balance the power required at peak times and ensure a consistent source of supply. Coupled with the need to invest in and use renewable energy, and the falling cost of battery storage, it is a timely opportunity for businesses to include xStorage as part of their technology infrastructure. xStorage Buildings is available from 24kWh to several MWh. For further information on how your customers can benefit from energy storage systems, talk to your Exertis account manager who can put you in touch with our product specialists.

XSTORAGE LIGHTS UP THE AMSTERDAM ARENA xStorage Buildings has been deployed at the Amsterdam arena, home of Ajax Football Club and a world famous entertainment venue. The system efficiently stores and distributes energy as required, making the supply to Amsterdam arena more efficient, sustainable and reliable through additional backup power replacing diesel generators and grid stabilisation services.

Using 280 Nissan LEAF batteries, repurposed from previously used electric vehicles, the installation is the largest energy storage system powered by second-life batteries used by a commercial business in Europe. It will have four Megawatts of power and four megawatts of storage capacity providing the arena with more control, better value and a more sustainable choice for its energy consumption. As well as providing vital back-up power services to the arena, xStorage Buildings also enables it to power the surrounding neighbourhood when necessary and protect the grid.

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Manage power your way

Infrastructure with Intelligence

The new Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) Infrastructure from Eaton radically simplifies critical power, energy consumption and environmental monitoring in data centres.

From the rack view to the data centre’s dashboard, IPM Infrastructure allows IT professionals to understand and monitor power, space and environmental capacity within the context of their IT infrastructure in order to plan change, anticipate challenges and make intelligent decisions. With all the flexibility of Open Source 42ITy, it simplifies the complexity of data centre infrastructure monitoring and lets you focus on what really matters.

Monitor and manage your data centre infrastructure with Eaton. Intelligently.

IPM Infrastructure – the simplified infrastructure monitoring for software-defined data centres 1

2

Simplicity & Centralisation

3

Real-Time Intelligence

Detail & Granularity

4 More Insights across more Processes

5 Diversity, Interoperability, Transparency

Understand your infrastructure within IT context Environmental monitoring

Power chain monitoring

• Temperature • Humidity • Smoke detection • Vibration • Water leakage detection

• Power kW • Energy consumption (kWh) • Phase balancing • Circuit balancing

IT asset management

Holistic reporting

• CSV import • Business prioritisation

• Intuitive web interface • Logs and alerts Eaton IPM Infrastructure – main product functionality

Contact your Exertis account manager today

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WHY WE ALL NEED TO GET GDPR READY With just months to go until the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on 25 May 2018, the countdown is well and truly on. So what exactly is GDPR and how will it impact small businesses?

GPDR is a new data protection regulation that provides individuals with more control over their own personal data. This will change the way businesses must legally handle an individual’s personal data and will mean further responsibilities for businesses who will have to meet the new regulations.

Research from FSB shows that data protection is definitely on the minds of small business owners, with almost 60% of members ranking data protection laws as a significant regulation they have to deal with. This statistic may paint the picture that smaller firms are also aware of, and are preparing for, the introduction of GDPR next May. Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be the case, with some small businesses either unaware of the upcoming changes or having not started preparing for them yet. Earlier this year, YouGov surveyed British businesses about the upcoming data protection changes, specifically GDPR. The results were concerning, with just 29% of UK businesses saying that they had started preparing for GDPR, while 38% said they were unaware of the new rules.

One of the key issues for many smaller firms is that they do not understand the scope of the changes and what they will be required to do. Many people class GDPR as an IT issue, which mainly concerns computer systems and how businesses store personal data. This includes business processes such as how client files and passwords are stored. However, it could also affect other processes across a business, from project management to networking and from sales to customer service.

The main shift of GDPR is that the new law will give more rights to the individual, and make companies that handle their data, more accountable. This means that record-keeping becomes a lot more important as businesses will need to be able to prove how they obtained this data, what permission they had to retain it, how they are using it and how they remove it if they are asked to by an individual. It will also be a requirement to obtain, and keep a record of, an individual’s consent to hold the data in the first place.

The last point stems from the introduction of the right to be forgotten, as well as the right for an individual to access their data so they can ensure information held on them is accurate, and to ask questions as required.

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As a result of the new rights of individuals, businesses may have to alter their current data handling procedures. For example, a good starting point is to look at exactly what personal data is currently being held, and what it is used for. Is the information that is being collected more than is strictly necessary for the purposes of the meeting? GDPR cracks down on frivolous data collection, meaning that businesses should only collect and keep exactly what will be used.

It is important for businesses to think about how many documents they have customers sign when taking on services. Are they worded correctly? Documents may need to be rewritten to ensure that customers know how (and why) data is being processed, and to comply with the requirements set out in the GDPR. The information supplied about the processing of personal data must also be free of charge, concise, transparent, clear and in plain language.

Additionally, new processes might need to be created from scratch for certain requests, such as transferring and deleting personal data – as well as verifying the identity of individuals before following through with those requests.

At FSB, we are aware that most small businesses have limited resources at their disposal compared with larger firms. It is unlikely that many would have a dedicated Data Protection Officer (DPO), or will be able to appoint one under the new changes. However, it may be beneficial to allocate someone within the business to take responsibility for meeting data regulations.

This person could be responsible for advising the organisation on data protection laws, monitoring compliance, conducting internal audits and being responsible for communication of data breaches.

To help small businesses to prepare for GDPR, FSB has published the first in a series of three videos, Introduction to GDPR, which explains the regulation and offers advice about preparing for it.

THE NEW GDPR SETS OUT EIGHT RIGHTS FOR INDIVIDUALS. THESE ARE: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

THE RIGHT OF ACCESS THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN THE RIGHT TO DATA THE RIGHT TO BE INFORMED THE RIGHT TO RECTIFICATION THE RIGHT TO RESTRICT PROCESSING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT RIGHTS RELATED TO AUTOMATED DECISION MAKING AND PROFILING

There are a number of ways to prepare. These include 1. Carrying out an internal audit (data protection impact assessment), of what data you have,how it is stored and what it is used for. Securely delete any unnecessary data.

2. Familiarising yourself with the GDPR, including the 8 rights that individuals have and ensure that your procedures and policies can deliver these rights.

3. Informing and training any employees on GDPR and how this will affect the running of your business.

4. Making sure consent for data is: freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous. Gone are the days of relying on assumptions, pre-ticked boxes or silence. People must make a positive optin and you must provide a simple way for people to withdraw their consent.

5. Being aware that not only must you get consent to send marketing emails, but you must also keep records of this consent.

6. If you buy data or buy a client data base from a third party make sure that you obtain documentation to show compliance with the GDPR. There are a number of excellent resources available for smaller firms.

FSB has a section of its website dedicated to providing GDPR tips, while the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is also a great resource.

For FSB members, there is also support available through its legal services and cyber protection services. Members have access to: • Phone advice line to ask questions about compliance • Online fact sheets and checklists that cover all areas of GDPR for small businesses • Instructional videos, such as an overview of GDPR • Third-party insurance

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Lenovo™ is not responsible for typographic or photographic errors. Lenovo™, the Lenovo™ logo, ThinkCentre, ThinkPad, ThinkPlus, ThinkVision, ThinkStation, ThinkServer, ThinkSystem, ThinkAgile, ThinkVantage and System x are registered trademarks or trademarks of Lenovo™. Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. © Lenovo™ 2017. All rights reserved.

Intel Core™ Processor Family

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CONTACT YOUR EXERTIS ACCOUNT MANAGER TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION

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HOT PICKS

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Give your customers the bigger picture in a whole new way with the Galaxy Note8. The S Pen’s thinner tip and greater pressure sensitivity allows users to express their creativity and the dual camera gives great low-light capabilities.

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TOP 5 BEST-SELLING BUSINESS PRODUCTS

PLANTRONICS BLACKWIRE C320-M STEREO HEADSET USB Plantronics Blackwire C320-M is an entry level headset, designed for companies just starting out with Unified Communications. This easy to use headset offers premium hi-fi stereo audio and all-day comfort.

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NETGEAR N300 WI-FI RANGE EXTENDER Keep mobile devices connected by giving existing Wi-Fi coverage a boost.

This small, easy-to-install wall-plug WiFi range extender also creates new Wi-Fi connectivity for up to 1 wired device.

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This latest tablet from Samsung advances mobility for the global workforce. The 8-inch display with an 8MP primary and 5MP secondary camera makes this ruggedised tablet optimised for business.

KASPERSKY 2017 DEVICE Kaspersky allows users to conveniently secure any combination of devices with just one activation code. Kaspersky protects privacy and identity with extra layers of security as well as help to keep children safe when online.

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VEHO PEBBLE PORTABLE BATTERY Users can charge portable devices on the move thanks to this small but powerful emergency rechargeable Pebble Ministick. It features a built-in USB output so users only need to plug in their smartphone charging cable and they’re ready to go.

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Wavelength Division Multiplexing combines multiple optical wavelengths signals onto a single fibre optic connection. ProLabs WDM multiplexers, along with WDM transceivers, offer a complete, endto-end WDM solution for new or existing WDM deployments.

Maxwell is an IP-based HD video phone with a touch screen and optionally cordless handset. wApart from its 10.1 inch full-touch display, Maxwell offers an innovative and unique user interface.

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DELL C701T See work in a new light and interact like never before with exceptional touch screen accuracy, crisp text and bright images, even in fully lit meeting rooms.

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Make your phone your desktop with Samsung DeX. DeX is compatible with S8, S8+ and Note8 (sold separately), monitor, HDMI, keyboard and mouse required.

Some things are just easier on a desktop, like sending an email, bolding text, or copying and pasting between apps. But your customers don’t have to be tied to their computer to work like this.

The new Samsung DeX allows your customers to leave their laptop behind, and still enjoy a full desktop experience. They simply dock their smartphone into the DeX Station, and within seconds all the information they have in their phone is accessible on the big screen.

DeX also keeps their documents secure with an additional password protected Secure Folder - it reduces the multiplication of documents from emailing and re-saving, by VLPSO\ VDYLQJ WKH RQH ÉŞOH RQ WKHLU SKRQH

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DeX is simple to set up and easy to use too – just dock an S8, S8+ or a Note8 and it goes straight to desktop mode.

The DeX Station is excellent. I honestly could use this simple device for a pretty hefty chunk of my work if I felt so inclined.

It’s an intuitive experience packed with useful apps such as Microsoft Office, Adobe and cloud – all the things people need to get their work done. With DeX in the workplace, staff can be more efficient, ready to dock in and get to work in an instant. It can really streamline any business, and it means that users don’t have to commute with their laptops – their DeX and their smartphone are enough to get the job done.

7R ÉŞQG RXW PRUH DERXW KRZ 6DPVXQJ VPDUWSKRQHV DQG 'H; FDQ KHOS \RXU EXVLQHVV speak to your Exertis account manager today!

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THE

To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

13 4 1 3 3

HOW TO GET

THE MOST FROM B2B SOCIAL MEDIA

In the first of a two part discussion on B2B social media, we look at how you can get the most from these platforms. There is often debate as to whether social media is an effective marketing tool for B2B businesses. It’s true that many companies have struggled with the concept and some have even chosen to ignore it altogether berating the lack of return of investment. While B2C companies are driven to influence customers to buy something, B2B businesses should look at social media with the objective of your brand becoming an authority in your industry sector and therefore setting realistic objectives in the first place is vital.

Let’s start with managing expectations. If you are focused on lead generation, then there are better marketing tools out there that will drive a quicker return. Leads may well come to fruition in time but there are several steps that need to be taken first. Identifying your target audience is key and that is built around the content that you are going to deliver that creates some engagement and builds a following. Number of followers may not be that important, but quality will be. Of course, you can build a following by sharing other people’s content and there is nothing wrong with that if the material is relevant to your audience. However, if you want to create an even closer engagement with your followers, then publishing some thought leadership messaging is vital. That builds trust and shows you are an authority in a subject. As customers buy from companies they know and trust, this is ultimately how you generate leads.

CONTENT IS KEY Content can be built from a company blog, a newsletter, whitepaper or your press releases. Sharing your expertise or demonstrating how you have been able to provide a solution for a customer with a similar technology issue will certainly lead to engagement. Develop valuable content. A good rule of thumb for creating content is to follow the 80/20 rule whereby 80% of content focuses on customer interests and industry news and 20% is promoting products and services.

Don’t forget to schedule posts for the weekend. Weekends are a major lost opportunity for businesses as there are 40-50% fewer posts at the weekend, while the number of users online stays the same. (Perfect Post) Moreover, a key advantage that social media provides, and something that differentiates it from traditional marketing, is that it can provide a two-way conversation with your audience. That clearly demonstrates engagement. Equally, you should also be listening out for conversations that are happening on industry topics and taking

advantage of the opportunity to comment. Joining industry groups on Linked-In can be great for that. In addition, check out the industry influencers that already have a substantial following and build a relationship that may get you recognised as an authority in a field or even better someone that they would recommend.

Whilst the quality of your content is key, social media also gives you the opportunity to present the culture of your company in a positive way. The copy can be more informal demonstrating the human side of your company, remembering that people buy from people. It’s quite possible to be authoritative and friendly at the same time.

Comments from real people that are known can be highly effective.

Just be sure that you have a social strategy in place that your employees are aware of in terms of how they conduct themselves on social media.

Driving traffic to your web site by clear calls to action will be a key strategic goal for your social marketing particularly for gaining new customers. Just like the consumer world, people will always check out your profile online, therefore using social platforms like Twitter and Linked-In to start that process is important.

CHOOSE PLATFORMS THAT SUIT YOUR BUSINESS According to Hootsuite, 92% of businesses use social media as part of their marketing strategy. But that doesn’t mean that all platforms are right for every business. Of course, Twitter and Linked-In are proven to be highly effective tools for the B2B world. The Content Marketing Institute found that 63% of marketers found Linked-In to be the most effective social media platform. That effectiveness may well be influenced in terms of the measurement criteria. Social Media Examiner believe that B2B companies are experimenting with more platforms to build brand awareness. Whilst Facebook and Instagram are unlikely to be your first choice, with the increasing influence of video, platforms like YouTube can also be beneficial. According to Twitter, tweets with images receive double the engagement and video content is six times more engaging than still images. It’s worth taking a look at what platforms your competitors are using.

Finally, it’s important to ensure you devote enough time to building and implementing your social media plan. It’s an on-going process, requiring the right person with the right skills at the right time to make it an integrated part of your overall marketing strategy.

In the next issue, we will look at how you can measure the effectiveness of your social media strategy.

THE

14 2

FUTURE

GA B UM S I IN NE GS A SN D E N T E R T A I N M E N T

ADVERTORIAL

NEC’s iCall can be built on existing wiring from an old nurse call system resulting in huge cost savings.

Nurse call re-invented:

Introducing NEC’s iCall With an ageing population healthcare presents a growing opportunity for resellers. However – the specific demands of this vertical market along with complexity of multiple technologies creates a technical headache for all concerned. NEC’s Smart Healthcare solution iCall has the answer!

Retrofit installs at half the cost The renewal of a nurse call system in an existing environment frequently demands the replacement of all cable infrastructure.

The true cost of a retrofit project will be at least double of the new nurse call system!

Why telephony and nurse call should be one system In all healthcare environments, numerous technologies from different suppliers are mixed into one system, or at least, connected together.

What if you could immediately know the reason of the room call?

When a traditional nurse call is received, the staff needs to walk to the room in order to understand why nurse call was made.

So who’s taking responsibility?

Unlike other nurse call systems, NEC’s iCall can be built on existing wiring from an old nurse call system.

This results in huge cost savings on wiring and Ethernet components and provides you with a compelling price point for your prospects.

NEC’s iCall provides a complete healthcare communication solution for the patients, residents and nurses.

This is time consuming for the staff, and frustrating for the patient since the average time of nurse’s response is above expectations.

This integrates Nurse call, nurse notification and telephony applications for every healthcare facility including Acute Cure, Long-Term Care and Assisted Living.

NEC’s iCall equips the nursing staff with wireless DECT handsets offering full capability of call overview.

This enables instant visibility and urgency of the call, a sharper response time and call prioritisation.

What iCall Customers say:

iCall was the perfect system to have the least disturbance for the patients when changing the system.

MR. ROLF GEHRKE GENERAL MANAGER CONDIGI DEUTSCHLAND

Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | Burnley: 01282 776 776 | store.exertis.co.uk

THE

To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

15 3

iCall by Numbers

AVERAGE SOLUTION

AND DEAL SIZE TO

THE RESELLER IS

MUCH BIGGER AVERAGE TIME OF

CARE NURSE

SPENT GIVING CARE

NUMBER OF CARE

HOMES IN UK* TOTAL PUBLIC SPENDING

ON OLDER PEOPLE’S

SOCIAL CARE 2015/16**

5 Reseller Benefits of NEC's iCall Every year more investments in this kind of solution with this growing vertical market

Alert any nurse, anywhere: iCall offers a broad range of nurse desk units using IP-Touch units, Touch-screen PC’s or corridor displays

Average solution and deal size is much bigger than just PBX (+50%) Fit’s in almost every cable environment Real integration with NEC PBX and other applications Up and cross sell opportunities

What our Resellers say:

Really impressed with the product and how it stacks up against the competition.

ROB WEBSTER CELLULAR SOLUTIONS

NURSES CAN KNOW IMMEDIATELY THE REASON OF THE ROOM CALL, USING ONLY A ONE TOUCH COMMAND ON THEIR DECT

A really flexible solution that stands out over the rest.

NICK ANTONIOU NIOU EVERCOMM

Next steps Exertis and NEC have made on boarding with iCall as easy as possible. Sales training is a free one day course and technical training is just two days. Plus online configuration and pricing tool makes quotes and orders straightforward.

Contact the Exertis UC Team on 01282 858600 or visit www.info.exertis.co.uk/nec/healthcare.html for more information Sources: *www.carehome.co.uk, **www.ageuk.org

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THE

To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

45

VOICE IS

STIMULATING

GROWTH IN SMART

TECH ADOPTION The impact of voice control in building recognition for smart home connected products can’t be underestimated. Of course, the consumer wants useful products, at a reasonable price from companies they recognise and trust but voice control is convincing more customers to equip their homes with more connected products and manufacturers to enable more of their products to be voice enabled. Whilst disruptive might be considered to be an over-used term in technology, the role of Smart Voice Assistants is the biggest disrupter in the smart home market. In a sector, where one of the biggest barriers to buying multiple devices has been a fragmented technology framework with many different standards creating interoperability issues, voice enabled products that are compatible with leading voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa will expand the reach and deepen the interest in smart home products.

A Gartner 2016 survey of people’s use of personal technology showed that consumers want a more integrated smart eco-system.

The use of Voice Personal Assistants is expected to grow with VPA enabled wireless speakers forecasted to reach $2.1bn according to the analyst. Clearly, not having to use your smartphone and open apps to control each device adds a great deal of simplicity and convenience. VPAs compatible with smart products will take automation in the home to a new level as they make tasks more simple and easy to do.

In addition, the recently announced Amazon Echo Plus is more than a connected speaker, it doubles as a smart home hub, creating a platform for connected home devices with built-in Zigbee networking (a wireless protocol commonly used by small connected home gadgets) as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Users will be able to ask Alexa to control devices across all three standards, thereby adding more connected products to Alexa.

FROM NOVELTY TO MAINSTREAM Certainly, smart home products are no longer seen as just novelty, Alexa’s growing capabilities are driving a more compelling Smart Tech experience for consumers as support for security, comfort, convenience, safety, entertainment and energy consumption come under Alexa’s growing umbrella of control.

With cheaper, easier to control products that can be DIY installed and activated by voice commands, there are considerable opportunities for growth. Security and access products such as cameras, locks, detection devices and video surveillance products, enable owners to

monitor their homes and families from remote locations and provide increased safety. In combination with VPAs, like Alexa, notifying homeowners of a leak or reminding them of a service requirement, smart home products can provide financial benefits such as reduced insurance premiums or claims.

There are many manufacturers from tech giants to start-ups looking to make an impact in the smart home market. According to Zion Market Research, the global smart tech market was valued at around $24.10bn in 2016 and is expected to reach approximately $53.45bn by 2022 at a 14.5% CAGR between 2017 and 2022. Amazon is dominating the voice controlled speaker sector with a 70% share in the US according to eMarketer, well ahead of other giants like Google and Apple, thanks to the popularity of its Alexa Voice Assistant. Consumers are likely to keep with one brand and Amazon are in pole position. Smart home accessories that have compatibility with companies like Amazon and Google are helping to stimulate the market. Established brands like Whirlpool are enabling their dishwashers, fridges and ovens to be controlled by voice commands to the Echo. GE-branded appliances are also controllable by Alexa.

Voice has become a key feature added to consumer products like TVs and cameras either built-in or functioning through devices like the Amazon Dot. Of course, VPAs can add value to the home user in other areas such as accessing information or adding audio. Asking Alexa to play music is a lot easier than searching for a track on your mobile and compatibility with multi-room speakers and soundbars from manufacturers like Sonos only adds to the experience.

The new-found popularity of lower priced, voice assisted speakers in conjunction with more enabled products – RBC Capital Markets predicts that 128m devices will be Alexa enabled by 2020 – are clearly stimulating the market. VoiceLabs forecasts that 24.5m of these products will ship in 2017 as more consumers join the early adopters. With millennials dominating the workforce with their strong attachment to technology and voice control simplifying the control of the smart home ecosystem, the future of smart home products looks rosy.

Exertis has been at the forefront of the smart home market with its wide range of Smart Tech products from both established and emerging brands, opening up new channels for its vendor partners and providing retailers with propositions and services that make it easier to sell and promote the range.

For more information on the range of smart technology products available from Exertis, please contact your account manager.

Fujitsu recommends Windows 10 Pro.

The Evolution of Going Small FUJITSU Workstations CELSIUS W570 & J550/2

Previous generation W Series 28 litre

CELSIUS W570 Desktop Workstation 21 litre up to NVIDIA® Quadro® P4000

CELSIUS J550/2 Small Form Factor Workstation 10 litre up to NVIDIA® Quadro® P2000

Fujitsu Workstations – Made for Innovators and Creators The Àrst-ever desktop workstation in 1995 was a pioneer of its era, and Fujitsu has never stopped innovating and enhancing the products since.

FUJITSU CELSIUS workstations, featuring NVIDIA® Quadro® graphics, provide the ultimate in performance and reliability to increase application efÀciency for CAD users, architects and engineers. All products are whisper quiet thanks to their excellent thermal management and are optimised for use with a host of leading workstation applications, like Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, Siemens PLM or PTC.

More information around Virtual Reality: www.fujitsu.com/global/products/computing/pc/vr/

Copyright 2017 Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo and Fujitsu brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in Japan and other countries. Other company, product and service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, the use of which by third parties for their own purposes may infringe the rights of such owners. Technical data are subject to modiÀcation and delivery subject to availability. Any liability that the data and illustrations are complete, actual or correct is excluded. Designations may be trademarks and/or copyrights of the respective manufacturer, the use of which by third parties for their own purposes may infringe the rights of such owner. All rights reserved.

Fujitsu recommends Windows 10 Pro.

Fujitsu Workstations 25 Years of Innovation Discover The Most Innovative Workstations On The Market New

25 years workstation expertise in1995 was a pioneer of its era, and Fujitsu has never stopped innovating and enhancing the products since.

CELSIUS R940

CELSIUS W570

Breaking all Barriers

Mini CAD Powerhouse

Ģ Windows 10 Pro Ģ Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2543 v4

Ģ Windows 10 Pro Ģ Intel® Xeon® processor

(6 Cores, 3.40 GHz, 20 MB)

E3-1200 v5 and v6 family

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Ģ Industry first: 21 litre microtower

desktop workstation

Ģ Up to NVIDIA® Quadro® P4000 Ģ Whisper quiet

Want to know more?

Contact your Account Manager Today for more Information © Copyright 2017 Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo and Fujitsu brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in Japan and other countries. Other company, product and service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, the use of which by third parties for their own purposes may infringe the rights of such owners. Technical data are subject to modification and delivery subject to availability. Any liability that the data and illustrations are complete, actual or correct is excluded. Designations may be trademarks and/or copyrights of the respective manufacturer, the use of which by third parties for their own purposes may infringe the rights of such owner. Intel, the Intel logo, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, Quadro and NVS are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Windows 10 Pro means business.

THE

To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

1 39 4

IT’S TIME TO PUT THE A BACK INTO AV It might seem obvious to us all but the most important part of any communication is sound. The ability for listeners to hear at any event whether that’s at a meeting, conference or a public space.

If they can’t hear what the speaker is saying clearly, then the communication becomes somewhat meaningless. Vision can certainly enhance the communication and can often help in remembering something about the topic but put simply you can still have a video-conference without video but you can’t do much without sound. Indeed, any form of collaboration requires a dialogue for it to progress. Whilst, this isn’t a battle of the senses discussion, it would be fair to say that in the AV world, the vision has had more theatre and airtime than the sound. Perhaps it’s time to put the A back into AV. Of course, if you are designing an AV installation from scratch in a new build, then you have the best chance of ensuring that the audio and video can work perfectly together based on the design of the building, the materials used, the size and shape of the room and the furnishings in order to obtain the best acoustics. For example, Audica a new vendor acquisition to Exertis Medium and a leading commercial loudspeaker company was able to play a key role in the creation of a new flagship showroom launched by Trison Worldwide.

The company was able to install a high quality speaker system within the new centre at Thames Wharf in London. Trison required a sound system that would best showcase its range of products and enhance the audiovisual experience for customers visiting the showroom.

Audica provided a total of 22 speakers and associated products incorporating several wall mounted speakers designed to be as small as possible whilst retaining high quality audio. The set-up also included amplifiers, controllers and a subwoofer providing flexibility for a wide range of applications from a single control.

Naturally, equipment will vary according to the space. For larger conferences a configuration of multiple speakers coupled together which act as a single source of sound enable optimum sound projection and ensure every delegate can hear irrespective of where they are seated.

Nowadays, there are even more applications for audio in markets such as retail outlets, restaurants, hotel public and guest rooms, meeting rooms, museums and visitor centres.

CONVERGENCE OF AV, IT AND UC Meeting rooms and the AV technology deployed within them have changed dramatically in recent years. Huddle rooms that can accommodate anything between 4 and 6 people are now more prevalent enabling meetings to be run internally or with external attendees using video-conferencing or interactive displays for collaborative work. The key to success for all of these environments is ease of use and training. Too often, meetings are delayed whilst someone tries to find out how to use the equipment or a visitor brings their own device as a presentation tool that needs to be connected to a display in the room. Productivity hinges on how quickly a meeting can start.

Not so long ago, the audio visual, information technology and telecommunications fields were all distinct areas of responsibilities.

Today, they are working more as one with the increase in unified communications and collaboration. The role of audio systems has therefore become even more important as these are now necessary even in small meeting spaces for audio pickup and amplification to and from remote participants. AV systems incorporating digital signage processors are key to ensuring high quality audio.

Exertis is uniquely positioned in that it has specialist teams in AV and UC. If you would like to discuss any requirements for your customers please contact your account manager.

Sources and acknowledgements: Audica, AVInteractive

Transform with Flash!

FUJITSU ETERNUS AF – All-Flash Storage

The FUJITSU Storage ETERNUS AF accelerates, modernises and transforms data centers in a flash new world. Built on a powerful architecture, it delivers all the strengths of flash storage, plus seamless management integration with existing disk storage environments, thus ensuring a smooth transition of data centers to flash. Customers Flash is benefit from ultra-fast response times that set per– formance records and sophisticated inline efficiency times 500 technologies. What’s more, mirroring and transparent more reliable than hard disks than disk failover ensure non-stop operation, and automated Flash is fast – with response times that are around 500 times better quality of service substantially minimises administhan those of disks. And flash is 100 times more reliable than tration. In other words, ETERNUS AF powered by Intel® disks. But until recently, flash storage was reserved for services that demand maximum performance at any cost – like databases, anaXeon® processors is an innovative and strong alterlytics and trading apps. That was yesterday. Today, as prices are native to hard disks for enterprise applications and equal to those for fast disks, flash is becoming mainstream in IT infrastructures. What’s more, thanks to sophisticated efficiency techdatabases. around

times better response time

100

nologies, the cost per IOPS is also lower with flash storage.

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WHAT DO INTEL

FUTURE

1 33 5

®

8TH GEN PROCESSORS

OFFER BUSINESS? Intel® has recently announced its 8th generation of Core™ CPUs for laptops and desktops. Unquestionably, they provide a step change for gamers and other entertainment media but they also have some benefits for business applications.

Whilst most people outside of the industry don’t even know about the code names for these upgrades, even the most dedicated could be excused for being somewhat surprised. For the first time, the lineup is a mix of different Intel® architectures.

The new laptop processors are based on Intel’s® current Kaby Lake design generation. Intel® has successfully managed to solve the problem of accelerating the performance of the increasingly popular ultra thin models (less than 11 millimetres thick) with its two new Core™ i7 and i5 chips now boasting Quad-cores, previously only available in larger laptop versions. The 40% speed improvement is largely due to the new chips getting two extra cores with all four eighth-gen models providing four cores and supporting up to eight threads. Intel® estimates that there are 450m PCs* older than five years currently in use and claims the laptop chips are twice as fast with improvements in the design and manufacturing process. There are some big performance improvements for business users in certain applications. For instance, if you are editing photos or slideshows, you will be able to do it 48% faster on 8th generation processors compared with the processor Intel® released last year. Working in 3D and popular apps like Photoshop will also be quicker. Video editing is also 14.7 times faster, so rendering what used to take forty-five minutes can now be completed in just three. In addition, the battery life is improved with Intel® estimating that users can run 4K UltraHD video for up to 10 hours on a single charge.

The desktop range of 8th gen processors are great for gaming – Intel® called its i7-8700K™ “best gaming desktop processor ever”–

and general tasks like web browsing or when working in apps like Photoshop. Boasting a range of features with up to six cores for more processing power; Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 to provide extra performance when required; Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology which allows each processor core to work on two tasks at the same time, improving multi-tasking and speeding up workflows; new levels of built-in security protection and an overclocking facility, there are a range of form factors to suit a variety of needs.

The new processors are ideal to get the best out of VR whether that’s for gaming or for business applications. Indeed, with gaming, you can easily share experiences by live streaming or recording, or edit and post highlights. Furthermore, with computing devices running Intel®’s 8th generation processors, you can deliver smooth streaming of premium 4K UHD entertainment from leading online providers, provide full-size, screen immersive viewing experiences with 4K video and 360 degree viewing – all with the lightning speed data transfer of Thunderbolt™ 3 technology.

The Intel® 8th generation processor family consists of: the Core™ i7 designed for next-generation desktops, laptops and 2 in 1 PCs where high-end gaming, multi-tasking and content creation together with high speed and peak performance is required; the Core™ i5 aimed at home and business PCs that want 4K graphics for video and gaming with fast startup and speed on demand and the Core™ i3 for everyday PC tasks providing quick charge, long battery life and built-in mobility.

Ask your Exertis account manager about the latest models running Intel® 8th generation processors. Note: all trademarks acknowledged. *For more details visit https://newsroom.intel.com/editorials/new8th-gen-intel-core-processors-simplifying-today-opening-doorwhats-next/

For more details visit https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/reference-guides/resellers-8th-gen-quick-start-selling-guide.pdf

Toshiba recommends Windows 10 Pro.

Your cutting edge business laptop that ticks every box Tecra X40 Toshiba’s Tecra X40 stands at the cutting edge of business functionality. The latest generation of Intel® Core™ U Series processors and our unique Hybrid Cooling technology deliver uncompromising and optimised productivity – with a battery life of up to 11 hours. Secured by a magnesium honeycomb chassis that is tested to MIL STD 810G, and protected by Toshiba’s own in-house BIOS, security and durability are assured wherever you’re working. And a non-glare In-Cell touch screen and a wide range of connectivity options unleash the possibilities of working your way wherever you are. The Tecra X40 is the business laptop that ticks every box.

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ADVERTORIAL

ENCRYPTED USB-DRIVES – An important piece of the EU-GDPR puzzle An everyday scenario – an employee downloads data from a work PC onto a USB-drive, perhaps for a back-up, to work from home, or to give a presentation. The employee leaves the office and on the way home the USB drives slips out of the pocket. The data on the drive is not encrypted and is accessible to anyone who plugs the drive into a computer, which a recent survey found almost half of us do upon stumbling across a USB. In a best-case scenario losing a USB drive is just an annoyance. Losing a USB with confidential or personal data however and it’s a different story.

On 24th May 2018 the current data protection legislation from 1995 will be fully replaced by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR). The EU GDPR aims to strengthen the protection of personal data for EU-citizens, through e.g. the ‘right to be forgotten’, as well as future-proofing data protection legislation in the EU. It is also an attempt to unify the different national legislations which can be confusing in their overlaps and differences. This means that organisations will have to take extra steps to avoid any kind of data leaks, loss and theft. The fines for personal data such as names, date of birth, bank details or medical records being leaked can add up to 4% of the global revenue of an organisation, or €20 million (whichever is higher). Additionally, the individuals concerned as well as a supervisory authority will have to be notified if personal data has been compromised. This means that a data breach – on top of the direct costs like fines, legal fees, etc. – will also automatically generate indirect costs such as negative publicity, loss of customer trust and ultimately business. Hence organisations should start reviewing and checking their internal IT processes and policies now and modify them accordingly.

One of the most neglected risks is often simply not encrypting company USB drives. You may think that the use of USB drives is on the decline. However, a recent survey on the use of USB drives has shown that about 66% of participants use more than one USB drive for job purposes. Of these users, alarmingly 38% reported that one or more drives had disappeared while in company use (24% out of these were reported lost, 4% reported stolen and in 72% it was unclear what happened with the drive). Another worrying result is that almost half of the surveyed employees said that they mix personal and job data on their USB drives.

https://www.elie.net/publication/users-really-do-plug-in-usb-drives-they-find http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679&from=en Datasource: a study conducted by Kingston Technology, sample size = 480 employees from companies from different industries in the UK. 1 2 3

To help make sure that organisations comply with the EU GDPR, Kingston Technology offers affordable business-grade encrypted (DTVP 3.0), high-security (DT4000 G2) as well as keypad USB-drives (DT2000). Additionally, Kingston uses the recently acquired IronKey product line to deliver FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification solutions for organisations which need the highest level of encryption and security.

Furthermore, Kingston’s software partner DataLocker® Inc. offers the SafeConsole® and Enterprise Management Services (EMS) platforms that both Kingston and IronKey managed encrypted drives utilise.

Both enable IT administrators to centrally manage encrypted USB drives to meet compliance requirements and provide a higher level of support. Features include setting passwords remotely, configuring password and device policies, activating audit for compliance, remote killing a drive and more.

As already mentioned, the encryption of personal data is currently one of the state-of-the art ways to be safe. The encryption of personal data does not have to be complicated, as an encrypted USB drive automatically carries it out in the background. Users are only confronted with the encryption when they insert a drive into a computer and have to enter a password. There’s no technical knowledge required which makes such a solution very easy to implement and use. This is crucial, as needlessly complex solutions increase the risk of employees not using them.

Organisations invest heavily in protecting data inside their network, but data beyond a company’s firewall is equally important. Due to the new regulation and its impact on organisations’ finances security and data protection are expected to become more of a topic for senior management and boardrooms. Currently the encryption of personal and other sensitive data is more a topic for IT departments and IT security managers. The potential fines and impact on the reputation of a company will ensure an increase in the overall awareness for the topic within organisations.

By investing in 256-bit AES hardware-based encrypted USB drives organisations can get a small but important item ticked off their GDPR to-do list. This may be unfamiliar territory for some organisations but we are confident that we can support organisations in meeting their GDPR-requirements and ensuring a smooth transition from one data protection legislation to another.

Truly Reliable Security

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• • • •

Minimise error with Swann’s True Detect™ Technology – Heat-based PIR motion detection reliably captures and records activity, with fewer false triggers D-I-Y Installation – quick, easy and hassle-free installation Ease of use – The Swann range is easy to use and seamlessly integrates with other devices Live viewing direct to your Smartphone – Control, view and listen on your Smartphone with the free SAFE by Swann app Lifetime Support – All Swann products are backed by the brand promise of Lifetime Support with free 24/7 customer service

CONTACT YOUR EXERTIS ACCOUNT MANAGER TODAY FOR MORE DETAILS

StruxureOn is now EcoStruxure IT. New name, same great offer.

Full off-premise visibility StruxureOn Standard has changed name to EcoStruxure IT Expert Mobile Insights – Mobile Insights for short.

Mobile Insights is a digital service for monitoring your customer’s critical equipment. Enabling full off-premise visibility 24/7, directly to their Smartphone.

Benefits: • Mobile alarm notification • Live asset sensor data • Incident tracking • Fast alarm resolution • 24/7 access to Schneider Electric experts

Contact your Exertis account manager today!

FUTURE

B2B MUST-HAVE ACCESSORIES

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GA B UM S I IN NE GS A SN D E N T E R T A I N M E N T

TARGUS DUAL 4K DOCKING STATION WTH PWR

Get the most out of any workstation with two ultrahigh-def monitors via this USB-C Universal DV4K Docking Station which supports both DisplayPort™ and HDMI. RRP: £324.99 Colour: Black Part Code: S10180267

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Use the 4-foot Lightning to USB cable to charge devices at the fastest possible speed. The smaller, more durable Lightning connector is also reversible, which makes plugging it in easier than ever.

RRP: £14.99 Colour: White Part Code: BELF8J023BT04-WHT

FALCON I-STAY 15.6-16" LAPTOP ORGANISER BAG

Ideal for travelling, the i-stay organiser laptop bag has many zip compartments for customers belongings. It comes with an i-stay non-slip bag strap which helps to spread the load of the weight of the bag evenly.

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BELKIN QI WIRELESS CHARGING PAD FOR SAMSUNG, NOKIA & UNIVERSAL QI ENABLED SMARTPHONES

With the QI Wireless Charging Pad, users can charge Samsung, Nokia and other Qi-enabled smartphones without bothering with plugs or cables.

RRP: £38.99 Colour: Black Part Code: ISTIS0104BLK

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BELKIN 1.2M LIGHTNING CHARGE AND SYNC CABLE

RRP: £29.99 Colour: Black Part Code: BELF8M747BT

BELKIN MIXIT™ METALLIC USB-C™ TO USB-C CHARGE CABLE

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KENSINGTON CLICKSAFE COMBINATION LOCK

This MIXIT Metallic USB-C cable supports up to 3A of power output and can be used for charging and powering USB-C enabled devices. Your customers will never worry about which way to plug in again.

The Kensington ClickSafe Combination Laptop Lock offers effortless computer protection with just one click for the ultimate in physical security.

RRP: £19.99 Colour: White Part Code: BELF2CU041BT06-WHT

RRP: £47.58 Colour: Black Part Code: KENK64697EU

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CYGNETT CHARGEUP PRO 20K

FELLOWES LOTUS SIT STAND WORKSTATION

Designed to be easy to use, adjustable, and worry-free. Engineered with the durability to transition from sitting to standing multiple times a day.

With a 63W total output, and a 45W USB-C port, the ChargeUp Pro 20k can now support charging the latest USB-C laptops, smartphones, tablets and gaming devices.

RRP: £119.95 Colour: Black Part Code: S10175505

RRP: £799.99 Colour: Black Part Code: S10157256

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TARGUS TARGUS PRIVACY SCREEN 12.5" WIDESCREEN

Protect the 'data' on most visible screens in the office or on the move. There are some things in life that are great to share. Important personal or company documents are not amongst them.

RRP: £55.99 Colour: Black Part Code: TARASF125W9EU

TARGUS WORK & PLAY FITNESS 15.6" LAPTOP BACKPACK

The all-new Targus Work + Play 'Fitness' Backpack is ideal for commuting professionals with active lifestyles.

Intelligently designed, with three dedicated compartments for customers laptop (up to 15.6 "), work accessories and sports gear.

RRP: £64.99 Colour: Black Part Code: S10175499

Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | Burnley: 01282 776 776 | store.exertis.co.uk

A new chapter for the PC The sleek and sturdy Samsung Galaxy Book brings exceptional functionality, versatility and portability to your business.

Its powerful 7th Generation Intel Core i5 (12”) or m3 (10.6”) processor and longer-lasting battery take your computing capabilities further whether you’re in the office or on the move.

An enhanced sAMOLED screen (TFT screen for 10.6"), backlit detachable keyboard, and advanced S Pen stylus are all part of the package.

So if you’re looking for the convenience and portability of a tablet with the performance and usability of a laptop, you’ve found it.

Stay productive, be creative and keep connected with the Samsung Galaxy Book.

Productivity

Creativity

The light and compact Galaxy Book 2 in 1 gives you more productivity with Windows 10, pre-installed Microsoft Office* and a detachable backlit keyboard.

The Galaxy Book lets you create and record ideas at anytime, anywhere with an enhanced keyboard, three adjustable viewing angles and an advanced inbox S Pen, that does not require charging.

*Payment required for Microsoft Office 365 after 1 month trial.

Performance

Connectivity

The Galaxy Book’s fast charge long life battery, rapid download speed, expandable memory and powerful processor give you the capacity and productivity of a laptop no matter where you are.

The Galaxy Book has superb web connectivity, USB Type-C connectors, it supports secure and rapid downloads, and connects seamlessly with your Samsung smartphone with Samsung Flow.

Contact your Exertis account manager to find out more!

Designed to Stand out BrandIT

Floor Standing Tablet Kiosk Designed from the floor up, our new BrandIT tablet kiosk demands your attention.

Steel and aluminium construction securely holds Linx tablets or Apple iPads, the latter also includes options to restrict access to the home button.

The front panel can be branded for promotions or branding and there are white and black options available.

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Ideal for reception areas, hotels, showrooms, exhibitions, events and retail

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Large area for branding or sales message

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Movable or can be secured to the floor

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Available in black or white

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Cable management

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Power supply lead can be hidden in base

For further information call your Exertis account manager: Basingstoke : 01256 707070 Burnley : 01282 776776 www.securityxtra.com