Bytes Magazine - Spring Summer 2012

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welcomespring/summer 2012

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Welcome to the second edition of the Bytes magazine.

We are never short of information to put into a

publication like this as the world we work in is

constantly changing. We aren’t complaining though as it

allows us to better inform all our clients and become an

even more trusted source of information than ever.

Since our last edition, we have become the proud winners of the CRN Enterprise Reseller of the

Year award and also received an excellence award from one of our customers - one of the UK’s

biggest Retailers. It’s always fantastic when we are recognised by a client in such a manner. Big

congratulations to the Account Team who work tirelessly on this account.

We have been on the acquisition trail too and purchased Security Partnerships to create the 3rd

arm of our UK Bytes Technology Group operation (see the news section). Being focused and

specialists in what they do, they complement our Software Services business perfectly.

In addition to this, we also started up Bytes Storage Solutions and have extended our Cloud

team too. We now have a wealth of experience in talking with companies around their options

when looking at entering the “Cloud” and what this may look like for their organisations.

Microsoft has announced two lots of signifi cant licensing changes for 2012. These relate to the

next releases of SQL and System Center. If you use either of these products, you need to be

aware of the changes - they are fairly major and there are big cost benefi ts to be had by acting

within the appropriate timescales, for further details refer to pages 10-13 of this publication.

Alternatively, engage with one of our Licensing specialists who can help you understand how to

prepare.

With all the above, our activity with the other Vendors increasing rapidly, winning even more

Software Asset Management projects and a Global Offi ce 2010 Training project for over 6,000

users in 24 cities across 5 continents - we are incredibly busy and upbeat here! ...But not too

busy to take note and celebrate the fact that this year our company turns 30 years old. How

times have changed - just take a look at page 68 to see how much! Thanks to all our customers

and suppliers for their continued support and here’s to the next 30 years!

contact us Bytes Software Services,UK Head Offi ce, 15-17 Chessington Road, Ewell,Surrey, KT17 1TSphone - 020 8786 1500 fax - 020 8393 6622

Neil MurphyManaging Director

Mandi NicholsonSales Director

Neil Mandi

www.bytes.co.uk | 03

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news bytes p06 News Bytes A selection of the latest news from vendors

p17 Bytes Portal All your software estate available in one place

p42 News, Views and Events Recent and forthcoming Bytes events and venues

p64 Bytes Licensing Services Introducing Byes licensing services

p65 Bytes SAM Services Here to help you manage the effi ciency of your software estate

p66 Bytes Learning Services Finding the right training course for you

p68 Happy Birthday Bytes Celebrating our 30th birthday with memories of 1982

p70 Vendor awards A little pat on the back for ourselves

regular bytesp10 Microsoft SQL & System Center Licensing Changes The latest Microsoft licensing changes

p14 Thinking Private Cloud? A look at Microsoft Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI)

p16 Microsoft Enrollment for Application Platform (EAP) An overview of EAP – how it works and the advantages

p24 Our Partners Three articles by members of our Partner Eco-system

p28 Microsoft Server & Tools An interview with Microsoft’s Director of Server and Tools, Maurice Martin

p56 Try Before You Buy Take the opportunity to trial before you make that important purchase

p58 In the Hotseat An interview with Glenn Graham of Symantec

p71 Accreditations Our Vendors

cover bytes p10 Microsoft SQL & System Center Licensing Changes The latest Microsoft licensing changes

p18 Mobile Device Management The complete management solution

p36 A Seven-Figure Saving On Oracle License Costs Delivering the right solution to Electricity North West

p68 Celebrating 30 Years 2012 sees Bytes turn 30 years old – a look back at 1982

04 | spring/summer 2012

features

case studiescase studies

James McNultyHead of Tesco Group IT Procurement

feature bytes

p18 Mobile Device Management The complete management solution

p22 Helping Customers Go Further, Faster An overview of Bytes NetApp storage solutions

p40 Are You Planning For The Olympics? A look at contingency planning for the chaos and disruption the games may cause

p44 Automated Operations Management An overview of VMware vCenter Operations Management Suite

p46 VirtualSharp Reliable DR An introduction to VirtualSharp’s fl agship product

p48 The Great Email Migration The role of the cloud in keeping your data safe and end users happy

p51 Meet The Manufacturers Meet our manufacturers at upcoming events

p52 Backup Tools For Your Virtualised Environment A look at Veeam backup and replication

p54 Securing Instant Messaging How to secure Microsoft Lync 2010

p57 The Future Of Enterprise Security By industry specialist Rik Ferguson

p61 Security Connected Top 10 security topics every security executive should know

p62 Top Considerations For pdf Solutions Key factors to consider when selecting a pdf solution

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

case studyp36 A Seven-Figure Saving On Oracle License Costs Delivering the right solution to Electricity North West


news

Catch up on the latest software news from new

product launches and licensing updates to

business acquisitions.

bytesMicrosoft Announce Signifi cant Pricing ChangesMicrosoft have confi rmed that on 1st July 2012, they will establish “greater price consistency” across Europe which will see changes to non-Euro pricing. The exact extent of the pricing changes will be determined by on-going exchange rates and offi cially announced in June 2012.

These changes are due to affect the majority of Microsoft Volume Licensing Agreements - including Select Plus, Select, Enterprise, Enterprise Subscription, Open Value Subscription and Open. However, the potential price increases are avoidable – for instance, if an organisation enters into an Enterprise or Enterprise Subscription Agreement prior to the Euro alignment, their price will be protected for the full 3 years of the agreement at the current levels.

To discuss the best procurement routes for your Microsoft licensing please speak to your Bytes account manager.

news

Symantec Launches NetBackup 7.5 The Symantec NetBackup™ Platform with V-Ray technology simplifi es and unifi es the protection of your information driven enterprise by automating advanced technologies and standardising operations across applications, platforms, and virtual and physical environments. NetBackup with V-Ray provides patented visibility into virtual machines and applications across physical and virtual servers, and optimises deduplication data streams for fast and effi cient backup and recovery. That means enterprises have the ability to protect completely, store effi ciently, recover anywhere, and manage centrally across heterogeneous operating systems and storage hardware, including disk and tape.

New features of NetBackup 7.5 include:• NetBackup Replication Director easily recovers storage-level snapshots in

minutes.• NetBackup Accelerator benefi ts of a full backup with the speed of incrementals.• NetBackup Search will let you search your backup infrastructure for the needed

information.• VM Intelligent Policy uses Symantec V-Ray to automatically discover, identify

and protect VMs as they come online.• NetBackup Auto Image Replication automatically manages the global

replication of backup images enabling fast and scalable disaster recovery.


bytesCitrix XenDesktop Named an InfoWorld Technology of the YearCitrix Systems has announced that Citrix XenDesktop has been named a Technology of the Year by IDG’s InfoWorld Test Center. The annual awards are selected by InfoWorld editors and reviewers to identify the best and most innovative products on the IT landscape. Every product reviewed by the Test Center during the past year is a candidate for the awards, with fi nal winners selected by InfoWorld’s Test Center staff.

“From the smartphones in our pockets to the data centers and clouds that are delivering the applications that businesses depend on, the technology landscape is changing faster than ever. Drawn from the very best hardware, software, development tools, and cloud services we tested during 2011, our 2012 Technology of the Year Awards celebrate the products and services that are leading the way,” said Doug Dineley, Executive Editor/Test Center, InfoWorld.

Citrix XenDesktop is a comprehensive desktop virtualisation solution that delivers Windows applications and Windows desktops to any device, anytime, anywhere. Combined with Citrix Receiver, the award-winning universal software client, XenDesktop enables users to transition their distributed desktop computing to any PC, Mac, laptop, tablet or smartphone, enabling choice and fl exibility. The InfoWorld Technology of the Year Awards have recognized XenDesktop for its compatibility with all major vendor hypervisors, as well as its scalability and high-defi nition end-user experience with Citrix HDX™ technology.

LANDesk® Service Desk 7.5 goes mobile, enabling IT service management to work on any process through a mobile interfaceLANDesk Software, a global leader in systems lifecycle management, endpoint security and IT service management, recently announced LANDesk® Service Desk 7.5, a signifi cant upgrade to the LANDesk IT service management solution, that enables service desks to support end user requests while IT administrators are away from their computers. LANDesk Service Desk 7.5 focuses on a user-centric and mobile approach, which includes LANDesk Mobile Web Desk, a browser interface providing IT support with the capability to access service desk functions via smartphones or tablet devices. Upgrades also include an enhanced version of LANDesk Management Information to provide a graphical trend view of key data metrics generated using service desk data, along with external data sources.

“We wanted to address the fact that service desk managers are increasingly mobile,” said Steve Daly, CEO, LANDesk Software. “With the Mobile Web Desk functionality of 7.5 they can review service desk information or authorise requests regardless of location or the type of mobile device they may be using, ensuring that end users will receive the continuous, instantaneous support they are increasingly requiring in today’s always-on workplace.”

Adobe Completes Acquisition of Effi cient FrontierAdobe Systems Incorporated has announced the completion of its acquisition of privately held Effi cient Frontier, a leader in optimising multi-channel and auction-based digital advertising across search, display and social media. Adobe solutions are central to how digital marketing and advertising is created, managed, executed, measured and optimised. The acquisition of Effi cient Frontier adds cross-channel ad campaign forecasting, execution and optimisation capabilities to Adobe’s existing Digital Marketing Suite, along with a social marketing engagement platform and social ad buying capabilities.

Adobe currently captures approximately fi ve trillion digital transactions per year for more than 5,000 customers, including many of the world’s largest advertisers, publishers and advertising agencies. By combining this rich data with Effi cient Frontier’s powerful algorithms that defi ne bidding strategies and budget allocation, Adobe continues to build upon the foundation of its independent ad buying and optimisation platform. This will enable the company to provide a more complete suite of capabilities to digital marketers, advertisers and publishers for reporting and analytics, personalised experiences, multi-channel campaign management and media monetisation.

cont...

Oracle to acquire TaleoOracle has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Taleo Corporation (NASDAQ:TLEO), a leading provider of cloud-based talent management for $46.00 per share or approximately $1.9 billion, net of Taleo’s cash and debt. Taleo’s Talent Management Cloud helps organisations attract, develop, motivate and retain human capital to improve performance and drive growth.

Together, Oracle and Taleo expect to create a comprehensive cloud offering for organisations to manage their Human Resource operations and employee careers. The combination is expected to empower employees and managers to effectively manage careers throughout their entire employment, enable organisations to retain talent and optimise costs, and improve the employee experience through faster on boarding and better collaboration with team members via social media.

The Board of Directors of Taleo has unanimously approved the transaction.The transaction is expected to close mid-year 2012, subject to Taleo stockholder approval, certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.


cont...from page 07

Bytes Achieves VMware Premier Partner statusBytes is proud to announce that they have become a VMware Premier Partner, which is the highest partnership level within the VMware Solution Provider Program and only awarded to a select group within the UK. The Bytes team of highly experienced consultants hold a number of VMware qualifi cations including VMware Certifi ed Professionals

(VCPs), VMware Technical Sales Professionals (VTSPs) and VMware Sales Professionals (VSPs).

With VMware solution competencies in Infrastructure Virtualisation, Business Continuity and Desktop Virtualisation Bytes will continue to provide its customers with the right solution for their environments at the most competitive price.

Bytes is awarded Veeam PlatinumPro Partner StatusBytes Software Services has become one of only two UK partners to reach Veeam’s newly launched Platinum ProPartner status. Veeam’s platinum status has recently been launched as a specialist tier to the

existing ProPartner program and has been designed to reward those who deliver a unique offering to the market. Veeam’s PR spokesperson said: “Over the duration of 2011 Bytes Software Services have shown true success in helping customers achieve results through Veeam’s

award winning technology. Their close engagement, strong customer services and excellent technical knowledge has all been the pillars totheir success and we are delighted to be working with them in the coming years.”

New Symantec BackupExec 2012 V-Ray editionThe new Symantec Backup Exec™ 2012 is one integrated product that protects virtual and physical environments, simplifi es both backup and disaster recovery, and recovers data or systems at any scale, from an individual item to an entire server. Reduce business downtime with unparalleled recovery, powered by Symantec™ V-Ray technology, that restores entire servers, critical Microsoft® applications, and VMware® or Microsoft Hyper-V® virtual guests. Meet your recovery point and recovery time objectives with integrated bare metal, hardware-independent disaster recovery, “no-hardware disaster recovery” in a virtual environment, application recovery, and effi cient granular restore of individual emails, fi les, and folders. Simultaneously reduce storage costs and increase backup speed with deduplication and archiving.

Backup Exec 2012 delivers centralised management to easily extend your backup infrastructure across distributed environments and remote offi ces so physical or virtual server protection is easily managed as your business grows. With a sleek and streamlined administration console, Backup Exec 2012 makes it easier than ever to effi ciently manage backup and recovery operations across your physical and virtual infrastructure. Backup Exec 2012 effi ciently delivers advanced capabilities for VMware, Hyper-V, Windows®, Linux®, and Mac® backup and recovery, for both simple and complex IT environments.

Key new features• Designed exclusively for VMware and

Hyper-V environments• Agentless VM backup• Full VM, application, fi le/folder and granular

recovery from a single pass backup.

Bytes Security Partnerships awarded Check Point European Reseller of the year awardThe IT and data security specialist is proud to have been presented with the highly prestigious “European Check Point Reseller Of The Year” award

at the Check Point Experience 2011 for delivering excellent growth and migrating a signifi cant number of clients over to the Check Point software blade architecture. Awarded at the annual Check Point Experience in Barcelona, Amnon Bar-Lev, Check Point’s Vice President of Global Field

Operations, congratulated the SP team for demonstrating a near unique insight into Check Point’s 3D Security message and understanding of what customers require to deliver a total security solution utilising Check Point’s product suite.


news

stop press

Bytes is delighted with this acquisition as it will enhance our capabilities to provide a wide-ranging portfolio of perimeter and data security, secure email and web communications, security risk and IT compliance solutions. Whilst Bytes already holds accreditations and is a signifi cant partner to a number of global security vendors, this acquisition widens the current software offering to now include implementation and support services to customers. The overview below provides a guide to the range of services we are now able to deliver.

Introducing Bytes Security Partnerships...

Bytes Security Partnerships is dedicated to delivering network security services. Their experienced account managers and IT engineers act as an extension of a clients’ IT team, providing security project planning, audit and healthcheck services, 24x7 on call technical support, knowledge transfer and training services.

They pride themselves on providing IT consultancy, advice & support which enables clients to get the most out of every security solution.

Services include:

• Sparc Support – a direct-to-engineer telephone support service

• Sparc Monitor – an early warning and alerting service

Silver Partner

Gold Partner Premium Elite Partner Platinum Partner

Authorised Partner

information on Bytes Security Partnerships, please speak to your Bytes account manager or call Security Partnerships on 0118 936 4650 to discuss your requirements.

for more...

• Sparc Implement – on-site and remote implementation services

• Sparc Audit – a selection of health check and assessment services to assist with compliance, general system improvement, performance enhancement and security best practices

• Sparc Training – “real world” based training services around market leading security technologies

• Sparc Strategy – business focused workshops

Bytes Security Partnerships offer a wide-ranging portfolio of connectivity, security, communications, governance, risk, and compliance solutions. Instead of supplying an out-of-the-box solution, we consult with clients to understand their current & future security needs and business objectives.

Their solutions are based around these 5 key areas:• Email and Web Security • Network Security • Data Security • Mobile Security• Audit and Compliance

Best of Breed Technology PartnersBytes Security Partnerships enjoys excellent preferential relationships with an impressive portfolio of technology partners to deliver information security services for business.

These include:

Bytes Technology Group,

the parent company of Bytes

Software Services, recently

announced the acquisition of

IT security specialist, Security

Partnerships Ltd.

Bytes Technology Group Acquires Security Partnerships

Gold Partner


I recently held a webinar on the Microsoft SQL 2012 Licensing Changes and thought I would document the highlights here for you to consider. With the release date expected to be in April 2012, I would recommend looking into the various routes to licensing SQL such as EA or EAP. Please contact your Bytes account manager or the new business team to discuss your licensing options.

licen singfocus onlicensing

Licensing Changes: Microsoft SQL 2012

Chris SwaniHead of Public Sector,

Bytes

Key Changes

• Product line-up is changing• New ‘Business Intelligence’ Edition• Licensing by ‘Processor Core’ instead of processors• Enterprise Edition – Server/CAL licensing method is

ending• Price increases for Client Access Licenses• Expanded virtualisation and mobility rights with Software

Assurance

How the New Product Line-Up Compares

SQL 2012 Edition Comparison

SQL 2012 Licensing Model

• Processor licensing now based on number of Processor Cores

• Processor Cores will be priced at ¼ the cost of a SQL Server 2008 R2 Processor License

• Enterprise version only licensed by Processor Core and no longer available by Server/CAL

• Business Intelligence is only available by Server/CAL which aligns with SharePoint scenario

• Standard edition is licensed by either Processor Core or Server/CAL

SQL 2008 Other Editions• Small Business Edition• Work Group Edition• Web Edition• Developer Edition• Express

SQL 2008 Main Editions• Datacenter Edition• Enterprise Edition• Standard Edition

SQL 2012 Other Editions• Web Edition (SPLA)• Developer Edition• Express

SQL 2012 Main Editions• Enterprise Edition• Business Intelligence• Standard Edition• Business Intelligence• Standard Edition

r

• Developer Edition• Express

r

Standard Edition• Departmental

Databases• Limited Business

Intelligence Projects

Enterprise Edition(Inclusive of Business Intelligence Edition)• Mission critical and

tier 1 applications• Data Warehousing• Private cloud and

highly virtualised environments

• Large, centralised or external facing BI

Business Intelligence Edition(Inclusive of Standard Edition)

• Corporate and scaleable reporting & analyticsDatabases

• Power View andPower Pivot enableself service analytics


SQL 2008 R2

Datacenter

Enterprise

Standard

Processor Server/CAL

SQL 2012

Datacenter

Enterprise

Standard

ProcessorCore

- --

Server/CAL

cont...

licen singfocus on

Licensing Processor Cores• License all of the physical cores on the hardware• A minimum of 4 Core licenses are required per physical

processor

Physical Server Licensing• License all physical cores on the hardware• Minimum of 4 core licenses per processor• SQL Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance gives

unlimited virtualisation

Virtual Server Licensing• License virtual cores• Minimum of 4 core licenses per virtual machine• License Mobility with Software Assurance

License Mobility• SQL licenses with active software assurance:• License Mobility is granted to move licensed virtual ma-

chines between physical devices, to hosting partners and the cloud

• Without Software Assurance, licenses remain fi xed to the physical device

Pricing Highlights

Migrating to Core Based LicensingOnce SQL 2012 becomes available:• Processor Licenses for SQL 2012 will not be available• EA and EAP customers with processor licenses can con-

tinue to purchase further processor licenses to the end of their agreement

For customers with Software Assurance:• Processors can be upgraded to SQL 2012• Need to inventory number of Cores in use at the

agreement end, and you will be granted Core Licenses

• If renewing Software Assurance, renewal will be with Core Licenses

• A minimum of 4 Core licenses will be granted per Standard or Enterprise edition processor license

Processor to Core License Conversions:• Processor Licenses with SA will be renewed/granted into

cores in use• A minimum of 4 Core licenses for Standard or Enterprise

editions• A minimum of 8 Core licenses for Datacenter EditionNote:Customers will need to inform Microsoft of how many cores are in use, at the time of SA renewal or when they upgrade to SQL2012. Microsoft will grantcustomers the number of core licenses that are in use.

SQL Enterprise Server License EndsSQL Enterprise Edition will no longer be available in the Server/CAL Model• NEW Enterprise Edition Server licenses still available up to

30th June 2012 • EA / EAP customers can purchase SQL Enterprise Edition

Server licenses until the end of their agreement – only if this is already in the agreement

• Software Assurance renewal for Enterprise Server will continue to be available

• SQL Server Enterprise Edition 2012, licensed by Server/CAL will have a 20 core per server limit

Is it time to investigate other routes to Licensing SQL such as EA or EAP?Enterprise Agreement - EA• Commit to purchase key desktop products across the whole

organisation• Fix the price and licensing model for all included products,

throughout the life of the agreement• Lower entry costs with annual purchasing, and annual split

payments • Software Assurance included• Subscription or perpetual licensing agreement

Enrolment for Application Platform - EAP • Emphasis on licensing SQL and other key applications across the

organisation• The best way to attach Software Assurance on legacy licenses and

deployments• Access to the highest level of discounts for SQL Server• Software Assurance included• Subscription or perpetual licensing agreement

No price change for processors with 1 to 4 Cores

Cores priced at 1/4 the costs of a SQL 2008 R2 Processor License

SQL 2008 R2 EnterpriseProcessor License

£21,554.40

SQL 2012 EnterpriseCore License

£5,388.60

No price change for processors with 1 to 4 Cores

r

SQL Client Access License price increase of 27%

SQL 2008 R2 CAL

£128.39

SQL 2012 CAL

£163.05

SQL 2012 CAL

r


to this webinar atwww.bytes.co.uk/webinars

listen...

cont...from page 11 licen singfocus on

Licensing Changes: Microsoft System Center 2012

Here are the key highlights from our recent Microsoft System Center 2012 licensing changes webinar. With the release date expected to be in April 2012, there is an opportunity to price fix with an existing EA (i.e. buy one SMSE or SMSD license) or to look at ECI as a licensing option for your Datacenter. Please contact your Bytes account manager or the new business team to discuss your licensing options.

Zena Jeffery Bytes Divisional Sales Director

Key Changes• Simplified product set - two editions with all components,

plus two new components; App Controller and EndPoint Protection

• The editions are SC2012 Standard and Datacenter edition, these have the same physical capabilities but different virtualisation rights, with Datacenter having unlimited rights and Standard has up to 2 vOSE

• Individual server licenses for Operations Manager, Configuration Manager etc. will be discontinued

• No longer need to license management consoles, only the endpoints need to be correctly licensed

• SQL will be included with purchases

• Each License covers up to 2 processors

• For customers with existing Software Assurance, transition paths are available

System Center 2012 Editions & Components

Both System Center 2012 Standard and System Center 2012 Datacenter:• Include all components which are not available seperately• Can manage any workloads• Include rights to the Management Server software• Give rights to SQL Server Technology• Cover up to 2 physical processors• Must be the same on a single physical server• Have Software Assurance included

Virtualisation RightsThe key differences between the Datacenter and Standard Suites relate to virtualisation rights

Standard Edition:• Up to 2 OSEs on-premise• Up to 2 OSEs in a service provider’s server farm

Datacenter Edition:• Unlimited OSEs on-premise• Up to 8 OSEs in a service provider’s server farm


licen singfocus on

to this webinar atwww.bytes.co.uk/webinars

listen...

Calculating Required Server MLsWhen is a Server ML required?A Server ML is required for managed devices that run server OSEs (Windows OSEs and non-Windows OSEs)

Processor BasedEach Server ML covers up to two physical processors

SC 2012 Datacenter EditionThe number of required Server MLs for each managed server is determined by the number of physical processors

SC 2012 Standard EditionThe number of required Server MLs for each managed server is determined by the number of physical processors OR the number of OSEs being managed (whichever is greater)

As well as server coverage, there are new options for licensing the client endpoints:

Client MLsFor each Client ML purchased this includes:• Integrated product offering - Components included in the

Client MLs will no longer be sold separately• Software Assurance - Is included with all Client MLs• Licensing Model - Available on a per-OSE or per-user

basis• No additional licences required - Client MLs include the

right to run the Management Server software and SQL Server Technology

Software Assurance MigrationCustomers with Software Assurance coverage on current System Center licences when SC 2012 becomes generally available will receive a licence migration grant.

Software Assurance customers will be granted perpetual rights to the new product.

• Continue paying existing L&SA / SA through the end of their current agreement

• Renew System Center 2012 Server/Client MLs and the end of their agreement

Purchasing TimelinesOpen/Select Plus Timelines• Current standalone SA licences can be renewed until

System Center 2012 GA• SMSE and SMSD licences can be purchased until System

Center 2012 GA• Current standalone L licences can be purchased until

January 2013

EA Timelines• If current standalone licences are already on a CPS, they

can continue to be purchased until the fi rst anniversary after 17 January 2012

• If SMSE and SMSD are already on a CPS, they can continue to be purchased until the end of the enrolment

Enrolment for Core Infrastructure (ECI) - see p14

The ECI offering from Microsoft is the core agreement for customers looking to standardise the Datacenter with Microsoft technology. It is a cost-effi cient way to license the Windows® Server operating system, Microsoft® System Center server management, and Microsoft ForefrontTM, Client Security together in a simple per-processor license.

ECI Overview (before System Center 2012 release)• Enrolment for Core Infrastructure enables customers to buy Core

Infrastructure Server (CIS) Suites• The CIS Suites are single processor licences which license

Windows Server, System Center and Forefront Endpoint Protection• CIS Suites are available in Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter

editions• Customers must purchase a minimum of 50 processor licences• CIS Suite Standard includes - Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard

and System Center 2012 Standard• CIS Suite Datacenter includes - Windows Server 2008 R2

Datacenter and System Center 2012 Datacenter

Key changes to ECI (after System Center 2012 release)• CIS Suite Enterprise is being retired, leaving CIS Suite Standard,

and CIS Suite Datacenter• The minimums for ECI have changed from 50 processor licences,

to 25 licences• Customers who have the new ECI Standard will be able to choose

to run Windows Server Standard or Enterprise


licensing

What is a Private Cloud?Private cloud is a computing model that uses resources which are dedicated to your organisation. A private cloud shares many of the characteristics of public cloud computing including resource pooling, self-service, elasticity and pay-by-use delivered in a standardised manner with the additional control and

customisation available from dedicated resources.

While virtualisation is an important technological component of private cloud, the key differentiator is the continued abstraction of computing resources from infrastructure and the machines (virtual or otherwise) used to deliver those resources. Only by delivering this abstraction can customers achieve the benefi ts of

private cloud – including improved agility and responsiveness, reduced TCO, and increased business alignment and focus. Most importantly, a private cloud promises to exceed the cost effectiveness of a virtualised infrastructure through higher workload density and greater resource utilisation.

Microsoft Private Cloud – Unlimited Virtualisation Rights Microsoft private cloud solutions are built using Windows Server with Hyper-V and System Center – the combination of which provides enterprise class virtualisation, end-to-end service management and deep insight into applications so you can focus more attention on delivering business value. Microsoft private cloud solutions are delivered through their wide ecosystem of partners and are offered as custom, pre-confi gured, or hosted offerings - so, no matter your unique business need; there is a Microsoft private cloud solution for it.

Microsoft private cloud solution is licensed through the Microsoft Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI) licensing program. ECI is a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) enrollment, available in two editions (Datacenter and Standard), that allows a simple and fl exible per processor licensing option.

THINKING

You’ll Need an ECILicensing Agreement

Fig. 1: Private Cloud Attributes

Virtualisation Rights Microsoft private cloud solutions are built using Windows Server with Hyper-V and System Center – the combination of which provides enterprise class virtualisation, end-to-end service management and deep insight into applications so you can focus more attention on delivering business value. Microsoft private cloud solutions are delivered through their wide ecosystem of partners and are cloud solutions are delivered through their wide ecosystem of partners and are


Microsoft Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI)ECI Datacenter is strongly recommended for customers exploring Microsoft private cloud solutions.

ECI Datacenter edition includes Windows Server Datacenter, which supports unlimited virtualisation rights. This means that customers license on a per processor basis, with the ability to have unlimited Windows Server based virtual machines on a particular physical processor. Additionally, ECI Datacenter also includes System Center 2012 Datacenter edition, which provides rights to manage an unlimited number of physical or virtual operating system environments. The components of ECI Datacenter are shown below.

Microsoft’s approach is focused on delivering the benefi ts of scale to you – through unlimited virtualisation rights and signifi cantly simplifi ed licensing for Windows Server and System Center.

Microsoft Private Cloud – Business Benefi ts The Microsoft Private Cloud is a unique and comprehensive offering, built on four key “pillars”.

• All About the App: Application centric cloud platform that helps you focus on business value.

• Cross-Platform From the Metal Up: Cross-platform support for multi-hypervisor environments, operating systems, and application frameworks.

• Foundation For the Future: Microsoft Private Cloud lets you go beyond virtualisation to a true cloud platform.

• Cloud On Your Terms: Ability to consume cloud on your terms, providing you the choice and fl exibility of a hybrid cloud model through common management, virtualisation, identity and developer tools.

Microsoft offers a private cloud that delivers real value today AND positions a business to take advantage of greater public cloud benefi ts in the future.

You’ll Need an ECILicensing Agreement

on the functionality, benefi ts and economics of the Microsoft Private Cloud or the ECI Licensing Agreement, please speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

for a discussion...

Fig. 2: Microsoft ECI Datacenter Components and Value Proposition

ECI Datacenter edition includes Windows Server Datacenter, which supports unlimited virtualisation rights. This means that customers license on a per

virtual machines on a particular physical processor. Additionally, ECI Datacenter Fig. 2: Microsoft ECI Datacenter Components and Value Proposition

Microsoft Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI)Microsoft Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI)ECI Datacenter is strongly recommended for customers exploring Microsoft ECI Datacenter is strongly recommended for customers exploring Microsoft


?

What is the Microsoft Application Platform?The Microsoft Application Platform is a set of integrated tools and technologies that support innovation by helping organisations maximise the value of their existing applications. It supports the rapid development of new applications and can help you make signifi cant gains in productivity while decreasing total cost of ownership.

What is an EAP?The Enrollment for Application Platform (EAP) is a fl exible, cost-effective licensing program for customers standardising on the Microsoft Application Platform. With the EAP, customers get the latest Application Platform products across their organisation on new and existing deployments with lower up-front costs, and savings of up to 40 percent on new IT solutions. EAP is a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) enrollment for customers that want to simplify licensing, help reduce costs, and manage their core infrastructure more effi ciently.

Key AdvantagesEAP customers can manage their application platform server investments from a single enrollment and benefi t from:

Affordable standardisation• Low up-front costs to take advantage of the latest

products• Up to 40% savings on license costs for new deployments

Rapid adoption of the latest technology• Helps increase employee productivity and return on

investment through Software Assurance benefi ts including 24x7 Problem Resolution Support and Training benefi ts

• Ability to deploy on your schedule with unlimited deployment rights for Application Platform products across the entire organisation

• Eligible customers with qualifying Software Assurance may also qualify for Unlimited Problem Resolution Support

Flexible purchasing model• Licensing model with either an annual or three year

true up• Predictable costs with fi xed payment for life of the

term with the three-year True up model.

How the Program Works

Step 1. Select the products you want• One or more products with minimum initial purchase requirement• Establish your intial footprint based on your current install base• 100% Software Assurance coverage on footprint for included

products

Application Platform Products:

Step 2.Receive the latest version of products• Include products only• Price of license deferred indefi nitely on units not covered by

Software Assurance on your intial footprint, as long as you remain in the program

Step 3. Deploy unlimited incremental units• New incremental units receive price savings on license cost• True up annually or at the end of your three-year term

Step 4.Choose the best True up option• New incremental units receive price savings on license cost• True up annually or at the end of your three-year term

ApplicationPlatform

information and to discuss your organisation’s suitability for the new Enrollment for Application Platform, please speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

fi nd more...

Introducing...The Microsoft Enrollment for

At a Glance - Microsoft® is extending the value of the Enterprise Agreement by creating new enrollments that support software solutions that help you standardise on the Microsoft Server Platform and align to where you are in the Infrastructure Optimisation model.

13

One-Year True up• Similar to the Enterprise Agreement• Incremental licenses purchased annually receive price savings• Price savings on new licenses - 40% on Premium Edition;

15% on Standard Edition (License only)

Three-Year True up• Fixed payments with growth and Premium Edition mix built in• At the end of the three-year term, purchase licenses at cost

savings for units above commitment• Price savings on new licenses - 40% on Premium Edition;

15% on Standard Edition (License only)

licensing


ApplicationPlatform

portal

I fi nd the Bytes Portal extremely easy to use, I mainly create orders or convert quotes to an order and the process is faultless. When I request a quote for software the response is very quick and orders are always processed straightaway. I wish all portals were the same!

It enables you to manage and track the

entire life cycle of your software assets

from point of purchase to decommission.

It has a unique and customisable

intelligence, as well as real data/views

that will help simplify the administration

of your global software licensing estate.

Below are some of the key functions of

the Portal:

On line Ordering

The Bytes Portal gives you direct access

to your current agreement information

and pricing tailored to your specifi c

contract parameters. Our product

search facility helps you quickly fi nd the

items you need and create quotations,

email these quotations to other people

in your organisation and easily convert

them to orders. The Portal offers

customisable views and access rights

so that components, for example the

ability to place orders, can be included or

excluded for specifi c users.

Manage Contracts and Renewals

The Portal offers a full contract

management system which you can use

to manage all the contracts and software

licenses in your estate. You can upload

your own data and documentation

for any type of contract across your

organisation. The Portal fl ags contracts

and licenses at 90, 60 and 30 days

prior to renewal or expiry and can be

confi gured to send reminder emails at

these intervals.

Discover and Manage Assets

The Bytes asset management service

provides you with the ability to actively

manage your organisation’s software

license and compliance positions.

Bytes

This modular service is designed to

deliver cost reductions by rationalising

support and maintenance contracts and

ensure cost avoidance through license

re-harvesting and contract renewal

management.

Manage Learning

Our online learning portal offers services

ranging from simple online booking

of a wide range of popular training

courses from many training providers,

to bespoke solutions developed for

your organisation. You can publish and

manage your own in house training

programs and curriculums and monitor

course registration, budget approval and

attendance.

Service Desk

The Portal service desk helps you

manage all of your communications with

Bytes sales, technical and administration

teams. It enables you to log and monitor

requests online which go directly to the

relevant personal with Bytes. The Service

Desk can be used as an auditable

way of tracking how Bytes and your

organisation are interacting and how

we are delivering against Service Level

Agreements (SLA’s) and response times.

Portal Development Services

Our Portal development services enable

secure seamless communication and

navigation between your own back

offi ce systems and the Bytes Portal. Our

in-house team have the skills to develop

and support solutions

to integrate with

your systems.

Gayle Core - Specsavers

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

learn more...

portalThe Bytes Portal brings together all elements

of your software estate into one system.

Emma MagalhaesBytes Portal Manager


management

Firstly, let’s talk about Consumerisation: Historically IT has focused on standardising hardware and confi gurations via policy. Over the years standardisation has proven to be very complex, cumbersome and sometimes just too expensive to be applied across the entire enterprise. There were always exceptions and these exceptions were typically made for the top performers and executives, in other words the devices most at risk in an enterprise. Consumerisation and BYOD is forcing IT to rethink the concept of standardisation by focusing on the user and not their device.

There’s also the mobility of the user: Gone are the days where desktop computers are in predictable locations. Today’s workforce is mobile and requires the same level of service and support from IT regardless of whether they are sitting at their desk in the corporate HQ or working from Starbucks in Mumbai before a big meeting. IT must provide users with secure access to applications, data and services regardless of their location anywhere on the Internet, and now, regardless of their device.

But Consumerisation does not have to be a negative situation that creates new cost and complexity. If management and security can be addressed, then Consumerisation can create a huge opportunity for IT and business to reduce costs while improving employee productivity and business agility.

theHaving recently hosted a Mobile Device Management

customer event, I wanted to share with you the topics

covered as this continues to be one of the hottest

challenges facing organisations today.

Mobility Creates New IT Challenges

Matt Compton Bytes Symantec Business Manager

Consumerisation is Changing the Face of IT

CompleteDevice Management Solution


Complete

cont...

Symantec™ Mobile Management helps enterprises enable this new mobile productivity by facilitating scalable, secure, and integrated smartphone and tablet deployments. Mobile Management provides comprehensive visibility and control over all the popular mobile devices such as iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, Windows® Phone, Symbian®, and BlackBerry®.

Core FunctionalityMobile Management 7.1 addresses the three core areas of functionality that should be integral to any comprehensive mobile management solution, in a process that is simple and effi cient for both IT managers and mobile users:

1. Enable the device for use in the corporate environment. This includes providing access to key corporate assets, like email, calendars, critical mobile applications, documents, and media content.

2. Secure the device and the data that is stored on it and passes through it. Activate appropriate password and access controls, and maintain separation of corporate data from personal data.

3. Manage all devices from a central location, with realtime access to inventory, confi guration, and help desk functions. Manage 20,000 mobile devices and more from a single server. Built on a proven enterprise-scale platform and natively integrated with Altiris Client Management Suite.

Symantec has been following these trends and building this solution portfolio for a long time, and their latest change was to bring these three key areas into one portfolio, Endpoint Management & Mobility, - bringing their mobile, endpoint virtualisation and endpoint management together. There is something very unique to offer with this approach. Not just solutions that are some of the best and award winning in the industry, but solutions that can be applied modularly, to address the problems you’re facing today, without creating disruption or interfering with what’s working. And obviously if you’re looking for a complete replacement for your infrastructure we can help with that, but we know most enterprise IT teams need to move forward in a step by step progression – an evolution of their environment, but we’d like each evolutionary step to provide a revolutionary increase in service level or value.

Scalable, Secure and Integrated Device ManagementUsing Symantec™ Mobile Management 7.1

Mobile Management Architecture

Endpoint Management & Mobility Using Altiris™ Client Management Suite 7.1 from Symantec

Their new strategy around endpoint management, virtualisation and mobility can enable you to deliver services and support to the computing architectures you’ll need to support in your enterprise and can help you:

- Easily extend your traditional management infrastructure to enable, secure and manage the latest mobile devices

- Provide the same level of management for Windows, Mac and Linux

- Contain costs by immediately reclaiming unused software licenses

- Simplify OS and application upgrades using application virtualisation

- Streamline services to contractor owned devices and virtual environments

And it’s built on one of the most trusted, leading solutions in the industry, Altiris™ Client Management Suite 7.1 from Symantec. CMS manages, secures and troubleshoots systems with greater effi ciency on more platforms, including Windows,

Mac, Linux and virtual desktop environments. The combination of complete lifecycle functionality built on an integrated infrastructure can enable your organisation to gain and maintain control of: Deployment, Inventory, Software Management, Patch Management, Application Virtualisation, pcAnywhere Remote Control, Real Time management, Out of Band Management, IT Analytics, Process Automation, and it integrates with Symantec’s industry leading Endpoint Protection solutions.

Device Management Solution


cont...from page 19 - Are you facing any software audits,

i.e. if Microsoft or another ISV were to come in today would you pass compliance audits? Would you pass audits on your Mac’s, and inside your VMs?

- Do you have solid data/reporting around license ownership, utilisation and deployment?

- Do you have a process to track software and leasing/ maintenance contracts, for your software and physical IT assets?

- Can you keep up to date records on contracts, entitlements and installations and calculate current fi nancial costs and potential savings?

- How about just improving software audit preparation – how much time can that save your internal staff?

Cross Platform Asset Lifecycle ManagementUsing Altiris™ Asset Management Suite from Symantec

Monitor and protect data leaving your network from the iPadUsing Symantec Data Loss Prevention for TabletsInitially thought of as purely personal devices, tablet computers are increasingly being evaluated and deployed by organisations for business purposes. Employees, especially executives, are also bringing their tablets to work and accessing confi dential data, with or without permission from IT Security. But are these devices secure enough for your enterprise?

Data Loss Prevention for Tablets monitors outbound email and Web postings made by iPad users to ensure that confi dential data does not leave the iPad. If an incident is detected, automated responses include blocking the communication completely, selectively removing the sensitive information, and/or notifying the user as to what they did wrong. At the same time, iPad users are free to access any data and use their favorite applications.

Key features• Monitors messages and

attachments sent over Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®

• Monitors messages and attachments sent from webmail like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and others (HTTP/S)

• Monitors Web uploads and postings to sites like Dropbox, Twitter, Facebook, and others (HTTP/S)

• Exclusive enhanced Web protection that seamlessly strips sensitive data from Web posts

• Broad integration support for existing enterprise Web proxies and gateways

The solution works by routing iPad network communications through a VPN to the Data Loss Prevention for Tablets server for analysis. Outbound iPad email and Web postings are analysed against policies that are managed by the Symantec™ Data Loss Prevention Enforce Platform, the central Web-based console and incident repository that is included with Data Loss Prevention for Tablets and used across the Data Loss Prevention Suite. With the Enforce Platform, you create policies to automatically detect and protect sensitive data, perform incident workfl ow and remediation, generate reports, and confi gure role-based access and system management options.

How it works - Data Loss Prevention for Tablets - Architectural Overview

Altiris Asset Management Suite helps organisations eliminate unnecessary costs, proactively manage vendor contracts, and align resources to ensure IT investments are optimised.

When you look across the

explosion of new operating systems and

devices being driven by consumerisation, or needs

in your business, do you have the right solution in place to

manage the cost of your software assets?


management

The benefi ts of Symantec Mobile Management without the need to set up and manage your own infrastructure:

• Confi gure Device• Policy Management• Secure Company Email• Secure Company Data• Secure Wipe• Enforce Compliance

This is the world we live in today, in different degrees in different environments. Several years ago you couldn’t even get online on the plane, now you can, but it’s inconsistent – a few years from now we’ll forget there was even a time you could not use Skype on the plane, but we’re not there yet.

The future of IT will be extremely dynamic, just-in-time computing, with services provisioned securely and at the lowest cost, the right environment for the user based on their real-time context.

As we move toward that future, and innovations become available at different tempos and for different uses, we want to leverage each incremental improvement to the advantage of our companies in real-time - not several years after the technology is released.

We’d really like to speak to you in more detail about which of these areas are the largest priority for your business. Whether it’s helping you save time with Symantec’s built-in

Securely Deliver and Manage Any Service to Any User in Any Location

automation or workfl ow functionality, implementing a single management framework for distributed, heterogeneous client environments, or implementing a solution for a specifi c challenge like smart phones or recovering your software assets. Symantec can address these challenges with their Mobile and Endpoint solutions, and we are perfectly positioned with the right skill set to implement these solutions and offer an on-going managed service.

information on this article or Symantec, please contact your Bytes account manager 020 8786 1500.

for more...

Managed Services from the Bytes SAM Team

• Apply Corporate Policies• Reporting

We are a Symantec Specialist Partner for Endpoint Management Solutions. For further information on our Altiris capabilities you can view our case studies at www.bytes.co.uk/customers.

Given Bytes’ expertise and experience in working with Symantec products and especially the Altiris suite on a global scale, Bytes were able to design, confi gure and successfully implement a robust solution that now meets all of Mott Macdonald’s infrastructure management requirements.


Ryan HardcastleGlobal Asset Manager, Mott Macdonald

storage

Providing real storage solutions... not just productsOur job is to help senior IT executives achieve their vision and see measurable gains in both cost effi ciency and resource productivity, ensuring a successful ‘continuous business’ becomes the norm.

Working with NetApp directly, we can provide bespoke designs and solutions confi gured to your exact requirements, building and deploying them in your environment, allowing you to focus on your core business and enjoy the benefi ts of the highest quality infrastructure

Both Microsoft and VMware are key alliance partners of NetApp, meaning that they’re working together to make sure that their products work seamlessly together in your environment.

NetAppNetApp provides a unifi ed storage platform providing customers the ability to scale up and out. A single operating system across the product portfolio provides simplicity and the ability to grow solutions without data movement. NetApp’s unrivalled fl exibility and storage effi ciency reduces the total cost of ownership for a private cloud solution. The feature rich set of NetApp API’s enable Microsoft Hyper-V solutions to integrate seamlessly using the NetApp storage interface of choice; Microsoft cloud solutions can leverage PowerShell, Opalis or SMI-S as the interface for provisioning virtual machines and application workloads. NetApp’s unique capabilities allow virtualisation at the storage layer as well as the hypervisor layer, leveraging Flexible Volumes and LUNs which can be expanded and shrunk without service disruption and NetApp Multistore which allows virtual partitioning of the storage layer.

Bytes NetApp Storage Solutions Having recognised the challenges being faced by our clients and the needs associated with managing storage infrastructures, Bytes Software Services made the commitment to support our customers by creating the Bytes NetApp storage service. This service ensures that our clients are able to engage with a trusted partner that fully understands their environment and can offer direction and value added support services without compromise.

Bytes Storage Solutions can help your business achieve measurable gains in both cost effi ciency and resource productivity, ensuring a more successful ‘continuous business’ becomes business-as-usual.

We understand the value to your business of having a committed partner you can depend on. Our customers say we make good on our promises, delivering the levels of responsiveness and agility that feed their own appetite for success. It’s not about us - it’s all about your business!

In IT there is no such thing as ‘one size fi ts all’ so we tailor our approach for each situation, allowing us to get a better understanding your specifi c environment. Typical engagements may begin with a meeting with a our technical presales consultant or by engaging with you on a capacity and utilisation assessment which allows us both to understand your current storage infrastructure and plan future strategy from an informed position. This assessment service investigates and analyses the current data content within a defi ned Host, SAN and NAS storage infrastructure in multiple vendor environments.

Helping Customers

fastergofurther


Monitoring storage utilisation, performance, and system health with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) and NetApp OnCommand Plug-in for Microsoft increases overall predictability of cloud deployments. Also, OnCommand Plug-in for Microsoft and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) can alert administrators to storage issues affecting specifi c VMs and perform auto-remediation before issues become problems.

NetApp, a member of Microsoft’s Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track program, complements Hyper-V by virtualising the underlying storage environment; consolidating hardware; and enabling you to reduce storage, power, cooling, and fl oor space needs by 50% or more. This highly effi cient solution also features nearly instant, low-overhead storage cloning to slash provisioning times plus streamlined automated backup, restore, and disaster recovery.

What does this solution look like?

The Pain• Distributed management systems • Islands of storage • Overly complex server infrastructures • Disaster recovery and business continuity solutions are

diffi cult to implement• Multiple resources and skill sets required to deliver IT

solutions• Businesses having to deliver more from their IT systems in

a period of shrinking IT budgets

The Solution: Reduce Costs - Evolve from virtualisation to a private cloud and reduce the cost of delivering IT services and applications using the NetApp and Microsoft infrastructure.

Increase Agility - Respond faster to changing business needs while ensuring application availability with a scalable and dynamic IT infrastructure.

Improve Effi ciency - Automate data management tasks using Microsoft System Center, which integrates with NetApp, enabling higher operational effi ciency.

Proven Platform - NetApp and Microsoft offer a robust set of tools including solution, build, and operation guides as well as best practices documentation to help you jump-start your NetApp for Microsoft Private Cloud deployment.

Our storage team is there to advise you on options available using leading technologies to deliver the effi ciency results you require, using industry best practice.

fasterfurther

MicrosoftNetApp, a member of Microsoft’s Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track program, complements Hyper-V by virtualising the underlying storage environment; consolidating hardware; and enabling you to reduce storage, power, cooling, and fl oor space needs by 50% or more. This highly effi cient solution also features nearly instant, low-overhead storage cloning to slash provisioning times plus streamlined automated backup, restore, and disaster recovery.

Your organisation can leverage NetApp storage and data management software through integration with Microsoft Systems Center to simplify the management of your private cloud, including the enterprise applications that run within it such as Exchange Server, SQL Server®, and SharePoint®. The combination of Microsoft Opalis Integration Server with sample workfl ows, Opalis Integration Packs, and PowerShell scripts from NetApp enables improved productivity and reduced risk through self-service provisioning.

VMwareVMware and NetApp are Global Partners that provide integrated solutions for virtual environments. The jointly engineered solution provides IT with simplifi ed data protection, improved availability and disaster recovery, an enhanced desktop experience, and end-to-end secure solutions. Together, we have developed proven solutions, reference architectures, design guides, and deployment guides, assuring a successful implementation.

NetApp uniquely complements VMware environments—from the datacenter, to the desktop, to the cloud—by providing the best-in-class data protection, the most effi cient and scalable storage, and the most fl exible IT infrastructure. NetApp does for storage what VMware does for virtualisation.

The NetApp and Microsoft Private Cloud SolutionServer Virtualisation The benefi ts of server virtualisation in the data centre are well understood; the number of applications deployed in virtual machines now exceeds those in physical environments. However, the savings made by increased utilisation are being eroded either by increased management and/or by poor service levels to the business. Complexity brought by virtualisation can also be a barrier to the timely adoption of the new and latest applications required by the business.

All of these issues can be addressed by a standardised, pre-integrated and automated scalable and fl exible infrastructure, managed through a single, consistent interface

The unique value proposition from NetApp and Microsoft is the degree of integration between NetApp’s advanced virtualisation feature set, and the Microsoft Private Cloud solution. Comprehensive integration is provided at hardware, hypervisor, automation, management and orchestration levels.

Together, NetApp and Microsoft enhance the fl exibility of resources in your private cloud. For example, NetApp FlexVol® software allows you to add storage capacity and expand volumes - without taking the NetApp storage system offl ine and with minimal disruption to the applications running. In addition, the combination of Microsoft Hyper-V and NetApp SnapDrive® for Windows allows you to virtualise servers and storage into resource pools and scale these resources up or down to meet changing business needs.

your storage requirements or book a consultationplease speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

to discuss...


Lloyd Carnie Chief Executive Officer Parative

Exchange 2020 ships with a plethora of features that makes it hard to beat. Parative has seen growth in the number of clients switching to Exchange 2010 native archiving and we are seeing big savings in storage as our clients move to cheaper tier 2 and 3 storage, freeing up valuable SAN storage for other applications. There is a staggering 90% reduction in input/output disk storage operations when you compare Exchange 2003 to 2010 due to the storage architecture changes. Disaster recovery and high availability technology ships with Exchange out of the box dropping the need for costly 3rd party DR solutions and that’s just a few of the reasons to consider Exchange.

We have seen an upsurge in deployment from businesses moving from Groupwise, Lotus Notes and earlier versions of Exchange with many companies opting to upgrade Active Directory at the same time to Windows 2008R2.

Picking your flavour Depending on licencing you can now choose between two flavours of Exchange 2010. On-premise Exchange is still a great option if you have the staff and prefer to manage your own system but the Office365

Exchange 2010 is

for email.To help our customers fully utilise the technology locked in their software

licensing agreements, we have developed our Partner Eco-System - designed to complete the legwork of short-listing high quality, suitably accredited suppliers from someone you trust.

From Cloud and Virtualisation strategies through to the implementation of Microsoft SharePoint, Unified Communications, Security and Data Back-Up services, we’ve found and recruited System Integrators and IT Solution Providers that share our standards and complement our software services. We call it our Partner Eco-System.

Today with a plethora of successful deployments and even more satisfied customers under our belts, Bytes is building a strong reputation as an organisation that can not only bring sense, clarity and cost control to software licensing but also excellence in the delivery of solutions that will drive true benefit to Customers.

We regularly collaborate on events to ensure that we continue to keep our collective customers in the know and able to leverage new technologies and opportunities. If you haven’t already attended one of these events we’d highly recommend you do!

If you’d like to know more about how our Partner Eco-System can help you unlock the true value in your licensing agreements, please read the following three articles written by our Partners or ask your Account Manager for more information about the spectrum of technologies that we can deliver and the Partners we engage with. You can also request further information by visiting www.bytes.co.uk

Richard Best Bytes General Manager, Partner & Cloud Services

leading

our partners


cloud solution is growing in popularity as well. Essentially you get exactly the same Enterprise features but you don’t need to manage the solution yourselves anymore. A monthly user subscription means you just pay for what you use.

What we are seeing are more businesses dipping their toes in the cloud offering these days. Parative have expertise in designing and building hybrid solutions so you can have some users on premise and some in the cloud. This can often be a great way of reducing your global on-premise Exchange management footprint whilst still maintaining an element of control. Some businesses want to know that they can off-board users back to on-premise as quickly as they can on-board to the cloud solution.

Planning service days If you have Software Assurance with your licencing you will have a certain amount of voucher days available to you. Parative are able to provide planning services, paid to us by Microsoft once you allocate the voucher to us. These days can be used for Exchange related planning and delivery (or SharePoint/Lync and Cloud). A number of customers have had some good benefit out of these consultancy days and we encourage you to use them before

you lose them. If you have any questions around this then drop Bytes or Parative a call and we can give you more detail.

Delivery options Parative have developed a project based strategy that allows us to offer fixed deliverables around Exchange 2010 implementation and migration. We take you through feature planning and design, proof of concept and then live delivery.

Greenfield or upgrade Years back most companies were horrified at the thought of a brand new Active Directory and Exchange system but there are many reasons why a brand new system might suit the deployment of Exchange. In a lot of cases it is quicker to start up a brand new single forest/single Exchange system than to go through the relevant change control to make the big changes required to an existing system. Political boundaries can be skirted around easier with a new system and it provides an opportunity to drop bad practices and fix broken administration models. Often we find that Active Directory was not designed

more about Exchange 2010 or Parative, contact your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

find out...

for email.

and implemented correctly in the first place and this (along with DNS) may need a big overhaul before we can install Exchange 2010.

Migration technology makes the migration ‘cross forest’ a cleaner option than using the free migration tools. The cloud model also requires that you are a single Active Directory forest so if you bought into the ‘Resource Forest’ scenario along with a lot of other businesses then you are not in a position to consider cloud yet. That said, we have smaller clients who have gone through single forest upgrades without too much disruption but it really depends on your appetite for risk. Our costs are pretty much the same for upgrade or Greenfield so we’ll give you the best advice that fits your business.

Parative and Bytes Parative has worked with Bytes for many years now and our relationship has moved from strength to strength. We have run some really great joined up strategy sessions with our clients where we were able to whiteboard IT strategies whilst having the Bytes account manager offer the best licensing option to fit the end design that was chosen.

About Parative We are a gold Microsoft partner who specialise in migration/restructuring and product implementation for the Microsoft UC core products: Exchange 2010, Lync 2010, SharePoint 2010 and Office365 along with supporting products: Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010 (TMG), Forefront Protection for Exchange (FOPE) and Forefront Identity Manager (FIM).

leading


You may be concerned or even unaware that you are not making the

most of your Microsoft Enterprise Agreements with Software Assurance.

This may be as simple as internal project prioritisation or knowing what

the latest Microsoft products and technologies can do for you and if they

are appropriate and relevant to your needs.

valueDelivering greater value from your software investment.

PARTNER PROFILE:

Risual is a UK based, globally recognised Microsoft centre of excellence with Gold competencies and specialisations in:

• Server & Desktop Infrastructure

• Identity & Security

• Systems Management

• Virtualisation

• Unifi ed Communications

• Collaboration

Based on Microsoft’s proven Operating Framework and ITIL standards, Risual’s Solution Methodology ensures the delivery of technology solutions, from migration, upgrade and new deployment, in line with your businesses tactical and strategic needs.

Through the use of industry experts with a wealth of IT service delivery and technical design, Risual will demonstrate value throughout your business programmes

the latest Microsoft products and technologies can do for you and if they

valuevalueassurance

information about Risual, please contact your Bytes account manager 020 8786 1500.

for more...

Organisations often need clarifi cation on which products they are entitled to and how to map them to projects.

Complex industry messages, marketing information and fast pace of change make it challenging to understand and position the value of the Microsoft technologies you are licenced for. You may fi nd it diffi cult to clearly position the Microsoft product roadmap and strategy within your organisation. This often means that the deployment of software purchased under Software Assurance or the decision to purchase Software Assurance itself can be stalled or delayed.

Risual Value Assurance is a focused consultancy engagement that helps you to increase the value and return on your Microsoft licensing investments.

Risual Value Assurance consists of three core consulting elements:

Strategy Briefi ng and Technology Roadmap PlanningFocusing on business and technical decision makers, this session positions the Microsoft platform and products under consideration within the organisation, and looks

at the business benefi ts, business opportunities and current problems which can be addressed. Following this engagement you will have a clear understanding of the role that the considered products and technologies might play and a high level plan of the deployment projects along with dependencies and resources required to deploy.

Architectural Design SessionsThis is focused on your technical decision makers and project management teams to assist them with technical detail and positioning of products, including initial high level planning and design prior to deploying products and technology.

Strategy ReviewThese sessions are intended to provide review points and offer further guidance at intervals throughout your licensing period. The review is aimed at ensuring that Microsoft technology is being deployed and meeting business requirements, as well as identifying additional opportunity for the use of the technologies within your organisation.


value why is...why is...James Butler, MBA

Client Services Manager and ConsultantProgram Framework

First off, what are the issues we face in managing projects? Our customers, amongst others, report the following:

• Lack of visibility to stakeholders

• Lack of a collaborative culture – because it’s too hard to share current and meaningful information

• Meaningless reporting at more senior levels in the organisation – directors reviewing individual project reports rather than aggregated reports that provide drill through when needed

• Subjective project reporting

• Poor project selection – lack of genuine enterprise level Portfolio Management

Typically, Project schedules (whether they are in Microsoft Project, Excel, or just a to-do list in a document) are stored on end users’ machines, or in shared folders. On an individual project basis, this is fi ne (assuming back-ups are taken) but when you look down the organisation from a senior role and see tens of projects being executed at the same time how do you get control and understanding? How do you get objective reporting and the ability to analyse the situation? How do you manage resources?

Project Server is big part of the answer; it gives you a facility for storing your projects in a single location. This project information is then surfaced through dashboards within SharePoint making visibility simple. More than this though, because the projects are stored now within a database, it’s possible to automate reporting, meaning that project managers, confi gure workfl ow that drives projects through a defi ned lifecycle and can be confi gured to provide you with just the functionality that you want matching on to your businesses maturity in this area.

Project Server sits within SharePoint and because of this provides strong collaboration capabilities. These capabilities are then tailored to specifi cally match the project context

our partners

Microsoft is, justifi ably, proud of the ranking provided to their

Microsoft Project Server 2010 solution by Gartner (a Strong

Positive) in the recent PPM Market Scope report.

The report calls the solution a “landmark” release. So, why

is this technology important to your business?

by capturing Risks, Issues, and Inter-dependencies. All of which can then form part of your Project reporting.

As an organisation adopts a Programme management approach, Project Server can grow to support this also through, for instance, aggregating report data into meaningful dashboards and scorecards (classically one of the more tedious functions of the PMO / PSO) – if we really want our PSOs and PMOs to add value to the organisation, removing this unnecessary administrative burden is essential.

Portfolio Management is the current en vogue concept. If you are aiming to adopt this approach to the strategic selection of projects, a tool such as Project Server provides signifi cant advantage over manual techniques. Firstly, it means that all project data is stored in a central, controlled location and that project data really starts to build up from concept (so nothing is lost in handovers). Secondly, it provides a robust algorithmic approach to analysing this data and developing a prioritised list of projects. Thirdly, it allows the various cost and resource constraints to be applied to the prioritised list of projects – including being able to analyse the impact that the inclusion of “pet projects” and “mandatory” projects has on the strategic value, cost and benefi t of the portfolio.

I said at the start that Project Server was a big part of the answer, but not the whole answer. Good process, good people and effective change management and training are essential to creating a real difference in the way that your organisation delivers its projects, programmes and portfolios. If you’re interested in transforming the way in which your organisation delivers its projects (be they internal or external), speak to Program Framework.

by capturing Risks, Issues, and Inter-dependencies. All of which can then form part of your Project reporting.

meaningful dashboards and scorecards (classically one of the more tedious functions of the PMO / PSO) – if we really want our PSOs and PMOs to add value to the organisation,

Microsoft Project Server 2010 important?

more about Program Framework, please speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

fi nd out...


Q&Ainterview

Q: What is your role and how would you describe the Microsoft Server and Tools business?

A: I am responsible for bringing Microsoft’s Server business to market in the UK. This consists of our Server platform and Private Cloud offerings including Windows Server, System Center and Hyper-V, our Application platform offerings led by SQL Server and our public cloud platform Azure. I get to lead a terrifi c team of Product Managers who develop deep insight into the UK market dynamics, position and evangelise our value propositions and orchestrate driving demand across marketing, partner and sales teams. And I get to work with a great set of partners

– through whom we transact virtually all of our business in the UK. I also get to represent the UK business in market with customer and partners and back to HQ in Redmond regarding key technical and commercial feedback and insight that needs to be considered as we move forwards. It is not only a great role – it’s a great time to be in this role with the transition to the Public and Private cloud. It feels to me like the most signifi cant industry transition post Internet. Commercially, as evidenced in our recent results the Server business has been called out as an engine of growth for Microsoft. There are great opportunities to help customers build out Application and Business systems combining the best of what they already have with the best new technologies enabling them to innovate their services to their customers while lowering overall operating expense – which I get to see day in day out across the UK partner ecosystem.

Q: What are the key focuses within the Server and Tools business in 2012 and beyond?

A: 2012 is very exciting! We have just released our Private Cloud vision and roadmap including the announcement of the next version of System Center 2012… with more to come in this space in 2012… We are in the midst of the SQL 2012 Launch wave working with some key UK partners to deliver incredibly intuitive Business Intelligence solutions in time for formal launch, all on rock solid RC0 code, and fi nally there has been terrifi c momentum for Azure our cloud platform which is on a 6 monthly release cadence with some very exciting capabilities due out in the Spring release.

Q: Before we fi nd out more about SQL 2012 and System Center 2012, can you give us an insight into what the datacentre will look like in 5, 10, 25 years time?

A: The datacenter is at the core of the infrastructure business, one which is fundamentally driven by Applications. We are undergoing a shift from client-server to a world of continuous services and connected devices – which is the platform for future application delivery. Businesses need to be able to deploy both internally facing and customer facing services – across multiple devices

We spoke to Maurice Martin, Director of Server and Tools

Business at Microsoft UK about the Microsoft Server and Tools

business. He gave us an insider’s view of where it is now and

where it is going…

Maurice MartinDirector of Server and Tools - Microsoft UK

Microsoft Server& Tools


Q&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&AQ&A– phone, tablet, PC, TV. This world requires a new kind of infrastructure, to service all devices on demand and seamlessly transition experiences across them all.

I think it’s an easy bet that over the next 10-15 years time that Hybrid IT will be the defacto design center for business IT infrastructure. This will involve combining the best of existing on premise applications (on whatever platforms), with applications and services running on owned private clouds, on hosters, system integrators, outsourcer and ISV clouds along with services running in public clouds.

The IT department will be about deciding on the best of breed infrastructure for the business and the service or application at hand – and to manage the integration & delivery of that into the wider environment, to deliver end user services with appropriate SLAs. This will demand a disciplined structured approach – I believe putting identity, security & management as the core of the IT function. No surprises then that I think Active Directory and System Center are probably the crown jewels in our infrastructure product portfolio.

Q: What’s new/what are you excited about in System Center 2012?

A: So building on this view of the future of the datacenter, the uber point for me is that System Center is evolving into an integrated management suite, including the addition of key device & capabilities. From a device management perspective System Center 2012 Confi guration Manager enables device freedom - managing a wide range of mobile devices that connect through Exchange ActiveSync including Windows Phone 7, Symbian, iOS and Android-based devices – providing comprehensive asset and compliance reporting through a single admin console. System Center 2012 Service Manager enables IT to deliver fl exible self service experiences, so application owners can request private cloud capacity in an incredibly simple & productive fashion. Collectively System Center 2012 spans physical, virtual and cloud computing models with common management experiences throughout, provides comprehensive end-to-end management for Hybrid IT infrastructure and applications, including interoperability for heterogeneous environments and offers compelling economic value.

Q: What’s new/what are you excited about in SQL 2012?

A: First, Mission Critical Confi dence – SQL Server 2012 provides the best price/performance and high availability in the industry. Second Business Intelligence – SQL Server 2012 has improved how you use and visualise data beyond anything that has been seen in the industry and fi nally Cloud on your terms – SQL Server 2012 is designed specifi cally for hybrid environments; you can build your applications on-premise and easily move them to the cloud or vice versa.

We are kicking off the SQL 2012 launch wave with a Virtual Launch event on March 7th which you can reach from http://www.sqlserverlaunch.com/ww/Home - check out my UK welcome video.

Q: How is the cloud infl uencing the Server and Tools Business?

A: Building on the transition of the datacenter to the private cloud is the emergence of Azure – our platform as a service “cloud operating system”. Moving the focus to new application development, the Azure platform allows new applications and services to be written independent of the underlying infrastructure. This allows for scaling of applications to “internet scale” on demand, with “pay for use” commercial models whilst maintaining the ability to deliver that code via traditional on premise servers and private clouds. The fl exibility and choices will allow business models to drive deployment options – and indeed I suspect whole new commercial models that we haven’t even thought of yet. The Hybrid IT model – enabling these new public cloud capabilities to seamlessly work in a secure and well managed way with existing IT assets will remain a core tenant of our Journey to the cloud.

on this article or the Microsoft Server and Tools Business, contact your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

further info...

& Tools



Peer2PeerView from The Top on Offi ce 365

We hosted an evening at our private members club

in Covent Garden, to talk openly about cloud computing

and the value of Offi ce 365.

cont...www.bytes.co.uk | 31

View from The Top on Offi ce 365

“We are already using cloud services (SaaS and IaaS) and we will be very keenly looking at a move to cloud-based core IT services as the end of our outsource contract approaches, in about a year’s time. We expect to approach this from a completely platform-agnostic point of view, preferring standards-compliant services with the minimum of vendor lock-in. Offi ce 365 will doubtless be on the short list.”

Head of Applications,Global Media Firm

“Cloud computing means different things to different people but I am in favour of it to a point. With regards to Offi ce 365, I am curious to fi nd out if it is relevant to a law fi rm with the different legal and jurisdictional regulations.”

Head of IT Solutions,Leading Law Firm

“Cloud computing has a interesting and compelling story to tell for people entering the MS space, however companies that already have a established environment fi nd it hard to “see” how Cloud can easily integrate into the current business space. I have seen and used MS 365 and can honestly say that it worked well for me, but I have already invested heavily into MS licensing and server infrastructure. We are looking at how we can introduce 365 into the business for remote workers who are currently forced to use our central facility.”

Head of IT Services,Construction Firm

“MS Offi ce 365 is not yet ready for larger commercial organisations. The contract terms and the fact that it is not easily linked back to existing corporate investment including such simple things as document templates are the main show stoppers.”

IT Director, Law Firm

“ No real perception of Offi ce 365, apart that it looks well integrated and offers a fl exible full or pay as you go model, reaching a wider audience than traditional offi ces versions. We have used Lync in an initial pilot, which looks good, but yet to get it working properly before wider roll out.”

Head of Infrastructure,Legal Firm

“Our users don’t really care where their systems are housed as long as they work and their data is safe and stored legally and securely.”

Head of IT Solutions,Law Firm

“Integration with other systems we need to use.”

Director of IT,Law Firm

“I have no real concerns about cloud adoption but can we start thinking about changing the name please? This is outsourcing by another name and some aspects are actually far more expensive than creating your own private cloud and having it hosted in a colo facility. An example of this is Infrastructure as a Service. Try adding the costs up on that and comparing it to running a private cloud.”

IT Director,Law Firm

“The only concerns are around data security and transparency about where data is stored and if replicated.”

Head of Infrastructure,Legal Firm

QWhat is your perception of Cloud computing and Microsoft Offi ce 365?

QDo you have any concerns about Cloud adoption within your business?

“Yes: security, access to data from other organisations (e.g. US agencies), performance, reliability, ease of integration, SLAs, exit plans.”

Head of Applications,Media Firm

“Security and Integration come at the top of the list of concerns as well as the “how do I get out once I’m in question”

Head of IT Services,Construction Firm

Industry Adopting

Financial services Private cloud PaaS and IaaS

Telecommunications Community cloud and service providers

Government Community cloud and SaaS

Education Email and collaboration

High Tech Panicky migration from vendor to provider

Energy and utilities Not much happening

Healthcare Public records, medical processes

Retail Brokerage and messaging integration

Advanced Heavy Moderate Measured Lagging


Q: If required, how do you exit from Offi ce 365

A: This is quite a common objection we hear from our prospects. They fear that it might not be possible to remove their data from O365 if for some reason they decide to stop subscribing to it. In fact the same tools that a customer uses to migrate to O365 can be used to migrate the data back to an on-prem solution. For Exchange online, one can migrate the .PST fi les by using the import/export feature of the product. For large data volumes or many .PST fi les, one can use migration tools provided by vendors such as Quest or Transend. If SharePoint online is primarily used for data storage then the data can be easily transferred using Windows explorer. If however, one wishes to move to another vendor’s platform and need to migrate workfl ows and forms, in that instance we would recommend a 3rd party product such as Quest.

Q: Does Offi ce 365 meet legal and jurisdictional regulations?

A: As well as having recently received ISO/IEC 27001 certifi cation, which requires a yearly independent audit centered around data security, Microsoft recently announced that Offi ce 365 will meet the standard of the European “model clauses” which are designed to keep data secure even if that data is physically stored on servers outside of Europe. The new Trust Center will allow companies to specify the physical location of their data, to allay concerns about competing regulation.

It is also important to mention here that Microsoft has a very strict privacy policy when it comes to O365 so if a customer decides to stop subscribing to the service, all the data will be purged 90 days after the termination date.

Q: How do you integrate with established Microsoft environments, where investment has already been high?

The main benefi t offered by O365 over an on-premise solution, is its ability to minimise the IT administration and support effort. In addition, Offi ce 365 makes it easier to serve customers and employees at remote locations and provides cost predictability. A hybrid confi guration lets you put some users on Offi ce 365 and keep others on-premises, maintaining a unifi ed directory and seamless calendaring.

Q: Is Offi ce O365 ready for larger commercial organisations?

Microsoft’s vision is to have 100% parity between their on premises and cloud products and future releases will appear in the cloud version of the product fi rst. According to the analysts....

‘By 2012, 80% of Fortune 1000 enterprises will be using some cloud computing services, 20% of businesses will own no IT assets’ Source: Gartner

And there appears to be a clear trend developing....

Q&AThe Session

John GaridisCloud Services BDM, Bytes

John GaridisCloud Services BDM, Bytes

With over 5 years experience within the BPOS team at Microsoft, we asked John Garidis, Bytes Cloud Lead to give us his response to these very interesting perceptions and concerns within the Enterprise market place...

on Offi ce 365 or other cloud services please contact your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

further info...

Offi ce 365 - Plan E3 for midsize businesses and enterprises.

Top features• Web-based email• Instant messaging, voice and video conferencing• Offi ce Web Apps (online versions of Word, Excel,

PowerPoint, and OneNote)• SharePoint intranet for sharing fi les and co-authoring

docs. Limit of 1 intranet site collection.• Premium antivirus and anti-spam fi ltering• Online customer support

Also includes• Subscription to a desktop version of Offi ce

Professional Plus 2010 which users can install on fi ve different devices (includes the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, OneNote, Publisher, Access, Lync, InfoPath, and SharePoint Workspace)

• Unlimited email storage and archiving• Active Directory integration• Hosted voicemail support• Live 24 x 7 customer phone support

Scalability1 - tens of thousands of users

For a 30 day trial, visit: www.bytes.co.uk/software-services/cloud

Q: Is it expensive compared to a private cloud?

A: Offi ce 365 is a public multi-tenanted service. It is therefore cheaper than a private cloud where the assets are owned by a single organisation. Private clouds provide more fl exibility and allow organisations to provide product customisation that would not othewise be possible in a Public cloud.

Q: How secure is Offi ce 365?

A: Microsoft has obtained ISO 27001 and EU Safe Harbour certifi cation and successfully completed SAS 70 Type II audit. Unlike an on-premises installation that lives behind a corporate fi rewall and may be accessed over a virtual private network (VPN), Offi ce 365 is designed specifi cally for secure access over the Internet and connections are encrypted using industry-standard, 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) encryption. Offi ce 365 supports additional security measures to protect sensitive information such as Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) for public key encryption and digital signatures as well as Information Rights Management protection for restricting who can access and perform specifi c actions on documents, email, and even voicemail messages.

Q: Is availability an issue?

Offi ce 365 is designed to deliver reliability, availability, and performance with a guaranteed 99.9% uptime, with a fi nancially backed service level agreement (SLA). The system is designed to be up all the time, however, the Offi ce 365 contract allows for a minimal scheduled maintenance downtime which occurs during non-business hours.

Q: How will Offi ce 365 integrate with myexisting systems?

Any Integration between online services and existing systems would require some consultancy services to be undertaken. The effort required for the integration would depend on many variables such as the products that needs to be integrated, user roles, security, federation, etc. We have assisted many customers with their cloud journey and migrated several organizations to Offi ce 365 using our standard engagement process.

The fi rst step of our engagement process is a discovery workshop which identifi es business priorities, integration requirements, IT capabilities, critical success factors and produces an assessment report of the results and Offi ce 365 migration work breakdown.


Q&AThe Session

A new generation of mobile device management, BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion is designed to help make managing mobile devices faster, easier and more organised than ever before. Now organisations can manage BlackBerry® smartphones, BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets, as well as Apple® iOS® and Google® Android™ devices1, 5 (expected availability March 2012) all from a unifi ed interface. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is intended to help protect business information, keep mobile workers connected with the information they need, and provide administrators with effi cient tools that help keep business moving forward.

BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion

BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion StudioA single interface that provides a unifi ed view for managing mobile devices.

Manage BlackBerry® smartphonesRich and familiar BlackBerry user experience coupled with trusted security, management and control of BlackBerry smartphones.

Manage BlackBerry® tabletsDevice management for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. Apply settings and policies wirelessly. Remotely install, update and delete required business apps, and make optional apps available for download through BlackBerry App World™.

3rd party mobile devicesDevice management service for devices that use Apple iOS or Google Android operating systems. Providing employees with more Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) options, along with peace of mind for IT departments.


requirements

BlackBerry® Client for Microsoft® SharePoint®

Secure, mobile access to Microsoft SharePoint – the way it was meant to be seen – on the BlackBerry smartphone.

Navigate, read & create content in SharePoint® librariesMake changes that just can’t wait to important documents. Retrieve, edit and store content quickly, update new versions and add new folders to libraries from the road or while away from your laptop.

List collection viewFind information fast with an overview of available content, categorised by type and optimised for a mobile device. Quickly scan tasks, contacts, profi les, discussion boards and more.

Customised listsSee information in a way that best suits you. Set preferences to highlight the information you need to fi nd quickly or let the app identify viewing patterns to show you the things you need most right away.SharePoint® link redirectionIntelligent apps should know when they’re needed. Simply click on a SharePoint link in an email message and be automatically redirected to the SharePoint app on your BlackBerry smartphone.

more about BlackBerry Client for Microsoft Sharepoint, please speak to your Bytes account manageron 020 8786 1500.

fi nd out...

Integration with BlackBerry® applications and featuresDon’t get thrown for a loop by a learning curve. Tight integration with features of BlackBerry smartphones like email, calendar and even Documents To Go helps provide SharePoint content access and collaboration features in a familiar, easy-to-use format.

BlackBerry® Universal SearchFind exactly what you need on SharePoint sites quickly. Support for BlackBerry Universal Search lets you type or even speak search criteria for whatever you need on specifi c or global SharePoint sites.2,3

Blog and wiki supportFind the expertise of others and collaborate from the palm of your hand. Read, share, create and comment on SharePoint blog entries with ease while traveling or away from your desk. Access SharePoint wikis to access the information you need where and when you need it.

The BlackBerry® Client for Microsoft® SharePoint requires the following:• Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007

or 2010• BlackBerry Enterprise Server for

Microsoft Exchange version 5.0 and above

• Dedicated BlackBerry Social Networking Application Proxy (SNAP) Server

• Windows Server® 2003 (32-bit) with Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)

• Support for multiple BlackBerry Enterprise Servers

• BlackBerry device software version 5.0 and above


case study

on Oracle license costs

casecasecasecaseFollowing divestment, Electricity North West needed to transition and rationalise their IT systems to a new independent environment. Being involved from the outset, Bytes Software Services provided clear recommendations on how their Oracle software estate could be re-modelled to provide comparable technology at a seven-fi gure reduction in cost. Negotiations between Bytes and Oracle allowed Electricity North West to concentrate on the logistics of their move without having to worry about compliancy issues during the transition.

The Challenge:In 2007 Electricity North West was created following divestment from United Utilities Group PLC. However, all IT systems were retained and continued to be operated by United Utilities on behalf of Electricity North West up until September 2011. In June 2010, Electricity North West selected a new IT service provider to transition all IT services from United Utilities and build a new Data Centre. This

a Seven fi gure

Jack WatsonSenior Account Manager, Bytes

studyon Oracle license costs

a Seven fi gure

Senior Account Manager, Bytes


The Bytes team remained by our side throughout the whole process, providing extensive expert assistance. Their knowledge of Oracle systems ensured we got the rightsolution, at the most economically advantageous value forElectricity North West.

Andy HarperIS Supplier Manager, Electricity North West

Company: Electricity North WestIndustry: Electricity DistributionCountry: North West of EnglandRevenues: £394MEmployees: 1600Website: www.enwl.co.uk

Bytes Solutions Provided:• Oracle Database Enterprise Edition• Oracle Tuning Pack• Oracle Diagnostics Pack• Oracle Partitioning• Oracle Spatial• Oracle Active Data Guard• Oracle Internet Developer Suite• Oracle licensing Cost Modelling Service within

a Virtualised Environment• Microsoft Licensing Cost Modelling Service• Bytes Software Asset Management Services

Key Benefits:• Seven figure saving on Oracle license costs• A structured cost modelling approach• Allowing time for Electricity North West to

spend on new company infrastructure• Kept Electricity North West compliant with

Oracle during transition• Retained discount level despite a significant

reduction in Software usage

customer profile

transition involved the rationalisation of databases and shared applications for over 1,600 desktops and a legacy server infrastructure to a new, single ownership architecture. This required migrating existing license agreements with Oracle as well as the need to purchase additional licenses. This process was made all the more complicated by the Electricity North West virtualised environment and the pressure to remain compliant with Oracle throughout the process.

The Bytes Solution:Bytes Software Services engaged with Electricity North West to provide a software license audit and establish a full pre-divestment license position, both in terms of ‘Grant’ and ‘Usage’. Electricity North West gave Bytes full access to their software licensing contracts to allow them to assess where savings could be made against current and future usage plans.

This assessment enabled Bytes to completely re-shape the Electricity North West software licensing models to fit their new infrastructure and database requirements, whilst keeping a close eye on capital expenditure and future TCO. Following extensive negotiations with Oracle, Bytes achieved agreement for the same discount level to be applied for all new purchases for a further six month period ensuring consistency on late project modification.

The Benefits:Being involved in the project from such an early stage allowed the Bytes licensing team to fully appraise Electricity North West’s current software usage requirement against future demands, and then apply their knowledge of Oracle licensing agreements to leverage the best possible deal. Having a close working relationship with Oracle and in-depth knowledge of their database software allowed Bytes to carry out all licensing negotiations as well as

making sure that Electricity North West remained compliant throughout the transition of their systems. This shielding from compliance pressure from Oracle, as well the trust placed with us to negotiate the best solutions for Electricity North West, allowed them time to concentrate on the work required on their infrastructure separation and transition. The re-shaping of their software license grant - and further discount negotiations - resulted in a seven-figure saving for Electricity North West.

Bytes Licensing TeamThe Bytes team were on hand at all times - even outside office hours – to provide 24/7 support and advice to ensure a problem and hassle free transition from audit through to end state delivery. As well as being involved in the design of Electricity North West’s new server infrastructure to help reduce licensing costs, Bytes liaised with their suppliers and outsourcers to give Electricity North West the freedom to focus on the IT transfer and infrastructure logistics.

Bytes Software Services has been at the forefront of enterprise software licensing for over 25 years. We’ve achieved success in this often confusing and over complicated field due to a full understanding of vendor policies, global market differences and our unique positioning between our customers and vendors. We offer more than license agreement negotiation - we support and represent our customers in all discussions and negotiations. much we could save you on your Oracle

licensing estate, contact your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

see how...


virtualisation

Are you ready?The 2012 Olympics will cause major disruption to London’s businesses.

An estimated 6 million Olympic athletes, offi cials, media and spectators will descend upon London when the Olympics arrive in just a few months time bringing disruption to the journeys of thousands of commuters. Without adequate preparation, many London businesses will suffer a reduction in employee productivity, hampering their ability to simply “do business” – the question is: are you prepared?

• Circa six million athletes, offi cials, organisers and visitors are projected

• The disruption will span three months from July to the end of September

• Transport for London is predicting 60% over capacity on the Tube

• Over 170 miles of London roads will experience ’Games Lanes’ road closures

• Commute journey times are predicted to double, possibly treble

• Some London stations are scheduled to close during peak time

Source: “Clearing Olympic Hurdles” - a study

conducted by JBA in 2011.

&chaos disruptionAre you planning for the

The Citrix PromiseCitrix mobile workstyle solutions provide an end-to-end virtual computing solution, from the datacenter to the desktop, which encompasses virtual desktops, virtual datacenters, virtual meetings, virtual networks, and network optimisation to ensure a high-defi nition user experience.

• Simpler, more effi cient management and more fl exible use of IT resources

• Simpler, more productive computing and greater freedom in workstyles

• Lower IT costs, higher agility, and a more effective workforce for the business

• From the datacenter to the desktop, Citrix offer end-to-end solution that encompasses virtual desktops, data centres, networks and network optimisation products that deliver a high defi nition user experience.

What do Citrix customers say?“A virtualised desktop allows our employees to access email, produce documents and work remotely as needed. By adopting Citrix globally, we’ve been able to provide better work-life balance for our employees and address strategic initiatives for the business. Data, applications, desktops follow our employees wherever they go. In the UK, we primarily deliver to PC, Mac and laptop users. We also have employees using the Citrix Receiver to log on via their iPad, iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices. Crucially, IT is now providing the business with a tool that enables our employees to respond to and meet clients’ needs faster and better than the competition.”

Ask yourself…• Are you concerned about a potential

reduction in revenue as a result of the predicted disruption?

• To what extent do you think employee productivity will suffer as their journeys to work are disrupted?

• Would employee productivity be maintained if they could work securely from home or another convenient location?

• Does your current remote working solution hinder an employee’s ability to work effectively? (slow/not secure/cannot access all IT systems etc.)

• Will your current remote working solution cope with an increase in remote working? (performance/SLAs)

• Can your IT department provide a seamless service to all employees and affected parties?

• Do your staff have safe remote access to your corporate systems?

Can Citrix solutions help?Citrix Mobile Workstyle Solutions help companies -

• Build simpler and more cost-effective IT environments

• Deliver IT as a service to the business

• Enable mobile workstyles for users • Make it easy for employees to

work wherever and whenever, on whatever device they choose

the Olympicswill bring?

Alan McBride, IT infrastructure project manager, SNR Denton


Introducing....Workshifting from Citrix

disruptionSimply put, workshifting is a strategy based on getting work done in the right place by the right people at the right time. The foundation of workshifting is Citrix® XenDesktop™, which enables on demand delivery of virtual desktops and applications to give users unprecedented fl exibility and mobility while maintaining security. This is complemented by Citrix GoToMeeting® and Citrix GoToAssist®, which bring easy to-use online collaboration and remote support to workers.

THE TOP 10 REASONS TO EMBRACE WORKSHIFTING

1. Drive business growthThe ability to open new work locations or branch offi ces, or expand existing offi ces quickly and effi ciently, can be a powerful source of competitive advantage. Centralised management and online support tools eliminate the need for IT personnel to be deployed to new locations, reducing overhead. As a result, the organisation can grow easily, rapidly and elastically while speeding business impact.

2. Improve time-to-value for mergers and acquisitionsA merger or acquisition is only the beginning of a long and complex process to integrate new locations and workers into the organisation. Workshifting enables companies to improve their time-to-value for acquisitions, support a more aggressive growth strategy and take advantage of emerging strategic opportunities with greater confi dence.

3. Increase employee retention through a better work-life balanceWork, personal business and family life rarely remain within separate, clearly defi ned times of day.

According to WorldatWork, the higher an organisation rates itself on the fl exibility scale, the lower the organisation’s voluntary turnover rate. An employee who needs to stay home to meet a service provider can simply work there for the day, just as productively as they would at the offi ce - if not more so.

4. Recruit the best employees wherever they areOrganisations seeking to hire skilled workers have always faced tough competition. Workshifting both expands recruitment beyond its traditional geographical constraints, and helps companies compete more effectively for in-demand candidates, consultants and contractors by offering a more appealing work experience.

5. Enable borderless collaboration without the cost and disruption of travelA virtual desktop ensures that each team member is using the same versions of software applications, even if their offi ces or organisations are on a different update schedule. GoToMeeting also makes it simple to hold meetings, conduct online training and support sessions, product demos, professional development courses, product design workshops - all without the travel time and expense of a typical business trip.

6. Lower facility costsOffi ce space costs represent the second-biggest budget item for most if not all companies. Workshifting can reduce this signifi cantly by enabling a wide range of workplace models including desk-sharing, hot-desking or hoteling. Instead of being assigned to a permanent desk, workers book space on an as-needed basis only for the days they will actually be in the offi ce. Offi ce space can typically cost £4918.32 per employee per year, so an organisation with 5,000 employees each working from home 1 day per week can save £4.9m per year.

7. Accelerate business velocity by moving processes to optimal locationsThe ability to deploy personnel and processes more fl exibly can be a powerful driver of competitive advantage. XenDesktop makes it simple for organisations to get work done wherever it’s most effective, productive and effi cient by securely delivering one virtual desktop or thousands on demand, anywhere they’re needed.

8. Improve customer service quality and speedWorkshifting gives enterprises optimal fl exibility to deploy and equip personnel according to the needs of their customers, rather than forcing customers to adapt to the constraints of the organisation. A dedicated employee can be placed on-site with an important customer, sales reps can process orders directly from a trade show fl oor, doctors can consult healthcare resources direct from a patient’s bedside and fi eld workers can access their full resources while at a client site or in transit – all to increase customer service quality and speed.

9. Control corporate data and ensure complianceCitrix virtual computing infrastructure is more inherently secure in several ways. Desktop virtualisation means that all data and applications remain centralised and under IT control; instead of data traveling from place to place, it remains in the datacenter, not on the user device. IT can also easily prevent data from ever being saved to removable media, printed, or shared. Even data delivered for offl ine use to the local desktop remains encrypted at all times.

10. Achieve seamless business continuityWith workshifting, centralised resources can be mirrored easily, effi ciently and comprehensively to a disaster recovery site or maintained in a dual-datacenter infrastructure. If one location becomes unavailable or inoperative, the other can be brought online almost instantly.

Citrix or your virtualisation requirementsplease speak to your Bytes account manageror Matt Gallick on 020 8786 1500.

to discuss...


events

We have had a full

calendar of events and

webinars recently,

bringing you news and

information on topics

ranging from Citrix

NetScaler to Software

Asset Management

and all points

inbetween!

Industry experts from many of our leading vendors as well as our own Bytes specialists have delivered informative presentations on a broad range of topics to ensure you are kept up to date with all the important industry developments. A small selection of some of our events is

listed opposite. Please visit the events page of our website

www.bytes.co.uk/events regularly for news of forthcoming events.

if you...would like to view the slides from any of our seminars or webinars, please visit http://www.bytes.co.uk/updates/resources and then select the ‘seminar’ or ‘webinar’ tab.

Citrix NetscalerWebinar, December

SAM Basics TrainingCardinal Place London, January

Microsoft Offi ce 365Webinar, January

Microsoft System Center 2012 Licensing ChangesWebinar, February

Microsoft Solutions Roadmap Briefi ngCardinal Place, London, February

Retail Business Technology ExpoEarls Court London, March

Bytes Security Partnerships and Check Point SeminarsChelsea Football Club, MarchManchester United Football Club, March

Information Security Strategy SeminarKensington Roof Gardens, March

viewsand events

Bytes “Webinar Wednesdays”A series of free one hour seminars held on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesday of each month, covering a broad range of hot topics in the industry chosen by our specialists or requested by our customers. To view the current list of topics or to register visit: www.bytes.co.uk/events


selection of some of our events is listed opposite. Please visit the listed opposite. Please visit the

events page of our website events page of our website www.bytes.co.uk/events regularly for news of forthcoming events.

Kylie StentMarketing Executive, Bytes

Citrix NetscalerWebinar, December

SAM Basics TrainingCardinal Place London, January

Microsoft Offi ce 365Webinar, January

Microsoft System Center 2012 Licensing ChangesWebinar, February

Microsoft Solutions Roadmap Briefi ngCardinal Place, London, February

Retail Business Technology ExpoEarls Court London, March

Bytes Security Partnerships and Check Point SeminarsChelsea Football Club, MarchManchester United Football Club, March

Information Security Strategy SeminarKensington Roof Gardens, March

views

virtualisation

What’s Included in the vCenter Operations Management Suite?VMware vCenter Operations ManagerVMware vCenter Operations Manager uses patented analytics and an integrated approach to operations management to provide the intelligence and visibility needed to proactively ensure service levels, optimum resource usage and confi guration compliance in dynamic virtual and cloud environments.

VMware vCenter Confi guration ManagerVMware vCenter Confi guration Manager™ automates confi guration management across virtual and physical servers and desktops, increasing effi ciency by eliminating manual, error-prone and time-consuming work. This enables enterprises to maintain continuous compliance by detecting changes and comparing them to confi guration and security policies.

VMware vCenter Infrastructure NavigatorVMware vCenter Infrastructure Navigator automatically discovers and visualises application and infrastructure dependencies. It provides visibility into the application services running over the virtual-machine infrastructure and their interrelationships for day-to-day operational management.

VMware vCenter Chargeback ManagerVMware vCenter Chargeback Manager™ enables accurate cost measurement, analysis and reporting of virtual machines, providing visibility into the actual cost of the virtual infrastructure required to support business services.

Following on from some successful roll-outs

of the VMware vCenter Operations

Management Suite within our customer base,

I wanted to share a little more detail on its value and how it can

help improve visibility and ultimately performance, within your

IT environment.

At a Glance:The VMware vCenter™ Operations Management Suite provides automated operations management using patented analytics and an integrated approach to performance, capacity and confi guration management. The vCenter Operations Management Suite enables IT organisations to get better visibility and actionable intelligence to proactively ensure service levels, optimum resource usage and confi guration compliance in dynamic virtual and cloud environments.

Key Benefi ts:• Higher quality of service, fewer

incidents and less downtime of infrastructure and application services

• Improved team collaboration and increased productivity from better visibility across the entire environment

• Infrastructure cost savings and better resource utilisation from capacity optimisations

• Fewer tools needed to monitor the environment• Continuous compliance with IT policies and regulatory

requirements

How is vCenter Operations Used?vCenter Operations is used to gain better visibility across all layers of the infrastructure. It collects and analyses performance data, correlates abnormalities and identifi es the root cause of building performance problems. vCenter Operations provides capacity management to optimise resource usage and policy based confi guration management to assure compliance and eliminate sprawl and confi guration drift. Application discovery, dependency mapping and cost metering capabilities bring new levels of application awareness and fi nancial responsibility to infrastructure and operations teams.

Automated Operations Management for Virtual and Clo ud Infrastructure

VMware vCenter Operations Mana gement Suite

Matt Gallick, Bytes BDM, Virtualisation


information or to purchase VMware products, please call your Bytes account manager020 8786 1500

for more...

Following on from some successful roll-outs

of the VMware vCenter Operations

Management Suite within our customer base,

I wanted to share a little more detail on its value and how it can

help improve visibility and ultimately performance, within your

IT environment.

Enabling you to....Gain Comprehensive Visibility Across the InfrastructureGain better visibility into planned and unplanned confi guration changes and remediate unwanted changes to ensure operational and regulatory compliance. Manage compliance automatically with out-of-the-box confi guration templates. Ensure compliance with policy control and integrated smart alerts across both virtual and physical aspects of your datacenter infrastructure.

• Prebuilt and confi gurable operations dashboards provide real-time insight into infrastructure behavior, upcoming problems and opportunities for effi ciency improvements

• Monitoring data is abstracted into health, risk and effi ciency measures that enable IT to effi ciently identify building performance problems with less effort

• Capacity analytics identify overprovisioned resources so they can be rightsized for most effi cient use of virtualised resources. “What If” scenarios eliminate the need for spreadsheets, scripts and rules of thumb

• Out-of-the-box templates ensure continuous compliance with security best practices, hardening guidelines and regulatory requirements

• Application dependency discovery and visualisation bring application-level awareness to infrastructure and operations teams to ensure service levels and disaster-recovery protection for all critical application services

• Application components and version numbers are named automatically and updated continuously

• Best-in-class scalability enables the monitoring of multiple sites, thousands of metrics and more than 100,000 virtual machines with a single deployment

• Designed for VMware vSphere® and built for the cloud, vCenter Operations is the best solution for managing dynamic VMware environments. Hooks into third-party monitoring tools enable IT to leverage existing investments

Intelligently Automate Operations Management to Maximise Effi ciency and AgilityAutomate performance, capacity and confi guration management with patented analytics and an integrated approach to management. Eliminate fi nger pointing, improve team collaboration and reduce manual problem-solving efforts by as much as 40 percent with automated root-cause analysis.

• Infrastructure and operations analytics eliminate time consuming problem resolution processes through automated root-cause analysis

• Automated correlation of health, performance and change events at the infrastructure and guest operating system level help pinpoint lingering performance problems

• Automated rollback and remediation of confi guration changes enable administrators to enforce IT policies

• Flexible capacity and cost-reporting capabilities provide deep visibility into resource consumption trends

• Automated provisioning and confi guration analysis detects unwanted changes and helps IT maintain continuous compliance with operational best practices and regulatory requirements

Proactively Manage Service Levels Across the Entire InfrastructureGet proactive warning of performance issues and capacity shortfalls before problems affect end users. Real-time performance dashboards let you meet service-level agreements (SLAs) by pinpointing building performance issues before end users notice. Optimise your infrastructure for effi ciency and minimise risk of performance across your entire infrastructure, both virtual and physical.

• Self-learning performance analytics and dynamic thresholds adapt to the environment to simplify operations management and eliminate false alerts

• Integrated smart alerts for health, performance and capacity degradation identify building performance problems before they affect end users

• Advanced capacity analytics enable administrators to optimise virtual-machine density and identify capacity shortfalls before they affect end users

• Real-time, integrated dashboards of performance, capacity and confi guration change events enable a proactive management approach and help ensure that SLAs are met

• Policy-based confi guration management ensures compliance across all aspects of the datacenter infrastructure, including virtual and physical resources

Automated Operations Management for Virtual and Clo ud Infrastructure

VMware vCenter Operations Mana gement Suite

• Automated correlation of health, performance and change events at the infrastructure and guest operating system level help pinpoint lingering performance problems

• Automated rollback and remediation of confi guration changes enable administrators to enforce IT policieschanges enable administrators to enforce IT policies

• Flexible capacity and cost-reporting capabilities provide • Flexible capacity and cost-reporting capabilities provide deep visibility into resource consumption trendsdeep visibility into resource consumption trends

• Automated provisioning and confi guration analysis detects • Automated provisioning and confi guration analysis detects unwanted changes and helps IT maintain continuous unwanted changes and helps IT maintain continuous


disaster recovery

ReliableDR works by collaborating with the various physical and virtual infrastructure components (hypervisors, storage, replication, snapshots etc.) in order to orchestrate and establish coherent and dependency-aware IT Service recovery policies. These policies can be set by IT or business management and are enforced automatically, through a closed-loop mechanism, that rectifi es confi guration drift and identifi es threats to recovery as soon as they occur.

introducingVirtualSharp

Why VirtualSharp ReliableDR• IT Service Oriented

- Designed from the ground up to support complex, multitier business applications and their interdependencies- Enables IT Service RPO and RTO SLAs to be set by policy, measuring and enforcing compliance - Reports SLA deviation via web dashboard, email & SNMP

• Fully Automated - Enables continuous, non-disruptive DR testing (hourly, daily, weekly) - Enables server, application and IT Service failover, failback or rollback, at the push of a button - No software agents are required in the production site

• Application-Aware - Snapshots, DR testing & recovery guarantee that critical components are always fully recoverable - Out-of-the-box DR testing for Exchange, SharePoint, SQL, IIS, Oracle, MySQL, Apache etc

• Flexibility - Supports mixed physical and virtual environments - Scales from small IT environments to large datacenters - Provides freedom to use SAN or host based replication - Supports all Microsoft and Linux x86 applications

IT Systems & Operations ManagerSantalucia Insurance

VirtualSharp ReliableDR is unique. It has eliminated the need for manual DR testing & guarantees that our RPO & RTO for email & other business critical IT Services can always be met…whatever the scenario.

DRReliableReliableReliableReliable

ReliableDR works by collaborating with the various physical

ReliableDR is VirtualSharp Software’s fl agship product which enables

Virtual Data Centers (VDCs) to replace outdated or less than effective

legacy DR processes with frequent and iterative DR testing of IT services.

Unlike legacy DR tests, which are typically run once per year or at best

quarterly, ReliableDR enables DR

testing to be performed automatically,

on a daily or hourly basis.


ReliableDR is also fully application-aware and operates at the IT Service level, to test recovery in enclosed virtual containers. The certifi cation cycle is aligned with business policy; tests can go from a cursory heartbeat check and a web page access for a minor service, to complex queries and heavy transactions for critical production applications. Upon successful conclusion of tests, ReliableDR certifi es the recovery point and catalogs it.

Non Disruptive ReliableDR is entirely non-disruptive, as it operates from within the secondary site, freeing your production assets from the overhead typically associated with legacy DR. For instance, with ReliableDR, you could move your existing backup and recovery processes to your secondary site and only perform the backup, once ReliableDR has fully certifi ed that the system you’re backing up, will be fully recoverable.

Why ReliableDR? - Containing RiskThe spectrum of IT risk scenarios is broad and constantly widening. Newer, more intelligent infrastructures are driving a sharp increase in confi guration changes at virtual datacenters. Their sheer volume, easily reaching thousands per month, makes it all but impossible to predict, evaluate, manage and control the risk exposure of individual changes.

Not only is the infrastructure vastly more dynamic, but application complexity is also increasing geometrically, as the number of individual components that collaborate in the provision of each IT Service continues to expand. This growing interdependence fuels risk, as an individual component failure may have a severe knock-on or cascade effect on critical IT services. Recovery assurance cannot be provided solely through instrumentation or thoughtful and thorough architectural choices. Frequent and iterative failover testing across datacenters is the only way to certify the recoverability of critical IT services and contain risk.

information visit www.bytes.co.uk or to purchaseVirtualSharp products, call your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

for more...

Backup & Restore to the Rescue? Traditional backup is a 30-year old technology originally designed to copy blocks of data from expensive disk to cheap tape, and to keep track of their location. Application architectures were monolithic, deployed in mainframes with rigid and predictable change and confi guration management systems. Applications and systems are signifi cantly more complicated today. N-tier models, composite applications and Service Oriented Architectures (SOA), a multiplicity of operating systems and middleware, plus frequent and automated updating have resulted in application architectures with hundreds or thousands of constantly changing components.

In these environments, a daily backup routine is simply inadequate to assure disaster recovery. Backups are very time consuming to recover from, and components get easily out of sync with one another, particularly when backup jobs fail or fi nish with errors.

Replication to the Rescue? Replication can deliver signifi cant advantages over backup and is progressively replacing it as the underlying technology for disaster recovery/prevention.

However, replication alone cannot transform recovery objectives into recovery guarantees. For instance, when you have a physical failure during a replication process, your secondary copies can become inconsistent or corrupted. Evidently this can happen precisely when disaster strikes, and would require manual intervention in the secondary site in order to fi x the failing components before the IT services can be restored. Not an ideal scenario by any measure.

Furthermore, replication is a block-level technology that has no understanding of applications or services. A logical disaster, such as database corruption or malware, can be quickly and effi ciently replicated from primary to secondary sites, effectively creating two disasters instead of one!

In summary, in today’s highly competitive and compliance focused world, legacy backup and replication technologies do not adequately support the needs of today’s service-oriented datacenters. DR orchestration closes the gap and enables IT organisations to deliver IT as a Service with confi dence. Designed from the ground up for virtual datacenters, ReliableDR has a modular, extensible plug-in architecture and currently supports VMware ESX v3.5, vSphere 4.x & 5.x environments, as well as the majority of mid-range and enterprise class storage platforms from EMC, NetApp, HP, IBM, HDS, Dell, DataCore, FalconStor and so on.

Reliable DR Recovery Dashboard

DR


the enterprise will slowly transfer from on premise supremacy to a dominant position in the cloud.

One of the reasons we think that goes back to the idea that businesses will not leap into cloud email, but rather will hedge their bets for a while, running hybrid environments and testing out what is a relatively unproven platform while keeping the majority of their email users on premise.

The Great Migration Rush is onLooking specifi cally at the legal sector for a moment, in the fi rst half of 2011 the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) ran a survey of its membership on plans for migration to Exchange. Out of 450 respondents, most were predictably running either Exchange 2003 or 2007, but the staggering statistics were that 78% planned to migrate to Exchange 2010, and 63% were planning to do so in the next twelve months.

Mimecast recently released the results of our own survey, where we commissioned Loudhouse Research

email strategy

In the last edition of the Bytes magazine, we talked about the implications of Microsoft’s commitment to the cloud, and stressed that moving to the cloud is not an all or nothing decision.

Since then, of course, Offi ce 365 has been launched and the hype has reached fever pitch. The media, and indeed an infl uential analyst or two, would now have us believe that it’s all-out war between Google and Microsoft in the battle for cloud email. Well, we don’t see it that way.

First of all, cloud email in the enterprise is in its infancy, and currently represents no more than 4% of the market according to recent Gartner research1. Google’s share is at around 1%. So it’s a nascent market, which is clearly going to grow quite rapidly over the next few years. Gartner estimates cloud email will be 20% of the market by the end of 2016 and 55% by the end of 2020. It’s reasonable to assume that Google will work hard to earn a chunk of that burgeoning opportunity, but our view is that Microsoft’s superior track record in

The Role of the Cloud in Keeping your Data Safe and your End Users happy

Businesses have plenty

of options available to

them and can adopt

cloud computing in

their own time, or

keep their servers on

premise, or indeed opt

for hosted Exchange as

an interim measure.

Or they can deploy a

combination of the

above.

MIGRAT IONJustin PirieDirector of Content and Communities, Mimecast.

the great email

1 Gartner, August, 2011, Matt Cain.


The Role of the Cloud in Keeping your Data Safe and your End Users happy

to poll 500 IT decision makers in the UK, US and South Africa. We were looking to see if the ILTA numbers were refl ective of a more internationally dispersed and industry-agnostic sample. We also wanted to fi nd out more about the decision making processes around a planned migration and the concerns IT people had around migrating data to a new email platform.

The Loudhouse research paints a picture that’s entirely consistent with the ILTA poll. 77% of companies surveyed are planning to upgrade their email system in the next two years, but 57% will be making the move in the next 12 months. Exchange 2010 is the most popular platform, with around 62% of the vote, some choosing hosted Exchange (21%), whilst 13% are planning to move to Offi ce 365. Around one in ten IT managers have yet to decide, perhaps feeling the risks outweigh the benefi ts (wrongly, in our view), or potentially waiting until Exchange 2013 comes along.

Lots of data is being moved too. 65% of businesses will be moving over 100GB and around 36% will move over 500GB. And this is where our respondents started to worry, as potential data loss was cited by 52% of companies as being a concern, closely followed by downtime.

The RisksGiven the changes introduced in Exchange 2010, and for that matter Exchange 2007, it’s likely that IT departments are planning new hardware for their upgraded Exchange platform; which also means physically moving systems and data as part of the migration. That explains why data loss and system downtime scored so highly in our research. Supporting applications are due to be upgraded too, so adding further complexity to the process as well as increased risk. Most of our respondents said the move would take less than a day, but some are expecting their migration to last more than a week. Disruption and downtime is something all IT departments try to avoid so users productivity is not adversely affected which is holding back migrations.

Mimecast is already right in the midst of the ‘Big Migration,’ helping companies effectively de-risk the project from start to fi nish. We do this initially by dealing with your ‘big data’, moving your existing mail store into our cloud email archive. This makes your Exchange platform much easier to migrate and in a much smaller time frame. Subsequently, we can also protect against the possibility of outage or downtime during the migration, by deploying the Mimecast email continuity service alongside the email archiving.

Mimecast’s email continuity will protect your organisation during, and after, the inevitable migration project by acting as an always-on primary email server in the event your core Exchange services are unavailable. Deploying Mimecast email continuity before the Exchange migration takes place ensures time is available to train users and plan for outages when the migration project gets underway.

In short, migration does not need to be a headache. By working with a reputable cloud vendor, particularly in terms of archiving your mail stores before you migrate, you’ve effectively taken out the best form of insurance cover. And after that, it’s all upside.

MIGRAT ION Getting Cloud Ready? See how Mimecast Augments Offi ce 365:

• Uptime: Microsoft offers a 99.9% uptime SLA, which equates to 8.76 hours of downtime a year. Mimecast Unifi ed Email Management (UEM) extends the uptime SLA to 100% offering the customer the opportunity to reduce RPO times for email to near-zero.

• Migration support: Mailbox migrations from on-premise Exchange to Offi ce 365 servers can be carried out behind Mimecast’s ‘layer’ of email continuity, so end users are completely unaffected by this migration. Indeed, most are unaware of any change.

• Cloud support: By providing a full Mimecast UEM level of service as part of this product, the customer can run any variation of Exchange from any location. So Mimecast’s bridgehead in the cloud can support delivery to both on-premise and cloud Exchange servers, as well as movement between the two, as part of a cloud migration.

• Email portability: Allowing Exchange co-existence means organisations can treat email as a portable service, moving with ease from on-premise services to Offi ce 365, as well as from non-Microsoft services to Offi ce 365.

• Extended security functionality: Mimecast UEM for Microsoft Offi ce 365 allows organisations to extend their email gateway controls to include DLP, Email Encryption (TLS and CCM) and large attachment handling (Offi ce 365 limit is 25MB).

• Extending archiving functionality: Offi ce 365 provides 25GB mailboxes online, whereas Mimecast allows customers to extend their mailboxes beyond these limits and store email data in a single federated secure archive.

Information about Mimecast,please speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

for more...


We’ve listed a small selection of some of the events being run or attended by our manufacturers in 2012. These events offer a perfect opportunity to meet the experts and also to network and swap ideas with peers. If you would like details of any other manufacturer events not listed here, please speak to your Bytes account manager who will be happy to assist you.

manufacturersmeet the

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

Best of Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) UK 2012Learn about 2012’s exciting wave of Microsoft Private Cloud product launches and announcements – starting with the release of System Center 2012. The Best of MMS 2012 is an opportunity to interact with Microsoft & Bytes at ONE of THREE events:

8th May, Manchester10th May, Reading17th May, London

To register visit www.bytes.co.uk/events

Vision 2012: Las Vegas 7-10th May, Barcelona 9-11th October 2012 What powers your IT career? If the answer includes deep technical knowledge, up-close access to experts, and productive connections with your peers, you won’t want to miss Symantec Vision 2012. This event offers hands-on labs, technical breakouts, in-depth training, and one-on-one time with Symantec engineers and product experts. You’ll leave the event with the knowledge, relationships, and inspiration you need to solve tough new IT challenges, squeeze even more value from your Symantec investment, and move your IT organisation toward a successful, productive future.For information on both events: www.symantec.com/vision/

Citrix Synergy 2012: San Francisco 9-11th May, Barcelona 17-19th October 2012Citrix Synergy Barcelona is the leading conference on business and IT transformation in the cloud era. Attendees will learn how cloud computing, virtualisation, networking and collaboration technologies provide greater freedom and choice to users, greater simplicity and effi ciency to IT and increased agility to organizations of all sizes. To fi nd out more about both events: www.citrixsynergy.com/sanfrancisco/2012_preview.html

Oracle OpenWorld 2012: September 30th - October 4th 2012, San FranciscoYou’re sure to discover new ways to optimise your systems, new solutions that will help you take your business to the next level, and new practices that will make you more successful in your job and in your industry.To register: www.oracle.com/openworld/register/packages/index.html

VMworld 2012: San Francisco, 27th - 30th August, Barcelona 9th-11th October 2012Learn about the latest virtualisation technologies and strategies which can help your organisation realise its’ vision for a cloud computing approach to IT.To pre-register interest: www.vmworld.com/community/conference/pre-reg

There are too many IBM events to list individually here, but for the comprehensive catalogue sorted by topic visit: www-950.ibm.com/events/

InfoSecurity 2012: 24-26th April 2012,Earls Court LondonInfosecurity Europe is the only European event that enables industry professionals to gather vital information about the latest trends and developments in IT security, exchange ideas and shop for products and services to create security solutions. Bringing together hundreds of providers showcasing the latest product and service solutions in the ever-changing IT security arena, Infosecurity Europe provides a leading platform for organisations to address constantly evolving security issues.For full details: www.infosec.co.uk/

IP Expo: 17-18th October 2012, Earls Court, LondonIP Expo is the biggest end-to-end IT infrastructure event in the UK. It receives visitors from both the private and public sectors and due to the quality of the keynote speakers and exhibitors, it’s of particular interest to those at board level, and those involved in IT stragety, management, implementation and infrastructure.For more information visit: http://ipexpo.co.uk/


backup

As you continue your journey into the world of virtualisation, new challenges around running your virtual setup may soon become apparent. Virtualising your servers to reduce cost is the fi rst step. However what comes next?

Server virtualisation has been a compelling event for organisations of all sizes to rethink their data protection and disaster recovery (DR) strategies. Many companies have realised that having a server backup and disaster recovery plan built specifi cally for virtual environments is essential. Making existing processes or technologies for the physical world fi t the virtual world, often results in organisations not being able to take full advantage and utilise the benefi ts of a virtual environment.

Deliver a Different ApproachAdvances in technology, break through the barriers of traditional backup and recovery processes and enable your infrastructure to deliver the higher heights of virtualisation. Make the vision become a reality with a backup and replication processes that deliver instant restore of an entire machine

Virtualising your servers to reduce cost is the fi rst step of virtualisation.

Next, you need to ensure the VMs are protected and your disaster

recovery strategies are intact. However,

without a solution specifi cally built to

leverage this disruptive technology,

IT is forced to use backup tools built

for the physical world.

in a matter of minutes; recovers individual objects from any virtualised application and automatically provides trusted verifi cation of every backup.

Mazda Zoom-Zooms With Virtual Machine Backups in Half the TimeThe Business Challenge The IT team for Mazda North American Operations oversees the main data center at the company’s headquarters and nine small data centers across North America. The team supports internal business functions and employees, as well as 20,000 users at Mazda dealerships. Tasked by the CIO to improve effi ciency and reduce costs within the IT infrastructure, the IT team adopted

are yourbuilt for your virtualised environment?

Backup toolsBackup toolsare yourBackup toolsare yourbuilt for your virtualised environment?

Backup toolsa “virtualise fi rst” strategy. “Our goal is to virtualise all tier one applications to simplify disaster recovery and reduce storage costs,” said Kai Sookwongse, Department Manager, Enterprise Infrastructure Services for Mazda North American Operations.

About 80% of the infrastructure was virtualised by early 2011, which included 34 VMware ESX hosts running on Dell servers and hundreds of virtual machines (VMs). When conventional agent-based backups of the VMs proved to be long and laborious, the team searched for a virtualisation-specifi c solution. “Conventional backups put a load on the server, which taxed I/O throughout,” said Barry Blakeley, Infrastructure Architect for Mazda North American Operations. “You don’t see those problems in a physical environment, but lots of VMs on a single host with limited bandwidth results in excessive backup windows.”

The team identifi ed several backup solutions and focused on the following criteria during the testing process: backup speed; database


contact Bytes on 020 8786 1500 to receive your free 30 Day Trial of Veeam Backup & Replication or visit www.bytes.co.uk/vendors

trial today...

Veeam provides far more capabilities than the other solutions. First of all, it’s really fast. Before Veeam, a full backup of the SAP database used by our accounting team took 16 hours to complete. It only took eight hours with Veeam. That kind of speed also enables fast incremental backups of that database twice a day, with no impact on users

consistency during backups; multiple restore capabilities; point-in-time recovery; replication to complement the company’s co-location strategy for disaster recovery; data de-duplication to reduce backup storage requirements; and the ability to target any storage device.

The Veeam Solution The IT team chose Veeam Backup & Replication™. “It was an easy choice because Veeam provides far more

capabilities than the other solutions,” Barry said. “First of all, it’s really fast. Before Veeam, a full backup of the SAP database used by our accounting team took 16 hours to complete. It only took eight hours with Veeam. That kind of speed also enables fast incremental backups of that database twice a day, with no impact on users.”

Database-consistent backups are also very important to Mazda’s IT team. Veeam Backup & Replication leverages Microsoft Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) functionality to ensure consistent backups of the applications within Mazda’s VMs. “Veeam is the only solution to support VSS correctly because it uses its own VSS driver,” Barry said. “This provides database-consistent backups, not just crash-consistent backups.”

Veeam Backup & Replication also enables multiple restore scenarios from a single backup, which is key for the IT team. “We need the ability to restore at the VMDK, fi le and VM levels,” Barry explained. “And on top

of that, we need to be able to do point-in-time recovery of full systems across multiple volumes.”

Replication is key for Mazda’s IT team as well. “Veeam provides two-in-one backup and replication, which is a huge plus,” Kai said. “The ability to replicate data to a co-location site for DR is in our future. Perhaps we’ll do this with Mazda Canada, making it cost-effi cient for both companies.”

Another way the IT team addresses

the company’s cost-savings initiative is by taking advantage of Veeam’s data de-duplication functionality. “We’re seeing great compression numbers—sometimes up to 100 percent, which results in sizeable savings in storage costs each year,” Kai added. “We’re also glad that Veeam gives us fl exibility with storage hardware. We consistently evaluate the best products for our IT environment and business model, and since Veeam can target any storage device, we’ll have fl exible storage options in the future.”

“That fl exibility counts for a lot,” Barry added. “Plus, we don’t want to use the storage vendor’s snapshot technology. We just want to do straight VDMKs because that’s best to support our biggest databases. It’s pretty simple: we want storage from our storage vendors and software from our backup vendor.”

The Results Decreases backup window by 50%Before the IT team at Mazda North American Operations deployed Veeam Backup & Replication, a full backup of a SAP database took 16 hours to complete. With Veeam, a one-time full backup took eight hours. Now the team relies on incremental backups of that database, which are fast and don’t impact users.

Ensures database-consistent backups When compared to other virtualisation-specifi c backup products, Veeam Backup & Replication provides the most complete implementation of VSS support, ensuring database-consistent backups, not just crash-consistent backups. Veeam enables multiple restore scenarios as well. That means the IT team can restore at multiple levels and restore points from a single image-level backup.

Reduces IT infrastructure operating costs Mazda’s IT team is always looking for ways to reduce IT infrastructure costs. For example, Veeam’s data de-duplication functionality saves the company a signifi cant amount in backup storage costs each year. Since Veeam Backup & Replication is storage-agnostic, team members can change storage devices if they fi nd more cost-effective hardware. Another way the IT team will save money is through Veeam’s replication capability because Mazda North American Operations is planning a co-location strategy for disaster recovery and business continuity.

results


security

how tosecureSymantec MessageLabs

Instant Messaging Security.cloud helps companies that communicate

externally using Unifi ed Communications and Instant Messaging platforms to

meet the challenges of compliance and network security.

Symantec Message Labs Instant Messaging Security.cloud scans messages and attachments for malware, blocks malicious URL links, helps protect against data loss and logs messages to aid with compliance.

As a cloud based service, there is no hardware and minimal software enabling rapid deployment and low ongoing maintenance. Administration is via an easy to use Web-based portal where acceptable use policies can be created at group or individual user level and a wide range of reporting features are available.

Instant Messaging Security.cloud provides a comprehensive, cost-effective suite of leading-edge capabilities which help to maximise the return on investment of Microsoft

Offi ce Communications Server and Lync Server deployments by providing security and control for external communications. The service also provides integration with selected Public IM services.

Service set up and confi guration

MessageLabs Instant Messaging Security.cloud is a cloud based service that is quick and easy to install and requires minimal ongoing maintenance. The following is an overview of the main steps typically required to set up and deploy the service, the actual set up process will depend on each customer’s confi guration.

Initial confi gurationLog into the management portal ClientNet using the credentials provided by Symantec.cloud. Under “IM Routes”, enter the start and end IP

your Microsoft OCS or Lync 2010 messaging platforms.

Customer

MessageLabs Instant Messaging Security.cloud is a cloud based service that is quick and easy to install and requires minimal ongoing maintenance. The following is an overview of the main steps typically required to set up and deploy the service, the actual set up process

Customer

Edge Server

Lync FE

Remote user Public IM Clients

Federated partner

Edge Server

Lync FE

IMS.cloud for Microsoft OCS and Lync - service overview diagram


how tosecure

information on this article or your security requirementsplease speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

further...

Key Features and Benefi tsContent Control & Disclaimers Allows rapid creation of an AUP governing UC and IM

use at group or individual user level to assist IT with enforcing appropriate use of messaging systems to reduce data loss.

Helps meet regulatory compliance by logging transcripts of messages. Optional archiving feature with e-Discovery capabilities is available for organisations with more stringent compliance needs.

Helps to protect your organisation from threats delivered over UC and IM networks by scanning messages and fi le attachments for malware using proven Skeptic technology.

Examines URL links contained in messages and blocks access to the Website if the link is found to be malicious

No on-premise hardware and minimal software allows rapid deployment and low ongoing maintenance

Saves administrator time and resources by enabling group data to be kept up to date easily.

Provides visibility, accountability and confi dence in the service’s effectiveness.

When used with MessageLabs Email Security.cloud and MessageLabs Web Security.cloud services, helps provide protection and control over email, Web and UC/IM communications with easy administration from one portal

Message Logging and optionalarchiving

Malicious URL Filtering

Cloud based solution

Directory Synchronisation

Dashboard & Reporting

Integrated messaging security and control

Malware Protection - Skeptic

IMS.cloud for Microsoft OCS and Lync - ClientNet Management Portal

ranges of your Lync edge servers, one for each instance. Firewall block rules also need to be in place to ensure that connections to and from edge servers only come via Symantec.cloud IP ranges.

Setting up federated domainsEach Federated partner is added to the ‘allow’ list in the Lync 2010 control panel, just as if IMS.cloud were not present. In the Lync Command Shell enter a command containing the Outbound FQDN supplied by the Symantec.cloud provisioning team. A list of Federated partners is sent to Symantec.cloud for provisioning.

Setting up roaming accessTo enable roaming users, an SRV record is created that points to the Roaming FQDN which will have been provided to you by Symantec.cloud.

Securing public IM traffi cIf you wish to confi gure IMS.cloud to secure Public IM traffi c, your PIC provisioning can be completed according to the instructions provided by Microsoft. Where the Microsoft documentation references the “Access Edge service fully qualifi ed domain name” you will substitute the Inbound FQDN supplied by Symantec.cloud.

Confi guring the IMS.cloud service featuresOnce you have established connectivity to IMS.cloud from your network, log into the management portal ClientNet and confi gure the features of IMS.cloud (threat control, content control rules, disclaimers, users and groups, logging and reporting) to suit your organisation.

Supported platforms• Microsoft Offi ce Communications

Server 2007R2• Microsoft Lync Server 2010• Microsoft Windows Live Messenger• Yahoo! Messenger• AOL IM 5.9.


Software vendors offer a

huge range of products and

solutions on a try before

you buy basis, below is a

small selection of some of

the most popular:

Beforebuy

tryYOU the most popular:

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

You have to register to get access to their free software, but once you have completed the form you will have access to a range of their products. To register visit: www.appsense.com/evaluate.aspx

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

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

Kaspersky offers 30 day trials for several of its products across the small offi ce, business and corporate spectrum.www.kaspersky.co.uk/trials

To trial a broad selection of Microsoft software including WebMatrix and Internet Explorer 9 visit: www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/default.aspx

For a free trial of Offi ce356 visit: www.bytes.co.uk/software-services/cloud/

Try LANDesk’s top selling products before you buy them or read what analysts have to say about LANDesk.www.landesk.com/downloads/

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

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

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

Offers a comprehensive range of trialware on its site:www.symantec.com/en/uk/business/products/downloads/index.jsp

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

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

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

Offers a free download of an abridged version of Veeam Reporter at: www.veeam.com/vmware-esx-reporter-free.html and also Veam Monitor at: www.veeam.com/esxi-monitoring-free.html


Rik FergusonDirector Security Research & Communication

EMEA Trend Micro

As the smartphone and tablet, running iOS, Android and possibly soon Windows Phone7, become tools of choice for the mobile corporate employee; data and systems are increasingly mobile, less centrally managed and traditional security architecture becomes more fragmented. These same factors are also contributing to the steady erosion of the attractive monoculture of Microsoft Windows as an everyday operating system, for so long the dominant enterprise platform.

The monoculture was attractive for two important reasons; fi rstly it is easier to manage and protect a single platform through a single management infrastructure. This meant that the establishment of a “standard operating environment” was simpler and the maintenance of that environment from a confi guration and patching point of view was also relatively unifi ed. Secondly, monocultures are also attractive to criminals and others of dubious intent for a number of reasons. Most obvious is the return on investment, malware developed for a dominant platform has the highest possible fi nancial return as the attack surface is exponentially larger. Also with regard to more targeted attacks the initial footprinting of the victim is simplifi ed when you can make educated assumptions about operating systems and browsers that will be prevalent within the target

security

The increase in workforce mobility, the adoption of

virtualisation and cloud computing and the growing

acceptance of “Bring Your Own Device” in the enterprise

are all forces contributing to the erosion of the established

enterprise security model.

organisation and repackage “off-the-shelf” malware toolkits.

So what of the future? Server virtualisation is already fi rmly entrenched and many enterprises are well on the way to the establishment of private clouds within their own data centres. Enterprises and small businesses alike see the commercial and operational benefi ts offered by the public cloud model, whether that be through the Software as a Service model of Google Apps or companies like Salesforce.com or the Infrastructure as a Service offering of the likes of Amazon. Desktop virtualisation is also beginning to gain ground as technology from the likes of Vmware and Citrix is proven to be up to the task. Data storage is increasingly centralised and mobile at the same time because the centralisation is happening with private, hybrid or public clouds.

The means of accessing our desktop operating systems, our corporate resources and data is fragmenting, there may well be no dominant endpoint platform within the next fi ve years. Enterprise security planning will focus on a new monoculture for

futureof enterprise security

the

Enterprise security planning will focus on a new monoculture for manageability and scalability and criminals will follow the money, seeking the biggest bang for the buck for the lowest investment cost.

manageability and scalability and criminals will follow the money, seeking the biggest bang for the buck for the lowest investment cost. The new monoculture will be in the clouds, public and private.

Enterprises need to start planning now to deploy tools and technologies to ensure the clouds they build are as secure on the inside as their traditional data centres used to be on the outside. Public cloud customers need to begin considering host-proof security, effectively segmenting their data and systems away from their untrusted neighbours within the same data centre and even multi-departmental private clouds need to ensure that their Chinese Walls remain in place in this new environment. Data centres will become the new criminal frontier and the potential consequences of compromise could be as devastating as the criminal rewards are tempting

information on Trend Micro, please speakto your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500.

further...


interview

in thehotseathotseathotseatin thehotseatin theIn a nutshell what does your current job entail? I am Responsible for the management and strategy of all Symantec’s Managed Channel Partners (21) through a team of 9 Partner Account Managers. I also have responsibility for our Broadline and Value Add Distribution Channels, managed through 3 Distribution Account Managers. Our partner community is extremely important to the Symantec business, and partners are fi rmly viewed as an extension to our organisation so we work hard to get this relationship right for all concerned.

What do you think was the single biggest & most benefi cial infl uence on IT in the last 20 years and why? Mobile Technology – SMART Phones, iPads etc – we can now all operate “on the move” which has changed how we all work.

What do you think will be the next ‘big thing’ in IT & why? I’m not convinced that there will be any “Big Thing(s)” just continual improvement in what is here today – faster, cheaper, more effi cient....

What piece of technology could you not live without & why? My BlackBerry – not having access to E-Mail when out of the Offi ce is no

longer acceptable

As a child what did you want to be when you grew up? An airline pilot. International travel has always appealed and getting paid to do it seemed like a good idea!

What was your fi rst job? I worked in the City (London) for a Marine Insurance Company.

What was your fi rst job in IT& what year? 1977 – Working for a German Company that provided specialist equipment for the Semiconductor Industry.

In honour of Bytes’ 30th Birthday ....What is your best memory of 1982? My wife fell pregnant with our fi rst child.

What is your current job title? Director Channel Sales, Symantec

Glenn Graham Director Channel Sales, Symantec

What piece of technology could you not live without & why? My BlackBerry – not having access to E-Mail when out of the Offi ce is no

longer acceptable


If you could have lunch with three famous people past or present who would you choose & why? I’d have quite an eclectic mix – Firstly Jimi Hendrix as I’d like to know what inspired him to write and play such wonderful riffs. Next, Julius Caesar so I could ask him why he thought the Roman Empire collapsed and what he would have done differently given the chance. Finally, Charles Darwin - to fi nd out how he felt about being described as one of the most infl uential fi gures in human history and who he thought should hold the title.

What was the last book you read? Micro – by Michael Crichton. According to the cover review: “An instant classic, “Micro” pits nature against technology in vintage Crichton fashion. Completed by visionary science writer Richard Preston, this boundary-pushing thriller melds scientifi c fact with pulse-pounding fi ction to create yet another masterpiece of sophisticated, cutting-edge entertainment.” My review would be “Gulliver’s Travels Meets Bill Gates….”

What is your favourite TV Programme? Top Gear. Their website also has 100s of car reviews as well as all the comedy stuff: www.topgear.com

What is your greatest achievement? Achieving my MBA – A LOT of hard work and effort, but ultimately rewarding. I have implemented much of what I learned and developed during the course throughout my working life and am sure that it has benefi ted my career. I also met some great people during the process who have remained friends.

What are your hobbies? Guitar, reading, fi ne dining, long walks, riding my Harley Davidson.

If you were given a month off and the money for the fares and accommodation, where in the world would you go and why?New Zealand – on a Harley Davidson, from one end to the other (both Islands) I’m told the scenery is beautiful, and the roads are empty (great for Biking) the thought of all those fabulous roads and wonderful views would make the holiday to remember....

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fi ctional - with whom would it be and why?Joe Satriani – THE best guitarist since Jimi Hendrix – just being able to play the instrument to the level he does, whilst playing in front of huge stadiums, holding people’s attention, really would be a fantastic feeling, such talent.....

Do you have a favourite saying or motto, if so what is it? Life is too short....

What and where is your favourite restaurant?El Bulli - Montjol Spain - Owner Ferran Adria continues to tear up the fi ne dining rule book, the food that often defi es description, and maybe even defi es the laws of physics too, just so good!

What is your favourite biscuit& why? Anything with chocolate on it. Why? ...Because it’s got chocolate on it – surely that’s reason enough!

What would be your 8 ‘desert island discs’? In no particular order – and this is almost impossible for me as I have such an eclectic mix of music

1. Teen Town – Weather Report – Jaco Pastorius at his best

2. Always with you, Always with me – Joe Satriani – fi rst track of his I ever heard – to be played at my funeral....

3. A Piece of Time – Andy Summers – a track I found on my iPod that I didn’t even know I had, and loved it...

4. Black Lace Shoulder – Metro – fi rst heard this when sat in my 1st Flat back in 1975 – Leamington Spa

5. I talk to the wind – King Crimson – the most memorable Album (in appearance) that I remember buying in London in 1970

6. Andare – Ludovico Einaudi – just so melodic to listen to 1st heard on Classic FM...

7. Palladio (1st Movement) – just builds and builds and makes the hairs on the back of your head etc....

8. Lila’s dance – Mahavishnu Orchestra – this group kept me sane when the world of music went pear shaped in the mid 1970’s

If you were asking the questions for this piece, what single question would you ask? What have you enjoyed about working in this industry?

....and what is your answer to the above question? – working with all the wonderful people (especially in Bytes).

Glenn Graham Director Channel Sales, Symantec

If you could have lunch with If you could have lunch with

Do you have a favourite saying or motto, if so what is it? Life is too short....

What and where is your favourite restaurant?El Bulli - Montjol Spain - Owner Ferran Adria continues to tear up the fi ne dining rule book, the food that often defi es description, and maybe even defi es the laws of physics too, just so good!


commercial organisations around the globe. This is not an exhaustive analysis of each of the 10 topics, but rather a short synopsis of the topics, various use cases, key concepts, and references to our Security Connected Reference Architecture that provide details on solutions, technology modules, best practices, and implementation guides.

Top 10 security topics every executive should know:

• Opportunistic Attacks

• Targeted Attacks

• Protecting Virtualised Environments

• Enabling the Consumerisation of IT

• Leveraging Cloud Technologies Securely

• Facilitating Safe Web 2.0

• Protecting Information

• Securing the Modern Data Center

• Security Alignment as a Business Enabler

• Reducing Complexity and Chaos While Achieving Connectedness.

The Top 10 security topics guide can be downloaded from www.mcafee.com/securityconnected.

Addressing threats, trends, and business priorities requires a connected security strategy that protects the ubiquity of your IT infrastructure. From opportunistic and targeted attacks to emerging technologies and leveraging security as a strategic business differentiator, having a connected security strategy that not only bridges the technology gaps, but also business priorities, can

Gartner’s 2011 CIO Agenda Survey noted that by 2014, CIOs say their focus will move from process improvement and reducing enterprise costs to enterprise growth, improving operations, and attracting and retaining new customers. Supporting and enabling both business and security must be an integral component of a CIO’s overall IT strategy.

In parallel, the threat landscape is changing faster than most IT organisations can cope with. The delicate balance of enabling the business and keeping it secure requires executives to stay informed about these changes so that they can consider them when making decisions.

The Security Connected approach from McAfee is a framework for integrating multiple products, services, and partnerships to provide centralised, effi cient, and effective risk mitigation. With more than two decades of experience, we continue to help organisations of all sizes, all segments, and across all geographies increase their security posture, optimise security for greater cost effectiveness, and align security strategically with business initiatives. The Security Connected approach from McAfee delivers security that provides ubiquitous protection for your IT infrastructure.

A guide has been created by McAfee identifying the top 10 security topics to educate and inform. It is based on feedback from McAfee customers across various government and

positively impact a business success in a competitive environment.

Many organisations will likely relate to several, if not most of these topics, but there are other very important subjects that have not been addressed. If you would like to discuss these and other related security topics to better understand our position and get more details about the Security Connected Reference Architecture from McAfee, please visit www.mcafee.com/Securityconnected.

The Security Connected framework from McAfee enables integration of multiple products, services, and partnerships for centralised, effi cient, and effective risk mitigation. Built on more than two decades of proven security practices, the Security Connected approach helps organisations of all sizes and segments - across all geographies - improve security postures, optimise security for greater cost effectiveness, and align security strategically with business initiatives. The Security Connected Reference Architecture provides a concrete path from ideas to implementation. Use it to adapt the Security Connected concepts to your unique risks, infrastructure, and business objectives. McAfee is relentlessly focused on fi nding new ways to keep our customers safe.

Optimise your businessOrganisations are constantly and rapidly evolving. According to a recent Gartner report, CIOs are transitioning from managing resources to demonstrating value in business terms.

Information about McAfee, please speak to your Bytes accountmanager on 020 8786 1500.

for more...

security

Optimise your businessOptimise your businessOptimise your businesssecurity connected:


applications

Comprehensive approach to securityWhile reducing costs is always an IT priority, security is not the place to compromise. Adobe invests heavily in providing comprehensive and proven security measures, including participating in the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP).

Adobe delivers software developed using industry best practices for application security. The Acrobat Family grants granular JavaScript execution control and tighter integration in both Windows® and Mac OS X environments. Today, Adobe Reader® X and Acrobat X, Version 10.1 are the only PDF desktop solutions that use the sandboxing security technique to protect systems and data.

Risk of data breach is also present at a document level. Because geographically dispersed teams are commonplace and include members from outside the fi rewall, IT must support collaboration while simultaneously mitigating risk to sensitive information. Acrobat X

includes a full spectrum of document security options, from basic password security to sophisticated document access control via Adobe LiveCycle® Rights Management ES2.

Ease of deployment and managementAdobe supports the widest range of deployment strategies, including Microsoft System Centre Confi guration Manager (SCCM), System Centre Updates Publisher (SCUP), Group Policy Objects with Active Directory, SMS, Apple Package Installer, and Remote Desktop. Because the Windows installer is based on standard Microsoft technology, Adobe installers are likely to work with most other Microsoft compatible deployment tools. In addition, support is available for common hosting environments such as Citrix Presentation Server, XenApp, and Windows Terminal Services.

Adobe provides detailed documentation of best practices for enterprise deployment of Acrobat X.Only Adobe offers free tools, such as the Customisation Wizard X andthe Adobe Administrator’s Information

Manager (AIM), to quickly confi gure the installer and application features prior to an enterprise-wide deployment.

Standards, compliance and reliable performanceCompliance with ISO document standards is more than a nice-to-have. Not meeting regulatory requirements for document submissions can cost organisations millions of dollars. For example, valuable information can be permanently lost without reliable retrieval. Only Acrobat allows employees to create documents that comply with ISO specifi cations, such as PDF/A and ISO 32000, as well as verify compliance and potentially correct compliance errors.

Adobe actively contributes to the evolution of the ISO standard so that the PDF format will continue to expand and meet future needs. Unlike Acrobat and Adobe Reader,® non-Adobe PDF tools often take years to implement the entire ISO PDF specifi cation. In most cases, alternatives do not alert the user that the document is not being displayed properly.

Acrobat customers worldwide benefi t from the most dependable PDF experience. Further, Adobe consistently provides backward compatibility. Kendall Whitehouse, senior director of advanced technology at the Wharton School, converted the school’s documents to Adobe PDF fi les in the early 1990s. “Most native

When selecting an enterprise PDF solution, there are many factors to consider. While perceived licence

savings are attractive, a sound decision weighs price against hidden costs and potential compromises to your business.

PDF solutionsTop IT considerations for


Most native application fi les are incompatible from version to version. But remarkably, Adobe PDF fi les created in 1993 look just as good today when opened with the current version of Acrobat or free Adobe Reader software

application fi les are incompatible from version to version. But remarkably, Adobe PDF fi les created in 1993 look just as good today when opened with the current version of Acrobat or free Adobe Reader software” reports Mr. Whitehouse.

Standardising on Acrobat avoids interoperability issues and formatting integrity problems that arise when consuming and working with cheaper alternatives to Adobe PDF fi les. The benefi t of avoiding these issues translates into fewer helpdesk costs and less risk of productivity stalls

Innovation, savings, productivityReliability goes beyond dependable software and support. Addressing the key concerns and needs of knowledge workers drives innovation at Adobe. For example, only Acrobat allows you to extend workfl ows to those outside of your organisation, without any additional cost to you or them, by extending functionality in the free Adobe Reader, software installed on 90% of Internet-connected computers.

Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) used Acrobat software to automate and accelerate its document delivery processes. Adopting a workfl ow based on PDF, JVC and four of its suppliers eliminated all paper-related costs and reduced the document exchange cycle by 75% to 95%. A process that previously took from 4 to 20 days now takes just 1 day.

Flexible solutions and extensive support ecosystemThere may be times when your organisation has specifi c needs or challenges that desktop software cannot deliver out of the box. Only Acrobat has afreely available and extensive software development kit (SDK) that allows you to integrate the software into existing systems to create even more powerful solutions. Further, many commercially available plug-ins for the Acrobat Family provide additional capabilities. Finally, a network of Adobe authorised trainers, developers, consultants, and online learning resources can help ensure your success quickly.

SharePoint successMaximise your Microsoft SharePoint investment by extending it as a secure and managed platform. Not only can users check in and check out PDF fi les from SharePoint - with no user confi guration required - but they can leverage SharePoint to enhance document review and data collection workfl ows.

Accessible electronic contentDo not assume all PDF fi les are the same. This is especially true in regards to accessibility for users who have diffi culty hearing, seeing, or making precise movements. Acrobat and Adobe Reader provide strong accessibility support for consuming and working with PDF documents

PDF solutionsTop IT considerations for

and forms. Only Acrobat empowers users to create, optimise, and validate document compliance with established specifi cations prior to distribution.

Why compromise?Adobe products are renowned for their performance and reliability, offering quality delivered out of the box that millions of customers around the world have come to trust and rely on. Licence fees are actually only a fraction of the total cost of software ownership. Although they initially appear to be a signifi cant portion of the cost, additional outlays for procuring and managing software can negate any up-front savings. How much quality is enough for your organisation in terms of the level of protection for data and systems and realising a return on your investment? By choosing Adobe, IT can support the way enterprise works today - and the way business will work in the future.

Information about Adobe, please speak to your Bytes accountmanager on 020 8786 1500.

for more...


BYTES SOFTWARE &LICENSING SERVICESUK and Global Software Licensing Experts

accurately predicted both now and years into the future. Bytes can make this a reality by analysing your IT infrastructure and comparing it to growing trends in the market, allowing us to recommend licensing agreements that are both cost-effi cient and fl exible enough to grow with your business.

Bytes International LicensingInternational companies with a global software requirement will benefi t from our specialist knowledge of international licensing. We are highly experienced in handling the myriad of different approaches to managing ICT systems internationally, helping you to overcome the technological and cultural barriers to local adoption. In order to gain you the best price possible, we can also use the foreign exchange markets to purchase the software in the most cost-effective currency.

The Bytes PortalEverything comes together through the BytesPortal, including:

The Service Desk – a quick and easy communication channel into Bytes.

Online Ordering – purchasing your software has never been easier, and the fl exible system is entirely tailored towards your company’s needs.

Contract and Maintenance Management – existing licences are tracked with a traffi c light system and warnings issued when the licence renewal dates are approaching. During each stage of the process the system feeds back information, which we can use to negotiate favourable rates for software renewals.

Bytes Software Licensing ServicesWith over 600 different vendors to choose from, and with over 20 years’ experience providing software solutions to businesses, Bytes is perfectly positioned to meet your software licensing needs. Amongst other benefi ts, Bytes utilise their purchasing power and strong relationships with software vendors to negotiate the best possible rates, whether it’s volume licensing or specialist software.

But we’re not simply about maximising your procurement budget. All of our team are experts in software licensing which enables us to provide you a truly focussed level of software licensing knowledge and support. We provide information about current software enhancements and

other announcements as they happen and can recommend the solutions from established and emerging technology vendors.

But of course, the key benefi t to you is how much we can save you. By analysing and assessing your current software usage (see our TLC offer below) we can re-shape your license model to fi t prevalent vendor discounting offers, and by using our intimate

knowledge of vendor license agreements we can maximise the right deal for all parties.

Imagine a situation in which your software

requirements are

Mandi NicholsonBytes Sales Director

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


BYTES SAM SERVICESSoftware Asset Management isn’t just about compliance, it’s importance in largecorporations for increasing performance and profi ts is becoming clear.

Software Asset Management has been a necessary consideration for large companies for the past ten years, and Bytes have been at the forefront of this industry since day one. Many companies claim to offer SAM, but very few prioritise it as a core service. We are a Microsoft Gold Partner for SAM and were instrumental in establishing the ISO19770 standard in 2007.

For companies that are using, or looking to use a Software Asset Management company, Bytes have three packages that will ensure your company is maximising the effi ciency of its software estate. Taking one package does not restrict you from utilising parts of another; in fact many of our clients will later pick and choose various products from within another service range because either their internal structure changes, or because they fi nd they waste less time, resources and money by outsourcing some of their SAM requirements to us.

1. A Software License Review: The fi rst package is a full software asset audit, which gives companies a clear picture of their current software portfolio status and a defi nitive account of software users. We can utilise your existing SAM software, such as Altiris, SCCM, Frontrange to name but a few, or we can use our own system to conduct the review. Fundamentally this package is designed for customers that need to inventory their software assets either for compliancy reasons, or to ensure they are making full use of their software investment. In both instances it is imperative that a completely accurate picture is generated from the audit, and Bytes will provide you with exactly that.

2. An Asset Management Platform:For a continual overview of your software portfolio, we can supply and implement one of the world’s most respected SAM platforms – Snow License Manager. Snow License Manager is fully ISO 19770 and ITIL compliant and comes highly recommend by us. This package principally involves supplying and implementing the software; however, we can also provide both technical support and assistance with system controls and data entry.

3. An Asset Management Service:For those who do not have the time or resources to manage their software portfolio, Bytes offer a fully managed SAM solution. From initial audit and installation of an Asset Management Platform, we can take total control over usage, licenses, vendor audits, procurement and end-of-life software. To augment this service we have created a bespoke online resource that allows you to monitor and control your software estate in real time. The Bytes Portal is easy to use, extremely practical and very cost-effective.

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

Chris HibbertBytes SAM General Manager

SNOW LICENSE MANAGER OFFER!

Bytes are currently offering a full 45 day trial ofour favourite Asset Management Platform so you can assess for yourself just how good it is.To fi nd out more on this offer, see the inside front cover


Bespoke training

If you need something that’s not ‘off the shelf’, let us know what you are looking for and we can put together a training solution to fi t. Whether it’s a mix of technologies and vendors or the need for tailored on-site or off-site courses we can help.

eLearning

The most cost and time effective method of on-line training available. Whether it’s standalone or as part of a blended training solution, eLearning courses can provide the most fl exible solution. All our eLearning courses are provided by our training solutions partner, Arc IT Training.

Training Budget Services

To help our customers maximise their training budgets, we offer a range of services designed to fi t a variety of budgets and payment systems. Prepayment discounting and price freezing along with prepayment budget management are some of the payment methods offered.

In 2010 Bytes organised 2,786 courses across 400 companies, in both the UK and internationally. Our independent position, coupled with our extensive knowledge and close relationships with all major vendors, means that we can source the highest standard of courses covering all formsof software learning, management and personal development. We can cater for all requirements and budgets, utilising our buying power to offer our customers thebest rates.

Our Learning Solutions team was established in 2000 and continues to grow as the importance of software and management learning becomes recognised. Our experience, systems and partners, means that whatever the course you’re looking for, we’re confi dent we can fi nd it for you in less time and at lower cost.

The range of trainingcourses offered:• Vendor specifi c courses including

Microsoft, Oracle, Unix, VMware, Adobe, Citrix, Symantec, Cisco, Juniper, Novell, IBM, Lotus and many more.

• Management & Personal Development.

• Information Technology Areas including Virtualisation, Infrastructure, Networking, IT security, PC Maintenance, Software Licensing.

• Data & Telecommunications.• Project, Programme & Service

Management including Prince2 and ITIL.• Desktop Applications from Adobe,

Lotus, Microsoft to bespoke.

BYTES LEARNING SERVICESFinding the right training course for you and your organisationjust got easier!

Bytes offer a range of learning services tomeet our customer specifi c requirements:

Bytes Licensing Academy

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

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


Finding the right training course for you and your organisationjust got easier!

Simple tools for managing complexity Create rich dashboards of information from across the organisation with Microsoft Visio 2010. It’s straightforward to produce and share simple representations from a variety of data resources so that complex decisions are easier to make.

With all the features you need to make complex data simpler. Microsoft Visio 2010 provides a wealth of features designed to simplify complexity:

• Connect with data sources to make diagrams dynamic and data-driven• Simplify complex diagrams to add clarity and ensure consistency across the

organisation• Logical groupings of features in the Ribbon to fi nd and access the tools you

need quickly• Quickly create professional and appealing diagrams with the rich gallery of

themes, Live Preview and a range of formatting tools• Create, monitor and model workfl ows with advanced templates that contain

SharePoint rules and logic• Pre-drawn, modern and intelligent templates, alongside automatic features

such as alignment and auto-size tools, help draw diagrams faster• Publish and share rich visual dashboards containing interactive Visio diagrams

and other application services.

Use your most current data to make informed decisions quickly by choosing Microsoft Visio 2010.

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

Complex data simplifi ed

If you would like further information about Microsoft Visio or to download a free trial, please speak to your Bytes account manager on 020 8786 1500

with Microsoft Visio 2010


30 years

In 1982, 21 year old entrepreneur Shaun Frohlich and a work colleague set up Bytes Computer Supplies Ltd.

HAPPY 30thIn 1982, 21 year old entrepreneur Shaun Frohlich and a work colleague set up Bytes Computer Supplies Ltd.

HAPPY 30th30thThe company was offi cially incorporated at Companies House on 25th February 1982. The rest, as they say, is history! To celebrate our 30th birthday, we thought it would be interesting to look back some of the other things that happened in that year….

Also on 25th February 1982:• The European Court of Human Rights ruled corporal punishment in

Britain’s schools is a violation of the Human Rights Convention

• The number one Single in the UK was The Jam – “A Town Called Malice”

• The Prime Minister was Margaret Thatcher and the US president was Ronald Reagan.

Also on 25th February 1982:• The European Court of Human Rights ruled corporal punishment in

Britain’s schools is a violation of the Human Rights Convention

• The number one Single in the UK was The Jam – “A Town Called Malice”

• The Prime Minister was Margaret Thatcher and the US president was Ronald Reagan.


30th Also in the year 1982: Entertainment:• Micheal Jackson released ‘Thriller’ …the biggest selling

album of all time

• The top rated TV programme in the USA was Dallas

• UK TV programmes that fi rst aired in 1982: The Young Ones, Boys from the Blackstuff, Saturday superstore and Brookside

• Channel 4 was launched

• England hosted the 27th Eurovision song contest in Harrogate, the winner was Nicole from Germany with ‘A little peace’

• Top fi lms from this year: ET, An Offi cer and a Gentleman, Ghandi (which also won the Oscar for best picture and best director)

• The Barbican in London was offi cially opened by the Queen

Sport:• Tottenham Hotspur won football’s FA Cup,

Italy won the FIFA World Cup in Spain

• Jimmy Connors won the Wimbledon Men’s fi nal, Martina Navratilova won the Ladies’

• Ireland won the 5 Nations Rugby Union Tournament

• Daley Thompson won the BBC sports personality of the year, 2nd Alex Higgins, 3rd Steve Cram

General:• Chinese Zodiac Year of the Dog

• Henry VIII’s fl agship the Mary Rose was raised

• The Ford Sierra car was launched in Europe to replace the Cortina

• The Falklands War began and ended in this year

• Michael Fagin entered the Queen’s bedroom for a 10 minute chat

• Prince William’s future wife Kate Middleton was born

Technology:• Compaq Computer Corp formed and launched the

28lb ‘portable’ computer!

Other technology companies formed in this year included:

• Sun Microsystems, Adobe Systems and Vodafone

• Analogue cellular phones became available, the fi rst CD player was produced by Sony

included:

• Sun Microsystems, Adobe Systems and

• Analogue cellular phones became


awards

A small selection of some

of the awards we have

won in recent years:

&Key achievements

awardsawardsawardsawardswon in recent years:

awardswon in recent years:

awards• CRN Enterprise Reseller of the Year 2011• Symantec Outstanding Contribution Award 2011• Tesco IT Supplier Value Award 2011• Microsoft Worldwide Partner of the Year for License

Delivery 2010• Adobe Channel Partner of the Year (Corporate) 2010• Adobe Channel Partner of the Year (Creative Suite)

2010• Oracle Technology General Partner of the Year

2009.

We are proud to have been awarded the Computer Reseller News Enterprise Reseller of the Year award for 2011 (we were also shortlisted for the Mid-Market Reseller of the Year award).

Our MD Neil Murphy picked up the award from comedian Jack Dee in front of over 1500 attendees at the glittering awards ceremony held at Battersea Park Events Arena in London.

“We are thrilled to receive this coveted award in recognition of our contribution as an exceptional reseller in a crowded and competitive market” said Neil Murphy “As ever, our staff have played a huge part in this award; their dedication and hard work is refl ected in the great and longstanding relationships we have with our customers and vendors. We are delighted to add another trophy to our expanding cabinet as testament to the pride we take in delivering exemplary service and value.”

Our vendor team is made up of a number of specialists who are dedicated to specifi c vendors and technology areas. Acting as an overlay resource to the sales teams, they ensure that our customers receive the best advice on the solutions available and negotiate hard with vendors in order to receive the most competitive cost.

accred itations

vendors. We are delighted to add another trophy to our expanding cabinet as testament to the pride we take in delivering exemplary service and value.”

receive the best advice on the solutions available and negotiate hard with vendors in order to receive the most competitive cost.

Hayley MooneyVendor Manager, Bytes

CRN Enterprise Reseller of the Year 2011Winner

IT Supplier Value Award 2011Winner

2010 Partner of the YearLicensing SolutionsLicensing Delivery

Winner


Key achievements

accreditations

Platinum Partner

Service Provider

Gold Partner

accred itationsSilver Solution Advisor

Certifi ed Partner Premier Partner

Gold Partner

Gold Partner Silver Partner

Platinum PartnerPremium Elite Partner

Gold PartnerGold Certifi ed Partner(Volume Licensing & SAM)

Gold Partner

Solution Provider

Silver Partner Partner Partner

Registered Partner Silver Business Partner Business Partner

Expert Solutions ProviderCertifi ed Partner Business Partner Premier Partner Platinum Partner Approved Corporate Reseller

Platinum Partner

Gold PartnerAuthorised Reseller Gold Partner Red Hat Ready Gold Partner

Gold Partner

Gold Partner

Silver PartnerAffi nity One Partner

Enterprise Partner Gold Partner Gold Partner

Good Technology

Platinum Partner

Strategic Partnerships

Strong Relationships

We have a long history with Bytes, based on trust and success. They are an extremely capable Partner, with a clear understanding of our products and a willingness to serve their customers. This is why they were awarded the “Recognition for outstanding contribution 2010/11” award earlier this year.

Glenn GrahamDirector Channel Sales, Symantec Ltd

Bytes are adding more value to the customer than just selling a license, they enable the client to realise the full potential of their software assets.

Amanda SleightHead of Licensing, Microsoft (UK)

Gold Partner


Platinum Partner

Gold Partner

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