The Comms Connect conference and exhibition at the end of September will see 1200 industry professionals gather to discuss business- and mission-critical converged communications needs and challenges for the 21st century. [ + ]

HP Enterprise Services and Avaya have teamed up to provide cloud-based unified communications and contact centre services for enterprises. [ + ]

Specialist business-to-business magazine and digital publisher Westwick-Farrow Media (WFM) - publisher of Technology Decisions - has launched Field Service Business, Australia's first dedicated media channel for the field service sector. [ + ]

A 90-day web traffic analysis shows that 71% of the host names requested by web users worldwide were sites appearing for only one day, and as many as 22% of these were malicious. [ + ]

Those who wish to implement cloud services are best served by employing vendors who are focused on consultative solutions over those who simply deal in components. [ + ]

IBM will switch on its first Australian SoftLayer data centre in Melbourne next month as part of its US$1.2 billion ($1.29 billion) investment in its global cloud services capacity. [ + ]

Despite increasing demands on data centres and the rapidly increasing cost of energy, it is possible to limit the impact of power costs in data centres. [ + ]

The move to e-government offers many rewards and eliminates many risks arising from uncontrolled, unconsolidated, unstructured information. But it can also open up new sources of risk that need to be recognised and confronted. [ + ]

Arianespace will launch Optus's 10th satellite - and sixth in operation - from its centre in French Guiana early next month. [ + ]

The desktop component of a Chinese state-funded project to develop an operating system to replace Windows and Android could be complete by October, according to government-run media. [ + ]

The US consulate database crash last month affected 200,000+ visa-seekers worldwide. The database was backed up, but the system wasn't. What can be done to prevent such a failure happening again? [ + ]

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has stepped down from the company's board of directors in order to focus on teaching and his recent acquisition, the Los Angeles Clippers. But as one of Microsoft's largest shareholders, he may still hold significant power at the company. [ + ]

Enterprise data is travelling beyond network boundaries and outside traditional technology controls, which means that data protection must now extend into the cloud. [ + ]

The Australian tablet market contracted 28% in 1H14 as consumers waited longer to upgrade, Telsyte estimates, and the impending launch of the iPhone 6 could further impact demand. [ + ]

Debate over Microsoft's mixed record of successes and slow innovation during the last decade has incited conjecture as to its long-term durability. [ + ]