Articles
Microsoft faces bribery investigation; “Greedy” vendors face Aussie pricing inquiry
US feds are investigating claims Microsoft and some of its business partners bribed government officials around the globe in return for software contracts. Meanwhile, executives at Microsoft, Apple and Adobe faced tough questions from Australian MPs at an inquiry into why Australians are charged more than those in the US for identical products. [ + ]
Digital currency Bitcoin soars as panic afflicts Cyprus
The panic in Cyprus surrounding plans to levy private citizens’ bank accounts to pay for a bailout has driven a steep rise in the value of digital currency, Bitcoin. [ + ]
Asia Cloud Forum update
The Asia Cloud Forum, an online media portal, has been created to represent the interests of enterprise users, governments, telcos, vendors, policy makers and others with a stake in the development of cloud computing in Asia.
[ + ]IT is no longer a black box
At the recent NICTA TechFest, held at Parliament House in Canberra, we had the opportunity to speak with Professor Robert C Williamson, the leader of NICTA’s Machine Learning team, about some of the big innovations he thinks CIOs need to keep their eyes on. [ + ]
Mobile devices: the next internet security target
Malnets are a lucrative source of income for distributors and they are becoming more sophisticated everyday. How can your business stay ahead of the distributors to protect your business? [ + ]
Gen-i kills 120 Aussie jobs; Qld Health payroll inquiry begins
Last week the Australian branch of ICT services provider Gen-i announced it will cut approximately two-thirds of its staff, and an inquiry into the Queensland Health payroll fiasco, which is said to have burned many hundreds of millions of state funds and may have involved collusion, began. [ + ]
NBN news: Report reveals life after Labor; Will $1bn Visionstream contract survive election?
A new report has detailed three possible versions of the NBN should the Coalition take power in September’s federal election. Meanwhile, NBN Co has awarded Visionstream a construction contract worth up to $1 billion for the east coast of Australia. But some have questioned whether the contract will survive the election. [ + ]
The threat matrix
Security is always high up on the list of issues IT decision makers need to manage. One of the most challenging aspects of security is that the types of threats are changing and the environment we’re protecting is shifting as mobility, the cloud and other trends alter the way we work. Anthony Caruana spoke with four security gurus to get their views on the changing threat matrix. [ + ]
Cloud not quite ready for enterprise-class services
We’re all talking about the cloud but is it really ready for the enterprise? [ + ]
High-data-rate laser-based space communication system is flight ready
A NASA-developed, laser-based space communication system will enable higher rates of satellite communications similar in capability to high-speed fibre-optic networks on Earth. [ + ]
Investing to boost Australian productivity
CSIRO recently launched Australia’s largest publicly funded research initiative focused on the digital economy. The Digital Productivity and Services Flagship (DPAS) is a $40 million research initiative focusing on the services sector and optimising the full value of national broadband infrastructure. [ + ]
Is software defined networking the real deal?
Almost every function within your data centre has been or can be virtualised. Servers, the PBX, storage, desktop clients - you name it, it’s running on generic hardware. But what about the network? [ + ]
HP board on the chopping block; 457 visa causing salary drop?
In the last week, financial advisory firms have called for HP shareholders to deny the re-election of several HP board members following recent poor acquisitions, and the Australian Minister for Immigration has claimed that 457 temporary work visas have caused a drop in IT salaries. [ + ]
Big data: it’s all about smart people
Big data is not about the technology. Big data is not about the next big thing in the IT department. Big data is not all about the social media revolution. Big data is all about really smart people forging the tools to enable business and organisations to stop guessing about which decision is the right one to make. [ + ]
NBN news round-up: Telstra refuses to budge on $11bn contract sum; NBN Co fudging rollout numbers?
A new analysis of NBN Co’s numbers claims that the organisation has been fudging rollout numbers to cover up delays. Meanwhile, Telstra has revealed it will not renegotiate the sum of the $11 billion contract it signed with the Australian Government if the Coalition gains power in September. [ + ]