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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="0.92">
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  3. <title>CIO</title>
  4. <link></link>
  5. <description>The voice of IT leadership</description>
  6. <lastBuildDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 18:15:14 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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  11.  
  12. <item>
  13. <title>How to govern with people-centric planning</title>
  14. <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 16:45:24 +0000</pubDate>
  15. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  16. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  17.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  18. <div class="article-column__content">
  19. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  20.  
  21.  
  22.  
  23. <p>In recent years, technology has changed pretty much everything. From the way we pay our bills to the way we communicate, shop, and even get our driver’s license renewed, not much looks like it did 10 or even five years ago.</p>
  24.  
  25.  
  26.  
  27. <p>Why then do enterprise teams manage technology planning and funding like they did when client/server was all the rage? While it seems hard to believe, it’s true: In many organizations, technology planning and funding are run the same way they have been for decades. These legacy, project-based approaches are inefficient and wasteful and are fundamentally misaligned with modern technologies and realities.</p>
  28.  
  29.  
  30.  
  31. <p>That’s why teams need to take a new approach: people-centric planning. With this approach, teams are given persistent, long-term funding. Teams are organized around products and value streams, rather than in the siloed departments of the past.</p>
  32.  
  33.  
  34.  
  35. <p>There are three key principles that enable teams to successfully deploy people-centric planning: governing innovation, aligning technology with the business, and empowering teams. In this post, I’ll look at governing innovation.</p>
  36.  
  37.  
  38.  
  39. <h1 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-problem">The problem</h1>
  40.  
  41.  
  42.  
  43. <p>In years past, teams pursuing a traditional project approach would typically have some form of documentation that details what will be delivered and what it will cost. When you start funding people, how do you ensure you’re getting value for the money being spent?</p>
  44.  
  45.  
  46.  
  47. <p>Previously, technology teams were effectively only tracking IT metrics, reporting on whether they delivered on time and on budget. The reality is that these metrics didn’t align with business metrics, such as sales, revenues, or profit margin. Take the analogy of a factory. The assembly team can elect to gauge their success solely on the number of widgets delivered. However, this metric may not have any bearing on the manufacturer’s business fortunes. Whether the factory delivered 5 or 5,000 widgets a day may be academic if none of the widgets produced meet the required specifications or quality standards.</p>
  48.  
  49.  
  50.  
  51. <h1 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-people-centric-planning-approach">The people-centric planning approach</h1>
  52.  
  53.  
  54.  
  55. <p>To succeed with people-centric planning, leaders need to take a different approach to governance. Instead of focusing on work and granular requirements, leaders need to give people key metrics and offer them the autonomy to determine the best way to achieve those metrics.</p>
  56.  
  57.  
  58.  
  59. <p>In support of this approach, it is vital to establish visibility into what people are doing and how it affects the business. Leaders need to be able to track value in real time, using one set of metrics—business metrics. These metrics can take different forms, but most critically they’ll provide a gauge in terms of business and customer value. All that ultimately matters is that business metrics are moving in the right direction and that the technology is perceived as contributing to that. This approach creates directional alignment.</p>
  60.  
  61.  
  62.  
  63. <h1 class="wp-block-heading" id="conclusion">Conclusion</h1>
  64.  
  65.  
  66.  
  67. <p>A lot has changed. Why does technology funding look the same as ever? In today’s digitally transformed world, your organization can’t afford to rely on decades-old technology funding models. By employing people-centric planning approaches to governance, your organization can gain improved visibility, improve trust throughout the organization, and minimize business risk.</p>
  68.  
  69.  
  70.  
  71. <p>To <strong>learn more</strong>, please visit our<a href="https://enterprise-software.broadcom.com/clarity-people-centric-planning" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"> People-Centric Planning</a> page.</p>
  72.  
  73.  
  74.  
  75. <p>——————————————————————————————————————————————————–</p>
  76.  
  77.  
  78.  
  79. <p>Energize your digital transformation with the power of VSM in Broadcom’s Value Stream</p>
  80.  
  81.  
  82.  
  83. <p>Management Summit. <a href="https://enterprise-software.broadcom.com/vsm-virtual-summit-2024?utm_source=ciomag&amp;utm_medium=paidmedia&amp;utm_campaign=ESD_FY24_VOPS_ValueOps_VSM_Leadership_VSM-Summit-2024&amp;utm_content=brandpost" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Register now!</a></p>
  84. </div></div></div><category>Digital Transformation, IT Leadership</category></div>
  85. </body>]]></description>
  86. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2098334/how-to-govern-with-people-centric-planning.html</link>
  87. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2098334</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/B2.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="5310603" type="image/jpeg" />
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  89. <item>
  90. <title>Staying agile in the contact center industry: The role of the connected agent</title>
  91. <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 15:29:37 +0000</pubDate>
  92. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  93. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  94.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  95. <div class="article-column__content">
  96. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  97.  
  98.  
  99.  
  100. <p>In today’s experience economy where customer experience is paramount, the concept of a connected agent is becoming a huge area of focus for contact centers. <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-02-14-gartner-says-customer-service-functions-that-implement-a-connected-rep-strategy-will-improve-contact-center-efficiency-by-30-percent-by-2026">Gartner refers</a> to this as the “connected rep” and defines it as a strategy that enables customer service representatives (contact center agents) to perform high-quality assisted service at scale. </p>
  101.  
  102.  
  103.  
  104. <p>The goal of a “connected rep” strategy is to bridge technology and talent using context, guidance, and design to reduce agent overload and increase consistency across interactions. Gartner reports that, on average, companies with a “connected rep” strategy can improve contact center efficiency by 30%. </p>
  105.  
  106.  
  107.  
  108. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-business-case-4-primary-needs">The business case: 4 primary needs</h2>
  109.  
  110.  
  111.  
  112. <p><strong>Need #1: Inexperienced service reps need to perform in highly complex environments as if they are experienced, tenured agents. </strong></p>
  113.  
  114.  
  115.  
  116. <p>Investing in training, coaching, and recruiting high-skilled talent only goes so far and can be very costly. Business leaders need to go beyond traditional talent levers with a technology enablement strategy that supports reps’ performance in a more scalable way. </p>
  117.  
  118.  
  119.  
  120. <p><strong>Need #2: Companies need new solutions to drive down attrition. </strong></p>
  121.  
  122.  
  123.  
  124. <p>The contact center continues to be a rotating door of employment, costing <a href="https://www.dailypay.com/resource-center/blog/turnover-statistics-contact-centers/" rel="sponsored">up to $20k <em>per agent</em></a><em>. </em>This high turnover is in part due to existing technology investments falling short on solutions for frontline staff. Leaders need to effectively enable reps with the necessary technology to deliver high-quality service, efficiently. </p>
  125.  
  126.  
  127.  
  128. <p><strong>Need #3: Remote reps need to perform just as efficiently as if they were on-site.  </strong></p>
  129.  
  130.  
  131.  
  132. <p><a href="https://www.avaya.com/en/remote-contact-center/">Remote agents</a> face the same issues on-site reps do, with the added challenges of working at what feels like arm’s length. Leaders need to empower remote reps with technology that drives connectedness, gives them tools and resources to be successful, improves service, and fuels business performance outcomes. </p>
  133.  
  134.  
  135.  
  136. <p><strong>Need #4: With the contact center becoming more data-driven and predictive, staying agile is crucial. </strong></p>
  137.  
  138.  
  139.  
  140. <p><a href="https://www.avaya.com/en/products/experience-platform/public/capabilities/ai/" rel="sponsored">AI is a core part</a> of the “connected rep” strategy, from advanced analytics capabilities that filter mountains of customer interaction data, to automation that helps build workflows that improve service interactions. </p>
  141.  
  142.  
  143.  
  144. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="3-examples-of-agent-enablement-technology">3 examples of agent enablement technology</h2>
  145.  
  146.  
  147.  
  148. <p><strong>Artificial Intelligence: Improve quality and consistency at scale.</strong></p>
  149.  
  150.  
  151.  
  152. <p>AI can analyze 100% of customer interaction data in real-time and filter it down to the most valuable insights agents need during conversations, enabling them to actively listen to customers and avoid the pitfalls of constant multitasking. This also further enables them to focus on delivering the “human aspect” of customer service that is often missing and longed for in customer service interactions led entirely by virtual agents; the connected rep is empowered to spend less time fielding the necessary insights from customers, and more time delivering positive, high-quality service that reinforces the intangible value of the human touch.</p>
  153.  
  154.  
  155.  
  156. <p>AI can then take these data-driven insights and augment them with real-time assisted service. For example, capabilities like machine learning and automation can embed the most important part of a knowledge management article directly into a rep’s workflow to reduce the need to search for or interpret supporting information. <a href="https://get.nice.com/rs/069-KVM-666/images/Analyst%20report-%20The%20ROI%20of%20Real-Time%20Agent%20Guidance-%20How%20AI%20helps%20align%20Agent%20Performance%20with%20Customer%20Expectations%20%28Aberdeen%29.pdf" rel="sponsored">According to Aberdeen</a>, contact centers that use AI to empower agents with this kind of real-time guidance see a 3x greater customer retention rate. </p>
  157.  
  158.  
  159.  
  160. <p>Here are other ways AI helps activate a “connected rep” strategy:</p>
  161.  
  162.  
  163.  
  164. <ul>
  165. <li>Guided scripts for better conversations </li>
  166.  
  167.  
  168.  
  169. <li>Proactive issue identification</li>
  170.  
  171.  
  172.  
  173. <li>Live captions for immediate understanding </li>
  174.  
  175.  
  176.  
  177. <li>Real-time language translation </li>
  178.  
  179.  
  180.  
  181. <li>Real-time monitoring of customer intent and sentiment </li>
  182. </ul>
  183.  
  184.  
  185.  
  186. <p><strong>Connected Rep Desktop: One view with everything reps need.</strong></p>
  187.  
  188.  
  189.  
  190. <p>It doesn’t matter how helpful AI-powered guidance is if agents can’t easily find, consume, and use this information. According to Gartner, only 34% of service and support leaders view their desktop investment as effective. On-screen real estate is limited, which makes desktop layout and design crucial. Reps need to have the right information dynamically presented to enhance their employee experience and, ultimately, <a href="https://www.avaya.com/en/solutions/customer-experience-and-contact-center/" rel="sponsored">the customer experience</a>. Here’s what this means:</p>
  191.  
  192.  
  193.  
  194. <ul>
  195. <li>Just-in-time information: presenting information based on context and personalization (ex: automatically pushing next best actions based on specific triggers that have taken place within an interaction).</li>
  196.  
  197.  
  198.  
  199. <li>Empowering reps through intelligent desktop design to handle complex cross-channel journeys and efficiently service high-value customers. </li>
  200.  
  201.  
  202.  
  203. <li>Creating a single pane of glass view for reps to see insights and recommendations so they can use their judgment on which opportunities to pursue and how to best proceed. </li>
  204. </ul>
  205.  
  206.  
  207.  
  208. <p><em>Keep in mind how you design your desktop for remote reps that use different equipment. For example, agents may use multiple monitors, a single desktop, or tablets.  </em></p>
  209.  
  210.  
  211.  
  212. <p><strong>Subject Matter Experts: Real-time access to supercharge results.  </strong></p>
  213.  
  214.  
  215.  
  216. <p>AI-powered guidance plus a smart, intuitive desktop should have your reps feeling like experts who can handle even the most complex inquiry, but they’ll inevitably need help at some point. A critical part of the “connected rep” strategy includes anytime, anywhere access to subject matter experts with a user experience that’s as simple and easy as a rep’s favorite collaboration tool such as Slack, Teams, or Avaya Spaces. </p>
  217.  
  218.  
  219.  
  220. <p>It shouldn’t matter who the expert is or where they’re located. Customer experience isn’t confined to the contact center, and neither should reps be for solving customer problems and efficiently serving them. Avaya offers a range of tools that enable customer service, sales, and back-office employees to call, text, share files, and meet via video with a single click. </p>
  221.  
  222.  
  223.  
  224. <p>Ultimately, the idea of the “connected agent” is a great example of an out-of-the-box, creative strategy for contact centers and other customer service-centric organizations to take a step back and reconsider their approach to both ends of the employee and customer experience. Though we’ve gone through decades of technological transformation that bred smaller, micro-changes to processes and overall CX strategy for contact centers, the rapid pace of digital transformation over the past few years and moving forward opens our eyes to the need for constant evaluation of how to best empower our agents to perform and feel their best.</p>
  225.  
  226.  
  227.  
  228. <p><a href="https://www.avaya.com/en/contacts/" rel="sponsored">Visit our website</a> to explore the ways Avaya can enable your contact center rep to become a connected agent.</p>
  229. </div></div></div><category>Digital Transformation</category></div>
  230. </body>]]></description>
  231. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2098233/staying-agile-in-the-contact-center-industry-the-role-of-the-connected-agent.html</link>
  232. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2098233</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/iStock-1441351094.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="440351" type="image/jpeg" />
  233. </item>
  234. <item>
  235. <title>Atos receives four offers of help</title>
  236. <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 12:11:12 +0000</pubDate>
  237. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  238. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  239.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  240. <div class="article-column__content">
  241. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  242.  
  243.  
  244.  
  245. <p>Atos has received proposals from four different groups to inject new money into the company to keep it running, it said Monday.</p>
  246.  
  247.  
  248.  
  249. <p>One group wants to redefine Atos as a more integrated IT services powerhouse, leveraging the company’s many activities to restore customer and employee confidence, while another wants to focus on the provision of data centers as a service, cutting costs and cranking up profitability. Atos has given itself a month to choose between the offers.</p>
  250.  
  251.  
  252.  
  253. <p>The loss-making IT services company is struggling to repay or reschedule its debts and has been <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/401547/it-services-company-atos-plans-ibm-style-split.html">looking for new sources of capital for almost two years</a>, including the sale of various parts of the company, so far without success.</p>
  254.  
  255.  
  256.  
  257. <p>In early April, <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/2086965/atos-staves-off-bankruptcy-casts-wider-net-for-refinancing.html">Atos invited offers to recapitalize the company</a> from existing and new stakeholders and, when it looked as though no one would respond by its deadline, it extended the process by a week to May 3.</p>
  258.  
  259.  
  260.  
  261. <p>Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/2096231/atos-may-sell-national-security-activities-to-french-government.html">French government stepped in with a provisional offer of up to $1.08 billion</a> (€1 billion) in return for 100% ownership of the parts of the company’s Big Data and Security (BDS) division in which France has a sovereign interest.</p>
  262.  
  263.  
  264.  
  265. <p>By the new deadline, Atos had received four proposals, <a href="https://atos.net/en/lp/market-update-may-6-offer-letters" rel="nofollow">published on the Atos website</a>. They are from private investor Bain Capital; a group of existing Atos creditors; a consortium including existing Atos shareholder Onepoint; and a partnership including the investment fund that previously offered to buy half of Atos, EP Equity Investment (EPEI).</p>
  266.  
  267.  
  268.  
  269. <p>Bain Capital outed itself in its offer letter as the previously unnamed bidder for Atos’ Digital business but said it could not maintain its existing bid for those activities without more information. Nevertheless, it said, it is still interested in acquiring the Digital business and, if possible, “the rump of the BDS division following the anticipated carve-out of sovereign activities in cybersecurity and high-performance computing,” adding that it would collaborate with other bidders to realize that deal.</p>
  270.  
  271.  
  272.  
  273. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="bain-banished">Bain banished</h2>
  274.  
  275.  
  276.  
  277. <p>At a meeting on May 5, the board of directors of Atos immediately dismissed Bain’s offer because it didn’t meet their stated objective of considering the whole company’s future. The directors plan to evaluate the remaining offers in conjunction with the company’s existing creditors.</p>
  278.  
  279.  
  280.  
  281. <p>“We will now work with our financial creditors to find a solution by May 31 that will be acceptable to them and consistent with the parameters we have shared,” Atos CEO Paul Saleh said in a statement. “I am confident that a final agreement can be reached by the July target that would assure the continuity of operations to our clients and be in the best interest of Atos’s employees, clients, suppliers, creditors, shareholders and other stakeholders.”</p>
  282.  
  283.  
  284.  
  285. <p>Those existing creditors — represented by a steering committee of bondholders and a coordinating committee of the banks that have granted Atos a $1.6 billion (€1.5 billion) term loan and a $970 million (€900 million) revolving credit facility — pointed out in their offer letter that they are the de facto economic owners of the company. (The value of outstanding shares was about €225 million on Monday, down from a peak of over €9 billion in early 2021.) They expressed willingness to continue supporting the company in return for a say in who else invests and proposed a debt-for-equity swap that would leave existing shareholders with just 0.1% of the company.</p>
  286.  
  287.  
  288.  
  289. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="vertical-integration">Vertical integration</h2>
  290.  
  291.  
  292.  
  293. <p>Onepoint, an existing business partner and currently Atos’ largest shareholder, has formed a consortium with French investment fund Butler Industries to invest in the company. It plans to keep the company together, focusing on the vertical integration of Atos’ diverse businesses, which include server manufacturing, cloud hosting, infrastructure management, cybersecurity, and consulting.</p>
  294.  
  295.  
  296.  
  297. <p>“The aim is to seize the opportunity to build a French champion of large-scale transformations for businesses and public actors, with a turnover of €11 billion, for about 100,000 employees. Cybersecurity will be an integral part of the managed services-to-infrastructure continuum,” it said in its offer letter.</p>
  298.  
  299.  
  300.  
  301. <p>It is offering to invest $380 million (€350 million) for 35% of the company, or almost double that if creditors decline its offer to match its investment. “As a result of the transaction, the Onepoint Consortium shall hold at least 35% of the shares and voting rights of the company, as we believe it is an absolute requirement for the company to have a strong French anchor shareholder with undisputed industry expertise,” it said.</p>
  302.  
  303.  
  304.  
  305. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="cost-cutting">Cost cutting</h2>
  306.  
  307.  
  308.  
  309. <p>The last offer is from EPEI, the investment fund that in February <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/1310376/atos-deal-to-sell-its-legacy-service-business-falls-through.html">abandoned plans to acquire the legacy infrastructure management activities of Atos</a>, Tech Foundations. Its new plan, in partnership with London-based asset manager Attestor, is to focus on making Atos “the foremost European industrial leader in designing, optimizing, operating, and marketing data centers as a service,” abandoning less profitable activities, moving others to low-cost countries, and replacing expensive senior staff with more junior workers.</p>
  310.  
  311.  
  312.  
  313. <p>In their offer letter, the partners said they had no strong view on whether to keep the company together or unbundle it. </p>
  314.  
  315.  
  316.  
  317. <p>EPEI and Attestor also hinted at price rises for some existing and new customers, writing, “We will rigorously assess existing contracts, enhancing those that are underperforming and implementing strategies to prevent recurrence of such issues. […] Furthermore, we will decisively eliminate the entering into non-performing contracts to streamline operations and focus resources more efficiently.”</p>
  318. </div></div></div><category>Managed IT Services, Technology Industry</category></div>
  319. </body>]]></description>
  320. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2098169/atos-receives-four-offers-of-help.html</link>
  321. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2098169</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Atos-logo-shutterstock_1220701552.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="10726129" type="image/jpeg" />
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  323. <item>
  324. <title>7 IT leadership hacks that deliver results</title>
  325. <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 10:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
  326. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  327. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  328.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  329. <div class="article-column__content">
  330. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  331.  
  332.  
  333.  
  334. <p>Fail fast is a frequent maxim in business, but what about reverse engineering that concept? We sought technology leaders who could advise on succeeding fast, along with creating a strong organization, developing team leaders, leveraging the support of peers, and specifically how to streamline day-to-day management of a technology group.</p>
  335.  
  336.  
  337.  
  338. <p>Here is the main the question we posed: If you were writing your own book on how to lead, what advice would you impart to other technology executives? </p>
  339.  
  340.  
  341.  
  342. <p>Influential CIOs and other technology leaders responded with time-tested, hard-won knowledge and guidance. And their tips ranged from sweeping advice on building an organization to specific tips for managing time. </p>
  343.  
  344.  
  345.  
  346. <p>Check out these strategies for leading well based on decades or experience from the C-suite. </p>
  347.  
  348.  
  349.  
  350. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="lean-on-your-peers">Lean on your peers</h2>
  351.  
  352.  
  353.  
  354. <p>Tech leaders should seek out areas of common benefit with executives and other peers, says John Cannava, CIO at Ping Identity. In these interactions, he also looks to avoid the projects colleagues aren’t enthusiastic about.</p>
  355.  
  356.  
  357.  
  358. <p>“Perspective about where current or future initiatives will have support is invaluable,” Cannava says. “Look for insight on what will be easier to prioritize, fund, resource, and get meaningful executive sponsorship.”</p>
  359.  
  360.  
  361.  
  362. <p>Cannava says developing authentic personal relationships with your peers can help key in on areas of natural alignment — and avoid wasting time on projects where it’s unclear how to measure the outcome.</p>
  363.  
  364.  
  365.  
  366. <p>“If leaders prioritize and exemplify transparency and partnership, they’re setting themselves, their business, and their employees up for success,” he says. </p>
  367.  
  368.  
  369.  
  370. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="build-a-strong-foundation">Build a strong foundation</h2>
  371.  
  372.  
  373.  
  374. <p>In part because he was raised in a military family, Adaptavist CIO Neal Riley finds inspiration from historic leaders, such as this quote from Winston Churchill: “We design our surroundings, and then they influence us.”</p>
  375.  
  376.  
  377.  
  378. <p>Riley describes a company’s surroundings as the tools, platforms, and applications used to get the job done.</p>
  379.  
  380.  
  381.  
  382. <p>“The most important thing a tech leader can do is create the architecture that staff work with,” Riley says. “After that, the architecture begins to shape not only your employees but also yourself and the entire organization.”</p>
  383.  
  384.  
  385.  
  386. <p>Josh Langley, CIO at Iron Mountain, says he tries to display the characteristics he believes are important to creating a strong foundation for an organization: authenticity, transparency, trust, and accountability.</p>
  387.  
  388.  
  389.  
  390. <p>Langley sets up bull sessions each quarter with his entire organization for feedback he says has improved his leadership.</p>
  391.  
  392.  
  393.  
  394. <p>“We have candid discussions about anything from our enterprise strategy to how we manage work-life balance,” he says. “These frank conversations have led to improvements in the way I lead the team as well as how I find balance in a very busy work environment.”</p>
  395.  
  396.  
  397.  
  398. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="turn-employees-into-leaders">Turn employees into leaders</h2>
  399.  
  400.  
  401.  
  402. <p>The best leadership hack is a self-sustaining one, says Chetna Mahajan, chief digital and information officer at Amplitude: Create an environment that produces more good leaders.</p>
  403.  
  404.  
  405.  
  406. <p> <br>“It’s important to empower employees, especially your leaders,” Mahajan says. “This means understanding their strengths as well as their weaknesses. I strongly believe in situational leadership. You need to know what development level the leader is at, and then you can create your strategy for managing them and supporting their growth.”</p>
  407.  
  408.  
  409.  
  410. <p>Andrey Ivashin, CIO at Dyninno Group, says a key part of building a great team is identifying the members who are ready for the next step. </p>
  411.  
  412.  
  413.  
  414. <p>“It’s your duty to support and inspire someone who is already extremely driven to improve,” Ivashin says. “You should first consider your people and provide them with prospects for professional advancement. This is a quality that every manager must possess. One day, your employee should say, ‘Yes, my manager helped my career progress.’”</p>
  415.  
  416.  
  417.  
  418. <p>And, on the flip side, it’s just as important to be mindful of team chemistry and take action when there’s a problem, says Srini Kadiyala, CTO of OvalEdge. Bad hires happen, and sometimes, promotions don’t work out.</p>
  419.  
  420.  
  421.  
  422. <p>“Don’t be afraid to swiftly move individuals that do not make the team perform better out of the team,” he says. </p>
  423.  
  424.  
  425.  
  426. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="be-human-focused">Be human-focused</h2>
  427.  
  428.  
  429.  
  430. <p>Theresa Payton, former White House CIO and now CEO of Fortalice Solutions, says her best tip for tech leaders is to focus on <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/196265/what-is-human-centered-design-a-product-framework-that-embraces-empathy.html">human-centric design</a>, which leads to lasting relationships with customers. </p>
  431.  
  432.  
  433.  
  434. <p>“Whether navigating emerging technologies or leading digital transformations, placing human needs at the forefront enables CIOs to drive meaningful innovation and create solutions that truly resonate,” Payton says. </p>
  435.  
  436.  
  437.  
  438. <p>And keep in mind that creating a healthy work culture will be reflected in the products you deliver.</p>
  439.  
  440.  
  441.  
  442. <p>“By fostering a culture of empathy, curiosity, and collaboration within their teams, CIOs empower their organizations to deliver impactful solutions that drive value,” she says. </p>
  443.  
  444.  
  445.  
  446. <p>Precious Abacan, CTO of Softlist.io, says the best advice she’s received about leadership in technology was simple and direct: “Give people breaks.”</p>
  447.  
  448.  
  449.  
  450. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id=""> </h2>
  451.  
  452.  
  453.  
  454. <p>“My mentor once told me, if a team member is struggling — whether they’re stressed or dealing with personal issues — encourage them to take a few hours off, enjoy an extended lunch break, or even a full day off if possible. It’s important as a leader to prioritize a culture where health and well-being come before work.”</p>
  455.  
  456.  
  457.  
  458. <p>These gestures are meaningful and leave a lasting impression, she says, noting that she remembers every instance where she was offered such help. “Now, in my leadership role, I make sure to extend the same kindness.”</p>
  459.  
  460.  
  461.  
  462. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="make-meetings-matter">Make meetings matter</h2>
  463.  
  464.  
  465.  
  466. <p>Meetings should be consistent and brief — and foster understanding and consensus, advises Mike Fitzgerald, partner in Infosys Consulting’s CIO Advisory practice. And he says one of the most important things you can do to make meetings better is to right size the attendants list.</p>
  467.  
  468.  
  469.  
  470. <p>“Having too many people participate constricts honest discussion and can be very expensive,” Fitzgerald says. </p>
  471.  
  472.  
  473.  
  474. <p>A well-organized meeting can help reduce isolation in technology teams, argues Megan Alarid, whose consultancy The Heightened Leaders advises executives.</p>
  475.  
  476.  
  477.  
  478. <p>“Communicating is the biggest challenge in business — any business — so over-communicate. Daily scrums, stand-up meetings, weekly tactical team meetings that have nothing to do with the work but everything to do with the team. It’s imperative to keep the team in the know, so that projects can stay on track and under budget,” Alarid says.</p>
  479.  
  480.  
  481.  
  482. <p>Langley offers a few rules that he shares with his teams, which can reduce avoidable meetings and ones that lack intent, while keeping meetings efficient and productive. </p>
  483.  
  484.  
  485.  
  486. <p>Every meeting must have an agenda, and he calls setting time for actual productive work during the meeting “sacred.” He ensures decisions are made at the end to avoid follow-up meetings, and he keeps meetings short.</p>
  487.  
  488.  
  489.  
  490. <p>“Fifteen minutes is the default, thirty is allowed. An hour is the max,” he says. “And don’t fall victim to FOMO. Skip meetings that don’t need you, have too many attendees, or lack focus or intent.”</p>
  491.  
  492.  
  493.  
  494. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="narrow-your-focus">Narrow your focus</h2>
  495.  
  496.  
  497.  
  498. <p>Todd Wynne, CIO at Rogers-O’Brien Construction, says early in his career a manager pulled him into his office and offered some of the best leadership advice he’s ever received, which allowed him to home in on what’s important to deliver results.</p>
  499.  
  500.  
  501.  
  502. <p>“He pulled me into his office one day and told me: ‘You’ve got a lot of good ideas here, but the enemy of a great idea is five good ideas. If you spread yourself too thin, you’ll never make the kind of impact you want. You need to focus on your most important thing — your M.I.T.”</p>
  503.  
  504.  
  505.  
  506. <p>The meeting took him aback, but it was a turning point in his career, providing new clarity and purpose. </p>
  507.  
  508.  
  509.  
  510. <p>“I went through my list of ideas, scrutinizing each one. It was a humbling experience but also enlightening,” Wynne says. “By narrowing my focus, I found I could dig deeper into problems, finding solutions that were more than just surface-level fixes. I’ve carried that lesson with me ever since, using it as a guiding principle. So whenever I find myself pulled in many directions, I pause and ask, “What is my M.I.T.?” And just like that, the fog clears, and I know exactly what I need to do.”</p>
  511.  
  512.  
  513.  
  514. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="accept-inconvenient-challenges">Accept inconvenient challenges</h2>
  515.  
  516.  
  517.  
  518. <p>Marcelo Lebre, president and CTO of Remote, says sometimes the best opportunities appear at surprising times.</p>
  519.  
  520.  
  521.  
  522. <p>“Back in 2012, my girlfriend dragged me to have coffee with a friend and her boyfriend,” says Lebre. “I didn’t feel like going, had just moved to a new city the day before, and was starting a new job. But I ended up going anyway.”</p>
  523.  
  524.  
  525.  
  526. <p>On that coffee break, he ended up meeting his future startup partner, now the CEO of his company. “Seize opportunities,” Lebre says, “even when they seem inconvenient.”</p>
  527.  
  528.  
  529.  
  530. <p>Langley advises future leaders to stay open to the next step, even if the path forward is uncertain.</p>
  531.  
  532.  
  533.  
  534. <p>“I tell people to just say yes. When asked if they’ll take on a new role, new responsibilities, a new project — just do it,” he says. “It may be challenging, and it may not be in your area of specialization, but that’s okay. You learn so much by stretching yourself, and you are likely being looked at as a trusted leader.”</p>
  535.  
  536.  
  537.  
  538. <p>Krithika Bhat, CIO at Pure Storage, advises embracing daunting challenges, even if you feel unprepared, because those opportunities in particular lead to personal and professional growth. </p>
  539.  
  540.  
  541.  
  542. <p>“Rather than striving to meet every requirement of a role, embracing roles outside your comfort zone expands your skill set and introduces you to potential mentors and allies who can support your journey.”</p>
  543.  
  544.  
  545.  
  546. <p>David Habib, principal at consulting firm Wren’s Watch, says when deciding to take a risk, it’s important to be clear what success means to you.</p>
  547.  
  548.  
  549.  
  550. <p>“I’ve mentored dozens of IT leaders over the years,” Habib says, “and in every case I’ve stressed this: If you know what you want, you’ll be prepared to grab opportunities that will advance you toward that goal. If you wait for your career to happen to you — well, you’ll get what you get.”</p>
  551. </div></div></div><category>IT Leadership, IT Strategy, Staff Management</category></div>
  552. </body>]]></description>
  553. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2092163/7-it-leadership-hacks-that-deliver-results.html</link>
  554. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2092163</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/shutterstock_1819120895.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="19366971" type="image/jpeg" />
  555. </item>
  556. <item>
  557. <title>6 cloud market forces impacting IT strategies today</title>
  558. <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  559. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  560. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  561.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  562. <div class="article-column__content">
  563. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  564.  
  565.  
  566.  
  567. <p>The cloud services landscape is in constant flux. With the cloud being an inevitable part of enterprise digital transformation journeys, IT leaders must keep on top of the latest developments in the cloud market to better predict downstream impacts on their roadmaps.</p>
  568.  
  569.  
  570.  
  571. <p>Here is a closer look at recent and forecasted developments in the cloud market that CIOs should be aware of.</p>
  572.  
  573.  
  574.  
  575. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2023-greater-flexibility-challenging-decisions">2023: Greater flexibility, challenging decisions</h2>
  576.  
  577.  
  578.  
  579. <p>In 2023, the cloud services space — including hosting and managed and migration services — continued to experience impressive growth, eclipsing $564B in total spend. Amid that growth, a few key trends surfaced to impact CIOs’ cloud strategies, continuing to today:</p>
  580.  
  581.  
  582.  
  583. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="more-flexible-consumption-models">More flexible consumption models</h3>
  584.  
  585.  
  586.  
  587. <p>To increase spend within their ecosystems, hyperscalers marketed more flexible consumption programs to enable customers to increase their commitments, while mitigating consumption risk.</p>
  588.  
  589.  
  590.  
  591. <p>For Microsoft Azure, this took the form of increased use of Workload Commitments, rather than the traditional Spend Based Commitments. Workload Commitments allow customers to make a “soft commitment” to keeping a certain type of workload on the Azure platform, without committing to a specific monetary consumption amount. While these Workload Commitments do not always garner the highest tier of credits/incentives, it provides customers with a simpler consumption approach that avoids much of the risk of underutilization.</p>
  592.  
  593.  
  594.  
  595. <p>In addition, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and AWS all encouraged their midtier Commitment plans — Azure Savings Plan, AWS Compute Savings Plan, and GCP Flexible CUDs. These plans are designed to lock customers into an instance/compute family for a period of one to three years while providing flexibility within that family to enable movement as business needs change.</p>
  596.  
  597.  
  598.  
  599. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="niche-players-in-migration-and-managed-services-on-the-rise">Niche players in migration and managed services on the rise</h3>
  600.  
  601.  
  602.  
  603. <p>In the cloud migration and managed services space, 2023 was a year of growth for smaller and more boutique providers as they successfully differentiated themselves from the traditional large managed service providers.</p>
  604.  
  605.  
  606.  
  607. <p>This differentiation came from technology, such as migration tools and ongoing platform management tools, and service flexibility. While resource depth and reach are an ongoing concern with these niche providers, the intellectual property they can bring to bear has helped counterbalance these concerns and create growth opportunities in 2023.</p>
  608.  
  609.  
  610.  
  611. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="unmanaged-growth-spurring-rethink">Unmanaged growth spurring rethink</h3>
  612.  
  613.  
  614.  
  615. <p>While the utilization of hyperscalers has afforded organizations scale and flexibility for their critical workloads, many customers are facing runaway spend and cloud growth because of the ease of deployment. Unlike on-premises data centers, where procuring and deploying servers is a longer and more thought-out process, hyperscalers provide near-instant deployment options, giving IT organizations the ability to spin up workloads at any time as needed.</p>
  616.  
  617.  
  618.  
  619. <p>The result is that <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/1309572/cios-rethink-all-in-cloud-strategies.html">many customers are seeing unoptimized cloud environments</a>, with spend that often eclipses their legacy on-premises environment. Companies such as X (formerly Twitter) are taking drastic steps to reduce their runaway cloud spend, including migrating workloads out of the cloud and onto on-prem data centers.</p>
  620.  
  621.  
  622.  
  623. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2024-ai-in-force-strategies-evolve">2024: AI in force, strategies evolve</h2>
  624.  
  625.  
  626.  
  627. <p>2024 will continue to see accelerated growth for the cloud services market, with spend predicted to reach $679B this year. Several key trends will drive this increased growth for 2024, including the following:</p>
  628.  
  629.  
  630.  
  631. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="generative-ai-everywhere">Generative AI everywhere</h3>
  632.  
  633.  
  634.  
  635. <p>As generative AI continues to mold and transform IT, cloud hosting providers will continue to infuse these new capabilities into their service offerings. The growth of AI-as-a-service will be dependent on the underlying infrastructure and flexibility of the hyperscalers, as these capabilities will need to be hosted and managed in a robust cloud environment.</p>
  636.  
  637.  
  638.  
  639. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="hybrid-and-multicloud-on-the-rise">Hybrid and multicloud on the rise</h3>
  640.  
  641.  
  642.  
  643. <p>As enterprises continue to deepen their reliance on cloud hosting providers, we expect to see more organizations leaning on hybrid (mix of on-premises and cloud infrastructure) and multicloud (cloud infrastructure from more than one hyperscaler) models. While this creates greater redundancy and avoids lock-in risk with a single platform, internal resource and capability constraints may prove to be a challenge as these models grow.</p>
  644.  
  645.  
  646.  
  647. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="cloud-storage-strategies-under-scrutiny">Cloud storage strategies under scrutiny</h3>
  648.  
  649.  
  650.  
  651. <p>As the data footprint of customers’ ERP platforms continues to grow, organizations will need to develop a clear cloud storage strategy, which will ensure that older data is archived, yet still available to meet business demand. This is especially critical for ERP platforms that are storage-intensive, such as SAP S/4 HANA, as unmanaged storage growth will create rapidly increasing costs on licensing and underlying infrastructure.</p>
  652.  
  653.  
  654.  
  655. <p>2023 was a year of growth and service diversification for the cloud services space, and we expect to see that continue throughout 2024. As organizations continue their cloud journeys, either by moving their platforms to the cloud or deepening those capabilities, we look forward to supporting clients to help make that journey a success.</p>
  656. </div></div></div><category>Cloud Computing, IaaS, Managed Cloud Services, PaaS, SaaS</category></div>
  657. </body>]]></description>
  658. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097657/6-cloud-market-forces-impacting-it-strategies-today.html</link>
  659. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097657</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/shutterstock_1293015166.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="16164093" type="image/jpeg" />
  660. </item>
  661. <item>
  662. <title>Egypt launched the first government data center</title>
  663. <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 08:27:29 +0000</pubDate>
  664. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  665. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  666.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  667. <div class="article-column__content">
  668. <p>The Data and Cloud Computing Center is the first center for analyzing and processing big data and artificial intelligence in Egypt and North Africa, saving time, effort and money, thus enhancing new investment opportunities.</p>
  669.  
  670.  
  671.  
  672. <p>The center works to provide critical applications, payment, as well as applications related to artificial intelligence and big data analysis for decision-making at all levels. Situated along the Ain Sokhna highway, the center spans 23,500 square meters, with 10,000 square meters designated for current infrastructure and the remainder reserved for future expansions.</p>
  673.  
  674.  
  675.  
  676. <p>“The state spent billions of dollars in order to prepare an integrated infrastructure in this regard and the opening of the Government Data and Cloud Computing Center today prepares Egypt to take its place in a world that is progressing rapidly in an accelerating pace,”  said President Abdel Fattah El Sisi who attended the inauguration of Government Data and Cloud Computing Center in Ain El-Sokhna Road. </p>
  677.  
  678.  
  679.  
  680. <p>It is a unified national center for disaster recovery data that localizes the use of artificial intelligence technology in the government sector and provides all accurate data to government agencies.</p>
  681.  
  682.  
  683.  
  684. <p>“Egypt’s digital strategy primarily aims to provide better and easier services to citizens and encourage entrepreneurship. The strategy has three main goals, including providing easier services to citizens, supporting youth to compete effectively in the local and international domestic market, and encouraging entrepreneurship and enhancing innovation,” added Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt.</p>
  685. </div></div></div></div>
  686. </body>]]></description>
  687. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2098142/egypt-launched-the-first-government-data-center.html</link>
  688. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2098142</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cio_middle_east_egypt_cairo_skyline_sunrise_nile_river_by_anooh_gettyimages-1131661502_2400x1600-100799878-orig.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1344446" type="image/jpeg" />
  689. </item>
  690. <item>
  691. <title>Appeal court overturns $1.6bn mainframe software ‘poaching’ ruling against IBM</title>
  692. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 14:24:12 +0000</pubDate>
  693. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  694. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  695.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  696. <div class="article-column__content">
  697. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  698.  
  699.  
  700.  
  701. <p>IBM has successfully overturned a $1.6 billion ruling that it improperly replaced mainframe software from rival BMC at AT&amp;T.</p>
  702.  
  703.  
  704.  
  705. <p>A US Appeal Court this week overruled a lower court’s judgement in deciding that “BMC lost out to IBM fair and square.”  AT&amp;T “independently decided” to displace BMC software from its mainframe environment, the three-judge appeal court panel ruled.</p>
  706.  
  707.  
  708.  
  709. <p>“AT&amp;T’s decisions and conduct — not IBM’s — are most consequentially tied to BMC’s lost profits from AT&amp;T,” a <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca5/22-20463/22-20463-2024-04-30.html" rel="nofollow">ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5<sup>th</sup> Circuit concluded</a>.</p>
  710.  
  711.  
  712.  
  713. <p>IBM and BMC both develop software that runs on IBM mainframes. Under a 2008 agreement, IBM provides outsourcing services to BMC and its customers, including AT&amp;T.</p>
  714.  
  715.  
  716.  
  717. <p>The Master Licensing Agreement (MLA) and an Outsourcing Attachment that governed the business relationship between IBM and BMC were amended in 2013 and 2015.</p>
  718.  
  719.  
  720.  
  721. <p>In 2015, AT&amp;T began a plan to migrate from BMC software to IBM software in its mainframe environment. AT&amp;T wanted to replace BMC’s products in order to reduce costs.</p>
  722.  
  723.  
  724.  
  725. <p>BMC filed a lawsuit claiming IBM had violated their master licensing agreement by convincing AT&amp;T to switch over to Big Blue’s software.</p>
  726.  
  727.  
  728.  
  729. <p>In 2022, a US district judge ruled in BMC’s favour, ordering IBM to pay BMC $717 million in lost licensing fees, $168 million in interest, and a further $717 million in punitive damages.</p>
  730.  
  731.  
  732.  
  733. <p>The lower court made its ruling on the basis that the deal between the enterprise software firms blocked IBM from “displacing” BMC products with IBM software.</p>
  734.  
  735.  
  736.  
  737. <p>IBM appealed. This week appeal court judges decided that the lower court had erred, overturning the $1.6 billion judgement. AT&amp;T had decided to switch to IBM’s software independently for “other valid business reasons”, a provision covered in licensing and outsourcing agreements between IBM and BMC.</p>
  738.  
  739.  
  740.  
  741. <p>The appeal court further ruled that IBM did not violate its deal with BMC in supplying AT&amp;T with IT services that facilitated the switchover.</p>
  742.  
  743.  
  744.  
  745. <p>IBM welcomed the ruling. “We are extremely pleased the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found no wrongdoing by IBM and entered a complete reversal of the district court’s verdict,” it said in a statement, adding, “IBM acted in good faith in every aspect of this engagement, and we are grateful the Court agrees.”</p>
  746.  
  747.  
  748.  
  749. <p>CIO.com approached BMC for comment on the ruling, asking whether it planned to launch any further appeal. A spokesperson told us that the enterprise software firm had “no comment at this time.</p>
  750. </div></div></div><category>Legal, Mainframes</category></div>
  751. </body>]]></description>
  752. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097925/appeal-court-overturns-1-6bn-mainframe-software-poaching-ruling-against-ibm.html</link>
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  754. </item>
  755. <item>
  756. <title>IBM and AWS forge global alliance, streamlining access to AI and hybrid cloud solutions</title>
  757. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 12:11:30 +0000</pubDate>
  758. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
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  761. <div class="article-column__content">
  762. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  763.  
  764.  
  765.  
  766. <p>IBM has announced the expansion of its software portfolio to 92 countries in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors (ISVs). Previously, the digital catalog was available in just five countries.</p>
  767.  
  768.  
  769.  
  770. <p>This strategic alliance allows businesses in these countries access to IBM’s software products, including data technologies and AI, directly through the AWS Marketplace, <a href="https://newsroom.ibm.com/2024-05-02-IBM-Expands-Software-Availability-to-92-Countries-in-AWS-Marketplace" rel="nofollow">IBM said in a statement</a>.</p>
  771.  
  772.  
  773.  
  774. <p>“The expansion beyond Denmark, France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States, where the software is currently available, will help make procurement easier for clients, streamline purchasing and create new efficiencies, while allowing them to use their AWS committed spend for IBM software purchases,” the statement added.</p>
  775.  
  776.  
  777.  
  778. <p>“By expanding the availability of our software portfolio in AWS Marketplace, organizations around the world will have greater access to a streamlined way to procure many IBM AI and hybrid cloud offerings to help propel their business forward,” Nick Otto, Head of Global Strategic Partnerships at IBM, said in the statement. “Our collaboration with AWS is a prime example of how we’re working with other companies to meet the needs of clients, making it as easy as possible for them to do business with IBM and accelerate their transformation journeys.”</p>
  779.  
  780.  
  781.  
  782. <p>Industry analysts view this collaboration as a significant development in the cloud software industry.</p>
  783.  
  784.  
  785.  
  786. <p>“Since AWS is the cloud infra leader with thousands of enterprises and many of them overlap with IBM and RedHat using their SaaS solutions. Strong synergies are coming out of this partnership,” said Neil Shah, VP for research, and partner at Counterpoint Research. “IBM’s highly-capable Watson AI platform and its RedHat open solutions, combined with AWS Cloud and Amazon Bedrock and IBM Consulting form a solid offering for enterprises. Further, it also offers some monetization and potential cross-selling opportunities for AWS to the IBM and RedHat clients.”</p>
  787.  
  788.  
  789.  
  790. <p>“This will increase competition with some of the select SaaS vendors on the AWS platform who offer similar offerings,” said Rajiv Ranjan, associate research director at IDC. “In particular, it will make it easier for IBM software and IBM Watson customers on AWS to source these required software. There are other hybrid cloud, automation, and observability software on AWS. These software vendors will compete with IBM now for the above-mentioned customers.”</p>
  791.  
  792.  
  793.  
  794. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="a-broader-portfolio-of-solutions">A broader portfolio of solutions</h2>
  795.  
  796.  
  797.  
  798. <p>This development allows customers in the 92 countries to access IBM’s AI and data technologies through a “portfolio of 44 listings and 29 SaaS offerings” including components of watsonx AI and Data platform, the company said in the statement.</p>
  799.  
  800.  
  801.  
  802. <p>“Watsonx.data, a fit-for-purpose data store built on an open data lakehouse architecture, and Watsonx.ai, a next generation enterprise studio for AI builders are available in AWS Marketplace as well as two of IBM’s AI Assistants — watsonx Assistant and watsonx Orchestrate. Watsonx.governance is expected to be available soon,” IBM said.</p>
  803.  
  804.  
  805.  
  806. <p>Besides, the expanded offering also includes IBM’s flagship database Db2 Cloud Pak for Data as well as a portfolio of automation software including Apptio, Turbonomic, and Instana, and the IBM Security and Sustainability software portfolios — all built on Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS. “The cloud-native software enables clients to deploy on AWS while flexible licensing, including SaaS and subscription, makes it easier for clients to purchase exactly how they want,” IBM said.</p>
  807.  
  808.  
  809.  
  810. <p>In addition to the software portfolio expansion, IBM is also launching 15 new consulting services designed specifically for AWS environments. “These new service offerings are aligned to client needs and demand, focused on data and application modernization, security services, and tailored industry-specific solutions — with generative AI capabilities included in select services,” the statement added.</p>
  811.  
  812.  
  813.  
  814. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="collaboration-takes-center-stage">Collaboration Takes Center Stage</h2>
  815.  
  816.  
  817.  
  818. <p>The IBM and AWS collaboration underscores an emerging trend within the tech industry.  As the demand for cloud solutions continues to grow, collaboration between major tech players is likely to become commonplace.</p>
  819.  
  820.  
  821.  
  822. <p>“It’s already common,” quipped Ranjan. “Customers on public cloud procure different software from the cloud marketplace. This helps to shorten the buying cycle if they are already in a specific cloud environment. Customers can get the same software at a lower cost if they buy from the marketplace as it would be a part of the overall contract with the cloud provider and gives the customer more negotiating power.”</p>
  823.  
  824.  
  825.  
  826. <p>Citing a <a href="https://www.canalys.com/insights/hyperscale-cloud-marketplaces-saas-channels" rel="nofollow">Canalys study</a> that has forecasted software-as-a-service (SaaS) market to reach $45 billion by 2025, IBM said that marketplaces help “shorten the buying cycle, consolidate billing, and make it easier to scale software deployments quickly.” Canalys, in the study, said marketplaces are the “fastest-growing route to market” for SaaS products.</p>
  827.  
  828.  
  829.  
  830. <p>“Online marketplace is offered in SaaS model that accounts for close to 60% of public cloud offerings,” Ranjan said.</p>
  831.  
  832.  
  833.  
  834. <p>Cloud Marketplaces are a haven for developers looking to build or discover and seamlessly integrate existing or new solutions respectively at scale, Shah said. “This allows the developers to adopt ready-made or quickly co-develop modules and APIs to accelerate their time to market and reduce the overall TCO. So, this extensive and deeper partnership is a win-win partnership for both AWS and IBM and their customers.” This is not only a win-win situation for the tech partners but also for the customers, Shah said. “Businesses gain access to a wider range of solutions and streamlined procurement processes, while cloud providers expand their offerings and user base,” he added.</p>
  835. </div></div></div><category>Amazon Web Services, Artificial Intelligence, Enterprise Applications, Hybrid Cloud</category></div>
  836. </body>]]></description>
  837. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097878/ibm-and-aws-forge-global-alliance-streamlining-access-to-ai-and-hybrid-cloud-solutions.html</link>
  838. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097878</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/carson-masterson-0mXw-dvuLok-unsplash.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1195703" type="image/jpeg" />
  839. </item>
  840. <item>
  841. <title>UPS delivers customer wins with generative AI</title>
  842. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 10:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
  843. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  844. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  845.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  846. <div class="article-column__content">
  847. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  848.  
  849.  
  850.  
  851. <p>United Parcel Service last year turned to generative AI to help streamline its customer service operations. The in-house developed project, Message Response Automation (MeRA), is already delivering.</p>
  852.  
  853.  
  854.  
  855. <p>MeRA, which was initiated last July and went into beta testing in October, leverages publicly available large language models (LLMs) to automate the handling of some customer issues, providing consistent messaging and significant improvement of agent efficiency, aka handle time, according to the multinational shipping and supply chain management company.</p>
  856.  
  857.  
  858.  
  859. <p>Bala Subramanian, chief digital and technology officer at UPS, sees the company’s foray into generative AI as not only a winner for its customer contact center agents but something to be introduced to other business processes in the near future, he says.</p>
  860.  
  861.  
  862.  
  863. <p>“MeRA’s introduction has been a game changer for UPS, transforming our approach to best-in-class customer service,” Subramanian says. “By alleviating the burden on our human agents, it enables them to focus on more complex and nuanced customer needs.”</p>
  864.  
  865.  
  866.  
  867. <p>MeRA, which has earned UPS a <a href="https://event.foundryco.com/cio100-symposium-and-awards/awards/" rel="nofollow">2024 CIO 100 Award</a> for IT innovation and leadership, automates responses to some of the roughly 52,000 customer e-mails UPS receives each day, according to the company. During pilot testing, UPS earned 50% reduction in the time agents spent resolving e-mails. The LLM gives agents the ability to confirm all responses suggested by the model. This shift to a confirmation role — with standardized workflows — saves the company both time and money, Subramanian says.</p>
  868.  
  869.  
  870.  
  871. <p>Customer service is emerging as one of the top use cases for generative AI in today’s enterprise, says Daniel Saroff, group vice president of consulting and research at IDC.</p>
  872.  
  873.  
  874.  
  875. <p>“Firms that believe their business will be significantly disrupted by genAI within the next 18 months also selected customer-facing applicationsas the top response at 30.8%,” Saroff says, citing research from IDC’s <a href="https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=US52023824&amp;pageType=PRINTFRIENDLY">Future Enterprise Resiliency and Spending Survey Wave 1</a> from January 2024. “Firms are very concerned that without applying genAI to customer-facing apps, they are at high risk of disruption.”</p>
  876.  
  877.  
  878.  
  879. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="built-to-extend">Built to extend</h2>
  880.  
  881.  
  882.  
  883. <p>For UPS, contact center use of generative AI is just a springboard. MeRA, which the R&amp;D team first released into limited production in November, will be adapted and extended to all categories of customer contact — and it will be applied to other functions within the enterprise, including human resources, sales, and finance, Subramanian says.</p>
  884.  
  885.  
  886.  
  887. <p>“The journey with MeRA is just beginning,” says the chief digital and technology officer, noting that the tool has prompted UPS to rethink and refine its approach to AI training. “The framework we established is not just a breakthrough for our UPS call center but it’s a blueprint for future AI applications across the enterprise.”</p>
  888.  
  889.  
  890.  
  891. <p>The AI tool dips into the knowledge base used by customer agents to gain access to corporate procedures, as well as data to respond to myriad customer questions. What makes MeRA unique is that it employs a sequential reasoning logic framework dubbed known ‘Chain of Thought’ reasoning, as well as more advanced sentiment analysis capabilities, such as including the ability to customize the tone of the response to customer questions, according to UPS.</p>
  892.  
  893.  
  894.  
  895. <p>Subramanian points to one typical customer request — holding packages for pickup — to illustrate the tool’s sophistication. The request, he says, has at least three possible solutions depending on a variety of factors, such as package tracking history, shipper designated restrictions on packages, and previous delivery attempts by UPS drivers.</p>
  896.  
  897.  
  898.  
  899. <p>“The package tracking history is pulled in real-time from the Internal Visibility portal by an email support agent and shows the history of the package and where it currently is in its journey,” he explains. “Agents must reference this information to know how to respond to various scenarios.”</p>
  900.  
  901.  
  902.  
  903. <p>The model’s use of corporate data such as policies, procedures, and shipping data to automate and enhance customer service demonstrates how generative AI, still in its infancy, is beginning to take steps toward collaboration with humans, analysts note.</p>
  904.  
  905.  
  906.  
  907. <p>“The first half of 2023 saw many use cases focused on how individuals can be more productive in their writing, content creation, or coding tasks, especially across marketing, sales, and development team,” wrote Forrester analysts Rowen Curran and J.P. Gownder, in a <a href="https://www.forrester.com/blogs/orbiting-back-on-a-year-of-generative-ai-as-we-slingshot-ourselves-into-the-future/" rel="nofollow">blog post</a> last November as UPS was putting its solution into limited production.</p>
  908.  
  909.  
  910.  
  911. <p>“Today’s genAI use cases are moving beyond individual augmentation to reach farther and deeper into the organization to connect organizational knowledge. As these applications access more knowledge, they are interconnecting individuals and teams to enable better collaboration not only between humans but also between humans and machines,” they wrote.</p>
  912.  
  913.  
  914.  
  915. <p>Thought leader George Westerman, senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and founder of the Global Opportunity Forum, also sees customer service being a great launching point for enterprise genAI strategies.</p>
  916.  
  917.  
  918.  
  919. <p>“One of the most common applications companies are investigating for generative AI is in customer service,” he says. “It can handle routine information gathering and often the first level or two of support. That frees up human agents to handle the more complex questions.”</p>
  920.  
  921.  
  922.  
  923. <p>Although it was conceived and delivered into production in roughly six months, UPS’s phased approach enabled the company to “thoroughly test and fine-tune the system, ensuring that upon its full-scale deployment, MeRA would seamlessly integrate into our operations,” Subramanian says.</p>
  924.  
  925.  
  926.  
  927. <p>Generative AI poses great challenges to CIOs and IT pros today because it is a moving target, he adds. The ever-changing nature of AI tools, as well as the numerous variables involved, presents challenges R&amp;D teams must overcome, he says. Still, Subramanian is confident MeRA can continue to evolve and learn to handle the most complex of customer requests and business processes.</p>
  928.  
  929.  
  930.  
  931. <p>“The generative AI space is constantly changing with new solutions, frameworks, and models being published monthly,” Subramanian says, noting that the team had to teach the model to understand custom e-mails and then follow policies and procedures to deliver the correct response.</p>
  932.  
  933.  
  934.  
  935. <p>UPS noticed in some cases that general-purpose LLMs comprehend or process words and phrases in a manner different from what the company expects for its business. As a result, UPS is investing in training the model on its corporate data set.</p>
  936.  
  937.  
  938.  
  939. <p>For MeRA, UPS started with Microsoft OpenAI LLMs, GPT 3.5 Turbo and GPT4. Going forward, UPS will take a multifaceted approach to its generative AI strategy and will evaluate each framework. “With the technology evolving so rapidly, we are not locked into one model over the other,” according to a company representative.</p>
  940.  
  941.  
  942.  
  943. <p>“We implemented a custom-trained AI agent framework trained on UPS business rules and knowledge base and fine-tuned it to ensure consistent accuracy in providing the right context to the LLM to generate responses,” Subramanian says — an approach he believes will serve MeRA well as the company delivers the tool beyond the contact center, to the enterprise at large.</p>
  944. </div></div></div><category>CIO 100, Digital Transformation, Generative AI</category></div>
  945. </body>]]></description>
  946. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2096052/ups-delivers-customer-wins-with-generative-ai.html</link>
  947. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2096052</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/bala-subramanian-stylized_1600x900px.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="376577" type="image/jpeg" />
  948. </item>
  949. <item>
  950. <title>Scrum master certification: Top 13 certs for agile pros</title>
  951. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  952. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  953. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  954.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  955. <div class="article-column__content">
  956. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  957.  
  958.  
  959.  
  960. <p>The agile methodology, which facilitates collaboration between stakeholders, teams, and customers during software development, is fast gaining prominence in today’s enterprises. The methodology, which is also used <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/222142/moving-agile-beyond-it-the-secret-to-successful-software-delivery.html">beyond software development at some businesses</a>, is at the center of <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/234378/comparing-agile-project-management-frameworks.html">several frameworks such as Scrum, Lean, Kanban</a>, and <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/220569/what-is-safe-the-scaled-agile-framework-explained.html">Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)</a>.</p>
  961.  
  962.  
  963.  
  964. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-is-scrum">What is Scrum?</h2>
  965.  
  966.  
  967.  
  968. <p>Scrum is a key variant of agile, typified by short iterations of work, called sprints, and daily meetings, called scrums, to tackle portions of a project in succession until the project is complete. The <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/230646/what-is-a-scrum-master-a-key-role-for-project-success.html">Scrum master</a> leads this process, providing guidance to the team and product owner and ensuring agile practices are followed by team members. Getting certified in agile or a related framework, such as Scrum, can help demonstrate you have the skills and knowledge to lead a Scrum team in the organization as a Scrum master.</p>
  969.  
  970.  
  971.  
  972. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-is-a-scrum-master">What is a Scrum master?</h2>
  973.  
  974.  
  975.  
  976. <p>While Scrum can be a specific IT or tech skill, some <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/230646/what-is-a-scrum-master-a-key-role-for-project-success.html">organizations will hire a Scrum master</a>, someone who is responsible for overseeing Scrum principles in the workplace, establishing Scrum practices, and helping others learn and understand the Scrum framework. These professionals will guide software development teams through daily Scrum operations, holding daily Scrum sessions, and tracking overall progress of projects using Scrum principles. They also oversee Scrum teams, which consist of the product owner, the developers, and the sum master.</p>
  977.  
  978.  
  979.  
  980. <p>According to data from PayScale, the average salary for a ScrumMaster is $97,517 per year, with a reported salary range between $67,000 and $133,000 annually.</p>
  981.  
  982.  
  983.  
  984. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-can-scrum-master-certification-do-for-your-career">What can Scrum master certification do for your career?</h2>
  985.  
  986.  
  987.  
  988. <p>Scrum certifications can help you advance your career as a developer, Scrum master, or product owner. There are several to choose from, each focusing on a specific role in the organization, or a specific area of Scrum and agile, with options from various vendors offering courses and exams to validate your knowledge around the best practices and principles of Scrum.</p>
  989.  
  990.  
  991.  
  992. <p>For software developers and those working in that area of tech, Scrum is often used to track the progress of projects and tech initiatives, using time-boxes and sprints, which usually last up to two weeks. Through daily “stand-up” meetings, developers announce their daily progress throughout the sprint, and at the end they hold a “sprint review” to get feedback and an internal “sprint retrospective” to review the overall development process. Certifications help validate that you have the right knowledge, expertise, and skill to work on a Scrum development team in a tech organization.</p>
  993.  
  994.  
  995.  
  996. <p>Several Scrum master certs listed below can be found among the highest-ranking IT certs for cash pay premiums, according to the <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0009/8684/1143/files/FooteNewsRelease_2Q2024_ITSkillsNoncertifiedPayDataTrends_04212024_V2.pdf?v=1713737514" rel="nofollow">April 2024 Foote Report</a>, including the Advanced Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner, which received an average pay premium equivalent to 10% of base salary, a 11% market increase over the past six months.</p>
  997.  
  998.  
  999.  
  1000. <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="top-13-scrum-master-certifications">Top 13 Scrum master certifications</h2>
  1001.  
  1002.  
  1003.  
  1004. <p>Agile and Scrum certified professionals are in demand, but which certification is right for you? Here are 13 certifications designed for Scrum masters and agile pros that can help set you apart from the competition.</p>
  1005.  
  1006.  
  1007.  
  1008. <ul>
  1009. <li>Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)</li>
  1010.  
  1011.  
  1012.  
  1013. <li>Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)</li>
  1014.  
  1015.  
  1016.  
  1017. <li>Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO)</li>
  1018.  
  1019.  
  1020.  
  1021. <li>Certified Scrum Professional ScrumMaster (CSP-SM)</li>
  1022.  
  1023.  
  1024.  
  1025. <li>Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)</li>
  1026.  
  1027.  
  1028.  
  1029. <li>Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM)</li>
  1030.  
  1031.  
  1032.  
  1033. <li>PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)</li>
  1034.  
  1035.  
  1036.  
  1037. <li>Professional Scrum Developer (PSD)</li>
  1038.  
  1039.  
  1040.  
  1041. <li>Professional Scrum Master (PSM)</li>
  1042.  
  1043.  
  1044.  
  1045. <li>Professional Scrum Product Owner Level 1 (PSPO-1)</li>
  1046.  
  1047.  
  1048.  
  1049. <li>SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)</li>
  1050.  
  1051.  
  1052.  
  1053. <li>SAFe Advanced Scrum Master</li>
  1054.  
  1055.  
  1056.  
  1057. <li>Scrum@Scale Practitioner</li>
  1058. </ul>
  1059.  
  1060.  
  1061.  
  1062. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="advanced-certified-scrummaster-a-csm">Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)</h3>
  1063.  
  1064.  
  1065.  
  1066. <p>The Scrum Alliance’s <a href="https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/scrum-master-track/advanced-certified-scrummaster" rel="nofollow">Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)</a> is an advanced course for those who currently hold a CSM certification (see below) and have one or more years of experience working in a Scrum master role. A-CSMs attend educational offerings to gain techniques and skills that go beyond the basics and introductory mechanics of Scrum, expanding into interaction, facilitation, coaching, and team dynamics, according to Scrum Alliance. </p>
  1067.  
  1068.  
  1069.  
  1070. <p>Once all educational offerings are complete and approved by a Scrum Alliance-approved educator, candidates must accept the A-CSM license agreement and complete their Scrum Alliance membership profile. They also must validate at least 12 months of work experience as a Scrum master within the past five years.</p>
  1071.  
  1072.  
  1073.  
  1074. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Course fees vary from $600 to $1,500, depending on your location and whether you choose an online, in-person, hybrid, or self-paced course.</p>
  1075.  
  1076.  
  1077.  
  1078. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: A-CSM certification must be renewed every two years at a cost of $175; candidates must also earn 30 SEUs during that time. (To renew more than one Scrum Alliance cert, use the “Combined Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Product Owner and/or Certified Scrum Developer” option.) </p>
  1079.  
  1080.  
  1081.  
  1082. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="certified-scrummaster-csm">Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)</h3>
  1083.  
  1084.  
  1085.  
  1086. <p>The <a href="https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/scrum-master-track/certified-scrummaster" rel="nofollow">Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification</a> is an entry-level certification offered by the Scrum Alliance for those who want to work as a Scrum master or on a Scrum team. As a Scrum master, you’ll be responsible for leading an effective Scrum team while following the best practices, values, and principles of Scrum. The CSM certification demonstrates your understanding of Scrum and your ability to apply it to a team and throughout the organization.</p>
  1087.  
  1088.  
  1089.  
  1090. <p>The CSM course covers the fundamentals of the Scrum framework, including concepts such as team accountability, events, and artifacts. Through hands-on training, you will gain skills and knowledge to help you pass the CSM exam and be successful in a Scrum master role or on a Scrum team. The certification is also well-suited for software engineers, business analysts, and project managers.</p>
  1091.  
  1092.  
  1093.  
  1094. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Course fees vary from $300 to $1,000, depending on your location and whether you choose an online, in-person, or hybrid course.  </p>
  1095.  
  1096.  
  1097.  
  1098. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The CSM must be renewed every two years at a cost of $100; candidates must also earn 20 Scrum education units (SEUs) during that time.</p>
  1099.  
  1100.  
  1101.  
  1102. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="certified-scrum-professional-product-owner-csp-po">Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO)</h3>
  1103.  
  1104.  
  1105.  
  1106. <p>The <a href="https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/product-owner-track/certified-scrum-product-owner" rel="nofollow">Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO) certification</a> from Scrum Alliance is designed for Scrum professionals who work on the “business side” of projects. As a CSP-PO, you’ll be responsible for creating product visions, maintaining the product backlog, and ensuring projects meet customer requirements. The cert covers the basics of adopting agile and ensure you maximize the team’s value to create quality products.</p>
  1107.  
  1108.  
  1109.  
  1110. <p>Once you’ve earned your CSP-PO certification, you’ll qualify to take the exam for the Advanced Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (ACSP-PO) certification. You’ll also need to validate at least 24 months of work experience specific to the role of product owner within the past five years to qualify.</p>
  1111.  
  1112.  
  1113.  
  1114. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: CSP-PO course fee: $495; ACSP-PO course fee: $1,495</p>
  1115.  
  1116.  
  1117.  
  1118. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The CSP-PO and ACSP-PO must be renewed every two years at $250; candidates must also earn 40 SEUs during that time.</p>
  1119.  
  1120.  
  1121.  
  1122. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="certified-scrum-professional-scrummaster-csp-sm">Certified Scrum Professional ScrumMaster (CSP-SM)</h3>
  1123.  
  1124.  
  1125.  
  1126. <p>The <a href="https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/scrum-master-track/certified-scrum-professional-scrummaster" rel="nofollow">Certified Scrum Professional – ScrumMaster (CSP-SM) certification</a> from Scrum Alliance is designed to certify your experience, training, and knowledge in Scrum. The cert focuses on Lean, agile, and Scrum, including Scrum master core competencies, as well as service to the development team, product owner, and the organization. To qualify for the exam, you’ll need to attend certified CSP-SM training and validate at least 24 months of work experience specific to the role of Scrum master within the past five years.</p>
  1127.  
  1128.  
  1129.  
  1130. <p>Along with your cert, you’ll also be given access to attend exclusive CSP events to network with other leaders in Scrum and <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/237027/agile-project-management-a-beginners-guide.html">agile</a> and you’ll receive a free premium subscription to Comparative Agility, an agile assessment and continuous improvement platform.</p>
  1131.  
  1132.  
  1133.  
  1134. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Course fees vary depending on location and instructor but typically range from $1,400 to $2,000.</p>
  1135.  
  1136.  
  1137.  
  1138. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The CSP-SM must be renewed every two years at $250; candidates must also earn 40 SEUs during that time.</p>
  1139.  
  1140.  
  1141.  
  1142. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="certified-scrum-developer-csd">Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)</h3>
  1143.  
  1144.  
  1145.  
  1146. <p>The <a href="https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/developer-track/certified-scrum-developer" rel="nofollow">Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) certification</a> from Scrum Alliance is designed for product developers working in a Scrum environment to demonstrate their understanding of Scrum and agile principles and certify they have learned specialized agile engineering skills. The two-day course required for the exam covers Scrum foundations and how those impact the role of Scrum developers.</p>
  1147.  
  1148.  
  1149.  
  1150. <p>Once you’ve earned your CSD certification, you will qualify for the Advanced Certified Scrum Developer (A-CSD) certification. You’ll also be required to validate at least 12 months of work experience specific to the role of Scrum developer or team member within the past five years. The next level of credentials dives deeper into the relationship between Scrum and the development process, focusing on more advanced tools and collaboration techniques for building strong products in a Scrum environment.</p>
  1151.  
  1152.  
  1153.  
  1154. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Course fees vary depending on location and instructor but typically range from $900 to $1,500.</p>
  1155.  
  1156.  
  1157.  
  1158. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The CSD certification must be renewed every two years; candidates must also earn 40 SEUs within that two-year period.</p>
  1159.  
  1160.  
  1161.  
  1162. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="disciplined-agile-scrum-master-dasm">Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM)</h3>
  1163.  
  1164.  
  1165.  
  1166. <p>The <a href="https://www.pmi.org/certifications/agile-certifications/disciplined-agile-scrum-master-dasm" rel="nofollow">Disciplined Agile Scrum (DASM) certification</a> from PMI focuses on the <a href="https://www.pmi.org/disciplined-agile/mindset" rel="nofollow">DA mindset</a> and its underlying principles, which include concepts such as “pragmatism, the power of choice, and adapting to context.” The cert covers the fundamentals of agile and <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/236705/the-lean-journey-in-it.html">Lean</a>, including methods such as <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/220244/learning-scrum-an-empirical-approach-to-product-development.html">Scrum</a>, <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/217626/what-is-kanban-workflow-management-simplified.html">Kanban</a>, SAFe, and more. You’ll learn how to apply these concepts in real-world situations and how to apply the Disciplined Agile toolkit to discover the most effective methods for your team and business needs.</p>
  1167.  
  1168.  
  1169.  
  1170. <p>Once you’ve earned your DASM certification, it also opens you up to take the Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) Certification or Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC) Certification exams.</p>
  1171.  
  1172.  
  1173.  
  1174. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Members course fee: $399; nonmembers course fee: $499; exam fee is covered in the course registration fee and retakes cost $150 each.</p>
  1175.  
  1176.  
  1177.  
  1178. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The DASM certification must be renewed every year.</p>
  1179.  
  1180.  
  1181.  
  1182. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="pmi-agile-certified-practitioner-pmi-acp">PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)</h3>
  1183.  
  1184.  
  1185.  
  1186. <p>Although the Project Management Institute (<a href="https://www.pmi.org" rel="nofollow">PMI</a>) doesn’t offer specific Scrum certifications, its <a href="https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/agile-acp" rel="nofollow">PMI-ACP certification</a> is popular among Scrum masters because it covers several agile and Scrum practices and principles. The cert recognizes candidates’ knowledge of agile principles and skill with agile techniques. It spans many agile approaches, including Scrum, Lean, Kanban, extreme programming (XP), and test-driven development (TDD).</p>
  1187.  
  1188.  
  1189.  
  1190. <p>The PMI-ACP requires a secondary degree, 21 contract hours of training in agile practices, 12 months of general project experience within the past five years, and eight months of agile project experience within the past three years. A current <a href="https://www.cio.com/article/228204/pmp-project-management-certification-guide.html">Project Management Professional (PMP)</a> or Program Management Professional (PgMP) cert will satisfy the requirement for 12 months of general project experience within the past five years, but neither are required.</p>
  1191.  
  1192.  
  1193.  
  1194. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: PMI members: $435; nonmembers: $495</p>
  1195.  
  1196.  
  1197.  
  1198. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: PMI-ACP certification holders must earn 30 professional development units (PDUs) involving agile topics every three years to renew the certification.</p>
  1199.  
  1200.  
  1201.  
  1202. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="professional-scrum-developer-psd">Professional Scrum Developer (PSD)</h3>
  1203.  
  1204.  
  1205.  
  1206. <p>The Scrum.org <a href="https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-developer-certification" rel="nofollow">Professional Scrum Developer certification</a> is designed to validate your knowledge of building complex software products using Scrum. The certification will show employers you have the right set of skills to work as a Scrum developer following the best practices outlined in the Scrum Guide.</p>
  1207.  
  1208.  
  1209.  
  1210. <p>According to Scrum.org, the assessment is “exhaustive and rigorous,” with questions that will test your knowledge of the Scrum Guide and your ability to interpret its meaning and apply that context in real-world settings. You’ll also be tested on the content in the Software Developer Learning Path and you’ll also be asked questions that require you to apply your own real-world experience as a Scrum developer.</p>
  1211.  
  1212.  
  1213.  
  1214. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: $200 per attempt</p>
  1215.  
  1216.  
  1217.  
  1218. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The PSD does not expire.</p>
  1219.  
  1220.  
  1221.  
  1222. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="professional-scrum-master-psm">Professional Scrum Master (PSM)</h3>
  1223.  
  1224.  
  1225.  
  1226. <p>There are three designations that fall under the <a href="https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-certifications/professional-scrum-master-assessments" rel="nofollow">Professional Scrum Master (PSM)</a> certification offered by Scrum.org. The PSM-I, PSM-II, and PSM-III certifications are designed to validate your skills and knowledge with Scrum at different levels of expertise. The exams cover several focus areas outlined in the Professional Scrum Competencies and you’ll be asked how to interpret meaning from the Scrum Guide and how you would apply Scrum within a Scrum team.</p>
  1227.  
  1228.  
  1229.  
  1230. <ul>
  1231. <li><strong>PSM-I </strong>certification covers the fundamental levels of Scrum mastery, demonstrating you have a strong understanding of Scrum and how to apply it in Scrum Teams.</li>
  1232.  
  1233.  
  1234.  
  1235. <li><strong>PSM-II </strong>certification demonstrates you have an advanced level of Scrum mastery, that you understand the Scrum Master accountabilities, and your role in a Scrum team and how it functions.</li>
  1236.  
  1237.  
  1238.  
  1239. <li><strong>PSM-III </strong>certification is the final level of certification, demonstrating a distinguished level of Scrum mastery, with proven knowledge that you can coach, facilitate, mentor, and teach Scrum Team members while also influencing an organization.</li>
  1240. </ul>
  1241.  
  1242.  
  1243.  
  1244. <p>There are no specific prerequisites for the exam, but candidates should be aware that the material covered is high-level and complex, and only those well-versed in Scrum principles are expected to pass the exam. Once you’ve passed the PSM I exam, you will be able to move onto the next two levels of certification, the PSM II and the PSM III.</p>
  1245.  
  1246.  
  1247.  
  1248. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: PSM I: $200; PSM II: $250; PSM III: $500</p>
  1249.  
  1250.  
  1251.  
  1252. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The PSM does not expire.</p>
  1253.  
  1254.  
  1255.  
  1256. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="professional-scrum-product-owner-pspo">Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)</h3>
  1257.  
  1258.  
  1259.  
  1260. <p>The <a href="https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-product-owner-certifications" rel="nofollow">Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) certification</a> series offered by Scrum.org includes three levels of assessment designed for those who want to validate their Scrum skills, as well as their ability to support value creation and delivery.</p>
  1261.  
  1262.  
  1263.  
  1264. <ul>
  1265. <li><strong>PSPO-I </strong>certification is the first level of assessment and demonstrates that you have a foundational knowledge of the product owner role and understand how to interpret the Scrum Guide and to apply knowledge from the PSPO subject areas.</li>
  1266.  
  1267.  
  1268.  
  1269. <li><strong>PSPO-II </strong>certification is the next level of assessment, which validates you have an advanced level of product ownership knowledge, understanding of the scrum framework and how it can provide value, and topics including business strategy, portfolio planning product backlog management, and working with stakeholders.</li>
  1270.  
  1271.  
  1272.  
  1273. <li><strong>PSPO-III</strong> is the final level of certification, demonstrating that you have a “distinguished” level of understanding around the role of a Product Owner in the Scrum framework, and that you understand Scrum values and how to effectively apply Scrum in an organizational setting.</li>
  1274. </ul>
  1275.  
  1276.  
  1277.  
  1278. <p>While not required, it’s recommended to take the Professional Scrum Product Owner course before attempting the exam, unless you already have sufficient knowledge to pass the exam. The two-day course covers everything you need to know about the product owner role through hands-on instruction and team-based exercises. The course covers topics such as agile product management, value-driven development, Scrum principles, and release management.</p>
  1279.  
  1280.  
  1281.  
  1282. <p><strong>Cost</strong>:  PSPO I: $200; PSPO II: $250; PSPO III: $500</p>
  1283.  
  1284.  
  1285.  
  1286. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The PSPO-1 does not expire.</p>
  1287.  
  1288.  
  1289.  
  1290. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="safe-advanced-scrum-master">SAFe Advanced Scrum Master</h3>
  1291.  
  1292.  
  1293.  
  1294. <p>The <a href="https://www.scaledagile.com/certification/courses/safe-advanced-scrum-master/" rel="nofollow">SAFe Advanced Scrum Master certification</a> offered by Scaled Agile is a two-day course that focuses on preparing current Scrum Masters for leadership roles where they’ll have to operate in a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) environment. The exam covers topics such as identifying and solving team anti-patterns, improving value flow with Kanban and other engineering practices, supporting program-level execution, and using problem-solving and advance coaching techniques to drive improvement.</p>
  1295.  
  1296.  
  1297.  
  1298. <p>It’s an advanced certification but there are no prerequisites for candidates interested in getting certified. Scaled Agile, however, strongly recommends you have at least one of the following certifications: SAFe Scrum Master (SSM), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), or Professional Scrum Master (PSM) certification.</p>
  1299.  
  1300.  
  1301.  
  1302. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Course fees vary based on location, but the first exam fee is covered in the course registration fee. Each retake attempt is $50.</p>
  1303.  
  1304.  
  1305.  
  1306. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: SAFe Scrum Master certification holders must renew annually, at a cost of $100, and complete at least 10 continuing education hours each year.</p>
  1307.  
  1308.  
  1309.  
  1310. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="safe-scrum-master-ssm">SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)</h3>
  1311.  
  1312.  
  1313.  
  1314. <p>The <a href="https://www.scaledagile.com/certification/certified-safe-scrum-master/" rel="nofollow">SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) certification</a> offered by Scaled Agile is designed to demonstrate your skills and abilities with integrating Scrum practices into an organization. You’ll be tested on your knowledge of using Scrum and Kanban to facilitate team events, supporting program execution, and coaching agile teams. To earn the cert, you will need to attend the SAFe Scrum Master course, which covers everything you’ll need to know for the exam.</p>
  1315.  
  1316.  
  1317.  
  1318. <p>Along with your certification, you’ll also receive one-year membership access to the SAFe Community Platform, meetup groups and events with other certified SAFe professionals, and various learning resources that will support you during your Scrum journey.</p>
  1319.  
  1320.  
  1321.  
  1322. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: Course fees vary based on location, but the first exam fee is covered in the course registration fee. Each retake attempt is $50.</p>
  1323.  
  1324.  
  1325.  
  1326. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: SAFe Scrum Master certification holders must renew annually, at a cost of $100, and complete at least 10 continuing education hours each year.</p>
  1327.  
  1328.  
  1329.  
  1330. <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="scrumscale-practitioner">Scrum@Scale Practitioner</h3>
  1331.  
  1332.  
  1333.  
  1334. <p>The <a href="https://www.scruminc.com/scrum-at-scale-certification/" rel="nofollow">Scrum@Scale Practitioner certification</a> from Scrum Inc. focuses on your ability to scale any Scrum implementation so that it aligns with specific business needs and goals “without introducing anti-Scrum patterns or unnecessary waste.” The certification dives into Scrum’s flexibility and adaptability, leaning on the fact that no two organizations will have the same Scrum implementation.</p>
  1335.  
  1336.  
  1337.  
  1338. <p>The online courses are interactive and will teach you how to “scale Scrum through a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, and real-world case studies.” The course will prepare you for the exam by covering topics such as how to facilitate cross-team collaboration, create and prioritize transformation backlogs, measure, and improve metrics, and increase team efficiency.</p>
  1339.  
  1340.  
  1341.  
  1342. <p><strong>Cost</strong>: $1,995</p>
  1343.  
  1344.  
  1345.  
  1346. <p><strong>Renewal</strong>: The Scrum@Scale Practitioner certification must be renewed every two years for a fee of $50; candidates must pass the most up-to-date version of the exam.</p>
  1347.  
  1348.  
  1349.  
  1350. <p><strong>More on agile project management:</strong></p>
  1351.  
  1352.  
  1353.  
  1354. <ul>
  1355. <li><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/237027/agile-project-management-a-beginners-guide.html">Agile project management: A comprehensive guide</a></li>
  1356.  
  1357.  
  1358.  
  1359. <li><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/234378/comparing-agile-project-management-frameworks.html">Scrum vs. Lean vs. Kanban: Comparing agile project management frameworks</a></li>
  1360.  
  1361.  
  1362.  
  1363. <li><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/222372/agile-kpis-how-to-measure-agile-success.html">Agile KPIs: How to measure agile success</a></li>
  1364.  
  1365.  
  1366.  
  1367. <li><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/230852/7-simple-ways-to-fail-at-agile.html">7 simple ways to fail at agile</a></li>
  1368.  
  1369.  
  1370.  
  1371. <li><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/228601/agiles-dark-secret-it-has-little-need-for-the-usual-methodologies.html">Agile’s dark secret? IT has little need for the usual methodologies</a></li>
  1372.  
  1373.  
  1374.  
  1375. <li><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/406636/7-tell-tale-signs-of-fake-agile.html">7 tell-tale signs of fake agile</a></li>
  1376. </ul>
  1377. </div></div></div><category>Agile Development, Careers, Certifications, IT Skills, Program Management, Software Development</category></div>
  1378. </body>]]></description>
  1379. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/220016/scrum-master-certification-top-9-certs-for-agile-pros.html</link>
  1380. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">220016</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/shutterstock_2287651363.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="11817789" type="image/jpeg" />
  1381. </item>
  1382. <item>
  1383. <title>Why your business needs a cloud-based print management solution</title>
  1384. <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 03:59:12 +0000</pubDate>
  1385. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1386. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1387.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1388. <div class="article-column__content">
  1389. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1390.  
  1391.  
  1392.  
  1393. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Why your business needs a cloud-based print management solution</strong></h3>
  1394.  
  1395.  
  1396.  
  1397. <p>If your business isn’t using a cloud-based print management solution, you’re missing out on a range of efficiency, environmental and security benefits.</p>
  1398.  
  1399.  
  1400.  
  1401. <p>There are a number of factors driving the move to cloud-based services, from budget considerations to scalability and security. But there are different types of ‘clouds’ and it’s important to understand which solution will work best for your business.</p>
  1402.  
  1403.  
  1404.  
  1405. <p>There are three main types of cloud-based services: public, private and hybrid. Each service offers slightly different benefits depending on business requirements. Let’s look at the different cloud services on offer and consider how uniFLOW Online, the award-winning, cloud-based print and scan management solution, can benefit your business.</p>
  1406.  
  1407.  
  1408.  
  1409. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Private Cloud</strong></h3>
  1410.  
  1411.  
  1412.  
  1413. <p>Private cloud refers to infrastructure that is dedicated to a single organisation or group. Private cloud services can be hosted on-premise or provided by a third-party vendor. They tend to be more expensive than public cloud, but can provide greater control, customisation, and security.</p>
  1414.  
  1415.  
  1416.  
  1417. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Hybrid Cloud</strong></h3>
  1418.  
  1419.  
  1420.  
  1421. <p>As the name suggests, hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private cloud services. Hybrid cloud allows businesses to take advantage of the scalability and cost-effectiveness of public cloud services while maintaining local control over certain data though private cloud services. Hybrid cloud can provide the best of both worlds, but can be complex to operate and costly to manage.</p>
  1422.  
  1423.  
  1424.  
  1425. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Public Cloud</strong></h3>
  1426.  
  1427.  
  1428.  
  1429. <p>Public cloud services are sold by third-party vendors, such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure. Public cloud services are typically more cost-effective and require less maintenance.</p>
  1430.  
  1431.  
  1432.  
  1433. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What sort of cloud does uniFLOW Online run on?</strong></h3>
  1434.  
  1435.  
  1436.  
  1437. <p>uniFLOW Online is a public cloud-based print and scan management solution hosted on the Microsoft Azure platform. It is used by a wide range of customers, from <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/businessinsights/simplify-print-and-scan-management-with-saas?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">small and medium-sized businesses</a> to <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/businessinsights/secure-cloud-print-and-scan-management-for-government?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">enterprise</a> and <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/businessinsights/secure-cloud-print-and-scan-management-for-government?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">government</a> customers, to efficiently and securely manage print and scan jobs.</p>
  1438.  
  1439.  
  1440.  
  1441. <p>At a time when business users want flexibility to print and scan anywhere, anytime, uniFLOW Online delivers the goods. uniFLOW Online works with various devices across multiple locations. It is quick to install and set up. And it offers great insights that can help your business reduce print and scan costs and improve your sustainability credentials.</p>
  1442.  
  1443.  
  1444.  
  1445. <p>Let’s take a look at some of the benefits that uniFLOW Online users enjoy.</p>
  1446.  
  1447.  
  1448.  
  1449. <p><em><strong>The benefits of cloud printing</strong></em></p>
  1450.  
  1451.  
  1452.  
  1453. <p>When it comes to cloud printing, users want to print from anywhere, anytime and from any device without the need for any physical connections. uniFLOW Online helps drive cost-efficiencies, scalability, security, and flexibility in print environments.</p>
  1454.  
  1455.  
  1456.  
  1457. <p><em><strong>Serious cost savings</strong></em></p>
  1458.  
  1459.  
  1460.  
  1461. <p>As uniFLOW Online is hosted in the public cloud, it is a very cost-effective print and scan management solution. uniFLOW Online eliminates the need for expensive, on-premise infrastructure costs such as print servers, IT support and office space. The system runs on a universal, cloud-based print driver that is updated three times per year to ensure customers have access to the latest features and functionality.</p>
  1462.  
  1463.  
  1464.  
  1465. <p><em><strong>Unlimited scalability</strong></em></p>
  1466.  
  1467.  
  1468.  
  1469. <p>Because uniFLOW Online is a public solution, your business can quickly and easily scale the solution to suit your changing circumstances without the need to invest in additional infrastructure. If your business grows and you need to provide access to 100 new staff, no problem. In fact, there is no limit to how many users you can have with uniFLOW Online.</p>
  1470.  
  1471.  
  1472.  
  1473. <p><em><strong>Impressive security credentials</strong></em></p>
  1474.  
  1475.  
  1476.  
  1477. <p><a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/other-products/uniflow-online?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">uniFLOW Online</a> is highly secure and delivered as a pure Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) built natively on the Microsoft Azure Web Service platform. The system features layered security strategies that are consistent with Microsoft’s Zero Trust principles. All data is stored regionally in Australia in Microsoft Azure data centres that provide maximum security by encrypting data to industry-standard protocols. It is also protected by Australian privacy legislation. With Australian Privacy Law providing comparable safeguards to that of New Zealand’s Privacy Act, this gives businesses comfort – knowing that their data is stored, and remains within the Oceania region. Finally, NT-ware, the Canon group company that develops uniFLOW Online, is an <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/about-canon/news-and-press-releases/nt-ware-achieves-iso-27001-certification?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">ISO 27001 certified business</a>, giving you that additional peace of mind.</p>
  1478.  
  1479.  
  1480.  
  1481. <p><em><strong>As flexible as your business</strong></em></p>
  1482.  
  1483.  
  1484.  
  1485. <p>Flexibility is critical to success and uniFLOW Online is more than capable of adapting to your unique circumstances. For example, the system allows for location-based print and scan configurations, meaning you can have one set of rules for your main office and another set of rules for other locations. When a user travels between those locations, their permissions will update automatically based on their location. Locations can vary in print submission pathways, security features, or network set-up, including <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/businessinsights/how-does-cloud-print-complements-zero-trust-architecture?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Zero Trust environments</a>.</p>
  1486.  
  1487.  
  1488.  
  1489. <p>As you can see, public cloud printing offers many benefits for businesses, including cost-effectiveness, scalability, greater security, and flexibility. And as one of the world’s first true cloud-based print and scan management solutions—and a<a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/about-canon/news-and-press-releases/uniflow-online-wins-pick-award-from-keypoint-intelligence-for-sixth-consecutive-year?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"> 6-time winner of the prestigious Buyers Lab BLI Pick Award</a>—uniFLOW Online brings a lot to the table.</p>
  1490.  
  1491.  
  1492.  
  1493. <p>For more information on cloud printing for your organisation, visit <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/other-products/uniflow-online?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">uniFLOW Online</a> or get in contact with a <a href="https://www.canon.co.nz/business/sales-enquiry?utm_source=foundry&amp;utm_medium=sponsored_content&amp;utm_campaign=uniflow_free_trial&amp;sf_campaign=701RF000008CF5AYAW&amp;member_status=form%20submitted" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Canon expert</a>.</p>
  1494. </div></div></div><category>Managed Cloud Services</category></div>
  1495. </body>]]></description>
  1496. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097780/why-your-business-needs-a-cloud-based-print-management-solution.html</link>
  1497. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097780</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/iStock-1724789360-2-2.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="853520" type="image/jpeg" />
  1498. </item>
  1499. <item>
  1500. <title>The cyber pandemic: AI deepfakes and the future of security and identity verification</title>
  1501. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 21:35:06 +0000</pubDate>
  1502. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1503. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1504.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1505. <div class="article-column__content">
  1506. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1507.  
  1508.  
  1509.  
  1510. <p>Security and risk management pros have a lot keeping them up at night. The era of AI deepfakes is fully upon us, and unfortunately, today’s identity verification and security methods won’t survive. In fact, <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gartner.com%2Fen%2Fnewsroom%2Fpress-releases%2F2024-02-01-gartner-predicts-30-percent-of-enterprises-will-consider-identity-verification-and-authentication-solutions-unreliable-in-isolation-due-to-deepfakes-by-2026&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166134999%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=sfTxX5WhL%2FefczgMIXt7sUu1WWvwr%2F%2FllKBgFIjYtMw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Gartner</a> estimates that by 2026, nearly one-third of enterprises will consider identity verification and authentication solutions unreliable due to AI-generated deepfakes. Of all the threats IT organizations face, an injection attack that leverages AI-generated deepfakes is the most dangerous. <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdecrypt.co%2F216188%2Fai-generated-fake-id-bypass-kyc-aml-banks-crypto-onlyfakes&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166146492%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=rA%2BK1bRt6qChzDX2KFx1n8NV8GFwkx7Lm%2BYk64q5xMA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Recent stories</a> show that deepfake injection attacks are capable of defeating popular Know Your Customer (KYC) systems – and with a<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gartner.com%2Fen%2Fnewsroom%2Fpress-releases%2F2024-02-01-gartner-predicts-30-percent-of-enterprises-will-consider-identity-verification-and-authentication-solutions-unreliable-in-isolation-due-to-deepfakes-by-2026&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166154297%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kbmagIa8Gn4y%2B0%2B7yOWE4LPDs9vOuqhZssULmkGNODs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 200% rise</a> in injection attacks last year and no way to stop them, CIOs and CISOs must develop a strategy for preventing attacks that use AI-generated deepfakes.</p>
  1511.  
  1512.  
  1513.  
  1514. <p>First, you’ll need to understand exactly how bad actors use AI deepfakes to attack your systems. Then, you can develop a strategy that integrates advanced technologies to help you prevent (not just detect) them.</p>
  1515.  
  1516.  
  1517.  
  1518. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The digital injection attack</strong></h2>
  1519.  
  1520.  
  1521.  
  1522. <p>A digital injection attack is when someone “injects” fake data, including AI-generated documents, photos, and biometrics images, into the stream of information received by an identity verification (IDV) platform. Bad actors use virtual cameras, emulators, and other tools to<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iiis.org%2FCDs2022%2FCD2022Spring%2Fpapers%2FZA639OX.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166162210%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=r9tq3CANVAsIeBc0yP0z9fah1g2jHDw9KkNSLTWzFYI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> circumvent</a> cameras, microphones, or fingerprint sensors and fool systems into believing they’ve received true data.</p>
  1523.  
  1524.  
  1525.  
  1526. <p>Injection attacks are now <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iproov.com%2Freports%2Fiproov-threat-intelligence-report-2024&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166170483%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=JY8GS92JWBiRNwyFjFiAtj4auZZD6SIVL%2B%2BwY0Lycl4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">five times more common</a> than presentation attacks, and when used in combination with AI-generated deepfakes, they’re nearly impossible to detect. Attackers use<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdecrypt.co%2F216188%2Fai-generated-fake-id-bypass-kyc-aml-banks-crypto-onlyfakes&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166178004%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=V46bb2KSySAAxiWEeZKlL46aX68%2FO3Oj8FCnpofMb2M%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> deepfake ID documents</a> to fool KYC processes or inject deepfake photos and videos to <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iiis.org%2FCDs2022%2FCD2022Spring%2Fpapers%2FZA639OX.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166185698%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=hDpTpVE%2BC4yRk43jz%2BaVFdVd6F7vH2y95ewhYO3bOHg%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">spoof facial biometrics systems</a>. A prime example is the recent attack that injected an AI deepfake video feed to defraud a Hong Kong company for $25 million. As expected with the rise of Generative AI, AI deepfakes are also on the rise, with Onfido reporting a <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fonfido.com%2Flanding%2Fidentity-fraud-report%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166193020%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=%2BOUmvLPnrdkPwqo9xoEPkIvE9HjkIVqFK2KV%2FXH7FC4%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow">3,000% increase</a> in deepfake attacks last year. The NSA, FBI, and CISA collaboratively shared their <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.defense.gov%2F2023%2FSep%2F12%2F2003298925%2F-1%2F-1%2F0%2FCSI-DEEPFAKE-THREATS.PDF&amp;data=05%7C02%7Clbetances%40foundryco.com%7C90fe61d2503d44b3cc8308dc5421fcec%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638477752166200593%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=%2Fk8eW7rU6K4YQVSxCbU8C0FdhNJDu6r4a67f5kUscLY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">concerns</a> about the threat of AI deepfakes, saying that, “The increasing availability and efficiency of synthetic media techniques available to less capable malicious cyber actors indicate these types of techniques will likely increase in frequency and sophistication.” </p>
  1527.  
  1528.  
  1529.  
  1530. <p>The key to stopping injection attacks is to prevent digitally altered images or documents from being introduced in the first place. And the only way to do this is to leverage advanced security technologies such as mobile cryptography. The cryptographic signatures provided by mobile devices, operating systems, and apps are practically impossible to spoof because they’re backed by the extremely high-security practices of Apple and Android. Using mobile cryptography to determine the authenticity of the device, its operating system, and the app it’s running is a crucial and decisive measure for stopping injection attacks in their tracks.</p>
  1531.  
  1532.  
  1533.  
  1534. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The presentation attack</strong></h2>
  1535.  
  1536.  
  1537.  
  1538. <p>Presentation attacks present fake data to a sensor or document scanner with the intent to impersonate an end user and fool a system into granting access. Facial biometrics presentation attacks take many forms, using deepfake ID documents, “face-swaps,” and even hyper-realistic masks to impersonate someone. IDV and KYC platforms use presentation attack detection (PAD) to verify the documents and selfies that are presented, but many PAD techniques can be beaten by injection attacks that leverage AI deepfakes. </p>
  1539.  
  1540.  
  1541.  
  1542. <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Staying ahead of injection and presentation attacks</strong></h2>
  1543.  
  1544.  
  1545.  
  1546. <p>Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen thousands of companies fall victim to these attacks. The impacts are incalculable: hundreds of millions of dollars looted, ransomware shutdowns that impact millions of people, personal information stolen, and reputations damaged beyond repair. And the problem is only getting worse. </p>
  1547.  
  1548.  
  1549.  
  1550. <p>The only strategy for stopping these attacks is to use identity verification tools that prevent injection attacks from happening in the first place and then apply focus on verifying the actual person behind the screen. This way, IT organizations can also shut down human social engineering vectors that circumvent or exploit IDV processes. In addition, by adding verification technologies like device intelligence, AI models, and behavioral biometrics, IT organizations can further reduce the risk of first-party fraud. Finally, invest in solutions that protect your multi-factor authentication (MFA) and password recovery processes: this is a primary attack vector and a key vulnerability that companies often overlook. </p>
  1551.  
  1552.  
  1553.  
  1554. <p>Attackers have seen huge success using AI deepfakes for injection and presentation attacks – which means we’ll only see more of them. The key to stopping this threat is to develop a multi-layered approach that combines PAD, injection attack detection (IAD), and image inspection. This strategy forms the basis for companies to navigate the “cyber pandemic” we face and onto a more secure, trusted future.</p>
  1555. </div></div></div><category>Artificial Intelligence, Security</category></div>
  1556. </body>]]></description>
  1557. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097697/the-cyber-pandemic-ai-deepfakes-and-the-future-of-security-and-identity-verification.html</link>
  1558. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097697</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/shutterstock_2322385019.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="14736687" type="image/jpeg" />
  1559. </item>
  1560. <item>
  1561. <title>Transform the modern data center: From today to the future</title>
  1562. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 20:14:04 +0000</pubDate>
  1563. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1564. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1565.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1566. <div class="article-column__content">
  1567. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1568.  
  1569.  
  1570.  
  1571. <p>A seismic shift is underway in the evolution of the data center, driven by a variety of converging factors. These include the accelerating transition to cloud platforms, the growth of hybrid and remote work models, and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies across every industry.</p>
  1572.  
  1573.  
  1574.  
  1575. <p>As IT leaders, understanding the path forward is crucial. How can you ensure that modernization efforts lead to increased agility, adaptability, and a competitive edge while also prioritizing sustainability?</p>
  1576.  
  1577.  
  1578.  
  1579. <p><strong>Simplify operational complexity</strong></p>
  1580.  
  1581.  
  1582.  
  1583. <p>The proliferation of disparate systems across both public and private clouds has ushered in a new era of complexity, often resulting in operational challenges for organizations. Simplifying operations necessitates a paradigm shift toward embracing agility, elasticity, and cognitive capabilities. This entails rethinking architectures, particularly network architectures, to enable seamless scale-out while unlocking deeper correlations and insights into system performance and behavior.</p>
  1584.  
  1585.  
  1586.  
  1587. <p><br>From a visibility and observability point of view, transitioning from traditional reactive—and even proactive—approaches to a more predictive operational model is key. Observability mechanisms with minimal human intervention play a pivotal role in this transition, enabling organizations to anticipate and respond to potential issues with greater agility and foresight.</p>
  1588.  
  1589.  
  1590.  
  1591. <p>EMA Research underscores the significant impact of manual errors, such as misconfigurations, which account for 27% of network <a>problems.</a> To address this challenge, the integration of AI/ML-augmented automation emerges as a transformative solution, offering not only error reduction but also heightened operational efficiency and cost savings.</p>
  1592.  
  1593.  
  1594.  
  1595. <p>A key enabler in this journey toward operational excellence is the availability of low-code and no-code workflow orchestration capabilities. These tools represent a significant paradigm shift, empowering organizations to streamline and automate workflows with unprecedented ease and speed. Whether integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities trained on proprietary data or leveraging pre-built functionalities, the ability to optimize and automate workflows becomes effortless with a platform-centric approach.<br><br></p>
  1596.  
  1597.  
  1598.  
  1599. <p><strong>Prepare for AI/ML workloads</strong></p>
  1600.  
  1601.  
  1602.  
  1603. <p>The arrival of AI/ML workloads necessitates scalable infrastructure capable of handling massive data processing. According to the <a href="https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/solutions/ai/readiness-index.html?ccid=cc004566&amp;dtid=pblgzzz000975" rel="sponsored">Cisco AI Readiness Index</a>, 95% of businesses are aware of the increased workload demands, yet only 17% have networks fully prepared to handle this complexity. Scaling network and compute infrastructure is essential, alongside high-speed, low-latency connections.</p>
  1604.  
  1605.  
  1606.  
  1607. <p>Gaining insights into AI fabrics results in understanding network infrastructure health and the ability to take necessary actions. Being proactive and mitigating congestion helps prevent expensive downtime and running lossless networks. Modular design principles facilitate scalability without the need for extensive reconfigurations, contributing to sustainability efforts by minimizing e-waste.</p>
  1608.  
  1609.  
  1610.  
  1611. <p><strong>Prioritize sustainability</strong></p>
  1612.  
  1613.  
  1614.  
  1615. <p>In the realm of data centers, sustainability has emerged as a paramount concern, particularly in the context of the AI/ML era where energy consumption becomes an even more pressing issue. This necessitates embedding environmentally conscious practices into design decisions, encompassing the selection of energy-efficient management solutions and the integration of cutting-edge component designs aimed at minimizing energy usage.</p>
  1616.  
  1617.  
  1618.  
  1619. <p>Sustainability initiatives can be bolstered by real-time monitoring of power consumption within IT infrastructure. By gaining insights into energy usage patterns, organizations can enhance their understanding and make more informed decisions, leading to optimized planning and configuration of device and component utilization, and ultimately contributing to greater energy efficiency. Furthermore, embracing a modular approach to equipment design holds promise in advancing sustainability efforts. Modular designs extend the lifecycle of hardware and reduce waste, and they facilitate the integration of commonly used components.</p>
  1620.  
  1621.  
  1622.  
  1623. <p><strong>Your partner in data center evolution</strong></p>
  1624.  
  1625.  
  1626.  
  1627. <p>Looking to get started on building the data center of tomorrow? As a trusted partner, Cisco will work with you to understand your unique requirements and help implement a data center strategy to meet your business and sustainability goals faster.</p>
  1628.  
  1629.  
  1630.  
  1631. <p>Learn more about high-performance and sustainable <a href="https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/networking-cloud/data-center/index.html?ccid=cc004566&amp;dtid=pblgzzz000975" rel="sponsored">data center solutions</a> from Cisco.</p>
  1632. </div></div></div><category>Networking</category></div>
  1633. </body>]]></description>
  1634. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097653/transform-the-modern-data-center-from-today-to-the-future.html</link>
  1635. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097653</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/iStock-1350722251-1.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1638361" type="image/jpeg" />
  1636. </item>
  1637. <item>
  1638. <title>5 keys to optimizing ROI on your Cloud Center of Excellence</title>
  1639. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 19:03:13 +0000</pubDate>
  1640. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1641. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1642.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1643. <div class="article-column__content">
  1644. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1645.  
  1646.  
  1647.  
  1648. <p>Even as cloud spend is set to <a href="https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48208321" target="_blank">grow at a CAGR of 16.9% and surpass $1.3 trillion by 2025</a>, the transformation journey is riddled with challenges, such as security, governance, compliance, economics, and resourcing. A cloud center of excellence (CoE) in an enterprise can make a big difference in the return on cloud investments.</p>
  1649.  
  1650.  
  1651.  
  1652. <p>Cloud CoE adoption has <a href="https://click.cloudcheckr.com/rs/222-ENM-584/images/CloudCheckr-Cloud-Infrastructure-Report-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">increased from 69% in 2017 to 82% in 2021</a>, demonstrating its role in value creation. To work effectively, CoE transformation must rest on four key pillars — innovation, advocacy, scale, and governance — that can accelerate cloud adoption throughout an enterprise.</p>
  1653.  
  1654.  
  1655.  
  1656. <p>But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Besides technology expertise and contextual knowledge, every successful cloud CoE revolves around these five tenets:</p>
  1657.  
  1658.  
  1659.  
  1660. <ul>
  1661. <li><strong>Being relevant:</strong> A cloud CoE must stay relevant by bringing a convergence between the long-term objectives (top-down) and immediate priorities (bottom-up), leading to a strong foundation that supports future strategy and mitigates risk and rework.</li>
  1662.  
  1663.  
  1664.  
  1665. <li><strong>Staying connected:</strong> A cloud CoE must seek representation and involvement from across the business to improve buy-in and compliance.</li>
  1666.  
  1667.  
  1668.  
  1669. <li><strong>Building a strong team:</strong> Various skills, ranging from cloud experts to business specialists, are required for the effective functioning of cloud CoE.</li>
  1670.  
  1671.  
  1672.  
  1673. <li><strong>Innovating continuously</strong>: A cloud CoE must invest time and resources to identify digital capabilities to innovate and build ecosystems of the future.</li>
  1674.  
  1675.  
  1676.  
  1677. <li><strong>Transforming culture:</strong> A cloud CoE must engage the security and risk groups within an organization to understand the hybrid landscape and ensure the identification and mitigation of risks.</li>
  1678. </ul>
  1679.  
  1680.  
  1681.  
  1682. <p><em><a href="https://www.tcs.com/what-we-do/services/consulting/case-study/cloud-center-of-excellence" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Learn more about cloud-driven business agility on Microsoft Cloud with this case study from TCS.</a></em></p>
  1683. </div></div></div><category>Cloud Computing, Manufacturing Industry</category></div>
  1684. </body>]]></description>
  1685. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097629/5-keys-to-optimizing-roi-on-your-cloud-center-of-excellence.html</link>
  1686. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097629</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/blog-4_photo_filadendron.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1760488" type="image/jpeg" />
  1687. </item>
  1688. <item>
  1689. <title>Best practice advice for improving productivity while maintaining security</title>
  1690. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 19:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
  1691. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1692. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1693.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1694. <div class="article-column__content">
  1695. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1696.  
  1697.  
  1698.  
  1699. <p>Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has always been a digital-first organization. Continuous transformation of the workplace has been a cornerstone of the company’s business model for several decades.  </p>
  1700.  
  1701.  
  1702.  
  1703. <p>This approach proved its value during the COVID-19 crisis, when TCS pioneered location-independent “borderless workspaces” aided by Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. The modern workplace solution suite was the perfect fit for TCS’s constantly evolving needs, becoming a canvas for improving the experience of 500,000 employees while maintaining the security and integrity of the company’s systems and data.  </p>
  1704.  
  1705.  
  1706.  
  1707. <p>At the same time, TCS is focusing on maintaining a secure environment and preventing fraud. According to a <a rel="sponsored" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/12/15/do-more-with-less-with-microsoft-security-3-strategies-to-get-you-started/" target="_blank">recent Microsoft blog</a>, organizations can use security and compliance solutions in Microsoft 365 E5 to have visibility into their threat landscape and leverage built-in AI and machine learning in Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to proactively manage threats and reduce alert fatigue.  </p>
  1708.  
  1709.  
  1710.  
  1711. <p><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOuq0huOyg" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Watch the video.</a></em> </p>
  1712. </div></div></div><category>Cloud Computing, Manufacturing Industry, Microsoft</category></div>
  1713. </body>]]></description>
  1714. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097626/best-practice-advice-for-improving-productivity-while-maintaining-security.html</link>
  1715. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097626</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/blog-3_photo_Eva-Katalin.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1253041" type="image/jpeg" />
  1716. </item>
  1717. <item>
  1718. <title>Powering sustainability success with Microsoft Cloud</title>
  1719. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 18:57:05 +0000</pubDate>
  1720. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1721. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1722.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1723. <div class="article-column__content">
  1724. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1725.  
  1726.  
  1727.  
  1728. <p>Now, more than ever, global businesses have an opportunity. With people and infrastructure touching every point on the planet — and new technology empowering us to radically change the way we consume resources — we can lead the world toward a better, more sustainable future. </p>
  1729.  
  1730.  
  1731.  
  1732. <p>That optimism stems from three core beliefs: </p>
  1733.  
  1734.  
  1735.  
  1736. <ul>
  1737. <li>We can build our business ecosystems to promote environmental stewardship, achieving ambitious goals like net zero and zero waste. </li>
  1738.  
  1739.  
  1740.  
  1741. <li>We can foster well-being and growth, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), for all our people — those who work for us and those who live in the communities we touch. </li>
  1742.  
  1743.  
  1744.  
  1745. <li>We can grow our businesses through innovation and digitization, establishing long-term prosperity without social or environmental compromise. </li>
  1746. </ul>
  1747.  
  1748.  
  1749.  
  1750. <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-tcs-microsoft-powering-sustainability-through-new-siva-ganesan/?trackingId=GQm9MEkvThITpOmYkD4sxQ%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><em>Learn how TCS and Microsoft are powering sustainability through innovation.</em></a><em> </em> </p>
  1751. </div></div></div><category>Green IT, Manufacturing Industry</category></div>
  1752. </body>]]></description>
  1753. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097623/powering-sustainability-success-with-microsoft-cloud.html</link>
  1754. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097623</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/blog-2_photo_pcess609.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1260920" type="image/jpeg" />
  1755. </item>
  1756. <item>
  1757. <title>Building ROI with cloud migration</title>
  1758. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 18:51:18 +0000</pubDate>
  1759. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1760. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1761.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1762. <div class="article-column__content">
  1763. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1764.  
  1765.  
  1766.  
  1767. <p>Organizations are racing to modernize their legacy technology, architecture, infrastructure, and databases. Modernization often revolves around cloud migration. But not every approach provides the same ROI. Before committing to a migration strategy, organizations must identify the best approach for their business requirements.  </p>
  1768.  
  1769.  
  1770.  
  1771. <p>Each approach comes with its own benefits, time commitments, and cost. This whitepaper and on-demand webcast will help organizations calculate the ROI from adopting a given approach by answering the following questions: </p>
  1772.  
  1773.  
  1774.  
  1775. <ul>
  1776. <li>Where am I spending big dollars today to run my applications in a legacy mainframe? </li>
  1777.  
  1778.  
  1779.  
  1780. <li>What are the benefits of each of the cloud modernization approaches? </li>
  1781.  
  1782.  
  1783.  
  1784. <li>How much does each approach cost, in terms of both money and time? </li>
  1785. </ul>
  1786.  
  1787.  
  1788.  
  1789. <p><a href="https://www.tcs.com/what-we-do/services/cloud/microsoft" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><em>Create a business case for modernizing your legacy applications to the Microsoft Cloud with this whitepaper and webcast from TCS.</em></a> </p>
  1790. </div></div></div><category>Cloud Computing, Manufacturing Industry</category></div>
  1791. </body>]]></description>
  1792. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097620/building-roi-with-cloud-migration.html</link>
  1793. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097620</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/blog-1_photo_Sean-Anthony-Eddy-1-1.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="3584589" type="image/jpeg" />
  1794. </item>
  1795. <item>
  1796. <title>5 tips for creating a cloud center of excellence</title>
  1797. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 16:04:11 +0000</pubDate>
  1798. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1799. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1800.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1801. <div class="article-column__content">
  1802. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1803.  
  1804.  
  1805.  
  1806. <p>Even as cloud spend is set to <a href="https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48208321" target="_blank">grow at a CAGR of 16.9% and surpass $1.3 trillion by 2025</a>, the transformation journey is riddled with challenges, such as security, governance, compliance, economics, and resourcing. A cloud center of excellence (CoE) in an enterprise can make a big difference in the return on cloud investments.</p>
  1807.  
  1808.  
  1809.  
  1810. <p>Cloud CoE adoption has <a href="https://click.cloudcheckr.com/rs/222-ENM-584/images/CloudCheckr-Cloud-Infrastructure-Report-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">increased from 69% in 2017 to 82% in 2021</a>, demonstrating its role in value creation. To work effectively, CoE transformation must rest on four key pillars — innovation, advocacy, scale, and governance — that can accelerate cloud adoption throughout an enterprise.</p>
  1811.  
  1812.  
  1813.  
  1814. <p>But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Besides technology expertise and contextual knowledge, every successful cloud CoE revolves around these five tenets:</p>
  1815.  
  1816.  
  1817.  
  1818. <ul>
  1819. <li><strong>Being relevant:</strong> A cloud CoE must stay relevant by bringing a convergence between the long-term objectives (top-down) and immediate priorities (bottom-up), leading to a strong foundation that supports future strategy and mitigates risk and rework.</li>
  1820.  
  1821.  
  1822.  
  1823. <li><strong>Staying connected:</strong> A cloud CoE must seek representation and involvement from across the business to improve buy-in and compliance.</li>
  1824.  
  1825.  
  1826.  
  1827. <li><strong>Building a strong team:</strong> Various skills, ranging from cloud experts to business specialists, are required for the effective functioning of cloud CoE.</li>
  1828.  
  1829.  
  1830.  
  1831. <li><strong>Innovating continuously</strong>: A cloud CoE must invest time and resources to identify digital capabilities to innovate and build ecosystems of the future.</li>
  1832.  
  1833.  
  1834.  
  1835. <li><strong>Transforming culture:</strong> A cloud CoE must engage the security and risk groups within an organization to understand the hybrid landscape and ensure the identification and mitigation of risks.</li>
  1836. </ul>
  1837.  
  1838.  
  1839.  
  1840. <p><em><a href="https://www.tcs.com/what-we-do/services/consulting/case-study/cloud-center-of-excellence" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Learn more about cloud-driven business agility on Microsoft Cloud with this case study from TCS.</a></em></p>
  1841. </div></div></div><category>Cloud Computing, Healthcare Industry</category></div>
  1842. </body>]]></description>
  1843. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097588/5-tips-for-creating-a-cloud-center-of-excellence.html</link>
  1844. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097588</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Blog-5_photo_pixelfit-1.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1734841" type="image/jpeg" />
  1845. </item>
  1846. <item>
  1847. <title>Pioneering the new “borderless workspace” to improve productivity and collaboration</title>
  1848. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 15:59:28 +0000</pubDate>
  1849. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1850. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1851.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1852. <div class="article-column__content">
  1853. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1854.  
  1855.  
  1856.  
  1857. <p>Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has always been a digital-first organization. Continuous transformation of the workplace has been a cornerstone of the company’s business model for several decades.  </p>
  1858.  
  1859.  
  1860.  
  1861. <p>This approach proved its value during the COVID-19 crisis, when TCS pioneered location-independent “borderless workspaces” aided by Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. The modern workplace solution suite was the perfect fit for TCS’s constantly evolving needs, becoming a canvas for improving the experience of 500,000 employees while maintaining the security and integrity of the company’s systems and data.  </p>
  1862.  
  1863.  
  1864.  
  1865. <p>At the same time, TCS is focusing on maintaining a secure environment and preventing fraud. According to a <a rel="sponsored" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/12/15/do-more-with-less-with-microsoft-security-3-strategies-to-get-you-started/" target="_blank">recent Microsoft blog</a>, organizations can use security and compliance solutions in Microsoft 365 E5 to have visibility into their threat landscape and leverage built-in AI and machine learning in Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to proactively manage threats and reduce alert fatigue.  </p>
  1866.  
  1867.  
  1868.  
  1869. <p><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOuq0huOyg" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">Watch the video.</a></em> </p>
  1870. </div></div></div><category>Cloud Computing, Healthcare Industry, Microsoft</category></div>
  1871. </body>]]></description>
  1872. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097583/pioneering-the-new-borderless-workspace-to-improve-productivity-and-collaboration.html</link>
  1873. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097583</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Blog-4_photo_Goran-Babic.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="972793" type="image/jpeg" />
  1874. </item>
  1875. <item>
  1876. <title>TCS and Microsoft: Powering sustainability through innovation</title>
  1877. <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 15:50:38 +0000</pubDate>
  1878. <description><![CDATA[<body><div id="remove_no_follow">
  1879. <div class="grid grid--cols-10@md grid--cols-8@lg article-column">
  1880.  <div class="col-12 col-10@md col-6@lg col-start-3@lg">
  1881. <div class="article-column__content">
  1882. <section class="wp-block-bigbite-multi-title"><div class="container"></div></section>
  1883.  
  1884.  
  1885.  
  1886. <p>Now, more than ever, global businesses have an opportunity. With people and infrastructure touching every point on the planet — and new technology empowering us to radically change the way we consume resources — we can lead the world toward a better, more sustainable future. </p>
  1887.  
  1888.  
  1889.  
  1890. <p>That optimism stems from three core beliefs: </p>
  1891.  
  1892.  
  1893.  
  1894. <ul>
  1895. <li>We can build our business ecosystems to promote environmental stewardship, achieving ambitious goals like net zero and zero waste. </li>
  1896.  
  1897.  
  1898.  
  1899. <li>We can foster well-being and growth, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), for all our people — those who work for us and those who live in the communities we touch. </li>
  1900.  
  1901.  
  1902.  
  1903. <li>We can grow our businesses through innovation and digitization, establishing long-term prosperity without social or environmental compromise. </li>
  1904. </ul>
  1905.  
  1906.  
  1907.  
  1908. <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-tcs-microsoft-powering-sustainability-through-new-siva-ganesan/?trackingId=GQm9MEkvThITpOmYkD4sxQ%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><em>Learn how TCS and Microsoft are powering sustainability through innovation.</em></a><em> </em> </p>
  1909. </div></div></div><category>Green IT, Healthcare Industry</category></div>
  1910. </body>]]></description>
  1911. <link>https://www.cio.com/article/2097572/tcs-and-microsoft-powering-sustainability-through-innovation.html</link>
  1912. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2097572</post-id><enclosure url="https://www.cio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Blog-2_photo_FatCamera.jpg?quality=50&#038;strip=all" length="1130017" type="image/jpeg" />
  1913. </item>
  1914. </channel>
  1915. </rss>
  1916.  

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