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Analysis Thought leadership Plus VOD ahead of Opinion pieces by Company News its time in SA people in the know Top Jobs January 2015 | Issue 04 What’s your cloud strategy?
in this
issue
ANALYSIS
Credits The question arises as to whether video-on-demand is
ahead of its time in South Africa. Do we demonstrate
Publisher the infrastructure to keep up with demand? Broadband
Jovan Regasek and internet service providers seek to deliver content
jregasek@itweb.co.za via mobile devices when the reality is they might not be
equipped to successfully support the volume of media
Editor content demanded by the audience.
Clare Matthes
clare@itweb.co.za SURVEY
The 2014 ITWeb Cloud Computing Survey, in conjunction
Design with VMWare, set out to evaluate the level at which cloud
Infiltrate Media computing has been adopted and applied within South
African companies. Planning, design and execution are
Sales Director important aspects in the success, stability, security and
Robert Mace reliability of a business. Business buy-in and management
rmace@itweb.co.za understanding, supporting skills, available technology,
security, cost and bandwidth were all concerns for
Business Development Director companies considering cloud implementations.
Caryn Berman
caryn@itweb.co.za
Published by
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Opinions expressed in this publication its time in SA
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Company News 16 24
Business 3-9
Telecoms 14 – 15 Opinion Skills
TechForum 20 – 21 POPI 16 Development
Security 22 Telematics 17 Events Calendar 24
Software 23 Contact centres 18 Top Jobs 25
Internet 23 Internet of Things 19
Hardware 27 Awards
White Papers 27 IITPSA President’s Awards 26
Channel 28
Computing 28
January 2015 | 01
Analysis
By Bonnie Tubbs
VOD ahead of its time in SA
Local consumers have become hungrier than ever
for video-on-demand (VOD) services.
services. At the moment, we have Telkom,
Vodacom, DStv, etc. In Europe, there is
true convergence, where a consumer can
purchase a bundle for all the services they
want, from one provider.”
Mobile market
Vodacom, which recently started offering
streaming service Deezer, is looking
to extend its content offerings and is
pondering VOD – an ambition the company
says its fibre plans will make possible.
Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub says the
operator will selectively play in this space,
where there is money to be made.
Zollner says the mobile device market
is one that will provide justifiable cause
W hile SA may have the technology,
it does not yet have the affordable,
ubiquitous infrastructure required to
[plus] the customer has to have an internet
connection with sufficient ‘cap’ to cover the
requested downloads – at a cost.”
to launch VOD services into southern
African markets. “According to Statistics
SA, there are approximately 10 million
satisfy it. TVs in SA – but, according to the African
During the latter half of 2014, local African predicament mobile observatory report, there are
ICT players heeded the demand and Peter Ostapiuk, vice-president of media approximately 59 million cellphones
opportunity, with Times Media Group product management at Intelsat, says already in the market. It is predicted that
and Altech debuting their respective broadband and internet service providers in two years’ time, approximately half the
VOD products, and the likes of are looking to deliver media content via number of these cellphones will have been
Orange and Vodacom expressing their mobile devices and infrastructure in Africa. replaced by smartphones that can stream
desire to follow suit. However, the truth is that they are not yet video content.
In November, Naspers-owned suited to handle and transport the sheer size “Furthermore, consider the number of
MultiChoice announced its limited push and volume of media content that is needed people that have purchased tablets or have
VOD offering, Catch Up, would soon be by the population they are trying to serve, laptops that too can stream video content.
amplified, thanks to its flagship decoder he notes. This will further drive the uptake of VOD in
the Explora having its internet pipe opened Eckart Zollner, business development SA and the rest of Africa.”
up. However, the service requires that DStv manager of the Jasco Group, says VOD is a Over the last few years, telcos have
premium customers (the only group the welcome service for some African countries, invested hugely in their networks.
improved VOD offering is available to) link like Namibia, which has invested heavily Zollner says, noting that although a large
their decoder to an existing internet router, in infrastructure that may still be under- proportion has already been built, much
which will feed the large amounts of data utilised. In SA, however, he notes VOD is a of it may be under-utilised – but, once last
required to download movies. slow-moving industry because of the lack mile connections are in place, VOD will
In addition, as it stands, DStv customers of last mile connections – although he says come. “Why else would you run fibre into
won’t really have the whole “watch what these are being created “as we speak”, with someone’s house? It’s for high-bandwidth
you want, when you want” experience companies and communities introducing services like high-definition TV. That is
VOD is famed for, because – to quote dedicated fibre connectivity. what people will pay for.”
MultiChoice – “broadband speeds are not He says, though, what the local market Schofield says mobile operators are
yet fast enough for instant downloads or really wants, is one subscription that between a rock and a hard place in the
streaming”. offers internet, voice and video − all from whole VOD picture. “Their traditional
ICT expert Adrian Schofield says one provider, like they already have ‘skills’ are the provision of the network and
DStv’s new offering amounts to hybrid elsewhere. “We don’t have convergence the connection of the devices. They need
VOD, rather than being a truly online yet. That will still happen and I think new skills if they are to manage the delivery
service. “The additional content has to be partnerships and consolidation between of content which they must purchase, store
downloaded before it can be played back, operators and content providers will be the and market. Convergence suggests they
thanks to lousy broadband speeds in SA, way forward when it comes to triple play have to go this route.”
02 | January 2015
Company News
Compiled by Clare Matthes
Business
Mabothe takes StorTech
on telco sector addresses
for EMC market
Edgar Mabothe has added demand
the telecommunications In response to market
sector to his public sector demand, solutions and
portfolio of responsibility systems integration
at EMC Southern Africa. specialist StorTech has
Mabothe has been appointed re-launched its datacentre
district manager: Public as a fully-fledged software-
Sector and Telco. “I’m defined datacentre (SDDC).
looking forward to the Kishore Natvarlal, managing
challenge of managing
EMC’s activities in this very
important and active market
executive of StorTech's
datacentre, says innovation
in datacentres is being
No one
sector,” Mabothe says. driven by the market. "The
should do
www.emc.com Edgar Mabothe, EMC new IT agenda focuses on
reducing costs, increasing
the speed of new growth and
Emcom names balancing risk," Natvarlal
executive says. "As the platform of
director
Emcom Wireless is pleased to
announce the appointment
all the solutions we offer,
our SDDC is completely
virtualised and automated
business
of Tony Sipho Sibanda to through software. As a
the Emcom Wireless board. result, we are able to lower
Sibanda, who joined Emcom a
year ago, will fulfil the role of
executive director responsible
the cost of running IT and
offer a foundation for faster,
more agile IT.”
intermittently
for business development. www.emc.com
“The (Emcom Wireless) board
is thrilled to embrace Tony’s
practical approach to true First CDCE
customer empowerment,” says and TIA-942
Joe Tucci, EMC George Spencer, MD and CEO success
of Emcom Wireless, after the Edward van Leent, the CEO
EMC reports appointment was announced and chairperson of EPI,
record third- in Durban. flew to Johannesburg to
quarter www.emcom.co.za personally deliver the new
EMC has reported third- Certified TIA-942 Design
quarter 2014 financial results, Consultant (CTDC) and
including record third-quarter Certified TIA-942 Internal
consolidated revenue of $6 Auditor (CTIA) courses that
billion, an increase of nine were recently launched.
percent year on year. GAAP The courses are based on
net income attributable to the ANSI/TIA-942 Data
EMC was $587 million. GAAP Centre Design Standard
earnings per weighted average and delegates were offered
diluted share was $0.28, up the opportunity to learn Wireless 1 Fibre 1 Satellite 1 Voice
four percent year on year. more about the actual TIA-
Non-GAAP¹ net income 942 Standard. They were
attributable to EMC was $903 also the first on the African
million. Non-GAAP¹ earnings continent to obtain these
per weighted average diluted accreditations. Van Leent’s
share was $0.44, up ten direct involvement added
percent year on year. to the prestige of this event.
www.emc.com Tony Sipho Sibanda, Emcom www.deesmith.co.za
www.broadlink.co.za
January 2015 | 03
Company News
Business
EMC leads BT to spark Mitel introduces
Africa onto third business new brand
platform creativity Mitel launched a new
The federated model that BT recently announced a corporate brand in October
defines the structure of EMC new wave of innovative which is the latest in a series
will provide enterprises across products and services of strategic moves that have
Africa with the capabilities designed to encourage transformed the company
they require to embrace the large organisations to into a worldwide leader in
new IT agenda of mobile, cloud use technology more business communications. In
computing and big data. This creatively to deliver the past 18 months, Mitel has
is the view of Bernard Baker, stunning business doubled in size, broadened
vice-president of EMC's Global outcomes. its market presence and
Executive Briefing Programme. Six months into its expanded its scope of offerings.
Baker says EMC Information global `Art of Connecting’ "Mitel has undergone a
Infrastructure (II), Pivotal, RSA campaign, BT brings massive transformation.
Luis Alvarez, BT
and VMware form the EMC its newest offers and We have emerged as a truly
Federation: strategically aligned propositions to a larger number of countries, further global industry leader in our
businesses, each focused and extending the reach and depth of its services. BT also market," says Rich McBee,
free to execute individually or launches new cloud capabilities specifically designed for large president and CEO of Mitel.
together. The EMC Federation enterprises and public sector organisations. "Our award-winning cloud
was one of the primary sponsors www.btplc.com solutions offer Mitel customers
of MyWorld of Tomorrow, a the best path to cloud
platform for interaction and communications, and they have
knowledge-sharing in the DVT hosts Lean given us the fastest-growing
technology innovation space Agile conference cloud business in our sector.”
hosted by Business Connexion The DVT Academy successfully www.mitel.com
at the Sandton Convention delivered the inaugural Lean
Centre recently. Agile SA 2014 conference
www.emc.com double-header in Cape Town Sintrex solution for
and Johannesburg recently. SMEs
The events were hosted Sintrex has introduced a cloud
EOH’s Bohbot in collaboration with the management solution designed
takes top award International Consortium specifically with SMEs in mind.
The title of master for Agile (ICAgile), one of the Offering enterprise-level
entrepreneur at the EY key organisations responsible management at an extremely
2014 Southern Africa World for globally-recognised affordable price, this service is
Entrepreneur Award was Agile certifications and ideal for companies requiring
awarded to Asher Bohbot of accreditations, and Rally, an easy way to monitor their
EOH. The Master Entrepreneur an international provider of IT infrastructures and perform
category was sponsored Agile consulting and software diagnostic tests or troubleshoot
by South African Airways. solutions for helping companies problems, ensuring reliability.
Bohbot will now join his go Agile. www.dvt.co.za Joel Oosthuizen, DVT "Enterprise management
counterparts from West systems can be extremely
and East Africa at the EY expensive, and are often
World Entrepreneur of The Australian allaboutXpert opens charged for in dollars," says
Year event in Monte Carlo, allaboutXpert South Africa recently announced the Emile Biagio, sales director of
where they will compete establishment of allaboutXpert Australia under the leadership Sintrex.
against winners from 50 of Adrian Tyler, a highly experienced project management “This has put them out of
other countries for the global expert based in Brisbane. The new operation joins other reach of smaller companies
title. Bohbot moved to South established Adcorp companies in Australia, namely Paxus that nonetheless require this
Africa in 1980. With a BSc in Australia and Labour Solutions Australia, demonstrating a type of solution, and even those
Industrial Engineering from strong, enhanced value proposition to Australian customers. companies that may have the
MAP, he spent many years “We are excited to establish our Australian operations; we budget to pay for the more
working in the engineering will partner with our sister organisations across all major expensive systems, lack the
industry with a focus on Australian cities, enabling us to deliver rapid national growth skilled resources necessary to
manufacturing and logistics. and significant value to our customers,” said Tyler. gain the full benefits offered.”
www.eoh.co.za www.allaboutxpert.com www.sintrex.com
04 | January 2015
Company News
Business
Spirit of Wipro hits
110 cities
Wipro organised the ninth
edition of the ‘Spirit of
Wipro Run', an annual global
initiative to celebrate the
true spirit of Wipro, with
thousands of employees, their
families, friends, customers,
analysts and suppliers running
together on the same day at
different locations across the
world. The central theme of
this year's event – For the Long
Run – underscores marathons
Business
as a test of endurance,
connectivity
dedication and commitment.
www.wipro.com
Gauteng BioPark
launched
The Innovation Hub
Emcom
appoints CTO
Emcom Wireless
that goes
Management Company announced the
(TIHMC), eGoliBIO Life appointment of Stefan
Sciences Incubator, Gauteng
Department of Agriculture
and Rural Development
Skarabis as Chief
Technology Officer.
"We’re very pleased to
the (last) mile
(GDARD), Gauteng confirm the appointment of
Department of Economic Stefan Skarabis, a respected
Development (GDED), and industry professional, to
the Gauteng Growth and the Emcom team," says
Development Agency, have George Spencer, MD,
been collaborating on the Emcom Wireless. "Stefan's
establishment of a Gauteng enviable track record in the
Stefan Skarabis,
Skarabis Emcom
Biosciences Park (BioPark). conceptualisation, design
In 2011, on the basis of a and deployment of many large communications networks and
feasibility study completed in associated projects, coupled with his significant experience
2009, the Provincial Cabinet unique to the mission-critical mobile radio communications
resolved that there was a need industry suits the Emcom roadmap perfectly," says Spencer.
for a business plan for the www.emcom.co.za
establishment of the BioPark
at The Innovation Hub. The
business plan anticipated the Striata eContact
establishment of the BioPark at improves service
The Innovation Hub precinct An area of considerable expense
in Pretoria East, Lynnwood, for the majority of consumer-
a strategic location between facing companies is inbound Wireless Fibre Satellite Voice
the CSIR and University calls. "Companies can cut their
of Pretoria. This forms a call centre costs dramatically
knowledge axis with other by converting costly customer
science entities such as the help desk calls to e-mail-
National Research Foundation based communications,"
and the Department of Science says Brent Haumann, head of
and Technology. Development at Striata.
www.theinnovationhub.com www.striata.com Brent Haumann, Striata
www.broadlink.co.za
January 2015 | 05
Company News
Business
Roan wins PRASA
tender
Roan Systems has won a tender
to maintain 770 Printronix T4M
printers nationwide with
the Passenger Rail Agency of
South Africa (PRASA). "An
organisation of this size and
nature has heavy-duty printing
needs," says Roan Systems'
Frikkie Koegelenberg. "To
win the tender, we adopted a
customer-centric approach
instead of a sales-driven one.
In order to do this, we had to
have a thorough understanding
of PRASA's needs and printing
requirements, so we could
offer a package customised to
meet those needs. "The T4M
maximises productivity and Ricoh launches advertising campaign
offers flexibility to grow with Ricoh SA has launched its new advertising campaign based on rhino poaching and preservation,
changing requirements, and and its ongoing corporate social responsibility programme. "We've been sponsoring rhino
Roan Systems will ensure relocation for anti-poaching reasons, as well as elephant research, at Veterinary Wildlife Services
they operate smoothly and in South Africa for many years already," says Esti Kilian, head of marketing services at Ricoh SA.
efficiently.” www.roan.co.za www.ricoh.co.za
RDB earns Lexmark to boost Why cloud asks
Level 2 BEE sustainability Ubuntu?
status benefits How can cloud help
Local database consulting Driven by Lexmark's organisations transform their IT
business RDB Consulting is commitment to corporate budget to release more funding
pleased to announce it has social responsibility and for innovation and growth-
been awarded a Level 2 BEE guided by the principles of oriented projects? The traditional
status. "RDB is committed zero waste and the circular model of enterprise software
to South Africa's agenda of economy, Lexmark announced sales has changed. Typically,
transformation, the Broad- a line of corporate cartridges the promise of an enterprise
Based Black Economic for the EMEA region. The new software package value is
Empowerment programme," line of cartridges for Lexmark's illustrated through brochures,
says Jaroslav Cerny, CEO at A4 CS/CX colour and MS/ case studies, demonstrations,
RDB. "BEE has an important MX monochrome devices and proofs of concept.
Mark Hiller, Lexmark
role in uplifting the country, utilise Unison toner and a Unfortunately, ultimate value
and bettering the lives of its robust and durable design to deliver long-term reliability and recognition is only achieved
citizens." RDB is proud of its sustained print quality. www.lexmark.com after the finalisation of the
BEE contribution and the sale. By the time organisations
value being added not only to are intimately aware of the
its clients, but South Africa The Professional Services Awards limitations or "quirks" in the
as a whole. "BEE has always The South African Professional Services Awards (SAPSA) software, they are too far down
been a priority for RDB," he recently recognised various players within a variety of industries the road to change. With the
adds, and says the company is for their excellence. KC Rottok, project manager at SAPSA, says prevalence of cloud software,
committed to transformation the rationale behind the awards ceremony was to bring all the organisations are able to
through the employee equity people who provide professional services together in order to perform full-scale production
and procurement strategies network, further explore best practices, as well as recognise testing without a purchase and
that are integral to the companies and individuals that have excelled within the without the need for large-scale
running of RDB. industry. Management Consulting Professional of the Year went infrastructure deployments.
www.rdbconsulting.co.za to Asher Bohbot, CEO of EOH. www.eoh.co.za www.ubuntusa.co.za
06 | January 2015
Company News
Business
Oracle shines Robor implements Decision Inc.
spotlight on Local QlikView partner Decision Inc. has enabled Robor
innovation to consolidate its reporting, and improve its analytical
Cloud, big data and mobile capabilities to gain insight into key business areas across
are transforming the modern its business units. "Data quality is something that many
business environment − as companies take at face value until such time they need
well as presenting new to extract value out of it. Given the high speed at which
challenges and tremendous business operates today, the risk is such that one could lose
opportunities. The 2014 focus because there is no clear view on what is happening
Oracle Day Event Series posts inside the business. The Decision Inc. and Robor teams
this question to business: `Are collaborated effectively to address these issues and ensure
you ready to take advantage?’ the implementation was a success," says Nick Bell, CEO of
The events offer delegates the Decision Inc.
opportunity to explore how www.decisioninc.co.za Nick Bell, Decision Inc.
these technologies can change
their business, and learn from
Oracle experts how to take Stop comms from Education sector
control of their enterprise IT posing a risk seeks digital
future. "Oracle OpenWorld is Simon Johnston, strategist at maturation
the industry's most important customer communications Education is the most
conference, where the management specialist Striata progressive sector in
brightest minds meet the says phishing e-mails continues advancing from a state of
most innovative ideas," says to rise, and it's no longer digital transformation to
Tim Payne, VP of Marketing, primarily financial services and digital maturity, according
Oracle EMEA. utility brands that are being to research by Coleman
www.oracle.com used to target unsuspecting Parkes, commissioned by
consumers. "Branded loyalty Ricoh Europe.
communications are being The findings reveal more
Plantronics gets exploited in an attempt to education leaders (80 percent)
Cisco approved solicit criminally valuable see digital maturity as a key
Plantronics announced that personal information." priority than representatives
its call control features has www.striata.com Simon Johnston, Striata from other sectors. That
successfully achieved Cisco compares with 78 percent for
compatibility certification and financial services, the same
will be embedded within Cisco Mendix, Pink in the public sector and 73
Jabber soft phone client. The Elephant expand percent in healthcare.
Internet of everything (IOE) partnership www.ricoh.co.za
continues to bring together Mendix and Pink Elephant
people, processes, data and announced an expanded
things to enhance the relevancy strategic partnership. Building
of network connections. As a upon the existing Mendix
member of the Cisco Solution implementation services and
Partner Program, Plantronics industry solutions developed
is able to quickly create and by its EMEA counterparts,
deploy solutions to enhance the Pink Elephant South Africa
capabilities, performance and is expanding its operations
management of the network with a Mendix Center of
to capture value in the IOE. Excellence to better support
“We are pleased to receive local and offshore application
another certification from development and delivery
Cisco as it shows our continued requirements. “We're further
commitment to provide Jabber positioning to meet the
users with a superior voice growing application delivery
experience," says Michael demands in the region," says
Gjerstad, vice-president, Neil Petford, regional director
strategic alliances, Plantronics. for Africa at Pink Elephant.
www.plantronics.com Neil Petford, Pink Elephant www.pinkelephant.co.za Jacques van Wyk, Ricoh
January 2015 | 07
Company News
Business
Ergoform picks SA keen on Epicor
Epicor e-mail security announces
Epicor Software Corporation Managed IT security award winners
recently announced that vendor, Securicom, Epicor Software recently
Ergoform will deploy the continues to enjoy announced the winners of the
Epicor next-generation impressive year-on-year 2014 Epicor Global Channel
enterprise resource growth in the interest Partner Awards. Recipients
planning (ERP) solution to and adoption of its e-mail were selected by Epicor based
manage its state-of-the-art security and content on exceptional performance in
manufacturing operations. The management service as customer growth, satisfaction,
implementation will be carried evolving e-mail-borne overall dedication, total sales
out by New Era Solutions, security threats and the and commitment to Epicor
member of the Epicor Inspired increasing complexity of solutions. "Epicor values the
Richard Broeke, Securicom
Partner Network and an Epicor security technologies push unwavering commitment
value-added reseller for over more South African companies to outsource e-mail security to of our global partners to
ten years. "Our world-class competent service providers. "More than half of them are SMEs," consistently deliver excellence
product offering, combined states Richard Broeke, national sales manager at Securicom. and quality to our customers
with business system www.securicom.co.za while producing strong
excellence, guarantees our business results," said Joe
clients the latest designs, Cowan, president and CEO
product consistency and Supporting financial data across of Epicor. "We're proud
excellent service," said Leon boundaries to honour the 2014 award
Roodt, CEO of Ergoform. Managing the financial data of 200 million customers spread recipients for their exceptional
“We also continuously strive across over 100 countries can give any bank jitters, more so when work and we thank all of our
to make our manufacturing the regulatory compliances worldwide are getting tougher by the talented partners for their
processes greener. Our biggest day. It is this work of trust and faith of these millions of users in dedication to Epicor solutions
challenge is implementing the bank's systems and processes that made a Larsen & Toubro and customer satisfaction.”
environmentally responsible Infotech (L&T Infotech) client, a large US bank, re-look its IT www.epicor.com
practices without increasing systems for a stringent reporting process across operational,
costs." www.epicor.com credit, market and counterparty risks. With banking systems not
confined to a particular territory or laws, banks are looking at Arrow comes to
transforming their financial systems in order to align better with Africa
HR Pulse takes the regulatory requirements. With technology skills in
on People www.lntinfotech.com demand across Africa, a
Dynamics new deal entered into by
People Dynamics, the official enterprise solutions provider
journal of the Institute of The secret of iEnter is putting world-class
People Management (IPM), has your success training materials within
appointed HR Pulse, a division The salesman sold the first reach of companies across the
of ITWeb, as its new publisher. copier; the technician continent. As an IBM education
Says Rre Elijah Litheko, IPM sold the rest – this old delivery and IBM sales partner
CEO: "Leading organisations saying underscores the of Arrow ECS, which is an
throughout the world have value of the technician IBM Global Training Provider,
come to realise that people in an organisation. "The iEnter offers all authorised
can truly be your greatest technician supports the IBM systems and IBM software
investment and differentiator product and ensures it’s training worldwide, teaching
in a fast-changing and super- delivered, installed and the necessary skills for the
competitive business context." integrated seamlessly optimal deployment of IBM
Taking this changing role of within the client's solutions in the field of IT
HR into account, IPM – the infrastructure. If the infrastructure and software. By
oldest and largest institution service and support signing a preferred partnership
of HR practitioners in Africa – after product purchase with Arrow Learning Solutions
Paul Wendlandt, Kyocera
has entrusted HR Pulse with aren't any good, then for its IBM coursework, iEnter
the task of giving its journal a it’s unlikely the client will want to stay with the product," is taking steps to boost quality
facelift and ensuring its content says Paul Wendlandt, CSSD manager at Kyocera Document training on technologies
is relevant to its members. Solutions South Africa. popular throughout the region.
www.itweb.co.za www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.za www.ienter.co.za
08 | January 2015Company News
Business
2014 winners
AABLA
announced
Flipping
to Digital
The victors of the southern
African round of Africa's
most prestigious business
awards, the CNBC Africa
Leadership
All Africa Business Leaders
Awards (AABLA), presented
by Johnnie Walker Blue Label
(AABLA), were announced
at a glittering ceremony
in Johannesburg recently.
GARTNER
The AABLA recognise the
continent's most pioneering
business game-changers in
a variety of categories that
mirror the multifaceted
nature of the African business
AFRICA
Miguel Ruddy, Pluritone
Not just another app developer
landscape. In the category of
Southern African Business CIO
FORUM
Leader of the Year, CEO
Mobile apps are here to stay. This becomes more evident, of EOH Holdings Limited,
considering the number of smartphones sold is surpassing that Asher Bohbot, was lauded
2015
of personal computers. Some experts are even projecting the for his pioneering vision and
mobile app market to be a $77-billion industry by 2017. While your consistent drive to formulate
business is investigating options to go mobile, you should explore solutions-based business and
the possibility of targeting as many smartphone users spread across IT strategies across his myriad
iPhones, Android and Windows phone devices. endeavours.
www.pluritone.co.za www.eoh.co.za
Logikal, IBM The circle of life
17-18
boost EMM
Logikal Consulting and IBM
have joined forces to bring
The world has come full circle, says Sarel Naudé of
Ubuntu Technologies. We are back to a centralised
environment where every corporate resource and
February
IBM's leading enterprise asset can be managed, protected and distributed
marketing management centrally, where it can run efficiently and optimally,
(EMM) solution, Unica, to the
local market. Gerald Naidoo,
CEO of Logikal Consulting,
and be available to any end-user device imaginable,
leveraging the latest advances in VMWare's virtualisation
technologies. “We need to size our hosting environments
Valley
says today’s customers
know what they want. "They
extremely carefully. Guesstimates and industry
‘rules-of-thumb’ just won't do it accurately enough,” Lodge & Spa,
Magaliesberg,
are well-informed, they says Naudé. “Time must be taken to perform proper,
interact through multiple scientific assessments of the environment intended for
channels, relying on their virtualisation. If not, you will most surely end in failure.”
friends and peers as the
top source of information.
Marketing is evolving, and
www.ubuntusa.co.za
Johannesburg
marketing management tools
continue to be a strong area
of investment for companies
Company News
of all types and sizes. To read the FULL company releases, visit For agenda details and
However, many users are
still struggling to realise the
www.itweb.co.za on-line registration,
benefits.”
Contact sales@itweb.co.za
for any sales enquiries. please visit :
www.logikalconsulting.com www.gartner.co.za/forum2015
Tel: +27 (0)21 794 4569
January 2015 | 09ITWeb/VMware Cloud Computing Survey
What’s your
cloud strategy?
10 | January 2015ITWeb/VMware Cloud Computing Survey
By Suzanne Franco
Are companies
making use of
cloud computing
to solve business
challenges, while
allowing IT to
drive innovation
back into the
business?
Cost will influence which cloud you use
- Ian Jansen van Rensburg, senior
manager, systems engineering at VMware SA
R ecently The ITWeb/VMware Cloud
Computing Survey, conducted online
among ITWeb readers, set out to assess
the level of maturity of cloud computing
adoption in South Africa.
Only 10% of the respondents are not
using or considering cloud, while 65%
said they have adopted cloud and a
further 26% are in an assessment stage.
One third use the private cloud model,
and another third the hybrid cloud,
while 16% use public cloud and 20% use
all three cloud options.
Ian Jansen van Rensburg, senior manager,
systems engineering at VMware Southern
Africa, comments: “As with any technology
within the IT industry, planning, design
and execution are critical for success,
stability, security and reliability of a
business. Building private or public cloud The majority of respondents (70%) said operations will be moved separately in a
environments is not any different.” their organisation has already moved phased, well thought-out process – this
“Some organisations are bound by e-mail to the cloud. Backup is the next is not an overnight project.
legislation that dictates their data popular choice for cloud adoption, which This is what will most likely happen
cannot traverse country borders or even is followed by CRM at 41%, databases at in the back-end because, realistically,
company borders. Some companies 40% and office applications at 35%. does the user really care where the
also like to be in direct control of their If business applications are hosted in application lives, as long as they can do
business-critical applications and not the cloud, it immediately reduces the their work in the simplest, easiest way?
just access them via a Web portal. Every ‘burden’ on the internal IT department, In my view, and what we have seen as
environment is unique, which is where notes Jansen van Rensburg. “Employees very popular, users should have single
the debate about ‘which’ cloud (public should have easy, anytime access to core Web portal to access any application
or private) you use really comes into business applications.” (cloud or internal legacy applications),”
play. Cost will influence this decision,” Once applications are moved to the says Jansen van Rensburg.
he says. “A hybrid cloud option (a cloud, focus within an IT department
combination of two or more clouds, for can move to more innovative ideas and Sound cloud
example private and public) should be projects, he adds. When it comes to the main barriers to
investigated in order to be in a position “A cloud strategy all depends on the rolling up parts of the business into
where organisations can choose the most type of application serving the business the cloud, respondents rated all of the
cost-effective cloud option for a specific (legacy systems or new modern cloud reasons as important: business buy-
project or business challenge.” apps). If it is a legacy system, business in and management understanding,
January 2015 | 11ITWeb/VMware Cloud Computing Survey
skills to support, available technology, LOCAL PROVIDER mobility & BYOD
security, cost and bandwidth. confidence strategy
On the flip side, the primary business
case for using cloud has to do with how much confidence do you have how important is mobility and a
competitive advantage, mobility and in local infrastructure as a service BYOD strategy to your business?
mobile device management, centralised (IaaS) service providers?
management, improved IT control and
visibility. These were closely followed by
agility, cost and scalability.
There were no surprises related to the
importance of mobility and Bring your
own decice (BYOD) strategy - more than
half of the respondents rated it to be
highly important and a further third as
fairly important. Only 3% said it was
not important.
“The majority of users these days Not Very Not Very
confident confident important important
are mobile, and by default expect to
at all at all
access their core business applications
via mobile devices. Always-on internet
access is a reality, but when dealing with cloud maturity
business-critical applications, security
and compliance is of utmost importance,” IS YOUR COMPANY ALREADY OPERATING IN THE CLOUD OR CONSIDERING MOVING
comments Jansen van Rensburg. PARTS OF THE BUSINESS INTO THE CLOUD?
It also emerged just over half of respon- NO - not operating
YES - already
dents are considering entering the cloud operational or considering
through a partner, and 44% on their own. 66% 8%
“Whether to enter cloud through a
partner or alone is dependent on the size
of the business and complexity of the
applications supporting the business. If
there are big legacy systems that place
complexity and serious challenges on IT to
enter the cloud, partnering with a company
with the relevant experience is always Considering
26%
advisable. If you are a micro business, a
cloud partner could also be a very good
idea as they take over all your management
headaches,” Jansen van Rensburg says. CLOUD MODELS BUSINESS CASE FOR
CLOUD
What cloud model is most used
in your organisation? What is the primary business case for
About the survey moving into the cloud?
The ITWeb/VMware Cloud Computing Survey was
conducted online among ITWeb readers in August
Public
Public 16%
2014. The aim was to gauge:
16%
Scalability
1 The importance of cloud in IT and business
2%
strategies.
2 Maturity of cloud and virtualisation projects. Cost
Private 12%
3 Benefits of and barriers to adopting cloud. 34%
4 Level and type of cloud environment most in use
Agility
and applications typically placed in the cloud. 12%
5 Perception of local cloud service providers. 12%
Hybrid Improved IT control, visibility
Who responded 29%
13%
• A total of 117 responses were received for the Centralised management
Cloud Computing survey.
• Close to 40 percent work in the IT sector, Mobility, mobile device management
with the remainder spread across a range of All three 15%
industries. models
• Twenty five percent are from fairly large compa- 20% Competitive advantage
nies with over 500 employees, while 17% are from 15%
multinationals with over 10 000 employees.
12 | January 2015Company News telecoms Tait signs with Load shedding Entropia impacts Telkom Tait Communications has services signed a long-term agreement Telkom services have with Entropia Digital to provide been impacted by Eskom's a UK-wide digital mobile radio nationwide load shedding (DMR) tier-three network, schedule. Depending on the including terminals and duration of load shedding, technical support. "Emcom, Telkom may lose some core as a result of its long-term network elements which can partnership with Tait, also impact customer services. subscribes to and benefits from "The company understands the adaptability and agility the great inconvenience required to provide bespoke disconnection of its services solutions, while deploying open brings to its customers and standard technologies," says will therefore be on high alert George Spencer, MD of Emcom during this period, mobilising Wireless. “Entropias' new DMR all available technicians to T3 network will be designed Telkom offers next-gen iPhone work additional hours," says for maximum flexibility to Telkom has announced it will offer the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Marna Wilden, managing allow for a broad spectrum of which feature 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch retina HD displays, and are executive of Telkom's Network users and will provide portable packed with innovative technologies in an all-new thin and seamless Centre Operations. "Our coverage, reducing the cost of design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models business and operations mobile installations. Entropia are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip will also be impacted by clients will benefit from with second-generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for load shedding and we hope crystal-clear voice quality of blazing fast performance and power efficiency; new 8MP iSight customers will appreciate Tait's 9300 series of mobiles and FaceTime HD cameras; and ultrafast wireless technologies. The that we are doing all we can and portables − some of the new iPhones include iOS 8, the biggest release since the App Store, to maintain services under markets toughest, most durable featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience, with these trying circumstances," professional radios.” new message and photo features, predictive typing for Apple's she adds. www.emcom.co.za QuickType keyboard and Family Sharing. www.telkom.co.za www.telkom.co.za 4C’s iNSight Criminals pose as Telkom technicians MTN social media Big Data Hub Criminals intent on stealing valuables from homes and offices ahead of the rest successful set-up are attempting to gain entry into premises by posing as Telkom MTN was the only The 4C iNSight Big Data Hub, technicians. Jacqui O'Sullivan, Telkom's managing executive for telecommunications on Oracle's Exadata Database Corporate Communication, says the evolving modus operandi of company to bag a string of Machine, was successfully the suspected criminals is of great concern. "Telkom would like to New Generation Awards in deployed through leading alert customers to be on the lookout for these suspects who claim to recognition for the exceptional mobile operator Vodacom, a be Telkom technicians. Upon entry, they steal laptops, cellphones, work performed by its digital company that boasts in excess money and other valuables," cautioned O'Sullivan. She added that and social media team. of ten million customers. The the perpetrators arrive unannounced and claim they need to upgrade MTN was awarded gold under iNSight Big Data Hub analyses telephone and/or Internet lines. www.telkom.co.za the Best Online Newsletter millions of network data events category, silver for The on a daily basis. Data is extracted Best Blog, bronze status for from various sources to support Telkom updates public Customer Care and Use of management information Telkom's turnaround strategy and organisational restructuring is Social Media and another reporting, customer analytics, informed by a number of complex and demanding considerations bronze award for the Most credit analytics, operational key to the successful execution of the process. In April 2014, as Innovative Use of Social reporting and Business part of the larger Telkom turnaround strategy, the company Media. MTN remains the Intelligence. The iNSight Data began specific discussions with representatives from organised leading mobile operator in Hub is a primary source of labour. "This turnaround is a tough journey. These staff reductions South Africa that has the most quality data for customer loyalty have resulted in high levels of anxiety and we remain committed number of Twitter, Facebook, systems and customer value to doing all we can to limit the impact of these changes on our Mxit, WeChat followers, the enhancement initiatives such as people. We do, however, need to remain focused to deliver on our most Facebook likes and the campaign management. collective future success," said Sipho Maseko, Telkom CEO. most YouTube subscribers. www.4cgroup.co.za www.telkom.co.za www.mtn.com 14 | January 2015
Company News
telecoms networking
Telkom offers BCX launches Infinity
Samsung Note 4 Business Connexion (BCX) recently launched a hosted voice
The new Samsung Note 4 network that offers a complete voice experience from one
smartphone is now available service provider, delivered over one platform that will enable
at Telkom stores countrywide one seamless voice experience. Called the Infinity Unified
on the SmartPlan 50, Voice Solution, it facilitates voice access over any network
SmartPlan 100 and Completely and device – including tablets and mobile devices, IP phones,
Unlimited deals. The Note 4 desktops and web. It’s delivered over a single integrated system
is packed with new features. of voice, video, instant messaging, mobility, conferencing
Movies and games come to and collaboration. "Infinity provides a simplified, end-to-end
life with the vivid display communications solution that will enable business to achieve a
Vinoden Govender, APP
of the Super AMOLED Quad rich, seamless and high-quality collaboration experience," says
HD screen, and you'll take Eric McGee, managing executive: Communications at BCX. Companies must
brighter, blur-free photos www.bcx.co.za invest in ICT
with smart optical image Advanced Projects and People
stabilising and the ultra- (APP), a level-one B-BBEE com-
wide selfie option. Best of Sonus, BroadSoft: Parsec pany, recently reviewed the cur-
all, the phone boasts 30% the solution commercialise rent ICT landscape within South
faster charging. Samsung's Sonus and BroadSoft have broadband aimed Africa. APP found that compa-
Note 4 is best experienced teamed up to deliver a pre- at rural areas nies need to invest in reliable
with a quality network and integrated, validated solution In the wake of Parsec's recent and capable ICT infrastructure
plenty of data. Telkom was to accelerate the delivery five-year licensing agreement to address the challenges of the
recently voted fixed and of hosted multimedia and with the Council for Scientific future. In line with this, APP has
mobile broadband provider UC services based on a and Industrial Research (CSIR) made a significant investment in
of the year by readers of a powerful, scalable, shared SIP on wireless mesh technology, developing its ICT infrastructure
leading online publication, architecture. The combined the company is paving the way solution delivery capability.www.
and provides value-for-money solution delivers a world- for its commercialisation. advancedprojectsandpeople.co.za
contracts that ensure you're class enterprise SIP trunking The first step was to obtain
always in touch. solution based on the Sonus type-approval from the
www.telkom.co.za Session Border Controller (SBC) Independent Communications E-book shows as-
5000 series and the industry's Authority of South Africa (Icasa) pects of corporate
leading SIP communications for the high-performance networking
and applications server, node (HPN) at the heart of Enterprise Networking is
BroadSoft's BroadWorks and high-availability wireless. an e-book giving corporate
UC-One platform. Now, service This type-approval essentially decision-makers insight into
providers can quickly and established HPN version two. the drivers behind the steady
confidently deliver a robust The commercialisation drive growth of high-performance
suite of hosted multimedia and was partly influenced by the corporate network systems and
UC services to their enterprise government's broadband- infrastructures over the last 35
SIP trunking customers from for-all initiative, in which the years. It also spotlights some of
their own network or the cloud CSIR's Meraka Institute played a the latest and most profound
– in hours rather than in days or significant role. technological developments of
weeks. www.vodcs.co.za www.parsec.co.za the past 12 months. It was written
with a view to help organisations
reduce operational costs, pinpoint
SAPS goes with Emcom new business opportunities and
South Africa-based Emcom Wireless has been awarded a three-year react quickly to retail demands.
contract for radio network equipment deployment by the South It identifies outdated or inept
African Police Service. Emcom will assist SAPS in the co-ordinated business methodologies ready for
planning and rollout of network elements is order to enhance SAPS upgrade or redesign. Enterprise
radio communications coverage across South Africa, including Networking delves into key
facilitating the provision of dedicated IP services to remote police corporate networking issues
stations and border posts. "We’re pleased that our experience and such as the acceptance of cloud
track record in mission-critical public safety solutions has once again computing, the realisation of
been recognised by the SAPS, including our dedication to empower network functions virtualisation
the customer through real-time skills transfer," says Tony Sipho and the potential of software-
Sibanda, Emcom's Business Development director. defined networking. www.
www.emcom.co.za extremenetworks.co.za
January 2015 | 15Opinion: POPI
Think you’re ready for POPI?
What companies must do to prepare for the
Protection of Personal Information Act.
in order for a company to remain
in compliance with the law. POPI’s
provisions require companies to Parliament has
define the purpose for which they
collect an individual’s personal signalled its intention
information, and inform the
individual of what that purpose to furnish POPI
is. If a company wishes to process regulators with a
collected personal information
for a use outside of the original sharp set of teeth.
stated purpose, it is required to
obtain additional consent from the
individual. Individuals may legally
object to having their information After a company has taken inventory of
processed, and they have the right to the personal information it has collected,
request access to their information it should commence with the process of
and to have their information safeguarding or destroying that data to
corrected or removed. keep in compliance with the law. Data that
Companies are responsible even remains needs to be stored in an encrypted
if they transfer the information to another format to protect it from data breaches.
Amit Parbhucharan is SA country
manager at Beachhead Solutions.
company for processing on their behalf. An To be prepared for requests to remove
individual’s collected personal information data, companies should develop or seek out
must be complete, accurate and kept up IT solutions for securely encrypting data
T he Protection of Personal Information
Act (POPI), enacted in November 2013
and soon to be implemented, is a far-
to date.
Companies must have an information
retention and destruction policy in place
while they hold it – and for eliminating data
quickly and reliably when finished with it
– even across all the various hardware and
reaching piece of legislation set to affect in order to fulfil POPI’s requirements of devices within the company.
the business practices of any company how information is handled. Personal Secure, cloud-based solutions can be
that keeps or processes the personal data information must be destroyed once it has valuable for granting IT administrators
of any citizen. achieved the original purpose for which it an overview of where data rests within a
In a world where companies that are less was collected. company, as well as convenient controls
respectful of privacy may collect and sell And finally, companies are required for ensuring data placed onto new
user data to third parties, the government to have specific security measures for devices is encrypted and safeguarded as
is serious about giving individuals full maintaining the confidentiality and the law requires.
control over their own information and integrity of personal information in their Remote data access control, device
online presence. possession, to regularly monitor and update quarantine, full data wipe and revocation
Parliament has signalled its intention to such information, and to notify regulators of authentication are security measures
furnish POPI regulators with a sharp set and affected individuals in the event of any that complement the safeguards of
of teeth: penalties for being found out of data breach. encryption. Businesses can rely on these
compliance with POPI can include fines tools for notification of risks and reporting
of up to R10 million, and up to 10 years Ready, set, go mechanisms to demonstrate secure data
in jail. To avoid the ire of regulators, as Nearly every company out there will practices to auditors and regulators.
well as to steer clear of civil legal issues be affected by POPI, and should closely The POPI legislation presents a new era of
and reputational risks, companies must examine the information they keep to know personal privacy for individuals and a few
understand how POPI requires them to where the provisions in POPI may apply challenges for companies that need to adapt
handle information, and how to implement to their business practices. Companies in to meet the requirements of compliance.
the proper technology solutions to put industries such as healthcare, insurance However, POPI presents businesses with
themselves in compliance with the law. and finance, which can deal with sensitive great opportunities too. Companies that
personal information as part of their acquire the right tools to make the transition
What POPI requires everyday operations, should take special smoothly will be positioned to present
POPI includes a number of stated care to ensure the information kept is themselves as trustworthy and competent
requirements, and each must be fulfilled handled appropriately. caretakers of personal data.
16 | January 2015Opinion: Telematics
Telematics and the world
of tomorrow
Astute marketing companies will be able to measure
customers in real-time.
comes with built-in telematics. in, or close to, one of its stores. Being a
The ability to track movement and Woolworths card holder, my purchases and
pinpoint location are just two of the preferences are used to form a profile of me.
standard features included. Using this profile, along with my location,
Discovery Insure recently the app offers me an immediate and tailored
launched a competition in which marketing offer, which is only valid for the
an app downloaded to users’ duration of my current store visit.
phones could track how well What if I am about to go on a trip, via
they drove, the distance driven taxi? The Discovery Insure App I have on my
and whether the phone was used phone registers that I am at a long-haul taxi
(moved) during transit. Users were rank. Being based in South Africa and having
rewarded with competition entries the statistics and background of taxi use at
based on their scores. their fingertips, the likelihood of an accident
Samsung, in Australia, did is calculated. The app immediately offers me
something similar. It launched an targeted and affordable death and disability
app that rewards and promotes insurance, available immediately and only
safe driving. Called the S-Drive, it valid for the duration of the current trip.
is a safe driving programme that
Jessie Rudd is BI consultant at PBT Group. fully understands and uses Samsung’s
strongest connection point to the young:
the smartphone.
The ability to track
I n a quick and simplified nutshell,
telematics is the use of wireless
devices and ‘black box’ technologies to
Once installed, the app cuts out the
phone’s signal so drivers aren’t distracted
while driving. It also uses the phone’s built-
movement and pinpoint
transmit data. in telematics to track distance and speed in location are just two of
A number of car insurance companies order to determine how safely the driver is
are making use of this technology in the driving. The more safe kilometres driven, the standard features
form of tracking devices – a device fitted
to a vehicle, which can be used to trace the
the better the rewards.
Considered a resounding success, the
included.
vehicle in the event of theft. It can also be S-Drive will now become a factory-
used to measure distance travelled, speed, installed, standard application on all
harsh acceleration and dangerous cornering. Samsung phones. Unlike tracking devices that are fitted to a
What few people realise, though, is that These are just two companies using the car and are effectively limited to measuring
every day, most people unwittingly carry basics. In an always-on, always-connected only an inanimate object, the telematics in
around a similar device. The very first phone world – people are even more connected a smartphone offers so much more. Most
call, made by Alexander Graham Bell, was than they think. people are so dependent on their phone, it
made in March 1876. The first cellphone call literally travels everywhere with them. With
was made in April 1973, by Martin Cooper, Boundless potential this kind of attachment, clever marketing
an employee of Motorola. The first phone to The possibilities for a savvy marketing companies can measure the person, in real-
be referred to as a ‘smartphone’ was the IBM company are endless and limited only by time, at all times.
Simon Personal Communicator, released to the imagination. Directed and targeted The possibilities for the volume of data
the American public in 1994 at a cost of $899 marketing, based on information gathered that will be created and collated are also
on contract. in real-time by the telematics of a staggering. True, it will probably just add to
smartphone, could very well revolutionise the big data explosion and subsequent noise.
Simon says the world today. However, there is no denying the insight it
The ‘Simon’ is as far away from the What if I go to Woolworths? The could provide will be invaluable.
smartphones of today as it was from the Woolworths App on my phone, which has For the first time, an individual is
phone that Alexander Graham Bell used. permission to view my location and send me measured, tracked, traced and targeted. In
Today, every smartphone on the market push notifications, registers that I am either real-time.
January 2015 | 17You can also read
