DataStax releases a NoSQL database with automatic management
Because NoSQL databases are less restrictive than the more conventional relational model, offering simpler design and improved scaling, they're popular for handling big data and real-time web applications. However, this comes at the price of higher maintenance demands.
The latest release of DataStax Enterprise (DSE) 3.2 addresses this with the addition of automated management services, allowing companies to concentrate on generating revenue rather than maintaining the database. This makes it the first NoSQL solution to have management taken care of by the database itself, bringing features that would previously only have been available in products like Oracle to the NoSQL market.
Lack of backup puts SMBs at risk of significant data loss
Backing up data can often seem like a chore and is something which isn't always top of the agenda, especially for smaller businesses. New research commissioned by cloud backup and disaster recovery company Intronis shows that a high percentage of small and medium businesses are at risk of major data loss that could put them out of business.
The results show that most SMBs go to managed services providers (MSPs) -- 83 percent of which are SMBs themselves with less than 99 employees -- for their IT services. More worrying is that they often don't buy backup and data recovery until after suffering a detrimental loss of data.
LogicMonitor introduces free NetFlow network monitoring
It seems like everything is shifting to the cloud at the moment and that places additional pressures on network management. LogicMonitor, maker of a cloud-based infrastructure monitoring solution, is aiming to ease the burden by offering free NetFlow traffic monitoring in order to enhance its usability by service providers.
NetFlow (the collective name for NetFlow, sFlow and JFlow) is an industry-standard protocol for monitoring network traffic. LogicMonitor's Collector receives data from network devices and sends it to the cloud for analysis and storage, keeping down the load on local servers. A number of off-the-shelf performance metrics are available including data flows, bandwidth and application use. This NetFlow functionality is being offered free to LogicMonitor's customers for at least the remainder of 2013.
Changing the role of technology in child development with cloudBoard
Pittsburgh-based start-up Digital Dream Labs has launched a Kickstarter campaign to improve childhood interactions with technology and promote the development of logic and problem solving skills.
"10 years ago, parents were worried their teenagers were getting too consumed by video games", says co-founder Matt Stewart. "Now you have toddlers playing on touch screens before they know how to walk. Technology is doing amazing things to change the world, but that doesn't mean we should give up the fundamental experiences that dictate our children's growth and help them interact with the things around them".
Bloomfire improves integration with Salesforce
Knowledge management specialist Bloomfire, whose product we looked at a few weeks ago, has announced deeper integration with the Salesforce customer relationship management platform. This will allow users to share information and knowledge with their co-workers without having to leave the Salesforce screen.
Bloomfire began integrating with Salesforce in 2012 when it joined the AppExchange to allow single sign-ons and posts from Bloomfire to appear on the Salseforce Chatter page. The deeper integration will allow sales professionals access to the information they need to close deals, enable them to get questions answered quickly, and share the feedback they receive. From the company's point of view information gathered in Salesforce can be shared without giving all employees access to the package, plus knowledge gained from Salesforce can be used across the organization.
Samsung partner program extends KNOX to the enterprise market
Launched earlier this year in Barcelona, KNOX, as we reported at the time, is a secure Android platform powering Samsung Galaxy devices. It's designed to strengthen Android by using hardware features to provide the highest level of protection. KNOX is aimed at offering security whilst remaining manageable and addresses the need to separate work and play on the same device.
With the launch of a partner program, Samsung is helping resellers and independent software vendors to provide extra value for their customers and extend the benefits of KNOX to the enterprise market. It provides partners with assets, resources and training to help them provide support for Samsung devices. Compatibility is included for existing master data management (MDM) solutions to allow resellers to offer a complete solution or work with existing installations.
Hannspree launches a 13-inch tablet on a 7-inch budget
It's the iPad and the Nexus 7 that make the most headlines in the tablet market, but the fiercest competition for consumer cash in the run up to this year's Christmas holiday season will be taking place lower down the food chain.
Taiwan-based audio-visual specialist Hannspree is the latest to enter the fray with its new HANNSpad SN14T71. Offering a 13.3-inch screen it launched today in the UK with a price tag of just £199.99 ($318). The screen itself is a 10 point Multi Touch unit with a resolution of 1280 by 800. Whilst that’s pricier than other budget tablets like Tesco’s £119 Hudl, it’s squarely up against some premium smaller devices like the 16GB Nexus 7 and you are getting a lot more screen real estate for your money, albeit with a lower resolution.
By 2017 your smartphone might be smarter than you
The rise of intelligent machines has long been fertile ground for science fiction writers, but a new report by technology research specialists Gartner suggests that the future is closer than we think.
"Smartphones are becoming smarter, and will be smarter than you by 2017," says Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. "If there is heavy traffic, it will wake you up early for a meeting with your boss, or simply send an apology if it is a meeting with your colleague. The smartphone will gather contextual information from its calendar, its sensors, the user's location and personal data".
New solution aims to make SaaS more secure
The growth of the cloud and the use of software as a service (SaaS) has had a dramatic effect on both businesses and individuals, allowing people to access corporate applications and data from anywhere and on any device. But it also gives IT managers a security headache as it becomes harder to build and enforce consistent policies, especially when employees are using their own devices.
In a bid to tackle this, security specialist Adallom is launching a complete solution for SaaS applications. This offers seamless cloud-based security that audits all SaaS activities and provides real-time information on user activity.
New Kapow release streamlines big data use
It seems that everyone is keen to get in on the big data trend at the moment. If you're still unsure of what it is and where it comes from take a look at the handy infographic we published last week. If you want to start making use of it, then the company behind that graphic, Kapow Software has just released its latest product to make it easier to extract big data from any source.
Kapow Enterprise 9.3 uses synthetic APIs which allow it to draw data from a number of sources and integrate it into existing business processes. What the company calls Kapplets enable users to run and manage thousands of automated data integration applications at the same time. They can then view the different data streams in an integrated way and act on the findings.
Fear of cyber attacks could expose businesses to new risks
Data breaches and cyber attacks frequently make the news when well-known companies are the target.
This is good in the sense that it raises awareness of the need to take security seriously, however, the latest Global Risk Management Survey by Gartner finds that fear of attack is causing security professionals to shift their focus away from disciplines like enterprise risk management and risk-based information security in order to concentrate on technical security issues.
Windows 8.1 to get three critical security patches
Next week’s Patch Tuesday will see a number of security patches for Windows 8.1 including three that get the top Critical rating. According to Microsoft’s advanced notification on TechNet the three critical updates address remote code execution issues in Windows and Internet Explorer.
There are also five more updates flagged as Important, three for Windows and two for Office. The three Critical bulletins also apply to Windows XP and will be among the last for the 12-year-old operating system before support ends in April next year.
Intronis releases enhanced cloud backup solution for enterprises
The cloud backup and data recovery sector has grown fast over recent years and is estimated to be worth some $5.3 billion in 2013. Specialist in this area Intronis has announced the Fall '13 release of its product and declared that it’s on track to exceed its sales growth targets.
The new release introduces support for clustered environments and allows channel partners to produce scalable recovery as a service offerings. Enhancements include improved VMware support allowing faster backups and user defined destination hosts, the ability to create virtual recovery hosts, and improved user interface and web portal, as well as general enhancements to usability and reliability.
Cray targets the big data storage market
Cray is a business best known for its supercomputers, though 10 percent of its revenue in 2012 came from providing storage. But in the world of big data there's often a requirement to match high performance computing with an effective archiving solution and the company is after a slice of that pie.
With Cray's new Tiered Adaptive Storage (TAS) product it offers a complete solution that includes all of the software and hardware, and eliminates the complexities associated with planning, designing and building large-scale storage archives.
Windows 8.1's SmartScreen technology makes for happy CAMPers
The biggest threat to any operating system is malicious code gaining access to it. Whilst the User Account Control (UAC) introduced in Vista went some way towards guarding against this, many people found it so annoying that they turned it off.
Since most attacks arrive via the browser, Microsoft's introduction of SmartScreen Application Reputation technology in IE9 was a much more significant step. App Rep is a form of content agnostic malware protection (CAMP) and aims to prevent the execution of malware by barring any applications that aren't explicitly trusted. With the launch of Windows 8 SmartScreen App Rep was extended beyond IE to protect the operating system as a whole.
Ian's Bio
Ian spent almost 20 years working with computers before he discovered that writing about them was easier than fixing them. Since then he's written for a number of computer magazines and is a former editor of PC Utilities. Follow him on Mastodon
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