PCR November 2016

FOR THE UK’S PC & TECH COMMUNITY • No. 158 • NOVEMBER 2016

BullGuard rated #1 Internet Security in Europe.

Again!

BullGuard Internet Security is awarded Best Buy & Best-in-Test 2016 by six leading European consumer organisations.

BullGuard is #1 with consumers BullGuard’s domination of the European consumer awards proves yet again that for simple, effective protection that consumers love, nothing beats BullGuard. And, as well as great performing products, they’re simple to install, easy to use and won’t slow you down. As well as total protection, customers also enjoy complete peace of mind because BullGuard’s support team are available 24/7.

“

BullGuard is a win-win product for us and our customers

”

121 Computers. Diss, Norfolk

and #1 with resellers

“

BullGuard’s revenue share has made us over £100,000

”

121 Computers. Diss, Norfolk

We have worked hard to offer a great box margin plus a unique 25% revenue share every time your customers renew their licences. That’s 25% of the licence renewal every year that your customers renew. As up to 85% of BullGuard customers renew their licence each year, your revenue share can be an important additional revenue stream.

BullGuard Revenue Share is available on all BullGuard Products

Backup Dropbox Online Backup

06 PCR Awards 2017 The annual awards ceremony is unveled for next year.

08 IT after Brexit Has ecommerce been the first victim of the UK’s exit from Euroe?

24 Boot Camp North PCR previews November’s event for the IT channel

No. 158 • NOVEMBER 2016 COMPUTER & IT RESELLERS z RETAILERS z SYSTEM BUILDERS z DISTRIBUTORS z VENDORS

WWW.PCR-ONLINE.BIZ

PCR CELEBRATES 18 WOMEN OF THE YEAR Channel comes together to champion diversity in the UK IT industry Rebecca Williams, Maggie Zaboura, Alexa Greaves, Kirsty Guy, Alicia Shepherd and Tracy Pound are PCR’s Women of the Year.

To read a full review of the day, head to page 18.

HOME SURVEILLANCE TECH – P21 PANDALABS INTERVIEW - P23 BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGY – P33 THE STATE OF SECURITY IN 2016 – P34 WWW.PCR-ONLINE.BIZ z WWW.TWITTER.COM/PCR_ONLINE z WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PCRMAG

CONTENTS & COMMENT

Follow us @pcr_online

MEET THE TEAM

CONTENTS

COMMENT

REGULARS Jonathan Easton Deputy Editor

06 PCR Awards 07 Analysis: Samsung

jeaston@nbmedia.com @jonman247

Congratulations

08 Analysis: Brexit 10 Number Crunching 13 Appointments 13 Events

Sophia Murray Staff Writer

14 Opinion

smurray@nbmedia.com

36 Retailer of the month: Disking 41 Reseller Profile: MPC Services

Gurpreet Purewal Group Sales Manager gpurewal@nbmedia.com

FEATURES 18 Women ot the Year review 21 Home security 23 Pandalabs interview

THIS SERVES as my first opportunity to really congratulate all of the great women who were nominated and won at PCR’s Women of the Year awards that happened a couple of weeks ago in London.

I took great pleasure in hosting the event and it also served as a great chance catch up with many of you and meet a whole host of new people I hadn’t yet had the chance to.

More so than the delight I had at being given a live microphone in front of a room full of people, was the genuine joy I felt as the channel came together to recognise the achievements of women in IT. I said on the day that diversity is still a big problem facing IT. An article I read from the New York Times said that women are better off if they hide their identity when applying for jobs in IT and tech.

While the author was forced to backtrack on what he said, the fact remains that the industry is still disproportionately weighted with men in jobs that women could do just as well.

24 Boot Camp North preview

Sarah Goldhawk Account Manager

30 The big interview:

sgoldhawk@nbmedia.com @sarzgoldhawk

Kaspersky 33 Biometrics 34 Security in 2016

“ It’s up to all of us to ensure that the IT industry is open for anybody who wants to get involved, regardless of their gender.”

38 VR at retail Dan Bennett Designer

PRODUCTS

dbennett@nbmedia.com

40 Recommended products 47 Security software 50 Security hardware Jason Dowie Production Executive jdowie@nbmedia.com

OUT OF OFFICE 52 In The Hot Seat: Maximity’s Tracy Pound 53 Industry Tweets 54 Team of the month:

Andrew Wooden Interactive Entertainment Content Director

Novatech’s IT Tablet team

awooden@nbmedia.com @pcr_online

Editorial: 0207 354 6002 Advertising: 0207 354 6000

Incorporating

NewBay Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations

ISSN: 1742-8440 www.pcr-online.biz

If I had one big take away from the event, it was that there is enough momentum and enough of a willingness within this industry to make that sentiment a thing of the past. It’s up to all of us to ensure that the IT industry is open for anybody who wants to get involved, regardless of their gender.

It feels a bit awkward to now shift focus to the magazine’s content (it’s our security special if you weren’t able to guess from the contents panel on the left), but there’s some really vital content in the issue for anyone who is in any way security conscious.

We have interviews with Pandalabs and Kaspersky along with a roundup of the current state of security and a look at biometric tech.

In addition we take a look at home security tech and examine how highend virtual reality is doing at retail.

Jonathan Easton, Deputy Editor jeaston@nbmedia.com

READ THE LATEST STORIES AT

PCR-ONLINE.BIZ ANALYSIS

Save the date: Wednesday March 8th 2017 The Brewery, Central London The PCR Awards return next March in London. Join us and find out who are the best of the best in the channel…

THE PCR AWARDS make a triumphant return next March at the Brewery in Central London.

The annual ceremony to celebrate the top companies, brands and individuals in UK IT, the PCR Awards brings the channel for one exciting night in the heart of the country’s capital.

6 | PCR November 2016

The night will see distributors, retailers and vendors come together under one roof to celebrate the industry’s finest.

The awards serve as an excellent opportunity to mingle with the greatest heads in the industry along with catching up with old colleagues and partners.

“The awards serve as an excellent opportunity to mingle with the greatest heads in the industry.”

Last year saw Entatech walk away with the most awards, being named as the best Components Distributor, the top for Marketing & PR and the overall Distributor of the Year.

Exertis, Microsoft and Intel saw themselves win two awards each, with the latter

picking up the most prestigious award of the night, the Grand Prix.

So who will win in 2017?

Keep your eyes peeled on PCR’s twitter feed (@PCR_ Online), facebook page and website for news on when nominations will open.

We look forward to seeing you all there in March.

www.pcr-online.biz

READ THE LATEST STORIES AT

PCR-ONLINE.BIZ ANALYSIS

Samsung halts production of Galaxy Note 7 phones SAMSUNG HAS continued to deal with the fallout following reports of Galaxy Note 7 phones exploding due to faulty batteries. Following a recall that failed to rectify the problems, the vendor has now stopped production.

Before this announcement was made, the vendor issued a recall of the phones.

However, it was soon discovered this did not solve the problem and replacements were also suddenly catching fire.

An official statement from Samsung explained: “We are working with relevant regulatory bodies to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note 7. Because consumers’ safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales, and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 while the investigation is taking place.

“We remain committed to working diligently with appropriate regulatory authorities to take all necessary steps to resolve the

www.pcr-online.biz

situation. Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note 7, or replacement Galaxy Note 7 device should power down, stop using the device, and take advantage of the remedies available.”

One such example of a replacement phone was in a Southwest Airlines plane that was evacuated before taking off when a passenger noticed his Galaxy Note 7 handset was expelling smoke.

In response to this event.

Samsung made comments to The Verge, saying: “We are working with the authorities and Southwest now to recover the phone and confirm the cause. Once we have examined the device we will have more information to share.”

An individual, who was travelling with the passenger, re-boarded the flight after the evacuation to retrieve some personal items, only to find the volatile device had left scorch marks on the carpet of the plane.

Videos and images of unstable replacement Samsung handsets on fire,

“It is a fair assesment to say that the recall was a disaster.”

With Samsung confirming it will discontinue the Galaxy Note 7, Sophia Murray rounds up the developments that led to the vendor’s decision… smoking, or literally exploding went viral and spelled disaster for the company.

AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile were the first retailers in the US to pull the Galaxy Note 7 off of their shelves, and discontinue providing customers with replacement devices.

A Verizon spokesperson made comments just before Samsung announced it was abandoning production of the phones: “Samsung is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the safety of replacement Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. While the investigation is underway, Verizon is suspending the exchange of replacement Galaxy Note 7 smartphones.”

Equally as damning was the decision of Samsung’s partner Oculus, who made the Gear VR headset incompatible with the Note over obvious concerns thatthe phone would pose a safety risk to customers using the device.

It is a fair assesment to say that the recall was a disaster.

Warwick Business School’s

Mark Johnson, professor of operations management, commented on the recall: “This indicates that Samsung is not as agile as some of its competitors and processrigidity can mean a loss of flexibility.

“The process of the recall also indicates that Samsung has very little traceability or integration through the endto-end supply chain. It was asking customers to identify affected phones in the first round of recalls by examining the colour of the battery signal on the screen. In the 21st century, many companies can trace where items are through linking information processes with distributors and vendors.”

Reuters predicts the company could sustain an estimated $17 billion loss.

Edward Snyder, managing director at Charter Equity Research, said: “By the time they fix the problem they have to go through recertification and requalification. By the time that happens, they’re going up against the S8 launch.”

PCR November 2016 | 7

READ THE LATEST STORIES AT

PCR-ONLINE.BIZ ANALYSIS

Is the UK’s ecommerce channel the first casualty of Brexit?

The outcome of the Brexit vote will certainly have consequences for the UK’s ecommerce channel. Sophia Murray takes a look at recent events since the decision to leave the EU…

WHEN BRITAIN voted to leave the EU, there were mixed reactions across the channel.

The future of the UK’s IT and technology verticals for some is still uncertain, but there is little evidence that Brexit will actually cause the channel to collapse. There has however been several indications that Britain’s choice to break away from the European Union will cost consumers greatly.

This month, Tesco announced it was embroiled in a dispute with Unilever over its price hike of some well-known brands.

This standoff has forced Tesco to remove certain products such as Marmite, Ben & Jerrys ice-cream from its website, as it scrambled to save what stocks it had for its brick and mortar stores.

“Clearly the scale of the negotiation is much bigger than usual, but so is the event.

Brexit-sized events are rare,” analyst Bruno Monteyne at Bernstein told the BBC. 8 | PCR November 2016

“This is such a large event that it may simply be that the two gorillas on both sides have decided to go through the motions of the negotiation on behalf of the industry. This isn’t about Tesco or Unilever, but about all UK retailers and suppliers.”

However, Tesco and Unilever quickly settled the disagreement. A spokesperson from Tesco said: “We always put our customers first and we are pleased this has been resolved to our satisfaction.”

Severine Philardeau, vice president of retail and brands solutions at RetailMeNot, and operator of VoucherCodes explained her thoughts surrounding UK ecommerce, and the possible impact of Brexit: “There is still so much speculation around what Brexit means for retailers and consumers, but unfortunately we do not have a crystal ball to accurately predict what will happen. The main impact to date has been the decline of

the pound vs the dollar and the euro, which brings both challenges and opportunities.

With a weaker pound, it is much more expensive to

“This isn’t about Tesco or Unilever, but about all UK retailers and suppliers.”

Bruno Monteyne, Bernsetin

import goods produced elsewhere; if tariffs also end up increasing as a result of Brexit, we could see the costs of imports increase further.

“On the other hand, goods produced in the UK could be cheaper so there’s the potential to boost exports in some retail categories. If there is a recession in the UK following Brexit as predicted by some experts, consumers will be more than likely turn to online shopping even more than they do today, hunting for the best deals at their own convenience.

“VoucherCodes, for instance, was born during the recession of 2008, at a time when consumers were looking to shop in a much smarter way. We’re a savings destination, and our position in ecommerce could solidify as consumer spending tightens up.

“The UK is a very strong digital market and leads the way in many dimensions.

There is no reason this will change with Brexit – the UK ecommerce market will remain extremely innovative and dynamic.”

At the time Philardeau made these statements, the disagreements between Unilever and Tesco over product prices had not emerged. Philardeau’s comments, however, sum up the possibility of what would happen if the price of importing goods to the UK increases. This is a point that the Tesco and Unilever spat clearly demonstrates.

While it hasn’t happened yet, the chance of a similar disagreement effecting UK ecommerce channels is a distinct possibility. If this does happen, more retailers could be forced to pull items from their website, just as Tesco did, in an effort to protect their retail stock supplies.

This scenario could soon be more than just speculation, as companies will have to reconsider the avenues through which they get their products to shelves. This could present a tense situation for ecommerce. www.pcr-online.biz

AWARD-WINNING CHANnEL SUCcESs FROM OVER THERE. NOW OVER HERE. Vonage’s pioneering cloud communications are now in the UK and we want you to be a part of it. From lead generation and sales collaboration through to next day provisioning and billing - we take care of everything. Join our 350 partners globally and start sharing in our success today.

500,000 business users Next day phone delivery and provisioning Excellent recurring revenues First-line customer care and technical support

To learn more about Vonage and to become a channel partner call our authorised distributor DMSL on 01708 776005 or visit: vonage.co.uk/channelpartner Growth Excellence Leadership Award 2015

Channel Program Excellence Award 2015

Vonage® is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC. © 2016 Vonage Marketing LLC.

STATS

Number

crunching 74%

A round-up of the most important stats and facts in the tech channel‌

2bn Consumer spending on VPA-enabled speakers will reach $2 billion in revenues by 2020.

(Gartner)

74 per cent of UK adults want more control over their personal data.

(ComRes/Big Brother Watch)

Half Half of the components in HP’s printers for the last decade were 3D printed.

(HP)

$29.6bn Global spending on connected vehicles will reach $29.6 billion by 2017.

(IDC)

38%

38 per cent of UK IT buyers are reluctant to invest in products and services from countries experiencing political or economical uncertainty.

(Spiceworks)

10 | PCR November 2016

25%

2.5m Sony is predicted to sell 2.5 million PlayStation VR units by the end of 2016.

(SuperData Research)

25 per cent of the global economy will be digital by 2020.

(Accenture)

www.pcr-online.biz

Buying your digital codes is now even easier Discover the new and enhanced 2017 product range from McAfee, now available to purchase through Exertis Digital Stock Room.

For more information go to: https://stockroom.exertis.co.uk/site/help or contact your Exertis account manager on 01279 822822

aa

Company Company

Call our specialist sales team 01279 822 822 exertis.co.uk/home exertis.co.uk/home/store

Sales Hotline 01925 286 900 Delivering Value in Distribution

AG271QX 27” QUAD HD 144 Hz GAMING MONITOR Adaptive Sync technology (FreeSync™ compatible) VGA, DVI, dual HDMI, MHL and DisplayPort inputs Fast 1ms response time 4 x USB 3.0, fast charge

NOW

IN STOCK

CALL FOR

PRICING ORDER CODE:

113136

Q2781PQ 27” QUAD

HD WIDESCREEN IPS LED MONITOR

U2879VF 28” 4K

UHD WIDESCREEN TN LED MONITOR

CALL FOR PRICING

CALL FOR PRICING

ORDER CODE: 113336

ORDER CODE: 112898

4ms response time

Fast 1ms response time

Ultra slim and stylish with frameless panel

Adaptive Sync technology (FreeSync™ compatible)

50M:1 dynamic contrast ratio

80M:1 dynamic contrast ratio

VGA, dual HDMI & DisplayPort inputs

VGA, DVI-D, HDMI 2.0 & DisplayPort inputs

Our promise to you.

VIP will always deal with you professionally and courteously | VIP will never leave you with a problem of our own making VIP will always be informative in our communications | VIP will look to support you and grow your business VIP will help educate you about our channel | VIP will always be fair to you VIP will always be competitive on price Not kept our promise? Please tell us because your feedback will help us to deliver a better service. You can speak directly to our Managing Director, Rich Marsden on 07554 455 439 or rich.marsden@vip-computers.co.uk

PC Gaming & Hardware Distributor Award Winner 2016

PEOPLE & EVENTS

Apptio Expands Executive Leadership Team APPTIO: Former CIO of Telstra and T-Mobile, EREZ YARKONI Joins Apptio as executive vice president of Strategy. Yarkoni will report directly to Apptio chief exec, Sunny Gupta.

In his new role at Apptio, Yarkoni will be responsible for expanding the company’s corporate strategy function.

Yarkoni said: ”I am incredibly excited to be a part of Apptio because they raise the importance of technology business management by giving CIOs the management system they need to run their businesses. As businesses venture to digitise their operations, TBM will increase in importance to them.”

HDS: Storage vendor Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) has appointed RICHARD BRADBURY as managing director for the UK and Ireland.

Bradbury joins from business analytics software company SAS. He replaces Richard Gadd who has stepped up to become senior vice president at HDS.

Bradbury has previously held roles at EMC and software firm Parametric Technology Corporation.

Bradbury said: ”Hitachi Data Systems is leading the way in this space, helping customers focus on innovation and how today’s complex data challenges can yield real growth.”

AVNET: Avnet has made interim CEO WILLIAM AMELIO its permanent boss.

Amelio had been acting in the role since July of this year.

With over 35 years of experience of management and industry experience, he will look to strengthen supply chains and provide greater profits for the company.

Chairman William Schumann said: “Avnet is fortunate to have someone of Bill’s character and experience.

He brings energy and focus to the business, and the board unanimously agreed that making him the permanent CEO was in the best interest of our customers, employees and shareholders.”

ENTATECH: ALICIA SHEPHERD has been promoted to the role of sales director as a part of a company restructure.

After joining the company nine months ago from CMS Computers as head of retail, Shepherd looks to be benefitting from a company reshuffle. The ambitious

distributor hopes that this shake up will drive the company towards success.

Prior to working for Entatech, Shepherd had spent five years at CMS Computers as head of retail sales along with having worked as Acer’s UK channel manager and as IT channel manager at printer solutions provider Kyocera.

RED BOX: Red Box Recorders Limited has announced the appointment of RICHARD STEVENSON as CEO. He succeeds Lee Jones, who has stepped down after 10 years with the company.

Red Box Chairman, Ian McKay commented: “With this appointment we have a leader with the credentials to

take Red Box to the next level of growth globally.”

Stevenson said: “I am excited to be joining such a key player in the market and I look forward to working with the Red Box team to maximise the opportunities this growing global market presents.”

Stevenson moves from his role as CEO at Astuta.

www.pcr-online.biz

EVENTS The UK’s channel calendar is full of important events. Here are some highlights for upcoming dates…

TURING LECTURE: DATA SCIENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND SYSTEMS CHALLENGES British Library, London NOVEMBER 2ND Chief scientific advisor for National Security, Professor Anthony Finkelstein will discuss the technological challenges faced by defence and security in the UK, and how they plan to overcome those obstacles.

WIRED2016 Tobacco Dock, London NOVEMBER 3RD-4TH With over 700 attendees expected, WIRED2016 will bring the best minds in the tech world together under one roof for its annual two-day conference.

With topics ranging across tech and IT, the event provides an excellent opportunity for networking with a wide range of potential business partners.

SUPERCHARGING THE DIGITAL ECONOMY Google, Pancras Square, London NOVEMBER 9TH Focusing on how IOT technology, Cloud, Big Data, Fin tech and telecommunications technologies are driving the digital economy today and tomorrow, this event will provide an opportunity for attendees to listen and network with the UK’s digital leaders.

PCR BOOT CAMP NORTH Renaissance Hotel, Manchester NOVEMBER 16TH PCR Boot Camp North hits Manchester with the aim to get you fit for business. Join us for a range of talks from industry veterans and have a go at the latest tech on the market. Boot Camp North also is a great opportunity to meet new contacts and catch up with old business partners.

WEARETECH: WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE Barclays, Canary Wharf, London NOVEMBER 23RD This conference is aimed at women in the tech sector who are looking to broaden their horizons, learn new skills and build their networks.

Attendees of the conference will benefit from hearing about the experiences of top industry experts.

PCR November 2016 | 13

OPINION

The dangers of emerging threats BullGuard CEO Paul Lipman discusses the evolution of cybersecurity and the vital resources that help us stay one step ahead of the hackers…

of connected devices, and we’ve seen WE’RE LIVING in an extremely exciting a tremendous uptake in these IoT time where technology is evolving products, from smart surveillance rapidly in front of our eyes, but we cameras to door locks and lighting. know that new opportunities for Since a lot of our channel partners sell consumers can also present new these sorts of devices we can gather opportunities for hackers and strong indicators on new trends, but cybercriminals. What’s happening also concerns surrounding security. right now with connected devices Being able to use all of this and the Internet of Things is a very information effectively is what helps current and real example. to prepare for new and evolving Historically, we know that hackers threats. It seems clear that a great prefer to target volume and the largest potential opportunity to profit. deal of these will centre on IoT, and we’re already positioned as a thought It’s the main reason why in the past leader in this exciting new segment of we’ve seen PCs and the Android the consumer security market. operating system more widely Our own research shows that 72 attacked than Apple devices. By 2020, per cent of consumers experts predict there don’t know how to will be 50 billion secure their connected devices in connected devices, the world – much “72 per cent of and 66 per cent are higher than any consumers don’t very worried about existing smartphone their security. or computer platform. know how to As a result, we That’s where the secure their launched the world’s cybercriminals will first IoT Scanner for turn their attention connected consumers, along with next, and for us it’s the devices.” a detailed guide key focus for evolving Paul Lipman, explaining the ins and our own security.

Bullguard outs of connected To do this, and to devices, and how to take the first fulfil our promise to our customers – steps toward securing them. We’ve ’we keep you safe, and we keep it also acquired Dojo Labs – pioneers in simple’ – the most important thing is IoT connected home security, and are to stay one step ahead. working closely with their First of all, we listen to these experienced and knowledgeable customers, learn from them and try to cyber-security team on a product understand what problems they are we’ll be revealing and releasing over facing and how we can help. Our the coming months. channel relationships are so vital for All of this came about not just from us because they help us to gain a our own experience and research, but strong understanding of their due to our close relationships with customers’ needs and how their our customers and channel partners, products are changing and evolving. who are and always have been a vital It’s a particularly important part of our team. resource in today’s emerging market Paul Lipman is the CEO of Bullguard www.bullguard.com

14 | PCR November 2016

Standing on not so firm ground Firmware is an often overlooked area when it comes to security, but Simon Shiu, head of Security Lab at HP Labs, believes that more can be done to ensure that devices can be securely updated…

Start. This independent chip is AS WE move towards an IoT world, capable of detecting firmware more and more devices are intrusion in PC BIOS and repairing it connected. Securing those devices instantly without any action becomes critical, as it is required from the user or the demonstrated that the majority of administrator of a device. HP Sure attacks start from the endpoints. A Start validates the integrity of the fast growing area of attacks on firmware image before it is executed devices, as the 2016 Intel McAfee at boot. If validation fails, a Labs Threat Prediction report highlights, is firmware attacks. These protected and cryptographically verified ‘Golden Copy’ of the attacks are amongst the most likely firmware is used to repair the to grow in seriousness and the underground market for attack tools device. The Golden Copy is stored in private isolated Non-Volatile that make them possible is Memory (NVM) that no third party constantly expanding. firmware or software can access.

Firmware, which resides in a nonPrinters are often overlooked. In volatile memory device on a PC or recent years, HP has made printer circuit board, is typically the considerable first code to investments in execute on a device protecting printers at when it is turned “Firmware the lowest-level. on. As a result, attacks are Today, HP LaserJet firmware attacks offer the are difficult to difficult to detect printers most advanced detect – and allow – and allow security for their BIOS attackers to gain the rest of their broad control, as attackers to gain and firmware image. This they can access all allows a printer to hardware resources broad control.”

Simon Shui, recover quickly to a and administration and control HP Labs functional state in case of attack for uninterrupted capabilities. productivity and work flow.

Attackers can then monitor and Both our PCs and printer firmware remotely control all activities on the security solutions have been target device with perfect stealth. designed with cyber-resilience in Moreover, these firmware rootkits mind, which is the ability to protect can escape many existing client to the best capacity, detect if device security solutions and be protection fails, and recover quickly persistent to the extent that they and seamlessly to a safe functional can sometimes be impossible to state. At HP it is important to be remove without a system board humble and accept that occasionally replacement. attacks will go through. Therefore, it HP researches and provides state is key to know how to recover with of the art below OS security. An as little disruption to a workplace as example of this is our self-healing is possible.

PC BIOS security solution HP Sure Simon Shiu is the head of Security Lab, HP Labs www.hp.com

www.pcr-online.biz

OPINION

Evading Cybercrime: Three tricks to secure your business Cybercrime is a big topic in the news right now. Rupert Mills, Managing Director at Krome, examines what can be done to ensure your business isn’t a victim…

MOST BUSINESSES rely on Information Systems to support activity and this intrinsically makes them more vulnerable to malware, hackers or staff errors. Having access to your information at the right time can be the difference between failure and success for your business. Here are three tips on how to avoid putting your business at risk.

BIT9/Carbon Black. Cybercrime is not going to slow down and as time goes on, it will only become more advanced. In recent cases, hackers send a phishing email with an Office attachment where they pose as a colleague. This file will contain a virus which will invade your data and retrieve private information within the company and potentially use it for ransom. Make sure that your employees are aware of how easy it is to fall prey.

1. Implementing the right security strategy Consult with specialists on a strategy 3. Identify your areas of risk that can best support your business should a problem occur. Implementing The first thing to improve your security is to identify where your a clear strategy helps to ensure that vulnerabilities lie. We you can control and once worked with a secure your data from company who thought malicious or accidental they had a very strong changes. On average, “Implementing a security policy. After a piece of malware will monitoring their go unnoticed within a clear strategy environment for 24 business for an helps to ensure hours, we identified average of 96 days, that you can that overnight a single meaning malware is machine had sent over going completely control and of data to a foreign undetected. Using an secure your data.” 1TB country completely Anti-Virus system will Rupert Mills, unbeknown to the inform you of any Krome security team. In order threats to your data to ensure security, companies must and ‘clean’ your computer. first identify their areas of risk. After all, you cannot fix what you don’t 2. Building cybercrime awareness know is broken. within your business 5 years ago, most businesses were We are almost to the point that we primarily using port based firewalls, are able to eliminate security risk by combined with some desktop and formulating a complete threat surface server AV. This was the total landscape of their security prevention. protection strategy. While this sounds almost too good to be true, However, as cyber criminals become advancements are being made every increasingly clever, we see deep day. To turn this scenario from a packet inspection firewalls from the hypothetical to reality CSOs need to likes of Palo Alto and Dell, as well as work to define an evolving strategy far more advanced desktop that can keep them one step ahead. protection in the shape of Traps and Rupert Mills is the managing director of Krome www.krome.co.uk

www.pcr-online.biz

Encryption of sensitive data: why it matters Christoph Bader, strategic marketing manager at Kingston, talks about why data encryption is no longer an option that can be ignored by businesses… outside the premises of a company BEING CONCERNED about security firewall – can prevent disasters. The and encryption nowadays is use of an encrypted USB would mandatory. Encrypting confidential make sure the data on it remains data that can be moved is a private. Kingston’s DT2000, for substantial way to limit potential example, has only 10 attempts and a damage to a business.

15 character code. A quick round up The need for encryption grows of math tells us that forcing a 128greater if we take into consideration bit key could take 1.3 quadrillion the new fines that will be applied years. The DT2000 uses a 256-bit after the European Union’s General key, which increases exponentially Data Protection Regulation (EU the time needed, all of which is GDPR) will take full effect in 2018. simply nullified by the 10 attempts.

The number of reported incidents Security levels can, however, concerning the loss of data due to reach an even higher standard, the misplacement of a CD, a complying with the FIPS 140-2 level smartphone or a USB is surprisingly 3 certification. This means that any high. Human error is not a variable physical attempt to tamper with the that can be completely eliminated. drive is also detected.

As a result, Kingston offers this Organisations incur military-grade level of significant losses, “Human error is security with the are forced to pay not a variable IKD300 - available as fines, offer stand-alone as well as compensations, that can be in a forced managed and on top of that completely version. Thanks to the can suffer a major drive’s tamperPR crisis that could eliminated.” evident epoxy seal, leave them on their Christoph Brader, brute force attempts knees in the eyes of Kingston will all be detected. the public.

The IKD300 is the Research shows result of years of effort in improving the current average loss caused by a the security of these sorts of devices. data leak at a large EU-based This include the acquisition of the company stands at a staggering encrypted USB and technology amount: over three million pounds. assets of IronKey earlier this year.

From 2018 onwards, These sorts of encrypted drives organisations will be subject to are incredibly easy to use and facing increasingly stiff financial require no technical knowledge sanctions for negligence. These from the person using it. The potential penalties will be up to 20 difficulty then lies in developing million Euros, or 4 per cent of the awareness around the protection of company’s annual revenue. This sensitive data as well as sum adds to any costs incurred due implementing suitable procedures to damages, without even and having them put into practice considering the loss of reputation. throughout an organisation.

Data encryption – within and Christoph Bader is a strategic marketing manager at Kingston www.kingston.com

PCR November 2016 | 15

SOLIDWORKS

AUTODESK

PICTURE EDITING VIDEO EDITING PERFORMACE & POWER WITH TERRA

Intel Inside ®.

Powerful Productivity Outside

TERRA WORKSTATION 7500 SILENT vPro Intel® Xeon® Prozessor E5-1620 v3 (10M Cache, 3.50 GHz), Windows 7 Professional 64 bit [Downgraded from Windows 10 Pro], 16 GB DDR4 ECC RAM, 256 GB SSD + 500 GB Harddisk, Multinorm DVD±, NVIDIA Quadro M2000 Professional Graphics with 4 GB RAM, supports Triple-Monitoring, Keyboard and mouse sold separately, 36 Month Bring-in-Service, more service options upon request Article-Nr.: 1000958

£1,349

* exc. VAT

* E&OE . Subject to the terms and conditions of Wortmann AG. Offer valid while stocks last. 2) OEM Version with CD or DVD, partly as a recovery or BIOS Lock. OEM version, only in conjunction with a TERRA computer obtainable. 3) Free trial for 60days. 4) Without medium to hard drive, includes 180day Pattern Update.

Ultrabook,Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the USA and other Countries.

WORTMANN AG recommends Windows 10 Pro.

TERRA HIGH-TECH WORKSTATION AND SERVER SOLUTIONS. SMALL FORMAT FACTOR CASE

bon e wit h C PU re a B r ve er S le b ta n Ra ck m ou On-sit e Ser vi ce! th on M 36 c. in M A R and

TERRA SERVER 7220 G2 Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2620 v4 (20M Cache, 2.10 GHz), Without Operating System, 8 GB RAM max. 3072 GB, without Harddisk with 8 hot swap HDD slots, Integrated 2D Graphics Controller, Dual Gigabit Ethernet Intel I350, Intel RS3DC080 Hardware raid controller, Back 1x VGA, 2x RJ-45, 1x serial (RJ-45), 3x USB 3.0 Front: 1x VGA, 2x USB 3.0 Article-Nr.: 1009499

TERRA WORKSTATION 6100 Intel® Core™ i5-6500 Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.60 GHz), Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit [Downgrade Windows 10 Pro], 8 GB RAM, 1 TB SSHD Hybrid Drive, NVIDIA Quadro K620 Graphics controller, without optical drive, Keyboard and mouse sold separately, 24 Month Bring-In service, extended warranty on request Article-Nr.: 1000955

£699* exc. VAT

£1,199

*

exc. VAT

OWS SE R VE R 2016 D IN W D D A T O N HY W to your or d er se n ce Li e or C 16 rd a Sta n d Windows Server 2016 Standard WINDOWS SERVER 2016 Standard Edition 16 Core License, UK DVD, Special bundle price with the above Server Article-Nr.: 6530033

£519* exc. VAT

Terra Computer Limited Terra Computer Limited, 4 Scar Bank, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 5DB

* Prices shown are Reseller Purchases Costs exc. VAT.

CALL: 03333-444 35 7

www.terracomputer.co.uk

@PCR_Online #PCRWOTY

ANALYSIS

The Women of the Year The channel comes together to champion inclusion and diversity across technology and IT…

F

or the third consecutive year in a row, PCR celebrated the outstanding and influential achievements of women across the UK technology channel, with our third annual PCR Women of the Year 2016 awards ceremony.

Holborn’s Sway Bar in the heart of London’s West-End provided the ideal venue for this year’s event where awards were given out in marketing, sales, mentoring, PR along with an award promoting a rising star in the UK IT channel.

Q CREATIVE MARKETEER Kirsty Guy, Tech Data Q PR POWERHOUSE Maggie Zaboura, Zaboura Communications Q RISING STAR Rebecca Williams, John Lewis Q SALES BRILLIANCE Alicia Shepard, Entatech Q BUSINESS MENTOR Alexa Greaves, AAG Systems Q PCR WOMEN OF THE YEAR Tracy Pound, Maximity

18 | PCR November 2016

The winners were chosen by a panel of experienced judges, who all have years of experience within the channel across a wide range of areas: Charlie Le Rougetel, Big Top PR. Nancy Hammervik, CompTIA. Rachel Gordon, Mad Catz.

Lisa Carter, Mimram Media.

Sarah Shields, Dell UK. Abbey Bowen, Overclockers.

Mette Tripp, Context.

Megan Moore, GfK. Nova Smith, Best Tablet Co. Michelle McGeoch, Lenovo Technology UK. These judges reviewed the nominations, taking into consideration each individual’s professional contribution to technology and IT. This year’s nominees were all exceptionally strong, each with their own attributes and achievements.

Taking to the stage to accept her award, PCR’s

“It’s fabulous to see PCR celebrating women in technology” Leanne Johnson, CompTIA

Woman of the Year for 2016 Tracy Pound said: “ When I started my career it was 32 years ago, IT was very different than it is today. But if I go back a stage before that, when I was at school, I wanted to study computing. I was actually told to ‘forget it,’ and the reason for that was because I am not very good at Maths. English was always the subject that I excelled at in school, so I was told to go into journalism, but I did not want to. I have always been attracted to technology, so I fought and I fought and they finally allowed me to study IT. “I have not looked back since, and it is such a shame that there are not more women in IT and technology, because we need them. It is a growing industry worldwide it’s a fantastic career to be in. I have loved all the years I have spent in this profession. I have travelled all over the world, I www.pcr-online.biz

ANALYSIS

| PR POWERHOUSE | CREATIVE MARKETEER | RISING STAR | SALES BRILLIANCE | | BUSINESS MENTOR | PCR WOMAN OF THE YEAR |

| PR POWERHOUSE | have trained different kinds of people, and worked with different kinds of companies – why wouldn’t anyone want to work in this industry?”

Acknowledging the achievements of women in IT is at the heart of this event.

However, this year that the ‘Mentor of the Year’ award waa introduced to celebrate those in the channel who are passing their skills, and knowledge onto the next generation of women who are just establishing their technology careers.

Leanne Johnson, vendor relations, senior manager at CompTIA shared her thoughts about the award ceremony: “It’s fabulous to see PCR celebrating women in technology. Dream IT, CompTIA’s initiative, has reached over ten thousand women and girls globally, and over a thousand here in the UK. We continue to works on www.pcr-online.biz

| SALES BRILLIANCE | initiatives and developments to get more women and girls into the industry.

“We also have a group that meets monthly. There is representation from lots of different organisations including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Our focus is right across the board.”

According to CompTIA’s survey-based e-book, Make Tech Her Story: What Needs to Change to Inspire Girls’ Pursuit of IT Careers, 69 per cent of girls have decided not to consider a career in technology because they do not know enough about what opportunities technology can provide.

This research also suggests only 37 per cent of female students know someone with an IT related job. Tracy Pound, managing director of Maximity and member of CompTIA’s Board of Directors,

| RISING STAR |

“I have travelled all over the world, I have trained different kinds of people, and worked with different kinds of companies – why wouldn’t anyone want to work in this industry?”

Tracy Pound, Maximity

was quoted for the study, and said: “The research really shows how important initiatives like the Make Tech Her Story campaign are in raising awareness, and identifying role models for both children and parents.

“With the predicted expansion of the technology industry there are potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs to be filled in the next few years and we desperately need girls and women to step up and take some of these roles.

“Anyone who wants an interesting career should take a look at what the technology industry has to offer.”

This research is one of the reasons why PCR is proud to host the annual Women of The Year event. The awards give the channel an opportunity to bring together women from across the technology industry, and give women the opportunity to

| WOMAN OF THE YEAR | share their personal journeys and talk about how they got into IT. These journeys demonstrate the determination and courage that women have shown in order to rise above the boundaries they have encountered along the way.

It is no secret the IT sector has a disparate gender disbalance that needs to be addressed and rectified.

Despite this, the women at the ceremony have fought against adversity to prove that they deserve a greater amount of representation in IT. Women play a pivotal role as a part of the UK IT channel’s workforce. While the jobs that they may do vary, their passion for their profession, and the industry they belong to shows that all women deserve more attention and representation in the sector. It is for this reason that PCR hosts this awards ceremony.

PCR November 2016 | 19

HOME SECURITY

Safe house

It is now easier than ever to keep an eye on what’s going on at home, but how can home security tech improve? Jonathan Easton speaks to the channel and examines the ways people can make their work or home space more secure…

A

man’s home is his castle according to the old adage.

In the modern age of connected devices, the castle in question relies more on smart technology for protection than it does on stones and moats.

So what is it that has driven people towards technology over physical locks and keys in 2016?

“It’s only natural to want to protect our property and our loved ones,” says Gekko marketing executive Kristan Barlow. “The smart technology now available in the marketplace has opened new possibilities for shoppers looking to improve their home security, or even consider it for the first time” Netbit UK’s Daniel Cohen echoes these sentiments: “It can be a simple, affordable solution to deter or prosecute criminals who intend to invade your most personal space: home.”

With an increased level of security consciousness from

www.pcr-online.biz

consumers, crime rates are actually reflecting the growth in home security tech.

Scott Frankling, marketing executive at Target Components, argues that – statistically speaking – security tech can make a drastic difference in keeping a home safe from intruders: “The British Crime Survey says a house with less than basic security has an average risk of 5.8% of being burgled, whereas a house with basic security has an average chance of 0.9%.”

It would appear that this trend might have something to do with consumer habits.

“Security devices are one of the top growing categories in the smart home,” says Context’s Adam Simon. “From a small starting base, revenues since 2014 have grown 970% in the top five European economies.”

In spite of the increased tendencies of consumers to purchase home security technology, Simon warns that devices aren’t as secure as

“From a small starting base, revenues in home security tech have grown 970% since 2014.”

Adam Simon, Context

one might think.

“The recent IoT botnet attack showed that millions of devices are vulnerable to hackers. There is much more that suppliers can do to foster and build consumer trust in home security devices.”

Likewise, Bullguard security expert Steve Bell talks about how home security devices are vulnerable: “Are home security devices secure enough from hackers? In short, no.

“Hackers can point tools at a username or password, program it to find this information and leave it to a computer processor to power the tool through millions of options until it finds the right one, in superfast time.”

Skepticism doesn’t just originate from the vulnerability of home security devices.

According to Frankling, “many consumers are concerned about the complexity of technology and the difficulties of installation”.

But does security tech – with cameras and intelligent alarms – leave room for

innovation where technology is already fairly established?

“There is always room for innovation,” says Barlow.

“Certainly cameras will get better and no doubt voice and face recognition technology will, in time, be incorporated into products.”

Frankling succinctly states that the development of home security tech isn’t so much to do with the fidelity of cameras and flashy features, but rather “integration, simplicity and effectiveness”.

It is now easier than ever for people to make sure things are okay at home or in their office. Whether it is being able to see your living room from across the planet, or turning on a light to deter a potential burglar from your smartphone, users have the ability to make their home into something of a fortress.

What we mustn’t lose sight of is that these modern security solutions should work in tandem with – and not replace – the physical locks that have lasted for centuries.

PCR November 2016 | 21

SWEEX VIRTUAL REALITY GLASSES •

Anti-radiation nano-coated lenses to protect the eyes

•

4-way adjustable lenses for accurate positioning

•

Detachable magnetic front cover to enable live VR recordings

•

Also suitable to display augmented reality

•

Great-quality lenses for highly realistic images

•

Easy-to-use design compatible with most smartphones

•

Ergonomic padding and comfortable KHDG VWUDS IRU D SHUIHFW ƂW

webshop.nedis.co.uk

§ 0116 253 0325

INTERVIEW

Better safe than sorry PandaLabs is at the forefront of virus detection as the research division for Panda Security. Sophia Murray asks the vendor’s technical director of research Luis Corrons about the nature of malicious malware attacks…

W

hy are consumers and businesses becoming more concerned about security?

If we take a look at the malware landscape, 20 years ago most malware was notoriously destructive rather than built for financial gain, and users knew they were infected. Then, when professional cyber criminals stepped in, most malware was designed to be hidden in the victim’s computer for a long time, so they could steal all kinds of information, use it as a bot, or anything to make money.

We still see stealthy attacks, but on an unprecedented scale with serious security breaches happening to big companies and ending up on the news (Yahoo, TalkTalk, World Anti-Doping Agency).

The breaches, using advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques, are not known

www.pcr-online.biz

about until it’s too late. The data is gone, along with the company’s reputation.

There has also been the resurgence of destructive malware, but now the cyber criminals have a profitable business model with ransomware. The FBI considers ransomware to be the first cyber crime ‘Unicorn’, as they believe ransomware will generate $1.2 billion in 2016.

Every time a user or company gets infected with one of these nasty pieces of malware, it does not go undetected. The ransom message is displayed on-screen, and the individual or company loses their data or their money.

If the cyber criminals realise they have encrypted files of greater value, they can increase their ransom. The IT company VESK and the Hollywood Presbyterian

in real-time every process that is running on the computer, so any malicious behaviour can be detected and blocked – otherwise we are leaving the door open to attackers.

Medical Center paid nearly £20,000 each to have their data back.

Both ransomware and APTs are good wake up calls for users to take security more seriously.

Trojans account for more than half of all malware.

Why is this the case?

Trojans offer the greatest functionality needed by cyber criminals. That’s why there are very few classical worms or viruses nowadays. Ransomware, for example, is a Trojan.

What can be done to protect computers from this more sophisticated malware?

New protection approaches are needed. Traditional security solutions just look for files they recognise as malicious, anything unknown is considered to be fine and allowed to run. There is a need to monitor and classify

“The forecast for security is stormy.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is going to become one of the biggest headaches for everyone.”

Luis Corrons, PandaLabs

What will the future look like for security, especially cross-platform security, and how will this impact PandaLabs’ research?

The forecast for security is stormy. The Internet of Things (IoT) is going to become one of the biggest headaches for everyone, from security firms, to businesses, and consumers.

IoT devices are not designed with security in mind, and many of them are really easy to hack and compromise. It is a varied world with different kinds of hardware and software.

Security companies will have to figure out a way to offer protection for all these devices in a simple way.

PCR November 2016 | 23

BOOT CAMP NORTH 2016

PCR Boot Camp North hits Manchester W

E’RE ONLY a couple of weeks away from the third annual PCR Boot Camp North and we here at PCR towers couldn’t be more excited.

If you’re unaware of what PCR Boot Camp North is, where have you been?

To get you up to speed, Boot Camp is an event that PCR holds twice a year to help get you ‘fit for business’. Boot Camp has traditionally been held in London, but three years ago we made the decision to take the show on the road up North after a lot of delegates were unable to travel. Now in its third year, Boot Camp North arrives in Manchester at the splendid Renaissance Hotel on November 16th.

For a full list of what’s happening on the day, scan over to the next page. But to briefly sum it up, the day is made up of a mixture of talks

24 | PCR November 2016

that will inform, educate and inspire attendees. These talks will be be cover a wide range of topics ranging from guaranteeing the ideal customer experience in your store, to videoconferencing & ‘smart’ technologies for

“Boot Camp North arrives in Manchester at the Renaissance Hotel on November 16th” business and opportunities in VR and AR for the channel.

Not only does Boot Camp North feature a wide variety of talks from experts, there are several new features to the event for this year. Firstly, there are several brand new

EXPO Demo Zone sessions.

These are a new and innovative way to present delegates with the opportunity not only to hear about the latest technology, but also see that technology, and learn first hand how it all can be applied in a variety of different situations.

Led by specific exhibitors at PCR Boot Camp North, the EXPO Demo Zone is the ideal place to check out the latest technology in a hands-on, practical environment. In addition, you can get the answers to any specific questions you might have from product leaders who will be in charge of the sessions.

In addition, spread out through the day we have various speed networking sessions which serve as a perfect opportunity to meet new potential business partners. Want some more time to chat with any of your

new contacts or catch up with old partners? Fortunately for you, the PCR Boot Camp North Networking Cafe is open to all delegates throughout the show.

Situated in the heart of the exhibition area and offering complimentary refreshments all day, the Networking Cafe provides an ideal space for meetings, catching up on emails and networking with other delegates.

If you weren’t already sold on PCR Boot Camp North you might be pleased to discover that entry for dealers to the

event is free.

So what are you waiting for? If you are interested in attending, head over to pcrbootcampnorth.com but make sure you do it quickly because spaces are limited.

Likewise, if you are a vendor, a distributor, a service provider or just someone who wants an exciting avenue to reach a new audience of retailers and resellers, contact Sarah Goldhawk (sgoldhawk @nbmedia.com), Brenda Normile (bnormile@nbmedia. com) or Gurpreet Purewal (gpurewal@nbmedia.com).

KEY INFO WHEN: Wednesday 16th November 09:15am (registration/coffee) WHERE: The Renaissance Hotel, Manchester, M3 2EQ CONTACT: Sarah Goldhawk sgoldhawk@nbmedia.com 0207 354 6024 www.pcrbootcampnorth.com

www.pcr-online.biz

@pcr_online #PCRBOOTCAMPNORTH

BOOT CAMP NORTH 2016

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

PCR’s Boot Camp events have had influential speakers including Centerprise boss Rafi Razzak

PCR Boot Camp NORTH partners…

FUTURE HUB: TECH & BUSINESS INNOVATION

RETAIL MASTERCLASS THEATRE

EXPO DEMO ZONE

10:00am – OPPORTUNITIES IN VR & AR FOR THE CHANNEL Paul Jackson, principal analyst of digital media at Ovum talks about why, combined with augmented reality software, experts are predicting a technology revolution that will affect a myriad of sectors and markets and how you can get involved.

10:00am – GUARANTEEING THE IDEAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN YOUR STORE Learn about what customers want out of a retail experience and what you can do to make sure that your presentation, product election and staff behaviour is what they desire.

10:30am – HOME AUTOMATION Find out all you need know about the sector from app controlled appliances to cloud based security cameras and experience the latest innovations hands on.

11:00am – THE CHANNEL IN 2025 Carl West, Gfk supply chain director, examines the direction that the channel is headed and tells you how to keep your business relevant in a transient and dynamic marketplace.

2:20pm – THE INTERNET OF THINGS – IT’S HERE Learn about the affordable products now hitting the mainstream and how you can capitalise on this burgeoning industry.

3:10pm – VIDEOCONFERENCING & ‘SMART’ TECHNOLOGIES FOR BUSINESS In the office of the future, ever more sophisticated communications hardware and apps will change the way we do business. Find out what’s on the horizon and how you can capitalise on the future by setting up the UK’s upgraded, tech-laden workplaces.

2:20pm – SELLING ONLINE – A NEW WAY OF THINKING Get tips and learn about strategies to ensure your ecommerce business grows from Matthew Fowell, Digital lead at Fiverivers Solutions.

11:30am – 4K MONITORS Feast your eyes on the latest top of the range monitors and the high quality content and software they are designed for. Take a look at the products that are pushing visual computing boundaries.

3:10pm – SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU Joanna Booth, Head Social Media Trainer & Strategist at Social Media Makes Sense believes that a good online presence can lead to great relationships with customers.

Hear her tips on how to make the most of what social media has to offer.

2:00pm – HOME STORAGE sponsored by Synology Find out about the NAS and home router upgrades facilitating consumers who want to backup their data. Get hands on with the latest products and see how they could provide you a new revenue stream for your business.

3:40pm – GIVE YOUR SALES A SHOT IN THE ARM There’s always room to learn more in order to improve your sales strategy. Alison Edger from Sales Coaching Solutions gives practical advice you can utilise immediately to give your sales operation a fuel injection.

3:00pm – GAMING Get clued up on the products fueling the gaming market from graphics cards to peripherals and virtual reality.

3:40pm – SECURITY Understand how to sell protection against a new generation of threats in the connected world.

3:40pm – THE SMART HOME Konnectiv managing director Kris Hogg talks about how controlling devices throughout the cloud is no longer a fantasy and how tech dealers are in prime position to bolster their revenue with the associated products.

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR November 2016 | 25

BOOT CAMP NORTH 2016

ESET ESET will be showcasing its latest security solutions at PCR Boot Camp North 2016.

THE ANTIVIRUS and internet security specialist is the Demo Zone partner for Security and will be demonstrating and discussing its DESlock+ encryption solution, showcasing the benefits of the product as well as its simple-to-use encryption application for companies, both large and small.

The new EXPO Demo Zone will provide delegates with the opportunity not only to hear about the latest technology, but also see that technology, and learn first hand how it can be applied in different situations.

ESET will also have a range of promotional giveaways available from its exhibition stand at PCR Boot Camp North - so you can pop over and speak with one of the ESET team to see how they can assist with the security queries or concerns of your customers.

“After attending PCR Boot Camp South earlier this year, we’re excited about another opportunity to meet new faces within the UK IT channel and sharing knowledge of the industry via our Demo Zone presence and exhibition stand,” said Amee Holder, ESET’s channel marketing executive. “When a company’s data and intellectual property are more and more often their most valuable assets, encryption isn’t just important, it’s essential. With DESlock+ that data can be protected both at rest and in transit to enable peace of mind - we can’t wait to demonstrate its benefits to delegates.”

M2M DIRECT Memory and Storage specialist M2M was founded in 1998 as a ‘Specialist Memory Distributor’, working directly with world class manufacturers and suppliers such as Samsung SemiConductor and Samsung Electronics, Micron Electronics (Crucial Technology and Lexar) and SK hynix.

M2M IS now a fast growing industry leader in the UK. It is a focused distributor and reseller of core IT products that have been selected from best in class manufacturers to offer best in class IT solutions to our customers.

As the company’s business and customer base has matured, M2M has moved into the Storage and Enterprise business working with Samsung Electronics, Seagate Technology International, Micron and HGST in the supply of hard disk drives, solid state and PCIe drives, optical and flash storage products.

As an event partner, M2M Direct will be demonstrating its latest and greatest products to the trade, including solid state drives, desktop, laptop, gaming and server memory, storage devices and a range of accessories from its portfolio of world class manufacturers and suppliers, including South Korea’s Hynix.

26 | PCR November 2016

www.pcr-online.biz

@pcr_online #PCRBOOTCAMPNORTH

BOOT CAMP NORTH 2016

SYNOLOGY SYNOLOGY WILL take to PCR Boot Camp North to showcase its latest storage solutions.

THE NAS specialist is the Demo Zone partner for Home Storage and will be showcasing its DSM and product releases for Q4 and early-2017.

In fact, those products are being unveiled at a launch event in London on October 11th - so Boot Camp North will be the perfect chance for channel partners who can’t make it down south to see them in action.

The new EXPO Demo Zone will provide delegates with the opportunity not only to hear about the latest technology, but also see that technology, and learn first hand how it can be applied in different situations.

Joanne Plummer, Synology Marketing Manager (UK, Ireland & Nordics), said: “Synology UK is participating in PCR Boot Camp North this year due to a successful PCR Boot Camp South in 2015. It’s the perfect chance for us to meet up with current resellers and new resellers alike in the North of England.

“Industry events are often held in London, making it awkward and expensive for companies to visit. PCR Boot Camp North is offering vendors and resellers the chance to meet in a neutral environment, all under one roof.”

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR November 2016 | 27

@pcr_online #PCRBOOTCAMPNORTH

BOOT CAMP NORTH 2016

SYNAXON

BRIGANTIA

Synaxon is a channel services dealer group dedicated to helping IT and office products resellers buy better, sell more and reduce costs

Brigantia was formed in 1998 as a traditional IT buying group, and is now a network of IT and communications specialists that supply to the small business and consumer markets.

AT BOOT Camp North, Synaxon will be explaining how it works with its members and vendor and distributor partners to open up new routes to market, streamline purchasing processes and drive effective sales and marketing activity for the channel.

The group offers a range of tools and services to enable its partners to operate their business more efficiently, notably its online EGIS platform that allows members to find the best deals available.

Synaxon’s iTrends marketing programme helps resellers take products to market and sell more, while the Clic2IT portal enables them to take advantage of multiple distributor feeds to support e-commerce.

CONTACT: www.synaxon.co.uk

COMPANY FOUNDER Iain Shaw says that Brigantia exists to add value to its partners’ businesses, either by reducing costs or by increasing sales. The company believes that most IT business owners will probably never unlock the true value of the companies they have spent many years building. The explanation for this – along with much more – will be discussed on Brigantia’s stand during Boot Camp North.

Brigantia provides partners with a host of essential services for consumer and business markets. It has formed many strategic partnerships with distributors and vendors, with the aim to provide them with competitive prices to leave them on equal footing with etailers and big chains. Brigantia also provides advice through partnerships with the likes of GfK, tailored to help local firms make the most of their place in the market.

CONTACT: www.brigantia.com

GFK

NETWORK GROUP

Gfk’s channel data provides invaluable insight to PC and tech dealers, etailers and resellers. The research behemoth will be on hand at Boot Camp North to take delegates through the hottest product categories, as well as provide a detailed look at how the UK PC/tech market has changed this year, the state of the economy and what trends are expected to emerge in the future.

Network Group was established in 1996 when 20 companies joined forces to create an IT buying group.

With an ever expanding membership, the group will be using Boot Camp North to show prospective members what it can offer.

As well as occupying a booth on the Expo show floor, GfK’s supply chain director Carl West will be giving a talk where he’ll be casting an eye towards the future and attempting to predict what the channel will look like in 2025.

With over 17 years of experience in software and hardware sales as a vendor and within distribution, West has a great understanding of channel, distribution, public sector/corporate channel and the internal dynamics of the retail and vertical reseller channels in the UK. CONTACT: www.gfk.com

28 | PCR November 2016

One of the best parts of Network Group is that it is owned and run by its members.

What that means is that all profits are given back to the members, either directly or through the funding of group projects such as managed print services (MPS), Exist2Game and its own distribution network, TTG. The group negotiates volume purchasing agreements with national vendors such as Fujitsu, MSI and Microsoft and in 2015 signed a deal with HP and its PartnerOne program, giving its members Gold Partner status with the vendor. The deal was a first for the UK and a ‘landmark arrangement’. It was also a sign that the group always has one eye on the future as it looks to benefit from HP’s 3D printing offering which launched earlier this year.

CONTACT: www.nbg.co.uk

www.pcr-online.biz

Best in Class

2016 Winning ‘best buy’ and ‘best-in-test’ in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands proves yet again that when it comes to online security, nothing beats BullGuard.

And for resellers, nothing beats our unique 25% Revenue Share Scheme, that rewards resellers every time the software licence is renewed, for the life of the product.†

For customers and resellers, BullGuard is simply the best.

Find out more about the benefits of BullGuard partnership sign up today at www.bullguard.com/advantage † Whilst resellers remain actively selling BullGuard products.

THE BIG INTERVIEW

W

culture A security

Ensuring security across devices – whether they are for personal or business use – require more than just a difficult password. Kaspersky Lab principal security researcher, David Emm speaks to Jonathan Easton about what users and businesses can do to fight against hackers and create a safer cyberspace…

30 | PCR November 2016

hat are the biggest security threats currently facing users?

Ransomware is constantly evolving, with cybercriminals continually developing the techniques they use, including cryptographic methods, code obfuscation techniques, executable file formats and infection vectors.

These programs encrypt important data on infected computers and then demand a ransom to decrypt them. In Q2 2016 alone, Kaspersky Lab found 9,296 new ransomware variants and blocked almost a third of a million attempted ransomware infections. It’s not just your computer or laptop that could be in danger from ransomware.

The cybercriminals behind ransomware are increasingly turning their attention to mobile devices – around 17 per cent of ransomware in 2015 targeted Android.

As we live increasingly connected lives, our mobile devices have become a very valuable target for cybercriminals, simply because of the amount of personal information our technology collects and stores, and additionally, due to the fact that we’re increasingly using them for financial transactions. Mobile devices are now considered as great a source of personal or business information as desktop computers and are often much less secure – not least because they are, by definition, roaming devices and are therefore harder to manage and more likely to be connected to insecure networks.

How vulnerable are non-PC devices such as smartphones, tablets and other connected devices?

It’s no surprise that mobile malware has risen exponentially in the last five years. Kaspersky Lab saw more than three and a half million new mobile installation packages. Such threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with mobile botnets, the use of code obfuscation www.pcr-online.biz

THE BIG INTERVIEW techniques and cybercriminal affiliate schemes, designed to make it easy for would-be criminals to make money from mobile malware.

Moreover, the internet is now woven into the fabric of our lives – literally, in some cases, as connectivity is embedded into everyday objects. While these new technologies offer great advantages, they also bring risks.

We use devices everyday in many, if not all spheres of our lives. Around the home, for example, connected technology now dominates; whether it’s watching TV, surfing the web on a tablet or Skyping with family around the world. However, as with any digital device that is connected to the internet, there is the danger that it isn’t secure and is vulnerable to attack.

However, it isn’t just objects that are vulnerable to attack. As the Internet of Things evolves and becomes the ‘Internet of Us’, humans might become the next target. In dystopian sci-fi visions of the future, humans are microchipped and made to carry out certain tasks, from running simple errands to committing serious crimes.

But, even if we discard such predictions as far-fetched, there’s no doubt that by digitising our bodies, we extend the scope of digital risks. Consider, for example, the potential dangers associated with hacking medical implants.

For this reason it’s essential that manufacturers of digital devices make security a priority at the design stage – not an afterthought.

Outside of using security software, what can users do to protect themselves from security threats?

On top of protecting devices using internet security software, I would highlight two other essential aspects of personal security. First, apply security updates to your operating system and applications as soon as they become available to reduce the opportunities for www.pcr-online.biz

cybercriminals to use vulnerabilities in software to install malware. Second, develop an ‘online common sense’ or security culture to reduce your exposure to attack. This includes not clicking on attachments and links in unsolicited email messages, not oversharing in social networks, not conducting sensitive transactions on untrusted wifi networks and using unique, complex passwords for all accounts. The latter is of paramount importance.

It is possible to create strong, memorable passwords which don’t use personal data. An ideal password is at least 15 characters long and consists of a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols from the entire keyboard.

Don’t just use real words, even from a foreign language or written backwards. There are tools on the Internet that will crack these in seconds.

You also should avoid choosing an obvious password such as your name, date of birth or any other information personal to you.

This is as bad as leaving your house key under the doormat.

The most commonly used passwords are simple and bassic patterns that are on the keyboard such as qwerty and 123456. In addition, also common are users’ first

names, the F-word and ‘Password’. These are as bad as just leaving your front door open.

If you want, use a passphrase made up of a series of words or symbols – ‘Iliveat10HighStreet’ – or something silly but fun – ‘HFUNEX?NoIFN10NEX’ (‘Have you any eggs? No, I haven’t any eggs’).

As the Internet of Things evolves and becomes the ‘Internet of Us’, humans might become the next target.

David Emm, Principal Security Researcher

As an alternative to remembering passwords, consider using a password manager to auto-generate passwords for you and secure them all behind a single master password.

Recent statistics show that a majority of gamers don’t think that they are at a risk from hackers. How real is the threat facing PC gamers?

The threat is definitely real.

First, theft of login credentials to online games, for the purpose of stealing, and reselling virtual property is very much alive. Second, the hacking of online games servers to steal personal data that’s unrelated to the online game itself is also present.

Additionally, the increase in targeted attacks over the last few years has meant that any organisation - including those, like Sony, that host online games - is a potential target. The Winnti targeted attack campaign focused specifically on games developers.

After the huge security breach at Yahoo, what would you recommend users do in order to ensure they are fully protected?

We’ve seen examples of personal data breaches time and time again – hardly a month goes by without news of another data breach. Whilst not much can be done after the breach of an online provider’s systems has occurred, there are a few steps consumers can take to protect against such attacks in the future. That’s why it’s essential to take steps ahead of time to limit the damage resulting from such a breach.

People should always read any terms of use and privacy

policies very carefully before sharing confidential data with websites, especially when credit card details and other financial details are required.

They should also take advantage of multi-factor authentication, where a provider offers this facility.

Secure an account not only with a password, but also by means of a one-time code (for example, sent on a per login basis to a mobile device).

Yahoo customers should take this opportunity to change their passwords including changing them on any other sites where they have used the same password. Worryingly, many people use the same password and personal details across multiple online accounts, so if their details have been compromised by one attack they could find other accounts compromised.

Ultimately, the damage related to users’ privacy being compromised is not something that can be easily fixed.

What are your plans to deal with emerging threats?

Kaspersky Lab not only monitors the threat landscape carefully, but carries out research into areas that are likely to impact personal and corporate security in the future. Our aim is to provide technologies that customers can use to secure their systems.

Technology, of course, is just one aspect of security.

Cybersecurity awareness and education are now critical requirements for enterprises faced with an increasing volume of constantly evolving threats and dangers.

Security employees need to be skilled in the advanced techniques that form a key component of effective enterprise threat management and mitigation strategies, while all employees should have a basic awareness of the dangers and how to work securely. By developing this kind of security culture, organisations and consumers can reduce their exposure to attacks from hackers.

PCR November 2016 | 31

Save up to 33% on Norton Security this holiday season Offer available 1st November 2016 to 10th January 2017 1 Device Norton Security Standard Our best protection for your Windows PC or Mac.

aa

Company Company

5 Devices Norton Security Deluxe Our best protection for any way you choose to connect.

Call our specialist sales team 01279 822 822 exertis.co.uk/home exertis.co.uk/home/store

BIOMETRICS

Biometrically

secure

Biometric security solutions are becoming more popular; Sophia Murray looks at the pros and cons of this unique identification technology, and its potetional impact across the consumer and business markets…

B

iometric technology uses fingerprint, iris scanning, voice and facial recognition to allow secure access to devices and spaces.

The adoption of biometric security is enticing for vendors who are now looking to integrate the technology into their portfolios. This is in direct response to consumers becoming more comfortable with this ever-evolving and increasingly prevalent technology market.

Ollie Hayler, business development lead in biometrics, at Fujitsu UK and Ireland, says: “With the growing use of Apple products, consumers are now more comfortable with fingerprint scanners, and biometric techniques are quickly gaining traction as a two factor authentication alternative.”

Due to consumers recognising the security benefits of biometrics, many vendors are looking at other aspects of this access enabling form of security.

Hayler explains: “One example that stands out is palm vein, which looks at the characteristics of the vein www.pcr-online.biz

itself as these are unique to every individual. It’s a technology that is already proven. It is used for access in secure environments such as hospitals, and is touch free. It is currently being used for financial transactions at ATM’s and kiosk terminals at several banks around the globe, and there are ongoing deployments to use the palm vein prints of every individual for government and welfare accreditation.

“While we don’t expect biometric adoption to happen overnight, biometric verification of identity on a personal device will become a standard identification process.”

One of the main benefits of biometric solutions for consumers and businesses is that even seasoned hackers cannot duplicate the security access methods easily. This, along with the ease of use, is a big reason why consumers have greater access to biometric technology in their daily lives.

Hayler continues: “As the technical capabilities of cyber criminals continue to outpace the UK’s ability to deal with cyber threats, it’s obvious that

“It’s a technology that is already proven in secure environments such as hospitals, ATM’s and kisok terminals at banks around the globe.”

Ollie Hayler, Fujitsu Biometrics

more needs to be done to protect organisations.

Attackers will always take the easiest route possible to breach a network, and often seek to bypass perimeter controls via social engineering and phishing methods.

Organisations must take the fight to cyber criminals before they can act. Get on the front-foot, be proactive and get a layered defence in place that will enable realtime threat reporting before a threat becomes a compromise. Key to this is the use of threat intelligence and other information sources.”

Keeping up with threat detection solutions has influenced some vendors to become more creative with biometrics.

Neil Marshall, client solutions director at Dell EMEA said: ”Dell has integrated biometric authentication methods such as fingerprint readers and facial recognition in a range of devices. Professionals can take advantage of the security capabilities of Dell’s laptops with integrated fingerprint authentication, and the Windows Hello facial recognition feature.”

It is increasingly likely that consumers will have used a device or accessed their personal data utilising biometrics. As Hayler clarified, Apple has made strides with its fingerprint login technology, however, some vendors have also anticipated consumers’ shift towards biometrics.

Dell, for example, have already begun to introduce specific fractions of their target market to this technology as well. “For consumers, the new Alienware 17 integrates Tobii Eye Tracking technology, which unlocks new ways to game and stay secure through presence detection,” Marshall explains. “Dell is also the only PC manufacturer to offer a separate security chip to process and store credentials for stronger authentication capabilities than competitor brands.”

Whilst biometric accessibility is quickly becoming the norm in mobile technology, the interest amongst other vendors, like Dell and Fujitsu, will help drive further interest into the burgeoning and exciting biometric marketplace.

PCR November 2016 | 33

ANALYSIS

The state of security in 2016 The topic of security has become one of the most widely discussed topics this year. Sophia Murray examines how the channel is responding…

T

HIS YEAR, security has been a widely talked about and discussed issue in mainstream culture.

With a huge ‘botnet’ DDoS attack that saw over 145,000 security cameras hacked and 1.1 terabits of data being stolen a second, along with various other data breeaches, security has again emerged as a huge topic for vendors.

“Northamber is building a portfolio of security solutions and services to help ensure our resellers can offer the best in market protection,” said Nathaniel Wallis, the firm’s security product manager. “This will be a constantly evolving portfolio as we continue to evaluate the market, regulation changes and threat landscape to ensure we are always one step ahead. ”Security is the number one concern for all business in the UK. Whether it be the risk of external attacks or the actions of careless insiders, companies have to take responsibility to ensure their

34 | PCR November 2016

data and systems remain safe and protected. With EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) soon to come into effect, many UK firms are unsure of how it will affect them, and are worried about how to deal with the new legislative pressures,” concluded Wallis.

Hackers are becoming more determined to bypass firewalls, obtain sensitive information and compromise devices. Connected items will especially be vulnerable to attacks. The Internet of Things (IoT) will be adopted by millions of consumers, and vendors are stepping in to deliver security solutions that can cope with these sophisticated hacking attempts and technologies.

Paul Lipman, CEO of security vendor BullGuard, explains: “Ease-of-use will be the single most important factor influencing consumer adoption of IoT security. IoT is complex – no two ways about it. Multiple products from multiple vendors, none of

which adhere to a common standard or interface. The opportunity, and also the challenge, for security vendors is to bring simplicity, control and peace of mind by making it very simple for consumers to get control of

“Vendors are working tirelessly to provide solutions to today’s threats.”

Jason Hill, Exertis

their data and privacy.”

Connectivity is likely to influence the way in which security vendors deliver solutions needed to not only detect threats; they need to protect devices from other devices which are connected to a cloud infrastructure.

Shared internet-based portals increase the risk of a cyber attack for companies and consumers. This threat is also more likely if cyber criminals are already engaged in methods aimed at compromising the cloud.

The security of the IoT is forcing some resellers to think about approaching the technology.

“Resellers are enhancing their capabilities and solutionled sales approach while expanding their eco-system landscape in order to provide their clients with end-to-end IoT solutions,” said Tech Data Europe’s VP of IoT solutions Victor Paradell.

“They are reviewing their organisational readiness, addressing specific competency gaps, and improving their approach to business outcomes, selling according to their IoT go-tomarket (GTM) approach.

“With increased exposure to IoT and opportunities across industry verticals, resellers are actively

looking at completing their edge-to-cloud IoT solution offering with complementary products and technologies outside their traditional areas of expertise.”

However, at the heart of security in the channel this year are vendors, as Paradell clarifies: “They are helping the channel capitalise on the IoT opportunity by making individual specialisation and profitability programs, skills, training and support available. At the same time, they are promoting new partner ecosystems that combine well-established operational technology (OT) vendors with emerging, highly specialised start-ups to enable end-to-end IoT solutions. Compelling IoT solutions and case studies are also making it easier for business partners to figure out how this technology helps solve real business problems.

“Tech Data recently introduced the Smart IoT Solutions business practice to www.pcr-online.biz

ANALYSIS

help resellers build their IoT businesses, and provide a simplified route to market.”

Not all hackers will be interested in attacking vulnerable connected devices. Businesses and consumers have, and will possibly always be the main targets for cyber criminals.

Distributors sensing this threat are making efforts to counteract it. “Security will always be an issue for companies and individuals, so there have to be measures in-place to prevent data from being accessed other than by those authorised,” said CHERRY community manager Robin Bithrey.

“The use of contact smartcards is currently the method used, but as with credit card transactions, there is also a place for contactless cards to be more commonplace and CHERRY already have a stand-alone contactless card reader available.

He continued: “Rollouts for smartcard related products www.pcr-online.biz

has been rising slowly for the last few years. As customers are becoming more security conscious, especially within such fields as the NHS or Police, then additional measures to not only prevent access to devices, but also to keep track of user’s activities become extremely important. Keyboards offer a solution that’s easy for the desktop as well as being cost effective.”

The adoption of secure hardware has yet to appeal outside of business sectors, but domestic markets still need more security solutions from vendors in order to fend off malicious cyber attacks.

But are vendors prepared to rise to the challenge?

Jason Hill, general security manager at Exertis, seems to think so: “From what we see, vendors are working tirelessly to provide solutions to today’s threats. We see new vendors with new solutions appear in the marketplace regularly.

“Some of these vendors succeed. Cylance is an

example of a vendor that came into the market a short time ago in 2012, with an innovative new preventative anti-malware technology They have made a big impact, whereas other vendors appear and disappear quickly.

“Companies have to take responsibility to ensure their data and systems remain safe and protected.”

Nathaniel Wallis, Northamber

“This means the security market is an exciting and profitable place to be attracting new vendors and innovations, but also driving existing vendors forward.

“The vendors we currently

work with are introducing new solutions to their portfolios such as Zero Day Malware protection.

“Their solution has better reporting, providing information around what is happening on a network and better alerting of threats.

Vendors are also actively acquiring technology to grow and improve their solution sets quickly. I think we will see a lot more acquisitions and consolidation in the coming years amongst vendors.”

Collaboration has provided vendors with the opportunity to fill gaps in the market for security solutions. These gaps, highlighted by consumer and business concerns surrounding the topic of security, have helped to bolster the market.

“IT security is headline news and therefore is on everyone’s agenda, this brings us opportunities,” added Hill.

“Consumers are asking the reseller community for effective solutions, which is

driving business for us. The threats are ever-changing and ever-evolving. This gives us, and our resellers an opportunity to sell new solutions and upgrades.”

It would appear then that security is as big a topic as it has ever been. With attacks growing in sophisitication all the time, competition is high as vendors look to improve on their pre-existing solutions and come up with new ways of dealing with threats.

Equally, manufacturers are trying to ensure that their devices aren’t susceptible to being hacked into at a core infrastructure level.

Whether it is through ransomware, viruses that affect productivity or malware that can bring a system to its knees, security is of a primary concern to personal and business users. Vendors are very aware of this, and with PCs, smartphones, tablets and IoT devices coming under threat on a regular basis, much will be done to create a safer future in the coming years.

PCR November 2016 | 35

RETAILER OF THE MONTH

FACT FILE Year established: 1978 Number of staff: 25 Address: Unit 10 Beaver Industrial Estate, Liphook Hampshire, GU30 7EU

DISKING COMPUTERS Disking Computers is a retailer with a twist. MD Roger Smith talks to Sophia Murray about the retailer’s uniquely quirky approach to business…

What can you tell us about Disking Computers’ background?

I started a public relations business in the electrical engineering industry. I bought a green screen word processor PC called a Superbrain, running the CPM OS and ‘wordstar’ on twin 5.25-inch diskettes.

Quickly, I filled all the foppy disks, so needed more.

Not having the faintest idea where to buy them, I organised three meetings in my local pub, with Verbatim, Maxell and Memorex. Who were the big players at the time. I had grand ideas of selling them, because if I didn’t know where to get them, no one else would, so I ordered thousands of each format, 5.25-inch and 8-inch.

I went home and started to panic. I knew that if I didn’t find the correct way to market these floppy disks, I’d be swimming not only in floppies, but in debt too.

I wanted to be king of the disks, I thought of the name 36 | PCR November 2016

‘Disking’ so approached a design agency, had them design an ad, and placed it in ‘Practical Computing’ offering floppies by mail order, with next day delivery.

Forced to increase my income in this nail biting period, I was asked by one of my friends, to help out at the Birmingham IEC Exhibition centre, selling computers on his stand.

Wanting bespoke computers for our customers, we expanded into new premises, where we had workshop facilities. Mark my son, could now build exactly what the customer required.

He’d learnt the trade from the ground up, as he had been with us from the beginning.

After it was founded, how did Disking Computers find its footing in the crowded retail market?

The two decades from 1978 right up to nearly 2000, the funding for our growth, came as a computer consumables and accessories supplier. As

“We bet our major supplier we could continue riding this bubble of diskette sales, if we branded them ‘Banana ‘– so we did.”

Roger Smith, Disking Computers.

you will see from our full consumables and ‘Banana’ story to follow. These days, through the 1980s were enormous fun, and with so much being spent on computer diskettes, we used to run out of stock frequently.

In fact, we attended exhibitions day by day because we had to return to base to replenish after only eight hours of trading. We broke through a turnover of £500,000. There were no real incentives to move into the more reduced gross margins of hardware, until we’d built the business model and platform so to do.

What is the ‘Banana story’?

We bet our major diskette supplier one night, we could continue riding this bubble of diskette sales, if we branded them ‘Banana ‘– so we did.

We launched two sizes: 5.25-inches and 3.5-inches along with branded freebies, including inflatable bananas, badges, carrier bags, lorries – you name it. We ‘Banana’d’ it.

Telephone: 01428724727 Email: sales@disking..co.uk Website: www.disking.co.uk

We provided incentives for both consumers and computer shops, so upon seeing our left-field adverts, queued up to become ‘Banana’ dealers.

How does Disking Computers go about selling to its target consumer market?

Today, as in every one of our 12,000 days of trading, since 1978, we’re happy to be helping our clients with their IT issues. Our staff are trained and updated monthly, with all the latest advances in our complex IT world, so our clients don’t have to worry.

They can simply leave it to us.

Our customers are always satisfied with our services and grateful for our expertise.

We’re here for them, and we know how frustrated they can get when things don’t work as they should. In fact, one of our service engineers whilst on-site to fix a customer’s computer was invited to join them for a beef casserole dinner. www.pcr-online.biz

DO MORE - WITH YOUR I.T SECURED BY ESET Become an ESET Authorised UK Partner and Let Your Business Grow The ESET partner program is engineered to help your business grow with tailored schemes to suit your company needs. ESET’s security products are fast, easy to use, and deliver market-leading detection.

ESET deliver the protection that allows you to DO MORE. Find out more at ESET.CO.UK/PARTNERS Exhibiting and demonstrating at PCR Boot Camp North, 16th November 2016 – Stand 1

VR AT RETAIL

VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE RETAIL WORLD High-end virtual reality is out in the wild, but how is it faring? Is consumer interest and enthusiasm being backed up by purchases? Jonathan Easton asks the channel…

I

WAS IN Peter Jones by Sloane Square when it struck me: you can buy a high-end virtual reality headset in a shop.

I know, it’s a fairly pithy observation, but without much fanfare, the Oculus Rift has launched at retailers across the country. With considerably more gusto and media attention, the PlayStation VR has also just landed into stores around the country and the world. Earlier this year, the HTC Vive stuck a toe into the retail world by appearing at four Currys PC World, Overclockers UK and Scan Computers stores, but is yet to jump in at the deep end with a wide retail release.

But even though these devices are widely available, have they been as successful 38 | PCR November 2016

as was predicted by analysts and retailers?

William Jones, head of buying communication technology at John Lewis believes that retail is playing a pivotal role in getting consumers interested in the new technology.

“People are trying it and loving virtual reality. The word is spreading fast. Retail is key to getting customers to overcome the barrier of wearing a headset and having a demonstration. As soon as they do that, they are – to a person – blown away by the immersive experience.”

Similarly, Hitari director Kamal Hitari says that the Rift in particular has fared well: “It’s been great and demands is quite high.”

There is a difference,

however, between customers being interested and actually making the plunge to part with the cash. Ross Crowe of

“It’s helping to promote high-end video cards, the Rift has not prompted any impulse purchases.”

Ross Crowe, Ideal Computers Ideal Computers (a part of SimplyFixIt) errs on the side of caution before calling the Rift a retail success at this

moment in time.

“We haven’t sold any kits (yet). We have had some hardware enquiries from local residents who have ordered their Rift and found that they need to upgrade their computer to cope.

“It’s helping to promote high-end video cards, though having the Rift on demonstration in our store has not prompted any impulse purchases.”

However, he remains optimistic that seasonal purchasing will lead to greater sales: “We hope there will be more of a buzz leading up to Christmas.”

We’ll have to wait until after the holiday season to really gauge how well the Rift and PlayStation VR have done at retail, but are consumers as

excited about virtual reality now as had been expected?

XMG’s Luke Baker says that even before the VR train left the retail station demand has been high.

“Since the release of the XMG Walker (backpack PC), I have been overwhelmed by the demand. Initially, the bulk interest has come from professionals,” says Baker. “I believe the consumer demand for such solutions will continue to grow as VR adoption increases.”

Hitari believes that the public reaction has exceeded expectations.

“It was more than what we expected. Many thought it was still too early but it looks like the future is approaching very fast and we are witnessing a revolution in www.pcr-online.biz

VR AT RETAIL

how we interact with others and the world.”

Jones believes that it’s not just the high-end options which are selling people on VR but all the different price points and options.

“It’s everywhere now, Oculus, [Samsung] Gear VR and now Sony. They all present different price points and propositions but all bring a fantastic experience that most consumer will never have had before.

“There is a broad church of consumers interested, it’s turned the preconceptions on its head.”

VR is obviously a very exciting technology and without prior experience of it, it is easy to see why retailers and consumers alike are being wowed by it. www.pcr-online.biz

What’s more, the channel is fairly unanimous in the belief that VR isn’t just a gimmick and is in fact here to stay.

“It’s new technology and perhaps more people need to try it before they will decide that it’s more than a gimmick.

I think that without really giving VR a go, it is quite easy to dismiss it,” says Crowe. “I believe it introduces new fun into gaming, but I expect people need that bit more confidence before making such a large purchase.”

Hitari however is more matter of fact in the belief that VR will be a permanent fixture: “I think the consumer attention is real and in the next few years we will see a huge shift on platforms as more functions and uses of the technology are developed.”

So the devices are out and interest is real, but is stock meeting demand?

“The consumer attention is real.

In the next few years we will see a huge shift as more functions are developed.”

Kamal Hitari, Hitari This is the most interesting and dividing question across the channel. Larger retailers seem to be struggling to keep up with the interest.

Jones simply states: “Is stock meeting demand? In short, no. The stock is limited.”

Hitari makes a simple assessment of the situation by saying “definitely not”.

Crowe argues that even if high-end VR supply is limited there are still “plenty of options there for people looking to give VR a shot, even if it means starting with a cheap Google cardboard as a very basic demonstration”.

Interest and demand are there, so you would assume that interest in the technology would be driving up sales of higher-spec computer components. This, however, is one area which is yet to really benefit from the rise of VR. While Hitari says that VR has increased component sales, Crowe says that people

aren’t upgrading their gaming rigs just yet.

“Have high-end computer component sales gone up?

Not massively.

We hope to see increases once more people decide to commit to VR. As more games become available and there is more word of mouth around consumers and their friends, interest will pick up.”

VR is really here. You can go out to a shop and buy a multihundred pound virtual reality headset. And it looks like it’s no flash in the pan. It remains to be seen in the long-run whether it sells in the millions as predicted, but with hands-on experience essential to the purchasing experience, it looks like virtual reality is brick and mortar retailers’ game to lose.

PCR November 2016 | 39

RESELLER PROFILE / OPINION

RESELLER PROFILE: MPC SERVICES Luke Liberos co-founded MPC Services 31 years ago. His clients include Manchester University, Microsoft, and Cisco. He talks to Sophia Murray about how the UK market for resellers has changed…

How did MPC Services begin? Tell us about how the business works?

We started in 1985, I was an engineer at the time. We began doing repairs for large companies, and then we started selling to these companies.

We are not a limited company. We are a partnership. My wife is a partner in the business, and we have consultants who work with us on jobs. They go out and find their clients before coming back to me for the equipment they need.

Historically, what have you done to make potential clients interested in the business? Have you always been focused on corporate clients?

Yes, we have always been in that sort of arena. Back when

MPC Services began in 1985, the internet was not widely used like it is today. To get our name out we would take out advertisements in magazines and newspapers.

As a result of putting ourselves out there, we were inundated with calls and got a lot of customers because of our print advertisements.

Is establishing relationships with clients difficult?

The bigger establishments have contracts direct, or they are choosing to outsource.

Bigger companies generally buy from a central contract they have. I think that a lot of resellers are struggling.

What type of solutions do MPC Services provide to customers and how have these services changed over the years?

We like to think of ourselves as a one-stop shop. IT managers are always very busy people so they send me their lists of what they want.

Then I’ll go out into the marketplace and get them the best prices I can.

For example, one of the companies we deal with has a new IT manager who kept looking for items online and challenged me to see if I could match those prices Now this manager comes directly to me for what they need.

The internet has changed the nature of the business, making it very difficult to compete, but we think our approach is unique.

MPC Services is a IT hardware and support reseller based in Wembley, North West London. www.mpcservices.com

Going through the motions with VR PlayStation VR is taking the world by storm, but PCR deputy editor Jonathan Easton has some concerns which have left him feeling a little bit queasy…

I WAS lucky enough to receive a PlayStation VR headset the day it was released last month. Actually, I was cursed with the dreaded situation where your neighbour signs for it and then goes out and then it turns out to be with a different neighbour altogether. It was quite the palaver, but finally upon getting it home and setting it up I was completely absorbed... and naseous.

Now I will preface this by saying that the majority of my experiences with PlayStation VR have been great, absorbing fun. Rigs:

www.pcr-online.biz

Mechanized Combat League is an engrossing and compelling multiplayer shooter, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is a nightmarish, riproaring rollercoaster ride that presents just the right levels of scary fun, and Batman Arkham VR let me live out my lifelong ambitions of throwing a telephone at Bruce Wayne’s butler.

While those have created some great anecdotes to gossip about with envious colleagues who are yet to pick up a headset, PlayStation VR has also presented me with my most uncomfortable gaming

“Batman Arkham VR let me live out my lifelong ambitions of throwing a telephone at Bruce Wayne’s butler.”

Jonathan Easton, PCR

experiences since torturing a man in Grand Theft Auto 5.

Worse than any horror game I’ve ever played was the discomfort of attempting to sludge through Here They Lie. I was made to feel so unwell by the game that I barely made it through five minutes before having to take the headset off.

Likewise, I just about managed to make it through a single race in Driveclub VR before reeling away from it feeling less than great.

Of course, one of the big challenges of developing for VR is that everyone is different. No doubt, you’ll be

able to search around on Google and after a couple of clicks find reviews delighting in the games that made yours truly feel sick.

It is an issue that will almost certainly be improved upon as developers get more experience of creating games for virtual reality, but one that users should very much be aware of at this moment in time. Especially when considering the inability to get a refund for games on the PlayStation Network.

I have been very impressed by the technology itself, but hopefully I won’t have many more sickly experiences.

PCR November 2016 | 41

Recommended Dedicated monthly product coverage

The latest tech Editorial planner

Both the Pixel and Pixel XL feature a 1080p HD AMOLED screen

Daydream is the only VR headset which you can put through the wash

Home is Google’s Echorivalling standalone voicecontrolled assistant

Google reveals Pixel-perfect hardware lineup GOOGLE HELD a big launch event last month at which it simultaneously tried to address the limitations of its previous attempts at hardware, plus play catch up with pretty much all the other mobile device vendors in one fell swoop.

A big ask, even for a company with the entire might of Alphabet behind it.

There was a lot to take in, so let’s cover each announcement off individually, shall we?

First up is the Pixel smartphone. Well, actually there were two Android Nougat-powered devices – the 5-inch Pixel, and the 5.5inch Pixel XL. Both feature a 1080p HD AMOLED display made using Gorilla Glass 4, a top-notch processor and what Google claims is a quick charging battery.

The Pixel serves two purposes – to take on Apple’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in terms of feature set, but also to act as a software/

hardware integration benchmark in the highlyfragmented world of Android-powered smartphones, where the likes of Samsung, HTC et al rule the roost.

Initially at least, Google is selling the Pixel directly from its Play Store, with prices starting from £599 (same as the entry-level iPhone 6s – a confident move), plus an exclusive deal with EE and Carphone Warehouse. But expect those channels to be

relaxed after the initial launch period.

Google’s hardware fun doesn’t end there, however.

The company also unveiled Google Home, Google WiFi and a new Chromecast dongle. The former is a direct response to the Amazon Echo assistant, albeit with a slightly lower speaker spec and an ‘Okay Google’ prompt in place of the Echo’s Alexa.

The new Chromecast Ultra ups the game on the yearold incumbent with 4k Ultra

HD streaming and 1.4 times the processing speed, while Google WiFi is a home networking solution based on having several connected wireless routers dotted around the house.

Finally, the big VR play.

The head mounted display called Daydream that is the spiritual successor to the Google Cardboard, only working initially with the Pixel phones but with a promise to support other devices down the road.

Contact: Google | http://Made.google.com | £599 (Pixel & Pixel XL) | £69 (Chromecast Ultra, Daydream View) | TBC (Google WiFi) Out: Now (Pixel & Pixel XL) | TBC (Chromecast Ultra, Google WiFi, Google Home, Daydream)

42 | PCR November 2016

www.pcr-online.biz

RECOMMENDED

PlayStation VR heads to the masses PROJECT MORPHEUS is no more. Stand up, PlayStation VR – arguably the first mass market virtual reality platform for the games market.

The product – PSVR for short – works with existing PlayStation 4 hardware, which of course already has a global install base of over 40 million units.

This is what sets PSVR apart from the gaming competition.

Both the Oculus Rift and HTC Hive VR solutions require some seriously high-end PC hardware, which will be out of the reach of all but the richest of hardcore gamers.

So what do you get for £349? Quite a box of stuff, including the headset,

processor unit, connecting cables, headphones and power unit.

There are some things that don’t come bundled though, creating some compelling upsell opportunities – PlayStation Camera (£40) and the optional Move controllers (£30). Plus, there’s plenty of bundling options for all of the above, and, of course, the PS4 console unit itself.

Meanwhile, compatible content – so often a deal breaker when it comes to new interactive entertainment hardware adoption – isn’t short on supply. Sony has put great effort into its partner community, amassing 230

“Sony has amassed over 230 PSVR publishers and developers.”

PSVR publishers and developers to date.

That translates into 70 games available between now and January 2017, including Eagle Flight, EVE: Valkyrie, Headmaster, Resident Evil 7, Rez Infinite, Wayward Sky, RIGS: Mechanized Combat

League, Tumble VR, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood and PlayStation VR Worlds.

And if all that’s not enough, there’s a VR version of EA’s Star Wars Battlefront in the pipeline, which should be enough to convince many a hardened skeptic.

Contact: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe | www.playstation.com/en-gb | Price: £349 +accessories | Out: Available Now

Bose introduces new wireless soundbar and surround sound systems

BOSE HAS launched three new wireless systems: the SoundTouch 300 soundbar and two new luxury Lifestyle home entertainment systems.

The SoundTouch 300 measures just 10.8 x 97.8 x 5.7 cm, and – according to Bose – delivers the best audio performance for any soundbar its size.

It’s wifi and Bluetooth enabled with NFC for easy pairing. For watching films, shows or sports, it’s equally powerful. It breaks from convention further with its thin profile and premium materials, including a

perforated wrap-around metal grille and gorgeous glass top.

Elsewhere, the Bose Lifestyle 650 luxury home entertainment system boasts 5.1 performance and debuts the smallest satellite speakers in Bose history, four new OmniJewel speakers, measuring 4.67 x 14.66 x 4.67 cm.

Finally, the new Lifestyle 600 system joins the Lifestyle 650 in the line-up, featuring many of the same luxuries with four, slightly larger Jewel Cube satellite speakers and one Jewel Cube centre channel speaker.

Contact: Bose | www.bose.co.uk | Price: Soundtouch 300 £599.95; Lifestyle 650 £3,399; Lifestyle 600 £2,599 | Out: Now

www.pcr-online.biz

HP upgrades its Spectre x360 offering

HP HAS recently announced the third version of their popular Spectre x360 Ultrabook, now including a 7th generation (Kaby Lake) Intel Core processor. There’s also been a redesign to the size of the unit, shaving 2mm off the thickness and bringing it to a mere 13.8mm at its thickest point and nearly 10mm from each side. The resulting reductions in size mean that the new Spectre x360 is also 0.16kg lighter.

There’s also the addition of Thunderbolt 3, a pair of USB Type-C ports and an infrared camera which helps enable Windows Hello biometric authentication. Battery is up from 56 to an impressive 57.8Wh, with the company claiming that along with Kaby Lake’s power reductions the battery life will be at least 25 percent better than that of the Skylake version, making the Spectre x360 a very desirable laptop indeed.

Contact: HP | http://www.hp.com | Price: TBC | Out: TBC

PCR November 2016 | 43

RECOMMENDED

Microsoft Hololens begins its journey to market THIS IS one to be filed away for future reference, but it is an important development for the trade to keep tabs on nonetheless. Microsoft has announced the global expansion of its Hololens platform to six countries, including the UK. Hololens, described as the world’s first self-contained holographic headset solution, is now available for pre-order priced at a steep £2,719 for the Development Edition and £4,529 for the Commercial Suite. Both of the headsets will ship in late-November.

This news came in the same week that Sony launched its PlayStation VR headset (see previous page), but it is considerably different in terms of technology, target audience and availability.

The device is still very much in the realm of developers and business customers, with the average consumer having

little use for – or access to – the device thus far.

Here’s the ‘need to know’.

Rather than presenting virtual reality (VR) like the PlsyStation VR, HTC Vive or Oculus Rift platforms, the Hololens is an

“ While business customers are the focus right now, the device has massive amounts of consumer potential.” augmented reality (AR) headset, which shows images overlaid onto the real world.

Microsoft is very much of the mindset that while business customers are the focus right now – the headset is currently used by a wide

variety of business partners including NASA, Airbus and Audi – the device has massive amounts of consumer potential in the long run.

It’s hard to argue with the potential, but pricing is certainly an issue in this

launch phase. That said, there will be a host of businesses out there looking to showcase what they can do with AR/VR technology, so expect plenty of interesting proofs of concept over the next few months and years.

As a consumer device, the consensus seems to be that we’ll be close to 2020 before Hololens is readily available on the high street as an entertainment device, though it remains to be seen what will be done with it.

Contact: Microsoft | www.microsoftstore.com | Price: £2,719 (Development Editions), £4,529 (Commercial Suite) | Out: November

Acer’s cost-effective Chromebook lives up to the hype ACER HAS announced details of a new notebook in its Chromebook series, the Acer Chromebook 15. With a 15.6inch anti-glare display, or as Acer likes to describe it, ‘ComfyView’, reflections are minimised which as a result means there’s very little risk of eyestrain.

Processing comes from the Celeron N3060 dual-core CPU, running at 1.6GHz with Turbo to 2.48GHz and TDP of 6W. You also get 2 GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, with connectivity

including an HDMI port and a pair of USB 3.0 ports, along with an audio jack. SD card reader, 720p HDR webcam, and wireless connectivity is also included.

Battery life is capable of up to 12 hours of continuous use and there’s also a pair of full-sized upward facing speakers to provide decent audio quality from the unit.

No news on when it’s being released, but expect this next year.

Contact: Acer | http://www.acer.com | Price: £165 | Out: TBC

44 | PCR November 2016

Samsung brings new gaming monitors to market

SAMSUNG HAS ended months of anticipation with the global launch of its new quantum dot curved gaming monitors, the CFG70, in what the firm say are a first for the industry in combining a curved screen with quantum dot technology and which samsung says is designed ‘specifically for professional gamers.’

The clever technology behind the monitors allows quantum dots (tiny nanocrystals) to display 125% of the sRGB colour spectrum which allows for greater colour accuracy and a

higher contrast ratio of 3000:1, which the firm believes offers more visually dynamic gameplay.

There’s also a 1800R curved screen which has been created to match the natural curve of the human eye, along with Samsungs advanced motion blur reduction technology. What’s more, the display will also integrate AMD’s FreeSync technology instead of HDMI functionality helping to synchronise the screen’s 144Hz refresh rate with user’s AMD graphics cards, resulting in smoother gameplay.

Contact: Samsung | http://www.samsung.com | Price: 24” £300 27” £380 | Out: Now

www.pcr-online.biz

RECOMMENDED

Samsung and Steam partner for Steam TV

STEAM IS considered by many as the best place in the world for customers looking to play PC games, and an ideal platform for developers to build communities. So, imagine the excitement at the recent Steam Dev Days conference when news was leaked that Valve would be partnering with Samsung and integrating the technology directly into their new smart televisions, creating the ability to play games on the latest 4K HDR TV, no tiny box required.

This new announcement will certainly be of interest to PC gamers who want a way to move their gaming into the living room. The move makes sense when you consider how many smart TVs now come with other streaming services built in such as Netflix. Gamers looking to stream Steam off their TV will still need to provide their own controller, and it’s unclear at this stage whether using the USB to do so will be a function included within these new televisions.

Contact: Samsung | http://www.samsung.com | Price: TBC | Out: TBC

Kingston kranks it up with new SSD offering KINGSTON HAS launched the latest drive in its SSDNow line of products, the 1TB SSDNow KC400, also available in 128Gb, 256GB and 512GB capabilities. Featuring end-to-end data path protection and Phison PS3110-S10 eight channel controller and SmartECC flash controller technology, the company claim this new product is up to 15 times faster than a standard hard drive.

SmartRefresh tools rebuild data if there’s any errors, which helps further protect any file loss or damage.

Kingston has also included a free downloadable SSD Manager software application to monitor the SSD,

which also includes a five year warranty with free technical support included, adding to the confidence Kingston feel the unit will portray to those customers looking for a dependable SSD. Laptop owners especially will benefit from the 1TB capacity into a single 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 capable SSD drive.

Contact: Kingston | https://www.kingston.com | Price: 1TB £320, 512GB £160, 256GB £100 128GB £60 | Out: Now

Editorial Planner

A look at the biggest features coming up in PCR over the next few months...

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

FUTURE FOCUS

THE CLOUD

RETAIL

PCR takes a look at the emerging tech trends due to feature in 2017, plus we preview CES and review this year’s PCR Boot Camp North.

This month we look into the possibilites of the cloud and the way it is affecting how business is done in the UK IT channel.

PCR casts an eye on the retail space, examining everything from the high-street to the indies.

We will feature smartphone accessories and last minute stocking fillers in our sector guides.

Elsewhere in this issue, PCR makes its predictions for the coming year and discusses storage solutiuons.

Advertising Deadline

Advertising Deadline

Advertising Deadline

November 15th

December 8th

January 13th

www.pcr-online.biz

Also featured are a review of CES 2017, our retail buyers guide, and retail survey.

PCR November 2016 | 45

SECURITY SOFTWARE

Safety First Keeping safe whilst online at work or at home is becoming a lot easier thanks to specialised security software vendors. PCR picks out some of the top options for keeping computers and systems safe…

NORTON SECURITY STANDARD

BULLGUARD MOBILE SECURITY

Distributor: Exertis, Ingram Micro, Tech Data

Distributor: Spire, Target, Exertis, Micro Warehouse

Norton’s Security Standard offers protection for a single PC or Mac. Malicious threats such as malware and spyware are detected and removed quickly with the help of 24/7 real-time threat monitoring.

Personal data and online transactions are also safeguarded with this all-in-one security package.

Bullguard’s Mobile security is an app for Android devices that blocks unwanted phone calls and SMS messages along with protecting your device from other threats.

The app works quietly and efficiently in the background, conserving battery power while providing complete anti-virus and SIM protection. Other features include backup and parental controls, included with the premium version.

Specs: Virus protection for one PC or Mac device, malware and spyware detection

Specs: Android 2.3, 4.0 and more.

SRP: £39.99

SRP: Free or £16.95 for Premium version

NORTON SECURITY DELUXE

BULLGUARD IDENTITY PROTECTION

BULLGUARD PREMIUM PROTECTION

Distributor: Exertis, Ingram Micro, Tech Data

Distributor: Spire, Target, Exertis, Micro Warehouse

Distributor: Spire, Target, Exertis, MicroWarehouse

This Norton package provides protection for up to five PCs, tablets, Macs, and smartphones. It also provides safety against malicious malware and offers managed protection via a web portal.

Bullguard’s advanced Identity Protection offers a defence against identity theft while users make purchases, use social media, or bank online. This package can be used in conjunction with iOS, PC, Mac, and Android.

High-performance anti-malware protection for Windows PCs. Additional features include identity protection for secure online surfing, and 25GB of online backup storage with Dropbox for full data management.

Specs: Security for up to five PCs, tablets, smartphones, or tablets on a single Norton subscription, anti-malware protection.

Specs: PC, Mac, Android, iOS, supported browsers include Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome

Specs: Compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista, 1GB RAM.

SRP: £49.99

SRP: £34.95 for up to three users

SRP: £69.95

www.pcr-online.biz

PCR November 2016 | 47

SECURITY SOFTWARE

SURVEILLANCE STATION

STORAGECRAFT SHADOWPROTECT SPX

KASPERSKY ENDPOINT SECURITY FOR BUSINESS

Distributor: : Beta Distribution, CMS Distribution, Ingram Micro, Tech Data

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Exertis

With secure video surveillance for homes and businesses, Surveillance Station features play back footage from video recordings, live footage from more than one IP camera, and is compatible with most browsers and mobile devices.

Storagecraft Shadowprotext SPX provides scheduled backup, data protection and recovery. Managed system migration between Linux and Windows, makes it ideal for business use.

Kaspersky Endpoint is a security solution for businesses. This security software protects against cyber attacks using mobile application management, encryption, and offers protection for workstations and file servers

Specs: Compatible with iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, compatible with multiple IP cameras from numerous brands.

Specs: System migration between Linux and Windows, cross-platform security.

Specs: Mobile device and application management, web controls.

SRP: Free feature that sits within Synology NAS

SRP: £697.72

SRP: £63.00

TOSHIBA MOBILE ZERO CLIENT

KASPERSKY DDOS PROTECTION

BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY

Distributor: Westcoast, Exertis, Tech Data, Ingram Micro, Micro Warehouse

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Spire, Target, Exertis, Micro Warehouse

Businesses can complete IT-related tasks using laptops securely with this data storage and secure cloud-based infrastructure. Employees can remotely work safelys this security solution supports VMware, Citrix, and VDI solutions for fast, tailored integration.

This software uses DDoS intelligence this anti-virus defence infrastructure to protect businesses from cyber attacks. It works to detect compromised devices earlier before a virus has the ability to create a systemwide infection.

Bullguard Internet Security presents users with a sound web surfing experience and provides them with online protection. Features include PC tune-up for optimised bootup, firewall protection, secure browsing, and parental controls. Dropbox compatible backup is also included.

Specs: Cloud-based virtual desktop security.

Specs: Returns ‘good’ traffic to networks and rejects ‘negative’ traffic, 24/7 traffic monitoring, alerts to possible threats

Specs: Compatible with Windows Vista onwards.

SRP: Tailored to each customer

SRP: Price on application

SRP: £49.95

CONTACT

48 | PCR November 2016

Beta Distribution: ....... 020 7531 2828

Ingram Micro:………..0871 973 3000

Micro Warehouse: .........01616232800

CMS Distribution: ....... 0208 805 1000

Spire:.............................01202 828444

Tech Data: ....................01256 788000

Exertis: ..........................01782 648200

Target Components:.....01977739300

Westcoast: .....................01189126000

www.pcr-online.biz

SECTOR GUIDE

Fort Knox There are an increasing amount of options for the security conscious user who wants to secure their home or workplace. PCR picks out some of the best…

DELL SONICWALL TZ500

DELL SONICWALL NSA3600

DELL SONICWALL SUPERMASSIVE 9600

CHERRY KC-1000SC

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Exertis

Distributor: Entatech, Exertis, Northamber

The TZ500 offers a no-compromise approach to securing growing networks. A fast connection to your business, school, remote office or retail site is only half the story; you also need to be able to securely manage it.

Get real-time firewall security without compromise. NSA3600 offers the most concurrent connections and lowest latency in its class, with 3.4Gbps throughput and unlimited file size.

Deliver deep security to detect and block the most sophisticated threats before they can enter your network with the SonicWALL SuperMassive 9600 Series Next-Generation firewall (NGFW).

The CHERRY KC-1000SC is the successor to the G83-6644 model, found on desktops of Government, NHS and Police operations. This version includes a centrally mounted PC/SC compliant smartcard reader.

Specs: Up to 50 users, 400Mbps throughput, 8 x 1 GB P/S

Specs: Up to 200 users, 500mps throughput, 2 x 10-GbE SFP, 4 x 1-GbE SFP, 12 x 1 GbE P/S

Specs: Over 500 users, 9.7Gbps throughput, 4 x 10-GbE SFP+, 8 x 1-GbE SFP, 8 x 1-GbE (1 LAN Pair Bypass) P/S.

Specs: CCID compatible, Secure PIN entry, Reading/writing ISO 7816 compliant smartcards

SRP: £1,050.78

SRP: £3,371.09

SRP: £33,746.09

SRP: £38.00

SYNOLOGY NETWORK VIDEO RECORDER NVR216

SYNOLOGY VISUALSTATION VS360HD

HANNSG HM196BPB

HANNSG HM225BMB

Distributor: CMS distribution, Beta Distribution PLC, Ingram Micro UK, TechData, EET Europarts, NBM distribution, HyperTec

Distributor: CMS distribution, Beta Distribution PLC, Ingram Micro UK, TechData, EET Europarts, NBM distribution, HyperTec

Distributor: Hannspree

Distributor: Hannspree

The Synology Network Video Recorder NVR216 is an all-in-one, PC-less surveillance solution designed for offices and retail stores.

Paired with any Synology NVR server, VisualStation VS360HD allows users to create a compact monitoring and playback station without a computer.

Entry level model in a new range of dedicated CCTV monitors from display specialists HannsG, the HM196BPB offers a 18.5-inch display, BNC, HDMI and VGA connections, includes built-in speakers and VESA support.

Featuring a 21.5” Full HD display the HM225BMB from display specialists HannsG offers a high quality visual display for demanding CCTV. It includes; BNC connections as well as HDMI/VGA, on-board speakers and VESA support.

Specs: Two drive bays (expandable up to seven), 1 GB DDR3, 165 x 100 x 225.5 mm

Specs: 1080p 60Hz, 0.3 kg, 32 x 130 x 130mm

Specs: 18.5” LED, 1366 x 768, 5ms, VGA, HDMI, BNC, Speakers, VESA 100mm

Specs: 21.5” LED, 1920 x 1080 FHD, 5ms, VGA, HDMI, BNC, Speakers, VESA 100mm

SRP: £342 – £474

SRP: £390

SRP: £129.00

SRP: £159.00

50 | PCR November 2016

www.pcr-online.biz

SECTOR GUIDE

HANNSG HM194BPB

NIGHTWATCHER LED ROBOTIC SECURITY LIGHT

NIGHTWATCHER 4-CHANNEL IP CCTV KIT

NIGHTWATCHER 16W LED PIR SECURITY LIGHT

Distributor: Hannspree

Distributor: Target Components

Distributor: Target Components

Distributor: Target Components

For those that require a square aspect ratio, the HM194BPB from the new range of dedicated CCTV monitors from display specialists HannsG offers a 19inch 5:4 display.

The NightWatcher Security Light is a proven and effective method of deterring intruders from entering your home or business. The NightWatcher is a patented motion tracking feature, built into a PIR lamp.

The NightWatcher NW-4NVR CCTV kit is features 1080p recording technology and provides 8 channel real-time record and playback, high resolution recording and HDMI playback for up to 8 cameras.

The NightWatcher Security Light is a proven and effective method of deterring intruders from entering your home or business. This super-bright security light will turn on detecting movement within a 210 degree radius.

Specs: 19” LED, 1280 x 1024, 5ms, VGA, HDMI, BNC, Speakers, VESA 100mm

Specs: 720p camera, 8GB storage (expandable to 32GB) 16 watt LED

Specs: 1080p camera, 1TB storage, records from up to four cameras simultaneously

Specs: 3 x passive infrared sensors, 16W LED, 210 degree radius

SRP: £174.00

SRP: £209.99

SRP: £379.99

SRP: £109.99

APRICORN AEGIS PADLOCK EXTERNAL HDD

IRONKEY D300

SAFEXS PROTECTOR XT

SAMSUNG SMARTCAM SNH-V6410PN

Distributor: Simms International

Distributor: Simms International

Distributor: Simms International

Distributor: CMS Distribution

The Aegis Padlock 3.0 sports an easy-touse keypad design and software-free setup.The padlock enables you to access the drive simply and easily with your own unique pin.

Kingston’s IronKey D300 USB Flash drive features an advanced level of security. It is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified, with 256-bit AES hardware encryption.

The drive uses digitally signed firmware, making it immune to BadUSB.

Safexs Protector XT is a strong and secure flash drive that protects sensitive data from unauthorised access and malware infection, with a built-in ESET NOD32 antivirus engine, computer protection and auto-destruct settings.

Samsung’s SmartCam is an easy to install and easy to use network camera.

The SNH-V6410PN SmartCam comes with pan and tilt features allowing users to monitor a wider area in full HD.

Specs: Military grade encryption, 2.5” encrypted Portable USB Hard drive, Up to 5Gbps transfer rates

Specs: 256-bit AES hardware encryption, up to 64GB storage, 250/85 MBs read/write

Specs: 256-bit AES hardware encryption, up to 64GB storage, 164/94MBs read/write

Specs: 1080p resolution, storage up to 128GB

SRP: £183.70

SRP: £97.49

SRP: £69.18

SRP: £139.99

CONTACT

www.pcr-online.biz

Beta Distribution: ....... 02075 312 828

Exertis: ......................... 01782 648 200

NBM Distribution: ....... 01442 838 500

CMS Distribution: ......... 0142 370 470

Hannspree: .................. 08716 660 850

Northamber: ............... 02082 967 000

EET Europarts: ............. 01753 890 088

Hypertec: ..................... 01488 686 844

Simms International: .. 01622 852 800

Entatech: ..................... 03331 011 000

Ingram Micro:.............. 08719 733 440

Target Components:... 01977 739 300

PCR November 2016 | 51

OUT OF OFFICE

IN THE

HOT SEAT Maximity’s managing director – and 2016’s Woman of the Year – Tracy Pound speaks to PCR about guilty pleasures, pet peeves and parmesan.

What was your first job?

Programmer – writing code for estate agents software in a peculiar language called Silicon Office.

What’s your favourite TV show?

Strictly Come Dancing without a shadow of a doubt.

I’m an armchair dance expert and go to FitSteps most weeks where we try very hard to emulate some of the dances!

Do you have any phobias?

Massive fear of heights. Totally ridiculous but uncontrollable. I can’t even get more than 5 steps up a ladder.

OVERCLOCK-TOBERFEST TO CELEBRATE its 30th anniversary Terra Solutions took to Huellhorst, Germany to celebrate with its Oktoberfest event.

The event saw delegates from all over the world (including PCR’s own account manager, Sarah Goldhawk) from companies such as AMD, Brother and Kaspersky. Not only was it a great opportunity to mingle and exchange business cards, attendees also were given guided tours of Terra’s warehouse, offices and labyrinthine cloud server bank.

Outside of what Terra had to offer, delegates got first-hand experience of a whole range of gadgets and gizmos ranging from the latest printers to a bottle-opening robotic arm.

Naturally, an Oktoberfest celebration wouldn’t have been complete without the main event: beer!

With a wide range of booze on offer, a plethora of musical festivities and a celebration going on into the wee small hours of the morning, suffice to say there were a few sore heads the next day.

What is your pet peeve?

People who are intolerant, rude, aggressive or negative.

There’s just no need. It rarely, if ever, achieves what people want anyway. Be kind and considerate. It makes for a far nicer life for everyone.

What are your hobbies?

Running – I’ve just completed the Birmingham Half Marathon, fast cars, food and quantum physics – because it’s fascinating and makes no sense.

If you could go back in time what would you do?

I’d be a Victorian engineer if I went back in time.

Tell us something about yourself that not many people know.

I was filmed for a series on inventors as I used to work for the company that made Sir Clive Sinclair’s electric bike – the Zike.

What’s the funniest, or most memorable experience you’ve had in your career?

Other than being given this amazing accolade of PCR Woman of the Year 2016, my most memorable experience is working in the automotive industry and running the Logistics department for a company that made 6.5 million steel wheels a year because my boss, the MD, wanted to make sure that in running the IT department, I understood the business too.

What’s going to be the next big thing in tech?

IoT is going to take off in a big way as real life applications are born and along with that the cyber security field is going to explode in response to the proliferation of attacks and new IoT applications.

52 | PCR November 2016

FANTASY FOOTBALL FEUDING We might only be a couple of months into the season, but it would appear that PCR’s fantasy football league is already giving us our own big four.

Since last month, Charlie Stringer’s Bing Bong Utd has overtaken Steve Young’s 2 girls 1 schlupp with Chris Pettinger’s Real Athletic Bezo’s making a dramatic surge up to third place over the past couple of weeks.

Closing out the top of the pack is Steve Ling’s PompeySteve with Pavo Juric’s Shaw Mee Howe a bit of a way behind.

Whether it was the hubris of forcing his own inclusion in last month’s update, or just a string of poor transfers and disastrous injuries, PCR deputy editor Jonathan Easton has found himself circling the

drain. Plummeting down to 28th place, he finds himself between Jon Atherton’s WBA Athers and Jet Mann’s Overpaid Primadonnas.

And what would a round up of our fantasy league be without casting our eye to the bottom of the league. Unfortunately finding themselves in the same position as last month, Team Terra Comput-ers seems glued to the bottom of the league, a whopping 163 points behind the league leaders.

So what will happen next month? Will Bing Bong UTD manage to keep a hold of the top spot? Will anyone make a move on the top four? Will our deputy editor let us not include him in one of these updates? The only way to find out is to keep an eye peeled to PCR.

www.pcr-online.biz

OUT OF OFFICE

140 CHARACTERS OF NEWS AND VIEWS What the industry’s been tweeting about this month…

AG Systems @AAGSystems So proud of our CEO Alexa Greaves & Accounts Supervisor Rosie Pinder, up for @ pcr_online Women of the Year Awards!

Dan Todaro @GekkoFM Figures down but inline with ‘all’ connected devices every brand sells be-yond #PC. Consumers have changed usage, brands must adapt to habit.

Jennifer Eltringham @JenniferECMS Great day at #PCRWOTY yesterday!

OLD SCHOOL IT’S THAT time of year where we see the biggest games being released but it’s not the new Call of Duty or FIFA that’s taking Indonesia by storm. In fact, if a recent festival in West Jakarta is anything to go by, gaming is taking a decidedly more analogue turn.

In an attempt to take a stand against games like Pokémon Go which are believed to ‘erode values’ and be damaging to the education of children.

Principal Agustinus of the Pilar Bangsa school in the

city arranged the festival to “show the unique features of Indonesia”.

Similarly, Education ministry officer Essi Hermaliza said that authorities are aiming to instil old values in students through traditional games.

While it might not be quite the revolution that authorities are hoping for, if more children can get interested in their country’s native culture everyone will be happy.

Natalie Ann Boon @natalieannboon No win for me, but a win for all women.

Genuinely inspired by you all. @pcr_online #PCRWOTY #womenintech #excellence #notasoreloserpromise Rebecca Richards @Bex_PR Congratulations to @TracyJPound for #PCRWOTY and to all those shortlisted. #womenintech Leanne Johnson @lmjohnson25 Massive congrats 2 @TracyJPound @ maximity_uk for winning PCR Woman of the Year. 100% deserved & glad you’re part of @ CompTIA_UK and #dreamit maggie Zaboura @MaggieZaboura You know you have arrived when you turn up late for your own award! Amazing!!Thanks judges & PCR! @PCRonline @Zaboura The Creative Engine @tcelimited Congratulations to Rebecca Williams from @ johnlewisretail winning Rising Star at the #PCRawards

I THINK WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER HEADSET IS IT a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a stonking great big VR headset slap bang in the middle of London’s Kings Cross station.

If you don’t believe us, PlayStation UK described the mammoth-sized headset as “flipping massive”.

Taking pride of place in the centre of the iconic train station between October 12-16, the giant set

www.pcr-online.biz

piece served as more than just a sci-fi looking distraction for passing commuters. It also served as a fully-functioning demo station for passers by to try out the new tech ahead of its launch on Octo-ber 13.

Fortunately, the headsets that users tried out weren’t quite as big as the one that stood in the middle of the station.

Zaboura @Zaboura STILL buzzing from our #PR Powerhouse #win! Thanks @pcr_online @MaggieZaboura

Alicia Shepherd @alicia_sheps @jonman247 @pcr_online thanks for a great event

PCR November 2016 | 53

OUT OF OFFICE

In our Team of the Month section, we highlight some of the important faces from across the industry who perhaps aren’t always in the public eye. This month, Novatech IT Tablet PC team…

Novatech IT Tablet PC team B

A

C E

D

The Team A: Bradley Charlesworth-Wainwright, apprentice engineer B: Chris Ridgeway, chief engineer C: Leon Swatman, first engineer D: Georgia Keighron, admin manager E: Jeremy Smith, owner

Who’s in your team?

Georgia Keighron, admin manager, Chris Ridgeway, chief engineer, Bradley Charlesworth-Wainwright, apprentice engineer, Leon Swatman, first engineer.

What have been your biggest successes of the past 12 months?

We all felt a massive sense of pride and achievement when we became the number one best selling tablet on Amazon.

What’s the funniest or most memorable experience of working in your team?

The first works night out together, we should just leave it there…

For a memory that is actually printable let’s say Black Friday of 2015. We had to package and ship 3000 tablet PCs to customers within 24 hours – madness!

What’s the best part of working in your team?

There is a good balance of friendship

as well as work ethics which creates the perfect team cohesion.

partnership with the Pearson publishing house.

What’s the hardest part of working in the tech industry?

Everything goes so fast so it can be difficult to keep up to date with the newest technology. That, and finding the correct software driver…

What are your thoughts on the current state of the UK tech retail space right now?

There is a lot of competition and the prices are very competitive due to competitors from Asia where they manufacture tablets much cheaper.

What is the team working on at the moment?

We are excited to currently be working on a government funded

Who makes the best cuppa?

Georgia, as long as you like it milky with 2 sugars.

Editorial: 0207 354 6002 Advertising: 0207 354 6000 Website: www.pcr-online.biz Twitter: @pcr_online PCR is published 12 times a year by NewBay Media - The Emerson Building, 4th Floor, 4-8 Emerson Street, London. SE1 9DU © NewBay Media 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of PCR are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Printed by Pensord.

54 | PCR November 2016

SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: £50 Europe: £60 Rest of World: £90.

The international cost applies per subscription and covers airmail dispatch of 12 issues.

To order your subscription via Visa, MasterCard, Amex Switch or Delta contact: pcr.subscriptions@c-cms.com or call 01580 883848. Alternatively visit our website www.pcr-online.biz

READ THE LATEST STORIES AT

PCR-ONLINE.BIZ www.pcr-online.biz

What makes BullGuard the Best?

BullGuard Internet Security Top-rated protection The latest BullGuard Internet Security is even better at protecting you from online threats like hackers, spam, viruses and spyware.

Backup Dropbox Online Backup

Its award-winning security features quietly scan your computers to ensure everything is working fast, clean and virus free. And because BullGuard is super efficient with low impact on your system’s resources, it won’t slow you or your computers down.

BullGuard Antivirus Robust Antivirus protection Our Antivirus includes Behavioural Detection which spots new viruses by how they act on your computer. Together with Signature-based Detection, which deals with known malware, they provide a virtually impenetrable, multilayered defence system for your computer.

BullGuard Identity Protection Identity and Social Media protection BullGuard Identity Protection gives you all the Identity and Social Media Protection of our Premium product but without the Internet Security features, so you can use it with any Internet security programs you currently use. And because it’s web-based it works across all operating systems and devices.

BullGuard Premium Protection Safeguard your entire digital life The ultimate in Identity and Social Media Protection, BullGuard Premium Protection combines awardwinning security with 24/7 monitoring of the Internet to safeguard your entire digital life – unlike any other security product.

BullGuard Mobile Security Smart security for smart devices You run the same risks on your phone or tablet as you do with a computer, whether you’re installing apps, surfing the web, banking, using email or shopping online. There’s a rapidly growing tide of malware aimed at mobile devices and designed to secretly control your calls and texts, and steal your credit card details and other personal information.

Get the BullGuard Advantage BullGuard Advantage is a Partner Programme with a resolute focus; to give you the insights, tools, practical support and rewards you need to get more delighted customers and a more profitable business.

NO OTHER PROVIDER GIVES THE RESELLER MORE Great range of products – designed especially for home users High-profit margins Up to 25% Revenue share – on all licence renewals whilst the reseller remains actively selling BullGuard

24/7 Gold Partner Support In Store Support – Free and informative POS materials and product information leaflets are available when you become a BullGuard reseller

Dedicated Channel Sales team – always available by mobile phone during working hours for any non-technical questions you may have

Access to BullGuard’s Reseller Lounge – access tools and information to keep you ahead of the game

Online Revenue Tracking – track the extra revenue you generate from customer renewals

Marketing tool kits - campaign eshots, content, box shots and banner ads for online use

REVENUE SHARE IN ACTION BullGuard resellers get up to 25% of licence renewals for the life of every product, whilst they remain actively selling BullGuard.

And, as up to 85% of our customers renew their licence, the revenue share is substantial.

Take a look at these examples.

Based on: Assuming 20 licences sold each month, 240 licences per year Assuming 85% of users renew their licences Average renewal is £35 ex VAT Revenue share is up to 25% = £8.75

Year 2 Revenue share

Year 3 Revenue share

Year 4 Revenue share

£1,785

£3,298.75

£4,585 147 x 4th Year Renewals = £1,286.25

204 x 2nd Year Renewals = £1,785

Find out more about the benefits of BullGuard partnership.

Sign up today at www.bullguard.com/advantage

173 x 3rd Year Renewals = £1,513.75

173 x 3rd Year Renewals = £1,513.75

204 x 2nd Year Renewals = £1,785

204 x 2nd Year Renewals = £1,785