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EDITORIAL The first edition of the MyBroadband Magazine was an exceptional success. We reached over 30,000 readers through the print edition, while 8,000 people read the online edition of the magazine. The second edition is even better, with great articles about the South African telecommunications and IT market, and business advice from some of the country’s top entrepreneurs. In this edition, we hear from leading fibre players Vox and Vumatel about the expansion of fibre networks in South Africa, chat to Silicon Valley entrepreneur Vinny Lingham about investing in Bitcoin and his views on the country, and look at the future of eCommerce in South Africa. We also have a great behind-the-scenes peek at Hetzner’s data centre, detail what accountant-turnedsoftware-developer Steven Cohen advises for making your business a success, and touch on what you can do to avoid getting “sitting disease”.
KEVIN LANCASTER EDITOR
IN THIS ISSUE 28 THE RETURN OF THE KING 30 HOW IOT IS BECOMING MORE AVAILABLE, SECURE AND AFFORDABLE IN SOUTH AFRICA 36 THE BENEFITS OF SD-WAN IN ENSURING ALWAYS-ON CONNECTIVITY 06 FROM ACCOUNTANT TO SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
38 THE FUTURE OF ECOMMERCE IN SOUTH AFRICA
09 WHY FIBRE IS A MUST FOR BUSINESS 14 SECURITY IS THE CLOUD’S SILVER LINING
16 BEST SMARTPHONES FROM MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 22 CAPABILITY COMES STANDARD WITH AS-A-SERVICE 24 THE MOST RELIABLE HARD DRIVES 26 CLOUD – THE NEW CHEESE
10 THE BIG FIBRE PUSH IN SOUTH AFRICA 40 CODE CONTROL YOUR LIFE – WELCOME TO THE NEW SOFTWARE-DEFINED LIFE
46 NETFLIX IS HOLLYWOOD’S NUMBER ONE ENEMY
32 BEHIND THE SCENES AT HETZNER’S IMPRESSIVE SAMRAND DATA CENTRE 42 SHARED MOBILE PLANS AS A SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTION 44 DIMENSION DATA AND CISCO ANNOUNCE PROJECT TO PROTECT RHINO BY TRACKING PEOPLE
48 A CLOUD WITH MANY SILVER LININGS 50 A TIMELINE OF INTERNET ACCESS IN SOUTH AFRICA 52 HOW HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIVITY IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY SOUTH AFRICANS DO BUSINESS 54 POWERFUL BUSINESS LAPTOPS FOR EXECUTIVES ON THE MOVE 58 FUJIKURA-70S, A MARVEL OF AUTOMATION 62 VUMATEL'S SUPER-FAST WORLDCLASS FIBRE BROADBAND 64 THE CLOUD IS GREAT, BUT DON’T FORGET TO KEEP A BACKUP
60 INVESTING WITH VINNY LINGHAM
66 BIG GROWTH FOR IOT IN SOUTH AFRICA 68 DO YOU HAVE SITTING DISEASE?
PUBLISHER MyBroadband ADDRESS Office F01, Ashford House, Midstream Estate, Olifantsfontein, 1692 TEL +27 12 687 5159 WEB mybroadband.co.za EDITORIAL kevin@mybroadband.co.za ADVERTISING cara@mybroadband.co.za ISSN 2519-7509
FROM ACCOUNTANT TO SOFTWARE DEVELOPER S
Steven Cohen
teven Cohen is a unique business executive. His casual dress sense and straightforward way of talking hides the fact that he is an exceptional entrepreneur who helped build one of South Africa’s biggest software companies, Softline Pastel.
the company through numerous acquisitions - which included VIP Payroll Systems and its major competitor Pastel Software. In 2003, Softline delisted from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and was acquired by The Sage Group.
Cohen is a chartered accountant turned software developer, who, in partnership with Ivan Epstein and Alan Osrin, grew Softline from a small company in the late eighties to a household name in accounting software a few years later.
While the company showed tremendous growth in the nineties, which culminated in the JSE listing, it brought with it a big challenge. Instead of focusing on customer satisfaction and selling their products, Cohen in his new role as financial director had to sell the company for the sake of the share price to analysts and investors.
In 1997, Softline listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and this capital injection helped to grow
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“These investors do not have a clue about employee well-being, they just want to see that their dividends are going up,” said Cohen. The fact that staff happiness was not as important as short-term gains for investors was one of Cohen’s biggest battles.
The second truth is that even business owners are answerable to higher authorities. “Entrepreneurs need to play well with others. You will enjoy a great deal of independence and satisfaction from your own business, but owning a company is not an escape from accountability.”
Key to success Cohen also downplays his success, stating that he never sat back and marveled at the size of the company. Instead of focusing on what he and his partners have created, he is concerned about the happiness of the programmers working with him, whether they will bring out exceptional products, and customer satisfaction. “That was always my driving force,” said Cohen. “It was never a hierarchical system where I thought: look at how big it is.” He believes in a flat company structure, where employees have the freedom to make decisions and work without the need to be managed. “If I must manage you, I should not be employing you,” said Cohen. His attitude towards meetings is similar, where wasting time on long, unnecessary discussions is discouraged. Cohen is now using his extensive business “These investors do experience to assist not have a clue about young entrepreneurs, employee well-being, they which includes being just want to see that their part of the Small dividends are going up” Business Awards on 702 with Sage One. H e a l s o re g u l a r l y writes and talks about entrepreneurship. In one of his recent columns, Cohen shared three vital truths about running a business. “Management textbooks and the business press are full of advice about creating entrepreneurial business models, shaking up markets, and offering gamechanging customer experiences. As exciting as those opportunities are, there are some important and less glamorous truths about building a business that every entrepreneur should know. Too many of us learn them only through hard experience,” said Cohen.
The three truths The first truth is that while it is sensible to start with a business plan, reality will almost always have different ideas for your business. “Be ready to adapt your business plan in response to the needs of your customers, a changing business environment, and a fluid regulatory space,” said Cohen. He said a business’s brand, where your revenue comes from, its customers, its cost base, and other elements of a business will keep changing.
As a business owner, your new bosses are your customers, SARS, creditors, financers, and potentially a range of industry and government regulators. The third truth is that a great business starts with getting the fundamentals right. “Thus, start out by putting the right processes, procedures, and systems in place. Good cloud-based computer systems that bring best practices for HR and accounting into your business are surprisingly affordable and can help you run a great business,” said Cohen. By keeping these truths in mind when starting and growing a business, Cohen believes that the path to creating a sustainable venture is much easier. ■
Cohen’s 4 signs that your small business has arrived 1. Your cash flow is healthy and you see consistent profits When you see a healthy stream of revenue, allowing you to cover most of your expenses from cash flow each month, you’ll know that you’re on the right track.
2. Your customers are saying good things about your company Listen to what your customers are really saying about your business. Use an informal survey, social media monitoring, and face-to-face interaction to find out what customers think.
3. Your employees are happy and your staff turnover is low If you’ve built a strong core team that has stayed with the company for a few years, it shows that your business has established itself.
4. You’re happy that you’ve done the right thing If you feel that you are doing the right thing with your life when you look at yourself in the mirror each morning.
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COLUMN
Presented by BitCo
WHY FIBRE IS A MUST FOR BUSINESS CIOs and IT Managers have spent years sitting on the fence over whether to adopt Fibre or not – but the pressure is mounting as the Fibre revolution spreads through South Africa and savvy businesses reap the rewards.
I
t is the role of CIOs and IT Managers alike to recognise Fibre technologies for what they are – business enablers. It’s not enough to just keep the lights on anymore. Key technology decision makers have a duty to enable innovation and new innovative strategies, and as such, only Fibre will do. In the South African context, businesses have an even more important role to play than many might realise. Digitally-advanced businesses are futureproof. They grow and scale far more easily than their competitors, and therefore have a crucial role to play in providing employment opportunities and driving our economy forward. In a nutshell, businesses that are strong players on both the local and international scene have a lot to offer their local economies.
“Fibre eventually works out to be cheaper than other connections over time”
Fibre eventually works out to be cheaper than other connections over time, and it’s practically a necessity in allowing us to make full and unfettered use of cloud applications and software that improve efficiency and save a business money.
Fibre optics is the new standard for cabled Internet provision. It is able to offer unprecedented bandwidth – 1Gbps and faster, as opposed to ADSL’s maximum of 40Mbps – as well as an upload rate that equals its download. This makes uploading large files, such as video or voice, a much quicker process, and using cloud services much easier. The superior speed and capacity of Fibre connectivity opens a whole new world of opportunities for both internal and external business communications. And better communication translates into saved time, and time is, of course, money. We’ve heard the statistics of IT downtime costing businesses money by the minute – but the real cost of an unreliable network is difficult to measure and even more severe than most businesses realise. One must consider the impact it has on your brand and reputation in the eyes of current and potential clients, as well as the thousands of lost hours that such outages inevitably cause. The Fibre revolution may not be a brand-new concept, but it’s getting South African businesses excited for all the right reasons. Enabling an always-on digital environment with greater productivity, agility, innovation and collaboration will be essential for digital businesses far into the future. Why not start now? ■
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Niel Schoeman Vumatel CEO
Fibre
THE BIG FIBRE PUSH IN SOUTH AFRICA E
veryone wants it, but only a privileged few can get it – that’s been the status of consumer and business fibre access in South Africa in the recent past. Companies like Vumatel and Vox, however, are leading the charge in ensuring this changes and have made inroads into expanding their fibre networks in the country. Both Vumatel and Vox have made big plays in the fibre market in recent months. Vumatel acquired Durbanbased fibre-to-the-home company Estate Connexions in March, following its acquisition of Fibrehoods in October 2016. Vox announced in April its shareholders had approved a R550-million investment to expand its fibre network, through subsidiary Frogfoot Networks, and bolster job creation. Vox CEO Jacques du Toit said the bulk of the investment will be used on its fibre-tothe-home and fibre-to-the-business programme.
Fibre access in major metropolitan centres in South Africa will continue to expand, said Schoeman, and he believes that cities will be “fully fibred” within the next 24 months. “From there, the challenge will be to get fibre to the smaller towns and further-flung areas of the country,” he said. Both Vumatel and Vox hold the view that while fibre networks will continue to grow, it is unlikely there will be more entrants into the market. “We don’t believe that we will see many more entrants into this space than there are currently, but rather a refocusing along with increased spending from the existing players, and at some point, definitely a consolidation,” said du Toit.
Vox and Vumatel provide services to consumer and business clients, with small and medium enterprises next in line to benefit from the continued roll out of fibre.
The future of fibre Vumatel CEO Niel Schoeman told MyBroadband that fibre network expansion to most large corporates in South Africa has already taken place, particularly in the metropolitan areas and business precincts, with the SME market next in line for business fibre. “I believe that as FTTH deployments become more prevalent and metropolitan networks densify, the SME market will be addressed in the near term,” said Schoeman.
Schoeman said new or recent entrants will find it “very difficult to reach sufficient scale to justify the magnitude of the capital investment required” and will be forced to consolidate with other fibre players.
Du Toit echoed these sentiments, stating that the traditional fibre roll-out strategy had always been to target corporates and anchor tenants, which bring a quicker return on investment compared to small businesses.
“Therefore, the number of competitors will stabilise in the short term and a wave of consolidation will occur over the next 18 months,” he said.
“However, over the last two years, with more fibre being rolled out than ever, the SME market offers very attractive returns. The focus now is to sell as many endpoints within a given area with the majority of customers being SMEs,” said du Toit .
1Gbps lines and huge data caps The ideal situation for many consumers and businesses is a high-speed fibre line with a large data cap at a reasonable price – along with uninterrupted uptime and guaranteed throughput.
PAGE 11
While this may sound like a lofty idea – particularly to those who only have access to slower DSL services – Vox and Vumatel offer high-end packages which can meet the needs of demanding clients. Vumatel said it already provides 1Gbps connections to home users and there is a “real opportunity for the business market ISPs to leapfrog their competitors and provide these services today”. Du Toit said he estimates that the average speed for businesses currently connected to fibre is 20Mbps, which will not rise at the same rate as new residential fibre connections being deployed. He added that it will “still be a couple years” before 500Mbps or 1Gbps connections become standard for every business in the country. There are various challenges fibre players and Internet service providers face in bringing fast, affordable fibre access to clients, including the capital-intensive nature of fibre network deployment.
Simon Harvey FibreCo CEO
“The roll out of any infrastructure is very costly and investors must take a long-term return on investment. Not only does it cost money to install infrastructure in the last mile, but ISPs then need to consider the cost of equipment and backhaul,” said Schoeman. “Depending on how far a property is from a centralised data centre in a major metro, these costs can become prohibitively expensive. As the market becomes more competitive and more saturated, we should see these prices start to come down,” he said. Du Toit added that for fibre players to remain competitive in the market, they must conquer the challenge of providing value over and above the basic line and data service they provide. “The reliability of fibre and the decrease in data costs is starting to level the playing field a bit and providers are having to offer additional services and value to remain competitive,” said du Toit. ■
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Jacques du Toit Vox CEO
LINK Centre / JCSE / Wits Enterprise Capacity building for digital transformation University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
INSPIRING INNOVATIVE TALENT FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION In the 21st century, digital era information technology is paramount, and IT is becoming the heartbeat of every business. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) role has emerged as a central role in organisations, requiring IT professionals to manage and lead the technology and information function across business departments as true business stakeholders. Wits University has been offering CIO practice programmes geared at IT professionals for more than 10 years. Wits has developed a three-tiered approach for CIO leadership comprising our:
IT Management for CIO teams
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These courses are specifically designed for aspiring CIOs and CIOs providing a body of knowledge and thought leadership for CIOs in the digital area. Candidates who have graduated from our advanced CIO Professional Practice in Digital Innovation and Leadership are eligible to apply for postgraduate studies leading to our Masters and Ph.D. programmes. These programmes include:
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More technically orientated students may wish to pursue postgraduate studies through the School of Electrical and Information Engineering which include:
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Wits has also developed more specific courses focused on professional development in the following areas:
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Cloud Services
SECURITY IS THE CLOUD’S SILVER LINING Despite the rapid uptake of cloud hosting on a global scale, many South African companies are still unaware of the advantages of adopting this solution.
B
ased on Emid’s experience as a private/hybrid cloud host for the core banking platforms of many banking clients across South Africa, along with providing outsourced solutions to many other corporates, they have highlighted some of the most important factors to consider when partnering with an outsourced cloud hosting provider. When considering cloud-based hosting systems, many people tend to overcomplicate the issue in their minds. To make things easier, we will outline the three main types of cloud hosting solutions:
Public cloud Public cloud hosting offers scalability and self-service, while being made available to the general public. Examples of this include Amazon Web Services, iCloud, and Google cloud platform.
Private cloud Private cloud hosting offers similar benefits when compared to public cloud, the difference being that it is developed as a solution for a single organisation. This solution is also normally deployed at the client's location.
Hybrid cloud Hybrid cloud hosting uses a combination of on-site and off-site private cloud services, and integrates this with third-party public cloud services. A hybrid cloud solution can provide better scalability and deployment options to clients. The hosting of financial systems on the hybrid/private cloud is a viable and secure solution, so long as you choose the right ICT service provider. Security is a major concern for users when it comes to cloud-based hosting services. This concern is addressed through compliance with the POPI act, data localisation laws, and subscribing to bank-grade security levels.
PAGE 14
Data centres located in South Africa localise the user data, reducing trust issues as the clients can directly interact with service providers. There is also compliance with local privacy laws, such as the POPI Act, rather than navigating international data laws. Another great benefit of hybrid/private cloud hosting through certain providers, such as Emid, is that they adhere to strict security policies, guarding against the constant risk of information theft. Various offerings feature numerous enterprise-grade security strategies to safeguard your data. Emid goes one step further, offering an annual ISAE 3402 independent audit report in order to guarantee that international security standards are adhered to – something not many other vendors offer. Hosting your business in the cloud can have many advantages over and above the security and protection of personal information. Using Emid’s data centre as an example, they have hardware, systems, and processes worth millions of Rands managed by expert staff and installed in an access-controlled, safeguarded, air conditioned facility with multiple backup locations across South Africa. It would be impractical for a business to run that level of infrastructure themselves when they could have leading-edge technology readily available for a fraction of the cost, without the necessary specialist staff. Emid’s hosting solution is unique in the sense that each solution is tailor-made using parameters laid out by their clients, rather than following the traditional, boilerplate cloud hosting models. As a business, you'd be looking for a cloud-based hosting service provider that is trusted, secure, and disciplined the trick is in finding the right partner for you and your requirements. Emid’s record of accomplishment in the managed ICT sector speaks for itself. Their innovative technology ensures that they have incredible uptime records, as well as state-of-the-art security – this is what brings about the level of trust and satisfaction that all of their clients experience. ■
GET YOUR BUSINESS CONNECTED TO THE CLOUD
+27 12 421 5600 contactus@emid.co.za www.emid.co.za
Best smartphones from Mobile World Congress 2017 Mobile World Congress is the world’s largest gathering for the mobile industry. The event is organised by the GSMA and took place from 27 February to 2 March in Barcelona this year. Mobile World Congress is known for its excellent exhibitions, which show off the latest technology in the mobile world, and for product announcements from the world’s leading mobile companies. Here are the top smartphones which were shown off at Mobile World Congress 2017.
Huawei P10 The Huawei P10 features a 5.1-inch 1080p display, is powered by a Kirin 960 chipset, and supports dual-SIM functionality. The P10 has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which can be expanded through a microSD card. The device uses four antennas to support 4.5G functionality, giving users faster data speeds while reducing weak signal problems.
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Sony Xperia XZ Premium The Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone features a Motion Eye camera, which can capture video at 960 frames per second - allowing for super-slow-motion video playback. The camera’s predictive capture feature begins buffering images before the user presses record, allowing for responsive video recording. The Xperia XZ Premium also features a 4K HDR display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.
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Nokia 6 The Nokia 6 smartphone is made from a single block of 6000-series aluminum and sports a 5.5-inch full HD display, covered by 2.5D Gorilla Glass. Processing is taken care of by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 and 4GB of RAM. Built-in storage is 64GB. The device runs Android 7.0 and features 16MP rear and 8MP front cameras.
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LG G6 The LG G6 features a 5.7-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels. The 18:9 Univisium aspect ratio provides the best viewing experience for users and removes the need for cropping and squashing of media content, said LG. The G6 also supports Dolby Vision and HDR 10 – the first smartphone to do so. LG said despite the phone’s large display and thin bezel, the G6 is reliable and strong.
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Moto G5 The Moto G5 and G5 Plus are the latest devices in Motorola’s G line of mid-range smartphones. The Moto G5 Plus has a 5.2-inch, 1080p display, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset and 2GB of RAM. It ships with 32GB of storage, which can be expanded to 256GB using a microSD card. The phone runs Android 7.0 and sports a 3,000mAh removable battery.
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CAPABILITY COMES STANDARD WITH AS-A-SERVICE The cloud may bring efficiency, agility and scalability in its wake, but when the tools aren’t right for the job, they aren’t going to make any difference to the business, says Henk Olivier, Ozone Information Technology Solutions MD.
F
rom complex firewalls to robust back-end solutions, the as-a-Service (aaS) model has evolved from a dynamic concept into a vibrant reality. Cloud-based solutions are consistently reinventing their ability to transform business processes, streamline capabilities and save the business money. Software-as-a-Service has evolved from an outlandish idea to something that many IT companies use to create infrastructure and services for clients, and which many clients appreciate for its ubiquity and agility.
FWaaS allows the organisation to completely rethink cybersecurity. It hands the problems over to the experts so it can get on with doing what it does the best: its business. “Support, capacity, cost – these are the most common issues juggled by IT professionals today,” says Olivier. “What they need is for network security to become simple again, and that’s exactly the box that FWaaS ticks.”
“Thanks to improved bandwidth and network capacity, companies can move almost all of their services to the cloud,” explains Olivier. “For example, in the past many companies have had their mail servers hosted on site, but today they use cloud solutions to do the same job at half the cost for twice the value. Storage, data access, environments – all these vital business components come with services based in the cloud.” “Thanks to improved
bandwidth and network capacity, companies can move almost all of their services to the cloud”
Organisations can invest in services on demand without the need to invest in infrastructure. This means they can scale up or down dependent on demand and budget. It is a much-needed shift from CAPEX to OPEX that should make many a Chief Financial Officer happy. In addition, cloud services are moving into new areas, allowing organisations to harness the potential of the technology and significantly mitigate risk. “Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) has become a powerful tool that can protect the business, both internally and externally, and is growing in popularity,” says Olivier. “You cannot just block all Internet content and social media to ensure the security of the business. It will never work. This type of solution allows for users to gain access to relevant productivity tools and social networks, while also giving the business the network security it needs for peace of mind and compliance.”
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Henk Olivier Ozone Information Technology Solutions MD
Even Gartner is paying attention. In its July 2016 Hype Cycle report, the organisation describes FWaaS as both simple and cost effective, while also delivering services which can be more secure than traditional ones. “I will always recommend that a business invest in a service provider rather than try to manage and administer all their essential services on their own,” concludes Olivier. “They have their businesses to run, they know what they need to do – why dilute that with tasks that someone else can take on with far greater efficiency, at a lower cost, and with more features and functionality built in?” ■
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THE MOST RELIABLE HARD DRIVES H
ard drive failures are part of any modern business, and this can cost a company dearly in terms of lost data and service disruptions. Suitable backup systems, data recovery solutions, and redundancy can help to limit the damage hard drive failures can cause, but it is still a headache for any tech department to deal with a drive which has died.
Most common causes of hard drive failure 01 Mechanical problems
Hard drive failure is typically caused by mechanical problems, printed circuit board errors, and out-ofdate, corrupt, or buggy firmware. One of the best ways to prevent these problems – apart from the usual interventions like ensuring uninterrupted and quality power – is to buy the most reliable hard drives available.
02 Printed circuit board errors
To help companies and IT professionals with the decision on which hard drives to buy, backup and storage specialists Backblaze has recorded and saved daily hard drive statistics from the drives in its data centers since April 2013. These statistics include the failure rate for over 70,000 hard drives which it monitors.
03 Out-of-date, corrupt or buggy firmware
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The failure rate, as it is used by Backblaze, may be more accurately described as the annualised failure rate. This percentage is calculated by dividing the number of drive failures per model by the number of these drives in use. It also takes the number of days a drive has been used into account to ensure that all drives are measured equally, independent of when the drives became active.
Tips for making your hard drive last longer
Backblaze’s 2016 statistics showed that there were two models which went through the whole year without any failures - the 4TB Toshiba and the 8TB HGST hard drives. The overall hard drive failure rate for 2016 was 1.95%, which was down from 2.47% in 2015 and well below the 6.39% failure rate for 2014. The Backblaze statistics further showed that HGST produced the most reliable hard drives, with a failure rate of 0.60%. Toshiba was ranked second with a failure rate of 1.27%, followed by Seagate on 2.65% and WDC on 3.88%.
Don't remove hard drives unnecessarily
The company further found that larger hard drives had a lower failure rate, with the exception of 3TB drives - which had the lowest failure rate at 1.40%. The set of 8TB hard drives had an average failure rate of 1.60%, significantly lower than 5TB and 4TB drives with failure rates of 2.22% and 2.06% respectively. â–
Maintain proper air flow through your computer case
Hard drive failure rates by drive size
3 TB 4 TB 5 TB
Defrag hard drives regularly
6 TB 8 TB 0%
0.5%
1%
1.5%
2%
2.5%
3%
3.5%
4%
Hard drive failure rates by manufacturer
Don't turn hard drives on and off too regularly
HGST
Seagate
Toshiba
WDC 0%
0.5%
1%
1.5%
2%
2.5%
3%
3.5%
4%
Use a surge protector
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Cloud Services
CLOUD… THE NEW CHEESE H
umans do not like change, because at the very root of our existence, like animals, we want to adapt to our environment and thrive in it for as long as we can. The complexity of human life simply does not allow us to enjoy the same type of consistency and stability as animal life. The fable by Spencer Johnson: Who Moved My Cheese? (1998), captures that moment when we realise the world of technology is constantly changing, and we are afraid to adapt or change along with it because of our truest nature. The story involves four characters who live in a maze and are happily thriving because they have found a huge source of their favourite food, cheese. Two of the characters have built their lives around the big cheese and, when it disappears, feel they are the victim of fraud or theft. They cling to their loss and inevitably go hungry. Meanwhile, the other two quickly accept the loss and move on to find new cheese.
"If you do not change, you can become extinct"
Johnson's message is, for some, the future only holds fear and all good things were in the past, but instead of seeing change as the end of something, we must learn to see it as a beginning. The same applies to the adaptation to cloud.
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Enterprise IT is still a little suspicious of the lack of control cloud represents. But like the characters in Johnson's book, it is time to embrace the change. In fact, there are many benefits involved in moving to the cloud. By using cloud applications, you benefit from many cloud products, lower cost, improved security and management controls allowing you to streamline business and increase profitability. Changing to the cloud will free up your IT department, giving them a new lease on life, like delivering more efficiently, being more agile and reducing the costs incurred for IT, who can now spend more money on building a better customer experience. As an acceptation of the reality one of the characters in Johnson's book writes this on the wall of the maze: "If you do not change, you can become extinct." In business terms, this means: If you don’t learn to adapt to change, your company will not grow. The characters in the book who accepted the change didn't overanalyse or overcomplicate things. When the situation changed and the cheese was moved, they changed and moved with the cheese, and you need to do it too. ■
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THE RETURN OF THE KING
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I
f the Lord of the Rings was about a cellphone which could only be destroyed in the fires of Mt Doom, the Nokia 3310 would be the device cast for the role. While the running joke that it cannot be destroyed by a mortal man brings a smile to the face, the foundation of the meme was a serious dedication to quality and toughness by Nokia during the height of the brand’s popularity.
2.4" polarized and curved screen
The original 3310 was unveiled in September 2000 and sold over 126 million units worldwide during its time. Its durability helped it earn its place in history, and now Nokia, through HMD Global, plans to take advantage of the phone’s previous popularity. HMD Global, which acquired the rights to manufacture Nokia handsets, unveiled a modern version of the 3310 at Mobile World Congress at the start of 2017. By modern standards, the device is almost as simple as the original it is based on - featuring a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 2G network support, a removable 1,200mAh battery, and the Nokia Series 30+ operating system.
Original physical keyboard
Making it a success Making a modern version of the Nokia 3310 was done to “reward loyal Nokia fans” and to make “a real statement” according to the company behind it, but the question is: who will buy it? Modern smartphones boast a range of features, of which most users require at least a handful of in a single device. Whether you use your phone’s high-end camera for work or personal photography, email clients and web browsers to work while on the move, or a range of apps for transport or banking – the new Nokia 3310 cannot offer much to a user in 2017. One of its potential weaknesses is the operating system, Nokia Series 30+. Most companies focus on their Android and iOS apps, with favourites like WhatsApp discontinuing support for older/low-popularity operating systems. The 3310’s small screen and low-resolution camera are also potential drawbacks, as consumers have come to expect high-end specifications in these smartphone components. That being said, the room for success is large. Consumers who will find a need for a new 3310 are varied – from individuals looking for a “burner phone” for when they go camping, to those who have a limited budget and need a device which is strong and has a long battery life. The Nokia 3310’s affordable price point – pegged at an average of £49 worldwide – and its optional dualSIM functionality make it an ideal solution in multiple scenarios. Whether you buy one because you need it as a secondary device, a primary device, or as a souvenir of an era of Nokia dominance, it is good to see the king of cellphones back in the market. ■
2MP camera with LED flash
Four colours to choose from
Play the legendary Snake
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Internet-of-Things
HOW IOT IS BECOMING MORE AVAILABLE, SECURE AND AFFORDABLE IN SOUTH AFRICA SIGFOX, the world’s largest IoT network, is now available in all South Africa’s major metros, offering reliability, security and affordability, says Reshaad Sha, SqwidNet CEO.
T
he South African Internet-of-Things (IoT) market is poised for significant growth and is estimated to exceed $2 billion by 2020. Locally, IoT provides benefits to each link in the value chain, from retail to manufacturing quality control to real-time tracking for logistics, and there are many distributors in SA making IoT a reality.
“As the exclusive partner of SIGFOX, SqwidNet is addressing the need for a cost efficient nationwide IoT network in South Africa. The network we are building will ensure that at least 85% of the population will be covered with our network, and the connectivity costs are pegged at the lowest level enabling hundreds of millions of objects to be connected,” says Sha.
“New innovative entrepreneurial businesses are emerging, and they are not only addressing SA and Africa-specific problems – many are developing products locally that are being used in Europe, North America, and Australia,” says Sha.
"The rise of IoT in South Africa is set to revolutionise all local sectors"
The rise of IoT in South Africa is set to revolutionise all local sectors, stimulating industry growth and economic development.
“There are many benefits coming out of the billions of objects being digitised. We are seeing an increase in the rate of innovation of new services being brought to the market,” adds Sha. “The real-time and near-real-time collection of data from these devices will drive machine learning, early detection and autonomous workflow in the future. We will also see new business models emerging based on IoT analytics.” One of the predominant challenges, however, is the problem of connecting billions of devices in a costefficient and secure manner, while reducing energy consumption. This challenge has been solved by the SIGFOX network, which has now been rolled out across all of South Africa’s major cities, with full national coverage to be completed early in 2018.
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Reshaad Sha SqwidNet CEO SIGFOX technology has a long range, enabling devices to communicate with the SqwidNet network from tens of kilometres away. The SIGFOX-enabled device is also low-power, with a battery that could potentially last for ten years and more – up to 300-times more efficient than a cellular device. SIGFOX overcomes the other typical challenges facing the rise of IoT, as it is open-access, has built-in reliability and security features, and is up to 10-times cheaper to operate on the SqwidNet network than it is to use cellular technology. In fact, Sha adds that “customers don’t even need to bother with any other connectivity charges, even in other countries where SIGFOX has been rolled out”. The SIGFOX network now spans across 33 countries and new countries are being added to the list at a rapid pace. The company plans to have coverage in 60 countries by 2018. ■
The Internet of Things is here. SqwidNet is the SIGFOX network operator for South Africa. It provides an ecosystem for IoT innovation and the development and delivery of IoT solutions by enabling: • long-range, low-cost, and low-power devices and modules • low-cost connectivity. SIGFOX is a global IoT network deployed in over 33 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The SqwidNet network roll-out started in January 2017. National coverage is expected during 2018. For more information or to sign up as a SqwidNet partner, visit www.sqwidnet.com.
Hosting
BEHIND THE SCENES AT HETZNER’S IMPRESSIVE SAMRAND DATA CENTRE W
hen Hetzner launched its Samrand data centre in October 2013, the industry took note. Built on Hetzner Germany’s unique data centre design, which was adapted for the South African climate, the lower cost and efficient cooling enabled Hetzner to reduce the barrier to entry into the colocation market. The data centre offers uninterrupted power through 2N fully redundant, physically-separated A+B feeds and has the ability to run indefinitely without utility power using its diesel generators. The facility has the capacity to hold 53,000 litres of fuel, with a diesel refueling strategy in place to ensure its fuel tanks are replenished long before they are exhausted. Hetzner’s data centre connectivity is provided through diverse, redundant fibre routes connecting the facility to a 10Gbps fibre ring. The facility is multi-homed via EOH-NS, Metrofibre Networx, JINX, and NAPAfrica.
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The data centre offers a carrier-neutral model for colocation customers, providing freedom of choice as to who they use for upstream service providers and pointto-point connections. Many well-known operators are available to customers, including EOH, Telkom, Internet Solutions, DFA, SEACOM, XDSL, BitCo, and Cybersmart. Security is another priority for Hetzner, with 24/7 on-site security, patrol teams, access control using boom gates with ID verification, and vehicle registration logs. The facility is monitored by CCTV camera surveillance both externally and internally - and biometric access is installed on all access points. There is also a mantrap facility at the main entrance to prevent tailgating. The facility’s effective and efficient cooling system features N+2 redundancy on all air conditioning units. When ambient temperature allows for it, the data centre makes use of free cooling - achieved through its proprietary air conditioning system. The effectiveness of Hetzner’s free cooling has a direct impact on its customer’s energy bill and the environment. In 2015, the data centre achieved an impressive Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) rating of 1.17 – much better than the industry average of 1.7. A unique selling point of Hetzner’s colocation products is the simplicity and affordability which it offers its clients. There are no recurring cross-connect fees, the service can be discontinued with 30 days’ notice, and new rack orders are commissioned within an hour. ■
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THE BENEFITS OF SD-WAN IN ENSURING ALWAYS-ON CONNECTIVITY and efficiently. It ensures business continuity and IT disaster recovery, lowers WAN costs, improves app performance for mobile, remote, and branch users, and improves Skype for Business performance and quality.
SD-WAN is the fastest growing segment of the network market and will redefine the connectivity of your business, says Brendan McAravey, Country Manager at Citrix South Africa.
T
raditionally, IT organisations have addressed challenges around connectivity through WAN optimisation. Ye t , m a n y h i g h - b a n d w i d t h business apps, such as graphicsintensive design tools, VoIP, and HD video, don’t leave much room for optimisation. Scaling WAN bandwidth through MPLS services is costly, takes months of negotiation and implementation to set up, and locks companies into multi-year contracts. Companies need a more agile, fluid way to adapt their networks to the needs of their businesses and ensure reliable high performance. SD-WAN offers a new approach to maintaining high-quality connectivity, as multiple MPLS and broadband paths are logically bound into a single virtual WAN with greater bandwidth, resiliency and flexibility than any single connection could offer. “SD-WAN is an overlay technology, where you place one device in the data centre and one in the branch, and there is no disruption or downtime. You connect it to your service provider’s router and use it over their network,” says McAravey. “Because the router converges multiple lines, you can bring in a second or a third service provider
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“What makes NetScaler unique is the fact that we don’t require customers to set certain applications to certain paths,” adds McAravey. “We can also tell you in real time which is the best path to use – packet by packet rather than by application. So if your MPLS link goes down, your user won’t even know because it will immediately reroute on another path. Brendan McAravey Country Manager at Citrix South Africa
as well. This is ideal for branches with no coverage from your primary service provider, and it provides you with the flexibility of choice.” SD-WAN also offers intelligent path selection and can select network paths in both directions on a per-packet basis for optimal bandwidth efficiency, as well as application awareness. By identifying and prioritising mission-critical application traffic, a virtual WAN can ensure that the most important apps have access to the best-performing WAN links. In this space, Citrix offers NetScaler, which combines real-time path selection, edge routing, end-toend QoS, and WAN optimisation and delivers the mobile workspace to the branch securely, reliably,
NetScaler also offers zero-touch deployment, and very minimal intervention is required at the branch level. “You send the unit to the branch, get someone there to plug it in and type in the serial number, and you don’t need to send a specialised IT guy to every location to set it up,” McAravey explains. It is also software based and has a firewall integrated, allowing many companies to scale back on hardware to a single unit. “People don’t necessarily see us as a networking company, but our legacy has always been about connecting people,” concludes McAravey. “We are extremely well positioned because we are app-aware. We know what is required to deliver apps and data across networks. Not having to lock applications to a particular path comes from our legacy of understanding how applications and data traverse networks.” ■
eCommerce
THE FUTURE OF ECOMMERCE IN SOUTH AFRICA S
outh Africa’s eCommerce market only accounts for around 1% of total retail sales in the country, but experts believe this will increase to over 5% in the near future if a few key aspects of online shopping are addressed. Central to growing eCommerce in South Africa is improved online shopping experiences, faster and cheaper delivery, growing mobile purchases, better integration of online and offline shopping, and better and more secure payments. ParcelNinja CEO Justin Drennan, one of the country’s prominent eCommerce players, said while South Africa is lagging behind global standards, it is catching up fast. He said the growing middle class, increased trust in online shopping, better payment solutions, and more people using the Internet are big drivers of eCommerce adoption. According to Drennan, South Africa is a leader in payment services, which includes the likes of Zapper, SnapScan, and instant EFT. These platforms are not widely available globally and serve the local industry well.
There are, however, many challenges, including the cost and speed of delivery. The South African Post Office could make a big difference, and its CEO Mark Barnes said in 2016 that eCommerce will be a big revenue driver for the company. To date, not much has come of his eCommerce plans and most online “South Africa is lagging shopping players rely global standards, but it on courier companies is catching up fast” for deliveries. Another challenge is a lack of skills in the local market. Drennan said that apart from a shortage of good technical skills in the country, there are not many people with knowledge of the eCommerce market who can help new companies grow. He said many local businesses get off the ground, but are unable to scale - as they get the wrong advice, land in trouble, and ultimately close.
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“Running a small eCommerce business from home is relatively easy, but the transition from a small business to a medium or large enterprise requires a bigger skillset,” said Drennan. This includes custom solutions, skilled software developers to build the custom systems, and experienced managers to oversee the growth.
Winners and losers Luke Mckend, Country Director at Google South Africa, concurred with Drennan, saying technical proficiency is where South African eCommerce will be won or lost. Mckend said better websites, platforms, and customer journeys will be a big driver for online shopping growth - especially in the mobile space. General Manager for Online and Mobile at Pick n Pay Mike Cotterell agreed, stating that a crucial ingredient to grow online shopping is to offer quality products in a quality online environment. Drennan said this is often a catch-22 for online businesses, as they need the correct products to bring people online, but unless these shoppers are already online, you cannot sell to them. While South Africa is facing challenges, the country’s entrepreneurial spirit and “making a plan” attitude stands it in good stead. Drennan highlighted the example of Takealot acquiring Mr Delivery, which is now known as Mr D, to overcome the challenge of a poor postal system. A question asked by many industry players is: Who is going to win and who is going to lose in the eCommerce space in South Africa? Drennan said it is becoming a winner-takes-all market, with Takealot “doing amazing work” to dominate the online shopping space. “I think smaller players trying to compete with Takealot are going to have a hard time, because of Takealot’s scale,” said Drennan. This is especially true with the growth of Takealot’s marketplace, which will extend the company’s product offerings.
Traditional retailers will continue to get into online, but it is not certain if they will dedicate enough resources to eCommerce to become serious players. Drennan said the attitude of large brick-and-mortar retailers in South Africa to eCommerce will define the online shopping landscape over the next two years. “There may be retailers with a large online presence, or they may get dominated by Takealot.”
Becoming an eCommerce player For traditional retailers to become strong eCommerce players, they will need to get people with experience to help them in the journey. “They may know their current business, but eCommerce is fundamentally different,” said Drennan. He said most large retailers in the United States have separate offices and divisions within the company to deal with eCommerce. As strange as it sounds, the traditional brick-and-mortar business needs to face direct competition from its own eCommerce offering and must allow their online offering to cannibalize their existing business.
Justin Drennan ParcelNinja CEO
With Takealot and a few large retailers dominating the market, it may seem like opportunities in the local eCommerce market are drying up. Not so. Niche players, which offer consumers products or services which they cannot get anywhere else, will remain popular. For these ventures to be successful, they will need to operate on low-cost bases and high margins. This includes using off-the-shelf technology and limiting the need for custom development. A growing middle class and Internet population, the growth of mobile commerce, and the availability of quality payment systems bodes well for the local eCommerce market. How it evolves will depend on how the big retailers approach online shopping and how much they are willing to invest. ■
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Software
CODE CONTROL YOUR LIFE – WELCOME TO THE NEW SOFTWARE-DEFINED LIFE T
he evolution of technology is rocketing us into the digital realm, with a strong focus on code, says Rudie Raath, Datacentrix Chief Digital Strategist.
The explosion of mobile apps as the gateway into the Internet-of-Things world is fundamentally changing human behaviour and communication methods.
As IoT is rapidly expanding, the gateway between connected machines, small or large, is controlled with code. Humanity is being assimilated by code, and we allow this as it addresses our very need for instant gratification. We want to know more, faster, interact with our surroundings, and experience digital reality in a new way.
Datacentrix is hosting the IT event of the year in July and will be exploring the world of singularity being a reality. Hear from leading experts, both local and global, for their take on this very controversial topic.
IoT brings with it a new age of software development, one that does not depend on the interaction between humanity and machine, but merely providing humanity with a window into the world of M2M communication.
Technology innovation is waiting for no one, but technology innovation is certainly no longer limited to large corporations – it is happening around us, and it is happening in code. ■
Mobile Data
SHARED MOBILE PLANS AS A SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTION W
hen Telkom launched its FreeMe Family packages in February, smartphone users took notice. The three options were all led by large mobile data allocations, free Telkom-to-Telkom calls, and free use of over-the-top services like WhatsApp.
“Previously, customers had access to services such as Multi-SIMs, but did not have access to the value that is offered by the FreeMe Family plans,” said Telkom spokesperson Jacqui O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan said the plans allow small businesses to “consolidate their cellphone spending and realise benefits with just one account”. FreeMe Family offers a single view of a small business’s cellphone bill, and data allowance and usage can be customised for maximum flexibility, she said. Part of the reason for the solid start described by O'Sullivan is the great value that the packages offer. At launch, MyBroadband took the 30GB FreeMe Family service and allocated it to five hypothetical users. The cost was split over the five users, resulting in a perperson bill of R140 – giving each user 5GB of data, unlimited on-net minutes, and unlimited SMS messaging.
At launch, the packages came in three sizes (defined by their monthly data limits): 30GB, 50GB, and Unlimited – priced at R699, R999, and R1,499 respectively. While the name “FreeMe Family” gives it a consumer-focused feel, small businesses may want to compare how their current employee smartphone plans stack up against the new packages from Telkom. A strong selling point of FreeMe Family as a small business solution is the ability to link 10 SIM cards to a single account – with the account holder then able to allocate the data and calls as required. The packages come with four free Multi-SIMs, with a maximum limit of 10 SIMs.
Solid start Telkom told MyBroadband that although the idea of sharing data from a single account among multiple people is a relatively new one, the FreeMe Family plans have seen a “solid start” in the market.
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Compared to individual packages from other network operators - which included 6GB of mobile data, calling minutes, and SMS messaging – FreeMe Family was substantially cheaper.
Shared data in South Africa Telkom believes that data will continue to be an area where mobile operators experience continued growth - whether related to usage, subscriber numbers, or revenue. “The focus on data as a driving force when looking at the progression into an IP-based world, the rise of IoT, and related concepts should be an indication that data is becoming central to driving mobile revenue worldwide,” said O'Sullivan. While the concept of shared data plans may be quite new in South Africa, the simplicity they bring to datahungry consumers and businesses – along with their ease of use and value for money – will see the packages become a preferred option for many customers, said O'Sullivan. ■
The mobile revolution continues…
in the office
Mobile phones, and smartphones in particular, have fundamentally changed how we live and work. Ushering in the new age of now, mobility has played a central role in empowering customers to demand more from the businesses they deal with, and is now empowering companies to serve those customers more effectively. Mobile devices and social media have created a layer across our world, revolutionising companies, products and customers forever. The starting point for any digital transformation initiatives therefore must lie rooted in a true converged next generation network, a proper well thought through IP Telephony or Unified Communications (UC) strategy, and most importantly, a mobile strategy supported by these. The millennials were the drivers behind smartphone adoption and increased use of social networking in our business and personal lives. The next generation – Generation Z – is the video generation. They will be the drivers of further mobility through their demands for a seamless experience across platforms. In the future, mobile voice plans will disappear in favour of VoIP and UC-based solutions. The emergence of Generation Z in the workforce is changing the communications landscape even more than millennials did.
What’s next? Get tomorrow’s mobility, today and take care of your business anywhere, anytime.
Generation Z views email and desk phones as ineffective forms of communication, but considers the smartphone indispensable. As a result, UC solutions that sync with smartphones to give the smartphone experience on the desk will become a business necessity in the near future. Generation Z is more focused on communication being effective, where millennials are about the convenience and efficiency. Business communications will therefore have to have more of a focus on in-person interaction, through collaboration and video conferencing, than the messaging culture that millennials embraced. These changes will apply throughout the enterprise. The future workplace will have to cater to the needs of its Generation Z staff as well as customers. This means that the channels through which employees collaborate need to be as effective as the channels through which customers interact with a business. E-Mail, telephony, Instant Messaging, video collaboration, team collaboration, business social media, business notifications, corporate cloud apps, travel management, contact lists, etc., will have to behave the same way they do on a smartphone. They will have to be integrated, and easily accessed in one central location.
EOH Network Services
Visit www.eoh-ns.co.za or call us on 0860 88 0860 to find out how to get the most out of your mobile workforce.
Conservation
Conservation
DIMENSION DATA AND CISCO ANNOUNCE PROJECT TO PROTECT RHINO BY TRACKING PEOPLE D
imension Data and Cisco are working together to reduce the number of rhinos being poached in South Africa. The two companies have deployed some of the world’s most sophisticated technology in an unnamed private game reserve adjacent to the worldrenowned Kruger National Park to monitor and track individuals from the time they enter the reserve gates, until they exit. The goal is to proactively intervene and stop people entering the reserve illegally - whether it’s cutting fences, being dropped onto the ground by helicopters, or simply driving in through the entrance gates.
"A staggering 1,215 rhinos were killed by poachers in 2014 alone"
According to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs’ Report 2015, a staggering 1,215 rhinos were killed by poachers in 2014 alone. This equates to three rhinos being killed every day.
If the rate of poaching continues, rhino deaths could overtake rhino births by 2018, and the rhino could be non-existent in South Africa by 2025. Dimension Data executive Bruce Watson explains: “Every day, hundreds of staff, suppliers, contractors,
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security personnel, and tourists enter and exit game reserves. The human activity in these environments is not monitored because, typically, the reserve is in a remote location with basic IT infrastructure and access control, manual security processes, and very limited communication.” The solution employs a secure park area network; data collection and analysis via CCTV/biometric scanning; Wi-Fi and local area networks at each entrance; LORA technology throughout the reserve; sensors on the reserve periphery and for tracking vehicles entering and exiting the reserve; thermal imaging along the park perimeter; connection to a national database; multiple devices with access to all data; threat alerts to help proactive decision making; automatic backup and continuous system availability; predictive modelling; and helicopters to ensure prompt response to identified threats. “With our Connected Conservation technology, we don’t touch the animals by darting them with tranquilisers to insert sensors into their horns, or insert a chip under their skin. We have a proactive solution that tracks the movement of people instead of the animals themselves. There is no stress or trauma inflicted on the rhinos and they are left to roam free in their natural habitat,” says Watson. ■
‘We believe our children deserve a world in which rhinos roam free’ If you believe you can do anything, we’re here to help you do it.
For other great stories on how technology is changing the world, visit dimensiondata.com/BelieveInGreatness
Video-on-Demand
NETFLIX IS HOLLYWOOD’S NUMBER ONE ENEMY W
hen a 21st Century Fox vice president left the company to join Netflix, the head of Fox 21 Television Studios, Bert Salke, said the streaming service was “public enemy number one”. Salke, like many traditional TV networks and studios, has seen the impressive rise of Netflix in recent years and knows it is becoming the first choice in entertainment for many who enjoy series and movies. Netflix’s financial results for 2016 show just how well the company is doing, with its revenue up 35% compared to the previous year and its subscriber count increasing to over 93 million. The strength of its offering is the vast array of original and third-party content it offers on-demand, with TV series the main drawcard. In 2017, Netflix plans to improve its movie offering – with original productions a cornerstone of the play.
While Sandler’s movies may not be in line to win an Oscar anytime soon, they have proved “extremely successful” with subscribers around the world, said Netflix. If you combine the service’s current TV series offering, its intention to become a strong player in the production and release of original movies, its low price point, and the fact that this is all on offer from the comfort of your couch, Netflix is becoming a bigger threat to traditional entertainment players. One of the casualties may be movie theatres, as Netflix subscribers will not have to visit a cinema to see new releases. High-end – and high-budget - series offered by Netflix, such as The Crown and Narcos, also provide a strong incentive for users to stay at home and stream instead of visiting a cinema.
Massive value for money Bringing in the big guns In March 2017, Netflix made two big announcements which showed its clear intent to take on Hollywood.
Besides its vast library of content and the convenience of choosing when and where you watch content, Netflix also provides exceptional value for money.
The first was that Scott Stuber, former vice chairman of worldwide production at Universal Studios, was joining Netflix. Stuber will lead the company’s original film initiative, including the production and acquisition of original movies.
A pair of movie tickets and getting to a cinema is more expensive than a monthly subscription to the streaming service – a value proposition which movie chains will struggle to trump.
Stuber also founded and ran Bluegrass Films, which produced Ted, Central Intelligence, and Safe House.
As consumers become more accustomed to a digitalfirst experience in many aspects of their lives, movie houses and Hollywood studios have a tough fight on their hands to keep Netflix at bay. ■
"One of the casualties may be movie theatres, as Netflix subscribers will not have to visit a cinema to see new releases"
The second announcement by Netflix was that it had signed a deal with Adam Sandler and Happy Madison Productions to produce four movies.
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Netflix has also made it easy for users to watch content on almost any device – from PCs, to smart TVs, to mobile phones – which allows customers to benefit from the service even when they are away from home or where they normally consume content.
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Scalability. Security. Cost Savings.
A CLOUD WITH MANY SILVER LININGS T
he weather forecast for 2017 – and beyond – is decidedly cloudy with guaranteed showers of increased operational efficiencies and profitability. This is the prediction of CipherWave, a local Internet service provider that offers growing businesses a range of products and solutions to help them connect, communicate and collaborate with employees, customers and suppliers. Savvy South African businesses are reaping the many quantifiable benefits that the cloud offers. These include not having to worry about owning and managing physical IT infrastructure, freeing up your working capital for business growth, deploying productivityboosting software applications quickly, and easily and knowing that when the unusual strikes, business will go on as usual.
Business Continuity Services • • •
Disaster Recovery as a Service Back-up as a Service Data Recovery
Why choose CipherWave Cloud? Know where your business’s data resides We own and manage state-of-the-art local data centres that provide customers with access to a range of secure cloud-based productivity and business continuity services.
Collaborate with ease and grow your business with CipherWave Cloud services
We partner with the best in the business
CipherWave provides a range of Cloud-based Productivity and Business Continuity services to help customers achieve more and worry less.
Our Cloud environment is built on industryleading hardware and partnerships with industry visionaries, including Microsoft, Veeam and VMWare.
Productivity Services •
•
Software-as-a-Service: Boost your business productivity with a range of software solutions, from Hosted Exchange, Office 365, Email Archive to Anti-Spam. Infrastructure-as-a-Service: Bid large capital outlays farewell. Rather buy as much, or as little, infrastructure capacity as you need by tapping into our datacentres.
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We mitigate risks, so you can focus on your business We understand local legislative, governance and compliance requirements. We assist our clients in navigating these complexities. ■
W e ne own tw a or nd k m an a d na da ge ta ou ce r nt ow re n
CipherWave Cloud Offering
Business Continuity Software as a Service (SaaS)
Veeam VMware Office 365 Anti-spam & Antivirus Email Archiving
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Standard Virtual Machines Replicated Virtual Machines High Availability Virtual Machines Co-location
CONNECT
COMMUNICATE
DR as a Service Backup as a Service Data Recovery
COLLABORATE
Know where your critical business data resides.
HOST
LOCAL
+27 11 541 9940 info@cipherwave.co.za www.cipherwave.co.za
Local online backup is easier to manage and control. Data sovereignty - you know and understand the law. Local support operating in your time zone.
A TIMELINE OF INTERNET ACCESS IN SOUTH AFRICA W
ith the availability of 1Gbps fibre connections and mobile speeds exceeding 200Mbps, it is easy to forget the long and difficult road which was travelled in South Africa to arrive where we are today. Not too long ago, most people accessed the Internet via a dial-up modem, paying per-minute for the privilege of visiting websites at a speed of 56kbps. To understand Internet access in South Africa, it is important to start at the beginning. The Internet in South Africa can be tracked back to Rhodes University in 1988, when three pioneers – Francois Jacot Guilarmod, Dave Wilson and Mike Lawrie – established an email link to the Internet. The email link used the Fidonet mailing system as a transport
mechanism to exchange email between the Control Data Cyber computer at Rhodes University and a Fidonet gateway run by Randy Bush of Portland, Oregon. Towards the end of 1991, the UUCP dial-up link was replaced with a full Internet connection that operated across a leased line at 9,600bps. During the early nineties, most of the South African Internet developments happened at universities and academic institutions. This changed with the advent of commercial Internet service providers (ISPs). In November 1993, South Africa’s first commercial ISP – The Internet Company of South Africa – was formed. It gave four commercial companies live access to the Internet, with another six following a week later.
1991 Rhodes University 9.6kbps Internet connection 1993 The Internet Company of South Africa formed
2002 Telkom 512kbps ADSL
1995 Telkom 64/128kbps ISDN
2000 Vodacom 244kbps EDGE
1997 56kbps dial-up
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1999 Vodacom 56kbps GPRS
Residential Internet access followed, with 56kbps dial-up connections starting to gain popularity in 1997 thanks to products like MWEB’s Big Black Box. Telkom’s 64kbps ISDN Internet service also proved popular among techsavvy users, especially because it allowed for two ISDN lines to be bonded to achieve 128kbps. With residential dial-up and ISDN connections, users had to pay a perminute local call rate to stay connected. Telkom’s R7 Call package, which offered a flat rate for a call of any duration on weekends and after-hours, brought some relief for heavy users, but it was still restrictive. Things changed quickly after Telkom launched its first commercial ADSL product in August 2002, which can be seen as the dawn of broadband in South Africa. The service offered unlimited access to the Internet at 512kbps, with unmetered local data and a 3GB cap on international data for around R1,000 per month. Even with the restrictive international cap, ADSL was a game changer which sparked an Internet revolution in the country.
2004 Sentech 512kbps MyWireless 2004 Vodacom 384kbps 3G
In 2004, two wireless broadband services were launched in South Africa - Sentech MyWireless with speeds of up to 512kbps, and Vodacom 3G with speeds of 384kbps. iBurst followed suit in 2005 with its 1Mbps offering, and MTN and Neotel also launched wireless broadband products over the next two years. Over the next seven years, the rate of broadband roll-out and innovation accelerated, with the mobile operators entering the LTE era, and many fibre providers entering the market with products offerings speeds of up to 1Gbps. While there is a long road ahead to increase the availability of fibre-to-the-home services and making mobile data more affordable, South Africa has come a long away from the early days of dial-up to uncapped products with high enough speeds to rival international standards. ■
2010 Telkom 10Mbps ADSL
2014 MTN 100Mbps Fibre-to-the-Home
2016 Vodacom 150Mbps LTE-A
2014 Vumatel 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Home
2016 MTN 150Mbps LTE-A
2014 Telkom 150Mbps LTE-A
2016 Cell C 100Mbps C-Fibre
2014 Telkom 100Mbps Fibre-to-the-Home
2016 Cell C 150Mbps LTE-A
2006 Vodacom 1.8Mbps HSDPA
2008 Vodacom 3.6Mbps HSDPA
2010 Vodacom 14.4Mbps HSPA
2006 MTN 1.8Mbps HSDPA
2008 MTN 3.6Mbps SDPA
2010 Neotel 8Mbps WiMax
2006 Telkom 4Mbps ADSL
2008 Neotel 2.4Mbps NeoConnect
2010 Cell C 21Mbps HSPA+
2005 iBurst 1Mbps 2005 Telkom 1Mbps ADSL 2005 MTN 384kbps 3G
2007 Telkom 512kbps WiMax
2013 Telkom 20Mbps and 40Mbps VDSL
2009 Vodacom 7.2Mbps HSPA 2009 Neotel 3.1Mbps NeoFlex
2012 MTN 100Mbps LTE 2012 Vodacom 100Mbps LTE 2011 Vodacom 42Mbps HSPA+
2015 Cell C 100Mbps LTE 2015 Vodacom 100Mbps FTTH
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Networking
HOW HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIVITY IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY SOUTH AFRICANS DO BUSINESS Fibre has the potential to bring transformational change to both metro and outlying urban areas, says FibreCo CEO, Simon Harvey.
S
outh Africa is still behind globally regarding Internet speed and cost, and investing in broadband penetration can enable access to information and act as a lever for the economy. A 10% increase in broadband penetration in low and middle-income countries can result in a 1.38% increase in economic growth. Highspeed connections and increased access generate major economic growth and rapid job creation – but it needs to be affordable. Since inception in 2009, FibreCo’s mission has been to provide direct access to infrastructure to lower the cost of connectivity in SA. FibreCo still has this vision in mind and is now ramping up its efforts to enable delivery of capacity to end users across the country. Improving connectivity for both the public and private sectors will have a positive socio-economic impact on the country and help to meet the nation’s aspirations for world-class broadband connectivity. Yet fibre penetration in South Africa currently tends to focus on the country’s main metro areas. FibreCo, however, is focusing on expanding its network to the areas along its route that need more connectivity. The FibreCo network already spans over 4,000 km and has 52 points of presence, and its open-access pricing model is paving the way for lower broadband costs. Harvey says the company is looking to build out Fibre from these points of presence over the next three years for not only bigger cities like Bloemfontein, but also smaller ones such as Kroonstad. Cloud adoption is ramping up, thus further increasing demand for high-speed connectivity. Companies will move simple services, like email and voice, to a cloudbased service instead of onsite PABX or email servers.
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Simon Harvey FibreCo CEO
“With access to high-speed connectivity, businesses in outlying areas will be able to start making better use of cloud services and will improve their communication with clients, whether local or international, especially with rich video conference facilities,” says Harvey. FibreCo’s access connectivity allows service providers in these areas to connect buildings, malls or office complexes using a combination of multi-medium access, including fibre and wireless access solutions. While fibre is its core business, FibreCo is technologyagnostic when it comes to access connectivity and can deploy wireless and fibre solutions for access connectivity depending on the terrain and customer requirements. “Many offices have their infrastructure on site, and more and more businesses are going to move that infrastructure to the cloud,” Harvey adds. “In smaller, outlying towns, many businesses don’t have the capacity to employ a dedicated IT professional permanently, and so they will see the movement to the to the cloud as an attractive alternative.” ■
High-speed, high-capacity networks are critical to the future of the world’s internet and digital economy. FibreCo’s network is designed for emerging technologies and is completely future-proofed for gigabit and terabit broadband needs.
ACCESS CONNECTIVITY
MANAGED LIGHT
MANAGED FIBRE ™
Access connectivity allows clients to connect houses, buildings, malls or office complexes using a combination of multi-medium access including fibre and wireless access solutions.
Managed Light is a lit fibre service allowing clients to connect directly to a wavelength on the FibreCo network. With 10Gbps and 100Gbps options available, clients can connect their own Layer 2 or Layer 3 devices hosted in the FibreCo Open Access facilities.
FibreCo offers dark fibre pairs across its entire network for clients to light routes using their own equipment. This allows complete flexibility of managing you own network.
POWERFUL BUSINESS LAPTOPS FOR EXECUTIVES ON THE MOVE A
powerful notebook allows users to work at home, while travelling, or at their office desk, thanks to the device’s high-end specifications and portability. Modern business notebooks do more than act as a workstation, however, with PC manufacturers ensuring their devices are not only stylish, but that they can handle demanding tasks such as 4K media streaming or playback.
Dell Precision 5510 Dell’s Precision 5510 packs an impressive Intel Core Xeon E3-1505M processor, up to 32GB of RAM, an Nvidia Quadro M1000M 2GB GPU, a 15.6-inch 4K touch display, and 1.5TB of storage space.
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A good notebook also needs to provide a large enough screen to work on if a secondary monitor is not available, while remaining light and providing a decent battery life – not an easy task. We took a look at what the top manufacturers had on offer in terms of business laptops and have provided a snapshot of what the machines are packing. If you are in the market for a new device, you’ll definitely want to check these notebooks out.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga sports an Intel Core i7 6th-gen processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 14-inch WQHD MultiTouch display.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2016) Apple fans can spec their MacBook Pro 13-inch out with up to 1TB of SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, Intel Iris Graphics 550, and a 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor.
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Acer Chromebook 14 for Work Acer’s Chromebook 14 for Work packs an Intel Core i3 6th-gen processor, 14-inch Full HD display, Intel HD Graphics 520, 8GB of RAM, and, of course, Chrome OS.
AsusPro Business Notebook The AsusPro offers users up to an Intel Core i7 7th-gen processor, 16GB of RAM, and Intel HD Graphics 620. Storage options include a 1TB SSD, while the display is a 14-inch Full HD unit.
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Networking
FUJIKURA-70S, A MARVEL OF AUTOMATION T
alk of optic fibre and FTTH (Fibre-to-the-Home) is dominating our lives these days. It’s on everyone’s lips, every billboard advertises it, and everyone wants it. The optic fibre market is booming and everyone wants to jump onto the bandwagon.
It features a programmable automated splicing and heater oven. This means it splices in 4 steps, compared to 9 steps for conventional splicers. It is also the fastest in its range, splicing in 6 seconds and heating in only 9 seconds.
This is all great; however, it opens the door for many non-desirable products to hit our market and many uninformed newcomers fall into the "buy cheap, pay twice" trap.
These features are impressive; however, what makes the unit even more attractive is the fact that it is fully supported in Southern Africa and that all service and repairs are done locally at our accredited calibration laboratory in Ferndale, Randburg. ■
Fujikura, a truly Japanese company, presents the Fujikura-70S. The 70S, which won the Global Fusion Splicers Customer Value Leadership award from Frost & Sullivan, is a marvel of engineering and represents the best of what the market has to offer in splicing machines.
Contact Zach Yacumakis at IC Logistix. +2711 521 2370, zachy@iclogistix.co.za
IC Logistix A5 Ad.qxp_Layout 1 2017/01/17 11:51 AM Page 1
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SOLE ACCREDITED DISTRIBUTOR FOR SOUTHERN AFRICAN MARKET
Sales Tel +2711 521 2370 Cell +2778 280 7115 / +2784 602 0066 Email iclsales@iclogistix.co.za Web www.iclogistix.co.za
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS
WITH NASHUA VOICE SOLUTIONS At Nashua, it’s our business to make yours more efficient. And with the global shift towards the increased mobility of businesses and teams, Voice solutions have become a key tool in maintaining this efficiency. Portable, scalable and completely mobile, Nashua Voice solutions also contribute towards businesses generating additional revenue and reducing their operating costs, allowing us to live up to our promise of saving you time, saving you money and putting you first. For more information on Nashua Voice and any of our other integrated business solutions, visit: www.nashua.co.za
Investment
INVESTING WITH VINNY LINGHAM S
outh Africa’s Vinny Lingham has been described as a “serial Silicon Valley entrepreneur”, making it big in the United States when he sold his virtual gift card service Gyft to First Data for over $50 million in 2014. L i n g h a m h a s a l s o s e r ve d a s founder and chief executive officer of website builder service Yola and digital marketing solutions firm Clicks2Customers. His latest ventures include his role as CEO of blockchain identity start-up Civic and his position as a “Shark” on M-Net’s business show Shark Tank.
Vinny Lingham
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The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is another target on Lingham’s radar, along with a growing number of investors who see big potential in the digital currency. With South Africa’s political and economic environment proving particularly unstable as 2017 has progressed – and the rand suffering as a consequence – people are looking to move their investments into assets which will ensure they emerge unscathed from these turbulent times. The question is: can Bitcoin provide a safe haven for local investors?
Massive Bitcoin growth “Long term, Bitcoin holds a lot of promise and I think it's a unique and special asset class. Right now, there are significant technical risks facing the industry that it will most likely overcome, but other than that, as a longterm investment (5 to 10 years), I advocate that it will be a good one,” Lingham told MyBroadband. Bitcoin has shown massive growth over the past two years, following a substantial drop in its value between the end of 2013 and the start of 2015. If you purchased Bitcoin in April 2015 – when it was trading at around R2,900 for 1 Bitcoin – and sold your stake in April 2017, you would have increased your investment by just over 530%.
The 3 qualities an entrepreneur must have Lingham is a “Shark” on M-Net’s business show Shark Tank. The show takes promising entrepreneurs and gives them the opportunity to convince the Sharks to bank on their ideas. Lingham said there are three qualities he looks for when deciding to invest in a person and their business. “The best entrepreneurs have all three in abundance and that's what I look for.”
Intelligence
“Like all investments, it should form part of a balanced portfolio, and squarely in the higher-risk category for your investments,” said Lingham.
Investing in South Africa Lingham is also vocal about South Africa’s political situation, but is hopeful that the country and its prospects going forward – including investing locally – will improve. “The world is a crazy place and there are risks in every market. I'm still hopeful for South Africa, but as I've said before: things will need to get worse before they get better. It's the nature of people, and political and business cycles,” said Lingham.
Passion
In terms of investing in the country, Lingham advised South Africans to prioritise the settling of existing debt as part of their investment strategy. “In a high-interest-rate environment like South Africa, you want to be paying no interest every month. Pay off your debts as quickly as you can and keep a tight household budget. Don't look to make investments when you still owe money on your mortgage or credit cards - on a risk adjusted basis, it's just not smart,” said Lingham. ■
Grit
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Fibre
VUMATEL'S SUPER-FAST WORLD-CLASS FIBRE BROADBAND V
umatel builds an open access Fibre network which means that Vumatel is not a service provider, but simply installs the infrastructure. Residents can then choose from a number of Internet service providers (ISPs) for Internet packages ranging from as little as R396 per month. The separation of the infrastructure and the service means that you can choose the service provider and the package that is right for you. The competitive environment allows you to easily change between service providers and packages as your needs change. VUMA gives you the power of choice and convenience. Leave contracts in the past and pick month-to-month services. Go to shop.vumatel.co.za to view the hundreds of deals available. Vumatel is laying the foundation for the smart homes and smart cities of the future. The speed and capacity of fibre make your digital life at home hassle-free. Stream HD movies, series and music on multiple devices in your home simultaneously. Take online gaming to a new level with low latency. Stay safe with connected security cameras, live camera feeds and in-home monitoring systems. The possibilities with VUMA Fibre are endless.
Building a Connected South Africa Vumatel’s vision is to build a connected South Africa. Not only does Vumatel intend to expand its footprint and connect as many homes in the country to superfast, world-class fibre broadband as possible, but also looks to connect communities to the information age. Vumatel installs free 1Gbps (Gigabit per second) fibre into every school passed when deploying its network and challenges all telecommunications companies to do the same in an effort reach as many schools as possible and ultimately uplift the country. ■
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Vumatel is coming to your suburb Johannesburg In late 2014, Vumatel pioneered the Fibre to the Home (FTTH) industry in South Africa. The company piloted the model in Parkhurst and has since expanded its network across Johannesburg. Vumatel now covers the area from Auckland Park to Fourways and Roodepoort to Bedfordview.
Cape Town In 2016, Vumatel launched its Cape Town network in the City Bowl - covering Tamboerskloof, Gardens and Oranjezicht. The company has now set its sights on the Northern Suburbs and is currently deploying its network in Durbanville and the surrounds.
Durban Vumatel recently announced the acquisition of Durban-based FTTH company Estate Connexions (ECX). This expands Vumatel’s footprint into Mount Edgecombe, with a view to connect Umhlanga soon.
Pretoria Vumatel has opened interest in Pretoria. Residents are invited to go to vumatel.co.za and “show their interest” in getting Vumatel deployed in their suburb. The company aims to connect parts of Centurion, Lynnwood and Samrand in 2017.
Storage
THE CLOUD IS GREAT, BUT DON’T FORGET TO KEEP A BACKUP C
l o u d s e r v i ce s a re g re at . W h e t h e r yo u a re a b i g corporate using Amazon Web Services for business-critical operations or an individual user storing a text file in Google Drive, the ability to have an online copy of important data creates peace of mind. Storing data in the cloud presents multiple benefits, two of which are remote access to content or documents via multiple devices, and the knowledge that the data is not lost if your device storing the files locally is compromised or breaks down. Many cloud services are easy to use and often provide users with a storage capacity that far exceeds what their primary computing device offers offline. The ease-ofuse and almost unlimited storage space makes it an attractive primary storage option for users, and this is where risk arises. As users become more reliant on cloud-based storage and services, making offline copies of important data falls away. While the likes of Google Drive, Microsoft ’s OneDrive, and Dropbox are great solutions, online services are not immune to problems.
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Keeping a backup According to IBM, at the start of 2017 the world was creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data per day. “So much that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone,” said IBM.
This vast amount of content is created from IoT devices and sensors, social media posts, transaction records, and GPS signals, among many other items. The increase in data production is fuelled by multiple factors, i n c l u d i n g t h e va s t a r ray o f connected devices, faster Internet speeds, and the increased quality of media content. Gartner stated that there were 6.4 billion connected “things” in 2016, a 30% increase in devices compared to 2015. More devices mean more data sharing and consumption. This is coupled with increases in connectivity speeds, particularly from fibre providers and mobile network operators, which makes u p l o a d i n g a n d d ow n l o a d i n g data faster, cheaper, and more convenient. Increases in the file sizes of media content also plays a part, with high-resolution photos taken by smartphones uploaded to sites like Facebook and Twitter daily, and 4K video becoming more accessible on platforms like Netflix and YouTube. As the amount of data we produce increases, it becomes important to keep a copy of valuable files offline. If disaster strikes a cloud provider or online service – such as a hacking or ransomware attack – having an offline copy of vital documents or sentimental media can lessen the impact. A basic example is your photos on Facebook. If Facebook was struck by a monumental event which caused the social media platform to be wiped, are you confident that you would be able to access copies of your favourite pictures?
selecting a cloud provider, an important aspect to consider is the security features it offers. Ensure that the provider offers solid privacy protection and management, and that your data is encrypted. This will help prevent it from falling into the wrong hands if something goes wrong. Using an encryption tool to secure your data before sending it to be stored online is another options users can consider to ensure their data is safe.
The cloud is the future There is no doubt that cloud-based storage and services will continue to thrive, with online services like Gmail, Facebook, Netflix, WordPress, and many more used daily by consumers with Internet access. Physical devices are also becoming more reliant on cloud-based services to operate. This includes Google’s Chromebook – which does not rely on a large amount of local storage – Seagate’s Amazon Drive hard drive – which automatically backs up data to Amazon’s cloud – and Apple’s iCloud service – which will automatically store the photos you take with an iPhone online. As your cloud usage grows, keep in mind that the security of your data and the ability to access it in the event of a disaster are important factors to consider before uploading your files. ■
If backing up files offline is not a viable option, you should consider creating redundancy by using multiple cloud service providers for storing valuable data. When
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Internet-of-Things
BIG GROWTH FOR IOT IN SOUTH AFRICA V
odacom South Africa has seen huge growth in the IoT market in the country, with its financial results for the quarter ended December 2016 revealing that IoT connections grew by 29.3% to 2.8 million. The network operator is confident this growth will continue and recently partnered with global technology company PTC to implement a local version of the ThingWorx IoT platform. The move will allow for the “simple, fast, and secure” development of IoT applications, said Deon Liebenberg Vodacom’s Managing Executive for the Internet-of-Things.
Deon Liebenberg Managing Executive for the Internet-of-Things at Vodacom
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“The ThingWorx IoT platform allows Vodacom to create a framework for direct market engagement to develop and deliver IoT services to key verticals. A well-established partner model will enable IoT developers across South Africa to have access to ThingWorx to support their development and entrepreneurial ambitions to connect things to the Internet and the world,” said Liebenberg. Vo d a co m ’s p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h PTC comes after the network announced in late 2016 that it had started building a narrowband IoT network, which will launch across major metropolitan areas during 2017. The NB-IoT network consists of various components of Vodacom’s current network and will run on existing licensed spectrum. “Vodacom continues to build out its NB-IoT value proposition. The NB-IoT network will transform IoT in South Africa by enabling new use cases for IoT connections through low-power wide-area (LPWA) n e t w o r k t e c h n o l o g y. L P WA networks are able to communicate to devices where radio penetration has previously not been possible, and with a low power overhead. A key characteristic of LPWA devices is power efficiency. This allows devices to be used in-field with batteries which could last up to many years,” said Liebenberg.
IoT growth sectors in SA L i e b e n b e r g s a i d Vo d a c o m has identified multiple sectors which they believe have large growth potential, in terms of the implementation of IoT solutions. These sectors include utilities, health, education, manufacturing, and agriculture. “For example, we have successfully deployed smart metering as a service solution to various municipalities to improve efficiency and reduce revenue leakages,” said Liebenberg. A crucial aspect of expanding an IoT network is security, especially in light of recent massive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks which originated from compromised IoT devices, said Liebenberg. “Essentially, consumer devices which were connected to the Internet (such as home routers and security cameras) did not have their default passwords changed or contained manufacturer-installed backdoors, which allowed malware to easily control them.” “In addition to the above, security is a general concern for the IoT as large amounts of data may potentially be gathered from many sensors and systems. IoT devices may be able to gather data and transmit this back to the device manufacturer or other third parties without the owner’s
consent. Storage and transit of data must be adequately secured to prevent unauthorised access. IoT security may thus be largely categorised into network-based security, device-based security, s e c u re co m m u n i c ati o n s , a nd secure application environments,” said Liebenberg. Vo d a c o m u s e s i t s S e c u r i t y Governance Framework to incorporate processes which manage the introduction of new products or systems, and “IoT is not treated differently”. “Through this process, a full security assessment is conducted. The process includes a detailed review of the product or solution, due diligence in the context of the vendor used and their associated security policies and maturity, security testing employed for the solution, operational deployment methodologies, infrastructure hardening, vulnerability scanning, change control processes, pre and post production deployment processes, monitoring into a security operational centre, and finally security awareness,” said Liebenberg. ■
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DO YOU HAVE SITTING DISEASE? S
itting at a desk all day is not good for your health, according to doctors at the Mayo clinic. Their research shows that prolonged sitting during the work day can lead to a number of health issues – such as obesity and metabolic syndrome. Too much sitting has also been linked to an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to studies. The negative effects of sitting for too long – which is a daily problem for most modern office workers - have been called “sitting disease”, and is a term often used by companies which supply or sell standing desks. Standing desks are said to lessen the effects of sitting disease by getting employees to – you guessed it – stand while they work. Most standing desks can be placed on top of a traditional office desk or table, and used in a sitting position. When a user wants to stand, the unit is then lifted up via handles and a hinge system – with any monitors, laptops, keyboards, and other peripherals on the desk elevating with it. Typing, writing, reading, and taking phone calls are all then done while standing. This means you can stand and work, and go back to sitting when you get tired or have met your standing quota for the day. Standing desks are said to help with an array of health problems, by getting people to stand up for longer periods of time more regularly, including: • • • •
Weight loss Back pains Brain health Heart health
According to a study by a Texas university, the use of standing desks was associated with “significant improvements in executive function and working memory capabilities”.
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Standing more often has also been linked to a reduction in blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Combine this with a reduction in obesity, and this lowers the risk of heart disease. “The impact of movement - even leisurely movement can be profound. The solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall,” states the Mayo clinic. It said those who stand and move more often than their colleagues who remain seated burn more calories, and trigger muscle activity which leads to the breakdown of fats and sugars. “When you sit, these processes stall, and your health risks increase.” It added that even if you visit the gym regularly or engage in vigorous exercise, this does not guarantee that the risks of sitting for prolonged periods of time every day will be offset. Besides the long-term health implications, short-term problems like lower back pain are also caused by sitting for too long. Sitting has been shown to contribute to lower back pain, while standing regularly is said to lessen any immediate discomfort and help prevent the problem from worsening. The Mayo clinic suggests the following for people who sit for long periods of time at work and are concerned they might have sitting disease: • • •
Stand while talking on the phone or eating lunch. Use a standing desk if you are at your desk for long periods of time. Walk and talk with your colleagues instead of sitting in a meeting room.
Gallagher Convention Centre 26 October 2017 The MyBroadband Conference is the premier event of its kind in South Africa and will host 4,500 ICT executives and decision makers, along with top speakers from the country’s most influential ICT companies. To find out more about the conference’s advertising packages or to exhibit at the event, contact us: Cara Muller Director of Sales and Marketing cara@mybroadband.co.za
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