IIA launches cloud computing survey

The Irish Internet Association has established a Working Group on Cloud Computing, with the aim of supporting businesses in transitioning their IT infrastructure from on-premise to cloud applications. The group plans to publish a white paper on the subject later this year and is now seeking input from Irish businesses via a survey on the topic. Anyone who completes the survey will receive a copy of the white paper. The survey is available here.

Web exploits at an all-time high

The first half of 2009 has revealed fundamental security weaknesses in the web ecosystem and an exceptional sophistication in vulnerability exploitation. That's according to a new report from IT security experts at IBM X-Force, who found there has been a 508 percent increase in the number of new malicious domains and un-trusted websites with the ability to gain access and manipulate data. The level of veiled web exploits - especially in PDF files - is at an all-time high, with attackers becoming more sophisticated. PDF vulnerabilities discovered in the first half of 2009 have already surpassed disclosures from all of 2008. Between the first and second quarter alone, the amount of "suspicious, obfuscated or concealed content" monitored by the IBM team nearly doubled. For more on this story visit ENN.ie.

Outsourcing needs strategic management

Companies need to be more strategic when it comes to managing outsourcing relationships, according to Gartner. The analyst firm says that many organisations are failing to manage outsourcing contracts effectively due to a lack of planning and foresight. A Gartner survey found that 55 percent of companies focus too much on the operational level of outsourcing, and not enough on the strategic management of contracts. "Many organisations struggle to develop an effective and efficient sourcing environment, which is necessary to achieve positive sourcing outcomes," said Gartner research director Frank Ridder. Organisations have difficulty managing outsourcing relationships because they do not realise the end-to-end effort required, and because suppliers often promise more than they can deliver, said Ridder. Firms need to align outsourcing with business goals, and formulate financial targets in order to make outsourcing more successful. For more on this story see V3.co.uk. (See our Case Study elsewhere in this issue for details of how one Irish accounting firm successfully manages its outsourcing relationships.)

Companies embrace 'lean IT'

Organisations are adopting a 'lean IT' strategy to cope with the current economic climate, according to IT management software company CA. A survey of 562 IT directors and senior IT managers across Europe found that over the coming year companies intend to invest in software that maximises value and minimises cost - what CA describes as "the core philosophy of lean thinking". Leading the way is investment in service management (cited by 88 percent of respondents), IT security (79 percent), and infrastructure and operations management (76 percent). The majority (57 percent) of those surveyed are likely to fund additional software purchases from operational expenditure budgets; the remainder are likely to fund them from capital expenditure budgets. Read more on ENN.ie.

Online sales rise in July

E-commerce sales in the UK rose in July, in an encouraging sign of economic growth. Monthly figures from the e-Retail Sales Index, compiled by industry body IMRG and consultancy Capgemini, show that online sales for July were up 15.7 percent on June and up 16.8 percent on July 2008. The 'clothing, footwear and accessories' category led the industry, with an increase in sales of 18 percent month-on-month and 17 percent year-on-year. "Online retail continues to outperform the high street, with e-retail growth in July exceeding the yearly growth seen in July 2008," said IMRG director of information Tina Spooner. "It is evident that online merchants are becoming more sophisticated in their marketing efforts and email communications to their customers, the result of which can be seen in higher conversion rates, particularly in the clothing sector." For more visit V3.co.uk.

Here are some of the issues our forum members have been discussing in the last fortnight:

• Printing web pages view thread
• UK hosting providers view thread
• Web-based text messages view thread

Using visitor feedback to improve your website

Make the most of your data with business intelligence

Case Study: Ardagh Horan

Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing refers to the act of enlisting a large group of people, often the general public, to solve a problem or carry out a task. In technology terms, crowdsourcing often involves the use of interactive, internet-connected tools to engage mass collaboration for a particular goal. A recent example is Google's plan to use crowdsourcing to add traffic information to its Google Maps website. Car drivers who own smartphones are being invited to sign up to share information with the Google site while they drive. Google will then use the collective data, along with other traffic information, to calculate the most effective route to your chosen location.

Portlaoise, September 8
This free evening seminar is organised by the IIA and Laois County Enterprise Board as part of Laois Enterprise Week. Attendees will learn how to increase sales and brand awareness and how to use free internet tools to help grow their business.

US website authentication firm VeriSign has just launched this site aimed at SMEs who want to grow their business online. Although the site is US-based, much of the advice on offer can be applied to businesses everywhere. The site is divided into three sections: attracting more site visitors, for example through PR, search listings, or viral marketing; turning shoppers into customers through improving trust; and selling more online, through promotions and online reviews, among other methods. The site uses case studies of real businesses to illustrate its advice in action.