Smart Business August 2011 - UK Edition
Welcome to the August issue of Smart Business, CSC's UK newsletter. As usual we're bringing you the latest examples of how we've been solving issues faced by companies in every sector.
This month we explore a variety of innovative solutions and ideas that are helping to solve issues faced by companies in a range of sectors.
We look at how BAE Systems are utilising CSC’s CloudLab service to test a new suite of software tools. Liz Benison, CSC’s UK COO, discusses her thoughts on the technologies shaping the outsourcing landscape and we also review the results of CSC’s 2011 CIO barometer, a survey of 160 CIOs from a variety of sectors. Elsewhere, we examine how social media behaviour is evolving in the workplace, look at CSC’s newly-launched BizCloud product and review the latest developments at Marussia Virgin Racing.
As always, we welcome feedback so please let us know if there's anything that's caught your interest in this issue. And if you're on Twitter do come and join us there too.
Andy Williams
President, Northern Europe, CSC
Experiments in the CloudLab
CSC’s CloudLab service offered BAE Systems the ideal, flexible, fast and low cost environment for testing a new suite of software tools
Not all companies can leap straight in to the cloud, even though the cost and time savings can be attractive. BAE Systems is typical of a global business which is obliged to keep data under company control within national borders and is comprised of multiple individual businesses around the world which have long-term IT infrastructure arrangements already in place. However, the company has found an opportunity to take advantage of the cost and time savings provided by CSC’s CloudLab.
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Inside outsourcing
Liz Benison, VP and COO of CSC’s UK business, gives us her thoughts on the technologies shaping the outsourcing landscape and how CSC is adapting to meet today’s market challenges.
Liz Benison joined CSC as VP and COO of the UK business in January 2011. Smart Business caught up with her to ask what drew her to the role at CSC and discuss her thoughts on the latest trends in outsourcing and how CSC is responding to the challenges they present.
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Outlook for the CIO
CSC's 2011 CIO barometer polled CIOs from all industry sectors on a range of topics to reveal the trends and outlook for their role.
As decision-making cycles accelerate, the role of the CIO is becoming that of safeguarding the agility of the organisation and helping determine its direction. It's up to the CIO to gain insight into collaborative working, to adapt to 2.0 users, and confronted with these new technologies, to drive the development of its governance. CSC's 2011 CIO barometer polled 160 CIOs from all sectors on these subjects and many others, to shed light on the trends and outlook for their role.
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Social studies
Following a recent report by Brinley Platts entitled Developing Resourceful Humans – Opportunities and Challenges in Social Media, the LEF has launched a thought-provoking virtual identity self-assessment tool.
The effects of consumeristation and social media are increasingly evident but many people are unsure what these changes mean on both a personal and a professional level. Following on from a recent report entitled Developing Resourceful Humans – Opportunities and Challenges in Social Media, which examines the situation from a human development standpoint, the LEF has launched a virtual identity self-assessment tool. The tool is designed to give a snapshot of how a person’s social media attitudes, behaviour and skills compare to those of their peers.
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Cloud pleaser
Analysts are reacting well to the launch of CSC BizCloud, the first on-premises private cloud to offer the speed to market, scalability and pay-as-you-go billing normally associated with the less secure, public cloud
Companies used to have to choose between the security of an on-premises private cloud and the speed to market, scalability and billing flexibility offered by the public cloud. Now CSC is combining the benefits of both in BizCloud. It is the first on-premises private cloud to be flexible in capacity as well as charge on a pay-as-you-go usage basis. Implementations can be completed in ten weeks, leaving analysts to suggest the launch warrants close inspection from existing and potential clients.
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Staying on track
CSC’s Garage Information System is helping Marussia Virgin Racing organise its team to hit multiple daily deadlines so its cars reach the grid on time in top shape
The F1 rule book is packed with multiple, daily deadlines a team must hit to ensure both cars feature in practice sessions, qualify for the race and then make it to the starting grid. Disobey these strict rules and teams can be disqualified. So Marussia Virgin Racing asked CSC to develop a shared countdown system that ensures the entire team can work to the same, clearly displayed deadlines. The resulting Garage Information System is unique and an object of envy among rival F1 teams.
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