IT insights, October: what has been going on in the world of IT

What’s been happening in the tech and vendor world in October? We compiled the latest vendor news and trending topics of the past month. It takes just a few minutes to be up to date.

Vendor news

The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure and Platform Services was published in October. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google all placed in the Leaders quadrant. Noted AWS strengths were “breadth of functionality” and “vibrant and prosperous ecosystem.” Google’s strengths were listed as “sovereign cloud” and “revenue and capabilities gains.” Microsoft Azure strengths were noted as “solutions-oriented” and “hybrid and multicloud.” SoftwareOne has strong partnerships with all three; reach out to speak with one of our cloud experts.

Amazon Web Services launched a free new program, IT Skills 4U, to help Ukrainian refugees begin their tech careers in new countries through training courses and career support services. SoftwareOne is proud to be part of this initiative by offering training and support through the SoftwareOne Academy.

Microsoft Ignite 2022 unveiled over 100 new announcements. Let’s take a look how Microsoft wants to re-energize your hybrid workforce. Read our top 4 takeaways

Google Cloud Next ’22: Up to 123 announcements were made during Google Cloud Next '22.  We summarized the top takeaways divided into Open Infrastructure and Data, Collaboration, Security and Sustainability.

SoftwareOne & partner news

Think you know what makes SoftwareOne different? US analyst firm Technology Business Research, Inc. recently wrote two reports on SoftwareOne’s strategy, routes to market, customer focus and our pragmatic, value-led approach to SAP transformation. Read the summary and access the full reports.

Establishing a strong and secure foundation for cloud transformation and making smart decisions about your application portfolio are critical factors in successful cloud transformations. Learn about how SoftwareOne can help you maximize your ROI and benefit from hyperscaler incentives while setting you up for success in the cloud:

• Make the move to AWS with the Migration Acceleration Program
• Thinking of modernizing on Azure? 5 things for CIOs to consider
• How to implement a successful cloud strategy with Google Cloud Platform

Practicing what we preach. SoftwareOne migrated its on-premises datacentre to AWS following the same steps we offer to our customers. Watch the results.

The more cloud services your company uses, the more cloud costs and inefficiencies will increase. Developing a cloud financial management or FinOps practice can bring accountability to cloud spend and help you drive maximum value from every dollar invested in the cloud and can reduce your cloud costs by up to 25%. In our latest FinOps eBook you will learn what the 5 Cs of a successful FinOps practice are and how they can help define a successful FinOps strategy. Download your copy here.

IT and Procurement professionals face real challenges in their roles when it comes to managing software requests and transactions, a lack of insight and clear visibility makes it difficult for everyone involved to make informed decisions, implement efficient processes and improve the experience of end users. We’ve put together DSC Guides for Procurement and ITAM Managers - get them now!

SoftwareOne is making way for a positive digital change. Our OneImpact program can support for-impact organizations in the journey to reach their fullest potential through relevant technology solutions and services. Read more.

Microsoft announced last month that public museums and libraries will join the group of eligible organizations for Nonprofit offers. Traditionally classified as Education/Academic, this means changes in pricing and offers. With SoftwareOne’s experience in EDU and NPO, we are here to guide your organization and put you on a positive path to realize what is now available as a Nonprofit. Read more.

The working world has changed considerably over the last two years, and many organisations are reconsidering their Unified Communications (UC) strategy. SoftwareOne’s Marilyn Moodley shares insights on strategies for hybrid working with Digital Street.

On the topic of hybrid working, ensuring that workers are kept secure is vital. SoftwareOne’s Amin Tavikoli explains in Technative how to create a zero-trust remote work landscape.

With SQL Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 reaching end-of-life, SoftwareOne’s Gordon Davey shares thoughts on the options available to organizations, including modernizing on Microsoft Azure.

October was Cyber Security Awareness Month

As hybrid working is the new way of working, your workforce needs a secure digital workplace to be productive. We guided you through the major challenges this month and provide you with insights, tips and advice:

• Why hybrid workplaces need zero trust security
• Keeping Azure secure – what you need to know
• How to improve your Microsoft 365 security
• Passwordless authentication strategy: benefits, challenges and more
• Microsoft alert for “BlueBleed”: What does this mean to you?

For more information on cyber security, visit our information hub.

Tech news

Cloud spending forecast to grow despite faltering global economy: spending on infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) is expected to grow the most, with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and software-as-a-service (SaaS) showing signs of slowdown. Read more here on CIO.com

With its report on the State of IT security in Germany, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), acting in its role as Germany’s national cyber security authority, provides a comprehensive and in-depth annual overview of cyberspace threats. The 2021 report has now been published.

What’s New in the 2022 Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies? Read more about evolving/expanding immersive experiences, accelerated artificial intelligence automation, and optimized technologist delivery.