Month: September 2023

82% of the population are targeted by fraudsters at least once per month – Bank of Ireland

In the wake of a new wave of impersonation scams, Bank of Ireland is warning customers to be extra vigilant in their interactions with businesses online, and when responding to unsolicited or unexpected texts, emails or phone calls.

The current spike in fraudulent activity has occurred as Bank of Ireland launches a major national fraud awareness campaign to warn customers of the prevalence of fraud, with 96% of consumers believing they will be targeted in the next six months, and 82% saying they are targeted at least once per month.

The most common forms of impersonation fraud involve people receiving calls, texts or emails from fraudsters posing as a parcel delivery company (80%), a road toll provider (55%) or their bank (49%).

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said:  “Unfortunately, fraud and cybercrime have become part of people’s everyday lives.  Our research conducted by Red C* shows this, with 82% of people saying they are targeted by fraudsters at least once per month, and 36% as frequently as once per week.  Most people who have been a victim of fraud said they fell for the scam because they were distracted or too busy at the time. Which underlines the need for vigilance. 

“Impersonation is at the root of the majority of fraud in circulation for both our personal and business customers.   We are regularly seeing fraudsters sending texts posing as delivery companies, road toll and government agencies.  Parents are being targeted by impersonating children in need of urgent help, to prey on their vulnerabilities and prompt a reaction.  Businesses are receiving calls from fraudsters impersonating their bank and duping them into allowing them access to their companies’ accounts.  These are cynical criminals, whose main goal is to access people’s bank accounts and steal their money. 

“That’s why we are reminding customers that, often, all is not what it seems, as fraudsters continue to impersonate trusted businesses and organisations, including banks.  The message is: Stop, Think, Check – access your banking only through the official mobile banking app or website by typing in a website address and treat every unsolicited call, text or email as a potential fraud attempt”.

As fraud becomes increasingly prevalent in people’s lives, the majority of people now recognise a fraud attempt and react in the correct way, with 89% of people who were targeted by a call text or email saying that they realised very quickly that it was a scam, so they deleted or ignored it.  However, given the large number of scams in operation, the fraudsters rely on a relatively small percentage of people falling for the scam for it to be successful.

If people suspect they have been a victim of fraud they should contact their bank immediately so that the bank can take action to stop a fraud in progress and try to recover funds. Bank of Ireland customers can call our Fraud Team 24/7, on the Freephone line 1800 946 764.

For more advice and information on fraud, visit Security Zone

Bank of Ireland has introduced a new national advertising campaign, reminding customers that fraudsters are active on a daily basis and to Stop, Think, Check in all transactions relating to their banking or personal information.

The Bank is working with renowned cyberpsychologist Professor Mary Aiken, to build consumer awareness about fraud, and explain the human psychology used by fraudsters.  Professor Aiken is recording a series of online videos designed to give insights and tips to help people protect their own personal and financial details from fraudsters.  The campaign will run for 14 weeks across radio, digital channels and social media.

Dell Technologies Delivers Hybrid Cloud Innovation with Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure

Dell Technologies today announced the availability of Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft, a new fully integrated turnkey system developed in collaboration with Microsoft that extends the Microsoft Azure hybrid cloud experience to data center and edge environments.

It’s the first offer in the Dell APEX Cloud Platform family and the first available Premier Solution for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI. This new Azure Stack HCI solution category only includes platforms that provide fastest time to value for Azure hybrid cloud through the deepest levels of integration with Microsoft.

Dell APEX Cloud Platforms are next generation infrastructure that deliver consistent operations and more control over workload placement by extending your choice of cloud ecosystem on-premises. These platforms offer our customers greater flexibility and investment protection over time by combining the best of Dell innovation in automated infrastructure management and orchestration, software-defined storage, and next generation compute.

Simplifying Azure on-premises

The opportunity to extend Azure cloud services to on-premises environments is significant. According to an ESG study on multicloud application deployment trends, 48% of customers surveyed are expanding on-premises deployments[1]. Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Azure provides an optimal way for customers to bring Microsoft Azure to their data center and edge locations.

This new platform builds upon decades of Dell and Microsoft collaboration. It combines Dell’s expertise in delivering software-driven management and orchestration and software-defined storage with Microsoft’s leadership in cloud services and container orchestration.

“More of our customers are asking us to bring the power of Azure wherever they need it out in the real world, whether that is in their factories, retail stores, quick service restaurants, or distributed locations. Through our partnership with Dell, we can project just enough Microsoft Azure to those locations at the edge,” said Douglas Phillips, Corporate Vice President, Azure Edge + Platform. “This new solution gives our mutual customers a seamless experience from cloud to edge, wherever their data lives, so they can spend less time managing infrastructure and focus more on transforming their business.”

Enhancing Azure hybrid cloud

The Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure is designed to address several key IT priorities.

  • Simplify management: This new offer delivers consistent Azure operations across on-premises locations and public cloud via native integration with Azure Arc. Deep integration and extensive automation enabled by Dell’s APEX Cloud Platform Foundation Software allow us to deliver benefits to our customers that far exceed our past solutions. For example, the automated deployment wizard results in an 88% reduction in deployment steps compared to existing integrated systems, allowing customers to save more time when deploying the platform.
  • Accelerate Application Delivery: Through optimized delivery of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) hybrid, and Arc-enabled app and data services, the platform helps accelerate application delivery. Customers will be able to simplify management with deep integration and familiar tools. Users can also enforce consistent security and compliance policies across the Azure landscape through integration with centralized Azure management and governance services.
  • Fastest Time to Value: To ensure customers get the fastest time to value and ongoing full stack support, Dell ProSupport Infrastructure Suite provides a single source of solution level-support for Dell hardware, system software and Azure HCI.  Onsite diagnosis, residency, data migration, data disposition, and education services cover you on tasks commonly required in a multicloud environment, allowing internal staff to focus on other priorities.

Going above and beyond

While the new Premier Solutions for Azure Stack HCI category represents the highest level of required automation, integration and collaboration with Microsoft, Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure takes this even further.

  • Lifecycle Management: Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure delivers near instantaneous availability of new releases and patches – within just four hours of a Microsoft release. Single-pane, full-stack lifecycle management ensures the complete infrastructure stack always remains compliant.
  • Unique automation: The platform provides automated cluster expansion, enabling rapid addition of on-premises infrastructure to meet workload requirements.
  • Edge Offerings: Coming soon, we will offer specialized nodes based on the Dell PowerEdge XR4000 edge-optimized server platform to help customers extend Azure to the edge while minimizing cost, footprint and complexity.
  • Ultimate Flexibility: Coming soon, we will support additional storage configurations with Dell software-defined storage, making it the only offer to support linear scaling of storage resources independently from compute resources, helping customers address workloads with diverse performance and scaling needs.

Meeting customer and partner needs

Dell has heard overwhelming excitement about this solution from customers and partners alike. Kyndryl, a strategic partner of Dell and Microsoft, is expanding its solutions with managed services for this platform.

“In a rapidly changing IT landscape, Kyndryl is helping customers modernize their mission-critical environments to a hybrid cloud operating model. As a strategic alliance partner with Dell and Microsoft, we are excited for the availability of the new Dell APEX Cloud Platform that will provide a consistent Azure operation across on-premises and Azure public cloud,” said Kevin Powell, Vice President, Private Cloud Services, Kyndryl. “We are committed to delivering services that help customers utilize the latest industry technology innovations from our ecosystem partners to deliver leading edge hybrid cloud solutions.”

Through customer conversations, we are seeing existing customers familiar with the operational outcomes delivered by our automated software are excited to adopt the APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure to extend their Azure deployments on-premises.

“More than 5,000 organizations around the world look to LoopUp to help them bring global communications to the cloud to support flexible work, increase productivity, simplify complexity and reduce cost,” said Chris Stanley, VP of Network Operations, LoopUp. “Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure’s deep software integration and lifecycle management will help us scale and deliver cloud telephony innovations faster and get the most value from our Azure hybrid deployment.”

Orange Business, another strategic partner for Dell and Microsoft, are also excited about the transformative power Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure could hold for their customers.

“As organizations increasingly turn to hybrid cloud strategies to help power digital experiences for their employees and customers, they need an efficient solution to easily manage it all from edge to core data centers to public cloud,” said Olivier Ménez, Marketing Director of Digital Services at Orange Business. “Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure includes deep integrations and automation that will help us easily build and manage our customers’ data and applications in hybrid environments.”

Delivering hybrid cloud innovation

We’re thrilled for our customers to get their hands on Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure to see first-hand how it can help them unleash innovation by simplifying the Azure hybrid experience.

Follow the links below to learn more about APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure.

Kwayga.com, the fastest supermarket supplier sourcing engine, closes €1 million funding round

Kwayga.com, the fastest supplier sourcing engine for supermarket buyers, has successfully closed a funding round, with a €1 million investment in the company, led by The Redesdale Food & Beverage Fund.

Cork-headquartered Kwayga.com enables supermarket buyers to cut their sourcing times by 40% using its game-changing supplier sourcing technology, achieving in minutes what previously took months.

Mike McGrath, Co-Founder and CEO of Kwayga.com, a forward-thinking leader in the realm of eSourcing, who has made it a mission to revolutionise the way supermarkets across Europe approach buying said:

“Redesdale’s investment is a huge vote of confidence in our groundbreaking technology. This partnership will significantly accelerate our growth across Europe as we continue to build high value relationships with significant UK and European buyers, reducing their sourcing time and costs by rapidly connecting them with the best European suppliers. This funding will be used to scale our team and continue to grow our product.”

Michael Cantwell, a Partner in The Redesdale Food & Beverage Fund said; “Redesdale is delighted to invest in Kwayga.com. We are excited about the expertise of the team and their exceptional technology which solves a key buyer pain point. It will be a game changer in how suppliers are sourced in the supermarket sector.”

Kwayga.com was founded in 2021 by Mike McGrath and Martin Fitzgerald to provide a sourcing engine for Supermarket Buyers to engage them with perfectly matched private label and trending product suppliers in European markets where they would not previously have had visibility.  It does this faster than ever seen in the sector, finding high quality product and supplier solutions quickly.

Buyers use Kwayga.com to cut 40% off their sourcing lead times, get new product requirements on shelves in record time; replace existing products when necessary; and for targeted cost saving programs. It already counts the main Irish supermarkets and several UK supermarkets as its customers, and has in excess of 80,000 suppliers on its database.

The Redesdale Food & Beverage Fund is a venture capital fund established by some of Ireland’s best known and most accomplished financiers, business leaders and commercial scientists. Investors in the fund include Enterprise Ireland, Lord Abbett, Musgrave, Coca-Cola, Monaghan Mushrooms, and Tate & Lyle. The fund targets food, beverage, and nutrition companies, led by ambitious entrepreneurs.

To find out more visit www.kwayga.com.

Tech Review – Skullcandy Smokin Buds True Wireless Earbuds

The Skullcandy smokin buds true wireless is another brand that has dropped a super affordable pair of earbuds for just 30 euro this year which is welcome for those who are on a budget and again those who like the brand itself which we do, Again this company is bringing the cost to performance ratio down which has been happening some time now on the earbuds front and there is no need to spend silly money on earbuds anymore these days and take that from the person who reviews the most earbuds in Ireland by a country mile.

First up is the fit and they fit well and have small stems again apply the right tips for the best noise isolation and secure fit this goes along way to getting the best audio experience. They are sleek and discreet enough too and not standoffish looking either.

So at this price point we will be missing features,we have no app access this time but EQs are built in with 4 taps and are preset and are podcast mode,movie mode and music mode, so this is plenty given on top of similar offerings with no app access so this is a win here. There is no auto play or pause and no wireless charging but you have rapid charging. Overall though these are offering a bit more than the competition we have tested. There was no option to skip/reverse tracks in the manual or Voice assistant but you tap and hold the earbud to activate voice assistant and you can ask to skip or reverse track there.

The controls work well although sometimes I could feel them pushing in on my ears but this be my stupid meat hook fingers tapping too hard but they work well regardless of their size.

The sound is decent here with Three EQs to use there is a meaningful difference between the three so you has a choice, they are not base heavy and sound good all round with highs lows and mids and feel more centre mid back. No lag latency noted and no distortion when maxed out either.

Battery life is of course one area hit here like similar products but we have fast charge which makes up for this, call quality is ok with just one mic each side and overall a decent pair of earbuds that are well built and solid for the price so you can’t really go that much wrong here if you are in the market for something that gets the job done out of the box.

Smokin Buds From Skullcandy – techbuzzireland

 

Features

  • Up to 20 Hours of Battery Life + Rapid Charge – Listen longer with 8 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 12 hours in the charging case + With Rapid Charge, 10 minutes of charge equals 2 hours of playtime
  • IPX4 Sweat and Water Resistant – Go on any adventure without missing a beat ● Skullcandy Supreme Sound® – Unique audio-tuning process enables users to maximize the depth and detail of each sound. Premium audio quality features drivers that have been selected and expertly tuned
  • Music, Movie & Podcast EQ Modes – Delivers best audio quality for music, movies or podcasts ● Noise Isolating Fit – Ergonomic, ovalized design provides all-day comfort and a noise-isolating fit
  • Call and Media Controls via Capacitive Touch – Control volume, calls, EQ modes and activate your devices local Assistant with a tap on either earbud.
  • Microphone in Each Earbud – Allows use of either bud solo without losing the ability to take calls
  • Auto On/Connect – Enjoy automatic turn on and pairing with the last device used ● True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2 – Bluetooth® technology offering efficiency improvements and faster pairing

BUY 

Video review

 

Gaming Trends: What should we be able to see throughout the industry in 2024 and beyond?

With technology continuing to have an impact on the way players game and the sessions that they are able to experience, there should not be any surprise that the industry is still looking to create new ways in which this form of entertainment is enjoyed.

Various technologies have been created over the years that have each managed to enhance any gaming session that generations of gamers have enjoyed, but developers know that it is an unforgiving industry as demands continue to be made.

Among those is the desire for immersive and realistic experiences. For many enthusiasts, there would be nothing better than to feel as though they are part of the title that is being played. While there have been advancements and strides made to make this happen, it is yet to be made available fully.

However, that should start to change in the near future, especially if technology continues to do its thing and create new ways in which we game and enhance any session that we enjoy to new heights.

What trends can we expect to see in 2024 and beyond?

Gaming technology continues to develop at an incredible rate; however, gamers know there are already technologies they can take advantage of and expect improvements over the course of a year or longer.

Mobile gaming has experienced tremendous growth over recent decades since smartphones and tablets came onto the scene, giving gamers access to apps or web browsers on mobile phones to download or access and enjoy their favorite titles while on the go with an internet connection.

5G internet continues to be advanced and further developed, meaning players will get better gaming sessions when connected to the internet. This should result in better experiences when playing mobile internet games, whether that be in the form of downloaded titles or the iGaming options that have been provided by a platform with an expert opinion on the sites that are available.

 

Elsewhere, we should expect to see drastic changes be made to the realism demands that gamers continue to have. This includes reality technologies, including virtual and augmented. These have been spoken about for years, and we should be getting even closer to being able to experience these more so in the years to come. These technologies promise the potential of taking the gaming industry to its newest heights and giving gamers something they have craved.

Cross-platform gaming should also continue to emerge and become more developed throughout the industry in the near future. There have been big games to already contain this feature, but with players likely to demand it as a standardized function in the future, game developers are likely to incorporate it within their newest releases to ensure they satisfy consumer demands.

Verdict

There is certainly a lot to look forward to in 2024 and beyond for gaming enthusiasts. Technology has long been a driving force for the industry, and it always will be. Most of these technologies are already available, but the years to come should allow them to finally realize and reach their potential, thus benefiting gamers all over the world.

Introducing the Shure SM7dB

Fifty years after its introduction in 1973, Shure has launched a new member of its iconic SM7 family. Designed for podcasters, streamers, and vocalists, the new SM7dB XLR dynamic vocal microphone delivers the extraordinary sound of the SM7B with the addition of a Shure-designed, built-in active preamp* for a simplified audio workflow that removes the need for inline amplification.

More Gain. Simpler Setup. Same Iconic Sound. 

The SM7dB provides creators and audio engineers with the exact rugged construction and legendary audio quality of the SM7B, with the addition of a custom Shure-designed built-in preamp with technology licensed from Cloud, tuned by Shure engineers specifically for the SM7dB.

This integrated preamp provides a supplementary +18 or +28 decibels (dB) of clean gain, eliminating the need for a separate preamp, and freeing users from the hiss and noise introduced by many audio interfaces when their preamps are driven to the levels necessary to provide enough gain for the SM7B.

Ideal for users of all experience levels, the SM7dB’s additional gain brings the microphone’s sensitivity up to a level optimised for typical audio interfaces. This guarantees users enough gain on hand for their audio to be heard with maximum clarity in a recording, on a broadcast, or while streaming, regardless of their audio interface. For situations not requiring additional gain, users can simply set the integrated preamp to “bypass” to revert to original SM7B performance.

Delivering the smooth and controlled sound of the SM7B, the SM7dB’s wide-range frequency response is perfectly suited to pristinely capture singing, spoken word, and podcasting, as well as loud sound sources, including drums, loud vocals, and amplifiers. Sporting the same EQ controls as the SM7B, the SM7dB’s bass roll-off and presence boost can be applied to best fit the sound source and recording environment.

A dynamic microphone with a cardioid polar pattern, the SM7dB is designed to reject off-axis audio, making certain your voice is heard clearly, without distractions. The microphone’s air suspension shock isolation technology and pop filter eliminate unwanted noises and breathiness, while advanced electromagnetic shielding defeats hum from computer monitors and other audio equipment.

“Over the last 50 years, the SM7 microphone family has been adopted by the world’s best recording and broadcast studios, entertainers, artists, and creators,” said Eduardo Valdes, Associate Vice President of Global Marketing & Product Management at Shure. ““The SM7dB removes the need to buy an additional preamp, making it even easier to achieve the remarkable Shure sound that has come to define the last five decades of audio.”

Now, users can unlock the superior audio of the Shure SM7 microphone line without requiring the purchase of a secondary inline preamp, streamlining the setup necessary to achieve professional-grade recordings at a more effective price.

Pricing and Availability

The SM7dB is available today in a sleek, black-on-black finish at Shure.com and at select retailers starting at £519 / 599€.

Nokia launches industrial 5G devices to keep workers safe and connected in industrial environments

Nokia today launched an array of industrial 5G devices to keep enterprise teams and public safety workers safe, connected and informed over private wireless networks in hazardous and industrial environments such as ports, mines, chemical plants and offshore oil platforms. The company is introducing new ruggedized 5G handhelds, a new industrial device consumption model, and enhancements to worker and device related applications.

By adding these new assets to Nokia’s end-to-end platform for industrial digitalization, along with its private wireless and edge applications, the company reinforces its industry leadership with a market leading portfolio and strengthens its commitment to help industrial enterprises navigate their digital transformation journeys, ensuring their operations are more safe, productive and efficient.

The new Nokia Industrial devices are suitable for all types of enterprises and include a ruggedized handheld supporting public safety teams communicating over Band 68. The US-manufactured handheld device has a long lifecycle and is IP 68-rated for operation in remote or harsh environments. Dual-SIM, including flexibility adding eSIM, ensures the most reliable connectivity and simplified management, while an exchangeable battery allows shift workers to share devices in the field. Teams can customize keys to define a dedicated push-to-talk button, while other large buttons and optional accessories, including remote speaker microphones and earpieces enabling push-to-talk, allow workers to communicate clearly and safely without removing safety equipment like helmets and gloves.

Nokia is also expanding the portfolio of ruggedized 5G handhelds with EX-rated phones – all with the same technical platform. The company has partnered with i.safe MOBILE GmbH, world market leader for explosion-proof mobile devices and solutions. Two i.safe MOBILE 5G handhelds are now part of the Nokia end-to-end solution for private wireless infrastructures. They have been rigorously tested and certified* to meet the connectivity demands of sectors such as oil and gas, mining and chemical manufacturers. They can be safely used in hazardous areas (ATEX Zone 1) or further away (ATEX Zone 2) where flammable atmosphere is not likely but could occur for a short time. These handhelds offered by Nokia, support all necessary radio frequency bands, have all required certifications, and can thus be used by companies worldwide.*

Nokia will also offer its managed ruggedized 5G industrial devices deployed over Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) in a subscription-based ‘as-a-Service’ (aaS) model. Application bundles include Nokia Industrial device management, which allows administrators to apply group policies and scale management to their entire device fleet, Nokia Team Comms and Nokia Network Digital Twin. This model allows enterprises to move asset costs from capital to operating expenses and more easily connect workers and manage the fleet of industrial devices in their plants. Moving forward, Nokia will continue to add more types of devices to the managed aaS model.

The updated Nokia Team Comms (NTC) 23 application running on Nokia Mission Critical Industrial Edge (MXIE) now aligns to the 3GPP defined MCS (Mission Critical Services) standard. NTC will address the needs of mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT), providing communication capabilities usually only available in more complex and expensive solutions for workers in harsh environments. NTC allows users to stream video or establish voice calls with a group of users or a single user to gain the greatest context about any situation. The new version will allow administrators to configure changes to their device fleet via a newly built web portal. Deployed on MXIE residing on-premises, Nokia Team Comms ensures data remains within the teams that use it. It works without internet connectivity and scales from small number of users to large groups.

Nokia is also extending the capabilities of Nokia Network Digital Twin (NDT) to all Android devices, allowing coverage and performance data for Wi-Fi, private and public cellular networks to be automatically collected in real time and processed on Nokia MXIE. Enterprises in dynamic environments, such as ports, factories or mines, can see how changes in their operations impact network performance and use this insight to inform future network planning and use case decisions.

Martin Haaf, CEO of i.safe MOBILE comments: “Through this partnership, we are pleased to support Nokia with our decades of expertise in explosion-proof mobile devices with our latest 5G developments. The combination of our devices with Nokia’s solutions offers companies a great added value on their digitalization journey.”

Martin Beltrop, Head of Industrial Devices, Enterprise Campus Edge Solutions, said: “At Nokia we are committed to helping enterprises reliably connect workers in the most intuitive ways to keep them safe and productive. By extending our portfolio with the new 5G handheld devices and making Nokia Team Comms 3GPP-aligned, we can serve the growing needs of enterprise workers in industrial and hazardous environments as well as public safety teams. And, by leveraging the new capabilities of Nokia Network Digital Twin, teams will have more information than ever before allowing them to make instant informed decisions to maintain efficiency and network reliability in their dynamically changing environments.”

Nokia 4.9G/LTE and 5G ruggedized user equipment and integrated applications allow enterprises to connect their workers and industrial machines over private wireless networks and benefit from the greatest performance and lowest latency.

* *Devices have received the following certifications: ATEX (Europe), NEC500 (US), IECEx (global), UKEX (UK) and JNIOSH (Japan)

Vyta helps Servecentric save 13 tonnes of CO2e through IT refurbishment

Vyta Group, Ireland’s leading secure IT recycling company, today announces that it has enabled Servecentric, a Dublin-based cloud, data centre and connectivity services provider, to save 13 tonnes (13,000kg) of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) with its secure IT recycling and refurbishment services. The partnership enabled Vyta to return €77,000 in revenues to Servecentric.

Vyta collects, refurbishes, recycles, and resells retired IT equipment while ensuring that any data contained is destroyed in a compliant and sustainable manner. This approach safeguards businesses from data breaches while also supporting the circular economy. As businesses aim to achieve rigorous sustainability goals, there has been a marked rise in the demand for Vyta’s services.

The deal with Servecentric, a secure and resilient colocation and IT services provider for businesses in the US, UK, India and Ireland, represents a growing focus on sustainability from the data centre industry. Many of Servecentric’s clients have undertaken significant hardware refresh projects to improve efficiency. This, along with some cloud migration projects, has created the need for secure disposal of outdated hardware and sensitive hard disks. Servecentric also sought secure data destruction for its own IT equipment, a need magnified by the escalating frequency of cyberattacks worldwide.

In the last year, Vyta collected, processed and reused or recycled 2,222 devices for Servecentric as a part of its IT retirement service. Devices that Vyta processed included servers, network units, and mixed WEEE (Waste electric and electronic equipment). Vyta refurbished a total of 205 items for Servecentric and resold them through Vyta’s extensive network of sales channels, therefore enabling Vyta to return revenues to Servecentric. The CO2e savings enabled through the refurbishment of Servecentric’s retired IT equipment represent the annual carbon dioxide absorption equivalent of 619 mature trees.

By recycling the remainder of the equipment, Vyta has helped Servecentric to keep all of these items out of landfill. Vyta has a zero-landfill policy and ensures that 100% of disposals are handled in an environmentally responsible way. Meanwhile, Vyta’s industry-leading stringent data wiping procedures ensure that Servecentric is compliant with all the latest data regulations, including GDPR.

Vyta’s industry reputation for secure data destruction and compliance played a significant role in Servecentric’s decision to choose the company as its IT asset disposal (ITAD) partner. This was bolstered by Vyta’s significant presence across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain, along with its experience in serving US-headquartered enterprises.

Faye Thomas, CCO, Vyta, said: “Amidst mounting concerns over climate change and ever-increasing focus on sustainability , we are all actively exploring avenues to reduce our carbon footprints. At Vyta, our focus resides in helping companies meet their carbon reduction targets through the responsible and secure disposal of IT equipment.

 “Servecentric is a trailblazer in the data centre industry and is committed to supporting the circular economy, all while ensuring adherence to the highest standards of data security. Through this partnership, Servecentric has helped to reduce the CO2 emissions involved in the destruction of old IT equipment and the manufacturing of new replacements, while also yielding substantial financial returns through the resale of the refurbished equipment. We are delighted to collaborate with such a forward-thinking business and look forward to our continued partnership in supporting the circular economy.”

Brian Roe, CEO, Servecentric, said: “Data centres are on a path to become more sustainable, and one of the avenues we are pursuing is the recycling and refurbishment of outdated IT equipment, a task led by companies like Vyta. Through Vyta’s efforts, not only are carbon emissions saved via device refurbishment, but also the assurance of data security shields us from the threats of cyber-attacks.

“The frequency of cyberattacks has now reached unprecedented levels, underscoring the importance of robust data protection and cybersecurity for any organisation. This extends to ensuring the safe and secure destruction of IT equipment. At Servecentric, we are driven by a passion for excellence and a deep-rooted commitment to cybersecurity and data protection. By joining forces with Vyta, we have strengthened our commitment to data security and compliance, providing peace of mind for both our clients and us as a business.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Vyta. The team always responds promptly and efficiently to address any of our concerns or needs, going above and beyond to provide exceptional service.”

EPAM Expands Partnership with Microsoft – Becomes Globally Managed Enterprise Systems Integrator

EPAM Systems, Inc. a leading digital transformation services and product engineering company, today announced that it is now a Microsoft globally Managed Enterprise Systems Integrator (SI) partner—helping to accelerate technology innovation, growth and business impact for enterprises through end-to-end solution design and implementation in the cloud.

The newly acquired globally Managed Enterprise SI partner status marks a significant milestone in EPAM’s expanding strategic partnership with Microsoft. The elevated status positions EPAM as a proven service provider for enterprise customers undertaking complex digital transformation, modernisation and cloud migrations, and enables the Company to build cloud-native intelligent applications powered by Azure OpenAI Service.

“We’re pleased to achieve this Globally Managed Enterprise SI partner status with Microsoft,” said Elaina Shekhter, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, EPAM. “This enhanced status, coupled with our accredited proficiency in executing cloud implementations and spearheading the development of next-generation applications, empowers us to provide an even wider spectrum of capabilities to our global customers to unlock the benefits of Microsoft Azure.”

As a long-standing Microsoft partner, EPAM helps customers engineer the future using Microsoft cloud. With more than 55,000 consultants, engineers and architects operating in more than 50 countries, EPAM provides enterprise customers worldwide with specialised Microsoft expertise to optimise Microsoft Azure cloud outcomes. The enhanced Globally Managed Enterprise SI partner status will further enable EPAM to drive the growth of Microsoft certifications and specialisations and leverage Microsoft’s partner investments to accelerate results in cloud native, data and application modernisation, building intelligent solutions infused with Azure OpenAI service.

In July 2023, EPAM won the 2023 Microsoft U.S. Azure Migration Partner of the Year Award for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementing customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, EPAM owns five solution partner designations and 10 specialisations, enabling EPAM to deliver tailored solutions and accelerate business value and innovation for clients, further cementing EPAM’s position as a trusted Microsoft technology partner.

“We are thrilled that EPAM is now a Microsoft Globally Managed Enterprise Systems Integrator,” said Kelly Rogan, CVP, Global Systems Integrator and Advisory Partners at Microsoft. “Through our expanded collaboration, EPAM will deliver innovative solutions and services on the Microsoft Cloud, which will help customers realise business transformation and growth.”

Since 2004, EPAM’s collaboration with Microsoft has helped global customers accelerate their journey to Azure by planning and architecting a strategy for executing Azure migrations at scale without compromising quality.

To learn more about how EPAM uses Microsoft Azure to build next-gen enterprise solutions, visit epam.com/about/who-we-are/partners/Microsoft. 

 Learn more about how to get the most out of the cloud in EPAM Continuum’s recent report, “From Taming Cloud Complexity to Achieving Cloud Mastery.”