Tuesday, 20 December 2022

AWS Wins $723 Billion Contract to Provide Cloud Services to US Navy

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AWS Wins $723 Billion Contract to Provide Cloud Services to US Navy

AWS has scored a big win, securing a cloud contract with the US Navy worth some $723,878,930 over five years.

The Department of Defense has been working to modernize its computing infrastructure, migrating computer operations to the cloud. The Pentagon recently awarded its $10 billion Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract to AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle.

The US Navy has now awarded AWS a cloud contract, worth more than $723 million, from December 2022 to December 2028.

Per the agreement, the funds will not be dispersed in one lump-sum, at the time of the blanket purchase agreement (BPA), but will be allocated as orders are fulfilled.

This BPA will not obligate funds at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using a variety of funding types, including operation and maintenance (Navy) funds; other procurement (Navy) funds; and working capital (Navy) funds.

The contract is a big win for AWS and should help the company continue its reputation as the leading cloud provider for government and military organizations.

AWS Wins $723 Billion Contract to Provide Cloud Services to US Navy
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Apple Expands Self Repair Program to Include Desktops and Studio Display

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Apple Expands Self Repair Program to Include Desktops and Studio Display

Apple has expanded its Self Repair program, including both Mac desktops and the Apple Studio Display.

Apple is one of a few major companies that has been embracing self repair options, rolling out its Self Repair program for the iPhone before expanding it to the MacBook line.

According to Six Colors, at least in the US, Apple has expanded the program to include the M1 iMac, M1 Mac mini, and Mac Studio. The program also supports the new Apple Studio Display.

While Apple’s program is not perfect, it’s certainly better than nothing and will hopefully continue to improve.

Apple Expands Self Repair Program to Include Desktops and Studio Display
Matt Milano



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Top Security Tools To Help Businesses With Project Management

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Top Security Tools To Help Businesses With Project Management

Any workforce can benefit from implementing technologies that improve and streamline project management.

One of the best ways to gain more insight into productivity, and provide employees with more convenience is to invest in security tools for project management.

If you want to learn about the top security tools to improve project management, keep reading. In this guide, we will discuss the best security tools that enhance the convenience of punching in and provide more insight into project management.

One Single Platform For Security Management

One of the best ways to streamline project management is to make security information more accessible for you and your team members.

A cloud-based security system creates a single platform of truth for security data, from store camera systems to computer access logs at an on-site office. By establishing an integrated security system, you can eliminate data silos, allowing all security information to be hosted in one place, and improve oversight.

Another benefit of a cloud-based security system is that it allows your team to view security information from anywhere, whether on-site or off-site.

Smoother data retrieval lets your team view security data from different sources on a single interface without correlating timestamps. For instance, you would need to view surveillance video data alongside access control data to verify an employee’s identity.

Using a single platform for security management also enables easier onboarding and offboarding of your hires. If you need to onboard an employee to your security system, you can do so in one place, unlike several disparate platforms.

Respond Quickly To Events And Changes

Cloud-based security tools have another significant benefit: they allow employees to receive alerts and notifications when working.

Employees often perform tasks that leave them unavailable to deal with customers entering the building. The alerts provided by a cloud-based security system notify staff when a customer enters the building, allowing them to stop their task and deal with the customer.

Additionally, integrating occupancy management software with a cloud-based door access system can help inform staffing decisions.

Occupancy management software identifies occupancy levels based on access control events, identifies trends, and forecasts future occupancy levels. If you’re looking to make better staffing decisions, you can use data gathered from your occupancy management software to determine your busiest hours and which are your most active days.

For busy days, you can ensure you have plenty of staff on-hand, ensuring your team isn’t overwhelmed by customers—which could lead to poor-quality service that harms your business’ reputation. You can add extra shifts to your working days to cover a lunch shift or the time of day when your establishment is busiest and avoid unplanned overtime hours.

The software also allows you to plan your staff’s workday more effectively, ensuring they’re free to tend to customers during your busy hours while managing other tasks during your less activehours.

Deeper Data Analysis For Improved Decision Making

Applying time-tracking software to your cloud-based access control system allows for improved data analysis and decision-making regarding your payroll procedures.

Buddy-punching and employees recording hours improperly affect your business, as you’re being charged for hours your employees haven’t worked. As part of your project management strategy, you can ensure your employees know that the tool will track their time based on when they enter and leave the premises.

Time-tracking software provides you with more reliable data to analyze employee productivity and ensures proper payroll procedures. Time tracking software is beneficial for businesses that frequently use contractors.

You can identify productivity trends through data analysis, using the information to improve project management and optimize productivity.

Automated Security Workflows

When it comes to security incident response, you need to maximize efficiency. Effective incident response will protect your business from a security breach or theft and ensure your employees know their responsibilities.

You can create automated security workflows for your security team using AI. If your security system detects a potential security threat, your team will receive automated workflows to respond to the event. Manual workflow creation leaves a margin for error and is time-consuming.

Instead, you can establish automated workflows for each potential security threat in line with your incident response procedures. These workflows will automatically be assigned to your on-site employees, who will receive a mobile notification alerting them of the incident and their responsibilities.

Implementing automated security workflows reduces time-consuming and repetitive manual data entry tasks and ensures the task doesn’t inhibit your productivity. Instead, you can establish your workflows to ensure that your employees understand their responsibilities.

Summary

Security tools can be highly effective in improving project management for employees. Your employees can handle tasks and responsibilities while staying in touch with their customer management responsibilities, and you can plan your employees’ time in line with business’s busiest hours. Keep cloud-based security and integrations in mind when planning a security strategy that facilitates project management.

Top Security Tools To Help Businesses With Project Management
Brian Wallace



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Amazon Agrees to Major Business Changes in the EU to Head Off Probe

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Amazon Agrees to Major Business Changes in the EU to Head Off Probe

Amazon has reached an agreement with the EU to make major changes to its business in exchange for heading off antitrust probes.

Amazon was under fire for dealing unfairly with third-party sellers, preferring its own retail business over those of competitors, as well as for using its sellers’ non-public data to fine-tune its own services and gain an advantage.

The EU Commission outlined its concerns in a statement:

In July 2019, the Commission opened a formal investigation into Amazon’s use of non-public data of its marketplace sellers. On 10 November 2020, the Commission adopted a Statement of Objections in which it preliminarily found Amazon dominant on the French and German markets, for the provision of online marketplace services to third-party sellers. It also found that that Amazon’s reliance on marketplace sellers’ non-public business data to calibrate its retail decisions, distorted fair competition on its platform and prevented effective competition.

In parallel, on 10 November 2020, the Commission opened a second investigation to assess whether the criteria that Amazon sets to select the winner of the Buy Box and to enable sellers to offer products under its Prime Programme, lead to preferential treatment of Amazon’s retail business or of the sellers that use Amazon’s logistics and delivery services.

As part of the agreement, Amazon will no longer use non-public data from its sellers to improve its own products. The company will also make offers and products from competing sellers equally visible in its “Buy Box.” The terms of the deal will be enforced for seven years, but will only be in effect within the EU.

“Today’s decision sets new rules for how Amazon operates its business in Europe,” said Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President in charge of competition policy. “Amazon can no longer abuse its dual role and will have to change several business practices. They cover the use of data, the selection of sellers in the Buy Box and the conditions of access to the Amazon Prime Programme. Competing independent retailers and carriers as well as consumers will benefit from these changes opening up new opportunities and choice.

Amazon Agrees to Major Business Changes in the EU to Head Off Probe
Matt Milano



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T-Mobile Takes Aim at Comcast With Latest 5G Home Internet Promo

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T-Mobile Takes Aim at Comcast With Latest 5G Home Internet Promo

T-Mobile is taking aim at Comcast with its latest 5G Home Internet promotion, inviting customers to “Make Xfinity Your Ex.”

T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet has been growing at a rapid pace, providing customers in rural and under-served areas a strong option for high-speed internet. The company is offering Comcast customers up to $750 to cover early termination fees, as well as 50% off of the monthly fee for 5G Home Internet, bringing the price to a mere $25 per month.

“It’s clear Xfinity customers are tired of the BS. They’re hungry for a better option — and now they have one with T-Mobile 5G Internet,” said Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Innovation & Experience at T-Mobile. “At a time when Comcast is locking customers into contracts and increasing their costs, the Un-carrier is here to provide people with a new option that’s free from contracts, packed with value and finally giving Big Internet some real competition.”

Comcast has long held the unenviable distinction of being one of the most hated companies in America. The company continues to dramatically raise prices and charge hidden fees and equipment rentals, among other practices that have helped it earn its reputation.

T-Mobile makes the point that Comcast has gone too long without meaningful competition:

Comcast Xfinity is the poster child for what happens without competition. For over two decades, it’s been a leader of what, today, are the two most hated industries in America – Cable TV and Internet Service Providers. The result is a customer base that, unsurprisingly, really, really dislikes Comcast Xfinity and its catalog of headache-inducing attributes like exploding bills, surprise fees and painful customer service.

T-Mobile clearly wants to give Comcast customers another option and its latest promotion could go a long way toward luring individuals away from the cable company.

T-Mobile Takes Aim at Comcast With Latest 5G Home Internet Promo
Matt Milano



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UK Government Rules Netflix Password Sharing Illegal

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UK Government Rules Netflix Password Sharing Illegal

Netflix customers in the UK are in for a big disappointment, with the government ruling that password sharing is illegal.

Netflix password sharing is a common practice and one the company condoned for much of its history. The company appears to be backing off of that stance, and is widely believed to be preparing for a major crackdown on the practice.

According to TorrentFreak, Netflix’s attempts to reign in password sharing may have just received a big boost from the UK government. The UK Government’s Intellectual Property Office published new privacy rules that make password sharing illegal, potentially even opening users up to “criminal liability for fraud.” The rule impacts Netflix, as well as virtually all other major streaming platforms.

“There are a range of provisions in criminal and civil law which may be applicable in the case of password sharing where the intent is to allow a user to access copyright protected works without payment,” the IPO told TorrentFreak.

“These provisions may include breach of contractual terms, fraud or secondary copyright infringement depending on the circumstances.”

UK Government Rules Netflix Password Sharing Illegal
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Tesla May Be the Reason for Musk’s Twitter CEO Poll

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Tesla May Be the Reason for Musk’s Twitter CEO Poll

In the wake of a poll where Elon Musk asked if he should resign as Twitter CEO, some are speculating that Tesla is the reason.

Musk posted the poll regarding his status as Twitter CEO, promising to abide by the results. The poll ended with 57.5% voting that Musk should resign. While Musk has been noticeably silent since the poll closed, there’s reason to believe Tesla may have been the ultimate reason for him posing the question in the first place.

Musk has been under fire for essentially leaving Tesla leaderless since his purchase of Twitter. One of the largest individual Tesla shareholders went so far as to call for the board to replace Musk as CEO, saying “Elon abandoned Tesla.”

Some believe the poll could be Musk’s exit strategy or, more accurately, Tesla’s exit strategy for Musk.

As Wu points out, if the Tesla board exerted pressure on Musk, the poll would be a way for him to return to his main job in a way that saves face.

Tesla May Be the Reason for Musk’s Twitter CEO Poll
Matt Milano



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