Musato Technologies Blog

Windows Server 19

Published April 6, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Windows Server 19 embraces the hybrid cloud, hyperconverged data centers, Linux

Windows Server 19 will be available in the second half of the year, and you can preview it via the Insiders program. Microsoft is set to make Windows Server 2019 generally available in the second half of the year, opening up access to its preview build through its Insiders program now and targeting data centers with new features to handle hybrid cloud setups and hyperconverged infrastructure.

The next version of Windows Server also adds new security features and enhances support for containers and Linux.

In a Monday announcement, Microsoft noted that general availability of Windows Server 19 will mark the next release in its Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), which essentially rolls up semi-annual Windows Server releases and related tweaks for enterprises that do not want to continuously update their server software.

A semi-annual channel server update will also go out at about the same time as the Windows Server 19/LTSC release, but Microsoft urges data centers that have workloads involving SQL Server, SharePoint, and Windows-Server-defined workloads to adopt the LTSC release.

Aiming at hybrid cloud

This is the first major release of Windows Server since 2016, and Microsoft is doubling down on features for hybrid cloud deployments. Cloud computing promises operational efficiency and cost optimization, but most big companies are operating hybrid computing environments for a variety of reasons, including compliance issues. Continue reading →

Posted in IT, IT Services, Microsoft, Musato Technologies, Networks, Operating Systems, Technology, Windows Servers | Tagged cloud computing, Data Centres, IT companies, Microsoft, Server Operating Systems, Software Development, Windows Server 19, Windows Servers

Best CRM software

Published April 6, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

What is the best CRM software? Key features to look for

Many businesses undervalue the planning that must go into CRM software selection and overlook the importance of defining the capabilities and results that will matter most to their organization. Don’t be one of them. CRM software

The best CRM software is the one that has the right capabilities and features for your objectives. That selection process is harder than it sounds, however, as organizations are faced with an abundance of choices and priorities to consider when determining which customer relationship management (CRM) software can best meet their needs today and into the future.

The CRM journey often begins with a set of circumstances that make the need for better tools abundantly clear, but businesses must carefully evaluate their own requirements, ask serious questions of various vendors and identify the key features of CRM tools that will be most important to their organization before moving forward.

CRM planning

Nadine LeBlanc, research director for CRM at Gartner, says the power of CRM starts with an organization’s business strategy. “It seems simple, but a lot of organizations often think of CRM as a technology… but CRM is a business strategy that optimizes a business’ capability while promoting customer satisfaction and loyalty,” she says.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to CRM and many companies are already performing some version of CRM without recognizing it as such, according to LeBlanc. Any organization that serves its customers’ needs and wishes, or actively requests feedback from customers, has already started the CRM journey, she says. Continue reading →

Posted in Applications, Business Processes, CRM, Customer Relationship, Customer Relationships, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Computing, IT Services, Musato Technologies, Software, Software As A Service | Tagged CRM, CRM software, CRM systems, Customer Relationship Management, Musato Technologies, Software, Software Systems

Artificial intelligence hype

Published April 4, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Is artificial intelligence hype sowing damaging confusion?

IT vendors have leaped on the artificial intelligence/machine learning bandwagon, spreading a level of confusion that threatens potential technology benefits with AI washing.

As many in the enterprise IT community will remember, technology suppliers succeeded in roundly confusing buyers in the early part of the millennium by “greenwashing” their products and services – or in other words, exaggerating the true extent of their environmentally-friendly credentials – thereby shooting themselves in the foot and, arguably, putting the brakes on the market.

But it seems that many have learned little from the experience. According to Gartner, the IT industry is now pursuing an equally self-destructive strategy of “AI (artificial intelligence) washing” – by applying the AI label too indiscriminately, suppliers are once again bamboozling potential customers, who are putting off making buying decisions as a result.

So just how true is this contention and, if it is valid, what impact is it having on the market to date? Nick Patience, research vice-president at 451 Research, believes that AI in the enterprise software space is certainly overhyped, and adoption has lagged behind uptake in the consumer market.

“A lot of startups are claiming to do AI when they’re using rules-based automation,” he says. “Suppliers also say they have AI systems, but it’s actually much more narrowly defined machine learning software that does image recognition or leads scoring.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s never going to be a robot that can do many of the things humans can do, so you have to cut through the hype to know what you’re getting.”

Emma Kendrew, AI lead for Accenture Technology, agrees that the hype cycle is reaching a peak, driven by busy corporate marketing machines hoping to take advantage of the possibilities opened up by big data and the cloud, as well as burgeoning customer interest. Continue reading →

Posted in AI, Artificial Intelligence, Data, Musato Technologies, Software Development, Software Development Tools, Software Lifecycles, Technology, Technology risks, Web applications, Web Hosting, Web Hosting Services | Tagged AI, Artificial Intelligence, ICT services, IT automation, IT innovation, IT Services, Machine Learning

Local SEO presence

Published April 2, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Building your local SEO presence

You have a newly designed website and you are now looking for ways to keep improving your search rankings and bring more qualified traffic to your website because more qualified traffic equals more sales.- … Continue reading →

Posted in Musato Technologies, Online Presence, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Basics, Web applications, Web Hosting, Web Hosting Services, Website, Website Design in Durban | Tagged IT companies, Local SEO presence, Musato Technologies, Search Engine Optimisation, SEO

Progressive web apps

Published March 28, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Progressive web apps drive the mobile development of the future

Progressive web apps offer many benefits, leading organizations to take advantage of this trend in mobile app dev. A lack of Apple support stands in the way for some. As performance and user experience become essential to the success of an enterprise mobile app, progressive web apps gain interest — and may eventually become the future standard for mobile development.

Progressive web apps (PWAs) blend the functionalities of traditional web apps with native apps while providing increased speed and performance. Several aspects of the mobile app development landscape today make it primed for this trend to take hold.

“If you’re building a web app today, it should be a PWA,” said Michael Facemire, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridge, Mass. “There’s really no reason not to.”

Benefits of PWAs – web apps

PWAs run on the web but can take advantage of native mobile device features, such as appearing on the home screen and sending push notifications. Google supports PWAs for use on Android device browsers, but Apple does not yet support them for its proprietary browser, Safari, on iPhones or iPads. PWAs differ from hybrid web apps in that they are typically not available for download through native app stores and are built using only web technologies.

For PWAs on Android, a service worker API caches data as the user browses to enable offline support. Most PWAs also include an application shell architecture that allows for fast loading times, transport layer security, and a web app manifest file that allows the app to be installed on the home screen, according to Google’s checklist of features.

There may be no difference between a PWA and a native app from the end user’s perspective. That’s beneficial for IT departments that already have an app interface their users or customers are comfortable with.

That was a big benefit for Nexercise, a health and wellness platform that is currently building a PWA for Sworkit, a fitness application. The Sworkit app was first developed for Apple iOS and Android, then the web and Apple TV. Since its web and native apps already shared some JavaScript code, it made sense to develop a PWA, said David Frahm, director of growth at Nexercise in Silver Spring, Md., who oversaw Sworkit’s development.

“Visually, might look pretty much the same as our web app,” Frahm said. “That would be great, because we have a great app, and we don’t want to change all of that. We get to deliver to users wherever they want us to be, as opposed to being limited to the app store.” Continue reading →

Posted in Application Development, Applications, Apps, Information Technologies, IT, IT Innovation, IT Services, Software Development, Software-as-a-Service, Web applications, Website | Tagged Application Development, Musato Technologies, software design, Software Development, Software development company, Web applications, Web apps, Web development

Database automation

Published March 27, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Database automation drives DevOps into the persistence layer

The adoption of highly scriptable cloud-based technologies, along with the emergence of continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD) tools, has created an environment in which every operations process should be Database automation scriptable and all manual processes targeted for automation. Organizations with a DevOps approach to application lifecycle management should automate every process imaginable, but they often hit a wall when they reach the persistence layer. Emerging technologies have the potential to make that limitation disappear.- Database automation

Apply DevOps lessons to database release management

“Database release automation is a real problem,” Datical CTO Robert Reeves says. “You’ve got lots of great ways of automating the application and provisioning servers. But we are still asking DBAs (database administrators) to just work faster, work harder, as they do manual updates.”

So, why can’t we take the lessons we learned from Agile or the progress DevOps has made and apply them to the persistence layer?

“Because of state,” Reeves explains. Unlike applications, a database can’t simply be deleted and recreated on the fly as though you were deploying and undeploying a microservice packaged in a Docker container. “You can’t just zap it.”

Issues beyond the persistence layer – Database automation

The persistence layer presents one problem, but there are also unique regulatory, technical and corporate standards issues that affect databases. Continue reading →

Posted in Data, Data Analytics, Database, Database Management | Tagged Data management, Data set, Database, Database administration, database administrators, Database automation, Musato Technologies

Rapid application development tools

Published March 21, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Five rapid application development tools to consider for mobile

Rapid mobile application development vendors offer a variety of options, from low-code and no-code platforms to micro apps, workflow apps and more.

Rapid application development tools can help organizations more easily mobilize business processes and workflows.

The demand for enterprise mobile apps has never been greater, but it remains complex and expensive to build and deploy them. Rapid mobile application development tools aim to break down these barriers.

Some of these tools enable employees with little to no coding skills to build apps using a graphical user interface. Others create simple apps that perform only a few tasks — or even just one.

Several vendors on the market take these and other approaches. Let’s take a look at them and their rapid application development tools.

Alpha Software

Alpha Anywhere, Alpha Software Corp.’s platform, provides both no- and low-code rapid application development tools. Developers and others can use these tools to create web apps, hybrid mobile apps — through integration with Adobe’s PhoneGap Build service — and mobile forms.

With Alpha Anywhere’s offline capabilities, users of apps built on the platform can save data on their devices if they don’t have internet connectivity. Also, IT can control how that data synchronizes with back-end applications and databases when a connection is restored.

Continue reading →

Posted in Application Development, Applications, Apps, Cloud Computing, Cloud Storage, IT, IT outsourcing services, IT Services | Tagged Application Development, Application development in South Africa, application development tools, IT Services, Musato Technologies, RAD, Software Development

Government data backup and continuity

Published March 20, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Challenges & solutions for government data backup and continuity

State, county, & local governments are unique. From constricted budgets to needing to protect large numbers of devices and users, governments face a unique set requirement for data protection and business continuity. Unitrends has a long history of protecting governmental IT assets, with customers ranging from small towns to major state agencies protecting the data and applications of thousands of employees.- Government data backup
Here are the challenges unique to state and local governments and how Unitrends meets them.

1. Highly Proprietary Data – Government data backup

Governments create and manage large amounts of private data such as criminal records, tax reports, and court documents. Unitrends appliances can replicate data locally, to a remote site or to our highly secure Unitrends Cloud.
From any of those locations, data can be stored for long-term retention and/or used for disaster recovery purposes.

2. Stretched IT Departments

Most state, county, and local governments have few IT resources with little time to spend managing backups and
recovery. Unitrends’ products are designed for a set-it-and-forget-it style of use with emails that report backup results so you always know things are working properly. Continue reading →

Posted in Cloud Computing, Cloud Storage, cyber security threats, cyber-security, cyberattack, hacker attacks, IT, IT Services, Mobile application, Mobile Apps, Musato Technologies, Network Services, Services | Tagged cloud computing, Data backup, Data storage, Government data backup, IT Services, Musato Technologies, Operating Systems, ransomware

Network Infrastructure Protection

Published March 18, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

Security Challenges That Hinder Network Infrastructure Protection

Network Infrastructure Protection Overview

In order to persevere in the face of escalating cyber attacks and maintain application availability, organizations must expand their traditional network infrastructure defenses to incorporate DNS security, centralized visibility, and vulnerability detection.
In today’s hyper-connected, always-on landscape, network reliability, and availability are essential to nearly every business. But achieving them is becoming increasingly difficult in the face of escalating cyber attacks. For digital enterprises, the loss of network access is no longer a minor inconvenience. It can negatively affect productivity, customer satisfaction, brand, revenues, and profitability. To a large degree, ensuring the availability of applications and services comes down to how effectively organizations protect their network infrastructure.

What infrastructure protection ultimately protects?

• Business productivity
• Customer satisfaction
• Brand Reputation
• Revenues
• Profits

Conventional Network Protection Is No Longer Enough

Safeguarding a network’s extended infrastructure—its servers, storage, devices, and virtual machines—from attack-related downtime involves multiple components. Among these are traditional perimeter defenses, including distributed denial of service (DDoS) solutions, email, antivirus, web gateway security and other Network Access Control (NAC) measures, along with security information and event management (SIEM) systems.

Unfortunately, many IT organizations assume these solutions alone provide sufficient protection. The reality is, in today’s sophisticated threat environment, infrastructure protection requires several crucial capabilities many enterprises overlook or underappreciate: knowing what’s on a network, ensuring that all devices are compliant and free from vulnerabilities and DNS security. Continue reading →

Posted in IT, IT Security, IT Services, Network Services, Networks | Tagged Network Infrastructure, Network Infrastructure Protection, Networks

Fileless Malware

Published March 9, 2018 | By Gideon E. M

The rising threat of fileless malware

Threat actors are increasing their use of fileless malware for one simple reason: most organizations aren’t prepared to detect it. Education is the first step in determining what threat these new attacks pose and what you can do to detect and stop fileless malware attacks.

Fileless Malware

Fileless malware is a significant and increasing threat. While awareness of that fact is growing, there’s still confusion among security practitioners and vendors about the nature of the threat and the requirements for a successful defense strategy.

Part of that confusion is because of most of the security methods, solutions and routines used to detect and prevent cyber security threats remain firmly grounded in addressing file-based attacks. As with any new type of cyber threat, many security-focused professionals need a point of reference, or newsworthy attack, as their driver for altering, updating or replacing their current security workflows.

The goal of every security organization is not to be the first victim of that attack.

A recent survey by Ponemon, the 2017 State of Endpoint Security Risk, showed that fileless attacks rose, as a percent of all malware attacks, from 20% in 2016 to 29% in 2017. It estimated that in 2018, fileless attacks would rise to 35%. Of the 54% of respondents that indicated they were compromised by at least one attack, 77% said those successful
breaches were from fileless attacks. Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Virus, cyber security threats, cyber-security, cyberattack, hacker attacks, Keylogger, Safe Software, Security | Tagged cyber security, cyber-attack, Fileless Malware, Information security, Musato Technologies, Website Protection