Volume 1 - Issue 8 - ICTACT.IN

June 2013MOOCChanging faceof EducationMobile ApplicationDevelopmentINSIDE :Special Coverage onBridge 2013 Coimbatore EditionICT Academy of Tamil NaduAn ISo 9001 : 2008 Certified

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ContentICT ConnectA Quarterly Magazine from ICT Academy of TamilnaduJune 2013 EditionPublished ByICT Academy of Tamil NaduELCOT Complex, 2-7, Developed Plots,Industrial Estate Perungudi,Chennai – 600096Ph: 91-044-42906800Email: ictconnect@ictact.inWebsite: www.ictact.inNOT FOR SALEDisclaimer: The text and other material on ICT Connectmagazine are the views and opinions of the specificauthor and are not statements of advice, opinions, orinformation of ICT Connect or ICT Academy of TamilNadu. All trademarks and / or registered trademarksare the property of their respective companies and / orowners. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in partwithout written permission from the publisher. Individualsare authorized to photocopy items only for personaluse and not for commercial use.Cover StoryICTACT BRIDGE ® 2013Tech TalkMOOCRam Singampalli,Vice President, SyntelLeader SpeakEntrepreneurial DreamsKarthick Karunakaran, CEO & Co-founder, Mobius Knowledge servicesICTACT AwardICTACT Student Innovator Award 2013Student ColumnPower Utility Management using Smart Meter - AMITech TalkMobilityUmadevi Balakrishnan, Lead-Technical Trainer, CSS CorpNew InitiativesMOU between INTEL & ICTACTTech TalkCloud TechnologiesAshok Balasubramanian, Head of Cloud COE, SyntelEntrepreneur SpeakThe Audacity of DreamsSanjay Vijaykumar, Co-Founder & CEO, MobMETech TalkSecurity Operation CenterIsrar Elahi, Head of Training, Consumer Services, CSS CorpTech TalkCompetency CustodianLakshmi Narayanan, Head Career & Talent, HCLICTACT Event SnapshotsSnaps of ICTACT EventsTech Trends5 Emerging Technologies every office will have in 2020ICTACT ProjectsICTACT Trains 13,500 ITI Students on BCCTech TipsPasswords the first step to safetyAcademician ColumnEmployability skills assessment of Engineering StudentDr.S.Chandrasekar, Director-Placements, Sri Eshwar College of EngineeringTechnology in EducationClickers in ClassroomICTACT Training ProgramUpcoming ICTACT Programs31213151720222425283033343537394143

CEO MesageBreaking the barriers and conquering is always a part of evolution. ICTACT has been keeping pace with the evolution oftrends in the field of Information, Communication and Technology. The focus on young minds and the scope of leveragingemployability in them and make them industry ready, is taking a positive turn. ICTACT, with a successful track record inthe College domain, is deepening its roots to penetrate into the School domain. ICTACT aspires to Locate, Motivate andEngage the younger minds in the process of nurturing them with essential skills for facing the future with confidence andkeeping track with the changing trends in the industry. ICTACT perspires to provide them with an opportunity to acquirewholesome knowledge and enhance competency.ICTACT is now ready with a new breed of courses for the non ICT domains such as, Civil, Mechanical and other domains.This is to augment the entire talent pool and to garner and cater to the untapped talents in the tier II and tier IIIbelts of the state of Tamil Nadu.We have in pipeline a wide range of products for the member institutions to give them boundless service and fostera strong and deep relationship beyond time through our new engagement models. As a first step, ICTACT has revampedits ICT Connect magazine right from this issue in your hands and will come with much in the future. We have undertakenGovernment projects like TNSDM, BCC, Social Welfare and delivering it successfully.We open our hands to pamper your brainchildren. Let’s do it together as done so far.Wishing everyone a great success in making new avenues in your endeavor.M.SivakumarChief Executive OfficerICT Academy of Tamil Nadu

Cover StoryICTACT BRIDGE ® 2013Coimbatore Edition26 June 2013 - Hotel Le Meridien, CoimbatoreIndustry - Academia Interaction with focus on“Envisioning the Future Technology”with the theme“What’s next is here now”9th EditionBridge 2013 Coimbatore9th EditionWith successful track record of the last eight editions of ICTACT BRIDGE conferences, ICTACT completed its9th edition of ICTACT BRIDGE in Coimbatore titled “Envisioning the Future Technology” with the theme “What’s next ishere now”.ICTACT BRIDGE 2013 Coimbatore edition brought together multi-disciplinary researchers, professionals andpractitioners from both Academia and Industry, who are involved in the fields of Computing and Information Technology.This edition offered quality updates from key experts and provided an opportunity in bringing in the new techniquesand horizons that will contribute to advancements in Information Technology in the next few years in the fields of IT,Automobile, Civil and other similar domains.The conference was represented by a multitude of key stakeholders from Academia, Corporate, Governmentand Media. The Academia participants included academic leaders, the teaching fraternity, research community, placementofficers etc. The Corporate participants included corporate executives, senior management members, technicalexecutives etc. This edition witnessed around 600 participants.June 2013 | 5

Cover Storyward to be working with ICTACT to bridgethe gap and bring more meaningful developmentsamong students.Podcasting, Screen casting and social media,NPTL and Moodle are various technology tools toempower the education. These technology toolsshould aid the teachers but they can no way besubstituted for the teachers.Mr. Sundararaman K S& Executive Director - Shiva Texyarn LimitedChairman CII - Coimbatore ZoneMr.Sundararaman invited the delegatesand the guests. For this event hesaid he would wear the hat that he wearsin CII coimbatore. He also mentioned thatthe major chunk of members in it is fromthe institutions. In this speech he said hewill discussed about the state of affairs ofthe institutions and also discussed abouttechnology that enable education. Hementioned about the employability of engineeringgraduates, he said that we areno were in mark when bench marked withthe western countries. He said that thecompetency and assessment are the majorsetbacks in India when compared withthe other countries. He strongly felt thatmarket dynamics should not create a negativeenvironment for students.For example just 45% pass mark isenough for a student to get admitted intoengineering ,which should change. Hemade a point that the IT/ITES companieshad created a huge expectations of thestudents especially the engineering students,which is responsible for the proliferationthat is happening now.In this ICT Academy of Tamil Naduplays a vital role and this niche organizationis wonderfully designed with the supportof Government, Academia and Corporate.He also spoke about Podcasting, Screencasting and social media, NPTL andMoodle are various technology tools toempower the education. He also said thatthers technology tools should aid theteachers but they can no way be substitutefor the teachers. He talked about theclicker based systems that have tremendouslychanged the classroom teaching inthe western countries.He wanted every academicians to understandthe situation and act accordingto the creation of the knowledge and thatConviction in technology is the onlyfactor that supports. Somebody withdeep conviction can achieve anythingMr. Joydeep RoyCEO & Wholetime DirectorL&T General Insurance Company Ltdthe advancement of the technology toolswill only help them do it in a better way.Mr.Joydeep Roy started the sessionwith a jovial note. He said that ICTAcademy of Tamil Nadu is doing a wonderfuljob in bridging the gap betweenthe Academia and the corporate world.He added on that though he right nowworks for the financial services the is nota stranger to the IT as he was working forIT in his initial stages of career. He mentionedthat 5 years ago there was no twitteror Facebook but now it has created agreat revolution. He said that predictingthe long term trends are many times easierthan predicting the short term trend.He stated some of the trends in various aslisted below:Transactions – What transaction are takingplace in majorityConsumer behavior – Online shopping isused to evaluate the products more thanbuying the product.Information availability – Information isno longer premium, but available to everyone.He stated that there are also technologyfailures. For example Alta Vista which wasone of the famous search engine lost toGoogle.Ipod took over rio when they lost.Finally Western Union invented the creditcard but it was taken over by Ameexand thus showed great success in market.Thus it does not prove that whoeverdoes the technology leap wins. So peoplesometimes does not know what theyhave.He stated the importance of reach anddelivery means. Choice for a customerwas another factor he mentioned. Whileoffering choice one has to also ensureconsumer loyalty.Four important factors that online buyingoffers are:• Urgency• Convenience• Choice• CostHe thus came out with specific examplefrom insurance. While none of the abovefactors support the financial sector, convictionin technology is the only one thatsupports. He ended that somebody withdeep conviction can achieve anything.Mr.Purushothaman stated how inthe initial stages they struggled to conductBridge in Coimbatore. This couldbe successful only because of the audiencein Coimbatore. He mentioned thatthese conferences are conducted notonly for discussing issues but also to discussthe technology development as today’sBRIDGE does. He stated that thereare different challenges to handle in whichAcademia and Technology are one amongthe challenges. He requested the audienceto fill in the feedback form and provideguidance and suggestions for ChennaiBridge.June 2013 | 7

Cover StorySession 1: Impact of Technologies on Institutions,Teachers & StudentsThe illiterate of the 21st century arenot who cannot read and write , butare who cannot learn ,unlearn andrelearn.Mr. Chandrasekhar ChenniappanHead Of Human Resources – India,Atmel CorporationThis session was moderated byChandrasekaran Chenniapan. He introducedthe panel members. He started witha quote “the illiterate of the 21st centuryare not who cannot read and write , but arewho cannot learn ,unlearn and relearn”With all the technology advancementthe teachers have to reinvent theirway of teaching. They should movefrom teaching to mentoring.Mr. Praveen Parameswaran,Offshore Head of Sourcing,UST GlobalMr.Praveen Parameshwaran invitedthe audience and said that he will nevermiss any opportunity to interact with theacademicians. He started with a question“How do I learn ,Unlearn and relearn”.He mentioned about the technologychanges that is taking place and thesetechnology will evolve as the people wants.He briefed about certain factors that haschanged.1. Myth about enclosed classroomsession2. Impact of cloud computing - accessdata where they want3. Collaboration for cause - Nomore restricted by distance, availabilityand power of knowledgeNow-a-days the students are muchmore equipped to source more informationthan the teacher. Hybrid learning modulesare prevalent now to collect informationtoday. All these are possible with thehelp of advancement in the social media.Thus the classroom from being Lecturercentricis now student-centric. WithGoogle, information is available all over. Allthe new models of education are creatingchallenges to the old techniques. There areonline mechanisms to guide the studentsthrough the curriculum. The new form ofpublishing has also changed. There aremore number of white papers developednowadays.With all these developments the studentcommunity has undergone, but theteachers are not exposed to any of them.This has created a huge gap between theteachers and the students. With all thesetechnology developments the library arealso becoming a challenge. The StanfordUniversity develops and delivers contenton I-tune. With these examples we haveto use these applications to enable learning.That is where the learning communityis moving, without which the educationsector will become redundant.Mr.Vijay Anand started with a thankingnote to ICT Academy for giving him theopportunity to address the think tank of thestate. He said he will talk about how technologycan enable education and learning.He asked the audience about their knowledgeof machine to machine. He continuedabout intelligent devices and the deliveryof business value. He said M to M wasthere for ages, but then it was not widelyused. With the cost of technology andcommunication becoming cheaper, M to Mis more prevalent now-a-days.Every house hold has at least 10 devicesthat can connect with each otherand deliver business value for the people.He asked whether the academicians areequipped to address this massive kind ofgrowth in the technology. He mentionedabout the offshore delivery centres andstated that we need to move beyond that.The students have to move to the levelof inventing different things than maintainingvarious technologies developed by thewestern countries.Mr.Vinoth Chelambathodi started thesession on giving back to the society, thusbenefitting the society. But if you give backto the institutions the benefits multiplyseveral times. He started the session witha series of questions.The students have to moveto the level of inventingdifferent things than maintainingvarious technologyMr. Vijay Anand V RChief Technology OfficerCGI IndiaJune 2013 I 8

Cover StoryWe are in a social connective worldand we need to work on it. All thesetechnology advancements should helpthe student community to learn more.Mr. Vinodh ChelambathodiGlobal Head - Human ResourcesPolaris Financial Technology LimitedThe speed of information sharing hasgrown tremendously. He also discussedabout the power of twitter and other socialmedia. He gave clear examples of the institutionsthat wants to engage customersthrough social media. Social Connectivityis across all age groups and regions.The key take away is that we are in asocial connective world and we need towork on it. All these technology advancementsshould help the student communityto learn more, to innovate and to discovernew applications.It should grow the skill set of the studentsand address the gap between theAcademia and Corporate that is prevalentnow.Innovation is critical for every studentand we need to train the student for thisworld of innovation. This will bring a lot ofvalue additions for the students.With the help of social media we needto connect within the institution and alsobetween other institutions.We need to move from the fill-it file-itand forget-it to the fill-it, reinforce-itand embed-it model. And that can comewith the help of technology.Ms.Haseen Z Taj discussed on the topicTechnology in Learning. She shared abouther experience as an Engineer.The number of engineering colleges nowadayshas increased and all of it is only forthe good of the state of Tamil Nadu. Shediscussed on various factors what we canstill do better and work for the improvementof the students.She talked about the retention of learning.Any competency after learning lastsonly for a maximum of 9 hours. But wedon’t want the students to forget what istaught in the classroom. She talked abouta research which mentions that if we augmentthe learning with additional input ata certain predefined frequency, then learningretention might be 80%. So we need totweak a little the way we give our lecture.She recalled that the various engineeringcolleges have different cut-off, but allthe students are creative, innovative andwill create value when nurtured properly.If we pick-up students with lower cut-offwe need to give that extra inputs to makethese students to come up to the level ofthe students with higher cut-off. We needto move from the fill-it file-it and forgetitto the fill-it, reinforce-it and embed-itmodel. And that can come with the helpof technology. All the technology toolsshould create that additional input to thestudents so that they can have retentionof learning. These technologies enable thestudent to learn from anywhere and everywhere.This will make the students growfrom their level, the institutions and thecorporate will simultaneously grow withthat. Fill-it file-it and forget-it to the fill-it,reinforce-it and embed-it model. And thatcan come with the help of technology. Allthe technology tools should create that additionalinput to the students so that theycan have retention of learning.India is one of the country that has thehighest employable population. We needto leverage that to be more profitable infuture. The next important thing she statedis resilience. Resilience is the capacityto work in pressure. With the kind ofwork culture nowadays we need to learnto work with pressure. She stated that weneed to add value to the team, company orthe organization we work for.We need to enjoy the work we do, thenit will really bring difference in the work wedo. She reinforced that the future of Indiais both in the hands of academicians andthe students.Ms. Haseen Z TajVice President – Learning & DevelopmentCitibankFor more details and photos connect with us @facebook.com/ICTACTBridgeJune 2013 | 9

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Cover StorySession 2: Game Changers in industry impactingHigher EducationMr.Kavit Munshi, Mr.Kishore Balaji, Mr.Purushothaman, Mr.Naganagouda, Mr.Tandava Popuri, Mr.Divyanshu Verma“In this technology change the role of the teachersshould be like a catalyst.”Mr. Kishore Balaji, Head - Digital Inclusion-South Asia, IntelMr.Kishore Balaji talked about howcould an institution or Government adopttowards the changing technology. He addedthat Intel has been engaged with researchand innovation. He said Intel investsin Education, Employability and Entrepreneurship.The various programs initiatedby Intel in each sector are listed below.Education – K12 teach and LearnEmployability – Stem within schoolstudentEntrepreneurship - Contest and bootcampsHe mentioned that we need to appreciatethe technology change and we need tomodel ourselves towards the change. Forall of that we need to have the mindset forchange or adaptation towards the change.There is a paradigm shift in the technology.A lot of gamification will happen in future.Linkage to large data will also happen.3D printing technology will also bethe next expected growth area. Now it isno more the content and the device basedclassroom, but with virtual classrooms andvirtual labs the teaching-learning processwill completely change. In this technologychange the role of the teachers should belike a catalyst. Nowadays kids learn fasterabout the technology than an adult.The teachers have to embrace changeand embrace technology. They need to encouragethe students for innovation, powerof questioning, be a catalyst and leadthe change. He said this is the only wayfor the teachers to grow and will also makethe students grow.Mr.Tandava Popuri introduced himself.As he heads the institutions collaborationin Dell he said he can very well relateto the problems faced by the educationalsector. In India we have a lot of connectivitythan many other countries. Thevast student pool and the adaptation to thetechnology is slow and the industry intakeis also decreasing. The institutions alsohave a limitation with their resources. Hecontinued that the academicians shouldcontribute towards the open source. Opensource in education was started by MIT.The Ethernet was started from a university.He gave a over view of Cloud Computingand said it allows the institutions to collaboratewith other institutions. He also statedother great developments happen in thefield of Application Development. Thesekind of applications make the life of facultyand students easier.“Cloud computing will allow the institutionsto collaborate with other institutions”Mr. Tandava Popuri, Director, Firmware Group Dell India R&DMr.Naganagouda welcomed the participants.He requested a one minute silenceto pay condolence for the uttarakhandtragedy. He played one of the famoussong “Why this kolaveri” and relatedit to the topic. He mentioned about GenYand the rapid phase of change in technology.People are adapting to the technologythat are changing with the speed of time.Knowledge economy is all about people.“Teachers are the ones who will build tomorrow’snation”Mr. Naganagouda S, Vice President & Head - HR, Synapse design Automation IncJune 2013 I 12

Cover StoryIndia will require 8 million people for IT/ITES sector. That is always a good sign.India has a chance of creating huge employabilityand now the challenge is to createthat workforce.We need to know how to leverage“Stay hungry, stay foolishand tap every opportunity”Mr.Divyanshu Verma, Engineering Manager, NetAppthe newly created technology and capitalizethe tech enabled workforce. Thefuture should be created by us and thechoice lies in our hands. The connectivityof world is also growing in a tremendousmanner. We need to learn how to do morewith less. He also mentioned about KhanAcademy and the way they have replacedclassroom education. When companiesare changing the rules and regulations toaccommodate the GenY, Why cannot theinstitution do this to make the GenY moreaccommodative he indicated. We need toencourage innovation in the minds of thenew generation. He mentioned that the expectationof the GenY is changing and weneed to adapt to the change. He said weneed to kindle the thought process of thestudents and thus 21st century will be agreat place to live. Teachers are the oneswho will build tomorrow’s nation.about the Cloud, Analytics and the othertechnology changers. He talked aboutMain Frame and Client Server Technologyand how all these technology havechanged over a period of time. He statedthat 10 years back if someone had to starta company 80% of investment was wastedin the hardware and infrastructure and thescope for other relevant thing were verymeager. But now with the advancementin cloud the cost for the hardware goesdown and can be done in comparativelyless time. Thus with great reduction incapex, Cloud Technology has changed theentire organizational setup. He explainedabout the objective of Openstack. He alsoexplained about IAAS, PAAS, SAAS. Hecalled India as a Edu Nation. Thus with theadvent of Cloud Computing each institutioncan network with other institutions andshare their resources more than lookingat each other as competitors. He finallycompleted saying “stay hungry, stayfoolish and tap every opportunity”.Mr.Kavit Munshi started with a briefing on what is cloud. With the change inthe IT landscape the IT jobs are also lookingat paradigm shift. Lot of mundane jobsare being automated but lot of other jobsare also created like Cloud and Big Data.Thus the academicians should understandhow the industry is heading towards andalso realize the next generation industryexpectation. By using cloud in an institutionevery department can run their owntechnology without more investment. Sofirst we need to train the teachers and studentsin using the Cloud Technology. Remoteclassrooms are possible nowadaysso that education can also reach the placewhere there is no development or wherethere is very less resource available. Butbefore building a Cloud Technology weneed to ask why do we need cloud. Nowa-daysdata protection is also possible andwith the reduction in deployment and thereduction in the cost the cloud computinghave become one the best technologyadvancement. These kind of technologieschange when adopted by the educationsectors can make tremendous and positivechanges in the students mindset andset a culture of innovation thus preparingthem for the next level industry demands.“Technology changes when adopted by the education sectors, canmake tremendous and positive changes in the students mindset.”Mr.Divyansu Verma started bystating the reason why everyone is talkingMr.Kavit Munshi, Chief Technical Officer, EVP Aptira26th June 2013Focused on Envisioning theFuture Technology500 Plus Participants15 renowned expert speakers13 SponsorsStudent Innovator AwardsJune 2013 | 13

Tech TalkMOOCChanging the face of EducationRam Singampalli, Vice President, SyntelMOOC - Massively Open OnlineCourses, are online courses offered viathe Internet and include video lectures, liveclasses, automated grading methods andat times, peer evaluations. MOOC is a nextgeneration of online education, e-learningand distance learning. A key attribute ofMOOC is the large number of students simultaneouslyenrolled, with peer learningfacilitated through social media technologies.Stanford University was a pioneer instarting what could be considered as thefirst MOOC in mid-2011. Several otherslike edX, Udacity and Courser a followedsuit in 2012, albeit with minor variations.MOOCs offer a plethora of subjects likeScience, Mathematics, Technology andArts. As an example, one could learnAstronomy while having access to a globalnetwork of robotically controlled telescopesfrom the University of NorthCarolina, U.S.in the comfort of their homeand paying as little as $65. While most ofthese courses are offered for free, somecharge for assessment. In India, theMadras Management Association (MMA)offers a Mini MBA course that includesvideo classes jointly developed by IIMRanchi, online tests, collaborative platformsand live classes. Within the first sixmonths of launch, more than one lakh studentshave enrolled for this program.The benefits of MOOC include access toworld-class content and lectures, minimalor no cost, the ability to learn at yourconvenience, more importantly, to learnalong with participants across the globe.Even then, as the models, authenticationand courses are evolving, they have notachieved adequate recognition as a fulldegree, and the Industry is yet to considerthese courses for offering jobs. However,with the investment and rapid evolution ofMOOC, the industry will soon be pushedto consider MOOC credits or use themto train employees. Some infrastructurechallenges like internet bandwidth hamperadoption of MOOC in India and while registrationsare high, the completion rate remainslow.Though there is an argument thatMOOCs cannot substitute live classrooms,and learning facilitated by in-personinteractions, MOOC can be effectivelyharnessed by students, faculty and professionalsto supplement their learning.Some MOOCs even offer course credits,which can be used for under-graduate/graduate programs. MOOC is an extremelyeffective way of improving education offeredby traditional institutions. We hopethat MOOCs will evolve to offer free andopen education for all, unhindered by geographicand economic boundaries!June 2013 I 14

Leader SpeakQA &Entrepreneurial DreamsMr.Karthik KarunakaranCEO & Co-founderMobius Knowledge servicesMr. Karthik, give us an idea of your earlycareer, and what were the key influencesthat have helped you start MobiusKnowledge Services?The seeds for my entrepreneurialdreams were sown through my readings ofDr. M.S.Udayamurthy and the biography ofJ.N.Tata during may graduation days. Afterdoing my post-graduation in Business, Iworked for couple of years with Tata Steelin Kolkata and Delhi, where I got some experiencein Quality processes and in Sales.But my entrepreneurial focus made me returnto my home city (Chennai) and thenthrough partnerships with old collegefriends started down this path.The big opportunity as well as challengeis with the young human resourcepool we have in the country. We are obviouslygifted with decent talent but there isa gap in converting it to international levelproductivity and quality expectations dueto an attitude gap. HR’s challenge lies infinding the people with the combination ofright talent and the right attitude. And if theeducational institutions & society incentivesthe right attitude part, HR’s job canbecome much easier.Do you see a difference/change in attitudestowards careers especially in this generation?One obvious attitude change that hasbeen happening since my parent’s generationis that now youngsters are not worriedtoo much about job security. They feelthat there’ll always be a better opportunitycoming up shortly, which is a sign ofthe confidence in our economy but it alsomeans that in some cases they don’t put inthe right effort in the current job.There is a lot of talk about the so-calledchange in the employee/employer relationship,how impactful do you think that hasbeen?Transition to knowledge economy frommanufacturing based economy means thatthere is a significant way in which the employee/employerrelationship changes. Itis no longer a management/worker conceptbut more that of being equal partiesto a contract, with both sides having responsibilitiesand obligations. This meanspart of the HR cannon; give us an idea aofhow you set your HR strategy in a rapid expansionenvironment?Our core HR philosophy can besummed up as “Grow and Help Grow”.Our company is focused on growth andwe want to help our employees grow theirknowledge, skills and of course, their career.We also have a strong reward & recognitionprogram which combined withour investment in training and motivationactivities drive our employee engagement.What is your take on social media and opportunitiesin social media?Social media is driving the explosionof user generated content and user-dataon the internet today. The most active andengaged users of the internet today is themillennial generation (viz. aged between18 and 34).They are consuming blogs, marketingcontent, web, social media posts, news,emails & messages. For all consumer facingindustries, attracting and engagingtheir clients through social media is goingto be key for their survival and so this createsa new line of employment opportunities.It’s been a tough couple of years economicallyaround the world, what have you focusedon to keep the operation in goodshape?In tough times, it is important to keepthe costs down and focus on efficiencywithin on going processes, but at thesame time it is also important to continueThe big opportunity as well as challenge is with theyoung human resource pool we have in the country.What would you say are the obvious businesschallenges going forward, and whatare HR’s priorities especially while recruitingfresh talents?HR’s role becomes more of a facilitatorand lesser focus on compliance & policyimplementation.Engagement is an increasingly importanton investing for the next upward cycle. Wecontinue to invest in new technology, solutionsand services creation even during thebad periods. Having said that, any changeJune 2013 | 15

Leader Speakin status quo generates new opportunitiesand a downturn is also a change. So wesee the situation as glass half full.Looking at the investment in learning anddevelopment, in what I imagine is a transitorysector, how do you square the investmentin staff, when you know peoplewill move on?As mentioned earlier, we believe in“Grow and Help Grow”. So we don’t lookat training in terms of an immediate returnon investment. Over the last coupleof years, we have continued to invest intraining and our strong 4-week classroomtraining followed by on-the-job trainingreadies them for the real-world challenges.Once a candidate is inside, we believeit is our responsibility to ensure thatwe retain the good people so we have aunique accelerated career developmentplan where a new joinee can get a promotionevery 3 or 6 months and jump 3 levelsabove within 2 years.What are you looking for in a candidate attime of interview?We look for a certain threshold levelsof analytical skills and basic communicationability. Based on different thresholdlevels, we take them up at different levelsof pay. Most importantly we look for a certainattitude that is amenable to learning,team work and working towards results.What are the key challenges faced by yourorganization in hiring and retaining a candidate?The 2 main challenges are – (1) theability to have a brand pull for niche companieslike us is a challenge.So the ability to showcase the advantagesof our company to a bigger pool ofright talent takes more effort (2) the talentpool size that can be classified as ‘goodenough’ talent is low, in spite of the hugenumber of new graduates every year. Sothe amount of sifting required and furthertraining effort required consumes a lot ofunproductive effort.Tech News“A recent study by Hewlett-Packard and IDC cites that 46 percent ofthe organizations say cost rather than environmental sustainability isthe main driver for adoption of Green IT products and services. Ona positive note, 80 percent respondents have policies related to printerand print management, reducing paper wastage and recycling printerconsumables; yet only 39 percent have a green procurement policy forthe IT department. But, 67 percent respondents said they are willingto assess their print infrastructure.”Source : www.informationweek.inAdvertise with us:AdvertisementTariffBack Cover 50,000Front Inner 30,000Back Inner 25,000Full Page Color 20,000Half Page Color 10,000Contact: Vishnu Prasad D | Email: ictconnect@ictact.in | Phone: +91-95001 455 22June 2013 I 16

ICTACT AwardICTACT Student Innovator Award2013ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu (ICTACT) has accomplished conductingits 2nd edition of ICTACT Student Innovator Award in June2013. ICTACT Invited projects with creative technological ideas orinnovations in ICT domain from final year students of Engineering& Science disciplines of ICTACT member institutions.ICTACT Student Innovator Award 2013, is an offshoot ofICTACT Student Project, Conceptualized to provide a platformto young engineers to showcase their talent and compete at theglobal level. To make it more competitive and innovative, ICTACTwill shortlist 10 best final year student projects of Engineering &science disciplines. The 10 short listed projects will compete witheach other. Through this unique model, ICTACT retains the zestof recognizing the student project and also creating an impactamong the student community to come up with unique ideas andproducts which benefits society at large.The projects will be selected on the basis of new idea, innovationand capacity to be built as a great business model. The shortlisted teams or the individuals are invited to present their projectsto an independent jury who then select three best projects and besuitably award them.163 College Participations392113Project NominationsFinalistsWinnersMr.J.KesavardhananCEO & Managing DirectorK7 computing India Pvt.LtdJury MembersMr.B.KrishnamurthyFounder & MDBest Known Methods and solutionsMr.NatarajanProject DirectorTamil Nadu Skill development MissionMs.GeethaSub Divisional EngineerBSNLMr.GokulakrishnanDeputy DirectorSTPIMr. Suresh MenonProduct ManagerGoDB TechJune 2013 | 17

ICTACT AwardPower Utility Managementusing smart meter• Mr.G.Ravichandran• Mr.M.Aravind• Mr.T.A.Venkatesh BabuKamaraj College of Engineering &Technology,VirudhunagarDesign & Development of Human Powergenerator & fitness analyser usingLabview• Mr. G. Prabhakaran• Mr. T. Kavin• Mr. N. Karthik• Mr. C.M. Karthick RajaDr. N.G.P Institute of Technology,CoimbatoreAccident Prevention System using Sensors• Mr. Surendranath.S• Mr. T.Yokesh• Mr. Dinesh.ABannari Amman Institute of Technology,SathiyamangalamJune 2013 I 18

88443(Student ColumnPower Utility Management usingSmart Meter - AMIA Smart Meter was developed a SmartMeter System-AMI for Efficient utilizationof Power and to overcome power outagesat odd hours due to peak load .NormallyLoad imbalances, the power companyswitch off particular area power in rotationto maintain load balancing. In oursystem instead of completely shuttingdown the supply. We give minimal powerduring specific hours so that normallife not affected and full power on othertimes. This variable power supply is goingto be implemented by controlling the1.1 Technical BackgroundAutomatic Meter reading AMI to becometruly pervasive it needs to providemore than a reduction in meter readingcosts. Optimization for Asset tracking, dynamicpricing, tamper notification, outagemanagement, supply automation, loadprofiling and network diagnostics are criticalelements for the success of this infrastructure.This drives the move fromMechanical Meters towards Static (electronic)meters for all major utilities. Ti hasa Smart meter Platform using MSP 430for Utility metering [1]AMI start with Smart meters automaticallysends their data to a local collectionpoint. Local collection points forwardthe meter data to a central collectionpoint. AMR uses the information tobill consumers, passing on cost savingsachieved through automation. It uses the1.2 Proposed solutionV-A sensor calculate the Power &summed up in the Micro controller. Thereading are send periodically to serverthrough RF communication for readingcalculation. The central office contactswith the consumer device has its own addressfor its unique identification. The receiverside decode the information bitswitches ON/OFF the corresponding relays.In case any one area we wish to reducepower the transceiver send suitableinformation in binary sequence to the consumerdevice.Say for example00- No powerSTUDENTINNOVATORAWARDThis Project was awarded theICTACT Student Innovator Award 2013relay from central office accordingly. Thecentral office can collect various readingat different time used for billing, analysis& Generation estimation. This systemreduces man power for reading meter &also power trip unpaid customer. The usercan send specific instruction through keyinterface like no shutdown request in caseof emergency needs & also get billing information.fuse complaint& shutdowntiming .The system also give warning incase of change in mode. Thus AMI Smartmeter allow remote reading of electricityconsumption and useful in smart Grid.information to improve reliability and efficiency,detect faultsWith the above system Ti & ADI wetake a leaf ,We add load control & partialoutage option using relay controlled fromcentral office ,information retrieval fromcompany like bill detail .Also for fuse , getshutdown timing ,differential pricing.Currently, EB meters can be read manuallyin India , Highly disoriented manuallabor and source of miscalculation. SmartMeter mitigate all the Problem [2].01- Alarm signal activation10- Min load rely setting11- Full load settingfrom current sensor1R2 22K1R1 100ΩR6 22KR4 22Ku12 -3+R3 10KD1 4148R5 10K1LM 1458D2 4148R8 100K1.3 Organization of the reportExplain how you have organized the restof the report.• Practical problem• Bibliography1.4. Proposed SolutionThe analog system used in the projectSignal conditioning circuitAll the data that have to be acquireddo not generally originate from identicalsources, signal conditioning becomesnecessary in some cases. A simpleattenuator, is used to scale down the inputgains, this is to match the input signal levelto the converters full scale range. It isU26 -5+7C2 10 μf(R7 10kT1 to Controller Pin17 1LM17458-1+C1 10 μfJune 2013 | 19

(((((Student ColumnT3 15-0-15/500mak15C3 1000 μfR8 1Kv3 7805D1 1N4007 v2 7812++(C5 1000 μfC1 1000 μfT4 5v vccC2 10 μfC4 10 μfmade linear and converted effectively usingIC amplifier of low costIn voltage measurement, PTs are connectedacross two phases of the transformerunder test. The PT is rated at230V/6V.The ac output voltage of the PT isrectified, filtered and converted into puredc 5mV.A1 is an inverting rectifier in therectifier circuit. The output from A1 is addedto the original input signal in A2 (summingmixer). Negative alternations of Einresults in no output at E1 due to the rectification.Ein feeds A2 through 22K ohmsresistor and E1 feeds A2 through a 10Kohms resistorThe signal thus rectified has to be regulatedto obtain a pure signals discussedfor DC power supplies, it is essential thatthey employ a rectifier and a filter circuit.In addition to this some power supplieshave an added circuit called a regulator.The primary purpose of the regulator isto aid the rectifier and filter in providinga more constant DC voltage to load device.+v1 7912Power SupplyD1 LEDcom comcom comT6 12v vccR9 1KQ2 SL 100D2 1N4007Relay Circuit+F1++12v vccR6 1kC5 10 μfR1 1kR5 1kT2-12v vffD3D4D2K1 12v RelayPIC micro controller - PIC16F73 /PIC16F876Microprocessor for processingMicro controllers have built-in peripherals,they are:• Low cost, quality process• Available in commercialPackages-DIP• Technology Support• Easy MP Lab Construction.• In expensive tool costing.Following Features1) Memorya) Program Memory (E.g.PROM, Flash memory)b) Data Memory (E.g. RAM,EEROM)2) I/O Ports3) ADC4) Timers5) USART6) Interrupt ControllersPWM / CapturePotential TransformerIt is used to transform the high voltageof a power line to a lower value suitablefor direct connection to the circuitused as Volt Sensor.Current TransformerThe CT secondary winding is usuallydesigned to deliver a secondary current of0.5 A. A 5A/0.005A bar type current transformerswould have 16 turns on the secondarycoil used as current sensor.LM311 – TI ComparatorOP07 – TI -OpampLM4250 - TI2x16 LCD Display Unit12V Relay – Control CircuitCC2500 RF Transceiver For datacommunicationRegulator (7805,7812,7912)Software ToolsMP LAB IDEVB-Front endMS Access-back end1.5 Hardware ImplementationThe Smart Meter measures both thecurrent and voltage of the test circuit.Using Potential transformers PT, currentTransformer CT are used for V I measurementThe resulting analog signals are fedinto an op amp configured as a summercircuit to scale the signals down to a 0v-5vlogic level. This provides an interface intothe PIC 16F microprocessor, where bothcurrent and voltage signals are input intotwo channels of the on-board 10-bit ADC.A transformer was used to provide electricalisolation from the primary circuit. Thisensured that the sensitive microprocessorson the PCB were not directly exposedto the primary circuit.The configuration of the voltage transformerand the op-amp is shown above.As the voltage from the voltage transformeroscillates from a positive voltage to anegative voltage, it must have an offsetadded to it to allow it to interface to theop-amp, which can only measure voltageswithin its voltage supply range of 0v-5v.To achieve this, the op-amp is configuredas a summer circuit which sums togetherthe voltages present at its + input. One ofthe input voltages is the signal from thevoltage transformer. The voltage emanatesfrom the voltage transformer’s centretap and is halved using a voltage dividercircuit, lowering it by a further factor oftwo. The other input voltage is a referencevoltage provided by another voltage dividercircuit, which remains constant at 2.5v.This offset, or bias voltage, represents 0vat the voltage transformer output. Whenthe test circuit is enabled, the output ofthe op-amp will swing between 0v and 5v,which allows it to interface to the microcontroller ADC. the current measurementcircuit is similarly configured to the voltagemeasurement circuit. It utilizes a ordinarycurrent transformer which is ratedto measure up to 5A in the primary circuit.The current transformer produces a corresponding-2.5v to 2.5v voltage swing at itsoutputs which is summed with a bias voltageto produce a 0v-5v signal range.Wireless linkThe Ti CC2500 chip has been chosento provide the wireless functionalityfor the Smart Metering System. It operateson a low power, 1.8v-3.3v supply.It uses SPI bus as a communications interfacewhich makes it ideal for pairingwith the microprocessor. The chip usesthe IEEE 802.15.4 Wireless Personal AreaNetwork standard for data transmission inthe 2.4Ghz band. It provides full physicalJune 2013 I 20

Student Columnand data link layer functionality, meaningthat the project can be built on top of analready existing wireless platform.Computer linkRS232 presents the most commonmethod of interface with a personal computer.It is well developed and many librariesare available for COM port accessin Windows. In terms of transmission,the PIC supports a USART(synchronous/asynchronous serial) interface which canbe configured to transmit and receive databased on the RS232 protocol. As the PIConly operates at a 5v logic level, it is necessaryto use a MAX232 voltage level converterin order to interface correctly with acomputer’s RS232connection.The USARTdata can be received on the computerthrough a COM port, configured using eithera Terminal application, open sourceWin32 COM.1.6 Software ImplementationVoltage & Current calculation algorithmPseudo code User RequestIf request button 1 pressedSend request for bill infoGet Bill info & display in LCDIf request button 2 pressedSend request for shutdownGet shutdown info &display in LCDIf request button 3 pressedSend request for No shutdownIf Power generation > loadAccept the Request &Send Acceptdisplay in LCDElseReject the Request & Send Rejectdisplay in LCD1.7 ResultsSmart Meter Reading have notverified with mechanical meter due to limitedtimeMinimal Power Outage - Checked withoverload - get the output.Change in mode - Alarm output - OK1.8 ConclusionsThe Project titled “Power UtilityManagement Using Smart Meter -AMI hasbeen successfully completed with mostof the features like Partial outages, UtilityNotify consumers of shutdown time’. Usersend request for billing, No shut down request,Shutdown time & FuseThe system is highly useful with the benefitslike• Utilities are able to track peakusage times• Utilities can post meterreadings at more regularintervals for consumers toview• Complaint• EB Bill AutomationThe Limitation of the Project RF interferencesfrom large customer base to behandled The total cost of the Smart meterwith in limit for wider reach . Full automationof Smart Grid software automationprogram to be executed .We onlydone database updation & l request informationprocessed manually to get the desiredoutputEnhancementInterference can be overcome usingZigbee mesh networks. With large scaleproduction the cost may further reducedwith in common man reach . Software automationprogram to be executed for completeautomation.ScopeSmart grids provide the electric energyto all consumers with a highly reliable,cost effective power supply, fully utilizingthe large centralized generators andsmaller distributed power sources [3].Now The India moving to smart grid .Forit’s success the user reading from smartmeter is necessary. In the near future TheGovernment planning to install smart meterat all places which has more benefits.M.AravindT.A.Venkadesh BabuG.RaviChandranProject Guide : G.Srinvasan,M.E., Assistant ProfessorKamaraj College of Engineering & TechnologyJune 2013 | 21

Tech TalkMobilityUmadevi Balakrishnan, Lead-Technical Trainer, CSS CorpMobile application development orMobility is the process by which applicationsoftware is developed for low - powerhandheld devices , such as personal digitalassistants , enterprise digital assistantsor mobile phones . These applicationscan be pre - installed on phones duringmanufacturing , downloaded by customersfrom various mobile software distributionplatforms, or delivered as webapplications using server-side or clientsideprocessing (e.g. JavaScript) to providean “application-like” experience withina Web browser.Developing application software formobile devices requires considering theconstraints of these devices. Mobile devicesrun on battery and have less powerfulprocessors than personal computers.Developers also have to consider alengthy array of screen sizes, hardwarespecifications and configurations becauseof intense competition in mobile softwareand changes within each of the platforms.Mobile application development requiresuse of specialized integrated developmentenvironments. Mobile applicationsare first tested within the development environmentusing emulators and later subjectedto field testing. Emulators providean inexpensive way to test applications onmobile phones to which developers maynot have physical access.Native AppsThe most basic way to build apps formobile devices is to write them for a specifickind of device. For instance, iPhoneapps are written in Objective-C, Androidapps in Java, etc.There are a number of advantages ofwriting apps in this way:• They offer the fastest, most reliableand most responsive experience to users• Can tap into the wider functionalityof the device, such as the camera, compass,accelerometer, notifications, etc.The downside is :• Writing apps for a specific kind ofdevice is that it will not work with otherdevices.• If an app is written in Objective-C foriOS, it’s not going to run on Android withoutbeing completely re-written in Java.This makes native apps the preferencefor particular categories of app development.More demanding apps suchas games tend to be written natively totake full advantage of the device’s capabilitiesand wider functionality. Large organizationsoften choose native apps becausethey have the money to fund thelonger development cycle and want a reallyslick final product. Native apps are basicallythe ideal. Some examples: AngryBirds, Shazam, InstagramMobile-Optimized Web AppsAt the other end of the scale are mobile-optimizedweb apps. These have oftenbeen the choice of companies who arenot ready to invest in a more robust mobilepresence. They’re usually just a condensedversion of the usual website, resizedto fit a Smart phone screen.The advantages of a mobile-optimizedwebsite or web app are, with a few exceptions,• They will run on any mobile devicewith a web browser and internet connection.• They don’t require any mobile developmentexpertise, so a usual web designercan probably throw one together.The downsides are :• They’re extremely limited in whatthey can do effectively.• They will display text and images.• Videos will work on most devices,with the big exception of Flash videos oniPhone/iPad.• The content will only be availablewhen they have an internet connection –there are no options for offline viewing.Some examples : Cisco website, MercedesBenz websiteHybrid AppsSomewhere between native and web appsare hybrid apps. They are quicker to build(and thus cheaper) than native apps, but astep up from what you can expect out ofbrowser-based web apps. Hybrid apps areweb apps built into a native mobile framework.This essentially means that theytake advantage of the cross-compatibilityof web. Technologies such as-HTML5,CSS and Java script, but sidestep the dis-June 2013 I 22

Tech Talkadvantages of web apps by being built leveragingdevice-specific, native frameworks.The bulk of the app is built using webtechnologies, but native code is used to allowthe app to access the wider functionalityof the device and produce a more refineduser experience.The advantage of this approach is that• Only a portion of native code hasto be re-written for different kinds of devices.The vast majority of developmentgoes into the web component, which isused across all devices, reducing the timeit takes to build the app (and thus the developmentcost).As far as user experience is concerned,most people probably won’t noticea huge difference from a native app.They will still have a shortcut ontheir home screen, it won’t open in a webbrowser and they’ll receive notifications.If a native app is unfeasible, a hybridapp is the obvious second choice and aclose contender.Some large organizations use themand they are more accessible to smallercompanies than native apps.Some examples: Facebook, TuneIn Radio,LinkedInNative, mobile Web, or hybrid? For companiesconsidering tapping into the mobilityof their increasingly connected workforcewith enterprise mobile solutions,that’s the million dollar question.The answer: It depends. There’s nosingle correct solution that applies to allscenarios and needs.Each option — mobile Web apps, hybridapplications, and native apps — hasits own advantages and disadvantages.June 2013 | 23

New InitiativesICT Academy of Tamil Nadu andINTEL Join hands to createDigitally Literate TeachersMr.Kishore Balaji, Mr.John Davies, Mr.Sivakumar, Mr. Anbu Thambi• A roundtable of experts fromGovernment, Industry and Academia on“ICT in Education” was held on 30 May2013 in Chennai at ITC Grand Chola,Chennai• ICTACT will empower non-IT facultymembers in the state by making them digitallyliterate.• INTEL to support on its easy stepscurriculum.The round table started with a welcome addressby Mr.Sivakumar CEO, ICT Academyof Tamil Nadu.Mr. John Davies, Vice President ,INTEL delivered a keynote address byquoting that this is a wonderful programin association with ICT Academy of TamilNadu. John mentioned that there is morefocus into skills and people now a dayscreate their own jobs. He briefed upon therecent trends in education with 6 importantpointsLearning – A paradigm shiftThe teaching - learning process hasshifted to a level where the instructor ismore likely considered a neighbor and thestudents have more access to informationIndustry and Policy implicationThe recent years have seen significantchanges in making learning easy and theindustry has made huge changes in content,connectivity, devices, delivery andtraining. The government policy implicationshave supported this strongly.Holistic application to educationICTACTNEWINITIATIVESVarious institutions in India havestarted giving holistic applications to educationby having more focus in researchand development.INTEL higher education in IndiaIntel has introduced various programsthat are custom made for India. Some ofthe successful programs are Intel TeachProgram, Intel Learn Programs, IRIS(Initiative for research and innovation inscience) to name a few.Depth of the program in IndiaHe stressed on the point that everyprogram to be successful it should reachthe grass-root level.Trends to considerThere is a tremendous change in education,of which online and open courseand social media integration has creatednew platforms for learning. Thus educationis still not with the instructor ledlearning but also has new avenues in thisThe MOU between INTEL and ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu was signed andexchanged by Mr. Sivakumar, CEO , ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu andMr. John Davies ,VP – INTEL to spread digital literacy among teachers inTamil nadu.era. Thus we believe that the digital literacyamong teachers and students will helpthem utilize these new avenues.Thiru. Kumar Jayanth IAS,Commissioner of Technical Education,Tamil Nadu, was the next person to givethe key note address. He thanked ICTAcademy and INTEL for such a programand mentioned various reasons on whythere needs a change in the teaching andlearning process.He gave more emphasis for the knowledgeof fundamental concepts. His ideawas to inculcate the learning habit in studentsand make them industry ready.June 2013 I 24

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Tech TalkThe world is becoming flatterwith Cloud TechnologiesAshok Balasubramanian, Head of Cloud COE, SyntelThe 90’s brought in the internet revolutionthat started the unification of theglobal village. Different knowledge sourceson the internet ensured that there was noinformation asymmetry across the globe.A student in Cuddalore, India had accessto the same information as someone inManhattan, U.S.. That set forth a boom ininformation and knowledge-based servicesin emerging economies like India.With cloud computing, I believe, we areheaded into the next dimension of flattening– product innovation. Let us discusstwo key facets of cloud computing.Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) providesstandardized high-performancecomputing technology. What was once reservedfor large enterprises is now availablefor consumers, entrepreneurs and researchersalike. In 2012, Amazon’s virtualsupercomputer configured on its consumer-gradeAmazon Web Services, wasranked the world’s 42nd fastest supercomputer!So, what was once available tothe world’s foremost defense and researchagencies is today available to you, me andmy daughter as well!IaaS now provides a development platformand access to infrastructure for anyentrepreneur, anywhere across the globe,to build his/her ideas. Combined with thebooming mobile marketplace, we have accessto create innovative products andmonetization options through differentapp-exchanges. While IaaS removes barriersto entry at an entrepreneur level, itprovides strong cost savings at an enterpriselevel too.Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is anotherwinner from the cloud stable. In my earlydays, it used to take a few million dollarsand a few good months to get an intranetprogram started. Today for a few dollars amonth, we have access to the world’s bestcollaboration platform, and some are freetoo! What does it mean? Collaboration,Supply Chain, CRM, Analytics, Help Deskand many more available – you don’t needa million dollars, many months and noreinventing industry best practices eachtime.How does this help? An apparel vendor inIndia can work corroboratively and seamlesslywith a design house in Italy and abuyer in the U.S. At a very low cost andwithout up-front investments, they get acommon platform that accelerates productivityand trade.Cloud is moving past the initial hype cycleand emerging as the next powerhousein fuelling innovation, collaboration andthereby economies. Ably coupled with theemerging mobile/social market place weare poised to see exciting times ahead ina new flat virtual world and global commerce.June 2013 I 26

Entrepreneur speakThe Audacity of DreamsSanjay Vijaykumar,Co-founder & CEO, MobMEMobME is a young and vibrant Mobile Internet company with a track recordof providing Value Added Services for Mobile Phone users and Carrier GradeSolutions for Telecom Operators since 2006. Sanjay Vijayakumar , Co-Founder& CEO Enterprise shares his story of his dream startup MobME…It was a nerve-wracking Hamletian dilemma.Either I was to complete my engineeringdegree and get in queue ofjob-seekers or surge ahead of the lineto become a techno-entrepreneur. I listenedto the streaks of adventurismwithin me. Luckily, I had a few morewho were on the same page with me -Sony Joy from College of Engineering,Thiruvananthapuram (which is also myalma mater), and Vivek Francis, an alumnusof Sree Chithra Thirunal College ofEngineering. For the three of us, the engineeringdegree receded into backgroundas our zeal and passion to become startupentrepreneurs, straight from the campus,triumphed.Thus was born MobME Wireless, thefirst telecom campus startup in India. Itwas the power of idea – and we were fascinatedby it. But it did not come that easy.There were sleepless nights; there weregnawing feelings of uncertainty. But thenwe had taken the plunge and there was noquestion of going back. M o b M E ,a mobile media and entertainment firm,is now one of the fastest emerging 50 ITcompanies in India. It was rated as oneof the country’s top 100 innovative startupsby NASSCOM in 2006. A year later, itwas the youngest of the NASSCOM 100 ITInnovators alongside Texas Instruments,HP and Infosys. The icing on the cakecame from Wall Street Journal when itmentioned MobME as one of the10 startupsto watch out for in India in 2008.Significantly, it has triggered the dream ofIndia having its own Silicon Coast.For me, the bottom line is: we shouldnot stop dreaming. And if we have todream, why not dream big? Why shouldwe take life a tad too seriously? A decentengineering degree may fetch you a jobwith hefty salary. Surely a tempting proposition!But just think of it: you will still remainan employment-seeker, not an employment-giver.In fact, it was my dreamalso, initially. But during the first year itself,I realized it was not a big deal as this wassomething everyone could do. I was awareof the pitfalls and challenges of my decision.I had been earlier enrolled at Schoolof Architecture, Delhi, and Naval Academy,Goa, but could never finish the coursesthere. Could I afford to make a hat-trick ofincomplete degrees by dropping out of theengineering college as well? Won’t it be aninjustice to my middle class parents whohad pinned all their hopes on me? But theurge to pursue my dream was overpowering.Surely, I don’t regret it now.And how did we concretize our dream?We began by selling recharge coupons tocollege students. In three months flat, wemanaged to sell 14,000 SIM cards. Thatwas the stepping stone. We then startedselling T-shirts soured from Coimbatore inthe college. By the end of third semester,we could tote up a princely Rs.8 lakh -- injust eight months! That fulled our dreamsto launch a company. That is the history ofMobME.MobME is a pioneer in mobile governanceinitiatives. It has fulfilled the communicationsneeds of banks, governmentinstitutions, state governments and nodalagencies through SMS, voice, and othermobile technologies. It has now its officesin Kochi, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai andThiruvananthapuram. I would say thereare ways of doing things. For instance,when our parents came to know of our doing,they were shocked, but we convincedthem. We had to bunk classes, but we keptour teachers in the loop. They knew wewere pursuing our dreams and not bunkingclasses to while away our time in thecollege canteen. We convinced our parentsand teachers with the sheer convictionof our idea, our dream, our enterprise.I would also like to remove the misconceptionthat beginners have to fend for themselves.We still receive a lot of guidanceJune 2013 | 27

Entrepreneur speakfrom people like Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan,Co-founder of Infosys, who is also theChief Mentor of Startup Village in Kochi,India’s first telecom incubator. The listof mentors include Rajan Mathews,Director General of COAI, Kiran Karnikof NASSCOM, Ganesh Lekshminarayan,CEO of Dell India, and Abhishek Goyal, investor,Flipkart, along with a host of successfulentrepreneurs from Kerala likeK.Nanda Kumar, CEO of Suntec, NavasMeeran of Eastern Group, Jose Thomas ofChoice Group and Murali Gopalan of USTechnology. Famous Hindi poetDushyant writes: “Who says a hole can’tbe made in the sky, but then you have tothrow the stone with full conviction.” Verytrue! Unless you knock the door, it will notopen. Don’t forget Malayalam film legendMammootty gave all the promotion worksof his movies to us and we didn’t have anyprevious business experience, then. Evenconventional businesses can be done inunconventional ways.India lacks a great technology startupecosystem with an appetite for risks.We are trying to do that at Startup Village,which is accelerating the tech startupecosystem in Kerala. Our mission is toachieve 1,000 product startups and startthe search for a billion dollar companyfrom a college campus by 2020. Based onthe PPP model, it will tap student startupsfrom the state’s 164 engineering colleges.India’s Department of Science andTechnology and MobME have investedRs.2.5 crore each in it in the hope thatit will form an ecosystem for startups tocreate breakthrough technologies for theglobal telecommunications industry.Kerala is 100 per cent literate, hasnear 100 per cent tele-density, high IT literacyand access to broadband, making itan apt state to set up a telecom incubator.There is an imperative need to remove thenotion that the entrepreneurial capabilityof Kerala is low when compared to stateslike Gujarat and Maharashtra.Particularly interesting at StartupVillage is its Innovation Zone. Blackberryhas opened an innovation zone calledRubus Labs to promote application developmentin the BB10 platform. It willserve as an experiential zone for studentsto experience the possibilities of mobiletechnology. With 164 engineering collegesparticipating in the Startup Village, thescope of innovations is expected to increasemanifold.There are two ages to launch a company-- at the age of 40 when one has awealth of experience or at the age of 20when there is no experience but then thereis dream in the eyes and fire in the bellyThe choice is to look for the securityof a job or to grab the opportunity.Uncertainty and risk are attendant risksin entrepreneurship at every single stage.You may fail in one opportunity that comesyour way. But there is also the possibilityof creating an enterprise.I personally believe that it is better tostart early in life.The cost of starting up in college is theleast as you are not expecting a salary foryourself. Also, the fear of failure is a bigdeterrent but in college this really doesn’tmatter because even if you fail, life doesnot get shattered as you are still in college.The energy, the enthusiasm, the creativeinstincts are at the maximum whenyou are young. It is the time when you areready to build, break and innovate. If youlook at the Silicon Valley, the average ageof the founders of Yahoo, Google, Apple,Microsoft and Facebook was around 24.Things are now happening at a briskpace in Kerala. Startup Village is the beginningof a revolution for entrepreneurialincubation in the country. Incubatee companiesthat are recognised by NationalScience and Technology EntrepreneurshipDevelopment Board (NSTEDB) of theCentral government’s Department ofScience and Technology will be eligible forservice tax exemption for three years andup to Rs 50 lakh of revenue. They are alsoby default selected to make a pitch presentationto Startup Village Angel Fund.This could fetch them an initial amountof Rs 30 lakh for their venture. KPMG,which will provide high-level consultingservices to the incubatees, will also helpthem in their initial tax support services.Young entrepreneurs are to be alsogiven professional mentorship, physicaland technology infrastructure and financialsupport through programmes likethe IEEE Student Project Programme,Startup Village Scholarships, AcceleratorProgramme and Angel Fund.Startup Village has also been instrumentalin bringing the first StudentEntrepreneurship Policy in the countryin Kerala. The state government has announceda landmark policy that provides20 per cent attendance and 4 per centgrace marks to college students who tryto create knowledge, employment andwealth in the society.The prospects at Startup Village areawesome. Lab-X foundation, a US-basedNGO, has associated with it to facilitate internshipopportunities and outreach programmein the US engineering colleges bymeeting the entire expense for internship.This would give a tremendous fillip to studentswho have the ability and convictionto launch their own startups.MindHelix Technosol, a companybased out of the Startup Village, hasbeen selected by the US-based AlchemistAccelerator Programme for enterpriseproduct startups. The company, which pioneeredTukTuk Meter, a GPS based autofare calculator, has created a cloud computingbased customer interaction application,which has been selected for the accelerator.US-based company Nuance, whichmakes voice recognition software to recognisecustomers through phones andapplications, plans to start its innovationzone at Startup Village. Another venture isParkinson’s research zone which will offertechnology solutions through advancedNo power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come.- Victor HugoJune 2013 I 28

Tech TalkSecurity Operation CentreIsrar Elahi, Head of Training, Consumer Services, Philippines, CSS CorpIn order to prevent the myriad of modernattacks, comply with government andindustry regulations, monitor deployedtechnology solutions, and verify the endlesshuman interactions with technology,organizations turn to industry-leading securitytechnology.They may go to IBM Internet SecuritySystems for their network intrusion preventionsystems (IPS), Cisco for their firewallsolutions, and Mcafee for host-basedprotection.This heterogeneous approach to selectingsecurity solutions provides organizationsthe best-of-breed technologiesand offers inherent security by not relyingon any single vendor or security platform.The combination of technologiesdoes, however, present a large challenge -there is no inherent way to normalize, aggregate,and correlate the security eventsacross technologies.Further, one team may support thefirewalls, another may support the networkIPS devices, and yet another maysupport the host-based security tools.This leads to security monitoring thatis performed using different tools and bydifferent teams.Piecing together the details of an attackin real-time becomes incredibly difficultand even forensic analysis after anattack is slowed by the need to combineevent streams.In reality, building and maintaininga strong security posture necessitates acentralized effort to monitor, analyze, andrespond to security events across technologiesas quickly as possible.To meet this need, many organizationsturn to Managed Security ServicesProviders (MSSPs) to outsource the bulkof security monitoring and testing.MSSPs offer a number of benefits becausethey can:• Monitor security events aroundthe-clockand provide in-depth informationsecurity expertise.• Spot patterns across a number ofcustomers to provide advanced warningon new threats.• Provide services to customers thatdo not have dedicated information securitystaff.However, MSSPs also present a numberof disadvantages. Namely, MSSPs do not:• Have an in-depth knowledge of thecustomer’s policies, procedures, or overallIT environment.• Offer dedicated staff for every customer.Only large organizations that spendthe most with the MSSP generally receivededicated support.• Offer customized services, processes,or procedures for the customerneeds.MSSPs strive to standardize servicesin order to gain economies of scale in providingsecurity services to many customers.June 2013 I 30

Tech TalkSecurity Operation Center is a generic term describing part or all of aplatform whose purpose is to provide detection and reaction services tosecurity incidents.• Store security data only at the customerpremise.Security data will be transmitted andstored at MSSP locations that may or maynot be in the home country. Weighingthe considerations, many IT groups decideto build their own Security OperationsCenter (SOC) to correlate events and centralizethe security monitoring, analysis,and response within a single team. Forthese organizations, the MSSP’s disadvantagesoutweigh its benefits.There are unique business requirementsthat require a dedicated SOC, orthere may be cost drivers that dictate theneed for an in-house SOC.Building an in-house SOC does, however,present its own set of challenges andmany groups struggle on how to best start.The SOC team is organized around the followingmain functions:• Customer Support is the vital focusof the staff located on the SOC floor. Callsand ticket queues are constantly monitoredto ensure effective and timely resolutionof all issues. All escalations are handledwith the utmost care to ensure thatthe appropriate resources are being assignedto address each issue in need ofattention.• Platform Management is the ongoingmanagement of the security platformsincluding platform and policy configuration,routine maintenance and platformavailability.• Threat Analysis is the monitoringof security events that are generated bymanaged platforms. The SOC team investigatesthose events to determine any potentialthreats to the customer’s environment.In the event that a threat is found,they promptly escalate that threat to properchannels for resolution.Roles on SOCSecurity Threat AnalystA Security Analysts is the MSS’s firstresponse to a perceived threat to a customer’smanaged security. SOC Analystsanalyze and respond to security threatsfrom Firewall (FW), Intrusion DetectionSystems (IDS), Intrusion PreventionSystems (IPS), Antivirus (AV), NetworkAccess Control (NAC) and other securitythreat data sources. They also configure,manage and upgrade these same securitythreat data sources along with Encryptionand other security products/appliances.Security EngineerA Security Engineer is MSS’s secondline of defense against a perceived threatto a customer’s managed security. SOCEngineer and SOC Analyst duties are similar.However, a Security Engineer’s additionalresponsibilities differentiate thetwo positions slightly. For example, a SOCSecurity Engineer has access to back systemsthat the Analyst cannot access. Theyalso handle escalations. Dependent uponexperience, a Security Engineer may begiven the designation of being a “Tier 2”or “Tier 3” Engineer.Advantage of SOC• Continuous prevention• Protection• Detection• Response capabilities againstthreats remotely exploitablevulnerabilities and real-timeincidents on your network• Data Acquisition• Technical and organizationalInventory• Vulnerability Database• Security Policy• Status Evaluation• Event generation, collection andstorage• Data analysis and reportingJune 2013 | 31

Tech TalkHR’s New Avtar – “CompetencyCustodian”Lakshmi Narayanan, Head Career & Talent, HCLAs the HR Intensive Indian IT Industrymatures up, HR Function is also inevitablyundergoing changes in what is expectedout of the functionStarting from a USP of low cost resourceprovider at the dawn of IT Industryin 80’s HR function in IT Industry hasdonned numerous “avatars” in tune withdemand of the industry. In the processit has also gone through a metamorphosisof fission and mutations. CurrentlyHR function in IT industry has many faceslike HR Business Partner, EmployeeEngagement Partner, CnB specialist,Workforce Planning Cell, OrganizationDevelopment Cell etc.The latest in this evolution of HR isthat of a role of “Competency Custodian”driven by the latest synergic developmentsin the fields of Competency BasedManagement and Human Capital managementOrganizations are increasingly lookingforward to HR playing the role of a strategicbusiness partner by being the maincustodian of the enterprise human capital.HR is expected to assess, catalogueand calibrate the total skill value of the enterprisehuman capital and show case itas a Business Capability to win BusinessDeals.This process involves three major stages:• Building a Role CompetencyArchitecture• Integration of Role Competencywith Capability Building• Human Capital as Business LeverBuilding a Role Competency ArchitectureIn this role HR has to build a RoleCompetency Architecture with the followingelementsIntegration of Role Competency withCapability BuildingIdentification and Integration of Roleand Competencies is followed by designingprograms to build capability to acquirethose competencies. This is usually doneby the Learning and Development (L&D)arm of HR Function which may includeTechnical and Non-technical Skill buildingFunction.Human Capital as Business LeverSuch systematic identification andconscious building of capability acts as apotent business lever for gaining marketadvantageOne of the most important aspects ofconsideration in Business Proposals iswhat called “People Readiness “ where afirms highlight the Human Capital Valuewith following aspects which reflects theorganisation’s readiness to successfullytake up the assignment:• People Readiness Matrix with rolesand Skill Proficiency• Role Profiles• Human Capital Effort Cost• Future Talent CapabilityEnhancement PlanGiven below a sample of extract from aBusiness Proposal to develop avionic mobileapplications presented by CompanyXYZ Ltd which is a leading SoftwareVendor and leader in the Engineering andR&D Domain to a Company ABC Ltd -which is one of the world’s biggest aircraftmanufacturerXYZ Ltd Proposed Team FactoryModel Based on the current understanding,XYZ Ltd proposes the following initialJune 2013 I 32

Tech Talkteam members.During Knowledge Transfer, XYZ LTD willdiligently propose the extended team requirementsbased on the inflight projectsand service requests need. The DedicatedASM and AD team would be formed at theend of knowledge Transfer Phase. ABC Ltdwill give a quarterly rolling forecast of theprojects, enhancements and defects prioritizationto identify flexi team ramp ups.Project Manager, Onsite TechnicalLead and Architect will be shared acrossMobile Application Service Maintenanceand Mobile Application Development.Based on the needs, Mobile InformationTrainer from extended team or Architectfrom Core Team will conduct the workshopsand help them on ABC Ltd MobileStrategy.Advantages & BenefitsThe proposed solution has the followingshort and long term advantages.To meet ramp up and retention needs,we will set up a dedicated Knowledgemanagement and Training academy. Thecurrent ABC Ltd Academy will be extendedto cater the needs of ABC Ltd Mobility.XYZ LTD will deploy an architect (ProjectLead level) at onsite, who will coordinatewith SN & MP technical team and XYZ LTDteam to minimize the technical communicationoverheads and reduce the time linefor solutioning the architecture.People ReadlinesHuman Capital Effort & Cost.PlanDescriptionTotal ballpark charges and chartsto be developed using Native iOSlib(Core Plot)Estimated Price in USDUSD XXXJune 2013 | 33

Tech TalkThe roles and responsibilities of the XYZ LTDThe roles and responsibilities of the ABC LTDSalient Features of ABC Ltd AcademySkill Gap AssessmentIndividual skill assessment (for all resourcesdedicated to customer) will becarried out before the start of the programfor Gap Analysis between the individualprofile and the role requirement.Tailored Training InputsAll individuals will be provided withcustomized training in accordance withthe identified gaps. Bi-weekly domain lecturesessions by senior consultants onvarious topics of aerospace and avionicssystems.Aero specific trainingUp to 2 weeks of generic training ondomain, technology, tools and process.Customer/Project specific trainingUp to 4 weeks of training on customerspecific tools, process trainings.Multi-Pronged Evaluation ProcessConsisting of In-Training Assessmentand Post Training Assessment. Standardframework to Train, Assess and Certifyworkforce on different roles they play in acustomer project.Role based certificationsStandard framework to Train, Assessand Certify workforce on different rolesthey play in a customer projectDomain CertificationLevel 1 – Targeted to cover all employeesworking in AERO with Introduction ofAerospace and Avionics systems launchedin first quarter.June 2013 I 34

ICTACT Event SnapshotsPower Seminar on Employability Skills for Futureconducted at The Kavery Engineering College, Salem, on06th April 2013Power Seminar on “Cloud Computing”, conducted atAdhiparasakthi Engineering College, Chennai, on 10th April2013Power Seminar on Big Data, Conducted at Vellore Instituteof Technology, Chennai, on 19th April 2013Faculty development program on “Cloud Infrastructure andServices” conducted at ICT Academy of Tamilnadu on 8thJuly 2013“Take Lead in Transformation: Addressing Storage Skill Gapin Academia” session organized for Deemed and Autonomouscolleges in association with EMC Corporation Conducted atThe Grand Regent Coimbatore on 11th May 2013Seminar On “Cloud Computing” conducted at Sri Vidya Collegeof Engineering & Technology, Virudhunagar, on 14thMay 2013Mr. John Davies , Vice president Intel delivering his keynoteaddress in “ Round Table on ICT in Education” organized byICT Academy of Tamilnadu and Intel on 30th May 2013Power Seminar on “Corporate Expectations From Students”conducted at Pavendar Bharathidasan College of Engineeringand Technology.June 2013 | 35

Tech Trends5 Emerging TechnologiesEvery Office Will Have In 2020Back in 1975, while most desks werestill furnished with manual typewriters,technology pundits were making their predictionson the future of computers in theworkplace. Computers showed tremendouspotential for word processing andautomation, they said, but would they reallyever be user-friendly enough for generaluse?Despite ominous forecasts from typewriterexecutives, we all know how thisstory ends. And a slew of other innovationshave followed: the Internet, email,smartphones, Wi-Fi, GPS, and manymore.What revolutionary technologies areon the radar today? Here are five technologiesthat today’s experts are discussingand could very well be commonplace inoffices by 2020.Remote Workers as RobotsYahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer causeda media frenzy earlier this year when shedeclared that employees would no longerbe allowed to work remotely.But in 2020, advances in the speed ofInternet connections and mobile phonenetworks are expected to lead to an increasein telecommuting, and technologywill need to keep pace.That’s where technologies like Robot playa part. The 5-foot robot has a screen thatwill beam a video-stream of a remoteworker.The remote worker can even controlthe robot to move around the office, andmicrophones and cameras on the robotkeep them in the loop of everything happeningcloseby.Sensors EverywhereRight now, we can access apps forvoice or facial recognition. But in 2020,this technology will have advanced andbe ubiquitous, at least according toMicrosoft’s Envisioning Centre, whichshowcases the company’s research inBig Data, Gesture Control and MachineLearning.During a phone conversation, for instance,voice recognition will be constantlyrunning in the background to pick outcontext — such as the mention of a meeting,which it will then add to your calendar.It could also be used for real-time translations.And, for your computing devices, apassword won’t be necessary since frontfacingcameras will use facial recognitionto keep others out.3D PrintingIf your job involves design, you may soonfind yourself with a 3-D printer on yourdesk. The technology creates 3-dimensionalobjects by adding material, suchas plastic, layer-by-layer, based on a computergenerated design until an object hasbeen formed.It allows designers to quickly prototypeconcepts right at their desks, meaningfaster prototype iterations and a betterchance they’ll catch design errors earlyon.It also means they can create customobjects — such as prostheses — muchcheaper than conventional manufacturing.Gesture ControlThe future is in our hands. Cuttingedgegesture control devicesallow users to control their computerswith natural hand gestures, rather thanfiddling with a mouse and keyboard.While the technology is still new, devicemanufacturers are starting to takenote; just this month HP announced itwould integrate Leap Motion Controller’sgesture technology into select computers.The device uses infrared LED lightsand cameras to detect hand gestures withup to a millimeter of accuracy, which itconverts into computer commands onscreen.The technology is expected to lead toa much more natural experience interactingwith computers. For example, whilegiving a presentation, presenters couldchange slides with a simple gesture ratherthan walking over to their laptops to hit abutton.Wearable Enhanced RealityOur smart phones and tablets help ustake photos, video and get directions, butin 2020, it will be the devices we wear thatwe will turn to first.Google Glass is a wearable computerwith a head-mounted display slated tolaunch later this year, although some luckyearly adopters are already using the device.It allows them to overlay helpful informationonto the real world, such as directions,and take photos directly from thedevice.Just like smart phones and tablets, theapplications are limitless.While it may be several years before thesetechnologies become rampant in the workplace,IT professionals can start preparingnow by making sure high-speed broadbandand video networks are in place, inaddition to configuring their cloud hostingplatforms, which will be useful in processingand storing data captured by sensors.So get ready – the future is coming, and itwill be more high tech than ever before.Source : www.forbes.comJune 2013 I 36

ICTACT ProjectsICTACT Trains 13,500 ITIStudents on Basic ComputerCourseCreating DigitallyLiterate StudentsBASICCOMPUTERCOURSEPrivate ITI : Assessment & Certification – 9,000 studentsGovernment ITI : Training, Assessment & Certification –13,500 studentsThe development of ICT and their implementationvirtually in all segments ofhuman activities has already made theiruse and related skills indispensable. Giventhe importance of ICT, it would not be exaggeratedto conclude that today computerliteracy is equally important as readingand writing. With the outset of hugetechnology advancement, students cannotbenefit completely from the traditional educationalprogram.In Tamil Nadu there are about 62government ITIs from which 13500 studentsgraduate every year. These ITI studentsare nowadays placed in many leadingMultinational companies not only inIndia but also worldwide. Computer literacyis crucial for improving the professionalcompetencies of the ITI students,and thus for their success. To prepare studentsfor life and work in an ICT dominatedenvironment, it is necessary to developeducational programmes that comprisecomputer skills acquisition.ICTACT works closely with these institutionsto help them develop their studentson digital literacy. The digital literacyskills include the skills to use digital toolsto support vocational and professional development.June 2013 | 37

ICTACT ProjectsThe Department of Employment &Training (DET), Government of Tamil Naduand DGET, Government of India has approvedICTACT as an assessing and certifyingbody for Basic Computer Course(BCC) in the state of Tamil Nadu.ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu is an approvedtraining body for all Government. Itis in the state of Tamil Nadu, based on theapproval, ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu hasdone a massive training program on BasicComputer Course for 13500 students inGovernment ITI across Tamil Nadu.ICTAcademy of Tamil Nadu is also conductingcomputer based online assessmentson BCC Course for the students in theIndustrial Training Institutes (ITI) in thestate of Tamil Nadu.This assessment is conducted bothfor private (on request) and GovernmentITI. BCC examination is a computer basedonline assessment, conducted throughICTACT online assessment portal. The assessmentis conducted at ICTACT campusor the respective institutions or at districtwise ICTACT Skill Development andAssessment Centers.These centers are common examinationcenters where the students from theITI(s) those who do not have necessarycomputer labs & internet facilities will beassessed. ICTACT has assessed and certified13500 students so far and is projectedto assess more than 20000 studentsevery year from 2013-14.After completing this course the ITIstudents are recognized in all leading MNCand are internationally accepted. Throughthis Digital Literacy Program these studentsare able to meet the industry demands.After the training program the students’capacity to work in a digital environmentenhances and thus the studentsbecome optimistic towards their career.This not only benefits the students butalso improves their entire family and thesociety in which they live.v v vTech NewsSecurityOn the 2nd of July 2013, the Indian Government formally approved andpublished the National Cyber Security Policy (NCSP). The policy had beenlying as a draft document and awaiting its formal release for some years now.Whether it is the USA’s PRISM program or some other factor that pushed theGovernment to officially release it, we don’t know. But what is important isthat this is a big step in the right direction. While the publication of a policydocument itself will not readily get us to a secure state, it will definitely push usalong in the right direction.InternetOnly 5 percent of SMEs in India have a website, reveals Google-FICCI report.FICCI, in partnership with Google recently released new research that showedthe web makes a big impact on small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in India.The study revealed significant opportunities both for India’s booming SMEsector, where fewer than 5 percent of all businesses even maintain a webpresence, and for India’s economy: Small Medium Enterprises are critical to theeconomic growth in India, where 47 million SMEs employ about 100 millionpeople and contribute to more than 8 percent of India’s GDP. According tothe report, only 51 percent of online SMEs use the web to advertise. A mere 27percent use it for e-commerce. But with 95 percent of businesses yet to establisheven a website; India is poised for big gains as more small enterprises comeonline.Source : www.informationweek.inJune 2013 I 38

Tech TipsPasswordsThe First Step to SafetyMost people don’t put a lot of thoughtinto creating a password. It’s usually easiestjust to create a short, easy-to-rememberpassword, or even just to use the samepassword for every account you have.After all, the average person probablywon’t be able to guess your password.However, hackers often use passwordcrackingsoftware that can keep testingmany different passwords until they findthe correct one, and they can easily crackweak passwords. By creating strong passwords,you can greatly reduce the chancethat your personal or financial informationwill be stolen.Common Password MistakesMany people create passwords basedon their spouse’s name, a hobby, or a simplepattern, since those types of passwordsare easy to remember. Unfortunately, theyare also very easy for hackers to guess. Tocreate a strong password, you will need toavoid these types of common mistakes.It seems like every other day there is a newsocial website or service that you have tosign up for and start a new account. Whilethis can be great, it is hard to keep track ofall your different passwords.The simple solution for this problemis to just have one password for everything.However, this leads to an incrediblylarge security risk. It’s unreasonable toexpect any person to remember complexpasswords, so the best solution is to get apassword manager.What is a Password Manager?Password managers are services thatallow you to securely save all your passwordsand keep them safe using one masterpassword. While having a master passwordmay seem like it defeats the purposeof having multiple passwords, think aboutit this way: if your Facebook account getshacked and you have one password foreverything, you will have to change yourJune 2013 | 39

Tech Tipspassword for everything.However, if your Facebook passwordis compromised and you have a differentpassword for all of your other sites, youjust have to change that one password. It’seasy to change your master password frequentlyto keep it safe rather than changingall of your passwords on a regular basis.Before discussing too much aboutpassword managers, it’s important tomention the basics of password security.As computers improve and get morepowerful, so does the ability of people touse them to crack your password. Thismeans that having a strong and securepassword is more important than ever. Thegeneral rule of thumb is to have a passwordthat is 9 characters or more at leastin length and include an uppercase letter,a number and a symbol. Alternatively a localclient will keep all of your passwordssaved on your own machine, but you arestuck with using only the clients that thecompany produces, making your passwordsless accessible. Even if the companygoes away, you will still have the applicationand will be able to get your passwordsout. In most cases, I prefer usinga local client as it gives you more controlover your passwords and a bit more flexibility.Getting Started with Your PasswordManagerThe first big decision you will need tomake with a password manager is choosingyour master password.This master password controls accessto your entire password manager database,so you should make it particularlystrong – it’s the only password you’llneed to remember, after all. You may wantto write down the password and store itsomewhere safe after choosing it, just incase – for example, if you’re really serious,you could store your master passwordin a vault at the bank.You can change this password later,but only if you remember it – if you loseyour master password, you won’t be ableto view your saved passwords.This is essential, as it ensures no oneelse can view your secure password databasewithout the master password.After installing a password manager,you will likely want to start changing yourwebsite passwords to more secure ones.LastPass offers the LastPass SecurityChallenge, which identifies the weak andduplicate passwords you should focus onchanging.Password Managers to UseA variety of password managers areavailable, but two stand out as the bestoptions. Each is a solid option, and whichyou prefer will depend on what’s more importantto you:• LastPass: To Geek. It’s a cloudbasedpassword manager with extensions,mobile apps, and even desktop apps for allthe browsers and operating systems youcould want• KeePass: LastPass isn’t for everyone.Some people just aren’t comfortablewith a cloud-based password manager,and that’s fine. KeePass is a populardesktop application for managing yourpasswords, but there are also browser extensionsand mobile apps for KeePass.KeePass stores your passwords on yourcomputer so you remain in control ofthem. It’s even open-source, so you couldaudit its code if you wanted to.In addition to that, I also suggest thatyou don’t use any words that could easilybe found in the dictionary.I suggest this because many computerized“brute force” attacks will simplyhave a dictionary of common words andcommon tricks with words (capitalizingproper nouns and replacing ‘e’ with ’3’ forexample) and just cycle through them untilthey get the right one.Choosing Your Password ManagerPicking which service you would liketo use can be tricky as there are a lot ofoptions out there. There are many free aswell as paid services so do your researchcarefully before deciding which one youwant to use. Check which platforms thesoftware is available on and make sure itworks with what you use.If you only use Apple products, makesure there is an OS X and iOS app available.If you’re like me, and find yourselfusing multiple platforms within a day,make sure you use a service that is availableon multiple platforms.There are different types of clients outthere, primarily being online and local.An online client lives mostly in thebrowser, where you store your passwordsonline. With an online service you’llhave access to your passwords no matterwhere you are.The biggest downside is that you arecompletely reliant on the company, andif they go out of business, you are out ofluck, if you choose an online service.So it is highly recommend that youmake an offline backup of your passwordsperiodically and keep them in a safeplace.Source: www.gcflearnfree.org“Complete awareness cannot happen whenthere are clutches in the mind.”Source: Thinker’s CampaignJune 2013 I 40

Academician ColumnEmployability Skills Assessment OfEngineering StudentsDr.S.Chandrasekar, M.Com,MBA,M.Phil, NET(UGC), Ph.DDirector-Placements,Sri Eshwar College of EngineeringIn today’s scenario, placement is thebuzz word. Parents and students prefercolleges and institutions which help theirwards in placement opportunities by conductingcampus placement or placementreadiness training. Every college and institutiontries to maximize their placementratio. During the last decade the opportunitiesfor graduates in various sectorshave increased tremendously, especiallyfor engineering students. Institutions organizeon-campus and off-campus placementand job fair by pooling students fromvarious institutions, companies recruitstudents in large number. However thereare many graduates who are not able toget through the recruitment process andjobs. Current technological and economicchanges have created a challenging contextfor students.These changes have had a great influenceon students at the entry level.Industries expect that the recruits shouldbe well versed in contemporary areasand have the ability to apply knowledgetherein and possess technical and softskills. The Requirements of the World ofWork observes that, a number of competenciesare expected from candidates.Globalization has increased the pressureon companies, for the need to effectivelymanage their manpower and also their clients.This demands focus on developmentof (a) generic skills; (b) application skills;and (c) soft skills or life skills apart fromproficiency in their subjects. It involvesoral and written communication skills, basiccomputer skills (MS Office, Internet,etc), and a good workplace attitude (commitmentand teamwork). These skills areprerequisites for employability.Emerging Indian ScenarioIndia is growing in importance forcenters of services outsourcing and a hubfor manufacture of goods. Some indicativefigures for expected job creation aregiven below:India is home to 3,393 engineeringcolleges and has 14.85 lakhs seats available.70% of Engineering Colleges are situatedin Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, AndhraPradesh, Karnataka and UPCoimbatore the Manchester of south,is emerging as an education hub withthree Universities affiliating more than200 colleges. 50000 students graduateevery year.70% of graduates aspire for job. Only12-15 % are able to get offers during theirstudy through campus placement.The National ManufacturingCompetitiveness Council in its recommendationshas said that raising the rateof growth of manufacturing to 12 % wouldcreate 1.6 to 2.9 million direct jobs annually,and two to three times of that numberindirectly.NASSCOM estimates that by 2017,1.3 million Indians will be needed in theIT and ITES sector. The demand for thepeople with the right skill sets is high, andfar outstrips the supply. Most of the largeIndian software companies are setting upBPOs, and of course many, multinationalshave back offices on Indian shores.Tamil Nadu ranks LAST inEmployability (in IT) across key states inIndia, Employability percentage in TN forIT services is less than 10%.Employment requirements and qualificationsvary depending on the needs ofthe employer’s and their projects/ natureof work accomplished. On one hand theneed for manpower in the industry is hugeand on the other hand it is generally acclaimedthat, In India, software engineers,civil, electronic & telecommunication engineers,chemical engineers, doctors andManagers are admired worldwide, but stillthe need for manpower is not met. It is reportedthat employers don’t get the applicantswith right skill set, mind set and toolset especially in the engineering and constructionsectors. Currently there is widechasm between what the educational institutionsare churning out and what theindustry expects.Technical education plays a vital role inhuman resource development of the countryby creating skilled manpower, enhancingindustrial productivity and improvingthe quality of life. Technical Educationcovers courses and programmes in engineering,technology, management, architecture,town planning, pharmacy andapplied arts & crafts, hotel managementand catering technology. The need forthe companies is growing year after year.NASSCOM report reveals that the universitiesand colleges are not able fulfill theneed for manpower. Even though company’srequirement is huge but they don’thire all the aspirants they analyze the prospectivecandidates on certain skills andabilities.What is Employability?Industry looks for a different mix ofskills, abilities, capabilities and compe-June 2013 | 41

Academician Columntencies in potential hires depending onthe business it’s in. Industry also looks formulti skilled individuals. The unemploymentis not because of lack of job opportunitiesbut due to lack of skill available inthe job aspirants.These skills are termed as employabilityskills.Employability skills refer to specificskills essential for employment. Theseare the critical tools and traits required toperform tasks at workplace. These skillsare much sought after these days by employers.The needs of employability skillsdiffer from country to country and fromsector to sector and from time to time.However, certain qualities such as communicationskills, interpersonal skills, integrity,right attitude, problem solving, decisionmaking and team building skills canbe taken as a few common skills of employabilityskills. In simple Employabilityskills are the ‘ready for work’ skills vital todo the job!Reasons for low level of employabilityskills among studentsAcademic qualityNo educational institution can surviveunless it can attract competent youngteachers into its fold. All professional collegesface serious problems in this regard;they cannot compete with the outsidemarket in terms of financial package.Non availability of qualified faculty, forcesthe educationist to appoint fresh handon teaching. Lack of exposure and experiencemakes the quality of input poor. Theother reason is some of the teachers useready made notes which were preparedby them when they were students; it isnot updated and is transferred to the students.Decades ago teaching was consideredto be noble profession and competentpeople only took up teaching as carrier,but today teaching is mostly preferredby those who are not able to get a job inthe industry and is considered as a stopgap arrangement to continue their livingthey their goals are reached.Non relevant curriculumThe world being changing so fast, butthe reforms have not been implementedat the same phase. Most of the curriculumfollowed by university and its affiliatedcolleges were prepared a decade agoand still been thought.These syllabus are not industry specificand don’t meet the need of the industrywhich reduces the level of employability ofthe students.Teaching learning process in mothertongueMost of the professional collegesteach the subjects to the students in theirmother tongue, the communication languagein the campus is a language whichis spoken widely in that region and notEnglish. Most of the faculty give the reasonsthat, the advantage of higher understandingamong students to equip them inthe subject is due to mother tongue, butwhen they are tested for their communicationskill in the selection process they failor rejected.Mushroom growth of institutionsEngineering colleges have mushrooming,On side two to five colleges are addedvery year across Tamil nadu and the otherside existing colleges are ballooning uptheir intake of seats. The way quantity ofgraduates is increasing year by year hasresulted in decrease of quality talent pool.We are compromising with quality for thesake of quantity. Engineering education isabout knowledge, know-how, and character.Mushrooming of educational institutesin India couldn’t keep up the qualityof education.Gap between Academy and IndustryOne of the main reasons for the loweremployability skills among students andnon availability of talented aspirants to industryis the gap between academy andindustry. The interaction and participationfrom both sides are lower.Industry has variety of needs accordingto the changing job nature but this notcommunicated or accepted by the academy,they offer a tailor made course andcurriculum which is not relevant to the industryneed. Many institutions like ICATCTare trying to bridge the gap, but they havetouched only the tip of the ice berg.ConclusionEmployability skills and personal valuesare the critical tools and traits studentsneed to succeed in the workplace --and they are all elements that they haveto learn, cultivate, develop, and maintainover your lifetime.“If colleges want to improve the employabilityof their graduates, they haveto focus on reducing these important skillgaps through improvements in curriculumand teaching methods.” said HiroshiSaeki, an analyst at the World Bank. Headded “Most important, graduates have tobe able to formulate, analyse, and solve areal life problem using standard engineeringtechniques”.More academic abilities alone will notbe adequate.What is essential is something beyondacademic domain such as communicationskills, problem solving skills, communicationskills which are known as employabilityskills. When applicants possess theseskills then it becomes easier for employersto train other technical skills easily.To sum, both educational institutions andindustry should work together for enhancingemployability skills as it is rightly saidthat you need to clap with both hands toget the results.It is high time to stop playing the blamegame and start working with Industry andschools to enhance the employability issue.June 2013 I 42

Technology in EducationClickers in ClassroomClassroom clickers or “student responsesystems” have become high-demandclassroom tools in schools, universities,and training programs across thecountry. Research on clicker technologyhas proved that response systems are nota trend or a fad, but a true instructionaltechnology piece that can change instructionand impact student learning.How do clickers work?Each student in your class has a wirelesshandheld response pad, or clicker,with which they are able to answer questions.The teacher poses a question verballyor through the computer onto a projectoror television screen, and the studentsrespond with their handheld device.In addition to making the grading of bothformative and summative assessments asnap, the ability to pose verbal questionsand receive immediate feedback fromstudents allows the instructor to totallychange the dynamics of what might be anotherwise tiresome lecture period.Why is clicker technology making suchan impact on student learning?Clickers provide true data-driven instruction.After students respond to a questionusing the response pad, the teacher is ableto see immediately how students answerand if they understand the material beingtaught. This provides data to understand ifremediation is needed or if the teacher canforge ahead with new material if it is clearthat the students are ready for it.• Clickers engage students and makelearning fun.Clicker technology, very similar to the familiarfeel of a remote control, is comfortableand fun for students of all ages. Theyounger generation instinctively knowshow this “gadget” works, and the immediatefeedback it provides make learning funand effective for both young and old.• Clickers involve everyone, embarrassno one.Clicker technology allows every student toanswer without the fear of humiliation ornegative attention. When using student responsesystems, every student can sharetheir input without embarrassment ratherthan allowing one or two eager students todominate discussions.When discussing controversial topics,students can also answer and voicetheir opinion behind a cloak of anonymity.Answering anonymously also encouragesthe audience to be completely honest,providing more accurate surveys andvoting situations.• Clickers assess both formativelyand summatively.Student response systems offer a widevariety of formative and summative assessmentoptions, including teacherdrivenor student-driven. Questions canbe posed entirely through the computerfor a daily pop quiz, reviews, surveys, orverbal questioning during lectures. Withthe self-paced testing mode available inJune 2013 | 43

Technology in Educationsome clickers. Students can also progressthrough assessments at their ownspeed. Students can even take paper teststhrough the remotes, which saves the instructorprep time and still allows the softwareto do the grunt work of grading.Teaching with ClickersWhen teaching with clickers, choosingclicker activities is a lot like gettingdressed in the morning. There are justso many choices...so many combinations...some ideas that work good in one classroommight be a “knock-out” for another!Teaching with student response systemsor “classroom clickers” is just likethat. Using clickers on a daily basis inyour classroom may take a little doing onyour part to slowly migrate them into yourclassroom routine. However, few technologieshave the potential to totally changethe dynamics of your classroom like clickers.It is wonderful to see a lethargic, unmotivatedclass perk up and sit higher intheir seats, simply because the instructorhas taken time to engage them! However,you’ve got to be the one to make it yoursand make it work like a “knock-out” foryour classroom! The sky’s the limit!Source : www.engaging-technologies.comAdvantages of ClickersJune 2013 I 44

ICTACT Training ProgramUpcoming ICTACT programsDate Program Venue6-Jul-2013 FDP on FSIT - Project Management Program ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu, Chennai8-Jul-2013 FDP on Cloud Infrastructure and Services ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu, Chennai8-Jul-2013 Power Seminar on Cloud Computing Mahendra Engineeing College, Namakkal8-Jul-2013 Power Seminar on Cloud Computing Erode Sengunthar Engineeing College, Erode15-Jul-2013 FDP on FSIT - Tech National College of Engineering, Tirunelveli16-Jul-2013 FDP on FSIT - Business Dynamics Adhi Parasakthi Engineering College,Melmaruvathur16-Jul-2013 FDP on Personality Development Chevalier T. Thomas Elizabeth College for Women,Chennai27-Jul-2013 Power Seminar on Employability & Entrepreneurship Selvam College of Technology, Namakkal29-Jul-2013 FDP on J2SE Programming Excel Engineering College, Salem29-Jul-2013 FDP on FSIT - Business Dynamics PET Enginnering College, Vallioor31-Jul-2013 Power Seminar on Employability Skills V.R.S College of Engineering & Technology, Villupuram1-Aug-2013 FDP on ADO .NET Programming Arunai College of Engineering, Tiruvanamalai1-Aug-2013 FDP on ADO .NET Programming Periyar Maniammai University, Thanjavur1-Aug-2013 Power Seminar on Cloud Computing Adhiparasakthi Engineeing College, Melmaruvathur5-Aug-2013 Power Seminar on Cloud Computing Arunai Engineeing College, Tiruvannamalai6-Aug-2013 Power Seminar on Cloud Computing Muthayammal Engineeing College, Rasipuram6-Aug-2013 Power Seminar on Cloud Computing Paavai Engineeing College, Namakkal7-Aug-2013 FDP on Communication Skills K.L.N College of Engineering, Sivagangai7-Aug-2013 FDP on Global Business Foundation Skills Mother Teresa University, Kodaikanal13-Aug-2013 FDP on Personality Development PSGR Krishnammal College, Coimbatore17-Aug-2013 Power Seminar on Trends in Mobile Application Development Sree Saraswathi Thyagaraja College, Pollachi19-Aug-2013 FDP on Global Business Foundation Skills PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore21-Aug-2013 Bridge 2013 Trichy Edition Sangam Hotel, Trichy22-Aug-2013 FDP on J2SE Programming GKM College of Engineering, Chennai23-Aug-2013 FDP on J2SE Programming Mahendra Institute of Technology, Thiruchengode30-Aug-2013 Convergence- Annual Event Hotel Le Meridien, Chennai7-Sep-2013 Power Seminar on CloudScape Pavendar Bharathidasan College of Engg. & Tech, Trichy30-Sep-2013 FDP on Oracle Database 11g PAAVAI Group of Institutions, NamakkalJune 2013 | 45

Guess Who?SignpostsSignpostsPage 18* answer to be published in next editionJune 2013 I 46

Call For Papers - ICTACT JOURNALSAn International Publication of ICT Academy of Tamil NaduICTACT Journal onCommunicationTechnology (IJCT)ICTACT Journal on SoftComputing (IJSC)ICTACT Journal onImage and VideoProcessing (IJIVP)• Indian-based Journals of International quality• Internationally recognized subject - experts in Editorial BoardTM• Indexed in IndexCopernicus and Inspec (IET)• Free online open access to all articles• NO Registration or Publication costs• Manuscripts can be submitted throughout the yearICT Academy of Tamil NaduAn ISO 9001 - 2008 Certified OrganisationAn Initiative of Govt. of India, Govt. of Tamil Nadu & IndustryELCOT Complex, 2-7 Developed Plots, Industrial Estate,Perungudi, Chennai – 600 096Manuscripts can be submitted through online oremail to ictact.journal@ictact.inPh: 91 44 4290 6800, Fax: 91 44 4290 6820,For more Information visit us @ www.ictactjournals.in