NC Nov-Dec 2021

NETWORKcomputing 

I N F O R M A T I O N A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N S – N E T W O R K E D www.networkcomputing.co.uk 

A GREAT NIGHT FOR NETWORKING 

The Network Computing Awards return to 

London in style! 

THE SASE CHOICE 

A closer look at Secure 

Access Service Edge 

A HYBRID HORIZON 

Riding the tidal wave of 

digital transformation 

OUT OF NETOPTIONS? 

Why NetOps isn’t set to 

supplant human expertise 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 VOL 30 NO 04

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

READY TO WELCOME A HYBRID NEW YEAR? 

As we go to print with this issue of Network Computing the UK Government's Plan B 

measures have come into effect and all those who weren't already working from home 

are being urged to do so once again. It's been clear for some time now that the workplace 

has changed irrevocably and hybrid working is here to stay - so how can we ensure 

we're working smoothly and securely in the year ahead? 

According to Thomas LaRock, Head Geek at SolarWinds, we need to start normalising risk 

aversion as we head into 2022. "That is, moving from simply accepting the current exposure 

to a mindset where any level of risk exposure is unacceptable. This means beginning to evaluate 

and implement the principles of a secure enterprise, starting first and foremost with 

understanding security compromises will happen as cyber hackers deploy more sophisticated 

attacks. Tech pros should also implement detection, monitoring, alerts, and response along 

the kill chain and engage in red team/tabletop exercises to measure effectiveness." 

This is echoed by a new whitepaper from VIPRE UK which highlights the need for a change 

of employee mindset, urging us to embrace the concept of the 'human firewall': "The 'new 

normal' of hybrid working opens up a variety of cyber attack points, including unsecured 

internet connections, to simple distractions you normally wouldn't have in an office environment. 

Protection starts with the human, as 85% of data breaches involve an internal mistake, 

indicating a need for change, and the foundation of this is investing in your human firewall." 

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Ransomware is also set to proliferate in the new year, with industry experts forecasting a significant 

increase in the rate and sophistication of attacks. Ian McShane, Field CTO, Arctic 

Wolf cautions that "We're currently stuck in a culture of 'the here and now' around ransomware. 

The National Cybersecurity Centre's latest report on the UK's 'hacking epidemic' 

suggests ransomware is an established threat the government is finally waking up to. Soon 

though, they will realise this is just the start of a bigger cybersecurity challenge UK businesses 

will face heading into 2022. While ransomware is here to stay, it will quickly be recognised 

that there is a bigger issue at play here - the entry point. Often technology is considered to 

be the first line of defence, but the first line of defence is actually users. Right now, people 

don't consider standard technology and users part of the greater supply chain because it does 

not feel like a security issue. The fact is simply using email is a supply chain concern." 

Whether working home or away - or a hybrid point somewhere between the two - we'll all 

have a part to play in keeping this new networking normal secure. NC 

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WWW.NETWORKCOMPUTING.CO.UK @NCMagAndAwards NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETWORKcomputing 03

CONTENTS 

CONTENTS 

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 

COMMENT.....................................3 

Ready to welcome a hybrid New Year? 

INDUSTRY NEWS.............................6 

The latest networking news 

ARTICLES 

SECURING A DIGITAL WORKFORCE 

WITH SASE......................................10 

By Daniel Blackwell at Pulsant 

THE SASE CHOICE...............10 

Secure Access Service Edge would seem to 

offer the perfect blend of networking and 

security for our brave new hybrid world. But 

where should you start when selecting SASE 

for your business? 

OUT OF NETOPTIONS?.......26 

Alan Stewart Brown, VP of EMEA, Opengear 

explains how NetOps and network 

automation can enhance the value of 

network engineers and their expertise 

A HYBRID HORIZON..............8 

Jay Alexander, CTO at Keysight 

Technologies offers a guide to getting to 

grips with digital transformation and 

hybrid working 

FROM NAAS TO PAAS..........22 

Neil Templeton, Vice President of Digital 

Innovation Marketing, explores how 

Network-as-a-Service can unlock the value 

of Platform-as-a-Service 

NETWORK COMPUTING 

AWARDS 2021......................27 

The Network Computing Awards made a 

welcome return to a non-virtual venue in 

central London in October. Discover more 

about the 2021 winners inside 

A ROADMAP TO CLOSING THE 

NETWORK AND SECURITY DIVIDE......12 

By Neil Thacker at Netskope 

CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE TO 

FIND THE PERFECT SASE PROVIDER....15 

By Mike Wood at Versa Networks 

CYBERSECURITY - ARE YOU 

CONFIDENT OR COMPLACENT?....16 

By Paul German at Certes Networks 

A ZERO-TRUST FUTURE FOR A HYBRID 

WORKING WORLD.............................19 

By Michele Mabilia at Kyocera Document 

Solutions 

THE FOUNDATION FOR IoT SUCCESS 

IS BUSINESS STRATEGY.......................20 

By Peter Ruffley at Zizo 

CASE STUDY 

CAN STORAGE EVER BE INSTALLED 

AND FORGOTTEN?.........................24 

Rainer W. Kaese at Toshiba shares the 

details of a storage system that has been 

running for four years without any need for 

maintenance or unexpected downtime 

PRODUCT REVIEW 

TREND NETWORKS R180000 TONE AND 

PROBE KIT........................................14 

ZIVVER SECURE EMAIL....................18 

04 NETWORKcomputing NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 @NCMagAndAwards 

WWW.NETWORKCOMPUTING.CO.UK

INDUSTRY NEWS 

NEWSNEWS 

NEWS NEWS 

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS 

NEWS NEWS 

IoT network for Cairngorms National Park Authority 

Natural beauty spots across Scotland have seen an 

unprecedented surge in visitors amid the pandemic, the 

Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) is working with 

leading IoT service and solutions provider, North to accrue and 

access data that will help manage surges of tourism in a 

sustainable way. 

Through the installation of gateways and sensor devices 

connecting to North's IoT Scotland network framework, the 

National Park Authority and other local land managers will be 

able to use innovative technologies to monitor footfall, route 

usage and vehicle parking. The network will also be available to 

local businesses to deploy data gathering sensors, providing 

them with the opportunity to gain key data findings and insights 

on how they can improve their services. 

Funded by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, 

Highlands and Islands Enterprise and North, the £6m IoT 

Scotland network provides the infrastructure for companies 

and organisations to tap into smart sensor applications. The 

proposed footfall and car park sensors will be installed 

around the Aviemore and Cairngorm areas and will 

communicate with the IoT Scotland network through the 

gateways set up at Glenmore Lodge, Ciste, Day Lodge and 

two buildings within Aviemore. 

Using the data from footfall around the area, the National Park 

Authority and partners will be able to monitor the most popular 

routes and car parks to ensure they are effectively managed to 

prevent degradation of the natural beauty spots. Additionally, 

sensors will be used to track real-time data to maximise visitor 

experience and safety, relieving car park pressures and 

encouraging drivers towards less populous areas. Local 

businesses will be able to access the network and adopt smart 

technology to improve their services in and around the local 

area, as they benefit from a surge in visitors from the easing of 

lockdown restrictions and flux in 'staycations'. 

Core Network Services for the Distributed Edge 

NS1 has unveiled its cloud-managed solution for DNS, 

DHCP, and IP address management (DDI), delivered 

through the NS1 Connect platform. NS1 Cloud-Managed DDI 

enables organisations to deliver core network services across 

their distributed network footprint with the agility of softwarebased 

deployment, the scale of cloud-native operations, and the 

operating efficiency of SaaS management. 

"Network teams managing application traffic and connectivity in 

distributed environments demand a new approach to delivering 

core services that can scale with the business," said David Coffey, 

chief product officer, NS1. "With the release of Cloud-Managed 

DDI on NS1 Connect, we have converged foundational services 

like external and internal DNS, DHCP, IPAM, and intelligent traffic 

steering on a single technology stack with internet scale 

infrastructure, centralised management, lightweight deployment, 

automated scalability, and global intelligence." 

Supermicro expands GPU system portfolio 

Super Micro Computer has released new systems based on 

the NVIDIA Ampere architecture GPUs and 3rd Gen Intel 

Xeon Scalable processors with built-in AI accelerators 

(Supermicro X12 series). These servers are designed for 

demanding AI applications where low latency and high 

application performance are essential. 

The 2U NVIDIA HGX A100 4-GPU system is suited for deploying 

modern AI training clusters at scale with high-speed CPU-GPU 

and GPU-GPU interconnect. The Supermicro 2U 2-Node system 

reduces energy usage and costs by sharing power supplies and 

cooling fans and supports a range of discrete GPU accelerators, 

which can be matched to the workload. Both of these systems 

include advanced hardware security features that are enabled by 

the latest Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX). 

Wi-Fi management added into WatchGuard Cloud 

WatchGuard Technologies has announced Wi-Fi in 

WatchGuard Cloud along with a new line-up of Wi-Fi 6- 

enabled access points (APs). The addition of Wi-Fi in 

WatchGuard Cloud provides cross-platform integration and 

centralised management of all WatchGuard products, while the 

new APs give customers enhanced connectivity, performance, 

and best-in-class security. The launch of AP130, AP330, and 

AP430CR comes as the availability of Wi-Fi 6-enabled devices 

continues to grow. 



INDUSTRY NEWS 

With support for WPA3, the highest level of encryption, and 

cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6 technology, these new APs are perfect for 

small to midsize companies and distributed enterprise customers 

looking for the most secure Wi-Fi configuration. 

TREND Networks launches seven new fibre testers 

TREND Networks has expanded its fibre testing range with 

seven affordable new products in the FiberMASTER series. A 

simple handheld OTDR, PON OTDR, Power Meter and Light 

Source, and Inspection Probe will enable cable installers to get 

the dependable test results needed, while saving time on training, 

and thousands of pounds. The new testers feature industryleading 

dynamic range, enabling users to test longer fibers, PON 

systems and to maintain accuracy on high-loss fibers. 

"Demand for fibre cable is growing as high data volumes and 

bandwidth requirements are increasing. At the same time, 

skilled technicians are hard to find and technicians coming 

into the industry often have minimal training," said Tim 

Widdershoven, Marketing Director for TREND Networks. "The 

new range is designed so that even those with limited 

experience or training can quickly be up and running, carrying 

out accurate tests while saving more than 50% compared to 

other premium brands." 

The new FiberMASTER OTDR, designed for Tier 2 fibre cable 

certification, is among the smallest touchscreen OTDRs in the 

world. It features simple setup to ensure test accuracy to 

ISO/TIA/IEEE standards. Available in Quad, Multi-Mode and 

Single-Mode models, the OTDR includes easy to understand 

visual event maps to help even novice users interpret test data 

correctly. Installers can quickly access a wide range of key 

troubleshooting data with the OTDR, such as distance to fault, 

length measurement, and distance to connectors or splices via 

the tester’s intuitive user interface. 

Extreme Networks revs up NASCAR Technology 

Extreme Networks is participating in the NASCAR Technology 

Partner Platform, an exclusive community of technology 

companies working together to evolve the racing industry to new 

levels of innovation and success by pushing technological 

boundaries. Verizon Business is the technology integration and 

managed services lead for the project, deploying an Extreme 

large public venue solution architecture inclusive of Wi-Fi 6 access 

points and real-time analytics. The deployment spans the 11 high 

speed race and super speedways operated directly by NASCAR. 

Leveraging Extreme's cloud-driven Wi-Fi 6, NASCAR will offer 

high-efficiency, high-capacity networking that will serve as the 

critical foundation for powering experiences like mobile ticketing, 

mobile concessions, and mobile sports betting. Extreme Analytics 

provides NASCAR with real-time visibility into the health and 

performance of the Wi-Fi network, mobile application usage 

patterns across the stadium, and fan preferences. 

Kaseya adds UK GDPR module to Compliance Manager 

Kaseya has launched the UK GDPR module for Compliance 

Manager. Compliance Manager is Kaseya's award-winning 

compliance process automation platform that simplifies assessing, 

maintaining and documenting compliance through its wizarddriven 

workflow engine, automated network and computer data 

discovery, web-based management portal and built-in 

compliance document generation and archiving capabilities. 

The UK GDPR regulation, which went into effect on 1st January 

2021, applies to organisations that target, process or store 

electronic data from UK citizens, regardless of where the 

organisation is located. It is largely based on the original EU 

GDPR standard but includes several changes in key areas of the 

law concerning national security, intelligence services and 

immigration. Kaseya's new module covers the new UK GDPR 

requirements around the collection of data from minors and 

representatives of controllers outside the UK and includes updated 

policies and procedures documents and new recommendations 

provided by the UK Information Commissioners Office. 

NEWS NEWSNEWS 

NEWS 

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS 

NEWS 


OPINION 

RIDING THE TIDAL WAVE OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 

JAY ALEXANDER, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES OFFERS A GUIDE TO 

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND HYBRID WORKING 

Over the past 18 months, many of us 

have experienced significant 

change, personally and 

professionally. As we embark on the "new 

normal" - or really the "next normal," because 

it, too, will evolve - it's important to 

internalise what has happened to the 

technology-adoption cycle and the 

associated customer expectations. 

It starts with digital transformation, the 

megatrend affecting virtually all parts of 

today's economy. All things digital are the 

essential enablers of the longstanding vision 

of "everyone and everything, connected." This 

enablement has been happening for a long 

time, and in many cases has followed a 

phased progression, starting with curious early 

adopters willing to experiment, and continuing 

with acceptance by the cautious mainstream. 

But an interesting change to the pattern 

occurred during the pandemic: previously 

available technologies such as video chat 

became ubiquitous. They're now a lifeline to 

our families, friends, doctors, and more. 

Another example: online ordering for delivery 

or pick-up of food, medicine, office supplies, 

and even hardware items for home repair, has 

increasingly become part of our weekly 

routines. Thus, the first effect of the pandemic 

on technology evolution has been an 

acceleration of the classic adoption cycle. 

Broader, faster adoption of new technologies 

is driving the second effect: no matter where 

or how you engage with digital 

transformation, customer expectations have 

changed forever. Impatient demands for 

instant access, constant availability, and zero 

lag are getting stronger and gaining urgency. 

These all fit inside the overarching goal of 

delivering a great user experience. 

MOVING FROM VALIDATION TO 

ACCELERATION 

This is all very challenging, to say the least, 

but there is a positive aspect: the pandemic 

experience has thoroughly validated the 

core idea that, done wisely, digital 

transformation leads to better outcomes for 

businesses and customers. 

Going forward, we have to assume people 

and enterprises will continue to use hybrid 

approaches for essentially all activity systems. 

Why? Because an "online plus in-person" 

hybrid is convenient, it helps to simplify the 

process, and it offers the flexibility to address 

dynamic or complex requirements. There is no 

going back. The worldwide stress test brought 

on by the pandemic has amplified the need to 

accelerate our collective digital 

transformation. 

Surveys by Bloomberg, McKinsey, and others 

show this is already happening: many or most 

companies believe the pandemic has sped up 

their digital transformation by three to seven 

years. On average, the speed-up is on the 

order of 5.3 years. 

It can be tempting to simply throw the latest, 

hottest new technology at the problem, 

hoping that it will magically make everything 

work better and keep customers happy. 

However, this rarely produces the desired 

outcomes and therefore ultimately slows 

rather than accelerates the transformation. 

A better way to tackle the acceleration 

challenge starts with businesses gaining clarity 

around individual business strategies in order 

to more efficiently meet customer needs. With 

a strong customer-centric strategy, clarity 

includes three essential elements: a crisp 

definition of a customer set, an imaginative 

understanding of their unmet needs, and a 

compelling offering that delivers real value to 

those customers. 



OPINION 

CREATING BEST-CASE OUTCOMES 

With that level of clarity established, a 

company can then embark on thoughtful, but 

fast-paced, planning of the changes most 

relevant to its unique digital transformation 

journey. From there it is then possible to move 

on to the selection and deployment of the 

right technology-or technologies-to make 

those changes a reality. 

This is because if a business wants to achieve 

exceptional performance across all digital 

platforms, it will ultimately have to assess how 

far it needs to reach - from core to cloud to 

edge, or vice versa - and how far up or down 

the protocol stack to look. Some may also 

find it useful to examine how to validate 

performance gains, potential and actual, and 

decide what to test in the lab and what to 

monitor in the field. 

All of this makes it clear that all things digital, 

those essential enablers of "everyone and 

everything, connected," are also what make for 

superior user experience. The business goal is 

to create an experience that provides 

differentiation and competitive advantage. The 

best-case outcome is a user experience that 

meets or exceeds ever heightened expectations. 

FACING THE CHALLENGES 

Getting there is not easy. There are significant 

obstacles on the road ahead, and the strain of 

the past year and a half has revealed crucial 

weaknesses that are on the verge of becoming 

fatal liabilities. 

Demand for bandwidth continues to grow 

unabated, and it's rising like a digital tidal 

wave. In today's world, more devices are 

transmitting and receiving richer content: 

high-resolution images; 4K and 8K video; 

dynamic, interactive experiences like 

multiplayer gaming; and telemedicine. 

Here, the key drivers include exponential 

growth in IoT devices and machine-tomachine 

communication. They also include 

new capabilities and use cases made possible 

by the ongoing rollout of 5G. In networking, 

the world continues to deploy 400 gigabit 

Ethernet, but the jump to 800 gig is coming, 

and 1.6 terabit Ethernet is on the horizon. 

The need for ever more processing power is 

unending. After almost 60 years, it looks like 

Moore's Law is decelerating. Makers of 

classical computers and supercomputers 

continue to innovate, but most are also 

investing in quantum computing. Perhaps 

ironically, quantum effects in semiconductors 

are one of the factors limiting the ability of 

device makers to move process geometries 

significantly below 5 nanometers. Thus, 

between the traditional manufacturers and a 

cadre of focused startups, quantum is 

gaining momentum. 

DRIVING THE DIGITAL 

TRANSFORMATION OF EVERYTHING 

Pulling back on the zoom lens, these forces 

are driving technology trends we all need to 

be ready for now: process automation, 

machine learning, artificial intelligence, the AI 

of things, edge computing, and so much 

more. Staying ahead of these trends is 

essential to meeting customer needs, building 

competitive advantage, and achieving 

business success. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Jay Alexander is Chief Technology Officer of 

Keysight Technologies. He leads Keysight's 

centralised technology development team to 

focus on addressing top opportunities and 

market trends. 


FEATURE: SASE 

SECURING A DISTRIBUTED WORKFORCE 

WITH SASE 

DANIEL BLACKWELL AT PULSANT EXPLAINS WHY SECURE 

ACCESS SERVICE EDGE (SASE) IS THE IDEAL SOLUTION FOR 

USER-CENTRIC SECURITY 

Despite the widescale shift towards 

dispersed working, many businesses still 

haven't addressed the long-term security 

risks associated with an expanded attack 

surface. The problem is employees are now 

working from uncontrolled environments. 

Personal devices and home networks don't 

have the same security protocols and controls 

as corporate devices and networks, making 

them more prone to cyber attacks. In a remote 

environment there is usually little control over 

what can be reached over the internet, with 

access often shared with other devices, posing 

further risks. Many home networks also aren't 

password-protected, use easily guessed or 

default passwords, or may be configured 

without encryption, providing a far easier 

avenue for an attacker to gain access to a 

corporate network. 

REMOVING THE IT HEADACHE 

For IT teams this presents a huge headache. 

Applying security policies to each remote worker 

can be a complex and expensive venture. For 

example, applying the same policies and 

controls could require deploying a firewall at 

each employee's home which is not only 

expensive, but creates huge management 

overheads. Alternatively, each employee could 

be provided with a remote VPN connection 

back to a central office location, but as 

organisations increasingly move to decentralised 

services with SaaS and public cloud, it doesn't 

make sense to route traffic back through an 

office location. 

THE ROLE OF SASE 

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is the 

ideal solution for user-centric security, where 

policies can be applied directly to employees, 

wherever they are working, using a 

centralised management policy. However, 

much of what SASE is, or isn't, is yet to be 

truly defined or standardised. 

Gartner defines SASE as an extension of SD- 

WAN to include other network security controls 

and services that can be centrally managed 

through the same SD-WAN management 

plane. Many vendors have jumped on the 

SASE bandwagon and are using it to describe 

cloud-based security solutions that are not 

managed by a single management dashboard 

and actually involve multiple separate 

products. Others are claiming to provide SASE 

even without an SD-WAN offering, while some 

offer elements of SASE but not the full product 

range. Currently there are very few vendors in 

who offer SASE as per Gartner's full definition, 

but this doesn't mean that SASE isn't something 

that organisations should consider. 

ZERO-TRUST POLICIES 

At its core SASE is about the application and 

the user. With SD-WAN, it's about having 

control over the application and applying 

routing policies to make sure that the right 

applications get the best possible path. This 

delivers a better end user experience and 

enables organisations to change or bring on 

new applications efficiently and quickly. 

SASE refers to applying the same principles of 

efficiency and agility to security controls. The 

application and the user are still considered, 

but more specifically the right user getting to 

the right applications and only those 

applications. This can even be broken down 

further to the right device, at the right time of 

day, from the right network, and access 

restricted to applications and web services 

based on the security posture of the user, 

device, and destination. 

The physical location of the SASE 'engine' 

should be considered. The term cloud implies 

that something is located everywhere, when in 

the UK this typically means it's hosted in one 

location. By having regional points-ofpresence, 

the enforcement of security policies 

is distributed closer to each user wherever they 

are working. Using this approach, 

organisations can stop employees from 

accessing known bad web services, regardless 

of location, removing the risk of downloading 

malicious files or applications. If malware does 

get through and a device is breached, access 

can be revoked, preventing attackers from 

gaining access to applications or services. 

SECURING THE EDGE 

SASE forms a comprehensive package that 

combines a variety of solutions, and as 

organisations move towards distributed and 

decentralised applications, SASE and SD-WAN 

provide agile and flexible central controls. 

Remote working policies are now permanent 

and widespread, and in the near future, SASE 

and SD-WAN will enable both IT and security 

teams to bring security protocols closer to users. 

The outcome will be a highly-resilient network 

that truly supports its users and protects them 

from emerging and increasingly sophisticated 

cyber threats - wherever they are. NC 



NETWORKcomputing 

We introduced the Network Computing "Masterclass" into the magazine a few years back. A 

Masterclass series in the magazine run for at least a year. Some have successfully run for longer. This 

concept enables us, with the help of a an expert vendor, to cover a subject area in a far more 

detailed way than could ever be covered in a single article. We feel that the Masterclasses we have 

carried have done a valuable job in guiding readers through many of the issues that they need to be 

aware of - issues that are perhaps not being talked about elsewhere. Vendor branding appears on 

the Masterclass page to distinguish a Masterclass article from the many "one-off" articles that we 

carry in Network Computing. 

We have identified a number of key subject areas which we feel would benefit from a Masterclass. 

These are: 

Network Testing and Monitoring 

Cabling and cable management 

Network access control 

Powering a Network 

The transition to unified comms 

Desktop virtualisation 

Traffic management 

Using a Data Centre 

Advantages and challenges of relying on an increasingly mobile workforce 

Cloud security 

Education and training 

If any of these subject areas are to be covered in a Masterclass we will be 

seeking a Partner to work with. A Masterclass Partner will ideally be a vendor 

with a track record of expertise in the particular area. Are you a vendor 

who could help us in launching a Masterclass covering one of the subjects 

listed above ? Alternatively, could you recommend an organisation who 

could help us ? Your suggestions will be very welcome. 

Please contact david.bonner@btc.co.uk

FEATURE: SASE 

A ROADMAP TO CLOSING THE NETWORK 

AND SECURITY DIVIDE 

NETWORK AND SECURITY TEAMS CAN NO LONGER OPERATE AS 

PARALLEL-BUT-SEPARATE ENTITIES, ACCORDING TO NEIL THACKER, 

CISO EMEA AT NETSKOPE 

Cloud-centric digital transformation has 

allowed network teams to build a 

workplace that can be anywhere, at 

any time and at the convenience of 

employees. This has revolutionised how we 

work, and made the enforced shift to remote 

and home working during the pandemic 

possible. It has also brought challenges, 

particularly for security teams who still need to 

identify employees and provision access to 

the required services in a secure manner. 

Before the widespread shift to the cloud, a 

security problem was just that; a problem for 

the security team to handle. However, 

increasingly network and security teams are 

no longer able to operate as parallel-butseparate 

teams; they have to function 

seamlessly together if the organisation is to 

operate safely and effectively. 

Traditionally both teams could coexist 

without significant issues but within the cloud, 

the primary concern of the networking 

function - performance - is not so easily 

separated from security's need to protect. The 

protective perimeter approach is no longer 

applicable in this new cloud environment. 

That means, as networking teams look to 

maximise all of the potential performance 

benefits from operating in the cloud, they 

must find a way to balance security's need to 

secure and control who has access to 

corporate data without negatively impacting 

performance. 

Most teams know they need to play well 

together and see the need for a change in 

attitudes and closer collaboration. 

Companies are exploring ways to converge 

efforts, personnel and budgets by adopting a 

SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) 

architecture as a way to ensure neither 

performance nor protection is deprioritised. If 

early transitions to the cloud were complex, 

this next step will be no less challenging. My 

job is to support CIOs, security leads and 

networking teams to make these necessary 

changes and I advise starting with three steps. 

Firstly, establish some shared parameters 

and metrics for success. By agreeing on a 

common set of parameters for digital risk, 

network performance, and user experience, 

network and security teams can ensure that 

everyone is working towards a common goal 

with no conflicting priorities. Once that is 

done, every activity or change can be 

measured and evaluated against those 

agreed goals. Each team must be equally 



FEATURE: SASE 

responsible for each of the metrics. This can 

feel like a big cultural change but establishing 

this at the beginning means no procurement 

decision is taken, or architectural ideology 

pursued, that would negatively impact upon 

an agreed KPI. These parameters enable 

teams to enter purchasing processes with 

clear red lines for all parties, meaning you 

can pass any potential sources of internal 

conflict onto the vendor pitching their 

technology solution. 

Secondly, it's vital to make sure that there is 

good visibility of performance on an ongoing 

basis. Understanding how data is used has 

always been a driver of improved 

performance both for interfiling potential 

optimisations and removing roadblocks. The 

benefits of the cloud do not need to be at the 

expense of visibility over what data is being 

used - by whom, when, and in what ways. 

Security professionals often find 

themselves uncomfortable if performance, 

cost and usability advantage are prioritised 

over risk management. With ever more 

threats now focused on exploiting 

vulnerabilities in accessing the cloud, a lack 

of visibility is no longer something 

businesses can afford to tolerate. 

SASE allows businesses to secure data 

wherever it resides or travels (inside or outside 

of corporate infrastructure). Network and 

security teams should use the insights 

delivered by a mature SASE platform to reveal 

the reality of business activity and processes, 

and identify opportunities to improve 

performance or implement policies that 

secure vulnerabilities. Constant visibility over 

activity enables continuous learning about the 

ways in which the business is operating, and 

understanding of end-user actions, 

behaviours and processes, and so will help 

manage digital risk as well as identifying 

potential improvements in performance. 

Once you have established shared 

parameters and created a system that gives 

you good insight into performance, the third 

step is to develop a coordinated strategy to 

combat emerging threats. With these 

structures in place, network and security 

teams can get ahead of threats and develop 

clear business, network, and security 

procedures that fall within a set risk tolerance. 

Just as improved visibility can allow network 

professionals to use the latest threat 

intelligence to design a more robust and 

appropriate access infrastructure, the set 

parameters also prevent security professionals 

from designing architectures that result in an 

unacceptable drop in performance. Adopting 

SASE architecture forces network and security 

teams to embrace a shared strategy, 

recognising that collaboration from the outset 

is the only way to meet both teams' objectives. 

One lasting effect of Covid-19 will be the 

mass adoption of a work-from-anywhere 

approach. It is clear that employees like being 

able to work at a time and place that works 

best for them, using the devices they choose, 

and accessing the applications that they 

determine best support productivity. 

Networking and security teams are therefore 

having to rethink their 'business-as-usual' 

infrastructure as a result of these new working 

approaches, and If we do not identify and 

respond to them then we fail in our core 

responsibility to facilitate and support business 

operations. But this change cannot mean 

compromising the security of corporate data. 

To summarise, when working with the cloud, 

networking and security teams have parallel 

goals and must collaborate to build an 

enabling infrastructure that both protects and 

shares the essential data that enables long 

term business growth. NC 



Trend Networks 

R180000 Tone and 

Probe Kit 


PRODUCT 

REVIEWPRODUCT RE 

Atone generator and probe kit is an 

essential piece of equipment for all 

professional cable guys. It allows them 

to trace, identify and verify data, telephone, 

coax and electrical cable runs, identify 

unlabelled cables and quickly troubleshoot 

faulty connections. There’s no shortage of kits 

on today’s market but the Trend Networks 

R180000 Tone and Probe Kit stands out for a 

number of sound reasons. It offers a power 

output of 11dBm (decibel milliwatts) meaning 

it can trace any copper cable over long 

distances, the higher amplifier gain of the 

probe enabling users to pick up weak signals 

and trace the cable with ease. 

The Tone generator’s multi resistance range 

of continuity tests make judging the resistance 

range of the cable a simple affair, and the 

unbalanced pair applying tone on RJ45 

socket pins increases the radiation of the tone. 

The kit’s ergonomic design makes it very easy 

to use and its rugged build quality allows it to 

go where other kits fear to tread. 

The kit comprises the Trend Networks 

R180002 tone generator, the R180001 

amplifier probe, a short RJ-45 to RJ-11 

adapter cable and a crocodile to RJ-45 patch 

cord for connecting to unterminated wires. It’s 

all neatly packed into a sturdy carry case with 

a Velcro strap for belt attachment. 

Constructed of high-impact plastic, the 

palm-sized tone generator has an RJ-45 port 

at the top and two buttons on its upper 

surface for selecting the test modes and tone 

patterns. The test mode button is used to swap 

between tone generation and continuity tests 

while the tone pattern button offers two warble 

speeds and is also used to power the unit off. 

Plenty of LEDs are provided with upper ones 

for reverse and normal polarity and another 

for voltage indication, tone generation, 

continuity test and Talk Set power status. The 

Line 2 LED indicates a voltage has been 

detected and a smart safety feature will 

illuminate when the unit is turned off to 

indicate a voltage is present on the cable 

under test. 

Running continuity tests is easy as you short 

the wires at the far end of the circuit and 

select this test from the tone generator’s 

mode button. Audio and visual cues are 

provided as the unit indicates the resistance 

of the circuit by emitting a continuous sound 

or a series of beeps, while the dedicated 

continuity LED will be solidly lit or will use 

different patterns of flashes also based on the 

measured resistance. 

The R180001 amplifier probe is an equally 

well constructed plastic wand. Tone detection 

is activated by pressing the large yellow button 

and an LED below the tip shows the signal 

strength. A volume wheel is located on the 

right side and we were impressed with how 

loud the probe’s integral speaker was. 

Operation in noisy data centres won’t be a 

problem either as the probe has a headphone 

jack socket on the left side. 

Beneath the probe’s tip is a high-intensity 

white LED so you can find your way in dingy 

wiring cabinets, and we liked the central 

button design as we could activate tone 

detection and the torch together with our 

thumb. Another useful feature is that the 

probe tip is secured with one screw, so a 

broken one can be easily replaced. 

For cable tracing, the kit is easy to use and 

we barely referred to the manuals when 

testing the lab’s Ethernet cable infrastructure. 

With the tone generator plugged into the lab’s 

network points, we had no problems tracing 

the other ends in our rack cabinet cable 

bundles as the probe clearly identified them. 

The 180000 Tone and Probe Kit will be an 

invaluable ally for installers and engineers as 

it provides a wealth of cable tracing and 

testing functions in a compact and rugged 

package. It’s very easy to use, provides plenty 

of audio and visual assistance during tests 

and at £99 for the complete package, is an 

absolute bargain. NC 

Product: R180000 Tone and Probe Kit 

Supplier: Trend Networks 

Web site: www.trend-networks.com 

Tel: +44 (0)1925 428 380 

Price: £99 exc VAT 



FEATURE: SASE 

CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE TO FIND YOUR PERFECT SASE PROVIDER 

MIKE WOOD, CMO AT VERSA NETWORKS OFFERS HIS ADVICE ON SELECTING THE BEST 

SECURE ACCESS SERVICE EDGE VENDOR FOR YOUR BUSINESS 

Remote and hybrid working is one of the 

most discussed topics in business today - 

and this is likely to continue over the next 

few years. As soon as this working practice was 

deployed nationwide there has been a 

constant struggle for businesses to achieve 

optimum network connectivity while 

maintaining sufficient network security. 

Essentially, remote working has been one big 

tug of war; connectivity on one side, security 

on the other. 

In response to this struggle, businesses have 

been approached by vendors across the globe, 

all offering different solutions for their remote 

working conundrums. A popular choice is 

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), a model of 

perfect synergy between network and security, 

combining solutions like Zero Trust and 

Firewall-as-a-Service into a single cloud-based 

service. 

For businesses that have battled with finding 

the optimum balance during the pandemic, 

and those still searching, SASE becomes that 

all important silver lining. However, with so 

many vendors now claiming to offer SASE, it 

can be an arduous task trying to find the 

perfect solution. 

WHAT INDUSTRY CHALLENGES ARE 

BUSINESSES FACING? 

Unfortunately for businesses, choosing a new 

security solution is not like simply browsing 

through a catalogue and picking one that 

looks the part. There are several factors to 

consider relating to current and ongoing 

challenges in the industry. Aside from user 

experience and security, IT teams must also 

strike the right balance between other factors, 

such as network visibility and cost. 

Since the shift to remote working, IT teams 

found themselves responsible for overseeing 

the maintenance of all devices and 

applications spread across the country. Without 

sufficient visibility, the time to identify and locate 

an issue or vulnerability greatly increases and 

risks interfering with both security effectiveness 

and business performance. 

Above all else, however, is the pressure to 

meet company demands without an increase 

in budget or resources. The most direct option 

would simply be to employ more staff and 

allocate each a single area of focus, but very 

few have that luxury. Suddenly, it's easy to see 

why the demand for solutions like SASE has 

exploded. 

WHAT SHOULD BUSINESSES BE 

LOOKING FOR IN A SASE PROVIDER? 

Before entering into any agreement with a 

provider, businesses should first consider their 

top priorities and what they want to get out of 

their solution. Some vendors will promise you 

the world, but the trick is to look past the sales 

barrier and ask the important questions. 

In our new hybrid world, flexibility and visibility 

are two must-haves for any network solution. 

Teams should set their sights on SASE options 

that deliver a cloud-native architecture that 

encompasses everything on one single 

management console to maintain and monitor 

the network from any location. Finding a 

solution that will slot comfortably into existing 

security stacks is ideal for organisations 

needing to update their systems quickly, without 

jeopardising network performance. 

As most businesses are made up of a 

combination of on-premises and cloud 

infrastructure, it's essential to choose a vendor 

that can confidently offer multiple 

implementation delivery options for any 

location and device. Further, it's worth 

enquiring about capabilities of integrating data 

loss prevention (DLP) technology as a cloud, 

multi-cloud and on-premises function to deliver 

the necessary protection and visibility over 

sensitive data. 

Finally, futureproofing is everything. 

Businesses are constantly evolving and 

growing, so technology must be able to move 

with it. The latest security stacks must be able to 

integrate future technologies that are frequently 

entering the market, such as Internet of Things 

(IoT) and 5G, to help businesses keep up with 

the latest demands. Additionally, for small 

businesses with growth in their sights, the ability 

to scale solutions as and when needed is a key 

requirement. It's all very well choosing a 

provider that can support your systems when 

you're a 50-person company, but what about 

when you reach 200? Scalability will set apart 

those vendors that can provide a successful 

long-term service and partnership. 

Choosing a SASE provider does not have to 

be a long and complicated decision, but 

equally it shouldn't be rushed. Taking the time 

to sift through all the options to find that needle 

in a haystack will guarantee businesses a 

strong and long-term solution for their network 

performance and cybersecurity. NC 


SECURITY UPDATE 

CYBERSECURITY - ARE YOU CONFIDENT OR 

COMPLACENT? 

PAUL GERMAN, CEO AT CERTES NETWORKS DISCUSSES THE 

OFTEN MISPLACED CONFIDENCE SURROUNDING 

CYBERSECURITY IN BUSINESSES. 

We all know that today's cybersecurity 

landscape is an ever-changing one. 

So how often should organisations 

review their cybersecurity strategy? If it's a 

question that hasn't been asked in a while 

then chances are that, in this world of 

constant threat, you're probably at risk. 

Despite the near constant stream of data 

breaches making headlines, far too many 

organisations insist their current cybersecurity 

model is good enough. However, the contrary 

holds true. Quite simply, if any of the 

statements below apply to your business, then 

it's arguable that cybersecurity confidence is 

actually misplaced complacency. 

1. We haven't been hacked before, and I 

know where my organisation's critical or 

sensitive data is at all times. Why change 

something that's working today? 

No business can ever be 100% sure where 

its data is or that it hasn't been compromised 

in transit. Failure to recognise this issue is a 

board-level responsibility. 

2. We tick the boxes when it comes to GDPR, 

PCI DSS, HIPAA (and other regulations) so my 

organisation is secure. 

No company that has met their compliance 

requirements has ever been hacked, right? 

Taking a compliance-led approach to 

securing customer data will cause a 

fundamental vulnerability within the 

cybersecurity infrastructure, simply waiting for 

hackers to exploit. Compliance is important, 

clearly, but it should be a subset of the 

overall, continuously evolving security strategy, 

rather than an end-point goal in itself. 

Organisations are understandably 

concerned about the financial penalties 

associated with failing to achieve 

regulatory compliance. But take a step 

back and consider the financial 

implications of a data breach, of high 

profile customer data compromise. That is 

a far more significant cost and an event 

that will have long-term repercussions on 

customer perception and loyalty. 

3. We trust that our WAN provider has the 

necessary controls in place to keep our data 

secure as it moves between locations. 

WAN providers can't guarantee the security 

of their environments, and the security of 

your data is ultimately your responsibility. 

What's needed is a data-first 'Zero Trust' 

mindset that protects data before sending it 

to the carrier network. 

4. IT costs need to be reduced, so the easiest 

thing is to cut the security budget; it reduces 




cost without reducing functionality. But, just in 

case, we've increased our cyber insurance 

coverage. 

Cybersecurity insurance policies require 

customer diligence. You cannot buy a security 

policy, not deploy security and then expect a 

post-hack payout. More significantly, think 

about the cost and loss of earnings associated 

with the fallout of a data breach... 

5. My network is secure so I don't need to 

secure our data in motion. After all, we own 

the entire infrastructure end to end, wherever 

our data goes. 

When 70% of all breaches are as a result of 

internal user compromise, this is a false sense 

of security. Not only are current security 

models broken, current trust models are too, 

so they must be realigned and rebuilt. The 

only way to do that is to change the emphasis. 

Shift the security focus from infrastructure to 

the user or application and it doesn't matter 

how complex technology has become, or 

becomes in the future; the security model 

remains simple and hence both manageable 

and relevant. Moreover, whether the 

environment is owned by the business, third 

party, or in the cloud, when access is based 

on users and application, only a user with 

cryptographic keys and credentials gains 

access. It is that simple. 

6. We need not worry: we can do encryption 

on our firewall, switches and routers for less 

money and achieve the same result. 

Turning on encryption in a network device 

WILL degrade the performance, typically by 

50%. The reason lies in the way encryption 

has been deployed to date. In order to 

address the continued friction between 

operational goals and security imperatives, 

organisations need to decouple encryption 

from the infrastructure completely and instead 

overlay the security measures, leaving the 

underlying infrastructure untouched. The 

answer is Layer 4 encryption. 

Layer 4 encryption is dedicated to providing 

the level of trust of data in motion and 

applications moving across the infrastructure, 

yet avoids any impact on network 

performance and complexity. Furthermore, 

Layer 4 encryption operates in 'stealth' mode: 

it is only the data payload that is encrypted - 

not the entire network data packet. All of the 

complex management and maintenance 

problems created by traditional encryption 

deployment are removed. The data in motion 

is secure without adding complexity or 

compromising the operational performance of 

the infrastructure. 

7. We don't need encryption because our 

firewalls will keep the hackers out, or if not our 

intrusion detection will let us know 

immediately so we can stop a breach while 

it's happening. 

The current security mindset must move 

away from outdated thinking about 

securing the perimeter, assuming that 

breaches can be protected against, 

detected, and reacted to. With the average 

time to detection being 120 to 150 days, 

depending on the source, this clearly is a 

fallacy. When it comes to data breaches, it 

is a case of 'when' not 'if', so organisations 

must think about how they can best 'contain' 

a hacker from wreaking havoc on their data 

by adopting a software-defined approach 

to security and leaving the infrastructurebased 

security mindset behind. 

8. Data compromise is something that 

happens to other businesses, not ours! 

That's what all the brands that have been in 

the headlines over the past 18 months thought 

as well. The game has changed; it's no longer 

about the high profile, kudos-winning 

breaches. Today's hacking community is far 

more focused on the theft of sensitive, critical 

customer data that will leave those affected 

with long-term repercussions. Cybersecurity 

must be a process of continual evolution: just 

because you feel protected today doesn't mean 

you will be tomorrow. NC 



Zivver Secure Email 


PRODUCT 

REVIEWPRODUCT RE 

Email is responsible for the majority of 

data breaches and leaks with human 

error cited regularly as the main cause. 

The reasons are manifold and range from 

misaddressed emails to using CC instead of 

BCC, and if the message contains 

confidential information, companies could 

be violating GDPR compliance and facing 

hefty fines. 

This is where Zivver steps in as its Secure 

Email is a deceptively simple solution that 

combines machine learning, AI and end-toend 

encryption to protect outbound email 

throughout the entire creation and delivery 

processes. A key feature of Zivver is extreme 

ease of use as it slips seamlessly into existing 

working practices with minimal disruption and 

integrates neatly with Outlook, OWA and 

Gmail so users only require basic training. 

Fundamental to Zivver is its business rules 

as these are applied in real-time to every 

message during creation and prior to 

sending. Examples include options to enforce 

2FA when sensitive information in the 

subject, body or attachment is detected, 

BCC checks and non-recent sharing of 

confidential information. 

Zivver detects NHS and credit card 

numbers in emails and uses checksum 

algorithms to confirm they are genuine 

numbers. Rules have three actions where 

they highlight possible rule breaches, warn 

users that they should rectify the breach or 

block them if they don’t. 

Deployment is, indeed, a simple process and 

starts by providing organisation and email 

domain details in your Zivver cloud portal 

account. Customisation features are 

extensive and include portal branding and 

creating personalised notification messages 

for recipients. 

Setting up Zivver users is simple, as you can 

add them manually where they receive an 

invitation to create a personal account and 

set up 2FA. Larger organisations can employ 

Zivver’s SyncTool to synchronise Active 

Directory and Exchange accounts. 

Our test users were running Outlook and 

just needed to download the Zivver Office 

plug-in. This added a new option to the 

Outlook menu ribbon where they could log 

in to their account and, if permitted, access 

its message control settings. 

Procedures for creating new Outlook 

emails are exactly the same but Zivver adds 

an upper toolbar to the message highlighting 

actions required by the user. Each new 

recipient must be verified and methods 

include sending them an email, providing a 

one-time access code, applying an 

organisational code and sending an SMS to 

a valid mobile number. 

If sensitive information is detected, the 

toolbar highlights this and reacts 

dynamically to changes made to any part of 

the message. Attachments are scanned 

when added and a standout feature is 

Zivver supports file sizes up to 5TB. 

To open secure emails, recipients simply 

click the message body link and they are 

transported to the Zivver portal where they 

enter their verification details. They don’t 

require a Zivver account and can receive 

secure emails and reply to them irrespective 

of their location or email client. 

We all know how ineffective standard email 

recall processes are but Zivver users can 

confidently recall messages sent in error. 

Furthermore, if they haven’t been accessed 

by any recipients prior to withdrawal, Zivver 

guarantees that potential data leaks have 

been contained and won’t need reporting. 

Along with extensive auditing features in the 

admin portal, users can view all emails from 

their client, see which recipients opened 

them and who downloaded attachments. 

They can also login in to their personal 

Zivver portal account and view them from 

there as well. 

Zivver Secure Email is a simple solution to 

a major problem that plagues businesses of 

all sizes. It’s incredibly easy to deploy, 

requires no changes in working practices 

and ensures confidential information sent by 

email is totally secure. NC 

Product: Secure Email 

Supplier: Zivver 

Web site: www.zivver.com 

Tel: +44 (0)20 3285 6300 




A ZERO-TRUST FUTURE FOR A 

HYBRID WORKING WORLD 

MICHELE MABILIA AT KYOCERA 

DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS UK EXPLAINS 

WHY A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO 

SECURITY IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD 

As employees return to offices, what was 

a largely successful period of remote 

working for many businesses is now 

giving way to a hybrid working future. 

Flexibility for employees is now the norm 

rather than the exception, which promises to 

make for happier workforces in the long term. 

That said, there are still challenges to 

address. One of these is the need to protect 

company data and devices from the impact 

of ransomware attacks, which have become 

the modus operandi for millions of hackers in 

the last couple of years. 

As businesses plan for hybrid working, 

connected devices such as mobile phones, 

laptops, desktop computers and printers are 

often earmarked for close scrutiny in the bid 

to shore up cybersecurity capabilities. To 

achieve this, organisations need to take a 

cautious approach to security, and ensure 

this is replicated across the entire IT estate. 

This is where a holistic zero-trust approach 

has merit. 

THE CHALLENGE 

The hybrid working model brings several key 

challenges for employers, including the need 

to properly manage BYOD policies and staff 

using the same devices for work and personal 

activities, as well as encouraging responsible 

cyber practices without regular face-to-face 

interaction. Alongside all of this is the 

responsibility to ensure that all endpoints - 

whether remote or office-based - have the 

right security software in place to prevent 

attacks. Finally, this has to be done while 

minimising the impact on productivity. 

Mobile phones, laptops and printers are 

often among the first devices mentioned when 

discussing security risks. There are legitimate 

reasons for this: these are highly recognisable 

pieces of home or office equipment, so it is 

easy to consider these devices as a likely route 

through which opportunistic hackers could try 

to gain access to sensitive data. Alongside 

these, the ubiquity of software such as email 

or cloud storage means cybercriminals have a 

huge attack surface to conduct their 

operations. With so many areas to keep an 

eye on, a zero-trust approach to IT security 

makes sense. 

THE RISK 

To highlight the current cybersecurity state of 

play, recent research has found that 92 per 

cent of UK businesses suffered a cyberattack 

in the last 12 months, and 78% feel 

unprepared to deal with current threats. 

Despite the upsurge in cyberattacks, more 

than a quarter of UK companies do not 

consider IT to be ranked within their top three 

priorities as they plan for the next 12 months. 

This is concerning when considering the 

finding that cyberattacks cost nearly one in ten 

(8%) UK businesses over £1 million. 

Plenty of work needs to be done across the 

entire IT estate, as not enough is being done 

to actively address these issues. Organisations 

need tools to cover all the bases, including 

multi-factor authentication to govern access to 

sensitive data, secure document management 

systems to ensure information is shared in a 

safe and compliant manner, and encryption 

capabilities that reduce the chances of stored 

data - whether on-premise or in the cloud - 

being compromised. 

THE REWARD 

Adopting a zero-trust framework and applying 

it across all elements of the IT estate offers a 

variety of security benefits. Zero-trust 

presumes all applications and services are 

malicious and are denied access from 

connecting until they can be positively verified 

by their identity attributes. Therefore, this 

model reduces risk because it closely 

scrutinises what is on the network and how 

those assets are communicating. Further, as 

baselines are created, a zero-trust model 

reduces risk by eliminating overprovisioned 

software and services and continuously 

checking the 'credentials' of all devices - 

whether they are printers, laptops, desktop 

computers, mobile phones or any other 

internet-enabled technology. 

THE FUTURE 

Functioning efficiently and safely in a hybrid 

work environment all boils down to risk 

management. This means getting better 

visibility and understanding of the way people 

work, and by association, the way they interact 

with business systems and sensitive data. 

Zero-trust doesn’t have to be a complete 

change in the business working model or 

mean that existing security architectures need 

to be replaced. It simply provides a solution to 

gain more control within the network, creating 

an even stronger shield and barrier. It is the 

way forward for organisations that want to be 

confident that they have the necessary tools 

and support to combat evolving threats. NC 


OPINION: IoT 

THE FOUNDATION FOR IoT SUCCESS IS BUSINESS STRATEGY 

WHEN IT COMES TO IoT THE POTENTIAL FOR OUR LIVES, BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES TO 

TRANSFORM AND IMPROVE HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER, ACCORDING TO ZIZO CEO PETER RUFFLEY 

From a fully connected home, through 

to data being shared with 

manufacturers to help enhance 

products and manufacturing methods, the 

monitoring of patient wellbeing and 

medical equipment with the creation of 

'smart' hospitals, optimising the supply 

chain and ensuring the right temperature of 

goods in transit, and calculating the most 

effective route for drivers to enhance the 

first and last mile within delivery services - 

the possibilities for IoT seem endless. 

Research predicts that by 2025, there 

will be 55.7 billion connected devices 

worldwide, 75% of which will be 

connected to an IoT platform. What this 

means is that the amount of data being 

collected, and potentially the high volume 

of low value data collected, is becoming 

truly overwhelming. 

As Peter Ruffley, CEO at Zizo explains, 

whilst 5G and edge computing will make 

it possible to transmit data through high 

powered, low latency networks, these 

technologies are in their infancy, with few 

use cases. Network infrastructure 

challenges mean that 5G is still some way 

off and if we are going to be doubling the 

amount of connected IoT devices, 

organisations need to fully understand the 

value that is locked within their data. The 

question has to be, why does ALL IoT data 

need to be sent back to data centres? 

If organisations want to become truly 

data driven and be able to have IoT data 

move their business forward, they must 

begin by having a concise business 

strategy in place, teamed with supporting 

technology. In order to do this successfully 



OPINION: IoT 

and achieve the most value from IoT, there 

are five steps businesses must consider first. 

DEFINING BUSINESS CHALLENGES 

Just because an organisation has connected 

devices it doesn't mean that they'll 

necessarily get value from them. Value lies 

within the data. So, whilst there will be those 

in the company saying 'we need IoT', what 

questions ultimately does the data from IoT 

devices need to answer to help the business 

grow, improve processes and/or enhance 

the customer experience? What insight does 

the business want to have from monitoring 

each device? What does the outcome of the 

investment need to be? 

GOOD AND BAD DATA 

With so much data at their fingertips (this can 

be millions or billions of rows of data), 

businesses really need to start, if they haven't 

already, moving away from the idea of 

having every device connected and the 'let's 

store everything just in case' mindset when it 

comes to their data. They need to be able to 

work out what is 'good' data and what is 

'bad' data. If all a business has coming back 

from devices is low value data / low hanging 

fruit, it will not benefit them. 

Cloud storage, while low cost at the start of 

any IoT project, quickly becomes expensive 

at scale, and the same goes for processing 

Peter Ruffley, CEO, Zizo 

that data - which as the volume grows, so 

does the processing time, and the cost. 

EDGE ANALYTICS 

Organisations need to become more 

strategic with how and where data is 

analysed. Not just in terms of getting 

insights, but looking at the data itself and 

working out where the inherent value lies 

within it. When data can be analysed down 

at the edge, only the most valuable data 

collected will be shared and in real time, 

making the process more cost effective to 

the business. Additionally, the amount of 

data being collected from connected 

devices puts a great deal of pressure on a 

cloud network. 

If organisations want to be sending data 

to the cloud, then a hybrid approach using 

edge analytics will ease the load. Edge data 

analysis is traditionally delivered through a 

single sensor node before being passed 

back to the cloud, but new advances in 

edge computing platforms allow for the 

analysis of both real-time and historical 

data, creating a more holistic view and 

enabling better training models for Artificial 

Intelligence and Machine Learning. 

READY FOR 5G - WHEN IT ARRIVES 

There is no doubt that 5G is going to 

make a huge impact on the way that 

businesses and other entities, such as smart 

cities, are able to utilise and manage data. 

However, like the initial roll-out of IoT 

platforms and technology, we are still very 

much in the early adopter phase, with 

limited access to both full 5G platforms or 

test beds. 

Many technologies are still utilising older 

bandwidths, and there is a case for looking 

at some of the more proven technologies to 

deliver point solutions that are better suited 

to individual use cases. 

SPECIALIST EXPERTISE 

A business might spend a considerable 

amount on IoT and other emerging 

technologies and be able to retrieve a lot of 

data but if it doesn't know how to get value 

from it, it's pretty much worthless. Due to the 

complex nature of any IoT deployment, 

there will be a requirement for specialist 

skills and expertise. 

Working with device suppliers will help 

organisations to understand data formats 

and to work out what data is actually 

needed to deliver insights to meet the 

defined strategy. Edge computing will also 

have a big part to play in sending the right 

data to tools and technologies that can be 

accessed by individuals who can make a 

difference for the business. NC 


OPINION: PAAS 

FROM NAAS TO PAAS 

NEIL TEMPLETON, VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL INNOVATION 

MARKETING, EXPLORES HOW NETWORK-AS-A-SERVICE CAN 

UNLOCK THE VALUE OF PLATFORM-AS-A-SERVICE 

The widespread adoption of the 

cloud has transformed the way 

applications are developed, just as 

much as it has transformed the way they 

are deployed and consumed. 

Cloud platform services, also known as 

Platform as a Service (PaaS), is a 

complete development and deployment 

environment in the cloud. PaaS has 

resources that enable developers to 

deliver everything from simple cloudbased 

apps to sophisticated, cloudenabled 

enterprise applications. All 

servers, storage, and networking can be 

managed by the enterprise or a thirdparty 

provider while the developers can 

maintain management of the 

applications. 

No matter the size of the company, 

using PaaS offers numerous advantages, 

from its scalability through to its simple 

and cost effect deployment. But, together 

with Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), 

developers can support the complete 

application lifecycle by unlocking the 

value of PaaS. 

ANYTHING-AS-A-SERVICE 

The three key benefits of a cloud 

environment - flexibility, scalability, and 

speed - extend quite nicely to app 

development and have helped 

developers perpetuate transformative 

ways of working through concepts such 

as Agile and DevOps. 

It's becoming an enterprise trend. 

Although SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) 

will retain the lion’s share of cloud 

infrastructure spend for the next several 

years, Gartner expects application 

infrastructure services, or PaaS, to grow 

by a higher margin through 2021, at 

26.6% compared to 16% for SaaS. 

This is evidence of adoption trends 

moving down the infrastructure stack - 

from where they started out, with 

consumption of apps, to the creation of 

apps. It's a trend that is somewhat 

influenced by the pandemic as 

enterprises have accelerated digital 

transformation plans, ingesting and 

expelling almost everything 'as-aservice'. 

According to Deloitte, the boost that 

XaaS (Anything-as-a-Service) can give to 

innovation is wide-ranging, with 80% of 

businesses agreeing that adoption of XaaS 

has led their organisation to reinvent 

business processes, develop new 

products/services, invent a new business 

model, and even change how they sell to 

customers. 

To break that down; we've seen how 

SaaS has changed the way organisations 

consume services; we've seen how IaaS 

changes the way companies deploy 

software; and PaaS is changing how 

software is developed. The next natural 

innovation in as-a-Service has to be in 

connectivity. 

As we have seen with the consumption 

and deployment of cloud apps, until the 

appearance of NaaS, connectivity was 

one of the main stumbling blocks to 

maximising cloud value. Simply put, the 

historically cumbersome method of 

procuring and consuming network 

connectivity was out of sync with the 

promise of the cloud. 



OPINION: PAAS 

Yet just as NaaS solved this challenge 

for SaaS and IaaS, it has now emerged as 

a key part of the infrastructure puzzle for 

developers to unlock the value of PaaS. 

PAAS BENEFITS 

When it comes to developing enterprise 

applications, PaaS makes use of the cloud 

to reduce complexity and cost. 

Because most PaaS environments are also 

supported by their own software 

development tools, such as libraries, SDKs 

and APIs, they also help streamline and 

speed the process up, so developers can 

focus on creating a solution and not 

wrestling with infrastructure. 

PaaS supports the complete application 

lifecycle from building, testing and 

deployment through to managing and 

updating software. Furthermore, there are 

now a whole array of tools available to 

support and enable associated 

development modalities such as Agile 

and DevOps. 

TOP 5 REASONS TO ADOPT PAAS 

1. Speed: PaaS enables developers to get 

to work building apps and not configuring 

and provisioning their backend 

infrastructure. 

2. Reduced cost: Because PaaS 

environments come with their own prebuilt 

libraries, SDKs and APIs, developers 

don’t have to start from scratch, requiring 

fewer resources or accelerating dev time. 

3. Scalability: In the old world of 

application building, scaling an app could 

prove a headache and required hands-on 

resources. But because PaaS is a cloudnative 

environment, scalability is also 

native, and your app grows with your 

business. 

4. Portability: Apps today need to work 

across multiple environments and the 

trend towards containerisation means this 

is possible with PaaS. 

5. Future proofing: Because the PaaS 

vendor is responsible for the platform, all 

the new feature updates and security 

patches are automatically taken care of, 

leaving you to focus on the value offered 

by the app itself, not the underlying 

infrastructure. 

More flexible connectivity options 

through NaaS platforms unlock those 

same options for the network. This 

ensures high reliability today and platform 

freedom for the future. If a business needs 

change, new connections to new 

providers can be provisioned in seconds, 

so the tools needed to create the very best 

apps and services are always accessible. 

NaaS holds a mirror up to digital 

transformation driven by changing 

customer behaviour. Just as consumers 

are used to buying anything at any time 

with a tap of a button, enterprise buyers 

are looking for the same convenience to 

purchase bandwidth online, and ondemand, 

instead of being tied to a longterm 

contract. This has positive 

repercussions for test and production. 

The faster new developments and testing 

environments can be provisioned and 

completed applications deployed, the 

faster businesses can get to market. NC 


CASE STUDY 

CAN STORAGE EVER BE INSTALLED 

AND FORGOTTEN? 

RAINER W. KAESE, SENIOR MANAGER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, 

STORAGE PRODUCTS DIVISION AT TOSHIBA SHARES THE 

DETAILS OF A STORAGE SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR 

FOUR YEARS WITHOUT ANY NEED FOR MAINTENANCE OR 

UNEXPECTED DOWNTIME 

Even the most stable and reliable 

storage systems still require some 

degree of maintenance. Many may 

believe that firmware updates, software 

updates and replacement of failed storage 

components can never be avoided. Really? 

This does not have to be so, here is a 

storage system example that has been 

running for four years without any need for 

maintenance or unexpected downtime. 

Back in 2017, Toshiba installed a ZFS 

storage system supporting storage 

infrastructure needs of the "Technology 

Experience Lab" at NTT Global Data 

Centers. Since then, the storage system has 

proven its outstanding reliability: except for 

a scheduled 10 minutes of downtime to 

install some additional ZFS features, the 

system runs steadily without component 

failures in any of the 60 HDDs, SSD, 

controllers, power supplies, fans, cables or 

other components. 

The Technology Experience Lab provides 

data center managers and their teams with 

the room and infrastructure to explore 

innovative approaches for architecting their 

servers and storage. It enables businesses 

to evaluate the efficacy of private or hybrid 

clouds, distributed architectures, and 

alternative approaches to deliver IT 

services in a low-risk environment. In 

addition, its community of users provides 

support and ideas through meetups, boot 

camps, webinars, and hackathons. 

In total, 102 TB of net storage were 

desired, requiring 240 TB of raw storage, 

utilising the ZFS-based JovianDSS software 

of Toshiba’s partner Open-E. This software 

had proven to offer high availability, no 

single point of failure, and high-flexibility, 

providing consistent snapshots and instant 

restore when required. The hardware to 

support it would need to be reliable and 

high-performance to take full advantages of 

the software, supporting several iSCSI block 

storage targets ranging in size from 10 TB 

to 40 TB, plus some shared file folders. 

The planning stage was the core for the 

long-term success of the final storage 

implementation. Toshiba often undertakes 

research into server implementation in its 

laboratories. It has resulted in close 

relationships with a broad range of 

component and software suppliers coupled 

with a deep understanding of what works 

well. Leveraging this knowledge, the team 

was able to recommend a hardware 

architecture that worked with Open-E 

JovianDSS and had proven itself in other 

projects. 

To form the 102 TB of net storage, the 

team selected Toshiba’s 4 TB, 3.5" SAS 

Enterprise Capacity Drives 

(MG04SCA40EA). With their MTTF (mean 

time to failure) of 1,400,000 hours and a 

non-recoverable error rate of just ten errors 

per 1016 bits read, they were ideal for 

achieving the reliability required. 

Performance was not ignored either. The 

7,200 rpm drives achieved a Zpool read 

performance rating of 12.9 x single disk 

and 8.5 x single disk for writes. For the ZFS 

write logs and reach caches, reliable 10 

DWPD SAS Enterprise SSDs with 1.6 TB 

storage from KIOXIA (formerly Toshiba 

Memory) were selected. 

A significant factor in HDD failures is 

heat, so the HDD enclosure chassis had to 

be closely reviewed before selection. The 

team selected AIC’s J4060-01 Dual 

Expander, 12 GB/s, 60 bay toploader 

JBOD. The 1400 W 1+1 hot-swap 

redundant 80+ Platinum power supply 



CASE STUDY 

ensured electrical efficiency while also 

fulfilling the reliability requirements. The 

JBOD also features four 80 x 38 mm hotswap 

fans. System testing showed that the 

coolest and warmest drive temperature 

difference was just 4°C, confirming that the 

correct JBOD had been selected. 

Connectivity to the JBOD was provided 

by the Microchip Adaptec® RAID Adapter 

ASR-8885 with 8 internal and 8 external 

ports, run in HBA mode. This model was 

highlighted as a top choice back in 2017. 

Finally, the storage server and JBOD 

location in the Technology Experience Lab, 

at the Frankfurt 1 Campus of NTT Global 

Data Centers, was the last piece of the 

reliability strategy. Its 60,000 m2 of space 

offers exceptional network connectivity and 

its power is derived from two separate 

European power supply networks that 

reach directly to the server and drive 

enclosure. Physical security is ensured, 

while storage reliability is supported by 

their highly efficient cooling system. 

Until now the system runs failure-free for 

four years and the plan is to continue 

running the system to explore its reliability 

further – even when the supplier warranty 

ends for most of the enterprise-grade 

hardware components in one year. Based 

on field experience with Toshiba Enterprise 

HDDs, the team expects that the storage 

has many more years of failure-free 

functionality to offer. 

Over the course of its operation, the 

storage solution has handled a multitude 

of proof-of-concept activities in the 

Technology Experience Lab, much to the 

satisfaction of all involved. "The Technology 

Experience Lab benefits a lot from this 

storage solution, and we are truly 

impressed by its continuous stability. Set up 

within our highly available data centers, I 

can't imagine a more reliable way of 

running enterprise storage. We’re looking 

forward to many more years of failure-free 

operation", said Dominik Friedel, Business 

Development Manager of NTT Global 

Data Centers. 

Having reviewed how the storage is used, 

with countless snapshots and scrubbing, 

and iSCSI block targets being connected 

and disconnected, week in, week out, the 

software has proven to be the optimal 

choice too. "I’m proud to see how well this 

installation works after all these years, but 

I am also sure that this is not all this setup 

can do. Excellent performance and 

reliability are ensured by the ZFS and 

Linux-based system in combination with 

first-class hardware, so it can last for 

decades. And that's not just a supposition; 

Open-E has been developing ZFS data 

storage systems for over 20 years and we 

have similar, long-lasting installations like 

this in use at customers all over the 

world”, said Krzysztof Franek, CEO of 

Open-E GmbH. 

Perhaps most critical to the success of this 

project has been the collaboration. Deep 

expertise in each field is essential, but is 

not enough in isolation. Only by bringing 

the best of what technology has to offer 

together, and exploring its capabilities and 

options, it’s possible to successfully fulfil 

such demanding requirements. 

"We are exceptionally proud to have the 

partner network of Open-E, KIOXIA, AIC, 

NTT and Microchip. Even if your Toshiba 

Hard Disk Drives are incredibly reliable, 

they still need a reliable system built of 

many components to deliver real end-user 

value", added Rainer Kaese. NC 


OPINION: NETOPS 

OUT OF NETOPTIONS? 

ALAN STEWART BROWN, VP OF EMEA, OPENGEAR ON WHY NETOPS 

AND NETWORK AUTOMATION WON’T REPLACE HUMAN EXPERTISE 

The road to network resilience is a thorny 

one, with networks becoming ever-more 

complex and harder to manage. One 

way organisations can enhance resilience is by 

adopting NetOps: an approach which embeds 

a growing amount of automation, virtualisation 

and orchestration, to make networking 

operations and functions faster and more 

accessible. Research commissioned by 

Opengear discovered 87% of businesses had 

increased investment in NetOps in the past two 

years, with a further 51% planning to implement 

this functionality in the next year. But as more 

businesses adopt a NetOps approach, 

particularly via automated processes, the 

traditional role of the network engineer has 

come under scrutiny. 

With the increasing popularity of NetOps and 

the ability for automation to reduce human 

error, is there still a place for the engineer in the 

maintenance of a business network? The 

answer is an unequivocal 'yes'. Rather than 

removing the need for the network engineer, the 

advance of NetOps and network automation 

enhances the value network engineers can bring 

to a business. 

NO MORE HEROES? 

Network engineers have historically been viewed 

as the saviours when something goes wrong. 

The culture around saving the day meant one 

professional was relied on to step in when a 

fault occurred. They were often seen as having a 

level of understanding about the network that 

others were unable to attain, and much of the 

work involved hard manual effort and following 

repetitive applications or routines. 

If a particular event had happened on the 

network, most companies would expect an 

engineer to log in, run through five or six 

routines to work out what was happening and 

then remediate the problem. NetOps is 

changing that culture in a positive way by 

altering the entire procedure so that when such 

an event happens, the system automatically 

runs through those five or six steps. If that does 

not resolve the problem it is escalated to the 

network engineer to handle the next level of 

troubleshooting. 

All this removes the dependency on a single 

hero to do the diagnostic and remediation 

work but also enables more engineers to be 

heroes by freeing them to apply their skills more 

proactively in managing the network at a 

higher operational level. 

NEED FOR RESKILLING 

Through the capabilities it delivers, NetOps is 

helping overcome skills shortages for 

businesses. There are simply not enough 

engineers available to comprehensively staff 

every network location. Businesses can use 

NetOps tools to concentrate their network 

team's resource at a network operations centre 

effectively rather than having to find resources 

to staff each and every site. 

So, the advent of NetOps will bring new 

opportunities to network engineers but will also 

require a level of reskilling. For years the badge 

of honour was being a certified engineer and 

CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) or a 

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) or 

JNCIE (Juniper). That is still valuable but for 

NetOps, there is an additional skillset engineers 

will need to train for. They will need to program 

in Python, for example, and understand how 

docker containers work. They will need to 

deploy commonly-used toolsets like Chef, 

Puppet and Ansible. Network engineers need to 

understand how all this works - and those 

businesses that understand all this are training 

them up in the required skillsets. 

The success of this process will require 

commitment from engineers. Some will be 

wary of NetOps and automation, in part due 

to a lack of understanding of or familiarity with 

the approach. Overcoming this will, in part, 

come down to engineers being prepared to 

dip their toes in the water of the new 

approach. Simply using a Raspberry Pi at 

home, for example, will help them to gain 

experience in that environment. 

For young network engineers entering the 

business, collaboration with more experienced 

employees will be crucial, and the onus will be 

on business leaders to ensure that new starters 

learn from every aspect of the organisation. 

The business may also need to invest more in 

training and support for their engineers. In the 

Opengear survey, just 32% of respondents 

said their network management/engineering 

team had undertaken industry training courses 

in order to transition to NetOps. More than 

half (53%) of the survey sample said they had 

personally learnt about it (NetOps) in their 

spare time. 

Providing more flexibility, increasing speed 

and improving programmability, NetOps is a 

proactive approach to networking that uses 

automation and provisioning to modernise 

networks and increase their resilience. Yet, if 

enterprises are to make a success of it, they 

need to transition to a NetOps culture. 

Ultimately, that entails more than just 

integration of new solutions; it needs a 

mindset shift among the professionals that 

work within it. 

Enterprises and their engineers taking these 

considerations into account and focusing on 

achieving them will ensure effective integration 

of NetOps and enable a smoother journey on 

the road to resilience. NC 



AWARDS 2021 

SPONSORED BY 

Photo gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX4ePr4 

A welcome return to networking in 2021 

Remote working, hybrid working, WFH - 

the past year has been dominated by this 

new networking normal, which made the 

2021 Network Computing Awards, held in 

central London in October, all the more 

welcome. It was a genuinely refreshing change 

of pace to finally meet up again with our 

industry colleagues, nominees and guests in 

an actual, decidedly non-virtual setting! 

Despite the obvious difficulties faced by many 

as we continue to navigate the pandemic - at 

the time of writing the Government's Plan B 

has just come into effect - the awards 

ceremony was attended by a good number of 

people who all contributed to the terrific 

atmosphere on the night. I think we weren't the 

only ones who were glad to have a decidedly 

non-virtual night out again! The overwhelming 

feeling from the organisers and the attendees 

was that there really is no substitute for 

presenting and accepting awards in person. 

Over the following pages you'll find a full 

round-up of this year's winners. They include 

Extreme Networks, winners of Product of the 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/CbIErKc7q7Q 

Year for ExtremeCloud IQ, DrayTek, winners of 

the New Hardware Product of the Year 

category, and Storm Technologies, who took 

home the trophy for Reseller of the Year. Zyxel 

won both the Cloud-Based Solution of the Year 

and Network Project of the Year awards and 

ExaGrid were also big winners on the night, 

collecting four awards including Company of 

the Year. We'd like to once again congratulate 

all of this year's winners and runner-ups and 

thank our awards sponsors, as well as 

everyone who took the time to vote online. 

www.networkcomputingawards.co.uk 

WWW.NETWORKCOMPUTING.CO.UK @NCMagAndAwards 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 NETWORKcomputing 27


NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: NetAlly LinkRunner 10G 

RUNNER UP: Extreme Networks 

The LinkRunner® 10G is the most cost-effective solution available for comprehensive 10M/100M, 1G, Multi-Gig, and 10Gig network testing. 

LinkRunner 10G simplifies testing and configuration of copper and fiber Ethernet networks, streamlining workflows by combining essential 

functions of installation and triage in a single, ruggedized unit. This next-generation Android-based tester delivers complete network validation 

and troubleshooting, from the media (copper/fiber) to the application (layers 1 - 7), accelerating deployments, speeding problem identification, 

and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of network installers and operations teams. As a lightweight, handheld, multi-function instrument, 

LinkRunner 10G eliminates the need to purchase multiple testers. 

DATA CENTRE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Prism DCS Hot/Cold Aisle Containment 

RUNNER UP: Supermicro Computer 

Prism DCS is a data centre solutions provider specialising in the provision of hot & cold aisle containment, server cabinets, and security 

cages. Prism partner with leading data centre operators & global hyperscale providers to improve the efficiency, sustainability and security of 

their operations. 

Leveraging an in-house manufacture and installation service, Prism provide bespoke engineered solutions that empower clients & endusers 

with strategic agility & flexibility in the development of critical digital infrastructure. www.prismdcs.co.uk 

IT OPTIMISATION PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Allied Telesis - Vista Manager EX 

RUNNER UP: Gigabit Networks 

Vista Manager EX is our single-pane-of-glass monitoring and management platform for both Allied Telesis and third party network devices. The 

dashboard/map alerts the user to any events affecting the network such as security threats, link tampering, network loops, environmental alarms, 

and failed nodes; highlighting them so they can be easily dealt with. Supporting both wired and wireless networks, Vista Manager is a powerful 

tool for network service providers or customers wanting to optimise resources and time. Offering centralised network and device management, 

firmware and configuration backup, recovery and upgrade tools; its ideal for even the largest enterprise networks. 

TESTING/MONITORING PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Netreo Omnicenter 

RUNNER UP: NetAlly 

Netreo's full-stack IT Infrastructure Management (ITIM) solution features AIOps and high-performance Network Performance Monitoring and 

Diagnostics (NPMD) to empower enterprise and IT leaders with AIOps-driven observability, actionable insights, process automation, and 

accelerated issue resolution. By having real-time intelligence on all resources, devices and applications deployed in cloud, on-premises and 

hybrid networks, Netreo users have the confidence to deliver more reliable and innovative internal and external customer experiences. Netreo is 

one of Inc. 5000's fastest-growing companies, trusted worldwide by thousands of private and public entities managing half a billion resources 

per day, and available via subscription in on-premises and cloud deployment models. 




TELEPHONY PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: CloudCall 

RUNNER UP: 3CX 

STORAGE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: ExaGrid EX84 appliance 

RUNNER UP: Apricorn 

ExaGrid's EX84 appliance was voted Storage Product of the Year and we are so proud that our latest appliance models have received such 

recognition. In January 2021, ExaGrid released a new line of Tiered Backup Storage appliances, including our appliance to date, the largest 

EX84. The largest ExaGrid system, comprised of 32 EX84 appliances, can take in up to a 2.7PB with an ingest rate of up to 488TB/hour, 

making it the largest system, with data deduplication, in the industry that offers aggressive data deduplication. We are so grateful to all of the 

voters who chose the EX84 for this award! 

NETWORK MANAGEMENT PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Progress Software - WhatsUpGold 2021 

RUNNER UP: SolarWinds 

Progress Software's WhatsUpGold 2021is a sophisticated network monitoring solution that delivers an impressive range of tools integrated 

seamlessly into a single console. The simplified licensing schemes make it very affordable for SMBs, it is scalable enough for enterprises and the 

new log management features add even more versatility. WhatsUp Gold (WUG) is a great network monitoring choice for SMBs and enterprises and 

this latest version aims to make it even more appealing. 

DATA PROTECTION PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity - R&S®Trusted Gate 

RUNNER UP: Altaro 

As a data protection-compliant multi-level system, R&S Trusted Gate offers a way out of the cloud dilemma for public authorities and 

companies. The special feature of the solution lies in the secure design of a multi-level system: according to this, the personal content of the 

encryption level is separated from the cloud services at the business level. In this way, the benefits of external cloud services can be enjoyed 

without transferring personal data to an "insecure third country". Businesses and public authorities retain data sovereignty and meet the 

requirements of the GDPR. 




SD-WAN VENDOR OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Versa Networks 

RUNNER UP: Citrix 

CLOUD DELIVERED SECURITY SOLUTION OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Heimdal Security - Privileged Access Management 

RUNNER UP: Rohde and Schwarz 

Privileged Access Management features a lightweight interface that puts you in complete control over the user's elevated session. Approve or 

deny from the dashboard or on the go right from your mobile device. Keep track of sessions, block elevation for system files, live-cancel user 

admin rights, set escalation period, and instantly shut down system process after session expiration. Insider threats are on the rise. Deal with 

them on your terms and with the best tools available. Privileged Access Management unlocks an extra security layer that prevents malware from 

spreading through your networks - automatic rights removal when a threat is detected on a machine running with elevated rights. Prevent, 

protect, and secure your networks inside and outside. 

THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT AWARD 

WINNER: ExaGrid's EX84 appliance 

RUNNER UP: OneUp Sales 

ExaGrid's EX84 appliance won the Return On Investment award, an especially meaningful win for ExaGrid as we pride ourselves on our unique 

scale-out architecture and to end the practice of forklift upgrades and product obsolescence that customers are often faced with. ExaGrid 

provides a scale-out architecture where appliances are simply added as data grows. Each appliance includes storage, processor, memory and 

network ports, so as data grows, all resources required are available to maintain a fixed-length backup window. This scale-out storage 

approach eliminates expensive forklift upgrades, and allows for mixing appliances of different sizes and models in the same scale-out system, 

which eliminates product obsolescence while protecting IT investments up front and over time. 

NEW HARDWARE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: DrayTek VigorAP 960C 

RUNNER UP: Kemp Technologies 

The DrayTek VigorAP 960C is a WiFi 6 Access Point with Mesh, offering up to 1.8Gbps Dual-Band wireless rates. WiFi 6 brings significantly 

improved efficiency, better overall performance and reliably handles more clients per AP. In addition, there are three operating modes and a 

choice of four management methods - making the VigorAP 960C supremely versatile. Use as a standalone AP, range extender or as a Mesh 

node with 4 SSIDs per radio and WPA3 security. For more information, visit www.draytek.co.uk. 

NEW SOFTWARE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity - R&S®Trusted VPN Client 

RUNNER UP: DrayTek 

R&S Trusted VPN Client by IT security expert Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity protects the network communication of a client platform (Windows 

laptop or tablet) with a government or corporate network over an untrusted network such as the internet. R&S Trusted VPN Client, approved for 

securing "classified information - for official use only" by the German Federal Office for Information Security, is software-based, requires no 

additional hardware and functions thanks to zero trust technology independently of the operating system's security mechanisms. 




SALES ENABLEMENT SOLUTION OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: OneUp Sales - OneUp Sales 

RUNNER UP: WebCRM 

Empower directors, managers and consultants with the tools they need to succeed, remote or in-office. With unrivalled performance reporting, 

gamification, and daily update emails to your team, OneUp integrates with dozens of CRMs, VOIP systems and other third-party solutions to 

enable sales leaders to see all their key metrics in one place. The average salesperson uses 6 systems to carry out their role every day - that's a 

lot of places to pull reports from as a manager. OneUp integrations with dozens of systems to ensure your data is all in one place. From CRMs 

to VOIP systems to timesheet software, we've got you covered. 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDER OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: CNet Training 

RUNNER UP: KnowBe4 

Established in 1996, CNet Training is the global leader in technical education for the global digital infrastructure industry (comprising the data 

centre and network cable infrastructure sectors). A significant part of CNet's history is the development of The Global Digital Infrastructure 

Education Framework, which offers industry professionals an opportunity to map data centre and network infrastructure education, qualifications 

and certifications to meet individual and business needs. CNet is also the only industry dedicated education provider to award both 

internationally recognised qualifications and professional certifications, starting at level 3 and culminating with a level 7 Masters programs. The 

company delivers programs across the world and via live Instructor-led remote attendance. www.cnet-training.com 

REMOTE WORKING PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: OneUp Sales - OneUp Sales 

RUNNER UP: 3CX 

We're a highly technical team with a love for building products that delight. We set out on day 1 to do something different - to bring elements of 

video games into the corporate world. Our focus was on building more exciting, fulfilling workplaces. Whilst we're not quite handing everyone 

an Xbox controller, we like to think we've stayed pretty close to that plan with OneUp Sales. 

DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Brigantia 

RUNNER UP: Nuvias 

Brigantia is an award-winning, value-added managed services distributor providing a comprehensive range of cybersecurity solutions 

complemented by secure, enterprise-class data communications and cloud services. Brigantia has three distinct business areas designed to add 

maximum value to its reseller, MSP, MSSP and consultant partners' businesses: Distribution, Consulting and Enhance. Brigantia exists to add 

value to all its partners' businesses. 

RESELLER OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Storm Technologies 

RUNNER UP: Contrac 

Established in June 2000, Storm has grown from strength to strength as a focused IT value-added reseller. Our aim is to deliver exceptional 

service to our customers in corporate and public sector organisations. 

Whether you require developing a specific technology strategy or just looking for some knowledgeable and friendly guidance, we maintain top-tier 

accreditations to ensure we can bring you the best possible expertise and pricing. The success of your projects is what drives us. Our people and 

operations are second to none, we listen to you and deal with your enquiry quickly and efficiently irrespective of the size of your business. 




THE INSPIRATION AWARD 

WINNER: Ian Moyse, Chief Revenue Officer, OneUp Sales. 

RUNNER UP: Melissa Chambal 

"I am really pleased to be recognised for this award, let alone for a second time in recent years. I thank those who nominated and voted for me and 

believe it is in return for the contribution I make in giving back to the sector through speaking, panels, schools speaking, blogging and acting as 

judge on awards such as WISA, Top Sales, UK Cloud Awards, BESMA, etc. I encourage others to give back and contribute to coaching and 

supporting others in their sector." - Ian Moyse. 

HARDWARE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: WatchGuard Technologies - Firebox M Series 

RUNNER UP: ExaGrid 

In October, WatchGuard Technologies announced the release of its new Firebox M290, M390, M590, and M690 unified threat management 

appliances. An affordable yet highly capable solution for small and midsize businesses, these new firewalls deliver increased security and the 

fastest performance of any mid-range Firebox appliance ever, with the processing power to handle encrypted and HTTPS traffic. 

In addition, new expandable ports and integration with WatchGuard Cloud enable these firewalls to offer the flexibility needed to 

accommodate changing networking and security needs for customers and service provider partners. For further information, please visit: 

www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/rack-mount/m-series. 

SOFTWARE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Netreo Omnicenter 

RUNNER UP: Allied Telesis 

Founded in 2000 by ex-Cisco employees, Netreo designs, manufactures, markets, sells and supports IT solutions for optimising the complex and 

evolving infrastructures that drive successful global enterprises. Netreo empowers business and IT leadership with real-time observability, AIOpsdriven 

analysis, actionable insights, and process automation that drive business success through full-stack IT Infrastructure Management (ITIM), 

Network Performance Monitoring and Diagnostics (NPMD), AIOps, Application Performance Management (APM), and Digital Experience 

Management (DEM) solutions. Designed for the most complex cloud, on-premises and hybrid infrastructures in highly regulated industries, 

Netreo is most prominent in Healthcare, Financial services, Aerospace, Manufacturing, SLED, Retail, Transportation, and Logistics industries. 

CLOUD-BASED SOLUTION OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Zyxel Nebula Control Centre 


This year's 'Cloud-Based Solution of the Year' was awarded to Zyxel's Nebula Control Centre. Rachel Rothwell, Regional Director Western 

Europe at Zyxel, commented: "We are very proud of this achievement, we have spent many years listening to our customers and developing 

a cloud platform with all the facilities our resellers would require, the maturity and depth of the feature set is now well established and is 

clearly recognised by winning such an award. I would like to thank all our valued resellers for their votes and loyalty to Zyxel." 




THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD 

WINNER: Kemp Technologies (Kemp is now part of Progress) 

RUNNER UP: Brigantia 

The Customer Service Award 2021 award is a true testament to our customer-first approach and consistent demonstration of world class 

support that our team exhibits daily across all verticals, horizontals and workloads. 

Progress Kemp offer the most capable LoadMaster ADC and network visibility products to ensure applications are always-on, highly available 

and secure with optimized performance. Our support team is available worldwide and round the clock, in multiple languages, ready to utilize 

their advanced networking and security skills and in-depth application knowledge to support every aspect of application delivery, winning us an 

overall 94% customer satisfaction score. 

SPECIAL AWARD FOR PERFORMANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC 

WINNER: Sudlows 


The Coronavirus pandemic has made the last two years particularly challenging. At Sudlows, our teams continued to work extremely hard 

throughout this difficult time to deliver critical infrastructure projects across the healthcare and education sectors. We are therefore especially 

proud to have won the 'Special Award for Performance During the Pandemic' at the Networking Computing awards. We would like to say a 

massive well done and a big thank you to everyone at Sudlows. 

THE ONE TO WATCH COMPANY 

WINNER: Supermicro Computer 


Supermicro (SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology, is a premier provider of advanced Server 

Building Block Solutions® for Enterprise Data Center, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Edge Computing Systems worldwide. 

Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its "We Keep IT Green®" initiative and provides customers with the most 

energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market. 

BENCH TESTED PRODUCT OF THE YEAR - HARDWARE CATEGORY 

WINNER: ExaGrid - Tiered Backup Storage 

Ransomware threats are becoming more devious, but ExaGrid's Tiered Backup Storage and its innovative Retention Time-Lock feature 

deliver essential protection with a secure, air-gapped retention repository, delayed deletes and immutable data objects. It ensures critical 

backups are safe from malicious deletion and even if an attack does succeed in encrypting primary data, ExaGrid's highly efficient recovery 

services will have you up and running in no time. 




BENCH TESTED PRODUCT OF THE YEAR - SOFTWARE AND SERVICES CATEGORY 

WINNER: Progress Software - WhatsUpGold 2021 

WhatsUpGold 2021 is a sophisticated network monitoring solution that delivers an impressive range of tools integrated seamlessly into a single 

console. The simplified licensing schemes make it very affordable for SMBs, it's scalable enough for enterprises and the new log management 

features add even more versatility. 

NETWORK PROJECT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Boudica Schools Trust / Zyxel 

Rachel Rothwell, Regional Director Western Europe at Zyxel, commented: "I am especially proud of this award, the recognition for our customer's 

hard work and the collaboration between Zyxel and our reseller's to help drive, deliver and succeed on improving the learning and security of 

our children's education. The challenges to upgrade the network, improve the speeds and centralise the management has become more 

complex due to the evolution of cloud computing creating more challenges on demand and cyber security. We couldn't deliver this without our 

valued partners and we thank you Eastern Voice and Data for choosing Zyxel." 

THE INNOVATION AWARD 

WINNER: CNet Training 

RUNNER UP: Kemp Technologies 

Designed and delivered by CNet Training, the new 5-day Certified Wireless Infrastructure Technician (CWIT®) technical education program 

embraces the very latest innovations and technology focusing on a broad range of common wireless technologies which co-exist to create a 

complete wireless networking solution, that deliver a seamless mobility experience. It considers the complete wireless networking footprint that 

comprises cellular technology and Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, satellite, microwave and line of sight optics. 

The program provides the knowledge and practical skills to confidently install, test and certify installations in support of Wireless Ethernet and Small 

Cell applications in the WAN environment. www.cnet-training.com/programs/certified-wireless-infrastructure-technician-cwit/ 

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: Extreme Networks - ExtremeCloud IQ 

RUNNER UP: Heimdal Security 

ExtremeCloud IQ is a machine learning and AI-driven cloud management platform that simplifies onboarding, configuration, monitoring, 

managing, troubleshooting, alerting, and reporting for network infrastructure devices, including new Wi-Fi 6 access points. The platform offers 

unmatched cloud deployment flexibility, portable licensing across Extreme's entire portfolio, and industry-leading uptime. It is unequalled in its ability 

to provide administrators with a 360-degree view of device, client, application, and network health and performance. ExtremeCloud IQ is the first in 

the industry to offer unlimited data retention, giving customers unprecedented access to historical data and enabling increased machine learning 

accuracy and precision of AI actions, providing insights and outcomes to help customers improve processes and increase operational efficiency. It is 

also built upon a microservices architecture, enabling new services and applications to be added without network downtime or IT staff intervention. 

COMPANY OF THE YEAR 

WINNER: ExaGrid 

RUNNER UP: Allied Telesis 

ExaGrid is so honoured to win the Company of the Year award, especially as we were nominated alongside such incredible companies in the 

industry. We have received this award two years in a row now, and we are so grateful to our customers, partners, and especially to all of the 

voters who have given us their support and continued recognition. We continue to innovate our Tiered Backup Storage solution with the goal of 

solving all of the challenges related to backups and we are pleased that our unique approach to backup storage has received such accolades. 

Our revenue growth is accelerating as customers leave behind first-generation deduplication appliances.

NC Nov-Dec 2021

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