Definitions Archives | Webopedia 2024-02-14T16:57:17Z https://www.webopedia.com/feed/atom/ WordPress https://www.webopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Webopedia_newcolors-22-32x32.png Kirsty Moreland <![CDATA[Bitcoin halving]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=62928 2024-02-14T16:54:30Z 2024-02-01T11:52:39Z What is the Bitcoin halving? The Bitcoin halving is an event on the Bitcoin protocol, in which the block reward...

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What is the Bitcoin halving?

The Bitcoin halving is an event on the Bitcoin protocol, in which the block reward issued to miners decreases by half at programmed intervals.

Bitcoin has a fixed total supply of 21 million BTC, with new coins issued periodically by its protocol as mining rewards. This reward is a set amount determined by the protocol itself.

But the reward amount changes periodically; it decreases by half every 210,000 blocks. This decrease is known as the halving, and takes place roughly every four years.

What’s the point of the Bitcoin halving?

The point of the halving is to decrease the number of new coins entering circulation on the Bitcoin network. This reduces the rate of inflation of bitcoin: a decrease in its supply leads to a corresponding increase in demand for the asset. This system, together with a capped total supply, is why bitcoin is referred to as a deflationary asset.

How is the halving related to Bitcoin mining?

For each new transaction block added to the Bitcoin network by miners, the protocol issues a “block reward”. This reward has two functions: it incentivizes miners to keep securing the network by reaching consensus, and it serves as the supply source of new Bitcoin into the network.

Halving for miners

When the block reward is decreased by half, it means the miners themselves have only half the incentive to keep working. The pool of miners will therefore be forced to become more efficient, and will also decrease as many miners simply give up.

Halving for BTC value

Meanwhile, the reduction in supply of BTC means the demand for bitcoin as an asset will increase. 

Bitcoin halving event history

The halving takes place after every 210,000 blocks. This equates to approximately once every four years.

There have been three previous Bitcoin halving events: the first on 28 November 2012, the second on 9 July 2016 and the most recent on 20 May 2020.

When is the next Bitcoin halving?

Although it’s impossible to be precise, the next halving is slated to occur on 19 April 2024. This halving event will see the block reward reduce from the current 6.25 BTC to the new rate of 3.125 BTC.

Does the halving event affect bitcoin’s price?

The objective of the halving is to limit the inflation of BTC – in other words, it aims to help bitcoin maintain a steady value by decreasing its supply. However, this is only one of many factors that might impact the price of bitcoin.

Other factors include

  • media coverage
  • global interest rates
  • institutional acceptance (such as the Spot Bitcoin ETF)
  • the wider economy 
  • faith in the crypto ecosystem as a whole

For example, the price of Bitcoin took a nosedive after both the Celsius collapse the demise of FTX, showing just how significant crypto market events are to the price of individual cryptocurrencies.

So to summarize, the halving is just one of many elements that determine the price of BTC. It cannot be used to predict future price movements.

Does the Bitcoin White Paper mention the halving?

The Bitcoin White Paper is a detailed explanation of the rules that govern the Bitcoin network. While there is no express mention of a “halving” event, the White Paper does set out how the network will manage the supply of new Bitcoin. Specifically, it explains that new BTC will be issued via periodically decreasing mining rewards. The name “halving” itself was generated by the community.

Final thoughts about the Bitcoin halving

The halving will mean different things for different people, and it depends on your relationship with Bitcoin.

If you’re a HODLer, the halving is an event that should work in your favour over time. By constantly reducing the supply of Bitcoin, the halving is key to Bitcoin’s status as a deflationary asset.

If you’re a miner, the halving may mean it’s more difficult for you to turn a profit. The chances are you’ll need to find ways to make your mining operation more efficient. Some may even stop mining altogether, as the cost benefit ratio becomes less favourable. 

No matter what your perspective is, the halving is an immutable characteristic of the Bitcoin network. It’s sure to generate a flurry of media interest and new entrants to the space.

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Kirsty Moreland <![CDATA[P2P VPN]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=62783 2024-02-14T16:57:17Z 2024-01-15T12:57:18Z P2P VPN meaning: what’s a peer-to-peer VPN? A P2P VPN is a type of Virtual Private Network that has servers...

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P2P VPN meaning: what’s a peer-to-peer VPN?

A P2P VPN is a type of Virtual Private Network that has servers optimized to work with peer-to-peer networks. These servers are configured to handle the large bandwidth required for P2P interaction, without shutting down or throttling.

A P2P VPN encrypts traffic and masks the IP addresses of users within the network. It secures users against risks such as P2P DDoS attacks.

What is a peer-to-peer network?

In a peer-to-peer network, all the computers within the network (referred to as peers) can connect to each other directly to share files. 

Unlike when you use a website, there is no centralized server. Instead, every individual computer within the system is both a server and a client. For example, if you were using a P2P network yourself, you would have access to browse files held on your peers’ computers, and conversely, those peers could browse the files on yours.

One of the best known examples of a peer-to-peer network is BitTorrent. Created in 2001, it offered the first mainstream platform for P2P file sharing, and has over 1 billion users.

Difference between P2P network and VPN

A P2P network is “closed”, only accessible to verified peers within that network. A VPN, on the other hand, is an end-to-end tunnel that encrypts internet traffic. It also masks the IP address of your computer.

Is a peer-to-peer network as secure as a VPN?

Using a P2P network alone is not secure, and there are a couple of reasons for this. Let’s take a closer look.

P2P network traffic is not encrypted

First, the connection between computers in a P2P network is not encrypted. Say you’re using a P2P network spanning different offices for your job. If a hacker managed to gain access to the network (via a phishing message, for example), they would be able to intercept files uploaded to the network, and read them with no restriction. On the other hand, if that same network were encrypted by a P2P VPN, a hacker would be unable to read any covertly intercepted data – they would have no way of deciphering it.

So using a P2P VPN adds a layer of security by encrypting all of the data within that network. This prevents interlopers from accessing sensitive information, even if they access the network itself.

P2P network IP addresses are not private

When you use a P2P network, it’s also important to consider that your peers will be able to see your IP address. This can be risky, since your IP address can be used as a vector to deploy cyber attacks (such as DDoS attacks). 

Furthermore, internet service providers often throttle your connection when they detect P2P network interaction. If you’re torrenting media, your activity may even be monitored by legal entities lurking within torrent swarms, using your IP address as a reference.

NB) torrenting is not illegal by itself – but it’s sometimes used for illegal activity.

The best way to conceal your IP address is by using a P2P VPN. This enables you to mask your IP address, even as you engage with peer-to-peer networks.

What is a P2P VPN? Why is it unique?

A P2P VPN is a virtual private network capable of masking your IP address and encrypting your traffic as you use peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. 

Not all VPNs are compatible with P2P networks. Some VPN services have agreements in place to cut off when they detect peer-to-peer activity. Others have servers that simply cannot support the intense bandwidth required.

A designated P2P VPN is equipped to handle this type of activity. It will not cut off automatically when it detects peer-to-peer interaction, meaning your IP address and traffic will remain concealed.

How a P2P VPN works

It creates an encrypted tunnel for date passing through the network, preventing a hacker from being able to intercept sensitive information. 

If you’re using a VPN to interact with a public P2P network, it serves your personal security by routing your connection through a server within the VPN’s network, thus masking your IP address.

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Maheen Kanwal <![CDATA[ScalaHosting]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61969 2022-09-27T19:47:36Z 2022-09-21T14:52:49Z ScalaHosting is a leading managed hosting provider that offers secure, scalable, and affordable cloud VPS solutions for businesses. It claims...

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ScalaHosting is a leading managed hosting provider that offers secure, scalable, and affordable cloud VPS solutions for businesses. It claims to change the status quo by building in-house web hosting solutions such as SPanel control panel, SShield, and SWordPress Manager. Read on to learn more about what ScalaHosting is and how it works for your business.

Pros

  • Multiple customized hosting options
  • Free site migration
  • Fully managed with 24/7 support
  • Unlimited email hosting
  • Multilayered security and SSL certificates
  • Dedicated SPanel
  • 99.99% uptime guarantee
  • Automatic updates and backups

Cons

  • More expensive than shared hosting providers
  • Limited storage on basic plans
  • Limited server locations

What Is ScalaHosting?

ScalaHosting is a fully-managed hosting provider and a cloud-based virtual private server (VPS) that offers a wide range of features. Its managed VPS cloud technology offers customization capabilities and on-demand scaling.

What makes ScalaHosting stand out from traditional hosting providers are its in-house innovative platforms, including SPanel VPS Control Panel, SShield Cybersecurity, and SWordPress Manager. It also offers free and seamless website migration with no downtime. Founded in 2007, ScalaHosting has powered 700,000+ websites from over 120 countries over the past 15 years.

Starting at $29.95 per month, all plans of ScalaHosting include free domain, free website migration, 24/7 managed services, HTTP/3 support, daily disaster recovery backups and snapshots, dedicated IP, SPanel, SShield, and free SSL certificates.

What Is VPS? 

Building a website is a multi-step process, and website hosting is one of its most critical components. Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is still a relatively new concept. VPS bridges the gap between a shared and a dedicated hosting solution. Though all accounts are hosted on the same physical server, each account has its own virtual machine, which gives users isolated environments with dedicated IPs.

This approach is more expensive than a shared plan but a lot more affordable than a dedicated plan. VPS offers businesses the flexibility to add or remove RAM, storage space, and CPU cores based on their needs.

Managed VPS

Managed VPS platforms are ideal solutions for companies that don’t have an in-house IT team. But even companies with ample IT staff can leave the hassle of hosting management to the experts. Depending on business requirements such as RAM, CPU, storage space, bandwidth, and SSD drives, most VPS hosts provide these core services:

  • Server provisioning, setup, and maintenance
  • Security software installation
  • Regular updates and vulnerability patches
  • Control panel and server management tools
  • Offsite server backups
  • Malware scans and security audits
  • Hardware and software issue resolution
  • 24/7 support
  • Uptime guarantee

Managed VPS is ideal for businesses that require a high level of security and reliability and those who host multiple websites on their servers, thus requiring more hardware resources.

Unmanaged or Self-managed VPS

With self-managed VPS, clients take charge of managing the system with the help of their IT team. A self-managed VPS offers all the features of a managed VPS, excluding hosting services and support. It is ideal for businesses that have their own hardware and can’t afford to pay for the whole web server. 

The main advantages include:

  • Affordability; no need to pay for extra features
  • Complete control over servers with root access
  • Full customization capabilities 
  • Autonomy to edit and test the code

Who Uses ScalaHosting?

From e-commerce websites to freelance web developers, web design agencies, and domain resellers, many businesses and entrepreneurs trust ScalaHosting’s managed cloud-hosting solutions. It’s suitable for startups as well as growing or established businesses with limited technical expertise.

Key Features of ScalaHosting 

Managed Cloud Hosting

ScalaHosting offers managed cloud hosting with faster load times, robust cybersecurity, unlimited bandwidth, and domain names. It comes fully equipped with SPanel, SShield, and SWordPress Manager.

Managed Cluster

Ideal for high-traffic sites, ScalaHosting offers customized multi-cluster solutions to address clustered hosting challenges like smart load balancing and distributed storage. It comes in the following formats:

  • Single DC Cluster: One data center, five cluster nodes
  • Multi DC Cluster: Two data centers (active and standby), 10 cluster nodes
  • Multi-region Cluster: 3+ data centers, 15 cluster nodes

SPanel

SPanel is an all-in-one web hosting platform developed by ScalaHosting as a replacement for cPanel and created specifically for a VPS environment. It’s lightweight, fast, secure, and has few software limitations. Users can manage their emails, anti-spam settings, domain names, databases, DNS zones, SSL certificates, and more. It offers free migration, free SSL certificates, fully managed support, and the ability to host as many websites and emails as businesses need.

SShield

Shared web hosting makes websites more vulnerable to cyberattacks. SShield is an innovative security guard platform that claims to offer 24/7 website protection by blocking 99.998% of web attacks. It has a built-in AI malicious behavior detector that sends an automatic notification and detailed report with suggestions to fix the vulnerability. It is an integral part of SPanel and comes at no extra cost.

SWordPress Manager

Another important part of the SPanel is SWordPress Manager, which makes website management easier with one-click WordPress install, automatic updates, security lock, cloning and staging, and admin password reset. As WordPress platforms are more vulnerable to attack, SWordPress Manager offers an added layer of security for extra protection.

LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS)

LiteSpeed is a high-performance commercial web server that is compatible with Apache. Compared to Apache, LSWS uses less CPU and RAM and handles connections quickly and efficiently. LSWS is the fastest web server for static content as well as processing PHP scripts. It has built-in DDoS protection to block website attacks. The only downside is its price. It’s ideal for single website hosting. For multiple hosting, the price adds up and Apache is ideal in those scenarios.

Email Communication

ScalaHosting provides a professional anti-spam protection service from SpamExperts to avoid email spamming. Other business email hosting features include unlimited mailboxes, free domain, dedicated IP, free migration, reliable security, and free backup email server to eliminate the risk of lost communications.

Benefits of Using ScalaHosting for VPS

Affordability

Generally, managed VPS services are more expensive than self-managed ones but costs quickly add up when considering separate tools for every need; for example, some users get a separate licensing fee for cPanel. There is no hidden fee with ScalaHosting and businesses get to use the all-in-one SPanel for their needs.

Scalability

In addition to dedicated resources for virtual machines, businesses can easily add additional CPU, RAM, and storage space based on their needs. With the load monitoring tool, they can monitor in advance when resources are reaching their maximum capacities.

Faster Performance

The more resources businesses have the faster the speed and better the performance. With managed VPS, ScalaHosting experts monitor resources and tweak servers to best utilize the hardware.

Ease of use

While the provider takes care of everything for the businesses, they can also control the systems with an easy-to-use admin console and user interface.

Advanced Security

ScalaHosting offers real-time monitoring to protect websites from cyberattacks. It also uses SShield for multi-layered security.

24/7 availability

For self-managed VPS, businesses are on their own. With ScalaHosting, their team is always available for support to solve company network, technical, or software issues. They’re also available to make sure servers are running and performing optimally.

Backups & Updates

ScalaHosting integrated backup solution takes care of automatic updates, daily and monthly backups, and the ability to quickly restore data for its clients.

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Siji Roy <![CDATA[IT Support Specialist]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61940 2022-08-26T12:23:57Z 2022-08-25T12:23:17Z In the world of digital transformation, organizations are being compelled to integrate technology into their business strategies and operations to...

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In the world of digital transformation, organizations are being compelled to integrate technology into their business strategies and operations to become successful. When implementing technology, the services of IT professionals with strong knowledge and experience in IT infrastructure are essential to ensure the functional continuity of an organization. 

Most businesses hire IT support specialists to provide guidance and advice to their employees and customers. In this article, learn more about what an IT support specialist is, their duties and responsibilities, and how to become one. 

What Is an IT Support Specialist?

IT Support Specialists provide assistance and guidance to the users of technology systems so they can operate with fewer failures and problems. They possess strong knowledge of computer systems, networks, and applications, which helps companies to analyze and evaluate their information technology systems appropriately. 

With their skills and experience, IT support specialists provide instructions and all levels of IT support for employees and customers so they can use specific business applications and troubleshoot issues that may arise.

IT support specialists work with technicians to resolve technical, hardware, and software issues. They improve the operational efficiency of organizations through the proper installation, evaluation, and optimization of IT systems. In addition to these tasks and responsibilities, they also analyze existing digital systems and provide suggestions for upgrades and expansions that are suitable to enhance organizational functions.

What Do IT Support Specialists Do?

IT support specialists are required to perform a wide range of tasks crucial for the functional improvement of organizations, including analyzing digital systems, diagnosing issues, and supporting technicians. These are some of the most common duties and responsibilities that IT support specialists perform in an organization:

  • Assist employees and customers in using information technology systems without failure and troubleshoot issues quickly.
  • Perform regular maintenance on IT infrastructure and application programs.
  • Analyze and evaluate existing computer systems, networks, and applications.
  • Diagnose technical issues and fix them as quickly as possible to ensure smooth business operations.
  • Monitor performance metrics of IT equipment and software programs.
  • Support operational efficiency by implementing appropriate system upgrades and expansions.
  • Implement and manage new information technology systems that increase productivity.
  • Identify cybersecurity threats and prevent them from affecting data security.
  • Answer IT-related queries from users and help them to use technology.
  • Train staff and prepare assistive materials on best IT practices and new systems.
  • Provide proper backup services to enhance data security. 

What Are Required Skills for an IT Support Specialist?

Apart from education and work experience, IT support specialists must possess the following skills:

  • Communication: IT support specialists need to communicate effectively with employees and customers through chats or emails when giving IT instructions and advice.
  • Analytical problem-solving: IT support specialists should be able to analyze digital systems, identify issues that may arise, and determine proper solutions when troubleshooting.
  • Organization: IT support specialists must have organizational skills as they need to manage a number of tasks at one time. IT ticketing systems can support them in this endeavor, but independent time management and task prioritization skills are essential.
  • Technical skill: A deep understanding of computer systems, networks, and software programs makes it possible for IT support specialists to solve technical issues quickly.

Where Do IT Support Specialists Work? 

IT support specialists mainly work with an organization’s IT department or within an IT company’s help desk systems. They can work in a variety of organizations, including IT companies, educational institutions, finance companies, and the telecommunication industry.

They can also work as employees or independent contractors. Some IT support specialist employees can either work from home or the office, whereas independent contractors are usually required to travel to clients’ offices or homes.

How Can You Become an IT Support Specialist?

The requirements for an IT support specialist role vary depending on the nature of the organization requiring this type of support. However, some basic qualifications and skill sets are required to become an IT support specialist. Here are the essentials steps to follow:

Earn a relevant bachelor’s or associate’s degree

A bachelor’s degree in computer science or another area that relates to information technology is the preferred qualification to become an IT support specialist. Some companies also hire professionals with associate’s degrees in computer science or other preferred areas.

Pursue professional certifications in IT

Earning certifications helps IT support specialists become experts in a specific platform. Most companies prefer to hire IT support specialists who have certifications, along with bachelor’s or associate’s degrees in related areas of information technology. These are some of the most commonly sought-after certifications in the IT support industry:

CompTIA certifications

CompTIA ITF+ and CompTIA A+ certifications provide an introduction to fundamental IT skills. The CompTIA ITF+ certification includes fundamental IT concepts, software development, IT infrastructure, database fundamentals, security, and more. The CompTIA A+ certification consists of more elaborated topics than CompTIA ITF+ has. It involves hardware, networking, mobile devices, operating systems, troubleshooting, cloud computing, and security.

Microsoft certifications

Microsoft offers a range of certifications that help IT professionals across experience levels improve their IT skills. MTA IT and Microsoft Certified Teams Support Engineer Specialty are some of the most commonly earned certifications.

Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP)

Apple provides certification courses like ACSP for IT professionals who want to become an expert in macOS IT support. 

Look for opportunities to gain professional experience

It’s important to look for entry-level opportunities to test IT support skills, whether as an intern or as a member of a larger IT support team where coaching and mentorship are available. IT support specialists can prove their abilities in these settings by improving the performance level of companies. Eventually, they can attain higher positions like system administrators.

Network with other IT professionals

Developing connections and good relationships with fellow IT support specialists and other IT professionals can facilitate career growth. Network in person, attend industry events, and join online professional groups in order to meet your peers and build professional relationships. 

Ready to start preparing for your IT support specialist career? Check out The Complete IT Career Kickstarter Bundle from TechRepublic Academy here.

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Siji Roy <![CDATA[Managed Services]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61939 2022-08-26T12:19:37Z 2022-08-25T12:19:00Z In the world of digitalization, every business needs to invest in technology to achieve its business objectives cost-effectively. Implementing managed...

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In the world of digitalization, every business needs to invest in technology to achieve its business objectives cost-effectively. Implementing managed services allows companies to reduce their cost and improve productivity. In this guide, let’s explore more about how managed services work and how they benefit businesses.

What Are Managed Services? 

The term managed services refers to the outsourcing of business IT requirements to a third-party IT service provider, or managed service provider (MSP), for improved functions and reduced expenditure. Managed services enable companies to free up their IT resources and focus more on core competencies.  

Implementing managed services provides companies with an effective way to access top-notch technology and skilled professionals, thereby giving them an edge over competitors. Managed services involve monitoring and managing IT systems, IT infrastructure setup, security services, cloud management services, and more. 

To understand managed services deeply, it’s important to know about the providers in this space. MSPs are companies that specialize in delivering IT managed services to their clients with regular support. Outsourcing IT-managed services to MSPs helps companies to save money that they would normally invest in an in-house IT department. MSPs usually provide a bundle of services, such as cloud, security, network, and application support on a monthly bill. Payment amounts and schedules are agreed on by both parties when they sign a Service Level Agreement (SLA). 

Types of Managed Services 

Managed IT services range from security and cloud management to support and communication services for companies of all sizes. Here are some common types of managed services:   

Managed networks and infrastructure

Network and infrastructure managed services involve managing and monitoring network tasks, establishing Wide Area Networks (WANs), Local Area Networks (LANs), and other networking infrastructure for businesses. It also includes hosting, storage, and backup services that allow companies to withdraw their investment from data centers or third-party data centers.  

Managed security services

As more companies have adopted a work-from-home culture, it has grown increasingly important to protect company data wherever it goes. And with the advent of cloud-based storage services, sophisticated security measures are required to prevent cybersecurity threats against corporate data. Managed security services provide clients with top-notch antivirus programs and managed IP VPNs that mask devices and networks while tackling a range of cybersecurity threats.

Managed support services

Company employees cannot always solve the issues they face with their computers, hardware, and applications on their own. Managed support services support employees as they contact the help desk for assistance. It enables companies to minimize their downtime and improve productivity due to the efficiency of managed support services that resolve employee-level problems quickly.

Managed data analytics services

Managed data analytics service providers gather data from different sources and analyze that data. This allows them to deliver company insights that help the organization understand trends in their industry and make effective decisions to meet upcoming business requirements. They use business intelligence (BI) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to make predictions about that specific market; these predictions help companies to reorganize marketing strategies, inventory, production, and other business operations.

Managed software-as-a-service

Managed SaaS services allow companies to access the service provider’s applications seamlessly that are required to improve productivity. The MSPs make timely updates, security patches and upgrades, and ensure the comprehensive functionality of applications. Managed SaaS services provide an up-to-date technology environment and services for their clients.

Managed cloud infrastructure services

Managed cloud infrastructure services involve the managing and monitoring of computing and storage on the cloud. It provides remote access to significant business data and improved data security. Managed cloud infrastructure services are cost-effective, as MSPs follow the pay-as-you-go payment method. 

Managed communication services

Managed communication services include a range of communication programs like video calling, emailing, chatting, file sharing, and VoIP. Some companies require MSPs to act as a third-party call center for their customers.

Who Needs Managed Services?

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) require managed services even more than large enterprises as they can’t always afford to set up their own IT department. Businesses that need to scale their infrastructure quickly can also benefit from managed services due to the flexibility these service providers possess. The MSP subscription model of billing with a variety of service packages allows businesses to choose the most suitable service package for their business requirements.

What Are the Benefits of Using Managed Services?

Managed services offer a range of benefits that directly impact business growth. Let’s take a closer look at the top benefits of using managed services:

  • Access to top-notch technology and expertise: Managed service providers use advanced technologies and experienced professionals to deliver their services. Companies do not need to worry about the expenses incurred with constant technology upgrades and employing IT specialists internally.
  • Low capital investment: Adopting managed services reduces capital investment and helps the business avoid setting up its own IT department to carry out IT services. 
  • Predictable expenditures: MSPs provide high-quality IT solutions on a monthly subscription model. Therefore, companies can forecast their expenditure and utilize resources accordingly.
  • Improved security and reduced risks: Letting IT specialists deal with the IT infrastructure aids businesses in avoiding higher risks of a data breach. Generally, MSPs should have deep knowledge of the ins and outs of their industry so they can provide quick solutions to prevent any type of cybersecurity attack.
  • Centralization: Managed services can centralize and streamline applications, data, and servers either with the data centers provided by MSPs or by renting from third-party data centers. This centralization also allows companies and their employees to access required data from anywhere at any time.

Best Practices for Getting Started with Managed Services

To be successful in implementing managed services, companies need to know and take the following steps:

  • Choose the right managed service provider for your budget, industry, and specific needs.
  • Define the services that need to be done by MSPs.
  • Set metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of managed services.
  • Build a good relationship with your MSPs.

Read next: Best Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

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Jenna Phipps <![CDATA[Quality Management System Software]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61876 2022-08-23T22:20:36Z 2022-08-23T22:20:36Z A quality management system (QMS) gives businesses tools to maintain thorough enterprise documentation and manage regulatory compliance efficiently. By using...

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A quality management system (QMS) gives businesses tools to maintain thorough enterprise documentation and manage regulatory compliance efficiently. By using software to record company quality management goals and track employee progress on tasks, organizations can eliminate paper trails and store all quality data in one digital repository. The best QMS solutions provide resources for teams to manage changes to produced goods, consistently document processes, and automate their quality management operations. This guide highlights key features of these quality management systems, provides key considerations for buyers, and helps businesses narrow their search.

Best Quality Management System Software

Qualio

Qualio logo.Qualio is a QMS solution designed for life science organizations, such as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Qualio offers supplier management for businesses to manage documentation requirements and audit timelines for their third-party vendors. Suppliers are a major source of risk, especially in medical industries where timely receipt of industry-compliant goods is critical. With Qualio, teams can categorize suppliers based on risk level and develop a system for accepting and rejecting them.

Training management is a useful tool for managing employee progress on company priorities like compliance awareness or onboarding progress. To track employee training processes and schedules, Qualio offers administrators an overview of all employees, their outstanding training, the percentage of training completed, and the entire company’s completion status. Multiple customer reviews highlighted the helpfulness of these training features. 

Qualio is a good solution for newer or inexperienced teams; user reviews noted it was particularly user-friendly, and the support team receives high praise as well. If your business needs extra assistance while learning to use Qualio, the customer team can provide additional technical support. Businesses looking for an advanced documentation solution may want to look at alternative solutions, though; some users found the text editing and formatting features limited or insufficient.

ComplianceQuest

ComplianceQuest logo.ComplianceQuest is a compliance and eQMS system for businesses that either want to scale their quality management operations or start with a range of modules. Aside from standard QMS features, it offers market surveillance, risk management, and environment and sustainability solutions.

ComplianceQuest’s environmental safety solution allows sustainability-focused organizations to set and track objectives related to environmental care. Businesses are able to track and report emissions to regulatory bodies. They can report environmental spills and record data about the incident to determine how to better handle similar situations in the future. Businesses focused on environmental safety and their environmental/carbon footprint should consider ComplianceQuest. 

Since ComplianceQuest is built on the Salesforce platform, it’s a good choice for businesses that already use Salesforce as their CRM. Salesforce users have a deployment and implementation advantage because they already know how to use Salesforce’s extensive cloud platform. Salesforce supports 21 CFR Part 11 requirements like audit trails, too, so ComplianceQuest users can remain compliant with industry standards while using the platform. 

Learn more about sustainability from TechRepublic: To achieve corporate sustainability, organizations must understand how digital practices are contributing to their carbon footprint

QT9

QT9 logo.QT9 is a quality management system solution with a range of modules, including document control, corrective actions (CAPA), and engineering change orders. QT9 offers internal collaboration tools for tasks like sharing documents and attaching files to teammate tasks. It also has portals for communicating with third-party suppliers and customers. Teams that want collaboration tools built into their QMS will benefit from QT9’s tasks, assignment, and sharing features.

The calibration management module allows teams to quickly locate calibration history for required audits. They can create schedules for calibrating all gages, or measurable devices, within the organization. The calibration module shows each gage’s calibration history if a worker needs to check the timeline or safety of a specific gage. Users are also able to schedule gage calibration based on type or location.

QT9 has both QMS and enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules. The ERP solution has a 30-day free trial, giving businesses a month to decide whether it’s a suitable fit. It’s available both in the cloud and for on-premises computers and servers. Businesses that want to purchase both ERP and QMS software should consider QT9. 

QT9 receives high customer reviews for its technical support and team. It’s a good choice for businesses in the manufacturing and supply chain industries, especially since it offers ERP software too. 

​​Qualtrax

Qualtrax logo.Qualtrax is a quality management solution that is particularly useful for smaller organizations in testing and laboratory fields, such as forensics, clinical, or environmental labs. The solution is cloud-based and offers a free trial to prospective buyers. One highlight of Qualtrax’s product is customizable workflows—almost any quality management process, like accident reports or corrective actions, can be designed to move automatically through the organization until it’s finished. 

Qualtrax offers accreditation management for enterprises that want to track their progress on laboratory accreditations. It also provides process management features like equipment calibration and customer complaint management.  

Customers had high praise for the Qualtrax support team in their reviews. For smaller businesses or teams that need consistent technical assistance or want to work with a highly personal vendor, Qualtrax is a good choice. 

Intellect 

Intellect logo.Quality management provider Intellect offers no-code solutions for modifying or creating new applications within the quality management suite. Existing applications include audit management, CAPA, employee training, and inspection management. Consider Intellect for teams that want more control over their quality management applications or would like to customize them for specific company needs and use cases.

Intellect users can create custom dashboards to quickly view progress metrics and keep their team appraised of quality-related activities like training and document deadlines. Teams may need to dedicate significant time to implementing and learning the software because it has so many applications. But the benefit of applying that time and effort is an interconnected suite of quality and safety solutions suitable for enterprise needs. 

Intellect is a full-featured solution for businesses in many industries, particularly companies that need a wide range of safety tools. Solutions include job hazard analysis and calibration. It covers multiple ISO and FDA standards, as well as a couple of OSHA and EPA regulations. 

MasterControl  

MasterControl logo.MasterControl offers robust analytics in its QMS platform; its Insights solution has interactive dashboards and reporting features for data teams and executives alike. Users can filter and link dashboards and export data in formats like PDF and CSV. Insights is connected to a data lake architecture, which stores large volumes of data from business applications that QMS systems need to track. Businesses that want an analytics solution and reporting capabilities for their QMS solution should consider MasterControl. 

MasterControl includes a comprehensive supplier management suite, which includes bill of materials features like BOM documentation and the ability to view changes. Users can run supplier corrective action request processes, so they also have CAPA procedures for their third-party partnerships. 

Although MasterControl supports the Google Chrome browser, its online documentation says that not all features are supported on Chrome. Organizations that use Chrome as their main browser should consider this limitation before purchasing. Also note that some user reviews mention that MasterControl has a learning curve, and others found platform navigation challenging. Teams will likely need to dedicate plenty of time to implementation before completely launching MasterControl.   

ETQ Reliance

ETQ logo.ETQ Reliance is a cloud-native solution with 40 applications available on its platform. Aside from its core applications, like document control and training management, ETQ provides industry-specific and operation-specific applications. These include lab investigation, environmental management, and life sciences compliance. ETQ also has delegation and escalation tools so team leaders can funnel work to the appropriate person or prioritize specific issues. 

ETQ offers a drag-and-drop designer for creating enterprise-specific custom applications. It also allows teams to modify existing ETQ applications. Teams with application design experience that want to configure their workflows to specific business goals should consider ETQ. 

If teams need to perform work offline, they’re able to sync their work to ETQ when they return to an Internet connection. Teams can also use the mobile app, Reliance Mobile, to edit documents and send and receive push notifications. In addition, users are able to record video and audio that can be stored in ETQ and used for future audits.   

Note that ETQ’s high levels of customizability may require a significant learning period, especially for inexperienced teams. Its applications integrate with each other, but learning how they work together will take time. 

What Is Quality Management System (QMS) Software? 

Quality management system software provides documentation and quality assurance tracking for businesses. These companies often need to comply with industry standards while simultaneously meeting product and service expectations. 

QMS software is most frequently used by industries such as manufacturing, medical and pharmaceutical, automotive, food and beverage, life sciences, and construction. Companies with products or services that must meet a particular standard to be considered usable or safe benefit from QMS solutions’ organized digital approach to regulatory compliance. 

Common features of QMS software include document management, compliance management, contract management, and change management. QMS solutions are most useful for helping enterprises meet regulatory standards for their industry. QMS software often supports regulatory standards like:    

  • The ISO 9000 family: Standards for business quality management and processes.
  • ISO 13485: Standards for medical device manufacturing.
  • ISO 19011: Standards for audit management procedures.
  • The ISO 45000 family: Standards for occupational health and safety.
  • FDA 21 CFR: Standards for medical product manufacturing. 

QMS vs ERP

QMS software shares several similarities with ERP software, but the two enterprise software types offer distinct business advantages and work well when used together. While ERP systems tend to focus more on financials and supply chain processes, quality management systems focus on the quality of goods and services based on industry standards and company expectations. QMS solutions track that data using tools like documentation, employee training, and change management. ERPs, on the other hand, primarily rely on native databases and reporting structures to manage relevant data. 

All in all, QMS and ERP solutions have similar features, but ERP is directed more at the logistics side of the supply chain, while QMS is more focused on the regulatory and process side. 

What Are the Benefits of QMS Software? 

The major advantages of using QMS software include: 

  • A single source of truth: QMS offers a single location for compliance tracking, record keeping, documentation, and accountability for managing quality and safety of goods. Everything is stored digitally rather than on separate pieces of paper or programs.
  • Simplified lists of tasks: QMS solutions often provide methods for assigning tasks to the appropriate people in an organization. 
  • Accurate recordkeeping: QMS offers users a reference point and storage location for important records. For example, they can access past decisions and other historical data that inform long-term change management, roles, and responsibilities.
  • Audit preparation: QMS makes preparation for audits and other reports simpler by making documentation already available. 
  • Centralized corrective and preventative action management: CAPA procedures offer a method of managing insufficient goods or services and tracking quality issues. Through CAPA, issues are properly documented and leaders can mitigate or solve them as needed. 
  • Increased awareness of risk: Quality management tools reveal the weaknesses within existing business processes, documentation, and regulatory compliance. 

Learn more about quality management for project planning: 3 Ways to Plan Quality Management in Projects at TechnologyAdvice

How to Choose QMS Software

When a company selects a QMS solution, they should consider their business’ compliance needs, feature requirements, and the quality of each product. The following best practices are guidelines to help organizations choose suitable QMS software.

Look for solutions that meet regulatory standards

Start by choosing a solution that supports each regulatory standard that businesses need to comply with. If it’s difficult to find a tool that supports compliance for each requirement, choose one that supports as many regulatory standards as possible. This will make it easier for legal teams to track compliance progress. Some businesses in niche industries may need to integrate other compliance software if their QMS platform doesn’t cover all requirements. 

Similarly, choose software that either covers all features that the company needs or is tailored to a specific industry. Comprehensive or specialized QMS software can both work for different business use cases. For example, the medical device industry’s needs are a little more specific than just manufacturing; they may need to comply with more specific standards, such as ISO 13485 for designing and installing medical devices. 

Consider the deployment and implementation process

Like other software solutions, quality management systems vary in ease of deployment and use. Some tools are easier to configure for business needs; others, especially solutions with more features or customization, take weeks or months to set up. Businesses should consider their expected implementation timeline, their team’s experience with software suites, the relative difficulty of deployment, and a plan for training employees when selecting a QMS platform. 

Research reputable vendors and good customer support

Select a vendor with significant industry experience or very high customer ratings for the best customer experience. Compliance is critical for both company reputation and financial standing, and QMS providers should help organizations’ compliance status rather than hurt it. Good customer support is also helpful, but it’s especially important for businesses with inexperienced teams.

Considering an ERP solution that will integrate with your QMS? Read Best ERP Software & Tools from TechnologyAdvice to guide your search.

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Olivia Chakraborty <![CDATA[KPMG]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61880 2022-08-23T21:42:28Z 2022-08-23T21:41:58Z KPMG is a professional services firm that helps its clients with a variety of financial, tax, business development, and technology...

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KPMG is a professional services firm that helps its clients with a variety of financial, tax, business development, and technology consulting services. KPMG is widely recognized as one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, alongside Deloitte, PwC, and EY. Read on to learn more about what KPMG does as a business.

What Is KPMG?

KPMG Logo

When Peat Marwick International and Klynveld Main Goerdeler combined their respective member companies in 1987, the KPMG network resulted.

KPMG is dedicated to providing its enterprise customers with services that demonstrate a dedication to quality and ethics, as well as a passion for client success.

KPMG aims to benefit and enhance the communities where its firms are present. They encourage confidence and support change management strategies across industries that are facing growing amounts of upheaval and digital transformation needs.

What Does KPMG Do as a Company?

As a company, KPMG is one of the top providers of risk, business and financial advising, tax and legal, audit, and corporate governance services. Beyond these core services and functions, KPMG specializes in a few key industries.

What Industries Does KPMG Work With?

KPMG offers a portfolio of knowledge and experience when it comes to solving the international business community’s problems. These are the primary industries with which KPMG partners:

  • Financial services
  • Consumer and retail
  • Industrial manufacturing
  • Energy and natural resources
  • Infrastructure and government
  • Healthcare and life sciences

What Services Does KPMG Offer Its Customers?

KPMG offers its customers four primary services:

Audit and assurance 

For its audit and assurance services, KPMG has adopted innovative technologies that have redefined the audit process and increased satisfaction among its clients. KPMG is particularly devoted to providing special audits.

KPMG is a pioneer in advancing audit by utilizing the potential of developing technology to deliver high-quality audits and novel insights.

The firm’s Microsoft Azure-powered Clara is an innovative and user-friendly audit platform, one of the sector’s top technology advancements from an audit standpoint. It supports upgraded audit techniques through a data-enabled workflow as a wholly integrated, flexible, cloud-based platform. On the customer side, KPMG Clara offers a central location and dashboard with 24/7 visibility into audit progress.

Tax and legal

Within its tax and legal practice, KPMG offers several specialized services:

Business tax 

KPMG’s business tax group specializes in transfer pricing issues, M&A deals, structuring international income taxes, and reactions to regulatory change. This division of KPMG’s tax and legal practice has developed various services to work efficiently and provide value on multidisciplinary projects for global tax companies and leaders.

Private enterprise tax 

The need for solid tax guidance is now more critical than ever. Private enterprises worldwide face many opportunities and problems due to geopolitical developments, technological innovation, globalization, and new consumer and business expectations. KPMG’s private enterprise tax team specializes in helping private companies meet new tax regulations and best practices.

Global indirect tax

Professionals from KPMG’s global indirect tax services integrate technical expertise in indirect tax with in-depth knowledge of business and industry concerns and how they affect different regions around the globe.

Compliance transformation 

Leaders in tax and related industries must constantly review and update outdated operations to meet new regulatory requirements. Professionals from KPMG can provide a holistic approach to compliance transition, assisting tax and other corporate leaders in changing their target operating models via sourcing and technology solutions. KPMG’s introduction of cutting-edge technologies helps tax and finance clients lower costs, gain efficiencies, and maintain or even raise the quality of corporate and indirect tax compliance.

Global mobility and employment 

To make maintaining a worldwide workforce simpler, safer, and more effective, KPMG’s global mobility services team combines a variety of tax, immigration, and mobile administration services.

Advisory

KPMG’s Advisory division works with the top companies around the world to build and safeguard the long-term value of their enterprises. Below are the particular client issues that KPMG focuses on in their Advisory practice: 

Regulatory change 

Management, risk, and compliance strategies are growing increasingly important as compliance (and related noncompliance) costs skyrocket. Leaders are adopting automation to improve their operations, procedures, and even marketing strategies. Automation promotes resilience and agility in response to the continual changes in regulation that threaten to stifle innovation and growth.

Environmental, social, governance (ESG) and sustainability

Environmental regulators, governments, and even customers are putting pressure on executives to demonstrate that their companies are performing ethically and sustainably. To create resilient companies that recognize and achieve sustainability goals, KPMG offers its customers ways to integrate ESG into their business plans.

Digital adoption and transformation

Customer experience, operational excellence, and the ability to compete improve significantly with new personnel and technology combinations. To help this kind of growth, KPMG offers digital transformation services. The firm’s approach to digital transformation involves unifying all areas for a collection of objectives: optimized operations, more effective data use, and/or the creation of new business models.

Business protection 

The best companies embrace risk as the fuel for expedited growth and competitive advantage when they have risk management strategies in place. KPMG’s services offer insight-driven risk optimization as a value creator.

Business performance 

In order to grow their businesses sustainably, leaders must contend with increasing changes in technology, customer expectations, and society as a whole to create companies that perform well in the future. To produce better, long-lasting results, KPMG helps its customers with organizational restructuring and other future-planning strategies.

Private enterprise 

KPMG’s private enterprise advisors specifically work to support entrepreneurs as they ideate and strategize their future business goals. This specific group within KPMG helps clients that are trying to reach the next level, embrace technology, manage a transition in company leadership, or solve other business problems that primarily affect private enterprises.

Read next: Top MSPs: IT Support, Cloud Services, and More

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Sam Ingalls <![CDATA[Burn Up vs Burn Down Charts]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61869 2022-08-20T18:40:02Z 2022-08-20T18:39:31Z Burn up and burn down charts are visual representations of progress in the scope of a project, showing the amount...

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A hand points to a graph on a piece of paper sitting on a wood table. The graph is similar to what a burn up chart looks like as this article is about burn up and burn down charts used in Agile and Scrum methodologies for project planning.

Burn up and burn down charts are visual representations of progress in the scope of a project, showing the amount of effort expended against expected output or set goals. Burn charts are common components of Agile and Scrum project management ideologies and are used to visualize progress for team leaders, stakeholders, and even team personnel.

This article looks at burn up and burn down charts, how they work, and how they differ from each other for organizations that want to visualize their objectives and project progress.

What Is a Burn Up Chart?

Burn up charts are visual representations that track work completed to date against the total work planned for a set time (e.g., project, sprint, or quarter). The total work planned often appears as a straight line—known as the scope—and serves as the team’s ultimate objective.

Beneath the scope line, burn up charts use two lines to represent progress over the course of the project. As seen below, the first line (red) represents “to dos” and goals for the project. It equally splits the effort across sprints to meet the project scope, while the second line (green) shows the actual progress made during each sprint of the project.

A graph showing a burn up chart as described above..
A graphic representation of a burn up chart. Source: EPMC.
Read more: Best Project Management Software & Tools | TechRepublic

What Is a Burn Down Chart?

Burn down charts are visual representations of work remaining against work completed in a downward-sloping graph. Unlike burn up charts, burn down charts do not have a scope line because the X-axis serves as the ultimate destination for project completion.

Otherwise, the first line (red) shows a similar expected progress line that equally divides effort (also known as “points” within Agile planning) across the length of the project. The second line (green) likewise indicates actual progress per sprint to visualize gaps between expected and real progress.

A graph showing a burn down chart as described above.
A graphic representation of a burn down chart. Source: EPMC.
Also read: Agile Principles: What They Are and Why They Matter | Developer.com

How Do Burn Charts Work?

Before jumping into the work, project managers and team leads determine the points needed to complete a project. Managers can then set a scope (or Y-axis starting point for burn down charts) and an expected progress line by sprint to track progress once a project starts.

Burn up and burn down charts can give teams visibility into progress or lack thereof to inform team planning and changes. As seen in the examples above, teams behind schedule in earlier sprints can make adjustments to get ahead of schedule until project completion.

For burn up charts, note the scope line (blue) shows that the objective changed during the project. Whether a client is asking for additional services or a new feature for a software update, project scopes can vary over time. Burn up charts offer the flexibility to show this variability. 

While the expected progress line (red) is often a straight line pointed toward the end goal, this can also be a flexible line to show which sprints will require the most effort.

Burn Up Charts vs. Burn Down Charts

Burn up and burn down charts allow teams to track progress and adjust workflows as necessary to complete the project. While burn up charts use an upward slope and burn down charts use a downward slope, both charts contain a Y-axis to represent points or effort while the X-axis represents some degree of time.

Because of their similarities, whether to use a burn up or burn down chart is the personal preference of the team implementing the project management tool.

Moving up from zero or down from zero is the core visual appeal of each, but the burn up chart’s use of a scope line offers more flexibility for teams with regularly changing project expectations. Similarly, teams with a constant point expectation can use a burn down chart without worrying about plotting a scope.

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Alice Musyoka <![CDATA[Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE, HP Enterprise)]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61863 2022-08-19T21:12:16Z 2022-08-19T21:11:36Z Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is a global, edge-to-cloud Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) company in the IT, internet, software, and services industry. It...

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is a global, edge-to-cloud Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) company in the IT, internet, software, and services industry. It transforms the way businesses work by providing an open and secure platform for users to connect and act on their data and applications. Read on to learn more about HPE and its key differentiators in this guide.

What Is Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)? 

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is a leading multinational IT enterprise that was first established in 2015 after the Hewlett-Packard split. The company was originally founded in Palo Alto, California but later moved its headquarters to Spring, Texas. HPE Logo

HPE has an extensive portfolio of secure and innovative solutions that includes servers, software, networking systems, and cloud storage. Its products and services help organizations turn data into information that drives decision-making so they can thrive in today’s business environment.

HPE’s goal is to help organizations increase operational performance, design new business models, and engage customers in new ways. The company provides a consistent experience across both edge and cloud platforms, offering unique and intelligent technology solutions. 

HPE vs HP

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is one of the oldest IT companies in the United States. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939. Among HP’s first products were audio oscillators for sound engineers. Despite having limited resources, the company attained success in a short period of time. Walt Disney Studios was among its first customers.

In August 1947, HP became an incorporated company. It went public in 1957 and offered employees company shares. In 1962, HP became a Fortune 500 company. HPE was formed in 2015 when Hewlett-Packard split into two separate organizations: HPE and HP Inc.

HP Inc. produces printers and PCs, while HPE offers a portfolio of enterprise products and services. Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers five main services:

  • Portfolio
  • Advisory & Professional
  • Operational Support
  • Lifecycle Services
  • Education

What Products Does HPE Offer to Customers?

Data storage

Data storage simplifies data management and accelerates transformation that moves businesses forward. HPE’s hyper-converged infrastructure redefines human-computer interaction (HCI) and powers businesses. 

A suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based apps eliminate the IT complexities that slow down businesses. HPE’s data-first, secure, economical, and customized solutions protect data against threats and offer hybrid storage for structured and unstructured data.

High-performance computing (HPC)

HPE’s agile high-performance software increases business innovation, helping organizations to deliver high-value services with HPC infrastructure as a service (IaaS). HPC hybrid solutions offer a more efficient data center with both on-premises and off-premises solutions. Users can align workloads to economic requirements with deep learning, artificial intelligence, and high-performance data analytics.

Compute and networking

The HPE edge-to-cloud platform provides workload-optimized solutions, products, and services to fine-tune organizational computing. Businesses can use intelligent supercomputing technologies to predict, prevent, and solve complex problems fast. They can also power hybrid workplaces with built-in networking intelligence. 

HPE’s AI-driven operations have an efficient infrastructure that helps organizations support new business opportunities and gain greater control over domains. The secure access service edge (SASE) and zero trust frameworks offer remote workers more visibility, control, and security.

What Is HPE GreenLake?

HPE GreenLake is an edge-to-cloud platform that provides a unified, hybrid cloud experience to modernize data and applications. It’s a secure private cloud solution with enterprise-grade service level agreements (SLAs), extended developer tools, and robust security options. 

HPE GreenLake for private cloud enterprise offers eight cloud services, including data fabric, disaster recovery, hyper-converged infrastructure, and block storage. It provides superb control and predictability to users seeking pay-per-use private clouds. Flexible, automated, and scalable solutions power organizations’ hybrid strategies. 

HPE GreenLake is designed for modern development and operations (DevOps) models, so it integrates easily with approved toolchains, configurations, and networks. Organizations can use consumption analytics to monitor usage and spending and scale based on their needs.

The HPE GreenLake Marketplace provides a robust ecosystem with 80+ independent software vendors, colocation partners, and service providers. It allows organizations to deploy pre-tested and qualified software easily in their private clouds.

What Is HPE Support Center?

The HPE Support Center is an all-in-one platform that offers comprehensive and personalized digital support solutions for HPE products. Users with HPE Passports can sign in to the site and find solutions, engage with virtual agents, and validate warranty information.

HPE product users can also sign up for personalized product alerts and have conversations on HPE community forums. They can give feedback, get site support, and access critical downloads on a platform that provides seamless navigation. 

The support center also gives users a 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day notice on end of availability and end of support life (EOSL) for HPE products. Users can filter product data information and get consolidated product knowledge.

What Are HPE Advisory and Professional Services?

HPE advisory and professional services include IT modernization, cloud consulting, AI and data-driven services, security, and digital protection services. Organizations can use these services to simplify IT operations, anticipate new opportunities, and create new edge experiences.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise helps companies develop communications infrastructure to support digital transformation. They can harness AI-powered data and use automation to unify security and compliance across the organization. Organizations can also speed up operations with intelligent, adaptive models that enhance security and keep up with technology and cyber threats. 

HPE also provides the right technology, tools, and expertise to drive innovation with better insights. Its global team of consultants supports companies in building the right cloud applications, embracing cloud technology, and overcoming common cloud challenges.

What Are HPE Operational Services?

HPE operational services are digitally enabled, AI-powered services that help organizations optimize their IT. They redefine IT support by providing faster resolution and accelerating access to the resources and specialized expertise businesses need. There are four major operational support services: HPE Complete Care, HPE Tech Care, HPE GreenLake Management Services, and Lifecycle Services.

What Are HPE Financial Services?

HPE Financial Services (HPEFS) combines over 20 years of financial acumen and technology insights to help organizations develop visionary, sustainable IT asset management strategies. This team can leverage robust financial solutions to drive business transformation and position their clients for future success.

HP Enterprise Financial Services help organizations accelerate digital transformation and drive efficiency by minimizing e-waste and establishing predictable payment structures. Businesses can align IT tech strategies with sustainability initiatives, overcome supply chain constraints, and remain competitive with reduced funding barriers. HPE’s Circular Economy report allows users to track metrics and gain insight into data sanitization, auditing, and chain of custody with E2E visibility.

What Are HPE Educational Services?

HPE educational services are designed for customers that want to upskill and deliver exceptional performance with new technologies and approaches. There’s a broad catalog of courses available at budget-friendly prices. 

IT and business professionals learn from HPE experts responsible for HPE technology and standards. Flexible learning options allow users to learn from anywhere. HPE offers three-course delivery formats: individual e-learning courses, HPE Digital Learner, and virtual instructor-led training (VILT). 

Over 20 subjects are taught to meet the development and productivity needs of individuals and organizations. Subject matter covered includes AI and data analytics, cybersecurity, Microsoft, and Hybrid IT. Learning tools include Visual Remote Guidance (VRG) collaboration tools and HPE Virtual Labs (vLabs) for hands-on practice.

Read next: Top MSPs: IT Support, Cloud Services, and More

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Amanda Scheldt <![CDATA[Change Order]]> https://www.webopedia.com/?p=61860 2022-08-18T21:01:24Z 2022-08-18T21:01:06Z When changes need to be made to a project after the project has already been approved by the client, a...

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When changes need to be made to a project after the project has already been approved by the client, a professional service firm needs to create a document called a change order. Change orders are used in various industries, from IT consulting and project management to construction and plumbing.

The purpose of a change order is to keep everyone involved in a project on the same page about what needs to be done and how much it will cost to make changes during the process. Continue reading to learn more about change orders, their use cases, and their numerous benefits in project management.

What Is a Change Order?

The change order is the document that specifies changes that need to be made to a project or project scope. It is a formal document that delineates the specific changes that need to be made to the original project contract between all business parties.

The change order documents specific changes to a project, including any added costs or new items in the project scope. After the change order is drafted with necessary changes, it is signed by both parties so they can move forward with the renewed project scope.

Change orders come in many different forms and vary widely depending on the industry. For instance, construction projects often use change orders to ask for additional funds to complete the project. In contrast, IT consulting firms use change orders more as notifications that more time or resources will be needed than initially planned for the project and tasks involved. 

Types of Change Orders

There are many types of change orders that can be drafted when structured change management is necessary. Either the client or the project team can request change orders. Below are four of the most common types of change orders utilized across different industries:

  • Project scope changes: Changes in the project’s subject matter requirements or specifications. Project scope changes typically involve increasing the amount of work or tasks that need to be done.
  • Project schedule changes: When a contract requires a change in how long it will take to complete work on a particular part of the project.
  • Project budget changes: Asks for a change to the original contract when additional or fewer funds need to be issued for parts of the project.
  • Project team changes: Requests that new people be brought onto the project team or that current project teammates be fired.

What Steps Are Part of the Change Order Process?

Change orders require a change control strategy to guarantee that changes are documented and approved by all parties before they are implemented. During the change order process, several steps should occur for the changes to be recorded and put into action for the project. These are the main steps that are part of the change order process: 

Request for change

The individual submitting the request must submit a draft of the change(s) needed in a change request form. This form should include all relevant facts about what occurred and why it needs to be changed for the project to continue.

Acceptance of change

Once the project manager and clients review the change request form, team leads can accept, range, or renegotiate the terms of the contract. This step often determines whether a request will be accepted based on cost, time frame, safety, and regulatory compliance issues.

Approval of change

If all parties accept the change request terms, formal approval will be given. This step often requires official documentation to be provided and approved by management and the client. This documentation finalizes the cost and time frame for implementing new project plans. It also details how changes will affect different departments within the organization, including the IT department and finance teams.

Why Do Project Teams Use Change Orders?

Change orders help manage risk, mitigate the cost of change, manage scope and schedule, and provide a documentation trail for project audit needs. Using change orders also helps project teams continue building their projects in the right direction. 

Change orders can help professional services firms keep up with changes in technology, new information, and unexpected challenges that may come up during their projects. They also help project teams stay on track with their goals and guarantee that they promptly address any issues.

Finally, change orders help project teams effectively communicate project changes and progress to stakeholders. This type of documentation helps to prevent misunderstandings and disagreements when it comes to final project deliverables and costs.

Benefits of Using Change Orders in Project Management

There are countless benefits to employing change orders as project needs change. For example, change orders allow teams to track risks that develop during the project and make adjustments as needed.

A change order can also ensure that the project team doesn’t miss any deadlines or goals when making changes, which helps things run smoothly throughout the project lifecycle. It also helps teams manage both budget and time constraints within a team or organization more effectively. With a change order as supporting documentation, they can prioritize features based on their importance and ensure they get implemented according to the project schedule.

Read next: Best Project Management Software and Tools

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