Satya Nadella came up throughout the ranks the hard way, with internal opposition. That’s why he’s the appropriate man to alter Microsoft. The appointment of Satya Nadella to CEO at Microsoft can have come as a surprise to many, but shouldn’t for many who know the corporate best. Forrester was an active Microsoft watcher and consultant since its founding. I’ve worked with the company’s Server and Tools division for the last five years. I’ve met with Satya a pair times prior to now year and had lengthy discussions with managers who’ve worked closely with him (some still at Microsoft, some not). Here is what i will inform you about him from what I’ve learned. Satya came to Server and Tools division from the web group, where he ran the Bing search engine team. In this time, he learned how online businesses differ from on-premise enterprise applications and the significance in that business of moving fast. He was delivered to Server and Tools to educate them... Read More »

Microsoft has a brand new CEO, but does it have a brand new Windows strategy? Here is what to expect from Windows 8.1 Update 1. Another build of Windows 8.1 Update 1 leaked online last week. Microsoft has yet to make sure the update or details that trickled out via screenshots and unverified reports. But with functional builds now replacing soft evidence, it sort of feels clear Microsoft is tinkering with its controversial Live Tile UI. What is Microsoft engaged on, and what does it mean for future Windows products? Here is what we all know up to now. 1. What is the goal of Update 1? Windows 8.1 introduced quite a lot of enhancements, including a boot-to-desktop mode, that makes the touch-oriented OS friendlier to PC users. Unfortunately for Microsoft, most of these users haven’t been persuaded to upgrade. With Update 1, the corporate is taking another swing. 2. What new features am i able to expect? Recent Update 1 builds allow users to... Read More »

Google now not allows Gmail users to show off HTTPS encryption. The move protects data going between Google’s servers and users. 10 Great Google Apps Tips (Click image for larger view) Moving to revive trust in cloud computing services, Google said Thursday that it has made encrypted HTTPS connections mandatory for Gmail. “Today’s change implies that nobody can snoop on your messages as they commute between you and Gmail’s servers — whether you’re using public WiFi or logging in out of your computer, phone or tablet,” Nicolas Lidzborski, Google security engineering lead, wrote in a blog post. The company turned HTTPS on by default in 2010. From then formerly, users were ready to disable it — for the sake of marginal speed gains or compatibility — but not. Google has long been on the forefront of online security, partially out of necessity, since it is usually targeted by hackers. It was among the first online companies to introduce two-step authentication. And it says Google Apps... Read More »

California bill directs mobile hardware makers to incorporate the way to disable stolen communications devices. Will privacy concerns be addressed? Lost Smartphone? 6 Free Tracking Apps (click image for larger view) California State Senator Mark Leno on Friday introduced a bill that, if passed, would require makers of mobile communications devices sold within the state after Jan. 1, 2015 to incorporate technology that could render such devices inoperable when lost or stolen. The mandated technology, commonly called a “kill switch,” might be implemented in software or hardware, but ought to be ready to survive a factory reset. To conform, companies may need to do additional engineering work on their mobile devices — factory resets typically erase all data by reformatting storage media and can not be established to address exceptions. The desired fine for the absence of a kill switch ranges from $500 to $2,500 per violation. The bill stipulates that the physical action essential to disable the kill switch may only be taken by... Read More »

DRaaS offerings are mature and constant. Now IT just must think differently about continuity. It’s 3:30 a.m. in a raging supercell thunderstorm. Did you know where your disaster recovery plan is? How about your backup data, redundant servers, and rancid-site facility? Are you able to spin up mission-critical business applications? And no, two out of 3 isn’t ok. Everyone pays lip service to the significance of resiliency, but CIOs have plenty of priorities, with more added on daily basis: work out whether software-defined networking is a fit, how much of the IT budget the CMO now controls, and the way the heck DevOps would ever work here. Spending hundreds of staff hours and 7 figures to mitigate a 1%, or perhaps 10%, risk scenario — after which keeping that plan current in today’s level of technology churn — doesn’t look like an awesome return on investment if you are struggling to fulfill new service requests. Consequently, just 41% of respondents to our InformationWeek 2014 State... Read More »