The ITPro Podcast

When it comes to gender gaps, most people are familiar with the problem of recruiting women into technology, science, engineering and manufacturing roles, to say nothing of pay disparity and lack of representation at senior management levels.A less well known problem, however, is the gender data gap. Biased data sets fed into artificial intelligence and machine learning systems can disadvantage women in areas ranging from recruitment to healthcare and even financial services. This week, we’re joined by Constanza Di Gennaro, COO of BioBeats to discuss what the gender data gap is, its impact and what we can do to close it.We also discuss Google’s new deal to provide cloud services to the UK government, Zoom’s growing revenue streams and continued security concerns, and plans to protect UK startups from takeovers by foreign companies.Head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-datagap for links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

Despite initial hype, GDPR hasn’t been as much of a tectonic shift as some predicted. So, with two years of enforcement now behind it, what kind of impact has the regulation had? Has it succeeded in changing companies’ behaviours? Is it fit for purpose in a world of remote working and quarantines? In this episode, we talk to barrister and data protection expert Dyann Heward-Mills to find out more about how businesses have adapted to the rules, and whether or not they’ve made a lasting impression. Elsewhere, we look at the causes behind the UK’s disappointing 5G infrastructure, HP’s new remote working devices, and Microsoft’s latest bug bonanza.For links to everything that we've mentioned in this episode, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-GDPR.

In this week’s episode of the IT Pro Podcast, we’re taking a deep dive into some of the most interesting announcements from Microsoft Build 2020, digging into what they mean both for Microsoft’s customers and for its overall strategy. For more information on everything Microsoft revealed made at its virtual show, check out our guide to every Build 2020 announcement.For more information on everything we've talked about this week, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-Build.

The trend towards remote working has been building up steam for some time now, but it’s been vastly accelerated by the worldwide lockdowns enacted to control coronavirus. As many workers dig in for several more months of working from home, we examine the toll it’s taking on our mental health and how staff and businesses can help support each other.We discuss everything from the importance of a properly-equipped workspace and the tools necessary for proper collaboration, to the under-appreciated role of a tea break and a nice chat in maintaining mental wellbeing.We also take a look at how tech giants’ flexible working policies are coping in the face of continued lockdowns, the UK House of Commons’ digital transformation push, and what happens when hackers hit a star-studded law firm.Head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-sane for links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

Many will doubtless be familiar with London’s Natural History Museum as a fun and educational place to visit, but it’s also an important research institution. Alongside its role as a tourist attraction, it also does vital work in the biological sciences field, doing things like species categorisation and climate science research.All of that research involves a huge amount of very precise data, and managing it all is no easy task. In this week’s episode, we speak to Alison Davies, CIO of the Natural History Museum, about the role of data literacy in education, her background in scientific research, and how a giant squid makes her office so interesting to work in.In this week’s headlines, we look at Microsoft’s $100,000 IoT bug bounty, why the UK’s internet still lags behind other countries, and the hacker behind the love bug.For links to everything we've talked about this week, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-Dino.

Skills and training are a crucial element of running any business, but it’s especially critical when it comes to IT. It’s a running battle to just keep up with what’s needed to operate a company’s current tools, let alone developing proficiencies that will allow you to start expanding into new areas. In this week’s episode, we talk to Brad Mallard, CTO of Fujitsu Global, to find out how one of the world’s largest technology services providers trains and educates its staff. We discuss the e-learning tools that have helped make skills training fun and accessible, the gamification of professional development, up-skilling those already in the business and why learning COBOL gives young engineers a license to print money.We also discuss the hackers who had a sudden attack of conscience, the latest blow in the video conferencing arms race, and whether or not the current crisis caught network security specialists with their pants down.Visit https://bit.ly/ITPP-COBOL for links to everything we've talked about in this episode.

AI is all around us. It’s in everything from cars, to our kitchens, to the applications that power global commerce. Over the past several years, AI development has proceeded at a staggering pace, as companies race to make their machine learning algorithms more and more capable.But all of this development throws up some tough ethical questions: how do you ensure AI is being trained without implicit bias? How can it be used to augment, rather than replicate, human workers? And how, fundamentally, can we ensure it’s being developed in an ethical and responsible fashion? In this week’s podcast, we talk to AI expert and ContactEngine CEO, Professor Mark K. Smith, to try and answer some of these questions.In other news, we discuss the potential motives behind the spike in phishing attacks against the WHO, the pitfalls of not muting your microphone on Zoom, and Microsoft’s new devices offering a slice of normality.For more information on everything we've talked about this week, please visit https://bit.ly/ITPP-Ethical.Thanks to Razer for providing some of its Seiren X microphones for use during the lockdown.

The cloud is eating enterprise IT, and while on-premise applications are going to be around for a long time to come, the importance of being able to successfully take advantage of cloud technologies should not be understated. However, it’s one thing to simply port an existing application to the cloud, but developing software to be run in cloud environments is a different matter altogether.In this week’s episode, Adam and guest host Keumars Afifi-Sabet talk to Red Hat senior solutions architect Erica Langhi, to find out how organisations need to adjust their thinking when developing for the cloud, which tools and processes are best-suited to the task, and how new technologies like containers and microservices are making the job easier than ever.Elsewhere, we also discuss the ‘Fujiwhara’ of patches that IT professionals have been hit with this week, the public spat between Slack and Microsoft Teams, and the ongoing clash over the government’s controversial digital services tax.For links to everything we've mentioned in this week's episode, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-cloudapps.

It’s no secret that containers have been taking the software development world by storm in recent years, with companies including VMware, Red Hat and more talking up their benefits for developing cloud applications quickly and at scale. But why exactly is there so much buzz around them? What are they good for? And how difficult is it for companies to establish a container competency?In this week’s episode, we talk to Canonical’s vice-president of worldwide field engineering Nicholas Dimotakis to find out why software developers around the world have been jumping on board the container train, and what benefits it can bring for enterprises who want to scale their applications.Elsewhere, we talk about why beleaguered videoconferencing service Zoom has hired Facebook’s former CSO, Nvidia’s role in fighting coronavirus, and how social media has led to some people setting 5G masts on fire.For links to everything we've talked about in this show, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-containers.

For many businesses and independent IT professionals, IR35 was set to dominate this year; the expanded tax legislation was going to crack down on the use of limited companies by contractors in order to exploit tax loopholes, while simultaneously forcing organisations to pay the national insurance contributions of many of its temporary freelancers.The ongoing coronavirus crisis has now kicked those plans into touch, with the enforcement of the new legislation pushed back until next year - but what impact will this delaying have on IT contractors and those that employ them, and how should they be preparing for when it does finally come into force in 2021?In this week’s episode of the IT Pro Podcast, Adam and guest host Keumars Afifi-Sabet talk to James Poyser, InniAccounts CEO and founder of IF35 comparison site Offpayroll.org.uk, to find out exactly what the changes mean, and how those affected should respond.Visit bit.ly/ITPP-IR35 for links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

With a global pandemic currently playing out and curfews, quarantine and restrictions in place almost everywhere, it’s easy to forget that other big news stories are playing out too. This week, Adam and Jane are joined by IT Pro’s US editor, Justin Cupler, to discuss what will still be one of the most important events of the year: the 2020 US presidential election.While Donald Trump has had a tumultuous relationship with the country’s tech sector, the two Democratic candidates – Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden – both have plans that won’t necessarily please the giants of Silicon Valley either.Elsewhere, the COVID-19 outbreak continues to affect almost every aspect of life and business. Microsoft and Google have both announced they’re putting non-critical software updates on hold, while networks struggle to adjust to a sudden shift to mass remote working. Cybercriminals, meanwhile, have taken the ‘opportunity’ to target the World Health Organisation, as well as hospitals in Spain and the Czech Republic, attempting to disrupt research into the novel coronavirus and in the process extort money.Visit https://bit.ly/ITPP-Trump for links to everything we've talked about in this week's show.

Getting the opportunity to reshape a company’s tech platform from the ground up is an exciting prospect, but it’s also one that brings with it no small amount of challenge. There are many aspects to consider, including infrastructure choices, scalability, maintenance and more, but pull it off and you can revolutionise an organisation’s operational capacity.That’s exactly the task that Marc Pell was faced with when he started at insurance company TempCover six and a half years ago. Fast-forward to today, and he’s leading its technical vision as CTO. In this week’s episode, he joins us to explain how he went about reinventing the company’s tech stack and the opportunities it has offered.Elsewhere, we look at how COVID-19 has kick-started a remote working revolution, the pending closure of high street institution Carphone Warehouse, and Microsoft’s latest developer-friendly acquisition.For links to all the articles we've talked about in this week's episode, head to https://bit.ly/ITPP-Platform.

Digital transformation has become a top priority for companies, but many organisations – particularly larger ones – are finding it’s easier said than done. For big, established businesses breaking down the silos that have developed within their company often proves difficult, while smaller organisations struggle to establish processes that work in a smooth and effective way for the future of the business. This is the problem that Solis Digital aims to solve. Co-founded by former professional footballer Jordan Watson, the boutique digital transformation consultancy helps companies use custom apps to drive business efficiency and has worked on projects with organisations including Rolls Royce, the FA and Team GB. We sat down with Watson to find out how these organisations are benefiting from digital transformation, and the challenges they’re facing in the process.We also look at what impact this year’s recently-announced budget will have on the tech sector, the accidentally-announced security flaw in Microsoft’s SMB software, and the launch of several new Kubernetes management tools from VMware.For links to everything we've talked about in this episode, visit http://bit.ly/ITPP-TeamGB.

The coronavirus outbreak has been all over the news in recent weeks, with health warnings, office shutdowns and skyrocketing sales of antibacterials creating an air of borderline panic. But aside from general health concerns, does the tech industry in particular have anything to fear from the COVID-19 crisis? In this week’s episode, we look at the potential impact the virus could have – both positive and negative – on logistics and supply chain management, remote working, events and more. We also discuss what Oracle’s latest round of layoffs says about its cloud strategy, how Cathay Pacific’s data breach fine relates to the state of airline security, and Xerox’s tender offer to acquire HP’s outstanding shares.(Editor’s note: This week’s episode was recorded prior to the news that HP is planning a ‘poison pill’ maneuver to combat Xerox’s plan.)Visit http://bit.ly/ITPP-COVID to find links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

Cloud computing is often touted as one of the most efficient ways to run an IT operation within businesses – especially those on the small and medium end of the scale. But it doesn’t come without its own pitfalls, and finding the right platform and partners to help you manage your cloud journey can be more difficult than it first seems.In this week’s episode of The IT Pro Podcast, Jane and Adam are joined by Alex Hilton, chief executive of the Cloud Industry Forum, to talk about how SMBs can navigate the cloud landscape, what level of skills they need and how to avoid mounting costs.We also discuss a lawsuit filed against Oracle for alleged cloud coercion, Keith Block’s sudden departure from Salesforce, and Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician who died this week at the age of 101.Visit bit.ly/ITPP-offices to find links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

We’ve spoken a lot about workplace transformation over the last few years, whether it’s ‘the office of the future’, new collaboration technologies and SaaS tools enabling different ways of working, or new ultraportable devices enabling more mobility at work. But with so much technology allowing us to work productively from anywhere, do we even need offices at all any more?In this episode, we look at the pros and cons of physical workspaces, examining the technology that helps us circumvent them and debating whether they still perform a necessary function for businesses.Visit bit.ly/ITPP-offices to find links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that there’s still a substantial gulf within most organisations between security and the rest of the business, but discussing the problem with other cyber security practitioners is, in many respects, preaching to the choir. In this episode of the IT Pro Podcast, we speak to Kevin Fielder, CISO at Just Eat, about how infosec professionals can break out of the security bubble and start spreading this message to other departments.Check out http://bit.ly/ITPP-bubble for links to all the resources mentioned in this episode.

The issue of Brexit has been looming over the UK for more than three years - but now that it's finally a reality, how can businesses prepare themselves for the changes that lie ahead?We talk to former CIO, experienced IT industry veteran and Gartner VP analyst Stewart Buchanan to find out how much certainty organisations currently have, as well as the best way they can insulate themselves from potential disruption and secure their future productivity.For links to everything we've talked about in this week's show, head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-Brexit.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Puppet’s field CTO Nigel Kersten to discuss the current state of open source adoption, including the lack of high-level knowledge sharing, the relationship between open source and SaaS, and why businesses should get better at giving back to the open source community.Visit http://bit.ly/ITPP-Open for links to everything mentioned in this episode.

Software development is changing, and companies are adopting newer and more agile methods, using DevOps practises to build cloud-native applications in a faster and more effective manner. In this week’s IT Pro Podcast, we’re joined by Jon Topper, founder and CEO of The Scale Factory, to learn more about how enterprises can make their cloud deployments a success and implement DevOps methodologies to supercharge their development lifecycles.To find out more about everything we've mentioned in this week's episode, head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-DevOps.

This week marks the end of an era, as we say goodbye to one of the most beloved operating systems of all time: Windows 7. Microsoft has ceased mainstream support for the OS after more than a decade, despite its enduring popularity. In this episode, we’re looking back at Windows 7’s legacy, including its history and what made it so indispensable for businesses. We also tackle the issue of what organisations who haven’t upgraded yet need to do now that it’s being officially retired.Head over to http://bit.ly/ITPP-Win7 for links to all the related resources mentioned in this episode.

While some of the problems facing public sector IT are unique, many are universal. From mitigating the tech skills gap and dealing with legacy kit, to allocating budget and choosing a cloud strategy there are many lessons to learn.In this week's episode of the IT Pro Podcast, Jane and Adam are joined by Adrian Keward, chief technologist, public sector at Red Hat to discuss the challenges facing public sector today, and what solutions open source may offer.Visit http://bit.ly/ITPP-Public for links to everything we've talked about in this week's show.

In this week’s IT Pro Podcast, we’re discussing what this year’s defining trends and themes are likely to be and predicting the key issues that technology professionals will need to be aware of, including Brexit, AI and the shifting vendor landscape. What’s going to be driving the conversation over the next 12 months - and how can IT managers best prepare for it?Links to everything we've talked about in this week's show can be found at http://bit.ly/ITPP-2020.

As 2019 draws to a close, it's time to look back and reflect on some of the biggest stories and most important trends the past 12 months. This year has been an eventful one for the UK tech industry, which has weathered everything from continuing political uncertainty to a rash of high-profile GDPR fines, as well as some nasty ransomware infections. In this special bonus episode, we'll be looking at all this and more. Head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-2019 to find out more about everything we've talked about this episode.

Collaboration is one of the key tenets of modern business, but it’s a term that covers a multitude of sins. In this morass, what room is there for existing technology? Does email, the workhorse of business communication, still play a role?For links to everything we've spoken about in this week's episode, visit http://bit.ly/ITPP-email.In the latest episode of the IT Pro Podcast, Adam and Jane are joined by Slack head of customer success Chris Mills to discuss the state of collaboration in the workplace.

Data is an essential and growing part of modern business. But what does it take to build a truly data-informed, data-driven and data-enabled business? In this week's episode of the IT Pro Podcast, we talk to Solarwinds Head Geek Thomas LaRock to find out what data businesses should be looking for, how they can get started with analysing it and how to identify some of the common pitfalls.To find out more about everything we've mentioned in this week's show, head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-data.

More and more companies are choosing to move to multi-cloud architectures, rather than relying on a single provider. In this episode, Adam and Jane are joined by staff writer Bobby Hellard look at the growing multi-cloud trend, including what makes a solid multi-cloud architecture, why it’s growing so quickly and the benefits it can have for businesses, as well as looking ahead to AWS’ annual conference and what role (if any) multi-cloud is likely to play in its plans.For links to everything we've spoken about in this week's episode, head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-multicloud.

Following the announcement of Labour's ambitious free broadband pledge, IT Pro looks at the details and feasibility of the plan, featuring our resident public sector specialist Keumars Afifi-Sabet. Head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-labour for links to all the resources mentioned in this episode.We also discuss the report into TSB's IT meltdown and the ongoing sparring match between Xerox and HP Inc. NB: This week's episode was recorded prior to Xerox's threat of a share buyout.

In the latest episode of the IT Pro Podcast, Adam and Jane are joined by CW Jobs director Dominic Harvey to discuss how organisations can improve diversity and plug their skills gaps by upskilling existing employees from other areas of the business.All the links to everything we've spoken about in this week's episode can be found at http://bit.ly/ITPP-upskilling.

Microsoft still rules the roost when it comes to desktop operating systems, but gone are the days of yearly version updates; the new model is one of constant iteration and (supposed) improvement. In this episode, co-hosts Adam and Jane sit down with PC Pro associate editor Darien Graham-Smith to discuss the ins and outs of Windows 10, including how it relates to its predecessors, the pros and cons of upgrading, and why you need a solid rollout strategy.If you want to learn more about the subjects mentioned in this week's episode, head to http://bit.ly/ITPP-Win10.

Co-hosts Adam and Jane are joined by veteran security journalist and host of the Smashing Security podcast Graham Cluley and ZeroDayLabs’ head of cyber security strategy Stu Peck to discuss why firms keep making the same security mistakes.Visit http://bit.ly/ITPP-security to find links to everything we've talked about in this week's episode.

A new show for technology professionals and business decisionmakers, the IT Pro Podcast is hosted by IT Pro reviews and community editor Adam Shepherd and features editor Jane McCallion. They'll be discussing all the latest and most interesting stories from the world of enterprise IT, as well as diving deep into the most important issues facing tech practitioners. Subscribe now, or visit www.itpro.co.uk/podcasts for more information.