Welcome to B & M Bulletin, produced specifically for users of contract IT services. In this issue:
• The importance of careful vetting
• Tech View - taking a proactive approach to network security
• Top 10 projects of 2006 -- so far
• B & M staff member profile - HR Administrator Sara Waterman
• Turnkey Technical Services from B & M
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Why vetting candidates matters
Jerry Smart explains why it's important to look at more than employment history when contracting an IT specialist
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..such as proof of identity..
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Assuring the success of a project is not only about procuring and deploying the right technical skills; it is also about identifying people who have a bona fide background relevant to your needs and the right personal qualities to become part of a successful team.
How do you know that the contractor undertaking work for you is bona fide? You will no doubt have interviewed them technically and may have taken up formal references but these do not necessarily reveal an individual?s character. Exploring this issue through existing personal contacts can reveal a great deal more - a specialist supplier should be able to provide you with assurances that their references are more than just ?satisfactory?.
But there is more to vetting a person than taking references; such as proof of identity. If the person is claiming domestic nationality and living abroad, this must be evidenced. If the person is a non-EC national, the work permit must be valid not only for the duration but also for the proposed place of work.
Then there is legal compliance, such as that required by the UK Financial Services Act, which may require searches to be undertaken. In the case of sensitive working environments, you may wish to check whether the candidate has any criminal records, or ensure that they are cleared for government defence projects, for example.
By entrusting this part of the service to a specialist supplier, you will not only save your own time and effort, but also have a much better chance of achieving successful delivery of your project.
For information on our vetting processes, please contact sales@bmeurope.com
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Tech View: Network Security and the mainframe
Paul Smith, Technical Manager at B & M introduces a series of articles on security in large systems with a look at some of the factors affecting security today
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Earlier last month, Microsoft suffered the embarrassment of having the front page of its French web site replaced with graffiti by Turkish hackers. This is just one case that shows that it is no longer just ?amateurs? who pose a risk to even the largest organisations. Instances of professional hackers and spammers are on the increase as the cases of ?Buffalo Spammer' Howard Carmack, and 'Botmaster' Jeanson James Ancheta have shown.
Before the advent of the Internet, of course, securing a network was much less of an issue than it is today. IBM networks were mostly VTAM based, with proprietary networks, where any external hacking was most likely to occur through dial-up access rather than through a network. As TCP/IP is now pretty much integrated into z/OS this gives us all a problem.
TCP/IP was designed by the US military to survive massive damage to networks during conflicts; it has simplified the interconnection of differing platforms. Unfortunately its very flexibility has made it a prime target for hacking - and now anyone with an Internet connection can have high speed access to virtually anyone else anywhere in the world. A combination of costs, expediency, and the adoption in 1985 of TCP/IP means that today, security is much more of a hot potato.
Few companies these days have ?dumb? terminals to access their mainframe. The proliferation of desktop PCs, UNIX and Windows-based servers and mobile devices which use corporate networks mean that access to a company?s most sensitive data has potentially never been more open.
Securing your network and mainframe is therefore about far more than just having a decent firewall. In future issues of 'B & M Bulletin', we will look at how organisations can maintain a practical and proactive approach to network security - drawing on external expertise where necessary to support the security enterprise. We will also provide an overview of some of the securing hardware, software packages, and management techniques and strategies that are available to secure your enterprise.
To find out about specialists with a range of expertise in security please contact us at sales@bmeurope.com
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Top 10 projects of 2006
As we mark the half way point of 2006, we have analysed the technical projects that have been most popular among our customers so far this year. If you have up and coming projects in these, or related, areas it is worth giving us a call as soon as you can to enable us to meet your requirements for specialist technical expertise.
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For the first half of 2006, our top 10 projects are:
- Consolidating data centres with distributed z/OS environments
- Rolling out an AIX systems software currency programme
- Constructing a new z/OS testing environment to fully mirror production environments
- Designing the architecture of Legato storage area networks
- Reviewing system availability and undertaking performance tuning, capacity and disaster recovery planning across Open System servers
- Performing an ACF2 to RACF security migration
- Implementing WebSphere and standardising the WebSphere interface across systems
- Standardising EMC DMX and Symmetrix SAN storage systems and services
- Implementing a new Siebel / DB2 mainframe system
- Designing and developing a disaster recovery storage solution for a multi-site, multi-platform environment.
If you need to source specialists with high levels of expertise and skills in these areas, contact us at sales@bmeurope.com
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Real Skills. Real People - B & M's Sara Waterman
In this issue, we profile Human Resources Administrator Sara Waterman
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Sara joined B & M in May of this year in a pivotal role providing administrative support to B & M's account management team. She completed her NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Secretarial Business Administration at Salisbury College with distinction in 1996, after which she worked on temporary assignments for Manpower Plc and Westaff UK Ltd. Sara undertook the roles of Administration Assistant and Branch Administrator where she screened candidates and managed the payroll for temporary staff. Sara later moved into a role at Capita Payroll Services where she was the Sales and Marketing Assistant, organising conferences, designing market literature and producing final tender bids.
In her few weeks at B & M, Sara has begun building relationships with B & M specialists and is learning about the processes associated with the IT contracting industry.
Sara is a keen sportswoman, regularly engaging in long distance running and often running for charity. Sara completed the Race for Life in 2005 and 2006, and also took part in a charity event to raise money for CLIC Sargent which involved a fun-run from Lands End in Cornwall to John O? Groats in Scotland. She also is a keen follower of football.
Sara has hidden talents in the kitchen and she particularly likes to create new vegetarian dishes.
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Turnkey services
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B & M Turnkey Technical Services offer companies greater flexibility in terms of how they manage their IT projects and resources, along with the peace of mind of knowing that their service is in safe hands. Find out more about the benefits of using a professional service supplier.
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