|
Welcome to B & M Bulletin, produced specifically for IT specialists. In this issue:
• Managed Service Company update
• Tech View: Quantum computing
• Specialist profile: Network Design Engineer, Graham Bedding
• B & M staff member profile - Amanda Dunn
• Phone a friend and receive a hamper
|
|
Managed Service Company update
Jerry Smart explains what you need to do in the light of new legislation affecting managed service companies
|
"..do take advice …"
|
Pending UK legislation (which, once ratified, will be applied retrospectively from 6 April 2007) seeks to continue to remove what the UK Government deems to be tax avoidance schemes, especially those set up by ‘Managed Service Companies’.
Most ‘Umbrella Company’ schemes are exempt because they were established to be IR35 compliant (operating ‘inside’ the rules) from the outset.
So what should you do if you are presently working through a Managed Service Company? Firstly, you will need to ask them questions to check that you have the right financial vehicle in place from April 6 onwards.
If you are comfortable that you meet IR35 compliance, then you can transfer to an umbrella arrangement and your financial affairs will be dealt with for you.
If you want to pay less taxation overall, and you believe that your circumstances are such that you can operate ‘outside’ IR35 rules, then you should consider setting up a ‘Personal Service Company’; but do take advice from an accounting professional who is fully acquainted with current practice.
What if you are a UK national working overseas? In these circumstances, you may still be liable for UK tax. This may be especially true if you are working through a UK Personal Service Company and you are UK tax resident (where IR35 rules may still be applied by HMRC).
If you are working through an overseas Managed Service Company or Payroll Company then that employment will be subject to local country government tax office rules. You may still be UK tax resident but you will normally pay local country tax and offset this from your UK tax bill.
Non-UK nationals are bound by their own tax legislation. Some countries have their own IR35-type legislation – others may ultimately decide to follow the UK Government’s lead.
If you are supplying your services via a UK Managed Service Company (whether working in the UK or abroad) and you are unsure of your tax position, then now is the time to act.
To discuss this further please contact Melanie Thompson at people@bmeurope.com.
|
Tech View: Computing, but not as we
know it!
Paul Smith, B & M's Technical Manager, considers the future of Quantum Computing
|
According to Moore’s Law, CPU power will double every 18-24 months - a theory that to date has turned out to be accurate. Basic physics will probably dictate the limits of chip design within the next decade - conductors are already down to 25 atoms thick, but it will never be possible to make them less than one atom thick. Pundits predict that by around 2010 we could have CPUs running at 30Ghz and that they will have the heat output of a small sun!
The origins of quantum computing date back to those of Quantum Mechanics (QM), however it is only relatively recently that these principles have been applied to computing:
• 1980 Paul Benioff proposed a Quantum mechanical model for computing.
• 1982 Richard Feynman postulated that any physical system could be modelled by a quantum
computer.
• 1985 David Deutsch published a mathematical description of a universal quantum computer.
A Quantum computer is a device that will perform computations making use of ‘Quantum Mechanical Phenomena’. It exploits ‘superposition’, ‘entanglement’ and the fact that Quantum bits (Qubits) can both be zero and one at one time, to deliver vastly improved processing speeds.
But why is this all so interesting today? Consider cryptography - an application that can demand significant processor power. For example, RSA encryption is based on two large numbers that multiply together to produce a larger third number, but it’s very difficult to factor that third number to get back to the starting points.
There is plenty of evidence to show the benefits of quantum computing, for example:
• 1994 Peter Shor of AT&T shows a 250 digit key that will take a million times longer to
factor than one of 130 digits. Using quantum technology, it would only take 4 times longer.
• 2001 IBM’s Dr. Isaac Chuang demonstrates Shor’s factoring algorithm, in a test-tube
7-bit Quantum array, to solve the factors of the number 15.
• 2005 The University of Michigan built a 'trapped ion chip' and improved it in 2006.
• 2007 D-Wave Systems Inc. demonstrated Orion, the world's first ‘commercially-viable’
Quantum computer. It is a 16-Qubit superconducting adiabatic processor
specifically aimed at solving QM NP-Complete problems.
The age of the Qubit clearly has applications for factoring, discrete logarithm and quantum physics simulations. My guess is that over the next few years we will see add-on Quantum co-processors similar to Orion for mainframes and eServers. These co-processors could provide functions similar to the conventional engines that IBM already provides.
|
Specialist profile: Network Design Engineer Graham Bedding
Graham Bedding has made the transition to working in a networking environment and is reaping the rewards
|
You could be forgiven for mistaking Graham Bedding for a full-time employee at the Netherlands-based international bank where he is working at present, as he has been on assignment there since 2000. Initially contracted directly to the bank, Graham's contract has since transferred to a telecoms services company that is the outsourced network supplier to the bank.
Graham's early career was spent planning and designing systems in IBM mainframe environments, but his current role is working as a Network Design Engineer responsible for designing, implementing and troubleshooting networking solutions.
As Graham explains, this shift from systems planning to network design meant that he had a steep learning curve when he first started: "At the beginning of the contract in 2000 I took my then 18 years of IT experience mostly spent in the world of IBM mainframe networking with me. However within the first year, the opportunity arose to move into the Cisco arena and I decided to take the chance to expand my existing skills and train as a Network Engineer for Cisco networking environments".
This step involved Graham giving up a good deal of his free time to study for the relevant certifications. Graham told B & M Bulletin that he has thoroughly enjoyed gaining new skills in this way and is still adding to his skill set as he continues to work towards his Cisco CCIP certification.
Graham lives near his work in Amsterdam for most of the week, but commutes home to the UK for the weekends. His new role has enabled him to work from home from time to time - a level of freedom and flexibility that he enjoys. "It's good to be able to work in the knowledge that you're paid what you’re worth on a day-to-day basis. In an ever changing world of IT, that's a great boost to your motivation to keep up to date!"
But for someone who has been on such a long-term contract in particular, what are the benefits of working on contract? Graham Bedding explains, "The flexibility works both ways. No complicated employee contracts. If things change then customers know that they can let you go...as simple as that!"
|
Real Skills. Real People - B & M's Amanda Dunn
This month we profile Sales Director Amanda Dunn
|
Amanda is an experienced sales director with a strong track record of providing high-value IT services into the international market place who joined B & M earlier this month.
During the 20 years that Amanda has spent in the IT Industry she has worked for a number of blue-chip companies including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Landmark (now part of Halliburton), Dun and Bradstreet Software Services and a number of prestigious JVCs.
Amanda has an MBA and is Siebel certified. Her work experience includes running a wide range of global and major accounts; board-level responsibility for channels and alliances and running a team of over 30 sales and technical staff.
In the last few years Amanda has focused her energies in the area of professional services and has won a number of strategic consultancy contracts with multibillion dollar turnover companies.
Her aim is to use her expertise to help B & M achieve its goal of becoming the major provider of expert technical support and consultancy services in its chosen niche markets.
Amanda’s out of work interests include travelling, engaging in country pursuits and spending time with her children.
|
|
Phone a friend and receive a hamper
|
B & M would like to hear about your colleagues, past and present, who will be looking for challenging and interesting assignments in the coming year.
Once they are on assignment with B & M, we will send you a luxury Fortnum & Mason hamper by way of thanks. For more details and full terms and conditions click here.
|
|
B & M has specialised in delivering skilled ICT specialists to meet the needs of leading organisations throughout Europe since 1992. We focus exclusively on providing consultancy, technical services and support for z/OS, UNIX and Linux enterprise systems, including third-party systems software, open systems and networking connectivity. We add real value for HR and IT professionals by taking the time to understand their needs and applying best practice methods to deliver results. To find out more about our approach to providing the best skills for each business, go to www.bmeurope.com B & M Europe Limited
www.bmeurope.com
+44 (0)118 981 1880
|
|
